The Vampire as Metaphor...from the (Semi) Complete Works of William Soames Walthrop...
PG 13
Summary: A lost work of one William Soames Walthrop (...aka Spike) as it was delivered at one of Cicely Addams' house parties, shortly before Will's demise. See the reference to it in "Drusilla"...
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...
Contributions to the recovery of the lost works of England's third worst poet are always welcomed...
Part XXV…
The Barbary Coast of the booming City of San Francisco…Running from Portsmouth Square, San Francisco's first public square, where the discovery of gold had been announced in 1848, now firmly located in the growing ethnic area, home to many Chinese immigrants, increasingly known as "Chinese-" or "China-town" to the shipping docks of Buena Vista Cove along three blocks of Pacific Street, a red-light district which featured dance halls, concert saloons, bars, variety shows, and, naturally, brothels…Ranging from the lowest dives to rather elegant, almost palatial temples to pleasure…
["Really, Walthrop? In the presence of ladies…?" Henderson glared…Several others seconding him.
Will…Perhaps…Henry's stare.
"Quiet, there…Pray continue, Mr. Walthrop!" Cicely commanded, her firm stare silencing all dissent.
"My apologies…Just being true to source and fact…" William noted.
"It's quite alright, William. We're all adults here. Please, go on." Cicely urged.
Though I would like to hear more on how he obtained his facts…I know he did journey to California to seek his fortune ten years ago, for a couple of very grim years, in hopes of saving his family from poverty, before "Mr. Walthrop" or whomever the man was, chose to do his duty, apparently so Henry says, on his regretful deathbed, and provide a small fortune to his mother…But would like to know just how much "research" he did.
And how his sweet soul endured all that and the rest of his rough and, no fault of his own, sordid life, yet remained so innocent and enamored of beauty…?
True beauty of art and literature, I mean, of course…She avoided glazing into the nearby mirror…]
At the far edge, near what was still considered fairly "respectable" territory…Despite the rapid growth of the Pacific Coastal metropolis which caused neighborhoods to shift in desirability and wealth almost overnight…A rather large, respectable-looking establishment…Tasteful and generally quiet enough to keep public complaint to a minimum…
Kitten Twitty's Place…A small but known bordello of quality where the girls were discreet, pretty, and clean…And one could take one's pleasures…Some rather innocent, even to a surprising degree uplifting as to music and at least entertaining as to dance and even comedy…Some less so…In reasonable privacy. Currently closed, to the chagrin of numerous customers, some powerfully connected to wealth and politics, for renovations promised, by discreet word of mouth and a few poster boards, to be sure to provide even finer gratifications for body and soul…
Inside…In the main hall where guests were received and some dance performances were staged, from time to time, by the more talented of the young ladies, a rehearsal of sorts in progress…
A line of rather blank-faced, wan young women, in costume, attempting to maintain a chorus line and dance in a synchronized kicking style…Their skirts rising in unison to reveal the forbidden magic of white silk below…The tops rather low cut, yet only revealing enough to whet the appetite…
"Stop!" the voice of Katherine "Kitten" or "Kity" as she chose to vary, Twitty, the proprietor…
"You worthless whores, I should rid myself of the lot of you!" she cried, her rather large face, distorted by rage and red-faced, contrasting sharply with the black, almost a mourning dress and quite intentionally so…A most unusual condition for a woman famed for her kindness to her girls and customers, as well as the many lost and homeless souls wandering the growing…And perhaps growing heartless…City.
But Kitten had recently developed both sharp claws…And fangs…
"You aren't worth keepin'!" she raged, her large frame shaking. The ladies pausing, staring at her red face…Theirs blank…
"Now, now…Kity." The voice of Heinrich Nast seated at table beside her, in respectable but not attention-grabbingly elegant, business suit, hat and gloves on table. "The ladies are exhausted from draining. They're doing their best."
"Worthless, the lot of them, embarrassing me before you, Master." Kity turned to him, shaking head. "I'm so sorry. Lets kill them and try a new batch… There's sure to be some strong, healthy girls coming in on the Monday train."
"Kity…These girls are fine. They're experienced in technique and they know your clientele. They just need a bit of rest and food. Ladies, forgive Miss Twitty, she's not herself these days. Go and rest in your rooms, we'll see you called to dinner soon." He clapped hands and the line of girls broke up and various groups trudged off to their assigned rooms in the building.
"They'll be fine, Kity. They're the finest girls in this City, I know you spared no expense. Don't give up on them, they'll learn quickly once they've rested and recovered." He smiled at her.
"Don't you agree, Gregor?" he turned back to face Gregor, in his usual protective armor suit, seated at table. Gregor nodding…
Girls rest, fine.
"I'm so ashamed not to show you better, my Lord. It's not what you have a right to expect." Kity sighed, shaking head. "But you are right…So far as I know these are the best girls in town but for a few set up on their own. Perhaps we could take some of them? Tonight? Together?" she urged, beaming now.
"I think we should maintain a low profile, my dear. These girls live here, have worked for you for months and even years…No questions will be asked except as to how long your establishment will remain closed. But…If we take others from their places of employment…Questions asked, problems we need not have that will complicate my plans."
Problems…Bad…Gregor nodded thoughtfully from his seat.
"As you wish, my Lord." Kity nodded, sighing a bit…
"I'm sure you're just eager to reopen under our new partnership…" Nast smiled. "Dazzle the City with our new decoration and style. Not to say this place was not a fine one before…" he raised kind hand to her look.
"I am…We could be doing a great business…And spread your dominion…" she urged.
"All in good time. We need to be patient, Kity. Get things here back to something approaching normal before we attempt further expansion. After all, fine as this place is, what really matters is the Hellmouth…And the Slayer's arrival, not much further off."
I wonder how the girl would look in one of those new costumes, kicking away…He thought.
"I know Lord…" Kity nodded. "I don't know all the details but my new self…My demon…Senses your plans and the power you seek. I'll do as you say, of course. Though…?" she paused.
"Yes? Please, Kity." He waved a hand.
"I wish you'd take more than me…Turn I mean…You've too few protectors here. The girls are practically useless, human, in their current state."
"Not at this time, dear…" he shook head. "I don't wish to risk detection, having a horde of newborn vampires skulking about each night. Besides your ladies will recover a good degree of their…What is the word here? Spunk?...And it's best to have a good number of humans in thrall who can watch over things here, interact with your clients when we reopen, travel about and shop for us, see what the temper of the town is…And of course keep a close eye out for the Slayer and other enemies, particularly those who might catch us by daylight." Smile. "I appreciate your concern but rest easy, my dear. Gregor, you, and myself are all the vampiric protection I require at this time."
"But you've told me and at times I've sensed them, there are other vampires in the City, not sired by you, even if they would claim to pay homage to the most powerful vampiral Lord in this country…And the world." The large woman noted proudly, her face even lovely in its adoration, almost that of her young self, celebrated for her beauty back in her home city of St Louis, MO. "They might challenge you, some of them…You've said there are factions against you in the underworld. Even that agent of yours, the bitch, and that pantywaist from Europe who ought to be serving you…"
"Kity…" Nast put up a hand. "I've not yet confirmed Olive has turned against me, however much I fear. She's very clever and always been very devoted. She may be stringing Vladimir along to use him. And he remains useful, if only as a target to distract the Slayer on her journey."
"I know a traitor when I hears of one…" she hesitated. "I oughta know, my human self betrayed my beloved leader, Dr. Loveless, to that Agent West." Shaking head sadly.
"Dear…" Nast patting her shoulder. Gregor offering an attempt at a sympathetic look… "You did help to save the man, you told me the night I took you, here, from drowning? And he forgave you, set you up in this fine establishment as a reward."
"But I betrayed him, Lord. And even if he was fool to let my saving him and his Antoinette influence him to spare me, he's never trusted me, never contacted me, since. You mustn't trust her, Lord."
"Nor will I…" Nast, calmly. "But then, I have never 'trusted' anyone, dear. Except perhaps dear Gregor, here…"
Gregor, appreciatively hanging head a bit toward Nast, bulging eyes bright…Rather like a puppy eager for a petting…
"My good Gregor…" Nast patting his grey, rather slimy, head…
"Well…I only wanted to offer a warning to you, Lord." Kity sighed. "I wish I was of more use, like Gregor…"
Gregor, pleased gleam at the praise…
"Of course…But don't fret Kity. Alls going well and you have been of great assistance…This fine place to Unlive and use as a warehouse for my equipment, your girls to feed upon and serve me…And one day some lucky few to begin my harem of females…It's all to the good, dear." Nast, reaching to pat her now. She offering the same eager beam as Gregor.
"But I do wish I could meet your brilliant friend, Dr. Loveless. I've heard vague rumors about that cunning little dwarf from many in the human Underworld, he seems quite a human genius…"
"Not to compare to you, Lord…."
"I did say…Human…" Nast smiled. "Well, perhaps one day he'll seek you out again and we can meet. He sounds very entertaining…"
A knock on the wall by the entrance to the hall caught their attention immediately, all three turning heads with far greater than human speed.
"Clarissa!" Kity frowned at the tall, slim, wan light-skinned brown woman standing by the wall in rather respectable middle class dress for such an establishment, staring blankly at them.
Gregor peering over from his seat…Oh…
Pretty girl…Prettiest girl.
"Mother…Some one's here…At the rear door. He's demanding we let him in to play with the girls…" Clarissa, a beauty with more than a touch of her mother's best features from her youth, noted.
"A customer now? Caint he read?" Kity fumed. "We're closed. Tell him so."
"We did…I did…" Clarissa nodded. "He's very drunk…Said he came a long way to see our place, a friend recommended it and he didn't get served properly when he first came. He kicked in the rear door and slapped Henrietta down. He has a gun he says is loaded to shoot whores down. He's in the small parlor, demanding…"
"No one 'demands' anything of my staff or my establishment…" Nast glared. "Kity?"
"I'll go kill him, Lord." She rose.
"No, wait…" he called her, she halting. "We don't want more bodies about, questions will be asked. Nor do we want the police to intervene. He wants a woman?" he eyed Clarissa.
"Yes, sir. Now…He says." Clarissa blankly.
"Well, tell him…Although we are not yet open for business, for the sake of pleasing a customer he may have a young lady…On the house." Nast noted. "Just see he's quick about it and do not let him come into the hall here, send him and whomever he fancies from the photographs in the books upstairs…Kity?" As the girl hesitated, staring at her mother.
"The Green Room, down the hall…It's just been finished and it's farthest away. Do as Mr. Nast says, girl." Kity frowned.
"Yes, Mother…But…He's made his selection. He wants me." Clarissa noted, vaguely.
"Then let him have you…Go on, girl." Kity waved a hand.
Clarissa nodded…
"Oh, wait…" Nast called. She continuing till Kity grimly commanded her.
"You do like Mr. Nast says, Clarissa. He's your step-father and your Master now." Kity ordered. "Don't make me punish you, you damned little brown baggage."
"Yes, well…Clarissa…" Nast eyed the beauty, once the apple of her loving…Human…Mother's eye. Her father, long dead at the hands of a mob objecting to interracial relations. "I hate to see your first experience with a fellow who might mar such beauty. It is your first, right?"
"Yes, sir. Ma kept me out of the business…I was in school…Till I came home to visit last week and…"
"I appeared to change your existence…" Nast sighed. "A hard enough one, no doubt, for a woman trapped between two races in this cruel world. Well…Is the fellow a brute or just so do to drink?"
"He seems a rough man…" the girl noted wanly. "He said he came before and saw a photo of me, on Mother's desk…She had him thrown out when he called for me…I wasn't here. He said he'd be back and have me. Now, he's here."
"Dirk Cully. I know him. A longshoreman on the docks…" Kity nodded. "He cut up some girls in places along the Coast…I wouldn't let him near any of mine when I heard he was here and when he broke into my room I got my boys to toss him out."
Ah yes, those delicious boys…Well, men really…Nast thought. But very tasty all the same…
"Well, it's a pity but…We had decided you'd be running this place by day." Nast noted. "Best to learn the tricks…Pardon me…" sly smile. "Of the trade…Your new trade…With someone you'll have to learn to handle. A good learning experience…" nod.
"Just take him up, do whatever he wants, and tell him it's free but if he bruises you or breaks anything, it's a charge and the law." Kity suggested.
Gregor, slight agitation…Nast and Kity looking at him…He eloquently staring at Clarissa, then Nast…
"Why…Gregor?" Nast stared. "I'd no idea you fancied our fair Clarissa. Well, this puts a different light on the matter. Hmmn…I think I had best speak to the fellow…"
"My Lord…" Kity, anxiously. "Let me take him…"
"Too soon for you dear…" Nast shook head. "He's clearly a strong man, you're very young in the fold…It'll be fine. I'll do a very light touch and send him up with a different girl. He'll be quite satisfied, I promise you. Might even be useful to hire him to our staff, we could use another strong back when my equipment comes in."
"Yes, Lord. Please be careful…" Kity sighed.
"Of course…But as to Romance. Clarissa…I think you and Gregor are fated for each other." He smiled to the wan Clarissa who gasped slightly.
"This is an honor, girl…" Kity beamed. "Thank your stepdaddy."
"Th…Thank…" Clarissa trembled, eyeing the rather pleased Gregor, giving her another equally eloquent stare.
"Yes…It's like my own son and stepdaughter mating…" Nast beamed.
"Ma..Ma…" Clarissa, gasping…
"Do as you're told, girl!" Kity fumed. "Maybe I should take more or give her more, sir?"
"No, she might transform…And while I think in time she might do very well for Gregor as an Immortal mate, we need her alive for now. And our dear ones should really get to know each other first." Benevolent smile. "Clarissa, look at me." He stared into her wan, open face, deeply into her eyes. "And do as your mother and Mistress commands, without fear…Or hesitation. After all, Gregor will be very gentle…Won't you, Gregor, my boy?" fond glance to Gregor who gave nod and fond stare over.
Pretty girl…Mine…
Clarissa calmer but still clearly hesitant…
"More trouble than she's worth…" Kity frowned.
"A little kindness, Kity? It's what she's and your girls are used to from you and it's quite true that a little honey does work best." Nast urged.
"Yes, Lord. Dear, go with the nice…Man…Just look at him. He's very handsome and sweet. You want to make him happy. For Ma, too, honey." Kity ordered. Gregor eagerly hurrying to the girl…She staring up at the hideous face, struggling to see what she'd been told to see…
Finally offering her hand which Gregor took in his…He looking to Nast, what one might take for a smile on his gruesome features.
"Go, my children…With our blessing…" Nast waved a hand. The two heading off and climbing the stairs.
"It's a match!" he beamed. "And definitely one made in Hell…"
"Thank you so much, Lord." Kity beamed at him. "My family is honored forever."
A faint scream from above…
"Claire! You heard me, be nice!" Kity called.
"Actually that was Gregor, I think…" Nast noted.