Chapter 24 #2
"With training." Tyr's hand squeezed her shoulder. "The clan helps new vampires adjust. You won't have to figure this out alone."
"And you've got the advantage of your shifter discipline," Tobi added. "Most new vampires struggle with their predatory instincts, but you've already mastered one set of animal urges, living with your leopard."
Beth nodded, taking another careful sip. The blood settled her trembling, easing the hollow ache in her core. Each swallow felt like strength flowing into her limbs, awakening new abilities she'd have to learn to control.
"Naomi and Liam?" she asked, suddenly remembering her sister and brother-in-law.
"They stayed with you all night, and went home at dawn," Tyr answered.
His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her steady.
"They should be here pretty soon. For now, let us take care of you while your body completes the change.
" His lips brushed her temple. "You have eternity to adjust to your new life. Take it one night at a time."
Before Beth could respond, a sharp tap on the doorframe made her jump, nearly spilling the thermos of blood. Tyr and Tobi leapt from the bed with inhuman speed, their postures snapping to rigid attention.
A tall, elegant woman stood in the doorway, her steel-gray hair pulled back in an immaculate French twist. Black horn-rimmed glasses studded with diamonds perched on her nose, connected by a delicate silver chain that draped around her neck.
Her tailored black suit and pencil skirt radiated authority.
"Ma'am," the twins said in perfect unison, their usual playful demeanors completely absent.
Beth stared in fascination. She'd never seen the vampire twins show such deference to anyone, not even Antonio.
"Beth, this is Margot," Tyr said, his voice carefully formal. "She's in charge of the Residence."
"The majordomo," Tobi added, still standing at attention. "She keeps everything running smoothly."
Margot's piercing gaze catalogued every detail - from Beth's borrowed pajamas to the thermos of blood clutched in her hands.
Though clearly human, she radiated an authority that had even these powerful vampires showing deference.
Beth found herself both amused and intrigued, and had to bite back a smile.
"So this is our newest vampire," Margot said, her crisp tone carrying decades of authority. "Welcome to the family, dear. Once you're settled, we'll need to discuss your wardrobe and other requirements."
Beth watched in fascination as Margot's piercing gaze shifted to Tyr. Even with her newly enhanced vampire senses, she couldn't detect any supernatural power emanating from the elegant woman - yet both twins remained frozen in place like schoolboys caught misbehaving.
"I suppose you two will be handling her training?
" Margot's tone, tinged with faint disapproval, carried the weight of someone accustomed to managing supernatural beings far more powerful than herself.
Her diamond-studded glasses glinted in the dim light as she studied Tyr.
"The basics of vampire etiquette, feeding protocols, proper behavior in clan gatherings? "
"Yes, Ma'am." Tyr's response came out slightly strangled, as if his throat had suddenly gone dry.
Margot's perfectly shaped eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch as she considered his response.
After what felt like an eternity, she gave a slight nod of approval.
Without another word, she turned and swept from the room, her heels clicking precisely against the floor as she disappeared down the hallway.
Beth couldn't help noticing how both twins' shoulders slumped in relief once Margot's footsteps faded away.
Beth waited until Margot's footsteps faded completely before turning to the twins. "What was that about?" Her new vampire senses still tingled from the commanding presence the elegant woman had projected.
Tyr settled back on the bed beside her, though Beth noticed he kept glancing toward the doorway. "Margot volunteered to be majordomo of the Residence when she heard about the renovation project. She... has very definite ideas about how things should be run."
"Volunteered?" Beth raised an eyebrow. "She seems more like someone who'd be recruited."
Tobi sprawled across the foot of the bed, his usual mischievous grin returning now that Margot was gone. "Oh no, she marched right up to Antonio and informed him she'd be taking the position. Said the place clearly needed a proper manager if we were planning to house clan members here."
"Lord Damien won't let her take over the NYC Residence," Tobi added with a snicker. "You should see her butting heads with Charles? It'd be worth selling tickets just to watch those two try to out-organize each other. Lord Damien probably cheered when she said she was coming here."
"Charles?" Beth asked, taking another careful sip from the thermos.
"The NYC Majordomo," Tyr explained. "He's been running that household for decades. Very traditional, very proper. The unstoppable force meeting the immovable object."
Beth couldn't help giggling at the twins' reactions to Margot. "So is she one of the Blood Sworn?" The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Both brothers literally turned pale - a feat Beth wouldn't have thought possible. Tyr actually gulped, his usual confidence completely vanishing.
"I would not DARE!" His voice cracked on the last word.
Tobi sprawled more comfortably across the foot of the bed. "Her grandson Gabe is one of our Blood Sworn. And when Margot found out-"
"Wait," Beth interrupted, her brow furrowing in confusion. "How did she find out? I thought vampires were supposed to be kept secret from humans?"
The words had barely left her mouth when another sharp tap echoed from the doorway.
All three vampires froze, turning as a young man with tousled light brown hair popped his head around the frame, his face splitting into an enormous grin. "Hey everyone! How's our new vampire doing?"
Beth felt the twins relax on either side of her, their postures losing the rigid attention they'd shown with Margot.
"That's Gabe," Tyr explained, his voice warm with affection. "Margot's grandson."
"Welcome to your new life!" Gabe's enthusiasm bubbled over as he gave her an enthusiastic wave. "This is so exciting! We'll have to-"
"Out!" Tobi interrupted, rising from the bed with fluid grace. "She just woke up, you overgrown puppy."
Tyr joined his brother, both of them herding the still-grinning young man back toward the hallway. "She needs time to adjust before meeting everyone."
"Oh yeah, got it... c'ya around!" Gabe's cheerful voice echoed down the corridor as he disappeared from view.
The twins turned back toward Beth, identical expressions of exasperation on their faces as they pressed their palms to their foreheads in perfect synchronization.
The sight was so comical that Beth couldn't help giggling, the sound surprising her with its musical quality - another change from the transformation.
Beth watched the empty doorway, struggling to connect the intimidating Margot with this enthusiastic puppy of a person.
"That's Margot's grandson?" The contrast between the stern, commanding woman and the exuberant young man seemed impossible.
"Yeah, we all wonder about that too." Tyr shook his head, settling back beside her on the bed.
Tobi sprawled across the foot of the bed again, his eyes twinkling with the same mischief as his twin's. "Odds are on that he's a changeling. No way that much cheerful energy came from Margot's bloodline."
Beth had to agree. "He gives off some serious golden retriever vibes."
A shoe flew across the room, smacking Tobi square in the face. "Getting back to Beth's question," Tyr said, ignoring his twin's theatrical yelp, "Gabe is Blood Sworn to Adele, one of our clan. He was hit by a car in NYC, had some pretty grave wounds."
"Adele was giving him blood in the hospital to help him heal when Margot walked right in," Tobi added, tossing the shoe back at his brother. "And Adele - who never loses her cool about anything - explained the whole vampire situation..."
"But Margot just took the whole thing in stride," Tyr finished. "Didn't even blink. Just started organizing everything right then and there from Gabe's hospital room."
Tobi's eyes sparkled with mischief. His theatrical gestures matched his animated storytelling style. "So then Gabe was all healed up and was released from the hospital. The next day, Margot marched straight into the NYC Residence like she owned the place."
Beth's mouth fell open. "She didn't!"
"Oh, but she did." Tobi's voice dropped dramatically. "Lord Damien himself appeared in the foyer, all ancient power and darkness, demanding to know who dared enter his domain uninvited."
"And Margot?" Tobi paused for effect. "She lifted that elegant chin of hers, looked right at him and said, 'Now see here, young man, I'm here to ensure my grandson is properly cared for, and I won't have any argument about it.'"
Beth's mouth fell open. "She didn't." The words came out in a shocked whisper. "To Lord Damien?"
"She did." Both twins nodded simultaneously, their expressions filled with remembered awe.
"Young man," Tobi repeated, mimicking Margot's crisp tones. "To a vampire who's over five thousand years old."
"And he just... let her?" Beth couldn't quite wrap her mind around anyone speaking to the powerful vampire lord that way.
"Let her?" Tobi's laugh held a note of remembered disbelief. "He actually backed down. The Dark Lord himself, ruler of the most powerful vampire clan in existence, took a step back from this human woman with her diamond-studded glasses."