Chapter 27
Maxim brushed a dust bunny off his sleeve and looked at Raven, who was tagging the latest recording on his phone.
Ume, curled up near Raven’s feet, sneezed again as if the dust bunny had tickled his nose, then curled right back up to continue his nap.
They’d found a pair of chairs from several decades ago to sit in.
The walnut frames had come from France, and Maxim had taken them along on the move from London.
“All in order?”
“Yes?”
He tapped on his phone some more. “I mean, say we can’t find a place to donate this to.”
Maxim crossed his arms. “Then we should keep it. How would you feel about curating a little exhibition for the donors? Wouldn’t that be fun? I always worry they’ll get bored.”
Raven looked up from his phone, and Maxim was struck by an odd feeling when the fledge’s eyes met his. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, couldn’t really name it. Perhaps I’ll file this away for later consideration.
“What do they do, anyway? Do they work for you?”
Maxim leaned back in his chair, though he stopped when something in the vintage construction creaked noisily.
“You mean apart from offering their blood on a regular basis? Hmm. I know some do administrative tasks for Heath, and since some of the donors are also qualified lawyers and accountants, he forces them to labor away in those fields as well. In general, however, we don’t require any of that and are happy to offer them much leisure. ”
“So they’re not being exploited? I mean, you hear things. No offense.”
Maxim smiled. “None taken. Suspicion where the welfare of others is concerned can never be wrong.”
Raven licked his lips. “Do you, uh… About the biting. I don’t… Is that something that happens?”
It’s well that he should ask. Healthy that he wonders. “Not all of them are open to being bitten, but they’ll let you know if you ask. The biting itself is largely instinctual, but you do have to learn how much to take, which is usually going to be less than you want, early on.”
Raven gaped. “That’s not what I meant! I don’t want to bite anyone, I was just wondering. Whether I have to.”
“Oh. Not these days, I don’t think.”
“Okay. That’s a relief. Also, I think I’m maybe a little thirsty.”
Raven looked at his own feet as if his thirst were a mark of shame, and Maxim felt an urge to put an arm around his shoulders, though he didn’t.
“Let’s head downstairs, then. We can return to the cylinders and the slides later, and then maybe you can impress upon Bryan how nice it would be for him to guard an exhibition of these aged and wonderful things.
Perhaps… You know, it might be nicer to keep these things than to give them to a museum. What do you think?”
Raven looked up. “You wanted to keep all the stuff all along, didn’t you?”
“Who, me?” Maxim put a hand to his heart and did his best impression of a Shakespearean actor in Julius Caesar. “Heath has corrupted you. You mustn’t let his prejudice cloud your judgment, Raven.”
Raven scratched his head. “I’m not sure I signed up for this.”
Maxim, never having been a salesperson given his preoccupation with hunting things, failed at delivering a winning smile just then. “We shall talk about it over a nice drink of blood.”
“Uh-huh.”
They took the elevator down to the restaurant and sat at the same table they had first shared. To Maxim’s relief, Raven seemed far more at ease this time around. He turned to look out the windows.
“It’s real sunny today.”
“Isn’t it just? Such a perfect day to stay inside.”
Raven laughed at that. Not with full humor, but with a lightness that helped Maxim release some of the tension he’d held ever since he’d given Raven his blood.
Ume let out his Shiba whine, as if rejoicing too, then booped Raven’s leg before heading away toward the general kitchen area.
“Hey! Hey, where’s he going? Shit, he needs walkies, right?”
Maxim leaned on his elbow. “If you’re brave enough to face the sun, I don’t think he’d mind, but I believe he has learned where the kitchen is. Which is where he gets served fae-made food—a specialty even for dogs, no doubt.”
Raven accepted that, falling silent when one of the servers brought them each a large mug of blood, warm to the touch. Maxim watched with some satisfaction as Raven gulped down almost the entire thing, his eyelids fluttering with pleasure when he put it back down in front of him.
“This is really good. Hits the spot. If that’s a metaphor you can use for blood drinking.”
“I think that’s apt.” Maxim took a much smaller drink from his own cup. “Do you think you’ll enjoy it? Taking care of my treasures? Or would you rather explore a different option for work?”
Surprise spread over Raven’s face. “You mean I don’t have to clear out that floor?”
Maxim tapped his index finger on the table.
They’d set out tablecloths for the day, though they usually removed them for the night.
The cloth was purest white, and not for the first time, Maxim wondered at the wisdom of this, but Morgan was adamant about having the place look fancy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
“No, you don’t. Though I would like you to remain the guardian I know you can be. But, you see, it’s mostly memories for me up there—for Heath too, much as he’d like to engineer unfortunate accidents—and to do it justice, I think your heart should be in it.”
Raven nodded and finished his blood. Maxim was quick to signal their server for a refill, and Raven stayed silent and pensive when the server picked up his empty cup. The silence continued until after a new one had been placed in front of him.
“Can I ask you something?”
Maxim nodded. “Go right ahead.”
“Why not do it yourself? Why have me do it? I mean, you know what everything is. I think I learned about no less than three milestones in photography while we were up there.”
“Ah, but do not forget, having photography to begin with is a milestone in and of itself. There used to be paintings only if you loved something enough to want to capture the shadow of it. But to answer your question, yes, I do know what everything is. And I wouldn’t mind assisting you like I did today.
But going through everything myself… Raven, quite simply, I think I’d be losing myself to the memories of the past. If not for you, it’s quite likely I’d still be listening to that recording of Heath singing. ”
Raven’s expression was incisive, and Maxim was almost sure that it was the studious side of him, the inquisitive learner he’d been before his life had changed.
Much like the things in my collection, that part of himself isn’t really lost, just…
no longer suited for the present. Though it had to exist to form the present version of who Raven is.
“Fine, I’ll do it.”
“Excellent!”
“But about the lying—”
“Huh? Whatever are you speaking of, Raven?”
Raven gestured. “The pens and the—I don’t even remember what I’m supposed not to tell Heath.”
Maxim twirled the end of his braid around a finger. “Pens? What pens? And I’d never suggest you lie to Heath or not tell him that his plan to drown my phonograph cylinders in the Atlantic failed.”
Raven sighed. A whine came from the direction of the kitchen, and both of them turned to see Ume jogging toward them, followed by Jason, his school bag slung over his shoulder.
Ume yipped at Raven as if to catch him up on the wonderous find of one Jason, and Raven scratched the eager dog behind the ears.
“Here you are. Clement was saying weird stuff again, but he mentioned you guys were having lunch.” He glanced at Raven’s cup. “You know, color-wise, you’d think blood would be redder.”
Raven shrugged. Maxim’s phone pinged, and he pulled it from his pocket to look at the text from Bryan.
Dr. Morris and Detective Adler are here.
Maxim put the phone away again and finished his own blood, then stood, turning to Jason.
“You could always ask the staff for a vibrantly red cocktail instead, Jason. If you two will excuse me?”
Raven bit his lip. “I think Ume really wants to head outside. Is that okay? Is it okay if I take him, I mean.”
Maxim saw the quizzical look on Jason’s face, and saw it shift into a frown he then hid.
“Of course it is. The three of you have fun.” He clapped Jason on the shoulder.
“We will,” Jason said. He took the chair Maxim had abandoned, giving the now-empty cup a sniff.
Maxim took a deep breath as he walked away, forcing himself to keep his back straight and his steps measured. Onward to the cells below. I must not, and I will not fail in my duty.
Behind him, he heard Jason laugh while Raven said, “Ume! You can’t sit in my lap.”
There is sunshine at my back, at least.