"The shooter has been apprehended," Aleksei continued. "He's in police custody, charged with Liam's attempted murder. Under the circumstances, it seemed best to leave Beth out of the official picture entirely."
Remi ran his hands through his spiky black hair, making it stand up even more wildly than usual. "How did this happen?" His dark eyes blazed with frustration as he looked at Tyr. "I've known you vampires for centuries. There's no way you missed the presence of a human near the clinic. It simply isn't possible."
Joe leaned forward, his expression grim. "The shooter was positioned in a tree well beyond clinic property, about three hundred yards into the forest." The wolf alpha's hands clenched into fists on the polished table. "He used a high-powered sniper rifle with a scope. From what we can tell, he'd been up there for hours… long before those idiots in the trucks came to attack. No one could have anticipated that."
Jake nodded at his alpha, his deep blue eyes intense. "We'll expand our patrols immediately. My pack can cover the surrounding woods during daylight hours - we know every tree and hollow within ten miles of here."
"The elevated positions are our primary concern," Antonio added, his aristocratic features grave as he gestured to a map displayed on his tablet. "The shooter picked his perch like a professional - that particular oak gave him a clear sightline to the clinic's rear entrances and staff parking."
Antonio's face was set in stern lines, radiating both anger and power. "We'll identify and monitor all potential sniper positions in the surrounding areas."
Aleksei nodded. "I've already alerted Lord Damien. He's sending another half dozen vampires to reinforce our numbers." The stern lines of his face hardened. "We will not allow such an attack to happen again."
Across the table, Jacinth caught Remi's eye, a silent communication passing between the two Djinn. Her fingers traced invisible patterns on the polished wood as she leaned forward.
"Physical protection is crucial, but we might offer magical defenses as well," Jacinth suggested, her voice carrying the subtle musical quality unique to Djinn. "Perhaps a glamour over the clinic grounds? Something to obscure people from outside observation."
Remi nodded eagerly, his youthful energy barely contained despite the somber meeting. "We could create a perception filter. Anyone looking in from outside the property would see an empty parking lot, even when it's full."
Jacinth's expression turned thoughtful. "Sustained glamours of that scale aren't simple for Djinn magic. Our powers excel at transformation and manifestation, not persistent illusions." She drummed her fingers on the table. "We should consult with Angus and Renee."
"Good thinking," Antonio interjected. "Their protective wards around this inn have never failed."
"They might know how to adapt similar principles for the clinic," Jacinth continued. "A collaborative working could prevent another attack from a distance. Anyone wishing harm would need to physically enter the property?—"
"Where they'd face our combined strength," Remi finished, his dark eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Katerina leaned forward, her golden eyes bright with concern. "What about the police? What story did they get?"
Aleksei's expression remained impassive. "As far as law enforcement is concerned, Liam was the only victim - shot in the shoulder while leaving work. Jake happened to be on patrol nearby and apprehended the shooter."
Katerina shifted in her chair, her brow furrowing. "But won't the shooter tell them about Beth? About Tyr?" Her voice carried the edge of genuine worry.
Across the table from Tyr, Aleksei's lips curved into a smile that held no warmth - the kind of expression that reminded everyone why vampires were apex predators. "The shooter is... quite confused about what happened. He seems convinced he was attacked by a vampire - that blond French one from the movies. Most entertaining."
The tension in the room broke as Jacinth's musical laugh rang out. "You mean Lestat?" Her brown eyes sparkled with amusement. "You made him think he was attacked by a fictional character?"
A rare chuckle escaped Aleksei, the sound somehow more unsettling than laughter should be. "He is absolutely convinced Lestat de Lioncourt personally drained him almost dry."
Appreciative laughter rippled around the table. Even Joe cracked a smile, though his alpha presence remained alert and protective. Tobi's shoulders shook with barely contained mirth as he caught Tyr's eye across the table.
Tyr remained stone-faced while others around the table relaxed. His thoughts never strayed from Beth, recovering at the warehouse under Liam and Naomi's watchful care. The shooter's fate meant little to him now—all that mattered was returning before Beth woke to her new existence.
Despite his preoccupation, he couldn't help but acknowledge Aleksei's tactical brilliance. No authority would take seriously acriminal ranting about being attacked by a famous—or infamous—fictitious vampire. The ancient vampire had efficiently eliminated any threat to their secret while maintaining their cover, but such victories felt hollow with Beth undergoing her transformation miles away.
Tyr's attention snapped to Jacinth as she leaned forward, her brown eyes filled with concern. "How is Beth doing?"
The question hit him like a physical blow. "She's fighting through the worst of it," he said, his voice rougher than intended. "The Turning accelerates healing, but it's not instantaneous. Liam has her on morphine, but transforming while healing from a mortal wound..." He stopped, taking a moment to gather himself before continuing.
"She'll be fine though," he added, forcing his tone to remain steady. "The worst should pass within the next day or so."
Katerina's golden eyes fixed on him with feline intensity. "What about her leopard? Will she keep her ability to shift?"
The question he'd been dreading since the moment he'd begun Beth's transformation. His hands clenched beneath the table as uncertainty churned through him.
"We don't know," he admitted, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. "There's no record of a shifter ever being Turned before." His voice roughened with emotion he couldn't quite suppress. "Her leopard is still present - I can sense it within her. But whether she'll retain the ability to shift after the transformation is complete..." He spread his hands helplessly.
Katerina bit her lip, the worry clear on her face.
