What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..."
Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar…
Part XLIX…
Mexico City, the Gran Ciudal…
A reluctant Susan had returned to her own bed as part of a deal in which Guillermo promised to stop reflecting on his guilt…He noting her sleeping with him hardly could mitigate his feelings.
He pondered as he lay in bed…Despite the urge to start immediately thumbing the Book, he couldn't take the risk she'd spy it.
Perhaps a quick trip to the bathroom keeping the Book hidden and displaying the old Bible? One that turned extensive due to the call of Nature and perhaps a bit too much wine the night before? Then once she was surely asleep…?
Maybe he could even find a reference to liberating the enthralled, short of the death of the thrallee or thraller?
Leading perhaps to his own death at her enraged hands before dawn…?
He carefully rises out of his bed…Trying to keep the Book under the bible. He just barely managing to turn to conceal both when the light on her bedside table snaps on…
"Gui? You ok?" she asks, a bit wearily.
"Fine, just gonna use the facilities…"
"Oh, ok…Say I may as well call Ginny, let her know what's going on here."
"It's kinda late…" he notes, carefully sliding to the bathroom door.
"She'll be waiting for it." Susan shrugs. "And if she's asleep, she'll still want the message."
"Yeah, I suppose so…Well, say hi."
"Sure…" as he enters the bathroom, quickly shutting door.
"Hey, Gin…Did I wake you?" Susan asks phone. "Oh, ok…No, nothing so far except the guy I'd met was hanging around us all night, deliberately I think. And that lady, the wife of Baron Afanas, is here too. She knew Gui's aunt…What? No…No, Ginny. Gui's just been trying to see his aunt. Uh-huh, good. I didn't think the Master would have done that without telling some of us. But Gin, I do think this guy, Dr. Acura is following us. There's something up here, I'm glad I came with Gui…Apart from, you know…" grin.
"No…He's been a perfect gentleman. Ginny? Though I could wish he'd be less so…!" raising voice a bit at end.
Guillermo, in bathroom, trying to listen as best he could while looking over the Book. An ordinary, tan-colored, leather-covered journal by appearance…
Just hope those spots aren't dried blood…
"The Annals of Van Helsing…" on title page just inside.
"Dedicated to the suffering…And my courageous friends who labor in the Shadows…"
"Abraham Van Helsing…1890."
"Van Helsing did what?!" he hears Susan's stunned voice raised. "Gui! Van Helsing came by again and took Ginny this time!" she calls.
He eyes the Annals…
"She ok?!" he calls.
"Fine! Just kinda stunned! You wanna come out and talk to her?!"
"I'll have to call her back…Just ask her what happened, ok?! I mean, did he say anything important?!"
"Sure!"
He nearly drops the Book as he turns to a graphic illustration of the mechanics of staking a female vampire…In rather bold if beautiful color print, no less…Complete with bloody spurt from the rather innocent-looking and lovely girl's chest.
Blood? But I thought…
You know…Just a nice sudden disintegration to dust…No blood, no gore…
Unless maybe this is about that occasional mistake? I suppose they got a few premature burials wrong in those days…
"Contrary to popular myth…" the account under the print began… "The vampire is a physical and corporeal creature who will bleed and even suffer as a mortal one until its final…"
"Gui! She says he didn't really say much, just that it wouldn't hurt him to harm her and that what he's doing is to help the Master and our other Overlords as well as us. Yeah, right, huh?!"
"…destruction which can take a few minutes encapsulating the decomposition mortal flesh requires weeks or months to undergo. The Hunter must not let normal human pity of suffering prevent him or her from completing what must be done… Remembering that this is an act of salvation…"
Right… "Yeah…" he calls.
Yeah…Sigh.
…
Laszlo, pacing in crypt, in dressing gown…
"Well, so far no signs of an attack…" he notes, pausing. "But what a stunner to learn that Nandor was ready to surrender to our foes if they'd spare us and let the ladies go safely. I must confess I was both touched and somewhat pissed…Given the lady wife can't stop going on about it. I always suspected she had a bit of a thing for Nandor, repressed by her disdain for his disdain for women and his past active threats to horsewhip or beat her as a worthless gypsy whore who didn't know her place. Now it's all… 'How noble he is…I never realized how noble he is… What a brave if stupid nobleness he bears, etc, etc. Fuck! I'd die for her in a minute and lets remember I once did, perhaps not fully voluntarily but…" fuming.
"Though at least I'd try to see if I could defeat whomsoever comes…Heck, it might be some wuss human with little experience and fool notions of grandeur."
Sigh…
"Of course now, I've got to stay up all night and day on guard duty and if the Slayer shows, let myself be staked. Naturally. Hell, she wasn't even too pleased with my suggestion I'm might be able to take a human Hunter. So much more romantic if you die, you know…" grimace. "As I say, I'd die for her, but with some meaning, thanks very much. And one might ask, dear…" grim dark look to crypt door… "Might one's husband venture to hope that you would exchange the favor? Or is that too much to ask, especially when there's always a Gregor or even a Nandor about to fill one's shoes in the event of tragically noble demise?"
Deep sigh… "Well, that's marriage and Unlife…Give and take. I give, she takes. Anyway, the latest news was that call from Ginny to say that she and Jen were again contacted by our unwelcome visitor who seems to be making it as much a habit to call on us as to use lovely young women to do it. Ginny in fact this time…Which did work out as she did confess to have considered trying to kill Jen should the Doctor take up residence there again." Frown. "Well…It was plotted with a good heart, the girl just thought it might worth a try to end the whole business but it seems Dr. Van Helsing has a soft spot for enthralled ladies and acted to prevent the business by seizing Ginny. Which suggests to me, either his spirit is capable of spying on us in some incorporeal state…Meaning the good doctor could be lurking about anywhere in here. Or, he's somehow in touch with the ladies' spirits…At least enough to sense danger to them. Which as Nadja also emphasized to her, was a good thing for her. I'd've been quite pissed to lose my Jen in such a meaningless way…Though I suppose, again, Ginny meant well." Shrug.
"And she understands now that that…The killing of possessed or perhaps temporarily released?...Maybe he can do that?...Minions is a measure we reserve to Ourselves. Nadja made that quite clear, thankfully." Frown. Then relaxing… "Though I do believe Ginny was sincere in saying she'd've gladly died in Jen's place if it would have stopped Van Helsing. So, we'll say no more of it."
Grin… "I will confess it is interesting to learn the Doctor shares my appreciation of the fairer sex. Pity his self-righteousness likely wouldn't allow him to settle for residing in one of our ladies for a few years. Must be quite an experience though, taking up residence in a pretty young thing's body…Or better yet, in several. I can see the appeal of being incorporeal if it allows such."
….
The Gran Ciudal, Mexico City…
Susan now somewhat loudly snoring in her bed as Guillermo continues to read the "Annals of Van Helsing…"
"Contrary again to presumed myth, the vampire is not a creature of pure instinct, killing for food and a certain pleasure…Nor do I believe is it simply a creature of evil, though the darkest side of the human nature does surface in some. I have come to believe, after much study and many encounters, that the vampire develops to some extent as a human child would, despite its entry to the world equipped with the memory and life experience of the human host. Its behavior is violent at first as emotion and instinct dominate and the development of the brain is slow…It can take many decades to reach the point at which the maturity at least some adult humans display will cause its behavior to approach human sensibilities. But, it must be noted, the vampire can and will, in the course of time, progress to the point of near- or even complete human emotion…Moving from a instinctive regard only for the self to the ability to empathize and even experience and express affection, concern, what we humans choose to call, Love. However the vampire's perspective remains an Immortal one which can tend to regard mortal, human life as too transitory to be concerned with…Therefore its emotional maturity will favor its own Immortal kind."
"I get that, Great-plus Granduncle." Guillermo sighs.
"Far more reprehensible is its effect on its victims…Not merely the killing for food and sometimes with sadistic intent…But its ability to use its powers to ensnare humans for use as protectors and servants, often for years and decades before death is allowed. And to convert some humans to their own Immortal kind, though that does not occur so often as one might think."
"Yeah." Dryly. "Tell me about it."
"It seems the natural tendency of mortal creatures to expand their dominion and increase their numbers is somewhat lacking in the Immortal vampire. After a relatively small clan or family is established, they often have little interest in increasing their number. While my evidence here is strictly anecdotal, I can say that those I have been in contact with, having told me they prefer not to expand their numbers in any great quantity after their "childhood" of sorts. Given the actual fragility of the vampire…The danger of sunlight, the threat of wooden and silver objects, and of those items sacred to the human host, the rationale for the effect of which I shall discuss hereafter, it seems odd such a creature should prefer not to increase and multiply, even dominate…At least in areas where their food supply of humans and animals is abundant… While some have considered it the result of a profound arrogance on the part of these creatures, my best conclusion is that once some level of emotional maturity is regained, they have an instinctive reluctance to inflict their fate on most humans. Which may possibly be the result of my next subject of interest, the interphasion of the original, Immortal soul of the human host with the creature. But we shall discuss that later…"
"Given this, the actual fragile nature of vampires and their tendency to naturally restrict their numbers, why then should Humanity fear these creatures? Therein lies the question of the purpose of the vampire and its source…"
"Gui…" faint call. "Are you ok?"
"Sure, just a little constipated. Be done in a minute."
"You want me to call room service for Pepto Bismol or something? You did drink some bottled water?"
"No and yeah… I'm fine, I'll be right out."
"Oh…Ok…Drop a deuce for me, Boss…" faint giggle.
"Will do…Sure."
"That's crazy about Ginny and Jen, huh? A little creepy, him crawling round inside them…"
"Yeah…But at least he didn't stay…"
Hmmn…He ponders.
No, I'd really prefer it if Greatuncle didn't show up in the bed next to me, thanks.
"Say…I wonder. Gui? What if he stays in them? Maybe he's in control of both of them now?" she calls, voice a bit nervous.
"I'm sure Master Nandor and the others would sense it." He calls back.
"Yeah, I guess. Creepy, though. Gui? You gonna come out or stay in there all night?"
Well…Ideally…He thinks…
"Gui? Are you hiding in there from me? I said I wouldn't press you."
Thralled or no, she's no fool…He sighs.
"No, no…I'll all set…I'm coming now." He closes the Book and hiding it under the sweatshirt he'd opted for as nightwear, with the pants he'd worn all day, carefully flushes and after washing hands, emerges from the bathroom.
To find Susan finally asleep…Eyeing her carefully…
No, best to wait…Slip back in later…
Not that I think she's faking to deceive me, poor kid. But I imagine with the thrall, she's kinda hypersensitive…
Loud snore…
God, she even snores pretty…Sigh.
Oh, now not that…Come on.
The phone buzzes…
Yikes…He grabs, eyeing Susan, who remains sleeping with more loud snores…
Ok…Well… "Hello?" he hisses quietly.
"Guillermo?" Dracula's voice… "Is the young lady asleep? Just say I called to check on you both if not but she should be by now."
"Yeah…Did you…?" Guillermo puzzling furiously to remember if the good doctor had been alone with Sue long enough to do…Anything.
"Oh, no…In her state I couldn't. It would only arouse her resistance and immediate suspicion. No, in the last glass she had I slipped a fairly potent but quite safe, I assure you, sleeping draught. Is she sleeping soundly?"
"I think so…"
"Good, then you should be free to peruse the Book. Cicely did get it to you?"
"Oh, yeah." Sigh.
"Don't worry, Guillermo. But try and read as much as you can tonight and if chance and time allow we can discuss any questions you have tomorrow."
"Sure…Uh, look. Wouldn't you be the best person to handle this? I'm sure to screw everything up and get the girls killed and screw up whatever Great-great, etc granduncle meant to do for…My friends."
"If I could, I would, my boy. But my abilities are limited here. Frankly, I can only assist you, as you will learn as you learn more. But I will to best of my ability. And other help is at hand."
"You mean…The Slayer?" Guillermo tenses. "Is she already there, in New York?"
"When she's needed, she will appear. But I don't know exactly where or in what form, son, I'm sorry. The Powers That Be are not inclined to make resurrection or redemption simple. But focus on what you can do for now, and read the Book…It should explain much that I cannot. See you in the morning, my boy. Do try and get some rest in a bit. And remember, Guillermo…Even your friends wish this, in their souls. They as well as myself and others will be there to help you." Pause.
"But only I can do it, right?" Guillermo eyes phone. "Not even the Slayer can, just me? That's what you, Mrs. Afanas, Auntie, and Greatuncle are trying to tell me, isn't it?"
"You are learning quickly, my boy. Now, don't let things weigh too much on you at once. After six centuries, I can tell you, that's the greatest lesson you must learn. Good night, son. God bless you…"
He senses Dracula's twinkling smile even over the phone…
"…That I can now do that should give you some comfort. See you at breakfast."
,,,,
