"Ow, ow, ow," she gasped between giggles, pressing one hand against her stomach while the other still gripped the bed remote. "Please don't make me laugh. It hurts."
As her laughter ebbed, Beth took a moment to really look around the room. The furniture was unlike anything she'd ever seen - heavy, dark wood pieces that radiated quality and timelessness. The massive four-poster bed she lay in dominated the space, draped with rich velvet hangings in deep forest green that matched the window treatments.
The duvet covering her was a stunning brocade in dark green and gold, with gold trim catching the dim light. Two armchairs flanked an antique settee, their cushions matching the duvet'sfabric perfectly. Even the drape pull cord was carefully chosen - dark forest green with ornate gold tassels.
Beth ran her hand over the brocade duvet, marveling at how her heightened sense of touch could distinguish every thread in the intricate pattern. "This is all so beautiful," she murmured. "I feel like I'm in a museum."
Tyr looked momentarily self-conscious, running his hand along the ornate bedpost. "I embrace modern times. But in my private chambers..." His voice trailed off, and he shrugged, looking completely at ease among the museum-worthy pieces. "When you've lived as long as we have, you treasure the things that anchor you to your past."
Beth's gaze swept pointedly around the room - the heavy carved wood, rich velvets and brocades, the obvious expense of every piece. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"So... you lived like royalty back then?"
He winked at her. "What can I say? We had a good eye for profitable ventures."
'I bet even royalty didn't have sheets like this,' Beth said, running her hand over the fabric beneath her. She peered closer at the incredibly soft material that seemed to flow like water beneath her fingers.
"Are these… silk?" she asked, fingering the delicate fabric. She'd heard of silk sheets, of course, but she'd never known anyone who actually had them.
Tyr nodded, a pleased smile tugging at his lips. "The finest available."
"I've never felt anything like this," Beth murmured, completely entranced by the way the fabric slipped between her fingers. Her heightened senses detected subtle variations in the weave that would have been impossible to perceive before. "It's incredible."
Beth closed her eyes, focusing inward. The familiar presence of her leopard still prowled through her consciousness, a warm golden glow in her mind. Whisper stretched and yawned, content despite the changes wrought by the Turning.
"She's still here." Beth's voice cracked with relief. "I still have Whisper."
Tyr cupped her face, leaning in to kiss her softly.
"You will be unique among the clan. Like you've always been unique to me."
A sharp knock preceded Tobi's entrance. He carried a steel thermos, his expression brightening at seeing Beth awake. "Perfect timing. Breakfast is served."
The copper scent hit her before he'd even opened the container. Beth's new fangs dropped, sharp and insistent against her lower lip. Her stomach clenched with a hunger unlike anything she'd experienced before.
"Easy," Tyr murmured, accepting the thermos from his brother. "Small sips at first. Your body needs to adjust."
Beth's hands trembled as she reached for the container. The first taste flooded her mouth with flavors she'd never detected in blood before - sweet, salt, iron, life itself distilled into liquid form. She picked up subtle variations that spoke of the donor's health, age, even emotional state.
"Donated blood," Tobi explained, perching on the edge of the bed. "Not as satisfying as fresh from the vein, but it'll do for now. You'll learn to feed properly once you've stabilized."
Beth lowered the thermos, licking a stray drop from her lip. "Will I be able to control myself? Around humans?"
"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 predatoryinstincts, 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.
