Malice in Wonderland (5 page)

Knight shook his head and laughed, but there wasn't anything happy about the sound. "I thought about it, and to be honest with you, I wanted to. The idea of trying to forget you with another woman definitely appealed to me." Then he shook his head. "But I couldn't do it. At the time, I was in too dark a place to even contemplate being with another woman."

I was relieved, incredibly relieved, but my
feelings were just as jumbled
as before. Everything in my head was in a tailspin, a whirlwind of thoughts, emotions, and feelings that I couldn't try to begin to figure out. I just needed the proverbial dust to settle so I could sort out exactly how I felt about Knight.

"What are you thinking?" Knight asked.

I shrugged, not quite sure what I was thinking. One moment, I was mad as hell; and the next, I wanted nothing more than to feel his lips on mine. Even worse, I ached to feel him inside me. But then just as quickly, I was livid again. I wasn't sure how to make sense of anything or where I stood. "Things need to be low key for a while," I said after an uncomfortable silence. "I don't know what to think or how I'm feeling. I've been through a shitload lately."

Knight nodded and stepp
ed on the gas again, driving
down Pineville Street, which, true to its name, was canopied by massive Norfolk pine trees.

"Well, I'll be here if you need me," he said quietly. "And no matter what happens between us, I will never doubt you again."

###

For the next ten minutes, we didn't say another word. The silence was nerve-racking and uncomfortable, but I didn't think there was anything left to be said.
Since
Knight didn't even say boo, I figured he must have agreed. Left with nothing but the deafening silence, I was forced back onto the battlefield raging in my head, a place resembling a war zone.

Now what would happen between Knight and me? Was this really it? Was it really over between us?

They were questions I couldn't answer although I tried, berating myself for even making the attempt. Why? Because I firmly decided (in the last, oh, five minutes or so) that my relationship or lack thereof with Knight would be relegated, yet again, to the back burner. It was more important for me to focus entirely on The Resistance and
creating
a plan to defeat my father.

Once I firmly entrenched my feelings for Knight in the quagmire known as "I'll visit this later," relief washed over me. Well, that is, until I realized my future was rocky, if not bleak. Luckily, the drive to Compound One wasn't
a long one. I wasn't sure how much of my own pessimism and melancholy I could tolerate at this point. When we reached what I guessed must be Compound One (the heavy gates, topped with barbed wire, and the two guards wielding the latest in automatic weapons were the first clues), I wasted no time abandoning Knight's company, in serious need of my own space.

"Thanks for the ride," I said, jumping down from the Denali with a quick but awkward smile. I just wasn't good at this stuff.

He just nodded, his face still an unreadable mask. I closed the door behind me and stepped back, watching him drive down the road from whence we'd just come. Before reaching the gate guard, however, he took a quick right and disappeared behind the crest of a small hill. I didn’t bother wondering where he was going or what he was up to. Now, more than ever before, I needed “me” time, I needed to get back in touch with myself and return to the
Dulcie
I used to be.

Compound One looked similar to Compound Three with the barbed wire fencing surrounding the place and a nondescript, three-story white building, which loomed before me. As I glanced around, I realized it was the only building in sight. The only difference I could see between the two compounds was that Compound One didn't appear to house a prison, and maybe it wasn't quite as large, well at first glance anyway. I watched as people milled around, dressed in ordinary attire, and appearing, for all intents and purposes, to be ... waiting. No one was especially busy—I watched two
weres
stroll by, talking about
checking
around the perimeter. In the distance, six people were playing flag football, while right beside me, three women lazily read beneath a tree. That was when it occurred to me that Compound One was nothing more than a holding facility for anyone who supported The Resistance, and, as such, required protection.

A few minutes after Knight departed, I watched an unmarked, grey bus pull up in front of the building. As the doors opened, I recognized the people who were waiting in line with me before Knight took on the role of chauffer.
Quillan
was the last to exit the bus. As he emerged, he glanced around himself, a worried expression on his face. As soon as we made eye contact, however, the worry dropped from his eyes, replaced with a wide smile.

"Everything good?" he asked once we were in earshot of each other.

I nodded, although as far as "everything" was concerned, it now lived in a zip code far, far away from "good."

"I guess we register in the front office," someone said from behind us. We both turned to face a squatty elf who had just stepped off the bus. He started walking toward the three-story building, so we followed. I must have taken only three steps before I recognized Sam and
Dia
walking through the front doors. Trey was just behind them. It felt like centuries passed while I waited for Sam to make eye contact with me. Her eyes rested on Quill first; and with a confused expression, her eyes widened and her attention moved to me. Within a split second, that smile I loved so well lit up her entire face.
Dia
, who was beside her, was apparently in mid-sentence when she was struck silent as soon as she recognized me. A broad, beaming smile lit up her face as well. Trey was the only one who was still going on about something, focusing his attention on his feet. 

Seconds later, I was ambushed.

"
Dulcie
!"
Sam and
Dia
screamed at the same time as they closed the gap between us. Then I was suffocated by hugs. I pulled myself away from them and took a big breath of air, desperately needing it. Before I could say anything, Sam and Trey took one look at Quill and frowned.

"What?" Sam started as Trey's mouth simply dropped open in astonishment. Or maybe he just couldn't breathe through his nose. Trey was the quintessential mouth-breather.

"It's okay, he's on our side," I said quickly, offering Quill an encouraging smile. "He joined The Resistance."

"Sam and Trey, it's good to see you again," Quill said. He seemed uncomfortable as he cleared his throat. Sam and Trey didn't respond, so Quill turned to face
Dia
, extending his hand to her. "I haven't had the privilege of making your acquaintance."

Dia
took Quill's hand and smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling as she raked him up and down appreciatively. "Honey, I think the privilege is all mine." Then she shook her head in appreciation. "There aren't
a whole
lotta
lookers in this damned place, so you are like a ray of sunshine on a very cloudy day."

I laughed as Quill smiled in response.
Dia
whistled at him, staring at him wolfishly again before the smile fell right off her face and was replaced with a frown.

"So now that we've gotten past the fact that you missed your
callin
' as a Chippendale dancer, you better have a damned good reason as to why you're
standin
' next to my girl,
Dulce
, and why she's
goin
' on about you
joinin
' The Resistance." Then she fastened her hands on her hips and did something with her neck that only
Dia
could do, something which resembled a snake preparing to strike.
Dia
did "diva" very well. She was tall and beautiful with chocolate skin and an infectious smile. She was also one of my closest friends.

Quillan
laughed, but seeing her expression, the laugh soon died on his lips. For as wonderful a person as
Dia
was, you never wanted to get on her bad side. Yep, when her temper bubbled to the surface, it could be legendary. Quill cleared his throat and alternated his gaze between
Dia
, Sam, and Trey as he explained.

"
Dulcie
thought I deserved a second chance, so she fought for me," he started. "And in true
Dulcie
O'Neil form, she was able to get what she wanted." Then he offered me a quick wink, to which I just shook my head.

"From here on out, Quill's history is just that," I announced. "He's made the decision to start over and that's good enough for me. I hope it will be good enough for all of you too."

Sam nodded and hesitated only momentarily before reaching out and hugging Quill. "It's good enough for me too, big guy." She pulled away from him, her eyes twinkling. "It's good to have you back." I was sure Sam was relieved to know Quill was on our side because he was also her boss once upon a time and she used to call him her friend as much as I had.

"It's good to be back," Quill answered before facing Trey and extending his hand.

"What up?" Trey started, jutting out his chin as he tried to act the part of a baddie, but ended up just looking ridiculous. Truth be told, Trey looked like a chubby ten-year-old, grubby and always grimy to the nth degree. Even though there was stubble in various patches around his face (he obviously wasn't adept at shaving), he still managed to maintain an air of Peter
Panism
, and never quite grew up.

"Good to see you again, Trey," Quill said, a small smile pulling at the ends of his lips.

Trey was quiet for a second or two and I wondered how he'd respond. Then a genuine smile broke across his plump face. "You too, Quill."

Dia
took my arm and the five of us started toward the building, ostensibly so Quill and I could check in.

"So, girl, you
gotta
let me in on
somethin
',"
Dia
started as I eyed her, curious to hear her question. "How do you know so many
hotties
?" I just laughed as she continued. "You an'
me
need to hang out some more so I can score some of your leftovers."

I faced her and beamed, feeling somehow rejuvenated. I glanced around myself, at my small group of friends and felt so incredibly lucky. They had become my family. My mother died when I was young; and other than my poor excuse for a father, I didn't have any other family. But I had to say that this adopted family was more than enough for me. I felt like I'd just come home again.

FOUR

"I've been taking care of your dog,
Dulce
," Trey said as the five of us sat around a table in a coffee house on base. "Base" was what everyone called this place, and it was pretty fitting because that's exactly what it looked like. Complete with soldiers patrolling back and forth, armed guards at every entrance and barbed wire fences running the perimeter, it was like a military encampment and then some. I was wrong about the registration building being the only building on site—it was merely the biggest. Just beyond the crest of a small hill, stood a crowded cafeteria, a Laundromat, and even a bowling alley. There was also a crudely constructed schoolhouse and an even more primitive fire station.

"Thanks, Trey," I answered with an appreciative smile. I tapped my toe to Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" as it poured out of a boom box in the corner. Besides our table, there were two others in the small room, both crammed with paper coffee cups and clashing elbows of those busily chatting.

"It's no
prob
," Trey said as I thanked Blue's and my lucky stars that Trey had a soft spot for animals. Otherwise, Blue could have easily been overlooked in the shuffle of moving folks from Splendor to this camp.

"How is Blue doing?" I asked Trey, deciding to pay a visit to my dog as soon as we finished our coffee. I didn't exactly feel like the ideal dog owner of late. 'Course, none of that was really my fault, considering recent events and circumstances; but still, I needed to reconnect with the yellow lab. The feeling I got from this place was that I'd have plenty of time for reconnecting. In fact, the idea of just sitting around here and waiting for further news or instructions wasn't exactly something I was comfortable with. I wondered how long I'd last before the inactivity caused me to crack. On the flip side, though, a little downtime was probably exactly what the doctor would have ordered where I was concerned.

"He's
doin
' real good. Right now he's
learnin
' how to be more sociable," Trey said.

"What?" I asked with a laugh. Sam rolled her eyes and swallowed a sarcastic comment with a mouthful of iced mocha.

Trey offered Sam a discouraging frown before returning his attention to me. "Elsie noticed he wasn't super friendly with strangers, so she got this wild idea to round up everyone's dogs and start a pet sociability class," he finished. Elsie was formerly the receptionist at the ANC in Splendor. Apparently, now she could add "dog whisperer" to her list of credentials.

"Good
ol
' Blue," Quill said as he shook his head and smiled knowingly at me. "I'd love to see him." Quill had given Blue to me as a pseudo going away gift when I'd first learned that Quill was working for the bad guys. At the time I'd had no clue that the chief bad guy he was working for was my father, but due to that fact, Quill had deserted his post in the ANC and we'd parted ways.

I just nodded, still uncomfortable with the events of the past and, more pointedly, any reminders about my father. Instead, I directed my attention to other topics, such as what the plan was moving forward. It wasn't like I knew much of anything, so I hoped someone could bring me up to speed.

"So, what's the deal?" I started. "Everyone here is just hanging out?" 

"Yep, just waiting and then waiting some more, until we're told what to do next," Sam answered with a bored sigh. "We're basically in the same thing as witness protection. Everyone who worked for the ANC is now considered a target, I guess."

"Some of us have already been drafted to fight for The Resistance,"
Dia
added, raising her eyebrow skeptically as she swallowed a mouthful of coffee.

"Drafted?" I repeated, glancing at each of them as I tried to make sense of the word.

Trey nodded. "Yep, I think it's just a matter of time for all of us. Once The Resistance decides it needs us, we get drafted into the cause and have to go through some
trainin
'. I think it's all
leadin
’ up to the war that's
gonna
break out with your dad,
Dulce
."

"War?"
Quill asked, sounding surprised. But, my concern was more with the idea that Melchior was my so-called "dad."

"Don't call him my dad," I answered quickly, suddenly irritated that Trey even knew Melchior and I were related. It's not like I ever told him, or anyone else seated at the table either, for that matter. As I glanced around me, and noted everyone's expressions, none of them appeared to be in the least bit surprised. So apparently, Sam, Trey, and
Dia
were very much aware of my association with my father. I had to wonder what else they knew. "I'm
unfortunately related to Melchior O'Neil in name only; but that's it, as far as I'm concerned." Then I speared each of them with my gaze. "And please tell me how and what do all of you know about that anyway?"

Dia
laughed, like my question was a dumb one. "Come on, girl, how could we not know?"

"Rumors spread around here fast,
Dulce
," Sam added. "It's not like we have anything else to talk about all day. Just waiting for word on what's going to happen next."

"When were you all brought here?" Quill interrupted, apparently attempting to steer the conversation into safer waters. It was pretty obvious that if I were anything, it was a private person. I hated having my dirty laundry exposed for everyone to see.

Sam shrugged and glanced at
Dia
curiously before turning to face us again.
"About four days ago maybe."

Hmm, right before the
Draoidheil
import had made its way from the Netherworld to Earth. Christina had had this whole thing finely orchestrated, her timing impeccable.

"And just for the record,
Dulce
," Sam started, "none of us blames you for the decisions you made."

Trey shook his head. "We all think you were pretty heroic, actually." He took a deep breath. "And Knight will ..."

"I don't want to talk about him," I said firmly, my jaw suddenly tight. "That is one subject that needs to be left alone." Then I glared at everyone in turn, making sure I was absolutely, one hundred percent understood.

They all simply nodded, but I didn't miss Quill's sigh. It told me he was disappointed that I was still upset about the Loki. Well, Quill didn't even begin to know the ins and outs of Knight's and my relationship.

Dulcie
, you aren't going there!
I reminded myself, choosing to change the subject, and instead, returning to how my life resembled an open book lately. "So all of you know everything about me working for my father?" Then I speared Sam with a glare. "I thought some people were going to keep their mouths shut." Although I had told Sam some of what was going on, I hadn't told her the whole story. I'm not sure how everyone got to know the details, but I figured it was best to start with Sam.

"Hey, don't blame me!" she said, holding up her hands in mock offense.

"I had a vision of most everything that happened," Trey answered sheepishly, glancing up at me through half-lidded eyes, his cheeks flushed.

"Then we just pieced the rest of it together,"
Dia
answered, with no trace of an apology in her tone at all.

"So much for keeping secrets," I grumbled, not at all happy that everyone was in the know where I was concerned. I'd get over it soon enough, but it still didn't make the news any easier to swallow.

"Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead,"
Dia
answered, beaming at me as if she were proud of her witty bon mot.

"Where do you come up with this stuff?" I mumbled, shaking my head as I drowned my irritation with a mouthful of hot coffee.

"Not me, girlfriend,"
Dia
answered. "I got good
ol
' Benny Franklin to thank for that one." When she grinned broadly, I couldn't help but laugh. Her smile quickly faded into an earnest expression and I knew a “
Dia
moment of seriousness” was about to unveil itself. She had this uncanny ability to make you drop your defenses with one of her little jokes and then, bam! She'd nail you right over the head with some profound
thought."There's
nothing for you to be embarrassed about,
Dulce
," she said quietly. "We all love you and we only want the best for you, so don't you worry that pretty little head of yours."

"None of us judges you,
Dulcie
," Sam said before turning to face Quill. "And that includes you too, Quill. We're all friends here."

Quill nodded with a broad smile. "I appreciate that, Sam."

"So going back to your comment about a war with my father, Trey," I started, reminding myself I still had lots to learn and time was ticking away. "What were you talking about?"

Trey shrugged and I noticed he had the remnants of his last sip of vanilla shake lining his upper lip. "There's lots of talk about a war with your da ... father," he corrected himself.

"Word is that Christina is going to demand Melchior step down from his office as Head of the Netherworld," Sam started. "She and Knight want to reinstate a democracy in the Netherworld once again."

"But it's not like my father is just going to say 'okay' and lay down his crown," I said, shaking my head at how absurd the idea sounded.

"Well, when he doesn't," Sam continued, "and obviously we
’
re all betting on that fact, then I guess we declare war on the Netherworld."

"You guess?"

Sam shrugged. "It's not like any of this has been ratified. It's all conjecture, but based on the word on the street, that's what's going to happen."

I shook my head, not even imagining how emancipating
ourselves
from the Netherworld was possible. "We are part of the Netherworld."

Dia
glanced at me, cocking a brow. "But do we want to be? That's the question."

Sam shrugged. "The United States
was
once a part of England, right?"

"Thanks for that, Sam," I grumbled, to which she just offered me a cheery smile.

"So The Resistance is going to emancipate itself from The Netherworld?" Quill asked, surprise and worry evident in his tone.

"Apparently that's the plan," Sam said, her eyebrows raised in an expression that didn't say whether she supported the idea or not. "At least, that's what I've heard through the grapevine."

"So we're going to exist as an independent nation then?" I asked, still in doubt. "Because it's pretty obvious Melchior won’t step down just because Christina asks him to."

"Well, she'll be
askin
', but at the same time, she'll have the backing of a few hundred Netherworld creatures in Splendor as well as the surrounding cities,"
Dia
responded.

"And what in the hell does the human government think of this?" I asked, even more shocked than before. Even though we were creatures of the Netherworld, we lived on Earth with humans and they were well aware of just who and what we were. Granted, humans tended to keep to themselves and, likewise, we preferred to keep to ourselves. Splendor, Estuary, Haven, and Moon were all cities with largely Netherworld creature populations—about twenty creatures to every one human.

"The human government doesn't know,"
Dia
answered quickly. "The Resistance decided it was better to buffer the human populations of the affected cities in a magical cloud of ignorance."

"So what does that mean?" I continued.

Dia
shrugged. "As far as humans go, life's just the same as it always was. They don't see The Resistance soldiers patrolling the streets, and they don't notice that the Netherworld creature-run stores are closed. They're also unaware if the creatures they considered acquaintances or friends are missing. It's just a regular day as far as humans are concerned."

I nodded, thinking it was a good move on Christina's part because the last thing we needed was for the human government to get involved with our affairs. Sometimes it was good to live in a bubble. I took a sip of my coffee as I tried to digest the information.