Monica Lewinsky, the former White House intern who had an affair with then-president Bill Clinton, is finally speaking out and clearing the air of some of the secrets she has kept for 15 years. Lewinsky, now 40, gave the exclusive details to Vanity Fair magazine.

Lewinsky called the relationship with Clinton "consenual" but added that her boss "took advantage."

Lewinksy has been silent about the details surrounding her relationship with America's top man despite getting flooded with requests from the media to talk.

"I remained virtually reclusive, despite being inundated with press requests. I put off announcing several media projects in 2012 until after the election," she said. "And recently I've found myself gun-shy yet again, fearful of 'becoming an issue' should [Hillary Clinton] decide to ramp up her campaign. But should I put my life on hold for another 8 to 10 years?"

She denies that the Clintons "paid her off" to remain silent and explains why she is speaking out after all this time.

"I am determined to have a different ending to my story. I've decided, finally, to stick my head above the parapet so that I can take back my narrative and give a purpose to my past. (What this will cost me, I will soon find out.)," she wrote.

"It's time to burn the beret and bury the blue dress," added Lewinsky, who lies on a couch and wears a white dress in the photo with the excerpts.

Lewinsky added in the interview that Hillary Clinton partially blamed herself for the affair and that "she seemed to forgive him."

"Hillary Clinton wanted it on record that she was lashing out at her husband's mistress. She may have faulted her husband for being inappropriate, but I find her impulse to blame the Woman -- not only me but herself -- troubling," Lewinsky told Vanity Fair.

The affair, which led to the impeachment of Clinton by the House (he was later aquitted by the Senate) became one of the first scandals exposed by the Internet.

Lewinsky said she told her story in response to a 2010 suicide of a Rutgers student, who was secretly caught on video kissing another man. 

Lewinsky said she had some suicidal "temptations" after the media exposed her affair.

The full interview will be available May 8 in the digital version of Vanity Fair and in the print version May 13.