Hell on Wheels (Faetal Attraction #1)

Bust A Move

I have to admit, the creepy old arachnid did an impeccable job on these monkey suits. Mine fits like a glove and is tailored to make me look even broader than normal. It’s in this deep blue-green that makes my eyes and tan pop, accented with a matching tie and pocket square in a reddish violet color. He sent a light emerald shirt and shiny buff colored shoes to go with it. I don’t think I’ve ever been this colorful in my life, but D assures me it looks amazing.

Hopefully, our girl likes it. Then I won’t feel like a clown .

Angelo strides in from the twins’ adjoining room, grinning broadly in his licorice colored suit. His combo is in a dark brick red with rust, orange, and dark red accents. It fits him perfectly in species and temperament, which I’m sure is intentional. The Geminis keep Guillermo to themselves for a reason and I finally get why. He’s kitting us out to be elegant, but show the vibes of our inner nature, and matching our physical look. It’s fucking genius.

“He’s a mouthy old monster, but his talent is unmatched, right?” Damon joins us in his black suit with faint charcoal pinstripes and the lightest lavender accents. The colors reflect his darkness and the vein of light running through him in a muted palette befitting his personality. “I have to admit, calling him to whip something up for this party was sheer brilliance on Rogue’s part.”

“Our woman is sharp as a tack. Telling him it’s to announce our mating will give him the chance to piss off my mother, as well as make certain we reflect the family as desired. Guillermo isn’t a fan of our mother and never has been. She’s disrespectful of his judgement and expertise, which I don’t blame him for being angry about.” Angelo sighs and shrugs. “He never makes her anything lacking in quality, but this kind of flair isn’t what he does for her.”

Smirking, I do a spin to look at myself in the mirror again. “That’s a fucking shame. But then, talk shit, get hit, right?”

“Something like that,” D chuckles. “Quit eyeballing your own ass and let’s see what the sparkly folk are wearing. I’m curious as hell.”

That makes two of us.

Reb answers his door with a narrowed eyed glare. He’s not happy about this event—it’s tripping some weird Fae/Guardian wire inside of him that Rogue isn’t feeling. The combination of his paranoia and her lack of it has made the past three days a pain in the ass. He’s trying and I know he’ll get there, but damn, he’s good at getting in his own fucking way.

“What the hell do you guys want?” he growls as he tugs at the loose tie around his neck.

Of course his get-up is made to be worn in a messy dressy fashion.

Our friend is clad in an electric, springy green that is the exact shade of his eyes. His shirt is a blue-green and his accessories are a contrasting cyan. It’s amazing with his hair and tats, especially since his shirt was designed to be worn half open. He’s being a dick, but I can see he painted his nails in a dark blue to go with his shoes. Rebel might not like the idea of attending this party, but he’s not stupid enough to offend Luca Gemini in his own home.

“You look like the Joker,” Angelo says with a snort. “Satan knows I love Gui, but this is the tits.”

“Shut it, Gemini,” Reb hisses. “This damn event is your fault. If your parents weren’t such flashy criminals…”

“At least ours give a shit,” Damon mutters.

Annnd now it’s time to intervene.

“Guys, we’re all worried about her, especially since we’re taking a calculated risk letting this drop in public. We can’t let people think our playful poking is actual division.” I bob my brows at them, hoping they can get it through their thick ass skulls.

After a brief pause, Rebel rolls his eyes and heaves a sigh. “Fine. Let’s go see what little sis got. I’m sure I won’t be angry in the slightest.”

“That’s the spirit,” Javi says as he comes out of his room dressed in a color combo that makes him look like living flames. “Togetherness is the theme of the evening.”

“Whatever,” the Fae says as he stalks towards the main bedroom we gave our girl. “Let’s get this shit show over with.”

I ignore his shitty attitude, striding up to knock on her door. Even if her step-brother is giving me a disbelieving look, I think we should afford her a modicum of privacy by not barging—or in the twins’ case beaming—in without her permission. “Wheels? You ready yet?”

“Just a minute!” she calls out. I hear a bunch of rustling and more than a few curses, but eventually footsteps announce her as she approaches the door.

I was not ready for what I see when she opens it.

Rogue has on a floor length dress with what looks like a corset top, but that’s not what makes her radiant. The fabric is bright sky blue with flowery beaded embellishments in a dark, sparkling midnight shade. It has a lacy trim with little bows at her chest—not enough to look weird, but enough to look girly in the light purple color. She’s got some sort of filmy, floor-length pink jacket-thingy hanging from her elbows and it trails behind her like her dust. Her multicolored hair is pinned in a soft, messy poof of blue, purple, and magenta waves that accent to the matching makeup and her glowing Fae tats.

“Holy fuck buckets,” Damon says as he pushes up his specs. “You look like a freaking painting, Sparkles.”

“Hell yeah, she does,” his twin rumbles.

Javier, smooth as always, steps forward and kisses her temple. “You’re beautiful, even if you hate being this revealed.”

“Stop it, Birdie. No bond reading tonight,” Rogue snarls. “And I’m not that naked—I have ten weapons hidden on me.”

That finally gets Rebel to snap out of his daze. His lips curve up and he arches a brow. “Only ten?”

“ Fine ,” our girl says with a huff. “Thirteen, if you count being a weapon personally.”

Laughing, I mimic Javi, taking her hands to bring them to my lips. “Don’t worry, Wheels. Tonight you have to wear this, but tomorrow you can wear my jersey and be my favorite puck bunny.”

Her glare could cut diamonds as she hisses. “Favorite puck bunny? As in, more than one?”

Shit, shit, shit….

“ Only puck bunny,” I correct with a broad grin. “And I don’t care if you wear my jersey as a dress—how’s that for being supportive?”

Her eyes light up. “There’s a man who wants to help me strip all the weapons off when we get home. I can wear whatever the fuck I want if I come to his game.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Archie…”

I shrug, winking at our girl. Who gives a fuck if Reb hates that idea? I just won the prize, and he’s standing here with his dick in his hand… again.

When we pull up to the front of the Gemini Compound, the tension in the car has ratcheted up significantly. Rogue is perched on Angelo’s lap, talking with Javi about Fae sweets. Our leader is scowling out the window, and I’d bet my favorite skates he’s running a million scenarios on how to get the fuck out of this place safely if everything goes south. That’s part of their training and where Rogue seems to live in the moment, he’s always plotting in his head. I’d bet he has a plan labeled A through Z at this point.

The car stops and our driver, a huge horned demon from the greed line, comes to the door to help us out. I go first, pausing for camera flashes to catch my fit and pearly white smile. It wouldn’t be one of the Bay City Families’ parties if there wasn’t press waiting for the guests to do a red carpet-style entrance. Letting the paps get their fill, I step aside to make way for Javier and Rebel. They come out together because neither is quite enough of a draw to pose like me or the twins.

As if I’ve summoned him, Damon comes out, giving the press a curt nod before allowing a sinfully brief amount of time for pictures. In contrast, Angelo soaks up the attention for much longer than he should before turning to the open door to hold his hand out for our girl. His entire schtick is specifically geared towards making sure people watch as she alights from the limo. Both twins flank her, smiling as if they don't hate their family with a fierce passion as the flashes go off for at least five minutes.

“Get me out of here,” I hear a muffled growl come from Rogue as she gives a loudmouthed reporter a dazzling smile.

Luckily, that came from gritted teeth in a tone you’d need to be close to hear. I tap Angelo’s shoulder, then make eye contact with Reb and Javi. They move to the front with me and we lead our group up the front steps. I hear the vultures down there still yelling questions, but none of us turns. You have to keep your power with these fuckers and the last thing any of us want is for people to think they can accost Rogue when she’s out and about.

“That was a nightmare,” Rebel grumbles. “I could have cast a cloak and we could have bypassed it, you know.”

“And piss Luca off before we set foot inside? No, thanks, Kelly,” Angelo says grimly. “Supes love to live vicariously through their famous folks just like humans. Our father would have appeared like Lucifer himself to rip that spell apart and reveal us.”

Rogue snorts. “You know, I don’t understand a damn thing about how demon shit works. You boys have your work cut out for you. Guardians rarely do anything with demons because they have their own rules. Occasionally, there’s a bad one, and the Society sends one of the assassins if the royals down below aren’t handling it. Otherwise, we don’t get taught more than basics and species.”

I chuckle when Damon looks like he’s going to jizz his suit. “Man, little D is super eager to teach you, Wheels. He’s having a history-gasm as we speak.”

“Fuck you, Glaser.” His cheery retort gets a snicker from Rogue and she leans in to squeeze the demon’s arm.

“I think you’re sexy when you lecture people, babe. Don’t let Archie tease you.”

Javier stops when we get to the top of the stairs, halting the fun as he turns to us. “Is there some sort of entry protocol, Ang? Usually we come in the back to this kind of shit and hang with you in the romper room. None of us have come through the public entrance before.”

Raking his hand through his hair, Angelo nods. “Unfortunately. Much like the press line, you guys will go in one by one. Luca will have a staffer announcing you, so Rebel goes first as a Guardian. Then Javier, Archie, and finally, Rogue will enter with Damon and I. That alone should clue our father in that she’s important.”

“No matter what, do not let our mother bait you if she’s at the end of the receiving line at the bottom of the grand staircase,” Damon warns. “Ma loves to test people as they pass by pissing them off. It makes her day when they get escorted out because they couldn’t hold their tongues.”

Rogue takes a deep breath and I watch her put on her game face. “Got it. Stay in step, smile, try not to stab anyone, especially your mother. Anything else?”

Grinning, I look at our little family. “Only that I hope to hell everyone is taking pictures. I cannot wait to see what happens and who loses their shit first.”

Tonight is going to be epic.