Hell on Wheels (Faetal Attraction #1)

You Don’t Own Me

Once we got our story straight, I kicked them all out so I could get dressed without a bunch of leering jackals watching. I refuse to dress up to go shopping regardless of where Javi and the twins decide we’re headed. Expecting customers to look fancy simply because they’re in your establishment is so 90s rom-com and I am not here for it. So I threw on my favorite jeans and a tank, brushed my hair out, and added my usual makeup—no more, no less. Pierre La Fancypants will have to deal with a girl rocking combat boots if he wants our money.

Of course, I have no idea if the salesperson will be male or French, but I like the imagery.

“Wheels, are you ready?”

Archie’s shout makes me grin. Out of everyone, he’s the easiest to deal with and though it surprises me, I appreciate it. I would have thought Mr. Hot Hockey Abs would throw a fit at being off the market, but he’s been gung-ho from the second his lion bit me. Unlike everyone else, he’s also certain his mom and dads will have zero issues with me. It’s reassuring and I don’t feel the need to give him as much shit as I do the others.

“Coming!” I yell back.

Angelo walks up, peeking in my doorway with a smirk. “Unfortunately not, but alas, we need to get this done.”

I roll my eyes and grab my shoulder bag, pushing him out of the way as I shut my door. Damon holds his hand out and I take it, following them down the stairs to meet Archie and Javi. They’re all wearing tight jeans and a variation on Oxfords and high-end sneakers. The colors range from dark on the twins to pastel on the blond sports god, and I snort. They look like a fucked up boy band and I’m their punk rock groupie.

“What car are we taking?” I ask as we head for the garage. Between them and the other cars in Angelo’s garage, my mouth is watering as I consider the possibilities. I want to let loose on the road—let go of all the troubles and pain of the past week by speeding over the asphalt like I’m flying.

“Is that your way of asking if you can drive, Sparkles?” Damon gives me an amused look. All the guys are racers, though not to the level Reb and I are, so who gets to be behind the wheel is a frequent argument.

Batting my lashes, I look at all of them with a purposeful pout. “I’m trapped here and we’re going out. Let me feel the rush of the road and the control of making one of these beautiful machines bend to my will. I need the adrenaline, boys.”

All I get for a few moments are glazed expressions full of lust until, finally, Angelo clears his throat. “We’ll have to take two cars, but I bet Damon will let you drive, Princess.”

The demon winks at me and I run over to throw my arms around his neck, planting a fat kiss on his lips. “Gimme those keys, baby. Mama’s hungry for some speed.”

A low growl comes from the group, and Archie turns bright red. “Uh, I’m riding with them, the lion says.”

Javi rolls his eyes and chuckles, clapping Angelo on the back. “Looks like it’s you and me, Gemini. Guess that means we’ll handle calling the pouting Fae we call our bro on the way.”

“Good,” Rogue says with an irritated look. “I don’t want to talk to that asshat yet, anyway.”

Damon laughs and follows me to his ‘Cuda, sliding into the front seat without showing an ounce of fear. It’s impressive; Rebel is a risk taker, but I’m a madwoman on the road. My driving skills are insane, but I’ve been told being in my passenger seat without Fae reflexes makes your life flash before your eyes. People think shifters have everyone beat on that account, but I’ve never seen one able to match Reb or me with our instincts.

It’s almost like we know what’s coming before it hits sometimes. It could be an Unseelie thing for all I know.

Archie hops in the back, and I grin to myself as he buckles in. Sariah would kill him if she knew he rode with the daredevil purposefully, but then Archie says all moms worry about their kids like that. I wouldn’t know because Graciella and Odhran have never given a shit how rough my matches get when they don’t involve humans or how dangerous our Guardian training is. They never even ask, so I assume they aren’t concerned.

This trip will help me refocus my mind and prepare to talk to my jackass step brother when he arrives. All I have to do is let the road soothe my soul.

“That turn was so close I felt my balls shrivel up inside of me,” Archie mutters as we join Javi and Angelo in the doorway of the gentrified building.

I roll my eyes at him before squinting at our surroundings. This place is definitely in Luca’s territory; the Gemini section of town might be run by a ruthless demon mob, but it’s well cared for and maintained. Small businesses and renovated buildings dot the street and gas lamps hang every few feet, giving it an old world feel. Those within their boundaries are clearly expected to treat their homes with the respect Luca Gemini demands, but I wonder how all of this is funded. That question might open a can of worms, though, so I opt for another tactic.

“What is this place, Angelo?”

His brows bob. “Wouldn’t you like to know, Princess? Suffice it to say, it only caters to those who it serves and leave it be.”

Excellent. We’re at a mafia tailor and that will spread all over town when the prying eyes watching us ring the doorbell get chatty.

“ Ton nom et prénom ? 1 . ”

Damon snorts and dings the bell several times in a rhythmic pattern, then says, “Gemini, you old fool.”

The weird clicking sound on the other makes me shiver. I have no idea what kind of shifter works here, but nothing about this feels right to me. In fact, my entire body is shivering with dread. Archie and Javi don’t seem bothered, so I turn to them and hiss, “What the hell am I walking into, fuckers?”

They look at one another and smirk, shrugging at me, and now I know I’m being punked. The four of them used to help Rebel do this shit to me when I was younger. Some big prank that left me covered in whipped cream or soaking wet, or even with a marker dick tattooed on my face for days. Mating with me clearly hasn’t changed the nature of our relationships and I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

Guess it depends on what I find in this dark, oddly unmarked building, huh?

A loud buzz announces the door opening and I follow the guys, looking around the oddly dark hallway suspiciously. It would be just like them to have a fucking raptor jump out and scare the piss out of me ala Jurassic Park .

“Don’t be so tense, Wheels. We’re just getting our suits for the meeting masquerading as a cocktail party,” Archie whispers near my pointed ear.

Tilting my head up, I glare as my eyes adjust to the pitch blackness. “Sure. That’s why we’re in the serial killer playground with no lights.”

Chuckles are my only answer, and I wrinkle my nose. I’m going to be bruising some kidneys soon. They can still make my brains melt with broken ribs, right? I’m sure they can. Shifters and demons heal quickly and the two of them enjoy a little pain with their pleasure.

“I’m not sure broken bones are quite what we have in mind, mi alma ,” Javi replies.

Are they reading my mind without permission? I will kick their ? —

“You said it out loud.” Damon’s voice comes from the front of the group and I frown, feeling irritated that they know me this well. They never used to act like they could read me like a book.

Dicks.

“Calm down, Princess. We’re almost there.” Angelo pauses and waits for me to catch up with him, then threads my arm through his. I give him a quizzical expression, but he pats my hand. “It’s best if you appear connected to us when we meet with Guillermo.”

“I am connected with you fools,” I mutter. “I don’t know how much more connected we could get, in fact.”

Damon flanks my other side as we stop at the huge double doors with a big knocker on it. This end of the building is dusty and full of cobwebs, making me sputter as I try to move away. “No, no. Don’t do that. Trust me.”

“Why the hell not?”

Archie leans forward and whispers in my ear again. “You’ll offend Guillermo.”

“Offend him? Maybe he should hire a fucking maid! This place is disgus?—”

Damon’s hand goes over my mouth as Angelo uses the knocker to echo the rhythm from before. The enormous iron doors swing open slowly, a loud creaking noise echoing through the hall ominously. He winks at me, lifting his hand with a stern look, and I close my mouth. Whatever the hell is going on here, I’m in the dark, both literally and figuratively. I’ll have to follow their lead.

For someone who typically leads the pack, that’s hard as hell, by the way.

Then I see it and have to bite the living shit out of my tongue, swallowing the blood as my wide eyes take in the sight without making a sound. It occurs to me that they’ve been trying to keep me calm and quiet as we headed to this area and I’m going to have to suppress the urge to scream like a banshee on fire. I assume if I do, something bad will happen and I don’t want to be responsible for it.

But there’s a ten foot tall fucking spider dude towering over us like it’s no big deal!

“ Salvete, ivenes Gemini ? 2 . ”

The monstrous shifter’s legs and mandibles click, making my entire body freeze in fear, but I say nothing. Clearly, the Gemini mafia’s personal tailor is a giant motherloving brown recluse shifter who prefers staying half-shifted while he works. Guillermo, as they called him, is terrifyingly large, speaking in Latin, and looking at us like he wants to welcome us to his lair.

Being the closest one here to a fly, I find that very disconcerting. So I wait for Angelo or Damon to do something , but they wait silently. Finally, the spider dude makes a weird sound that might be a sigh and skitters over to a few lamps to bring more light into the room.

“Thank you, Guillermo. English will do today; not all our friends speak Latin fluently,” Angelo replies smoothly.

Is he playing chicken with a giant monster over lighting? What the hell?

“I am always of service to your father and your family.” The creepy dude bends a little, mocking a bow with the human half of his body. “Who is this fair maiden? Have you and your shadow finally decided to take a wife?”

Damon snorts and shakes his head. “I keep telling you, Gui, we’re too young for that. Rogue is Rebel’s sister.”

“Ahhhh, the impetuous Fae. And where is your menacing compatriot today?” Guillermo’s legs are entrancing as he makes his way across the floor of the vast room. He grabs several pieces of cloth that appear to be jacket mock-ups as he waits for the boys to respond and I feel the hairs on my arms stand up.

Archie grins, turning to give the eight-legged tailor his back as if he knows what’s coming. “Reb’s out in his car, risking his life to work off frustration. He’ll be here soon. We all have to go to the meeting this time.”

“ All of you?” the tailor clicks as he drapes the form over my muscled hockey player’s shoulders.

“Not just D and I,” Angelo sighs. “That’s why we’re here. We don’t have long to get this done.”

“I sleep little,” Guillermo responds with a shrug. “And I have completed your father’s tux. You and your friends will move up the line according to your status. Others may have to wait.”

I frown. Hopefully, that doesn’t mean someone will get killed for not having the right attire because we’re jumping the wait list. “If they have to wear tuxes, I want them to have bow ties and vests. I have a picture of the gown so they can all be different but match.”

The spider turns, fixing all of his eyes on me as a look I think is his scary ass version of a smile comes over his features. “Most excellent. I will ensure they are dressed to the nines, sister of Rebel.”

Javi finally speaks, his eyes dancing as he looks at me. “You know, rumor has it all sex is casual unless you’re wearing a bow tie. Perhaps you had plans?”

“Excuse me,” Archie replies as the jacket form is pulled off his frame and then draped over Damon. “I believe that’s called a ‘fuxedo’ and I plan on wearing the hell out of mine. You idiots will have to work hard to outdo me.”

For the love of Loki’s horns, these dudes…

“Do whatever you want, Glaser, but if you drop the puck on watching my sister, you’re getting your ass kicked.”

We all turn to see Rebel in the doorway, smirking as his eyes flash with magic and I groan under my breath.

I can’t decide if I want the giant spider to kill me, so I don’t have to be part of what’s coming next.