Page 23 of Thomas
Cameron knelt on the rug and began rummaging through a box. “They trust me, yes. But they also hate Eden. I truly believe that their sole purpose in birthing me was to have someone to eventually dump this place on so that they could escape.”
“Wow…” Lots of vampires in Eden had shitty parents, himself included, of course. But it was interesting to learn about the degrees to which they were shitty. Eden purebred parents existed on a spectrum, and Thomas found himself envying Lord Ashford. How nice it would have been for Lord Blakeley and the viscount to just vanish when he’d reached a certain age, leaving him alone to manage the castle and his younger siblings.
One can only dream.
“Do you share your parents’ sentiments?” Thomas asked. “Do you hate Eden as well and wish to escape?”
Cameron paused and set his large hands on either side of the box. “No, I love my home. I don’t mind Eden—except when I’m forced to do weird things that I wouldn’t naturally do. Like attend annoying parties or…”
“Acquire a husband you don’t really want?” Thomas batted his eyelashes, speaking the words for him.
Cameron visibly bristled and rolled his shoulders. “I mean to offer you a good life here, Thomas. You’re not a prisoner?—”
“Oh, I’m just teasing you.” Thomas sighed and relaxed back. He folded his arms. “Besides, I’m much better off here than I was in my home estate. I should be thanking you.”
“You don’t need to go as far as that. I… I had no idea that your hand was forced in this arrangement. Given that fact, I would simply be content with your contentment.” Cameron pulled a file from the box and flipped the cover open. He fell quiet for a moment, scanning the pages. “Thank God for digital files and recordkeeping. What a pain.”
“I could help you, if you don’t mind the company,” Thomas offered. He wasn’t doing anything else but lying around—interchangeably reading, despising his father, being depressed and feeling sorry for himself. Maybe having something to work on would keep his mind busy and out of the dark abyss.
Cameron blinked up at him. “I don’t mind, but this isn’t fun work by any means. It’s tedious and unrelenting. I’d like this room to be functional at some point—perhaps renovate it.”
“That reminds me,” Thomas said, unfolding his legs and leaning forward to rest his elbows atop his thighs. “Lennon told me that you intentionally closed off and renovated a two-story library with a built-in iron staircase? Are you utterly mad? There are vampires who would kill for that kind of design aesthetic.”
“It was impossible to heat! Itsoundsaesthetically Gothic and charming, but the reality is that it felt like a hollow, frigid cave of books and it was not cozy at all. Besides, I left the staircase connecting the two spaces intact. It’s just hidden now.”
Thomas sat up straighter, wildly intrigued. “Oh?”
Cameron flashed him a cunning smile. “Yes. Come with me.” He pushed up from his knees and walked deeper into the room. Thomas stood and eagerly followed.
They moved past the dusty, sparse shelves and into a tight corridor lining the back wall. At the end of the row and in the corner sat a completely empty bookcase. Cameron stepped up to it and pointed to the fourth shelf from the bottom.
“Run your fingers along the right side,” he instructed. “You’ll feel an indentation there that’s a small lever.”
Thomas stepped up to the case. The tight space felt crowded with two grown vampires occupying it, especially with Cameron’s large body and gingery-sweet essence filling the air. Thomas focused and did as he was told. He ran his fingers along the inside of the smooth wood until he found a latch. He pulled it. The entire shelf clicked away from the wall and a hidden door appeared before them.
“How marvelous.” Thomas urged the door open, and a darkened entryway was revealed.
Without warning, a harrowing sensation gripped his chest, paralyzing him where he stood. The space was too dark, tight and oppressive. His pulse raced as his eyes widened. He couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.
“If you walk inside?—”
Thomas stepped back, crashing directly into Lord Ashford’s chest. “I-I can’t—I can’t go in there.”
Lord Ashford placed his palms on Thomas’s forearms. “Thomas? Hey, are you?—”
“I can’t. I—It’s too dark and I’m—I—” Thomas pressed back further, trembling, suddenly feeling as if he was trapped between a hard wall and a prison cell. Another dungeon.
He was seconds away from turning and scratching Lord Ashford’s eyes out to get away, but the man slipped in front ofhim, placed his palms against his biceps and met Thomas’s eyes directly.
“Hey—what’s happening to you? Listen, we don’t have to go inside, but look.” Cameron turned briefly and touched something along the inner wall of the open entryway. Warm lighting filled the cavern and brightened the black-iron staircase, which spiraled down toward the lower floor. The fanciful damask walls were lined with strategically placed sconces. Gothic-style iron lanterns flickered with electric but realistic-looking candlelight.
Thomas stared at the space with wide eyes as his senses came rushing back to him. It was beautiful, modern and stylish, like the rest of the house. Eclectic and inviting.
“Thomas?”
He shifted his gaze to the man in front of him. Serious concern was riddled in Cameron’s light hazel eyes. Nonsensically, Thomas barked a laugh. Relief washed over him, and he shook his head. “Dear God, I am a madman—I’m so sorry. I don’t know…”
To his surprise, tears began streaming from his eyes. Bewildered, embarrassed, he stepped back and away from Lord Ashford and covered his face with his palms. “I-I really don’t know what’s come over me. I apolo?—”
