I am just legitimately and truly frightened by... if this was squeezed out from a story like essential oil, just what kind of horrendous... I think I gotta lay down and process this.
I am honestly racking my brain here how you go in such a story from "I am an unfeeling vampire" to "Marry me, it's the only way"
That's Tarzan grabbing a phython instead of a vine and going "Aiaiaioo" over a cliff.

The WORD you are looking for is COUNCIL. If you’re using “the counsel” as a noun it would be an attorney.
I have got to stop reading these.