Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, AB/HBO/Harris do.
Warning: This chapter is Rated T but some future chapters will be M-rated. I will mark the M-rated chapters appropriately and try to structure them such that readers can skip the M-rated material without losing the plot.
Thank you for your feedback, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
CHAPTER 2: Meeting Margot
On a sunny Wednesday morning in October 2105, Margot Zabell heard her phone ring as she fixed herself a cup of tea. Still in pajamas after a long night of debugging a customer's program, she hurried to the messy desk in her home office and answered the phone gruffly "This is Margot."
The person on the other end of the line sounded far more awake than Margot was. "Good morning, Ms Zabell, my name is Betty Harris and I am calling on behalf of Russell Edgington."
Margot suddenly became fully alert. "How can I help you today, Ms Harris?" She adopted the formal speech of the woman she was speaking with, imaging Betty to be practically perfect in every way, just like Mary Poppins.
"I am calling to schedule a time for you to meet Mr. Edgington for cocktails this evening."
"I think that might be possible. Does Mr. Edgington have an agenda for the meeting?" Margot queried.
"No, this is just an informal meeting to make acquaintances." Ms Harris replied.
"Sure, um, OK, of course I will make myself available to meet Mr. Edgington this evening." Margot thought this was rather short notice but was thrilled by the prospect of a new customer. "Please tell me where and at what time to meet him."
Ms Harris dictated the necessary information and the call ended. The name Russell Edgington sounded vaguely familiar to Margot and she thought that he was perhaps in the entertainment industry or a politician. Margot was always very thorough in researching her clients and decided to search the Internet for whatever information she could find on him. A search of his name revealed a handful of matches but only one seemed like a Mr. Edgington who could afford a high-end assistant. "Damn, I should have asked Betty for his web site address" she muttered to herself as she scanned the information she'd located on Edgington. Whoa, he is that vampire guy. Now she remembered why his name was familiar, she'd occasionally seen him in the news. Jackson, Mississippi, was home to just under 1 million humans. The vampire population size was uncertain but it was believed that there were several hundred vampires in the area, keeping a low profile by living in the suburbs or rural areas and traveling into Jackson after dark for business and pleasure. A few vampires lived very public lives, championing vampire rights or as a benefactor to vampire and human causes alike. Russell Edgington was an example of this. He was a vocal proponent of vampire rights, a member of the Rotary Club, city council and a generous sponsor of the arts. He was rumored to be quite active in shady dealings as well but no solid evidence had ever linked him to a life of crime. Margot's best guess as to the purpose of the meeting was that he was looking to link together the vast amount of data he kept on all his holdings and endeavors, or perhaps something as simple an idea for a new iPhone app.
She also wondered how dangerous this encounter could be. They would be meeting at the most popular watering hole in Jackson. She would be arranging her own transportation. After puzzling over it for a moment, she decided that the biggest risk at this particular meeting was being photographed with Russell by a gossip rag or some government agency running a sting operation. She didn't know any vampires socially but had worked with some briefly at customer sites and didn't have anything against them as long as they gorged themselves on synthetics instead of real people. Heck, she even owned a little stock in a synthetic blood product company: Bloody Miracle produced everything from blood beverages to faux meat made from synthetic blood and other ingredients palatable to vampires, similar to the way fake meat was made from soybeans for human consumption.
Margot's day passed quickly and as the sun set she began dressing for the meeting. She was inspired by Ms Harris' crisp and professional tone on the call that morning and decided on a presidential look; dark navy blue suit with a white shirt. As she checked herself in the mirror, she smiled with pride at her reflection: She was positively certain that she was the most beautiful woman ever produced by the state of Louisiana: Her soft, caramel-tone skin attracted men and women alike. Her halo of shoulder-length curly brown hair made her look like an angel but her plump lips and brown bedroom eyes gave her face a sensuality that made her admirers dream of earthly desires. She kept her 5' 10" athletic frame healthy with plenty of exercise, but not too much; her hourglass shape was proof that she knew how to keep her body strong and toned without sacrificing its feminine curves. Margot turned around one last time in the mirror and laughed at the strategy behind her outfit: She originally put on a skirt but then decided on slacks in the event the meeting with Mr. Edgington went horribly wrong; she'd prefer to have her body found in pants. She wanted to be ready to respond to whatever questions Mr. Edgington might have so she put those morbid thoughts out of her mind, focused on her sales pitch and headed out to the cab that was waiting to take her to the lounge where the meeting would take place.
Sangre Sangria is THE most chic watering hole in Jackson. It is a tapas bar that caters to vampires and humans. It is the only place of its kind in all of Mississippi; it attracts vampires from around the state. Vampires' human companions as well as the vamp-curious flock there. When Margot arrived, she was seated in a raised, curved booth that had a commanding view of the lounge. The host told her it was the best seat in the house, always held for Mr. Edgington when he visited Jackson. She sat there alone for a few minutes, watching the entrance to see if she could recognize him from pictures she found on the Internet earlier that day. A waiter sped toward her table to greet the man approaching from behind her. The waiter exclaimed "Good evening, Mr. Edgington!" She stood quickly to greet him and held out her hand to shake. Edgington took her hand, kissed it lightly and gestured for her to be seated. Margot studied his apparel. He looks old school. Herringbone twill tweed blazer, Perfectly matched pants. Cravat. Custom tailored. Very expensive.
Drinks arrived. He'd already ordered an Absolut vodka-cranberry for her (how did he know that was her favorite libation?). For himself, the classic vampire martini- My Bloody Valentine. The two of them clinked glasses and, as they engaged in casual conversation, Margot produced a copy of her resume and some marketing papers from her briefcase. He waved them off, saying, "I already know everything I need to know about you." She took that as a compliment and silently gave thanks for all the positive reviews on her web site.
Margot was ready to move the conversation on to business. "So, Ms Harris said you wanted to discuss a proposal with me. What are you trying to build?
Russell smiled warmly and replied "Not the type of thing that would require your skills as a programmer."
Margot said nothing, but looked at him quizzically. He continued, "I will come directly to the point. You evidently are a woman of excellence and purpose. Also, you meet a particular set of qualifications."
Margot tried to interrupt by Russell waved her off. "Margot, I would like for you to meet someone."
Succor. Margot froze. Succor. He is seeking succor for his friend. She'd heard of this trend. "Succor" was the slang term for the long-term hook-up of vampires and humans for sex, blood or both. The moment Vitrio hit the scene, vampires were forced to approach their food supply differently and many began kidnapping or courting humans for long-term relationships. The idea of succor sounded to Margot like a great deal for the vampire but not such a great deal for the human. Although there were many humans who were eager to give succor to vampires, a dangerously high percentage of them were burned-out V addicts. V addicts forced into rehab were immunized, which led to the death of many vampires when V addicts fell off the wagon and invited vampires to exchange blood.
Margot was frightened by the prospect of such a thing, and she fought to stay calm because she had to see if Russell showed any indication that he would try to force her into his plan. She summoned up every ounce of bravery she could muster, took a quick sip of her drink and said with a hint of sarcasm. "OK, trot him over here. Let's have a look at your bitch." Edgington's ASSociate doesn't even have the courage to court a blood whore for himself. Whatever. She was on a roll now, feeling overly confident and ready to stare down the jackass of a vampire being presented to her. So, she smoothed down the jacket of her suit, looked at Russell smugly, rose, turned into the direction Russell was facing and looked directly into the icy blue eyes of her vampire blind date.
"Ms Zabell, meet Mr. Franklin Mott." Russell said grandly.
Franklin Mott, already facing Margot, cocked his head slightly and bowed. "Pleasure." The tone of his voice suggested that he liked the sight of Margot.
At first, she was taken aback by his rugged good looks but quickly gathered herself and responded "Same. Shall we sit?" As Franklin seated himself across from her, she stole a glance at his all-black attire. A vampire dressed in black. How creative.
Russell sat in the middle of the curved booth, Franklin and Margot on both sides of him, facing each other across the table in the middle. Russell looked at Margot and began "As you are certainly aware, we vampires find ourselves in quite a predicament these days. And, as a businessman with many interests and activities, it is imperative that I look out for the well-being of my associates such as Mr. Mott."
Margot was tempted to ask what it was that Mott did for him but decided it was not of consequence; no matter how handsome this stranger was, she was not interested in being anybody's blood whore.
Russell and Franklin observed Margot, awaiting her reply. She downed the rest of her drink, gestured to the waiter then with a sweet smile turned to Russell and said "Thank you, Mr. Edgington. I know where this conversation is going but, alas, like just about most everybody else around here, I've been immunized." She shrugged her shoulders with a slightly sarcastic pout and began gathering her things. The waiter approached the table and delivered a martini for Franklin. She continued, "At least I can buy your drinks, gentlemen" and extended her hand to the waiter with a $100 bill. The waiter ignored her hand and looked at Russell expectantly, who responded with a slight shake of his head to indicate No. The waiter disappeared. Margot furrowed her brow at having her plans for a grand exit thwarted.
Russell leaned toward her and said in a low voice "What you are saying is not true, my dear. I know for a fact that you are quite capable of satisfying all the needs of my associate." He paused momentarily then proceeded to list reasons, both physical and psychological, why she would make a good companion to Franklin.
When Russell finished, Margot, exasperated by his assessment, fought to keep her voice under control as she spat out "Great observation, sir. Brainy blood whore with a nice ass. Right. Something I definitely should think about aspiring to." She rose from the booth and turned toward the entry she'd come in.
"I am simply working to ensure the safety and happiness of those dearest to me in these times of trouble." Russell replied calmly.
Her fury gave her the courage to look at both of them in the eye as she spoke her parting words. "Gentlemen, I am flattered by this, um, most interesting proposition but, unfortunately, I am not for sale. Good night."
With those words, she purposefully strode toward the exit of the lounge and hailed a cab.
Russell chuckled softly, took a swig of his drink, smacked his lips and looked at Franklin. "So?"
Franklin sipped his martini as he stared off into the distance, already planning what he would do to her once she was his. "Yes… most definitely."
To Be Continued…