“I wanted to see this in the theater.Now I can’t remember why I didn’t go.”Raven’s voice was more a whisper than anything.
Maxim leaned back.“Hmm.Did Jason distract you?He seems like a very distracting roommate.”
Jason stood.“I heard that, Mr.Vallois.Hey, can I get some more of this whiskey?I like this.”
Heath snorted.“It’s armament.No, wait, that’s not right.Bryan, what am I drinking?”
“Armagnac.But we have water too.Would you like some water?”
Heath turned to look at Maxim and showed his most contrary frown.“No!I drink water like wine.No.Wine like water?I can drink!”He grabbed the bottle and poured himself and Jason yet another drink.
Jason chuckled as Heath attempted to hold the bottle steady.“Whoa, dude.That’s a lot.Maybe you should be pacing yourself?”
Heath shook his head, and for a heartbeat, Maxim saw Heath’s mother there—the defiance and the unshakable, unstoppable, incorrigible independence that had defined her to the end.“No!”
Raven leaned over to Maxim.“Is he going to be all right?”
“Oh, Heath?Very.He’s just not really a drinker.”
Heath gasped and pointed at Maxim in accusation.“I heard that, old bat!I’m sitting right here, and I heard that.”He then finished the entire tumbler, made a face as the hard liquor went down, and coughed.“I’m loving this.Could do it all day.Like the blood cake!Jason, let’s share the blood cake!I’m on a blood diet now.Want to join me?”
Jason raised his hands as if in victory.“Yes!”
Clement clicked his tongue.“Human, you will make yourself sick from too much blood.I will tell you that I told you so when I rub your back while you throw up all of it.”
“You’re really strange, Clem.”
Clement looked as if he’d stepped in something.
Bryan cackled.“Clem!Like a clam shell.”
Maxim sighed and left the lot of them to it.“Raven?Would you like some more blood?”
Jason and Heath broke out in laughter, and Raven flinched, then looked guilty about it.
“I… You said I have to be thirsty?”
Maxim nodded.“That’s the thing to watch out for.You shouldn’t go thirsty, that’s what’s important.”
Raven stared at the golden liquid in his tumbler.“Then I guess I’m thirsty.Will… Is this going to get me drunk?”
“Not really.A little buzzed, most likely, if that.I don’t mean to pry you away from the movie, but if you’d like to take a walk—”
“Yeah.Yes.”He looked at Maxim, then back at the tumbler.“Where are we going?”
“I thought Morgan’s Bar and Restaurant.It’s a few floors down.Some of the tables have a nice view of the city.”
Raven nodded.“Okay.”
Maxim stood.“Follow me.”
Raven and Maxim were almost at the elevator when Heath started whistling.
“Da—bat.Old bat!Where to?Though shallst not pass!”
Jason pointed at them while chewing his blood cake.“No sneaking off and leaving me nothing but a note again, Mr.Vallois.’S mean.”
“Darling, Jason, we are just popping downstairs to grab a few more snacks.Heath, will you be all right without me for a few minutes?If you’d rather I stay with you—”
