Raven nodded.They went in and up, and time seemed to jump ahead.Before Raven knew it, Maxim was knocking on the door of the dorm room he shared with Jason, and a heartbeat after that, Jason opened it.
“Yeah?”he said in his annoyed way.Then his eyes found Raven’s.“Oh my—” Jason had never hugged Raven like he did then.It was a rush of eager enthusiasm, tight arms closing around Raven and holding him steady.Is that it?Or is this…relief?“You’re okay!Fucking hell, Raven.You’re okay.”
That felt like a lie, even though Raven hadn’t said it, but for the life of him, he couldn’t tell Jason that he wasn’t okay.He just stood there.He couldn’t even hug his roommate back, and Maxim, with sharp green eyes, watched all of it.
Chapter 6
MaximletJason’sjoyat seeing Raven alive and well play out.The fledge had frozen, overwhelmed.Confusion, not fear, was written all over his face.
“Jason, perhaps we could take this inside?”Maxim said.
Jason pulled back, his light brown hair falling into his face.“Yeah.Right.Sorry, but just—dude, I went out to look for you all over the Forum, but no one had seen you.What the fuck happened?Where were you?”
Maxim cleared his throat and herded Jason back into the room, then gestured for Raven to follow as well.It took the young vampire longer to move, but once he crossed the threshold, he walked right to one of two beds, sank down on it, lay on his side, curled up, and hugged his knees to his chest.
Jason frowned.“What’s up with you?Wherewereyou?”
Maxim let the door fall shut behind him a little too loudly.“Jason.Thank you so much for being patient with Raven.”
“Uhm, right.But—”
“Such a nice place you have.”Maxim strode farther into the room and looked around.There wasn’t much to it, just a minuscule kitchenette, a door that likely led to the shared bathroom, and two desks and bookshelves.“Will you kindly show me around?”
“Show you—huh?”
Maxim put a hand on Jason’s shoulder.“Pretend I’ve never been to a dormitory.Explain how all this works.”
Jason gave Maxim a befuddled look, then he glanced at Raven, who’d not moved a muscle.
“Okay.I mean, yeah.There’s not much… Like, this is our reception area.”
“Oh, dear me, you’re so very right.Indeed.Is this where you offer refreshments?”
Jason narrowed his eyes at Maxim.“Do you…drink?Anything but blood?I mean, Raven, you mind if Mr.Vallois has some of your vodka?”
“Oh, vodka?Dear Jason, I must reject the offer.Vodka is no good without some Mary in it.”
Jason’s eyes narrowed further.“Wait.Are you…trying to be funny?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.Gotcha.Right.That was pretty funny.”
Maxim smiled, showing all his teeth.“Thank you.”
Jason’s brows crept up his forehead.“Fuck.I think—Raven, I think he and you are the same kind of weird.Seriously though, can someone tell me what happened?”
Maxim heard Raven exhale.The noise was too quiet for Jason’s human hearing, but it showed that Raven was still there, was still listening.Good.Better than fleeing to the shelter of your own mind.
“We will not be discussing this.You will not speculate, and you will refrain from asking.You will do those things because you are Raven’s friend, and because what he needs now is your acceptance.”
“My acceptance?”
Maxim nodded.“He’s a new vampire.”
Jason’s mouth fell open.“He—Raven?”He rounded his own bed, the one closer to the door, and stopped, only then appearing to really see the way Raven had curled up.“Oh, fuck.”
“Meaning?”Maxim asked.
