Page 68 of Forever Midnight

“Vampire,” Tru says a second time, his body shaking in my arms.

The word startles me, especially since I couldn’t snap him out of the trance he’s been in since I entered him.

“Tru. Can you hear me?”

He shifts his wide eyes to me, his face pale, our bodies still joined together. “Oh god,” Tru whispers as tears trickle down his cheeks. “Oh, Midnight.”

“What’s happening right now?”

With a shaky breath, Tru reaches up and touches my cheek. “Leander.” His eyes dart around the space. “I saw…all of it. I felt your bite.”

“I didn’t bite you, Tru.”

He shakes his head. “No. Benedict. You bit Benedict.”

I pull my head back in shock. “How did you know that?”

“I saw it. You loved him so much. He…” Tru closes his eyes again, his body jolting beneath me several times, until he blows out a breath. “He knows he was wrong. He didn’t mean to hurt you. He didn’t want to leave. Oh god,” Tru moans.

I adjust to pull out, but Tru grips my arm. “No. Stay.”

I nod, staring at him helplessly.

“As soon as he left, he regretted it. He had to find a way to tell you…oh…”

“Tell me what, Tru?”

“Soulmates,” he whispers. His lips turn up in a slight smile. “Oh, yes. It took a long time, mon prince ténébreux, but I found you. I’ll never leave you again.”

“Tru?”

His voice is different, lighter, as he slips into full French, telling me about the walks in his parents’ garden, the stolen kisses at the Louvre, the nights of passion in my Parisian apartment. I have no words as his eyes open and he utters his next words.

“It’s me, Leander. It’s your Benedict.”

“That’s…impossible.”

“Not when your souls are fated, your destinies entwined.” Tru squeezes my hand. “I live again through this man. His soul, my soul, combined so that we can finish the love story we started.”

“Benedict?”

“I was wrong,” he continues in perfect French. “So wrong to reject your love. I thought we were star-crossed, but fate intended us to be together. And then I ran out of time to tell you. That’s why you’ve never found anyone else to love until now.”

I can barely speak as the words ring true.

“This man though, Gideon Tru De Palma, is strong enough to love you the way you deserve. Wholly and eternally. Fate helped me make things right. Tru will never leave you, never doubt, never reject your gift. Trust him, for part of him is me.”

The tears sliding down my cheeks startle me. I haven’t shed a tear since Benedict died.

“Admit your love and your gift. Tru will understand you better than I ever could.”

“Are you…you’re part of Tru?”

“Much of the soul you fell in love with is his own. Just enough of me remains to fulfill fate’s destiny. For you, Leander. You will have a companion for eternity, one who loves you with all he is. He will be loyal to you and your coven. He will never stray from your side.” Benedict cups my cheek, my skin tingling from the touch. “Now that you know, I can rest. I’ll go back to my quiet corner where I’ve always been waiting for your paths to cross. Oh, Leander, you are as beautiful as you ever were. You did not fail me. It was I who failed.” He smiles. “You have a fresh start now in your modern world with this man who loves you.”

“Mighty Hades,” I whisper, still awestruck.

Benedict exhales. “Oh, it uses so much energy to take over.”

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