"You chose me," he breathed, his words like a confession and a vow all at once. The sound of it trembling through me, soft and reverent, as if saying it might keep me from slipping away.
I lifted my head, drawn to him like gravity itself. His red eyes, all storm and solace, searched mine for a permission he didn't need. Then his lips found mine, cool and desperate.
It wasn't gentle. It was raw, consuming, a collision of everything we've endured to reach this moment. His lips crushing against mine, tasting of ash and eternity, as the world around us vanished. There was only heat, his hands anchoring me to him like I'd disappear if he lets go.
The air hummed, shadows curling and unraveling in a slow, violent dance around us. Power surged through my veins, burning brighter in every second. When his fingers slid to the back of my neck, deepening the kiss, I felt something break open inside me. Something ancient, wild and impossibly alive.
Then a voice thundered across the hall.
