Page 35 of Blood Vows

She frowned. “We’re leaving now?”

“Soon,” he breathed.

“To my apartment?” she asked.

“Yes.” Fear curled low in her stomach, and she hated that reaction. Her apartment had always been the one place that belonged to her, but now it felt contaminated. Someone had torn through every piece of her life. Someone had died inside. She didn’t know if it would ever feel like home again.

Dante must have seen something on her face. “You don’t have to go inside.”

“Yes, I do,” she whispered.

“We can bring the card to you,” he offered.

“You won't find it,” she insisted.

“You said that already,” he said.

“And I meant it. I’ll go in,” she said.

Dante studied her. “You sure?”

“No.” That seemed to surprise him. Elena stood. “But I’m going anyway.” Something changed in his expression—approval maybe, or respect. She liked that more than she should have.

“Good,” he said.

“Good?”

“Your fear is useful,” he said.

She frowned. “Excuse me?”

“It means you understand the risk,” he said.

“I thought fearless was better,” she said.

“A lack of fear gets people killed.”

Elena paused. “My father used to say fear was information.”

Dante’s eyes sharpened. “Smart man.”

Her chest tightened. “Maybe he was. I just don’t know anymore.”

He caught that. “Still angry with him?”

“I don’t know how I feel about my father.” That was the truth. She missed her father, and still loved him, but she resented him. Elena wanted to shake him. She wanted him alive so she could demand answers. She wanted to know if any part of the man she remembered had been real.

Dante leaned against the dresser. “You don’t have to decide how you feel about him today.” She looked at him. That was probably the kindest thing he’d said to her, which made it harder to dismiss him as a monster.

“You’re very confusing,” she whispered.

“So I’ve been told,” he teased.

“I doubt that. I’m betting that no one is brave enough to tell you stuff like that.” This time he actually smiled, and Elena stared at him.

“You just did,” he said. “I guess you’re brave enough to tell me how it is.” She didn’t say anything, because she had nothing to say to that. “Get ready,” he ordered.

She laughed softly as he walked toward the door. He was being a coward and avoiding her by changing the subject. She almost said it out loud, but knew that it was probably better that she didn’t.