Forgotten

Chapter 34

  Sorin brought me to the palace, continually dodging my questions. I finally gave up, knowing how disciplined he could be, I knew he wouldn't answer me until he was ready. The king was in a meeting, so Sorin took me to the parlor to wait. He sat down on the couch and I curled up next to him. I was thinking about how strange it would be to live in the palace together and something occurred to me.

  "Have you ever been to my apartment?" 

  He grinned "A few times."

  "Well, judging by your grin, I'd say it was more than a few times."

  He shrugged playing coy.

  "Don't pick on the one with amnesia here! Spill it!" I poked him in the arm.

  "Let's see... I helped you buy, paint, decorate and christen your apartment. Does that sum it up for you?" He poked me back.

   I froze at his words. "Christen? You mean you...we..." I frowned. "I don't remember." All this time he had intimate knowledge of me and I had no idea. I had to admit I felt a little violated, like I had been given a date rape drug or something. I mean, I hadn't even known I'd ever been with anyone let alone Sorin. "Was there anyone else? That I..." I whispered the words, sick at the thought. What else don't I know?

  "No. You were untouched when I met you. I promise you have only ever lain with me." I could tell by the look on his face he felt guilty. But he shouldn't. None of this was his fault.

  "How could you possibly know for sure?" The idea of being with anyone else made my skin crawl.

  "I would have smelled them on you."

  "Really? So do I smell like you?"

  He tried to fight his grin. "Yes. Any magical creature would know you are mine. Some humans would sense it too."

  "That makes you happy doesn't it?" I eyed him closely.

  He stopped grinning and looked down, like he was ashamed. "Yes."

  I lifted his chin so he would meet my eyes. "Me too," I replied. I didn't want him to feel bad about loving me. "How about you fill in some more blanks for me. Like how we met."

  His smiled returned  and he kissed me softly. "We met at an auction. You were in your first year of University, looking for furniture for your dorm room. I bid on a piece you wanted, a mahogany dresser. I won the auction, on purpose, and I told you I would give it to you if you let me take you for dinner. I was shocked when you said no!"

  "Did I?" I was as surprised as he was!

  Why would I ever turn him down?

  "You told me later you thought I was joking because why would someone like me buy something just to get a date."

  "It's a bit odd, you have to admit. You hardly look like the kind of guy that has trouble scoring a date! I could see how you would intimidate me." I laughed.

  "You must understand, I was told as a child, that when a dhampir mates, it is for life, which for us is eternal. I spent my life wondering if it was true and then suddenly there you were. It was like I developed tunnel vision, all I saw was you. I knew you were the one I had waited my entire life for. I had never felt such raw emotion, such happiness. However, the bond that is formed is only complete if our feelings are mutual. If you had not returned my feelings, I would have pined for you for an eternity.

  "I went back to that auction house religiously for months waiting to see you again. You never showed. All I thought of was you; I couldn't focus on anything else. It was probably a good thing that I had a while to get use to the idea of a mate. It allowed me a chance to find the happy medium between dreaming of you and concentrating on my job.