The following day, whilst Lily set about kitting out her new enterprise, she hummed happily to herself. The opening would be in just a few days but there was so much still to be done. That sort of pressure would usually send her into a silent, yet highly-strung panic. Today however, she was as unruffled as her tightly pinned coiffe. Feeling full of a kind of nervous excitement she almost skipped to the shelves adding prices to the goods. She just knew her gamble of coming to the Great Wahoonie was going to pay off.
She was expecting a delivery of salamanders, because even though the Pictsie didn't require them, Lily still had to cater for the purists. So when the door jangled open she was pleasantly surprised to see Otto, the latest copy of the Times in his hand.
"Door to door service!" he joked, offering her the newspaper. Taking it and laughing a little too much she thanked him.
"Pages two and zree," the vampire suggested, hoping she would be happy with the story. He had his new iconograph with him and, for the first time since he had worked for the paper, had gone without the mandatory vials of blood. They weren't mandatory any more.
The article proclaimed 'A Disc First: Announcing the Arrival of the Pictsie'. The photo of Otto featured prominently and described William's encounter with Lily in the typical Times fashion; sensational, yes, but not insensible. The last paragraph however made Lily frown, "Miss Flach has kindly agreed to furnish the Times Iconography department with a full complement of Pictsies?" she raised a brow, "Have I now?"
"It vould mean anuzzer seven, obviously not for zer freelanzers..." then, apologetic, "it vasn't my idea. But you know, no such zing as a free breakfast."
Lily found herself unable to argue with him, a combination of her admiration and the fact the article far exceeded her expectations. Plus the more people that saw her creations in use, the more interest it would generate. "Alright," she smiled a little at his misplaced phrase, "I can get them ready for you now if you like. Do you have time for a tour?"
"My vord, yes!" he responded, rubbing his hands together. Her description of the place in their conversation yesterday was an iconographers dream. The shop floor was only the tip of the iceberg; behind the scenes Lily had installed rooms to cater for on-site development, enlargement and re-colouring of pictures. The stock rooms were already half-full but then there was the live stock. Otto stared in awe at the laboratory designated to training and breeding new imps. There were shelving units like a library but each contained drawers rather than books. Each drawer contained up to four imps, which were being exposed to varying degrees of light that could be altered precisely with glass filters. A notebook was meticulously filled out at the end of each shelf documenting every aspect of the imps input and output.
"I'm finding this rather time-consuming," Lily sighed, "I'll need to hire staff for the imp care alone."
"Haff you zought about advertisink?" the Times had a Positions Vacant section.
She nodded, "I've already drafted an ad. You can take it with you. If you don't mind that is?"
"Not at all!" if she had asked him to take a dead body with him he likely wouldn't have minded. He was already rather taken with Miss Flach, although how much he was ready to admit it was another matter.
There was a jingle at the door and Lily quickly popped back up the short stairway to greet the salamander delivery man; a pleasant little Orc by the name of Mr. Dulling whom she had met briefly before. She signed the paperwork and he wheeled the crates into a side room doffing his over-sized hat to Otto as he passed.
"I do so love Ankh-Morpork," Lily said, "I rarely met any people other than the human kind before coming here. It's just wonderful."
"It has certainly become home to me," Otto replied, "and vile zere are a few little zings I miss about zer old country, I vouldn't go back."
Mr. Dulling returned and handed her a bottle, "Free gift, Miss. We're giving one away with every order until the end of Grune."
Lily thanked him as he left. Then reading the label, "Salamanderotica: pheromonal supplement to induce proper state of procreation..." she trailed off, flushing red and couldn't look Otto in the eye. "I'll just um...put this in the...you know." She nipped into the side room then called, "I'm going to house these salamanders. Do you want to get those iconographs that I apparently promised?"
"Okeydoke!" he called in return. Hands in pockets he strolled about the shop floor, admiring the merchandise as he heard her setting to work in the side room. A vampire's auditory acuity is as strong as their visual and he could hear her whispering curses under her breath. "Do you need any help?" he called again, a smirk playing across his lips.
"No, I'm fine, honestly!" she answered determinedly.
He found the iconographs he needed under the counter and was just retrieving these when there was a creak, bang, shattering of glass and a loud shout of "Bugger!" Dashing to the side room he discovered a slightly damp Lily rapidly shutting the door behind her.
"Vot happened?!" he asked concerned, but as Lily began to explain how she struggled with opening the crate and accidentally dropped and broke the free gift and that all the salamanders had got out he found himself becoming rather light-headed.
"I'm not hurt," she continued, "but I'm covered in the bloody stuff!" She shook glass out of her skirt then was suddenly aware of the proximity of her guest, "Um, Otto? Are you quite alright?"
"Hmm?" he answered absently. He was struck by the swan-like beauty of her neck and oh look, such pretty clavicles.
Lily would have stepped back but there was a door in the way. "Otto?!" she said more firmly, as if admonishing a naughty puppy.
He blinked, "Everyzink smells pink…," he murmured, moving in closer.
Pheromones, Lily realised, although Otto was hardly a salamander, but perhaps any male might be affected in large enough quantities? He had a certain look in his eye that indicated she was about to be ravished. A not so small part of her suggested that this might not necessarily be such a bad thing. The less animal section of her brain reminded her that vampires are only safe whilst they're in control.
As Otto lurched forwards, Lily yanked the door handle and went backwards into the room. The salamanders, which were writhing about in pheromonal frenzy, were shocked by the sudden intrusion and responded in the only way they knew how. Their tails exploded in light, half-blinding Lily and turning her would-be paramour into a neat pile of dust.
###
It took a little over an hour to round up the now sedate salamanders. She carefully swept Otto up with a dustpan and brush, separating out the bits of broken bottle, before heading upstairs to her rooms above the shop. She changed into a clean outfit then returned.
"Well, I guess you didn't have your little bottle with you," she addressed the dust, before pulling out a hairpin. She pricked a finger and squeezed out a single drop of blood. In a swooshing, swirling rush Otto re-appeared in front of her, albeit a little disoriented.
"Vot?!" he shook off the dustpan that was wedged onto his foot, then most apologetic, "Oh Lily I'm so sorry..."
She shook her head, "No need to apologise, you were um...under the influence." she smiled softly, replacing the pin into her bun.
"How long voz I out?" he asked, then pulled out a pocket watch, "I should be goink..." this was awkward.
"Surely you have time for a cup of tea?" Lily offered hopefully, sensing the awkwardness too and keen to send it packing. So Otto agreed and the power of leaves steeped in hot water stepped in to save the day.