From: Lara Raith
To: Thomas Raith

Subject: Our Mutual Problem

Brother-mine,

I know how much you adore our dear father’s presence, but several matters of business have arisen here that require his personal attention. I’m sure your presence as a companion will soothe his nerves. Papa does hate to travel alone.

I’ll see you soon,
Lara

*****

Thomas stared at ( Read more... )

Even after a demonstration of Alice’s considerable talents at distraction and his own extensive ability to avoid uncomfortable knowledge, the matter of just what had happened to Edward (as well as the uncomfortably large number of questions regarding his father’s sudden appearance) pushed their way back to the front of Thomas’ mind. The house was ( Read more... )

When Thomas woke up, the sun was streaming in through the window, and he could see brilliant blue sky through a space in the thin curtains. His mouth felt bone dry, but his head didn't throb, a pleasant surprise. Some part of him had expected the vampire safe tequila to have given him every effect of real alcohol. As it was, Thomas couldn't ( Read more... )

This is Thomas. Leave a message.Thomas? I don't know how she did it or when without me finding out but Lara's sent your father to Las Vegas. He's going to be staying on the show. She has to realize what I'm doing for you. Or something's changed and made her want to keep a closer eye on you. This isn't what we expected, Thomas. I never thought she'd ( Read more... )

Sunlight was already painting the sky orange when Thomas made his way back to his room. The night had been full, extremely so, but it had ended well enough. A hundred different thoughts, each with its own implication, ran through his mind, each of them shoved away for a later time, when he was ready for doubt and caution and self loathing. The only ( Read more... )

It was late on Night 39 when the letter was delivered:

( Dear Thomas, I'm sorry I haven't written in so long, but things have been rather hectic here at your family home... )

After the conversation with Edward, Thomas stayed in his room and let his mind wander, let the Hunger guide his thoughts through a maze of possibilities. He tried to ignore how the exercise, even the planning, was a rush, how it made the blood rush through his veins. Between his fingers, he toyed with a business card, once in a while rereading the ( Read more... )

A few minutes of quiet and the scent of gunpowder managed to do what all the interminable talking had not: clear Thomas' mind to the point where he could actually stand being in his own head. Still, just because he wasn't in danger of hurling insults or spewing his guts didn't mean he wanted to see any of the housemates who had been informed of his ( Read more... )

Given all that had happened already, it took comparatively little for Alice to convince Thomas they needed to find out what Dru's package meant. A GPS purchase and a flurry of phone calls later, Thomas found himself signing paperwork for his motorcycle to be shipped to Los Angeles while Alice printed out their boarding passes for a non-stop flight ( Read more... )

They arrived in Chicago an hour before sunset and, surprisingly, it was Thomas who insisted they stop off at a mall. Within an hour or so, he had bought clothes and changed, and come out of a jewelry boutique with a small bag in hand. Prying Alice away from the shoe stores took a little doing, along with a pair of earrings from his bag.

The drive ( Read more... )