The Fire of Ares

CH8- Trouble

Max.

I felt Alex's hand on my back as we somehow got split up in the crowd. "Where's Chris?" he shouted over the thumping music. I shrugged; to be honest, I hadn't seen Chris since we arrived.

"Alright, I'll go find him," he said. "Elio is in the restroom, so he'll come find you after."

I turned to ask him where the restroom was, but he had vanished into the sea of bodies and flashing lights. Suddenly, I felt someone bump into my shoulder. I was about to apologize, but then I recognized Dom. He shot me a scowl that could curdle milk. "Watch where you're going, Alectryon," he sneered, swaying slightly as if he were about to topple over.

Rolling my eyes, I snapped back, "You bumped into me!"

Dom flashed another nasty look my way. "It's my party, so watch it!" He punctuated his words with a staggering stride, clearly too drunk to maintain his balance. "You're lucky I invited everyone," he added, before walking away. Typical Dom—always looking for a fight, especially when he was half in the bag.

I pushed my way through the throng of revelers, seeking a clearer path toward the stairs. If Elio was anywhere, it was likely upstairs, away from the chaos. As I made my ascent, I glanced over my shoulder to see if anyone might try to stop me.

The upstairs was shrouded in darkness, a stark contrast to the frenetic energy below. No one else seemed to be up here, giving me a moment of solace away from the loud music and drunken antics. I stepped cautiously, the faint thud of music fading behind me.

Down the hall, through the dark, I saw light peeking from under the door. I knocked gently. "Elio? Are you in there?" I tried the doorknob, finding it surprisingly unlocked.

The door swung open, and I was pulled into the room. My eyes adjusted from the dim hallway to the bright interior, where I found Ares leaning against the counter, a half-empty bottle of tequila in his hand.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, taking in his disheveled appearance and the telltale signs of his drunken state.

He didn't answer right away, instead letting his gaze roam over me, as if he were studying every detail. I felt a flush creep up my cheeks as he slowly stepped closer. I instinctively backed up until the wall pressed against my back, but Ares continued his advance until his chest was mere inches from mine. My breath caught in my throat, the proximity both thrilling and terrifying.

"Ares, what are you doing?" The quiver in my voice betrayed the mix of fear and something more beneath the surface.

He leaned in, his breath warm against my skin as he traced his nose from my shoulder up to my jawline. My eyes fluttered shut, a wave of goosebumps racing down my arms from the unexpected intimacy of the gesture. "You smell good," he murmured, his voice low and thick with tequila.

I put my hands on his shoulder to push him back, but his hands pulled me more into him. He lifts his head and his face is an inch away from mine. Ares stares at my lips and starts to lean in, when I feel his breath on my face I push him back.

"Hey, you're drunk. Let's get you home," I said, finally managing to push him off me.

Ares groaned. "I was just joking," he replied, a smirk creeping onto his face.

"Yeah, you're drunk. Let's get you out of here." I pulled open the door and led Ares down the stairs, glancing around for Dom. As I dragged Ares along, Elio spotted us first and glanced down at our intertwined hands. In an instant, I quickly let go of Ares. "He's too drunk, we gotta take him home." I shout over the music to Elio.

Elio nodded looking around, "I just saw Chris and Alex. Wait right here, I'll go grab them."

"Okay." I nodded at Elio as Ares slumped onto the stairs, the tequila bottle loosely clenched in his hand. I sat down next to him, snatching the bottle away. It was a party, and I wasn't even remotely drunk—what a buzzkill. I took a swig, then another.

As I looked up, I caught Dom's intense gaze locked onto Ares. Before I could pull Ares away, Dom charged toward us with fury in his eyes. I tugged at Ares' arm, trying to get us away from the bull barreling down on us, but he stood his ground, locking eyes with Dom and matching the intensity of his expression.

Ares rose easily to his feet as Dom confronted him, a snarl twisting his features.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dom sneered at Ares.

Ares leaned forward, getting right in Dom's face. "And what are you going to do, drown me in your tears?" He was tense, his body coiled like a spring—like a bullet couldn't penetrate him.

"It's my party!" Dom roared, his voice rising in fury.

"So?" Ares mocked, undeterred.

Dom shoved Ares, but he barely budged. "Even when I'm drunk, you still can't beat me," he warned, eyes narrowed.

Ares laughed, shoving Dom back with a force that nearly sent him sprawling onto the floor.

"Ares, stop. Let's just go," I urged, trying to steer him away from Dom.

"Listen to your boyfriend. Fucking fags, no one wants you here," Dom sneered, but before I could respond, he was knocked out cold.

The music came to a sudden halt, and everyone turned to stare in shock at the scene. Elio, Chris, and Alex all looked wide-eyed. I glanced down at my hand, stained with Dom's blood, and then looked at his unconscious form on the floor.

Ares grabbed my arm and began to pull me out of there, the guys quickly falling in line behind us.

"Max, what in the hell?" Alex said as we reached the car.

"I thought Ares threw that punch," Elio remarked, clearly confused.

"Dom is going to kill you," Chris added, still looking stunned.

Alex started the car, pulling out of the driveway and speeding down the road. Elio grabbed my hand, examining it closely. "I'm fine," I said, yanking my hand out of his firm grip.

"Someone tell me what happened, please," Alex asked angrily at the situation.

"Dom came up to me trying to pick a fight, said some offensive things, and Max knocked him out," Ares quickly explained, his voice surprisingly steady now.

"I was gone for only a minute, and all of this went down?" Elio said, shaking his head in disbelief.

I stared out the window, fuming. I hadn't lost my temper like that in two years. I wanted to go back and check on him, but the words kept echoing in my mind: I am not a fag, and Ares is NOT my boyfriend. Why would Dom even say something like that? My hands shook from the adrenaline still coursing through me.

Ares turned to me, his curious gaze probing. "How's your hand?"

I glanced down at my already bruised knuckles and shrugged, still feeling the anger bubbling beneath the surface. Ever since Ares showed up, my temper had spiraled out of control. He was nothing but trouble.