Chapter 26
ALEXANDER
Alexander dreaded these masquerades, which were always more of a pageant in which Vladimir would display his dominance over the rest of the family and buy their loyalty with extravagance than anything resembling a good party.
They were tedious affairs, and the fact that his father usually drank from him – to check his loyalty and prove to others that he had the ultimate control over even his own son, which meant he certainly had the ultimate control over them – wasn’t helping matters.
His blood contained not only his own secrets, but Tobias’ too.
Everything he learned about the man would be laid bare to Vladimir, who would undoubtedly use it to control Alexander even more.
He cared about Tobias, and that meant that Tobias was a vulnerability to Alexander, as well as in danger himself.
And Alexander was always left weak for days, his father knowing after all these years exactly how much he could push Alexander by draining him, wanting to keep feeding for as long as possible to draw the maximum knowledge of Alexander’s memories, thoughts, and intentions out of his blood.
If something else happened to threaten Tobias, he wasn’t sure that he’d have the strength to protect him.
Grinding his teeth together was giving him a headache, and he tried to relax his jaw as he focused on tying the bow tie of his tuxedo, then fastening the diamond-studded cufflinks he’d chosen for that night.
He’d left Tobias to dress in the bedroom and taken the floor-length mirror in his library.
He needed some solitude to think about how to deal with tonight, how to both prepare Tobias for what he would see but also plan to keep him safe from anyone who may wish to steal him away, thinking him one of the humans that Vladimir would have kidnapped to fuel the party.
Tobias, though, also hadn’t been the same since Maria had visited.
Alexander got the sense that somehow, Maria had threatened Tobias – but he hadn’t been able to get it out of Tobias, who just insisted he was wrung-out from all the recent revelations.
He did look pale, and Alexander had insisted that he take a long nap after drinking an entire pot of tea.
It had been a while since he’d actually cared about the well-being of a fragile mortal, and he was relearning needs of hydration and rest.
He’d get them through tonight, and then he’d do better.
He’d go back to his plan of rooting out the rogue vampire, make sure that everything was settled with the slaying of the made vampires roaming Oxford, and then they could go back to their lives and figure everything out together, away from his father’s prying eyes.
Once Alexander slipped on his shoes and retrieved his mask – a wolf with bared fangs studded in rubies to mimic blood – he squared his shoulders and went to find Tobias.
The last part of why he’d needed time alone was making his stomach churn with guilt – because he’d settled on the idea that the only way to keep Tobias safe was to ensure that nothing was left to chance, that there was no way that anyone could steal Tobias away without Alexander willing it.
It hadn’t felt like the right moment to divulge the full extent of the powers that vampirism granted him.
When mortals knew about compulsions, it was harder to lay them because when their mind was trying desperately to resist, and it was more difficult for Alexander to keep control.
And with the masquerade coming up, and his father poised to drink from him, this wasn’t the time to have Tobias fighting him.
He would tell Tobias everything – he deserved to know. Just when it was the right moment, when being honest wouldn’t put Tobias in mortal danger.
“You look stunning, love.” Alexander crossed the threshold of his bedroom and laid a kiss on the back of Tobias’ neck, smoothing his hands down Tobias’ narrow shoulders.
The tuxedo that Maria had picked for him was stunning and perfect, a deep midnight blue that accented the sapphire of his eyes and the gold of his hair.
The mask she had chosen was lying on the settee next to them, a deer’s face.
It was fitting, obviously, but at the same time it gave Alexander a chill that his sister had given Tobias a mask that clearly marked him as prey. He trusted her, he loved her, but he never forgot that she was dangerous in her own right, and that she always had her own agenda.
“You don’t look too shabby either.” Tobias tilted his head back to claim Alexander’s lips in a kiss, his body melting back into Alexander’s embrace.
Another twinge of guilt plucked at him as he looked into Tobias’ eyes and cupped his chin, his other hand snaking around Tobias’ chest and settling proprietarily over his heart.
“You won’t leave my side unless I give you permission.
No matter what you see, you won’t act shocked or attempt to stop anything you see.
You will do as I say and remain calm through the night.
You will not try to help any of the mortals that you see.
” The magic tingled on his tongue as he spoke, and he felt Tobias shudder.
“But – alright.” Tobias gave a small nod. “Of course.”
Alexander’s shoulders sagged with relief, and he allowed himself a smile. He pressed a chaste kiss to Tobias’ lips before picking up his mask from where he’d dropped it next to Tobias’. “We should go, then. Wouldn’t want to keep Father waiting.”
Tobias nodded, clearly putting on a brave face.
His hand was trembling when he slid it into Alexander’s, and his breath was coming in small gasps.
Alexander gave his hand a squeeze, hoping to assuage some of his nerves, but he knew that in truth there was nothing that could be done for Tobias except guiding him safely through the night.
Their quiet bubble popped as soon as he opened the door that separated his suite of rooms from the rest of the manor.
Music, wild and loud, permeated the air.
One didn’t need to be a vampire to smell the iron of blood in the air, thick enough that Alexander was almost overcome with the need to drain someone dry.
“Alexander?” Tobias’ voice was small, and he was trembling now as he clutched at Alexander’s arm.
“This seems… bigger than I thought it would be.” They were still upstairs, at the railing that looked into the foyer, and even up here there were vampires in clusters, heads bent together over glasses of blood, or with teeth sunk into their human companions for the night.
“Every Damianos vampire is here,” Alexander whispered in Tobias’ ear.
“Only some live here in the house with my father, those closest to him or those who are dedicated to protecting or serving him. The rest are spread out across the world, working in the enterprises he’s set up or doing something else to increase his influence.
Anything that can make him more powerful is something he supports, and he can’t do it all from Rothburn. ”
“There are hundreds of vampires here.” Tobias was stark white now under his mask. “I didn’t realise there were so many.”
Alexander snagged a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, pressing it into Tobias’ hand. “My father is a prolific sire and has attracted a very large and loyal clan. Probably the most prolific in history. But don’t worry, as long as you do as I say, you’ll be safe.”
Tobias drained the flute of champagne.
They reached the top of the grand staircase, and Alexander had to fight to get himself to tug Tobias down it and into the waiting crowd.
Every face was turned towards him – the heir apparent, the one that would be made a spectacle of, the one whom everyone knew Vladimir was grooming for power and yet keeping under his thumb at the same time.
Alexander hated it, all the eyes on him, half of them wanting to flatter or fuck him to get into his good graces, the other half thinking him unworthy and wanting to put a stake through his heart so they could claim his place.
He was glad for the mask that he wore, which did a little to hide the snarl that his lips had drawn back into, his fangs fully extended in case he had to rip into yet another vampire who threatened him or Tobias.
When they reached the bottom of the staircase, the crowd parted for them in a wave of rich silk gowns and designer tuxedos, an empire’s worth of jewels glittering on ears and at throats.
Vladimir Damianos stood waiting for them, a glass of blood in his hand and his lips wet with it.
As the guests shifted even further, he felt Tobias stiffen and wrenched his eyes from his father to what Tobias was gazing at.
“Tobias,” he said, pulling him by the arm to get him moving again, “don’t look, alright?”
Because Tobias’ eyes had snagged on the pile of drained mortal bodies by the door of the estate, jumbled together like discarded children’s toys.
Their throats had all been slit in the kitchens, Alexander knew, their bodies hung from hooks and their blood drained to fill the goblets that the guests were all holding.
Their bodies would be left out as a display of just how superior vampires were to man, the fact that these humans at least were little more than cattle.
He used to think like that, somehow neatly distinguishing between the humans he’d taught and provided for and fucked, and those who ended up as his meals.
It was just like how humans could eat a steak and then coo over videos of cute cows on the internet.
The cognitive dissonance had never caught up to him, somehow, until he’d fallen for Tobias.
Tobias just made a small, strangled noise. But at least he let Alexander pull him forward.