7 - Along came a spider

They're pushed into Veronica's private room, the true epicenter of carnal vices in Gloryhill, and the middle of the spider's web.  They begin questioning her immediately - but with not an effect at all.  In the end, she forces Cargen to leave of his own accord, permitting her alone with the weaker-willed X and her greed.  Not a wise move for Cargen, but he didn't have a choice.

He heads downstairs, and when he talks about what happened, Jimmy rushes up the stairs and obfuscates himself, becoming invisible to all but the most highly-trained e-

"Get out here, Nosferatu.  Show yourself."  He says.  This ghouled bodyguard's obviously been trained.

So, having been invited to, Jimmy walks up to the bodyguard and pulls his face off, revealing nightmare rows of gangrenous gnashing teeth and rotting flesh that send the guard into convulsions.

He knocks.

A moment later, the Queen of Lust herself opens the door, wiping something off her chin.  "He's all yours," she says, without a trace of disappointment.

From behind: "But honey!"

"X, you need to go with him."

"If you say so..."

Walking down the stairs, Cargen turns to X.  "You don't know what you were dealing with in there.  If she got her claws in you, the worst could happen."

X is angry.  "And you don't know what you talk, nigga.  She's perfect, so shut the fuck up."

We head out the door together and back to the sewer, to the crone's house.

After a moment of tension, Claire hobbles into the back room with a grumble.  Clever girl.

And, in return, the crone tells us where the amulet is.  The Prince Has It, she says.  She also tells us of a ritual to unlock its power.

I'm struck by the easy of getting this girl from Dr. Hoff.  It occurs to me - I know Veronica's husband.  He's higher ranked than I am in the Order of the Dragon.  I worry that the Order might want to know about the amulet.  Who needs the Coils of the Dragon when you can merely wear an amulet and walk in the daylight?

I fantasize about that as I fall into sleep at sunrise.  It's been a long, long time since I last felt the sun - and for once, I have hope that I might again.

Unfortunately, just as every night the past six months, I dream of the girl, the amulet, and her blood being washed downriver.