Aleksei stepped closer, his commanding presence brooking no argument. "Liam and I will handle things here. The police will need a plausible explanation." His voice carried the calm certainty of someone who had spent centuries managing such situations.
Tyr looked down at Beth's pale face. They had to move. Now. She needed to be somewhere safe for the remaining exchanges. Time was running out. "I'll take her to the Residence."
Liam tossed his keys to Tobi, his face tight with pain from his own wound. "Take my Jeep. It's faster than trying to get her into the Prius."
Tobi caught the keys one-handed and sprinted toward the charcoal grey vehicle. The engine roared to life as Tyr carefully settled into the back seat with Beth cradled against his chest.
The Jeep's tires squealed as Tobi accelerated out of the parking lot. Tyr pressed his wrist against Beth's lips again, letting a few drops of blood pass between them to maintain the tenuous connection keeping her alive. Her spirit flickered weakly, but it was still there, still fighting.
Tobi took the turns at dangerous speeds, but Tyr trusted his brother's driving implicitly. Minutes later, they screeched to a halt outside the warehouse's private entrance. Tobi had the security door open before Tyr could even shift Beth in his arms.
Bypassing the elevator, they raced up the wide, curving stairs to the second floor, and into Tyr's apartment. Beth's pulse fluttered against Tyr's fingers, each beat a reminder of how precarious her situation remained.
Tyr gently laid Beth on his bed, crimson immediately spreading across the grey comforter. She looked impossibly small against the dark fabric. Her pulse beat weakly, but it was there. Four more exchanges. They had to make it through four more.
"I'll get towels and some clean clothes for her," Tobi said, already moving toward the door.
Tyr barely registered his twin's words as he took more of her blood, before biting into his wrist again. The wound from earlier had already healed, but fresh blood welled immediately from the new punctures. He pressed it to Beth's lips, his other hand supporting her head.
This time, she responded more strongly, her throat working as she swallowed. Her spirit flared a bit brighter with each drop of his immortal blood.
Beth's eyes fluttered open, focusing on his face with effort. Her lips curved into a weak smile as she whispered, "Tyr."
The sound of his name, barely audible even to his vampire hearing, nearly undid him. Tears he hadn't shed in centuries threatened to fall as he cradled her head more securely. Her trust in him, even now, made his chest ache with emotions he couldn't begin to process.
"I'm here, little cat," he murmured, his voice rough with suppressed emotion. "I'm here."
Tyr watched as confusion flickered across Beth's pale features. Her blue-grey eyes darted around his bedroom, trying to make sense of her surroundings.
"What happened?" Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "I remember waving to Liam, and then..." Her hand drifted to her blood-soaked scrub top, fingers probing gently at her stomach. "Pain. Just pain."
Tyr caught her hand before she could touch the wound directly. Her skin felt warmer now, though still cooler thannormal. While her pulse beat stronger with each passing minute, she still remained dangerously weak.
"You were shot," he told her softly, his rage at the sniper carefully contained beneath a calm exterior. "The bullet went through your liver. You were dying." His voice roughened on the last word, the memory of her life slipping away still too fresh.
"Dying?" The word came out strangled.
"Yes." His voice was gentle but honest. "I had to give you some of my blood to keep you alive."
Beth's eyes widened slightly as she processed this information. Her fingers tightened around his, seeking reassurance or comfort - he wasn't sure which. But he squeezed back gently, letting her know he was there.
Her fingers tightened around his, her voice barely above a whisper. "B-blood?"
Tyr brushed a strand of pale hair from her face. "I need to give you my blood, if you want to live."
Tyr watched as she struggled to process everything. Her blue-grey eyes, still clouded with pain and confusion, fixed on his face.
"I would be... vampire?" Her voice trembled slightly.
"Yes." Tyr's hand cupped her face, his thumb brushing her cheek. "I'm asking you to trust me with forever, Beth."
A beat of silence as the word hung between them. "If you don't want this life with me, now is the time to tell me."
She was quiet for a long moment, her gaze searching his face. Then her eyes dropped to his chest and widened in sudden horror. "You've been shot too!"
Tyr glanced down at his blood-soaked shirt, having completely forgotten about the bullets that had struck him in the parking lot. "It's fine," he said, shrugging. "Just a through-and-through. I'll be healed completely by tonight."
Tobi returned, his arms laden with towels and fresh clothes. He took one look at his twin and shook his head. "Get that shirt off, brother. You're a mess."
