What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..."
Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar...
Part LXXXII...
Poughkeepsie, NY…
Nicely laid out parlor of the modest but pleasant Acura home…
Althea Acura in sweater and skirt, hair curly and loose, large glasses perched, seated a bit stiffly, eyeing the camera…
Next to her on the sofa, her aunt Elisabete in blouse, open sweater vest, and slacks, looking somewhat younger than previous with her dark hair down. An antique-looking necklace the only hint of her past…
"Understand that we agreed to your request under strict conditions which we learn you've violated…" Elisabete, sternly.
"Auntie…" Althea sighs. "We agreed to this, lets be polite."
"I'm just setting the boundaries, Althea. These people work for the Other Side, even if they may claim impartiality."
"Well, it's brave of them, simply human without special abilities to risk their lives to document the Cravenworths and Mr. Nandor…And we want the story of their Redemption properly told."
"If we succeed…I certainly have my doubts. 'Mr. Nandor'…Old fool, coming here without a by your leave, expecting to walk off with my niece in his hypnotic thrall…Dracula's daughter…" fume.
"I think he really just wanted to talk, Auntie. Just thought it best to hypnotize me."
"Pervert. A young girl like you? What was he thinking?" Elisabete, annoyed. "Though he might have learned then…" narrow stare at the cameras… "These people might have researched and…"
"Aunt, please. Our people have confirmed they're trying to impartially document. Lets be polite." Althea raises a hand. "Dad…And Mom…Would want us to. Besides, we have as much chance to get information out of them…"
"We need none…" sniff. "Your father my brother has all well in hand. The Dracule…Acuras… Require no 'help'."
"Don't go all 'Countess' on them, Auntie…" grin to camera. "Come on, you know they're very brave to risk so much for posterity."
"And money…Like that worthless son of mine, Vladimir…Peddling your father's story and adventures to that Irish writer." Annoyed shake of head.
"Auntie, 'Dracula''s a classic and you know you love it and you love the movies from it. It's the one decent thing my cousin vampiral ever did in his miserable life and unlife. Come now, this is a chance to tell your story too, you know…And is it a great one." Althea beams to her guests.
"I was killed, your father my brother turned me just in time, I killed many, including some of my own family to my shame, your father offered me Redemption and thanks to him and dear Abraham, I managed it. No big deal…" shrug… "It's your parents' and your story that's of interest, dear." Glimmer of a fond smile…
"Auntie…Don't sell yourself short. Her story is remarkable, guys. I'm so proud of her." Beam at the somewhat embarrassed Elisabete…
Althea…Nervous look away. "You embarrass me…Oh, very well, let them ask their questions and be on their way back to the others. I have to get to my evening shift."
"Auntie's an ICU nurse…So great with the patients." Althea grinned at the nervous Elisabete.
"I'm simply carrying out my Redemption duties. Though I do love nursing." Elisabete, shrugging. "Used to do it for my father and brother's forces…It is wonderful to see what we can do nowadays."
"She came up with the idea of boiling surgical tools five hundred years early." Althea, proudly.
"It just seemed like a wise idea… Boiled water always seemed to stay clean…" nervous shrug. "Unfortunately, after I turned…My interests lay largely elsewhere for a long time." Sigh.
"As did Dad's…As do the Cravenworths and Nandor right now…" Althea notes. "But what did you guys want to know?"
"We can reveal nothing that would compromise our mission or put our friends' lives in jeopardy." Elisabete quickly, waving a finger. "Just so we're clear on that. There's the tea, let me get it. Althea, you talk to our guests." She rises.
"You gotta try her pound cake…She makes it with these Romanian spices and this caramelized sugar…It is the best." Althea nods. "Ok, so you guys know I'm Dracula's daughter…I truly love saying that."…Wickedly gleaming grin… "Though of course I'm adopted though we do share a blood tie…" grin… And…"
"Althea!"
"Auntie! They know I'm the Slayer…They were filming when Mrs. Steinecke was here. How is she by the way?" turning back to camera. "She seems very nice, if a bit overdevoted to her Master. That's Cravenworth, right? Yeah…I had read it. He's an interesting guy, that Laszlo. No…Never, not the vampire. But we did meet his soul, Great-great-etc-uncle Abe introduced us." Smile.
"Oh, no, he's not really my uncle, removed…" Althea notes. "It's just he's Dad's closest friend and I've always thought of him as a sweet old uncle…" wide smile. "I used to play hide-and-seek with him when I was little. He always cheated, being a ghost." Grin.
"Wonderful guy though…" nod. "He was the first besides Mom…And Aunt Bete, of course…"
Elisabete, bringing in tray with tea pot, cups, plates…Offering Althea a grateful smile…Althea rising to help her with tray.
"Sorry…To take pity on Dad. And offer him real help of a practical nature."
Elisabete nodding as she set out cups on table in front of the sofa and before the camera…
"Yeah, it is one thing to love a lost soul and want to help…Quite another to know how to do it and accomplish it." Wry smile. "Abraham was…Is amazing."
"Auntie has a bit of a crush on Uncle Abe…And he rather likes her." Althea, teasing tone.
"Althea!" embarrassed faint smile. "He is a brave and heroic man as well as a brilliant scientist and doctor…I'm very fond of him, naturally, after all, he saved our family from eternal condemnation."
"Dad's not the only one who has someone awaitin' in the Afterlife…" Althea grins.
"Enough…Let me get the cake and does anyone prefer coffee?" Elisabete, pleasant smile now. "I'll be right back. Althea? No tall tales about me?"
"Ok, Auntie." Nod.
"She's embarrassed. But they are very fond of each other. She had a rough time when Dad first broached Redemption to her…She didn't have an anchor and goal like Mom to look forward to, it was tough for her."
Hmmn? Stare, pondering… "Yeah, definitely like kicking an addiction only a thousand times more so. After all, it involves a kind of death and rebirth. Then you face a lot of guilt, a lot of accusation too…" sigh.
"I hate to think how awful I'd be if a vampire…Auntie was always really a sweet person, Dad's always told me. A saint in her patience, caring…Me, I've got a temper like you don't know what. No, I was never taken in my past lives, but I can imagine. And a few Slayers before me have been turned."
"Here we go…" Elisabete reenters, with a large round cake and coffee pot on tray.
"Oooh, this be the good stuff, guys. Fresh out of the oven." Althea notes fondly.
"Well, let me cut this and we can resume. Althea? You serve the tea and coffee."
"Yes, ma'am. Who's for tea?" Althea beams, reaching for cup and saucer, then pot.
"I'm sorry to be a bit…" Elisabete, offering plate of cake to first team member. "We've had our share of attacks over the years and I am very protective of my niece. Though I realize I should ask…How are the poor ladies?" careful stare. "I've heard they have been treating them with as much, even surprising, kindness, as condemned vampires can. That's good." She nods.
"I will say. Nandor was always a gentleman. He paid a few calls on Vlad after I'd…Transformed…Vlad wanted his alliance to fight the Turks and they negotiated a few times after battles." she notes hastily. "He was always very polite and respectful. Quite charming, really, in his way." Sigh. "I remember he mentioned his family once or twice. At the time, circumstances being what they were…I didn't quite see it as I do now, a clear cry from the heart…Or the Soul…Poor fellow. Of course, Vlad was also quite different then but something in Nandor touched him. He felt for him, truly…Even then Elisabete…His Elisabete…Called to him as she could, trying to reach out…" shaking head… "And he could see Nandor regretted it…Not having someone of his family or friends reach out to him. No offense to his dead, of course. After all, Elisabete did blame herself for Vlad's turning…Her suicide broke him, for a long time and it's true did induce him to seek transformation and its power over life and death. A bad bargain, of course, but he was in despair and all seemed lost…"
Hmmn…? "Oh, yes…One feels stirrings…At least I remember such…Even when newly Undead and rather emotionally labile. But one's demonic side tries to scorn such all the more…I'm afraid I was a bit rude on a couple of occasions to Nandor. I'd only turned a few months before at the time when he and Vlad were meeting regularly and my demon was riding high…" rueful look. "I carved a bit of a reputation in those days, to my shame."
"You couldn't help yourself, Auntie. No one could." Althea pats her aunt's arm.
"Perhaps." Elisabete shrugs. "But it can't ease the guilt when one sees the faces of those tormented, terrified people…My victims. I was, for a long time, unspeakably cruel…I thank God I remember so little of the details, but I know I was worse than my brother, whatever his reputation. It may have helped him that he had politics to focus his wrath on…Restoring, then Avenging Byzantium. Destroying those who'd killed poor little Elisabete…Such a sweet, sweet girl. My best friend for a while…" she put up a hand.
"Please don't think, if you've heard the story that she was weak or inclined to suicide…That's simply not true. She had a beautiful, strong, courageous soul, enormous heart and courage…And suffered for it. I suppose you've heard her story, I mean after her death…?"
"Mom was an angel…And never abandoned Dad." Althea nods, earnest look. "She's the real hero of the family as Dad would tell you in a sec and does…Constantly." Making a face.
"Well, it's only true…" Elisabete nods… "And he should be proud of her. She reached out to him from beyond the grave, as soon as she could, demanded he fight his nature…Oh, my sister-in-law was no wuss, making faint pleas for compassion and mercy...She was true Dracule. If Barnabas Collins had had her for his Josette…." Elisabete, proudly. " 'Dark Shadows' wouldn't have lasted more than one season…She would have saved him the first year."
"I prefer the new movie, at least the ending with Josette and Barnabas winding up together." Althea nods. "Though frankly? Auntie and I are convinced Julia Hoffman was the real Josette, come back to fight for Barny's soul." Elisabete nodding…
"Then of course… 'Buffy'…" Elisabete's eyes twinkling now as she sat. "Oh, please…No ceremony…Have all you like." She offers pieces of cake, all eagerly taken.
"Auntie likes to tease me about my last, past life." Althea eyes her, mock-annoyed.
"Oh, come now…It's a beautiful story, though Mr. Whedon got it wrong in parts." Elisabete notes. "Another Stoker, if family." Wry grin.
"My nephew as was…" Althea grins. "But he had his own vision of the story, which is fine, and I appreciate he made me out a very strong woman if a bit…"
"She wasn't that small then." Elisabete smiles. "Not saying you were fat, Althea/Elisabeth…"
"I was 5'11" and had a healthy figure…According to Dad and Auntie and Uncle Abe, I don't clearly remember." Althea grins. "Auntie, show them the real me then. Yeah, we have pics from the Watchers Council and the Hunter Corps."
Elisabete smiling and pulling out wallet purse. Opening to show an older, slightly worn photo. "That's the real 'Buffy'…Thirty years ago. Not long before she died."
A tall blonde woman, a bit Amazonian…Solemn look at camera…
"I'm not always that big…As you see…" Althea indicated herself. "Though Dad thinks I'll have a growth spurt before I'm done. Might hit 5'9". I kinda hope not, 5'6" is just fine for me. Oh, no…" she shakes head to a question.
"I never really remember dying…It's a blur, like a bad dream. No pain or anything. Though Dad and Auntie believe it's shock, like soldiers wounded on the battlefield who feel no pain however bad it is. But no, really…The only thing I do remember, very clearly…" lowering head a bit… "Is losing my Will…William. But let me finish telling you about Mom…" settling herself a bit.
"Unless, Auntie?"
"No, you tell it, sweet one…" Elisabete, fondly.
"Well…If you seen that 'Dracula' by Mr. Coppola, you know the basics. Dad was trying to recover what was left of Byzantium…Or at least the kingdoms still hanging on to the north and he'd managed to weld them into a single fighting force for a while. But the Turks…" she nods at a statement.
"Yeah, our Nandor…But it's cool, Dad's long forgiven him, for Mom's sake…He suggested the stratagem and they fired a note into the Dracule fortress. Mom didn't believe at first but they'd got an old servant to tell the tale to save his own family and he had some things of Dad's. That sold her…" sigh.
"It was a fairly common tactic then…" Elisabete notes. "And my friend Elisabete didn't succumb right out, as in the movie. They had to keep up the pressure. Oh, and she and I were sorta leading the defense of the Castle Dracula then."
"Dad knew who to leave in charge…" Althea nods, proudly.
"Then she and I fell ill and the officers and men and the villagers inside the grounds wanted to surrender, fearing the plague would kill us all if the Turks didn't. That time it wasn't vampires." Wan smile… "Just actual plague, helped by the Turks' catapulting dead bodies over our walls. She wanted to fight on, just in case Vlad had lived and the tale of his capture and execution was a lie but decided I'd best go and try to find the main army with a few of our best men. See if they were dead or just continuing Vlad's strategy of attacking vital outposts and trusting the Castle would hold. I got out, though I was ill for months. It was a recurrence that was killing me when Vlad turned me. He meant it as a kindness, by the way…And I don't blame him, not at all. Sweetheart?" turning to Althea.
"So…Mom was alone now with people who felt it was time to surrender, but she wouldn't yield, not till she'd heard from the main army. Even if Dad was dead, his strategy lived on and she wanted to be true to it. But with Auntie so ill, her people focused on getting her to safety and no word reached Dad with his forces till it was too late. Mom was largely abandoned in the Inner fortress by most of her people, who surrendered. That's when she took her own life…A heroine general who wouldn't surrender." Althea nods. "She was living up to the family name, not wussing out. See, she really had no choice…The Turks would've raped and murdered her, standard practice at the time. Though, don't get me wrong…It's everyone's choice when the time has come and no one should be blamed for choosing to leave suffering and pain."
"More tea, miss?" Elisabete pours another cup to a grateful camerawoman. "I imagine it must be fascinating to do your work and travel to different places to document history and all. Have you met many famous people? I did meet Charles Darwin myself, he was fascinating to hear. Brilliant mind. But sorry, Althea…"
"Nah…Well…Dad got the news and…And this one's a bit unforgiveable…Though Dad learned Nandor was horrified to hear of it…Her severed head, sent across the lines. Pretty gross and cruel, even in wartime, don't you think? And even a vampire horrified by it." Shaking head.
"Vlad always believed from the start Nandor had nothing to do with that…" Elisabeth nods. "He was an honorable man, even as a vampire general. Ruthless in battle but a respecter of codes and decent to prisoners under his protection, once they surrendered unconditionally."
"And Dad, blaming himself for abandoning her and letting this happen…Well, you know the rest." Althea sighs. "He saw a chance for vengeance as well as accomplishing what he and Mom had dreamed of doing…But it came at a high price and it was something of a cheat. His armies did well for a time with him and his Undead followers to lead them, but the Turks had their own vampires, including ole Nandor…And more resources. Dad had little and after his first successes, his reputation started working against him. People on both sides feared him and his army and the Turks were able to exploit that. Nandor tried to dissuade him, to his credit. He knew it was no use to fight the Turkish tide and it endangered the people. Dad was a bit harsh then, called him traitor and all that, but he was in a bad way then, Mom, the lost cause and all, as well as his vampiral nature. His army dissolved to a bunch of vampires then regrouped as a band of the Undead, preying on the locals. He retook Castle Dracula but that was all…And over time, history moved on and forgot him a bit…Except for the terror he inspired among the locals and the local Turk rulers till Romania broke free."
"I was with him by then…But no help or comfort to him…" Elisabete sighs. "My acts of horror were actually far worse and added to his rep as 'the Impaler' made us both objects of fear, loathing…Finally hatred and opposition. Which rather pleased him, I recall. He was glad to see the people refusing to tolerate our reign of terror. He cheered when the Revolution overturned serfdom and Napoleon overturned the map of Europe. There was still something noble and human in him. But I…Perhaps the lot of a vain, self-absorbed woman…" downcast look.
"You were not, Auntie. It was not your fault." Stroke of arm.
"I can hope not, honey. But I can't deny something in me was monstrous. Even Vlad as he was, was horrified by my acts. Finally, he drove me out…I scorned him, but I wasn't aware fully why he'd done so. Elisabete had appeared to him, pleading for him…And me. And he'd begun his long, agonizing journey back toward the Light. The first stumbling, tentative steps…"
"As my William did in his time, centuries later." Althea beams.
