Huntsman's Prey (9 page)

So there was that.

The gray stone, that was actually just hardened clay, melted right off like wax in his hand. At this there was finally a flicker of life. He looked up at her and something strange happened when their eyes connected, she felt a crazy fluttering in her chest. A strange bump, bump the she wasn’t sure she liked that much. He intrigued her when she first spotted him. And his constant snarkiness was mildly entertaining, she should have left him to his own devices, he was a hunter, no doubt a good one. Anyone employed by the Red Queen had to be good.

So why was she still finding reasons to stay? It certainly couldn’t be the fact that he was so easy to look upon, or the fact that his lips had been…delicious. Or even the fact that he made her think of the Vikings of which she was so fond.

No, that definitely couldn’t be why.

Fairies, looking like little lightning bugs danced throughout the soon to be night sky. The night rang with the chirp of crickets and the haunting melody of twilight sparrows. Soon the cerulean sky would give way to the navy of night, fairy games would be played, cider ale would be drunk, the festivities of the fairy garden would come to life.

The Huntsman looked confused. “How is it that the fairy garden is in Wonderland?”

She shrugged. “Kingdom is a magical realm, but there is no place as powerful or magically potent as the fairy gardens. The fairies magic comes from nature itself, the magic imbued within the soil of Wonderland is ten times more powerful than in any other place in kingdom. They reside here to tap into that wellspring.”

“I didn’t know that.”

She clipped her head. “I’m sure there’s a lot about Wonderland you didn’t know.”

“I can’t disagree with that, each minute only reinforces those truths for me,” he said it absentmindedly, but she imagined that maybe there was an apology in there.

Or maybe that’s just what she wanted to hear.

Aeric looked down at the trickle of water in obvious perplexion, and bending over, he dipped his pinky finger in the waters. Brows dipping again when the shooting sparks of light danced across his hand. “A copperhead beetle tweezered me three nights ago. I feared the wound would never heal.” He wiggled his healed finger in front of his face.

He had nice fingers, long and tapered, the nails were smooth but blunt, her flesh tickled when she remembered how he’d danced those same fingers along the inside of her arm which had been present at that time. She never could control which parts of her body would appear, or not appear as it were. Most annoying

Lissa was a guardian of the woods; a keeper of the magic, there was no duty as sacred as what she did. Her life had been nothing but guarding and protecting what lived and breathed inside of Wonderland, she’d never known the touch of a man. Not in a sexual way, not even in a friendly way. And up until the moment he’d touched her, she’d never known touch in her life.

Her stomach went topsy-turvy. Blowing out a breath, she cleared her throat and moved several steps away from him.

Glancing up at the cloudless night, she thought that maybe this would be a good spot to make camp. Fairy being this close, Chrysalis would likely not come here. “Let’s bed down here.”

Making his way to his feet, Aeric planted his hands on his hips and looked around. Everything inside of Wonderland was home, she knew it like the back of her hand, but even so she tried to picture it is he was viewing it now. By his own admission he did not come into Wonderland often, and as much as she teased him about it, she’d also never left Wonderland herself.

It was obvious he knew nothing of leech vines, or the magical properties of the fairy’s brook, did he know how to scout food, did he know how to burn fire, she smiled thinking perhaps she could be helpful after all.

“Are you certain? Maybe we should look a little farther out,” he said. “There are no trees to shield us, this is flat, open land. Any predator could spot us within a mile—”

“You have to take everything that you think you know, hunter, and toss it away. The trees are no more safe than these predators that you fear. You now know about the leech vines, what about the polka dotted python acorn tree, or the hanging willow, or the galloping Oak? I can keep you safe.”

She could see he wasn’t overly fond of what she was saying, but he also couldn’t deny it. He looked back out at the flat lands.

In that moment, with the wind rifling through his hair, pulling the umber locks behind him and the smell of juniper all around, her heart did that strange beating thing again. She rubbed her chest and frowned.

“Then I guess we make camp,” he finally agreed.

Pulling his pack off, he dropped it on the ground and began rifling through it. “We cannot set up camp next to this brook, water is a beacon to any creature good or evil, we’ll go back twenty yards. We should be safe enough then.”

She wasn’t inclined to disagree with him, he was absolutely right.

Pulling out a rag, he wiped his brow, then smashed it back into his pack. Together they walked twenty paces away and in no time flat had a makeshift camp set up.

Aeric then pulled out a skin of rolled furs, laid them out flat, and then sat before taking out a hunk of dried meat and began chewing on it.

“No fire?” She asked.

He shook his head “I don’t often build one, only when it’s really cold and I know that my flame will not attract anything. I still feel too exposed out here.” He tipped his meat toward her. “This is jerky, it will fill my stomach tonight. You called Chrysalis a demon,” he said, “why?”

She shivered, remembering the one time she came upon the woman dressed in silks of blue. There’d been a vacancy in her eyes, something Lissa would never forget. “Because I’ve never seen her in physical form, she’s always appeared to me as a ghost would. She never moves, never utters a sound, all she does is stare.” She shook her head. “I’ve seen much in Wonderland, but she brings ice to my veins.”

“I can imagine.” He swallowed. “But when she was with me, she wasn’t a ghost. She was as physical as you mostly are. How did she look to you then?”

Frowning, she glanced down at herself. Because she was usually always alone, she’d never thought much about the fact that only certain parts of her were ever visible at a time. Right now, only her face and arms were in physical form. But it always shifted with her, unless she was in cat form. Why? She never really knew.

She shrugged. “A ghost.”

“I didn’t fight a ghost, I can assure you.”

Twisting her lips, she spread her arms. “Not sure what to tell you. That’s how I see her.”

“Hmm. That’s interesting.”

“Really? Why?”

“Not sure yet, just interesting.” He smiled.

It wasn’t a lingering smile, it wasn’t a sensual smile. There was nothing in that smile that even suggested it was anything more than an inconsequential grin, and yet she felt that smile move all the way through her. Heat rose to her cheeks, and for the first time since being with him, she wasn’t exactly sure what to do.

So she pretended to spot something interesting over his shoulder, making sure to not look him directly in the face.

After a while he snapped his fingers. “Hey, you okay?”

“What? Me?” She yawned and stretched her arms. “Oh, I’m fine. Just tired. Yup. Long day.” Even if it didn’t appear as though she had legs, she actually did. Standing, she nodded. “I should probably let you get some sleep now. I’m sure you’ll want to head out early in the morning.”

His jaw worked from side to side a bit before he finally responded, “You’re probably right.”

Did he want her to stay? She blinked, she’d stay, if he asked.

But he didn’t ask, instead he said, “Thank you.” And the way he said it so haltingly, she knew it wasn’t easy for him.

She could be mean and ask him for what, forcing him to explain himself. To put into words that without her he would most assuredly be dead. But she suddenly found she wasn’t as keen to tease him, as she’d been earlier.

“No problem.” Nodding, she turned to go.

His brows gathered. “Are you leaving?”

“I do not enjoy sleeping above land. I will dig a hole just there,” she pointed to a small knoll surrounded by moss and snoring lily of the valleys. “I always wake at sunrise, would you like me to wake you?”

He nodded and feeling more awkward than ever, she walked off, very aware of his gaze burning a hot hole through the back of her skull.

Stalking off, skin feeling itchy, she set about digging a quick hole. Transforming her hands into predatory paws with wickedly curved claws. In moments she had a basic, and not too deep hole. But it was good enough.

Sighing with relief as she once again became the form she felt most comfortable in, she slid into the land and closed her eyes.

Wonderland trembled as it took her in.

No. No. No.
Chrysalis shook her head, watching from behind the safety of a popcorn bush at the man lying on the ground.

“
You must go to him. You must kill him, little one. You know you must. He’s come to destroy you… Destroy us.
”

The voice inside was so loud tonight. So insistent. She hugged her shoulder, cringing with each inhalation of breath. The fight from earlier had bruised, already the wound was sealed, she healed quickly. But that didn’t stop the ache inside, outside, around and around and around…

“
Go to him
,” the voice whispered louder, like a gnat buzzing in her ear. Chrysalis swallowed hard, bit down on the corner of her lip, and fought the urge, the drive, to walk out of her copse to him.

He was a big man, brawny, and strong. She’d felt the strength of his fingers as they’d curled around her neck, but she’d also felt his restraint, the hesitance he’d felt in ending her life.

Why? Why? Why?
She grabbed her skull, squeezing her eyes shut as the voice continued to drive out sanity and reason.

“It’s a lie. He’s deceiving you, do not fall for it. He’s lulled you into believing he’s not here to harm you, you know he is. They’ve turned against us. The only way to stay safe is to—”

“NO!” she screamed with a voice grown hoarse from disuse.

The man jerked, shot up from his bed of skins and peered into the darkness. She licked her lips. She saw him. She knew he could not see her. No one could, not if she didn’t want them too.

Her fingers curled around the branches so hard their roughened edges punctured her palms. But it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. Not anymore. Not since the moon stole her soul.

But tonight it wasn’t full, tonight it could only whisper, could only cajole, could only seduce.

The lure was strong, he was so close. She could end it, end him. Kill the cannibalistic sanity that frayed her nerves raw. It would be so easy to give in, to become the creature they all assumed her to be.

So. So. Easy.

An owl hooted. The forest was alive. She wasn’t mad. Not just yet.

“Not tonight, not tonight, not tonight,” she muttered in sing-song under her breath. Tonight she was Chrysalis, tonight she was in charge. Releasing the branches she twirled on her heel and ran toward the pool.

Her pool. The place where her face came, where reflection could vocalize, not just speak in her head. Told her what to do. Who to be.

It wasn’t far, just over the ridge. Hidden behind a forget me bush. But only the sane could forget, the insane remembered everything.

Which was very likely why the insane always appeared to be so wrong. Too many thoughts flooding a weak mind, too many memories and stories, and people and places and thoughts and thoughts and thoughts and so many. Too many. Too many.

She shook her head, feeling herself slipping down the rabbit hole. Clawing her muddied reason to the top of all the noise was difficult, but she finally managed.

The forget me bush’s leaves sparkled with threads of silvery-blue. The moon had kissed this place. Fashioned it just for her. This was where the moon spoke to her, showed her truths and lies and made her determine which was which. She wasn’t very good at getting it right she feared.

The bush was as much a predator as anything else in Wonderland. One touch of flesh to leaves and it absorbed memories. That was what nourished it, fed it for days or years, depending on the strength of the memory.

She smiled as she brushed her hand atop its satiny leaves and a current of power bolted through her. Chrysalis never cared to lose memories, she had too many, most of them false anyway. Anytime she brushed it, she felt calmer. More at peace, not quite so overwhelmed. It would be too easy to stand here and let it take, let the parasite suck her dry, but the moon called…

Walking behind the overgrown hedge, she fell to her knees upon the thick carpet of moss and peered into the inkwell of silvery dappled water.

The darkness inside spread to infinity. Or so it seemed to her.

But finally the darkness parted and a bolt of light speared its center, turning the colors first murky and then to a foggy blue.

She gazed at her reflection. At the alien face staring back at her. But this time Chrysalis wasn’t looking at reflection, she was looking at herself and she was covered in blood. Had she fed?