Chapter 60

**Alicia**

Lilith walks toward the stairs leading up to the stage. My guys move to surround me but with a laugh and a wave of her hand, they’re thrown away from me. They land hard on the club floor but struggle to get to their feet. Cairo is the first to his feet and rushes toward the stage but slams into an invisible force. The others join him slamming their fists into whatever is keeping me trapped with Lilith. 

“You have a few new tricks I see,” I say as I mentally reach for any feel of her inside me. 

I don’t remember ever investing her blood or any of the drugs she laced with it, but there are so many years I still don’t remember. 

“Now that it’s just the two of us, tell me…how did you survive the darkness? You have been fighting it for so long because the power was too much and yet…” She waves a hand at me. 

“It did nearly kill me, but it’s a part of me. All I had to do was accept that I was never going to be good. I’m not here to save this world. I was created to destroy you. Wonderland is our home, but to save it I needed to cut the head of the beast destroying it. Blood for blood.” I tell her and she smirks. 

“Very poetic, but pointless. I have enough power to kill you with a snap of my finger. The only reason I don’t is because you have the last thing I need to reshape this world into the new Wonderland. A wonderland where I sit on the throne and rule for good. No one will be strong enough to go up against me. They will fall to their knees and beg for me to lead them. It’s inevitable. But I sense the power inside you. It’s darker…stronger…it will be the last piece I need to be too powerful for these humans to kill. I’m sorry Alicia, you are a beautiful success but I no longer need you.” 

She’s going to kill me. I can’t let her. She’s right, the power inside me is too strong. Too strong to control or keep confined. It needs to be released. 

It needs to be set free…

I look around me at the men I have fought for. The men I loved and bled for. The only way I can end this before Lilith has the chance to go through with her plans is if I destroy the thing she wants. 

“I’m sorry.” I mouth the words to the guy before turning my attention to her again. “If you want the power so badly Lilith then take it.”

She eyes me warily, no doubt confused by me giving up so easily. I don’t move to fight her or release my power to trap her. My body remains still and my eyes stay on her’s. 

“You won’t fight?” She asks.

“Why? Like you said. Wonderland is destroyed and you have already planted the seeds for this world to follow after. What could I do against all that? Fighting has only hurt me. I alone can not undo what has already been done, and why would I want to? This world is already filled with pain. They destroy each other for resources. They kill themselves with drugs. They hurt every single day. What sort of life is that? Why would I try to save it? You win Lilith, take what you want and revel in your victory. I’m done.” 

A smile slowly works up at the corner of her lips and then she steps forward. I stay rooted where I am as she moves closer. Then she grabs me by the throat and turns my head so that I can see each of my guys. Realization is written on their faces. If I die…they die. The world is doomed but we won’t be here to see it burn. 

Pain like nothing I have ever felt before shoots from my neck where she sinks her fangs into me throughout my whole body. My vision flashes from clear to red to black as my life is taken away. Then there’s nothing. 

I gasp wheezing sounds come from my throat and light blinds me for a moment before the scene in front of me becomes clear. What happened? 

“Wonderland! Your Queen!” Someone calls from beside me. “And you’re kings!” 

My head moves to look beside me and I see them…my men standing tall with crowns of gold on their heads. I swivel my head to look out in front of me again and suck in a breath at what Im seeing. 

Wonderland…

Wonderland before the darkness….Wonderland before Lilith destroyed it all…

We’re back? How? 

“Long live the queen!” A voice shouts from somewhere in the crowd. 

Everyone shouts in unison before dropping to one knee and bowing their heads. All but one. 

She stands tall in a dress as red as blood, and a crown of thorns. Blood drips from her head and she smiles. 

“Long live Alice of Wonderland.” She whispers.

The crowd lifts to their feet with a cheer, but her words echo all around me. 

Along with the smell of blood…death…and destruction…

THE END