"... She..." He takes a deep breath, pulling his arms in. "We were fighting something called a Strix. It had taken control of a vampire... and we'd thought she had the one near her handled, but it grew sharp claws and slashed through her. It got under her ribs and into her heart. I tried to drag her back, to pull her away so she could heal, but she... she was gone before I could do anything..."

Tobias' shoulders shake, and he tries to hold the tears back, but they fall anyway. He scrubs at his face. This isn't going to help... but... "That was... a month ago. Two? Three? I've lost track of the time..."