Chapter 173 - Good Morning

I could vaguely remember someone waking me up so I could get to one of the guest rooms and crash down there until morning, when my sleepy head couldn't ignore the sounds of an argument that came from a floor below any longer. The voices were most familiar, and when my mind did the connection, I dressed up faster than in army and rushed down the stairs.

I burst into the lounge room just in time to see Avarice throw a punch at JJ's face. He caught it by her wrist before I had time to start fearing for his best feature, and gave her a reproachful look. For a moment, his eyes flickered to mine, but then he returned her attention back to Avarice.

"Again, you aren't thinking clearly. This," he tapped a finger at Avarice's fist, then let her go, "only supports it. This isn't a decision one should take in anger or fear, especially in someone else's stead."

Avarice glanced at me too, then hissed at JJ. "Fine! Then I expect you to leave my house soon." Without waiting for an answer, she stomped out of the room on her heels, almost knocking me to the ground on her way and slamming the door behind her.

"She just tried to punch you. Is this a normal thing?" I asked, still looking at the closed door. "Good morning, by the way, JJ. Or not good, if it starts with someone trying to punch you in the face."

"Avarice actually held surprisingly well. I expected her to attack me even earlier, and more violently." JJ strolled towards me and ran his fingers through my uncombed hair. "Good morning to you too, ma chèrie. I'm sorry we woke you up. Had you had a pleasant sleep?"

I stretched my limbs and let out a yawn. "Decent enough." And as my phone told me, I slept about seven hours. Almost actually fine. Then, my phone also told me, in a form of a text, that Elena was expecting me back in coven later today. "What were you two arguing about?"

"We can talk about this while you get ready for a day. You have your blouse inside out." JJ traced a hem of my clothed with his finger.

I took a second look, and facepalmed in mortification. "Dammit. Alright, I have to try this again. From a second attempt, I should nail something as simple as dressing."

There were more things, such as brushing my hair and teeth, that I had to do as well. While I did, JJ explained the situation.

"During the night, I and Avarice had interrogated the attackers, and found some disturbing news. It turned out that certain elements of this city considered the appearance of the demon and the distraction of vampires' and witches' communities because of it, an opportunity. As I learnt, in Petersburg shapeshifters were, for a longest time, the weakest party in the triangle of vampires, witches and shapeshifters. Now they decided to use this turmoil to strike back, together with vampire hunters, who came here for a demon and stayed for this new alliance. There were other attacks that night, and some even successful. Now other vampires will be warned and ready, yet the more time passes, the more time to organise and strike the shapeshifters will have."

Finished with my morning routine, except for breakfast, I sat down on the bed and took a moment to admire JJ's beautiful visage. Handsome face, lean, muscled body, waves of strawberry-blond curls that fell on his shoulders, the lazy grace of a cat. Made me wonder if I was still asleep and dreaming, if he was even real.

I let out the daydreaming out of me with a long breath, but JJ caught my stare already and smirked back, then deliberately struck out a pose that made his shirt stretch over his pectorals. Still, he continued to speak as if nothing was going on.

"Avarice is understandably upset by these developments. More than that, she's worried about Denis's safety. She didn't say it in quite these words, as you'd imagine, of course."

"He told me she basically raised him."

JJ raised his brows. "Did she? Well, that would certainly explain some things. As it stands, she wished to ensure his safety against any other possible attacks, as she herself still stays a target. Her method of doing so… hm, let's simply say that I disagreed with it. As it stands, Denis would be just as, if not more, safe if she arranges guarded transport out of this city for him. Somewhere in a quiet place where only a few humans, and even less not-humans, live."

"This makes sense." I nodded. "But what did Avarice wanted?"

"Still wants, actually." JJ pinched his lips into a line. "She asked me to turn him."

I stood up in agitation. "Turn? Like, into a vampire?" A silence was my confirmation. I continued to express my agitation by pacing down the room and back. "Why? Well, I can guess why. I imagine she doesn't watch him to grow old and die. But why ask you? Can't she do it herself?"

JJ's hand on my shoulder stopped me. "You forget, ma chèrie, that not every vampire has enough power to create fledglings. Avarice certainly is too young for that, and at the same time, she knows I have that capability. My help tonight settled my debt for buying territory from her, but I still owed her some for watching our back with Christina… Even if we didn't need Avarice's help after all. I still could refuse—this isn't a request any vampire would accept lightly—but if this was anyone else, it would've been much harder for Avarice to ask at all. And, she would have the best opportunity to watch him even after he becomes my fledgling."

"Alright. Still. Did she at least ask him about this?"

JJ smiled humourlessly, letting his hand slide down and drop. "As far as I know, no. But," he inclined his head to the side, as if he heard something, "I don't think anymore that this will be necessary."