“Good night.” I yanked my hand out of his grasp, turned like an army captain, and strutted away.
My first breath came after I turned the corner. Holy crap, that had been intense. He’d been super forward. His confidence was off the chain, so that was probably why, but still, that whole exchange had blown the doors off my comfort zone.
The door on my left opened, and I jumped, startled. The door slammed shut.
“Oops.” I magically pushed it open again. I might not have mastered much of my magic, but I did know how to work with Ivy House. “Sorry about that,” I said as Ulric, the guy with the pink and blue hair, jumped back from the door, looking at it, then me, with wide eyes.
“Hey,” he said, running his hand through his hair. He pointed at the door. “You can do telekinesis, huh?”
“Yes, supposedly. Edgar says so, at any rate, but I don’t know how yet. That wasn’t telekinesis, though, that’s just the power of Ivy House.”
“Uh-huh.” Tilting his head with squinted eyes, like he was processing that uncomfortable fact, he stepped out of the room. He was compact, not much taller than me, and leanly muscled, like a dancer, his physique less brutish than many of the others. He pointed the way I was headed. “That next room has a bunch of dolls in it. I accidentally walked in there thinking it was my room. It is not.”
“Yeah. They aren’t mine. I mean, technically they are, but Mr. Tom won’t let me burn them, so…”
“Ah. Well, you know, some are nice…and normal. Some, though, are a little…”
“Screwed up?”
“Nightmarish, I was going to say. Made from a warped mind. The jar of doll eyes floating in liquid is also a little…” He put up his hands. “I’m not judging. My sister had a ton of dolls—not that many dolls, but a lot. I mean, a lot for a normal house. I don’t mind them, I was just surprised, is all.” He grinned at me, his signature facial expression. “Just didn’t peg Her Royal Highness for a doll lover.”
“I hate them, actually, especially since they come alive and kill people.”
His smile dripped away. “What?”
“Don’t worry, they can’t open doors. Ivy House can, but they can’t.”
“If I get on Ivy House’s bad side, I should get out of this house as quickly as possible, huh?”
“Yes, but you wouldn’t make it. The house would kill you before you reached the door. If you did reach the door, even more dangers would await you on the grounds—dangers you’d never see until you were dying from them.” I smiled at him. “Welcome and sweet dreams.”
“A female alpha…” he said as I walked down the hall. “I don’t think I’m cut out for a female alpha. Clearly they are a helluva lot more creative with their scare tactics. I’m going to have nightmares.”
“Welcome to the club.”
“Nicer to look at, at least,” he mumbled, not returning to his room. “Hey, quick question…”
I stopped and turned back, waiting.
“Are you and that enormous polar bear an item?” he asked.
“No. Just friends.”
“Sweet. Wanna bang? Quick or slow, up to you. I can pull your hair if you like. Or you can pull mine—whatever you’re into.”
For a moment, all I could do was stare while trying to process his offer. At least he hadn’t hit me up with innuendos and unasked-for intimate intensity. I kinda liked this approach better. Answer was the same, though.
“No, I’m good,” I said, my frown somewhat masking the lightness of my mood. I didn’t know whether to laugh or shake my head at him.
He made a gun with his fingers. “You sure? I can knock out a quick orgasm for you, if you want. You seem stressed. A little tongue tickle between your thighs might be just the ticket.”
The laugh won. He was so carefree and blasé about it. He put me at ease while propositioning me. That was talent.
“Nah, I’m good, thanks. Wine works, too.”
He dropped his hand and shrugged. “No worries. When you realize that wine doesn’t, in fact, work better, my door is always open. Mostly because you can apparently open it yourself. I’m good to go at any time, day or night. Just come hop on.”
“Oh my God, good night.” I laughed again and turned, happy to hear an answering chuckle.
“I’m looking forward to working under a female,” he called after me, laughter in his voice. “It’ll be a fun ride…”