Chapter 46: 46__Out of this world

Rogan stood still, his arms crossed and his gaze intense as he stared at the four portals hovering before him.

She was in one of these. The ghouls he’d conjured had given him four books before he’d killed them. They hadn’t known which, but they knew their master had put her in one of these four worlds.

The Gemini forest was silent and dark around him, allowing Rogan to focus entirely on what he had to do.

His jaw worked as he looked at the portals and Rogan muttered darkly to himself.

Because, for fuck’s sake, why did she keep getting herself in trouble?

Now he had to yeet himself into a portal that he had no idea about. Humans wrote bizarre books, he could be jumping into a world of talking apes for all he knew.

Goddamn it, Maia.

Once he’d found her he’d maker her pay for annoying him so much. With a final curse, Roan swept aside his coat and stalked up to the first portal.

It was now or never.

****************

Maia stepped grumpily out of her apartment, glaring at the movie set street.

Being Elaine Cranberry was the most annoying thing she’d ever had to do.

Wearing these clothes that were just so frumpy compared to Cecile’s chic wardrobe, having to deal annoying jerks in the office, the biggest of them being her boss! It was all taking a toll on Maia.

With a huff, she let her feet start their slow steps toward the office building.

With the hiss of billion dollar machine, a sleek car suddenly pulled up by the sidewalk besides Maia.

She stopped and gave it a look.

The passenger’s window slid open and Maia leaned over to peek in.

A hard, chiselled face stared straight ahead, expressionless and cold. “Get in.”

Maia made a face at Jaxton Black. What in the hell did he think he was doing?

Wait. She didn’t remember reading a scene where he picked Elaine up for work. This meant this wasn’t a written scene. Which meant this wasn’t part of the story and Maia could probably do whatever she pleased without being bound by the physical laws of this world.

With a smirk curving her mouth, she cleared her throat and looked right at Jaxton’s despicably handsome face. This *had* to work.

“Fuck off, you jackass.”

His jaw went slack and his head whipped toward her. Maia watched as his mouth fell open and she smiled with satisfaction.

She had to make a note here. *Curse at the pig-headed boss as much as you can in an unwritten scene.*

Just as she began to strut off, he came hurrying out of his car to stare at her over the top. “What did you say?!”

Maia stopped walking, turned around and looked at him. The shock in his eyes was genuine. Poor guy had never heard a single f word in his life, had he?

Maia smiled. “I saaaiid… you’re the most despicable creature I’ve ever read of! And even though I’ll be forced to speak like a mouse later and be at your beck and call, right now, I’m ready to give you a piece of my mind, you poor bastard!”

Jaxton sputtered, his eyes wide. “P-poor bastard?!”

Maia nodded. “That’s right.” She wasn’t sure what a poor bastard was, but she’d heard Rogan using that once or twice and it sounded pretty bad. “Poor Bastard! You.”

Jaxton marched around the car and headed right for her. Maia watched him fearlessly until he grabbed her wrist and jerked her forward. “You watch what you say to me, little girl!”

Maia snarled. “And you watch where you’re touching me, little boy!”

Before he could say anything more, she swung up her arm, grabbing a handful of his shirt as she tossed him.

Jaxton landed painfully on the hard concrete, the breath knocked out of his lungs so that he had to gasp for even the smallest bit of oxygen.

She stood over him, the greatest satisfaction flowing through her. Oh, how badly she’d wanted to do this!

"That's what you get, you jerk!"

“Elaine?”

Maia spun around.

Another car had stopped by the side walk and Nick was hurrying towards them, his brows raised.

“Oh, my God. Jax! Elaine, what happened?”

Staring at his older brother, Nick went down on a knee trying to lift Jax.

Maia sucked her lips into her mouth and looked around wide-eyed. “Uhm… it was… shifters!”

Nick looked at her over his shoulder as Jax tried to survive. “What? It as what?”

“Shifters!” said Maia with a nod. “You know. Big, muscular, fast, stupid. Shifters. They did it.”

“Crazy…” Jaxton sputtered breathlessly. “She…. Crazy…”

Maia rushed forward. “Uhm… I think he’s trying to say ‘Shifter’s are crazy!’”

Nick looked at his brother with a shake of his head. “I’m gonna call the cops.”

“No!” Maia held his shoulder and shook her head gravely. “Don’t do it. Shifters will hunt you down. He was only attacked because he was being rude, I think if he respects himself, he won’t be hurt anymore.”

The confusion was clear in Nick’s eyes, but Maia didn’t explain further. She smiled angelically at him and raised a brow at Jax who was staring up at her like she was Satan.

Now that she’d discovered a new rule in this world, she’d use it to her fullest ability and make his life hell.

He’d regret ever being the jerk he was. When the real Elaine Cranberry returned, he’d be kissing her feet.

Maia would make sure of it.

***************

Rogan had had it with this world!

The only thing stopping him from burning it to shreds was the fact that he didn’t know whether or not Maia was here.

Something darted past by his feet and, in one swift movement, Rogan swept it up, holding it up before his face as he studied the creature.

“You,” he snarled. “Where’s the girl?”

The white rabbit twitched its pink nose, its eyes growing teary. “Pray, let me go, my good Sir. I’m quit late, yes. Quite late!”

Rogan glared at the creature. “Do I look like I’m joking?” When it didn’t respond, he gave it a rattling shake from the top of its ears.

The rabbit yelped as Rogan shook it about. “Please! Don’t hurt me!”

“Answer my fucking question before I make barbeque of you!” Rogan growled.

The white rabbit whimpered in fear, shrinking away from him.

Rogan looked at its waistcoat and the pocket watch hanging from the inside with a disgust.

What kinds of books were humans wasting their time writing? Talking bunnies? With waistcoats on? Ridiculous.

This was a waste of his time. Flinging up the rabbit, Rogan flared a powerful purple blaze at it, his face expressing mild annoyance.

In a matter of moments, roasted meat landed on the bright green grass and the smell of cooked rabbit filled the air.

Unbothered by his killing of one of the most iconic characters of human literature, Rogan spun around to stalk away.

“Rabbit!” squealed some high-pitched voice.

Rogan turned back around with mild interest.

A little girl with big, curious eyes and pig-tailed blonde hair was running at him in full speed.

“What did you do to the White Rabbit?!” she screeched.

Rogan calmly watched her until she rammed into his leg and fell back flat on the ground.

Glaring at him, she scrambled up and then gaped, appalled, at the roasted meat on the ground. “What did you do?!”

Rogan narrowed his eyes. “Have you seen a short, loud-mouthed girl with long black hair, grey eyes? She’s got guts, attitude and a lot of audacity.”

The little girl blinked rapidly. “P-pardon? Who are you?”

Rogan’s teeth clenched. “Answer my question. Unless you want to end up like your little rabbit friend!”

With a sharp gasp, the little girl inched away, her blue eyes wide in her little face. “N-no. There hasn’t been anyone like that here.”

Rogan released a breath and looked away at the appallingly cheerful place. “What is this disgusting world?”

The girl’s chin quivered as she looked at the cooked bunny. “I-it’s… Wonderland.”

Rogan gave her a dark look and, pushing his hair back with one hand, stalked off to the portal exit. “My ass is Wonderland.”

***************

Maia trudged through the office, her energy levels low and her anxiety levels high.

It had been a few days since she’d kicked Jaxton’s ass and although doing that in unwritten scenes had become the highlight of her day, Maia couldn’t help but worry.

Was she never going to get out of here? It was starting to feel like her daily life of cute fights between Elaine and Jaxton plus lunch with Nick, to always be interrupted by Jaxton, were becoming her real life.

Maia sighed.

This was getting scary.

“I’m gonna ask you one more time, baldy. Tell me where the girl is or I blow your fucking brains out.”

Maia froze, her gaze snapping up.

That voice. Those bad manners. That unapologetically evil tone.

No way.

Letting the files fall out of her arms, she raced through the hallway until she reached the shadowy office from which she could hear the fearful gurgling of someone being strangled.

Maia had never seen a more delightful sight!

Large and outlandish in the small, immaculate office space, with one hand wrapped firmly around the neck of that annoying, spectacled colleague of hers and strangling the crap out of him, stood none other than her Vampire Sorcerer.

Maia stood very still, feeling her eyes fill with tears of joy as she watched Rogan threaten to peel the guy’s skin off of his ass.

What the hell took him so long?