What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..."
Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar…
Part XXXVIII…
1880…
Outside the great City of London, just south, inside the wall about the grounds of Carfax Abbey, a venerable and ancient estate, somewhat dilapidated in sections, though part recently refurbished to accommodate a new owner…
Though the refurbishing rather less than one would expect to make such a place livable… Ruined and long-neglected garden all about…
Night…
Dark and, yes, stormy…
"Professor Van Helsing…" the tall, commanding grey-haired figure in dark cloak, arms crossed, standing at the gate of the main entrance to the Abbey, by what once had been a rose bower in happier times, eyed the man before him, three assistants positioned to the man's sides and behind, all armed with crosses, vials of holy water, stakes. The Professor addressed, an equally riveting figure, with the same wavy hair and broadcloth coat and linen shirt of the apparition seen in present-day Staten Island by Jen and Eloise.
"Count…Dracula…" firm nod.
"Thank you so much for coming out on such a night, my dear friend." Dracula beamed. "Welcome to Carfax Abbey, all of you. Please, come in out of this weather." He waved them in…
….
"Wait…What?" Guillermo eyes phone. "Professor Van Helsing was friends with Dracula? Not his bitter and implacable enemy? That's the great secret?"
"The most important…The vampire slaying thing is also big, I suppose…" Auntie on her end replies.
"You say he was helping him find his wife and win redemption?"
"Our great ancestor had transcended the desire to merely kill his opponents to avenge victims, my dear one. He sought to free their souls, the truest victory over the Darkness. Count Dracula, after all those terrible lost ages, had come to realize he must save his Elisabete from damnation, the damnation he'd helped to cause. And to save his own soul if he was to save hers."
"Whoa…But this wife of his was…?"
"After centuries seeking to save him, she'd been trapped herself in hideous form…The powers of Darkness seeking to ensnare them both, and others, forever."
"So she was a vampire too?"
"A most hideous yet tragic one…Mighty in her evil power, yet demented, even childlike. A terrible fate, Guillermo."
"Yeah…I guess." He sighs. "Yeah, terrible to be in the grip of evil, unable to control yourself…A slave, really." He looks down at his feet, holding phone.
"'So what happened, Auntie?' might be your next question." Auntie, a bit exasperated.
We don't have a heck of a lot of time here, boy.
"Yes…Yes, what happened? Did Great-great-great whatever…?"
"…uncle…" she notes.
"…uncle…Did he help the Count and his wife?"
"He did. And others…"
"So he what, found the other one, the wife vampire, and…" slight gulp. "…helped her?"
"In a manner of speaking." She agrees.
"…And Dracula?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes."
"Auntie? You mean he staked them?"
Pause…
Gasp from the phone…
"Auntie? Auntie?! You okay?! Auntie?!"
"Guillermo? This is Roderigo." Roderigo's voice on phone, a man's near his own age. "Auntie's had a fainting spell, I've put her to bed. She's pretty weak, you mustn't excite her too much."
"Roderigo, I needed to finish talking with her, she was telling me something important…"
"Right, the crazy stuff about vampires and vampire slayers. Did she say she was Buffy?" chuckle.
"That's not funny…" Guillermo, angrily. Then, pondering… "Has she said she slayed vampires?"
"Nah, I just thought that was hilarious." Roderigo guffaws. "But she did claim she'd met the real-life one, Buffy, not the actress, I mean. And some relative of ours had helped her, the real Slayer girl, decades ago. Geesh, I thought Buffy was twenty-something…Or forty-something now, I guess." Chuckle. "The poor ole girl's just a little gone in the head, Guillermo. Don't let it freak you. Are you coming home to see her?"
"She said she wouldn't live that long…How bad is she?"
"Sounds about right. But she's not in pain, don't worry on that score. They've got her higher than a kite, but comfortable. Which may explain the stuff she's saying. Truly, Guillermo, we've got her good doctors and all that, don't worry." Sigh. "Sorry if I was joking before, it's been rough. You know I love Auntie. I just hate to see her go, but really, she's going easy." Slight sadness in tone.
"Yeah…It's fine, Roderigo, I understand. I would like to come and see her, I'll try to head out asap."
"Good, good…And don't worry, Enrique is not coming back. The little punk…I threw him out on his ass." Grim tone. "You come home and we'll see her off in grand style, as she deserves. But she's not suffering, Guillermo. Remember Jacinta, the girl who used to live up the hill? She's here, a great American doc now, she's got things in hand."
"I know you're doing everything right, Roderigo. You're the best." Guillermo told phone. "I'll be home soon, tell her when she wakes."
"That'll make her very happy, even if you don't catch her before she sleeps, Guillermo. See you soon, cousin."
"Oh, Roderigo?" hastily. "Do you by any chance know a friend of hers, a family friend who's supposed to be coming to see me? A Dr. Acura?"
"Oh, him?" considering… "Nice guy. I met him once. I think she had the hots for him, actually." Warm tone. "I didn't know he was that close to the family, though, I only met him the one time when he'd come to see her. Very good looking for an older gent and seemed well set." Smiling tone. "Coming to see you, eh? I wonder if she wasn't involved with him, sounds like a romantic gesture on the old fellow's part. Well…Good for her." Chuckle. "If he's that close, invite him to come. She'd want him there, I'm sure."
"I will. But if you should find out anything else about him…?"
"I'll dig around. Let you know what I hear. But, so far as I know, he's ok, a wealthy doc who knew her maybe when she was a nurse and they stayed friends…Or whatever? But I'll look into it."
"Thanks. Hope to see you all soon, cousin. I know you'll take good care of her. When she's awake, tell her I love her, will ya?"
"Sure thing, cousin. Come soon as you can. Love you, cousin. It will be good to see you again."
"You too." Guillermo agrees, hanging up phone a moment later.
Not seeing as he did so and turned to walk on downtown to the shopping area, Phyllis watching him from her concealed car…
…
"I'd never mean to spy on him…" she tells camera from her driver's seat, watching Guillermo trudging off… "But I'm worried about him. I just want to be sure he's not in trouble or doing anything that'll get him in trouble. What?" she frowns.
"That's an awful thing to ask me…" twisting finger in hair anxiously. "I love him and I know he'd never do anything to harm the Mistress. I just don't want him to do anything that could hurt him." She sighs. "I guess I shouldn't have done this, but…I couldn't bear it if he did something, for us…For me?" eyes camera, winsome look. "And…I don't know…Got in trouble?" She shakes head as if to clear it. "But Guillermo would never do that…He'd just ask them…Our overlords…I mean if he thought we were in pain or something…And you know, the Mistress likes him, she'd never be angry with him for…Asking. I just have to explain to him, make sure he realizes how happy I am. How happy we all are…" fond smile.
"Jen's right. I worry too much, he's just checking on his aunt and nothing's wrong. You won't tell him, will ya? I'm just concerned for him." Anxious look.
…
The old residence, about 11:30 am…
"Gui, I'm so glad you're back." Susan greets him with beaming smile at front door. She now in business suit, made up, blonde hair carefully coiffed. "Were you able to speak to your aunt? Is she ok?"
"Yeah…She's not so great but not in pain." He sighs. "Sorry I ran out so quickly this morning, I had a lot to do." Indicates bag of groceries and various requested items including a new lipstick and finger nail kit for Nadja, brought at Jen's and Ginny's suggestion.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you." She smiled. "But I'm glad you got out for a bit and that you spoke to her. Is it very bad?"
He nods.
"Gui…" she hugs him tightly, he gasping a bit… "Sorry…I just feel so terrible for you. You're going to see her, right?"
"Soon as I can…Maybe tonight." He ponders.
"Yes, go…We've got things under control here. Gui, if you need any money…?" she eyes him.
"No, it's fine…Thanks." Sigh.
"I could go with you, if you want company." She suggests… "Not pushin', but I'd love to go if I wouldn't be in the way."
"You're very kind, Sue." He nods. "Kinder than I deserve…"
"That's bullshit…" she frowns, startling him. "Well, it is…Here, give me some of those bags…" she takes several from him. "You're the kindest guy I know and you deserve everything we can give you…Everything I can give you." She eyes him, a devoted look.
"But you know how I feel…" wistful smile. "Lets get this junk put away…Oh, Erika will be here very soon with Ms. Reynolds, so I went round soon as I got back from my appointment and stopping by the office." She tells him as they walk inside to the kitchen where both set bags down. "I think we're in good shape…The place looks great and the stench is gone, smell?"
He sniffs… "Yeah, it smells fine. Almost like no one was ever killed here or left to die." Sad tone.
"Gui…" she eyes him, coming over to him. "You aren't responsible for that. No one is, really, it's just what has to be done for the Master and our other overlords to survive."
"You don't know what you're saying, Susan…" he sighs. "You don't know me…And whatever you feel for me is because I'm Nandor's familiar."
"That's not so…" she shakes head. "I've told you…Gui…?" she tears up.
"I don't mean to hurt you, Susan."
"I know I love you, Gui…And not just because you're our Boss of Bosses for what really matters." She smiles wanly. "I know, thrall or no, you're a good man."
"A good man…" he shakes head. "Thanks."
"Take me to Mexico with you and prove it." She eyes him steadily. "The thanks I mean."
He ponders a moment…Studying her anxious, open-hearted, quite lovely face…
She might be safer there…Maybe even the thrall would be weakened. Or, if it's true and we have a history of Slaying, someone might know a way…
Hopefully, I could leave her there and never have to see her face when she realizes what I let happen to her…And her friends…
But she could be spying or not spying per se, just trying to find out what I'm upset about, what I might do…And if she did dig up anything, and told the others about my ancestry…After all, she's a very determined girl, even prethrall…If she told them …And managed to guess what I'm thinking about doing…
What might be my duty…My Destiny.
Oh, how did this happen…And why to me?
"Gui?" she looks at him, worried.
"Yeah…I don't know, Sue. Let me think about it and check with the family…It's a rough time to have a guest…"
"You mean it?" she beams. "Oh, Gui…You know I'd be happy to stay at some place away from yours, a motel or something. I wouldn't get in the way. I'd just be there, for you." Excitedly quivering.
"I know, thanks." He nods. "I will think about it."
"Great! Oh, Gui…Before I forget? You had a visitor really early today, just after you left…A Dr. Acura?"
"Dr. Acura?" he stares.
