Queen of the Damned Page #22

The candles have all melted, forming pools that spreadacross the lace cloth. Food sits uneaten on plates. The

last of the sun's rays strikes ten dead bodies sittingaround the table, some slumped onto their food, somefrozen in death. Lestat moves through the room, afeeling of dread spreading. We FOLLOW as he moves...

192 EXT. BEACH - CONTINUOUS ACTION 192

... out the French windows onto the beach, bodies of

servants and villagers are scattered. Lestat's feet stepdown the wooden stairs, onto the sand, through thebodies...

Lestat, shielding his eyes, stares up in horror at thepink sky.

AKASHA:

Behold our Kingdom.

Lestat sees Akasha standing further down on the beach.

LESTAT:

Why?

(CONTINUED)

113.

192 CONTINUED:
192

AKASHA:

(puzzled)

Why not?

LESTAT:

This is the reason you have risen?

AKASHA:

They believed in nothing, now theyare nothing. But you and I willchange all that. We will give theworld something to believe inagain.

Akasha smiles, raises her hand, suddenly slices her wristwith a knife. Lestat stares at her dripping blood.

She crosses to him, her eyes locked on his. She lifts

her wrist, drips her blood into Lestat's mouth. Lestat's

eyes glaze over again. He smiles, feeds hungrily, lostagain. Akasha smiles.

AKASHA:

Come, my King.

settle.

We have a score to

The Queen and her King swiftly fly up into the darkness.

193 INT. MAHARET'S MANSION - GRANDE HALL - NIGHT 193

The Ancients are still debating. Suddenly, the wholeplace begins to shake. (NOTE: Practical shadows not

C.G.I.) A shadow passes over the Ancients' faces.

MARIUS:

She comes...

The WINDOWS along one side of the hall EXPLODE with astartling GUST. The Ancient Ones look up to see...

Akasha's silhouette looming, dark and foreboding.

AKASHA:

My children. It warms my blood tosee you all gathered... plottingagainst me.

They trade glances and begin to fan out around the room.

Akasha.

MAHARET:

AKASHA:

Maharet. You will address myKing first...

(CONTINUED)

114.

193 CONTINUED:
193

Lestat enters, his possessed eyes showing only evil now.

Unable to help herself...

JESSE:

Lestat!

He turns slowly to the corner where she sits. They lock

eyes. Lestat's face stares cold and hard.

JESSE:

What has she done to you?

LESTAT:

Made me see.

Taking his arm, Akasha draws Lestat to her. The Ancient

Vampires subtly position themselves under the medievalweapons hanging on the walls, as Marius moves toward his

son.

MARIUS:

Lestat... step aside.

LESTAT:

Never. She is my Queen.

Marius looks for some recognition in Lestat's eyes.

There is none. Maharet turns to Akasha.

MAHARET:

Akasha. The world has changedsince you reigned.

AKASHA:

Then we shall change it back.

Humans are animals, brute

creatures. Their destruction can

only make sense.

MAHARET:

We've found other ways to coexist.

AKASHA:

Yes. In the shadows. In silence.

In shame. For what? For respectof mortals? They are nothing to

us. They are only... food.

She casts a dangerous eye towards Jesse. Maharet

instinctively moves forward to protect her.

(CONTINUED)

115.

193 CONTINUED:
(2) 193

AKASHA:

Poor Maharet. Still trying to

hold onto what I took from you.

Maharet doesn't even flinch.

MARIUS:

Akasha, please...

AKASHA:

(venomous)

You think you can change my will?

I'm tired of this discussion.

Join me, or die.

MAHARET:

I will not.

MARIUS:

I will not.

AKASHA:

I want to hear it from every one

of you. What will it be?

Akasha scans the faces of the other Ancient Ones, staringdeep into their souls. Akasha sees Khayman glance at thefamily tree. Akasha's eyes blaze with anger.

AKASHA:

Don't tell me, you have feelings

for these ridiculous mortals!

She crosses to the family tree, traces the names down to

one. Jessica Reeves. Akasha is beyond fury, yet shekeeps her temper under control and turns to Lestat.

AKASHA:

Do you love me?

Smiling, she bites her lip, letting a drop of bloodglisten there, tempting Lestat.

LESTAT:

Yes...

He draws closer. Jesse stares, mortified. Akasha and

Lestat's mouths almost meet when Akasha pulls away.

Akasha slowly turns to Jesse.

AKASHA:

Prove it. Kill her.

(CONTINUED)

116.

193 CONTINUED:
(3) 193

LESTAT:

She's nothing to me.

AKASHA:

Just the same, I'd like you tokill her. For me.

(to the Ancients)

I've had enough of this 'greatfamily.' It's time to end it.

Maharet steps between Lestat and Jesse.

MAHARET:

You will not touch her!

Akasha flicks her wrist. Maharet is hurled against apillar, pinned by Akasha's hand.

AKASHA:

You still think to challenge me,

Maharet?

MAHARET:

I beg you, spare this child.

AKASHA:

Now.

Maharet struggles but Akasha is too strong. Jesse gazesat Lestat. Then steps forward.

JESSE:

It's all right, Maharet.

Maharet stops, standing fixed with the sound of Jesse'snewly strong and calm voice. Jesse looks to Lestat,

straight into his dark irises, her gaze absolutelyunwavering.

JESSE:

It's what I want. I am ready.

She reaches up, pulls aside her shirt, revealing the topof her breast. A thin, red scar remains from where she

cut herself with the silver stick from the Chinese

barrette.

Lestat gazes at her, begins to advance. Jesse keeps hergaze steady into Lestat's, risking everything.

AKASHA:

(smirking)

How sweet...

(CONTINUED)

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193 CONTINUED:
(4) 193

Lestat moves closer and closer to her, gazes into hereyes, hesitates for a moment, then continues on...

Jesse watches him with absolute love. He reaches her.

Maharet flies across the room, but Akasha meets her

halfway. Grabs her by the hair. Maharet struggles butAkasha is much more powerful. Jesse offers up her neckto his bite. Maharet looks away and Akasha looks pleased

as...

Lestat sinks his teeth into Jesse's neck. Jesse gaspswith the bite, but puts her arm around Lestat as he drawsher into him, draining her of her very life-force as sheholds him.

With that Maharet's great family mural begins to weepblood from every name. All the Ancients turn, stare at

the mural as...

Lestat drinks and drinks and Jesse sighs with intimacy,

clutching his neck and back, and drawing his bite deeperinto her flesh. She slowly crumples to the floor, beingdrawn down until finally...

Jesse lies on the floor, eyes closed and pale. Dead.

AKASHA:

Good-bye, great family.

She turns to the MURAL with a fierce gaze. Flash! It

EXPLODES, CRUMBLING to a million pieces on the ground.

Maharet stares in horror.

AKASHA:

Now, my children, remember yourreal family! Or else.

She turns to them with a killing smile.

LESTAT:

But, My Queen, you've forgotten myreward!

She turns to him.

AKASHA:

That's right. My King, you'vejust earned your crown.

Lestat smiles with a blood-stained mouth. Akasha

approaches Lestat and offers him her vein. She looks

scornfully at the others as he cradles her wrist...

(CONTINUED)

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AKASHA:

You see how he obeys. You will or

you will all die!

Lestat looks once at Marius, then sinks his teeth into

its original font. He drinks as Akasha gasps withpleasure at giving so much pleasure to him. She keepssmiling to the others. But Lestat doesn't stop drinking.

Akasha looks back to him, her face changing.

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