Dante was staring at her deadly for a minute before speaking again, “Tell him that his house is admirable. You should show him your appreciation, it's a good tone, just don't look like you're easily impressed. Then he'll eventually ask you about your trip. Say it was a long road, but don't complain, ladies don't do it.”
Violette chuckled and then pretended to be serious again. Dante fell silent.
“Something is wrong?” he asked.
“No, not at all,” she said firmly and gave him a serious look.
He looked at her with a distrusting look but continued, “About your trip. As you know he loves to travel, try to seem like an adventurer to him. You are pretty good at it, aren’t you?” A smirk lightly curled his lips.
She indeed was good at finding adventures…Not like she was really happy about it. She would rather prefer something safer and more pleasant than dealing with vampires and cemeteries.
“Try to act like you are more important than you are, but don't be mean. Don't laugh too loud, be unapproachable and yet flirtatious. Make him want to impress you.”
Another snicker left her mouth before she could suppress it.
“That's it. What was that?” Dante’s brows wrinkled.
“Sorry, I just didn't know you're such an expert in manners,” she confessed, covering her mouth with a hand.
“I lived in a castle for a long time, if you remember.”
“Oh, so you can be a gentleman then?”
“Was I not a gentleman to you?” His hand dramatically landed on his chest.
One of her brows raised, mouth bent in reproach. His soft chuckle somehow warmed her heart, it was a strange feeling, not something she would expect to feel because of Dante.
Luckily, their lesson ended without crushed legs and Violette didn't embarrass herself. Speaking frankly she was left with quite pleasantfeelings after that night. She couldn't imagine it was possible but the time they spent together was somehow enjoyable. She felt tiredness creeping up onto her but it was a nice one.
Chapter 26
HIDDEN INTENTIONS
Time had flown too fast in Violette's mind. Just a few days ago she was working in her little shop and now she was on her way to shop with a vampire, and she even met the Lord of Vampires which actually sounded absurd. His words couldn't leave her and she tried to ignore the dagger he gave her but sometimes she could swear it was whispering to her. Despite not having any desire to use it, thoughts about it had been scrambling into her head. Caidas said Dante is a monster and he had no place in this world, otherwise it's in danger, which didn't make much sense to her; Dante looked too apathetic to be plotting atrocities against others but she knew for sure – he wasn’t innocent and this mask on his face only proved the fact he wasn't trustworthy.
They passed a little clearing surrounded by trees as Violette grabbed the dagger on her waist, her fingers felt its hilt encased with gems.
She never wanted to hurt anyone. The thought of killing someone seemed horrendous, even if it's someone as terrible as a night demon. And she wasn't sure she wanted Dante dead, aside from his terrible character he didn't do anything bad to her. If only she had more time to investigate what exactly happened, what put Dante in his mouth trap. But he was an impenetrable wall and was very careful with his words. He'd never let her know more than he wanted her to know, he treasured his secrets as if they were inviolable oaths and it’s unlikely it would change in the near future, if ever at all.
Herreflection glimmered in the blade, bathing in the moonlight. A new image surfaced in her memory. That servant in the witch's reminiscent…he killed her. What if he will kill more people if she'll free him? All their blood will be on her hands because she let it happen. She once again felt creeping cold in the empty dark room: Dante sitting on the ground, his shirt stained in blood. Now she imagined the girl who he killed; she didn't deserve such a fate…Nobody does.
She squeezed the dagger's tilt.
“What are you doing?”
Violette’s eyes snapped to find Dante staring at her, his brows writhed. Her throat went dry as she stumbled upon the words. She had to come up with something. Quickly.
“I was thinking maybe you'll show me how to use it right?” Not a shiver in her voice. “It's no use if I don't know how to…use it?”
“Where's gone 'I'm a wizardling, there's nothing I can't do'?” he sneered.
“As you remember,” she accusingly pouted her lips, “my magic doesn't work on vampires and I was thinking maybe it's time to learn how to protect myself…From someone like Nigel or Caidas.”
Dante stared at her for some time with a completely unreadable face, Violette almost believed he'll laugh at her at any moment but instead “It's reasonable” came out of his mouth.
And then, by a quick move he knocked out the dagger of her hand and pointed it at her. Violette's brows jumped, she reared back.
“First, you should move quicker. Dexterity and agility are essential if you really want to fight with a dagger,” he said with a serious tone, then flipped the dagger over with the hilt facing Violette. “Second, confidence.”
