Bab 55: Expectations or no expectations

"Your friend had left, ma chèrie, but asked me to pass on you that she is deeply sorry about her earlier blunder," JJ said as he walked in and closed the door behind him. Then his eyes fell on the discoloured chair and his eyebrows rose. "I see you were practicing the art of spellcrafting?"

I looked at the chair to avoid meeting his eyes. "Yep. And everything went exactly like I planned."

"This is most pleasing to hear. It had been most interesting to watch your progress in that area, and I'm sure it will stay this way in the future. But this isn't why I wanted to talk with you, ma chèrie."

"What was it, then, JJ?"

I grabbed the hairbands from the chair and stuffed them into my pants pocket. My heart tightened in my chest under the press of my fears and expectations.

Not that my virginity was a closely guarded secret or anything, but the time and the place Rita blurted this at, plus the person to whom she blurted it… What did JJ think about me now? That it would be even more interesting to seduce a blushing virgin? Did he come to tell me about it?

"I know you are concerned about this evening's meeting, and I wished to ease your worries if I could," JJ said instead of all that. He sat on the bed next to me, not close enough to touch immediately, but close enough that we were in immediate danger of brushing elbows.

I had a powerful urge to scoot as far away from him as possible—like, on the chair. But I still had spine somewhere in my back, so I forced myself to not be a coward and meet JJ face to face.

"I don't think you can say anything that will convince me that this isn't a dangerously dangerous endeavour that I only agree to take part in because I'm a total moron." A heavy sigh left my lips. "Hopefully, I can sell that damn coffin, but I can't stop thinking about what ifs. Like, even if your mysterious enemy will appear, neither of us know what exactly they will do."

JJ leaned towards me a little. Now our shoulders touched. He had a smile on his face, and his eyes shone with anticipation for a challenge. "Yes. In this case, our only advantage and the trap is our readiness to meet the other's trap. That… and you, Diana."

I was acutely aware of how close the two of us were. A part of me wanted nothing more than to revel in it. But JJ's words distracted me from thinking more about it.

"Me?" I pointed at my chest and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I'd say that I'm just a human, but I will instead say that I'm just a witch. And you know the first rule of witches in dealing with vamps? To not deal with vamps! Gee, really, I'm already going against everything safety here. You can't expect me to do anything but hide if shit really hits the fan."

"Forgive me, ma chèrie, I hadn't formulated my thoughts correctly. Your words are indisputable. I wouldn't ask you to fight for me, and my enemy would never expect you to do it. You will be invisible in a battle, a person of no interest. This, and of course, I will keep you safe."

That wasn't as much comfort as I hoped to get. I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes. "Then what did you mean by me being a surprise?"

JJ's eyelids lowered and his smile showed a mysterious tint to it. "Something tells me, ma chèrie, that in the end, you aren't the one to only run and hide." He raised his hand to pick a strand of my long black hair and brought to his lips. His eyes stayed on me all the while. "You have the spirit of an adventurer."

I felt like a fly in a spider's web. No, like a rabbit frozen by a snake's eyes. Green, green snake eyes. He was so close. My heart drummed like it was trying to wake me up from my daze, and finally, it did.

In decisive motions, I caught JJ's wandering hands and put them on his knees. Then I poked at his forehead until his face moved at the respectful distance from mine. To his credit, he didn't even try to resist my womanhandling, just grinned at me in visible amusement.

"I doubt the last statement, and I'm a total moron to trust you on everything else." I sighed. "We should've pulled the coffin back from the trade deals and found some less dangerous way to sell it."

JJ hummed in a very vague agreement. His smile dimmed, and he sent me a thoughtful look. "Do you regret opening it in the first place, Diana?"

My response was immediate. "No, no." I shook my head furiously. "Going through with that deal? Yes, I have second thoughts. Saving you? Nope. Why would you even think about it?"

JJ beamed at me, obviously pleased with my words, and shrugged. "Well, ma chèrie, my enemies will be there either we are ready for them or not, and I won't hide from them. And even if I were to leave you right now, it might be too late."

I scowled at him, then sighed. The fight left my body together with the air. I didn't like that situation, and I didn't like the fact that JJ put me in it, but I intended on seeing it through, hell or high water. Even if a month ago my decision could've been a complete opposite. "Then I will count on you to protect me, JJ."

"With my life, if necessary, ma chèrie."

My eyes snapped to his, and I gaped at him in shock. That was some serious claim, and these were some serious eyes. The eyes of a man who brushed with death many times and knew just what he promised to me right now. My heart fluttered. How could I really shield it from someone who tells me things like these?

These eyes shone with humour a moment later. JJ chuckled. "Or should I say un-life?"

"Gah!" I shook my head at the lame pun, but took it as an opportunity to dissolve the tension and continue my avoidance tactics. "Hey, want to check out what Alexandra taught me yesterday?"

"It will be my great pleasure, ma chèrie. I didn't have an opportunity to watch you doing magic before. I am most curious."