Page 45 of Forced Vampire Mate

Luken’s expression was still blank, emotionless. What was he thinking? I wished I could ask him.

“Speak your truth.”

“I am!” I protested. Another shock, this one even stronger. It was enough to drive the air from my lungs. I fell to one knee, grunting. “I… I thought he killed my family. I hated him for it, but I wanted him even when hating him. It felt like a betrayal. Not only was I betraying my family, but my body was betraying me. It was humiliating how much I wanted him.

“But even now, when I know that he’s not the one responsible, I don’t know how to heal. I want him with every breath, and it still feels like a betrayal to give in to my desires when my sister is still in danger. And worse is knowing that even if he locked me in the palace and killed her himself, I’d still want him.”

The emotionless expression melted away, replaced by… shame. Luken turned his head quickly so I wouldn’t see, but it was too late.

Truth, the voice said. This was only part of the truth. “I don’t regret the times we’ve been together. Every memory of us being together, every time he’s touched me, I cling to it. I might be broken, but at least sex brings us together. If I can’t trust myself with him, at least I can trust him with my body. If I’m incapable of love, at least I’m capable of pleasure—getting as well as giving. It’s the only thing that hasn’t been taken from me.”

Another shock made me whimper. Gods! How much more did it need? But even as I bent my head, panting against the pain, I knew exactly what it wanted.Incapable of love.That’s where the lie was. I’d been lying to myself. The truth felt too much like a weakness. I groaned as I struggled against the need to say it out loud.

“I don’t,” I choked, then stopped. “I want—I need—I—”

The words were there, ready to burst out.

Luken grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the light. I yelped, startled by the sudden movement. He released me quickly. His expression was a mask again, harder than I’d seen it before. It was only then that I remembered that the light was supposed to show memories attached to the words. What had he seen? I hadn’t seen anything in the light. What did it show him?

“You’re taking too long,” he grunted before I could ask.

“Wait,” I gasped, but he ignored me, stepping into the light.

I whipped around. The movement made me so dizzy I could only slump to the ground further. The coolness of the stone felt pleasant against my cheek. I gazed at the light, waiting for the voice to speak. Luken lifted his face upward and closed his eyes. His lips moved, but I heard nothing. An image started to shimmer above him in the light, and I braced myself.

What truth would he be forced to reveal? No doubt it was related to his plan to defeat the gods. If there was anything he needed to keep secret, it was that. Did the light have the power to project our truths to anyone else? Would the Gods see his plans to—

But it wasn’t any sort of plan or scheme that appeared in the light. Instead, it was…me. A series of images appeared in rapid succession. Me smiling. Me laughing. Scowling, rolling my eyes, trying not to smile, glaring. Me naked at the hot springs, fighting. His hands caressing my cheeks as he lay over me. Me sleeping in the bed next to him at that sketchy motel. His fingers tracing my tattoos and my hands on his chest. Everything wasme.

Then came our wedding night. The way we’d spun in each other’s arms. And later, he knocked on the door to my room. I heard the whisper of words emitting from the light.

“Elara?” he said. “Elara, please come talk to me.”

He waited and knocked again.

“At least answer me. I need to know you’re alright.”

My heart hammered.

“I’m not here to fuck. I’m here to talk. Elara, please. I know you’re angry with me, and you’ve got every right to be. But if you’ll just let me explain…” he waited, then opened the door. “Elara—”

He stepped into the empty room and stopped. It was instantly clear I wasn’t there. He reached out, gripping the doorframe. And even though I couldn’t see his face, couldn’t hear his thoughts, I knew exactly how betrayed he felt. I was running away from him. All his worst fears were realized; I thought he was a monster and wanted nothing to do with him.

The light died. Luken groaned as he slumped to his hands and knees. He rested his forehead on the ground and panted lightly. I remained where I was, frozen.

He thought I saw him as a monster.

He loved me. I was his world, and he thought I was repulsed by him.

“Luken,” I breathed, crawling forward.

“I’m fine,” he grunted, still in his prone state. “Just… tired.”

“What happens now? I don’t see any doors or portals,” I said, reaching out.

I put my hand on his arm, and he flinched back from me. He cleared his throat. “The revelation spell will have changed. The portal will appear here, I’m sure, once it draws enough energy from the cave. There will be a safe place nearby to wait it out, where Draven would have protected himself and his men from being sucked dry of their magic.”

“Okay.” I scrambled to my feet and searched the area. Finally, I found a small depression on the far side of the room. A button gave way beneath my thumb when I pressed it, and a door popped open.

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