Page 64 of Hell on Wheels
Shit, shit, shit….
“Onlypuck 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 damnthingabout 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 issupereager 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, donotlet 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 tohelleveryone is taking pictures. I cannotwaitto see what happens and who loses their shit first.”
Tonight is going to be epic.
Parents Just Don’t Understand
The ridiculously formal dude at the top of the stairs finally gets to the twins and me, calling our names out loudly enough to stop the milling crowd in the vast ballroom. I feel all the eyes on me, making my trained Guardian instincts go wild. My face is set in a bored expression I see on rich people all the time, so no one has a clue that I’m letting my magic flit through the air to suss out the vibes of the onlookers.
Angelo turns to kiss my jaw, then Damon mirrors him as people gasp in shock. I know they sense my little cheatery, but that’s something we can discuss later. Like when four hundred demons and hybrids aren’t gaping at me like I’m that human actress who married a prince.
It’s like I’m a fucking zoo animal; no wonder she wanted to fuck off to America.
The boys pull back and thread their arms through mine, guiding me to the stairs between them. We walk down them slowly, cameras flashing and whispers echoing through the quiet room. The music doesn’t start again until our feet hit the bottom to walk through the short receiving line. It comprises a few demons I don’t recognize, including a creepy man with longer white blond hair pulled into a ponytail and a sharply tailored suit. His eyes are dark and bad vibes practically smack me in the face as Damon greets him with a handshake.
“Ah, Lucian. Good to see you again,” Damon says as they shake. I notice Angelo is much less enamored of the man and his hand tightens on my arm. “I didn’t know Luca invited old friends from below.”
“Well, he and I have business to discuss later on. The party gives us a quorum, as you know, so we’ll meet and bring new things to the table.” The man he calls Lucian smiles in his creepy way as he looks towards the elder Gemini at the end of the line. “Will we see you and your brother there?”
“You absolutely willnot,” Angelo cuts in. “Damon and I are not interested in his deals with our old… neighbors. We only attend to affairs above ground. That’s why we avoided your shitty university, Darkstar.”