Chapter 166 - Keep Your Enemies Closer

I watched as JJ lifted his fingers to his mouth and gave them a slow, sinuous lick. The sight made me swallow heavily. Then, JJ's eyes met mine, and my own blood instantly rushed to my cheeks, and not just there. This gaze, dark and promising, was like a shot of aphrodisiac into my system. Just a look and a slow, tight-lipped smile…

A sharp thrill of a default phone ringtone was so sudden that we both jolted simultaneously. It broke the strange atmosphere that took the speech not only from me, but from Panda and Ghost as well.

"Would they be alright?" Panda asked, looking at the shifters. "I guess we shouldn't call an ambulance."

"They'd be alright. As far as I remember, shapeshifters are a tough lot." Ghost smiled without a care in the world. "You should answer that call, Jean-Jacques!"

He muttered something I couldn't hear under his breath and shook his head with a bitter smile. I walked up closer, carefully moving around the sprawled bodies, not feeling that sorry about the broken mood. The echoes of it still ran through me, and in this situation, it was something… too wild and dangerous.

If someone asked me "Do you think love can bloom, even on a battlefield?" I'd answer yes, but I didn't mean it in such carnal quality.

"Who's calling?" I asked as JJ pulled his phone out of the pants pocket, careful to not smear blood on it. After a glance at the screen, his brows rose in surprise.

"Our common acquaintance—Avarice. Since she isn't one known for patience, let's not make her wait." He pushed the answer button and lifted the phone to his ear. "Hello. You caught a lucky moment to call—I just got my hands free."

I didn't hear the other end of the conversation, but whatever Avarice said made JJ frown. "What a coincidence. Well, this was quite impolite of them, was it? Stealing from you like that." He chuckled at something Avarice said and added, "Keep your calm. I will come as fast as I could… and with a tracker for you, too."

He ended the call and pocketed the phone just when Panda and Ghost came at the comfortable speaking distance. "We weren't the only one attacked at this hour. Avarice called to say that her mansion was assaulted by a team of shapeshifters and humans. She repelled the attack, but on their way to the hole from where they crawled from, one of the shifters snatched her nephew."

"What? Anon? But why? No, actually, I don't care about whys at this point, we must help to get him back! This is what Avarice was calling for, wasn't she?"

JJ nodded. "She called in her favour."

"Who are you talking about?" Panda asked. "Is Avarice another vampire?"

I nodded. "Yeah, she's actually the person I'm owing money to. I mentioned that, right? A loan shark. A vampire loan shark, that's her. And JJ owes her favours because she sold him a part of her territory, though really he's just being nice about it. Another vamp would've beat her and taken the place by force, I imagine."

"I was always of an opinion that violence, as tempting as it is in many situations, shouldn't be applied lightly, for its simplicity is deceptive. Either way…" JJ pursed his lips and gave me, Panda, and Ghost a thoughtful look. "Now you really should go somewhere safe. I believe that I and Avarice weren't the only vampires attacked right now."

"I said 'we', didn't I? If the job is to track a missing person, maybe I can do something with my magic."

"And if someone is wounded, that's my speciality!" Ghost added with a grin and patted my shoulder. "Gotta show my pupil how it's done. Plus, none of you can drive."

"You aren't leaving me alone now. And…" Panda walked up to the crossbow who laid, abandoned, on a sidewalk. She examined it with a deep frown, then picked up one of the many dropped knives and watched the edge gleam in the yellow light of the street lamp. "Silver combat knives and heavy crossbow. I'm sure I've seen this gear before… my cousin had it. Jean-Jacques, did Avarice really said that humans attacked her too?"

"If you ask me whether vampire hunters entered a union with shapeshifters… I'd say it's probable, Sveta. There are few things that can bring people closer than a common source of hatred and fear."

"Enemy of my enemy is my friend." I huffed through the nose. "Well, it's not far from Avarice's place to mine, either way. If it's safe now, we can just check out the situation, see if we can help her and her Alyosha. And if we can't do anything, we can just go to sleep at last, at my place. I can find enough space for everyone."

JJ nodded. "Just one last thing." He lifted his leg from Andrey's neck and leaned to grab him by his nape. The vampire and the werewolf's eyes met, and after a dozen seconds, the wolf's eyes turned glassy. Then, JJ let go and Andrey unsteadily stood up on all fours.

"A tracker, as I said. A bloodhound," JJ explained. "With his stubbornness and lack of judgement, I'd prefer to keep him where I can see him. In meanwhile, he will have his uses. Besides," he flashed his fangs. "I promised to have a drink from him if I see him again, and I don't exactly have time for it now."

"You did. Huh. I guess that's a snack to go, then." I paused, wondering. "Would we all fit in the car?"

Ghost gave Andrey a long, measuring look. "Someone will have to put him in his lap," he concluded. "He's too big to just lie on the floor. Or three people will have to squish together on the backseat."

"From a certain look, he's naked right now," Panda said.

A pause ensued, one filled with a silent "I won't do it" from everyone but Ghost. Clueless, lucky Ghost—he was our only driver, he was freed from this by default!

"Let's keep it simpler." JJ broke the silence. "Andrey will fit just nicely in the trunk."