Thomas Raith

Thomas Raith is a vampire of the White Court, member of House Raith, and half-brother to Harry Dresden. He first appears in Grave Peril.

Description
He has grey, or blue-grey, eyes, although they change color sometimes because of his vampire status. White Court vampires retain a natural color while they are not Hungry, and lighten to grey, silver, chrome and white consecutively as the Hunger demon gains more influence. His hair is shoulder-length (though he cuts it after it gets burned by a flaming arrow in Small Favor) curly, and black. He has very white teeth and a good build.

Harry describes him as "a predator angel", "unwholesomely good-looking", "awfully pretty to look at", "like someone's painting of the forgotten Greek god of body cologne", "the high priest of Bowflex", "a young man whom fathers of teenage daughters would shoot on sight". "[He] made all those Spartans in that movie look like slackers, and he didn’t even use an airbrush." (ref?)

Anastasia Luccio thinks that Thomas doesn't look like Harry except for the jaw and the shape of the eyes.

It is gradually revealed that Thomas is a deeper, more caring person than he wants to reveal. His flaky attitude turns out to have a purpose—all his vampire brothers have been murdered by their father, and he risks putting his lover Justine in danger if he shows more than passing affection for her, as well as a wish to be underestimated by his enemies.

In the case of others, especially ones who are a danger to his loved ones, he can be rather brutally blunt, even downright callous, such as describing Waldo Butters as a coward and advising Harry that the nervous coroner would only endanger him.

Thomas has a sense of humor and irony about his situation and crazy family. He does, however, experience guilt over his incubus-like nature, and tries to minimize the damage he causes—perhaps the legacy of his late mother.[ref?] Like his brother, he is a monogamist at heart, and tries to keep his seductiveness in check. [ref?] After being tortured by the Skinwalker, Shagnasty, his personality takes a change toward being more predatory.

Thomas lives with his brother Harry starting at the end of Blood Rites, throughout Dead Beat, until he moves out in Proven Guilty.

His dislikes include Red Court vampires, unnecessary clothing (i.e. shirts, shoes) when indoors, polka music, secrets (that he isn't in on), and his father. (refs?)

He is a massive slob: he lives almost exclusively on beer and microwave meals, and leaves the private rooms of his chic apartment an undecorated mess.

Thomas's approach to any given combat is with a maximum of power, speed, and aggressive ferocity.

Thomas is one of the Venatori and can perform some basic magic, like a tracking spell. However, he is a poor spellcaster to the extent that it takes several moments to cast a tracking spell.

In Turn Coat, Thomas is a White Court Celebrity after the coup attempt. (ref?)

In Changes, his personality seems to be more like in the past, even regaining his joking manner. He is more entrenched in White Court politics with his sister. [ref?] After he thinks that Harry has died he mournes deeply and stops even trying to seem human, not wearing shoes outside in the winter, or changing his clothing. He just drinks, until Justine finds a way to cher him up. (ref?)

In Changes, Thomas says he plays for the home team now and everyone knows it. If Lara lets something bad happen to him, a lot of people will get upset.

Possessions

 * Shop: He owned a small small boutique-and-coffee shop, the Coiffure Cup, which he worked in and managed. (ref) It is no longer mentioned after Turn Coat.


 * Boat: Thomas owns the Water Beetle, presumably named as a nod to the Blue Beetle, a slightly run down tug boat which is introduced in White Night.


 * Weapons:
 * He uses a Desert Eagle pistol (ref?)
 * a sawed-off double barrelled shotgun (ref?)
 * a U.S. Cavalry saber, and a kukri (a bent-bladed knife) on a regular basis. The kukri is a "new toy" Thomas has become fond of.
 * Falcata sword


 * VEHICLES: Thomas has number of expensive cars that get destroyed on a semi-regular basis. Such as: a Hummer and a Jaguar. The Hummer was fixed and back in action in Cold Days.

Abilities
Thomas is faster and stronger than a normal human. His kind age slowly, if at all. He can heal from almost anything short of actual death, as long as he keeps his Hunger demon fed. (ref?) He's a good swordfighter and a decent marksman (ref?), a good liar and consummate actor. (ref?)

Like all of the Raiths who feed on lust, he is burned by the touch of one who has the mark of true love on them, or touching objects embedded with love (such as wedding rings).

His Hunger is described in Backup as being strongest of the Raiths, except Lara,  once Lord Raith had been crippled by Margaret LeFay's death curse. With the deaths of senior Lords in White Night, his ranking in raw power across the whole court has been increased. The battle against his Hunger is a constant struggle for Thomas, and not one that he always wins. (ref?)

Raith Family
His father, Lord Raith, murders his own sons before they get ideas of knocking him off or out of power.

He hates his father and his psychotic cousins, which is understandable as they seem to regularily try to kill him. He seems to have a decent relationship with Lara, though she's manipulative and emotionally distant. He is fiercely loving and protective of his baby sister, Inari.(ref?)

At the end of Blood Rites, Thomas's sister, Lara Raith, says to Harry: "Thomas would sooner tear off one of his arms than see one of his siblings hurt. He's quite irrational about it."

Harry
He is especially close to Harry himself, often confessing things to him that he wouldn't tell others. Ever since the two have found themselves half-brothers they have become quickly close. Thomas often refers to Harry as 'little brother' or just 'brother'. He seems keen to keep a close connection to Harry and the feeling seems to be mutual due to a lack of proper family for both. Thomas often gives Harry advice on things, though mostly encouraging him to get over Susan and ask Murphy out. Though they both annoy each other, they both have a genuine affection for each other and seem to understand each other well. (refs?)

Justine
He meets Justine, the love of his life, at Zero, almost five years before the events of Blood Rites. Justine is probably around eighteen years old at the time. (ref?)

He almost kills her in Blood Rites, but manages to stop at the last possible moment, despite the seeming impossiblity. She is weak for awhile, but eventually recovers when she should have died. However, this causes her to have the mark of true love on her, and Thomas can no longer touch her directly without burning himself. Harry sees this as very tragic.

In Turn Coat, Thomas and Harry meet Justine at Zero. Thomas drops to his knees at her feet and wraps his arms around her waist while she wound her arms around his neck. They embrace and hold each other a long time with justine dressed in a flattering white rubber outfit that protects Thomas from getting burned by touching any part of her. Harry thinks the irony of their relationship is like a "kick in the balls".

Biography
He's born on Valentine's Day.

Thomas Raith is the son of White Court vampire Lord Raith and human wizard Margaret LeFay. His mother left when he was about five; she had another son, Thomas' half-brother Harry Dresden. Thomas has seven other half-siblings on his father's side: Lara, Inari, Elisa, Natalia, and three others, one of whom is allegedly insane and kept "in the attic." He also has several cousins, including Madeline and Madrigal.

Grave Peril
In Grave Peril, Thomas met Harry Dresden and Michael Carpenter, Knight of the Cross for the first time, at the entry to Bianca's Ball. Thomas shelters Harry from Bianca's rage at the outset invoking the Laws of hospitality. During the socializing phase of the evening, Thomas comes up to warn Harry that the wine is poisoned with Vampire venom, but it was too late, Harry had already downed his glass.

During the gift-giving portion of the Ball, Thomas asked Harry to stand with Justine while he went up to collect his "gift" from Bianca. Justine asked Harry to aid them in escaping the Ball. She told Harry that Lord Raith was invited but he sent Thomas which is an insult as he is the least regarded in the White Court. Justine said that Bianca would kill Thomas and make her into one of her whores. Thomas returns with his gift which was a condo in Hawaii and a single airline ticket. Thomas tried to stop Harry from preventing Mavra killing Lydia with Amoracchius but joined with him in the fight when he couldn't. He helpfully told Harry and Michael to aim for the bellies, it will empty their blood supply. He said they must take out Bianca as their only chance to survive. Bianca grabbed Justine and Thomas switched sides pushing Susan Rodriguez into a crowd of vampires—she's overtaken by them. Bianca orders Thomas killed. Harry sets everything on fire in his rage.

Thomas somehow escaped bringing Amoracchius to Harry and Michael as a show of faith along with an offer to team up to rescue Susan and Justine. While in Harry's apartment, Thomas helps subdue Lydia when she is possessed by the Nightmare (Leonid Kravos)). While taking the Ways through the Nevernever, they are set upon by Leanansidhe and her hounds. Thomas and Michael hold her off while Harry goes on alone to Bianca's mansion to rescue the women. They both manage to survive the confrontation and escape back to Chicago, emerging at a local strip club, to Michael's irritation

Death Masks
In Death Masks, Thomas acts as a second for the duel with Duke Ortega and was secretly conspiring with Susan and Martin. He had been pushed into it by his father, Lord Raith in an attempt to do away with him.

Blood Rites
In Blood Rites, Thomas got Harry involved in Arturo Genosa's Evil Eye curse. Blood Rites marks a turning point in Thomas's role from being simply a recurring character to a leading "side-kick". Thomas told Harry that they have the same mother and they soulgaze. Thomas blocks an attack by his father to kill him.

Later, Harry rescues Thomas out of the Deeps from a ritual sacrifice by Lord Raith who was attempting to use the Malocchio Entropy curse to kill both of Margaret LeFay's sons and end her Death Curse on him. In the end, he gets thrown out of the Raith household, and ends up living with Harry, rent free, in exchange for paying off Jared Kincaid's bill.

Dead Beat
In Dead Beat, Harry was quite irrate at Thomas Raith's inability to hold down a job, and his constant need to bring girls over to the house, and live like a slob. Thomas helps defend against Grevane's zombie invasion at Harry's house,  and helps protect Waldo Butters throughout most of the book, despite his migivings about him.

Proven Guilty
In Proven Guilty, Thomas got a job, gets his own apartment, and moves out. This is because he doesn't want Harry getting in trouble with the White Council for being friends with a vampire, since Harry's a Warden now. He reveals that he started feeding more heavily again after he joined the Erlking's Wild Hunt in Dead Beat. Harry's very worried about him. He saved Harry from being sold on eBay by Madrigal Raith. Thomas joins Harry, Murphy, and Charity to find, plan and prepare how to rescue Molly. Thomas went to Mab's fortress, Arctis Tor in the Nevernever to help rescue Molly.

White Night
In White Night, Thomas matched a description given by members of the Ordo Lebes of the man killing off practitioners. Harry used his key to enter his apartment. Harry found a War room filled with incriminating photos, notes, maps and weaponry making him a murder suspect. It turns out that he'd been rescuing them and shuttling them to a safe-house on an island with the Water Beetle.

Thomas was part of a team—including Murphy with her P-90, Marcone, Gard, Hendricks and a team of Soldiers of Valhalla—that entered the Deeps from the Nevernever to fight with Harry against an attempted coup by Houses Skavis and Malvora and the Ghouls that Vittorio Malvora let in along with Cowl. Harry continues to worry about him, and follows him at the end of the book. It turns out that he's feeding so well because he's taking very tiny bites out of his clients. He owns his own shop—the Coiffure Cup—where he pretends to be a gay French hairdresser. He was just too embarrassed to tell Harry.

Small Favor
In Small Favor, With his secret out of the way, he stopped avoiding Harry, and the two seem to rekindle that awesome brotherly bond that they share. Thomas had Harry's back when Torelli and thugs tried a coup at Executive Priority while Harry was there and saved him from being shot. Thomas helps in the first Denarian fight against Tessa, saving Gard and Hendricks. He appears in most of the book though has to stay low since Luccio's in town. Later, he saves Harry from the Denarians at Demonreach.

Turn Coat
In Turn Coat, Thomas takes Harry to Zero to meet Justine for information. She gives Harry a copy of a Craig's List wanted poster on Morgan intended to draw every supernatural hitman out to kill him. While there, Madeline shows up and threatens Justine. Thomas beats and pins her to a table with chopsticks, has Justine kiss her burning her forehead.

Anastasia Luccio learns that Thomas is Harry's brother and that Margaret LeFay had been with Lord Raith during the years that she disappeared. He's kidnapped by the Naagloshii. Thomas is repeatedly tortured by the Naagloshii until he is barely alive, then fed a succession of young women, thus being forced to indulge his hunger multiple times. After Harry rescues him, Thomas starts hanging out with his sister Lara more, and feeding very heavily again. He says he has finally accepted who he is and will not go back.

Changes
In Changes, Thomas meets Harry at Rudolph's house. Harry tell him that he's an uncle, that Arianna Ortega of the Red Court has his daughter, Maggie, and plans to use her in a Bloodline Curse that will kill her entire family, including Thomas as Harry's brother. He asks for Thomas's help in getting information on Chichén Itzá's security and defensive magic, sightings of a little girl surrounded by Reds. Thomas suggest asking Lara for help, she may not help Harry so much as want to save him, her brother. And she's gifted at removing obstacles. The House they are at is where Rudolph lives. He's been coerced into helping whoever is trying to stop Harry. He hopes to nab his handler or cleaner to gather what information he can. Thomas, Mouse, Harry and Molly do battle with and Ik'k'uox at Rudolph's house.

Thomas helped rescue Maggie. He joins Harry's team and is at the planning meeting at St. Mary of the Angels. The team: Sanya, Susan, Molly, Mouse, Martin, Thomas, Murphy, Harry, Lea—that's nine like the Fellowship. He goes with them though the Ways to Chichén Itzá and battles heroically against the Reds. He stands guard over Molly in the heat of battle when she's wounded on the ground. He left on a Navy helicopter with Molly and Mouse.

Ghost Story
In Ghost Story, Thomas is only in one scene near the end. He looks awful, he's stopped taking care of himself, and started drinking at a failed attempt to cope with the loss and guilt of Harry's death. Justine decided to drop her protection by sleeping with another woman, so that she could comfort him as many times as necessary.

Cold Days
In Cold Days, Harry went to the Water Beetle with Molly Carpenter intending to take it to Demonreach to investigate why it's going to explode soon. He found Thomas there. Thomas didn't believe he's Harry at first because he is supposed to be dead. Then once he realized he's really him, Thomas got angry at Harry for never contacting him and for arranging his own suicide without talking to him first. They talked it out and tensions eased.

Thomas took Harry and Molly to Demonreach. Thomas told Harry he should tell Karrin Murphy about his feelings, Maggie too. He helps fight off Redcap and his Sidhe crew on jet skies. Harry asked Thomas to be his back-up to help him stop the plot to blow-up Demonreach. Thomas drove Harry and Molly to his place in his repaired Hummer. They talk about why the Sidhe magic didn't interrupt their jet skies and Ebenezar's theory. Thomas updates him on the Fomor, White Council, Carlos Ramirez, Warden Meyers, Lara and the Paranet, her bid for power, Johnny Marcone, Brighter Future Society. Thomas wanted to run off Fix but Harry asked him to get back in the car. Harry hexed Lara's spying devices in Thomas's apartment. Thomas was not happy when Cat Sith just appeared inside his Threshold. He's mollified when Cat Sith assured him he's bound by the Laws of hospitality. Thomas apologized to Cat Sith and offered him a favor as restitution. At McAnally's Pub he warned Harry not to ignore the predator instincts of the Winter Knight's Mantle, but to pay attentions so as to control them. He, Harry and Mac fight the Outsider, Sharkface. Thomas was not allowed at Harry's meeting with Lily.

Clued-in about Thomas
In Blood Rites, Karrin Murphy guesses that Thomas is family when Harry refuses to tell Thomas to get lost. Harry confirms that he his his half brother, that their mother used to hang around Lord Raith.

His sister, Lara Raith, picks up that there's more to the relationship between Harry and Thomas. When Harry points out that Thomas's mother was Margaret LeFay, she puts it together that they are brothers. Then Lara says to Harry that they are much alike and: "Thomas would sooner tear off one of his arms than see one of his siblings hurt. He's quite irrational about it."

In Small Favor, during the "War Council" with Karrin Murphy, Molly, Thomas and Harry, Harry gives Thomas a small clay figurine that makes him look like Harry. When Thomas looks in a mirror, he openly says, "You've invented a doll that turns people into their ugly half-brothers, eh?"

In Turn Coat, Anastasia Luccio puts two and two together based on what Justine said to Harry about Thomas loving him and worrying about what Harry thinks of him, of being worthy, and almost saying the word brother before Harry cuts her off. Anastasia knew Harry's mother.

Word of Butcher
He is initially portrayed as very flippant and seemingly arrogant, even swearing by "my towering ego" and acting in a rather flaky manner. He seems to like Harry from the very moment he meets him and was there to help him from the start, already knowing that his mother had another son.

"Thomas and Justine's relationship is really weird. I know what the relationship is in my head like right now. They're actually happier now than they've been in ever. But it's all happening behind the scenes and nobody can see because Thomas has to have his bad ass vampire face on whenever he's in public. But when they are alone together, nothing else going on, they're like totally cute. Justine wears like these grownup version of footie pajamas so that she can snuggle up next to him on the couch and watch TV without actually burning him. They don't have like a normal relationship or anything like one, but they've kinda adjusted, they're fairly happy. You don't go around letting the other vampires go "Oh how cute." I'll have to get to that one of these days, Harry doesn't see that." (ref?)