He leaves the bathroom, closing the door behind him, and here I am wondering what his deal is. Slipping into the water, I lean my head back and let the smell of ginger and chamomile overtake my senses. The water laps against me in the white, ceramic tub and I close my eyes wondering what's going to happen next.
Fifteen minutes go by before Ambrose knocks once and pokes his head into the bathroom. "Times up, cutie, wrap that towel around yourself, there's some body oil on the sink in the yellow vial, I have clothes for you out here."
He can't see me from this angle, well, he can't see below my neck. "Can you bring the clothes in here?"
"No." He closes the door.
"Slick bastard." I mumble.
"I heard that!"
He wasn't in the room when I opened the bathroom door. Quickly getting dressed, I look around the room. It's much bigger than mine, there's a large bookshelf on one side with a comfy chair. What looks to be Munson burners and beakers is on the other side with vials and potions of all colors. There's a fireplace in front of the bed, burning softly, embers now. There's a window near the bookshelf, it's closed, but I can see moonlight peeking in through the slightly parted curtains. Standing up, I make my way to the table with vials and potions and pick one up examining the color.
"Put that one down,"Ambrose clears his throat. "Unless you want to turn into a bird. A starling, to be exact."
"I'll fly away from here." But I put the vial down.
Ambrose scoffs. "Potions that turn people into animals don't work so well on humans." He has another blanket in his arms. "You'll either lose your mind in the realization of what you are now, or kill yourself by flying into a window." He smiles at me, setting the blanket on the foot of the bed.
"Why is that?" I ask, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"You're human," He sighs. "Do you really not know anything? You didn't ask him questions? Get curious about anything?"
I shrug. "We never really talked about that kind of stuff."
"Just killing me." Ambrose sits next to me. "I can teach you." He rests his hand on my thigh.
"For a fee?" I push his hand away. "I am inclined to remain ignorant about this, thank you."
Ambrose laughs, he leans his head back and the musk and woody smell of his body thickens. "Pretty Ione, please, you'll learn more about me in the process."
If I learn more about him, he'll try to make me sympathetic to whatever it is that he's doing.
"How about you tell me what your end game is?" Ambrose takes my hand as I talk. He rubs his fingers against mine before massaging my hand gently. "You can't keep me here for all of eternity or something."
"Can't I?" He chuckles. "I'm tired, let's get in bed."
He moves past me, settling into bed.
I know the fuck he is not. I know good and got damn well this isn't what I think it is.
Ione please, Athanasius crawled into your bed first night and demanded that he hold you while he slept.True.How is this any different?It's very different.
"I'm not sleeping with you."
"Yes," He grabs my shoulder. "You are." He's so much stronger than he looks. I'm pulled into the bed, covers tossed over me and Ambrose snakes his arm around my waist, snuggling into my back. "He cannot reach you in here, and I won't have my fun over with so quickly."
Struggling does nothing, he has an iron grip. "Your fun?"
Ambrose’s arm tightens around my waist as I lay in the curve of his body, the heat of him pressing against my back. I can feel his breath warm against my neck, steady but alert—like even in this quiet moment, his mind is working, scheming.
“We’re playing a game,” he says softly. “Athanasius and I.” He sighs. "He has something I want, though he doesn't know he's delivering it."
I tense, just slightly, and he notices. Like always.
“I needed time,” he goes on, his fingers tracing idle circles along my arm. “I trapped you, yes. All of you. But it wasn’t out of cruelty. I needed space to figure out how to become more than what I am.”
More than what he is?
