After the Quasimodo incident, looking for someone to run the kitchens of the Hotel that meant Dracula's standards wasn't easy. Being trained in the art of french cuisine and Field of Gourmet cooking was one of the many skills a person needed. Knowing table presentation and flora arrangement was important to impress a both human and monster guests. Besides how to set up a table with the right table cloth and dishware before someone is sat down to eat. A knowledge of aged wines and what would be the right desserts to be paired to art of cloth napkin folding into all different shapes. Just a few things that a monster had to have on their resume when being interviewed by Dracula.
Not one of candidates that bothered to show up for the position met even one of Dracula's high regulations after a basic interview. Some gave Dracula headache so badly he would dismiss them before they got pass could take a seat, or got pass the first question. Others were that were to human- like in appearance or personality just ended up scaring Dracula. They were given a alternative position in another department within the hotel to apply by someone else. Anyone else was allowed to speak when answering a series of complex questions Dracula would ask them were lucky. Afterward they were said to come back another day for trail run or be thanked for coming and shown to the exit. Would take up most of Dracula's evening while he checked in with varies heads of his staff to make sure hotel the hotel was running.
"Excuse me." A familiar voice spoke from kitchen area.
Before Dracula could say anything about not being in the mood to put up with anymore on one-on-one interviews with anyone. Clanging of a silver tea trey filled with a bone china tea set being placed on the table with the dessert trey. Had Dracula blinking as he looked at the way the pastries were arranged on the serving trey by size and shape. Each sweet delight had some type of red filling about to bust from the center or peeking out from the sides. Black cloth napkins were folded in to form of a bat in flight and had been placed beside the dessert trey in swarming pattern. What really caught his attention was when he was handed a tea cup filled with Blood Orange flavored tea. That one sip took his breath away since the liquid was just right with splash of Blood- Aid added with cube of sugar.
"I hope it was ok to use your kitchen." He could hear the timid tone of her voice. "I thought you would want something after work so hard."
She nervously said enjoy with out her head popping off as she respectfully bowed before turning to leave the area. Had Dracula done with looking for someone as he would chased after the Dullahan hybrid out of the dinning room. Into the kitchen that didn't have a single messed up dish or food stain on a single cleaned counter top upon looking around. That stopped Dracula in his tracks as he watched the girl pick up a worn journal from a prep table.
"I never caught your name." Dracula thought he asked before she disappeared again.
"Hazelcape Wales." She whispered her answer.
"What a lovely name and might I ask where you learn such a proper presentation?" He had to ask sounding impressed.
"My birthday taught me when she used to host tea parties with fellow monsters." She recalled the memory. "Why?"
Would be when the step- daughter of a former employee was offered the position of kitchen manger for what she gave to him. Which has her head pop off before she give an answer to him and her cheeks turned as brand new shade of red. In to the air her head would air and end up being caught buy Dracula then one of he passing gargoyle waiters. Left Dracula to walk over to her stiffen body clenching the journal he seen her close and pick up after coming after her. Lifting her head upward to placed back on her neck and secure with a twist from side to before with drawing his hands.
"You need to better secure that." Dracula spoke from experience. "You don't know about many of the zombies I had to excuse from work for losing their head."
"Thanks and I'll try." She looked away from him.
Light blush that coated her cheeks she felt his grip on her head start to loosen and feather like touch through strands of her hair. Within those passing seconds when Crystal Blue and Blood Red would peer into each other as contact was made. A single feeling that warmed a part of heart hadn't felt the spark of love since first time he laid eyes on his beloved Martha. Tingled and shook just at the center for his as hers felt like a iron vice was slowly squeezing it.
A Zinged Took Place!
That one gets when arrow of love hits your hard and face had her ignoring those cold fingertips barely moveding along the surface of her neck. Paying attention to him using the tips of his nails to trace where he hair line meets the skin of her neck with goose bumps.
"Your have great ...bone structure..." Dracula quietly discourses to her.
"Dad says it was her natural hard headness that I inherited from my birth mother." She answers in a hushed whisper. "Something my beloved Martha and daughter have in common." Dracula spoke of headstrong trait both.
When his fingers came close to just underneath chin and she finally took notice of their closeness after the small conversation. Only made the swirling mass of shadows under the balls of her feet start to flail outward in the form of tentacles. On the verge of taking the physical form and lashing out at anything that was in the way until she was calm. Wouldn't be happening in the middle of a inexperienced young thing like her and elder vampire like Dracula before her. She ended up finally moving her arms from resting against sides the whole time her head was being placed back on. To placed them against her chest and face her palms away from her as she pulled her face away from his.
"I am sorry." She thrusts her arms outward.
She ended up pushing Dracula away from her now trembling form and then backward she would fall into her own shadow. Leaving behind a bewildered and rather scared vampire just standing there with his hands out before him. He would blink a few times with his brain still in the moment and his heart now pounding a gallon a minute over a zing.
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Jarlath found his daughter hidden away in their hotel room refusing to come out and enjoy the activities that were scheduled for that day. He ended up canceling the couple's riding hour he and his wife had planned to see what was wrong with her. By taking a seat right next to her as he discarded most of his riding gear upon the bed before fixing his hair.
"My Little Wiccen, what is wrong?" He would ask as softly as he could.
"I zinged!" She exclaimed with fear in her voice.
"Poisoned Honey, that's wonderful..." He thought she should be proud.
"No, Dad..." She was on the verge of tears. "I zinged with a widower."
"Dracula." His eyes went wide.
She broke out into tears so badly that her head popped off and into her father's lap as she sniffled asking what she was to do. All her father could do was lift his daughter's head in careful matter and try his best to cease her tears as he spoke.
"Enjoy the rest of the time we have here and don't left this bother you." He advised as best he could. "Something like this takes time."
Suggesting she go riding on his horse and take in the surrounding area's nocturnal night life as form of distraction for now. Made not come back to hotel until the sun were to rose and just enjoy darkness that was wooden area. Going as far to hand over his horse's reins as a form of insists when she started at him with her arms folded in his lap. She would take after he helped her placed her head back on her neck and wipe away all her tears with touch of his hands.
"You going to ok, my Poisoned Apple?"
"You have me wanting mom's poison apple turn over." She sighs with a smile.
"Right amount sweet of a natural poison and unified sugar with soured apples in that golden crunch crust." He recalled the memory. "She used granny-smith apple just when they were going bad."
Two ended up separating with her father staying on the floor in a moment of nostalgia over one of his deceased first wife's baked goods. He pinning her hair into a undo without a strand of hair out of place upon getting to her feet. Using her shadows to alter her clothing to that of riding appeal with a bits of Victorian style that always made her feel comfortable. Had her kneeling down to kiss her father on his check and thank him for supportive moment before shifting away.
"She too much like my first one wife." He mumbled getting up.
He got up from his seat and started undoing buttons and zippers for a more casual form of clothing for a day in the hotel. Making sure to pass the message on to Heather they were stay in his night and take in the activities the hotel provided. Knowing the message he got back through a zombie bellhop upon leaving their room left him rather amused on the subject. Being that she stated she would meet him later in the spa since she was invited to a magic show by other monster wives.
"God! I hope Breandán is behaving himself." He hadn't seen since their joint breakfest.
He made sure to summon forth one of his shadows to produce a long, thin piece of brass that was modeled into a strange whistle. Brought to his lips and would be blown through within a few seconds before being withdrawn when familiar howl was heard.
"They still remember me." He would step out of his room.
He didn't have to wait long for his shadow hounds to his side when he secured the lock to the hotel room door with his back turned. Noticing that one of them had a leg of a zombie in his jaws and seemed to thoroughly chewed by appearance. A few swarmed their masters' feet awaiting his next order by nuzzling at his pant's leg or teetering in place. All would get their attention in due time from pats on the head as he walked with them the following each foot step. To being scratched behind the ear when he had to stop for a bellhop zombie or fellow hotel guest to pass by. Deciding to take the stairs down instead of waiting for one of the lifts since he was in the mood to greet old friends. Each one of his hounds followed him with each stepped taken as he placed his hands within the pockets of his jacket. Making sure the whistle he used to call his hounds was within his grasp for when he confronted his own friends.
He was glad to among a old friends after years spent away from the world of monsters upon losing the first love of his life. Changes he was still coming to believe to the group of people was still living his head spinning when he thought of them. Once feared wolfman that howled at the fullmoon and whose very bite could change you into one of his own kin. Now a family man with a fellow werewolf and large litter of mostly males pups one has ever seen from monster couple. Sewn together parts of humans known ad Frankenstein and his bride had turned into a person that he didn't know. Once innocent mind of a child that and social navie was replaced by easygoing personality. Murry was still the comedian and entertainer in the group that always left him with a smile no matter what he did to get a laugh. Griffin was still Griffin by being still the most human that one could have around in a world filled monstrous figures. Vlad was a understanding old soul that still carried a bit of that old world charm that reminded of his own father.
"Maybe there is a way to ease her pain." He stopped mid- way on the steps.
He would have been lost in thought if the shouts of a certain mummy announcing his entrance didn't have him hurrying down the stars. Frankenstein wave his a friendly punch and Wayne was more of a weak wave as a form of greeting. Griffin got personal when he would end up asking how was the life with the wife wife and her son doing so far. Which had everyone reminding the invisible man how that was a off limits around Dracula and Jarlath when in conversation. Just this time around Jarlath ended up laughing with his hands never leaving their resting place with hounds settling around him.
"This is what I missed about you all." Jarlath proclaimed happily.
Others just gave him is time to finish his laughing fit before he suggested the all on a Spook Walk in the woods like old times. He wanted to collect items for a potion he knew that Heather could brew for their daughter and solve her heart ache. Had him asking where Dracula wasn't here doing his usual micromanagement behavior with his Hotel staff. Which left the gang to shrug and try to remember what excuse Dracula gave to get away from them in a hurry.
"Who knew what happen with my daughter have sent him running..." Jarlath grinned at the thought.
Had him explaining to everyone that the matter was between his daughter and his Dracula was a private matter for them to explain. Not one to reveal to one's personal business to others knowing the importance of this certain subject. As he ended up turning everyone attention to the activity he had in mind by getting them all outside the hotel. Making sure he to send a note back to his wife using one of his hounds to delivery the folded piece of paper to her. Not that she was surprised with him asking about a potion that could erase memories from both the heart and mind. Had her figuring that her daughter must of zinged with someone she didn't want to chain down with companionship. Into her clutch the note would go as she sent the hound back with an listen of ingredients she was going to need. She had to ignore Eunice's questioning of what the noted contained and if Jarlath was sending love notes to her. Which made Wanda and Eunice jealous over the idea of note having a shadow hound delivery one to them. Heather took advantage of by saying that loving note passing all started as her way to speak to Jarlath when she used to work in the hotel.
"Drac has this no fraternizing rule the employees must follow." Heather explains. "That we would waste time socializing with guests over doing out duty as hotel staff. "
She went to say how she would use one of his shadow hounds to delivery notes when she wanted to meet him and jump his bones. That was one sided for a while since Jarlath was still closed off emotionally to Heather in the first few months.
"One day out of the blue, he wrote a note back to me asking what I liked to do when I wasn't using my break to visit him in private for a quickie." Heather smile at the memory. "I replied and that become our first date."
When she ended her story about the note exchanging between her and her husband with a tilt to her head and warm smile on her face. Eunice was left so taken by the tale she ended up imaging her and Frankenstein in Heather and Jarlath's place. Saying how romantic the notion of finding places in the hotel to hide away for a romantic intimacy. Wanda was to busy sitting back in her chair and thinking about the love a note exchanged between lovers meant. Finding the right words to portray one's feelings on a sheet of paper no bigger then a paper napkin or a shop receipt.
"Thanks for compliments, but I envy of your guys." Heather sips her drink. "All I have is a step- son that dislikes me and Step- daughter that coming into her craft."
"You just need to give them time." Eunice pats Heather on the shoulder.
"He'll warm up to you in time." Wanda assured Heather. "He may still be adjusting to whole new family thing."
Heather ended up finishing her drink In one gulp needing to start her potion prep before the night was doen for them. That meant seeking out her fellow witches and seeing which one would help her in making a brew to help her step- daughter's aching heart.
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Hidden away in the very room that held the portrait of his beloved Martha and him standing side by side with smiles as wide as ever. Dracula stood with one hand tightly gripping the area of his chest where his heart beats like a drum. Other was resting on the frame as he looked up toward the first love of his life with wavering fears of doubt and confusion.
"What am I to do?" He would ask looking upon a face he knew so well.
He could hear her words about not being angry if he were to zing for the second time in his long life with another other then her. Years he spent raising their daughter while grieving for her death was over after his new family formed. A grandson with the reddest hair and brightest fanged smile to spoil with stories of olden days when monsters were scary. Grown daughter who was now married to a accepting human and was happily enjoying her life with them. In- laws that brought a splash of human color to hotel whenever they visited through out the year for holidays and birthdays. His father finally making time for his young great- grandson and granddaughter with wisdom to share. Countless friends that were always pulling into some type of trouble when ever they came to the hotel to stay or visit.
"Are your sure?" He would as grip over his pounding heart tightens.
He should have known the nights he spent watching everyone interact with their spouses would get to him sooner or later. Small moments they all shared each other when ever something happen from way they would hold the other's hand. Fingers interlocking with other while smiles only the other one knew about were shared between the two of them. Moment when one needed to embrace other and take in other's presences always reminded him of something he didn't have.
"Then I... I have some …." He cut him self off when the thought of confronting Hazelcape and asking her on a outing made him bite his tongue. Way the girl blushed and even a locke of her hair covered her face created a fuzzy feeling inside of him.
He ended up needing to cool his head before straightening himself out and leave his private chamber to get back to running the hotel.