Damien's heart raced as he took a deep breath and began to speak. "Brittany, there's something I need to tell you. Something that will change everything."
Brittany's eyes never left his, her gaze piercing and intense. "What is it, Damien?"
Damien's voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm a vampire, Brittany. I've been alive for centuries, and I've been hiding it from you."
The world around them seemed to stop. Brittany's eyes widened in shock, her mouth opening in a silent gasp.
Damien braced himself for her rejection, her fear, her horror. But instead, Brittany's face softened, her eyes filling with a deep understanding.
"I knew it," she whispered. "I knew there was something different about you."
Damien's mind reeled in shock. "You knew? How?"
Brittany's smile was gentle. "I've always been drawn to the unknown, the supernatural. And I've always sensed that you were different, Damien. Special."
Damien's heart soared. He had never expected this, never expected Brittany to accept him for what he was.
"Brittany, I'm so sorry," he whispered, his eyes filling with tears. "I was so afraid of losing you."
Brittany's arms wrapped around him, her embrace warm and comforting. "You'll never lose me, Damien," she whispered. "I love you, vampire and all."
And in that moment, Damien knew that he had found his true mate, his soulmate, his everything.