“Vampires can't be a part of the human world, they don't belong there. Most of them don't respect or perceive people like something important or clever. Caidas gives them an opportunity to have a home, living among the same as them. Nobody wants to be exiled and live their life far beyond.”
“And yet, you do,” she pointed out.
A little smug smile touched his face as he looked at her, just as he always did when she tried to analyze him, as if her attempts were too pathetic and pointless.
“I still don't know what exactly you did,” she noted, side-eyeing the black mask covering his mouth, her gazelingering on its sharp, threatening edges. “Maybe you are not a part of his court, but you definitely did something to deserve it.”
She didn't know but she could guess, however she wanted to hear it directly from him. Perhaps there was something she didn't know. Her little puzzle could never be solved as she still didn't have a lot of important pieces, without which she couldn't see the true image.
"Want to guess?” he aired, not looking at her.
Violette lowered her gaze to the ground, too timid to look at him or pretend it's something regular to ask.
“Did you kill many people?” she asked cautiously and then shot a glance at him.
A cold answer followed her question, “I did.”
He didn't turn his sight at her, walking with his head straight. An unreadable expression took place on his face, not a muscle moved, Violette believed he wasn't even blinking. It wasn't even coldness or thoughtfulness, he didn't look like he tried to distance himself from her, rather he just locked up his emotions or…could it be, he didn't feel them at all? Either way, Violette kept staring at him. She studied his face in the light of the antique street lanterns, not as much trying to figure out what he was feeling but amazed by his declaration. And to her own surprise she wasn't much horrified by his words as dazed that he didn't try to play his way out of this conversation. Mixed feelings veiled her heart: an angst and turmoil and yet, Dante looked even more inscrutable and dark in this light. Her lips slightly parted.
Whatever expression she had, Dante probably took it as fright and finally turned his gaze to her. The shadow of his tall figure fell onto her face.
“Are you scared?” A ghost of a smile appeared on his face but his voice still sounded serious.
“No. Not actually,” she confessed.
And to her own surprise it was true. She said it so easily, without a second thought. She wasn't scared, at least, not like she thought she'd be. Maybe she was just prepared for an answer like this – she couldn't find another explanation. She knew he killed the servant in the past, he was imprisoned in the mask covering his face, of course, she was ready to hear he did something horrible. That made sense, however, somehow she didn't know how to react to this. She knew she was speaking with a dangerous vampire and still didn't feel like he was dangerous to her, and not because he couldn't bite her but she just couldn't imagine him hurting her, even if it was a naive thing to think.
“That woman,” she kept getting bolder, “seemed to be happy to disappoint you. It didn't seem like she liked you at all.”
“Vampires don't like anyone. Especially other vampires.” His shoulders loosened.
“Then why do they live together?”
“Because they don't like people even more.”
Violette tried to evaluate his words and then said, “I don't quite believe you.”
“Little Witch, I am a vampire who was punished with a mask and who doesn't live with other vampires. Who would want to hang out with me? Of course, except you. You rather enjoy my company,” he taunted, the corners of his eyes twitched upwards.
“Hooey!” she spat out.
He bolted her a satisfying smirk as if it was something rather funny how she'd tried to deny the simple fact to him.
“They might not like you because of your self-centeredness,” she calmly stated.
“All vampires are slightly selfish,” Dante said earnestly.
“And you outdo all of them, right?”
He chuckled under his breath, bowing his head to the ground.
“Look, I'm not bothered if some vampires don't like me. I actually don't care about them and would like not to meet any of them ever again. I'd gladly refuse this sweet little invitation of Caidas and forget all about it. Believe me, I don't want to go there any less than you or any human.”
“I presume, you're trying to say that we should accept his invitation?”
“If we won't come – he'll come for us. It's better to say a few greetings to him first.”
“And where are we going?” she finished abruptly as her cloak got caught by a tree branch and she stopped to release it from the annoying stick.
