headed towards me. The blue-eyed beauty was only about five foot four, but stood tall in black Mary Jane stiletto platforms with six inch heels. She wore a blue spandex mini dress and dark pantyhose. Her heels clacked loud in the mostly emptiness of that underground chamber as she approached. The vampire handed me a color photo of a necklace.
It was the necklace I'd seen outside North Park Mall. Indeed, it was my last coherent memory between walking out of the mall and walking up that evening. Of course, the previous night the sight of it completely overloaded my brain.
"That is the Coeur de Sade," Tara said. "Actually, the rather large ruby is the talisman, the necklace is inconsequential. It might have been remounted, too."
"Pretty," I said. "And it does...?"
I had an idea now, but I wanted to know for sure.
Antoinette answered instead. "When held or worn by someone the talisman is activated." She hesitated, as if talking about it brought pain. "Any vampire that looks upon it will instantly be captured."
That sent a chill crawling up my spine.
"Captured?"
Tara took over when Antoinette hesitated again. "Excuse Antoinette. She was once, long ago, under the power of the talisman. It frightens her the most of all of us. But to answer your question...the vampire will freeze upon seeing the talisman, and await his new master's command. Basically, you become the talisman bearer's absolute slave."
"Slave? As in incapable of free thought kind of slave?" I said, recalling my experience.
"Pretty much. Whether you have any free thought, I don't know. I just know any vampire captured by the talisman will obey without hesitation or complaint," Tara said.
"To the letter," Jeff said. "A vampire's Compulsions are even overwhelmed, so the owner of the talisman could order the captured vampire to kill the Sire of his family."
That brought frowns to the faces of most of the seated vamps, and the Chinese vampire even shifted uncomfortably. I glanced at the vampires arrayed behind him, all Chinese, too. Did he distrust them? I would.
"So, if I had the talisman and captured Tanya, I could command her to kill you, and she would do it?" I said.
"She would try," Jeff said, prickling.
Tanya cut a hateful look at me. I smiled back.
"Is there a defense against the talisman? Like wearing sunglasses?" I said.
"None anyone knows about," Tara said. "Even mirrored glasses are useless."
Killed that idea. I knew what the talisman could do, and how fast is sucked all free will out of a vamp. Me and Antoinette were probably the only survivors in Dallas of encounters with it.
"And you want me to get it for you?" I said. Just the thought sent a chill down my spine. She nodded. "Are you out of your mind? As soon as I walk up to the person with the talisman I will be captured, and forced to kill myself if he stays true to form."
"You don't really have a choice," Tara said. She looked at the blonde standing beside Apollonia. "Heather, if you will, please."
Heather was a tall, willowy ash blonde, and even prettier than Apollonia. She was dressed much the same, but her dress was hot pink. From her I received a large manila envelope. Then she smiled wickedly at me, showed her fangs and snapped at me.
Despite myself, I jumped. Heather and Apollonia giggled like school girls as Heather rejoined her little vampire family behind Tara. Both girls looked to be in their late
It was the necklace I'd seen outside North Park Mall. Indeed, it was my last coherent memory between walking out of the mall and walking up that evening. Of course, the previous night the sight of it completely overloaded my brain.
"That is the Coeur de Sade," Tara said. "Actually, the rather large ruby is the talisman, the necklace is inconsequential. It might have been remounted, too."
"Pretty," I said. "And it does...?"
I had an idea now, but I wanted to know for sure.
Antoinette answered instead. "When held or worn by someone the talisman is activated." She hesitated, as if talking about it brought pain. "Any vampire that looks upon it will instantly be captured."
That sent a chill crawling up my spine.
"Captured?"
Tara took over when Antoinette hesitated again. "Excuse Antoinette. She was once, long ago, under the power of the talisman. It frightens her the most of all of us. But to answer your question...the vampire will freeze upon seeing the talisman, and await his new master's command. Basically, you become the talisman bearer's absolute slave."
"Slave? As in incapable of free thought kind of slave?" I said, recalling my experience.
"Pretty much. Whether you have any free thought, I don't know. I just know any vampire captured by the talisman will obey without hesitation or complaint," Tara said.
"To the letter," Jeff said. "A vampire's Compulsions are even overwhelmed, so the owner of the talisman could order the captured vampire to kill the Sire of his family."
That brought frowns to the faces of most of the seated vamps, and the Chinese vampire even shifted uncomfortably. I glanced at the vampires arrayed behind him, all Chinese, too. Did he distrust them? I would.
"So, if I had the talisman and captured Tanya, I could command her to kill you, and she would do it?" I said.
"She would try," Jeff said, prickling.
Tanya cut a hateful look at me. I smiled back.
"Is there a defense against the talisman? Like wearing sunglasses?" I said.
"None anyone knows about," Tara said. "Even mirrored glasses are useless."
Killed that idea. I knew what the talisman could do, and how fast is sucked all free will out of a vamp. Me and Antoinette were probably the only survivors in Dallas of encounters with it.
"And you want me to get it for you?" I said. Just the thought sent a chill down my spine. She nodded. "Are you out of your mind? As soon as I walk up to the person with the talisman I will be captured, and forced to kill myself if he stays true to form."
"You don't really have a choice," Tara said. She looked at the blonde standing beside Apollonia. "Heather, if you will, please."
Heather was a tall, willowy ash blonde, and even prettier than Apollonia. She was dressed much the same, but her dress was hot pink. From her I received a large manila envelope. Then she smiled wickedly at me, showed her fangs and snapped at me.
Despite myself, I jumped. Heather and Apollonia giggled like school girls as Heather rejoined her little vampire family behind Tara. Both girls looked to be in their late
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