“So gallant,” she grumbled as she drew a step but Dante stopped her again.
“Stick with me, don't lag behind and don't get ahead of yourself,” he warned.
Violette felt the wordsSave your curiosity for another timedance on the tip of his tongue, however he didn't let them out. She nodded.
They had walked quite a bit when another staircase appeared in front. Again, deeper in the underground. Violette hardly swallowed.
A dark corridor, surrounded by the immense void on the one side and a cold wall on the other. No handrails and the steps seemed extremely unreliable and flimsy. One wrong step and the Valley of Enchanted Stories would be replenished with a new tragic tale.
In a moment, Dante extended his hand in front of Violette just as a dark flock of bats fluttered past their faces. Her shriek echoed from the stone walls and she took a sharp step back and suddenly her feet no longer felt the groundbeneath them. And she'd have fallen if Dante didn't reach for her hand, gripping his fingers tight into her wrist. Pulling her towards himself, his hands held her waist. Violette pressed herself tight against his chest, her heart panting, lump stuck in her throat.
Clinging to the vampire, her eyes fell down as horror crossed her face – several stones fell straight down into a dark hole where, apparently, there was no bottom at all. Or it was so deep down that she couldn't even hear when the stones touched the ground.
“When I said you are in no danger, I meant vampires. At this rate, you'll be dead before we even meet one,” Dante said coldly and removed his hands from her.
Violette swallowed, her gaze trailed down again. As her attention got back, she found herself still holding onto Dante's arm, her nails firmly digging into his shirt. Surprisingly he didn't say a word, however she let him go without giving him a chance to mock her for it later.
They entered through a semicircular archway and suddenly everything around felt more alive, brighter. The light walls were traced with an intricate helix folding in a distinctive pattern. The impossibly ornate candelabras along the way kept the corridor in a crepuscular light.
Violette's silhouette flashed in one of the top rounded mullioned windows, reaching to the ceiling. Her eyes fell to the floor as her black boots were stepping on the wine carpetas if drenched in blood, however under the stripes of light it seemed brighter, nearly berry red.
The air seemed quite suffocating, although she surmised it was because she knew who exactly lives in these walls and yet, there was no vampire in sight. They turned into another same looking hallway. This place was not as disheartening as she could imagine, especially compared to the dark stone hallway before. The passage they were walking through reminded her of a big manor or perhaps, a castle.
Their steps halted when the pale face of a woman with auburn wavy hair popped up in front of them. Her fangs flashed in the candlelight like the moon in the sky and her scarlet lips twisted in a delighted smile.
“Oh, look who is here,” a velvet voice slipped out her mouth.
Dante drew an irritated sigh. “This will be a long night.”
Violette glanced over his shoulder, and Dante immediately grabbed her hand with tension as a reminder to not stand out.
“Didn't think you missed us.” The woman's voice sounded like wine, the same way intoxicating and flirtatious.
“Not in a thousand years,” the apathetic words came out of his mouth.
He made a step but the woman didn't let him go further.
“Move away,” he commanded but she only smiled more,trying to peer at Violette over his obscuring figure.
“I didn't say hi to your friend yet,” she nearly sang.
Violette's eyes darted around.
“She'll live.” Dante's jaw clenched.
“I insist. I don't want to seem ignorant to our guest.” The woman inclined her head to the side staring at Violette, which only made her frown.
In one simple and quick move she appeared at Dante's back, looking at the girl as if appraising her. Her fingers grabbed the sleeve of the dark coat embroidered with black threads, weighing on Violette’s shoulders.
Violette pulled back as if the woman was contagious, as though her simple gesture was a threat, however she was just studying the fabric.
Dante's hand tightened around Violette's wrist, pulling her closer to himself.
“We're in a hurry,” he stated as Violette lowered her head avoiding the uncomfortably curious gaze of the woman. She would bet her life her eyes weren't even blinking.
“I know. Rela told me, everyone knows. Why do you think it's so empty here?”
Another head peeked around the corner.
