Page 48 of Escaping Wonderland

He turned away from the bed. He would occupy himself by washing their soiled clothes—the mess he’d undoubtedly make of Miraxis’s home in the process would be satisfying, and Shadow and Alice would appreciate clean clothes to put on in the morning.

Why speculate about reality? Wonderlandwasreality. There was nothing else.

The visions struck him so quickly, so powerfully, that his stride faltered, assailing his senses in an onslaught against which he could not defend. Sight, hearing, smell, feel, and taste were hijacked; all that remained of reality was his own thundering heart.

He was at the controls of a strange vehicle, struggling with the sticks that operated it. The wide window in front of him wasdominated by orange fire, and the tang of burning metal stung his nostrils. Everything around him was rattling so hard and fast that it all seemed on the verge of breaking apart. Countless voices chattered in his ear, and people nearby where shouting in panicked tones.

Shadow shook himself out of the jarring vision, but another swept in on its heels.

He lay on his back atop some sort of bed in a dimly lit corridor. Strong, cruel hands were clamped on his arms and legs as the bed was wheeled into a room, and Shadow couldn’t move, couldn’t shake the nauseating odor of chemicals.

“Welcome,” someone said as Shadow was lifted and lowered into another, narrower bed with high walls. They said more, but he couldn’t hear the words because sharp objects were piercing his skin, and he still couldn’t move, still couldn’t get away.

Then the lid closed, because he wasn’t in a bed—he was in a box, in a tomb. In his coffin.

When he snapped back to reality, Shadow was on one knee, leaning against one of the corners of the foot of the bed. His heart was pounding, his breath ragged, his limbs trembling. He was in Miraxis’s bedroom, not in a strange, fiery vehicle or a cramped coffin.

He glanced over his shoulder. Fortunately, Alice was sleeping soundly, undisturbed by his…episode.

What was that?

He’d never experienced those things, had never seen those places. Just like everyone else, he’d come into being in Wonderland, and he remembered everything from his awakening.

Those weren’t memories. Couldn’t be.

It was my imagination. A…temporary lapse of sanity.

Shadow pushed up to his feet and, on shaky legs, made his way to the bathroom to collect Alice’s clothing, pausing only to gather his own along the way.

“Not real,” he whispered to himself. The words echoed in his head.

Not real.

CHAPTER 13

Alice woke from another dreamless sleep; were dreams unnecessary in Wonderland because she was already dreaming? She was lying on her side, and Shadow’s body was tucked against her back. Her head was resting on one of his arms, and his other arm was curled around her, holding her securely in his embrace, wrapping her in warmth. His breath stirred her hair and tickled her scalp.

Waking up with someone holding her was strange, but it was a goodfeeling. She’d had sex once, after her so-called friends had plied her with alcohol and loosened her up enough to convince her to try it, but the act had been followed swiftly by regret—especially when the guy had tossed her wadded-up clothes to her and pointed at the door.

She couldn’t have left fast enough.

At that moment, it hadn’t been fear of what her father would think—or fear of what would happen if her indiscretion were discovered and made public—that had driven her away. She’d felt so unsatisfied, so dirty, sousedthat she’d been overwhelmed by shame and regret. That man had wanted nothing but a place to put his cock. That’s all she’d been to him. After that, she’d concluded that one-night stands weren’t for her. Alice neededan emotional connection, she needed something meaningful. There were so many other ways to find pleasure without the needless complications of sex that it just wasn’t worth it without something deeper.

But lying here with Shadow, she didn’t feel even a sliver of regret. She felt…cherished.

A slow smile spread across her lips as she took a deep breath and turned in Shadow’s arms to face him. She found his eyes open and alert, and his smile—so soft and tender compared to his usual grin—made her chest ache.

“Good morning, sweet Alice,” he purred.

A blush warmed her cheeks. His deep, rumbling voice went straight to her core. How could someone’s voice sound so sexy upon waking?

Alice brushed her fingers over his chest, tracing the toned muscles beneath. “Good morning.”

“I don’t think I could possibly have woken to a more beautiful sight.” He settled the pad of a finger on her cheek and slid it down along her jaw, stopping it on her chin.

She trailed her own finger down the center of his abdomen—toward his pelvis. “Are you sure of that?”

His smile widened slightly, enhancing the glow of his vibrant eyes. “Iwas, a moment ago…”

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