“That’s clear,” said Lestat, “but I don’t know that I alone can help stop him. I may need help. In fact, I think I do. I think I need it from a Blood Drinker whose prowess with spirits is a legend.” He raked his hair back from his forehead. “I think I can persuade her to come and help me with this. I’m speaking of Merrick Mayfair. She doesn’t know your fair Mona, at least not as far as I know, and even if she did at one time there’s no connection now in any event. But Merrick knows spirits in a way that most vampires don’t. She was a powerful witch before she ever became a vampire.”

“Then the Dark Blood didn’t take away her powers with spirits?” I asked.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “She’s far too complex for that. And besides, it’s a lie that spirits shun us. As you said yourself, I’m a seer of spirits. I wish to God I weren’t. I’ll need tomorrow evening to find Merrick Mayfair. Merrick is almost as young in the Blood as you are. She’s suffering. But I think I can bring her here, perhaps at one or two in the morning. I can’t imagine her refusing to come, but we’ll see. In either case, I’ll return. You have my firm pledge on it.”

“Ah, I thank you with all my heart,” I said.

“Then let me make a little confession,” he said with a warm, irresistible smile.

“Of course,” I said, “what is it?”

“I’ve fallen in love with you,” he said in a low voice. “You might find that in the nights to come I’m a bit of a nuisance.”

I was so amazed I was speechless. To say that he looked exquisite to me was an understatement. He was savory and elegant and all night as I had talked I had been so locked to him that I had felt myself under his spell, opening up, as if there were no boundary between us.

“Good,” he said suddenly as though he was reading my mind. “Now perhaps I’ll leave you early so that I can try to find Merrick right away. We have some time left before morning—.”

A loud scream suddenly interrupted both of us. It was Jasmine, and I heard another scream right after it.

“Quinn, Quinn, it’s Goblin!” she was roaring from the foot of the stairs.

I had to hold myself back and force myself to run like a mortal man as I descended with Lestat behind me.

Screams came from Aunt Queen’s room. I could hear Cindy, the nurse, crying. Big Ramona was sobbing. Jasmine rushed towards me. She grabbed me by both arms and said:

“It was Goblin, Quinn! I saw him!”