Thomas's Choice

by Tina Folsom

  Xander stood in front of him. Thomas had expected one of his minions to open the door. But he didn’t let the surprise show on his face. Nor did Xander show any surprise at seeing Thomas at his doorstep.

  “So you’ve found me,” he simply said and motioned him to enter.

  Thomas walked past him, never letting his guard down, and forcing his senses to remain engaged, constantly scanning for any sudden movements his opponent might make. Turning back to Xander, who closed the door and locked it again, he waited.

  “This way,” Xander instructed and led him to the living room, where only minutes earlier, he’d seen him and another vampire. The room was empty.

  “Where are the rest of your followers?” Thomas asked, letting his senses explore. He could clearly feel the presence of other vampires in the house.

  “My followers?” He chuckled. “You give me too much credit.”

  “We both know you’re not alone.”

  Xander nodded, lowering himself into an old-fashioned armchair in front of the fireplace. He gestured to the armchair opposite his. “Please. I hate craning my neck.”

  Cautiously, Thomas sat down.

  His host gave him an approving look. “You’re right, of course. I’m not alone. But I’ve asked my . . . associates to withdraw upstairs so we can have an opportunity to talk in private.”

  Thomas moved his head in agreement. This situation was even better than he’d planned it: being alone with Xander would make it easier to take care of him. And by the time the others in the house figured out what was happening, Thomas would have collected his strength again and be ready for another attack.

  “Yes, let’s talk,” Thomas started. “I know what you’re doing.”

  “Well, I should hope so. After all, we made sure of it. What would be the point of doing things to bring you to our side if we hid them from you?”

  Was Xander implying that he’d deliberately left a clue at Wu’s office for Thomas to track him down? “You have a funny way of trying to attract new followers.”

  “Followers? You wouldn’t be a follower. I thought I made that clear during our earlier conversation.”

  “Just as I made it clear that I want you to leave my turf.”

  Xander smiled. “I’m afraid we can’t do that. You see, we have plans at dominating the vampire world.”

  “By threatening law-abiding vampires and running them out of town? Killing them when they don’t comply?”

  Xander shrugged. “Casualties are to be expected. People are killed in every war.”

  “This is not a war. And you’ll fail,” Thomas promised.

  “What makes you so sure?”

  Thomas rose and turned his mind in towards himself. “Because I’ll destroy you!”

  Concentrating on Xander, he bundled his mind’s energy and unleashed it on his opponent.

  Xander shot up from his chair and the air vibrated between them. Then a blast sent Thomas into the wall behind him, breaking his concentration.

  The sudden power that had come from Xander stunned him. How was this possible? He’d only sensed a low level of dark power within Xander, but what his enemy had fought back with was magnified.

  Xander laughed, the sound bouncing against the walls, creating an eerie echo. “You haven’t learned, have you? The more of our kind are together, the stronger the power grows. It’s like gravity. It attracts more and more of the same kind, and as we join forces, we get stronger. You have no choice in the matter. You’ll soon be one of us! You’ll join the family.”

  “Never! I already have a family!”

  “Oh, you mean Scanguards? Or are you talking about the boy you’re fucking?”

  White hot anger shot through Thomas’s body as he peeled himself away from the wall.

  Xander knew about him and Eddie?

  “You think he’s your salvation?” Xander mocked. “Dream on. Not even he can save you from yourself. Just admit what you are!”

  Blind with rage, Thomas charged him and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him in the air, and slamming him against the fireplace. “You touch one of them, you’re dust.”

  Footsteps sounded on the stairs from above. Knowing he couldn’t defeat their collective powers, at least not in the state he was in, Thomas ran out of the room and to the entrance door, unlocked it, and barreled outside before they could reach him.

  ***

  Kasper charged into the living room and saw Xander getting up from the fireplace. Luckily no fire had been lit in it, otherwise his trusted follower’s clothes would have caught fire.

  “I see Thomas is still as hotheaded as ever,” he remarked.

  Xander rubbed his backside. “I don’t know why you couldn’t talk to him yourself.”

  Kasper narrowed his eyes. He didn’t tolerate insubordination from anybody. “Because I think it was better this way. So unless you would like to meet the same fate as some of your predecessors, you’ll do well not to question my decisions. Do we understand each other?”

  Xander bowed his head in submission. “Yes, Master Kasper.”

  Kasper turned to the six men who’d followed him. “Get back upstairs! I’ll call you when I need you!”

  They turned without protesting and marched back upstairs. He’d trained his minions well.

  They were scared of him. And fear produced obedience. He’d sired them, all of them, but his blood wasn’t as strong in them as it was in Thomas, because their minds were weak, and the power couldn’t thrive in a weak mind.

  He turned back to Xander. “Very well then. What else do you have to report?”

  “Your suspicion was correct: he has a lover, a young vampire who lives with him. When I confronted him, he went ballistic.”

  Kasper felt a wave of jealousy boil up in him and pressed it back down. This wasn’t the time for weakness. He would have Thomas back, and together they would rule the world of vampires.

  Just as it was always meant to be.

  “He’s strong, just like you said. If you hadn’t channeled your power through me when he attacked me, he would have killed me.”

  “I know.” He pulled his lip up in a snarl. “Let that be a lesson to you. Now, join the others. I need time.”

  Xander bowed and quickly left the room, shutting the door behind him.

  Kasper walked to one of the chairs and inhaled. Thomas’s scent drifted into his nose. “I’m coming for you. You had your fun. But it’s time to come home now.”

  28

  Thomas rang the doorbell at Samson’s Nob Hill home and was surprised that it was opened almost instantly.

  Samson, holding his nine-month-old baby daughter Isabelle in his arms, greeted him and motioned him to enter. “Hey Thomas, you’re just the man I need.”

  “What’s happening?” Thomas asked and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

  “Maya and Delilah are upstairs weeding out Isabelle’s toys and clothes to give to Yvette.”

  Thomas grinned. “Looks like they’ve got it in hand then. Leaves us to sit back and sip a glass or two.”

  “I wish! They’ve roped me into it.” He waved toward the hallway. “I’ve gotta get something from the storage downstairs.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  As they walked down the stairs into the basement where the garage, a storage area, a weapons arsenal, and a safe room were located, Thomas noticed Samson exchanging a brief look with Isabelle. Could they both sense his unease?

  “Something wrong?” Samson asked him as he opened the storage room and switched on the light.

  “Zane and I were following a lead on who’s purchased Al’s place. We found the lawyer who filed the papers for the company that bought Al out. He’s dead.”

  Samson froze. “Foul play?”

  “Somebody cut his tongue out. Looked like a message.”

  Samson shuddered visibly. “Is the body still there?”

  “Zane is sending a cleanup crew as we speak. But we found something else. An address for t
he people who are behind the company.”

  “Let’s check them out.”

  “I already did. They’re the same vampires who killed Sergio and his wife.”

  “Let’s put a team together and go in to take them out. Good work finding them, Thomas.”

  “I’m afraid it won’t be that easy. There’s something else.”

  Samson raised an eyebrow in inquiry. “What is it?”

  “We need to talk, in private.” Thomas motioned to Isabelle.

  A frown spread over Isabelle’s face. Samson’s baby daughter seemed to understand way too much. Her telepathic skills also meant that if she heard something she wasn’t meant to hear, she would be able to communicate it to her mother. And what Thomas wanted to tell Samson was not meant for anybody else’s ears.

  “Why don’t you grab the buggy here and bring it up? I’ll bring Isabelle back to Delilah.”

  Samson didn’t wait for Thomas to acknowledge his request, and walked to the stairs.

  Thomas took in a deep breath, inhaling the dusty air in the basement. He hoped he wasn’t making a big mistake, but he really didn’t think there was any other way. The power Xander had displayed had made him reconsider going it alone without Scanguards’ backing. He’d thought it would be easy to destroy Xander and his followers by himself, but his opponent had proven him wrong. He needed Scanguards’ help.

  Thomas grabbed the buggy Samson had pointed out and carried it upstairs to the foyer where he set it down and waited. It took only moments until Samson descended from the upper floor again.

  “My office,” he instructed and marched down the long corridor.

  After Thomas entered his study and closed the door behind him, Samson turned to him, remaining standing.

  “What’s bothering you?”

  Thomas let his gaze wander over his old friend and boss. “As you and some of the others know, I have special mind control skills.”

  Samson nodded. “You proved that when fighting your maker not too long ago. I wasn’t there, but Quinn told me everything.”

  “I’m not the only one with those skills.”

  Samson leaned back against his desk. “It’s clear your sire had the same skills.”

  He acknowledged Samson’s words with a quick nod. “What I’ll tell you now can’t leave this room. Nobody can ever find out, not even Delilah. Can you promise me that?”

  “This sounds serious.”

  “It is. I need your word.”

  “You have it.”

  Thomas trailed a hand through his hair and felt the perspiration that had built on his nape.

  He’d never told anybody about his dark power, and revealing this now was a risk. But he had to in order to keep everybody at Scanguards safe.

  “My skill comes at a price. Every day and every night I fight against the evil that’s inside me.

  It’s a dark power that fuels my skill, an evil power that makes me strong and able to destroy others with my thoughts alone. If I don’t continuously beat it back down, it will rise and demand its due.” He searched his friend’s wide eyes. “If I allow it, it will take over and turn me into a cruel, violent, heartless man. A man who will destroy those he loves.”

  “Thomas,” Samson murmured, clearly shocked.

  Thomas lifted his hand. “I’m not finished. There’s more.” He filled his lungs with air. “The one who gave me this dark power is Kasper, or Keegan, as you know him. I’d hoped that his death would bring me peace, but it didn’t. He sired many protégés, and they all have the same dark power within them. And they’re using it for evil. They’re here, Samson, they’ve come to wreak havoc.”

  “The newcomers?” Samson asked, understanding dawning in his eyes.

  “Yes. It’s them. The vampires who bought up Al’s, the same ones who killed Sergio.

  They’ve come to take over, and they want me to join them.”

  Samson pushed away from the desk, his chest heaving. “You’re part of us, Thomas!”

  Thomas squeezed his eyes shut. “Scanguards is my family. There’s no doubt about it. But there are things beyond my control. The more of them who are coming, the more their collective powers will lure my dark power to the surface. I felt it tonight when I confronted their leader.”

  “You went in on your own? Are you crazy?” Samson raised his voice.

  “I thought I could defeat him. His power had seemed so weak that I was convinced I could overpower him and take out his followers right after, but I’d miscalculated. His power was too strong. Stronger than mine. He must have learned to harness it better than I can.” He sighed. “I never honed my skills.” He’d always been too afraid of the outcome, afraid of growing too powerful and letting that power drug him and turn him into something he didn’t want to be. “I failed, Samson. That’s why I’m here. You can’t send a team in without knowing what you’re up against. They’ll annihilate us.”

  Samson’s face had turned serious, concern etched in it, a frown on his forehead. “What do they want?”

  “What Kasper tried before: to rule the vampire world. He tried, but perished in the process.

  Now his followers are back. They’re taking over business after business, driving all good vampires out of town, building a stronghold. Once they control this city, they’ll expand.”

  “We have to stop them before they even get that far.”

  “I tried, Samson, but I’m too weak.”

  Samson gripped Thomas’s shoulders and shook him. “You’re not weak, Thomas. You’re Keegan’s protégé. That means you have the power within you, just like those others do. You’re a strong man, and there’s no reason why you can’t hone the power inside you to get stronger than theirs. You have to try.”

  What Samson was suggesting was too dangerous to contemplate. “I can’t, Samson. It’s not safe. It means releasing the power from its cage. I won’t be able to control it. It will automatically pull me toward them. It will make resisting them even more difficult.”

  “We need you, Thomas,” Samson pleaded. “If they are as dangerous as you say, then our conventional weapons will have little-to-no impact. We’ll be hopelessly disadvantaged if they can fight us with mind control. There’s nobody apart from you who could offer any resistance.”

  Thomas pulled free of Samson’s hold. “Don’t ask this of me! You don’t know what you’re conjuring up.” He balled his hands into fists and clenched his teeth. “Even now, I can feel the dark power rattling at the doors of its cage. I can feel it getting stronger. It’ll overpower me and force me to do things I don’t want to do. I’ve seen the evil it unleashes. What happened at Sergio’s could happen again. Only next time I could be the culprit. Don’t you see? I have to keep the power chained up. There’s no safe way to hone it.”

  He pointed to the window, indicating the world outside, his mood turning grimmer by the second. “Those vampires were able to hone their skill because they weren’t concerned about who they hurt in the process. They don’t have families they care about. They don’t know what love is.”

  Thomas’s thoughts instantly turned to Eddie. If he unleashed his dark power, he’d hurt Eddie, because his desire would drive him to force Eddie to fully surrender to him, whether he was ready for it or not. He’d break his trust and lose any chance he’d ever had at love.

  “You have to prepare the others for what they’ll face. But I can’t be part of this. I have to stay away from Xander’s people. Just being in their presence awakens my dark power, and I don’t know how much longer I can control it.”

  Samson’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, his eyes wide. “God help us.”

  29

  Eddie pulled into the garage and heard the garage door lower behind him. He turned the key in the ignition, switching off the engine and closing his eyes for a moment. He’d been paired up with Cain for patrol, and while he liked Cain, he’d missed working with Thomas. Cain had been called off early to attend to the cleanup of a murder scene, and therefore Eddie had had t
o terminate his patrol early. The edict that nobody was to patrol on his own was still in place.

  Nina had called him on his cell just before he’d headed out for his patrol, wanting to clarify more what kind of apartment he was looking for so she could narrow down the search. He hadn’t had the courage to tell her that he wasn’t at all sure anymore whether he still wanted to move out of Thomas’s place. He wasn’t sure about anything right now.

  Eddie dismounted from the bike and took off his helmet, placing it on the bench next to the stairs, then hung up his jacket next to it. He set his foot on the first step when a sound coming from the other direction reached his ears. He froze, his ears perking up. Holding his breath, he listened intently. Was there an intruder in the house?

  A sound akin to a groan came from the room that was built into the hillside. The cave, as Thomas called it. When Eddie had first moved into the house, Thomas had told him that this was the only place that was off-limits to him. Eddie had respected Thomas’s wishes, but had always been curious about what lay hidden in that room.

  Quietly, he approached the door and pressed his ear to it. Odd noises he couldn’t identify drifted to him. He inhaled deeply and took in two very distinct scents: the smell of a human, and the scent of vampire blood. Thomas’s blood! Somebody was hurting Thomas.

  Eddie ripped the door open and charged into the room, his eyes quickly assessing the situation, his body readying itself to fight the intruder who had somehow overpowered Thomas.

  His eyes found Thomas bent over a rack near the wall, his wrists bound to a pole above him, his body naked, his legs spread wide. His lower back and ass were covered with streaks of blood, which undoubtedly had been delivered by the human, who cracked a leather whip with several lashes.

  Eddie rushed toward the man, snatching his hand and preventing him from delivering another painful lash to Thomas’s back. The man whirled his head to him, shocked at being caught.

  “What the fuck!” Eddie hissed and hit the man across the face, slamming him to the ground.