Page 31 of Maddie

Noah descended the steps with Maddie on his heels to a rounded room. Anemptyroom. No bed, no sofa, no nothing except for an open crate full of powdered blood.

“It’ll do to keep us safe,” Maddie assured him, as if she’d read his mind.

Noah slid his pack off and plopped down on the carved-out wood floor, stretching his legs. “Yes, it’ll do.” He wasn’t going to be awake long enough to care about comfort anyway. Now that he was sitting down, exhaustion washed over him in a wave. “Sweet dreams, Maddie.”

“Don’t let the Wonderland bugs bite,” she replied as she rifled through her bag for something. “I’ll wake you when it’s time to leave.”

The scent of cherries invaded his nostrils. Noah wasn’t sure if he’d be able to sleep with the images in his head of Maddie slipping her dress off her petite body and straddling him. He pressed his eyes shut and rolled to his side, facing away from her.Fucking hell.Think of werewolves instead, Noah. Big beastly ones. But it wasn’t working. Not one bit. Fuck, he was in trouble.

Chapter Thirteen

Maddie

A smidge of alabaster tulle there. A little ivory lace curved and braided between. Perhaps frosted felt entwined with chiffon near the front. Folded and shaped pearly roses of wool could be sewn into a small arch. Then at its center would rest an anatomical heart, crimson paint appearing to leak from its veins, coating the other white areas in splashes of scarlet, as though the organ were bleeding. That was it! This was the fascinator Maddie would gift to Imogen, as the perfect distraction, before attempting to retrieve Mouse.Ifthey came back from this journey.

The image in Maddie’s mind of the hat was one of the finest she’d come up with, one that would anger Imogen. Yet, she knew it would distract the queen for a moment, a moment where Maddie and Noah could possibly make their move. She wasn’t sure what the plan would be following that, but as long as they could get Imogen’s arms behind her back before she tore into their chests, then it would be a good day.

Once—if—they got Mouse out, where would they go? To hide in one of these safe houses forever? To see if there was anything left in the dead Red Queen’s abandoned territory? To hide somewhere in the mortal world? The mortal world may be their best option, but Maddie didn’t want to constantly move every few years when humans realized they didn’t age. Then to pretend she was human and hide from the sun?No—she liked her freedom. If they were able to retrieve the cure, and there was enough, then perhaps she, Mouse, and Ferris could also take it.No to that too. None of them would want that.

As Maddie contemplated the what-ifs, a strong arm folded around her middle and drew her to a firm chest. She gasped at the sudden movement, and the warmth forming in her belly. Noah nuzzled into her neck, and they were like two spoons fitting together perfectly. His hard length pressed into her, her eyelids fluttering at the contact. His breathing came out soft, even …sleeping. She’d been in this position many times but never while the male wasn’t awake.

Noah’s impish hand then slowly slid up her stomach and she stilled, wondering what was going to happen next. His palm cupped her breast and he growled into her neck, pressing harder against her. Maddie naturally arched into his touch, but she needed to wake Noah before this got too awkward for him. She didn’t mind his hands on her one bit.

“Immortal,” Maddie whispered, jabbing him in the ribs with her elbow.

“Mm-hmm,” he groaned, somehow moving even closer, his fingers kneading her breast.

“Noah,” she said louder, jabbing him harder.

His hand loosened from her breast, but remained frozen there, his entire body stiffened.

“Fuck.” Noah removed his arm from around her and shifted back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t—”

“No worries.” With a smile, Maddie rolled to face him and placed her hand to his warm cheek, giving it a light tap. “It’s natural. I told you the lust would come again.” She paused, remembering her hand around him in the bathtub only a couple days ago, him enjoying it, her liking it just as much. Not only that, but it had helped him. “Do you want me to take care of you again?”

His throat bobbed as his bright green eyes studied her. “Only if you want to,” he said softly. “Not out of obligation.”

“I don’t do anything I don’t want to do.”

“All right,” Noah whispered. “It helped last time.”

She scanned him up and down. “Let’s remove your clothes, so we don’t get them too messy.”

Noah seemed to fight a smile as he slowly nodded before lifting his shirt over his head. Not taking her eyes from his bright green irises, Maddie reached between them and unbuttoned his trousers, then pushed them down. He kicked the material off until he was bare before her. She took in each hard muscle, his defined chest, his strong thighs and arms. This male never would’ve given her a second look in her past human life, and she didn’t truly know if he would in this immortal life either. But they were stuck together, and she was starting to rather like having him around.

As she gripped his hard length, Noah released a deep groan and wrapped his arm around her waist. He rested his forehead in the crook of her neck when she gently caressed at first. Maddie inched closer as she circled the head of his cock with her thumb, then stroking up and down, adding firmer pressure, her movements increasing their pace.

Noah’s breathing hitched—her heart pounded.

Maddie unintentionally shifted even closer, a heat spreading through her, consuming her, and she yearned desperately to sink her fangs into his throat. Not for a treat like she did with mortals, but for the pleasure that vampires gave to one another. With all the immortal lovers she’d taken to her bed, she’d never once let any of them push their teeth into her flesh though, not after Rav. Only hers penetrating them.

Her lips pressed to Noah’s throat, her fangs lowering on their own accord. Maddie grazed his tender skin with her teeth, then flicked the area with her tongue, tasting his salty flesh. He shivered at her touch, and let out a delicious sound just as she pumped and stroked him even harder. She liked the feel of him, the sounds he made.

“Maddie,” he rasped while his muscles tightened, his body spasming, his cock throbbing as he spilled himself.

Noah’s chest heaved, her body now coiled tight, aching for a release of her own when she let go of him.

Before she could retrieve a cloth from her pack to clean them up, Noah said something unexpected, enticing, his voice curious. “Can I touch you now?”

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