Chapter 227 - Bob The Vampire

JJ softly laughed. "Oh, my dearest, you underestimate yourself."

"Flatterer." I playfully nudged his side. "Alright, that one looks like her grandmother messed with a horse. And I could see from their faces that the prettiest ones are all bitches, anyway." I paused. "And they can hear me, too. Damn."

"Don't be so alarmed. In gathering like these, it's impossible to listen on to every conversation. The only thing that would bring you is a headache. Everyone will gossip about everyone. I'm sure that someone throws insult into our backs right now, too." JJ paused and glanced around. "Oh, like them, for example. Jeremiah and Reszel… I remember running into them in Roumania a few times, when we were cleaning up after Dragon. It seems that two and a half centuries of separation didn't diminish their dislike towards me."

I looked at where JJ pointed out to see a couple of snotty vampires talking amongst each other with unfriendly glances in our direction. When one of them caught my eyes, he sneered and added something to his companion that surely was derogatory. I sneered back and turned my back on them.

"I hope they aren't the people you'd like to introduce me to."

"Well, while I'm sure that it would've been an interesting conversation, I have someone else in mind." JJ guided me through the hall towards someone I couldn't see among all the gathered people. "We exchanged letters for a long time, but lost contact after I travelled to East to explore its cultures. I knew he was still alive, but I didn't expect to see him here."

We walked up towards a vampire who, unlike the most people present today, was all on his own. Instead of trying to socialise, he examined a painting on the wall, one of the many that decorated the hall.

His face was weathered and rough, so unlike that of most vampires I've seen. He looked rough himself, and even his suit didn't change that impression. This man didn't seem like someone for suits. His hair was chopped just above his ears so unevenly, I was sure he did it himself and without a mirror, be that yesterday or before the day he was turned.

His expression was pensive as he examined the painting, but as soon as he noticed us and his eyes fell on JJ, a small smile appeared on his face, softening its harsh features.

"Look who the wings bring here… A celebrity. I didn't think you will actually decide to descend to someone like me after all that time." The vampire smirked, showing that he was joking, and there was no bitterness in his voice. "And you brought a fair lady with you, too. Never change, are you, old pal? This time you aimed much higher than you usually do, though. Who knew I would meet someone like you in person, Diana?"

"Fame eats time, and so on and so on. You know how it is." JJ flashed a smile at his friend and turned to me. "Let me introduce to you, Bob, or Bobby, or, how people with attraction to more fancy monickers prefer to call him, Sail. Bob, this is Diana, my saviour, employer and partner."

"But that's a little too much flair for me," Bob said. "It's a real pleasure to meet you, Diana, and it's good to see you again, Jean. I can tell there's quite a story to be told. Not to mention, the time we have to catch up."

He inclined his head in a sign of agreement. "The last hundred and fifty years were a trying time. I should've contact you at least now, but… I wasn't sure it would be appropriate." JJ sighed. "Don't take me wrong, but there was a lot on my plate, something that won't be appropriate for discussion here. Too crowded for a private talk. But when I spotted you today, I knew it was fate. What are you doing here, Bob? Did Cornellio invite you? I know you hated social occasions…"

Bob shrugged. "Do you see me talking with people? That's because I still do. But I had a chance to get to know Cornellio even before he got an idea to create this hustle. Plus, the art is nice. You don't need to know the artist's name to tell that, at least."

I looked at the painting. To be fair, I couldn't tell the artist's name either, though the style was certainly familiar. Like something on the tip of my tongue. The painting showed a scene from Greek mythology: a tree, in the shape of which one could clearly see a woman, with an angry man shaking his fists at her. It was a fine work.

"True. If that's just the decorations, I can't wait to see what will be on the auction itself." I smiled dreamily, but then sobered when I realised that I doubtfully would be able to afford even a single item. Instead of thinking abut that, I focused on Bob again. "You look… very unusual for a vampire," I blurted.

He grinned at me, and I saw he was missing a tooth, too. "That I am. Not at all like that sissy Jean, and proud of it."

JJ snorted. "There's no harm in some elegance. Barbarians are people too, but that doesn't mean we all have to be them." Suddenly, he smiled. "The calming spell on this place grates on my nerves, but it's good to see you face to face. It's certainly not the same to argue about the importance of civilised behaviour when you can't set an example of it for your opponent personally."

I grinned to myself. The way these two interacted… I never thought to actually see a good friend of JJ's, but here it was, and it was absolutely heartwarming. "Oh, you are both good. If you ask me, the best thing is always somewhere in the middle… Though if this was a serious argument, I'd pick JJ out of personal bias.." I put a hand on his arm and met Bob's eye. "What do you think about today's gathering, Bob?"