The Meeting

It was 5:32 pm, a half hour past the scheduled meeting time, his employer had insisted it was to be 5:00 on the dot. Nick Katzenberg had been summoned by the renown Count Dracula but of course being of the modern times, didn’t believe it until he had met the man himself. Nick then took another drag of a cigarette, the fifth one this afternoon. He wouldn’t dare complain since he knew it wouldn’t do any good, he was getting paid after all. In fact, he was more terrified of his employer than anything else, he knew of course of the supposed vampire-like mutate Dr. Michael Morbius. At first the photographer thought that ol’ Drac was like that blood-sucking freak, but he was proven wrong when he appeared to him in mist form a month ago. He went from mist to man…or man-like within seconds, it shook him to his core. It **** him to realize the existence of the monsters he thought only existed in movies and comics books. The money he offered him was something Jameson would not give him in a thousand years.

"Where is he?" the overweight man impatiently sighed with teeth clenched, "Does he expect me to wait forever?”

Just then, a strong accented voice from behind him, “Dracula decides when he arrives, scum."

The suddenness of his arrival scared Nick out of his skin. The unscrupulous photographer whipped around and found his “employer” standing behind him. The familiar, yet menacing appearance of this figure standing over him left the pig so terrified that not even his secret stash of Parker's hot wife could comfort him.

“Of-of course,” Nick stuttered in fear, “I-I knew that.”

“Good,” stated Dracula.

The King of the Undead walked around and pulled out the chair opposite of Nick’s to sit down. There were times when the Vlad III just didn’t understand mortals. Just like now, in order for their meeting to commence, Nick would need to sit back down.

His wine-red eyes looked upon Nick with annoyance, “Do you intend to stand there forever, Mortal?”

“Uh…no, of course not,” responded the greedy photographer, obviously nervous and fearful.

“Then why don’t you sit?” asked a feminine voice.

Nick immediately turned to find a voluptuous brunette in what looked like a satin-blue dress. She held out his chair with a coy smile and a slightly hidden fang. Nick just nodded nervously and sat down as the mysterious woman helped to seat him. Vlad smiled at how Raven was able ensure this meeting came to order.

“So, have you obtained more on who I seek, worm?” asked Vlad.

The photographer knew that Dracula didn’t think very highly of him as it was, not that it ever mattered to him. Just as long as he received his payment, some people worshiped gods, for some it was idols, but he, Nicolaus Katzenberg, it was the All-Mighty Dollar. In fact, it never really mattered what anyone thought of him, the money was all that mattered.

“Have you what I asked for?" again inquired the Undead Lord, this time with an expression of irritancy.

The fat man nodded, “You bet’cha.”

“Show me,” demanded his employer.

Nick just reached into his pocket pulled out an envelope and handed it Dracula. During this encounter Vlad ran his fingers through his black hair. As he held the envelope with his other hand, he took a glance at Katzenberg. It was clear this greasy swine didn’t care too much about his appearance beyond clean clothes and perhaps a shower, but he did prove that even rogues like him had their uses. In fact, it was through him that he found Susan and so it was that he didn’t mind using him for future bride candidates. He remembered the fear in this mortal’s eyes when he displayed for him the punishment that was in store for him should he run with money. He was satisfied he had not lost his edge seeing the human’s face when shown another being skinned alive for a similar transgression and then reminding him that he would share the same fate if he crossed him. He even remembered when he threatened to call the police; Vlad could only laugh and asked the mortal if he thought anyone would believe him. That was all it took and then he left him, satisfied that Katzenberg understood his position.

Dracula handed the envelope back to him, “Open it, my friend.”

“What?” questioned Nick, “Ya don’t trust me?”

“No,” Vlad stated flatly.

“Oh…okay,” said Nick as he fearfully pulled back with his employer's quick glare.

The human opened the envelope and pulled out the pictures, then placed them on the table. Dracula picked them up, and saw plenty of beautiful women as well as the group they were in. The X-Men and the Avengers were among them. It amazed him how many conquests for brides there were, of course he knew of Ororo but he realized how fixated he was on her to not notice the other women around her. Her companion Kitty Pryde he found to be very desirable, yes, she would have to separate her from the rest, but she would do nicely. Among the Avengers he found plenty of desirable woman, there was a voluptuous woman in with green skin who looked to be sun-bathing. He found her through Susan’s memories, Jenn, they called her, Jennifer Walters. Another was a beautiful brunette with a skin-tight scarlet dress, next to her was a woman with a strange outfit as well as a golden blonde beauty with a black suit and a yellow almost lightning bolt shape. Yes, there were plenty of suitable brides out there, he wondered why he hadn’t looked the first time.

Dracula smiled, “You’ve done well mortal; very well, you have earned your payment.”

Vlad III pulled out a wad of bills and pushed it toward Nick. The slob smiled, he knew what he liked, and the green backs were it. The two males then stood up and Dracula turned to with Raven on his arm and the envelope of pictures in his hand.

Crazy, he must be crazy for doing this, “W-why do you want those pictures?”

“That is not your concern,” Dracula sneered as he left with his bride.

Nick just shrugged and left as well, he wasn’t going to push the issue, it might be…what’s he saying…it will be his life next time. The man just left and hoped he wouldn’t see that monster anytime soon.