Was never really my kind of crowd.”
Raven wondered whether he could ask what he wanted to ask.It was a personal question that had irked him for some time now, even kept him up some nights.After drinking more of his champagne, he decided to risk it.
“I guess Maxim was there to be seen, huh?Did he meet your mom at a ball?”
Heath cocked his head before refilling Raven’s glass.Jason, seeing an opportunity, finished the rest of his champagne, and held out his flute.
“As far as I know, they met on a hunt.You should ask Maxim to tell you the story.I can’t really speak to any of that.I hadn’t been born yet.”
Heath’s face didn’t betray his emotions, but Raven felt bad all the same.He’d never heard Heath’s mother mentioned, not by anyone, and that didn’t signal anything good.
“Sorry if I asked something too personal.I didn’t mean to—didn’t mean anything by it.”
Jason put his elbow up on the table.“Did she leave you guys, or did she die?”
“Jay, seriously?!”Raven moved to kick him under the table.“Sorry, Heath.”
Heath just sighed.“It’s fine.She died.While giving birth to me, no less.I think it upset me when I was small, but…I just never knew her.Maxim told me stories, but it wasn’t like they knew each other all that well or were soulmates or what have you, and I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he’s a lot.”
Heath emptied his own glass, then immediately refilled it.“I mean, I will admit that he was there for me always, especially… Dhampirs don’t grow like humans, so I was always the odd one out, but he was there.He was an uber-parent.Yeah, that’s the word.I had bedtime stories and birthday parties, and I had a white pony with a silver-gray mane that he taught me to ride and care for.”He made a face.“He made me an equestrian.”
Jason finished his cocktail, then nodded.“Yeah, I can see that.”
“Yeah.”Heath looked at the bottle.“We’ll probably need a second one, am I right?”
Raven wasn’t much of a drinker, though he’d come to enjoy it sometimes.Still, the only hard liquor he’d ever bought, one bottle of decent vodka, he’d never finished.As far as he knew, Jason was still holding on to it for him.
Yet, Raven remembered that movie night when he’d first met Heath.His mind had been elsewhere, to say the least, but he did remember that Heath wasn’t much of a drinker.
Raven glanced at the bottle, which was still three fingers full.“Are you sure?”
Heath nodded.“Yeah.You guys… Raven, I’ll say something, okay, and I’ll say it now while I’m just mildly buzzed, okay?Then I’ll get us more drinks.I’m just saying this first.”
Raven licked his lips.“O-okay?”
Heath emptied his glass again.“I’m glad that we met.Not—I hate what happened to you, Raven.But I’m glad that you’re living with us and—fuck, no one breathe a word of this.Raven, I’m glad you’re taking care of Dad’s junk.”
Jason cleared his throat to hide his laughter.“Oh, are you now?”
Heath looked at him in confusion.“Yes.Obviously.It’s the first time inyearshe’s let anyone touch it, and I’d much rather it be you than…someone else.I can’t even imagine someone else touching Maxim’s junk, you know.”
Jason leaned close to Raven.“Do you think he hears himself?”
Raven could feel his eyebrows trying to meet up with his hairline.“Uhhh…”
Heath clicked his tongue.“Of course I hear myself.So what I’m saying is, thanks for taking care of my dad’s old stuff.And whatever you’re doing up there, keep doing it, okay?I think he likes it.”
Jason gaped.“Wow, this is a business meeting after all.”
Heath made an annoyed noise.“Of course it is.I told you so.But anyway, what I’m trying to say is—”
“Wildly out of place,” Jason said.
“No!I mean, maybe.Raven, I’m really happy we’re friends.We are friends, right?”
Raven did his best to keep a straight face.“Well, if you’re letting me touch Maxim’s…junk, I think that’s the minimum of what we are.”
Heath blinked at him.His eyes got a thoughtful, faraway look, and then, despite the colorful lights almost hiding it, Raven saw Heath’s cheeks turn pink.
