A Forever Series Box Set: A Paranormal Reverse Harem-(Book 1-5)

This unbelievably insightful question catches me off guard and I frown. “Is that what you think happened?” I ask tentatively.

“Yes,” he states.

“Hm.” I don’t really know how to answer that. “Before I answer, why don’t you tell me why you think that.”

“Well, you have only ever mentioned one time when he wasn’t with you in over five hundred years, and yet, you and Constantine seem to have been apart for most of your thousand years. Did you choose to be a sire over being a charge?”

“Hm, impressive deductions,” I say, a bit annoyed. “But no, in truth, I didn’t. Not by choice. I had to move on and like it or lump it, as the saying goes.”

“I don’t get that. He loves you. It’s obvious! Why did you feel you had to leave?” Cole presses with a conviction that I could really do without right now.

“Does it matter?” I ask, frustrated. “He betrayed me. Let's just leave it at that.” I sigh.

“Fine, but in light of that, what’s to say you won’t betray me?” he asks.

“What? You think I would?” I ask incredulously.

“I don’t know,” he says, exasperated. “I have no idea! That’s why I need to ask these questions, Liv,” he says at a loss.

“Okay, me and CK, well, let’s just say he has a hot temper and the tendency to jump to conclusions along with the pride to not back down. And well, the same can be said about me. If I had stayed and asked at the time what it meant, I may never have left in 1112. Who knows what would have happened after that?”

“What did happen?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Yeah, Liv, it does to me. I need to know so I can prevent the same thing happening to us. Do you understand that?” he asks me seriously.

r /> I drop my face into my hands and admit, “Yes, I suppose so.”

“So, tell me. What happened?"

Tuscany, Italy 1112 - Aefre

I loved being here in his castle. He had many dwellings, but this one was his real home. He loved it here. He was totally at ease here in Tuscany. The Council members lived in Rome, but he refused, saying he wanted to stay here. I loved his dominance and authority. It was very arousing. But then again, he just in himself was arousing. I loved him so much, I could die happily in his arms. He had many admirers and I knew at this point that he had many lovers. It hurt me beyond anything I could say, but he said it was of no consequence. A Vampire’s nature was to enjoy everything life had to offer, to embrace it. I was not so sure. How did I manage to love only him completely, and yet he couldn’t do the same? He said I was his favorite and only I was allowed to drink from him, but I didn’t know. I didn’t think he was being truthful. I knew what it did to him when I drank from him, who was to say he didn’t want that feeling from others? He was so much older than me and so much more experienced and worldly. I felt like a small child next to him. I knew that he took Vampire lovers who were older than me and it killed me.

One night, he came to me and took me with such abandon, telling me he loved me and only me. I wanted to believe him. I asked him hesitantly if he would show his commitment. He readily agreed to my utmost joy. I asked him if he would give me a ring to show his promise.

“Soon,” he said.

I believed him, but it never came.

I held on to the hope that one day he would marry me. He said he turned me so he could love me forever, but I wondered what that really meant.

O ne evening, a few months later, having expected him in my bed chamber some time ago, I went off in search of him. The servants said he was up in the bedrooms on the right wing. My heart dropped as I followed their instructions and went in search of my love. I felt the now familiar tingle down the back of my neck as I got close to him and peeked through the door as I sensed him. I saw him laughing with Eloise! That bitch. He said he had nothing to do with her, that he hated her, and yet there he was with her. He was half naked and glowing.

She was standing behind him and giggled at something he said. I didn’t yet understand the language they were speaking. Her language. She slipped her robe over her head and bent to whisper in his ear. He inhaled deeply and relaxed under her touch. She quickly dropped her fangs and leant in to bite him. He accepted it.

I turned and ran in horror. I wanted to desperately believe that he had told me the truth about the biting, but it was clear now, he lied. Devastated, I knew I couldn’t stay there any longer. I ran out to the stables and asked for a horse to be prepared for me. Once ready, I leaped on it and headed for the hills.

Halfway to the next town from the castle, I felt myself go strange all over. I shook my head to clear it and I saw my hair all dark and curly in my eyes.

Horrified, I stopped the horse and slid down his flanks, noticing I was also taller, and my body was completely different.

“T hat’s when you knew you could Shift?” Cole interrupts.

“Yes. I wanted so badly to not be me, all of a sudden, I just wasn’t me anymore,” I say.

“So, you think he betrayed you by accepting a bite from another woman?” Cole asks.