91.

154       CONTINUED:    (2)

LESTAT
Marius was right, but I never
understood until now.

JESSE
What?

LESTAT
You are beautiful to me, because
you are human... your frailty,
your short years, your heart even
as you think it's breaking -- all
that is suddenly more precious
than anything I have ever known.
(resolved but sad)
Good-bye, Jesse, I had a wonderful
evening.

Then Jesse reaches for her cheek as if she were touched by something when...

... the image of Lestat's lips kissing her cheek flashes by in vampire time as...

Jesse's face is completely still in human time.

As her hand drops from her cheek she realizes what just happened and smiles.

There's a SWISH and the sound of RUSHING AIR. Jesse turns, expecting Lestat...

Jesse screams, back away.

It's not Lestat at all but Mael, the Druid vampire. With great speed he glides towards her, envelops Jesse in his cloak, muffling her cries...

155       BLACKNESS

The sound of WIND and the CLICK of the FREEWAY SEAMS causes Jesse's eyes to open...

156       INT. LIMOUSINE - NIGHT

Jesse sits up and looks around -- she's in a limousine -- the older kind with mahogany paneling and fresh-cut flowers. The CRYSTAL GLASSES TINKLE with the rhythm of the road. Jesse scrambles to the front and raps on the glass partition.

(CONTINUED)

92.

156       CONTINUED:

JESSE
Hello?

The driver ignores her. She taps more insistently.

JESSE
Hello!

Slowly the driver turns his head -- it's Mael -- he smiles and turns back to the road. Jesse recoils and goes back to her original seat. Frightened, confused.

157       JESSE'S POV - FREEWAY SIGN

flashes by -- "PALM DESERT." A high-tech windmill, like an airplane propeller, flashes by.

158       EXT. DESERT MANSION - NIGHT

A sprawling adobe mansion sits under the stars of the California desert.

CUT TO:

159       STARING EYE

PULL BACK to reveal a porcelain doll, beautiful, perfect but with those staring, unsettling eyes. We TRACK ACROSS rows and rows of dolls from different eras, all exquisite detail. TRACK PAST the billowing floor-to-ceiling curtains to reveal Jesse -- still an adult, but lying awake in bed just as she had as a little girl.

Jesse gets out of bed, trapped in her own childhood memory. Is she dreaming now?

160       INT. DESERT MANSION -- HALLWAY - NIGHT

Making her way down a long hall she passes an amazing array of medieval tapestries.

161       FLASHBACK - INT. HALLWAY

Jesse as a child picking at the thread of a wall-hanging in a large room.

93.

162       BACK TO SCENE (PRESENT)

She stands wondering -- eyes moving back and forth with rapid thoughts when...

She sees a door at the end of the hall.

Walking a little faster now she draws toward it as...

163       FLASHBACK - INT. HALLWAY

Jesse as a little girl, wanders down a similar hall toward what sounds like a COCKTAIL PARTY. Reaching the thick wooden door she peeps through to see...

166       BACK TO SCENE (PRESENT)

Jesse stares up at an enormous mural dominating the far wall -- a mural of names, a family tree -- extending up onto the ceiling and down to the floor.


165       FLASHBACK - MURAL

Jesse, as a little girl, looks up at the mural.

YOUNG JESSE
I don't want to go...

Maharet walks beside her.

MAHARET
I know, darling. I don't want you
to go either but you must.

YOUNG JESSE
(furious)
Why? Why can't I stay with you!
Please, Auntie Maharet!

A tear of blood trickles down Maharet's cheek.

YOUNG JESSE
Auntie, you're bleeding.

Jesse takes the tear and goes to put it to her mouth but Maharet violently grabs her hand. Young Jesse is frightened.

MAHARET
You must be with your own, my
sweetest girl. I'll always be
watching over you.

YOUNG JESSE
I want to stay with you forever.

94.

166       BACK TO SCENE (PRESENT)

Jesse stares into nothingness. Again the voice, but much gentler.

MAHARET
Forever is a very long time.

Jesse looks up out of her memory to see in the doorway down the end of the hall... Maharet.

MAHARET
Hello, my princess.

JESSE
Maharet...

Maharet approaches.

JESSE
You haven't aged... you haven't
changed at all...

Now we see Jesse's aunt's eyes glow with that vampiric greyness, her skin that strange pallor.

JESSE
You're a...?

Maharet nods.

Jesse stands there soaking it in.

MAHARET
Your life has been an instant in
mine.

Maharet smiles at Jesse's full realisation.

JESSE
(mind is blown)
All these years.

MAHARET
Come...

Jesse follows Maharet to the mural of the family tree.

MAHARET
You are the most precious of my
great family...

JESSE
What family? Am I...?

(CONTINUED)

95.

166       CONTINUED:

MAHARET
No.
(beat)
I haven't always been this... I
was once mortal, too. My sister
died before her child was one year
old. I took care of that child,
and her children, and her
children's children...

Pointing up to the huge family tree...

MAHARET
This is our family -- my way of
coping with eternity.

Her finger trails down the great line to one single name -- "Jessica Reeves"...

Jesse stares at Maharet, amazed.

MAHARET
When your parents dies I took care
of you...

167       FLASHBACK - BALCONY

Jesse as a girl sitting on the balcony with a vampire...

From across the balcony, Maharet yells --

MAHARET (O.S.)
Jesse!

168       BACK TO SCENE (PRESENT)

Jesse is putting the pieces together.

JESSE
You sent me away.

MAHARET
I stopped a terrible thing
happening. And I will again.
Jesse, Lestat is not for you.

Jesse blinks. Maharet smiles.

MAHARET
Yes, I know about your new friend.
You're in love with him.

(CONTINUED)

96.

168       CONTINUED:

JESSE
No, I'm...

Maharet waits. Jesse knows she can't lie.

JESSE
It's not what I thought it would
be.

MAHARET
You thought you could kill as he
does without remorse.

Jesse stares at Maharet, surprised that there is someone who can understand her so well.

JESSE
How do you know...?

Maharet smiles sadly, feeling Jesse's inner turmoil.

MAHARET
You want him.

JESSE
Yes...

Jesse sits on a stone bench, confused and miserable.

JESSE
I thought it would be easier.

MAHARET
You wanted to be like him.

JESSE
He offered me the dark gift. I
couldn't do it...

MAHARET
I know...

JESSE
Even now... I still want him.

Maharet shakes her head, disturbed. Just then the gloom of the pre-dawn's light begins to illuminate the windows of the great hall.

MAHARET
You should leave here in the
morning. Go home to London.

Jesse calmly holds Maharet's eyes.

(CONTINUED)

97.

168       CONTINUED:    (2)

JESSE
This is my home. This is where I
belong. You're not getting rid of
me that easily again.

MAHARET
Oh, Jesse...

Maharet melts, sits beside her, touches her face gently.

MAHARET
I never wanted to be rid of you.
You are my most precious child.
You are the reason I wish to go on
living. But there are things I
cannot tell you now.

JESSE
Is it Lestat?

MAHARET
Lestat is in terrible danger. You
will only make it worse.

JESSE
What danger?

MAHARET
You must trust me and do as I say.
Go back to London.

JESSE
What danger!?

Squinting, Maharet stands...

MAHARET
Promise me.

Jesse says nothing.

Beaten by the sun, Maharet exits into the shadows.

MAHARET
Promise me.

ON Jesse's reaction.

169       EXT. MAHARET'S DESERT MANSION - DAY

The sun breaks through the date palms, illuminating Maharet's spectacular garden -- a lush oasis of waterfalls and tropical flora.

Jesse moves though the garden.

98.

170       EXT. MAHARET'S DESERT MANSION - FRONT ENTRANCE - DAY

Jesse moves to the front entrance, past the expensive cars, the limousine that brought her here, to the walls surrounding the front gate.

She tries the driveway gates -- locked -- held by a type of electric lock.

She tries the smaller door -- locked.

Jesse stands back and studies the height of the adobe wall...

Looking around, she climbs the nearest tree to the top of the wall.

On top of the wall, Jesse tries to keep her balance, but it's a long way down, and nothing to climb on to. She leaps.

171       EXT. MAHARET'S DESERT MANSION - DAY

Maharet's sprawling compound sits alone in the empty desert canyon. Nothing for as far as the eye can see. Jesse walks away from the house.

Coming to a highway, she reads a sign -- "DEATH VALLEY 120 miles."

Just then, a VW minibus barrels down the road in Jesse's direction.

She sticks out her thumb...

The minibus pulls to a stop on the shoulder in a cloud of dust. A VAMPIRE DRIVER leans out the window -- not a real vampire, just a kid with white face-paint and fake fangs.

VAMPIRE DRIVER
Need a ride?

JESSE
Where are you going?

VAMPIRE DRIVER
Where does it look like?

Jesse peers past the driver to a crowd of Goths and fake vampires. "THE VAMPIRE LESTAT" BLARES from the distorted SPEAKERS.

CUT TO:

99.

172       INT. VW MINIBUS - DAY

Packed with kids drinking, smoking pot and touching up each other's ghoul makeup. Jesse sits watching, completely fascinated by kids her own age. They offer her a joint but she shakes her head. A slutty GOTH GIRL moves over next to Jesse.

GOTH GIRL
You have great hair. You want me
to make you up?

JESSE
No thanks.

Jesse smiles, trying not to offend. But the Goth Girl is cool -- she takes the joint and sways to the MUSIC.

GOTH GIRL
I've been waiting for this so bad.
This is going to be the best night
of my life.

VAMPIRE DRIVER
I hear there's going to be real
vampires down there...

GOTH GIRL
Hey, maybe I'll get lucky.

The others laugh. Jesse settles down, feeling part of them and yet apart -- if only they knew...

173       EXT. DEATH VALLEY - FROM HIGH ABOVE - DUSK

we see a line of traffic snake out along a desert road toward a strange red glow rising into the dark night sky.

A distant sound of DRUMS BEATING chaotic rhythms is heard.

As we FLY CLOSER, the DRUMMING becomes LOUDER and clearer.

Until we are right ABOVE an incredible scene...

A mass of people (30,000) gather in a valley of red rock.

CUT TO:

174       EXT. CONCERT ENTRANCE - NIGHT

Jesse jumps out of the van...

(CONTINUED)

100.

174       CONTINUED:

VAMPIRE DRIVER
We'll be in the mosh pit up front
if you want to hang with us.

JESSE
Cool.

Looking at the scene, Jesse is bedazzled. Pushing through people, she disappears into the throng as...

MAN (O.S.)
Jesse!

175       ANGLE ON TALBOT

as he pushes through the sea of white paint and plastic vampire teeth.

TALBOT
Jesse! Jesse!

176       ANGLE - JESSE

sees Talbot. Shit! Not now. Now is a bad time -- she must get to Lestat. She turns away and pushes towards the stage.

177       TALBOT

struggles to follow.

TALBOT
Jesse!

Talbot is jostled, dropping his glasses on the ground.

VOICE (O.S.)
Sorry, Grandpa!

Talbot crouches down and finds his glasses. Reemerging, he senses something and looks up.

178       FULL SHOT - MARIUS

watching him at a distance. Next to the real thing, all these fake vampires look ridiculous.

MARIUS
(quietly)
Hello, David.

101.

179       ON TALBOT

Speechless.

MARIUS
I must show you my new paintings
sometime.

Marius smiles. Talbot is awestruck -- the goal of a lifetime's searching. He tries to say something, but it's too late.

FLASH. Marius is moving through the crowd at unnatural speed.

Enormous pipes spout flames high into the sky, run like a corridor of red light along the crowd, leading to two enormous Egyptian effigies, flanking a stage at the top end.

And before the stage stretches a mass of human bacchanalian debauchery...

Woodstock on mescaline.

Naked bodies, pierced and tattooed, mingle with the strangest of fashions as crowds gather in circles around their own lit fires, drumming out awesome rhythms.

People bleed themselves with knives, letting anyone drink their blood.

The whole place is an enormous flaming mosh pit -- naked bodies walk across heads of people while others get tossed and thrown. This crowd is determined to get what they were promised... nothing like they've ever seen.

A new world, it seems, a world of the initiated who have somehow managed to include themselves in the select number of attendees to a sacred rite.

And among the mortals move the immortals...

We sense them, moving through the crowd with a quieter confidence.

Admidst them we see the Punk Vampires and the Tatt Vampires, now dressed in cloaks which they use to hide their knives and sickles.

180       HIGH ABOVE VALLEY

Standing openly on the strange rocks are the Ancient vampires, some of whom can't help but smile at the scene below.

(CONTINUED)

102.

180       CONTINUED:

PANDORA
(wistful, to Armand)
It's just like Nero's day.

They scan the horizon, the darkening sky.

ARMAND
She won't come here.

KHAYMAN
Akasha will come. She'll not be
able to resist this...

The crowd begins to clap -- drums from different circles begin to impatiently beat into one deafening rhythm.

181       INT. BACKSTAGE (TENT CITY) - NIGHT

Backstage is all abuzz with pre-show energy; press everywhere. Roger still worrying and sweating.

James, Louisa, Alex and Maudy sit in their own circle, jamming with their unplugged instruments, psyching themselves up for the biggest night of their lives.

182       INT. LESTAT'S HONEY-WAGON - NIGHT

Lestat stretches out with his eyes closed as the sounds of the DRUMMING crowd begin to make the whole van shudder.

Suddenly opening his eyes he sees Marius standing before him.

MARIUS
Impressive, in an infantile sort
of way. Reminds me of mad old
Druids running around chanting in
the forest. Very primitive stuff.

LESTAT
You're too old to understand.

They share doleful smiles.

MARIUS
The truest words you've spoken.
You certainly know how to put on a
show.

LESTAT
I hope you bought a ticket.

(CONTINUED)

103.

182       CONTINUED:

Marius laughs.

MARIUS
This is what you've always wanted.

LESTAT
With all my heart.

MARIUS
I've always enjoyed your company,
Lestat.

LESTAT
Then stick around.

MARIUS
(hesitantly)
There's still time to leave.

LESTAT
And disappoint my fans?

MARIUS
Yes, maybe even me.

Lestat smiles, appreciates the sentiment.

MARIUS
Give me a yell from hell, won't
you?

LESTAT
When I think of you.

MARIUS
Good-bye, Lestat.

Lestat just closes his eyes again and listens to the call of his name from the CROWD. Lestat opens his eyes again. Marius has gone.

Roger pops his head in.

ROGER
They're getting pretty worked up
out there.

183       INT. BACKSTAGE (TENT CITY) - NIGHT

Lestat emerges from his honey-wagon, splendid in his concert costume. He looks ready for business, whatever may happen.

(CONTINUED)

104.

183       CONTINUED:

The band look at each other, then look to Lestat. This is the moment. He smiles like a father at them.

LESTAT
Come on, children.

Alex, Maudy, Louisa and James start beating out the rhythm with the CROWD as they move through the van. The DRUM-BEATS rise to a CRESCENDO.

184       EXT. CONCERT AREA - NIGHT

Jesse still makes her way through the throng, edging closer to the stage. Suddenly -- the torches go out sending the place into utter darkness.

A stunned moment...

The place goes berserk. We see the dim figures of the band take their places.

Jesse pushes desperately toward the front.

185       INT. BACK STAGE (TENT CITY) - NIGHT

Lestat readies himself as he scans the valley from behind a speaker, and sees...

186       LESTAT'S POV - VAMPIRES

wait here and there in the audience, ready to attack.

187       BACK TO LESTAT

Who smiles to himself.

188       BACK IN CROWD

"BOOM," the TORCHES relight and an enormous CHORD surges through the crowd louder than a jet on takeoff.

The mass surges forward, bringing Jesse with it, toward the stage as...

The stage lights up in a huge halo of blood-red light.

The band plays a hypnotic tune that would put the devil in a spell, as...

(CONTINUED)

105.

188       CONTINUED:

We wait for Lestat.

The band keeps playing the pounding cadence, as...

The audience doesn't see Lestat anywhere and cheers over the sound, and it seems as if the whole of Death Valley is shaking, when...

Lestat appears above the stage, inhumanly levitating and...

LESTAT
I'm so glad I decided to rise...
(shouting)
After tonight, Death Valley will
live up to its name!

The place erupts into one solid scream as the band kicks it in.

He swoops down through the air over the stage and into their very midst.

Lestat takes the microphone and leans his lips into it, letting his voice soar into an inhuman note, literally filling the valley like a demon demanding heaven be replaced with hell.

189       AT BACK OF CONCERT - MIXING BOARD

TWO STUDIO ENGINEERS sit dazed.

ENGINEER #1
(Cockney accent)
Could we turn it down a tad?

The Second Engineer looks to the mixing panel.

ENGINEER #2
His mic's not even up.

They stare, dumbfounded.

190       BACK TO CONCERT

The pulsing strain moves into a faster beat as the whole place resonates with the most incredible harmonics, the energy throbbing, the crowd almost genuflecting in front of this papal devil. All move and sway except for...

(CONTINUED)

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