What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..."
Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar…
Note: Given the delay, let me bring some of you up to speed…We've diverged seriously from the series line over time, so please consider this an AU setting…
The guys took a new human familiar after Laszlo's June's untimely becoming "Barren" Afanas' dinner, an ambitious, likeable real estate agent, Jennifer Steinecke who helped them enthrall several coworkers of her firm in order to secure a wonderful new estate residence. The devoted ladies, with Nandor's surprising encouragement, have made Guillermo their adored boss among the human staff and two, Susan and Phyllis, consider themselves rather madly in love with him. Guillermo in this version is a) bi, and b) tormented by guilt. Meanwhile the famed Count Dracula, partly humanized, on the path of redemption, dear friend to the ghost of the man who saved him and helped rescue the soul of his beloved wife, Guillermo's ancestor, Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, and foster father of the current famed Vampire Slayer, has appeared, as has the ghost of Van Helsing, with an unknown agenda involving Guillermo and our friends and possibly that most feared word among vampires…The R word. Standing in the way of Van Helsing's and Dracula's plans is the vile Simon Devious, who cannot bear the thought of our guys achieving Redemption and has an ace in the hole, a Vampire Hunter descendant of Van Helsing's…And Broadway star/ex-Vampire Hunter, Lesley Ciara. Oddly enough not only does she freely love him after months of fighting him, perhaps partly owing to some tiny, barely hanging portion of Humanity in him…Or maybe it's just she's hot and it's appealingly kinky to love a human, Simon cares for her, in his twisted way. And there is the Bigger Bad, a fiend seeking revenge on our friends, bent on upsetting any plans of Dracula and the Ghost of Van Helsing and on destroying any hopes for redemption…Whose name is…Arrgh…
All right, it's Colin…In this AU, Nandor bumped off Robinson's previous EV wife Henrietta by accident about one hundred and fifty years ago…It was dark, he thought she was a male vampire, cutting in on his action among some pretty and tasty villagers. He wasn't as calm and laid back then. These things happen…Though Colin will not accept that. Besides , why should the others get Redemption and all he gets is use of the pool at the new place?
C'mon it's about time Colin got to be the bad guy.
Oh and Marwa is here, but not via djinn and with a much happier resolution for her and Nandor…(At least so far in the series).
There ya go…
Part CIII…
"Death is coming…Death, Death…DEATH!" the young blonde intoned, clutching neck and falling in faint.
The group about her including Laszlo, clapping fervently…
"Way to go, Britt!" Jaqueta called, clapping, then coming to kiss her.
…
"She's not bad…" Laszlo, cutting to the new white sofa a couple of hours later that evening, nodding to camera. "What? Oh, the girl's in rehearsal for 'Dracula on Staten Island'. Can you believe it? Someone's gone and written a play about vampires, namely the 'Count' himself, on Staten Island? A bit close for comfort and I suppose I should be a bit concerned but what the hell, it might well be the one I wrote and sent in years ago to the local theatrical groups, finally seeing the light of day. Pity we must vamoose soon to escape the real-life sequel 'The Wrath of Van Helsing and Co.', I would dearly love to play the Count in it and a filmed version Miss Britt's group is doing, and now that the films talk, my mellifluent voice could only be an asset. And he's here, the Drac himself, visiting Nandor…A redeemed, humanish version, doctor actually and apparently a fine one, a heart surgeon, if you can believe it...Though I see the hand of Redemption in there, of course. Foster father, if you can believe it, to the Slayer herself, a delightful child if dangerous and deadly. All qualities I…"
"Yeah, darling?" Nadja, taking seat, coolly eyeing him.
"Earnestly respect in my foes…" he nods solemnly. "Clear sign of good parenting. She's a delight, yet she can handle herself."
"You are good, I give you that." Nadja shakes head.
"So, in the more secret corners of our existence…" Laszlo begins.
Nadja frowning…
"Now, come on, dear…We have a confidentially agreement with our mates here and they've never let us down. Doesn't do to insult our cinematic partners, you know."
"Well…Sorry." Nadja nods. "Laszlo is right there. I'm just very nervous about our little plan. Unlives depend on it. But I didn't mean to impugn your integrity, film peoples. Continue, Laszlo, but please, lets keep this down and strictly to ourselves."
"Yes…Well, our plan for our escape continues." Laszlo notes, low voice. "Tomorrow after our social soiree at the Vampire Theater, we will vanish…" waving fingers. "Leaving only our dear minions behind. Where? I cannot say. We will dwell in the shadows." Raising of head, arch look.
"No sewers again, Laszlo. I was firm on that."
"Right…Might possibly have to use my old crappy escape motel for a bit though."
"Ok…I can rough it, motelswise. Just no sewers." Nadja insists.
"Say, can you believe it about Nandor and Martha?" she continues, clearly relishing the chance for a good gossip.
"What about them? She's still drooling over him like a good minion not ordered to avoid sex should, right?" Laszlo asked.
"Oh…Well…" Nadja, leering. "If I told you how I caught them upstairs…I mean what you didn't see when you got there…" shrewd smile.
"You don't say…Did he actually turn her? I sensed something…"
"Nooo…" shakes head, smiling. "Much worse…"
"Now, girl…"
"He was getting it on with her."
"Seriously…? Sexually?" intent look.
"I kids you not. She was half naked…"
"Well…" shrug.
Half naked is at best, half-way…
"He was full naked…And believe me, they'd just done it…" shrewd look. "I knew it, everyone with nose and eyes there knew it."
"Ohhh…"
"…and I don't believe she was the sole instigator out of thrall." Careful nod.
"Well, always nice when a friend finds love…Or a satisfying roll in the hay."
"Laszlo!"
"What? My first assumption was that he turned her to make her his bride. And he has seemed very taken with her."
"Well…True enough. I wonder what his actual intentions are, actually? I should speak to him, I mean she and I being both women, and she being enthralled and utterly submissive to his will, I feel a certain responsibility."
Frown at Laszlo…
"What?"
"Don't look at me that way, you love that sort of thing." Nadja glares. "Women blindly in your thrall…And all that crap. Hell, we've played the innocent virgin gypsy seduced by the evil vampire often enough…" repressed smile.
"But it's not me, love…For once. And actually, you know I prefer the gentle art of seduction… Combined with a degree of mind-bending hypnosis."
"It would be…If I'd not nipped it in the bud, and the bed, with Jennifer." Sigh. "But I should not be cruel to the poor kid, she is nice girl, after all, and has kept her pledge. And don't think I haven't been watching, just in case." Hard look to him. "But…You and she have played nice, so well done." Pat on knee, beam.
"Thanks. Don't suppose, given we may never see the girls again…" hopeful look.
"No!" grimly.
"Just asking. You know you'd worry if I didn't." shrewd nod.
"Well…" Nadja, relenting. "Oh, say…What about his noble offer to sacrifice himself for us and all that crapola? Is Dr. Drac going to accept or no? Seeing as if he does, we could scrap the escape plan…" hopefully.
"No outcome as yet…" Laszlo sighed. "I rather think though we'd have to maintain our plan, even if our friend tastes dust. Something I really would rather he did not."
"We would? Why? You don't believe the Count now Doctor would give his word? We could get him to swear on the Greek Orthodox Bible, you know." Nadja urgently. "He can, now. And we could…Nandor, anyway…Demand the Slayer do as well. And if you can't trust a nice girl like the Slayer's word, well…" shrug.
"My dear, that might be so…But Van Helsing is determined to destroy us, for our own good, from the religious fanatic's point of view." Laszlo shrugged. "Even if Dracula and his daughter…You know, I can see why she gets a kick out of being that, Slayer or no…Agreed and swore, we'd still face the Hunters. Better to be safe, than dusted, my darling."
"I suppose…Shit. We finally get a wonderful home, too." Nadja, downcast.
"Well, our ladies will maintain it. I don't think Dr. VH will bother them at risk of their killing themselves and all, to stay in our grip. And one day, perhaps sooner than we think…"
"Still sucks…" Nadja sighs. "But better safe than dusted. And I suppose I'd prefer Nandor not get himself destroyed, even to save us."
Phyllis, overhearing from where she stood, sipping from a glass of wine and watching the caterer/serving team finishing cleanup of the party, smiling gently.
Jacqueline/Soul Doll Nadja, glancing to her from where she stands as Nandor and Marwa appear on the stairs… Just a bit more, God willing and…Oh, my Laszlo…Closing eyes.
Yes, yes…We'll be free, redeemed, souled again. But above all, dear God, I've waited so long for my turn to fuck him, in my own dear body!
Jennifer, a bit reluctantly finishing a goodbye to Ginny, Jacqueta, Ellie, and Britt, with Suzette in her arms and David chatting with the Professor, Jen and Ginny, glancing over to Laszlo and Nadja, a bit downcast.
Erika and Eloise watching from a pillar, Eloise attentively, Erika likewise downcast as she eyes Laszlo…
Billie, unfortunately, outside the house, on her way to her car, alone, a tad tipsy after a tremendously nice par-tay…Though not much in the men's division available, but really, very fun…Watched with considerable interest by Simon and his crew… Lesley, looking at her comrades with a certain apprehension…Guys….
Pretty little thing in her way, wasn't she? Todd notes to Harris, sotto voice from their position.
"It's from 'Bride of Frankenstein' when they dig up a girl's corpse in the graveyard for spare parts." He sighs to the puzzled Harris. "Pardon me for injecting some foreboding…" grouse.
…
Back to present, Jennifer in corner to camera, Suzette transferred to David's care… "Going really well so far, eh? I guess Dracula and Nandor have had a nice evening together reUnliving old times. No one staked or killed that I saw."
Nervous glance across floor…Eyeing Dr. Acura and Althea as they chat with Laszlo and his history crew, Acura happily relating the tale of the recent battle re-enactment with proud look on a slightly embarrassed…Just listened to Dad's accounts…He's a great buff on Byzantine/Eastern European history…And followed some of his ideas about it…Althea. She safely recalled from her brief encounter with her beloved William/Derek, said fellow equally safely under Claude's watchful eye as they assisted the catering staff.
Ginny still upset, seated on the white bouncey sofa with her somewhat quiet and exhaustedly groggy daughter Ellie…Eloise and Erika having glared Colin into backing off, with grouse, from his feeding and retreating to the basement…
Billie, at this time having gone upstairs to rejoin Char and Nadja on the house tour…And equally startled to realize Martha and that nice, charmingly mysterious Mr. Relentless were acting as if they'd just been…
Caught? Nandor having looked exactly like her brother caught in his room that time, doing, well, you can guess, to a pillow, as he'd offered hurried, if courteous, greetings to her in passing on the stairs…
Indeed, she couldn't remember him ever looking such a healthy shade before…
Though oddly enough, Sue hurrying past her on the stairs, looked rather rumpled herself…
While Martha, with Char and Nadja, as she reached them, had seemed apologetic but…Kinda anxious to get away, from the others..
Wow…Quite a party, Billie reflected. As Martha requested a chance to retire to the bedroom and finish readjusting her dress.
Though I wouldn't mind a few more eligible guys. Or maybe a crack at that big, good-looking waiter/server. I think the little one called him "Claude"?
Why did Martha feel she had to ask Mrs. C for permission to go like that? Though I suppose it is her house…Billie pondered.
"Let me show you girls the rest of the place, you have to see the view from our bedroom…Martha can rejoin us in a bit." Nadja noted. The three passing out the door to the next bedroom…
Even as Nandor crept carefully back up the last two stairs from where he'd halted and raced for the bedroom where Marwa waited anxiously…
…
"I'll be glad when it's all over and our guys are safely on their way, much as it will break my heart to lose them, especially Master Laszlo." Jen, sighing, in a corner of the main hall on the first floor, facing the crew. "But I'd rather lose him for the rest of my mortal existence than see him destroyed." Anxious twist of hands. "And maybe, given I'm enthralled…When I do die…"
"Jen!?" David, patting Suzette, called from where he stood talking to Laszlo, Richard, Jacqueta, Acura, and Althea… "Be right there, honey!" she called. "The Cravensworths' camera folks here just had a few questions about the property."
"I'd better go. But…" earnest look. "You know I still love David, as much as I can love anyone not Laszlo, and I'm maybe even more ashamed of what I'd been doing before Laszlo took me…It's just…Well, at least I'm likely never to have to choose while I'm alive, right? And when I die, well…I suppose my soul will be free, if I have one, maybe with Davey and Suzette. While the other, the demon we all have linked to us…" she offered wan smile, shook head, then staring at the crew, earnestly. "When I am gone…Tell her I beg her forgiveness, sirs and lady." She eyed the group, pleading look. "There was no other way to save him." Anxious stare.
"What's wrong, guys?" she stared at the crew eyeing her. "Sorry if I was a bit gloomy, just now…" shrug. "It'll all work out for the best, I'm sure. What?" she eyed the female crew member now putting a question to her.
"Forgive who? Me? I don't understand…Look, let me get back to David and Susie and we can talk later."
…
"Really can't…" Claude, waving off the camera crew folks coming to him. "Maybe away from here, later. Be right there, sir!" calling to the catering crew chief who was offering an impatient look.
Derek, left behind as Claude hurries off, now laying out more cups and plasticware on the main dining table… "Uh, well you heard Claude…" he notes quickly to a camera person's question. "And not really much to tell…"
…
Cut to shot of he and Althea embracing and kissing passionately in corner, just a few moments earlier…
"God, we can't just now, William…" she notes, breaking away and pushing up askew eyeglasses. "There's too much at stake and Jesus, if my dad catches us… He's still very much a gent of the old school when it comes to his daughter and boys." Wan smile.
"We're married, Cicely." He frowns. "But if as Derek I have to formally ask permission for your hand…"
"You would? Oh…" beams. "Oh, really, honey, later…I don't want put this on Dad just now! I love you! We'll talk later!" she hurries off.
"No, not much to tell there…" back to Derek facing crew.
Slight smile on face…
...
"Look at it…" Colin, standing on the basement floor, having slipped away from the angry looks of Ginny, Eloise, and the others, indicating the Varna battlefield display.
"One of the great battles of History and Dracula's daughter wins the day on reboot…And Dracula wins…" grim look. "Oh, yeah." He eyes us. "I know. Nandor the Relentless got the shit and demon kicked out of him and the soul…Goddamn you! Murderer! Traitor!" he smashes the table in two.
Staggering… "Yeah, it hurts and drains, a lot, even the one word…Plus, of course…" Sneer… "Just feeling that miserable soul crawling back to him…But I'll say it again…Goddamn!" he catches end of the broken table to steady himself.
Smiling, composed….
"Well, dear ole Nandor's got the soul kicked back in…Oh, I'm not a fool, I sensed it, up there when he came up, and one look at the Draculas doing their happy little victory dance, so very cute, told me all I needed to know." He eyes the crew filming. "But I'm not beaten yet…And even a souled vampire can be dust. And will be, tomorrow night. And even a souled vampire can lose a soul and still, will, be condemned forever. And Nandor will be, along with his pals, my dear friends, the Cravenworths. 'Cause Patience is my virtue, my only one, and all the stronger, therefore."
Eyes the battlefield, carefully lifting the two sections back into place. "Clever little bitch, isn't she, Dracula's foster daughter. But, Hell pays a good price for a cursed demonic Slayer. Who knows, they may even include recursing a souled vampire." Smiles.
…