Chapter 2 – Same Old Story.

"I was born in 1945, into a poor family from Louisiana. My parents were descended from the original settlers, but they had fallen upon hard times somewhere along the line, and my great-great grandpapa had to sell the farm. We lived in basic lodgings, 'we' being my parents, myself, and my five brothers. It wasn't our property though; we lived in the basement of some rich family's house that my mother worked in. I guess we were no different to any of the other poor kids of that time, other than the fact that we all spoke French fluently. We went to school if we felt so inclined, we rolled in the muddy dirt track play-fighting, and we spent all our time with the black kids from the swamps behind our house. The black nursery maid, Caroline, was always my best friend though. She had four kids, living in this little shack near the swamp, and I used to pretend I was part of their family. They were better to me than mine ever was.

"Perhaps I should explain. Papa was away a lot, being a travelling salesman and all, and my mama never stopped working. That family was just plain mean to my mama; she was always scrubbing their floors and busting her hump over their washing. Many's the time I'd curse them for keeping her up till all hours of the day, doing menial jobs she didn't have to do.

"As soon as he was old enough, my brother Sean moved to New Orleans. He said he could make something of himself there, and I trusted him. We were close, you see, and he promised that he would send for me as soon as he had a little money. It was then that I made my greatest mistake.

"I had got a letter from him, telling me that he had married into money, and could now have me to stay. I did not hesitate to pack my bags. My father was fighting, and my mother hadn't noticed a thing I'd done in years. I didn't shed a tear, other than for Caroline and her family, who had taken me in as one of their own even though they had no money to feed themselves. I left her $20 in a bleach cup before I boarded the train for New Orleans. By the time I disembarked, I had become what you see before you."

The abrupt end shocked her avid listeners, and they broke from their trance as Lestat clapped mockingly.

"Ah, beautiful! So fair of face, and so fair of speech also. I had forgotten that about you, cherie…" He sneered as her face contorted into a mask of hatred, and he stood up languidly from where he had been leaning against the desk. "But now, I think perhaps it is my time to leave, no? After all, you have new friends here…" He trailed off, indicating the other vampires with a limp hand. "Did you say your goodbyes to Louis? He will miss you dreadfully you know."

"I have nothing left to say to him, if that is what you mean," said Alyssa haughtily. "After all, I have new friends now." Her mocking tone caused Lestat's face to flash with anger, before he calmed himself down. Drawing himself up to his full height, he looked at Murdoch.

"Be careful with her. She is as deadly, cunning, seductive and treacherous as she is beautiful." He bowed low to Essie and Merrill, taking their hands and kissing them both with a flourish, before leaving the study and slamming the door behind him. Alyssa spat after him, and muttered a curse under her breath.

"That's quite enough of that, Mademoiselle," said Murdoch quietly. "This is a school, and we have rules here. Your pride will have to come second I'm afraid." Alyssa turned and suddenly looked directly at him, seeming far away.

"Yes… I suppose it shall have to." Murdoch shuffled uncomfortably for a second under the intensity of her gaze, and looked at Drew.

"Drew! How would you like to show our new student around?" Drew snapped almost to attention, and nodded.

"I'd be honoured. Drew French," he said, extending his hand for her to shake. She took it, and her smile changed back into its former softness. "It would be my pleasure to show you around our fine establishment."

"So well spoken, Mr French," she said, looking at Murdoch once again. "My, you do teach these pupils well Dr Murdoch!"

"Why thank you." As Drew escorted the new arrival out of the study and down into the cellar, the other vampires began to chatter excitedly.

"Now that's what I call a woman!" Karl exclaimed. "Did you see that figure? That poise? That attitude? That face?"

"That rack?" Marty said with a grin.

"Trust you to belittle our entire gender to our base qualities, Marty," Merrill said, her face clouded into a disapproving gaze.

"Yeah Marty," chimed in Essie. "We don't say that about men, do we?"

"I beg to differ."

"Oh yeah? Where's your proof?"

"Case study numero uno – the BDPA agent that came in undercover." Essie's pale face took on a shade of pink, and Marty smiled triumphantly.

"Men one, women nil." He high-fived a grinning Karl and looked back at Essie challengingly.

"The game's only just beginning Marty," Essie said dangerously. "It's gonna be a long time until this is over. And I think the new kid may just be the one to help us win."

"…And here we are back in the halls," Drew said as he completed his tour of the night school. "What do you think?"

"I think the digs suck," Alyssa said, coming up behind him and resting her chin on his shoulder gently, whispering, "But the company seems to be satisfactory…" She slunk round Drew and stood in front of him, with a sultry smile on her lips. Drew smiled back, feeling himself start to weaken.

"Oh yeah? I guess you'll have to wait and see, huh?"

"Depends on how long you're willing to wait…" Alyssa said, and she made her way to the portal which was letting in the moonlight. She stood underneath it, letting the light drench her skin. "Don't you think the best feeling in the world is the moonlight against your skin?" She tipped her head to the side and closed her eyes, running her hands down her body. Drew swallowed hard, and watched fascinated as she slowly surrendered herself to the pale light.

"Um yeah… it's great," he said, walking over to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want to pick a spot for your coffin?"

"Right here," she murmured, pointing at her feet, "where I can feel the moonlight as soon as I wake up."

"That might be a bad decision… you're right under the sunlight too." She opened her eyes and gazed at him, smiling again.

"My neck's in the noose huh? But hey, I enjoy the intense."

"Oh yeah?" Drew gently pulled her towards him and put his hands on her waist. "I can do intense…" Bending his head, his lips sought hers and he kissed her carefully. He felt her arms wrap around his neck and she relaxed into the kiss. Drew gently started to push her backwards towards the wall, and just as her back touched the cold stone there was a loud crashing. Drew sprang away from Alyssa, who was still leaning against the column, and looked at the figure on the stairs.