by ERIN BEDFORD
“Now that’s not true. I’ve been known to bite in some situations.” He smirked at me before he turned back to Mop. “And I’m hurt that you would think so little of me.” Chess closed his eyes and gripped his chest with a hand in a dramatic pose.
“No, ye ain’t. Stop ye foolin’. We ain’t got time for none of ye games.”
“But all of life’s a game.” Chess tried to pick up my hand again, but I stepped back. Not to be deterred, he grabbed a strand of my hair and wrapped it around his finger as he grinned. “Only some of us are lucky enough to know whose playing. Would you like to play with me, my little kitty Kat?” He gave my hair a little tug, causing me to ‘eep’ at the sharp sting.
“Uh–” This guy just didn’t give up! I could see why the prince didn’t like him. If I didn’t watch it, he’d have me up and out of my shorts before I knew it.
“Yea, yea.” Mop thankfully interjected, placing himself between me and the flirtatious cat. “Like I said, we ain’t got no time, not with it being what day it is.”
“Oh?” Chess’ coy grin dipped down in a thoughtful frown, his ears twitching on his head. “I’d imagine not. I’m surprised you have gotten this far with your delectable guest smelling the way she does. I can imagine he is not too happy about that.” For the first time since we arrived, he turned his gaze from me to somewhere beyond the willow tree’s curtain of vines as if he could see something we couldn’t.
“In fact, let us take this little party into my humble abode.” He turned on his heel toward his throne. “You never know who could be listening.” He gave me a cheeky grin before walking right through the trunk of the tree.
Gone!
Just like that!
There was no door or poof of smoke. I didn’t know why I was surprised. Mop and Trip certainly didn’t seem impressed. In fact, they followed suit, disappearing into the tree and to whatever lied beyond its bark.
The last couple of times I had gone through a portal without knowing what was on the other side I ended up worse off than I was before. At that point, I was tired of leaps of faith and even more so of not knowing what the hell was going on. I was usually the one with all the answers.
I was the one who people turned to for help; not the other way around. I didn’t like feeling helpless and out of control. It was possible that the slight change in my personality had to do with my unease, but I had a suspicion it was a lot more than that. If only I knew what.
Chess’ head popped out of the side of the tree, startling me out of my thoughts. “Don’t do that!”
I glared at the head that seemed to float in the air. Was that where the story got started? Had Alice stood in this very place, too young to understand what she was seeing? And if she was still in Wonderland, how did Lewis Carrol even hear her story?
“Are you coming, pet?” He held out a clawed hand at my hesitancy. “Do not be afraid. Come on inside.”
“Said the spider to the fly,” I muttered to no one in particular before I placed my hand in his and was tugged inside.
8
Changes & Shadows
“WHAT’S WRONG WITH what I’m wearing?” I opened my arms and twisted around to see what was so distasteful.
While I wasn’t wearing my most flattering pajamas, I could’ve still gone to Walmart and been more fashionable than the majority of its customers. I would’ve been more outraged if I had thought Chess was ogling my bits as he liked to call it, but his eyes were all business as they scrutinized my clothes.
“While your legs are quite delicious to look at, not all parts of the Underground are as warm as this forest.” He picked at the sleeve of my sweatshirt and grimaced. “And your ensemble does leave something to be desired.”
“Well excuse me if I didn’t have time to primp myself before I chased after what I thought was a rabbit!” I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest.
“You are a little spit fire, aren’t you?” Chess chuckled as he moved into his expansive walk-in closet. From where I stood in the middle of his bedroom, the wardrobe was easily triple the size of my own closet and had rows upon rows of clothes and shoes piled up throughout.
I couldn’t imagine having so many clothes – slacks for work, jeans or sweats for home. What else did a girl need?
The way most people felt about going to the dentist was how I felt about trying on clothes; it was a necessary evil and should only be done when there was no other option. I could’ve counted the number of times I’d gone shopping in the last year on one hand, and I still would’ve had five left.
While I waited for the cat to find my new ensemble, I took in the massive expansion that was his room. Next to the closet a long purple chaise sat to one side near a three-way mirror. In front of the mirror was a small round dais that you would see in a bridal store. The thought of Chess standing in front of the mirror turning this way and that as he admired himself caused a giggle to slip out of my mouth.
“Did you say something?” Chess called out from the closet.
“Uh–” I coughed, covering up my giggles. “No, nothing. Just admiring your room.”
“Oh?” His voice held a hint of humor at my obvious lie before his voice turned teasing. “Do make yourself comfortable. The bed is especially soft and the sheets feel delightful against your skin.”
Unable to help myself, my eyes trailed over to the bed he was describing. A large four-poster bed that was covered in silk sheets and a fur-lined duvet looked like it promised everything he said and more. A mental image of Chess wrapped in nothing but those sheets caused my face to heat up. I shook my head to dispel the image and chastised myself for letting the perverted Fae rub off on me.
The inside of his bedroom was just like the rest of the willow. It screamed Chess in a very severe way. Fur carpet covered the floors and all of the furniture in a nauseating combination of neon pink and purple. It was like a unicorn had thrown up all over the place. I wouldn’t have wished that décor on my worst enemy.
When we first arrived, Mop tried to explain our ordeal to Chess who had listened to our plea with all the attention a cat could give, so none at all. This, to my amusement, had aggravated the brownie to no end.
“Don’t act like ye don’t know. Hare said Hatter was here.” He stomped his little foot in the plush carpet, the soft flooring not helping him emphasize his anger.
“How can someone as lovely as you be dressed like such a peasant?” Chess ignored Mop’s little fit. I watched the brownie’s face turn purple with rage. “You should be wrapped in silks and lace. Not…” He picked at my sweatshirt again. “…whatever this is.”
My attention was torn between keeping the cat’s groping hands off me, and waiting to see if Mop exploded. He opened his mouth to give Chess what I was sure was a piece of his mind when Chess grabbed my hand and dragged me into his bedroom, leaving a slack-jawed brownie in our wake.
After what seemed like forever, Chess stepped back out of his wardrobe. “Why do you even have so many clothes? Do you get many visitors?”
“One should always look one’s best.” Chess flipped his braid over his shoulder as he handed me a pair of golden leather pants and a matching sheer top. He arched a perfectly curved brow at me. “Even when no one is around.”
I eyed the clothing he held out to me. “I thought warmth was the goal here?”
I picked up the edge of the golden sheer top and rubbed it between my fingers. There was hardly anything to it. It was more of a vest than a shirt with strings that tied in the middle.
Chess gave a devious grin. “Your legs will be warm.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “How do I know this isn’t a ploy for you to get me undressed?”
His fiendish grin grew darker, and his eyes filled with heat as he wrapped his tail about my waist. His scent drifted through my nose as he brought my body up against his. It was part sweet lilac and part male musk. It was a heady combination. Once again my body had a mind of its own and a low desire began to form in the pit of my stomach
.
Damn it. Get a hold of yourself, Katherine!
“If I wanted you out of your clothing I wouldn’t need an excuse.” Chess’ low voice purred against my skin, causing my hairs to stand on end. “Or perhaps you need one to make yourself feel better?”
“No. I, uh–” I coughed, clearing my throat. I put my hands on his shoulders and gave a little push. “You think very highly of yourself, don’t you?”
“If I didn’t, who else would? Now be a good little girl and put those on.” He gave me a little shove toward a door on the other side of the bedroom. “You can use my bathroom. Feel free to shower as well, but I’d hurry it up. I doubt your protectors will let me have you alone for much longer.”
Mop had poked his head in the bedroom after he had recovered from being ignored and made a huge fuss about not trusting the cat to be alone with me. He was afraid that Chess would find some way to trick me in to doing something I didn’t want to do, and he would have none of it.
He had actually said, “Ye yellow-bellied feline better keep ye paws and all the rest of ye off of our human! I won’t be havin’ the likes of ye taintin’ her.”
He had said a few other choice insults that would make my grandmother blush, but that was the gist of it. I’d thought he was being silly at the time, but now that I was alone with the cat it wasn’t him I didn’t trust, it was me. I didn’t think my libido could handle one more spike to it without me ending up a complete slut by the end of it.
“I didn’t think you’d have modern amenities.” I brushed his ever-caressing tail away and headed to the bathroom, my golden duds in hand. A shower sounded delightful, but I didn’t trust the lecherous cat not to come in while I was in such a vulnerable state.
“Why would you think that?” Chess melted onto a violet chaise, his eyes watching my every move.
Ignoring the eyes drilling into my back, I closed the door behind me. I dropped the clothes to the floor and darted for the sink. Splashing my face with water, I swished some around in my mouth, hoping to get rid of the lingering acrid taste from the tea party. God I hoped my breath didn’t smell.
“Taking a bath? Want me to come wash your back?” Chess’ voice called out from the door, his voice muffled, but no less alluring with the door between us.
“No!” I shouted more than I meant to and dashed back to the door, locking it quickly. I picked up the leather pants, my nose wrinkling before I dropped my shorts to the ground. “You’re a cat, right?”
“Of sorts.”
“Don’t you, you know–” I tried to think of a less sexual word than the one I was thinking as I struggled into the tight pants.
“Don’t I what?” I could hear the smile in his voice as if he could see my mental struggle.
I sighed in defeat as I buttoned the pants. I really should stop saying whatever pops into my mind. “Lick yourself?”
A chuckle came from behind the door so close that I spun around to make sure he hadn’t entered the room. “Normally I bathe in the bath tub. I do enjoy a good soak.”
My eyes wandered to the claw foot tub. It was big enough to fit three people in and then some. I loved a good hot bath, but there wasn’t enough money in the world to get me in that tub with Chess waiting on the other side of the door. If there was one thing he had done consistently it was try to get into my pants, or rather out of them, which he had apparently done. I tied the tie of my overly revealing top and opened the door.
“I could make an exception for….” Chess’ voice trailed off as his eyes devoured my appearance.
The pants were snug and low on my hips where the vest floated against my skin. I was glad I had worn my nice matching black underwear tonight instead of my usual worn out white bra. I felt exposed, but the look on Chess’ face was enough to make anyone feel like the most desirable person in the world.
After a long moment of Chess’ leering, I cleared my throat. “Chess. You’re staring.”
Snapping his mouth shut the fanged grin I was coming to anticipate slid back onto his face. Coming up to me, he circled me like a vulture. I had to bat away his tail as it stroked the open skin where the shirt met the top of the pants. Each caress of his tail made me feel more and more vulnerable. He stopped in front of me, glaring down at the tennis shoes I had shoved back on my feet.
I frowned. They did seem a little out of place.
“Hmm. Almost perfect.” He tapped a long claw on his chin before smiling. “I have just the thing!”
I eased down onto the chaise; the leather pants made bending pretty impossible. It was my turn to stare as Chess dug through his closet, his butt sticking up in the air. I watched his tail wag back and forth. How did he put his clothes on when there wasn’t a hole in the back of his pants? Just when I was starting to think that Chess was drawing out his search so I could stare at his butt, Mop burst into the room.
“Time’s up, cat! Where’s Hatter?” He tapped his brown bare foot on the plush carpet.
Chess popped up out of the closet holding a pair of golden brown knee-high boots in his hands. “Hatter’s not here.”
“How do you expect me to walk in those?” I stared in disbelief at the four-inch heel.
I’d never worn anything higher than a small wedge. I was short, but I didn’t have a complex about it. Flats had always been my shoe of choice.
“Then where?” Mop growled, ignoring my complaints.
“Who knows?” The feline gave a graceful shrug of his shoulders before picking up one of my legs. As he slipped one of the boots up my calf, his hands caressed me far more than necessary. I glanced down at him to see his eyes peeking up at me beneath pale lashes as he laced up the corset along the side of the boot, making the act more intimate than it was.
His voice became a low caress as he whispered, “Certainly not me.”
“Then why ye wastin’ our time?” Mop’s angry voice broke the sensual atmosphere Chess was causing, and I jerked away from the smirking feline.
“Trip knows. Oh, oh Trip knows!” The white opalaught jumped up and down, pointing at my new outfit. “Seelie Court!”
“What?” Mop grunted.
“Hatter’s in the Seelie Court, Hatter is!” Trip stood next to me, pulling on the edge of my sheer vest. “See, Lady dressed like a Seelie Fae!”
Mop stopped his grumbling and took in my clothes for the first time. I’d thought Chess was dressing me up for his own pleasure. It never crossed my mind that there could be a more logical reason behind his clothing choices.
“Why didn’t ye say so in the first place?” Mop shook his finger at the feline who was still kneeling at my feet.
“The shadows came and Hatter left.” He examined his nails, showing utter disinterest in Mop’s question.
I glanced between the Fae around me. “Shadows? What shadows?”
“Hatter hides where the shadows won’t dwell.” I frowned at Chess’ sudden flip from persistent flirt to cryptic messenger. “The shadows are the rejected Fae, well some of them. They don’t fit into the Seelie or UnSeelie Court. They live in the Shadow Realm.”
“The nightmare realm,” Trip whispered. His eyes were cautious as if saying the words would bring the shadows down upon him.
Mop never finished explaining about the different worlds. I knew the Underground consisted of three different realms; there was the UnSeelie Court, where we were, the Seelie Court and now the Shadow Realm. From what I had experienced of this Court, I couldn’t imagine what horrors awaited in the Shadow Realm.
“So, what are they doing here?” I asked, tugging the other boot out of Chess’ hands so I could work on putting it on.
“They want what we have.” Chess slid onto the chaise next to me and allowed his fingers to find the blonde strand of hair, which he twisted between his fingers. Whenever his fingertips accidently touched my shoulder a tinge spread along my skin. I tried to fight my body’s reaction, but it was a lost cause.
“And what’s that?” I swallowed a hard lump in my throat and mo
ved away from Chess’ distracting presence.
“Dreams,” Mop chimed in. “We Fae be relying on the dreams of humans. It be what keeps this place.” He gestured around us. “…alive. The Shadow Realm be cut off from the humans and, in turn, the power they bring.”
“But humans are forbidden here, right?”
Before any of them could answer a shrill cry sounded from somewhere above, causing us all to jump.
“What’s that?”
I sounded like a broken record. Not that I had a choice. With no knowledge of the Fae world, I had to literally rip the answers from my reluctant companions. The whole mysterious world and its rules were really starting to piss me off.
I jumped again at the pounding on what sounded like the outside of the willow.
Chess stood up, holding a hand out to me. “Time to go, Lady.”
“The shadows come, they come!” Trip clenched onto my pant leg, his ears dropping to the floor.
“The shadows?” My eyes stared up at the ceiling and my curiosity peaked.
“They probably smelled ye in the woods and followed us here.” Mop turned to Chess. “We need to use yer mirror, Cat.”
Chess ushered us into the closet and closed the door tight behind us. He moved toward the back of the wardrobe where a full-length mirror with a gilded frame stood. He scratched a claw across the surface of the frame, which activated the symbols that were barely visible to the naked eye. They gave off a faint glow, and then became bright enough that we had to shield our eyes for a moment before they went out completely. In their wake, the surface of the mirror rippled inside of the metal.
“In you go.” Chess stepped back from the mirror and gestured us in.
As usual, Mop and Trip didn’t question the liquid portal and hurried through when another loud bang sounded. They seemed to have been getting more violent with every minute. Would the tree be able to withstand such abuse?
Before I could step through the rippling glass, Chess grabbed me about the waist and pulled me flush against him. I opened my mouth to protest, even though it was hardly the time for flirting, but my words were swallowed by his mouth on mine. It wasn’t a gentle kiss. It was as if he were trying to eat me whole. His hands were splayed along my back and arms, and my skin heated from every inch he touched.
