Page 15 of All Out of Flux
And it was. Faizan wore a purple vest embroidered with golden thread and embellished with tiny gemstones. He wore nothing else underneath, arms bulging with muscle, a powerful chest with enticing loops of hair. He held the pipe of a hookah in one hand, a caterpillar on a mushroom.
In place of a caterpillar’s segments, naturally, the man had a killer set of abs rippling down to his waist. The dusting of hair across his chest cascaded all the way down, dipping under the line of his very comfortable harem pants. I tightened my lips and glanced away, but too late. Out of the corner of my eye, I could already see him grinning.
“Very cool theme,” I said, struggling to play it nonchalant. “So where’s Alice? Where’s the Red Queen?”
A petite drag queen tittered as she ran past on powder-blue heels, blond hair tumbling down her back, her powder-blue dress made completely out of latex. A second, colossal drag queen squeaked by in her red and black vinyl gown, as big as a parade float. She raised her glittering scepter.
“Off with her head!” she boomed, in hot pursuit.
The Amethyst Spider gestured at the pair, smiling, except that I knew what the smile was actually about. He’d totally caught me checking him out. But I was allowed to look, wasn’t I? We were here to investigate. I couldn’t very well do that without the use of my eyes. And my mouth. Oh, shit. I meant — never mind what I meant.
“We like to do these theme parties every so often,” he said. “Our regulars really enjoy the opportunity to get dolled up. You should consider yourselves so fortunate that I allowed you into my fine establishment at all.”
Max held out his hands. “Listen, Faizan. We’re not here to cause any trouble.”
“Oh, I only meant the dress code.” Faizan chuckled, trailing his pipe to indicate up, then down our bodies. “You boys didn’t see the sign at the door?”
“They let us right in, though.” I scratched the back of my ear, looking between the two of them. “There was a door charge and everything.”
“And it is a tithe that I would happily refund, my friend. But the rules say that anyone who comes in without a costume must go shirtless.” Faizan smirked. “Pay your fee in flesh, and I will gladly entertain any questions you have for me.”
I noted his words carefully.Entertain, he said. Not answer. I shot him my best smile. “And maybe you’d even consider answering some of them?”
The Amethyst Spider laughed. “You have a sharp wit, friend. It’s a sign of a strong mind. But I’m certain that many of tonight’s revelers would be just as interested in seeing the strong body that goes with it.”
He bit on the end of his pipe, lush lips wrapping over it as he inhaled, eyes smoldering. Man was too hot for his own good. Beside me, Max stood without speaking a word, processing in that silent, sexy way that he did.
So much of magic was transactional, even the simple act of casting a small hex draining a portion of a witch’s essence. But even interactions in the arcane underground, whether communing with entities or speaking to spiders, involved serious transactions. Grave exchanges.
Faizan lowered his head, long, dark lashes fluttering as he blinked. Before that moment I somehow never noticed that so many eyes were on us, expectant, waiting. Maybe they wanted to know what Max and I wanted from the Amethyst Spider.
Or maybe they just wanted to see more.
I turned to Max and shrugged. “It’s only polite. I mean, dress code and all.”
And Max, a man who worked hard for his beautiful body and wasn’t shy about showing it off, shrugged right back. “Let’s give them a show.”
Hoots and hollers, whistles and applause erupted from around the club as I yanked my shirt off. I tucked it into my waistband, skin cold in the air-conditioning, and yet I’d never felt hotter.
Max tossed his leather jacket onto one of the couches, then pulled his tank up and over his head with a single hand. He turned in a circle, arms spread out as he locked eyes with the people gathered around us. The crowd went wild. So did my nether regions. This ripped, cocky stud? Mine. All mine.
The cheering settled down as the DJ slipped smoothly into another song. Something by Kylie Minogue. I nodded at the Amethyst Spider and broadened my shoulders, my chest stuck out.
“Just so you know, this is as far as it goes. A live performance is gonna cost you extra.”
From beside me, Max chuckled under his breath. He knew me too well. As if I would ever pass up an opportunity to make some good money.
“More’s the pity. You make such a lovely pair.” Faizan leaned forward, pointing at both of us with a sweep of his pipe. “And how long have the two of you been in love?”
I didn’t know my body could go into a full blush in a second flat. Thank God for the gaudy club lights, because I was positive my skin had turned bright red.
Max clenched his fists, muscles bulging as he frowned. “I don’t see how that’s relevant.”
That didn’t come out very smoothly by Max’s eloquent standards, his words normally so meticulously chosen. And witha little bit of a stammer, too. Granted, neither of us had really discussed anything beyond that cute, vague little convo about entering an exclusive finder partnership. But it was hard not to feel the tiniest sting of disappointment.
“We’re not putting labels on it yet,” I said, effectively stamping myself as a stereotype clear across the forehead in blazing red letters.
Max shot me a look that was somehow equal parts grateful and apologetic. I answered with a reassuring smile.
