by A. K. Koonce
It’s hard for me to swallow as I glare at the little boy through damp eyes. I blink away the hot tears and hold my ground.
“That’s enough.” Kais strides between us and shoves aside the view of the Profit altogether. “You need to rest for now. We’re safe, let’s just take a breath.”
I was just told I’m going to die no matter what realm I exist in, in the surface world as well as here, and I’m just supposed to sleep it off?
How am I supposed to do that?
I’m shaking when Kais leads me over to the chair. To my surprise, he slides me into Alixx’s arms, and his lithe body wraps all around me, pulling me down until I’m cradled against him.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” Alixx whispers, but his breath trembles there at the end with a telling sign.
The only sign of fear I’ve ever really heard from the assassin.
Long fingers stroke my hair over and over again as dread and guilt and, honestly, a little bit of terror gnaw away at me internally.
I can’t contain the shaking breaths that wash over my lips with every inhale I take. I don’t even realize it when I start to tremble despite the heat of the flickering fire.
I don’t notice the sick feeling in me numbing at all. I’m not aware of much at all as calming magic drifts into me with every brush of Alixx’s hand, my lashes fluttering slowly closed with nothing but complete tranquility sinking into me.
Just as I fall asleep.
Three
Lighton
I mean, Preston says we can’t live here forever, but it’s been going fucking great for the past four days.
“Get your cock off my ass. Why do we have to go through this every fucking morning?” Kais shoves me so hard my head hits the wall before I’m ever fully awake.
I groan as I push my palm across my temple. And then soft palms cradle my jaw at the same time as perfect, smooth curves settle between me and the wall, aligning against my body, my chest, my…yeah, my cock too.
If Madison didn’t baby me every time this happened, I’d probably stop grinding my morning wood against Kais as we sleep. How am I supposed to pass up this reward system though?
“Are you okay?” she whispers in the dark. The fire’s nothing more than embers in the shadowy room, and I can barely make out her long red hair above me.
“I’m okay,” I rasp, pulling her down closer and rolling until she’s pinned beneath me at Kais’s side. I note the asshole doesn’t complain at all when she rubs against him.
Hypocrite.
She shifts beneath me, her hips rocking against mine just subtly in the darkness. I can only tell where she is exactly by the warmth of her breath that’s beckoning me closer.
And closer.
And closer.
Her soft lips part the moment I brush my mouth against hers. The thin shirt she wears to bed rides up, and then her silky long legs are wrapped around me, pressing the heat of her pussy right against my cock until it’s all I can think about.
She lets me kiss her, lets me massage the parts of her that need me most, lets me distract her from the muddled life we’ve built around us.
God, I want to distract her. I want to fuck her until she forgets everything, everything but the sound of my name.
I groan against her lips, and the humming sound of it makes her whimper into me.
Encouraging me, wanting me, needing me.
“Yeah, it’s dark in here, but it’s not that dark.” Preston says in the most bored tone. “Save the dry humping for a time when you’re not guests sleeping on my floor.” He kicks my leg as he walks to the other side of the room, and the sound of clattering cups tells me he’s preparing his morning coffee.
I’m panting against her lips, but everyone except for the hard press of my cock has gotten the memo that nothing is going to happen this morning.
Nothing.
I hear a slurping sound, and I can feel the Profit’s stare against the side of my head, probably sipping his coffee and judging me all at the same time. I push off of Madison and roll to the hard ground, her gasping breaths filling the silence and making me think about all the things we almost just did.
Almost: the title of my biography if I ever write one.
“Now that I know you’re all awake—”
“What about Alixx?” I ask, my voice sounding louder in the darkness.
“Well, he and I have been watching you grind your cock on everyone within touching distance for the last thirty minutes. He’s in the arm chair,” Preston says with another slurp.
“It’s looking like a very good morning indeed,” Alixx’s smooth voice whispers from somewhere across the room.
“Anyway, I’m not saying you’ve outstayed your welcome but—”
“We’ve outstayed our welcome,” Alixx adds flatly.
“You literally said we could stay as long as we like.” I sit up from my spot on the floor to really glare at the boy who is…somewhere.
“I did say that. And I meant it. But I also want you to have a real fucking life. I’m going into town today. I want one of you to come with me. We have some research to do.”
Research?
“Research?” Madison echoes at my side.
A sigh filters out of the boy, and I can’t decide if he’s building the suspense of his explanation or if he’s just really into that morning coffee today.
“Madison’s disruption in the Wonderland kingdom is not the first. Someone just like her caused chaos like this once before, if you’ll remember.” A pause and no one says anything for a moment.
Until she whispers, “My grandmother.”
Those words settle into the darkness, lingering there until they surround us entirely.
“Exactly.” Preston’s footsteps sound swiftly through the room. “Now get dressed, tuck your erections away, and let’s get started.”
He all but claps that order out.
And surprisingly, Madison obeys instantly.
This morning could have been a whole lot better if I’d had my way, I’m just saying.
Four
Madison
Preston was happy I listened.
It wasn’t just him though, it’s the allure of knowing something about someone I feel connected with really. My grandmother clearly felt she didn’t belong here. I feel that way too. In the surface world, I felt like something was missing. Strangely, I think it was Kais and Alixx and Lighton that were missing.
And now here, I feel like I just don’t belong. Still.
My grandmother fixed her future. Maybe I can too.
I had a bucket list once. A carefully thought out piece of paper of all the things I wanted to do and the places I wanted to see. All I want now is them. I want the men who are so lost and so similar to myself to feel…found. That’s all my list is now: within the craziness of these worlds, wherever my future takes me, I just want to feel found with them.
“Clearly, I shouldn’t have worn my nice heels,” Cat huffs as she trails up the sandy shoreline behind Preston and me.
“Clearly, I should have told you to stay behind with the boys,” Preston mumbles to himself, but the cat woman slits her gaze and glares good and hard at him.
The cracking splintering of sticks sounds ominously behind us, and we freeze instantly, my spine stiffening so much that nervousness and ready magic spiral through me all at once.
We turn slowly only to find Brody lighting a cigarette and blowing out smoke into the warm morning breeze. Preston gives him a look, but the man simply shrugs carelessly.
“She left in high heels and a cocktail dress, and I’m just supposed to pretend like she’ll be okay on her own?” His tall frame walks right over to the woman, and in one swift move, he picks her up. A gasping shriek slips from her lips as she wraps her arms happily around his neck. “They made you walk in the sand, Kitten?”
She curls right into him and nuzzles her nose along his neck with a soft purring sound. “It was awful, baby. My kitten heels will never be th
e same.” She crosses her smooth legs while he cradles her like the apparent princess that she is.
Preston arches a judging eyebrow at me, and I just smirk at him.
There’s a strange warmth flooding through me because Brody hasn’t been around a lot. I know he hasn’t been helping Kais like he used to. And that can only mean that he’s feeding all of that diligent soldier-like attention to the one woman who just wants to be seen.
To really be seen by him.
Cat finally has the love she deserves. I can see it in the way they’re cooing to each other, the way he’s looking at her like the world they live in isn’t shit.
That’s what love does; it makes the world around you a better place.
“I asked for help, and I got a romance novel instead,” Preston says with a tired sigh. He waits until the two love…birds…remember we exist.
Brody lowers Cat onto a nice dry patch of dirt, and then all three of us look to the young boy. His pale hair is almost white in the bright light that’s reflecting harshly off the waves. He glances around at us before looking right to the woman behind me.
“Show Madison how to do your invisible trick. If I’m seen, no one will think twice about it, but if you three are seen, you’ll get us all thrown in jail.”
Cat nods before drifting over to me. She stands directly before me, her violet eyes alighting with an excited gleam before ever so slowly, her body starts to fade away. Her long hair and curvaceous figure disappear inch by slow inch.
But bright shining eyes still blink back at me with total mischief and light.
This woman is made up entirely of mischief and pure light, and it shows right now.
As I stare at her beautiful eyes, I try to embody that feeling. I try to mimic her essence, lower my nerves and my worries and everything in between, until I too, drift away.
I feel it. It happens in the blink of two violet eyes.
A lightness overtakes my body, and I feel like the wind could sweep me away at any second. I could just float off in the breeze and never touch down again.
“Perfect,” Preston says with a nod of his head.
And he doesn’t wait for me to adjust. Not one bit, as he turns away and starts hiking up the coastline toward the castle in the distance.
Brody glances through us, looking at the Profit’s back before slowly turning toward the sea. I’ve never seen the confident man look so uncertain. But he halts for a moment, and it’s then that I notice Cat’s hand floating against his, her body coming back into view as she presses herself up against his side, arching her back until her lips skim against his.
“I’ll be careful,” she whispers, and the simple words alone seem to smooth the man’s dark eyebrows.
“Good.” His palm sneaks down to the curve of her ass, and he jerks her flusher against him, a gasp tearing up her throat all over again. “I—”
I hang on his hesitant words to see if he’ll say the one thing I know she wants to hear.
But too many seconds tick by between that one word and his next.
“I’ll see you soon.” He kisses her temple, and she just smiles up at him before claiming his lips and showing him exactly what could be his if he just had the balls to tell her he wants her.
That he loves her.
Why is he such an idiot?
Her white teeth rake across his lower lip in such a dirty way that even I have to look away as they say the longest good bye I’ve ever witnessed. It’s like no one else exists but them in this moment.
Oh yeah…I’m invisible.
Carry on.
A thin hand slips into mine. “Ready?” Only Cat’s bright eyes can be seen as she tugs my hand and leads me rushing after Preston.
She keeps my hand in hers, and I’m thankful in a strange way. My feet sink and lift and stumble as I try to walk. I can’t see myself, but I know I look like an invisible fool. I just feel so light right now I think I could float away like a party balloon if I’m not careful.
“Where are we going?” Cat asks once we catch up.
“The key to going unseen is to also be unheard,” Preston says flatly.
“We’re not even to the castle yet.” Cat rolls her pretty eyes, and I try my best to make my steps identical to hers just to keep the pace, my hips wiggling a bit more than normal as we go.
My body is clearly useless when I can’t visually see what it’s doing.
“Profit, how good to see you.” The familiar voice slices tension right through my nonexistent body. I barely catch a glimpse of his top hat before I clench my eyes closed hard.
Every second that slips by is a reminder of my knocking heartbeat that’s demanding air that I refuse to give my lungs.
“Elder Liddell, I was just coming to check on you. I was afraid the creatures would still be in this area. I was afraid to return, I’ll admit,” Preston says with smooth calmness that I wish I could latch on to.
“Well, the beasts lingered. We had to put them down.” Liddell’s gruff voice kicks my heart into a thundering sound.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Preston says with genuine sadness tinging his tone.
“Ah, well their magic will be put to good use. We’re not the wasteful type, as you know.”
Good use.
It sours my stomach at the same time as rage shakes through my hands. A gentle squeeze pulses through my palm, and I’m reminded Cat’s here. She’s feeling the same hatred I am, it seems.
I hate that I’m hiding in plain sight right now. I should strike now. Right now.
The only thing stopping me is Preston’s trust. He trusted me not to put him in danger. And so I swallow down my need for a steady breath and stand still as can be as several quiet seconds pass.
I want to peek and see if he’s still here, but I don’t need to. I can feel him. I can’t explain how, but I can feel Liddell’s presence pressing in on me.
“Speaking of useful magic,” he begins, his tone lingering on that thought, “if Madison Torrent or any of her friends should get in contact with you, let it be known that we want them alive.”
The simple use of my name has my pulse clawing at my throat, but I refuse to move a single muscle.
“Alive for now, that is,” he adds with a warm laugh that sets me more and more on edge until Cat’s long arms are wrapped fully around me as if she’s afraid I might lash out at any second.
The beating of my heart counts the time as it slips by without another word.
Until Preston whispers, “He’s gone.”
“Where are we going, Preston?” Cat hisses with more anger and anxiety lacing her words as we slowly follow after the boy once more.
“We are going to Dismay Forest. The former exit of Wonderland. Until Liddell shut it down because he got the Alice he wanted.”
“What’s at Dismay Forest?” I ask, my feet stuttering and faltering to keep up.
Another Elder passes Preston, my eyes clenching closed instantly. A chaotic whirl of anxiety rushes through me as he slips right by me.
And I don’t even breathe until the man’s footsteps have fully quieted.
When I open my eyes, Preston’s light gaze isn’t as careless as I’m used to. He glances at me with a bit of panic peering back at me. It’s unnerving when I put so much trust in him to begin with.
But when he speaks, I’m even more unsettled than I was before.
“The last known memory of your grandmother resides in Dismay Forest. She’s what brought newcomers here, and it’s meant to be the last thing they see if they leave. Not that that’s an option anymore.”
I pause to think that through. “What exactly does that mean, Preston?”
He swallows hard before meeting my wide eyes.
“She left on bad terms, Madison. Her memory lingers in this realm on bad terms. The only full memory Liddell could save of her haunts that place. Maisie haunts Dismay Forest.”
Her memory haunts that forest.
And we’re going there now.
F
ive
Madison
The warm morning sunlight is eclipsed the deeper we trail into the thick trees. A dense canopy looms above us, casting the pine needles in a muted gray color that sets me further on edge the farther we go.
Maisie haunts Dismay Forest.
Those words repeat like a defense mechanism with every fluttering bird or scurrying creature that rustles by. My nerves prickle, heartbeat drilling, breath catching. And Cat simply walks with her always confident swagger, side by side with the careless boy.
“How much are you charging us for this little tour guide this morning, Profit?”
I wait for him to give her a dollar amount, but he doesn’t even glance her way. His steps are so assured, so steady. He isn’t like a young boy at all.
And he only reinforces that when he speaks. “There are some things more important than money. Life. Life is more important.”
His hinting words send a spasm of pain through my stomach with the reminder of what he said to me just the night before.
“I care about my life,” I whisper quietly like my very voice might scurry out a few ghosts who forgot to do their daily hauntings.
“I believe you do.” Preston slows his pace, his big brown eyes flitting over me for less than a second. “You just care about their lives more than your own.”
Their. Who does he mean exactly? Lighton? Kais? Alixx? The entire Kingdom of Wanderlust?
All of the above.
“Stop!” A scream seethes on a tone that shakes the very limbs of the trees around us.
A chill crawls down my spine. The wind halts. And yet the air gets cold. So, so cold around us.
“Don’t come any closer!”
An image of flickering white rushes across the land, the thin needles shuddering beneath transparent feet, and her tear-stained features stop right in front of me. She looks at me, standing eye to eye and yet…not seeing me at all.