After they departed, Beth sagged against Tyr's side, relief flooding through her. "That went better than I expected." She frowned suddenly, a thought occurring to her. "But... I thought he'd want to test me on all the vampire laws and protocols you and Antonio's been teaching me. Isn't that part of being formally accepted into the clan?"
Tyr chuckled, pulling her closer. "No, love. That's Antonio's responsibility. Damien is excellent at delegating - he's had millennia to perfect the art of leadership. He trusts Antonio's judgment completely when it comes to educating and evaluating new vampires."
Beth stared at him for a moment, then her relief began turning into indignation. "Wait. Why didn't you tell me that before? I was terrified he was going to quiz me on everything!" She gave his shoulder a solid punch, her vampire strength making the impact more solid than intended.
Tyr's hand covered her mouth, cutting off her anxious rambling. His eyes sparkled with amusement as she glared at him over his palm.
"Because," he said, his voice rich with suppressed laughter, "watching you study so diligently was adorable. You created color-coded flashcards, love. For vampire etiquette."
Beth's eyes narrowed above his hand, but she couldn't hide her grin pressing against his palm. She considered biting him, but given they were both vampires now, it wouldn't have quite the same impact as it might have a week ago.
Tyr slowly removed his hand, still chuckling. "Besides, all that studying wasn't wasted. You'll need to know those protocols eventually. Just not for your first meeting with Damien."
Chapter 27
The night air carried the crisp scent of fresh snow as Beth soared above the forest. Her small winged form caught the moonlight, casting a fleeting shadow over the treetops below. The sensation of flight still thrilled her—the freedom, the perspective, the sheer joy of defying gravity.
Next to her, Tyr's peregrine falcon form cut through the air with practiced precision. His sleek feathers gleamed in the silvery light as he banked and dove, showing off his centuries of experience with aerial acrobatics.
Beth chirped in challenge, tucking her velvet wings close to her body as she dove toward the clearing below. The wind rushed past her sensitive whiskers, her wild instincts perfectly balanced with her new flying abilities. She pulled up at the last moment, her paws skimming the tall grass before she ascended again in a graceful arc.
Tyr's tiercel shot past her, his wings barely visible as he demonstrated a perfect hunting dive. Beth couldn't help the purr of appreciation that rumbled through her small chest. Even after weeks together, watching him fly still took her breath away.
They circled the clearing once more before descending to the frost-laden grass below. Beth shifted back to her humanform, the transformation as natural as breathing now. Her clothes reappeared perfectly in place—a convenience she still appreciated every time she Changed.
Tyr landed beside her, his feathers blurring as he returned to his vampire self. His eyes sparkled with exhilaration as he pulled her close.
"Show-off," Beth teased, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Me?" Tyr's eyebrows rose in mock offense. "I wasn't the one doing loop-the-loops over the lake."
"I was practicing," Beth insisted, failing to keep the grin from her face. "Antonio says I need to work on my maneuverability."
"Mmm-hmm." Tyr's cool lips brushed her forehead. "And I'm sure the audience of astonished campers on the far shore had nothing to do with it."
Beth laughed, the sound carrying through the quiet clearing. "They couldn't see me. If they had, they'd probably have thought I was some kind of exotic owl. Or a confused bat."
"A very cute confused bat," Tyr corrected, earning himself a playful swat on the arm.
Tyr led her to a fallen log at the edge of the clearing, brushing the snow from its surface before they settled onto the makeshift seat. Beth leaned back against his chest as they gazed up at the star-filled sky. These quiet moments had become precious to her—time away from the Residence, from their responsibilities, from navigating her new existence. So many adjustments, including living separately from her twin for the first time in months.
"It's strange living apart from Naomi," Beth said softly. "I keep expecting to hear her voice in the next room. We were never apart growing up, until… everything that happened. And ever since the Sanctuary, we've been together again."
Tyr's arms tightened around her. "You know we can visit them whenever you want. She's not more than a few miles away."
"I know." Beth hummed in contentment, turning her head to rub her cheek, cat-like, against his shoulder. "It's just... different now. Good different, but still different."
"I was thinking," Tyr said, his voice carefully casual, "we could take a trip soon. Somewhere you've always wanted to see."
Beth twisted to look up at him, curiosity piqued. "Like where?"
"Anywhere." His gaze held nothing but sincerity. "Europe, Asia, South America. The world is open to us now."
The possibilities made Beth's head spin. As vampires with the clan's resources behind them, they could go anywhere, see anything.
"Norway," she said suddenly, the word escaping before she'd fully formed the thought. She wanted to trace his beginnings, to stand where the boy who would become her eternal love had once breathed mortal air. "I want to see where you grew up. The fjords you told me about."
Tyr's expression softened with surprise and something deeper. "Bergen has changed a lot since my time."
