Chapter 22
Tyr kept his arm around Beth's shoulders as Liam emerged from his office, shrugging into his coat. The veterinarian's hazel eyes swept over them both, his expression brooking no argument.
"That's it for you tonight, Beth.." Liam's tone was gentle but firm. "Go home and get some rest."
"Aleksei's on his way down from the city." The doctor's gaze fixed on Tyr. "He wants to meet with you and Tobi as soon as he arrives, for a full report. Antonio is on his way as well."
"I'll see Beth home safely," Liam assured Tyr, his expression softening. "I'll be right behind her all the way."
Tyr's jaw tightened. The thought of leaving Beth right now... but he knew this meeting was crucial after the night's events.
"Go," Beth touched his arm gently. "I'll be fine with Liam."
Tyr caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. "I'll see you to your car?"
At her nod, he reluctantly released her and headed for the door. He paused in the doorway, watching as Liam helped Beth gather her things. Only when they were both ready to leave did he finally step out into the night.
The back door closed behind them with a soft click as they emerged into the employee parking lot. The night air carried a sharp chill, though Beth seemed unfazed by it. Moonlight bathed the lot in silvery radiance, casting long shadows between the scattered vehicles.
Liam broke away from them, heading toward his charcoal grey Jeep at the far end of the lot. Tyr's hand settled at the small of Beth's back as he guided her toward her dark green Prius.
"See you at home, Beth!" Liam called from his Jeep. "And so you know, I didn't call Naomi and wake her to tell her about this, so she'll be all over it in the morning."
Beth turned, her pale hair catching the moonlight as she grimaced. "Oh, boy! I can see we're going to have an interesting morning."
The sharp crack of gunfire came without warning, impossibly loud in the still night.
Beth's body jerked, her eyes going wide with shock as crimson bloomed across her stomach, spreading rapidly through her light blue scrub top. Her knees buckled.
Tyr lunged forward, catching her before she could hit the pavement. A second report rang out as he cradled her against his chest, and Liam's pained shout echoed through the parking lot.
The third shot slammed into Tyr's chest, the impact barely registering through his rising panic as he carefully lowered Beth to the ground. The bullet meant nothing - vampires couldn't die. But Beth...
"Beth!" Liam's voice cracked as he sprinted toward them, blood streaming from his shoulder. The veterinarian dropped to his knees beside them, his hazel eyes wild with fear as he pressed his uninjured hand against the wound in Beth's abdomen.
Another shot cracked through the night, another bullet slamming into Tyr's arm.
He barely registered the impact, his entire focus on Beth's pale face and ragged breathing.
Blood soaked through her scrubs, the metallic scent filling his nose and triggering his vampire instincts.
He ruthlessly suppressed the urge to feed, channeling the surge of power into action instead.
In one fluid motion, Tyr scooped Beth into his arms and darted around the far side of her Prius. Liam followed close behind, his own wound forgotten in his concern for his sister-in-law. The car's metal frame wouldn't stop a bullet, but it provided some cover while they assessed Beth's condition.
Tyr gently laid Beth on the asphalt, his hands steady despite the rage building inside him. Her skin had taken on a greyish tinge that made his heart clench.
Liam immediately pressed both hands against Beth's wound, his medical training taking over. "Go," he ordered, his voice tight with pain and worry. "I've got her. Find whoever did this."
Tyr hesitated for a fraction of a second, his protective instincts warring with the need to eliminate the threat.
"Go!" Liam snapped. "I can handle this. You're the only one who can catch them."
Tyr raced between the trees. His heightened senses tracked the shooter's scent - gunpowder, sweat, excitement, and fear creating a clear trail through the woods behind the clinic. The man's rapid heartbeat thundered in Tyr's ears, growing louder with each stride.
About three hundred yards in, Tyr spotted movement high in a massive oak tree. The sniper was hastily climbing down, his rifle slung across his back as he descended branch by branch. The man's breathing came in sharp pants, his muscles trembling with mingled triumph and exertion.
Tyr didn't hesitate. He launched himself at the tree, his body slamming into the shooter with bone-crushing force. They hit the ground together, fallen leaves exploding around them as Tyr pinned the man beneath his superior strength.
The sniper's eyes went wide with horror as Tyr let his fangs extend, deliberately slow and menacing, the sharp points gleaming. Tyr savored the man's rising panic, the way his pulse raced beneath the thin skin of his throat.
A whimper escaped the shooter's lips as Tyr lowered his head, fangs grazing the tender flesh of his neck. The man's terror was intoxicating, a fitting punishment for what he'd done to Beth.
With a growl of rage, Tyr dove his fangs into the man's neck. He didn't stop even when the man's struggles became weak and the man slumped in his grip
"Tyr."
It was Aleksei.
“Tyr, stop."
Tyr snarled, blood dripping from his fangs. "He shot Beth!" The words came out guttural, barely human through his extended fangs.
"Nonetheless." Aleksei's tone held centuries of authority, brooking no argument.
With a snarl of rage, Tyr flung the unconscious man away from him. The shooter's body tumbled across the fallen leaves, coming to rest against a gnarled oak root.
Tobi materialized from the shadows, anger radiating from him as he knelt beside the shooter. "We'll handle this one, brother." His fingers traced the puncture wounds on the man's neck, sealing them with vampire magic. "Go to your Chosen."
A faint whisper brushed against Tyr's mind, delicate yet unmistakable. His name, carried on a thread of desperate need.
Tyr.
The single utterance echoed with a depth of need that sent a jolt of raw fear through him.
"Beth!" he shouted, the name tearing from his lips like a prayer.
Panic surged in his chest as he bolted back toward the clinic, vampire speed transforming the forest into a blurred tapestry of moonlit shadows.
Each heartbeat echoed in his ears, urging him onward, driven by an instinctual need to reach her before it was too late.
He burst through the trees into the parking lot, anguish flooding through him at the sight of her life force bleeding away around them. He dropped to his knees beside her and Liam, his hands shaking as he reached for her.
Liam looked up, his face a mask of agony. Blood pooled around them, spreading across the asphalt in an ever-widening circle. "The bullet went through her liver," he choked out. "I've called for an ambulance, but..." His voice trailed off, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the night air.
Beth's skin felt cold beneath Tyr's fingers, her pulse weak and thready.
Her clouded leopard spirit flickered dimly, struggling to maintain its connection to her failing body.
The metallic scent of her blood filled his nose, triggering every predatory instinct he possessed.
He ruthlessly suppressed them, focusing instead on her face, willing her to hold on.
Her eyelids fluttered, a soft whimper escaping her lips. The sound tore through him like a physical blow. In all his centuries of existence, Tyr had never felt so helpless.
Tyr's hands trembled as he cradled Beth's face, his entire being consumed by helpless rage.
The universe's cruelty burned through him like acid.
After everything - the years of abuse, the false accusations, being locked up as a rogue - she'd finally started to believe she might have a future. She'd begun to heal… to trust.
And now this.
Minutes ago she'd been practically bouncing on her toes, looking forward to telling Naomi about the evening's events. She'd been so alive, so vibrant.
And now… Each labored breath she took reminded him how fragile her human life was. He ached with the need to hunt down whoever was responsible, to make them suffer as she suffered. But he couldn't leave her. Not now. Not like this.
A soft whimper escaped her lips, and Tyr's fingers tightened around hers. Sweet Beth didn't deserve this. She deserved the chance to build the life she'd been denied for so long. To work at the clinic. To spend time with her sister. To learn who she really was without fear shadowing her every move.
His fingers brushed her cooling cheek as another wave of fury crashed through him. It wasn't fair. None of it was fair.
Aleksei's voice cut through Tyr's anguish, calm and certain. "You know what must be done."
Tyr lifted his head to face Aleksei, seeing centuries of wisdom in those stern features. His Commander gave a slight nod, granting permission for what they both knew was forbidden except in the most dire circumstances.
With trembling fingers, Tyr lifted Beth's limp form.
Her blood stained his shirt as he cradled her against his chest. His fangs extended, and with infinite gentleness, he pierced the delicate skin of her throat.
Her blood flowed into him, carrying the essence of her spirit, her memories, her very being.
When he felt the connection forge between them, he pulled back. Using his fangs to tear open his own wrist, he pressed the bleeding wound to Beth's pale lips. "Drink, little cat," he whispered. "Please."
Her throat moved weakly as she swallowed, each drop of his immortal blood carrying the power to anchor her to life.
"Enough." Aleksei's command snapped Tyr back to awareness. "The EMTs and police will arrive soon. You must take her away from here now." His eyes held Tyr's with fierce intensity. "She will need four more exchanges before dawn."