Page 12 of Wonderland Asylum (Wonderland Killers #1)

ELEVEN

My Babysitter The Madd Hatter

I hope they aren't out there doing something stupid that will get them arrested.

-Presley

"Good morning, Ms. James. I take it you slept well?" A deep voice asks from somewhere near.

I've heard the voice before but I can’t quite place it. My eyelids flutter open and closed, because they're still so heavy with sleep. "Good morning. May I have something to drink please?" I whisper.

The person moves from my bedside but returns quickly. "Dr. Donovan, warned me that you might feel dehydrated when you woke up."

I take a couple of sips of ice water, and it's almost too cold for my throat. "Thank you." I say, before laying back down.

Like a razor blade cutting through the black fog in my mind, images of last night come flooding back in. Nausea grips my insides when I think about what Drew did to me.

Thankfully, I got away from him, but how many didn't? How many other poor girls has he done that to? "Where's Kai and Gunner?"

Contemplating his answer he's quiet for a moment. "They're out hunting."

Hunting? I don't understand what that means. We're all meat eaters, but they’ve never shown interest in that hobby before. I don't ask any of the questions buzzing in my head aloud. My brain is too fuzzy. Slowly, I drift back off to sleep.

Minutes pass or maybe it's hours. My stomach growls, and my groggy head aches. Begging my eyes to open all the way, I compromise by scrunching them like I'm looking up into the sun.

A man dressed all in black with his feet propped up on my hospital bed is reading a book. I do know him, but I've only talked to him once.

With his skeletal make up off, his top hat is the only way I know it's not Lukas. If my stepbrothers left me with him, then that means he won't hurt me. "What is your given name? Or am I supposed to call you the Madd Hatter?"

He chuckles. "You can call me Ashe."

Ashe, that's right, because he likes to start fires. "What are you reading?"

He hands me his paperback, the pages are well worn, and there's even notes on the inside of the ledgers. "It's all the works of Edgar Allen Poe. You know the man had to be insane himself to write this dark shit, even still, they’re masterpieces."

I nod. "I haven't read him in ages, but I've loved every story of his that I've read, even as a child. What's your favorite?"

One thing I didn't notice about Ashe before is that he's methodical. I like that he doesn't just say words to say them, he thinks about it first.

After a moment he answers. "The Fall of the House of Usher. Surprisingly, it hits a little too close to home for me, therefore I hate it so fiercely that I love it."

I yawn. "In our English 1101 class that we had together, well that I had with your counterpart, we learned that there is a fine line between love and hate. Do you agree?"

He nods. "I remember you in that class. Lukas and I are always both present, one personality is just more dominant at any given time.

We have Dr. Jekyll to thank for that. He has merged our personalities together to the point that we are in perfect sync with each other.

I protect him, and he's helping me gain the parts of humanity that I lack.

Thank you for being nice to him, he has his reasons for being the way that he is. We're working on it."

I want Lukas to be happy, he deserves it."He's a great person, and I'm so glad he has you to protect him. Can I ask you something though? It's kind of personal."

Ashe nods, my eyelids feel like they have stainless steel anchors tying them back down, so, I waste no time second guessing whether I should ask him. "You've been super nice to me, so I hope this doesn't offend you. Are you here to stay?"

His smirk grows as he talks of Ruby Alice. "Yes, it appears we've fallen in love with the same girl, good thing we already know how to share."

Yawning again, I stretch to get comfortable. These meds are making me so sleepy. "Thank you for talking to me, I'm sorry if it's been too much. It just helps to keep my mind from other things. I know that you and Lukas both share an aversion to long conversations."

Ashe looks at me in earnest. "A friend to Lukas is a friend to me, if you need anything please reach out, even if it's something you don't want the brothers to know. I will help you free of charge."

They'd love that. But his words move me. "Thank you, that means a lot."

"May I ask you something personal now?"

"Of course." I reply with a half hooded gaze.

He sighs. "Lukas and I have been talking, what did Queen Sierra mean when she spoke to you at Tea Time the other day."

My mind is fuzzy with the details. "Honestly, I'm not sure, but shortly after I received a handwritten love letter from someone that signed his name as TKOH. He says that we are meant to be together and that he will love me forever. I haven’t received a letter in a while, but it's still creepy.

Please keep it between us, they don't know. "

"What do you think TKOH stands for?"

My vision blurs, and I try to stay focused.

He studies my face intently. "From what I can come up with it’s The King of Hearts, which I thought was cute to begin with, but not now.

Do you think Kai and Gunner would want to share me?

" I'll regret this question later, but for now, I couldn't care less.

"I know you're tired, but please listen, this is bad if he's set his sights on you, Presley. I know him, and he’s evil. I will keep your secret for now, but please be careful."

I nod. "I promise. Now answer my question please, I'm desperate, and it's getting harder and harder to keep my eyes open."

"We'll talk about the other thing later when you're more lucid, but yes, I believe they will.

May I remind you that they're not like me, they have a code and they've broken it just for you.

Hell is coming for the person who hurt you, and I've been promised a front seat to some of the mayhem.

Who knows, maybe they'll give me some creative ideas for my next kill.

" His laugh is dark, but I fall fast asleep.

It's not until days later that I remember that part of our conversation.

Rain falls against the window of my suite at Wonderland, when I open my eyes again, the room is dark. I see a shadow at the end of my bed, but I’m not alarmed. I know Kai’s scent anywhere.

I moan softly as he rubs my feet. “When did y’all get back?”

His hand stills. “About an hour ago.”

“Where’s Gunner?”

A bright light pops on from the bedside table, and I scream. Kai laughs, and when I try to bolt off the bed Gunner stops me. “Please, you need to rest.”

I scowl at both of them. “Why do you have that freaking Jason mask on, Kai? You know I hate him, and all things horror movies!”

Gunner laughs. “I told you she was going to be pissed.”

Kai takes off his mask. “How can you hate Friday the 13th, and love murder podcasts?”

I flip him off. “It’s not murder podcasts weirdo, it’s true crime podcasts. There’s a difference.”

“How is it different?” He looks perplexed which would make me laugh if he wasn’t calling me out.

“If they were called murder podcasts that would mean every single person was murdered. And I’m not having this conversation with you again. Gunner punch him in the face. Oh, and by the way, Jason is fake!”

Gunner smirks, and Kai scowls but I’m not sure which one is my favorite. Why do they both have to be total smoke shows.

“How are you?” Gunner moves a piece of my hair out of my eyes.

My throat thickens with his emotion. His eyes are etched with worry. “I’m tired, but I’m okay. So many girls never get away, but I did.”

“We’ll never let anyone hurt you again.” Kai growls.

With his words the reservoir breaks, and the gut wrenching sob I’d been holding back bounces off the sides of the wall. Their arms find me, giving me solace and warmth like a lighthouse does to a ship that’s been lost at sea.