What We Do In the Shadows: "Jen..."

What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..." Part CIV...

What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..."

Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar...

Part CIV...

"Ok, I really can't discuss the situation with you as to your vampires..." Claude, in his white caterer's smock, notes to camera from a corner by the huge kitchen where the catering staff of six, again including Derek, trying to avoid getting in others' way while clearing and reloading his own trays, was hurrying about to keep the reception machinery going as the party, continuing, began to wind down. "But if you want some low down on me and how Derek and I wound up on Team Van Helsing, I can give you a couple of minutes. But lets swing over here...Less easily heard by your friends, vamp or minion, and the guys here won't see and get their boss on my back. We're temps for the night, Derek and I, so of course less than dirt to them." Shrug.

"Ok..." he nodded after their quick move a bit further out of easy eyeshot...

"We are reincarnates, special ones...Sort of a reward for our previous redemptive work and the fact William, Derek's former self and I were initially innocent victims. Then we, well, sorta had a career...Much like your pals, maybe a bit worse."

Rueful look, sign. "Ok...Maybe a lot worse...Luckily, I got cursed with my soul by a gypsy whose daughter I'd killed and Derek...William...Was married to a Slayer and eventually won his soul back for her sake. Yeah, yeah...Sounds familiar." Roll of eyes. "That Whedon kid was babysat by the Slayer in a previous life, his aunt or cousin or something...Dates were off and he jazzed up the weekly world-saving a bit for his TV shows, but essentially that's it. We did some heroics, Will and I, got fried eventually, it happens. But we'd won enough points for a return as humans, though of course we were drawn back into the game as Hunters."

"Well..." considering question. "Really, Derek would be better to tell his story, once he gets it all back...It takes a while, I needed years. Me? Well, I was pretty awful as a vamp, not too shabby as a vamp/souled hero..." smile. "This time round, no real super power but I do what I can. Try to guide the new Hunters, who as you've probably guessed tend to be either reincarnates or recovered familiars/minions, or people who have something they want to atone for, though some folks just have in their blood, sometimes the family blood like Guillermo."

Another question..."Well, you get in the habit of saving, plus really...You want to do as much as you can to clean the slate. Hey, I want to see my parents, the originals as well as the latest, again. And Dr. Van Helsing is a fine man, even from beyond the grave. Helped many, living and dead during his life and after. He could give it up, retire, and relax, but he wants to keep helping the folks he's set on the redemption path like Dracula and others. And he means to help your folks, as do we. They're good people, really, all-in-all. Even as vamps, which I can tell you is remarkable and why they've won a chance for Redemption. It doesn't come to everyone this way."

"Althea? Well, she's the Slayer, reborn, put by the Powers that Be this time into the foster care of the Dracule, male and female. It's an honor for them, really. Nice sign they've really made it Redemptionwise. Plus, they're very fond parents, if at times a bit 'old school', naturally, being old European nobility types." Nod. Hmmn? "Oh yeah, she's Derek's wife, whatever her current age...I never met her in those days, good for both of us, I think, but she was legendary even then. I think the reason William was always hounding Slayers, like his character in the TV series, was he knew, somehow, it was her and his soul hoped she'd free him. Or maybe he was primarily po'd at her." Grin.

"See, she sent him away, deliberately, to save him, when he'd no idea about her supernatural career. As a human, even then he wasn't that good at self-defense, though he did come up through the really laboring ranks to become a scholar and poet, but she was sure he'd get himself killed trying to help her or, become a target for her enemies among the Undead." Sigh. "Including me, yeah...In fact, my worst victim really did target him in a conspiracy to bring her down...But Derek should tell you this, if he remembers it all, I was really on the outside. Though it looks like it all worked out, in the end. Will got the soul back, she and he are back, nice."