Page 43 of Escaping Wonderland

I’d want him anyway.

Taking in a deep breath, she turned and pressed her ear against the door. No sounds came from the other side.

She slowly eased away from the door and approached the counter. She looked in the mirror; the reflection that greeted her made her cringe. There were dark smudges under her eyes, remnants of the makeup Shadow had wiped away, and her skin was too pale. Her hair was a mess, tangled and matted, full of leaves and grass, she was smeared with dirt, and there was dried blue blood on her chin and cheeks.

For a moment, she stared at the blood, tears welling in her eyes. The horror of Jor’calla’s death clawed at the edges of her consciousness, but she pushed it away. Her mind couldn’t handle that now. Not again, not yet. It had been all too real.

Reaching up, she removed the choker from around her neck—it looked too much like a collar to her, now that she wasn’t drug-addled—and tossed it away before plucking bits of debris from her hair. She let pieces of grass and leaves fall to the floor.Once most of the debris had been removed, she picked up a comb from the counter and used it to get rid of the worst of the snarls in her hair.

When she was done, she set the comb down and turned toward the shower. Lowering her arms, she let the unfastened dress fall to the floor, stepped out of it, and nudged it aside. She pulled open the shower’s glass door.

The shower, like everything in Miraxis’s house, was startlingly clean, but more than that, it was…simple—or maybeold-fashionedwas the better term. The interior of his home seemed like it would’ve fit perfectly in the real world—more than a hundred years ago. There were electric lights, but many of the fixtures appeared terribly outdated compared to what Alice was used to, and the single showerhead and its solitary control handle, both made of what appeared to be polished brass, struck her as odd.

There were no control panels, sensors, or additional nozzles on the walls and ceiling like every other shower she’d used.

She turned the handle. Water sprayed from the showerhead in a wide cone. The water was instantly just the right temperature—soothing, but not painfully, hot—and wisps of steam curled into the air. Alice stepped into the shower and pulled the door closed.

Hot water sluiced over her body, carrying away the dirt from her travels. She moaned and closed her eyes, holding her face in the water before turning and letting it run through her hair.

Alice took her time, relishing the heat as she scrubbed her hair and body clean using the soaps and shampoos arranged on the little ledge inside the shower. Once she’d rinsed the lather away, she washed again—just because it felt good to be warm and clean.

When she was done, she stepped out onto the mat on the floor, plucked a perfectly folded towel from the shelf, and ranit over her body, soaking up as much water as possible before tipping her head to the side to dry her hair.

She dropped the towel on the floor and grabbed a fresh one, wrapping it around her body. She paused to stare down at her dress. The stains soiling it were only more pronounced against the pristine white floor tiles; she couldn’t bring herself to put it back on in its current state. She’d just have to steal some of Miraxis’s clothes.

She didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty about that.

Facing the mirror, Alice studied her reflection again. Her skin had a healthier flush to it. She felt…normal. Shelookednormal—like she’d just stepped out of the shower, relaxed and refreshed, after a long day. She picked up the comb and ran it through her hair until it was tangle free before setting it back down.

She adjusted the towel around her body—keeping one hand clasped securely at the top—moved to the door, opened it, and stepped into the bedroom.

Alice froze.

Shadow lay atop the bed, leaning on one elbow with his head on his palm. His hair was darker than usual, hanging around his head in damp locks, and he was free of the dirt and muck he had accumulated during their journey. His legs were both bent; one was curled so his foot was behind him, the other so his knee was raised in the air. He wore wicked grin, and his teal eyes burned with lustful heat.

But none of that was what had given her pause.

Shadow was completelynakedbut for a towel—small enough that it might’ve been a hand towel—draped over his crotch. The cloth did nothing to hide the bulge of his erection.

“Perfect timing, Alice. I was just getting ready to relax.”

“Relax?” she asked dumbly, unable to tear her eyes away from him.

Though he was taller and longer of limb than any man she’d ever met, Shadow was built like a human. His lean muscles were well-toned beneath that velvety gray skin.

“Well, to be honest, I had no intention of relaxingnow.” A low, rumbling purr underscored his words. “That can comeafter.”

“After?” She stared at his groin. Had the clothtwitched? Was the outline getting…bigger? Her sex clenched, and she shifted on her feet, squeezing her thighs together as heat pooled between them.

Shadow’s grin widened, and he drew in a slow, deep breath. “Mmm. I don’t think I will ever tire of that scent.”

Her eyes flew to meet his.

He held her gaze until she blinked. When she opened her eyes again, he was gone. Only the towel remained on the bed.

“There’s no need to be so flustered,” Shadow said from behind her.

Alice started, but his hands—so soft and yet so strong—settled over her shoulders before she could move away. His hair brushed against her ear as he leaned forward, and when he pressed his body against hers, she felt his hard cock press along her spine. Something lazily stroked her calf; she glanced down to see his tail brushing her pale skin.

---