Meanwhile, Nova isn't sure why he's been sent back with a note for Mr Wright, but he has. He hasn't been here long, and this is the first time he's been in any of the rooms outside the ones he's worked in.

He makes himself slightly smaller as he leaves the main rooms - he doesn't want to attract attention here, in case someone takes exception to his presence. He knocks, a little timidly on the door, barely audibly really, of the room he's been told he'll find Mr Wright in.

"Come in."

Bill could feel the warmth before he heard the knock on the door. The new hire.

He does, trying desperately to ignore the feeling of being plunged into an ice bath (and yes, he does know what that feels like, and no, it wasn't pleasant). He can't stop the shiver that runs through him as he holds out the note.

"Madame wanted me to bring you this."

The fear coming off of the new hire is so thoroughly mixed with the warmth that Bill is surprised he isn't actually raising the temperature of the room. Bill stands up and takes the note, unfolding it open. His sire's hand takes his own for a moment as he drains just a drop of experience from the man, before leveraging the gentle rush of power and his victim's sudden flinch to wrest control back, before giving the note a proper look.

Our continued gratitude for helping keep this place running smoothly.

Please enjoy your reward.

Well, it is too late for Bill to decline thoroughly, but while he still has the energy he's going to cut this off before he is tempted to take another sip. "Thank you. You may go."

"Ah- Madame said- to await your response?"

Bill sighs, before asking a seeming non-sequitur of a question. "How did you feel, when I took the note from you just a second ago?"

He shivers again, wraps his arms around himself. "Ah- cold? Sir?" (And...scared. But he's not going to actually admit to that, that's a dangerous thing to admit.)

Bill considers his words for a moment. "Right. Please tell the Madame that I appreciate the thought but that I don't want to shock our new hire too badly."

Oh. Oh.

That's why the Madame had sent him. (Couldn't she have just said that?)

He tilts his head back, body language shifting, becoming more seductive. "I can be very pleasing?"

Bill gives what may be the most painfully fake smile Nova has seen. "Thank you but I, ah...genuinely do have some hangups."

-Yeah, he can tell that that's very fake. "If you're...sure?"

Bill's smile falters more or less immediately, and he nods. "Nothing wrong with you, of course, I just...am working to limit some of my appetites, which the Madame tends to disagree with."

He nods, bobs in something that's a weird mix of a bow and a curtsey. "Understood, sir. Sorry to bother you."

Bill's lips quirk just a little, genuinely. "No need apologize. Now, I imagine that the Madame isn't expecting you for a moment, so feel free to a take a break. It's a busy night and I bet you could use one."

-Oh, yup, there's definitely some relieft there, well hidden, but definitely there. "Thank you, sir."

And, provided Bill doesn't stop him, he'll take his leave?

He's free to go.

Meanwhile, Bill gets back to paperwork, of which there is still a small mountain's worth to review, confirm, sign-off, tabulate, etc.

That said, after that night, the madame appears to be making a point to make sure that Nova keeps crossing Mr Wright's path. She's subtle enough about it, but it will become increasingly obvious.