Chapter 24 #2
He didn’t know how Tobias had escaped the compulsion he’d laid, but he thought it had something to do with Vladimir.
His father must have broken Alexander’s compulsion when he sensed the threat, just to lure Tobias into his study and attempt to devour him himself.
The only thing that had saved Tobias was Alexander’s attention. If that slipped, even for a second…
Alexander couldn’t stand the thought. He couldn’t believe that he’d thought Rothburn the safest place for Tobias.
“I can take care of myself,” Tobias responded.
He shifted so that he could look up at Alexander.
“Your dad is clearly creepy, and believe me I don’t want to go near him again voluntarily, but I can handle him.
Is there, like, some kind of criminal code I need to make sure I follow so no one rips my heart out? ”
“You don’t understand,” Alexander bit out. “We aren’t human.”
He didn’t know how to make Tobias understand except to turn to the other man and let his fangs extend, hoping that Tobias wouldn’t make him explain, that he would just understand without Alexander having to lay it out, be explicit about just how twisted his existence really was.
Tobias froze.
“Oh,” he breathed.
Alexander couldn’t move, didn’t think he could even if he needed to. Tobias’ wide blue eyes were fixed on his, and for a moment Tobias was motionless too. Then, slowly, he reached up and with the tip of a finger caressed the edge of Alexander’s fang.
It was like the whole world stopped, then tilted. The pad of Tobias’ finger reached the sharp tip and rested there for a heartbeat before Tobias let his hand drop back into the water.
He didn’t seem terrified, or hysterical.
In fact, Tobias seemed clearer-eyed than he’d been in days, his gaze sharp.
His perfect pink lips were parted, his tongue darting out to lick them, and when Alexander let his own hands fall to Tobias’ hips under the water, Tobias didn’t fight him, didn’t try to run away or attack him.
“So you’re a–”
“Vampire,” Alexander finished when Tobias paused. “As is everyone else at Rothburn. That’s why they’re so dangerous, why I need to know that you’re going to follow my directions. They can keep you safe from whoever is doing the killings in Oxford, but they are their own kind of danger.”
Tobias hummed, his eyes tracking to the hollow of Alexander’s throat, to the scars that littered the skin there. “And so your blood isn’t like mine because…”
“Because it isn’t our blood. It’s whatever scraps are left to pump around our veins, stolen from the humans we drink from.” Alexander thumbed at the marks his father left self-consciously. “Mostly from humans, that is, but sometimes from each other.”
Alexander couldn’t stop himself from rubbing his scarred arm. It was second nature, as though the mention of a vampire drinking from another sent spasms of old pain through his flesh.
“And do you want to feed from me?” At this, Tobias leaned away just the smallest bit, looking terrified, and Alexander winced. “Do you want to drink my blood, Alexander?”
Perhaps it was because he was already sated, but Alexander found that the answer to that question was a resounding no.
The last human he’d fed on had been the other Oxford librarian, what felt like a lifetime ago.
He’d killed the boy by accident, lost in thought about the enigmatic librarian he’d just met, who had stood him up.
And all of a sudden, Alexander was overcome with panic – what if he fed on Tobias, and couldn’t stop?
What if he killed Tobias while lost to bloodlust?
From the ache that the mere thought inspired in his chest, Alexander wasn’t sure he’d survive it.
“No,” he said roughly. “No, I don’t. I want you – all of you – but not that. Not unless you’re sure you want to give it. I’ve fed off my partners before, but I usually – well, almost always – we agree to it and then we stop if things get out of control.”
Tobias made a small noise, almost like a whimper, and turned away. “And what if things do?”
Alexander swallowed hard. “They won’t. I won’t let them.”
Tobias blinked a few times, then bit his lip. “So what if I wanted you to?”
“Do what?”
“Wanted you to drink from me.”
Alexander’s universe crumbled beneath the weight of those six words.
He took a moment to ponder them, wondering if this was a trap, or a genuine question of interest. “I – I would think about it. I’d need to make sure I was in complete control, that I wasn’t hungry enough to stop too late.
Because you…” Alexander trailed off, his voice cracking.
“Tobias, you – I know it hasn’t been long, but you’ve come to mean more to me than any mortal has in hundreds of years. ”
“Oh, Alexander, darling.” Tobias turned back around and tipped his head back against Alexander’s shoulder, sighing into his chest. “You mean more to me than I care to admit. And I don’t want to let you go.
I really don’t, no matter who you are and where you come from.
No matter who your father is, no matter the company you keep. ”
He could have cried at the weary acceptance in Tobias’ voice, the way that Tobias’ hand skimmed up his chest to land on top of his heart.
“You care for me even though I’m a monster?” The question came out rough, desperate.
“We’re all monsters here, love.” Tobias sighed. “Some of us are just more obvious about that than others.”