He tightened his fingers on the steering wheel as he turned onto a tree-lined boulevard.
"Mortals," he breathed in annoyance. "Why are you so consumed with physical appearance? Not only does it swiftly fade, but it is also meaningless."
His words of wisdom were greeted with a disdainful raspberry. "Spoken like one of the truly beautiful people," she groused. "It's easy to condemn shallow vanity when you look like a Greek god."
"I merely…" He shot her a swift glance. "You think I look like a Greek god?"
"Actually, you look more like a pirate. A very, very wicked pirate."
A pirate? That didn't seem nearly as good as a Greek god. Of course, she had said that he was a wicked one.
"Okay, I'm going to take that as a compliment."
'You must know you are gorgeous."
"Well, there is that whole reflection thing, lover," he said in dry tones. "I don't spend a great deal of time preening before mirrors."
"Oh… I forgot." She hiccupped. "Sorry."
"Not as exciting as having a bumpy forehead or turning into a bat, but it's at least vampirish."
She gave a slow nod. 'That's true, I suppose. And you do have the fangs."
"Yes, I do have the fangs."
She heaved a faint sigh. "Still, turning into a bat would be cool."
Dante's smile faded. She still had no clue of the monster he was capable of becoming. In her mind it was all myths and fairy tales.
"Abby."
"What?"
"I think perhaps you've had enough of those herbs for now."
There was a short pause before she struggled to straighten in her seat. 'You may be right. My head is starting to spin."
Dante flicked a switch to roll down her window, allowing a gust of fresh air to enter the car.
"Better?"
"Yes." She stuck her head out the window, breathing deeply. "Do you know, I think that muck might have been spiked."
Dante chuckled as he slowed and pulled the car to a halt. "Don't worry, lover, soon enough you'll be enjoying your hot fudge sundaes instead of spiked muck."
Pulling in her head, Abby regarded him with a lift of her brows. "Why are we stopping? Are we near the coven?"
'That's what I intend to find out."
She blinked in surprise. 'You can sense it?"
"Actually, I hope to smell it."
"Ugh. Do witches stink?"
"Not the witches, but something near the coven," he explained with a smile. "When Selena would return from her visits, there was always a peculiar scent that would cling to her."
Abby tilted her head to one side. "What sort of scent?"