by Cece Rose
“The karts shoot fire!?” I exclaim, shooting a worried look at Kaden.
“Well, this one does,” he answers. “They all do slightly different things. Some karts work better with different supes. Like, for example, a supe that can't use magic would be best off picking a kart that is able to do things that they wouldn't otherwise be able to do. Like shooting a hole into a block when they jump up in your path.”
“People do this for fun?” I ask. He only nods in response. “People are idiots,” I mutter as I walk along the line of karts, glancing over the specs for each. I give up trying to understand what all of them do, and settle for my trusty method of picking by colour. I stop at a purple one, it has sparkles, light blue flames, and kind of reminds me of a badass unicorn. I turn to face Kaden, pointing at my chosen kart.
“People are idiots, huh?” he says with a smile.
“Yup, and I’m an even bigger one for agreeing to this, but Nicky is going down.”
Chapter 4
I can feel my arms shaking as I grip the wheel. I look to my left and see Mason, who shoots me a reassuring smile. Next to Mason is Callan, who’s keeping his gaze firmly ahead, eyes on the prize. I turn to my other side, seeing Kaden, and then Nick on the end. Nick catches me looking and winks.
A loud countdown begins, and I notice that the numbers are also counting down on screens all around the room, flashing a different colour with each number as it counts down from sixty.
THIRTY. Nick revs his kart loudly, making me jump in my seat slightly, gripping my steering wheel even tighter. Fuck. TWENTY. Callan revs his kart, too. My heart is hammering so hard against my chest I might break. TEN. NINE. Shit, I can’t do this. SIX, FIVE. How do I get off this track? THREE. TWO. Fuck. ONE.
Nick and Callan zoom straight off the line, Kaden following quickly after.
“Mona! Put your foot down!” Mason shouts, having waited for me. I swallow the lump in my throat and slam on the accelerator, feeling the kart lurch forward. Mason races alongside me, keeping in pace.
The track swoops down sharply, and I can feel us picking up speed. Water shoots up from the track, forming a wall of water in front of us. Nick just waves a hand at the water, clearing a small path which closes up directly behind him. Mason pulls forward, and follows directly behind Callan, as he does the same, but shouting in Latin. Mason narrowly gets through by slipping in behind him. Shit, he pulled ahead so I could see what to do.
I speed up and situate myself directly behind Kaden, who seems to have slowed down anticipating this. We speed through a gap in the water which Kaden creates, however, I still end up getting splashed. My clothes are drenched on one side. Great. I look at the track ahead, and it seems clear, flat, and on a straight. I press down to go faster, overtaking Kaden and Mason. The track suddenly changes, lifting up into a steep hill. I race up it, trying to catch up to Callan and Nick. Once I reach the top, it veers straight back down sharply, almost a like a death drop slide. I scream as I go down. Wooden poles shoot up from the ground. Crap! I try to swerve between them, but I’m about to smash into one when suddenly it’s blasted by a ball of green flames, clearing my way. Mason darts in front of me, zooming ahead.
I look back over my shoulder quickly and see Kaden right behind me, keeping me safe like always; my giant protector. I smile as I turn back to face the track ahead and immediately lose that smile. Stupid death track.
Sharply turning the steering wheel to pull me around a corner that has suddenly popped up, I try not to panic. Once I’ve turned the corner, I notice Nick and Callan aren’t on this part of the track. Mason is the only one ahead of me, and I can hear Kaden behind. Shit did the track change after they passed it?
Speeding up, I drive alongside Mason, hearing Kaden also speed up behind me. I hope he doesn’t drop too far behind, I don’t want to end up on a part of the track all alone.
The track suddenly drops down again, taking us into a dark tunnel. Lights flick on from the front of our go-karts. What kind of go-karts have automatic headlights? The light from our headlights shine up against a dead end right ahead of us, a wooden board appears to be blocking the way. I put my brakes on a little, but I’m moving way too fast to stop in time. Mason quickly darts his kart in front of mine, and the ability his orange-coloured kart possesses becomes clear, as he uses his kart to shoot flames at the wooden blockade. The fierce flames burn right through the surprisingly thin wood and we shoot through the gap it created.
Holy shit, that was way too close.
I can hear Kaden's kart close behind me and know he must have followed through the same gap. The dark tunnel still seems to be going down further and further. How far under the surface are we now? I start to feel a little claustrophobic, when suddenly I see a light at the end of the tunnel…and an end of the track. Fuck.
“Keep driving straight ahead, Mona!” I hear Kaden’s voice roar over the sound of the karts. Keep driving straight ahead? Is he nuts? Mason appears to be certifiably insane himself as he speeds up, racing straight towards the light and where the track ends. I try to reassure myself that this isn't crazy and that they wouldn't be doing this if it was actually dangerous. However, my heart is hammering so hard, and all I can now hear is the blood rushing to my head. Please don’t pass out, please don’t pass out. I repeat the mantra in my head, hoping it’ll keep me calm, as I watch Mason race right off the edge of the track.
“Mason!” I scream out, seeing him fly right off the track and lurch downwards. I don't have long to worry about him, though, as I fly right off after him. Suddenly I'm aware we are dropping down from a hole in the ceiling of the cavernous room the track is in. How the fuck did we get up here?
Mason has landed down on the track below, and I hit the track just after, keeping my foot down on the accelerator as I race after him. I can't help but think that the fall was high enough that there is no way we should have landed on the track that softly. I roll my eyes. Magical fucking death-karts.
I spot two other karts just up ahead of us. There they are! As if he feels eyes watching him, the blond head turns slightly, as if he’s checking to see who is approaching behind him. His head quickly turns back around, and he speeds up even more, lurching forward. Wait, this is meant to be a damn race! Move it, Mona.
Pressing down, I’m pushing my own kart to race faster, and I pull around Mason, speeding ahead of him. I hear my name shouted from behind me, but all I can see are Callan and Nick up ahead of me. I am not going to let them win, especially not Nick.
The track turns up again, heading to another hole in the ceiling. Nick shoots through the gap first, followed closely by Callan. Another dark tunnel; isn't that just great? Despite my stomach turning at the mere thought, I dart in after them. The headlights flick back on my kart, and I frown, not having noticed they ever flicked off. The track runs flat in this tunnel, but the turns are sharp, and I can’t see the guys up ahead. I listen to hear how far ahead they are, when it occurs to me there’s no sound from behind. Fuck, I lost the two that would help me!
Taking a sharp left turn, I’m on a straight finally, so I press my foot down, trying to catch up with Nick and Callan. I turn right at the end of the straight and they’re just ahead of me, seeming to be on another straight going back in the direction we just came from. All the twists and turns are disorienting me, so I have no idea where in the ceiling we are anyway. Hell, maybe we will drive up from further underground this time. I’m gaining on the guys when I notice something glowing white and hovering about hip height above the track ahead. What the heck is that?
Callan swerves out of the way of it, so I start getting ready to avoid it, too. Nick, however, races his kart right through it. The glowing white light turns green, flashing brighter before vanishing completely. I race past where it was only seconds ago.
“FIRE SHOWER COMMENCING IN 30, 29, 28, 27!” a loud voice booms, continuing the countdown. The sound seems to come from everywhere at once, a surround sound that echoes through the tunnels we are speeding a
long. “22, 21, 20!” Callan turns a corner, and then suddenly the corner isn’t there anymore. Nick carries on straight ahead, and I follow.
A bubble suddenly appears around Nick and his kart as they speed along, like a circle, but able to move along with him. I make a mental note to ask someone to teach me how to do that later. “Thirteen! Twelve! Eleven!” the countdown continues as we race back out into the light. We come through a hole in the side of the wall, the track we're racing along is leading back down onto the main course. “Five! Four! Three!”
I begin to wonder what's up with Nick's bubble, and what the booming voice is talking about when the countdown hits one and the answer falls from the sky. Well, it falls from the ceiling. Holy fucking fireballs.
Desperately I attempt to dodge the literal balls of fire falling from above. Death-karts. These really are fucking death-karts. A fireball hits the front of my kart and melts right through it. I instantly feel grateful it was the kart and not me it hit, luckily the rest of my kart doesn't appear to be catching fire.
Nick has slowed down, and I speed up, racing alongside him. He turns his head to me, and I see him spot the smoking hole in my go-kart. He pulls a face, and then he slams his kart into the side of my own. Shit! What is he doing? He keeps his kart close as he continues racing along, so they’re touching. I’m about to yell at him, when I notice the bubble that was around Nick and his kart, now extends to my own. What is he—My thought is cut off when the fireball shower increases, raining down a fury onto the track. Nick somehow manages to keep his kart up against mine for the duration of the fireball shower, until a long wail of a noise echoes out, and it abruptly cuts off. The bubble around Nick’s kart vanishes as the noise ends. He pulls away, speeding up again, trying to leave me in his dust, but I won’t let him get away that easy.
The track turns down onto a wider section, that seems to be several tracks merging into one. I hear the sounds of other karts and turn, spotting the others coming up behind us. Nick’s kart seems to be a lot faster than mine as he pushes ahead. After turning a corner, I spot something up in front of us: the finish line. A long stretch of straight track is all that stands between me, and getting out of this death-kart.
I can hear the other guys right behind me, but I can’t look away from Nick. Seeing him so far ahead, I feel my stomach drop as I realise I’m going to lose. My head hanging a little in defeat, I notice the button that lies in the centre of my steering wheel. I never checked what the hell it did. Shrugging, I push the button with my left hand as I keep my right holding the wheel tightly, not knowing what to expect.
I flash forward, moving faster than I ever believed a kart could move. The kart zooms, leaving the others in my dust. I reach level with Nick, just as we’re about to cross the finish line.
As we race across the line, I have no idea which of us won. We slow down, and then come to a stop, sitting in our karts, glaring at each other as the others cross the line behind us. Callan, Kaden, and then Mason bringing up the rear.
Suddenly across all the screens in the room, the numbers on the front of mine and Nick’s karts pop up. What the hell does that mean? But I’m not left wondering for long, when suddenly the word ‘Draw’ pops up on all the screens, flashing different colours as it flickers on and off the screen repeatedly. Well, at least I didn’t lose. I jump out my kart and walk over to Nick.
“Looks like you didn’t win this time,” I say smugly.
“You didn’t win either, Moany,” he mutters darkly.
“Yeah, but this was only my first race. You’ve been here, how many times?” I reply, feeling the surge of satisfaction run through me. I’m not intending on letting him live this down anytime soon.
“You wouldn’t have even finished the damn race if it wasn’t for me saving your ass when we came out the tunnel!” Nick growls.
“And who’s problem is that? Not mine!” I jibe.
“So…what does a draw mean?” Kaden asks as he walks over, looking between me and Nick.
“Neither of us get what we want I suppose,” Nick answers, glaring at me, clearly unhappy at losing. Well, not winning anyway. I think about it for a moment.
“What if we both win? We both get what we want,” I suggest. None of the other guys look thrilled at the suggestion, but Nick appears to mull it over for a moment.
“Neither of you won, but neither of you lost. What about you both get half of what you want? Nick has to teleport taxi you, say three times? Rather than all the time. And you just have to stop calling him Nicky,” Mason helpfully suggests. The guys look relieved at this suggestion and Nick nods his head in agreement.
“Yeah, I’m good with that. What about you Moany-Mona, is that good enough for you?” he asks.
“I think that’s fair, but one little thing.”
“What?” he asks.
“I’ll clean your room in the outfit, but you’re keeping the name Nicky,” I reply.
“No way,” Kaden says.
“Lass, are ye feeling alright?” Callan asks. Mason just looks at me calculatingly.
“Why?” Nick asks, clearly unsure of my reasoning. I get it, why would I possibly want to clean his room in a French maid outfit?
“First, do you take the deal?” I ask, wanting to get his agreement before revealing my logic.
“Definitely,” he answers quickly.
“Why did you do that?” Kaden asks, groaning.
“Well, me dressing in that damn outfit and cleaning Nicky’s room means embarrassment for me for one day, just one. But now, I get to embarrass Nick by calling him Nicky forever,” I reply letting the glee slip into my voice as I watch Nick’s face go from smug to annoyed.
“You’re not bad at making deals, Mona. I guess you really are a demon after all,” Nick mutters, turning around to leave.
I freeze and stare blankly after him, the hurt hitting me from his words. Am I really so much like one? Maybe I am more demon than human… An arm wraps around me pulling me into a one-armed side hug as they pull me along after Nick. I breathe in the citrus smell and relax, feeling the tension roll right out of me. I look up at Mason, surprised by him initiating the contact between us like that.
“Don’t jump to conclusions, he didn’t mean to hurt you with his words,” Mason whispers softly. “Nick is brash, he doesn’t think before he speaks or acts. Remember that.”
“Thank you, Mase. You always know just what I need to hear,” I say quietly back to him. He smiles down at me, the look in his amber eyes giving me butterflies in my stomach as I remember the last time we were this close. He leans down closer and I freeze, nothing knowing what to expect. But he just lays a soft kiss on top of my head.
“Come on, Mona,” he says and releases me, heading to catch up with Nick and Callan. Kaden, however, has paused and is watching me. I wonder why for a moment, and then it clicks that he must have heard our conversation. I smile at him, but he doesn’t return it, finally turning around to join the others.
I wonder what that could be about?
Chapter 5
Kaden is standing in the doorway to my room with a frown on his face. His bulk is blocking most of the view, but I’m pretty sure I can spot Mason standing behind him.
“What’s up, Kaden?” I ask from where I’m stretched out on the bed.
“You don’t have to do it. Nobody expects you to,” he says, as he walks into the room, taking my addressing him as an invitation. Mason follows in behind him and leans against the wall near to the door.
“I’m not backing out, Kaden,” I reply, and then yawn. Fuck that really took it out of me yesterday. I haven’t really moved much all day, tired out from actually doing something. I guess my routine of sleeping and self-loathing needed to let up eventually. Standing up and stretching, I feel both of their eyes watching me as I move across the room. I unzip the clothing bag that is hanging from the top of my wardrobe, Nick having cheerily dropped it in here when he got in from work. I cringe as I open the garment bag and see what’s inside
. I walk over to the mirror and hold it out in front of me.
“No fucking way,” Kaden mutters.
“It could be worse,” I counter, picturing Luna’s zombie maid outfit from a few years back. That Halloween party was insane, and that skimpy maid’s outfit makes this one look like I belong in a nunnery. It really could be worse. This one covers everything important. I shrug, I honestly expected him to pick one resembling one a lot closer to what Luna had worn.
“That one’s bad enough,” he replies in a strained tone.
“Well unless you wanna see me wearing a lot less, you better exit now,” I say as I shrug off my grey cardigan.
“Wait,” Mason calls. I turn and face him, having managed to forget that he slunk in after Kaden with how quiet he’s been.
“What?” I ask.
“Here,” he says, holding out a bag to me that I hadn’t noticed before. I walk over and take the bag from him. Opening up the bag, I laugh.
“Oh my god, what even is this?” I ask as I pull it out.
“It’s a French maid’s outfit… but it’s a slightly more historically accurate one,” he answers, a wide smile taking over his face as he sees the realisation hit mine. Loopholes. Beautiful fucking loopholes.
“I could kiss you,” I mumble as I walk over to the mirror and hold out the new costume in front of me. The dress comes down to just above my ankles. I am going to be even more covered up than in my normal clothes. I turn around to face Mason and Kaden while holding the dress in front of my body.
“I have to see Nick’s face when you walk in,” Kaden says, barely keeping the laughter in.
“Looks like it’ll fit, I’ll be outside the door. I also would like to see Nick’s face,” Mason chimes in as he goes to exit the room.
“Wait, Mason, can you hold on a sec,” I call. Kaden looks between the two of us, before shrugging and leaving the room, shutting the door behind him to give us some privacy. Or at least the illusion of it, considering his super elf hearing. I drop the costume dress onto my bed.