Chapter 8
Maxim had left Raven in the guest room, then he’d stood outside the closed door for almost two minutes, listening for the sound of anything that might be cause for alarm.
He doesn’t need me to smother him though, Maxim thought, and he headed back to the main room of the penthouse, the one he used for private meetings and gatherings.
Heath had outdone himself with the screen and the snacks, but then he was very efficient, and he’d not had much else to do in the two hours or so the trip to Raven’s dorm had taken.
Bryan looked up from where he sat next to Heath on the large L-shaped couch, and Heath turned as well.
“So? Can we get the movie started?”
“He’s taking a shower. I believe I should too. Darling, a word? Bryan, you’ll keep watch?”
The Lar brightened and nodded eagerly, even as Heath rolled his eyes and stood to follow Maxim up the stairs to the penthouse’s second level.
“Is something wrong?” Heath asked when he’d closed the door to Maxim’s own bedroom behind them. “Did you find something at the dorm? Did something happen? Look, if university staff caused a scene—"
“Nothing like that.” Maxim undid his hunter’s blacks and stripped quickly while Heath stood there with his hands clasped, looking like a worried schoolboy who’d not done his homework a few too many times. “Heath, my sweet boy, I know you mean well, but you’ll have to give him time.”
“Who, Raven?”
Maxim deposited his blacks on the valet stand, then lined up the small assortment of knives he kept about his person on the dresser. There was a rhythm to doing that, to placing the blades next to the other just so, to remembering he’d mastered each and every one of them.
“Yes, Raven. Everything is new for a fledge to begin with, and he’s a fledge who couldn’t consent to being turned. And that is just the start of it.”
Heath dropped his gaze. Maxim undid his braid, combed out his hair with his hands, and walked across the room to his bathroom, leaving the door open so they could continue to talk.
“But…” Maxim heard Heath’s footsteps approaching as he turned on the water.
“But I read up on it, and it’s important to show survivors that they’re loved and supported.
Offer them options—like, support options.
I found his mother too, by the way. No phone number.
It’s one of those off-the-grid situations, but we can send someone?
Or maybe he wants to go there. I wanted to suggest that after the movie, maybe. ”
Maxim made the shower quick, wondering whether it was time to try a short haircut once more.
But no. Everyone thinks us brothers when I do, and Heath never liked that.
Maxim smiled into the spray of water as he rinsed the shampoo out of his tresses.
He makes me proud to be his father every day. I need to remember to tell him.
“He might not appreciate that. I got the sense the relationship with his family might be difficult.”
Heath snorted. “Welcome to the club. But fine, I won’t say anything. It’s really important that we help him though, don’t you think? Whose job is it to keep people from not getting hurt like he was, huh? If I’d found Highgate sooner, then—”
Maxim turned off the water. “Stop. This helps no one. Not you, not Raven. Besides, we had no idea Raven’s disappearance and our murders were connected. Most importantly, I’m the hunter, not you.”
Heath sighed. “I know, but…Dad, I hate this fucking conspiracy. Why would anyone do that? All those killings, then whatever else has been going on all this time?”
Maxim left the bathroom with a towel around his middle and walked past Heath to his walk-in closet.
It was big—though not unusual in size for a penthouse—but Maxim had never acquired enough clothes to fill all the shelves and drawers.
He’d never hoarded enough shoes to create an impressive display here.
It left the impression of the room being somehow incomplete; either not fully moved into or out of.
He dropped his towel. “Power, darling. Most evil things are done because of power.”
Heath clicked his tongue and came over. “Fucking hell, Dad. Bryan doesn’t like it when people leave their towels lying on the floor. Do you have to be such a…such a frat boy?”
Maxim blinked at Heath, a long-sleeve with the small cat print half over his head. “Frat boy?”
Heath shrugged, picking up the towel. “I don’t know. You were just at the college dorms. Seems fitting. Seriously though.” He waved the towel at Maxim. “Why?”
“My baby boy, you sound all grown up, shaking towels at people.”
“Fucking hell, old bat. I am all grown up.”
“Darling, I was about to put it away. Can you hand me those pants?”
Heath frowned. “Wide chinos? You’re going to wear wide chinos to the movie? What even is this color? A shade of boredom?”
“It’s pale sun yellow, I think. Sunny like your smile. Want to show me so I can compare?”
In response, Heath cursed for the next thirty seconds as he hung Maxim’s towel up in the bathroom.
Maxim was forced to grab the chinos himself, checking that they matched the stylized cats before putting them on.
Heath frowned more as he watched Maxim walk back into the bathroom and drag a comb through his damp hair before braiding it up.
“Dad, did I do something wrong? I mean, are you telling me this because… Did I make it worse?”
You are too sensitive, my love. What shall I do with you, little bird, wrap you in cotton wool and hope the world will never find you? But it’s too late for that, and you are too wonderful to lock away and forbid you to meet those whose days you’ll surely brighten.
“You didn’t, darling. I’m just asking that you allow things to go at Raven’s pace. What happened to him cannot be quantified. It has no borders like a country you might burn off your body’s map. It’s a memory of the body and of the mind, a beast to be tamed in intervals.”
Heath bit his bottom lip, nodded. “Okay. All right. But…the psychologists—”
“When he’s ready.”
“His family when he’s ready too?”
“That’s right.”
Heath nodded again. “What about the Forum? Getting him registered and all of that? I know we were going to keep that on the down-low anyway, but, uhm. We’re not…
You’re not…” He swallowed and raised his chin, meeting Maxim’s eyes.
“Dad, you’re not going to kill Raven. I don’t care about fucking procedure. I forbid it.”
Maxim finished his braid, tying the rubber band tightly around the end of it. “I have yet failed to tell him that is an option open to him in this instance.”
“Then don’t ever fucking tell him that! We’re going to have a fucking movie night, okay? Movie marathon. It’ll be fine. I think I’ll go on a blood diet with him to show him it’s not weird or anything. He’ll be fine, Dad!”
Maxim wanted nothing more than for that to be true, and in ways Heath couldn’t understand, he knew how little appeal living held for Raven right now, how small and unimportant being alive seemed. How enormous the memories were, how all-consuming.
Maxim closed the distance between himself and Heath and wrapped his son in his arms. “We’ll do our best to help him, darling, hmm?”
Heath hugged him back, never mind how hesitant he was about this kind of thing normally. “Okay.”
Maxim kissed his son’s head. To think I’d never have met you if I’d surrendered to the despair that’s now circling Raven’s mind. There is still light in the world, despite all that darkness. He’ll see it, just like I did.