Escaping Wonderland
Page 26
The Intergalactic Union had taken control of the facility and was currently in the process of carefully reviewing both the methods used there—the simulation—and the cases of each and every patient. There were rumors that Alice hadn’t been the only person committed there under false pretenses, and she wouldn’t have been surprised if those rumors eventually proved true. She just hoped that Jor’calla was the last patient at Liddell Psychiatric Hospital who’d suffered unduly.
Tabitha and Jonathon were facing charges of their own. As though the conversations between Tabitha and Koenig found on the tablet weren’t evidence enough, Jonathon had confessed to everything when the police arrested him, corroborating the evidence on the tablet and providing new details in the process.
Daniel Claybourne had left ninety-five percent of his wealth to Alice in his will, with the rest split between Tabitha and Jonathon. Alice had spent her rare moments alone wondering what her father’s motivations had been in drafting that will; had he known, deep in his heart, the kind of person Tabitha was? Had he suspected something? Or, perhaps, had it been some way for him to assuage potential guilt he’d carried for so often being absent to deal with business matters?
She wished she could’ve had just a few more seconds with him. Just long enough to say she loved him, that she didn’t blame him for working. That she understood how hard things had been for him after what her mother had done.
Whatever his reasons, she knew he never would’ve imagined the hatred and contempt with which Tabitha had reacted to his will.
Intergalactic Union law gave precedence to the will of the deceased over the default inheritance laws save in particular circumstances—such as when the benefactor of said will was proven to be mentally incompetent or unstable. Hence Tabitha’s contacts with Victor.
Alice still felt the hurt of their betrayal when she stopped to think about it. But she was far more than hurt; she was angry. Tabitha had been in Alice’s life for seventeen years, since Alice was eight years old. Even though Alice had never really liked the woman, had never fully trusted Tabitha’s intentions with her father, she never would’ve guessed Tabitha was capable of anything like this. Capable of having Alice falsely committed to an asylum where she was meant to die alone, silenced, and forgotten.
But Tabitha and Jonathon would face justice. They would pay for what they’d done. And Alice had more important things to turn her attention toward—more important people.
She glanced at Shadow, offering him another smile, as they walked toward the front entrance.
This was the place she’d been brought to after she was born. The place where she’d played with her toys, where she’d had piano lessons, the place where her father had bandaged her scraped knees and read her bedtime stories. This place, until recently, had contained almost all her happy memories.
But it was also the place where her mother, screaming and swearing, had abandoned Alice and left her father. It was the place where her father had passed away a few months ago. And this was the place where her stepmother and stepbrother had conspired against her, had plotted to have her imprisoned and murdered.
She opened the front door, and Shadow followed her into the foyer. She stopped in the center of the space and, as she stared up at the double staircase leading to the second floor, knew what she’d suspected during the drive over.
This wasn’t home anymore. Even if her memories of this place balanced out between the positive and the negative, without her father around, it meant nothing to her. She could bring her dad with her wherever she went—he’d always be in her heart, in her memory, and that was good. She didn’t want the bad that went along with this house anymore.
“Home sweet home,” Alice said quietly. She twisted to look at Shadow, who stood just behind her. “What do you think?”
He frowned, and a small crease formed between his brows. “Seems a bit…much, doesn’t it?”
“A bit much?”
“It’s nice—I’m not saying it isn’t—but it’s so…big. And it feels empty.”
“You got all that from walking into the foyer?”
Shadow shrugged. “I can’t imagine how it must’ve seemed to you when you were even smaller than you are now.”
Alice chuckled and turned toward him fully. “How can you not imagine it after spending so long walking through a giant forest with flowers as big as houses?” She poked his chest. “And I’m not that small.”
Shadow arched a brow and glanced down at her, having to dip his chin to do so. His gaze dropped, trailing over her body before rising to meet hers again. “You are small, sweet Alice, and I rather like you just as you are.”
Alice smiled and reached for him. He crouched, setting their bags on the floor, and she took his hands. She turned around and tucked her back against his chest, guiding his arms around her. She stared at the chamber as he rested his chin atop her hair.
“It does seem a bit much, doesn’t it?” she asked.
“Especially for just the two of us. And all these angles and colors…they’re so plain. Where’s the style, the flair, the chaos?”
Alice felt her smile stretch. “Oh? And what sort of place would you prefer to live?”
“This sort of home might do, but it’d take a lot of work. It’s entirely too orderly, for starters. We’d need a bucket of paint in every color—perhaps two.” He extended a hand and swept it from side to side, as though indicating the entire room. “Just pop off the lids and splash it around. The best thing about it is we could always get new paint if we want to change it. The flooring is rather humdrum, too. We’d need to vary that up in much the same way. And doors! Clearly, there need to be more doors. They don’t have to go anywhere so long as they’re unique.”
Alice laughed; her entire body quaked with it. And that laughter felt cathartic, like it expelled some of her stress. “I don’t think we’re going to do any of that here.”
Shadow dropped his arm, and she could almost feel his disappointed frown. “Why not? Think of the fun we’d have, dearest Alice.”
“Because…I think I want to sell this place. And if I let you loose on it, nobody will want to buy it. At least, not in this world.” She rested her head against him, her smile persisting even as her laughter faded. “We can build a home of our own. Together.”
Shadow tipped his head forward to peck a kiss atop her hair. “As long as you’re with me, I’ll live anywhere.”
Alice released one of his hands to reach up and cup the side of his face. “I’ll always be with you, Shadow.” A warmth flooded her. “Also, who says it will always be just the two of us?”
There was a pause before he spoke next. “What do you mean?”
She turned in his arms to face him, head tilted back so she could meet his eyes as her hands settled over his heart. “I want to have a family with you, Shadow, when the time is right. A home, children. I want everything…with you.”
He stared down at her, cat-like ears perked, his teal eyes softening with emotion so raw and pure that it seemed on the verge of overwhelming him. He answered her by dipping his head and pressing his lips against hers. The kiss was slow, sensual, lingering; it ignited a spark deep in Alice’s core and left her breathless and wanting.
She never would’ve thought a kiss could drive a person mad before meeting Shadow, but madness was a small price to pay in exchange for his love.
Author’s Note
Hello everyone!
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We hope you all enjoyed Escaping Wonderland! I’ve always wanted to write an Alice in Wonderland themed book, and when the group collaboration voted on fairy tale retellings with a sci-fi twist, we figured this was the perfect opportunity to do so. While this book wasn’t always the easiest to write, and we had a few (okay, maybe a lot) of disagreements at times (haha!), we still really loved writing it.
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I adored Shadow, the embodiment of chaos, which is exactly what the Cheshire Cat was. He was such a lost, lonely soul who just needed
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Also, if you would be so kind, please leave a review! I’m sure you’ve heard it many times, but reviews are vital in helping authors gain visibility, and we would appreciate it dearly. <3
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It was also wonderful to work with the collaborating authors of the Cosmic Fairy Tales. These ladies are all amazing, talented writers, and it was an honor to take part in something with them. If you haven’t, be sure to check out the other Cosmic Fairy Tales stories. Each book is a standalone containing its own Happily Ever After, and they can be read in any order. So just pick a tale and dive right on in!
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The Frog Prince by Tracy Lauren
The Hunchback by Regine Abel
The Lion and the Mouse by Emmy Chandler
The Ugly Dukeling by Bex Mclynn
Contaminated by Amanda Milo
Jackie and the Giant by Honey Phillips
Rampion by Susan Trombley
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What’s next from us? We’re currently working on Drakkal’s story called Untamed Hunger (Infinite City #3). We’re hoping to have his book ready to release by the end of November, or early December. We’ll have more updates as we near the end of his book. To stay up to date, be sure to follow us on Facebook, or join our Facebook Reader Group. After Drakkal’s story, we’re planning to revisit our Kraken with Ector. That ole kraken is needing some love.
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Again, thank you all for reading! And if you haven’t read Silent Lucidity, the first book in our Infinite City series, keep turning the pages to read the first chapter!
Also by Tiffany Roberts
THE INFINITE CITY
Silent Lucidity
Shielded Heart
Untamed Hunger (Coming Fall/Winter 2019)
Entwined Fates (In the Pets in Space 4 Anthology)
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THE KRAKEN
Treasure of the Abyss
Jewel of the Sea
Hunter of the Tide
Heart of the Deep
Rising from the Depths
Fallen from the Stars
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STANDALONE TITLES
Claimed by an Alien Warrior
Dustwalker
His Darkest Craving
The Warlock’s Kiss
Ice Bound: Short Story
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ISLE OF THE FORGOTTEN
Make Me Burn
Make Me Hunger
Make Me Whole
Make Me Yours
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COSMIC FAIRY TALES COLLABORATION
Escaping Wonderland
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VALOS OF SONHADRA COLLABORATION
Tiffany Roberts - Undying
Tiffany Roberts - Unleashed
The Cosmic Fairy Tales
Escaping Wonderland by Tiffany Roberts
The Frog Prince by Tracy Lauren
The Hunchback by Regine Abel
The Lion and the Mouse by Emmy Chandler
The Ugly Dukeling by Bex Mclynn
Contaminated by Amanda Milo
Jackie and the Giant by Honey Phillips
Rampion by Susan Trombley
About the Author
Tiffany Roberts is the pseudonym for Tiffany and Robert Freund, a husband and wife writing duo. Tiffany was born and bred in Idaho, and Robert was a native of New York City before moving across the country to be with her. The two have always shared a passion for reading and writing, and it was their dream to combine their mighty powers to create the sorts of books they want to read. They write character driven sci-fi and fantasy romance, creating happily-ever-afters for the alien and unknown.
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Website:
https://authortiffanyroberts.wordpress.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTiffanyRoberts
BookBub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tiffany-roberts
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Silent lucidity Sneak Peek
Chapter One
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Arthos, the Infinite City
Terran Year 2105
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Even amidst the glow of countless signs, colorful, glow-in-the-dark storefronts, and holographically projected advertisements along the street, Twisted Nethers stood apart. There was something more vibrant about its less-than-subtle signage, something warmer in the pulsing lights that accented the building’s edges, something more imposing about the spotlights on its roof that cut through the gloom to illuminate the metal framework and ceiling high overhead.
The massive, ever-changing holographic genitalia out front undoubtedly contributed to its eye-catching nature.
Despite the blatant outward display, the denizens of the Undercity considered Twisted Nethers an exclusive club—it was a place where anyone with enough credits could satisfy their exotic tastes, whether for drinks, drugs, or writhing, naked bodies.
For Tenthil, it was just another stop on a long, blood-soaked path.
He strode toward the club’s entrance, weaving through the crowd of diverse beings who’d gathered outside to await admittance. Their features—as varied and colorful as the Undercity signs—blurred together in the shadows cast by the surrounding neon lights. He walked as though he belonged here, as though he’d frequented the place for years, as though everyone else should’ve felt honored by his presence.
Many of the aliens waiting in line turned their gazes toward Tenthil as he passed. Facial appendages quivered, brows fell low, and mouths opened to voice protest, but all the onlookers kept their opinions to themselves when their eyes dipped to the pin on his jacket.
A street gang calling themselves the Ergoths had claimed this sector as their territory years ago. Drok, the owner of Twisted Nethers and Tenthil’s current target, had close ties to the gang, though the true nature of his relationship with them was unknown.
Tenthil’s pin—a stylized red sun with the white silhouette of an ancient axe at its center—marked him as an Ergoth.
The doorman, a burly vorgal with scars crisscrossing the drab green skin of his face, glanced at the pin as Tenthil approached. He stepped aside and waved Tenthil in. His mouth, from which jutted double pairs of upward-pointing tusks, remained an expressionless flat line throughout.
The beings waiting for admittance voiced no objections to Tenthil’s entry; though some might’ve been standing out there for hours, they knew better than to question an Ergoth in this part of the city.
Tenthil walked through the door and entered the dark corridor beyond. His eyes rapidly adjusted to the gloom. The black strips of rounded, bulging glass to either side suggested a scanning system—not unexpected for a place like this—and the pair of guards in front of the door at the end of the hallway held auto-blaster rifles that could fill the air with enough heated plasma bolts to melt the surrounding walls within a few seconds. There was no cover here should either guard decide to open fire.
Just a few more obstacles for Tenthil to overcome when he finally decided to make his move.
He drew in a deep breath as he stepped forward and released the amplified bioelectrical field he usually generated around himself; it would disrupt the scanners and arouse immediate suspicion otherwise. Maintaining the disruption field had become second nature over the years, and he felt strange without it in place.
Pulsing bass rumbled along the walls and floor; Tenthil perceived it more as a feeling than a sound, a vibration running up through his boots and into his bones.
As Tenthil drew within a few paces of the door, the guard to his right—a pale-scaled groalthuun with four bone nubs sweeping back from the top of his head and glowing green tattoos on his face—held up a hand. A faint light shone behind the groalthuun’s dark goggles—likely a readout from the scanners on the walls.
Tenthil halted.
The groalthuun twisted and pressed an unseen button on the wall. A small drawer slid out beneath his hand.
“Put your piece inside,” said the groalthuun.
His companion, a craggy-faced bokkan with gray, rock-like skin, remained unmoving, but Tenthil felt the bokkan’s eyes—also hidden by goggles—lock on him. Both guards wore tailored, high-quality coats left open at their collars to display a bit of the combat armor beneath.
“Come on.” The groalthuun waved his hand. “Boss appreciates all the business you Ergoths bring in, but the rules ain’t changing. No one goes in packing but pre-approved private security.”
Moving with deliberate care, Tenthil unfasted his jacket and raised his left arm, revealing the flechette pistol holstered under his armpit. Such weapons were devastating at close range, but they were messy—as the Ergoth Tenthil had taken the pistol and pin from a few hours before might’ve attested, were the pulverized remains of his head not splattered across an alley wall. It would have been preferable to take the pin through less violent means, but the Master was unwavering when it came to the tenets of the Order.
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