“You ready?”
“No,” I glance down at the black water. Not being able to see because the sky is black and the moon making ripples with its light, my heart flutters as fear tugs at me. I’m a nervous wreck.
He counts to three and leaps off the cliff. Adrenaline hits my blood hard and fast, the icy water stabs through my body. I cough up salt water, and he grips my waist tight. He is so close to my face that our noses touch. Is he going to kiss me? I hope so.
“Did you enjoy that?” he asks, his voice is warm and rich.
“Yes,” I shiver as I gape at his pink lips. Surprisingly, it was fun.
“Do you want to do it again?”
“Yes.”
Back at the hotel, I undress, shower, and wash my hair to get rid of the sea smell. I stroll to the living room and perch on the couch, grabbing the remote from the coffee table. Within a matter of seconds, Eric lounges on the sofa next to me. I keep forgetting that he moves super fast; something else I have to get used to. I didn’t expect this night to turn out so well. I haven’t had any real fun since before I came to the mansion. He scoots close to me, tugging me into an embrace, and pressing me to his bare chest. My heart speeds up as goosebumps arise on my skin. I nuzzle my head to his chest.
“Where did you grow up?” he queries.
Room service arrives with a champagne bottle and two tall glasses. After seeing them out, Eric pours us a glass.
“Atlanta, Georgia,” I tell him in answer to his question. I miss the city; the blazing sun on my skin, the taste of sweet tea and soul food on my tongue, the southern accent and people greeting you as they walk by, holding the door for you because it’s the polite thing to do. I miss fireflies lighting up in the backyard and crickets singing in the background. I’m a southern girl at heart.
“Why’d you move to Seattle?”
Because I didn’t want to deal with my mother after Jessie died, but I’m not going to tell him that.
“Because I wanted a change.”
“I ha—,” Before I can finish my sentence, Eric brushes his lips to mine. Parting his lips, his tongue assaults mine. I kiss him back hard with passion and desire. He pulls away, leaving me breathless. When he brushes his lips against my collarbone, I melt. He yanks my shirt over my head, revealing my aching breasts and leaving me with only my black lace panties on. My heart pounds in my ears as he gawks at my body.
“Lie down,” he orders gently. I obey immediately. Eric buries his face between my legs pushing his nose against my thigh, gently biting me. I yelp, and his eyes never leave mine. My head spins. Don’t do this Sarah; this is wrong. He doesn’t feel the same way that you do. You are going to get your heart broken. But, my body is begging for him to fuck me. He tears my panties, tossing them aside. A moan escapes my mouth as he uses his warm tongue to lick my clit. I use my elbow to prop myself up on the couch.
“Eric, please stop. We shouldn’t do this.” My voice is raspy. Before he has a chance to respond, I rise up from the couch, grabbing my torn panties. I run to the bedroom and flop onto the bed. My body craves him, needs him. But, I can’t let lust and the heat of the moment cloud my judgment. This is wrong. I can’t lose control and I won’t.
Sleep didn’t come to me last night. All I could think about was Eric and how I turned him down. I have to face him today, and I don’t want to. Will he be mad? If so, I don’t care, I have to protect my heart. Opening the door, I step to the living room. The ocean breeze chills my skin, and I look to the open sliding doors. Eric leans against the rail of the balcony. His back is toward me. As I watch him, he turns around, and our eyes meet as he continues to speak on the phone. Just like that, my skin flushes. He tells the person to call him back and hits the end button. As he strides in my direction, the oxygen leaves the room, leaving me breathless.
“Are you hungry?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
“I can order you room service,” he says. I want to address the issue, and I feel the need to explain myself but I don’t. Tension builds between us, and I don’t know what to say to him. This situation is awkward.
“I’d rather go to a restaurant,” I say not taking my eyes off his.
He nods. I slide on my Nike shoes, and we leave the room.
Ocean Grill has a romantic atmosphere, which makes things worse between Eric and me, especially after I rejected him last night. The hostess greets us.
“Where would you like to sit?” The perky woman asks. Since we have to go back to Mercer Island and I want to soak up the sun, I point to the outside. She motions us to a patio next to a set of palm trees. The scenery is breathtaking; the sky is the color of cotton candy. The sun kisses my forehead with its warmth. Eric sits next to me. The hostess tells us that our waitress is going to be here in a few seconds, and she disappears. I want to address the elephant in the room, but I feel like this is not the right time to talk about it. I wanted Eric bad last night. I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want him. Eric looks normal in his blue button down shirt and white shorts. I peruse the menu; I am not in the mood for breakfast so I look at the sushi menu instead. The waitress comes to the table with a pad and pen in her hand. She eyes Eric and turns all her attention toward him. Even she is aware how handsome he is. Jealousy eats at me like a disease. Control yourself, Sarah. Eric orders us two glasses of Louis Roederer, the waitress diverts her attention to me. Finally!
“What would you like to order, ma’am?” she asks.
I order a Rainbow Sushi roll and hand her the menu.
Eric’s eyes are burning holes through me.
“What’s holding you back?” he asks, his voice velvety.
He wants to know why I rejected him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I play dumb.
“You wanted me; I smelled your arousal.” He leans back in his chair. Before I can respond, the waitress brings our wine and informs me that my food will be out in ten minutes. I swallow my champagne; it tastes bitter and the bubbles tickle my nose. I set the glass down back on the table.
“You don’t want me in the same way that I want you,” I mutter, watching seagulls hover over the ocean.
“You don’t know what I want,” he shoots back.
“What do you want?” I meet his gaze.
He pauses for a second, watching me with hooded eyes.
“You.” his voice is hot and sweet like caramel. He wants sex.
“I want something more meaningful than just sex. I don’t want to be a casual fuck,” I murmur.
I don’t want to be that woman anymore, sleeping with men to fill a void. Ever since I met Eric, I want more. I need more than just a quick fuck. The waitress sets my meal on the table. The food looks delicious. I pick up a California sushi roll and dip it in soy sauce and eat it. The sauce leaves a sour taste on my tongue. The plate is so full I won’t be able to finish it all. Eric looks at my meal in disgust.
“You won’t just be a fuck to me.”
“You are King, Eric. Why don’t you want someone who is a ghoul?” I’ve seen the women of his race; they are beautiful. Odessa, Kate, and even the servants are drop-dead gorgeous. Compared to them, I look like an ogre.
“I’m not as beautiful as the women in your race,” I say, avoiding eye contact with him.
“Sarah, look at me,” he orders. When I don’t follow his demand, he tilts my chin forcing me to look up at him.
“Don’t ever say you’re not beautiful,” he continues. “You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”
He presses his lips against mine, threading his fingers through my hair. His tongue roams my mouth, making my body thrum to life. I have never been this intimate with a guy. His kiss tells me that he is telling the truth about how he feels, but it doesn’t stop me from feeling insecure.
I don’t know how relationships work in their race, if they do the girlfriend and boyfriend thing, but I shouldn’t be worried about that, right now. I just want to take things slow. Eric’s phone buzz
es with a message, and he picks it up, replies to whoever it was, and sets the phone on the table.
“I have somewhere I have to be. While I’m gone, you should go to the spa,” he says.
“I didn’t bring my debit card.” I don’t feel right letting him pay for everything.
“Don’t worry about it. Just request whatever you want.”
The waitress gives Eric the bill, he signs it, and we leave.
The lady at the front desk greets us. Eric releases my hand as the woman gives me a list of available services. The prices here are outrageous. There is no way I would spend over two hundred dollars for a body treatment.
“I guess I’ll have the island glow,” I say to the lady.
The woman reaches behind her desk, providing me with a robe and towel.
“I’ll be back,” he plants another kiss on my forehead.
The massage and bath treatment were much needed. My skin feels soft like marshmallow, and my muscles are relaxed. I stand behind a woman with brunette hair and pale skin; she looks like the walking dead. The woman is wearing expensive clothing, and she looks vaguely familiar. She stands next to a woman with platinum blonde hair, designer clothes, and flashy pink fingernails.
“The auction was fantastic yesterday. I can’t wait to go back to the Hudson Coven,” the brunette says with excitement. She is the one woman who bid on the little box.
“Is that human Eric’s new toy?” the platinum blonde asks.
“I don’t know, but I will inform the coven.”
Eric was supposed to be here an hour ago. I have to inform him about them. The two vampires check out the spa, I move to the back of the line so they won’t recognize me. I toss my robe to the lady and hurry out the building. I can’t risk them catching me. Feeling on edge, I wander on the beach. The sky is dark and clouds hover over the moon. I spot two older couples holding hands. They are probably in their mid-sixties, and they’re both wearing white. Surveying them, they appear to be in love. My story would be they married at a young age, had two children, the woman was a stay-at-home mom, and the man had a topnotch job—working as a lawyer or a CEO. They travel the world now because their kids are grown, and they are enjoying their grandchildren. The normal life. The life I envisioned I would have eventually before it got turned upside down. Now, I don’t know what is going to happen to me. Do they know about the paranormal world; that we are not the only species on this planet? Everything you see is an illusion. Eric’s words rattle in my mind. Everything I’ve learned about ghouls seems unreal.
After my walk, I trudge to the lobby in the hotel. I spot Eric pacing back and forth. His shoulders are tense with worry.
“What’s the matter?” I ask. He leaps at me, dragging me into an embrace, squeezing tight.
“Where were you? I searched the hotel looking for you!” he exclaims, releasing me.
“I took a walk on the beach; no big deal,” I pat his shoulder to calm him down.
“Sarah, don’t ever do that shit again. I thought something happened to you.” He grabs our bags from the chair and we leave Kailua.
I’m chained to the wall, naked. My stomach begs for raw meat, and I haven’t eaten in days—or months, who knows. Every time the vampire comes in here, he beats me. I see the hatred in his black eyes, the anger in his face when Leyla asks for me. When Dante leaves for another trip to the Kyoto coven to be with Aika, his mistress, Leyla seeks me out to fulfill her sexual desires. The guards gossip and snicker about it. The vampire slaps the whip across my back. Pain vibrates through my body. I taste my own blood in my mouth. My body is too weak to heal. So, I don’t scream, I just absorb the pain. The wooden doors open, and the leech stops beating me. Leyla appears wearing a nightgown. She smells aroused, ready to force me to fuck her. No matter how appealing she tries to make herself, she always looks ugly. I have never been attracted to vamps.
“Carl, did you feed him?” Her voice hurt my ears. I hate this bitch.
“No, not yet,” he answers, setting the whip down. Leyla smacks him in the face.
“You’re supposed to feed him and keep him well.”
“Lord Dante sa—”
“I don’t care what he said, I am his mate. You follow my orders.” She smooths out her auburn hair.
“Untie him, feed him, and then bring him to my chambers,” she orders.
My eyes snap open, and I feel a cold hand on my back. I grip the wrist tight. Sarah’s emerald green eyes pierce through mine. Her cheeks are rosy red, and her black hair is messy. She is dressed in a Loony Tunes nightgown.
“Let go of my wrist, you’re hurting me.” Her voice, like her touch, is soft. I do what she says.
“What are you doing in here?” I ask.
“I wanted to see your room; where the great king sleeps,” Sarah says, trying to lighten the mood.
She leaps off the bed, sliding on her slippers.
“Where’re you going?” My voice is hoarse.
“To my room, I didn’t mean to bother you.”
“You didn’t; don’t go,” I plead.
“Did you have a nightmare?” she asks, climbing into bed.
“No,” I lie, I’m not going to tell her about Leyla and what she did to me. Sarah will view me as weak. I have to contact Clayton soon, ask him for the repel potion, so I won’t recall any of the memories as a slave. Yanking Sarah into my embrace, I tilt her chin up and kiss her lips. Instantly, I grow hard.
She eyeballs the room, admiring the paintings on the walls. I love to paint. When my brothers rescued me from the Hudson coven, I started painting; it is a way of me expressing my emotions.
She rises from the bed and studies the picture hanging by the bathroom door. I painted it back in 1915. The artwork is a lighthouse with a full moon overlooking black water.
“This painting is lovely. Where did you buy it?” Sarah asks in her sweet voice. I stand behind her swaddling my arms around her waist. She flinches, then relaxes into me a moment later.
“I painted it.” She faces me with her mouth wide open.
“Really? When?”
“In the early nineteen hundreds,” I reply.
“You really are ancient,” she jokes, nudging my stomach.
“I wish I could paint; I can barely draw stick people.” She moves to the fireplace and touches my samurai sword.
“Have you traveled the world?”
“Yea,” I follow her, spin her around to face me and stroke her cheek.
“I have to be somewhere in an hour,” I murmur.
“Yeah, me too. Odessa wants me to help with your warriors.” Odessa must have convinced Nicholas to allow Sarah to help. I want to spend the day with her, but I have to figure out who the brunette is, so I can retrieve the paradox box.
“Odessa is hosting a gathering. You can come.”
“When is it?” she asks.
“Tonight at seven-thirty.”
She stands on her tippy toes, kisses the bridge of my nose, and exits the room. I dress in a pair of dark jeans and a white t-shirt with a pair of Nike shoes. I roam to the computer room, where Jack perches in a chair. Mac is leaning against the wall.
“Any updates on Pete?” I slouch in the chair next to Jack. He must have trained with the young warriors because he smells funky as hell.
“No, he disappeared,” Jack says angrily.
Another dead end.
“How did your trip go with Sarah?” Jack asks. I smile at the memory of me telling her how I felt. She is holding herself back, worries that my being from a different species might be a problem for her. She is beautiful; she needs to know that. I need to make her feel good.
Mac shoves himself off the wall and sits in the chair next to me.
“It was great.”
“Did you bang her?” Jack asks, cutting to the chase. I disregard his message.
“I need you to pull up the guest list from the auction. A vamp outbid me on the Paradox box,” I inform him.
“I thought vamps don’t go to
Hawaii because of the sun,” Mac says wryly.
“I thought so too; she must use magic to go out in the daytime,” I say. If vamps go out during the day, they will burn to death. Their skin is sensitive to light, that’s why you only see them at night and on cloudy days.
“Find out what coven she is from.”
“I’m on it, boss,” Jack says.
Since I’ve been slacking in the royal duty, Odessa wants me to help with the gathering for tonight.
I head downstairs to the ballroom; we haven’t used it since the 1800s. Nicholas speaks to a servant about the type of drinks to serve. I clear my throat. The servant turns and bows towards me.
“How can I help you, sire?” he asks.
“Hire a chef to cook Sarah’s meal,” I order. The servant nods. Nicholas raises his brow.
“What?” I ask.
“Are you really going to bond with her?” Nicholas asks. He must sense my emotions around her.
“This is not up for discussion.”
“If Dante knows about Sarah, he will kill her. You know that,” he puts his hand on my shoulder, and I shake from his grip.
“Does Sarah know about Leyla?” His words are etched with concern.
Leyla, that bitch, used me as her sex toy, lied to Dante, and told him that I raped her. Dante knew his mate was a whore, so when he caught us in bed, he snapped her neck. When Nicholas and David rescued me from Dante, he told me he would come after the person I love—revenge for destroying his home. I’ve been waiting three centuries to get my revenge, and if he comes near Sarah, I will rip his vocal cords out. Just thinking about him makes me want to punch a hole in the fucking wall.
“No, and keep it that way,” I warn, turning on my heels. I set up tables in the middle of the floor. Odessa taps me on the shoulder. She kisses my cheek, looking lovely in her purple flowery dress, even if her hair looks kind of weird.
Ghoul Kisses Page 6
