Black Heart: Coeur de Sade (Black Heart Series) (6 page)

            “You must represent the goat-roper vampire faction,” I said, and grinned at him.  He grinned back.  That surprised me, so I naturally warmed to him.  “To save time, maybe you’d do the honors and introduce everyone.”

            Jeff looked around at the mostly serious faces.  He shook his head slowly.

            "We don't think that would be prudent at the moment," he said.

            I frowned at him.  Jeff was an odd vampire.  He tried real hard to project his Texas Good Ole Boy image, but there was an ominous aura about him.  All of the seated vampire leaders exuded a dark malice, some more than others, and each a little bit different.  I had the impression their professional demeanors were all thin veneers, covering up raving killers.  But that could just be the vampire hunter in me, my own personal prejudice.

            "I don't think Miss Hart is interested in getting to know any of us that personally," Tara said, taking control of the room.  I felt the tension rise, and the whole demeanor of the vampires surrounding me change.  In an eye blink.  Quite startling.  I turned to Tara warily.  "You are here for a reason, Miss Hart."

            "Do tell," I said.

            Okay, I didn't really want to know.  Nothing they wanted from me could be good.  In fact, I couldn't think of a single thing the vampire leadership would want from me but my head on a platter.

            "We have a problem," Tara said, matter-of-factly.  She locked eyes with me.  "Vampires are being murdered."

            "Important vampires," Antoinette said.

            "Powerful vampires," Jeff said.

            "Charles Healey?" I said.

            "Last of a long list of others," Tara said.

            "I didn't kill Ole Charley," I said, taking a defiant stance because I knew I was going to piss them off now.  "I would've liked to be the one that killed him, but I didn't.  And unless the other murdered vampires were Clive, Yuri and their undead families of nasties, then I had nothing to do with the other killings."

            "We know," Tara said.

            I slanted a look at Francisco and company.  They were stone-faced, not even looking at me.  I scowled at them.

            "Then why am I here?" I said, managing not to yell.  An angry display wouldn't help my cause.  "Jeff's gaggle of undead clowns gave the impression they thought I was responsible."

            "They were mistaken," Tara said, not even looking at them.  "We were curious about your appearance, though."

            "I was curious about why vampires were suddenly committing suicide in very similar ways," I said.  "It is kinda scary, you know?"

            "We know," Tara said, then hesitated.  She looked around the room, receiving ominous nods from seven of the remaining leaders.

            "Why do I feel like I'm about to be voted off the island?" I said.

            "Nothing is further from the truth," Tara said.

            "Then what?  Just say it," I said.  "I've got better things to do."

            "Stake vampires?" a sultry Latina vampire said.

            Her dark eyes narrowed dangerously.  She was second only to Antoinette in beauty, though only about five foot three.  The sexy Latina had long brown hair, parted down the middle, and a shapely body.  Her clothes were very edgy, stylish — midriff baring silk top, snug pants and designer pumps.  Her followers — two men and one woman — looked equally young, attractive and stylish.  All Hispanic, too.

            "No," I said.  "Hunt down and stake
rogue
vampires.  I understand not all vampires are 'evil.'  And I suspect even you agree rogue vampires need to be staked, and staked fast."

            She leaned forward on her rather gaudy throne and looked me over intently a long moment.  Finally, she locked eyes with me and a jolt of energy passed between us.  We connected somehow, and it wasn't frightening like Antoinette's display of power.  Strangely enough, I got the impression she might, possibly, like me.  I know, strange.

            "There are no rogue vampires in Dallas at this time," she said.

            "You mean after I killed those two from out of town last night?" I said.  I think the room became a bit chillier.  "There will be more.  I'm watching for them, and I'll be ready."

            They all shared more ominous looks.  What?  Was I making another bad impression?  Go figure.  And as a mortal I was a great first impression person, too.  Everyone loved me.

            "You have a gift," Tara said.  "A gift for endearing yourself to people."

            I grinned.  She had a sense of humor under that stern exterior.  The big African-American vampire nodded with the slightest of grins, too.

            "Thanks.  I try."

            "Hmm," she said, giving me a disapproving gaze.  "Back to business.  We know you aren't the one forcing vampires to commit suicide.  We also know the person doing it is a werewolf.  More importantly, we know how he is doing it."

            "You said, 'he.'  So you know who the werewolf is?"

            "No.  That was a generic he.  The werewolf could just as easily be female," Tara said.  "I suspect an alpha male, though.  Alpha males are obsessed with proving dominance. They don't like the knowledge that vampires are above them in the food chain."

            I shrugged.  "Fascinating.  Really, it is.  But how does this concern me?"

            "We want you to hunt down the werewolf responsible, kill him, and return the talisman to us," Antoinette said.

            "You want what?  I've never hunted werewolves.  I don't know how.  And what's this about a talisman?  What talisman?"

            "The Coeur de Sade," Tara said.  "It is an ancient and powerful talisman.  We want you to return it to us."

            Now
that
was interesting.  Of course, that conversation reminded me of how my evening ended at the mall.  Had I crossed paths with the vampire killer?  Was I only alive because I killed vampires, too?

            "The werewolf stole it from you?" I said.  They hesitated long enough to give me my answer.  "Ah, you want the talisman to increase your power.  I see.  This isn't about saving vampires, it's about increasing your power."

            "No, you foolish woman, you don't see," Antoinette said, coming to her feet and glaring at me.  "The Coeur de Sade is a talisman used by vampire hunters to capture, control, and kill vampires.  We must gain control of it before we are all destroyed by it."

            I laid a wary look on her.  Her eyes were fiery.  I wondered if she was afraid, or lusted for power.  I didn't trust vampires.  Werewolves took the rap for being the most obsessed with domination and submission.  Werewolf packs were all about the pecking order.  But that didn't mean that vampires were immune to the desire to dominate.

            "This Coeur de Sade...what is it?  Where did it come from and what does it do?" I said, speaking to Tara, but keeping an eye on Antoinette.  "And why should I care?"

            "Apollonia?" Tara said, glancing at the pretty redhead to her right rear.

            Apollonia nodded and 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 teens.

            "Open the envelope," Tara said.

            Oh, I really didn't want to open that envelope.  There was no doubt I wouldn't like what I found.  Everyone else in the room was looking at me with supreme confidence, if not out right gloating.  Strangely enough, Angelique seemed the most pleased.

            "What is it?"

            "Open it."

            "Now!" Antoinette demanded.

            I jumped again.  Damn her.  Other vampires were snickering.  Mostly the female vampires.  Why did female vampires dislike me so much?  Was this like vampire high school?  Were catty remarks and backstabbing next?

            "Just open it up, Miss Sable," Jeff said.  He looked and sounded determined.  "Then we can get down to business in earnest."

            Licking dry lips, I fumbled with the bendable clasp.  Once open, I reached in and found a small sheaf of eight by ten photos.  The top one was my little sister Sabrina, stepping out of the front door of her apartment.

            My heart sank, hands beginning to tremble uncontrollably as I stifled a sob.  All my thoughts froze.  I almost blacked out.  This wasn't even a subtle threat.

            "Oh God," I groaned as I looked at the next picture.  My mother in her car.  The next was Sabrina again, in class.  Then my father in the church parking lot, followed by my middle sister, Yvette, and her entire family grilling in their backyard.  "They are all innocent.  They've never done anything to you."

            "And they will all die," Tara said.  "Unless you cooperate."

            "Why me?"

            "Because you were so good at tracking down Clive and Yuri," Jeff said.  He actually looked rather pleased by that, especially when he glanced at a scowling vampire to his left.  So, support for Clive wasn't universal.  That was good to know.  "And then killed them.  Rather dramatically, too.  Who better than you to track down and kill the werewolf hunting all of us?  You do seem to have a talent for it."

            I looked at the pictures of my family, then at the picture of the talisman.  The Coeur de Sade.  The thought of facing that talisman again terrified me.  I didn't want to be commanded to commit suicide.  I didn't want to go to Hell so soon.

            "If —," I said, throat dry.  I cleared my throat, licked dry lips again, then continued.  "If I do this, then you will never,
ever
threaten my family again."

            "Sorry, can't promise that, young lady," Jeff said.  "We'd be lying if we did.  This council does what it has to do to protect ourselves and our constituents."

            "Ha!  Constituents?  You sound like a politician."

            "Not far off, Miss Sable," he said.

            I graced him with a doubtful look, and he nodded.  Texas politics was cutthroat enough without inviting in vampires.

            "You have no choice, Miss Hart," Tara said.  "We all know it.  Time for you to get to work.  Find the werewolf.  Kill him, or bring him to us and we'll kill him.  I don't care which.  But, most importantly, bring us the Coeur de Sade."

            "Before any more council members are killed," Jeff said.