Chapter 35
Tobias
He watched from the throne as Will and Rion set up new wards with salt, words from the ancient language, and a goblet containing all three of their blood.
This time they did not create a second ward in the center of the room, for there was no need. Oriax had already sworn an oath, and to a degree, could be trusted in a private arena.
The ice demon arrived with a scowl deeper than the Pacific Ocean, and icicles adorning his hair and eyelashes. His weapon had already been drawn, and his stance poised to strike.
“Lower your weapon, brother,” Rion drawled casually. “Danger will not exist in this room unless you are foolish enough to create it.”
Still bearing an expression derived of Hell’s worst nightmares, Oriax lowered the axe. “What is the meaning of this summons?”
“We’re ready,” Tobias announced. “So, we’re giving you a heads up on the plan.”
“I grow bored of so much conversation, with little action.”
“Oh there’s action, you just haven’t been privy to when it has occurred.” Will grinned.
With his axe sheathed and both thick arms folded over his chest, Oriax nodded. “I am listening.”
“We want you to return to father after this meeting with news that your mother bears his children,” Rion instructed. “This is how he will be summoned.”
Eyes widening in alarm, Oriax’s whole posture straightened. “This is information which should have been revealed during negotiations.”
“Nobody claimed it was factual,” Rion began to smirk, playing his part perfectly. “He will fight for her return, while we will fight to sever the tie he has with the vampires. It is all a ruse to give me the opportunity to terminate his existence.”
Oriax pulled his gaze to the left to subject Tobias to his stare. “Am I to assume this will be your doing?”
“Correct.” Tobias hadn’t moved since Oriax had arrived. He sat in a relaxed position, lounging back on the throne, with an ankle resting on his knee, and weight supported by an elbow on the arm rest. There was no concern evident in any part of his presence.
“You dance with insanity.” Oriax growled. “You could not possibly fool the eighth Lord.”
“Now,” Tobias said telepathically.
Will called a large mirror to his hands, which he took over to Oriax. During this time, Tobias had cast a glamour to make Oriax look like Rion. Meanwhile, he’d also given Rion Oriax’s outward appearance.
The demon startled when he saw the reflection in the mirror, and blanched when he turned to address the trinity and discovered Rion’s new look. For a moment the ice demon could not speak.
Rion moved closer to enable his brother to examine the flawless disguise. Oriax reached out and touched Rion’s glamoured face. His hand shrank back at once.
“It feels so authentic…” He murmured, derailed by the fascination of such corporeal glamour despite the considerable difference in their heights.
“Precisely,” Rion said, in a voice that sounded identical to Oriax.
“So, trust that we can do this, yeah?” Will added.
“When you see your mother with child, it will be an illusion and our deal will still stand,” Tobias continued.
“We must decide a meeting point,” Oriax announced. It must be somewhere with a vast amount of space, for father will bring considerable force.
“Central Park,” Tobias said immediately. “We can ward the perimeter, and glamour anyone inside the boundary afterward.”
Oriax gave a perfunctory nod. “Be ready at sundown tomorrow.” With that, he dematerialized, leaving the three immortals sitting in a suffocating silence.
After a minute or two, Tobias sighed and massaged his forehead. “We’re not ready.”
“We shall never be ready,” Rion continued, “Not for this.”
“But, we don’t have a choice,” Will added. “We’ve simply got to do the best we can.”
“I know,” Tobias said quietly.
A shadow passed through Rion’s expression. “If the worst happens,”
“Don’t,” Will intercepted. “Don’t even say that.”
“If the worst happens,” Rion said in a louder and more succinct tone, “know that I could not have asked for greater allies in this fight. You are the brothers I choose and it has been an honor.”
“Damn it, Le Roux.” Tobias pinched at the bridge of his nose.
“He means, yes, same.” Will smirked.
“I know.” Rion smirked back.
“Is there anything else that needs to be done before I Fade and you two go to bed?” Tobias asked.
“I need to be well fed before I surrender myself to slumber.”
“Yeah, I should check in with a couple of charges,” Will added. “See you both on the flipside.”
With that, both males flashed out, leaving Tobias alone with his thoughts.
The sound of knocking echoed through the throne room as the large double doors rattled in their frame. Forcing his face into an unreadable mask, Tobias assumed a more regal pose and called out permission to enter.
Christo, Althea, Keziah, and Derek filed into the room, and sat on couches near the base of the dais. Christo had been spending a lot of time with these three since they’d arrived. In fact, any time he wasn’t with Lori and Vixen, they were the company he would keep.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized it was his fault. Not because he’d behaved inappropriately, but due to the inevitable divide caused by his rise in status. The sandy-haired bartender had not chosen this life.
It seemed cruel that after all they’d endured together, and after all the ways they’d bound themselves closer to each other, they were the least connected they’d ever been.
For this reason, Tobias was grateful Christo and the two Floridian women had known each other all those years ago.
In some ways they understood what he was going through.
“We heard you put O’Brien in charge of the New York vamps,” Althea announced abruptly.
“Yeah, I did. What of it?” Tobias stroked his stubbled jawline and studied her with scrutiny. She was building up to something.
“Let me take half.”
He felt his brow lift involuntarily. “Angling for a promotion, Rhodes?”
She let out a loud laugh. “I know better than to ask for something you haven’t offered, Martelli.
I’m just saying that for this battle, you’re putting a lot of pressure on your 2IC.
Having all your eggs in the same basket is risky.
Let me help. We’ll all still defer to you, and after we survive this shit storm, I’ll slide right back into my enforcer role. Or, whatever else you need me to be.”
Tobias took a long hard look at the female. He knew he trusted her every bit as much as he trusted O’Brien. What she was saying made sense.
“Alright, but I’m not giving you half. Take your thirty females and Derek. I’ll have O’Brien assign you another hundred.”
She grinned. “You got it.”
His gaze panned to Christo. “Did you need something, too?”
“I’ll be fighting under Althea.”
The fact it came as an announcement and not a question said a lot.
“Servants are not participating in this battle,” he said simply.
“Bullshit, Martelli. I’m an excellent fighter, and you’re going to need every pair of hands you can get.” There was no room for challenge in his tone. Christo had no intention of compromising.
Tobias moved his gaze back to Althea. “I suppose you think this is a good idea?”
Surprisingly, she shook her head. “Of course not. His job is to sustain you if you get hurt. If something happens to him, it will weaken you. Since everything rides on your glamour, it’s a pretty stupid plan.”
“I disagree.” Keziah chimed in. “I understand where Althea is coming from, but everyone should be free to make their own choice, even a servant. This is not an ordinary fight, this is Armageddon. He knows what’s at stake.”
Tobias massaged a temple and leaned back in his chair. “You sure like to make my life more complicated.”
“So, you won’t stand in my way, then?” Christo really didn’t seem to care about anyone else’s opinion.
“You got a death wish, Barrett?”
“No, but I’m not afraid to die either. I’ll fight for your cause until my last breath, but I won’t hide behind wards with the rest of the servants when I’m perfectly capable of pulling my weight.
I’ve served you even without the bond for over a hundred years, let me do this. If my time is up, it’s up.”
“Fuck it…” Tobias muttered. “Fine, do what you want.”
“Thank you. I respect the hell out of you for this,” Christo said sincerely.
“Don’t go pulling any stupid ass stunts,” Tobias warned. “Believe it or not, I actually don’t mind having you around.”
“Martelli, you’re all charm.” Althea smirked.
“Alright, alright, get your asses someplace else, I’ve got shit to get done. Rhodes, we’re having a strategy meeting in the throne room in an hour’s time. Be there.”