--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The last vampire I knew that could do…" description: "\"“The last vampire I knew that could do what you just did, did it on purpose. She would recall a memory of pleasure, and she would pick someone to give ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/laurell-k-hamilton-199_bad-person_the-last-vampire-i-knew-that-could-do-wh_541101.jpg" --- # The last vampire I knew that could do what you just did… ![“The last vampire I knew that could do what you just did, did it on purpose. She would recall a memory of pleasure, and she would pick someone to give it to. It could be a reward, and it was, but it could also be punishment. Sometimes she would choose someone who did not wish to feel such…” quote by Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/laurell-k-hamilton-199_bad-person_the-last-vampire-i-knew-that-could-do-wh_541101.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/laurell-k-hamilton-199_bad-person_the-last-vampire-i-knew-that-could-do-wh_541101.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/laurell-k-hamilton-199_bad-person_the-last-vampire-i-knew-that-could-do-wh_541101.jpg) > ““The last vampire I knew that could do what you just did, did it on purpose. She would recall a memory of pleasure, and she would pick someone to give it to. It could be a reward, and it was, but it could also be punishment. Sometimes she would choose someone who did not wish to feel such pleasures, and she would force them to experience it." "A kind of rape," I said. He nodded. "You're talking about Belle Morte, aren't you?" He nodded, again. "She enjoyed watching them writhe, especially if they didn't want to do it," I said. "You say that as a statement, not a question." "I've met her, remember?" "You are exactly right. She loved watching prim, proper women and men, forced to spill themselves upon the floor and flop about, experiencing a pleasure greater than any they had ever felt before. It pleased her to watch the righteous brought low." "Yeah, that sounds like her." "But you truly felt nothing. It did not excite you to watch Graham writhe." "Why should it?" He smiled then, and there was relief in his eyes. "That you would ask the question makes me worry less about you." "Worry how?" I asked. "It has been speculation for centuries whether Belle was formed into the type of," he seemed to search for a word, "creature she was by the ardeur and her powers running to flesh and pleasure, or whether she was always as she is, and the power simply made her more." "It's been my experience, Requiem, that people become more of who they are in extremes, both good and bad. Give a truly good person power, and they're still a good person. Give a bad person power, and they're still a bad person. The question is always about the person in between. The one that isn't evil, or good, but just ordinary. You don't always know what an ordinary person is like on the inside.”” [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power can amplify inherent traits, making ordinary people act with extreme cruelty or virtue. **In simple terms:** Power reveals true character. Key Takeaway Beware unchecked power. Themes ethics human nature abuse of power Mood dark thought‑provoking Type literary psychological When to use this quote - leadership - law enforcement - personal relationships Key Concepts moral philosophy psychology of evil Questions to Reflect On - What would you do with absolute power? - Can evil be inherent or learned? A Different Perspective Power alone doesn't change morality; character does. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good and bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-bad/) [Good person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-person/) [Pleasures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasures/) [Worry less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-less/) ## Related quotes > [“I will give you my word that she will not be harmed if you help us." "No offense, but that's not enough." "You doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-will-give-you-my-word-that-she-will-not-be-harmed-if-you-help-us-no/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“It has been speculation for centuries whether Belle was formed into the type of," he seemed to search for a word, "creature she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/it-has-been-speculation-for-centuries-whether-belle-was-formed-into/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Give a truly good person power, and they’re still a good person. Give a bad person power, and they’re still a bad person. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/give-a-truly-good-person-power-and-they-re-still-a-good-person-give-a/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“Power is not pleasure, power is pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/power-is-not-pleasure-power-is-pain/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [But games always cover something deep and intense, else there would be no excitement in them, no pleasure, no power to stir us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/but-games-always-cover-something-deep-and-intense-else-there-would-be/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Knowledge is pleasure as well as power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/knowledge-is-pleasure-as-well-as-power/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [“Look who's talking,' Darren repeated, angrier this time. 'I might've welcomed her along in hunts, but I wasn't tripping over myself to talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/look-who-s-talking-darren-repeated-angrier-this-time-i-might-ve/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“You know nothing,' she said to him gravely, her voice so low that the slightest noise from the street interrupted it, might carry her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/you-know-nothing-she-said-to-him-gravely-her-voice-so-low-that-the/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“That passivity in me has been the core of it all, the real evil. That weakness, that refusal to compromise a fractured and stupid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/that-passivity-in-me-has-been-the-core-of-it-all-the-real-evil-that/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [You know nothing... And suppose the vampire who made you knew nothing, and the vampire who made that vampire knew nothing, and the vampire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/you-know-nothing-and-suppose-the-vampire-who-made-you-knew-nothing/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [If you worry less about what people think of you, you can pick up an astonishing amount of information about them. You no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/if-you-worry-less-about-what-people-think-of-you-you-can-pick-up-an/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) > [“During life's crisis...try to worry less and smile more. Keep your head up because It will get better...it always does!✌”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/during-life-s-crisis-try-to-worry-less-and-smile-more-keep-your-head/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [“Worry less about how many people you are connected to, and worry a whole lot more about who you are connected to – who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-joel/worry-less-about-how-many-people-you-are-connected-to-and-worry-a/) [Mitch Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-joel/) > [Perhaps we should worry less about judging people for being Mormon or Baptist or Muslim or gay or straight or black or white or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charity-sunshine-tillemann-dick/perhaps-we-should-worry-less-about-judging-people-for-being-mormon-or/) [Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charity-sunshine-tillemann-dick/) > [You need to worry less about what everyone else thinks and focus on what makes you happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/you-need-to-worry-less-about-what-everyone-else-thinks-and-focus-on/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) ## More by Laurell K. Hamilton > [“Edward: I don't know whether to put my fingers in my ears and go la-la-la or find more of your guards so we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/edward-i-don-t-know-whether-to-put-my-fingers-in-my-ears-and-go-la-la/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [So many wonderful books to write, and not enough hours in the day. An embarrassment of riches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/so-many-wonderful-books-to-write-and-not-enough-hours-in-the-day-an/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Money doesn't spend in hell… The devil deals in a different coin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/money-doesn-t-spend-in-hell-the-devil-deals-in-a-different-coin/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [There comes a point when you either embrace who and what you are, or condemn yourself to be miserable all your days. Other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/there-comes-a-point-when-you-either-embrace-who-and-what-you-are-or/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“I slowed, just a little, one to save energy, and one to let Russell catch up sooner. I took a big breath and prepared.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-slowed-just-a-little-one-to-save-energy-and-one-to-let-russell/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“It wasn't just my beast's hunger, but Jean-Claude's blood thirst and Richard's craving for flesh. It was all that and the ardeur running through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/it-wasn-t-just-my-beast-s-hunger-but-jean-claude-s-blood-thirst-and/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [I know that look, Blake. You are a drowning woman, and the only way out is down the aisle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-know-that-look-blake-you-are-a-drowning-woman-and-the-only-way-out/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“Just another day in my life. This was one of those days when I thought that maybe a new life, a different life, wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/just-another-day-in-my-life-this-was-one-of-those-days-when-i-thought/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“What is that old children’s rhyme, ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’? Anyone who says that doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/what-is-that-old-children-s-rhyme-sticks-and-stones-may-break-my/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [...you don't need ghosts to be haunted. Memory does that just fine without any supernatural help at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/you-don-t-need-ghosts-to-be-haunted-memory-does-that-just-fine/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [I hated missing the end of anything. I was always convinced that the bit I'd miss would be the best part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-hated-missing-the-end-of-anything-i-was-always-convinced-that-the/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [He made a small sigh, as he swallowed the first blood, then his mouth closed over my earlobe, mouth working at the wound, tongue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/he-made-a-small-sigh-as-he-swallowed-the-first-blood-then-his-mouth/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [He gave a small nod, and I smiled back, and that was it. He understood that I'd understood that he'd understood. It took us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/he-gave-a-small-nod-and-i-smiled-back-and-that-was-it-he-understood/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [ \[T\]hese last few days where I've moped around damn near depressed for real, because of people who do not exist. Not really. I can… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/t-hese-last-few-days-where-i-ve-moped-around-damn-near-depressed-for/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) [Explore all 921 Laurell K. Hamilton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) ## More Bad person quotes > [“Claiming to be offended is a great way to elevate yourself at the expense of others: “Look at me! I'm a much better person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/claiming-to-be-offended-is-a-great-way-to-elevate-yourself-at-the/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [How many times do you want me to forgive you? when you just keep doing the same thing? and you say I am the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/superman/how-many-times-do-you-want-me-to-forgive-you-when-you-just-keep-doing/) Superman > [The Indians didn't help me in dealing with the media. I think they wanted to keep my market value down. I'm moody. 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I'm just doing my thing... I'm, you know, running, I want to do something that's good. It's not an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-not-a-bad-person-i-m-just-doing-my-thing-i-m-you-know-running-i/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) Browse all 352 Bad person quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The last vampire I knew that could do what you just did, did it on purpose. She would recall a memory of pleasure, and she would pick someone to give it to. It could be a reward, and it was, but it could also be punishment. Sometimes she would choose someone who did not wish to feel such pleasures, and she would force them to experience it.\" \"A kind of rape,\" I said. He nodded. \"You're talking about Belle Morte, aren't you?\" He nodded, again. \"She enjoyed watching them writhe, especially if they didn't want to do it,\" I said. \"You say that as a statement, not a question.\" \"I've met her, remember?\" \"You are exactly right. She loved watching prim, proper women and men, forced to spill themselves upon the floor and flop about, experiencing a pleasure greater than any they had ever felt before. It pleased her to watch the righteous brought low.\" \"Yeah, that sounds like her.\" \"But you truly felt nothing. It did not excite you to watch Graham writhe.\" \"Why should it?\" He smiled then, and there was relief in his eyes. \"That you would ask the question makes me worry less about you.\" \"Worry how?\" I asked. \"It has been speculation for centuries whether Belle was formed into the type of,\" he seemed to search for a word, \"creature she was by the ardeur and her powers running to flesh and pleasure, or whether she was always as she is, and the power simply made her more.\" \"It's been my experience, Requiem, that people become more of who they are in extremes, both good and bad. Give a truly good person power, and they're still a good person. Give a bad person power, and they're still a bad person. The question is always about the person in between. The one that isn't evil, or good, but just ordinary. You don't always know what an ordinary person is like on the inside.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laurell K. Hamilton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/the-last-vampire-i-knew-that-could-do-what-you-just-did-did-it-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad person" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/the-last-vampire-i-knew-that-could-do-what-you-just-did-did-it-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/laurell-k-hamilton-199_bad-person_the-last-vampire-i-knew-that-could-do-wh_541101.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/laurell-k-hamilton-199_bad-person_the-last-vampire-i-knew-that-could-do-wh_541101.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/laurell-k-hamilton-199_bad-person_the-last-vampire-i-knew-that-could-do-wh_541101.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The last vampire I knew that could do what you just did, did it on purpose. She would recall a memory of…” — Laurell K. 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