He touches my bottom lip, leaving behind a smear of fruity glaze. He watches as I suck away the bittersweet residue, then he licks the rest of the glaze from his fingertip. At the appearance of his tongue, heat blossoms in my face.He smirks. “Look at that. I revived the color in your cheeks.”

All the shades of us, in one brilliant rainbow.

“I heard something earlier, from Humphrey’s friend, Hubert. We stopped at his inn.” Morpheus practically beams. “Ah, Hubert. How is the old sot?”“Glittery.” I furrow my brow. “And grumpy.” A deep laugh rumbles in Morpheus’s chest. “I’ve always enjoyed his company.”“Yeah.” I scowl. “He’s a real good egg.

Morpheus laughs. “ ‘Mutated.’ The word you’re looking for is evolved , luv. He has shed his monkey mortal state and donned the robes of netherling immortality. That’s a step up, not a step down.”

"No, it must be authentic. And eternal.” He smiles blissfully—all boyish naiveté and worldly charm in one exquisite being.

I start to work the buttons open on Morpheus’s black shirt, but Jeb brushes me aside and takes over.Morpheus places his hand on Jeb’s busy fingers, eyes opened to slits. “Ah, my pretty pseudo elf.” He takes a labored breath. “Is it time at last to express our unrequited feelings?

Fair warning, I intend to make good use of that time. I will be gentle, but I will not be a gentleman. You will be the center of my world. I’ll show you the wonders of Wonderland, and when you’re drunk on the beauty and chaos that your heart so yearns to know, I will take you under my wings and make you forget the human realm ever existed. You’ll never want to leave Wonderland or me again.

I rub my sternum to alleviate the sensation, then drag my arms out of Jeb’s shirt and slip the lingerie on underneath.My blush burns hotter to find each item fits perfectly . . . that Morpheus knows my body without ever having run his fingers over it; even more, he knows how I’ve been craving pretty things since I left the asylum. He knows me.

“That is a breathtaking display, luv. But dare not mistake my veneration for surrender.” He starts toward me, his expression fading to a scowl.