Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar...
Part VIII...
Home of David Chu and Jennifer Steinecke, Friday morning about six am...
"Jen?" David eyes her as she pulls back to regard him in turn after a passionate kiss, the two in bed naked under sheets. "Do you really have to go out so early? It's such a long day for you and you've been ill."
"Just a cold, I'm fine..." she beamed, moving in again to kiss. "Ma chere...Oh..." she hugged him.
Pull back to show documentary crew in bushes, taking long range shots of the bedroom window...
David and Jen in long-range focus through window...In bed, heads and arms and some chest occasionally visible through the window shot.
Back inside...
"Well...Wait, honey..."
"Come on, we haven't much time before I gotta get up..."
"Yeah, but...Couldn't Mr. Cravensworth see you before six? You say it'll take a few hours to finish going over the house and talking to his family...That's such a long day, Jen."
"You work long hours when you have to, Davey. Honey, it's my job." Jen notes. "Lets make the most of the time we have..." coy smile.
"Sure, but..."
"Maybe Laszlo...Mr. Cravensworth'll let me off earlier than I think. I'll try. Are you set to pick up Suzie at 4?"
"Sure...Ok, but Saturday is free, you promised." David, firmly. "Ginny's been working you much too hard."
"It's my choice. But yeah, it's our weekend...I might have to go out Sunday but just to Meister's place. The deal there is nearly set."
"I hate that guy Meister. He's a fat pig and he practically drools on you." David frowns.
"David? Are you jealous?" she grins. "Come on, he's a sad case. I just throw him a smile, now and then, I feel sorry for men like that."
"He's hardly insecure Jen..." sigh. "You know, I would never interfere in the way you work but sometimes..."
"Yeah?" she eyes him. "'Sometimes'...? Say what you mean, Davey."
"You're a warm person and you like to flirt, I know. And I know you mean only to make people feel good but...Jen, sometimes..." he paused.
"Davey is jealous..." she teased. "David, you know there's no one but you and the Master..."
"What?" he stared.
"What?" she stared back. "There's no one but you...For me."
"'And the Master'? That word again..." David eyed her.
"What?"
"You said 'and the Master' and the other night, when you were practically fucking my brains out you called me 'master'."
"Did I?" she regarded him. "I guess I was being kinky...I've called you names like that before, come on lets take a shower together and then wake up Suzie for a walk." she rolled out of bed, standing naked before him.
"But what about...Jen, are you ok?" David eyed her.
"Davey..." she sighed. "I been workin' my tail off for us and I'm tryin' to keep the romance goin' . Come on, ma petit..." she beamed. "Take me in the shower and show me who the Master is. Come on..." she backed away, giggling.
"Aw, come on...Je t'aime beaucoup...Je veux te baiser, bebe." forefinger in mouth.
"Eh...fine. But try and get off early, will ya?" he rises from the bed and she backs away, heading for shower facing him, giggling.
...
Guillermo in his cell, struggling to get a new sweater vest over his arm cast...
"I'm expecting Ms. Steinecke, Master Laszlo's tentative new familiar about eight...I'm not to discuss her around the house after sunset...And I hope she'll like it here. I figure we'll take it slow the first day. She's in thrall and I can't move very easily. But I'll show her the ropes of dealing with the 'food supply' and cleaning up and what generally need to be done during the day. Not sure how long she's staying today though Master Laszlo said she'd be available all day and would be meeting with him in the house just before sunset around six." thoughtful nod, final pull of sweater.
"That's kind of him to get up early for her. I understand she has a child and I think he wants to make sure she gets home to be with it. And of course less time for Mistress Nadja to see her. He told me he'd be introducing her tonight as a real estate agent only. I wonder if that means we might be selling this place?" Guillermo, looking around. "If it could be a little more modern, maybe a bit smaller or with more familiars? That would be nice. Moving will be tough though. There's a lot to move. And it's hard to find crates to hold the coffins."
...
Colin, in his cell, dressing for work...
"I'm not sure when Ms. Steinecke is coming, Guillermo only told me she'd be by this morning as well as coming tonight to see Laszlo. I hope I can catch her and say hi, feed off her a bit. On the other hand, Nandor's always available and has even agreed to allow a little draining. I always do anyway in the am but it's nice that he's willing. Avoids any chance of an incident like in 1932. I came down too soon and he was able to chase me right out into the street before the rising sun made him bat back."
....
Nadja, in her coffin...Just readying for daylight rest.
"Laszlo was very sweet yesterday and today, settling me in as we have no familiar since Justin's head was crushed by that bookcase, while Guillermo...Not that I'd want him about me...Is too 'injured and tired' to settle us well. I suppose he was hurt the other night but humans can be lazy...Plus I know he doesn't like working for Laszlo and me, though Laszlo is very kind to him. He's always 'Master Nandor' this and 'Nandor the Relentless' demands that..." frowns.
"Still, he's a nice boy generally, just too pathetic to have hanging around one all the time. Laszlo is up to something by the way..." renewed frown. "He's being much too attentive which means he is up to something. Still, perhaps it's just he wants to press me to agree to selling the place."
"He has an agent coming tonight. Our new Renfield, you know? Smiles... "Like in the new book by the Irish guy that they keep making into movies? Very funny, really, but most of them are fairly respectful of us. And there was a 'Count Dracula', but he was rather old and conservative, would never move to England like the fictional one did. Though they do say he met the Irish guy and told him some tales or sold them to him... Maintaining castles is expensive, you know. Laszlo says his family would, if he had not been the last of his line and I hadn't killed him, have had to turn his family estate...Some uncle owned it, Laszlo did inherit but we had such trouble what with him being dead, to prove his claim we gave it up...Into a museum, like most of the big British castles now. Or perhaps a winery and upscale hotel...Which would have been rather fun. Hostessing and eating the guests... Yes, but that Dracula, I don't know. He was obsessed with his dead wife just like in most of the movies but I don't think he would have sold his story. Now he did have a rather sleazy grandnephew, Vladimir...Who did lay claim to the Dracula title. It could have been him. He would have sold his mother's crypt and his mother's staked ashes remains. A vampire hunter got her, I understand. Some poseur...Claiming he got the great Dracula. Bah, if I remember her right, she was old at transformation and could barely move even at night."
"Well, if it is about selling only, surprise, darling...It won't be that hard a sell." she smiles. "But, hopefully Nandor won't be a problem. I'm really looking forward now to a more modern place, perhaps a bigger kitchen and a larger parlor and of course the home theater..." wistful look.
.....
"David, I have to go now..." Jen tells David, rising from table at seven twenty. "I can't be late. Take Suzette." she hands the toddler over and quickly examines makeup. "I'll text you I got there and call you at lunch."
"Ok..." David with Suzette in his arms, accepting her quick peck kiss. "Just...Jen?" as Jen vanishes out the door. He staring out after her through the glass of the door as she hurries to her car, briefcase and her sports bag for gym in hand.
....
"I must not be late." Jen tells camera as she drives. "Thank you for coming along so I don't get lost, my cell isn't getting a good signal this morning and same for my car GPS."
"I suppose I should feel bad rushing out on Suzie and David like that but I have my commands from Master Laszlo. After all he's waited and had me forget about him these last two days, so they've had all the attention I usually can manage. Anyway, I'll make it up to them tomorrow, if the master allows and I don't have to kill them or offer them to him. I hope I don't. I probably won't, you think?" she asks us wistfully, then at sound, looks at message on car screen... "Incoming call from Troy Meister..."
"I have no time for you either, Troy." she frowns. "Still, I should check in with him when I have a minute, that deal is just too good to let slide. I'll explain to Master Laszlo when I see him. David is right, Troy is kinda a pig. But I do sort of feel sorry for guys like him. I mean it's just business, flirting with him a little...That one time I slept with him. Just to help move things along, you know?" sigh.
"I mean, it's only business, you know what I mean?...And maybe feeling bad for him." She brushes hair back. "Poor guy couldn't get a date with twice his money and he's plenty loaded, though he is a bit of a pig. I probably shouldn't go on with him any more but it's just, I don't really mind it when the guy's nice enough. I encounter a lot of jerks in this world who think they're entitled to everything including me and I hate that attitude. So I like making nice fellas who don't think they're very hot stuff happy for a minute. Help them with their self-esteem, you know?" earnest look...
"And Ginny, my boss? She taught me the business and she is a big believer in 'going the distance' to do everything to keep the client happy and seal the deal. Not that I sleep around with every client." nervous look. "Please don't let the master think that...Let me explain." she pauses. See...
Picture a lovely young Jennifer in braids and school suit in Catholic high school...Boys eyeing her...She smiling at several of the shyer, less attractive types who nervously smile back or avoid her smile till she pauses and speaks to them, kindly. Several rather full of themselves types, female and male, frowning at her as she ignores them and continues conversing with a nervous tubby fellow who finally beams at her, talking freely...
"Ever since I got kinda pretty in high school I've felt this way. I had my troubles when I was young and kinda chubby and sick from some liver problems I had then and there were some nice, maybe a little nerdy types, who were kind to me when other kids teased me. See, a lot of guys are really nice guys who just don't have a lot of confidence and it's nice to perk them up a bit. Sometimes, mostly, it's just a little flirting, sometimes, maybe a little more. I mean nothing all that big...Really...Just a little fooling around, maybe just a little more. It makes them feel great, being with a pretty girl. I always enjoy it...I wouldn't if the guy is an out-and out a=hole...And it's not something that would ever touch things between David and me. Or the Master and me, now. I love David...Well, David and the Master, the Master a little more I guess now. It's a little confusing..." she notes.
"I suppose I've been using my looks a bit too much in my work these last few...But...College for Suzie and money for our retirement...It don't make itself, you know? It's no big deal, just pushes things along and I'm very careful not to ever let it embarrass David. Still, I hope I can get round Troy and close things without another 'sleepover'. I mean he stands to do well here, too. I never use sleeping with a client to allow shoddy work, you know." firm nod. "Well, worry about all that later...I have other priorities now." nod.
"I brought jeans and a sweatshirt for the work around the house, as the master said there'd be some heavy work. That should be nice, I'd like to see more of the house. I like working around old homes, it helped get me into real estate as well as home restoration. Say, should I get coffee for Guillermo, sort of a little starting day present? He likes coffee, right?" regarding camera.
"Well, I'll get some and see. He seems a very nice kid and the Master wants me to take instruction from him. Though I am not to obey any orders to destroy the Master he gives should he be pissed off at the Master." reciting tone. "You know, like open a window and the Master's coffin?" she eyes road, making turn.
"There's a Starbucks. I'll get us both some vanilla bean scones as well. Just a nice 'thanks for welcoming me' present. You know...I think Guillermo is a virgin...He's definitely at least bi...Maybe I could give him another sort of present as well?" warm beam. "He seems to need a little confidence boosting... Do you think I should ask the Master about that? I don't want to cross any lines on my first day." earnest look.
...