“They wouldn’t do that.”

“Why wouldn’t they? You surrendered an engine of destruction to this demon—”

“But he didn’t know how to use it! It was only for thirty-six hours of mortal time! Louis, whatever the case, you must give me the blood. Lecture me afterwards. Work the Dark Trick and I’ll find the answers to all these questions. We’re wasting precious minutes, hours.”

“No, Lestat. We are not. That’s my entire point! The question of this Body Thief and the body he stole from you isn’t what must concern us here. It’s what’s happening to you—your soul—in this body now.”

“All right. Have it your way. Now make this body a vampire now.”

“I can’t. Or more truly, I will not.”

I rushed at him. I couldn’t prevent myself. And in an instant I had both hands on the lapels of his miserable dusty black coat. I pulled at the cloth, ready to tear him up and out of the chair, but he remained absolutely unmovable, looking at me quietly, his face still stricken and sad. In impotent fury, I let go of him, and stood there, trying to still the confusion in my heart.

“You can’t mean what you’re saying!” I pleaded, slamming my fists again on the desk in front of him. “How can you deny me this?”

“Will you let me be one who loves you now?” he asked, his voice once again infused with emotion, his face still deeply and tragically sad. “I wouldn’t do it no matter how great your misery, no matter how strongly you pleaded, no matter what awful litany of events you set down before me. I wouldn’t do it because I will not make another one of us for any reason under God. But you have brought me no great misery! You are not beset by any awful litany of disasters!” He shook his head, overcome as if he couldn’t continue, and then: “You have triumphed in this as only you could.”

“No, no, you’re not understanding … ”

“Oh, yes, I am. Do I need to push you in front of a mirror?” He rose slowly from behind the desk and faced me eye-to-eye. “Must I sit you down and make you examine the lessons of the tale I’ve heard from your own lips? Lestat, you have fulfilled our dream! Don’t you see it. You have done it. You have been reborn a mortal man. A strong and beautiful mortal man!”

“No,” I said. I backed away from him, shaking my head, my hands up to implore him. “You’re mad. You don’t know what you’re saying. I loathe this body! I loathe being human. Louis, if you have an ounce of compassion in you throw aside these delusions and listen to my words!”

“I’ve heard you. I’ve heard it all. Why can’t you hear it? Lestat, you’ve won. You’re free from the nightmare. You’re alive again.”

“I’m miserable!” I cried at him. “Miserable! Dear God, what must I do to convince you?”