Wonderland

The amount of sleep I had gotten that night had felt like 5 minutes before I found myself being shaken awake. Ace had stomped out the fire already and had everything packed except for the blankets that I had slept with. I had not even had time to properly wake up when I was jerked to my feet. The blankets were gathered and rolled up together and soon we were on our way again toward the heart of Wonderland, Red Castle.

We walked through the deep forests and down paths grooved into the earth from Red's foot soldiers. We stopped a little more often for water and food so I could keep up with him on our journey. The scenery seemed to roll by.

I stumbled in my footing when the soft sound of ticking reached my ears. I paused behind Ace and looked to my left only to see the mountain, exactly where it had been when we had first started our journey.

"We are right back where we started," I breathed with confusion as Ace walked over to me and looked around, taking inventory. When his eyes grew hard and his brow furrowed, I knew that something was up.

"It's the Grandfather Clock," he sneered, his features twisting as he turned and punched the closest tree trunk with enough force to sent splinters flying, his fist crushing straight through.

I stepped away unconsciously and eyed the mountain with concern. The ticking thumped in time with my heart and a chill dripped down my spine. I hadn't felt the presence before, but it had decided to make it's appearance.

"What is the Grandfather Clock?" I murmured as he neared my side, blood dripping from his knuckles where the bark had scored his flesh.

His jaw clenched, eyes flashing like steel. "The Grandfather Clock is the master of this mountain. The ticking you hear comes from his heart, deep inside the mountain. He's normally dormant, but it seems that something has woke him." His tone was wry as he glanced down at me and I frowned.

"Why would I wake him?" I asked in utter confusion and he gave an unattractive snort.

"With a presence like yours, you could wake all of Wonderland's hidden secrets," he muttered, storming away as I stared after him.

"What does that mean?" I asked, rushing after him in attempts to catch up. He glared at me from over his shoulder, looking at me as if I was slow in the head.

"The Queen Magic," he said on a sigh, looking away as we trudged along. "That very magic comes from the heart of Wonderland. It is revered by the creatures and the land itself. It's how it's chooses the next ruler."

I glanced down at my hands quickly, feeling the ever familiar heat washing through my veins. I had gotten used to the sensation, the trickle of magic that now made me stronger then ever before. In the end, it would seem that I had awoken this Grandfather Clock.

"What is so bad about the Grandfather Clock?" I asked with a frown as we finally slowed in pace, until he stopped dead in his tracks.

I spun around, having walked past him and heated under the intense stare he gazed at me with. He held my eyes as he slowly advanced until I had to tilt my head back to look up at him.

"You are a very rare treasure of Wonderland, Alice," he said, his warm breath washing over my face and my heart stuttered. It was the first time he had ever said my name and the effect it had on me was startling. "The Grandfather Clock had sensed your presence inside of his dwelling and now refuses to let you leave."

Iciness washed over me, dousing the flames and leaving me chilled. "He's trapping me here?" I breathed in awe. "Why?"

He rolled his eyes, sighing deeply, a classic sign of annoyance.

"Have you not listened to anything I've been saying?" he snapped, brushing past me as he continued along and I followed behind dutifully.

"I have been listening, but it still confuses me. I don't understand why the Grandfather Clock would want to trap me near the mountain."

A growl slipped past his lips as he stomped along, trying a new route. "He's trying to protect you. Everything here knows of Red, they can feel her. What they don't like is her corrupted soul that is seeping into the land. The Grandfather Clock cast a spell to cut himself off from her magic, to preserve himself from her corruption. With you being here, even though you are not using any magic, he can feel you."

I couldn't help but smile slightly. "He knows that I will not bring any harm to Wonderland."

"Your magic, your presence brings light to even the darkest of places," he said quietly as we came into the same clearing as we had started in and he cursed.

I felt heat bloom in my neck and cheeks. He had paid me a compliment, catching me by surprise for it was one so sweet that I couldn't contain myself. My heart thumped in my chest, butterflies swirling in my stomach.

Another curse came from him as he thrust his hands on his hips and gestured to the mountain with grim determination. "We are going to have to pay him a visit."

My eyes widened as he began walking toward Clock Mountain. I hurried after him, stumbling along the way. When we arrived at the entrance of the cave, the atmosphere suddenly felt different. I could sense the strange aura radiating from the mountain itself, calling to my own. The ticking sound faintly reached my ears and I stepped just inside, my feet moving on their own accord.

I followed the path, drawn by the sound as if the clock was calling out to me. He wanted me to find him. Ace followed behind, his eyes narrowed with suspicion; he knew that I was hearing something he could not. I rounded the next bend, the soft echoing sounds of water droplets falling to the cave floor. With the next round of another corner, I gasped when I came in contact with a strange barrier that seemed to crawl across my flesh.

Pausing, I lifted my hands and felt around me. The more I focused I could see the strange hazy distortion in the space around me. When I came in contact with the invisible barrier, small shocks rippled along my skin gracefully. It was magic that I felt, magic from the guardian of the mountain--the Grandfather Clock.

I lifted my gaze as Ace appeared behind me, waving his hand in the haze. A visible shock spidered across his hand and he jerked back, hissing out a stream of curses. The reaction did not surprise me; I was being allowed entry, but he was not because of whom he served and his purpose. I stepped further into the cave, seeing far into the distance where a faint glow resonates. I follow the path that leads the way into a room filled with soft dim light. Standing there before me is a giant Grandfather clock. The pendulum swung back and forth with a grace unknown to clocks, and the sound was so soft compared to what I heard outside of the mountain.

The atmosphere changed at my presence, welcoming me. The warm light bathed me as I stepped closer and I felt his sense of protection and happiness at my arrival. Whispers sounded in my head, voices of many as they softly spoke of Wonderland. It was then that I realized that the Grandfather Clock was more than just one being; he was many. The voices were of men and women alike, children and adult as they whispered adorations in my ears. They began whispering about Ace, who in the background I could hear cursing, trapped by the barrier that I only could pass through.

I gazed up at the lovely golden clock. “I do not think he means me harm. Call it a feeling.”

They seemed uneasy at my words, but I smiled reassuringly. After all, I had sensed the overwhelming loneliness and sadness that radiated from him. A true killer would never feel, especially emotions like that. He was not a killing machine; he was simply lost and unable to find his true path.

“I am going to face the Red Queen,” I said softly, with a glance at the clock as the whispers died down. The silence was almost deafening.

Red Queen…too dangerous…cannot allow her to steal your light.

I frowned. “Steal my light?” I inquired with the tilt of my head.

She will take…Alice…too dangerous…death awaits…

I looked away and glanced over my shoulder to the entrance. In his own way, Ace was leading me to my death. The Red Queen wanted to steal back the queen magic that Wonderland had given me so there would be no other then her. I looked back.

“I will not allow her any more freedom, rest assured. Her days as Queen are numbered, I can promise you that,” I said firmly as the whispers flowed over me like a caress. I felt warmth like sunlight passing over my flesh, sinking deeper into my veins to channel with my queen magic, fueling my energy stores and rejuvenating me. The Grandfather Clock had shared some of his own magic with me.

The next voice that spoke was singular and more powerful than the others.

“Be careful, White Queen…betrayals can come in the form as something or someone that you would least expect.”

Taking those words to heart, I gave a curtsey and turned to return to Ace, who paced along the barrier. His expression was furious when he spotted me and stiffened with his eyes ablaze. I paused just on the other side of the barrier, watching him prowling like a predator. Would he the one to betray me, or would he have a change of heart? I had trouble believing that he would obey every order from the Red Queen. He seemed to too hard-headed and stubborn for that.

“Why do you obey the Red Queen?” I asked softly.

He paused and looked at me through narrowed eyes as though he was confused. He looked away in thought, before shaking his head and glaring at me. His expression was blank as it had been when he had first kidnapped me, revealing nothing. He had shut me out, and I was surprised at the sense of disappointment that I had felt.

“That is no concern of yours. We must be going,” he said seriously, holding out his hand.

I gazed at him before slowly took a step back from the barrier and watched his eyes darken along with his expression. He was livid and I swallowed the lump of fear that suddenly appeared in my throat.

“I am not sure that I should hand myself over to you, Ace,” I said quietly, feeling a sliver of fear as he stepped closer to the barrier. His eyes threatened to burn straight through my soul from the intensity.

“One way or another, you are coming with me,” he said, his voice deadly soft and dangerous.

I took another retreating step. “What will you do if I come with you? Will you still hand me over to the Red Queen?”

His jaw clenched, his eyes flickering. “I have my orders, Alice. Now, don’t make me come in there and get you, because I can assure you that you will not like it,” he warned.

My heart raced as we stared each other down. I lifted my leg to take another step away from the barrier, when he released a growl and forced himself through. Showers of sparks flickered over his frame as he thrust his way through, cringing in pain. I gasped in horror at the sound of his flesh sizzling under the strain.

I rushed forward without thinking, only thinking of the pain etched in his expression. All thought left me as I reached out to push him back to relieve the pain. His eyes snapped open at my touch and I saw the glint there. He had tricked me! His long fingers snaked around my bicep roughly, pinching into my flesh and bone as he jerked me roughly past the barrier. Without hesitating, he hoisted me into his arms and ran as fast as he could away from the mountain and away from its protection.

My heard was deafening as it beat strongly within my chest at the rush I had felt. Everything happened so quickly, my mind did not have time to catch up. Suddenly we came to a jerking halt and my world was sent spinning as he dropped me to my feet and thrust me up against a thick tree. His hand fisted in my hair, jerking my face to his as I cried out in pain. His other hand grasped both of my own and lifted them above my head and pinned them there.

I cried out as the bark from the tree bit into my tender skin, feeling tears prickling my eyes. He thrust the length of his body against my own, pressing the air sharply from my lungs as he stared me down, his eyes sparking with hostility.

“I don’t know if you are stupid or brave,” he growled as I stared up at him, my chest rubbing against his as I fought to catch my breath.

I searched his eyes, wondering what he was going to do with me. “I only want to protect myself. I will be saving Wonderland, so I cannot allow those who will hinder me, remain in my way.”

Before I could even think, he was kissing me senseless. My mind reeled as his lips bruised my own. My blood heated in my veins, but my mind quickly caught up and a wave of fear chilled my bones. I struggled in his grip, but he held fast and continued to ravage me. I tried to turn away, to remove his soft, unyielding lips from my own but his grip tightened in my hair. I whimpered and he used that moment to spear his tongue inside. The first flick against my own sent my head spinning deliriously. It was then, that it clicked. The Grandfather Clock had warned me about a betrayal and that it would come in the most unexpected way, whether it be a person or a thing.

My own body was betraying me. My skin was grown soft and supple, my breasts heavy and sensitive. Desire pooled between my thighs against my will and I wanted to scream. I had never been touched by a man like this before. I had always hoped that one day it would Cheshire…the first and only person in Wonderland to truly know Alice, to see me and not the White Queen.

Tears formed in my eyes at the thought as Ace grinded himself against my body. He nipped my bottom lip, sending a crashing wave of heat to my core and a gasp escaped my lips unbidden. He had stiffened at the sound before releasing a low groan and tearing at my clothes. I flinched at the sound of the cloth tearing from my body, leaving me bare. I went to cover myself modestly, but his arm whipped around my waist, lifting me up to align my center with his own. I attempted one last struggle to free myself, but he held me as if I were nothing even as he undid his breeches.

He reached between us to position himself and my breathing hitched, feeling on the verge of hysteria. Those heated, yet blinded eyes met mine as he probed my entrance and I began to cry in earnest.

“Please, Ace! Please, stop…” I whispered, unable to hold back any longer as I writhed in his hold and he paused, some sense trickling back into his eyes, clearing them momentarily.

His gaze traveled down between us in silence, and I looked away, unable to watch him look at me that way. He reached between us, his deft fingers finding my folds and sliding in between. A jolt shivered through my body, warming my flesh and I inhaled sharply at the sensation.

“You’re wet for me. You want this more than you think,” he murmured, sliding his fingers over and over gently. Pleasure sparked through my body at his touch and I was horrified.

He repositioned himself and watched me closely as he pressed closer, the head of his arousal pushing against my barrier. A sob escaped my lips as he pushed farther, forcing my body to stretch and accommodate him.

“Please…” I whispered huskily, suddenly unaware of what I was asking for. My face felt hot to the touch and I could not control the swirls of desire that had settled in the pit of my stomach.

His eyes darkened as he leaned forward, nipping me sharply on my collar bone just as he thrust. The force raked my back against the rough bark of the tree, tearing into my skin as the barrier of my maidenhood broke. A growl slipped from his throat as he stilled, sitting deep inside of me to the hilt. His teeth never left my skin as he began a furious pace. The bark scraped against my flesh with the force of his thrusts and I cried out, tears sliding down my cheeks. Even so, I could feel something building deep inside of me, threatening to burst out.

It built and built until my world exploded in a blast of light. Sun spots danced behind my eyelids as my body trembled and contracted over and over. The sensation was like nothing I had ever known. With a grunt, he thrust himself deep and a quiet moan slipped from his lips.

I stared up at the stars that had appeared overhead, my breathing heavy. As I came down from the high he had placed me on, I felt my skin crawl. My breathing hitched as the tears came on full force, feeling disgusted and violated by my own body and Ace himself.

My god, what have I done?