Eternal Promise: (The Cursed Series, Book 5)

“Abby’s good with secrets, especially if she knows telling would hurt me. Or Isach.”
“Good, because I just texted her and asked her to come over,” Whitney said. “It’ll be nice not to have to hide who I am around her. It’s exhausting.” She laughed.
Trent wrapped his arms around me. “What if she doesn’t want to change?” His gaze was locked on Isach, who stood in the kitchen entryway, arms crossed.
“Then I guess I spend however many years I can with her,” Isach said, defeated.
I honestly had no idea how Abby was going to react to finding out her friends were vampires, and that I was planning to become one, too. But I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she loved Isach, and she might be okay if she knew she could have an eternity with him.
“And if she says no, I assume that means you won’t accept Ivy’s deal?” Trent asked.
His question was like a knife to my heart. Everything hinged on Isach, on the witch who once tried to kill me and had now become a trusted friend. He had more to lose than any of us, and we were asking him for too much. I wouldn’t be surprised if he said no.
“I need to get out of my coven, and this is the only way. So, I’ll accept Ivy’s deal,” Isach said as he moved from the entryway and toward the island counter. “I know Chloe’s ready to accept Ivy’s deal. That just leaves you, Trent.” Isach placed his hands flat on the counter and leaned forward, his stance menacing. “So, what’s it going to be? Yes or no?”

CHAPTER FOUR:
Vampires Are Real
TRENT TENSED, AND I SUCKED IN a sharp breath. His eyes were dark, and a quiet but deadly growl rumbled through his chest. The room was silent, everyone waiting for Trent’s answer. Me most of all. I couldn’t believe Isach had put Trent on the spot like that, but I had to admit, I was grateful.
“Get up,” Trent said through clenched teeth.
Slowly, I stood, and Trent rose to his feet. Then, without a word to anyone, he took my hand and led me out of the kitchen and into his bedroom. He kicked the door closed so hard the walls rattled. I cringed, and my heart jumped in my chest. This silent, dark-eyed Trent was terrifying.
“Trent, you don’t have to—”
“Stop.”
I snapped my mouth shut and stood frozen in the middle of his room.
“In order for any of this to happen, we need to tell Abby that vampires are real, that you’re going to become one, that Isach wants her to become one, too, because he can’t stand the thought of outliving her, and if she agrees, he wants to change, too.” He paced in front of me, each step heavy.
“Yes.” I licked my suddenly dry lips and cleared my throat. “But if you don’t want to take Ivy’s deal, then we don’t tell Abby anything. It will be over right here, right now.”
“Over?” His expression softened, and his eyes faded back into their normal blue.
He closed the distance between us and took my face into his hands, his gaze loving and compassionate. Then, his mouth was on mine, kissing me deep but tender, the opposing sensations igniting a fire in my belly.
“Trent.” I broke away from his kiss with a gasp.
He responded by lifting me off my feet. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck as he carried me to the bed and laid me down, his lips landing on mine the same moment my back hit the mattress. He was always affectionate like this, but he was twice as bad after we’d argued or spent any amount of time apart.
He took my hands and pinned them above my head, shifting so he was only half on me; then he dragged his palms down the length of my arms, over my shoulders, and across my ribs before one hand settled on my stomach.
“You’re going to be an incredible mom,” he whispered.
My heart stopped, and all the breath rushed from my lungs. “Are you saying…?” I couldn’t even form the words.
“I’m saying yes.” He gave me that gorgeous smile, the rare one that showed off his dimple. “We’re taking Ivy’s deal.”
“Oh, my God.” My voice was thick with emotion, and I could barely get the words past my lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and clung to him as tight as I could. “Thank you.” Tears slipped silently down my cheeks.
Sighing, he buried his face against my neck, holding me back just as tightly. “I wanted to tell you in my own way, not out there in front of everyone,” he said.
“I love you so much,” I whispered.
For a moment, I forgot all the bad stuff—the Zoya, the deal with Ivy, having to tell Abby the truth—and let myself revel in the fact that I was getting everything I wanted: Trent, his baby, eventual immortality.
Trent pulled away and brushed the hair from my face. “Happy tears?”
“Yeah.” I smiled. “You’re sure you want to do this? You’re not just agreeing because you know it’s what I want?”
“I want this, Chloe. I promise.” Sincerity rang in his tone.
“Hey, Abby’s here,” Whitney called from outside the bedroom door.
My stomach dropped, and bile rose in the back of my throat. I knew we needed to tell her the truth, but I was nervous about how she’d react. At least she’d have me to talk to about it, which was more than I’d had when I found out.
Trent got off the bed and helped me to my feet. Hand in hand, we left his room. When we entered the living room, Abby was on the couch with Isach, his arm draped around her shoulders.
“Hey,” Abby said. “Everything all right?”
“Oh, uh, yeah. Everything’s fine.” I smiled.
Isach raised a brow, his gaze lingering on me and Trent. “Well, did you make a decision?”
“Yes.” My smile widened. “We decided to take the deal she offered.”
I sat