The Curse of the Black Jade

[Tigra]

Quietly, Tigra tipped her arm, checking her watch. It wouldn’t be much longer. It couldn’t be too much longer. The crew was chomping at the bit to get started working over the fresh meat. She hadn’t given them anything to work on beyond they were a much smaller crew that wanted to roll with them, to join Q5. She worked her lip between her teeth, worrying over it as she dropped her arm and rested lightly into her ex-wife’s side. She was honestly concerned with how well they would fit into the group, what the change might do to the little empire she had built from the dust. It was not, by any stretch, the largest club in the game, but they were closer than most. They were like family, and she hoped beyond hope she wasn’t making a mistake. She twisted her lips into a frown as she thought, her hazel eyes falling to the asphalt as she lost herself in the string of thoughts until she felt a sharp nudge at her side. Her eyes flicked to where Souris had lightly jabbed her bony elbow into her ribs.

She couldn’t be mad. The woman was trying so hard to win back her good graces. She didn’t want to leave the crew, she could see it in the way she begged Tigra every time she looked into her eyes. She hadn’t made up her mind about what she wanted to do with her just yet. She was genuinely clinging to the club with all of her might, fighting to fit in and make as many friends as she could before she was turned out into the cold, but she had put a knife in Le Mur’s back. He might be a strong man, and Curves had made the pain an easy burden for him to bare, but it didn’t make her crime any better. Cindre had gotten off because of her skill. As much as Tigra loathed the woman with every ounce of her being, she couldn’t throw her out either, because to do so would completely undermine her dominance. The crew would see her as weak, frightened by the little redhead that clawed and fought against the narrowing gap between them every night. She sighed, and pinched lightly at the bridge of her nose as the small, mousey woman told her not to worry.

She had already begun to expect this sort of convergence, with Q5 growing so fast, the caliber of its drivers only becoming more and more legendary in the White North circuit, it was beginning to attract newcomers, its size growing like wildfire. Her dark eyes slid to the two newest additions as her mind worked quickly through that string of thought. Valkyr and Ice had come attached at the hip, they had displayed the sort of familial attitude she admired in her crew. They were a small addition, and an easy decision. This woman, though, this Viper brought an entire crew with her. She didn’t know how easily the crew would handle the new tensions, the new rivalries and friendships. She’d agreed to the meet, letting Viper and her ladies have a go at her thirteen best. They would have to prove to her that they would be worth her stressing over the decision.

She sighed, her long, lean form perched easily on the hood of her custom Supra, Souris at her left like her own lost puppy, Tigra’s ex nestled against her right side, loosely wrapped in her right arm. Parked to either side was Cindre and Ouragan, the second ranked driver and the woman she hated, and her son, ranked third. Cindre rested neatly against the door of her 911 Turbo, Asche’s tall, slender form pulled tightly against her as they sucked on each others’ faces. Tigra didn’t acknowledge either of them, her eyes moving to her left where Ouragan laid back across the hood of his Skyline, the steel blue slope of the hood offering a smooth expanse for him to lie down, the slender blonde he had brought into the crew only the night before sat at his hip, her tight jeans clinging to her figure like a denim skin. The turquoise fabric of her g-string peeked out from its denim hiding place as she leaned forward, her elbows against her knees as she turned her head, speaking to her son in hushed voices. She smiled, happy that someone so beautiful, so smart, had taken an interest in him.

Beyond his car, the small profile of Sadique’s Citroen rocked on its suspension. She was thankful for the soundproofing he’d put into the car now. She’d heard the lungs on Audacieux the night they were using the empty garage, and knew that there was certainly almost no way that girl could ever be discrete with their… activities. She chuckled, and glanced the other direction, past Lucille and Asche as the redhead lifted herself onto the tips of her toes and bit at the tall blonde’s lip to pull her back down by the vicious hold on her flesh, causing even Tigra to wince before she returned to ignoring them. Le Mur had his arms folded neatly around Curves’ hips, her soft frame settled easily against his, her back to his chest as his chin rested in the soft bed of her curls. She caught the blonde’s eyes and gave her a soft, thankful smile before she blew her a kiss. She winked, and looked over them all. They were the Five, the first members of the crew, the best that Quebec’s streets offered. She smiled wider until she heard the wailing of tires, her head snapping to the dock strip. They were there.

If there was one thing Viper could never live without, it was the powerful purr that her car made as it sped along a deserted road. What made it even more desirable was the echo behind her as her crew kept up with ease, the moonlight shimmering off the variety of paintjobs as the Challengers raced behind her. The streets had been deserted, and she couldn’t shake the satisfactory feeling that they had caused it. It was if the occupants had known that they were coming through and had swept their children off the sidewalks and boarded up their windows to keep them at bay. Lifting her gaze to her rearview mirror, her lips curved into that familiar, sinful smile as she spotted Mayhem at her bumper, and though the glass was tinted, she could make out the glow of her cigarette a second before she flicked it out the window. She knew that her crew was curious to where she was leading them, and she had only given them the information they needed to know, the bare minimum. They trusted her and they never questioned her. It was just how they worked.

As she took a sudden turn, her tires squealed as they gripped the asphalt. The sound echoed from behind her, twelve sets of tires screaming in perfect time, following closely behind her lead. She frowned when she saw Rose nearly lose traction, her car lurching to the side, her rear bumper nearly colliding with the building to her left. Viper’s fingers curled over the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white as her gaze remained locked on the white challenger as she prepared to press her foot to the brake. She knew without watching the others that they had all done the same, their cars going from top speed to a steady, even pace as the blonde righted herself. She waited until she was positive the other was back on track before releasing the breath she’d been holding. Her foot pressed to the gas just as her phone chimed. Pressing ‘answer’ on the onboard control, she leaned her head back as Mayhem’s husky voice filled the cab of her car. “That was close. The babes are getting tired, lass. I don’t think Vixen can hold out much longer. We’ve been driving for hours.”

The strain in the blonde’s voice was evident, and she closed her eyes for just a second. “We’re almost there. The GPS is reading another two minutes. Signal for them to speed up. We’ve got nothing but highway ahead of us and I want to make an entrance.” Not waiting for her acceptance, the brunette switched off the call and straightened into her seat. She had thought this over for nearly a month, and despite believing that her crew could handle anything without help, she knew they were lonely. Pressing her foot to the gas, she applied it until the engine purred and her car lurched forward, the speedometer quickly raising. Flicking her gaze once to her rearview, she grinned when she saw them fall into formation, and she shook her head. There wasn’t anything to worry about. It’s not like it’s a sealed deal or anything, Viper, you’re just checking them out. Who would pass up an opportunity to even see where Q5 hid? Yeah, that’s all it was. She was just going along for a tour. Nothing was set in stone.

As the gates to the garage came into view, she pressed a quick succession double tap to the horn, signaling they were near. At once, the heavy metal gate slid open and she swerved her car to the left, allowing the rest of her crew to pass her. She watched as they neared the gates before breaking off into two groups of six, their music blaring and their tires squealing as they sped into the compound. The second Rabbit’s taillights disappeared through the compound entrance, she threw her car back into drive and moved straight down the middle of the formation, her headlights bathing the group waiting for them in a warm amber glow. None of them moved as she rested back in her seat, the tinted glass hiding their features from view. DMX continued to blare from their speakers, the song synchronized between the thirteen as their engines trembled in rhythm.

Tigra lifted a finger to place it over the mousey Souris’s lips, silencing her before she pushed her gently aside, shooing her back to her car. The small woman gave her a dejected look before she hung her head and made her way past Lucille’s Porsche, another longing, sideways glance at the redhead before she trudged her way back to her truck. Tigra shook her head, looking away from the kicked puppy that called herself a woman, and raked her fingers through her hair. Long, chocolate strands fell into perfect place as she tugged at the tight cotton shirt she wore, stretching the fabric across her chest before she glanced to her ex. “Ready?”

She didn’t have a chance to answer. Tires screamed in protest as a matching fleet of Chargers screeched to a halt, holding a tight formation. If nothing, their teamwork and coordination were impressive. Before she could realize it, Tigra was smiling.

Her grey gaze swept over whom she assumed to be the ‘five’ of the group, giving them their name. Her head cocked to one side while she studied them. Each rested on their car, their arms wrapped around their own slender woman as they nestled between their thighs. She watched as the smaller of the men slid his fingers against a tall blonde’s stomach, as if unable to stop touching her, and her lips curved into a another secretive grin. There was a reason that she and Tigra, the tall leader of Q5 had spent many nights over beers, consulting the joining of their crews, and the way the men seemed to curl around their women like fierce warriors was one of them.


Pressing her finger to the ‘mass call’ button, she made up her mind. “Show time.” It was a simple command, and at once, the music died. The garage descended into a sudden silence. The doors opened simultaneously and the thirteen women pulled themselves from the darkened cabs of their Challengers. Her crew moved like predators, their hips swaying with the power and independence that she had instilled in them since the moment they formed the crew as they moved to lean casually against their hoods, leaving the brunette leader to stand alone. With a small sigh, she steadied her breathing and spun her keys around a slender finger. Her converse made no sound as she made her way across the pavement towards the garage, eyes sweeping the rest of the group, finally. “Tigra,” she said casually, and smiled as the woman tipped her head in greeting. “I told you we’d stop by if we were ever in town. It seems we all decided to come at the same time,” the Australian chuckled, her accent light but easily heard as she waved her hand behind her.

Tigra heard the hush fall over her crew, the only sound was Sadique’s door shutting, Audacieux standing behind him, fighting her leather pants up her hips as the crew opposite them exited their cars. She could feel the pulse of her club almost hammering as thirteen slender legs found the asphalt, Viper’s head appearing first before she was followed by the rest. The woman was striking. Her very presence commanded obedience from each of the women, every one of them falling into line without so much as a bat of her lashes. Tigra swallowed thickly at the attraction she could feel for the woman as she shook her head clear. Her name fell from the woman’s lips in a sound like a purr and she just grinned. She wouldn’t interrupt.

“I’m Viper, for those of you that don’t know me, and I’d like to introduce you to my crew, Black Jade. Up front, we have Mayhem and Nightingale, my enforcers.” As she spoke their names, the blonde that seemed to blend in with her car stepped forward, her black button down dress clinging to her curves as she gave them a faint curl of blood red lips. The woman at her side simply tipped her head, her expression blank as she remained against her own car, dark, ebony cascade of silky hair falling over one side of her face. Tigra’s eyes lingered on the enforcers, watching them closely. They would be the ones she needed to worry about falling into line, she was sure, after upholding Viper’s rules for so long. The ladies seemed plenty intimidating, their mere presence menacing and powerful. She would have her work cut out for her with these two.

The tall Canadian had pulled the entire crew for the evening, making it easier for Viper and her ladies to get to know the group without having to slowly filter them through the ranks. With her words, the way she commanded everyone’s attention as she introduced each of her women, she knew that the decision had been wise. None of them would be missed, and each of her own crew would know, beyond doubt, exactly who was who. Her eyes danced with the wave of motion, taking in each face, committing them to memory, and the little bits of information that she provided.

”Then we have Phantom, Whisper, and Nyx,” she turned to her right and pointed out the other three, each unique in their own way. Phantom had already sprawled out on the hood of her car, her long, tan legs dangling over the edge and the hem of her shorts clinging to her toned thighs as she kicked her feet. At the sound of her name, she turned her attention from Viper to the new crew, her brow raising as she gave a dazzling smile. The pink haired goddess, Nyx, remained bent over the side of her hood, *** in the air, barely lifting her fingers when she was introduced, though it wasn’t to be rude. Her brilliant blue eyes were speculative as she scanned each face and her smile was soft as she glanced to the tiny Asian at her side. Whisper greeted them with a silent motion of her lips, mouthing the word ‘hello’ before bending down to fix the strap on her knee high boots, her gaze avoiding the rest of the eyes on her.

Shaking her head at their silence, she chuckled low in her throat as she glanced back to her left, finding the remaining three of her older crew. “Down that way we have Earth, Chaos and Lyric.” These women, veterans of Viper’s crew, were the drivers Tigra was interested in. They had the experience, the technique and skill that would prove most interesting to her club. Fresh meat. New talent. They would flesh out Q5, offering a new and fresh field of talent that some of her more inexperienced drivers could learn from, and her more veteran racers could enjoy through competition.

Each of the three gave a nod in greeting, Earth’s dark chocolate curls bouncing against her face as she did. She had seated herself on her hood, but in a much more relaxed manner than Phantom had. Her long legs were stretched out in front of her and crossed at the ankles, combat boots loose and unzipped. Her leather pants clung to her long, shapely legs, and her top hugged her breasts in a demure way as she gave a wave. Chaos had remained quiet, her brunette curls framing a soft, expressional face as she tugged at the hem of her dress, her feet bare as she curled her toes against the pavement. Beside her, Lyric gave one last drag of her cigarette before tossing it on the ground and crushing it beneath a black heel, her gaze moving towards Viper with a raised brow. They all knew what was coming next, and quickly their postures changed.

The women already introduced seemed to tense as she cleared her throat, fingers lifting to tuck a curl behind the shell of her ear. “That just leaves our babes,” she said quietly, though the authority was clear in her voice. She had spoken of them already with Tigra, and she knew she understood the warning that rang true in her voice as she crooked a finger at the remaining four. “The one dressed like a naughty school girl is Rose, and her partner in crime is Rabbit, the pinup Sailor. The redhead is Vixen, and that quiet beauty at the end is Sunflower. They’re our youngest members.” She introduced them one by one, her finger singling each out. Rose made a move to step forward, but Nightingale’s arm snaked around her shoulders and pinned her to her side, the motion causing the tight white ‘top’ she wore to shift, revealing the top of the blue bra she wore beneath. The motion had Rabbit laughing, her curls bouncing as she wiggled her fingers in a flirtatious wave, though the glare from Viper had her remaining silent. Sunflower hadn’t even bothered to move, and it wasn’t until Whisper pulled her in and whispered a quiet reassurance in her ear that she even lifted her gaze from the ground to offer them a shy smile to the group in front of them.

Tigra’s sharp eyes swung on the youngest of Viper’s group as they were introduced. Her maternal instincts instantly flared to life as she looked over the young women, barely into their teens. She had to question the validity of their driver’s licences, for certain. They hardly looked old enough to reach the pedals, much less to be the prodigal street racers that Viper had claimed them to be. She watched the way that the Black Jade enforcers closed on the babes, as they had been called, putting their bodies between the youth and her own crew. Instantly, she felt a level of respect and adoration for both of the women that she had just moments ago been so wary of. She respected their commitment to protecting the young. It was a common ground she was extremely passionate about.

Viper waited a beat for Vixen to move, and she frowned as she noticed the redhead tugging roughly at her t-shirt. The white cotton pulled tight over her chest, the material thin enough to make it clear she wore nothing beneath, but even that wasn’t enough to distract the leader from what was happening. The redhead’s eyes were focused above Tigra’s head, her lips moving silently as she counted each flicker of the bulb. Her hands shook as she pulled harder at her top, and Mayhem quickly moved to her side, her arms wrapping around the short redhead’s thick hips as she pulled her back to her chest. Shaking her head, Viper turned to face the woman again, her hands shoving into the pockets of her faded jeans. “Vixen… she was in a pretty fucked up wreck a few years back at Daytona Strip during a speed test. Went headfirst through her windshield. She hasn’t been the same since. Just… give her a few minutes. It’s been a long night for all of us.” Her tone was strong, daring anyone to say something about the redhead as she began to tremble. Tears of frustration had built in her sea-green gaze, and Mayhem tightened her hold on her stomach as she whispered quietly into her ear, trying to calm her.

“The **** is wrong with her?” Lucille asked from Tigra’s side, her red curls bouncing toward the thick redhead that stared at the ceiling and trying to tear her shirt in two. Tigra grit her teeth and turned, her open palm striking the woman’s face so hard so fast, that her arm lashed out like a snake, a blur of motion that sent the woman’s head snapping to the side, her cheek blushing a vibrant red as the blood rushed to the stinging flesh. “Ow, what the ****, *****?” she snapped, and Tigra pulled her gun from her waistband, Lucille’s turning head catching the barrel in her eye, the cool metal pressed firmly against the round, green orb. “Say another ******* word, putain. Just say it.” She snarled. The redhead swallowed, and shook her head, her one visible eye wide with terror. She was lucky she didn’t pull the trigger. The muscles in her arm screamed for her too, the blood in her veins cried out for the violence as she pushed the weapon back into the waistband of her tight jeans.

“I am so sorry, Viper. Cindre has a very severe problem with tact. Please forgive her.” She muttered, lifting a finger at her thigh level to silence the redhead as she felt the protest bubble at the woman’s lips. “We are all impressed with Vixen’s strength. We saw the wreck in the news, and that she can still drive is nothing short of a miracle. I know exactly how she feels. I had a very similar accident on my way down here.” She said softly, sympathetically as she gave the curvy redheaded woman a small smile when she finished moving her lips and sagged against the blonde behind her. “Please, sweetheart, ignore the ****. There is nothing wrong with you the way that you are.”

Lucille’s lips moved quietly as she muttered an apology. The words had been fast to fly from her tongue, and her thoughts had not been with them.

“After talking it over with my enforcers, we’ve decided to check you out. We want to make it clear that we don’t need this. We’re not here to beg for table scraps, but I want to see my girls taken care of. They’re my family, my life. Being on the road isn’t easy, especially with…” Trailing off, she glanced back towards Vixen and simply raised a brow at the dark glare her cousin sent her way. “We don’t expect to just come in and have you accept us, either. We plan to show you what we have, but we also expect you to prove yourselves to us. I mean, come on. We don’t just hang with anybody.” She gave a quiet grin then as she moved to rest back against her car, her hands moving steadily through her hair before she crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes never leaving Tigra.

Tigra smiled, and pushed her knuckles against her jaw as she leaned forward, letting her arm drop from around her ex to glance from face to face once they had each been introduced. Her eyes flashed in the lights of their headlamps, the hazel color seemed to shift and dance, browns, blues and greens slowly mixing, coiling into one another as her intense, predator’s stare moved over each face, each figure, each car. They were an impressive bunch, extremely attractive, each of them, and while Viper had them committed to the unified fleet, each car was allowed its own unique flare, each of them reflecting the girls’ personalities. The idea intrigued her. It was an interesting concept. Finally, her eyes swept to Viper once again. She was thin, her figure perfectly outlined in the lights of her car as she stood before the Charger, her arms crossed over the heavy swell of her chest.

Tigra nodded, and jutted her head in her direction. “So you’ve met our second spot, the less than savory Cindre.” The redheaded woman just found herself busy with her shoes, ignoring the tall blonde German’s nudging to get her to say hello. Tigra smirked, pleased with the bright red imprint of her hand across the woman’s cheek. She turned to her left, then, and her smile grew extremely wide. “This is Ouragan. He is our third ranked driver, and most importantly, my son.” Her eyes shot to the group of women, the intensity in her eyes almost crippling, daring any of them to utter a word about her age, about him, about her. Anything. She took the business of her son and their relationship very seriously. Her hand lifted to the woman still seated neatly on the hood of his car, though he had pulled her closer into his side, his powerful arm still wrapped around her slender waist, his fingers twisted idly into the turquoise string of her thong. “And his girlfriend, Tempest. She is a new addition to the rank, so you will have to forgive my reluctance to put her on the track with your crew, Viper.”

Satisfied, she tipped her head past Ouragan to the couple next to the purple Citroen, finally pulling themselves together. “The honeymooners are Sadique, our Fourth, and Audacieux, another fresh addition. I’m sure they’ll be happy to give you a proper greeting once they’ve gotten themselves sorted.” She chuckled and gave the pair a wink as they turned to shoot her a glare before nodding to the crew.

Finally, she turned to the man on Cindre’s far side, his frame still rested against the car, though his posture was entirely changed. He was no longer relaxed, his arms wrapped tightly, protectively around Curves as he pulled her into his form. “The other couple is Le Mur, the Fifth, with his boo Curves. She, as well, is new to the streets here.” She lifted her arm, sliding it lovingly about the slender, thin blonde at her side, pulling her hips across the hood of her Supra and into her side. “And this beautiful, lovely little thing is my ex-wife, Belle. She’s a sweetheart, so we still keep her around.” She turned, and kissed the woman’s cheek before she could receive a glare. She waved her hand to the rest of the crew. “And we, ladies, are Q5.”

The crew around them sent up a shout, a powerful cheer as fists and drinks were lifted to the air in salute. She chuckled, waiting for the excitement to subside before she swept her hand toward the knot of cars parked at the open garage’s edge. “And these, ladies, are the rest of your competitors for the evening. First, ranked sixth in the massive old Mustang is Brick.” She lifted her hand to him and he offered the woman a smile, bowing his head as he offered a gestured kiss, his pierced brow drawn high as he swept his gaze over the visiting crew. He licked his lips, like he was appraising a side of beef. The tiny blonde at his side laughed at his reaction. “And his mechanic, Stick. Don’t let the names fool you, girls. They’re hell on the tarmac.”

She smiled to the man and let her hand move to the crew at his side. “The ancient ******** in the even more ancient Cadillac is our beloved Knight. He and Noble, his personal mechanic, have turned that scrap heap into a beast. He isn’t ranked seven for his good looks.” She chuckled and the tall, dark-maned man gave a small salute, before he bowed, his hand giving a flourish before the man at his side nodded his greeting as well.

“You will recognize the next car, I think.” She said with a quiet chuckle. The muscle-bound blonde leaned easily against his Charger, piercing blue eyes looking straight through each of the women as he looked from face to face. Each of them was a threat, an opponent that needed to be dealt with mercilessly. His expression was severe, his lips taut and his mouth held in a thin line as his eyes fell on Viper, the woman that called herself their leader, his brows drawn tight. “This is Blitz. His car might look like yours, but I will wager it is not the same. He’s our number eight, thanks to Ratt’s serious handiwork.” The thin mechanic gave a smirk and a quick, light wave before her hand moved to the next driver.

With a knowing grin, Viper drummed her fingers over her stomach as her eyes traveled to Blitz. She couldn’t understand the hostility in his gaze, but she figured he felt threatened, and he should. He was good, but he wasn’t the best, his rank had made that clear. Yet, something about him seemed to draw her attention, and as she bit into her lower lip, she turned back to her girls.

“Ombre is our ninth. He’s still a little newer than the rest of the high ranks. He’s been extremely impressive with that Eclipse. His mechanic, Trap, is Ratt’s brother. They’re extremely competitive over their drivers’ wins. More than Ombre and Blitz. And that’s saying a lot, if you can’t tell. They’re a little…” she paused, watching as Ombre’s dark eyes moved over the group of women in the same manner that Blitz had done, sizing up the competition. His dark hair framed his face, his lean frame resting easily against the black Eclipse as he looked from face to face. “…intense? Frightening? You decide. They’re good drivers.”

She flicked her hand to the next driver. The small Asian snapped her compact mirror shut and tossed it into the window of the tiny pink Honda that supported her weight at the hip. Tigra’s voice grew flat as she hid the loathing beneath her tone. “Number ten. Katana. Watch out for her. She’s dangerous in that S2000.” Kim pursed her lips and blew the women a kiss. “And I do mean watch out.” The girl flicked her dark eyes to Tigra, and frowned. She didn’t mutter a single word before she let her eyes move to another of the mechanics in the group across the garage. She didn’t react to the brunette’s words again. Tigra let the word of caution remain vague. She was sure the girls were smart, they’d figure it out soon enough.

Her hand waved to the next car, and she let her smile creep back to her lips. “The little man with the strange car, ladies, is number eleven. Rocket lives up to the name in that Caterham Seven. Just please, if you’re prone to trying to run each other off the road… please…” her eyes moved to the women, then, her eyes hard with that same severe, threatening expression. “Don’t. That car has nothing to it. I try to tell him it isn’t safe, but he insists on risking his neck.”

Her hand flicked to the tall, redheaded man next to them, easily the finest dressed of the group. He wore a dark suit and tie, his fingers working their way into a pair of driving gloves. “The dandy lad over there is The Irishman. You’d be smart to stay out of his way. He’s been here less than a year, and has more than four hundred wins under his belt. I don’t know what they’ve done to that Camaro, but it is a monster that ripped its way to number twelve in a hurry.” She chuckled as the man gave a nod, his lips curled in a bright smile as he became the first to speak after his introduction. “Top o’ the evenin’ t’ ya, lassies.” His Irish brogue thick in his words as he adjusted the glove over his hand.

Tigra suppressed her laughter as she moved to the final car. “This dashing Spanish ******** is El Rojo.” She didn’t comment on the El Camino. Her eyes moved to the group of women and she gave a faint, subtle shake of her head, telling them to also not bring it up. “He is our thirteenth, just falling out of his twelfth spot last night. He is a little cross about it, so I’d suggest being careful with him. He’s been quite… reckless ever since.” She smiled, and let her eyes move back to the woman at the head of the group. Her head tipped back as she lifted her hand to push a lock of chocolate strands behind her ear.

“So you’ve seen the competition, you can see the cars, know the ranks. What do you say? Match them rank to rank, see how well they do at each of their strengths?” she gave the tall woman a sly smirk. She had the utmost confidence in her crew. They wouldn’t be walking away without more than half the wins. “We’ll say you need… four to walk away with a membership. That sounds fair, don’t you think?” Her crew nodded their agreement. Four was a nice number. It would be easy enough for them to at least match four of them, if they were as good as they claimed. It appeared that most of the crew already wanted them in as much as the leaders had hoped.

Hot women had that effect. She was just fortunate the number of jealous females in her crew was small enough to easily be outweighed. “Or do you girls need some time to rest up? Some of you look dead on your feet. Because trust me, you’re going to need the rest, ladies. You may not need us, but we certainly don’t need any dead weight. You should come out swinging with your best shots.”

She smirked as she issued the challenge, throwing the easy banter that Viper laid before her right back. She wasn’t about to lie down and see her crew take even playful words like a kicked dog. She was craftier, wiser than that. She gave the slender woman a playful, knowing wink, and turned to her crew. “Isn’t that right?” her voice was lost in another shout as she laughed, and turned back to the newcomers. “Up to you, Vipes.”

As Tigra had gone through her own introductions, Viper had remained casually draped over the hood of her car. Her long legs were stretched out in front of her, elbows pressing into the metal as she moved her intense gaze over each new face. At either side of her, every woman in her crew had the same position, their amusement dying down as they took in the challengers. She had to admit, Q5 was built on more than just their cars strengths. She could see the personality sparking in each contender’s eyes as they gave their own subtle greetings, the strength practically trembling from the men as they fought to show off their alpha nature.

The arriving crew had narrowed their eyes at the challenge delivered by the other, and she held up her hand to cut off Nyx before she could dig a hole that they couldn’t dig themselves out of.

“Four is easy, isn’t it, ladies? We wouldn’t want to make them cry so soon,” she said with a smile, her eyes almost sparkling with a predatory gleam as she peeled herself from her car. Her body moved like it was made of water, and she resumed her spot in the center of the garage. This time, however, she turned so she could see both crews evenly. Nodding her head, Mayhem and Nightingale moved automatically to flank her, their arms crossed beneath their breasts. The gothic blonde tilted her head as she scanned the crowd, before leaning to whisper something in Viper’s ear. Concern flashed into her eyes as she looked past her to the redhead that was still twisting her shirt around. The material had torn, and her body trembled as her lips continued to move. “You are right, though. We’ve been driving all night. As much as I’m sure they’d love to show you what you got, the babes won’t be racing.”

As soon as she spoke, Rabbit raised a brow and leaped from her car, her heels clicking to the ground. “We can handle it, Viper, really.“ She held up a hand, she silenced the blonde with just a look before nodding towards Vixen. Understanding dawned in the blonde’s eyes, and she quickly moved for the redhead, her arms wrapping around her middle. Without missing a beat, Rose and Sunflower joined her.

Tigra cast her glance back to her crew. There were four of them that would need to be dropped. She supposed it was only fair to differ to the ranks.

“Red, ‘Rish, Rocket. You’re out.” Her voice carried with it finality, the Irishman and Rocket opening their mouths to protest before she moved her eyes to them. Instantly, the objections fell on their tongues and their mouths closed, happy to do exactly as she said. El Rojo remained like a stone, his features unchanged as he let his eyes move from face to face, though she could see he continuously lingered on the exotic Nyx with her vibrant, unnatural hair. Her eyes moved back to Viper, then, and gave her a wide, knowing grin. She would understand the smile. Their plan was already working, with little to no assistance from them whatsoever.

“The rest of us, however, are at your disposal. I only have a few requests. The first one is that I go against your second. We all know we won’t beat you and it’s not a fair race and a waste of time.” She gave a slow smile as she watched her friend’s face.

The tall brunette curled her lips in a wry smirk, amusement gracing her features as she let her exotic eyes slowly move through the faces in front of her. Viper was smart to fear her. Almost too smart. It was going to ultimately kill Tigra’s track record if she couldn’t get anyone on the line against her. It was the price she paid for being the best. Satisfied, she turned back to the beautiful Viper as she watched the subtle exchange of energies between the powerful woman and Blitz, the tall male casually leaning against his Charger while his eyes nearly peeled the clothing from her lithe frame with naught but a stare. Her head shook again and finally she chuckled, thin fingers pushing through long, silky chocolate curls. Slowly, green swallowed the blue in her eyes as she gave a smile. “I have to say that I am disappointed, Viper. I hoped to take you out myself.”

Mayhem’s hand curled around Viper’s arm, “Let me take the ******* whore. I could easily get us a win.” Her Irish accent was thick and seductive, her rage only seeming to make it even more appealing. The pressure increased against her arm and caused her to frown until put her hand between the blonde’s breasts. “I’m not going to let that happen. We’re not here for the kill, Mayhem.” Her voice was strong and steady, and the blonde curled her fingers against her sternum before shoving away from her. With a sigh, she turned back to the other crew and shrugged, no apologies in her eyes. “Vixen just happens to her cousin. Well, honestly, more like her daughter. You look like you could have used some friends, Cendre. What a crying shame you managed to royally piss off my entire crew in one go. That has to be some kind of record.”

Tigra heard the exchange from across the garage and her features faltered again, another frown gracing her lips. “One moment.” She said firmly, her tall, supple figure rising from the hood of her car without so much as an ounce of visible effort. Her shoes were silent against the cement of the garage floor as she closed the distance between Viper and the woman she had called Mayhem. As she approached, her own crew visibly shrank back from her, the blue slowly seeping back into her powerful stare.

She drew herself up, her full five feet, three inches of height at her disposal as she tipped her head back and looked from one pair of eyes to the next, and back, before she settled on Mayhem. “You are not in the crew just yet. I will remind you that I will protect my own with a very severe retaliation that you do not want to see firsthand.” Her eyes cut back to Viper and she slowly ran her tongue along the inside of her teeth before she spoke again. “Be warned, Viper. Another episode like that, and it isn’t going to be pretty. I can’t be held responsible for protecting my crew. Even if it is just Cendre. We may not like her, but she is one of us. Until you’re in, let’s try to keep the comments to ourselves. I can handle her.” She turned back to Mayhem, then, her eyes severe, her next words only hardened by the icy steel in the blue that seemed to dominate the hazel pools. “Threaten another of my crew before your four wins, and I’ll cut out your throat and rip your pretty tongue through the new hole I leave behind. This is your one warning. I apologized for Cendre. That is the end of this.”

Viper had always prided herself on being able to read the body language on other people, and the tension that ran through the small brunette was easy to pick apart. She hadn’t missed the moment of complete anger as it hardened her usually soft features, nor did she miss the distaste at the interruption. The apology was on the tip of her tongue, but it died before it even had a chance to form. Narrowing her eyes, Viper held out a hand, her fingers pressing to Nightingale’s chest to stall the woman’s assault as she stepped between her friend and Mayhem. She easily towered over her, gray eyes turning cold in the blink of an eye. When she spoke, all warmth and amusement had fled, and she sounded just as cold as the brunette had. “I’m going to tell you this once, LeChànce. Never threaten one of my own again. You’re my friend, but they’re my family. I’ll give you a pass this time, but the next time? I will ******* leave your *** in the dust and never look back. Do I make myself clear?” She didn’t even look behind her as she heard Mayhem’s unsteady breathing, her eyes scanning the other leaders face.

Tigra stood in an icy silence, her arms crossed tightly across her breasts. She stared into the other leader’s eyes, a steady, hard glint of ice in her stare. The hazel dance of her eyes had frozen in that harsh blue, her features hard and unmoving as she stood with her feet braced evenly apart, the heels of her Pumas digging into the eroded concrete of the garage floor. She was not to be bowled over, and not to take this lying down. Her tall, lean frame made an imposing opponent, and her silence gave her an eerie quality as she watched the other woman speak.

“She did nothing wrong, so you need to calm your ****. She wasn’t threatening to hurt your little whore physically, but she would easily kill her pride – which I plan to do.” When Viper smiled, it was the smile of something far more wicked than the persona she usually wore. It wasn’t until a small, gentle hand rested on her arm that the shadows that had claimed her eyes disappeared, and she turned to study Sunflower’s worried, wide gaze. With a sigh, she patted the smaller blonde’s hand and glanced back towards Tigra, her shoulder lifting in a shrug. “Remember what I told you last week, babe? Some… aren’t what they seem.” Her voice was softer as she nodded her head in Mayhem’s direction, the blonde resting back against the hood of her car, her fingers working through her hair. Her silver eyes, though shadowed by her signature heavy onyx liner, sparked with embarrassment and pain. Vixen chose that moment to snap out of her episode, and wrapped her arm around her slender waist, her vibrant green eyes narrowing as she tried to piece together the puzzle she obviously missed.

Tigra sighed, pushing her fingers through her silky hair again as she closed her eyes. She remained in silence for a short moment, her eyes closed as she tipped her head into the warmth of the light that glared down on them. The sharp, crisp white of the fluorescent bulb harshly outlined the dusting of freckles across her pale cheeks. She dropped her head, finally, and opened her eyes again, staring down Viper with a soft, verdant stare. “I’m sorry. You have to remember what I told you in that same conversation, Viper. This is a large group. There’s a lot of us here that are more than meets the eye. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. My temper just seems to get away from me, from time to time.”

“It’s okay, really. We’re tired, and Viper is on edge more than usual. I hope we didn’t cause any problems. We’ve just been on the road for a long time. I’m sure you understand the need to protect the weak.” Sunflower finally spoke, her Canadian accent light as she offered the small brunette a warm, shy smile. Her attention had been diverted from Bones, though she hadn’t missed the fact that he hadn’t even glanced her way. It had made it easy for her to intervene. Her hand remained against Viper’s bicep, green painted nails sparkling in the light as she tucked a curl behind the shell of her ear. The purity of her actions instantly diffused the tension seeping in Viper and Nightingale’s body, and they relaxed as if the slender blonde had weaved some kind of magical power over them.

The moment her words were delivered, Tigra relaxed, her posture no longer rigid as she sank down a solid inch, possibly two, her features instantly losing their savagery to be replaced with a wide, adoring smile. “Thank you, ladies.” She said loudly, then, before she glanced to her side to look at her crew. “Besides. Cendre didn’t mean it, did you?” her voice was a sudden lash of a threat, the silvery-sweet tone laced easily over the very real venom that threatened the tall readhead. She nodded quickly, her head bobbing lightly as she gave the women a small, nervous smile. “I truly am. I didn’t mean to offend anyone so quickly…” Tigra lifted her hand, effectively silencing the woman before she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Anyway.”

The Australian laughed, then, before motioning to the rest of her crew. “I also want to put one of my best against Blitz, there. He looks like he’s just itching for a fight. Who am I to deny him anything?” As she said the words, Lyric stepped forward, her very movements seeming feline. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head, darlin’. I’ll take good care of him,” she laughed, her Southern Belle accent rivaling the fierce appearance she held so easily. Behind her, Rabbit giggled and wrapped her arm tighter around Vixen’s shoulder. “Don’t break him, sis. He’s cute.” Shaking her head, Viper lifted her fingers to her eyes and chuckled, before giving in. “Lyric it is, then.” The tall blonde seemed pleased with herself, and Viper couldn’t help but allow her gaze to dance between the two. She had seen the challenge in his eyes, and she wasn’t entirely sure that she’d made the right call it pitting Lyric against him.

Tigra pushed her fingers through her hair again and cut her eyes to Blitz. His brows were drawn low and his features severe as he eyed up Lyric like a prize fighter would size up his competition. He was searching her for weaknesses.

She shook her head as she gave a small smile. He was very difficult to read. “Just be careful out there with him, Lyric. I would hope he knows better than to hurt you girls, but he isn’t the… gentlest of drivers.” She shot the man in question a sharp look and instantly he snapped out of his thoughtful glare, and offered a wide and friendly smile. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, Tigra. I am nothing if not a gentleman on the track.” She snorted and the rest of her crew gave a short, clipped laugh as he curled his lips in a dangerous smile. He was every bit the predator he appeared. “Just play nice with the new ones, Blitz. Doc already has his hands full putting Doctor ***** Black’s face back together. He’d skin me alive for dropping more patients on him.” She muttered the last sentence and lifted her hand to her arm, thumb digging lightly into her taut bicep. “Had an incident earlier in the week with one of our physicians. She’s not going to be joining us at least for the rest of the weekend.”

She could hear Lora snicker from somewhere in the garage and fought the urge to throw her phone at her. “As for the rest of the crew…” they all joined the women in their laugh, some louder and more amused, some clearly fabricated laughs. Others masked jealousy, while yet more tossed up a wall in front of the lust that nearly filled the air around them. It was killing her, feeling all of the pheromones in the air as they each vied for the others’ attention, some for sensual pleasure, others for a thirst of blood. It would be a miracle that she or one of the other vampires didn’t jump someone before the night was over. That, afterall, was her biggest fear. The vampires that had recently integrated themselves into Q5 were a huge liability. Especially with such jealous and naturally violent tendencies. She was keeping an eye on each of the new girls in her own crew, ready to be between them and any one of these newcomers, as well as her home crew. They were each under an incredibly watchful eye.

Shaking off the odd feeling of doubt in her chest, Viper motioned to the rest of Black Jade. “Aside from those two, does your crew have anyone specific they want to take on? My girls are very flexible.”

“I’m sure you’re all very flexible, dear.” Tigra dropped her voice an octave and gave her a wry smile. “Though a demonstration wouldn’t hurt, Lady Viper.” She laughed, the sound light and carefree as she waved her hand as if brushing aside the comment.

At that, both crews finally laughed, the sound almost mystical as they shook their heads in unison. “I figure we can do it a race at a time, just the two out on the streets. Winner gets to pick who goes next.” said Viper, a small, amused smile on her lips.

“I feel like it would level the playing field to keep my best against your best. Ouragan is behind Cendre, so I believe the task of facing him will go to this… charming… young lady, non?” she glanced over her shoulder to the man in question, watching as he moved from the hood of his car to stand, leaving Tempest tucked safely behind him against the hood as he folded powerful arms over a chiseled chest. She turned, eyeing the blonde that stood at Viper’s shoulder in the same moment that Ouragan’s gaze fell on her as well. “Mayhem. If you would be so kind?” She didn’t wait for a response, skating along to the next coupling. “Sadique can take the lovely Nightingale.”

She flashed Sadique a playful smile, though it was merely returned with an icy grimace. She played with fire with the two of them, Sadique and Audaceux, but she couldn’t help herself. She was happy to finally see him happy with someone. Finally, she could look at him without feeling the crippling guilt that had crushed her for more than two decades. Turning, the smile still in her eyes, she glanced up at Viper. “If you think she is up to the task, that is.” Before the tall, dark-maned woman could lash out at her, she flashed a disarming smile to the woman and waved her fingers. “I am only picking dear.” She chuckled and turned back to the tall woman in front of her. “Le Mur, Brick, and Knight will take Phantom, Nyx, and Whisper.”

Over her shoulder, Le Mur’s grip on the curvy blonde settled against his frame slacked, his eyes turning to the one they called Phantom. She was short, her skin a golden brown and her hair a thick, silky mane of dark strands. He gave her a friendly smile, entirely unawares of the dreamy, starry-eyed look that the youngest of their crew was giving her, entirely lost in her beauty. He lifted a hand and gave the small woman a two-fingered salute. Brick placed a large, heavy hand atop the tiny blonde’s head and gently pushed her aside as his eyes found the strange, tattooed woman that lounged against her charger. He smirked, lips pulled taut in a wicked grin as his fingers pulled into a fist, a loud crack leaving his knuckles as he chuckled, watching the woman like she was his sole enemy, the only person in the entire garage that he needed to worry about.

Knight turned his attention to the small, fragile wisp of a woman, entirely befitting of her moniker. He flashed a debonair smile as he bowed his head, hand brushing across the door to his Cadillac as he gave the small Asian woman a wink of his sparkling blue eyes. His age and wisdom showed in his eyes, his gentlemanly demeanor incredibly apparent in the way he looked at the young woman with the utmost respect as his opponent. He stood, and pulled a bright, solid red square of fabric from his pocket to polish the chrome of his rearview mirror, his attention seemingly diverted from the beautiful woman as he turned his full devotion to the car at his side.

Nodding, she smiled at the cool, confident way her crew was handling themselves, without making a spectacle. Each of them eyed up their opponents without cross, catty comments, each one respecting the other and one another. She could already see attentions spanning between the men and women of her crew and the newcomers. She could see the way that connections were forming in both the professional and romantic, physical fronts, and none of them stepped on the others’ toes. They each worked around one another, mentally pairing themselves both on and off the track. She smiled, seeing the master plan fall so easily into place. “That leaves Blitz, Ombre, and Katana. Blitz is already taken, of course.” She turned and smiled to Lyric, that same soft smile in place as she continued. “Even if he outranks you.” She gave the backhanded comment lightly, that smile still in place. She had more than enough confidence in Blitz. “Ombre and Katana, then, will be up against Earth and Chaos.” She smiled, and turned to Viper again.

Ombre shook his head, fingers delicately pulling long, dark strands behind his head to tie them back from his face. The leather jacket he wore draped over his shoulders, resting over his form as his eyes turned to the one called Earth. He frowned. She seemed so innocent, so natural and in touch with the world. It made his stomach churn. ******* hippie. The thought was almost etched into his features as he grimaced, resigning himself to his fate. It was clear he didn’t think that a high-octane, carbon-belching sport like street racing was a place for anyone like her. He pushed the heel of his palm across his brow, sweeping long, dark bangs from his eyes as he cut his eyes to the black Eclipse at his side. His eyes moved over the gauges on the dash as he dismissed the woman across him from his attention.

Katana grinned, the gesture wicked and sly as she sat easily on the windowsill of the S2000, her ground effect lights causing the concrete around the pink car to glow the same color. Her glossy lips pressed a kiss to the air toward the woman called Chaos as she gave her a wink. “Hope you’re ready for this.” She said with a light laugh, waving a hand over her slender figure before she gestured to her car. “Tiny but mighty, baby.” She said with a snicker before Tigra could shake her head. “Anyway. Those are the pairs…”

[Tigra]

As she spoke, a loud honk tore through the silence of the garage, and they were suddenly bathed in bright, blinding lights. “That would be for us,” she laughed, waving her hand towards Rabbit and Rose. The girls pushed from the car they’d been against, and it took her only a second to realize that it hadn’t been on of theirs. Shaking her head, she watched as they ran off, their skirts brushing against their thighs and heels making minimal sound as they made their way up the asphalt for the trucks. She couldn’t make out what was being said, but she squinted into the glare to see Rabbit lean up and kiss the man’s gruff cheek. “Oh god. Can one of your guys go make sure that they don’t try to take off with them?” Though there was a touch of amusement in her voice, the look she gave Tigra was anything but amused.

Tigra’s eyes narrowed drastically at the sudden intrusion of the truck, her fingers clenching into a fist before she started to reach for her gun. An interruption like this one was far from the norm, and was severely frowned upon. They had chosen the docks because they were all but abandoned. They were deserted, with little to no nightly visitors and a negligent, if even that, police presence. They were free to do as they pleased, when they pleased, and how they pleased to do it. The more people that knew about the spot, the more jeopardy they were placed into. Truck drivers were hardly the most trustworthy crowd she could have thought of to share the locale with.

At the unfolding scene, her rage-twisted features softened, though a frown still hardened her usually soft mask, the rest of her crew watching her carefully as the pair of girls hopped up off the side of the car and hurried up the drive.

She shook her head, and rubbed at her brow as she watched them approach the truck, and the way the men in the cab looked at them made her stomach turn. She could feel bile burning in her throat as she glanced to the mechanic pit, the greasy, blackened forms of several of the finest tuners in Canada seated together, feet propped on the small table, several bottles of beer, soda, and water littering the entire pit as they watched abnormally quietly. They had each returned once they had been introduced, the small crowd in the neatly sunken alcove tucked into the side of the garage. Her hazel orbs flared to life, a flash of blue dominating the powerful glare as her eyes flicked to Ratt and Trap, a single finger lifted to flick in their direction, before pointing them after the girls. Not a word left her thinly pressed lips before the pair leaped to their feet to run after the girls.

“It’s just our cars. We don’t drive them unless we’re racing.” Viper turned to glance over her shoulder once more, watching as the delivery men surrounded the two blondes. Sinking her teeth into her lower lip, she fought the urge to call them back, especially when she saw the larger of the two reach out to tuck a curl behind Rose’s ear. They had spoken of joining up Q5 and Black Jade for a reason, and this would be a strong test of faith that they had made the right choice. As she glanced back to Tigra, Nyx lit another cigarette and ran her fingers through her vibrant pink hair, the curls dancing magically across her pale skin. “Are we racing tonight, then?” The question shook her from her thoughts, and she watched as the remaining of her crew all stared at her expectantly. She could see the exhaustion in their eyes, but she could also see the need to get this over. They had read the situation for what it was, and as the men that Tigra sent to go handle the situation at the top of the drive moved, she saw their acceptance. They trusted her, and they wanted this to work as much as she did. “Yeah, we’ll race tonight. We just need four wins and even in our state, that’s easy, right girls?”

Her eyes moved to the group up in the drive as she frowned. They had been gone some time, and now she could hear voiced raising as the brothers had pushed themselves between the drivers and the girls. One large, bulbous figure lay on the ground, his hat brushing along the concrete in the harsh light of the truck as the other moved closer, his hand held before him as the small knot of young people were pushed back to the truck. She was about to take the incident into her own hands when she saw the table more than turn. It was flipped on its side as the heavy, overweight frame of the second driver lunged for the tallest male, lashing out with his out held hand. She was sure he had a knife. Her hand shot to her gun, her Pumas grinding against the concrete as she moved to step around Viper when she saw the man’s head snap to one side, his hand extended over the first male’s shoulder as the other ducked beneath him, his fist rising to catch the man in the chin. He nearly flew out of his shoes as he toppled through the air, landing on the first driver with a loud grunt.

Viper pulled back and tugged nervously at her shirt as her gaze moved past them to the commotion at the entrance. Her brows furrowed as she watched, and she spun on her heel, her body poised and ready to head into danger at the drop of a dime. She watched from the corner of her eye as Tiger did the same, catching the glint of metal as she moved for her gun. The sight of it caused her eyes to narrow, and she stepped back to whisper quietly into her ear. “Keep that away from my babes, lover.” The warning was delivered just as the roar of the trucks echoed through the garage, the headlights bathing them all in a sharp glow that caused her to squint.

A sigh of relief left Tigra when she saw all four of the smaller figures make their way into the trucks. They left the drivers in a heap on the side of the strip. They would have to be dealt with. She turned, and clicked her tongue at Asche, her tongue finally unraveled from Lucille’s throat when the pairs had been set. The redhead had been set on edge by her offense to the whole visiting crew. Suddenly, she was very calm and quiet. She had never known Lucille to be shy. She snapped her head to the downed drivers, then flicked her eyes back to Asche. “Get Doc. Have him deal with that.” The giantess nodded, and moved quickly into her Boxter, after her phone.

Sighing again, Tigra turned back to Viper as the trucks slowly rolled down the strip to the garage. “Please, if your vehicles are damaged, let me know, and I will make sure that the damages are paid for… I’m sorry that things had to be that way.” She said as she waved her hand to the heap of slack flesh at the side of the road. “I am sure the boys have a damn good reason for giving your drivers concussions. I have to say, from here, it didn’t look undeserved.”

As they pulled the trucks down to them, Viper couldn’t help but laugh as she watched the way Rabbit and Rose followed the boys with their eyes. She had never seemed them so enamored, literally stunned into silence by the actions of a man. A blush crept along Rabbit’s skin, and she nervously leaped from the cab of the truck to move to the back. As the boys pulled open the hatch, the girls pulled out a small bag and began to divvy out the keys, though they handed the wrong pair over in their inability to keep their eyes from the men. “Well, it looks like two pairs have already been made,” she whispered quietly to the brunette, her hands still in her pockets as she let her own gaze move to Blitz. She had felt his gaze on her the entire time, and it made her skin crawl – and not in a bad way. She felt as if she were constricted in her clothing, and she had to claw her way out of whatever spell he was quickly weaving over her. Flashing him a cocky smile, she winked in his direction before glancing back to Rabbit and Rose as they finished pulling the keys from the pouch. “Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t the cars they wanted to hurt.” The rage was back in her voice, and her hands shook as she pressed them to her stomach.

She couldn’t believe she’d been so stupid.

Tigra lifted her brow, arms folded beneath her breasts as she looked up at the taller woman, her brows knit. The look was pointed, the disapproval clear in her gaze. The drivers should have been screened better, and putting either of those girls in that position had set on the brunette with an incredibly sour note. She was glad to see, as the trucks rolled into the garage, that both boys were relatively unharmed and could barely contain the machismo that puffed their chests like they were superheroes. To girls so young, in so grave an instance, even as short as it had been, she was sure that they were like superheroes. She was proud of both of them, and gave them each a smile as they climbed down from the trucks. “If you boys are done playing, I’m sure that Blitz and Ombre would appreciate you going over their machines before the flag drops?” she shooed them along, laughing as her eyes caught the girls as they climbed down from the trucks.

They were gorgeous, no arguing that. And with beauty often came trouble. She could already see it in both of the tiny blondes.

“Now what do you ladies say? Shall we get started?” just as she asked, the door to her apartment opening again. She turned, smiling as her youngest daughter, Cub, slipped from the doorway and rushed across the garage, pulling her golden plait over her shoulder as she pushed a sheet of paper into her hands. Viper raised a brow as the girl pulled her hair over her shoulder, though not before she caught sight of the dark bruise marring her pale skin. As she stepped in front of her friend, she gave her a suresmile. “Hey, mom. I know you’re busy, but I need you to sign this for me. It’s just a suspension slip.” The way she said it made it seem like it happened every day, but the brunette saw the mischief in her eyes. She had planned it for this time, hoping the distraction would ease her mother’s wrath. Holding the paper out to her, Stella waited as she glanced over the newest crew. Each woman was beautiful – stunning, really – and she could already tell that half of her crew fancied themselves in love with them. “Men,” she muttered under her breath, her eyes sparkling with delight as she tugged on the hem of her skirt. The denim clung to her hips like a second skin, showing off her curves that Viper was certain should be illegal on a girl her age.

Tigra would have killed Cub for wearing skirts so short, and none of the younger crowd appeared old enough for heels, much less the skimpy, showy little numbers they were dancing around in. “It’s nothing bad, really. He grabbed my ***, so I kicked him in the balls. Next thing, he took a swing at me, and I swung back – with a chair.” Stella was saying, gathering Tigra’s attention again. She was saying it with such innocence, that Black Jade had to cough into their hands to stop from laughing out right.

Instantly, her hands shot up to her face, turning the blonde’s head this way and that, turning her face in the light as she inspected her bruise. “Fighting again Cub? Last week it was the girl picking on your friends, this week it’s some asshole football player grabbing your ***. What am I going to do when you wind up in jail for assaulting one of these kids?” she asked, her voice stern before her face softened, her shoulders sagging lightly as she told her story. “At least he got what he deserved. I’m going to the school to talk to your principal about singling you out. These kids can’t walk all over you just because their families donate money to the school.”

She sighed, and tipped the girl’s head back as she pushed a gentle kiss to her bruised jaw. “At least you’re using what I taught you. I can’t help but be a little proud of you.” She smiled, and gently pushed golden strands from the young girl’s eyes.

“A man hit you?” Earth stepped forward, then, her shirt shimmering in the dull light as she studied the smaller blonde. Her Indian accent was light but distinct, and she frowned as her brows furrowed. Abuse wasn’t something the woman took lightly, and she gently brushed her fingertips along the jagged scar on her collarbone. Tigra turned to Earth, her brows knitted as she watched her outrage at Cub’s incident. Instantly, the woman’s opinion of the soft, natural girl was elevated. She could tell that she had impressed others in the crew, her laughter quiet as she saw Skull’s eyes sweep over the soft, elegant woman’s subtle curves and delicate figure. His stare was hungry, and the way he watched her like a hawk gave him away entirely. She smirked, making another mental note.

“Not a man. Matt, he’s our star athlete. They suspended me because I was a threat to him.” Confusion flickered on Earth’s face, and she turned to look at Viper, her honey colored eyes wide. The thought of the little girl standing in the middle of the two crews being a threat was laughable, but they all knew better than to underestimate someone due to their size. “I hope you busted his balls,” Mayhem muttered, and Nyx and Chaos gave a quiet murmur of agreement. “Ladies,” Viper warned, before motioning to the nasty bruise on the blonde’s face. “If you need someone to look at that, Sunflower and Earth are magical with natural remedies.” She shrugged a shoulder as Stella shifted from foot to foot, her tight white top clinging to her breasts while she studied the crew.

Each of their responses earned them several points in her book, but Earth’s had taken the cake. She gave the woman a soft smile and shook her head. “Trust me, if any man over the legal age strikes my daughter, he will have a lot more than bruised balls and a few lumps to deal with. It’s very likely that he’ll die a very painful death. Please, don’t worry about anyone here hurting any of you. I would never allow that to happen. Every man here knows better than to put his hands on a woman. Most of the women here know better than to try and trade punches with my boys. We try to keep our hands to ourselves if we can’t fight fair.”

The Australian couldn’t help but notice how the rest of Black Jade seemed ready to defend the youngest girl, and she gave them all a smile as a silent agreement passed between them.

Tigra’s gaze turned to Viper and her girls and she frowned. She hadn’t missed the exchanged look. “I can handle my own children.” She said sharply, her intense eyes daring any of them to challenge the statement as she took the paper from her daughter.

As Earth wiped her hands on her jeans, she frowned as the warmth in Tigra’s eyes faded. “There’s no need to growl, Tigra. You might be able to handle your daughter, but she was merely offering advice on how to handle herself when you’re not around. Really, you need to calm down.”

Slowly, that offended, defensive stance relaxed, and she melted back into that mellow woman that they all knew, and she offered a small, embarrassed smile. “But, I thank you for the offer of your assistance. Maybe you can see to her face? She is getting her picture taken for the school yearbook soon, and I don’t want her sporting a big bruise on her face for her pictures.” She smiled, and tenderly pat the girl’s head. “She’s too sweet a girl to be walking around showing off these kinds of battle scars.” She chuckled, and gently nudged the girl at her side as she wrapped her arm around her shoulders.

Earth’s voice was gentle but strong as she dug out a small compact from the back pocket of her jeans. When she handed it over, she was careful to avoid the heated stare the man called ‘Skull’ was giving her, though she scuffed the toe of her shoe on the ground and ducked her head. She couldn’t explain why he made her nervous, and she had to clear her throat a few times to continue speaking. “Here, have her put this on. It takes care of the pain and swelling, while also acting as a concealer so the bruise won’t be noticeable. It should be cleared up in a few days.”

“And where are my manners? This is my little Cub. She’s a very bright young woman, and takes after quite the role model.” She smiles, and subtly indicated herself before she laughed. “Cub, this is the Black Jade crew. They’re talking about joining us, so they might be around a lot more if they can show up tonight and perform.” She shot Viper a smile and hugged her daughter’s waist. Cub quickly snatched the compact before her mother could and pocketed it, shooting the older woman a glare at how she had treated the crew.

Tigra could see Knight from the corner of her eye as he stopped polishing his mirror to scrub aggressively at what had to be a bug splattered across the white hood of his Cadillac. He abandoned it quickly for relaxing against the car, working the cloth in his hands. He was always particularly protective of little Cub. She was glad to have him around for her. Before she could be lectured further, Stella ducked from beneath her arm and moved for Knight, her arms winding around his middle as she leaned to press a kiss to his cheek. To her, it was nothing out of the ordinary, but Viper narrowed her eyes as she rested into him. It seemed an odd situation, and she glanced to Tigra for confirmation that it was acceptable. Tigra gave the woman a smile and a subtle nod, a quick wink to signal that Cub was okay with Knight.

She chuckled, and waved her hand to Viper, then. “So, I guess if you’re ready, you should start unloading your cars. I have to say, these haulers are…” she stopped, and turned to look at the long, massive trucks. Each member of her crew paused to do the same, several sets of eyes moving along the long, burdened bodies of the trucks. “impressive.” She muttered, a wave of agreement sweeping through her entire crew. It was a smart move for a travelling group, keeping the mileage on their cars low. She hoped, deep down, that they wouldn’t need to travel so much anymore. That they had found a home here in Q5.

We will see.

Rabbit pulled Viper’s car from the truck, the black paint of the ’98 Supra immaculate. Pulling the keys from the back pocket of her jeans, she clicked the unlock button, causing the lights to come on in the cab, showing off the red interior. Moving for it, she pulled open the driver’s side and slid the key into the ignition, the engine purring to life as she glanced to Lucille. “I’m more than ready to take her on,” she laughed, giving the top of her car a pat as she watched each of her crew begin to pull their cars out. Tigra couldn’t help but laugh as she turned to Cindre, and clapped a hand over her shoulder. “Well, honey, at least they’re tail lights you’re used to seeing every night anyway.” She snickered, and pat the woman’s back as she shrugged away from the touch and muttered darkly under her breath. The tall vampire laughed and cupped a hand to her ear. “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you.” She smiled, as the redhead snatched her giantess of a mechanic and shoved her into the 911, pointing to the engine and muttering at her under her breath to get to work.

The next car to roll down the truck’s ramp was Phantom’s, as Tigra studied the SSC Ultimate Aero with an intensity that battled her own, completely oblivious to the attention the men were giving Phantom and her flashy car. As the woman brushed her fingers over the oddly shaped car, checking for a single chip in the paint, Viper shrugged. “I told her it wasn’t an ideal car, but she proved me wrong. I hope you’re prepared to get your *** kicked, Le Mur,” she laughed, and Curves shook her head as she trembled with a silent chuckle. Tipping her head back, the blonde brushed her lips over his throat, much to the disdain of his ex-wife. She barely controlled her growl as the curvy figure squirmed closer between his legs and rested her head against his chest. Once Phantom was sure nothing was out of place, she rested against the passenger side, her eyes sweeping the crowd until they landed on Rocket. As understanding dawned on her from his stare, she gave him a flirtatious smile and blew him a kiss from her fingertips. “I’ll win this one for you, boo, since momma bear won’t let you play.” The confidence in her voice had Viper smirking, and she shrugged her shoulder once again in a ‘what can you really do’ manner. Tigra laughed, moving to nudge the woman’s shoulder with her own.

“You girls have some serious hardware here. I can see that none of you spared any expense on your rides. Hardly makes for a competition of machines, though. Leaves everything down to skill, and, I can say with some personal experience that sometimes, skill just isn’t enough when your machine’s just a class beyond. This is going to be interesting, at least.” She chuckled, and brushed her fingertips against her lips as she watched the truck. The caliber of some of the cars she could still see in the darkness was just incredible. She smiled, and turned to look about the garage. The cars in her own crew were a wide array of quality and style, from import tuners to old ragtag beaters, engineered into dragstrip monsters, or old American muscle. It was all here, the old and the new, the crazy expensive and the surprisingly affordable. They were a coalition of all kinds.

The sound of a corvette’s engine coming to life had her attention moving back to the trucks, where she found Mayhem’s hood already pulled up and Sunflower’s *** in the air. Her jeans clung tight as she pulled her hair over her shoulder to turn and say something to the older blonde. As she did, the gothic woman turned and mimicked her position, both heads disappearing beneath the hood. “She’s always tinkering with something on that car,” the Australian muttered before shaking her head and raising her voice. “Is everything good, Mayhem?” As her voice reached the two blondes, they both jumped back and chuckled. Mayhem handed the wrench to the smaller blonde and wiped some grease from her cheek as she cast the pair her famous sinful smile. “It’s wonderful, lass. Jus’ makin’ sure those fucks hadn’t harmed my baby. He’s the only one good to me. He’ll do me real good against GQ over there.” She dramatically patted the car’s roof then, causing Black Jade to laugh. The blonde that had been resting against Ouragan narrowed her eyes, and in a movement too swift for the human eye, she had pulled out a switchblade and began to dig the tip into her palm. Studying her for a moment, Viper glanced between the two, wondering if she had missed something – before she found Mayhem studying Ombre with an interest she hadn’t seen in her before.

“This is going better than we thought,” she whispered to Tigra, the taller woman turning to offer her counterpart a knowing smile as she pushed her fingers through her hair. “Too well, almost. I’m afraid of what might happen if one of your girls attracts too much attention.” She smirked, then, and looked to her again. “Entirely plausible as it is. They’re all a little too tempting for me.” She laughed as Nyx’s ’69 Pontiac GTO rolled out. When the woman hit a button on her keychain, the black car lit up with a pink glow, causing a low whistle to emit from Stick as she practically melted against Brick. “Damn, baby. This is going to be a tough race for you. You both better start praying.” Her voice was soft, though easily heard over the crowd. The man stared evenly at the GTO, without a trace of intimidation in his eyes. He rolled his tongue against the inside of his lip before he shrugged a shoulder and idly spit onto the concrete. “We’ll see.” Ever the man of words, he tipped his head to the woman in the old Pontiac.

Opening the driver side door, Nyx draped her arms over it as she laughed, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “When I get on my knees, darling, it isn’t to pray,” she purred, casting El Rojo a wink as Whisper nudged her roughly in the ribs. Viper covered her face with her palm and shook her head until she heard Whisper’s car hit the pavement. Peeking through her fingers, she watched as the Asian walked around the Mazda RX 7, inspecting everything from the purple paint to dropping to her knees to study the undercarriage. When she was finished, she leaped back to her feet with the grace of a cat and turned to flash Knight a gentle smile. “I hope you’re good at drifting, old man. I’m in the mood for a bit of a challenge tonight.” Her words were soft - teasing, and she pulled her raven colored hair over her shoulder as she rested her hips against the hood, clearly satisfied with the turn of events while she studied his car. Her gaze was calculating, and she let it drift to Noble. “Think he can handle me?”

Scoffing lightly, the man ran his hand over the hood of the old Cadillac. The pale paint giving the ancient El Dorado an eerie, ghostly sort of feel. Just the sight of the machine was intimidating. He made a face at her comment on the drifting, and shook his head, his hand pushing through a fine field of salt and pepper hair, each strand sliding back into place as he looked over the challenger and her car. The RX-7 was practically built for the absurd acrobatics of drifting. His heavy muscle wouldn’t do him any good here. It was all but ridiculous to even think about taking her up on the challenge, but he wouldn’t have anyone say he hadn’t tried. “It’s okay to be frightened of a direct competition. I’ll play your game of corners.” Noble stood at his side, chuckling quietly at the exchange as he gave the poor girl a subtle wink over the old man’s shoulder.

As Nyx laughed, Lyric pulled her car out of the second truck, the Lamborghini looking like something that came straight from a sci-fi movie. The body was black, but trimmed with a vibrant blue glow. Even the tires gave off a blue flare as the wheels moved, and the delight in the blonde’s eyes was obvious. “Another buy I warned them against, but she loves that car. I can’t really say I blame her, either.” Viper chuckled quietly as the blonde brushed her fingers over the hood before moving to rest against it, her arms crossed beneath her breasts. “It doesn’t matter that he out-ranks me. With the way Blitz has been eyein’ Viper like he’s all hot and bothered, this should be cake.” Quickly lifting her hair into a ponytail, she secured the silken strands with the tie around her wrist as her gaze moved from him to The Irishman, a soft smile on her features before she distracted herself with her nails. The older, foreign man pushed a hand through his hair and gave her a quick, confident grin before he turned to the small woman leaning against the trunk of his Camaro. His Irish accent was a thick, sharp brogue that cut through the noise of the garage as he spoke with Caillou about the new turbo she’d installed, and the shame it was that he wouldn’t be giving it a trial tonight.

Blitz made a sound like a click with his tongue, and flicked his gaze to his nails, an expression of boredom as he let his nonchalance slide into the forefront of his expression. He let a lazy smile spread across his lips as he tipped his head to the side, glancing over his shoulder to his freshly returned mechanic. “Ratt. There’s little I’m going to need to worry about tonight, yes? You’ve got me all set?” The young man nodded his head quickly and had the hood of his driver’s Charger open in a flash, his hand hoisting the carbon fiber hood up over his head with ease as he began to point out the adjustments he’d been making, and the upgrades to the car and what they would change on the course.

Meanwhile, Earth pulled her car out, her fingers moving easily along the roof of the Nissan 350z, the paint a unique shade of burnt umber. It reminded Viper of the leaves in the fall, and she found it oddly fitting. As the Indian woman inspected her car, she let her gaze slide to Skull, an action that wasn’t missed by Viper – or Tigra. Earth rarely showed any interest in the male ilk, so when she dropped her gaze back to the car, neither of them were the least bit surprised. Nor were they surprised when Skull only returned mild interest, his eyes moving over the girl’s face before he returned his attention to the Chevelle behind him, the candy painted hood propped open and the engine rumbling with a thunderous tenor. She turned to focus on Ombre, and merely raised a brow at the glare he cast her way. Earth wasn’t one to be bullied by men, especially men that tried to intimidate with silence.

Chaos was already pulling the final car out, the sleek black Dodge Charger bringing a squeal from the woman as she lit up the red under glow. “I’m ready for whatever you got,” The Turkish woman spoke, her eyes for her car only as she lifted the hood. “As long as you make it fun, of course.” She finally tore her gaze from the engine to wink at the Asian, finger crooking to call Rabbit over. The young blonde quickly pulled herself from Viper’s car to move to Chaos, her hair a mess around her head as she pressed her knee in the bumper. Lifting herself up, her *** went into the air, skirt rising to show the back of her thighs as she began to inspect the inside. Katana made a show of yawning, her slender fingers patting lightly against her glossy lips as she looked at her delicate watch. She made a short, cruel laugh and flicked expressive, brown eyes to her tanned opponent, standing over the blonde digging through the engine compartment of her car. “I hope you don’t think you’re going to take me in that. You’ll be lucky to see my tail lig.hts by the second corner.” She gave the woman a sly smirk and ran a hand along the flashy hot pink paint of her S2000

“Well, girls. You’ve got your pairing, you all seem to think you got this in the bag. Let’s not disappoint me, now,” Viper called out, watching as Chaos turned her gaze across the room, only to let it linger on Yankee. Interesting pair, she thought as she shook her head. It seemed that their crews were each beginning to form the first initial attraction – which was what they had hoped. She only prayed that they were good enough to follow up on the challenge offered.

Tigra brushed off her shoulder, dust floating to the hood of her car as Belle twitched at her side, a spasm riding down her spine as she bit her lip to fight a scream of pain, turning into a squeak and earning a worried frown. Tigra placed her hand on the woman’s back as she turned to the rest of her crew, the larger part of the garage with their eyes on her. “You heard the woman, boys and girls. Don’t take it easy on these girls; they’re pros. We want their best to beat our best.” The mutual response was a round of sarcastic laughter. Not one of them believed in admitting defeat, and by the look in their eyes, they were all saying that she knew better, that they took no mercy among themselves, and there would be less for these outsiders.

Viper shrugged, before glancing to her car. “I’ll go first, if Lucille is ready,” she chuckled, not even bothering to deal with the situation at hand. They had a long night ahead of them – and the sooner they figured out if they needed to get back on the road, the better. Tigra lifted her hand, and flicked it at the redhead that was still hissing at her mechanic. The short, slender redhead waved her hand, asking for just a moment. “Right there, right there. Just a little more… just… got it! God, you had better have done this right, or I’m getting your *** deported back to Germany, Von Slut.” She shoved the tall blonde and slammed the hood to her Porsche shut, gracefully skating across the concrete floor of the garage to the driver’s door of her expensive supercar. “I’m going to destroy her.”

The spark in her eyes said it all.

She really believed it this time.