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

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

Part XXIV…

Laszlo, in new, reasonably modern, if extremely conservative, medium brown suit and hat, holding umbrella, peering out a tiny garage door window covered by cloth which he's very gingerly pushed aside, keeping to one side…Turning to face camera while signaling all clear to the nervous Nadja and Nandor well back. Jen, in her standard suit and Guillermo in new suit purchased by her for the occasion already outside keeping large umbrellas raised and ready. Jen also keeping an emergency tarp handy, folded but out of bag.

"Raining and very cloudy, just perfect. You may be wondering why we'd ever choose to do this at eleven am, even on such a day but we felt it necessary to be completely above suspicion. And who could suspect wealthy business people making important business deals of being vampires when they're out and about at 11am, eh?" beam. "Besides, Ginny's office is already equipped with the same opaque windows as in our new place, a suggestion by Simon "Devious", her previous client when the son of a whore's devious bitch was doing business with her, playing human. Reduces glare and makes people feel more comfortable, he told her." Rolling eyes. "Still his contractor made her a good price, she said." Shrug.

"And of course if you're going to mildly drain an office full of people, best to do it in the morning before lunch. They can eat something and make a reasonable recovery by the time they leave work. Safer for the drive home, you know? Jen?! Guillermo?! All set?!" he calls through the door.

"Ready, Mr. Cravensworth!" Guillermo, carefully slipping into the proper mode of assistant to wealthy and powerful English and Romanian businessmen.

"All set, sir!" Jen agrees.

"People…Things to do, fellow business people to meet." Laszlo turns back to face the others who hurry forward…

….

"Mr. Cravensworth…My secretary, Martha Wallis." Ginny, just outside her office, presents Martha, a late fortyish brown-blonde woman in grey suit who rises to shake his hand and is a bit startled to have hers kissed.

"Pardon…I'm a man of the old school." He smiles. "Very nice to meet you, Miss Wallis."

Come on, come on…Nadja frowns, sighing. The windows out here in the main office are blinded but who knows if the cloud cover will last, you idiot? Her nervousness apparent, Jen moves to her from a spot beside Laszlo. Nandor, erect and holding a polite smile resolutely beside Nadja, Guillermo, finger twisting in tight collar beside him. The various staffers eye the group from their cubicles. Colin watching from his temp cubicle with Gwen, awaiting a summons later.

"Ma'am?" Jen hisses to her. "The outer windows are all opaque. Ginny had it done a couple of days ago. I thought I told you all last night."

Nadja, remembering, nods. "Yes, you did…Sorry, child. I am not used to…These hours."

"Lets go into my office…Martha? Bring some tea, water, and coffee in about ten minutes, along with the Fieldersen folders I asked you to keep on your desk?" Ginny leads the Cravensworths, Jen…Nandor following after, Guillermo turning to follow.

"Sure, Gin…Nice to meet you, sir...Ma'am. Mr. Relentless." Martha nods.

"My dear…" Nandor bows, following the others. "I know, that name is a bit odd. Changed from the foreign, you know." sly smile which she grins at.

"Hey." Guillermo nervously smiles, trailing after.

Door closes…

"So that's the Cravensworths…" Phyllis, wry look, standing in her cubicle's entrance. "They have money, no question."

"They'll need it for that place…" Susan from her cubicle. "The wife's a big girl…"

"They grow us that way in Europe…" Erika from hers. "The other one, Mr. 'Relentless'?"

"Sounds like a bad horror or crime film guy." Susan jokes.

"He seems Eastern…Eastern Europe, I mean." Erika notes. "Probably changed his name. Not too hard on the eyes, really." Smile.

"You seen their current place yet?" Phyllis addresses her.

"I drove by yesterday. Not bad, a bit gloomy. Nice lot and garden, it'll sell."

Martha by coffee station, setting up tray… "They seem right out of Downton Abbey…" smile.

"Yes, yes, very Brit…ish…" Phyllis, affected accent. Then moving quickly to take buzzing phone. "Hey, Billie…Too bad you're out, big doin's here. Whatdaya want?" she sat down, listening.

"Lets hope they're for real…" Susan notes, turning to head back into her cubicle.

"They seem very polite…" Gwen a bit wanly, to Colin, seated at his computer, his cubicle opening into hers and two others.

"Yeah, the British conceal real xenophobia that way, polite but keep away. The wife really seems kinda foreign though." He notes, smile to camera.

…..

"Carefully, Nandor…" Nadja to Nandor. "Don't overdo it and kill her and don't mess your new suit. Though excellent choice in that brown, Jennifer. Blood will dry almost to that shade."

"Thanks, ma'am." Jen nods. Nandor pulling up from where he had been taking an early lunch from Martha…

"Not a problem, I know my victim's limits. And just a little back, from me. Guillermo?"

Guillermo offering small vial of red fluid…

"He likes to measure it beforehand. He prides himself on getting just the right amount of his blood for a good enthrallment without turning the subject, even if they die right after." Guillermo tells camera.

"It can be tricky with some people…" Nandor, holding vial to Martha's lips. "Drink, Martha and become my faithful servant."

"I never bother with all that folderal. Just that little bit of blood back in and they're ready. Eh, Jen?" Laszlo beams at Jennifer who nods, smiling.

"Yes, Master."

"Uh…Walls have ears, folks, Mistress. At least round here." Ginny, cautioning. "I don't say my guys spy on me but there's a lot of competition."

Martha, coughing…Opening wan eyes.

"Are you all right, dear? Here, sit." Nandor helping her sit.

"I'm a little weak…What…Happened…?" she stares up at him.

"You…Bit me." She blinks, wan stare after.

"I took you, dear Martha. Now you will serve me for life. Ok?" Nandor eyes her.

"Yes, Mr. Relentless." She nods. "Am I fired, Ginny?" turning to Ginny.

"Oh, no, Martha…You're just working for two bosses now, Master Nandor and me…"

"There's no one I will serve more devotedly than the Master!" Martha, flaring a moment, then subsiding. "I don't feel so good."

"You feel wonderful…" Nandor intones, she staring at his eyes. "But, you really should get cleaned up and have lunch, maybe leave early today and rest a bit." Uh, huh…She nods.

"Not with her two boys…They're monsters." Ginny shakes head. "Best if she just lies down on the cot in my back supply closet, I sleep there some nights when things are busy or back when Derek was being an asshole."

"Yes, well…Go lie down, Martha. Maybe half an hour, then get some lunch and rest again later If you need to, or go home." Nandor commands. She staring again, then nods.

"Yes…Master." She heads for back supply room. Pausing… "Oh, Ginny, I should scan these…" eyeing the signed documents bearing the Cravensworths and Nandor "Relentless'" signature on desk. "…And you have that conference call at twelve-thirty."

"I can deal, you go rest, Martha." Ginny nods.

"Don't forget to clean up, especially your neck there." Nadja calls.

"It's a neat job but I say again, best to trust to instinct. She seems just a bit over-suppressed." Laszlo notes to Jen who nods.

"Let me scan these in on the machine in here, then we'll have Phyllis in." Ginny, waving the documents.

"Did you really get all the other windows in this opaque style?" Nadja asks Ginny, indicating her office windows.

"Oh, yes, Mistress. Though I gave orders no blinds should be opened. We usually keep the main office ones closed anyway." Nod. "But Jen suggested it. I had my office done already when Mr. Devious put me in touch with his window guy. Cuts the glare down. I just called him back and had them all done. Do you like it?"

"Very thoughtful…Thank you." nod.

"Indeed." Laszlo agrees. "But not too expensive I hope…?"

"Well, not too bad…" Ginny notes. "Of course we did have them put in some overtime…So they'd be finished for today."

"Laszlo, have Colin Robinson write Ginny a check on our account. You should not be spending so much on us, child." Nadja shakes head.

"Yes, Mistress…Sorry, Mistress…" Ginny nodding.

"So long as anything's left after today…" Laszlo jokes.

"Oh, no, Mistress…" Ginny, anxious now.

"Just kidding, dear." Laszlo, raising hand. Nadja frowning… "Sorry, we've plenty yet. Colin isn't draining us dry, I swear. It'll be fine. Your lady mistress is right, you shouldn't be spending so much on us."

"I won't, Master Laszlo."

"Just perhaps a nice bottle of champagne for all our human staff to pass round when these two little transactions are complete." Laszlo beams.

"Yes, Master Laszlo, that's very kind of you." Ginny smiles, pressing scanner buttons.

"And flowers…Guillermo? Those things you killed the Baron with?" Nandor asks.

"Roses, Master…" sigh. Downcast look...

"I'm sure he would have loved them, Guillermo." Nandor, kindly.

"Well…Documents signed and sealed for the earnest money and offer…" Laszlo beams. "And a celebratory lunch with our new staff." He indicates a nearly unconscious Erika, murmuring in his lap.

"Laszlo, I said not too much." Nadja frowns. "Jen, help Miss Erika to a seat."

"How may I serve, Mistress?" Phyllis, eagerly, standing by a chair.

Hmmn…I may have given her back a bit too much, Nadja thinks. "Uh, just help Jen with Erika. And don't get blood on your clothes, if you can, ladies.

"Yes, Mistress." Phyllis, again eagerly, though turning a bit wan immediately. "We'll be careful, Mistress Nadja." Jen notes. "Come on, Phyl. Hey, Erika, let us help you sit, right over here."

"Yeah, sure…As the Mistress commands…" Phyllis nods eagerly, taking Erika's free arm.

Guillermo eyeing camera…Hmmn…

Maybe just a bit too much…

"Susan?" Nandor, just a bit anxious… Girl seems a bit anemic… To Susan in chair next to him, staring wanly, eyes barely open, a drop of blood running down neck. "You are feeling a little better now."

"Yes, I feel a little better." She vaguely replied. "I'm so sorry, Master. I didn't mean to faint like that."

"No, not at all. It happens sometimes." Nandor, kindly. "Just glad you're feeling a little better."

"Yes…I feel a little better…" nod.

Ginny at desk, looking over… "Is everything ok? Should I tell Martha not to get 911?"

"Yes, no 91and 1…" Nandor waving hand. "Just a bit of shock I think. Susan? Are you anemic?"

"Just a bit…Master." Nod.

"Oh, I am sorry. I should have asked before taking so much. But it's not always easy to check these things."

"Martha? She's ok. Don't call." Ginny tells phone.

"I'm…Alright…Just very tired." Susan nods wearily.

"Well, have some more to drink and then take a nap on Ginny's cot." Nandor pats her.

"Colin? Don't come in now." Nadja turns to see Colin at inner office door. "These girls are very tired."

"I'm not feeding. Heck, I'm stuffed to the gills." Smile. "Just wanted you to know the transfer went through fine. They've accepted the initial offer."

"Excellent!" Laszlo beams. "Another step on our road home, to the new home. Congratulations, all!"

"Yay!" Jen, Phyllis, vaguely from Susan and Erika…Ginny a bit more reserved, but smiling.

"Mas'…Mein herr…" Erika mumbles.

"Laszlo?" Nadja, looking over. "Did you give her your blood? You little…She was only supposed to be fed on, not enthralled. You swore…" anger rising.

Ginny looking over, anxious…

"The Mistress is angry!" Phyllis hurries over to Nadja. "Shall I kill him, Mistress?!" Glare at Laszlo, who stares…

Oh, Lord…Laszlo sighs. Definitely too much…

"Quiet, child…Not now, perhaps…Later." Frown at Laszlo.

"Darling, I didn't give her blood." Laszlo tries. "Who?" eyeing Jen, now quietly beside him, looking guardedly grim at Phyllis.

Don't even think about it, sister…Intense glare…

Guillermo glancing from one to other…

"Erika, Master." Jen offers, close eye on Phyllis who narrowly eyes her.

"Phyllis, sit." Nadja orders. Phyllis quickly taking seat, though continuing to watch Laszlo…

"Yes, right…Erika, did I give you my blood? Truthfully, please."

"No, Mein herr…Master." Erika shook head vaguely.

"She seems very much enthralled to me." Nandor eyed her.

"She is German, right, Jen?…Perhaps…" Laszlo, speculating… As Jen nods affirmatively.

"I know what this is…" Nadja glares. "Laszlo? Have your gums been bleeding again?"