The Countess goes into the section of the Cortez that was walled up, where Rudolph and Natacha were imprisoned. She finds the relics of their past lives that they took in with them when James had them imprisoned, and resolves to take control of her existence.
Later, Will and the Countess go over the lobby and Will plans for their marriage. The Countess wants a simple ceremony, but Will insists that their wedding has to be the event of the season. She warns him that she's no show pony, and she loves him. However, Will needs her and he can't let the world drain him dry of his creativity again. Will hastily agrees, and the Countess tells him to design her gown while she takes care of everything else. Once Will leaves, Liz points out that it would be awkward if the paparazzi were there. The Countess tells her to have the flowers delivered, and Liz refuses to help her after she killed Tristan. When the vampire insists that Tristan didn't know how to love, Liz insists that Tristan did love her and tells the Countess to buy her own flowers.
Later, the Countess is in her apartment getting a pedicure. Alex serves her and they watch a newscast about a homeless man who was drained of blood. A private investigator calls and tells her that he's found Rudolph at a motel. The Countess goes there and Rudolph answers the door. He tells her to kiss him before coming in, and she does.
Later at the Cortez, Donovan and the Countess have sex. Afterward, he makes her promise that from now on it's just him. He asks for commitment and promises that they can do whatever they want with whoever they want. The Countess swears that she will, but warns that she won't make the same mistakes again. As they prepare for more sex, the Countess says that she'll be married on Wednesday... and a rich widow by Thursday. She wants to make a clean start, and suggests that they make a list of who they kill.
A couple and their man Stormcock arrive at the Cortez. Iris meets them at the desk, and they explain that they have reservations. She asks what they're going to do, and the man, Lex, says that they're going to have straight sex. The woman, Mary Magdalen, isn't so thrilled, and Iris says that she'll bring up extra towels. Stormcock films the couple having sex for a porn movie, and Iris refuses to turn away. She goes up, ready to stop porn filming in the Cortez, and pounds on the door with a knife. When Stormcock answers the door, Iris cuts his throat. Lex runs into the bathroom and locks the door, and Iris stabs Mary in the chest as the woman begs for her life.
Donovan arrives and finds Mary bleeding out on the bed. Iris is cleaning up, and her son says that he heard what she did to the hipsters a couple of weeks ago. Donovan figures that she's come into her own, and Iris says that it isn't safe for him there.
Earlier, the Countess woke Iris up and demands to know who let her son Bartholomew out. Iris insists that Donovan had nothing to do with it, and says that Ramona Royale is responsible.
Iris worries that the Countess may figure out that she, Donovan, and Ramona are working together. Donovan assures his mother that the Countess thinks that he's back with her. He tells iris to sit tight and stay quiet, and will let her know when she needs him. Lex yells for someone to call the police, and Donovan breaks down the door and goes inside.
In their room, Will gets Lachlan ready for the wedding. He admits that he's bisexual but insists that there's nothing weird about it. Will is happy that he's found the one person that's right for him, and is sure that the Countess is the one. Mrs. Evers comes in and tells Will that the Countess is not the one for Will or any other man. She warns Will that he'll die if he marries the Countess, but Will fires her. Mrs. Evers says that she loved a man and he was going to marry her, but he fell in love with the Countess.
James tells Mrs. Evers that he adores and depends on her, but he doesn't love her. He insists that the Countess is the epitome of style and grave, and he can't marry Mrs. Evers.
Mrs. Evers warns that no one survives the Countess, but Will orders her out. As she goes, Mrs. Ever says that one day he will ask her for mercy but she'll smile because she knows she'll get to clean the blood out of his formal wear.
The Countess brings a worker in to close off the recently opened wing with a security door. She insists that it be impenetrable. The worker wants to check with Will, but the Countess says that it's a surprise wedding fit. She wants it all done by the next day. James arrives and explains that he's the silent partner, and says that he'll guide the worker and his team through the work. Once the man leaves, James tells the Countess that she'll get what she wants. She slaps him and says that James screwed up, and doesn't want to see him ever again. James begs her to stick to their arrangement and meet him for dinner once a month, and the Countess says that the chamber must be complete by the next day.
Donovan takes Lex to Ramona's mansion. Ramona answers the door and figures that Donovan is scared. Donovan insists that she's wrong and says that he's been newly motivated. He explains that the Countess took him back, but he realized that he could never satiate his desire for her. Donovan says that it has to be that night because the Countess is getting married the next day and she's distracted. He's also drugged her drink and figures that it's the perfect plan... except he can't kill the Countess himself. Ramona goes over to Lex and tells Donovan that they'll drink to their deal.
As they drain the blood out of Lex, Donovan asks Ramona what took her so long to get revenge. Ramona admits that it's been 20 years since the Countess killed her man and tossed her away. She went to the only place in the world where she knew people loved her: home.
Los Angeles – 1992
Ramona goes to a quiet house and her father is surprised to see her after 10 years. She asks to come in and Daddy Royale hugs her. Ramona stayed there and her parents fed her soul and told her what was what. Daddy is suffering from Alzheimer, and Ramona's mother Cassie admits that he's getting worse. He refuses to go to the doctor, insisting that he's fine. After Cassie dies, things get worse because Daddy can't hang on. He gets lost in his own neighborhood, and one night two burglars break in. Daddy confronts them and they kill him.
When Ramona comes back, she finds Daddy a chair, dead. Ramona feeds him some of her blood, bringing him back from near death. However, it couldn't heal the Alzheimer's. She hunts for him, hoping that Daddy would get better. But they both stayed the same for 20 years. One night, Ramona came home and found two corpses on the floor, drained of blood. Realizing that things couldn't go on, Ramona gave Daddy a Xanax to calm him and then drowned him in the tub.
Now
Ramona pours out Lex's blood and tells Donovan that things had gone on for 20 years while she was with her father. She remembered what she had and what was taken from her, and what the Countess did to her. Now Ramona plans to use the strength that Daddy gave her to ruin the Countess. She and Donovan drink... to revenge.
That night, Alex watches as a pizza deliveryman arrives at a house. Once he goes inside, Alex goes inside corpses stacked up. The children are feeding, and Alex reminds one of them, Max, that he saved her at the hospital. Max explains that the other kids drank his blood and are like him, and one girl, Madeline, says that they don't feel good. The boy tells her to drink the blood so she'll feel better, and Alex warns that they're going to expose themselves with indiscriminate feeding. Madeline complains that they made her eat her parents, and Max says that they all ate their parents: that's why no one is looking for them. Madeline refuses to eat, and one boy, Jimmy, says that they should kill all of the sick children. Alex tells them all to come with her to the Cortez before the pizza shop realizes their driver has gone missing. Jimmy says that they have to kill Alex and reminds Max of his rule that nobody leaves. Max refuses to kill the woman who created them, and leaves with the others when Alex refuses to go.
Donovan and Ramona enter the sleeping Countess' bedchamber, and Ramona says that she plans to cut out the Countess' heart and cut off her head. She tells Donovan to watch and approaches the bed, but the Countess comes to life and Donovan tasers Ramona unconscious. He then gets Iris and takes Ramona to one of the cells. Donovan tells Iris that they're going to hate-watch the Countess' enemies, and insists that the Countess loves him and he loves her. Anyone who is against them will end up in the cages, and Iris warns that the Countess cares for no one but herself. She wonders why Donovan saved her, and he says that he was weak and he should have let him die. Iris slaps him and says that he's the one who is going to die. Ramona wakes up and warns Donovan that Iris is right, and tells him that the Countess has already moved on to the next one.
The next day, the Countess goes back to the motel and tells Rudolph that he has to stick to the shadows. Rudolph warns that Natacha has embraced the new world and is shopping with the Countess' credit card. The Countess is satisfied that she has Rudolph to herself, Rudolph sees his world in the Countess, and she says that they can create a place for the both of them. She admits that she's been clearing the way for them to be together, and she can use the money she's going to inherit to turn the Cortez into a fortress against the modern world. As for Natacha, the Countess wonders if Rudolph could go on if something happened to her. He says that he could if he had the Countess with him.
As they start to kiss, Natacha comes in and talks about how Beverly Hills has so many shops. The Countess suggests that she come to the Cortez for real culture, and assures Natacha that James is long dead and she's perfectly safe. She tells Rudolph that it's just girls that night and leaves... and Donovan watches her from hiding.
That night at the Cortez, the wedding ceremony begins. Liz acts as the witness and the minister pronounces the Countess and Will husband and wife. Lachlan goes upstairs to his room, and the Countess says that she's going to change out of her wedding gown so that they can go on their honeymoon. Once Will goes to the bar, the Countess gives Liz her flowers and hopes that she finds true love.
At the bar, will pours himself a drink and James appears. He introduces himself as a longtime residence and offers his congratulations . They share a toast and James says that he's acquainted with the Countess. He says that a blended family is very progressive, but makes it clear he's referring to someone other than Lachlan. James takes Will to see Bartholomew, who is shocked at the monster child. The Countess comes in and says that she was willing to raise his child. She planned to kill Will in Paris, but refuses to travel with such a hateful man. She promises that he will suffer and knocks him to the floor.
When Will wakes up, he finds himself lying on the floor in the sealed-off wing of the hotel. Ramone is there in her cage and says that she's another of the Countess' victims. She begs Will to release her, and he lets her out. Once Ramona is free, they look for a way out. Will finds the newly-installed metal door and yells for help, and Ramona cuts his throat and drinks his blood. Mrs. Evers comes up and smiles, while the Countess watches on the cameras.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 10, 2015