What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..."

Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar…

Part XVI…

4:30 pm, Sunday...The community manor…

"You really don't have to help with this today, Jen." Guillermo sighs to Jen as she lifts the other end of a large tarpaulin-covered object exactly the size of a human body, Jen in an old shirt and jeans she'd brought with her.

"It's silly for you to strain yourself when I'm here to help, Gui. I expected to be crawling round the place getting a look at the heating system and how bad that rat problem is...It's fine. I got this end, ready? Ok, lift!"

"You do that for your other clients too?" he eyes her as they lug the object down to the rear gate for disposal as "special" trash.

"Well...Not usually. Especially regards checking for rats myself, I usually get an exterminator..." slight grimace. "But if it's needed I'm always ready to go the distance...And I always have to be ready to muck around a place to see what's needed. Really, it's no problem." she beams. "I've had to do some stuff to get a deal set that makes this..." Ummn...She eyes the blood oozing from a loose fold.

"I'll get that after we set this down outside." Guillermo notes, both eyeing the bloody puddle. "And I'll get another bag from the kitchen to wrap around there."

"Let me do that, you've been running around too much on that leg cast." Jen insists. "Lets just get this out for pickup." she shook her end slightly.

Setting it down just outside the back gate, Jen regards the tarpaulin. "Gui? Do you ever say anything?"

"What?"

"Well, I mean..." she shrugs, indicating the object on ground.. "It was somebody once. It could have been either of us."

"Do we really have to talk about that?" he looks about a bit nervously. "I mean, it's just the 'circle of life' and all. We eat things, we get eaten, but I kinda prefer not to think about it."

"Sorry. It's just...Sunday and all."

"Oh. Are you religious?"

"Ummn...Not so much...Kinda Catholicish a bit...I was raised in it."

"Sorry. Say I was raised Catholic too. I've kinda moved away from it, now." he eyes the tarpaulin.

"Sure. I guess me too. Still...It might be nice, since they did the Master and his friends a service..." she gives winsome look. "Maybe just a 'thanks and hope you find the afterlife nice'?"

He regards her vaguely stricken face… "Uh, sure...I suppose it would be respectful. No problem."

"Ok..." she beams, moving before the object on grass now. He coming to join her.

"Hi. We just wanted to thank you for helping our masters and mistress." Jen notes. "Gui?"

"Uh...Sure. Hey, thanks. Hope the afterlife is nice for you." he nods to the tarpaulin.

"Thanks, Gui." Jen pats him. "Let me go get a bag and some paper towels and Windex."

"And salt and water? They say salt gets that out of anything..." Guillermo notes.

Wow...He eyes camera after Jen has gone up steps after closing outer gate. "Kinda weird there. But she's very sweet to want to do that, right? Just...Makes me feel a little...Odd. I hope we don't have to do that again." he eyes tarpaulin on grass. "Still I guess it was nice. Respectful, you know?"

"I got it!" Jen calls as doorbell buzzes. She opens front door to reveal the lovely fortyish brunette Ginny Zeller, well-made up, in business suit, a sachel on her arm.

"Jen?" staring at the younger woman smiling at her in rather filthy old shirt and jeans…Holding bag with Windex and salt and some rags.

"Hey, Gin!" happy beam, setting down bag.. "Come on in!" she pulls the woman in, closing door. "You're early, they'll be pleased. Forgive the mess, I've been crawling all over the place."

"Yeah...I see. Well, you're always a go-getter, Jen." nod. "I just hope they don't stand much on ceremony..." eyeing her ruefully.

"A little but not that kind..." smile. "They're British...Well, Mas...Mr. Cravensworth is. And his wife and Mr. Relentless are European. Say, they appreciate your coming a day early."

"Really...Oh, no prob..." Ginny, looking about and setting down her sachel. "Are they here yet? I was hoping to go over things with you first."

"They can't be with us till 5:30..." Jen notes. "What did you want to go over?"

"Well...This is quite a deal, Jen. The biggest of the year if it goes through. I want to be sure we've got our best game going here, even if this is preliminary."

"I'm sure we've got it in the bag." Jen nods. "They're very anxious to do this."

"Great. But a deal like this is complicated..." Ginny points out. "Is there somewhere…?"

"The living room's in here..." Jen leads her.

"Great..." Uh...She looks around. "It looks like the first thing this place will need is a good cleaning...And why are those windows boarded? Is this place abandoned?"

"No, the Cravensworths live here, more or less..." Jen shakes head. "You can put the stuff on that table and have a seat. Want something to drink? We have lots of stuff in the kitchen."

"Really at home here, eh?" smile. "Well, you always know how to get in with the clients and go the distance." nod, taking seat. Hmmn… "Do they keep a dog or cat or something? I smell something..."

"We'll have it completely fumigated." Jen nods. "So…? Drink?"

"Bottled water if they have it..."

"Coming up. Gui keeps plenty."

"Gui?"

"Their caretaker, very nice kid...He's out back."

"I think a place like this needs more than one...Jesus!" Ginny jumps a bit as the Baron's familiar enters the living room from the hallway, eyeing her icily.

"Oh, this is a servant of the Cravensworths' friend and guest, Baron Afanas." Jen intros...The familiar nodding stiffly. "He's visiting and she takes care of him as he's rather elderly."

"You are this woman's human superior?" the familiar eyes Ginny sternly.

"Uh...Yeah..." Blinking...

"She is very capable and dutiful." solemn tone.

"Thanks..." to the retreating form…

"Thanks, ma'am!" Jen calls after her. "Back in a sec, Gin. I need to leave this bag with Gui and I'll get your water."

"Sure..." Ginny nods, sitting with a bit of anxiety… "Hurry back.", looking after Jen leaving from exit to kitchen area.

"Hello." Colin in sweater smiles from the doorway the Baron's familiar had departed.

"I'm Colin Robinson. You must be Ginny Zeller, owner of Zeller Properties with over 5 million dollars in new sales this quarter and the largest residential stock on Staten Island."

"You do your homework." Ginny agrees, rising to offer hand.

"It's on your website. You know most people fail to read the details. Best not to shake just yet. I tend to shock people...Static electricity from my sweater." thin smile.

"Oh?" nod. "So you're one of the owners?"

"Not officially but I live here and I'll be handling a lot of the paperwork as the others are a bit behind regards modern methods and financing...I have their power of attorney, don't worry. Did you know the power of attorney stems from..." he begins…

"Oh, hi..." Ginny catchs sight of Guillermo coming up behind Colin.

"Hello..."

"Mrs. Zeller, this is Guillermo, our caretaker." Colin introduces.

"Yeah...Hey..." Ginny offers hand… "Oh, sorry..." she offers Guillermo her other hand as he can't grasp her hand with his cast arm hand. Shaking the free hand. "Jen's told me about you. I understand you and she are getting on like gangbusters."

"She's very..." Guillermo, crying out as Nadja appears in bat form and takes human shape, immediately going for a screaming Ginny, biting her fiercely as the woman struggles a second in her grip, then relaxes.

"Oooh..." the returning Jen, with water bottle in hand.

….

Cut to Nadja on sofa, a blank-faced Ginny, blood on collar beside her…

"It was safe enough to come out early inside the house and I prefer not to have Laszlo take another human woman just now. I did say, no harem. And Nandor doesn't know how to deal with modern women. He's improved very slightly since I first knew him and he called me a gypsy whore who deserved to die but he'd likely have her waiting on him and casting rapturous looks just to show off. Ridiculous and gets people trying to do intervenings, telling her he is bad for her and all that. Which is true but then she starts ranting her love of the Master and ends up in madhouse or equivalent. Or someone who knows better sends for aid and we end up facing vampire hunter."

"At least Laszlo refrains from showing off his control that way...Wisely."

….

"I'm...Sorry...I'm a little tired..." Ginny wanly addresses the group. Jen beside her, patting her hand.

"Quite all right, child." Nadja nods graciously. "This is preliminary meeting and you are new enthralled, you'll be fine by tomorrow or next day. Just drink plenty of water."

"Yes, Mistress." Ginny nods, drinking a gulp from water bottle. "Anyway...I think the owners can be talked down to seven point five million, given the estate is such high maintenance."

"Very good." Laszlo nods stiffly from his chair...Still a bit miffed at not getting to Ginny first.

Not really thinking "harem" but it would be nice to have them both in thrall to him at once. He could've had them draw a chariot with him the driver along the road to the new estate...Or, less risky, have them do a pedicure or manicure at the same time while Jen also reads to him.

"...Of course we'd be arranging a mythical transaction with our bank so it really won't matter what we pay them. And I'd like to see Jen get a decent commission..."

"He means fake..." Colin notes. "And I will be arranging that. He'll just sign papers and hypnotize or enthrall the necessary people."

"Thank you, Master." Jen smiles to Laszlo. "But I'm happy to serve for love of you. Strictly thrallment love, Mistress and I love you too." to Nadja, who nods. "That is fine, child. I understand, within limits."

"Best to keep within reason, Laszlo." Colin notes. "Phony or not we don't want to raise red flags..."

"I love...Red...Flags." Laszlo, mock-solemn.

"You won't love the IRS all over this..." Colin frowns.

"I think...Master..Mr. Robinson is right." Jen, gently. Ginny vaguely agreeing...

"I suppose. Very well, as you see fit, but Jen gets a good commission."

"Indeed." Nandor nods. "She has deserved well of us and all human treasure we can bestow upon her and her nice family, we shall."

"Yes...A good commission, Colin." Nadja agrees. "For the little one..."

"Well, Mistress Nadja..." Jen, carefully. "This is Ginny's property...I'm just helping out."

"You did all the work...You get the commission. Ginny? You will give Jen the full commission, she did well."

"I will...Give Jen the full commission, Mistress." Ginny nods, a bit wanly. "But...It might look strange..."

"Maybe we could split the commission, Mistress." Jen suggests. "It will be pretty large."

"How large?" Nadja, turning to Ginny…

"Depending on the final sale price and fees, about six to eight hundred thousand, Mistress." Ginny, wanly.

"Well, Jen should get lion's share. Give her four to six hundred thousands of that." Nadja insists.

"Yes, Mistress." Ginny nods.

"Oh, but I'll be getting a commission on the sale of this place too..." Jen notes.

"Well, does not Ginny as your superior get something from that?" Nadja asks.

"Well, the office does, so she does, but...I just don't want to be greedy, Mistress."

"If we split on this place too, that would be fair..." Ginny notes.

"Whatever I say is fair for you, is fair. You make no decisions here." Nadja frowns.

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am. It's my nature to be assertive in my work, ma'am."

"That is fine but I will decide on this matter, as it concerns me."

"Yes, Mistress..." Ginny nods.

"It would prevent questions if we do a split on both, Mistress Nadja. People wouldn't believe Ginny wouldn't take her cut on these two." Jen, gently.

"Very well...So long as you get lion's share, two-thirds on each. Lie to your other business peoples if you must to keep it unsuspect. You'll be lying a lot on this anyway." Nadja notes.

"Yes. Mistress." "Yes, Mistress Nadja." both intone.

Hmmn...Laszlo frowns…

Jen catching his annoyance at apparently being supplanted…

"If all that suits you, Master?" she turns to him.

"Oh, yes...Of course, Jennifer. I approve. You deserve it." he nods, pleased.

Girl never forgets to show respect…

"So you just had the questions about the glass, if a carpenter can do the bed up the way you want, and if hedges could be planted in the garden, as to the new place?" Jen resumes discussion.

"Yes, I'm very fond of topiary work, you know." Laszlo nods.

"Well, I don't see a problem once you own the place as to the hedges...It's your place." Jen notes. "Let me confirm with a couple of furniture carpenters I know, but I'm sure it can be done the way you want. As for the glass, we might have to do the test you suggested. I don't think there's anything on vampires using it."

"Well, we can handle that..." Laszlo waves hand. "Just let us have the keys and we can bring someone or thing in and turn them in time for dawn."

"I hate turning someone just to test the glass." Nadja shakes head. "You turn them and then you're stuck with them, possibly for Eternity or until you shove them out the glass. Unless the test fails. Make it an animal, a rat or something."

"No way am I biting and turning a rat..." Laszlo grimaces. "What about Gizmo here? He's always asking about being turned. Gizmo? You want to be a vampire and the first in our group anyway to see the dawn?"

Uh...Guillermo stares.

Cut to Guillermo in living room later, with Jen beside him, looking sympathetic.

"I do want to become a vampire, preferable at Master Nandor's hands but I don't want to flame up my first day. Not that I'm a slacker or anything."

Return to present…

"No, no, no...Guillermo is my familiar. I say when he is to be sacrificed." Nandor fumes. "Laszlo, I would never be so disrespectful."

"Sorry, no offense intended." Laszlo puts up a hand. "It's just something I thought the boy might like to do."

"I'm glad to wait till the Master says I'm ready, Master Laszlo." Guillermo notes.

"If you'd like, Master?" Jen offers. "Ginny can handle the daylight work..."

"No, certainly not..." Laszlo shakes head. "No, dear one..." Nadja agrees. "You have child and husband to care for. This is not your time."

"I'd offer, Mistress." Ginny, vaguely. "And my girls are nearly grown but I think you'll need me by day till this is done..."

"No, you are right. We'll use an animal. There are rabbits on estate, I sensed them, you can manage turning a

rabbit, Laszlo." she eyes him.

"I suppose so..." frown.

"Poor bunny." Nandor ponders. "Still, if it survives, it can be nice to have an immortal pet. I had a falcon for centuries but it got too hard to control...Bird poopings everywhere, wiping out villages...And then it got ambitious and starting turning others. A very clever bird, I hated destroying it."