“Ignore him,” Radley came around the car and took up position beside her. “You’re not embarrassing anyone. We’re going to win this and the whole world will see it.”
She looked up at him sadly. “You heard all of that?”
“Every word,” he answered truthfully. “He’s wrong about you, but he’s right about one thing.”
“Yeah?”
“The press is going to have a field day when we barrel across the finish line.” The wolf winked at her before handing her the helmet. “We should climb inside. The Game is about to start.”
Cricket slid her helmet over her head and strapped it in place. Though she healed faster than a human, a head wound would take far too long for her to heal in the middle of a race, so she was wearing it for safety. She also wore a bright pink jumpsuit, just because she knew it would annoy Radley. To her surprise, he’d worn the matching pink jumpsuit himself. It should have been funny, an alpha wearing pink, but instead, it somehow made him sexier. Radley stood in the jumpsuit without a care in the world, pulling on his own helmet dutifully despite his healing powers. Once he fastened his own, he opened the driver side door and held it open for her. She climbed inside and waited for Radley to run around to the other side and climb in.
“It appears we’ve been left a gift,” she commented, pointing to the note attached to the dash right next to a new button that hadn’t been there before.
“‘For when enemies get too close’,” Radley read. “‘It shoots spikes from all around the car, three hundred and sixty degrees’.” He blinked. “How did they even install that without us knowing?”
Cricket shrugged. “The fact that the Vampire King and Arden Ryker are sponsoring us and gifted us a weapon for our car already blows my mind. If I try to think of how they managed it, I’ll likely come up blank.”
The button was red with the symbol of a blood drop on it, as if a reminder that it was a gift from the vamps. Cricket didn’t think she’d be able to forget who it came from, whether it was marked or not. They wouldn’t have the weapons until the second section of the race, but it was still appreciated. Likely, it would help them with any of the teams that attempted to kill them.
Above them, the flagger climbed to the top. Only then did Danica claim the announcer spot, taking on the duty for this race. “Race teams, start your engines,” she called.
Cricket pressed her fingers to the ignition button and waited for the purr of their Ferrari to rumble to life around them. Some of the cars were louder, but none were so threatening as the growl of their own car. More than a few teams turned to look at them, at their car, as she came to life. Meeting Danica’s eyes high above them, Cricket nodded her head in respect, thanking her for making their car the best it could be. Danica winked in response.
“The wave of the green flag starts the race.” Her eyes travelled over the ten teams waiting. “Good luck.”
She climbed down just before the flagger picked up the green flag and prepared. This Race, the flagger was a young vampire male, his eyes bright with excitement at winning the honor of waving the starting flag. He held the flag up and out just like he’d been taught. Cricket dropped the car into first gear and held her breath, her feet pressed down firmly on the break and the clutch.
“Ready?” Radley asked, his eyes on the green flag the same as hers.
“Ready,” Cricket answered.
The vampire began to wave the green flag vigorously. Cricket released the clutch the same time as she pressed the gas pedal with her other foot, and the Ferrari shot forward into the fray.