Under JJ’s dictation I posted an advert about selling a broken containment seal, one unit. After that I left JJ to socialise with his kindred. As much as I wanted to search for more information about witches, I had other things to do. My stomach, for starters, was growling for my attention.

After sating this beast, I brought a magnifying glass and went to pick up the gift JJ left for me. The engraved tin box stood on the table all that time, waiting for me. It was touched with rust and had a keyhole, but was unlocked. Inside, carefully stacked side to side, laid rows of old golden coins, several rings with and without jewels, and a silver cross without a chain.

I examined the coins first. Their edges were uneven from use and imperfect minting technology. They were at least a couple centuries old, and knowing that JJ was French, I recognised them almost immediately. These coins were golden livre tournois, or as they were also called, francs.

They were worth a lot. A lot. Enough to let me hire more people again, buy some new things to sell, and open the store again. It was long overdue.

Yes, I had been grieving, and there were loan sharks at my door, and then sharks turned into vampires. But I wouldn’t let any of that stop me, I decided.

After a brief examination, I concluded that the rings and and the cross were no less expensive. They showed little wear and tear, which already increased their cost, and were made from highest standard gold and silver. I was sure JJ didn’t wear them much, especially the silver ones.

I also found marks of the jewellers on the items, and that alone told me they were made by renowned masters. I would require more research to pin an accurate price on the items, but I had an estimate at least, and that estimate meant a good buck for my pocket.

As for the jewellery’s ages and origins, I could confirm just by asking. My grantor was staring at the computer screen just a couple steps away.

“Hey, JJ,” I turned towards him, pointing at the collecting he brought me. “How old are these?”

He glanced at me and raised his eyes to the ceiling as he silently counted. “I don’t remember the exact years of the items, ma chèrie, but the coins were in my possession from around early eighteen century. As for the rest, it was just some of my old jewellery that I never cared much for.”

I sighed. “So much for my expectations. You don’t have senile sclerosis by chance, eh? Oh well, I will need to appraise them better, anyway. Neither of us have a legal license.”

“I didn’t want to disappoint you, ma chèrie, but I never had a passion for collecting antiquities,” JJ said. He put a hand on his chest and his look became serious. “But I swear on my honour, the way I execute my part of our deal will not disappoint you.”

The impression would’ve been better if he didn’t end his oath with a suggestive grin.

I shook my head in exasperation. “Well, thanks anyway. This is just what I needed to put the business back on its feet.”

As I put the things back in their box, I asked JJ a question that was burning me for a while. “So, why did Avarice call you Dragonslayer, JJ? Did you really kill a dragon? Do dragons exist?”

I wished they did. Dragons were amazing.

JJ gave me an amused smile. “Not as far as I know, though who can tell they know everything about this world? But I personally seen none of them or heard from anyone who did. The one whom I slayed wasn’t a giant wyrm, but a vampire who chose to call himself Dragon.”

I puckered my lips in disappointment. “Damn. Well. It must’ve been a pretty impressive vampire to gain you a nickname, wasn’t he?”

JJ just shrugged. “He was famous, but for all the wrong things. The story involving him happened a long time ago. Dragon believed vampires were blessed with power to rule the world. He created an army and tried to take over Europe. It wouldn’t have meant anything, if he didn’t also openly stated himself as a vampire.”

I listened with rapt attention to the story and the sounds of JJ’s enchanting voice. As he reminisced, his bright green eyes glazed over. I wondered what colour they’d become if I lit them up with a flashlight. How about if they were red?

“Now, by doing this, he broke the First Commandment. The Circle gathered to judge him, and they found Dragon guilty. After that, we went to fight against him and his servants. It was a bloody battle. Dragon was a fanatic, and his followers as well. It was a pure chance that of all vampires involved, it was me who in the end fought and killed Dragon himself.”

“Wow.” It must’ve been so exciting. Stories like these were one of the reason I liked all things old. I looked at JJ with a new appreciation—and a new curiosity. “What’s the First Commandment? And the Circle?”

JJ perked up and snapped his fingers. “Right! It’s something so obvious for all vampires, that I forgot you wouldn’t know it, ma chèrie, even though you should. The Three Commandments are the very few laws that all vampires must follow without hesitation or fear the retribution. The first one is to never alert humans en masse about our existence.”

I nodded. “Makes sense. You don’t want to be hunted, right? And if one vamp made a public speech, it can bite you all in the ass.”

JJ gave me an indulgent smile. “Exactly, ma chèrie. This is the point of all the Commandments. The second one is to never betray our kind to others, and the third one is to never close your eyes to other person breaching the first two. And it doesn’t matter that the Commandments were made by vampires—we expect all who are aware of our existence to follow them.”

I nodded again. “What will happen to those who aren’t?”

“The Circle. It’s the only time my kind unites, if temporarily. We gather together to judge and punish the criminals.”

“Let me guess… The only punishment is death?”

“You are right on the spot again, ma chèrie! So now you know to be careful about what you talk about, and with whom.”

The words read like an underlying threat, but there was none of that in JJ’s voice. I couldn’t tell if he was threatening me, warning, or just informing. Either way… “Yuck. Well, I will keep that all in mind.”

I picked up the treasure box and stood up. “I guess that means and I don’t need to be afraid that you will cause mass panic while I’m gone.”

“Are you leaving for long?”

I shrugged. “A few hours? Gotta sell these,” I lifted the tin box in demonstration, “and I have another meeting later, too.”

Another thought struck me. “I should probably get you a cell phone on my way, too.”

“I would appreciate that a lot, ma chèrie,” JJ said with an incline of his head. “I had been informed that I need a passport to acquire one.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. And who would’ve told him that? Internet? Possibly, but it didn’t feel that way. A hypnotised, naked, motorcycle-less man? Sounded more probably. But I wasn’t, wasn’t, wasn’t going to ask.

“Yep. Well. Don’t burn my computer while I’m out, bye!”