Page 15 of Potion of Deception (Potion of Deception #1)

“I mean, he has more chances to hurt me, even being that bad at it. At least he has a knife. You on the other hand…have a wooden stick.”

She couldn't say if he was serious or just tried to get on her nerves mimicking the same thing the thief said in their first meeting.

Violette looked again at the man as the distance between them was shrinking.

It can't really be him, right? How could Dante recognize him without a mask and different clothes, especially after such a short interaction?

There was nothing about him signaling he was the same man they met in the forest. Though, a man walking down the street at two o'clock in the morning could be considered as a suspicious person if not for the fact they were doing the same.

Just three people who enjoy late night walks, apparently.

Perhaps it made sense if not the man’s next action.

He stopped in front of the door until another man walked out.

They greeted each other quickly and then looked around while Dante and Violette still were walking in their direction.

It sent a strange sensation, snaking down her spine.

Her common sense might have tried to warn that something suspicious was in the behavior of these two.

Pacing down the street on the other side of the road allowed them to still be unnoticed, though Dante seemed to not be so preoccupied with those men.

Violette squinted her eyes as the two male figures crossed the road on their side. She couldn't see their faces – the shadow covered half of it. No. Not the shadow – masks on their eyes. Dante indeed was right, she didn't know if it was the same thief but the two were definitely up to nothing good.

“They are going in our direction. At this point we didn't even have to try,” Dante voiced with a chuckle.

“It's not funny. I think they have something in mind,” Violette worried. “We have to stop them.”

Dante looked at her like she was out of her mind. “Why?”

“Because I think they’re about to do something bad. If you’re right and it's the same–”

“Since when is it our problem? We are not watchmen of the sign,” he retorted.

“It's you who wanted to say hi to them, isn't it?” she quipped.

Suddenly the familiar crispy voice rang out in the street.

“You!” the man cried. “The witch and her demon from the forest! ”

“Oh, never mind. What sense in arguing if they had already noticed us?” Dante sent her pretentious smirk. He wasn't mad or angry, however, she might suspect he wasn't really happy to deal with the robbers. At least, not in the name of a greater good.

Violette had no time to blink as both men already rushed at them. It turned out Dante was right, they were indeed familiar with one of them and it seems his friend already heard about their little adventure in the forest which tied them together. Great.

Violette grabbed her magic wand in an instant; They didn't take her by surprise this time, she won't lose courage now.

The bigger man they had already met before, threw himself on Dante with a dagger as if he didn't learn his previous lesson.

A sudden burst of courage seemed to flood his being, perhaps because this time he wasn't alone.

His friend, thinner but much taller, swooped on Violette with a sword.

She evaded the blade as it cut the air. Her heart skipped a beat as she stumbled back.

Although her pulse hastened, she quickly blasted a blow of magic in response.

The man swayed away a few feet, even though he managed to stay on the ground.

These two idiots were definitely determined.

The man raised his sword high in the air to try his attack again and Violette, bouncing off, cast another spell, this time stronger. Her breath turned into short ragged gasps, loud hammering of her heart ringing in her temples as her body froze in a protective pose.

She hadn't really had a chance to practice defensive and attacking spells since graduating from school. Back then, there were magic duels and lessons on protecting oneself from black magic and dark forces, but since then she’d lived quite a peaceful life, like almost everyone she knew.

You can't really practice attack charms when nothing in your life is dangerous. Thankfully, she’d been a diligent student and never neglected her classes, though she definitely needed some time to recall more of those old spells.

The thin man fell off his feet. Violette’s gaze shifted to Dante – his assailant was kicking his legs in the air while Dante held him by his vest. The dagger is nowhere to be seen.

Then she heard another shout out – the man with a sword rushed forward.

Dante tilted his head to look over the shoulder of his opponent.

In a quick moment he threw the thief to the side and was ready to take the attack, but Violette worked ahead of the curve and sharply cut the air with her wand.

A blast of dark blue light released into the air and slammed the man into the wall of the nearest building.

In that moment as Violette's action took Dante in surprise, the other robber got back to his senses and swiftly jumped on his back.

In a blink of an eye he thrust a dagger deep in his shoulder.

A snarl let out from Dante's mouth as he shut his eyes in pain.

“Uh, you're a sucker,” he hissed and slammed his back into the wall, trying to shake off the attacker.

Then he deftly grabbed the man by the arm and pulled him over himself with one blow, hitting his whole body into the asphalt.

“Now I am really done with you.” With these words he released the dagger from his shoulder and put his leg on the thief's chest. The other robber remained unconscious on the ground.

“Wait!” Violette stood up as Dante pressed his leg on the man's chest. The thief breathed hard, the blood on his face dripping down as he lay on the wet ground under Dante's shadow. Dante's eyes darkened as he pressed his foot harder and the man released a howl.

“What else?” he grumbled, not looking at the girl.

“You won't try to kill him, will you?” The line drew between her dark brows and her eyes flickered with a plea.

“It would be something he deserves after trying to kill us. Twice.” He leaned with a hand on his knee, his gaze fell onto the man underneath. “Don't you agree with us?”

“Dante.” Her lips pursed, face painted in colors of austereness.

Dante pressed him harder into the ground.

“She thinks you deserve to stay alive, do you think she's right?” he said to the man, malice dancing on the corner of his half-smile. “Just dare to show yourself to me again,” he finished and beat his head to knock him out.

“Dante!” Violette cried out.

“Relax. He’s alive. I said he deserved to die but it didn't mean I intended to kill him,” he voiced with simplicity and left the thief alone. Approaching, he flung the blood-streaked dagger away, the blade ringing out as it struck the ground.

“How are you finding our little walk now?” His mouth twitched.

“Horrendous…” She bent her brows.

“Yeah, could be better.” He waved his head to the side and Violette's eyes fell onto his shoulder, widening. She got completely distracted, forgetting the man violently stabbed him, and Dante stayed so calm and firm, it was hard to believe he was just hit with a sharp weapon in his shoulder.

“God, you are bleeding!” she exclaimed.

His gaze lowered to the wound. His shirt soaked with blood from a deep cut into the skin. “Nothing scary,” he said and then looked at her again like nothing happened.

Violette was flabbergasted. Her mouth remained wide open and brows bent, completely dazed by his behavior.

“You need help immediately!”

“I am fine,” he drew coldly.

“No, you’re not!” Grabbing his hand, she dragged him in the direction they came from, wanting to leave the spot where they were fighting the thieves who also could wake up at any moment.

“Don't hurry like that,” Dante complained.

“Don't hurry? You are injured. Do you even have a tiny bit of self-preservation?” She dropped his hand.

“I care only about things that can kill me. This one won’t.”

“You’re literally bleeding,” she retorted, irritated by his carelessness .

“It happens.” He shrugged.

“You are unbearable to deal with,” she grumbled, starting to rummaging through her bag. “We are going back to the inn. We've had enough of late adventures.”

“Then what are you doing?” He bent one brow.

She ignored his question, and instead pulled out a little crystal bottle with clear liquid. “Here. We have to clean the wound first.”

He looked at her with sombreness in his eyes as she poked him with a little potion bottle. She did it again when he didn't accept it. Her eyes were saying, Take it or I will make you . Then she pulled out a handkerchief.

“I can help you with the cloak,” she said and reached for the clasp of his coat to make the way to the wound.

Her fingers brushed the metallic clasp as her eyes darted to the injury.

Her lashes fluttered. Something was weird about it.

The wound stopped bleeding too fast; they walked only a block, maybe two.

What surprised her most was that the cut hadn't looked as deep as she'd imagined.

She slid her hand to the place where the dagger was sticking out just a couple of minutes ago and without touching it she ran over the carve with her fingers.

There was nothing. Not a sign of a wound except for the blood.

It wasn't even dry yet, but there was no sign of an injury.

Her hand numbed just above his flesh and she slowly raised her gaze to his.

His eyes darkened as it seemed he was waiting for some words to come from her mouth .

She couldn't be mistaken, she clearly saw how one of the men stuck a dagger right into his shoulder up to the hilt and how Dante winced in pain and then pulled it out. The blood on the shoulder was completely fresh but there was nothing there. Nothing!