Thomas's Choice

by Tina Folsom

  Samson gave his friends a signal, and they rushed forward. If Thomas wasn’t coming voluntarily, they’d force him. “Come back to us!”

  Thomas spun on his heels, his eyes glaring red as he focused them on Samson.

  “Shit!” Samson cursed, realizing what was going to happen. He steeled himself for the assault, but there was no defense against it.

  The first bolt of pain drilled into his mind, almost blinding him, the second knocked him several yards back. He landed on his ass, a rib cracking as he slammed against the curb.

  Amaury, Zane, and Gabriel charged forward, but a bolt of lightning coming from Thomas’s outstretched hands stopped them.

  “No farther, or you’ll all die!”

  Disbelief rolled over Samson as he pulled himself up. This wasn’t Thomas. This wasn’t the gentle biker he’d known all his life. Somebody was pulling the strings behind the scenes, and as long as they couldn’t separate Thomas from his puppet master, they couldn’t pull him back from the path he’d chosen.

  “We’re leaving. For now,” Samson conceded.

  But they’d come back, and next time they’d bring an army. Whatever it took, they’d get Thomas back.

  ***

  “I’m proud of you,” Kasper said, patting him on the shoulder.

  Thomas shook off his hand and walked to the fireplace in the living room where a low fire was burning. Despite it, he felt a chill creep into his bones. He’d felt it ever since he’d joined Kasper. As if all warmth had left him and ice was now running in his veins.

  “There was no need to be out there with me. Or did you not trust me to handle them?”

  “I don’t trust them,” Kasper deflected. “And I was right. They were trying to bring you back to their side. With force, as it turns out. Are those the actions of friends?”

  Inside him, the dark power churned, pushing fury up his chest. “No.”

  “I protect those I love.” Kasper’s voice dropped to a husky murmur and Thomas felt him draw closer. He’d so far evaded all of Kasper’s attempts at physical intimacy, and he wasn’t in the mood for it now either.

  “I want to be alone.”

  Kasper sighed, stopping in his approach. “Very well. Rest for a while. There’s much to be done. And I need you well rested.”

  Thomas nodded and waited for Kasper to leave the room before he pressed his forehead against the mantle and braced his hands to either side. His head ached from the fight with Samson. And his heart beat frantically. He didn’t like how he felt, how the dark power made him indifferent to the feelings and concerns of others. He felt nothing, only emptiness. Was this how his life would be now? He couldn’t live like this. The tiny traces of scruples that emerged from his heart grew and made themselves increasingly felt.

  He was jolted backwards instantly and felt the dark power inside him beat against the scruples that kept invading his mind. He’d been able to defeat the evil inside him for so many years, but it appeared that the ability had deserted him. He felt under its thrall, captive and bound. Was there no way back for him? No way to regain his humanity?

  He glanced at the wood that was stacked up next to the fireplace, and bent down to toss another piece on the fire, when he felt something in his pocket. He reached inside and felt the stake that he carried with him at all times. He pulled it from his pocket and stared at it.

  Maybe there was one way to defeat the power and destroy the hold it had over him.

  Gripping the stake tightly in his right palm, he brought its tip to his chest. Swallowing hard, he clasped his other hand over it and took a breath. His thoughts went to Eddie and the way he’d looked at him that night before he’d driven off: with such promise in his eyes. Yet it had all been a lie.

  He felt a sob rip from his chest, and closed his eyes. With all his strength, he thrust the stake against his heart, but he met resistance. His hands worked against an invisible foe, fighting to keep hold of the stake, struggling not to be pulled back. The tension in his shoulders increased and with a violent jolt his hands were ripped to the side, losing their grip on the stake. It tumbled into the fire as Thomas was thrown back. Disbelief coursed through him. His power was getting so strong that it was controlling his body now, and it wouldn’t allow him to take his own life, because doing so would extinguish the power itself. And the power wanted to survive.

  “Thomas,” Xander’s voice intruded from behind.

  Thomas swiveled, furious at being interrupted, and lashed a glare at the vampire. Murderous thoughts boiled up inside him and he stretched his arms toward him, snarling.

  “I said I wanted to be alone!”

  Before his eyes, Xander’s hands went around his own neck and he started squeezing it.

  Xander stared at him, stunned at his own actions. But Thomas continued to exert mind control on him and made him squeeze harder. Xander’s attempts at fighting him off with mind control were futile. In fact, Thomas felt barely any power coming from him, whereas on the night he’d first entered this house, Xander had easily fought him off. None of that power was evident now.

  Was it possible that Xander had had help that night? Had Kasper been able to channel his own power into Xander to help his follower defeat Thomas? To fool him into thinking all his followers were stronger and more powerful than they were?

  Thomas released his mental hold on Xander, who then dropped his arms and coughed.

  “Get out of my sight! Or I’ll crush you!” he warned him.

  With a panicked look on his face, Xander stumbled from the room.

  Inside Thomas, the dark power started to settle. It had gotten its due for now. It had proven its superiority and been appeased. But for how long?

  38

  Eddie heard the ringing of his cell phone via his Bluetooth-equipped helmet as he navigated through light traffic. He’d been aimlessly combing the city for Thomas. Without success. With every hour that had passed, he felt worse because he knew this was his fault. Thomas had disappeared because of him, so it was his responsibility to find him.

  He answered the call. “Yes?”

  “Thought you should know. We know where Thomas is,” Cain said.

  Eddie’s heart leapt, a weight lifting off his shoulders. Now everything would turn out all right. He’d go and see him and talk to him. Confess what he really felt in his heart, and apologize. “Where?”

  “Uhm, he’s with Xander and his people.”

  Shock made his heart stop. “They captured him? Fuck!” His hands curled into claws and his fangs descended. He’d get those bastards and skin them alive if they hurt Thomas.

  “No, Eddie. They didn’t.”

  “But you just said—”

  “He joined them,” Cain interrupted.

  “Joined? He would never!” Eddie tried to wrap his brain around the information as he slowed his motorcycle.

  “Afraid so. I figured you’d want to know, given you and he . . . ” There was a pregnant pause on the other end of the line. “Listen, it’s none of my business, but if you love him, now might be the time to help him. If anybody can get through to him, it’s you.”

  Stunned, Eddie sucked in a breath of air. How could Cain know that he loved Thomas when he’d only just realized it himself? “How did you find out?”

  “I saw you and him kissing in his garage. I didn’t mean to spy on you; I just happened to come by.”

  “Fuck!” Eddie hissed.

  “Hey,” Cain said quickly. “I’m not judging. Whatever floats your boat. I’m just saying if there’s anything you and he have to air out to make up—”

  “Make up?”

  “It’s pretty obvious. When you guys were at Oliver’s party, there was some tension. And then Thomas left early. Listen, I don’t care what this is about. None of my business. But if there’s anything you can do . . . Samson tried, but didn’t get through to him. Amaury told me that Thomas claims he’s got nothing left to lose.”

  “Ah shit,” Eddie cursed. Thomas had snapped because of
him. “No need to say any more.

  Who’s on guard in Chinatown?”

  “Jay, why?”

  “Call him and tell him I’ll relieve him in fifteen minutes.”

  “What are you planning?”

  What he’d been planning all along. “I’m going to talk to Thomas.” And if talking wasn’t enough, he might just have to drop to one knee. Hadn’t Thomas once said that he didn’t find it old fashioned to drop to one’s knee? Well, suddenly, Eddie didn’t find it old fashioned anymore either.

  Eddie turned his motorcycle around and headed for Chinatown, reaching it in record time. He parked the bike and walked to the dark entryway where Jay stood waiting.

  “Any movement?” Eddie asked by way of greeting.

  Jay shook his head. “Nobody entered or exited in the entire two hours I’ve been here. It’s all yours.”

  Eddie lifted his hand, bidding him goodbye and looked at the house across the street. The lights were on in several rooms, but he couldn’t detect any movements inside the house. He shoved a hand through his hair, brushing it away from his face, and realized that it was a gesture he’d picked up from Thomas.

  During the many months they’d lived together, he’d grown so used to Thomas. What had started out as a mentorship had morphed into a friendship, and now that he’d driven Thomas away, he finally realized how much his friendship meant to him. But friendship alone wasn’t enough anymore. In the last week, his feelings for Thomas had deepened and turned from friendship into love in the blink of an eye. It was time to man up, as Thomas had demanded. He was ready now.

  With determined steps, Eddie crossed the street and walked up the few steps to the entrance door of the house. He rang the doorbell, once, twice, then a third time. He strained to listen, but no sounds came from the inside.

  “Thomas!” he called out. “It’s me, Eddie!”

  Thomas would hear him, he was convinced of it. Still, nobody came to the door. Frustrated, he exhaled. But he wouldn’t give up now. He’d come this far and wouldn’t let a flimsy door stop him.

  He looked to his right. Or a window. Bracing himself at the railing with one hand, he kicked his leg up, shoving his booted foot through the glass, which shattered on impact. He reached inside it with his hand and unlocked the sash, then pushed it open. Hoisting himself up, he crawled through the narrow opening.

  When he was inside, he jumped up instantly, ready to defend himself should one of Xander’s people already be waiting for him, but to his surprise, he was alone in the foyer. Even a human should have heard his forced entry. In a house full of vampires, they should have been on him like dogs on a mailman. Something was wrong.

  His gut constricting with unease, he walked farther into the house. There was a large living room on this floor, the door of which stood wide open. It was warm inside, but equally empty.

  Eddie glanced at the fireplace: a low fire was still crackling there, evidence that whoever had been here couldn’t have left too long ago.

  Eddie turned and continued his search, his senses alert to be prepared for a possible ambush as he walked up the stairs. Most rooms on the second floor were bedrooms interspersed with several bathrooms. The windows were hung with heavy drapes, and the disorder in the rooms indicated that the inhabitants had left in a hurry. But how?

  The house had been watched ever since they’d found out that it was Xander’s headquarters.

  And Jay had confirmed that nobody had come or left.

  His surveillance of the top floor didn’t yield any other results. It was just as empty as the other floors. Frustrated, he walked down to the first floor and looked around once more. He turned to the living room, letting his eyes wander over the furniture and the wood-paneled walls.

  Then he marched back into the hallway. The door to the half bath stood open. Besides a toilet and a sink, a large, floor-to-ceiling mirror graced one wall. Eddie saw no reflection of himself in it and turned away from the useless item.

  An errant thought penetrated his mind. If he still had to shave, he would probably have had a hard time doing it without the help of a mirror. Vampires didn’t reflect in mirrors, so it was rare that a vampire had any in his home.

  Eddie whirled back to the half bath. He walked inside and looked at the sink. The mirror above it was missing, just as in many homes belonging to vampires. His gaze swept back to the full-size mirror. It didn’t belong here. If somebody had gone through the pains of removing the mirror above the sink, why had he left the tall mirror standing? It made no sense. Unless the mirror served another purpose.

  His heart beating faster than usual, he ran his hands around the frame of the mirror, feeling for any indentation or hook, when his fingers encountered a groove on one side. He pressed against it and heard a click. Gripping the frame, he pulled the mirror toward him, away from the wall and peered behind it. A dark tunnel opened up before him. He sniffed and smelled the scent of vampires who’d used it only recently.

  His vampire vision was sufficient for him to see into the tunnel and realize that it was empty.

  Without hesitation, he walked into it and followed it around a bend. By his estimation, it was at least a hundred feet long, most likely longer, and when it suddenly stopped after another turn, he found himself in front of a door. He listened for any sounds, and heard cars going by.

  Stunned, he turned the knob and pulled the door toward him, opening it only a sliver to peek outside. He was at street level. He opened the door wider and stepped out onto the pavement, searching for a street sign. He found it instantly and realized that the hidden tunnel had led him to a street parallel to the one Xander’s headquarters stood on. The vampires had snuck out this way while Scanguards had watched the front, unaware of the secret escape route.

  “Shit!” he cursed and pulled his cell phone from his pocket.

  As he speed-dialed Gabriel’s number, he rushed back to where he’d parked his motorcycle.

  “Yes?” Gabriel’s tense voice came through the line.

  “The house in Chinatown is empty. Thomas is gone. They’re all gone.” The words suddenly sank in, and his heart constricted as if somebody were squeezing it with an iron fist. He needed to find Thomas.

  “How the fuck—?”

  “I found a secret walkway leading to the street behind it,” Eddie interrupted him.

  “Shit!”

  Having reached his motorcycle, Eddie swung himself onto it, jammed the key into the ignition, turned it, and hit the starter button. The engine howled and he kicked away the stand.

  “I’ll be at HQ in fifteen minutes.”

  Without waiting for Gabriel’s answer, he disconnected the call.

  Now he could only hope that Thomas hadn’t disabled the GPS chip in his own cell phone yet.

  He had to hurry to get to the IT lab at Scanguards to run a trace and see if he could locate him via his phone. Quickly, Eddie dialed the IT lab’s number so they could start setting up the trace. He didn’t even want to think what to do if that didn’t work, because the prospect of losing Thomas hurt more than he’d ever imagined anything could hurt. Thomas was his best friend and the only lover he’d ever wanted. He needed Thomas like he needed his next breath, and living without him for the rest of eternity was unimaginable.

  39

  The elevator doors opened, and Eddie rushed onto the executive floor of Scanguards’

  headquarters. He’d already been in the IT lab and run a trace on Thomas’s phone, with disappointing results: Thomas had disabled his phone, making it impossible to be located.

  The floor was buzzing with activity. He almost collided with Nina as she came around a corner.

  “Eddie!”

  “Fuck, Nina, what are you doing here? You’re not even allowed on this floor.”

  Nina rolled her eyes. “For your information, the no-humans rule on the executive floor doesn’t apply to blood-bonded mates. And besides, have you forgotten that you were supposed to meet me?”

  Eddie ran a shak
y hand through his hair and down his nape, feeling the perspiration that had built there. “What for?” His mind drew a blank.

  “To look at that apartment near the waterfront. I told you about it. Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten. Gee, can’t you put those things in your calendar?”

  Eddie sighed. Maybe this was as good a time as any to come clean. “Nina, I’m not moving out.”

  She stared at him, her eyes widening in surprise. “What?”

  Eddie put his hand around her arm and pulled her into the copier room. “We need to talk.”

  Nina looked up at him, a frown building on her face. “I hate it when somebody starts a conversation like that. It never ends well.”

  “You might have a point there,” he admitted, hesitating for a moment. He rocked back on his heels, shoving his hands into his pockets. “There’s something you need to know.” He took a deep breath. “Nina, I’m gay. And Thomas is my lover.”

  He expelled a breath and looked away, not wanting to see the disappointment in her eyes.

  Not a word came from his sister, only stunned silence greeted him. He swallowed past the lump in his throat.

  “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t choose this. It just happened. And I can’t make it undone. I am what I am. I didn’t mean to disappoint you again.”

  When a soft palm touched his forearm, he jerked his head up.

  Nina looked at him, her brown eyes focused on him. “Disappoint me? Oh, Eddie, you’re not disappointing me. You’re my brother, my family. I love you no matter what.” She sighed.

  “Looks like my gaydar is completely off these days. I really didn’t see this coming.”

  He tentatively returned her smile. Was she accepting him the way he was?

  “How long have you been hiding this from me?”

  He shrugged. “I’m not sure, Sis. I guess I’ve always known, but I suppressed it so much that I never realized what was going on inside me. But when I was turned, everything changed. My . . . uh . . . desires became stronger, you know. And then when I overheard somebody say that Thomas has the hots for me, I guess it triggered something in me.”