Page 12 of Cheshire's Smile
“There is no memory to jog.” I shook my head and frowned. “If there was something between us, I don’t remember. Hazard of being imprisoned in the Hall of Mirrors.”
Tick’s lips curled down. “You... you really don’t remember me?”
“You heard her,” Cheshire purred, curling one of my locks around his clawed finger. “She doesn’t. Go away, fox.”
Cheshire tried to lead me away, but I held firm. I put a hand on his chest to try to calm him. “Hold on now, Cheshire. I might not remember him, but we need him.” I turned my attention to the fox. “Where’s this back door?”
Tick’s somber face instantly brightened. “Of course, my love. It would by my pleasure to show you.” He offered me his arm.
Cheshire growled in warning.
Tick dropped it with a sigh. “This would be much easier if you remembered me, wife.”
His words only made Cheshire snarl once more. I patted his chest and drew Cheshire forward. “Don’t mind him. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“Oh, on the contrary,” Tick began as he led us back through the streets of the Seelie Realm, “we had a deal. If you could solve my riddle, I would tell you where that pesky Opalaught went.”
He peered over his shoulder and grinned. “You failed.”
I pulled away from Cheshire, making him growl. I waved him off and hurried to Tick’s side. A spicy aroma poured off him, filling my senses and heating things low inside me. That memory tickled at my mind once more.
A foggy memory pushed at me. I was chasing someone. Tick said it was an opalaught. It couldn’t have been Trip and the only other opalaught I knew was... Watch.
That’s right!
I chased Watch into the Underground and somehow I ended up in Tick’s home instead of Summerville. The scene played out through my head. It was hazy as if it were a dream and not a memory. But one key point stood out above the rest.
I jerked back to a stop with a scowl. “I remember you now.”
“You do?” Tick grinned and closed in on me, curling a hand around my waist. Before he could draw me near, Cheshire ripped Tick away from me and shoved him against the nearest wall, Cheshire’s clawed hand around the fox’s throat.
“Do not touch what doesn’t belong to you, fox.” Cheshire’s skin flashed between pale and purple, his pending transformation hinting at the rage billowing inside of him.
Tick laughed, not at all intimidated by Cheshire.
“It’s alright, Cheshire.” I placed a hand on Cheshire’s shoulder, shooting a glare at Tick. “You are a cheat and a liar.”
Cheshire shoved off the fox with a huff, instantly pulling me back to his side. His hand swept up and down my side, as if he couldn’t stand not touching me right now.
Tick rubbed his throat and chuckled. “So you do remember me. How wonderful.”
“I remember you drugging me and then trying to con me into marrying you. However, I also remember you didn’t think I was old enough for you. Let me guess, now you think I’m old enough?” I arched a brow with a sneer.
The fox leered at me, his tails twitching. “Oh, yes. I would be honored to have the great pretender as my wife.”
Magic crackled beneath my skin. Without warning, I threw it at Tick, lifting him up off the ground by his neck. “My name is Alice. Not Bad Lady. Not the great pretender. Alice. And the only thing you will have the honor of is being ripped apart by me.”
“No — ack — Hold on...” Tick struggled against my hold. “You... need me.”
A low rumble came from Cheshire, his nose trailing along my cheek. “You have no idea how much I want to be inside you right now, pet.”
I turned my head, our nose brushed together. “Does violence turn you on, pussy cat?”
“I will turn you over my knee if you call me that again.” His rumble turned into a growl.
My lips ticked up a thrill running down my spine at his words. “Promises. Promises. But first...” I turned back to Tick. “What to do with him?”
“Kill him.” Cheshire’s hot tongue slid up the side of my neck before nipping at my ear. “Then I’ll prove I’m a fae of my word.”
