Page 34 of Maddie

“Get where?” came a tauntingly curious male’s voice. Noah’s pulse immediately began to race.

“Bloody hell,” Maddie grumbled.

A vampire leapt down from a tree directly in front of them. Chestnut hair fell halfway down his neck, shorter pieces framing his face, and he studied them with yellow irises. He wore black trousers with a matching vest, abs on full display. This was the same male he’d seen in the park just before they first arrived in Wonderland, when Noah was under Maddie’s trance.Chess. Imogen’s son. Theprince. Noah fought the urge to step forward and beat his arse.

Chess smiled at Maddie, fangs fully descended and a smear of blood on his lips. “Did I frighten you, little plum? I was certain you noticed me a moment ago when you looked around, but I guess you were too preoccupied with the mess I made on the trees.”

Maddie shuffled slightly in front of Noah. “Weren’t you searching for something before in the mortal world?”

“I’m the king of multitasking. Search for a human, search for a queen… But instead, I found a hatter and a new vampire.” His yellow gaze landed on Noah, seeming to bore down to his soul. “You were a mortal last time we met, weren’t you?”

Noah opened his mouth to reply just as something large fell from the same tree that Chess had leapt from. It hit the ground with a loudthump.

“Found a snack too,” Chess said with a shrug. “Meant to tie him up there to bleed slowly, but I got carried away.”

Noah peered around the flippant male and drew in a sharp breath.A body.The heavyset man was nearly decapitated, his skin waxy, his eyes bulging from their sockets. Noah’s stomach churned at the sight. There was drinking from someone like he had at Maddie’s and then there was draining people dry.

“A royal servant from Ivory?” Maddie asked, peering down at the man’s dead body. “I wasn’t aware those traitorous guards had left anyone alive.”

Chess shrugged, all humor fading from his expression. “Where are you off to, Maddie? You know you’re not allowed to leave Scarlet unless it’s for the mortal world.”

Maddie shifted into Noah’s side and her arm circled his waist. Following her lead, he settled his arm around her shoulders. “I’m just showing my boyfriend around Wonderland. He’s new, like you said, and we wanted to take a little trip. I’ll be back in time to deliver your mother her next hat.”

“Boyfriend...” Chess licked the corner of his lips, spreading the blood smeared there. Noah narrowed his eyes, growing uncomfortable with the scrutiny. “You know, Maddie, I never thought you were the type to sire anyone and keep them.”

“It was a happy accident,” she said with false cheer. “Now, if you’ll excuse us…”

She tapped Noah’s side, steering him away without breaking their embrace, and walked across fallen leaves. Noah released a quiet, relieved breath. He wanted to get as far away from Chess as possible, as fast as possible. But running would only make them look suspicious. Maddie hadn’t mentioned not being allowed out of Scarlet before they’d left, but would it have made a difference?

Chess sidestepped in front of them and chuckled, a predatory glint in his eyes. Noah scowled, his hand tightening around Maddie’s shoulders.

“Oh, Maddie,” Chess whispered and tapped the tip of her nose. “You know I can’t let you wander off into Ivory.”

Maddie rolled her eyes. “I don’t know where Ever is. Besides, you still have Mouse.”

“So you keep saying, but I…” Chess prowled a step closer, forcing Maddie to look up to see his face. “Don’t…” He gripped her chin. “Believe...” His eyes turned to thin slits. “You.”

Noah tensed, ready to knock the prince away from Maddie. The way Chess was touching her lit his protective instincts on fire, but she wasn’t even trying to defend herself. For that reason alone, he held back, grinding his teeth together to the point of pain.

Maddie squeezed his side as if in warning, rolling her shoulder slightly, and he loosened his grip on her. “You’re welcome to join us then,” she offered.

“I don’t do threesomes.” Chess paused. “With only vampires.” A hiss escaped Noah without warning and Chess eyed him. “Don’t sass me, child.”

Noah froze. He wanted to rip the prince’s face off. Tear him apart. Somewhere, deep inside, he recoiled at his own thoughts, but he’d work throughthatlater.

“Now,” Chess continued. “Come back to Scarlet with me like a good girl. Mother will be interested in your sight-seeing itinerary.”

“Okay,” Maddie said in a slightly slurred voice. Chess’s grip had tightened so much that her lips puckered.

Chess stepped back and wiped his hand on his trousers. “Stay there for one moment, won’t you?” He climbed the tree again without waiting for a reply, leaping and swinging on the branches like a damn monkey to reach the top.

Noah spun Maddie to face him. “What the fuck? We can’t go back to Scarlet,” Noah said in a rushed voice. They needed to keep going without distractions.

“We can’t fight Chess either,” she whispered. “He’s older than I am and much stronger. Trust me and play along.”

Maddie looked the same age as Chess. Immortal… Noah supposed that meant he would look like this forever. No pain, no memory loss, no deteriorating. Another perk of being a vampire.

Chess leapt down in front of them again and produced a blood-stained rope. “You don’t mind, do you?”

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