Hey everyone! This is my first fic, so review please!
Leila looked up when she heard footsteps enter the library and smiled. Vlad was here. Wait, maybe he could help.
"Hey," she said.
"Hello," he replied, walking towards her. He looked from her to the book she had half pulled off the shelf. "Friedrich Nietzsche?If your looking for a light read, I don't think that's the way to go." he said, humour colouring his voice.
"I," she announced grandly, "am looking for secret passageways. You, mister, could help."
"Secret passageways," he repeated, grinning now, all boyish charm. Leila shivered and his grin took on a knowing turn. He looked again from Leila to the door and she knew he was counting the rows of shelves she'd already checked. She continued half pulling books off the shelf, ignoring the delicious heat pouring off him.
Well, that was until he leaned into her and said in her ear, "Oh no, I don't think you need my help. Just remember this: it's a triple bluff." And with that he plucked an old, worn volume off the floor-to-ceiling shelf in front of her and walked over to one of the many plush couches that were spread across the room.
That was how the next fifteen minutes passed. Him, reading quietly; only looking up to ask her a question – how her day had been, what she wanted to do tomorrow – or talk about the little things, the gossip and small talk that makes up the basis of any relationship. Her, pulling books off the shelves and wondering if there were, in fact, any passageways to find. Because there were seven more rows of shelves to go and the library, (like the rest of the rooms in the castle), wasn't a small room. But this was a castle and she had been curious – I mean, what self-respecting castle doesn't have them?
She mulled over his words, turning them over in her mind. A triple bluff. Hmm. That could mean almost anything. Could mean that there'd be one, but there wouldn't, but there would? Or could it be something to do with the trigger: someone thinking "it couldn't be this book", but then "or could it", and the "no, he wouldn't" - but then is it, or isn't it? Or it could be something else entirely. God, she was confusing herself, trying to figure him out.
Eventually, she passed over a copy of Bram Stoker's finest and smiled. It's a triple bluff. She gave it a good, hard tug. The book only pulled out halfway before it got stuck. She heard a slight grinding noise and turned towards it. Vlad looked up.
A small section of wall on the opposite side of the room had moved back slightly, leaving a corridor wide enough for one person, to the left of it. Vlad was suddenly behind her.
"Well, that was easy enough," said Leila, "Where's the booby trap?" she asked jokingly.
"Oh, you don't want to go down there," murmured Vlad, "The floor has an unfortunate habit of opening up beneath one's feet."
Ah, the triple bluff. "And let me guess, the room underneath is full of stakes."
"Yes, actually," he said, grinning, "I figured since I'd gone that far with the clichés, I might as well go all the way." Leila laughed.
"So where's the real one?" she asked. He arched an eyebrow.
"The door."