Chapter 25
TOBIAS
It was during the evening of the second day when Maria Damianos turned up at the bedroom door, a parade of servants behind her each carrying bags of shopping and chests overspilling with an array of gaudy material.
“The masquerade is tomorrow,” she announced, stepping inside as if she owned the place.
Maria stopped at the end of the bed, arms crossed and brows knitted as she regarded Tobias and her brother entangled in the sheets, which admittedly hardly covered their modesty.
“Sister.” Alexander sat up, dragging Tobias with him. “There is this wonderful act called knocking. I recommend you give it a go.”
“If I knocked, would you have allowed me in?” A sly smile crested over her perfectly painted lips.
“No,” Alexander replied.
“Then stop making useless suggestions and get out of bed. Time is of the essence.”
Tobias’ heart sank to his stomach at the plain reminder of how precious time was.
“So you know our dirty little secret?” Maria glanced at Tobias warily.
“I do,” Tobias replied.
“And you haven’t run for the hills?”
Tobias looked to the window nearest them, finding it easier to remove eye contact from the equation. “Rothburn has more security than Buckingham Palace. I hardly think I could get a step outside the front door without facing more of your delightful family members.”
“Delightful is far too generous a word to describe our family members,” Alexander deadpanned.
“My brother isn’t wrong. If you think the cousins are the worst of them, just you wait until the ball tomorrow. Aunts, uncles, great-uncles, greater aunts. You’re about to get the full family experience, which is fitting, since clearly my brother here is trying to indoctrinate you into the ranks.”
Tobias opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. “I suppose I find comfort in knowing that even the undead have creepy uncles,” Tobias replied, to Maria’s clear amusement.
“I have come bearing gifts,” Maria continued. “Considering our time has been limited together, and you’ve both spent the past couple of days self-isolating from the family, I’m not confident my choice in mask is going to be well received but…”
“Mask?” Tobias asked.
“For the masquerade ball tomorrow evening,” Maria replied without looking at him. “Clue is in the name. I’ve also taken it upon myself to order an array of clothing for you. Much better options than Alexander’s limited choice of boring suits, suits, and more suits.”
“You didn’t need to do that,” Tobias said, almost overwhelmed by her kindness. Almost.
“Just say thank you, and be done with it,” Alexander added. “She’ll leave quicker.”
“Thank you.” Tobias liked the idea of Maria leaving. It was easier pretending life wasn’t going to shit when both men were locked within the safety of Alexander’s rooms.
“Don’t thank me,” Maria said, brushing off the reply with a hand. “Anyway, I’d love to chat, but I have other pressing matters that I should be looking into.”
“Like the attacks,” Tobias added, knowing exactly what he was doing. “The… killings in Oxford.”
Maria whipped her head around. “Yes, exactly.”
“No need to be subtle now,” Alexander said. “Tobias knows everything. You can speak freely if you have an update.”
Maria shook her head, but Tobias couldn’t help but notice she never stopped looking at him.
Even when her hair fell before her face, he caught the glint of her eyes through the strands.
“All quiet on the western front. Nothing to report. Although, Tobias, I must say I am so relieved you found my brother when you did. Who knows, if he hadn’t, your name could’ve been on the list of casualties. ”
Tobias stiffened. “Why do you say that?”
“Because your name kept popping up as associated with the three humans who were first attacked.” She said it so nonchalantly, it almost made Tobias choke on air.
“We believe that the assailant is someone in our family, someone who would like to reach Alexander to hurt the Damianos name. So, I’d be careful. Both of you.”
Alexander stretched a hand up, and over Tobias’ shoulder, dragging him in close. “Believe me, Tobias has nothing to worry about when I’m around him.”
The back of his throat burned with fresh bile. Alexander couldn’t have been more incorrect.
“I don’t doubt that, but if Tobias’ name was coincidentally on the same application lists as the first three victims, he’s now in the crosshairs whether you like to think so or not.”
There was nothing coincidental about Tobias’ name being on those lists. He knew that, and he believed Maria did too. It was unsaid, more of a feeling. Tobias could’ve checked her aura, but he was beyond frightened of having it confirmed for him.
Better to enjoy his pretend ignorance, at least for now.
“All the more reason we should skip tomorrow’s ball,” Alexander retorted.
“And encourage Father to sweep into here and drag you both out himself? Please.” She sighed. “Don’t give him a reason to make you a lesson for others, brother.”
“She’s right,” Tobias said, deadpan and frozen to the core. “We can’t miss it.”
“Alas, the young man sees sense.” Maria winked at Tobias, as though she had a secret they were both keeping. “Save a dance for me tomorrow, Tobias. We can have a catch up, get to know one another better.”
Tobias swallowed hard. He used to find lying so easy, but now it felt like getting useless words out from a throat that felt full of glass. “I would like that.”
“Good.” Maria clapped, ceasing the conversation. The army of servants deposited the chests and bags around the room and were the first to depart. “Then I’ll leave you both to… do whatever it is you’re doing. Clearly, you’re enjoying yourselves. At least someone here is.”
Tobias was relieved to see Maria’s back. He held his breath until she passed out the door, leaving them alone. But just before she completely disappeared, Maria stopped and poked her head back around the door. “Oh, and Tobias?”
“Yes?” His voice cracked.
“I took the liberty of visiting your apartment. Packed some personal belongings for you. I know how important a reminder of home can be, so you’ll find them amongst the chests.”
And with that, she left, leaving the disaster that was her revelation to reverberate through the room.
Tobias sat forward, curling his spine as he hunched over. Alexander ran his hand up his back, a shiver rising on Tobias’ skin in its wake. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes,” Tobias stammered. “I’m fine. It’s just a reminder of what has been left behind, that’s all.”
“I’m sorry–” Alexander began, but Tobias cut him off.
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence. You have nothing to be sorry about.” Whereas Tobias had everything to be guilty about. He was the liar, the real monster.
“Something is going on with you. And if there is, I demand to know so I can ease it for you.”
There were so many things he could’ve said back, but with his eyes fixed to the many chests, only one answer felt natural. “Can I have a moment to look through my things? I think my head is close to exploding with all the revelations.”
It was a polite way of saying “I need space”, even though Tobias really didn’t want anything of the sort.
“Of course you can.” There was reluctance in Alexander’s deep voice, but he did nothing to stop Tobias as he shifted away. “You know where to find me.”
Tobias offered him a quick kiss and clambered from the bed. “I do. Always.”
He left Alexander in bed, cautious not to run out to the chests outside the room. Only when he was out of view did he pick up his pace until he reached them, illuminated by a beam of moonlight coming in from the window.
Tobias popped the lid and his heart stopped.
There, perfectly laid atop clothes and the books Alexander had brought him all those days ago, was a wooden stake.
Maria had packed it.
Maria had seen…
Maria knew. She knew.
Tobias rocked back on his haunches. It took effort not to run after Maria and demand to know what game she was playing. If she’d worked out Tobias’ plans, or at least suspected that he had always been aware of vampires, it wouldn’t take much for her to tell Alexander.
And yet she hadn’t.
He needed to speak with her. One sure way of getting close to her, without raising questions, was to go to the ball tomorrow.
It was as if Maria knew his thoughts would go this way, because he hadn’t realised at first that there was something else waiting beside the stake.
It was an object that wasn’t from his apartment, and yet something she’d already spoken about.
A mask. A beautifully designed creation of ivory and metal, shaped to look like the face of a deer. Silver antlers protruded from the top of the mask, curling back, sharp at their ends.
Maria’s voice echoed through his mind. Save a dance for me tomorrow.
Tobias picked up the stake and the mask, each weighing equally in his hands. He knew without a doubt that both items would join him tomorrow.
Time is of the essence.
“Tobias?” Alexander called, making him jump out of his skin. “Come back to bed.”
Tobias stared down at the stake, and then the mask. Tears pooled in his eyes, blurring them both from sight.
“Coming,” Tobias choked, stuffing the stake to the bottom of the chest and placing the mask back atop it.
There was only one more night of ignoring his fate.
One more night of pretending he was not the true monster beneath this roof.
One more night of lying to the only man who deserved truth.