Past Life

Lucian stood from the piano bench, stepping closer to Valentina. "I promise I won't make you regret this…um…union," he said softly, his gaze sincere.

Valentina searched his eyes, the intensity in them making her heart skip a beat. She had been careful around him, guarded, but there was something about the way he looked at her now—a quiet, almost desperate hope—that made her believe, even if just for a moment, that he truly meant it.

"I'm giving you a chance, Lucian," she said, her voice a gentle warning. "But don't think that means I trust you. You're still a vampire, and I'm not foolish enough to forget that."

Lucian nodded, accepting her words without protest. "I wouldn't expect you to trust me, not yet," he replied. "All I ask is that you let me show you who I am."

Valentina let out a sigh, her gaze drifting around the grand hall. "What are we seeing next? This a castle, so I am sure there is much more to it. A giant library? A torture chamber?"