Every time he loves me

Chapter 3: Damien

She looked at me in shock. I was used to this; most people do not expect that to come out of my mouth. What I'm not used to is laughing.

"What, what's funny?" I asked, completely bewildered.

"Uh, there's no way. You're four hundred five years old? You look twenty-five."

"As far as I can tell, mentally and physically I'm around twenty-seven. I've come to the conclusion that fifty years for you is about one for me. I accepted immortality at nineteen, so I'm just over twenty-six and a half. So I just say I'm twenty-seven. Anyway, yes. I'm technically four-o-five."

Her jaw was practically on the floor, realization dawning on her that I was dead serious. No pun intended.

I knew there were stories and speculations about the existence of immortal beings. Most of them were inaccurate and involved magic and witchcraft, but the mortals knew we existed. I also knew that a lot of them didn't believe in them, so this reaction was pretty typical.

"So you're telling me, the folktales I was told growing up are true? Immortals exist? You can't die? Are you magic? Do-"

"Darling," I said, chuckling. "Deep breaths. Yes, the folktales are true, but only around twenty percent are accurate. Immortals exist, but not many. I've never met another one. I am not magic, I simply can't die." She looked at me, wide-eyed, for an unreasonably long time, and I could practically SEE the gears turning in her head.

"Okay, so then are the reincarnation stories true?"

"Yes, Estelle. Most people on Earth have been reincarnated. Occasionally a new soul shows up here and there, but yes."

"How can you tell?"

"Birthmarks, Darling. Appearances, hobbies, even sometimes personalities change, but birthmarks are always the same."

"That's...actually kinda cool."

"Right?" We sat on the pavement by the pond in silence for a while, watching the sunset. "So, Ellie, what are we going to do?" I asked, hesitating slightly. I was nervous she'd resent me.  But she hadn't run or slapped me yet, so I had relatively high hopes. "I understand if you leave, I should have been honest with you from the start. But I needed to know you could be trusted first." I cupped her cheek in my hand, gently forcing her to look at me. Her warmth was a bit startling against my constantly cold hands.

"Of course I want to stay with you, Dae." She tucks her long hair behind her ear and leans into my hand. "But are there any other secrets? I don't want to find out you're married twenty years from now."

"No, Darling. No more secrets"

"Good," she started. "Because I think I'm in love with you"