Page 8 of All Out of Flux (Stolen Hearts #3)

8

MAX

I walked back to our table balancing three drinks between my hands. All beers, which was certainly easier to manage than actual cocktails. I had my work cut out for me already, trying to keep the peace. I mean, surely Leon wouldn’t hex poor Just for the faultless crime of — well, I don’t know, casually checking me out while saying hi to me?

And it was my fault, anyway. So I panicked, okay? What was I thinking, lying about something as stupid as meeting Just earlier that day? I had no reason to feel guilty, and no reason to make Leon wonder about my motives. Now it all looked like a bigger deal than it actually was.

“Two beers for the gentlemen,” I announced to the table.

I placed one beer in front of Just and was about to do the same for Leon when he snatched the bottle out of my hand. I clenched my jaw and tried not to gulp. Maybe he was just thirsty. I couldn’t always tell with him. The boy claimed to be charming as anything, and it was true. There was no piercing that perfect smile.

“Cheers,” Leon said. “To new friends.”

I chuckled nervously, clinking my bottle against theirs. “Yes. To new friends.”

We’d found our way to the outdoor bar built into the back of Habibi. Perfect for fans of smoking the hookah, or anyone who just wanted some outdoor air, or a break from the almost oppressively loud dance music.

I’d pulled on my shirt very quickly, now that we didn’t have to conform to Faizan’s dress code. Felt pretty sheepish strutting around bare-chested with Leon sporadically tossing the dagger-eyes in my direction. He’d put his shirt back on, too. Just, as it turned out, was the only one who’d actually dressed for the occasion.

Leon flashed his winningest smile again. “I really like your vest, Just.”

“Oh, this?” Just grinned, pinching the material of his waistcoat. “Like I said, I wore it to work. But I knew about this party tonight, and I figured I could pass it off as my costume.”

He fished out a golden length of chain, one end clipped to his pocket, the other attached to a beautiful fob watch. He nudged up his glasses and made a sputtering noise with his lips.

“‘I’m late. I’m late!’ Get it? I’m the White Rabbit. From the Alice books.”

Leon grinned. “So cute.” He leaned his elbow on the table, then rested his chin on his knuckles, hand tightened into a fist. “Isn’t he so cute, Max?”

The way he stared at me filled me with an overwhelming urge to tug on the opening of my shirt. I staunchly refused to do so. This was all awkward enough. I also didn’t find it especially amusing that our cute White Rabbit and his pocket watch were an unfortunate reminder of the Quartz Spider and his deadly anomalies.

Still I offered a friendly smile. “Very cute, Just. Put on a pair of bunny ears, draw on some whiskers, you’d really be living the part.”

He scratched the back of his neck and laughed, completely oblivious to the tension between me and Leon. “Oh, I don’t know that I’d want to go all-in like that. The waistcoat and the watch are good enough. I actually got the watch from Hermanas Arcanas. You know, where we met.”

I took a pull of my beer, crisp and refreshing, then pointed at him. “That’s right. Earlier today.” I turned to Leon meaningfully, saying the words for the sake of the table, but mainly directing them toward him. “I was checking out a few pawnshops in Dos Lunas for some statuettes, see if there was anything new in town. You know, Leon. For my living room?”

Leon’s mouth fell into a circle, the lines in his face softening. “Ohhh. Yeah, totally. The statuette for your living room.”

I wrinkled my nose at him, then smiled. Leon smiled back. Silly of him to doubt me, but it was also silly of me to fumble this whole situation.

“Just a shame that I couldn’t help more,” Just said, peering into the mouth of his bottle. “Though I have heard — well, keep it between us — that there might be some in the new stock we’re getting in. Found out after you left, in fact. The Mendez sisters must have ordered in some new finds. Maybe there’ll be a few statuettes to your liking in the mix. I can ping you when we restock, if you give me your number.”

And just like that, Leon’s suspicions came rushing back again. I could tell in the little hitch of annoyance in the corner of his mouth. This was kind of cute, actually, how jealous and possessive he was getting over me. Scratch that. This was kind of hot.

I leaned into the table, just as I mentally resolved to lean into making Leon even more extra jealous. “You know what, Just? That sounds like a fine idea.” I unlocked my phone’s screen and slid it toward him. “There. You go ahead and save your number for me.”

My eyes lingered on Just’s face as he obliviously punched his digits into my phone. And the whole while, Leon’s eyes lingered — no, burned into my head with murderous intent. I clenched every muscle in my body, holding back the impulse to smile.

And the impulse to spring a full boner. Why was this turning me on so much?

We finished our beers and Just thanked us for the drink, wandering off to look for his friends. I decided it was time for us to go, now that we had at least one small, potential lead for the statuette.

But before I could get very far from the patio, Leon jabbed a finger into my chest. He was trying to be authoritative, but I could tell that part of him was just checking if I was still as firm and ripped as ever. I was, naturally.

“Listen up. I knew what you were doing back there, and just so you know, Maximo? It’s not working.”

I turned my hands up and blinked innocently. “Whatever are you talking about, Leonardo?”

“Slipping him your phone and asking for his number while fully ignoring me? I know your game, Max, and I’m gonna get you back for it.”

“Again,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

His glower deepened so quickly that I almost burst out laughing. “You stay right here. I really need to pee. Try not to flirt with any more White Rabbits while I’m gone.”

I almost took the chance to sneak in another potshot, but decided against it. I remembered when he had to slowly eliminate all the water that Bakunawa had sucked into his body to save our lives. Such a complex working of myth and magic resulting in some truly uncomfortable biological consequences. Leon was peeing five times an hour for days.

And then I decided that I was still a little thirsty, but not for anything alcoholic. I still needed to drive us home, after all. Had to be responsible. I headed to the bar to elbow my way past the twinks and twunks for a glass of iced water, but another obstacle suddenly appeared. I’d been so relaxed, but my jaw clenched, and my mood darkened.

“What the hell do you want?” I asked the Masque.

He grinned from behind his elaborate Venetian mask, decorated for the first time since I’d met him. Somehow it made him all the more infuriating. This jerk was supposed to be out there tracking down the Quartz Spider’s movements. Instead he was here, partying, if not mockingly blending in. For once the Masque didn’t have to use his camouflaging magics to belong.

“It’s a festive evening, Mr. Drake. Why all the hostility?”

“Because you only ever show up when you have something cryptic or awful to say. Often it’s both. You’re like a bad omen.”

The Masque tutted, but his grin never fell. “You do wound me, Mr. Drake. I’m only here for a little chat. And how fortuitous that Mr. Alcantara is nowhere in sight.”

I heaved a long, exhausted sigh. I didn’t realize I was so tired until this asshole showed up.

My hand balled into a fist in my pocket. “You know, it really doesn’t help that you know our names and we have nothing to call you by. Which works out fine in the end, come to think of it, since we do have a few choice names for you.”

The Masque laughed, the peacock feather attached to the side of his mask bobbing as he did. “Oh, we’re in quite the foul mood, aren’t we, Mr. Drake? Very well. I’ll keep this short. I believe you’ve realized by now that your partner has partners of his own. These dragons that he draws power from, yes?”

“Yeah, we talked about them. I know they exist, and I don’t see the problem with him using them for his magic.” I crossed my arms and shrugged. “How is that so different from any other kind of mage who deals with entities?”

“It isn’t, no. Not fundamentally. But I wonder if you can tell me what it is that binds these allies of Mr. Alcantara together.”

A tiny sputter of anger flared in my chest. I knew he was going to go all cryptic and annoying. “They’re all sea dragons,” I said patiently. “Sea dragons from different cultures.”

The Masque’s grin curved upward, but only in one corner of his mouth. I couldn’t see the top half of his face, but I knew that his eyebrow was doing the same thing.

“Yes. Sea dragons, they are. But I’d caution you to consider what else these beasts have in common.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, any lightly pleasant buzz from my beer already washed out of my system because of my budding anger. I kneaded above my eyebrows with my thumb and forefinger, holding back my instinctive desire to knock that stupid smile off the Masque’s face.

“Look. It’s been a long fucking day, and no matter how much I wish you’d be more direct about explaining your bullshit, it never comes true. Just tell it to me straight.”

I opened my eyes, my anger instantly drowned out by a flood of embarrassment. The Masque was gone. In his place was the Drag Queen of Hearts from before, glowering, a glittery scepter in her hand.

“Off with his head!” she bellowed in my face, before stomping off again in search of Alice.

“Yeah,” Leon said, pumping his fist as he walked back to me. “Off with his head. Dang. What’d I miss?”

I glanced around for a glimpse of a peacock feather. Very difficult to spot in this sea of campy costumes, and yet the Masque was definitely gone.

“Nothing,” I lied. “Absolutely nothing.”