Queen of the Damned Page #15

Vampire Lover's face. Akasha REAPPEARS. In her hand,

she now holds...

(CONTINUED)

76.

125 CONTINUED:
(2) 125

... his dripping heart. She brings it to her lips, sucksagain thirstily...

Vampire Lover gurgles as she sucks the heart to a dryhusk, then tosses it. She turns back to Vampire Lover,

his face frozen in a grotesque mask. She laughs, dropshim unceremoniously to the floor...

Akasha turns to face the rest of the horrified vampires.

They begin to back away. But the DOOR LOCKS itself

LOUDLY.

Akasha sways again to the music, moving faster now, as ifrefreshed.

AKASHA:

Turn up the music!

The terrified barman quickly COMPLIES.

AKASHA:

(smiles, to herself)

Oh, I do love the 21st Century.

Akasha turns to the terrified barman again, pulls himover the bar and attacks him as if she were just reachingfor a snack. He flails but is overwhelmed by herstrength...

The Vampire Girl who Jesse saw vanish with the Yuppie,

flies towards Akasha, knife raised, but Akasha justturns... Suddenly there is an EXPLOSION of FLAMES. The

Vampire Girl screams as she is consumed. The pianoplayer and guitar player go up in flames...

All hell breaks loose as the other vampires run for thedoor. The lock won't budge and it's too late anyway asthe flames overwhelm them...

And THROUGH the flames, we see Akasha smiling, nowsucking on the Punk Vampire's aorta like it's a straw.

She tosses his body, her long tongue slowly licks herbloody, thirsty lips. She strides out through the flames.

In a whispery, sing-song voice.

AKASHA:

Lesta-at... come out, come out

wherever you are.

77.

126 EXT. HOLLYWOOD SIGN - NIGHT 126

Marius stands in the hills by the Hollywood sign, gazingdown, his brow furrowed, at Lestat's fortress-like

mansion hidden in the canyon below. The WIND BLOWS the

trees, bushes. Marius turns, uneasy, sensing something,

peers into the shadows cast by the brightly-lit sign.

Marius stares as a figure emerges from the shadows.

It is Mael, a vampire, his face hidden in a cloak.

MAEL:

Marius, you've broken your oath.

You were to watch over Akasha

and Khayman. You are a greatdisappointment to me.

Marius looks up to see all the Ancients now steppingfrom the shadows. KHAYMAN, the desert vampire, inEgyptian dress along with PANDORA, the dark-hairedbeauty in her sari, ARMAND, the boy sage, in hisMesopotamian robes. Last, MAHARET steps from hergrand door. She is beautiful with long red hair,

alabaster skin.

MARIUS:

Pandora, Armand, it's been a longtime. Khayman, Maharet, to what doI owe this honor?

KHAYMAN:

You have been summoned because of

your errant child...

Khayman crosses to the edge, peers menacingly into thedistance at Lestat's house.

PANDORA:

(giving deep,

sexy laugh)

He's quite the devil, isn't he?

ARMAND:

His music mocks us, Pandora!

PANDORA:

His music moves my blood.

ARMAND:

Keep your amorous thoughts toyourself. His music is a threat

to all vampires. We will let the

covens dismember him at his

concert.

(CONTINUED)

78.

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126

MAEL:

Yes. It will set an example.

MARIUS:

I don't see how this solves

things. This isn't thoughtthrough.

KHAYMAN:

Marius, we understand youraffection for Lestat, but yourduty is to us!

He gazes again down at Lestat's house with a threateningglance. Turns to Marius with a look of warning.

KHAYMAN:

We could always get rid of himright now.

MAEL:

No. We will contact the covens.

Let them know we condone the

slaying. It will be better for

all to see.

Marius, with a tortured expression, gazes at Mael.

Maharet steps up.

MAHARET:

Wait. Never mind Lestat! We

have greater problems...

MARIUS:

(stepping up)

Maharet is right. It is Akasha

we face now.

PANDORA:

(joyous)

Is it true, Maharet? Has our

Queen really risen!

MAHARET:

Don't be so happy, Pandora. I

knew Akasha when she walked this

earth. I was her slave. I am now

her enemy. I know what she is

capable of.

(CONTINUED)

79.

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ARMAND:

Yes. We've all felt her presence,

even as she hides from us.

(as others nod,

acknowledging thetruth of this)

What does she want now?

MAHARET:

She knows only one thing. Takingpleasure in destroying life. She

is already killing the young onesto build her strength.

MARIUS:

She's sucked the life out of her

King like a praying mantis. I

sense she is getting closer.

MAHARET:

She has come to destroy Lestat,

but he will only whet her thirst

more...

The Ancients look to each other, taking this in.

Pandora looks around, suddenly nervous.

MAHARET:

If we act together, we have achance to destroy her.

They all gaze at Maharet, astonished.

MAHARET:

Yes! We must destroy herimmediately! If she is not

stopped, I'm afraid of what willhappen to the entire mortal world.

MAEL:

But can she be destroyed? I am

left to bear the scars of the last

attempt on her life. She was

dragged into the sun. She

survived. But we almost didn't...

Removing his hood, we see his terribly-burned face. Theyall stare at him.

MARIUS:

What happens to our Queen happens

to us. If Akasha dies, we die

as well.

(CONTINUED)

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126 CONTINUED:
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MAHARET:

Then so be it! We must take that

chance.

She gazes at them all intensely, as the meaning of herwords sink in.

MAHARET:

We must destroy Akasha. For the

sake of humanity! We must find

her. Now!

ARMAND:

But perhaps she has come to killLestat and then will go back to herslumber. That is our only hope.

PANDORA:

(eager)

Yes. That's right. She and the

covens will take care of that

brat. We must go to the concertand pay our respects to our greatQueen.

MAHARET:

How? With your own throat!

You've all been asleep too long!

You're still dreaming.

Marius steps up beside Maharet.

MARIUS:

Maharet speaks the truth. It is

our only hope.

Marius then goes and stands beside Maharet and Khayman.

The others gaze at the three standing together now.

MAEL:

No. Armand is right. We will goto the concert and first see what

she does. There may be no needfor action.

Pandora and Armand nod their assent. The two groups faceeach other. Maharet gazes at their faces, spits outthe words.

(CONTINUED)

81.

126 CONTINUED:
(4)

MAHARET:

Then you go to the concert and youshall see!

(shakes her head)

And I thought the Ancients becamewise with their years.

As we REMAIN ON the Ancient Ones, AKASHA'S HEARTBEAT

creeps back in over... Marius gazes again down atLestat's house, anguish on his face.

126

INT. MERCEDES - CLOSER ON ROGER - NIGHT

cruising the Hollywood streets, wearing sunglasses,

hat. He sees something.

ROGER'S POV

A Goth girl on the street in front of a record store.

BACK TO ROGER:

He sighs, pulls over. Gets out.

EXT. HOLLYWOOD STREET - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Behind him now we see a cab pull over. It's Jesse,

trailing Roger. She gazes at him intently.

JESSE'S POV

Roger's back is TO us as he talks to a Goth girl in awhisper.

BACK TO JESSE:

Jesse pays the driver. Gets out. Gazes at Roger.

127 INT. LESTAT'S HOUSE (LOS ANGELES) - SOUND STUDIO - NIGHT

LOUD, intense MUSIC as the band rehearses. Lestat

creates a fantastic melody around the beat. He lets

the note trail off, eyes closed, smiling, theREVERB still RINGING in the room. Lestat hears

something, turns. Outside, in the Hollywood Hills,

DOGS are HOWLING across the canyons like wolves.

Lestat crosses to the huge glass doors, goes outside...

127

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