Peter shrugged.“What would you rather I use as a lure on you, Theodore?”
It got the desired reaction from Theo, who’d been less and less closed off over the past few days.
“You don’t have anything weird down there, do you?”
“Weird like what?”
“Just weird, you know.”He made a fanning hand gesture as if to paint all unusual things with an imaginary brush.“Weird.”
Peter licked his lips.“Nothing terribly weird, to the best of my knowledge.”
Theo nodded and walked off toward the kitchen.Before he headed downstairs, Peter had the foresight to run upstairs and grab a spare blanket.The basement was kept cold to keep his tech setup happy, and he’d never even thought to install heating.I never thought I’d have…people down there.Not that he’s just people.On account of vampiric night vision, the basement also had only one bare lightbulb.It was the old, less environmentally friendly incandescent kind, and the only reason Peter kept it around at all was that it still functioned.
As he switched it on, the glow threw eerie shadows where it hit the sharp corners of the metal storage shelves that held old computers and other tech.There was even a fax machine tucked in behind an old Video 2000.
Peter was a practical man first and foremost, and going with progress was something he prided himself on.Keeping old technology around—he still had a slide projector, cassette tapes, and a VHS, among other things—made sense for those occasions when he ran across something dated that he needed access to for his job.
It also makes sense when one is trying to impress a film student, apparently.
Peter dug out the DVD player and rummaged through his cable collection until he found the SCART cable and power cord he needed.
Behind the storage shelves, Peter had created a cozy workspace.The L-shaped desk could handle all the modern sleuthing and recreational things Peter liked to spend his time on—Photoshop, saving Theo’s hard drive, a bit of hacking here and there, and some coding on the side.
In front of the desk was an old but comfortable couch that faced a wall-mounted TV.Peter also had a projector and a screen he could pull down, and he opted for that instead since the DVD wasn’t HD.
It took a bit of extra fiddling to make the old DVD player work with the sound system, but Peter was done by the time he heard Theo walk down the steps.
“Why is it so fucking dark down here?Shit, this isn’t a sex dungeon or something, is it?I’m not watchingInvasionin your sex dungeon, Peter.”
Peter rounded his storage shelves.“Sadly, not a sex dungeon.”He crooked a finger at Theo, who was carrying a tray with a large bowl of salad and a roasted sweet potato slathered in hummus.“Right this way.”
Theo cautiously followed, his eyes catching on every odd thing Peter had collected down here.“Is that an original movie poster?”
Peter looked at the framedDraculaposter that was leaning against a wall.“Yes.And signed by Lugosi, in case that impresses you.”
“Wow.”Theo did sound impressed.“How weird is it for a real vampire to ask a fake vampire for an autograph?”
Peter reached for the tray in Theo’s hands, their fingers brushing as he took it.“Not weird at all if you keep it to yourself, Theodore.Come.I’d like to show you something.”He put the tray on the couch.
Theo hesitated.It could have been the physical contact, or the fact that it was dark and possibly even spooky down here.His pupils were blown, but again, Peter couldn’t really be sure why, not with the scent of Theo’s earlier arousal and their lovemaking at the Boudoir still clinging to them both.
Yet, Theo still followed Peter into another storage room.This one came with a number code lock, and when he saw that, Theo hesitated.
“Not going in there,” he said, crossing his arms.
Peter punched in the code and opened the door.“Fair enough.Just take a look then.”He pulled out his cell phone to provide some light.He’d not had any installed here.“The lock is really only here because I keep some drives and discs related to old case files here.For the record, you can open the door from the inside.Most of it is just for my own personal pleasure.”Peter illuminated the rows of DVDs and VHS tapes.The room was cool and dry—the best environment for extending the lifespan of these digital delicacies.
“Wow,” Peter heard Theo say from the door.He took a step inside the room despite his earlier hesitation.“You’re a collector.”
“I suppose.”Peter bent down to a bottom shelf to look for the ’56Invasionmovie.
Meanwhile, Theo was leaning in close to examine the rows of DVDs in the light of Peter’s phone.“You have all the horror classics, and then some.”True awe warmed his voice.
“I do.And you are very welcome to watch any and all of them.”Peter pulled the disc he was looking for from its place betweenGone with the WindandSome Like It Hot.
“I might take you up on that.Why don’t you have any light in here?It’s so creepy.”
Peter stood, but kept his phone aimed at the shelf Theo was looking at.“I see well in the dark, and no one else comes down here.”
