What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..."
Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar…
Part X…
"Really when you take this place all-in-all..." Jen, back now in her business suit, standing before the group on sofa and chair in the "fancy room"...Laszlo and Nadja on sofa, Nandor in chair. Guillermo seated for once in chair Jen had thoughfully placed in the room for him earlier in the day…
"...It's probably the most valuable property in this neighborhood,,.At least till you hit the North Shore area. I would say you'll have no trouble getting 3.5-4 million for it, easy." she beams to the group.
"Four...Millions?" Nandor blinks.
"It's not so much these days as it may sound, Master..." Guillermo notes. "Money is worth lots less now."
"Four...Millions..." Nandor gasps. "What? Not that much?"
"Yes, but that is still a very good price for an old rat-trap like this..." Laszlo, pleased. "Mrs. Steinecke, that sounds very interesting to me. And you think very little would have to be done to the place?"
"A good cleaning, maybe remove some of the boards blocking some of the windows..." she shrugs.
"Which we only installed to protect those valuable old windows of course..." Laszlo notes, hastily.
"Maybe some work on the heating system...I don't think the plumbing is in bad shape, really, Mr. Nandor." Jen eyes Nandor who'd raised his concern earlier.
"It does sound...Interesting." Nandor, nodding slightly. "But of course, we are people...Human people...Of conservative tastes. It is hard to leave our home, especially when it suits us so well...In some ways."
Hmmphf...Nadja hastily represses contemptuous laugh… "Yes, so it does...But in politeness to you, our guest, we have heard you and should consider your proposal carefully, out of politeness."
"Of course...Mrs. Cravensworth..." Jen nods. "And I know from Mr. Cravensworth that you'd want a place waiting that suits your needs and tastes. Maybe just a bit more modern and easier maintenance?"
"That would be..." Guillermo begins, eagerly.
"Guillermo..." Nandor silences him. "Yes, we would require such a place...Easier of maintaining and modern, with of course the home theater systems of modern castles...Homes."
"And you did have an idea or two on those lines, didn't you, Mrs. Steinecke?" Laszlo urges gently.
"Oh yes...Ma...Mr. Cravensworth..." Jen nods eagerly. "Here is one place that my boss Mrs. Zeller just got hold of, new to the market and really quite a place..." she offers cell phone with image of large estate on screen to Nadja, who peers at it, Laszlo leaning over to see. "It's on the North Shore, easy access to Manhattan and LI, nice bit of beach...Plenty of land and a small wildlife area adjoining to help keep most strangers away..."
"That is very nice..." Nadja blinks at the image.
"If you click on the arrow to the right, you can see more of the place..." Jen urges.
"Oh, yes…My, what a nice kitchen...Hmmn…" Nadja frowns. "Very well lighted large room with a nice fireplace but there is much glass. That won't do."
"No..." Laszlo nods, reluctant sigh. Damn, what a nice place...
"Oh, the glass is UV proof and turns opaque...You can't see in and since Mr. Cravensworth mentioned he has a problem with too much light, you can actually opaque the glass from light going in as well, totally blocking light if you like. It's a very nice feature." Jen nods.
"Totally blocking?" Nandor asked. "This is possible…? Guillermo, why have you never told me of this?"
"I didn't know it could be done, Master Nandor." Guillermo sighs.
"It's very new technology, available only in some of the more upscale homes..." Jen notes quickly, kindly glance to Guillermo.
"It sounds wonderful..." Laszlo eyes phone, flicking images.
"Laszlo, I was not done looking there." Nadja complains. Repressing urge to hiss at him...
"Sorry...How do I go back to…?" Laszlo eyes Jen.
"The left arrow, click...There you go." she smiles warmly.
"Thanks." Laszlo smiles…Ummn quickly less warmly as Nadja eyes them.
"What is the price of this place?" Nandor asks.
"Well, they're asking ten million but I know I can get Ginny to get them down to eight...The market's cooled a bit and it is hard to find many buyers willing to go that high and who can keep up the estate."
"Price is no object, really…" Laszlo notes, grandly. Nadja rolling eyes...
"Yes, that would be a large task, keeping this estate in worthy conditions. Guillermo?" Nandor turns to him. "Do you feel you could handle the tasks required to serve us in such a place?"
"I'd need some help..." Guillermo notes. "I'd do my best but to be honest, that is a big place..."
"Yes. Well, we could arrange extra help." Nandor nods thoughtfully. "Sometime..."
"I'm sure I could get you a good landscaping and general cleaning team if you'll need them." Jen beams.
"Eight millions…?" Nadja asks. "If your boss can get them 'down'".
"That's not a bad price at the going rate on the North Shore…" Laszlo notes. "I've been checking the neighborhoods myself on the Zillow webbed site and it seems reasonable. And really, the price is not a major problem, eh, Nandor?" smile… Nandor giving cautious nod.
"No...But eight millions...That is princely." Slight beam. "Worthy of a great prince indeed. Or a retired general."
"Ah, now you are playing real estate typhoon again, Laszlo..." Nadja frowns.
"Tycoon, dear and it's not fair to bring up the Ponzi scheme again." Laszlo frowns. "How was I to know…?"
"Laszlo lost part of our fortunes several times, especially in the Panic of 18...er 1993. Took us months to recover."
Cut to shot of Laszlo robbing corpses en masse…The corpses dressed in 1893 style…
"I see...Well, this is a good price but you are free to check it out and compare, of course. And I will do all I can to get Ginny to get them to come down a bit for you." Jen smiles.
"I think I could, if I could give it the personal touch..." Laszlo begins…
"Yes, I too could personally touch this Ginny person." Nandor suggests.
"Is that a bar…In the house?" Laszlo asks, staring at phone picture.
"Oh, yes...The house is great for entertaining. And the home theater, in the living room and the entertainment room in the basement is top of the line."
"Oooh...Yes?" Nadja, hopefully. "How are the bedrooms? Let me see, Laszlo!"
…...
Later…
Laszlo, in library… "Well, that went quite well so far...Jen stepped out to get a better cellular telephone signal to call her friend Genny...Ginny?...About the new house and then we'll talk a bit more before she goes when she can answer a few more questions." he beams. "I thought it would really be a tough sale to Nadja and Nandor, but they actually seem taken with the idea of moving. I think Jen is even making a hit with Nadja and hasn't she concealed her thrall well?" beam. "I'm rather a master at thrall, really, but she is a good actress. I wish I'd seen her 'Desdemona', I must get her to do it for me..."
"I have half a mind to suggest the familiar thing tonight but lets not push it..."
…
Guillermo, pacing cell, sent to rest at Jen's kind suggestion that his casts on arm and leg must be leaving him pretty weary…
"I guess you saw I wasn't too happy with Jen's entralled stated and potential dying and maybe killing her own kid or handing it to Laszlo to kill thing. She's nice and I don't meet many nice people. Still, you don't meet many people in my profession and it has been nice to have her around. I mean, it's not my business to tell Master Laszlo whom to enthrall and all but...You know...I don't know if I like this where she's not voluntary and she has a family and all." pause.
"On the other hand, she would tell Master Laszlo if I tried again. And I doubt Master Nandor would see it my way..." pacing cell.
"To be fair to her, though, even though I'm voluntary, I have brought victims in to be killed. I suppose I can't claim she's being unfair to threaten me. It's just I mean, I want to be a vampire and I chose to be a familiar...If Jen had chosen this...Still...She might live a long time as a familiar, maybe everything'll be fine and by the time there might be trouble, I'll probably be a vampire and not really bothered by it all. But, I don't know. She's so nice..." sigh.
"I guess Masters Nandor and Laszlo will do the right thing whether it's to keep her, kill her, or let her go. But maybe I should go back and make sure everything goes ok tonight." he nods. "Master Nandor will probably be calling me anyways as soon as he forgets I'm hurt…And wants something."
….
The group reassembled in the 'fancy room'...Jen having gotten some info from a startled Ginny…
"These guys can handle a property like mine?" Jen assuring her that, yes, the...Mr. Cravensworth and his family definitely could...And yes, they'd like to meet with her, too...Asap...Tomorrow evening being fine.
...She'd answered some of Nadja's questions as to lack of rodents, size of kitchen...Confirmed the opaque thing and found a website describing it to Nandor's not-fully comprehending but accepting satisfaction...
"Well, it does all sound very nice, for starting things. But there is just the one more thing, small little thing..." Nadja, sweet smile.
Uh-oh... Laszlo...Nandor… As Nadja turned grim...
"Yes, Mrs. Cravensworth, it's true." Jen, catching her mood, quickly nods to her hard stare. "Mr. Cravensworth enthralled me when I first came over Sunday."
Laszlo, choking a bit, Nandor staring...
"You did?" He asks Laszlo. Who gives nervous shrug...
"I'm his new familiar and slave and I am sorry not to have told you outright but I thought we should first intro me as your new real estate agent then move into the rest." She eyes a grimly staring Nadja.
"I hope you won't kill me 'cause I really think I can be of service to you, mistress, as well as to the master." Beam. "Though if you must, please don't blame the Master."
"Please don't kill her, Mistress Nadja..." Guillermo pleads now, stepping forward. "She's very nice, and works really hard and she has a very nice little girl..." he hastily blurts.
Nadja frowns at her mate... "Laszlo? You took her when she has a little girl?"
"I didn't know...At the time..." he tries.
"A little girl? Really?" Nandor, curious. "How old?"
"Two and a half...It's my fault, mistress." Jen notes. "I didn't mention it when I first met him and I was flirting a bit with the master, before my enthralling, to get your business, he naturally assumed I wasn't married. I'm so sorry if I misled you, Master Laszlo." Apologetic tone to Laszlo...Who offers kind smile...
"Oh, really, it wasn't..." he faded off at Nadja's grim stare.
"Well...Normally I would cut your head off and drain you dry and not speak to Laszlo for several years..." Nadja begins.
, hard glare to Laszlo...
"Now, dear..."Laszlo tries.
"I could take her off your hands..." Nandor quickly offers. Guillermo staring...
What, Guillermo?" Nandor frowns. "I'm master vampire here, I can have all the familiars I want...Don't be like that. Jealousy is very unattractive."
"Shut up, Laszlo..." Nadja glares at him. "Now if I thought this was a serious flirtation and the girl wasn't just a whore doing her business...Another Milly."
"She's not..." Guillermo… "Now Milly wasn't..." Laszlo...Both quickly backing away at Nadja's hiss…
"I suppose I was pressing the flirting a bit...It's just business, Mistress. But I am fond of Master Laszlo, I can't say I didn't find him attractive...I know I have to be truthful with you, just as I must be with the Master." Jen notes.
Laszlo beaming a moment, then looking apologetic as Nadja rolls eyes...
"I appreciate your honesty, whore business girl. And a little child is involved...Plus, frankly, this house sounds too good to miss." Nadja nods. "Laszlo, I must have your promise and your command to her that you will not have sexual relations with this woman. Or turn her. Though if I like her as a friend and she is not as whore as your others have been, I might do so when her child is grown."
"Of course, darling...What were you thinking? I didn't take her to 'take' her." Laszlo, geniunely offended. Nadja eyeing him...Then smiling…
"Well, you are not lying, right now...That is nice. And life-saving for you, whore Mrs. Steinecke." Nadja nods. "But you have a whore's way about you, it makes me nervous. Laszlo is so easily taken in...'Your master' or no."
"Of course, Mistress." Jen bows head. "If Master Laszlo will command it, I'll never try to have sex with him..." nod.
"I would be glad..." Nandor begins…
"Shut up, Nandor." Nadja frowns. "You can't control her if Laszlo bit her first and she would always be looking to be near Laszlo...It's what the enthralled do. And you, whore girl, can't resist wanting to serve Laszlo, even if you were not whore in nature. But if Laszlo commands you not to come to him for sex and never when I am not present, and you only work here by day when we are at rest, except to do business as our Renfield agent at night...And I must always be present when you do this business…."
"Renfield? That's rather..." Laszlo smiles.
"...Shut up, Laszlo..." Nadja continues… "...We can try you out as a mostly daytime familiar, to work here, helping Guillermo. At night and the weekend days you should be with your daughter anyway."
"I work some weekends..." Jen notes. "For my job..."
"See, she is looking to get round me..." Nadja frowns.
"Just to do her job, darling..." Laszlo tries.
"She is whore nature, like Milly..." frown. "I think this will end badly but, for the child and so we can get that nice house and have some help, we will try it out." Nadja shakes head. "Command her, Laszlo...As I have said."
"Of course...Ummn...Could she possibly...When not too busy by day?...Read to me...To us? In our crypt? With the coffin lid closed?" Laszlo, hopefully.
"I'd love to..." Jen, beaming. "To both of you, of course...And once I learn to do that darning socks thing Master Laszlo asked me to learn..." Nadja frowning…
"We both need socks mending...And you hate darning socks." Laszlo notes.
"I am too indulgent with you. Fine. But never when I am away."
"When is Mistress Nadja away, Master…?" Guillermo whispers to Nandor. "She's always here..."
"Before your time, Guillermo." Nandor notes.
