Page 33 of Hell on Wheels

The look of absolute scorn she gives me answers my question. I scratch the back of my head, trying to figure out what to say. Lions are poly within their prides, so as long as it is one of us, I’m not upset. But clearly, she’s still trying to wrap her head around it and now I’ve added to the tally.

I sit up on the mats, crossing my legs and patting my lap. “C’mere, Wheels. Let me hold you for a few while you tell me a story, and we’ll see if I can help you understand.”

“As long as you aren’t fitting me for a throne, I’ll play along,” she grumbles.

She walks over and sits down, curling up against my chest. Her comment makes me smile, though she can’t see it. I have a feeling I know where this tale is headed and man, is that going to be a ride.

Rich supe families like theirs arenotready for our girl.

Sweet But Psycho

Watching the teams as they race around the track, I keep my eyes glued to number sixty-nine. Yeah, Rogue demanded a change of number the minute she took over as Captain and lead jammer. It makes her snicker every time she dons the sparkling tank and shorts. Her name, Rainbow Smite, is written in bold letters on the back, making it easy to see her.

The Babe City Bombers wear bright pink with their names and numbers in sequins, tiny ass shorts, wide fishnets, andcustom skate covers that match their Derby names. Rogue’s are decorated in pastel rainbows that match her hair and have fairy wings on the back. My little stepsister is dolled up like a pinup girl and the rest of the team followed her lead when she set the standard for their appearance at matches.

That bitch Mina always hated that Rogue sparkled more than her without trying.

A loud cheer echoes behind me as Anita sends one of the Mollies flying. The human girl glared at her, and I frown as she plays with her skates before she stands. Humans sometimes play dirtier than supes, and these chicks look like they have seen some serious shit. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have knives tucked into their fucking boots.

That’d be a really bad plan to pull on the Bombers.

Half the team had their own knives hidden inside their hands and the others could ruin their lives with a few words or notes. They won’t use their gifts unless they have no options, but concealed weapons don’t leave them many choices. I pass the message to Rogue via our mental link and she gives me a sneaky thumbs up as she skates by.

“How’d you see the blade, man?” Archie looks at me curiously. “That blonde chick has fingers like a pickpocket.”

My brow furrows and I turn, taking my eyes off the boards for a moment. “She has a tell. How did you know I saw it?”

Angelo elbows him in the stomach and my best friend yelps. “Yeah, Archie, howdidyou know?”

“Uh… I saw Rogue give you the thumbs-up, and these girls look like they’ve escaped from a prison.”

He gestures at the athletes skating by in black tanks with a weird wolf insignia, black booty shorts, and custom knee-high combat boot skates. They have illegal rivets edging their uniforms and, if I were to guess, weapons strapped in more than their boots. Their names are weird, too—all based on an animal with another picture underneath.

“Mmm. They are pretty rough. But they don’t seem as crazy as the Sickos,” Damon says as he studies the other seven girls on the bench. “But then, none of these girls can shift or use magic.”

“Thank fuck for that. I prefer the devils we know with the Princess,” Angelo mutters.

This motherfucker has been weird for days, and that nickname came out of nowhere.

“I think the Bombers have them beat. Mina’s replacement is following Rogue’s lead more closely, and that makes all of their formations right.” Javi passes me a tumbler full of one of his special creations and I grin.

He’s not wrong—the second stringer calls herself Interstella, and her teamwork is on point. The blond is a unicorn shifter and though she’s not as aggressive as the others; she makes an amazing auxiliary player for the others. Rogue should make this substitution permanent; she needs another person watching her back.

“They’re going to win because there’s no player showboating for the cameras instead of actually contributing. If she hadn’t taken part in the beat down, I would have sent that slut a gift basket for yeeting herself.”

“Rebel, if Wheels heard you say that, she’d strangle you. You know she doesn’t like sex shaming.”

Damon nods. “She’d skin your hide.”

“Since when do you fuckers police my language when she’s not around?” I frown, trying to put my finger on something that’s been bothering me for the past week and a half. “You three have been acting strange since the rave. Did you get bespelled or some shit?”

Archie chokes on his beer, and Javi thumps his back until he’s breathing. “Bespelled? No.”

“Then what? Have you all gotten pussy-witched? I don’t know where you’d find the time given our training schedules, but hell, I haven’t really been paying attention,” I admit.

The twins smirk. “Flying a helo ishard.”

No shit, assholes.

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