Chapter Eight
When Danica pulled up to the Dirty Dog Diner, it was to find Arden and Phi already there, leaning against a black car worth more than anything she could ever afford. That kind of money just didn’t exist in her world, not even in the racing world. The car sitting there easily cost a few million and they were leaning against it like they didn’t care if their clothing scratched it. If she had a car like that, no one’s ass would get near it.
Danica raised her brow at the car, at the clear Aston Martin wings at its nose, but she didn’t comment. She was more curious how they could help the orphanage but a car like that meant money, which meant they could help far more than she expected. Still, a car like that would attract attention in this town. Her shop was the only thing that drew in cars to Rockville, but nothing like this.
Taking off her helmet, Danica hooked it underneath the seat of her motorcycle and stepped closer to them, her eyes dancing between the car parked in the dirt like it wasn’t worth millions of dollars and the two attractive men.
“We appreciate you letting us explain,” Phi said, doing his gentle smile again. Danica wondered if she should tell him that it did anything but put her at ease.
“Let me be clear,” Danica said. She was torn between wanting to be her usual self and turning on the charm in the hopes they could actually help the orphanage. In the end, she settled on being herself. They weren’t looking for pomp and circumstance, not if they came to Rockville, Indiana looking for her. “I’m here because of those kids and nothing else.”
Phi nodded, respect flashing in his eyes for a moment before he schooled his facial features again. “Noted.”
Arden opened the door and gestured for her to go inside first. Her instincts still told her not to put her back to them, but a sense of pride and misplaced bravery had her walking inside anyway to make a point. Phi followed after her at a respectable distance behind and followed her lead to a booth furthest in the corner. This time of night, there was only one other customer, an elderly man that never seemed to sleep. Mr. Briggs was a veteran. His PTSD kept him from a normal sleep schedule, so he was often found at the diner in the early hours of the morning. Sometimes, when Danica came to the diner with the guys after a long day of work to meet deadlines, they would invite Mr. Briggs to join them.
The weathered man looked up and waved at Danica when he saw her, but his eyes hardened on Phi and Arden.
“Evening, Mr. Briggs,” she said, nodding to him in reassurance.
“Working late again, I see, Danica. Best take care at night.”
“You know I always do. Have a good night.”
But Mr. Briggs didn’t turn his eyes away from Arden and Phi until Danica was safely seated in the furthest corner with her back to the wall. Arden and Phi took the opposite side of the table. Only once they were settled and Dot came over to take their coffee order did Mr. Briggs look away.
Sitting this close to the two men, Danica was able to really study them and see how they sat close to each other. Most men not confident in their sexuality might have kept space between them in the booth. Phi and Arden, however, didn’t seem to care how close they were, but Danica couldn’t tell if it were because of a romantic relationship or just being close.
“So, are you two. . .” Danica asked, gesturing at the little space between them.
Arden snorted. “Phi wishes.”
The scowl that pulled at Phi’s lips was priceless. “As if you’re the catch here.”
Danica’s lips twitched against her will, but she schooled her features. They were certainly close, best friends probably, but not romantic. Danica wasn’t sure why that was important to her, but she felt it important to figure out the dynamic between them.
Dot came back and set down two cups of coffee in front of Arden and Phi and a glass of chocolate milk in front of Danica. She hadn’t ordered the drink, hadn’t needed to. Dot already knew what she wanted when she came in this late.
Arden raised his brow at the glass of milk, but Danica only shrugged her shoulder and took a sip. “It’s tradition,” she offered as explanation. But she wouldn’t reveal the full extent of it, that her and her dad used to drink chocolate milk at the very same diner since she was a kid. “Now, tell me what this deal is. You said you need a driver. For NASCAR? It’s a bit late in the season for that.”
Arden shook his head, shooting a quick glance at Phi before he spoke. “This isn’t a race you’ll have heard of.” But then he stopped, seemingly unsure what else to say.
Phi sighed. “Allow me to explain.” He glanced behind him at Mr. Briggs and Dot, but they were both far enough away that when he lowered his voice, they wouldn’t be able to hear. “You’ve noticed Arden and I are not exactly. . . normal, yes?”
“Well, sure.” Danica frowned. “I mean, look at you two.”
“You mentioned predators,” Phi continued. “And you’re not wrong. But it’s the type of predator that we are that’s important to this story.”
Danica raised her brows. “Lawyers? Card sharks? Serial killers?”
Arden chuckled but Phi seemed unperturbed by her questions.
“No. We’re none of those. We’re vampires.”
Her brows would have disappeared into her hairline if it would have been possible. Instead, Danica only looked between them and tapped her finger on the table gently. “I see.”
When she didn’t react any other way, Arden frowned and leaned forward. “And you’re okay with that?” he asked. There was true puzzlement on his face. It almost made Danica laugh.
“It’s none of my business if you’re delusional.” Arden flashed his teeth and her eyes dropped to the two pronounced canines. “Nice prosthetics. High quality stuff.”
Arden’s face twisted even more but Phi held up his hand and he relaxed back against the booth.
“It doesn’t matter whether you believe us or not, but it’s important to the explanation,” Phi explained. “Vampires are only one of multitudes of creatures living among humans. Werewolves, crows, elves, Fae; you name it, it’s probably real.”
“Santa Claus?” Danica asked, the corner of her lips curling, but when Phi nodded, she frowned.
“Claus is an elf and a right dick of one at that. I’d suggest not messing with him.”
“I’d like to punch the elf right in the nose for putting me on the naughty list all those years ago,” Arden grumbled. “Seriously. It was a harmless prank.”
“You blew up his sleigh,” Phi laughed. “Hardly a prank.”
“Okay, okay, okay,” Danica interrupted their banter and pressed her hair away from her face. “So, say what you’re saying is true. What does that have to do with racing?”
Phi nodded. “Every quarter year, there’s a race between those who wish to race in the Race Games. Consider it somewhat like the supernatural underground. Every two years, there’s a larger race. The Race Games are televised to those who know how to find it.”
Danica tilted her head, studying him. “Race Games?”
Phi took a sip of the coffee and didn’t flinch even though Danica knew it was shit coffee. “The prizes range from things such as more power on the Council to actual objects for the quarter races. The two year races deal in wins that involve a massive trade in power.” He paused and glanced at Arden. “I have a personal stake in this race, and I need to win at any cost.”
“And your first thought was to ask someone to drive for you from Rockville, Indiana? You do realize I don’t race anymore, right? I haven’t in years.”
Phi nodded again, as if that was all he was capable of doing. “I know why you no longer race, but before you stopped your progress, you were a rising star, a prodigy. I’ve watched and analyzed your records. You would have been great. A bit reckless with your driving, but that’s precisely what we need.”
The words hit something inside Danica, and she found herself wrapping her hands around her milk. “My dad called my driving reckless, too. He said the only thing that saved me was my instinct.”
“Your father sounds like a wise man,” Phi murmured. If he’d looked through her records, he’d certainly know that her father passed, and yet he didn’t presume, so she didn’t correct him.
“And you think I’ll just agree to be a driver for you?”
“I’m prepared to make a deal in both of our interests,” Phi continued, as if there hadn’t just been a moment of understanding between them. “The orphanage, you’ve been trying to save it for years, yes? It’s under threat of being foreclosed on?”
Danica met his eyes. “There are twenty-one kids there who would be lost in the system if it shut down. None of them deserve that fate after finding somewhere that’s safe.”
“Your fight for them is admirable,” Arden added, and when Danica met his eyes, she realized he meant the words. Somehow, fighting for the kids had earned their respect. Perhaps, they were not as much of a threat as she’d first assumed, at least not to her.
Phi pulled out a tablet and set it on the table. The screen flashed to a bank app. The account balance that flashed across it nearly made her eyes bug out of her head. “Just for agreeing to race with us, no matter what outcome happens, I will pay off all debts for the orphanage currently in the red.” Danica gasped but Phi still continued forward. “If you win the race, I will fully fund the orphanage for as long as it exists, as well as set up funds for all twenty-one children currently within its walls that they can access once of age.”
Danica’s eyes widened at his words. “What if it exists for a hundred years?”
“Then I will hand deliver the cash myself at the end of a century to ensure it keeps running smoothly.”
Something inside Danica shifted and she knew she would accept their offer, no matter what. If she lost, the kids would still be safe and there would be a chance to keep the orphanage running. But if she won, she’d be giving them all a better future than she could have ever managed for them. Still, she didn’t accept right away.
“You’re serious about the vampire thing?” she asked, glancing between them.
Arden grinned. “Wanna find out what it’s like to be bitten?” His voice was smooth whiskey, temptation, seduction, the predator he kept contained.
Danica blinked. “If I agree to do this, no one bites me, whether I believe you or not.”
“Deal,” Phi said quickly, and Arden scowled at him.
“Tell me more about this race.” Danica took a drink of her milk, trying to process everything. “You said there are other creatures, but I’m human. What would I have that someone with fancy powers wouldn’t?”
“That’s precisely your strength, Danica.” Phi smiled at her and took another sip of the coffee. Not even a single grimace. Arden, however, nearly choked on the cup when he took a drink of his. “You have instincts others won’t. Your humanity is what will carry us across the finish line.”
Taking another drink of her chocolate milk, she asked the question that seemed most important. “How dangerous is it?”
Racing, by definition, was dangerous even when done with humans on a circle track. If there were powers involved and supernatural creatures and such high stakes, she had to imagine the danger would be higher.
Phi tensed at her question but Arden answers instead. “The mortality rates are high.”
“How high?”
Phi ran a hand through his hair and met her eyes. “Most who enter the races don’t come out alive.”