Queen of the Damned Page #14

MARIUS:

It is good to see you, Lestat.

LESTAT:

And you. Still wearing the oldfashions, I see.

MARIUS:

Old habits die hard.

LESTAT:

How did you manage to slip throughthe 1950s in red velvet?

MARIUS:

I slept.

LESTAT:

Don't think you missed much.

MARIUS:

Elvis.

LESTAT:

Elvis, yes.

MARIUS:

(holding up theRolling Stone)

You're bigger than he is now.

LESTAT:

I'd say a few pounds lighter.

Though, if you ever catch mewearing a white jumpsuit, you havemy permission to slice off myhead.

MARIUS:

If someone doesn't get to youfirst.

Lestat grins, feeling Marius's disapproval.

LESTAT:

Live and let live.

MARIUS:

If it were only so simple, my son.

(CONTINUED)

71.

118 CONTINUED:
(2) 118

LESTAT:

(a beat)

How did you find me?

MARIUS:

You forget. We ancients have

powers no ordinary vampirespossess... And I know you. I

remembered how you admired themedieval fortresses in the

hilltowns of Lyon.

(gestures to house)

All you're missing is the moatand the cannons... which youmay need.

Lestat doesn't want to hear it.

LESTAT:

Come, let me show you what itmeans to live in the light.

119 EXT. SUNSET BLVD. - CONTINUOUS ACTION 119

Lestat and Marius sit perched on a giant billboardadvertising Lestat's concert. Down below, Sunset Stripis filled with Goths, club hoppers, HONKING CARS, atraffic jam.

MARIUS:

(sarcastic)

Impressive. Reminds me of mad old

Druids running around chanting inthe forest. Very primitive stuff.

LESTAT:

Out there. My fans. Thousands and

thousands. They worship me.

Millions of arms reach out to

embrace, beg me to come into theirlives.

MARIUS:

It's what you've always wanted.

LESTAT:

With all my black little heart.

MARIUS:

Do you think of anyone butyourself?

(CONTINUED)

72.

119 CONTINUED:

LESTAT:

I only have myself.

MARIUS:

It may be time to get ready for

some company.

LESTAT:

What's that supposed to mean?

MARIUS:

Your music's woken a very oldfriend...

Lestat looks at Marius, trying to understand.

MARIUS:

Can't you hear it? Or is the

applause all you can hear now?

Marius becomes eerily still. A deep, somber TONE startsto VIBRATE. The GROUND RUMBLES. Lestat taken aback,

remembers the scope of Marius's power. Lestat stares at

Marius, then closes his eyes...

120 CLOSE ON LESTAT'S EYES 120

As the sounds of the WORLD seem to FADE AWAY, revealingbeneath the cacophony of mortals a DEEP PULSE like thebeating of a heart the size of a planet.

121 BACK TO SCENE 121

Lestat suddenly opens his eyes as the sounds of the WORLDrush BACK IN. Marius stares for a beat, then -

MARIUS:

Akasha has risen. She has taken

her King's blood. Absorbed his

power. You've done it this time.

Lestat stares at Marius, letting the knowledge sink in.

Then he grins.

LESTAT:

Good! I'm glad she's risen! Let

her come.

MARIUS:

Don't you understand? You must

stop this concert!

(CONTINUED)

73.

121 CONTINUED:
121

LESTAT:

(shakes his head at

Marius)

200 years and the same brokenrecord.

MARIUS:

No. Not the same! You've onlyknown Akasha dormant. She too

will find you. She is choosingher moment. She has come to

destroy you, Lestat. And in her

wrath, she will devour everythingthat moves. Mortal and vampirealike.

LESTAT:

(smiles at Marius,

softly)

Well then, it's every vampire forhimself. Just the kind of rules I

like. The rules you taught me.

Marius is enraged, tries to control himself. Lestat

gazes at him, speaks steadily.

LESTAT:

Do you remember your first wordsto me, Marius? 'I am unknowable.'

(shakes his head)

I'd rather not exist at all than

have to live eternally as a ghost.

MARIUS:

And you're taking everyone withyou, you fool! We were once

mortals, too. It is our heritagewe protect!

LESTAT:

(moving away)

Such reverence for mortals! Then

you should have left me as one!

MARIUS:

You're a monster.

LESTAT:

(shakes his head with adark laugh)

Said the vampire to his son.

Lestat turns, leaps off the billboard, disappearing intothe black night. Marius stands alone.

CUT TO:

74.

122 INT. VAMPIRE COVEN BAR (LONDON/SOHO) - NIGHT 122

No mortals in sight. Amongst various vampires, we spythe Vampire Lover talking to the Punk Vampire who triedto attack Jesse.

123 EXT. VAMPIRE BAR - FRONT DOOR 123

The vampire doorman opens the door and peers out. A

figure moves towards him...

124 AKASHA 124

glowing, beautiful, majestic. The vampire doorman isfrightened, but mesmerized as she moves in...

125 INT. VAMPIRE BAR 125

The barman looks up at the sound of the DOOR SLAMMING.

He does a double-take and watches in awe as... Akasha

steps in. Everyone in the bar turns. She smiles at

all the undead staring at her.

AKASHA:

Hello...

Her eyes sweep the room, taking in every inch, searching,

then she hears a Vampire Lestat VIDEO PLAYING. She

whirls around quickly to the TV -- gazes at the videointensely. Her eyes narrow, focus on Lestat, speaks asif to herself.

AKASHA:

Hmmm... his scent is fading. He

was here too long ago...

The Vampire Lover slides up next to her.

VAMPIRE LOVER:

You like him, love?

AKASHA:

(still staring at TV)

He reminds me of someone I know.

VAMPIRE LOVER:

All he's gonna remind you of soon

is a pile of bones. We're gonna

dismember him. Bleed him dry.

AKASHA:

Really? Is that what you're

going to do?

(CONTINUED)

75.

125 CONTINUED:

She turns to Vampire Lover, takes him in.

As if with a new idea, smiles at him, moves to the

dance floor, moving to LESTAT'S MUSIC, her eyes closed,

swaying sensually, her hips gyrating. The dance is

seductive, slow, her head thrown back. The vampiresturn, stare at her, mesmerized, aroused by her

movements. They move to the dance floor, watching.

Akasha opens her eyes, smiles at them, then turns toVampire Lover, points to him, beckons. He smiles back,

happy to be chosen, moves onto the dance floor. She

dances a little farther away. A game. He laughs.

Moves closer.

CLOSE ON VAMPIRE LOVER

He hears a LAUGH.

BACK TO AKASHA:

But she's disappeared. He turns. Akasha's behind him

now. He stares at her. Her hips are gyrating, herbody slithering. A moan escapes from him. Again, hemoves to her, reaches for her. She laughs.

CLOSE ON HIS PUZZLED FACE

He turns...

She's dancing across the floor now. Vampire Lover'ssmile is not so friendly now. He steps toward her,

determined... She moves behind him. Her body pressed uptight against his. He smiles, shudders with a rush of

desire. All the other vampires watch, envious. Her

lips brush his neck, her hands run up and down hisbody pausing on his chest. He reaches for her. She

kisses him just as he kissed the mortal girl. On VampireLover's face, pure pleasure...

AKASHA:

Then again, you could always do

this...

Akasha sinks her fangs into his neck and at the sametime, plunges her hand down. We can't see where... We

STAY ON Vampire Lover's face as Akasha disappears FROMFRAME. The sound of BONE SNAPPING, the SQUISH of RIPPING FLESH.

LOUD SUCKING. A look of horror appears on

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