“Yes, walkies,” Raven said, and Ume booped him in the leg with fresh excitement.
“He wasn’t all that enthusiastic earlier.Come along, you two.”
Maxim led the way, slowing his steps enough to allow Raven to catch up to him.When they passed the low table in the waiting area, Raven looked at it curiously.
“Did you guys play Monopoly?”
Maxim sighed.“Indeed.I thought it would suit our two Lares.”
“Right.Um.What does it mean to be one of those?A Lar?Can you be turned into one?”
The front door opened for them, and outside, cool night air welcomed them.It all reminded Maxim of that first nighttime walk he and Raven had taken.And yet, everything about tonight was different from how it had been then.There was no creeping fear that Raven would demand his existence as a vampire be ended.There was no worry about telling him the right thing at the right time or about him buckling under his own pain.
“Well, Lares,” Maxim started, then paused.“They were closer to humans once than fae, werewolves, or us vampires, but somewhere along the way, people forgot about them.They were household guardians.You’ve heard of those, yes?”
Raven nodded.Ume, clearly invigorated by being outside, was walking ahead of them, almost as if he wanted to give them the space to talk among themselves.Just as well.It was quiet, the traffic in this part of town almost nonexistent, and Maxim couldn’t sense people anywhere near them.
“Like Hestia?The Greek goddess?”
“Oh, similar I should think.Lares or their counterparts in other cultures were considered smaller gods, more intimate, and often related to a specific family.They’d get daily offerings—milk for the brownies, that kind of thing.They prefer staying in one place, and that place becomes almost like an extension of their body.They can control it like they would their body.A lot of the time, they remain unseen by choice.Just a minor haunting, people will think.But some turn toward the family who lives with them.”He leaned closer to Raven.“Bryan is like that.He’d move with us anywhere, and I cannot imagine him not being with us.”
Raven nodded.“Yeah, he seems like part of your family.”
His expression turned pensive, gaze falling to the pavement, his thoughts clearly turning inward.
Maxim looked up.The light that covered New Amsterdam like a veil made it impossible to see most of the stars, but there were some little shards of brightness in the dark.
“Family is the people you hold close, those you guard, those who are dear to you.Yes, Bryan is very much that.”
Raven didn’t immediately answer, but Maxim thought he saw wistfulness flicker in his expression.They went to cross the road to get to Seneca Park.Ume was already waiting for them at the curb, judging them with his steady gaze.
“Yeah, that must be nice.”
Maxim let out a breath.“I should hope so.Or are you making a complaint?I’m not quite sure whether either you or Jason are the newest family member, but if something is amiss, you might as well tell me the ugly truth of the matter so that I might rectify it.”
Raven stopped, this time not in the middle of the road but on the gravel path leading into Seneca Park.
“What?”
Maxim turned, shrugged.“You are family, obviously.”
“Oh.”Tears rushed into Raven’s eyes, filling them rapidly, and before Maxim knew what was happening, Raven was crying.“Oh.”
Maxim didn’t even stop to think.He wrapped Raven in his arms, giving him a close hug.
Chapter 38
WithMaximhugginghim,Raven felt safe.Also relieved, but that wasn’t everything.It wasn’t even the most impactful emotion he was feeling in this moment.
Maxim’s arms around him made sense.In a series of life-derailing events, this—this moment, in this place, withhim—felt right.It was how he imagined a tree might feel after being uprooted during a storm and then replanted by a caring soul, safe in the soil once more where it should be, firm and nurturing.
Before he could think about it, Raven hugged Maxim back.His fingers closed around Maxim’s shirt and, thoughtlessly, he buried his tear-streaked face in the crook of Maxim’s shoulder, soothed by Maxim’s scent.
Maxim cleared his throat.“Gods, forgive me.I shouldn’t have done this.”
He let go.Raven shivered at the loss and refused to release Maxim in turn.If anything, he was pulling him closer.Fresh tears flooded his eyes at the mere idea of a rejection—was this rejection?Raven’s thoughts were muddled.All he knew was that he wanted to be held,neededto be held.
“Please,” he whispered.
