Alex’s stomach lurched, his heart tried to escape through his feet, and bile raced up his throat.
Then he slammed into something hard, knocking the wind out of his lungs. Rolling to his hands and knees, he vomited.
That wasn’t kitchen tile under his hands. Grass, the springy blades poking his palms.
Once Alex could semi-breathe again, he looked at the familiar surroundings. Oh god, no. He knew exactly where he was. Another quick glance around confirmed it.
Alex whipped his head around, heart racing when he saw all four mates were there too.
They’d landed in a heap beside him.
Preston was sprawled face-first across the grassy mound, swearing under his breath.
Jalen blinked up at the sky like he’d been teleported to a rave.
Newt hovered a few feet above the ground, wings flapping in wild panic, his latte-colored skin a bit green.
No sign of the kitchen, the pack house, or the brownies.
“Um…” Sasha’s voice piped up, shaky and disbelieving. “Did someone just kidnap us?”
The world around them looked like a nighttime cityscape, with tall apartment buildings and normal-looking businesses. The air smelled like…chicken?
No cars. No engines. Just foot traffic and people, who appeared human, but Alex knew better. Serenity City was comprised of all sorts of creatures from vampires to centaur shifters.
To his right, men were playing basketball on a large court, sweatbands on their wrists and heads, sneakers on their feet, playing a normal game of a normal sport.
Preston sat up and scanned the cityscape, eyes wide. “Holy shit. We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.”
“Which one of us is Toto, Dorothy?” Sasha asked, glancing around at the shitstorm they’d been dumped into.
“Why am I suddenly starving?” Jalen pressed a hand against his stomach.
“King Wings,” Alex answered automatically, his mind screaming to get up and get moving. To take the mates somewhere safe. Newt was the most vulnerable. If a vampire caught the guy’s scent, they would drain the fae dry.
Alex staggered to his feet and immediately wrenched a muscle in his thigh. Fuck.
The others gawked at the view, chattering with a little excitement and a whole lot of confusion.
Sasha spun in a circle, mouth open. “This is nuts. Where are the cars? Or motorcycles? Why is everyone walking?”
“Better question,” Alex murmured. “Why are we here?”
Preston tried to brush off his shirt, only making the situation worse. “You think it’s, like, a dream? Or maybe Newt glitched and sent us to hell? No offense, buddy. It happens.”
“This is not a dream or Newt glitching.” Alex started to tremble. “Not Alaska, either. Gentlemen, welcome to the demon realm.”
Nobody laughed. Jalen actually paled. Even Newt dropped to the ground, wings disappearing into his back.
Sasha shook his head in disbelief. “No way. Shouldn’t there be lava pits or Mount Doom?”
“Mount Doom is on the Saturnian moon Titan,” Jalen said. “It’s a volcano, so you were close, Preston.”
“Trust me. This is so much worse.” Alex tried to swallow, but his mouth was bone-dry. He could already feel eyes on them, and not friendly ones. Soon, word would get out that the Twink Tour for Predators had arrived. When that happened, not even Jalen’s skinny jeans would help him run fast enough to escape the creatures that would come after them.
“Define worse.” Newt poked the grass with a stick, brows furrowed. Alex wasn’t sure if something in the grass fascinated him or if he was failing to pick up on the ominous vibes all around them.
Alex pointed to his left, jabbing his finger repeatedly. “Worse means that right down the street are the literal Gates of Hell.” He pointed to his right. “Cross into Remtin and you’ll need a lifetime of therapy, if you survive.” Then he gestured toward the grass, because he didn’t want to attract any attention. He still felt those eyes on them. “The people you see walking are either a shifter, vampire, soul-sucking demon, or a Cheesecake Factory extended menu of other creatures that want us served à la mode. That worse enough for everyone?”
