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

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

Part LXXXVIII…

Guillermo alone in his hotel room…Susan kindly having offered to join Phyllis in the one next door they'd taken rather than press her claim as fiancee…

"Well, I guess Dr. Acura wanted to check up on me and see I wasn't fleeing the city or something. I don't think Master Nandor would have contacted him about my leaving his service but…" shrug. "His daughter's very nice…Althea, nice name. Dracula's adopted daughter…Must be wonderful to regain all that. His redemption I mean…Though it's too bad his wife can't be with him yet for whatever reason. Some kind of Purgatory thing, maybe?" raising of eyebrows.

"And she's the Slayer…" shakes head. "I guess I take orders from her when we go to the finale? It's confusing but I guess my role is that I'm someone my old Master and the others trust…And I guess…I sorta know, really…It's crucial that I be there if they're to achieve Redemption. However it'll sort out. Will they be like Dr. Acura? Human but still kinda super or un, whatever…And Immortal, apparently. Wish we could sit down and he could explain more of this to me… I'm afraid I'll get confused and muck everything up at the last minute…"

He eyes a questioning member of the crew…

"Sure…" shrug. "I've thought of just running…Even taking the girls and just telling them their orders from the guys are to go with me and run…Anywhere. I'm rich now, after all…" Wan smile. "Thanks, Auntie."

"But…" shrug. "This is my friends' existence in the balance…If I'm not there, this effort may fail and I can't let it fail."

Yeah…Nod to a follow-up question… "I know I'll lose Susan the moment she comes out of thrall…But she's not mine, after all. She's just under a spell. If she kills me or has me arrested, if I live…It's only what I deserve, right?" wince at the still faces.

"You guys could lie to me…" he notes, ruefully.

Tap at his door…

"Sue?" he opens door to find an apologetic-looking Althea Acura shyly smiling at him.

"Sorry to bother you, Mr. De la Cruz…"

Quite late…For the living…

Less so for the Undead…

"Our reception is set for eight tomorrow night…" Laszlo in the new living room, enjoying the bouncy delight of their new sofa, tells the camera. "But we have just received a remarkable invitation to the social event of the vampiral social season…Or should it be the vampiral social event of the social season?"

"Yes, so exciting…" Nadja, beside him, beaming…After quick hiss to keep the throw blanket Jen had thoughtfully provided under his ever dusty trousers… "It seems the Vampiral Council has taken us back into the folds of its embrace…This may be a way to avoid giving up our wonderful new home if we can forge an alliance against 'Drs. Acura and his ghost pal Van Helsing, Ms. Dracula the Slayer, and their Vampire Hunter Corps."

"And…They made it clear that Simon The Devious is not responsible for this invite…" Laszlo notes, holding up handsomely engraved invitation card with post-it note… "Just to let you fellows know, this is not a deception of Simon The Devious, he's Dead Undead to us. Looking forward to seeing you, toodles.- Tilda, Chairperson, the Vampiral Council of Greater New York, Ltd."

See…? He nods shrewdly.

"Yes, I am still in here…" Jacqueline/the Nadja Soul Doll nods at camera as she strolls, occasionally poking at objects with duster in hand, accent again returned to her voice. "After that invitation from the Council, I felt it best to stay…" Coy smile and sigh to question… "Well, yes, I am enjoying being in human form in rather pretty body. Indeed, it can be addictive so I will not stay long…" sigh. "But this sudden display of friendship from the Vampires Council worries me. They may want an alliance if they know about Van Helsing and Dracula but…It worries me. These sort tend to run and hide when true danger strikes, despite all their arrogant boasting about their Immortality and powers and all that. Why would they risk contacting ostracized vampires they tried to kill, let alones invites them to a night at their theater. This has the smell and sound of trap to me." Frown.

"Jacqueline?" Nandor's voice. "I think you should go to bed, dear. Unless you wish to go home?"

"Oh, no…Master." She calls back, in Jacqueline's most eagerly subservient tone. "We all decides…Decided I would stay over and I will, to set up for your great reception tomorrow athesap!"

"Well, then, please go to bed and rest. I am concerned for you." Nandor's voice.

"Sweet fellow for killer and marauder…" she smiles to camera. "But Dracula was one such and see how he has changed. I could be tempted if I was not already married…" another coy smile. "Oh, yes…Laszlo is my husband as much as hers." Arch look. "But that is all I can or will say for now. You will the outcome, if we both survive. And we will either survive together or…" shrug.

"But Nandor is right. This poor girl should be in bed. Don't worry, she won't clearly remember all this. Though hopefully when alls done, none of these poor women will remember all. Besides…" pause. "If I trust you peoples with a secret, can I truly count on your discretion…This 'objective observation' thing? Okay. I may need to stay with this girl a bit longer…Yes, there is slight danger of addiction so I will leave her tonight while she sleeps. But there's only one body and place for me, in any case." Smile. "But look for me tomorrow, here, in the shadows…"

Nandor, in his new bedroom/crypt, still in his freshly laundered uniform, to camera…

"It may bode well that the Council has sought to reach out to us. I know they hate Simon and fear the Dr. Van Helsing as we do. Still, I do think we must be a bit cautious till we know more…The invitation is for the night after tomorrow's reception, and we can attend the theater and see afterwards what the Council is up to as they have invited us to a brief function after the theater show. Should be a very nice evening, though frankly…" smile. "I think our reception tonight will be the highest point of the year, for Society Vampiral…Even if it will only be us attending, with my old colleague, Dracula. Oh, did Miss Jacqueline finally go to bed? Poor girl…I cannot imagine a more horrible event than awakening on Colin Robinson's bed, though at least it is a new bed. Not the old one he has so often claimed to have whacked off on…" nod. "I wonder where he's got off to, by the way? Though I suppose he found some gathering to attend and feed on/bore to stupor…" smile at female cameraperson's comment…

"Why thank you, my dear. It is nice to don my old uniform again. It came out quite well from the dried cleaning, didn't it? Especially given it's being nearly 800 years ago. But they made fabric well in those days. Well, let me get it off and see if I can rest…" Pause. "I don't suppose your people have spoken to Guillermo? I should like to know if he and our friends with him are well. I know Miss Phyllis and Susan will come back tomorrow, with more information, but…I simply cannot fathom why Guillermo chose to leave us now… It is mostly upsetting, truly."

Smile at offer from director…

"That is most kind. I would not want you to violate the boy's privacy or any agreement with him you have as to that but it would be good to know he is well. If you could, let him know I wish we could discuss this and I still hope he may yet attend our reception to do so…It will darken the evening for me not to have him here." Sigh. "Well, a very good night to you all, thank you."

Jennifer, in her car, bound for home...Suddenly pulled over, finding herself unable to stop crying…

"I'm such an idiot…Sorry." Ruefully wiping tears… "I don't know why I'm crying…" sigh. "But it's not some buried thing about my thrall, I'm sure…It's…Master Nandor made me so sad…His letter to Dr. Acura, that beautiful letter." Shakes head. "But we should be able to avoid that…When the guys flee after tomorrow and Ginny moves in. I shouldn't be so upset…" pause.

"Tell him I loved him, truly, sirs." Faint accent. "But I knew he wasn't mine to keep…" renewed rueful look but somehow. "Tell him I will be happy, here…" she blinks at the camera.

"What…?" she wipes tears again. "I said what?" staring…

"I mean…I do love Master Nandor, but…You know, not that way. Though if he ever asked and Master Laszlo allowed it…" she gave shrug. "But he prefers Martha, I think…Sweet man. Well, whatever he is." Shrug.

"British, again?" she eyes the camera. Hmmn… "You'd think if I were gonna start speaking in tongues, it'd be French. Well, I guess I'm just jangled up tonight. Big things coming…The Overlords leaving us. Just nerves, I imagine. Unless there are a bunch of ghosts with Dr. Van Helsing jumping into us." Wan smile. "I'd best get home, Davey will blow a gasket. But I'm sure he'll be pleased to meet the Master…Mr. Cravensworth, my client…" correcting with smile… "Tomorrow, well, tonight…"

Roll of eyes… "Though I'll have a little trouble explaining that uniform of Nandor's…" grin.