I find the haunted house exactly where he told me it was, and he’s right. This thing is huge, like the size of an actual large house huge. How the heck do they get this thing from town to town? I walk up a creaky porch to the front door, and to my surprise, it’s unlocked. When I open the door, I’m met with my worst nightmare.
Dolls.
At least fifty pairs of cold, dead eyes stare me down, and half seem to literally follow me as I step forward, unease tickling up my spine. The door shuts behind me with an ominous thud, and I immediately turn around to try to leave.
But it doesn’t budge. Fuck.
I turn back to the room, looking for another exit. Shelves of porcelain, Victorian-era dolls line three of the four walls ofthe small room. In the middle is a short, round table set up for a tea party from hell. The doll that sits at it has shiny black braids, and her hands and dress are covered in blood. The fur of the stuffed animals at the other seats is matted with the red liquid. It looks eerily realistic.
Having seen enough of Tina the Terror’s tea party, I beeline for the door on the other side of the room.
But there’s no doorknob.
“What the fuck?” I mutter as I search for a way to open it.
I swear I hear the stupid statues behind me giggling.
It just had to be fucking dolls.
Chapter Five
Damon
I’M IN THEcontrol room getting ready to do a final run-through of all the rooms to make sure everything is in order and my remote is working when she walks in.
Her long, blonde hair flows in waves down her back. She’s wearing a black skirt and little black ankle boots with a heel. Her head swivels frantically around the doll-themed room, and when she turns, I finally get a look at her beautiful face, leaving me just as awestruck as when I first saw her.
•••
Nine Years Ago
The front door opens, and the sound of teenage girls’ giggles fills the house. One of them is definitely my sister’s, but theother is new. It’s soft and melodic; the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. I stop washing the dishes and grab a towel to dry my hands as I walk into the other room to see who that dream-like sound belongs to.
That’s when I see her. Long, blonde hair flowing over her shoulders, and the most beautiful light-gray eyes I’ve ever seen. I stop dead in my tracks, stunned by the sight of her. My heart rate picks up, and I’m not sure what to do. It feels like I just stumbled upon a bunny in a flower bed. I stare at her, not blinking, trying to not even breathe, terrified if I move or speak that I’ll scare her away.
“Hey, Damon, this is my new friend Violet.” My sister interrupts my spiral.
“Hi,” I croak out. My brain is fried, every thought consumed by this girl in front of me.
“Hi,” she says with a soft smile.
Think of something to say, you moron, I chastise myself.
The small smile still graces her lips, but she looks down at the floor. Is she shy? How could a girl like this be shy? My mouth opens and closes as I try to think of what to say to her.
“Anyway . . .” My sister finally saves us all from the awkward silence, scrunching her face at me. “Violet’s going to help me with my English assignment, and then she’s staying for dinner, if that’s okay? Is Mom home tonight, or are you cooking?”
“She’ll be home late, so I’m cooking. Violet”—her name on my lips feels so right, like they were formed just to say it—“do you have any allergies or food preferences?”
“Nope. I’ll eat anything,” she says politely, just barely holding my eyes.
“Any favorites?” I ask, wanting to know her favorite everything.
“Alfredo, but just make whatever you had planned. I don’t need anything special,” she says, still not fully meeting my eyes.
You deserve everything special.
I give her a soft smile. “Alfredo it is. It’ll go great with the steak I thawed.”
