Page 21 of Maddie

Noah slammed the front door a bit too hard behind them and winced. The immortal would get used to his new strength eventually.

As they headed into the night, the sky was already shifting, and it would turn into morning soon. They didn’t have any more time to waste, and she needed to get to Ferris. Five days had passed. Five days too long. And Ferris would be getting antsy, especially since she had planned to visit him after delivering the hat to Osanna. But then this messy immortal situation with Noah had come about.

Maddie supposed she could’ve left Noah and went to the safe house, but she hadn’t wanted Noah to die, not after she’d turned him without his consent. She had also needed to stay with him at the cottage in case Imogen and Rav ventured back to have a chat—she’d risked enough by leaving Noah for a short while to request a donor be sent to her home for him to feed. Maddie didn’t know how good of a liar Noah could be.

Since days had passed, perhaps the little deviants had grown tired with their search for Ferris and Alice and found new toys to play with. But Maddie knew better—Rav and Imogen would never stop the hunt until their bodies were discovered.

As they stepped onto the trail leading to the outskirts of the city, Noah strode beside her with his hands buried deep in the pockets of his trousers. He hadn’t said a single word since they’d left, not even one of his silly questions. “Cat got your tongue?” Maddie asked.

His green gaze met hers then, a hesitant expression on his face. “Thank you,” he said softly.

Maddie quirked a brow and drawled, “For…?”

“The bathroom.” He scratched the back of his neck, pink staining his cheeks.

“Ah, yes.” She grinned, thinking once again about her hand around his velvety length. “That. You should make it through tonight just fine. It’s the least I could do after, you know, turning you.”

Noah scowled, his lips forming a tight line.

Maddie didn’t know what she’d said to damper his expression. “Speak, immortal.”

“So, you did it because you felt guilty?”

No. If it had been Ferris in Noah’s position, she would’ve told him to use his own hand and be on with it. “Yes,” she lied. He didn’t need to discover that she’d been wanting to know what his cock felt like since he’d taken her into his lap. It was a help-help situation. Help him while helping her quench her curiosity. Although, her curiosity now led to wanting to know more. “Anyway, you had asked about a cure for Alice, so I know you don’t want this life. But, I did it to save you. I wanted to allow you the opportunity to still live, albeit a different life. However, if you want me to, I can rip your heart out right here.”

Noah stopped in his tracks, a look of horror crossing his face as he stared at her.

“I mean,” she continued slowly. “I don’t want you to die. Just, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken you with me to Osanna’s. I thought it was safer if you were with me here in Wonderland, but apparently, you were fated to die no matter where we’d left you. But hey”—she clasped both of his upper arms and lightly rattled him—“you’re not dead now!”

“Wow.” He chuckled, shaking his head as he peered up at the sky before returning his focus to her. “All right... I’m not sure how to respond tothat. You aren’t so bad, though. Maybe a bit of bad luck, but you’re sweet.”

What? No one had ever called hersweetbefore. Even when she was a human.Odd.Mad. His words sent a rush of tingles straight to her chest. It was quite possible bats were flying in her stomach at the same time. With a tilt of the head, she patted his cheek. “Let’s go check on you-know-who.”

He lifted a brow, then his expression turned serious as they walked. “I hope she’s all right.”

“As I said,he”—she wouldn’t risk saying Ferris’s name out in the open—“would’ve let me know if she wasn’t.” Unless something happened to him… Unless he’d been caught. Even without a key, if Rav and Imogen knew the location, they could always find a way in.

Noah gave a brief nod.

“Now, act casual with me.” She wrapped her arm around Noah’s waist as they trekked through the city toward the outskirts, the red lanterns becoming dimmer as the sky lightened. They passed a few bloodied corpses sprawled on the ground, as well as several alive immortals and humans. One couple seemed to be having a role-playing sort of day. The mortal wore fake fangs and nibbled at the vampire’s neck. Some were bustling about the city, carrying baskets of goods and ice chests, while others yawned, most likely on their way home for their daily rest.

Noah draped his arm around Maddie’s shoulders and drew her closer as they entered the outskirts, the lanterns lessening. “So,” Noah drawled. “Since you and Ferris aren’t dating, when was your last boyfriend?”

Boyfriend? Maddie had never had a boyfriend. Only lovers. “Ah, there’s my questioner.” She pressed her head to his arm so they appeared like any other couple to lookers. “Never. I’ve only fucked. There was the one time with Rav… I thought… Before I was turned. But I was foolish then.”

“So you—”

“We’re here,” Maddie interrupted, preferring not to tell him how she’d taken lover after lover to take away the sting of Rav’s betrayal. She hadn’t even known the bastard for more than a day, yet his effect on her had lasted more than she would’ve wished. But when someone was one’s first, no matter how long they knew them, they always lingered. No matter that her instant attraction to him had turned to instant hate.

Straightening her spine, she rid the memory of that tainted arse from her mind. Maddie removed her arm from Noah’s waist and raised her fist to knock the secret code. Noah took his arm from her shoulders as the click sounded from the lock and the door flung open.

“I’m going to kill you,” Ferris said between gritted teeth. He stood there, peering down at her with a hard stare. “Where have you been? I thought you were fuckingdead.”

“Oh, you know, just been roaming Wonderland, creating hats, and making Noah immortal.” Maddie shrugged then grabbed Noah’s hand and pushed their way inside past Ferris.

Ferris shut the door before whirling around to face them. “What the hell, Maddie?” His eyes widened as he scanned Noah. “Iknowhe didn’t ask you to make him immortal. He was freaking out days ago.”

“I wasn’t freaking out.” Noah rolled his eyes while resting the ice chest and backpack on the floor.

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