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Abomination

The canonicity of this article's subject remains dubious. Though it doesn't contradict official continuity, it has not been referenced in any confirmed canonical material.

"Abomination" is a prose short story of the Tales of the Slayer book series. Written by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz, it was originally published on December 17, 2002, by Simon Pulse.

Summary

Eliane takes care of her baby daughter while preparing to defend her from an upcoming demon. The Slayer breastfeeds Isabeau, collects stakes, and makes a cross with holy water on the baby's forehead, reminiscing how she'd reached this point.

As a Potential Slayer, Eliane began training at 13 years old with her Watcher, Michel de Shaunde, who is only three years older than her. The years passed and they fall in love; they suspect that her destiny isn't to become a Slayer, but the love they had for each other. Eliane and Michel get married in secrecy from the Watchers Council, and they have two children: Gervais and, five years later, Isabeau. Together, the four live in a cottage in the woods of Beauport village.

Weeks after Isabeau's birth, Eliane is called as the Slayer at 20 years old, much later than normal. Her new Watcher, Gaston Roux, arrives with the news and calls the children of a Slayer an abomination. Michel is taken away for violating codes of conduct with his charge and sent to face the Council. Eliane then refuses to accept her duty until her husband was returned to her, even though Tatoul, a particularly vicious vampire quick as the wind, plagues the village after his third Slayer.

Tatoul massacres the village in the following weeks while taunting Eliane with victims at her door. She does not leave the cottage, staying in taking care of her two children. Gaston, fed up with Eliane's refusal to face the vampire, takes it upon himself to confront Tatoul, but he is no match to the vampire, who kills him in front of Eliane. Reacting as the Slayer and not as herself, Eliane flees outside without realizing that she still has Gervais in her arms. Tatoul snatches the boy and kills him before Eliane can catch him.

Today, Eliane prepares for the next confront. Tatoul returns with a sired Gervais and fifty other vampires, promising to take her second child. Eliane quickly stakes Tatoul, her first kill as the Slayer, but Gervais had become their leader. Gervais says that they shared their dreams while he was in his mother's womb, and she has been having visions of him killing his victims. He intends to sire Eliane, Isabeau, and Michel, so the family of vampires would move on to massacre another city. Eliane tells him that their love was wrong, and it's now her duty to correct that mistake. Eliane allows Gervais to drink her blood, but she uses Isabeau's carved rattle to stake him. Their connection makes her light on fire as she slays him.

In London, a medium on service of the Watchers Council visits Michel in his cell, freeing him. She informs him that his village was burned to the ground, leaving no corpses. He cries the death of his wife, and the medium hands him his daughter, who was found untouched in a circle of destruction. She says the Watchers Council saw it as a sign of forgiveness, and the little girl will have a blessed future. Smiling at her father, Isabeau then says her first word: "demon."

Continuity

  • The events of this story take place in the year of 1320, with flashbacks of Eliane and Michel training circa 1313, Gervais' birth circa 1315, and Eliane's calling weeks before.

Appearances

Individuals

Organizations and titles

Species

Locations

  • Beauport, Brittany, France
    • De Shaunde cottage
  • Ireland (Only mentioned)
  • London, England
    • Medium's hut
    • Michel's cell

Objects

Death count

  • Unknown numbers of villagers, killed by Tatoul and his vampires (only mentioned).
  • A village girl, killed by Tatoul (in flashbacks).
  • Gaston Roux, bitten by Tatoul (in flashbacks).
  • Gervais de Shaunde, sired by Tatoul (in flashbacks).
  • Tatoul, staked by Eliane de Shaunde.
  • Gervais de Shaunde, staked by Eliane de Shaunde.
  • Eliane de Shaunde, died with Gervais's death.
  • Fifty vampires, burned with Gervais and Eliane's death.

Behind the scenes

Collections