Fated to My Vampire Lord novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: For the Council

Three hundred people looked at us.

Tiernan did not move.

His hand was flat on the table and his face gave away nothing, but I had spent five days beside him now, and I could see his jaw working.

"You said it would cost you nothing," the chair said gently.

"It will cost me nothing," Tiernan said.

He turned to me.

I stood, because there was no other way to do this, and stepped out from behind the table.

He was a head taller than I was.

Up close his eyes were grey around the edges and nearly black at the center.

"Terms," I said, too quietly for the cameras. "Watched. This counts."

"I know the terms."

"Then kiss me."

His hand came up and settled against the side of my neck.

The fingers were cool and careful.

Then he bent his head and kissed me.

It began as a polite thing, with hardly any pressure, a kiss that did only what the room required.

His mouth was cool and a little dry.

I put my hand on his chest to steady myself and felt that he was not breathing.

Then I made a small sound I had not meant to make.

His hand tightened on my neck.

The cool went out of his mouth all at once.

He kissed me again, harder, with his lips open, and his other arm came around my back and pulled me against him.

I forgot the Council.

I forgot the cameras and my father and the three hundred chairs.

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