Alex checks her temperature and confirms that she has the same low body temperature as her son Holden. She goes to Max's room and Mrs. Ellison says that the antibiotics aren't working. She asks if it's time for her to sign a DNR, and Alex promises that she won't give up. As Mrs. Ellison hugs her, Alex glances at the vein pulsing on her throat and hears the woman's heartbeat. Once she goes to get some coffee, Alex goes to a store room and drinks blood from the bags. She throws them away afterward and changes her clothing, and takes a blood sample. Alex then goes back to the dying Max and injects some of her blood into his IV bag. The boy convulses as his heart speeds up, and he opens his eyes wide.
That night, Donovan goes to Ramona's house with Iris and pounds on the door. The butler Graves finally lets him in and Donovan tells Ramona that Iris is the manager at the Cortez. He passes off her condition as being drunk, and says that he wants revenge on the Countess just like Ramona does. Iris sees Ramona's posters on the wall, and says that she's beautiful. Ramona says that it's a waste and Donovan says that the Countess took it away from her. He knows how she feels, and says that he wants to make the Countess bleed. Ramona realizes that Iris has been turned, and Donovan says that he did what he had to do. He figures that she's intrigued, and Ramona admits that she likes his recklessness. Iris says that the Countess will know when she sees her, and Donovan says that the Countess never looks at her.
Alex goes back to Max's room and discovers that he's gone. The nurse brings Max back in with his mother, and Alex checks his chart. The x-rays are clear, and Mrs. Ellison insists that it's a miracle. As the nurse goes to get Max released, Mrs. Ellison thanks Alex for saving Max's life and hugs her.
Iris returns to the Cortez and Liz asks where she's been. She realizes that something is wrong, and iris snaps at her that she just wants to go to bed. Liz figures that Iris has been drinking and takes her to the bar to pour her something. Iris savors the taste, and Liz says that it's from the Countess' secret stash of blood with some triple sec. She says that she'll have to feed on fresh blood in a few hours, and Iris wonders how she's going to drink from the children. Liz pours her another drink and says that it's transcendent, but Iris says that nobody remembers her at her age. She figures that it's ironic that she's damned to eternity with her body and her meaningless soul.
At home, Max finishes killing his parents and drinking their blood, and then goes to catch the school bus, dressed as a pirate. At school, the teacher Mrs. Pritchard complains that Max brought a plastic sword and takes it away from him. His friend Madeline comes over and Max shows her his backup sword, and they go into the adjoining storage room. Max says that he was going to die but he's much better now, and Madeline kisses him. However, Max bites her lip and then bites his lip and says that she can taste his blood.
Mrs. Pritchard tells her class that they have work to do. She notices that Max and Madeline are gone, and finds Madeline in the storage room, convulsing on the floor. Max slams the door shut and cuts Mrs. Pritchard's throat, and tells Madeline to drink it.
In the hallway, Principal Johnson is coming down the hallway when one student, Jimmy, falls out of Mrs. Pritchard's classroom. He goes inside and finds all of the students in convulsions. He goes into the storage room and finds Madeline feeding on the teacher's blood. As Johnson starts to text for help, Max stabs him in the stomach and then cuts his throat. Johnson tells the students to drink the blood and they advance on the dying principal. He fights them off and staggers out.
In the teacher's lounge, the teachers are putting up decorations when the principal slams into the window and then collapses. They put the school on lockdown and drag him into the lounge, as the police and the news crews arrive outside. SWAT troopers go in and find the teachers dead in the lounge. They move to the auditorium and spot the students up in the rafters. They bring the children out to their parents, and Madeline runs to her father. An officer asks Madeline what happened, and she says that there was a masked man dressed in black. The other students tell the same story.
John files a report and his lieutenant points out that he reported a dinner with serial killers. He asks for an explanation, and John says that it must have been some kind of copycat cult. He describes Marsh and figures that he's the Ten Commandment Killer, is lieutenant points out that his reputation has been shit for five years since John's breakdown. John says that he was under the stress, but the lieutenant fires him. Disgusted, John hands in his gun and his badge, and warns that nothing is safe.
A couple arrive at the Cortez and Iris greets them at the front desk. They explain that they're influencers and demands a discount, and say that they're disgusted with Halloween. They just want to hide out and not deal with the trick-or-treaters. Iris takes them to a regular room, and they complain that it's not a Will Drake room. She assures them that he hasn't started yet, and the man Justin convinces his girlfriend to give it a try. They make a number of demands and then have Iris repeat it all back to them.
As Iris goes to the bar and complains to Liv, the Countess and Tristan arrive. They head for the elevator, but the Countess comes back and tells the nervous woman to remind Will that he's invited to their party that evening. Tristan sniffs the air and the Countess stares at Iris. She leans over and points out that Iris seems nervous, and Tristan wonders why Iris is sweating. Iris says that the people in costume make her nervous, and the Countess shrugs and goes on.
Justin calls down and asks for pate, cheese, and wine. When Iris says that they can't do it, Justin lectures her about ordering out and then hangs up. Liz comes over and helps Iris to the kitchen, and dumps out some cat food. Iris figures that the guests will realize something is wrong, but Liz figures that they're too cool to notice. Embarrassed, Iris admits that she's never paid any attention to Liz. Liz invites her to ask what she wants, and Iris asks how Liz ended up as a transvestite in the Cortez.
In 1984, Tracey married the man Liz once was, Nick Breyer. Nick married her because they were the same dress size. Their son draws the plane his father will be taking as a medical rep. In LA, Nick takes the doctors to restaurants and strip clubs, He checks into the Cortez and gets a room by himself without his two business partners, and privately dresses as a woman. Nick orders champagne with room service, and has the bell boy leave it outside. When Nick turns around, he finds the Countess waiting for him. She says that she's been watching him, and realized that Nick's blood smelled like a woman. Nick breaks into tears and says that the Countess is beautiful. He explains that he's crying because he's ugly, and the Countess says that he lacks commitment. She offers to help him become the goddess he was meant to be.
The countess makes Nick up as the perfect woman. She christens him Liz Taylor and they go to the Roxy with Mick Jagger. Liz isn't ready to go out, and the Countess tells him to go down the hallway and get some ice. Liz walks past a maid and enjoys her newfound freedom. As she goes back, Liz runs into her two business partners. They recognize Nick and figure that he's a homosexual, and say that he's toast at the office. They wonder if he has AIDS, and Liz screams that she's not gay. She tells them to see her and go to hell, and the Countess steps out and kills them. She then tells Liz that they have two selves and they can't ignore the shadow.
Liz tells Iris that the Countess never infected her. He kept the fur and sent the money to Tracy until their children turned 18. Iris admires her bravery, and Liz says that she's the brave one. She tells Iris to stop taking shit and scorch the earth, and start by teaching the influencers some manners. Iris considers and then takes a drag on Liz's cigarette.
Iris delivers the tray to the room and Justin asks if she's ill. She says that she's not sick, and Justin complains that Iris didn't bring the romaine. He eats the "pate" and says that it's tolerable, and complains that Will Drake hasn't remodeled the room. Iris knocks a knife off of the cart, almost hitting the woman's toe. They complain that Iris has been hostile since they checked in, and Iris stabs the woman in the neck with a corkscrew. Justin goes to her and Iris stabs him in the back, screaming that they have no idea what it's like to be gutted. She then drinks their blood and leans back, sated.
John wakes up and finds Sally in bed with him. He wonders how she got in, and Sally reminds him that he practically dragged her there. John has vague memories of drinking with Sally at the bar, and having sex with her as the Addiction Demon looks on. He dresses and tells Sally that she has to go, Sally insists that something real happened there and it wasn't a dream, and John insists that he doesn't remember anything. She doesn't believe him, and says that it's going to happen again and again and John can't stop it because it's their destiny.
Liz helps Iris wheel out the bodies, and Iris thanks her for her advice. When Iris worries that she might have gone too far, Liz assures her that she didn't as they dump the corpses down the chute. There's a bottle of wine and the two women share a drink. Iris says that she never knew how to live until she died, and they share a toast.
In the Countess' penthouse, Alex puts on one of the Countess' dresses. The Countess comes in with Holden and has the boy give his mother a kiss. Holden does so and says that Alex is just like him now. The Countess says that as long as Alex obeys the rules, she can stay as long as she wants. She spells out that Alex will serve as the children's new governess. Alex assures her that it's no burden, and says that she hasn't told John what has happened. The Countess sends Holden to bed and when Alex objects, the Countess says that she and Holden will have forever. They go to the drained pool and lie down in their glass coffin together.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 5, 2015