“To give you a heads up, Mae is here.” Odessa plants her hands on her hips. Fuck no! I have enough bullshit to deal with without her needy ass. Mae wasn’t supposed to come back from Spain for another year. After I told her I needed a break from her, she left. When I escaped Hudson, she nursed me back to health, and we were in a relationship, but I was with her out of guilt. I broke up with her a year ago. I couldn’t keep up with the charade of pretending I cared about her.
“Why is she here?” I ask, annoyed. She is the last person I want to see.
“To see you, duh,” Odessa answers.
I don’t respond as I spot the woman across the room. Mae shoots ice from her right hand into the punch bowl, cooling off the drinks. Yep, that’s definitely her. She has the opposite power of Kate, her sister; she can freeze things. Kate can ignite fire with her hand. She turns around, and our eyes lock on each other as she walks towards me.
“There you are. I haven’t seen you in ages. How are you, King Eric?” She’s gained weight since the last time I saw her. She is a little curvier than before. Mae has white hair falling below her shoulders and white eyes. Don’t touch me, don’t touch me. She slithers her arms around my neck and kisses my cheek. Gently, I break away from her grip.
“Great,” I say tightly.
“I’m just going to cut to the chase, I want us to be together like before,” she says hopefully. I feel guilty for what I’m about to tell her.
“I can’t, Mae. I’m with someone else,” Her eyes glisten with tears. I will never be the mate she wants me to be, and I can’t continue to hurt her.
“Who is your new plaything?” she asks, her voice barely audible.
I don’t answer, walking away.
“Answer me, asshole!” she screams, and everyone in the ballroom stares at me as I continue to walk out the door.
For the remainder of the day, I stay in my office putting in paperwork for new warriors. It’s supposed to be Jack’s job, but since I put him control of finding Pete, I have been picking up the slack. I glance at my watch and it’s time for the gathering. I walk to Sarah’s room, knock on the door, and she opens up. She smiles and pulls me inside. She wears a long sleeve shirt with jeans that make her ass look amazing.
“Hey. How was your day?” she asks cheerily.
“It was okay. And yours?” I ask, sitting on the edge of her bed while she rummages through her dresser.
“Hectic; ghouls act like they’ve never seen a human before, and they were wondering why I was doing a health assessment on them.”
I don’t know what she means by health assessment, so I don’t ask. I guess that’s a doctor thing. She hands me a piece of paper. It’s a list, which I scan. MRI machine, ECG screen, 15 blood pressure machine, and a lot of other stuff that I don’t understand. The number fifty million is circled at the bottom. What the fuck am I reading? My eyebrows shoot up and she smiles.
“Those are health machines I need to treat ghouls. I haven’t included medication because I don’t know what works on your race, but Dr. Edward says he is going to teach me the basic ghoul anatomy.”
“What is 50 million?”
“It’s how much I need to spend. Dr. Edward told me to give the list to you.” She looks down at the wooden floor as she continues. “Plus, the equipment you have is out of date, and I can’t use it.” She peers up at me with emerald green eyes. “I’ve talked to Odessa since she is in charge of building things, and I plan to build a facility behind your mansion; somewhere to send the wounded soldiers and regular ghouls for treatment. But, she told me to run it by you before we start on it. She said it will cost thirty million.”
“You need 80 million?”
She nods. I pull her into my arms. The passion in her eyes makes me understand why I am drawn to her; she wants to help my kind. I kiss her on the forehead. I grab my wallet from my back pocket and hand her one of my debit cards.
“Get what you need.”
Her eyes light up like Christmas bulbs, and she grabs her purse, tucking my card into her wallet. We walk down to the ballroom a minute later.
Ghouls bow towards Sarah and me. I introduce her as the new doctor who is going to help with the health care for our race. I want to introduce her as my mate, but I can tell she is holding herself back from me; she has a wall up. I want to prove to her that she is different from any other female I’ve been with. Ghouls begin to ask her a few questions about humans. They ask her basic questions like why she cooks her food, what it’s like to live in the mansion, and she is the only human. A young who is five years old likes her. She plays with him and his red car, and he asks her a series of questions. I’m assuming she loves young, because she tries to spend most of her time with him. I stay by her side, eyeing any male who stares at her, and when they come speak to her, I make it clear to them that she is with me. Once I mark her, every male will know to stay away from her. Jack comes up to her and hugs her, swinging her around.
“How is my favorite female?” he says as he releases her. Jack needs to keep his fucking hands to himself.
“I’m doing good,” she answers back. Kate walks toward us with Mac. She hugs Sarah, and they chitchat about female shit. I leave Sarah with her and fix myself a plate of raw meat and a glass of red wine. A few females bow to greet me, and I blow them off. Classical music plays in the background. Once I finish eating, I bring Sarah her meal. She digs into green leaves, cooked chicken, and a potato. After she finishes eating, I toss the plate in the trash can.
When I walk back, Nicholas speaks to Sarah again, and I become angry. What the fuck does he want? I listen to their conversation, and he asks her about working with Dr. Edward and Odessa. He informs her he has a few ideas about the landscaping. I stand next to her, placing my hand on her lower back. She flashes me her pearly whites.
Odessa and David form a circle around Sarah. I want her all to myself, and they are crowding her. I want to get her to my room and fuck her senseless. Mae walks toward us and I am in no mood to deal with her.
“It’s time for us to go,” I say, clasping Sarah’s hand, not giving her a chance to say no.
“It’s too early,” Sarah pleads. I lean down and whisper in her ear.
“I need you all to myself.” She peers at me with beet red cheeks. I smell lavender; she is aroused.
“Okay,” she turns toward Odessa. “We will have lunch tomorrow around noon,” she informs her. As we make it to the exit, Mae yells my name. I grind my teeth and turn to look at her. Mae examines Sarah with a critical eye.
“What Mae?” my voice is firm.
“I just want to tell you how sorry I am about earlier,” she says, not taking her eyes off Sarah.
“Who’s this?”
“Sarah,” I answer. Mae needs to go away. Can’t she take a hint? She holds out her hand, and Sarah shakes it.
“I just want to meet the female who Eric left me for,” she says. Sarah snatches her hand away and Mae looks at me with disappointed eyes. “I never thought it would be a human; the weakest creatures on the planet.”
“I didn’t leave you for her. We broke up a year ago,” I shoot back. What the fuck is wrong with Mae? I never saw this jealous side of her. Sarah rolls her eyes.
“We have to go, Mae.” I lead Sarah down the hallway. I’m going to have to talk to Kate about her sister not staying here. I can’t have her interfering with Sarah and me. Sarah stomps ahead of me. I pull her into an embrace, and she shoves me away.
“Sarah, what’s wrong?” I ask.
“Did you know she was here?” she asks in a bitchy tone. I don’t answer. Instead, I keep walking.
“You should’ve told me. I’m not too fond of your ex flaunting herself in front of me.” I don’t know how to handle these types of situations.
She makes a left and walks up the stairs, and I reach for her arm. I hate to see her mad at me.
“My room is not this way,” I say. She snatches her arm away.
“I’m going back to my room,” she
says as my chest constricts; I need her with me.
She’s not going to play games with me. Instead, I continue to follow her. She opens the door and tries to slam it in my face, but I grab the door handle pushing it wide. She lies on the bed.
“How long were you with her? Did you bond with her?” her voice fills with anger.
“I was with her for a few hundred years, and no, I didn’t bond with her,” I answer truthfully.
“That’s a lot of time to spend with someone and not have feelings for them.” I sit on the bed next to her. She doesn’t understand the power of bonding. Once you bond with a female, you have to be with them for the rest of your life.
“How did you learn about bonding?” I never told her about it.
“Dr. Edward.” That’s all she says before rolling over on her stomach.
“You’re mad?” I ask, and she turns over.
“No, it’s not like we’re a couple. You can screw who you want,” she says, and her words sting.
“I have never been in a relationship,” she looks into my eyes, fishing for a reaction.
“Are you a virgin?” I ask.
“No.”
I sit in silence for a while, smelling the slight scent her of arousal. It takes everything in me not to pin her hands above her head and fuck her. My dick is so hard that it aches against my jeans.
“Eric, I can’t do this. Leave.”
“Did—.”
“Just go.” She stomps to the bathroom and slams the door, leaving me speechless. What the fuck did I do?
Last night was emotional for me. I have never been so angry and jealous of another woman. I figured Eric has had his share of women because he is sexy, rich, and a king. But to actually see it, makes me want to throw everything in my damn room against the wall. I shouldn’t be jealous, because we’re not dating. I can’t say “Hey Eric, since I can’t make up my mind to be with you, can you put your life on hold? Can you not sleep with other women?” The thought sounds ridiculous. Then the bitch tried to say he broke up with her to be with me. I don’t know if it’s true, but if it is, I don’t like the fact he would do something like that; I’m not a home wrecking whore. Sorry, but that’s not me. If a guy were to tell me he was in a relationship or married, I would run the other way. And what makes matters worse is he was with her for a few centuries. She knows his quirks; what turns him on. I bet they had bucket loads of sex. How can a person be with someone and not feel anything for them? Eric is probably lying to spare my feelings. He is nonchalant about his relationship with Mae, but her name burns a hole in my mind. Something happened for her to tell me about their relationship. Thinking about him being with her makes my stomach churn. I’m waiting for Odessa to meet me for lunch. She wants to discuss the facility that we are building. I sit at the table on the patio next to the beautiful garden. Calm and peace wash over me as my eyes beam to the bright colored flowers. Makes me want to sit and write in my journal. Fresh flowers scent the usually briny air.
Odessa takes a seat across from me and places her hand over a dead lily. The wilted petals spring back to life. I’ve heard of a lot of powers that certain ghouls have, but I’ve never seen any like hers. I stare in awe.
“Here, you can have it.” She hands the flower to me, and I tuck it behind my ear. She slides a beige folder across the metal table to me. I open it and find a blueprint of the building. The three-story building is going to be massive enough to fit over a thousand ghouls. I want a section where we can treat pregnant women. According to Dr. Edward, human and ghoul’s reproductive organs are similar, except they do not bleed like humans do and their uterus is two times bigger than ours. Ghouls are pregnant for twelve months instead of nine.
“Do you like it?” Odessa asks. I peer up at her.
“Of course. Eric gave me his debit card to purchase the equipment, but I have to get the business license so I can buy it legally,” I say.
“Nah, you don’t. I can forge the license.”
“How?” I ask out of curiosity.
“How do you think ghouls are able to live among humans? We forge birth certificates, Social Security cards, and whatever else we need.” She tucks the folder under her arm and gives me a wink.
I decide to cut the workday short. I need to meet with Vanessa in Port Angeles because she wants to see me in person. After Eric left last night, I checked my emails, and she told me she wants to meet at The Black Bird Coffeehouse. I am a bit nervous to see her because I haven’t seen her in a month. We’ve never gone this long without seeing each other, even in college.
“Odessa, can you do me a favor?” I ask.
“What’s up?”
“Could you drive me to Port Angeles? I have to meet with a friend.” She raises a brow.
“Does Eric know about this?”
I shake my head and stand up from the table. The sun kisses my cheek with its warmth, and I hope it stays like this all day.
“I haven’t talked to him since last night. I’ve been kind of avoiding him because of Mae,” I say. Every time I have to mention her, I hate her even more.
“You believed what she said?”
“I don’t know.” She motions me to sit back down.
“She lied to you. She always wanted to bond with Eric, but he refused. The reason why he dated her is because she took care of him when his brothers rescued him from the Hudson coven.” The name sounds familiar. She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, and her smoky gray eyes look almost white.
“Eric was a slave.” Tears slide down her cheeks, and she quickly wipes them away. She pauses, reliving a memory before bringing her focus back to me.
“What the vampires did to him was horrible. Don’t say anything about it to Eric. He is ashamed of what happened to him.”
My eyes sting with tears as I consider the horrific scenarios Eric might have gone through. I want to wrap my arms around him and tell him that everything is going to be okay; that he doesn’t have to hide things from me.
“Mae nursed him back to health, and he is grateful, but he doesn’t love her.”
I don’t know what to say to that.
“He always felt like he owed her because of what she did. That’s why he let her stay in the mansion. Plus, she is Kate’s older sister,” she continues. “He feels guilty for not loving her the way she loves him.”
I begin to sob. Now I feel awful for the way I reacted to Mae. I understand how she behaved last night, but more than that, I feel sorry for Eric. He carries the guilt of not returning the love she shares. I wipe the tears from my eyes. I want to talk to him now, but he’s not at home, and I don’t have his cell number.
“I’m going to eat. I’ll meet you at the front doors in an hour,” Odessa says as she stands and leaves. Leaning back in the metal chair, I try not to give into the guilt I am feeling. Mae wants me gone; she believes that he chose me over her, and she is heartbroken. I feel bad for her but I also hope she doesn’t make my life a living hell.
Port Angeles is two hours and thirty minutes from Mercer Island, and I sleep the majority of the trip. When we pull up to the coffeehouse, the building is packed. Odessa cuts the engine, and I slowly unbuckle my seatbelt. I inhale and exhale trying to control the knots forming in my stomach. I’m so nervous about seeing Vanessa because she will be hurt that I am keeping secrets from her. I don’t know what to do.
“Do vampires come out during the day?” I turn toward Odessa. She is no longer wearing the dress she had on earlier, having changed into a trendier outfit of designer jeans and a supple leather jacket.
“No, they only come out at night.” Good. It’s two in the afternoon, so we have several hours to get back to the mansion. Her phone buzzes and she declines the call. We jump out of the black SUV and stroll to the front entrance. I stand by the door, searching for Nessa. I spot her in back by the window, and my heart nearly jumps out of my chest. She’s cut her brown sugar hair into a bob, and her complexion is paler than when I last saw her. She gazes out the windo
w, not realizing I’m there. I point in her direction, and Odessa says she will wait by the door. Slowly, I walk to the table as my stomach knots. Will she be mad at me? Will she slap me? Who am I kidding? This is Nessa I am talking about. Of course, she will; she is a hot head at times. Vanessa might take the mug she is sipping from and throw it across the room. That’s my best friend, and I love her, but she can’t control her anger sometimes. I pull out the chair in front of the table, and a fat tear drips down her face. She stands up, and hugs me tight as her tears wet my shirt. Nessa is much shorter than me; she only comes up to my shoulders. I fight back the baseball-sized lump in the back of my throat and release her. She wipes her tears with the back of her hand. We both sit down.
“Where have you been, bitch? I’ve missed you!” I can’t tell her about me living with Eric and what he is. She will think I am crazy and try to check me into a psych ward.
“I’ve missed you, too. I’ve been staying with a friend,” I answer vaguely, hoping she won’t pry.
“With who?” she asks. I need to take the spotlight off of me.
“What have you been up to, lately?” The waitress brings me a cup of hot tea with sugar. Nessa must have ordered it; she knows me so well.
“Nothing; working and worried about you.”
I blow on the tea before sipping from my mug. Nessa rubs my hand, and I peer at her.
“Don’t go ghost on me anymore. Okay?” Her eyes glisten with tears as she continues. “It scared me to death when I couldn’t reach you.” She wipes the tears again. I hate lying to her. Guilt clogs my throat. I take another sip from my tea hoping to wash it away.
“Okay,” I say in a low voice.
We chat for a few minutes, and she tells me that she has a new boyfriend. They started dating a few weeks after I disappeared. I don’t tell her about Eric, because I’m afraid I might tell her a lot more than I intend to. Eventually, I walk with her to her car, and she gives me a long, heartfelt hug and kisses my cheek as we say our goodbyes. We agree to e-mail each other every day. I don’t want to leave her. It takes every ounce in me not to spill the beans about Eric. Once I’m in the car, I strap my seatbelt on, and Odessa drives off. Her phone buzzes like crazy.
Ghoul Kisses Page 7
