Page 24 of Potion of Deception (Potion of Deception #1)

“It's an unfair game,” Violette rebuked. “I can create tons of assumptions, my imagination is pretty vivid. It might take forever.”

“I have this time,” he pleasantly replied.

Violette sent him a persistent look.

Corners of Dante's eyes crinkled, and after a short silence he asked, “Do you know what can kill a vampire?”

“A stake? A silver…something?” she suggested uncertainly.

“That would be a pathetic death. Imagine getting killed with a wooden stick.”

Violette's brows pulled together .

“I presume this dagger can kill a vampire then,” she voiced.

“You're very sagacious.” A smug smile curled his lips.

“Why carry with you a thing that can kill you?”

“I prefer to know where such a thing is. It's much safer with me than somewhere else.”

Violette kept walking, mulling over Dante's words. He didn't even try to fight her curiosity and it was more than strange.

“You told me about it too easily. Aren't you scared I'll steal it and use it against you?”

“Little Witch, you're close to me that much only because I allow it,” he said placidly. “By the way, how will you get the cure then?”

His words made sense, besides, Violette was too soft for it anyway. Her argument was weak, so she asked another question instead, “Do you use it?”

“A vampire can't kill another vampire. Not with the dagger, it's for your kind only,” he said idly and then side-eyed her.

Violette wanted to ask him more about vampires, if they can turn into bats, can they lord over the shadows, can they be fed by something else besides the blood but Dante expressed disinclination to such a conversation, leaving her in an oblivion, as always.

The lively knock was followed by a quiet crack of the door.

“What are you doing?” Violette's head popped up and she shamelessly walked in not really caring if Dante didn't want her here.

He was sitting at the writing table with his legs crossed, reading a book or rather flipped through it as if looking for something specific. There were at least three stacks of books next to him and a little stack on the floor with a few books open.

“Reading tales, legends and different stories that flew around these lands,” he said with a bored tone, not raising his eyes up from the pages, and before Violette opened her mouth to ask the following question he added, “I have a peculiar feeling that I know what Road of Nightmares is.

It sounds familiar but I just can't remember.” He flipped another page.

Violette sat on the velvet sofa nearby. “You think it's a real place?”

“I think it's a metaphor but I'm trying to find where and who called some place this way.” His eyes raised to her as she’d already grabbed one of the books from the floor and started skimming through it.

“I already looked at the map and there was nothing so I don't think it's a real name,” he said at last.

She nodded meaningfully while examining the book in her hand.

An hour later they were still sitting over the papers.

Violette's foot beat out a rhythm on the parquet as she was reading another book with a pretty green leather cover, whereas Dante was studying a book in a red one.

The silence between them in the last few minutes was quite delightful for both of them.

Only the sound of the flipping pages and the ticking of the clock had followed their quiet evening.

“How often do the names of the places change here?” Violette said more to herself but then realized she actually voiced her thoughts out loud.

She didn't finish this theory to reckon but it was too late because Dante's attention was already drawn to her.

“I mean, we had one street which was called the Street of Deceived because a long time ago it was full of swindlers and thieves.

You'd be easily tricked by anyone there.

But times were changing so the street was rebuilt, completely converted and now it is a nice place called the Street of Wondrous Performances.

Instead of con men and wandering crooks, there're performers who show tricks, dances and people selling fun stuff and food.”

Dante pointed his chin, leaning on his forefinger.

“That's a good point actually,” he said after thinking and then closed the book.

“It could be something that was called that earlier, the witch whose crypt we were in lived a few hundred years ago, everything is possible.

I think there's maps in some of these books. We just need to find the right century.” He leaned over one of the books on the floor.

And that's how they spent a few hours more, reading books and speculating on theories which unfortunately hadn't given any results. The hand on the clock was pointing at five in the morning, however the sun wasn't going to rise for at least two more hours.

Dante put a book with a worn spine down and ran his hand over his face. His eyes darted to Violette as she yawned, her eyes following the ink on the yellowed pages as she continued reading.

“You should go sleep,” the words slipped from his mouth and it made her turn her head. The confusion froze in her eyes.

“It's late, we had a busy night,” he answered her silent question.

“Since when have you been worrying about my well-being?” She sneered at the ridiculousness of this thought.

“I won't carry you to your room if you pass out right here,” he snorted.

She moved her lips to the sides and stood up.

“The thought of sleeping with you in one room is too outrageous to let it happen,” she let out and plopped down the book on the table. His eyes followed her as she closed the door.

Violette went to her room, for once Dante was right – she needed to sleep even if she didn't actually want to.

Her eyes wanted to close but her mind wandered in many thoughts that were flying over her head.

Too much information and riddles. And Dante, perhaps, wanted to rest as well.

She didn't know how long vampires slept – to be honest, she wasn’t sure if they slept at all.

It had never crossed her mind until now.

She might ask him later but for now, she let herself close her eyes and fall into a deep sleep.