Page 16 of Potion of Deception (Potion of Deception #1)

She froze in front of him, just inches away. His eyes stared at her still awaiting. Awaiting for realization. And finally the puzzle she'd tried to solve for so long, started to align, putting every piece in place. The rhythm of her pulse began to grow, rushing in her ears.

His footsteps weren't on the snow as he was moving light as a feather, and he always moved very quietly.

He could appear out of nowhere and she thought it was just dexterity of movements, but it didn't seem like that anymore.

Not when he disappeared in her store, not when he appeared in front of her to protect her from the mad thief.

Something dark in his eyes was not just a shade of his pupil, it was almost like shadows were dancing in his gaze.

He avoided the sun all their trip here, he didn't want to stop the carriage for a break, and he admitted it himself, he didn't leave his room all day, preferring a late walk.

She saw him for the first time in the night and all the time after their meetings occurred only under the moonlight.

He had sensed her following him and he recognized the thief when she couldn't. It all wasn't just a coincidence, some little details she hadn't really thought about.

And the mask on his face began to acquire new colors and details that she hadn't noticed before. It was not a mask. It was a muzzle .

Violette's hand still hung in the air. She couldn't say how long she was staring into his sinister eyes before her body started to show signs of awakening. Her fingers started to shake as she drew a very slow step back.

“Want to share your thoughts?” Dante exhaled in the air.

“I…I don't under–” she stuttered.

Her mind couldn't process a thing for a moment.

She couldn't understand how it was even possible and how she could be that blind.

But more than that, she still couldn't understand who was standing before her.

What a creature, what a thing could possibly fit all these details she just found out.

Because the one who came to her mind was complete nonsense.

A mythical thing. Impossible to exist. It shouldn't exist.

“I was curious when you'd finally get the clues.” He said and made a step closer as she started to back up. “To be fair, I am surprised you didn't come up with it earlier with such a curious mind of yours.”

Her eyes widened even more, stomach twisting, and her legs faltered just before she spun to run away.

Dante disappointedly cocked his head to the side.

That was not a reaction he probably waited for or he was disappointed she did exactly this raw gesture – just run.

He couldn't blame her though, she was a human, they're always running and only then thinking.

It didn't even come to her head to reach for the magic wand, completely baffled and scared.

All she could hear in her head was Run as if she was prey who just realized it was in the cage all this time, playing with the predator's fingers until it would squeeze it in his hand.

She bumped right into his chest.

“You don't want to make it that dramatic, do you, Little Witch?” he said as she stepped back and in a second she was again running past him.

He let her. He didn't really try to catch her, waiting when she finally realized it and just stopped.

But she didn't mean to. Instead, she was scared that if she stopped, it would make it even worse.

There was nothing in her head – she immediately forgot about the deal, about why they were there, her thoughts just scattered away.

A blankness in her mind. All she could hear is how loud and strong her heart was pounding.

Another realization struck her – in the minutes of silence between them she'd never heard his heartbeat, not even a ghostly sound of it.

Something seized her hand, dragging her with a tremendous force until her back crashed against the wall.

“Don't touch me!” she wanted to scream but it came out so unnaturally, so dim and hoarse as he pressed her against the wall with his hands on either side of her.

“You're making it complicated,” his voice was calm and unshakable unlike her continuous panting.

She tried to catch the air but instead she caught his words as he again made an attempt to calm her down.

“Breathe, Little Witch. That's what distinguishes you from the dead.”

Violette finally was able to open her eyes and she wanted to scream at him, to punch him, to seem mad but instead she breathed with crispness in her voice.

“What are you?” The gasp left her lungs, the blood curled inside her veins.

“And what do you think?” The corners of his eyes rose.

“Just because I can wiz doesn't mean I can read minds.”

“Well, you just think about it a bit. Who else can be muzzled on the face?”

“Someone who bites…” she aired uncertainly and carefully, as if this answer did not seem funny and absurd.

“Well, now add two plus two. Night, biting and, I will give you a clue – blood ,” he nearly whispered, arousing goosebumps all over her.

She swallowed, stiffness instead of shaking occupied her body as she didn't want to believe his words.

“Your words have no meaning,” she managed to say, her voice trembling.

“Why?” His gaze seemed so deep and intense, freezing the time between them.

“Because vampires do not exist,” she breathed .

“Really? Then why is one of them looking at you right now?” His eyes flashed like a hawk's.

“No…” Her chest heaved. “You just want to fool me like you always do.”

He softly laughed, lowering his head and eyes to the ground then taking his gaze back to her starry eyes focused on him.

“Why would I lie to you about this? Why do you think I have this stupid thing on my face? If you have another explanation I'd like to hear one.” The last words came out almost like a whisper, while his intense gaze stayed with her.

Violette almost hadn't blinked, she couldn't. She stared at him in disbelief, waiting for magical relieving words I'm just kidding from his mouth but they didn't come.

“Vampires do not exist, not anymore. It is just legends…”

“Oh yes, legends – half the truth, half the fiction, right?” His words came out stolid.

“It's not possible…” Her lashes fluttered.

He pulled away but she couldn't shift her gaze to anything else.

The words didn't come to her throat, she didn't even try to find them or force herself to speak.

She couldn't believe that all this time she'd been working and communicating with the real vampire, a monster, a night demon being, sucking blood.

“Who locked you in the…mask?” she asked cagily, still standing where he left her .

“Not really good people,” he said mysteriously, raising the corners of his mouth, as if their conversation was something amusing and not a revelation of a terrible truth.

“And you…want to take it off?” She trembled.

“Would you like to have a mask on your face forever?”

She let these words past her ears.

“If you will do it…You– If I will help you then I'll free a–” She abruptly fell silent.

“Please, don't be shy.” He knew exactly what word she wanted to say, and he wasn't surprised or offended. But she still changed it, she couldn't possibly say it. To call him a… monster .

“Then you will be able to drink blood again,” she said instead.

“Don't be fret, Little Witch, I won't touch you. It would be too rude and ungrateful after all your help.”

“I don't worry about myself,” her voice suddenly became rougher. “You're trapped in this thing for a reason. This changes the meaning of our deal radically. I didn't sign up to help the vampire start the hunt again!” she burst.

“You can't start a hunt if it has never ended,” Dante said.

“Do you think I am the only one?” His brows drew together while Violette's eyes glistened with tears.

“Vampires live around for hundreds of years, they suck blood and use people all the time.

If you don't notice it – doesn't mean it doesn't happen. ”

A sickening taste came to her throat, voice still unstable.

“And when were you going to tell me? Were you thinking of hiding it until we are done with the deal?”

“I didn't try to hide it, Little Witch. I was just interested when you'll guess. It took you more time than I expected.” He leaned at the wall.

“Yes! Because it's all legends!” she snapped.

“Now you know sometimes what legends say is true. That's why it's called this way.” His eyes flashed with mirth.

“If you think it's funny then you have a perverse sense of humor.” She glowered.

He shrugged. “Nobody is perfect.”

“If nobody is perfect then you are just completely faulty,” she greeted her teeth, finally taming her trembling.

“Oh, the attitude .” He shot her a proud smile. “Glad I wasn't wrong about you.”

The line appeared between her brows. “Can't say the same about you. What else are you hiding? Your brother is a mummy and you have a friend who howls at the moon?”

“I know one vampire who did this to scare some residents of one village.” Playfulness hadn't left his voice, still taunting her and it couldn't not be annoying. She started to think that his serious side wasn't that bad after all, she kind of started to miss it.

Her fingers brushed a strand of hair behind her ear when she lowered her eyes. She had nothing to say, moreover, she would need time to digest what she had learned in the last couple of minutes.

“Either way, you have no choice. We made a deal, there's no way to back out,” he reminded.

“I know what we did,” her words fell like a stone. “I just need to think. I need some time,” she said honestly. And surprisingly, he showed understanding as he didn't say a word and was quiet all the way back to the inn.