FORBIDDEN BLOOM

17 — OATH, HIS TRUTH AND HUNGER

VANESSA

The sun rose slowly behind the clouds, branding the sky with a faint purple hue as it revealed its glamour. I watched it from where I lay with the arms of Leonidas wrapped around my waist.

Just a few more days and all would be over and I’d go back to living a normal life.

Even as I thought this, uncertainty crept up.

What was a normal life to me? Being contracted as a tool and used to kill people?

I shook my head to clear out those thoughts. A man f*****g me so good should not be reasons to want to betray the oath I swore to the Serpent Sisters.

It was not even worth dying for.

However, deep down, my body knew. As well as my heart.

“I can feel your heart racing,” he murmured against my back, that delicious deep voice sending sparks flying through my body. “You did not get much sleep last night, I’m sorry.”

“That’s…that’s fine. I could not get myself to sleep either.” Then I turned to face him, putting away my troubling thoughts. “How do you feel this morning?”

His lips widened into a boyish smile so handsome I almost melted right off the bed.

“I haven’t felt this way in years. The last time I did…” Shadows crossed his eyes. “Let’s just say it did not go well. Where were you last night? I woke up and you were gone.”

The little revelation had piqued my curiosity but nevermind, I had all day to find out.

Perhaps it had to do with what Rose said.

I laughed, moving to press my lips against his. “Clingy so soon? I only went to move some of my clothes into your closet. After last night, let’s just say I’d rather spend every waking moment with you.”

This time, he kissed me back, stealing my breath with how expertly he stoked desire with his mouth. Simple things that made my toes curl under the blanket.

It felt like being a teenager all over again.

Fuck this man and the way he made me feel.

Soon after, we were served breakfast. That was when I decided to bring it up again.

“You mentioned Glory while we were…you know,” I felt the blood rising to my cheeks.

Get it together, Vanessa. f*****g hell. It’s just s*x!

“You mean to say while we made love?” He offered very innocently.

Clearing my throat, I nodded. How can he be so straight-faced about it?

“Under different circumstances, I would have kicked you out of the bed. So tell me, what really happened?”

I needed to learn what I could if it would aid Rose. The sooner I finished my task, the less attachment to him and the better for me.

Hesitation crossed his features for a moment, revealing that there was more to it than he was letting on.

He cleared his throat. “Glory was my wife and mate in the past.” More hesitation. “I killed her.”

It was my turn to pause mid-chew, eyes widening at his confession.

“I thought the mate bond was supposed to bind one strongly to his soul person, how did that happen? You never loved her?”

He swept his fingers down his face. “Within the very inch of my soul, I loved her. I loved her so much she only needed to nod and I’d come trotting.”

The pain in his voice as he spoke was too evident to ignore. Speaking about it felt like torture and for some reason, I could no longer bear to hear him talk about it.

“We should probably talk about this some other time.” I dropped my fork, my appetite driven away. “Don’t you have royal duties to attend to this morning?”

A weak smile crept up his lips. “Don’t feel sorry for me. Someone who does not know asks questions, so ask away.”

“I just did. Royal duties ring a bell?”

“Alright, I have a duke for that. He’d do things in my stead today while I spend time telling you things you need to know as my mate and Queen.”

I was not sure I was ready for it. But I nodded anyway.

***

A portrait of Leonidas hung large and proud in the throne room. “King Leonidas, First of His Name.” Then I paused to gloss over it. “This here is you. I also found another in that hallway, a man who looks just like you.”

“The one with blue eyes? You’ll be shocked to know that was me before everything was ruined by a witch with a grudge.”

Okay, that might be the creepiest thing I’ve heard today. That picture was older than my grandfather.

I tried to school my expression to that of indifference.

“That is why you remain first of your name, because you’re still alive.” My fingers brushed the inscriptions. “How is that even possible?”

“See, agapi mou, it is a curse for a reason. I’m not sure why I was cursed but it led me to killing my wife and that caused me to lose my humanity, until somehow, I found a way to keep it under control.”

Wife. Sensitive subject. Got it.

“How did your people miss this important detail?

He shrugged, “I have my methods.”

I made my way to a portrait on the other side of the wall, but this was covered. “What is in here?”

“That is a picture of my dead wife, Glory.”

Curiosity was a b***h. Not only was I dying to know what she looked like, I wanted to feel what he felt when he looked at her.

“Can I?” I asked, grabbing onto the edge of the linen. “I mean if you don’t want to, I can just…”

He nodded, granting me permission and when I did, I could not believe what was in front of me.

“This is Glory?” I asked, full of disbelief. “This is a photo of me in a different lifetime. “Are you sure you’re not that obsessed with me?”

He laughed, the first genuine laugh since we began this tour.

“When our eyes met at the ball, I was certain I’d gone mad. Seeing the late wife you murdered was not at the top of my list this year.”

I smiled, recalling the fear I felt when I saw he also had his eyes on me, and all this while, it had been for different reasons.

The heat pooling from his body wrapped around my senses. “Was that why you kept pushing me away? Because you feared it would happen again?”

“Yes. It would break me to relive that horrid experience.” He took my fingers in his, letting the cloth drop.

I managed a glance at the side of his face and a sudden sadness tugged at my heart. “I think fate has reversed the roles.”

“An irony,” his solemn gaze found my eyes on him, “and I’d gladly let you do it if it would stop the beast from going after you a second time.”

I let out a shuddering breath, startled at the sincerity in his words.

“Is the beast gone this time?”

“I hope so. But this is the most peace I’ve had in hundreds of years. You helped fight him off. You believed in me and you brought peace to my tortured soul. Thank you.”

Another hard tug at my heart. Only if he knew.

‘Guilt is a weakness that can be weaponized,’ echoed one of Nyra’s training in my mind.

Fuck this. Whatever this emotion was, it would be the death of me. A costly mistake I could not afford right now.

Tuning out my sympathy was the only way to make it out of this place alive and the only way I knew how to distract myself; using him.

Wrapping my hands around his neck, I pulled him close and whispered. “Maybe you can do better than that weak appreciation. Don’t you think so?”

“Then my lady,” he flashed that boyish grin again, the one that threatened to undo me. “Allow me to show you.”

The wicked glint in his eyes told me that this was a bad idea.