I expected him to get angry at me for calling him crazy instead he gives me a shit eating grin. One that has me paying attention to him. “Have you learned nothing Belle. With all fairy tales there is a truth to it. And no, this world doesn’t need Alice to save it but that is something for another time. For now, the Mad Hatter is waiting for you and you best not keep him waiting”
“Nope! Sorry rabbit dude but unless you point the way home, I’m not going” leaving him behind I walk back the way I came but instead of the yellow path I was following. Its now become skulls and bones.
“Still think you have a choice?”
I groan out loud at hearing his voice before throwing my hands up in defeat. “Why?! Why me?! why can’t I just go home and go back to having a normal fucking dream instead of being here!?”
“You really don’t know do you?”
“No, I fucking don’t! Or have you not heard I’m fucking clueless at all this shit?! Unless you want to explain then I suggest you take me fucking home”
Rabbit man looks regretful at me before he begins walking away. At first, I think it was a blessing that he left leave him alone. But as soon as the bones begin building skeleton people, I decide its better the devil you know then don’t.
“I see you decided to join me” He says.
“Why am I not afraid of you like last time?”
“Easy. Underland is full of insanity and madness as it begins to take away your basic survival instincts before taking your mind. But then again this is not the first time you have been here”
“Explain please” I’m tired of never knowing and only ever getting half-truths.
“Who do you think was the first to bring you here as it wasn’t me?”
“if I knew then I would have said but clearly I don’t” I snap at him. Rabbit man looks like he’s trying his hardest to hold back a laugh. “Look here Rabbit”
“It’s Jack”
“Look here Jack, you clearly know who it was so, why don’t you be a dear and explain it all”
Jack is clearly bemused at my words as a smile stretches across his full mouth. “You may not like what you hear”
“Don’t care”
“Ever wonder about the dreams you had of the beast where they felt so real, yet it was impossible”
“He brough me here first didn’t he” More and more questions are starting to mount up instead of being answered and its really starting to piss me off.
“Yes. What he didn’t know was once a soul has been here anyone with enough power can summon them”
“Back in the ally that was you summoning me wasn’t it. You wanted to kill me. I’m warning you I won’t make it easy” I tell him.
“It wasn’t you I was after”
“What?”
“It wasn’t you I was after but instead it was her. I was hoping to lure her out and kill her, but you put a spanner in that”
“So, just to be clear it wasn’t my soul but her?”
“Right” He said casually
“Right, and how exactly was that going to work when it was my soul you were pulling on?” I drool at him.
“Simple. Your both connected but I can’t tell you how and why, its best you find that out on your own”
“Seriously! Can’t you give me some information about this mysterious person?”
Jack looks deep in through as we walk along the path silently. I watch as his ears twitch and eyes darken which only makes his gothic blue trench coat stand out more.
“I can’t give you all the answers like the Mad Hatter can, but I can give you the basics”
“Thank you but why are you being nice?”
“I don’t want her to win as she has already destroyed Faerie and Underland”
“How?”
“Not what we agreed” His eyes twinkle down on me, soften this giant of a man-rabbit. “She is the reason you lost your memories, but you are not the first to fall victim to her cruelness”
“Your joking, right?” taking in his serious expression I guess he isn’t, but I can finally put a name to the one who did this to me.
“Her name is never spoken for fear she will rise again but it looks like she already is” He says cryptically before carrying on “unfortunately your souls are connected together which was why I tried to use you to reach her. However, that failed as she has buried herself deeper than I expected” Jack shakes his head in disbelief.
“What is her story?” I ask
“Long ago she when she was a child, she was able to travel between worlds. Loving to explore the unknown but deep within her was a cruelness no one could imagine. Enslaving the hearts of any man, making them do her bidding in dark magic. Until she fell in love with another. However, not even he could control her or stop what she could do. He through if he married her then he could save her from herself. Instead he brough upon a curse, one where many will suffer. For every time she dies, she will be reborn and once more war and destruction will follow. Her heart is black as night with a thirst for blood.”
“How can we stop her?”
“You can’t, no one can unless..”
“Unless?” I prompt
“The one who holds her heart rejects her for another, but both the man and his supernatural creature must agree to it. Only then will it take away her ability to be reborn preventing her from rising again. Once her heart it cut in two then only when the four Kings unit under one can she be killed. But that is a fools hope”
“I’m sure it can be done”
“Nope not possible”
“Care to explain?”
“One King is riddled with Madness, one refuses to claim his throne, another lives deep within the seven seas until he can claim his revenge. The last has not been seen since the blood war”
“What happens if she rises?”
“Death, destruction and most likely the earth will become a waste land, or she will start another war”
“Jack-“
“This is where I will leave you as he is waiting”
“Any chance it’s a tea party?”
“If it is then I wouldn’t drink anything”
As soon as Jack leaves, I believe he was lying about Underland stealing my basic instincts as my body becomes riddled in fear. It comes back with a vengeance at being denied its right to infect my body. It starts by first turning my blood to ice where my legs refuse to move forward.
“I can do this, if I meet with him then I can go home”
Putting one foot in front of the other, I walk through a pair of gates that has the name Hatter in gothic iron work. The fear I feel only intensifies the closer I get. “There’s no place like home” I mutter to myself to break the silence.
Gates of iron open on their own as I walk forward expecting to find a castle or even a mansion. Did I find that? Nope. What I did find however, was a mad tea party where the table was long with a black cloth covering it, candle holders shaped like claws decorated the table but would move as if they were alive. Pots of tea and cups in colours of crimson red and gold would hop with a clatter before sitting in front of an empty space. For no one else was here except one man.
One arm kept his head up while the other stir his tea with a single long claw that is coated is red. Don’t need a genius to guess what type of liquid that is.
A wave of Deja vu hits me as I take in his day of the dead mask and velvet red steampunk tailcoat.
“You” I whisper but with his excellent hearing he smirks at me letting me see his piecing blue eyes, ones that shine like crystals. taking off his mask I suck in a sharp hiss at his handsome face that sparks a memory.
“His black hair was wild with pale skin that had never seen day light, Crystal blue eyes stared back at me”
It hits me than that his face is one from journal I read, the one who was starved of blood, loved a mortal women who was stolen from him “Your Jasper, the one that loved Rosanne”
“I see my book reached you then” He says in a husky voic
e which has no effect on me. For only one man can make my body beg for his touch and it ain’t him.
“Oh God! I through they were stories, I’m so fucking stupid! They were my past memories wasn’t they! We were once married. How many names did I go by?” Tears threaten to fall from my eyes as I look at my husband.
Holy shit! I was once married. Does that mean I have been cheating on my husband? Does it even count if I don’t remember him?
Booming laughter comes from Jasper before he downs the rest of his tea. “Here I through I was the mad one but you. You are more insane then me to believe I would have married you”
Say what?
“Come again”
“Take a seat and drink some tea” his joking, right? After what he tried to do last time.
“Thanks, but I think I would pass. Now if you would ever so kindly explain then let me go. That would be great”
“Take a fucking sit Belle before the beast within wakes up and decides to eat you instead”
Taking a seat farthest from him I can see his still not happy. Nope he points to the seat on is right and beckons me forwards. “If you try any think like last time then I will hurt you” I threaten.
“Colour me surprised; I almost didn’t believe Jack when he said you broke his neck. Well that was impressive” Slow mocking claps ring out as I make my way up the table where pots turn to look at me as cups follow me. “Glad to see the spark in your eyes instead of the innocent look. It doesn’t suit you”
“Lets just get this over with, what do you want Jasper?”
“Direct and straight to the point. Tell me was Dante so forth coming with answers or does he kept the truth hidden from you?” Jasper taunts me.
“Cut the shit and explain why you left a journal to me and why you want to see me?” I say as I sit down where a cup bounces into my hand. I’m afraid to drink it as the liquid is pitch black, a strong smell comes from inside it that has my nose turning up.
“Don’t insult my tea and drink it… you might even find yourself more relaxed”
“Yeah right, like I’m about to let you drug me”
“Take a fucking drink before I force you” He sneers at me. I really don’t want to but at the same time I don’t want to be here any longer then I need to.
Doing as he says I down it in one, trying not to spit it out as it tastes of mould, root and a coopery taste. “What the fuck was that?” spluttering out as I cough, as the liquid burns its way into my stomach.
“Now we can start, tell me Belle.” He clicks his tongue on my name as I look to him. “Did Dante ever tell you that he was both the man and beast?”
“I suspected it, but he never confirmed it”
“I though as much”
“Why doesn’t that matter?”
“He is the beast, the monster who took my Rosanne from me. The one who sent me into madness where not even I’m safe from my own mind”
“You look pretty sound at the moment”
“Insanity is a disease that effects the mind when it feels like. For now, my mind is my own, but I can feel it coming. So, I will be quick. Dante doesn’t not want you he wants what you have inside, but you will find out soon enough”
“You lie!”
“No. He has stolen many women over the years to seek out what belongs to him. You are just another women who will soon fall victim to this game they play. However, I am willing to help you. If at any time you need to escape or need some where to hide. Then call on me and I will not only give you the full story but also I will shelter you”
“Just fucking tell me now Jasper. I’m not into games or cryptic bullshit”
“Jasper do you here, she doesn’t like cryptic bullshit” He turns to one side as if talking to an invisible person. “No, she doesn’t, but what do you expect she isn’t really here” he laughs but its done in a manic way. “She runs from the beast and straight into the arms of a man, one that doesn’t even want her. No, he seeks what will happen soon. Yes!” He claps excitedly. “Soon revenge will be ours”
“Jasper” calling out his name I hope I can break him out of whatever the fuck is happening.
“Do you hear Jasper she tries to call for you, I know Hatter but what side should we give her. I don’t know maybe she should meet Hyde” Hell fucking no!
“How do I go home?” Fuck answers when I’m about to have a mad vampire on my hands.
“Death! Death! Death!” he chants as even the cutlery starts to move away.
I’m up and out of my seat as I start to back away keeping one eye on him. “Jasper focus! Which way will take me home?”
“Call for me when you find the truth. No Jasper we shouldn’t help her, why not? because I said so! We should do ourselves a favour and kill her now. True but then we will have to wait. Then so be it”
Jasper moves coming straight for me with claws out wide, ducking underneath him I hit him in the stomach before dropping him to the ground. Grateful for training as hard as I have been. It doesn’t keep him down for long as he comes straight back up with foam coming out of his mouth. Claws catch me on my arm making me scream out and punch him. Together we became a blur of teeth, hands and claws. Neither one giving up. He wants to kill me, and I want to survive. Like monsters looking out the window I can just about see eyes to the left of me, watching what happens.
There’s nothing, I won’t do to survive when the chaos arises and erupts around me.
Whether it was the tea or being in this fucked up place. Cracks appear within my eyes like a broken mirror as we fight. The sound of shattering glass sounds out as more creatures emerge but its Jasper who has my focus.
Dodge, block counter. I don’t stop.
Alarms sound out it sounds like my alarm for work but its fading into the background.
“You will not escape” He promise as his eyes darken to black where nobodies home except the madness. “We will go to war, chaos and destruction will rain. You will be stripped bare and killed for all to see”
My hands hurt, my sides burn, my chest is tight for how long we’ve been going. There must be a way out! Think! If all fairy tales hold some truth, then in the book. Alice went through the looking glass. But there’s no mirror or glass that would act like a portal.
Picking up a pot of tea I smash it out as Jasper runs at me. Its enough to make him fall but not enough to keep him back. As he gets back up, I use the chair next and repeatedly smash it over him until it is in bits.
“Pain is my best friend, come join me and together we can be madness. I’ll be the Hatter and you be the Queen”
“Hell fucking no!”
“You will never escape without knowing the way”
“Then I will make my own”
“Belle time to wake up” Alex?
“ALEX!” it worked last time maybe it will work again.
“Nothing ever works twice” Well there goes my plan. Now what could plan B be? What did the original Alice do? It wasn’t a looking glass but a tree. Yes, that’s it! It was a tree with a door which took her home.
Dodging Jaspers attack I notice an old tree one that looks like it belongs from the prehistoric time. On the tree are markings but I don’t have time to pay attention as claws come towards me. Moving too slow he catches my cheek where I can feel the blood pour down. Like a predator homing on his kill Jasper licks his lips as he takes in the scent of blood.
“Fuck this. We had such a lovely chat, but I think it's time to go” I say sarcastically.
“Not until the blood has been drained from your veins will I let you leave” He snarls.
“Sorry but home is calling” I say before jumping up on the table and running towards the tree. Jasper is hot on my heels as we run. He must have known I would need an extra boost as his crazy cocktail that taste of shit has some funky magic to it.
Taking a leap of faith, I jump towards the tree expecting a door to materialise. What I didn’t expect was to fall into the tree and land on my bed to the roar of Jasper.
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“Belle! Get up you have work in less than 30 mins” Alex pops his head though the door warning me that I might be late.
But I don’t care. I just survived a mad vampire and made it home.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jealousy is a bitch
I scare myself with how much my head is spinning from the insanity of my life. I checked myself in the mirror for claw marks that I received from Jasper, but nothing was there. I feel like I just came from hell as I keep picturing Jasper coming at me. but its all in my head nothing is real, life is an illusion until the day death comes for you. Is that too dark?
Lost Girl (Soul Bound Book 1) Page 21
