Chapter Text
HELP WANTED
- Must be willing to clean and do laundry.
- Experience removing blood stains preferred.
- Applicant should be physically strong.
-Position suited to night owls.
Contact: Guillermo (xxxx-xxx-xxx)
You didn’t know what to expect calling the number on the card, but you were desperate for work and would take anything at this point just to get your mom off your back.
“Um, hi, is this Guillermo?” You speak into your phone, clutching your umbrella tightly. The rain was pounding down with no mercy.
“Speaking.” A man’s voice answered.
“Great.” You let out an anxious sigh. “I’m calling about the flyer you posted.”
“Oooh, yes, yes perfect.” He sounded stressed. “What’s your name?”
“I’m y/n.”
“Sweet.” Guillermo sounded as though he was scrambling for a pen on the other end of the line. “Can you meet for an interview this afternoon?”
“Um, sure, yeah!” You answered enthusiastically.
-----
Guillermo was a short-ish guy, sort of round in shape with glasses and dark hair. He wore a knit sweater with a collared shirt underneath. He met you in a café nearby. Your interview went very quickly, and you had to ask several times if you were dreaming because the job description was to be a Vampire’s Familiar. At first, you’d laughed, dismissing it as a cruel joke, even getting up to leave. But when Guillermo reached up and gently stopped you with a hand on your arm, your smile faded and was replaced with intrigue.
Apparently, he was desperate for help and no one else had applied for the job in the weeks he had advertised.
“I won’t lie. It’s dangerous.” Guillermo said. “Nadja and Laszlo aren’t the best at looking after themselves, let alone their familiars. But I have a feeling they’ll really like you.”
“Why are you so sure?” You ask, still perplexed and in shock that vampires were in fact real.
“There’s just something about you, y/n.” He said, his lips pressing into a thin line. “You remind me a lot of myself when I first got into this business.”
-----
You agreed to meet your new masters the following night. After a crash course in being a familiar delivered by Guillermo, you felt game enough to dive in headfirst. You ascended the front steps of the Staten Island mini-mansion and gently tapped a few times on the door.
You didn’t have to wait long before it swung inwards, and a man dressed in all beige greeted you.
“Hi there! Welcome to mi casa!” He grinned although his tone was deadpan. “What’s a young thing like you doing here this time of night? You know I heard about a young woman such as yourself-“
“Colin!” Guillermo cut the man off, swooping in from the side to shake your hand. “Welcome, y/n. I see you’ve already met Colin Robinson.”
“Nice to meet you.” You smiled pleasantly, feeling a slight wave of drowsiness wash over you. You yawn.
“He’s the energy vampire I was telling you about. You’ve got to be careful, or he’ll drain you until you’re in a coma on the floor.”
“Oh… right…” You say, looking back at Colin as Guillermo gently guides you by the elbow into the middle of the foyer.
“Gizmo, what is this sweet little thing you’ve brought us?” A female voice called out from the top of the stairs.
“No, Nadja. This is-“
“Panagia mou! She smells so good!” Nadja began to descend the stairs, arms outstretched. Was that Greek? Before Guillermo could say another word, the vampire was on you, roughly taking you by the shoulders and leaning in to lick at your neck. You froze up, drawing in a gasp.
The woman was taller than you. She had long black hair cascading over her shoulders in crimped curls. Her eyes lit up a hazel, almost yellow. She wore a black dress with large, puffed sleeves and a flowing skirt. She looked right out of a vintage photograph.
“Gizmo, thank you for bringing me this very pretty girl, you can go now.”
“She’s not food, Nadja!” Guillermo tried and failed to separate Nadja from her prey. “This is your new familiar. For you and Laszlo.”
“Hhnngggg but she’s a virginnnn!” Nadja whined, pulling back but tightening her grip on your arms.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Guillermo turned to you, shocked, and you gave him a shrug. He turned back to Nadja. “Well then, you need to control your instincts. Y/n is the only option seeming as you keep killing your familiars.”
“We did not kill them. They all suffered from terrible, horrible accidents.” Nadja defended herself, flashing her fangs. It didn’t scare you, only exciting a small flame in your abdomen.
“I’ll do my best to please you, mistress.” You butt in, addressing Nadja for the first time. “And master Laszlo, too.”
Nadja looked satisfied with your declaration and let you go, a glint appearing in her eye.
“I won’t drain you, but I will be having a little taste later, I’ll tell you that, y/n.” She smirked. “There are some carcasses in the cell that need ridding of. After that come find me in my crypt.” Nadja said. “And welcome, I guess.” The vampire slinked away back up the stairs, leaving you and Guillermo alone again with Colin Robinson, who had witnessed the whole encounter from the doorway.
-----
A few hours later and you and Guillermo had deadlifted three bodies out of the basement and disposed of them in the backyard. You surprised yourself with your ability to withstand the gore of it all, and even Guillermo seemed impressed. Looking down at your clothes, there was fresh splats of deep red blood.
“If you want to clean up a bit before you see Nadja, I’ll show you where the bathroom is.” You nodded gratefully and followed him inside. “And uh, I’ll buy you an apron to protect your clothes for next time.”
It’s your first time upstairs as you follow Guillermo deeper into the house. He points out different doors and tells you who belongs where. You reach the bathroom and thank Guillermo for being so welcoming. He gives you a warm smile before tottering off down the hall, giving you privacy.
You relaxed under the piping hot water of the shower, steam surrounding your body. You noticed a lavender scented body wash nested on the shelf and didn’t see the harm in borrowing some. As soon as you washed it over you skin you recognised the scent. This is what Nadja smells like. Your breath hitched at the memory of her almost biting into your neck. They way her hands gripped your arms and held you tightly. The way it rippled through your core. Would Nadja notice if you smelt like her? You hoped she would.
Clean and dressed again, you exited the bathroom and followed Guillermo’s directions until you found yourself at the door to Nadja and Laszlo’s crypt. Your heart raced as you raised your hand to knock.
“Hurry up, y/n! I know you’re standing there!” Nadja called from inside, sensing your presence. You inhaled deeply and turned the door handle with confidence, stepping into the vampire’s lair.
The ‘crypt’ Guillermo had described seemed to be a regular room. Displays of taxidermized animals lined both walls, inside glass and on shelves. At the far end of the space, two coffins stood upright. Side by side. In the centre was a plush looking divan, and sitting on it was Nadja and who you assumed to be Laszlo. Looking at them together, you noticed that their outfits matched. A masculine and feminine reflection of each other. Out of respect to your new masters, you gave a little bow.
“Isn’t she cute?” Nadja praised, clapping her hands together.
“She is indeed.” Laszlo smiled at his wife, letting her take hold of one of his hands.
“Look at her beady little eyes!” Nadja giggled.
“Hopefully you’ll last longer than your predecessors.” Laszlo said.
“That’s the plan.” You said with a small smiled. “Anything you need.”
“Obedient. I like it.” Laszlo nodded.
“I already like her so much better than the last one. What was his name?” Nadja chimed in. “Mark?”
“Max?” Laszlo guessed. “Mike? No that’s not it.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Nadja flapped her arms, “Because y/n is here now! Come closer.” She held her hand out to you and gestured for you to kneel before them. “Just a little ceremonial thing to get out of the way. Guillermo might have told you about it.”
“He briefly mentioned it.” You say, now kneeling on the floor facing Nadja and Laszlo.
“Just a formality.” Laszlo said, “You swear allegiance to us, and we promise to make you a vampire someday, blah, blah, blah. Understand?”
“Yes.” You replied. “What do I have to do?”
Nadja held out her hand to you, signalling that you should take it. With your hand on top and Nadja’s underneath, Laszlo added his as well, so they were both cradling your hand. You felt the lights dim in the room and a wind chill suddenly made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Nadja began to speak in a deeper tone then before.
“Do you, y/n, swear fealty to I, Nadja of Antipaxos…”
“And I, Laszlo Cravensworth?” They looked to you for a response.
“I swear.” You raised your chin.
“Do you swear to remain loyal and fulfill the duties of a familiar until you are released from our service, while never exposing vampire kind to the human world?”
“I swear.”
“Then I, Nadja of Antipaxos…”
“And I, Laszlo Cravensworth.”
“Accept you into our service and swear to one day, if you desire, sire you into a vampire.” The couple looked at you with a hint of excitement. “Now you kiss my ring.”
You leant forward and gently pecked your lips to the large emerald ring on Nadja’s index finger and she smiled. She spoke with her normal voice this time. “And now we seal the deal with a little blood oath.”
“Huh?” You let out, but it was too late, Nadja was already pulling your wrist to her mouth. She lapped her tongue against your pulse for a moment before driving her fangs into your flesh.
“Owww!” You flinched in pain, but Nadja held you tightly, Laszlo taking hold of your forearm now. Nadja sucked a few gulps of blood from you before handing you over to her husband to do the same. The vampire’s eyes glowed golden with thirst.
Your head felt heavy, and your limbs felt light. Like you might float away to the ceiling and leave your brain behind.
“That’s enough, my darling. The poor thing’s going to collapse.” Nadja was the one to stop her husband from taking more than you could give.
“You didn’t tell me she was a virgin!” You heard Laszlo remark as your eyes began to flutter closed. The last thing you remember before darkness claimed you was your face tipping forwards into Nadja’s skirts.
-----
“Wakey wakey!”
You felt someone’s hand rocking your shoulder.
“Wake up now, little turkey.” Nadja’s voice pushed its way through the fog. She was shaking you, and not very gently.
Eyes wide and gasping you jolted back to consciousness.
“Easy now!” Laszlo said loudly, “We thought we’d lost another one for a moment.”
“No, she’s okay. Look at her! Just a bit pale.” Nadja grimaced a little and leaned over you, pressing a cool hand to your forehead.
You still lay flat on your back. Now able to take in your surroundings you realised you were no longer in the crypt but splayed out on a bed somewhere else.
“Huh?” You tried to sit up. “What happen-“
“Oh no, darling. You rest now.” Nadja ordered, pushing you back down.
“Yes, we may have got a bit carried away in there. Sorry about that, old chap. Our bad.” Laszlo added. “But we did carry you to your bedroom. Thought it would be better than our floor.” Laszlo said.
“We just wanted to make sure you were still alive.” Nadja laughed nervously. “But we’ll leave you be now. You can resume your familial duties when you’ve recovered.”
“Are you sure?” You asked, looking between their faces.
“Yes, yes. Gizmo’s got it covered.” Laszlo said with a wink, seeming to have already developed a fondness for you.
Nadja pushed a sweaty lock of hair off your face and gave your head a gentle pat.
“I’m fine.” You tried to sit up again but Nadja held you down with ease.
“Rest now.” She said softly, waving a hand near your face. A sweet scent filled your nose and Nadja’s features began to sparkle and swirl. Your eyelids instantly became heavy.
“Mistress…” The word slurred from your lips as you realised that she was hypnotising you to sleep.
“Drift into a deep and dreamless slumber…” Nadja soothed, running her fingers through your hair. Nadja’s words overpowered you and your eyes finally closed once again.
-----
Your wristwatch read 3:05pm when you awoke. A blanket had been haphazardly thrown over your lower half, probably by one of the vampires on their way out. The thought was there, even if it was only covering half of you.
Unable to say still any longer after hours of being static, you decide to head downstairs and see if Guillermo was around.
“Hey, you alright?” He said as you descended the stairs, rubbing your eyes.
“Um, I think so?” You half smiled. “Are they all sleeping?”
“Yeah.”
Sitting across from Guillermo in the kitchen, he gently unwound the piece of fabric Nadja had messily wrapped around your bleeding wrist while you were sleeping.
“Sorry I didn’t tell you the gory details beforehand… didn’t want to freak you out, you know?”
“Did you have to go though the same thing with Nandor?”
“Yeah, five years ago when I first became his familiar.”
“Five years?”
“Yep.”
Awkward silence as Guillermo cleans the puncture marks on your wrist.
“So, Nadja and Laszlo must really like you then.” Guillermo finally said.
“What makes you say that.”
“Well, for one, they gave you a bedroom.” He almost laughed. “I’m still in the cupboard under the stairs.” Before you could rebut, he continued. “And two, they could have drunk all your precious virgin blood, but they didn’t. They chose to keep you alive.”
“Because you asked them to.” You said.
“They rarely listen to me. No. This was all them. They like you.”