Ghoul Kisses

by J. M Stoneback

  “Hello? Earth to Sarah.”

  “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

  “If he makes you happy then that’s all that matters.”

  “You’re not too fond of him, are you?”

  The waitress brings us our food. I stab a scallop with my fork and put it in my mouth; a hint of butter and salt flavor fills my mouth. Vanessa picks at her food before she answers.

  “It’s just something is off about him,” she says with concern.

  “We’re not rushing to the altar. We are dating, taking things slow,” I say.

  I finish my scallops and begin eating sorrel and peas.

  “Just be careful with him. Some people are not who they say they are,” her tone is low.

  I receive a message from Eric.

  Hey love

  Headed back to the hotel to change for tonight. I’ll meet you there.

  K, cool, we will be there in twenty minutes; Nessa and I are finishing up our dinner now.

  I reply. Vanessa drops a crisp hundred-dollar bill on the table, and we head back to the penthouse.

  I wear a short backless dress with a pair of black flats. I powder my face with foundation and spread nude gloss over my lips. Sick of my curls, I straighten my hair and wrap it in a bun.

  Eric stands in front of the mirror, a contact on the tip of his finger, trying to put it in his left eye.

  “Why are you wearing contacts?” I ask.

  “So my eyes won’t turn red.”

  “You’re sure trying to fit in with the human crowd,” I tease.

  “Only for you, love.”

  Once Eric is finished placing the contacts in his eyes, he pulls me into his arms and kisses me on the lips. He looks dark and dangerous with his hair pushed to the side. If he keeps this up, I might not be able to make it to the night club.

  “You’re beautiful.” I blush at his comment.

  “You don’t look so bad yourself,” I say through a flirty smile. He pinches my ass.

  “Eric!” I yell. He gives me a boyish grin.

  We stroll to the living room and Vanessa sits on the black leather couch. She looks stunning in her navy blue dress and blue pumps. Her brown sugar hair is curled under and her makeup is flawless.

  “You ready to party birthday girl?” I ask, linking my arm with hers.

  She nods.

  Eric drives us to The Sound, one of the hottest clubs in West Hollywood. Outside, Jack and Mac walk toward us, and they both look handsome. Jack’s dreadlocks hang over his shoulder. His short, black shirt is tight against his biceps and his denim jeans hang low on his hips. I notice his right eye is brown instead of red. He must be wearing contacts too.

  Mac gives me a hug. He has his blonde hair cut into a military style. He wears a white collared shirt and black jeans. With Eric standing next to him, they look like they work for the mob. Eric shakes his head at Mac as if they are having their own secret conversation. What the hell is that about?

  Mac clears his throat before speaking.

  “Happy Birthday,” he says to Vanessa. She completely ignores Mac and turns toward me. What crawled up Vanessa’s ass? Mac hasn’t done anything to her. She is snubbing him for no reason.

  “You ready to go in?” Vanessa asks, her face flashes annoyance and anger.

  “Hell yeah.”

  Music vibrates through my body as I make my way to the bar. I yell at the bartender to give me a shot of whiskey. I down it and ask for another one.

  Vanessa takes a few shots. From across the club, I see Eric chatting with Mac and Jack. Something is wrong because Eric is in a broody mood. He keeps glancing at Vanessa and me. She and I maneuver to the dance floor as the DJ plays Cheap Thrills by Sia. I swerve my hips to the sound of Sean Paul’s voice and I can feel Eric’s eyes on me as I dance. After the song ends, we move to the VIP section. One of the waitresses serves us a bottle of chilled champagne. She pours us a glass and I take little sips as the bubbles tickle my nose. I straddle Eric’s lap, the liquor buzzing through my veins is making me horny.

  “Thank you for flying us out here.” I cover Eric with kisses on his face.

  “No problem, love.”

  “You want to dance?” I ask.

  “I can only dance to ballroom music.”

  “We can wait until a slow song plays, and you can show me your moves,” I tease, taking a swig of my champagne. Man, I want to get so fucking drunk. A slow song plays and I snatch Eric by the hand, leading him to the dance floor. Eric places his hand on my lower back, and I rest my head on his chest as we sway to the music. I accidently step on his feet a few times.

  “You have two left feet,” he teases.

  “I never said I could dance,” I say, placing my feet on his shoes. I lean my weight against his body, and he swings me around. As the slow song plays, it seems like time has stopped and it’s just the two of us. I want to hold onto this moment forever. After the dance, we walk back to the VIP section, and I sit next to Vanessa.

  “Sarah, why are you with him?” Vanessa slurs her words. Anger flashes in her eyes. She must have had too much to drink, because she is being bold.

  “He’s not who you think he is,” she says.

  “And you are?” Eric says.

  “Vanessa, calm down, and Eric, please be nice,” I say. My two favorite people shouldn’t be fighting right now. I hate this. I can’t handle this right now. I head back to the bar, and the bartender pours me a shot of Jack Daniels. Eric walks behind me.

  “You shouldn’t be hanging out with Vanessa.” Is he serious? He has to be joking. I snort a humorless laugh.

  “Why?” If he thinks I am going to end my relationship with her, he better think again.

  “Trust me, okay, love?” I shake my head as I get angry.

  “No! You will not tell me who I can have a relationship with.” I glance at Vanessa as she dances on the floor. I go dance with her. I don’t want to leave her hanging on her birthday. If Eric has a problem with me being her friend, we shouldn’t be together. Vanessa fumbles on her feet; she is shitfaced. I hold her up as much as I can until Jack comes over and scoops her up in his arms.

  When we get back to the hotel, Vanessa vomits in the living room, and Jack helps her to the bathroom. I rub her back as she hunches over the toilet.

  “I’m sorry, Sarah,” she says. I don’t respond. After she is finished, Jack lays her on the bed, removes her clothes, and pulls the covers over her body. She is going to have one hell of a headache in the morning.

  “I’m sorry about that, she is a lightweight,” I say as we exit the room.

  “It’s fine.”

  I haven’t said much to Eric since we got back from the club. I am still angry at his request. He better not even mention it again. So help me, God, I will end our relationship.

  When I walk through the living room, Eric rests his foot on the coffee table. We stare at each other. He is making it really hard to be around him.

  I walk back to the room, slip off my dress, and hang it up in the closet. I climb into bed wearing only my panties and bra. Eric comes in and kicks off his shoes. The mattress dips and I feel him pulling me into his embrace. Every fiber in my body wants to tell him to go away and to yell at him for asking me to do something that is irrational. Instead, I lie there. His hot body feels toasty and warm. I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.

  For the last few days, I haven’t spoken to Eric. He tries to hold conversations with me, but I ignore him. He sends me messages throughout the day.

  “I’m thinking about you, are you going to ignore me today. Dammit, Sarah Clemons talk to me.” Eventually, I turn my phone off and work on my computer. It is so hard to ignore him, but I want him to know how important Vanessa is to me. I’m not into the possessive boyfriend thing, and I don’t want to be that woman who jumps and does whatever her boyfriend says. I’m stronger than that. There is a knock at the door, and I rush to open it. Mac stands there in a black uniform.

  “You
need to come to the Garden in the back yard, it’s very important,” his voice is laced with concern. I slide on my pink Nike shoes and black jacket and follow him to the garden.

  I spot Eric, and he is dressed in a black suit, resembling a mobster. David is on the other side of him wearing the exact outfit that Mac has on. Mae stands in front of Eric, her face wet with tears. The glare she gives me is sharp as a knife. She stomps in my direction. “I’m glad Eric found out I didn’t send the vamp after you, so he can leave me the hell alone,” she says as she grinds her teeth.

  “Leave her alone,” Mac says. She shoots ice from her hand cutting a tree in half.

  “Weak ass human,” she mumbles as she stomps off.

  I ignore her. Right now, I could use some powers so I can beat her ass.

  I turn my view to the cluster of servants standing in a circle.

  “What’s going on?” I ask as my teeth chatter.

  “We are trying to figure out who sent Pete after you,” Mac says. That’s what Mae was talking about. Why would someone betray Eric? Each servant stands in front of David, holding out their hand as he closes his eyes.

  “What is he doing to the servants?” I whisper to Mac.

  “King David has the ability to read every thought a person had. So he is searching through their mind to figure out who told,” he answers.

  After the tenth servant, David peers at me. He motions me to stand next to him, and I follow his command.

  “Ah, yes. You’re the one who told Pete about Sarah.” David’s eyes glow a crimson color.

  I see the horror in the servant’s gray eyes as he falls down to his knees in a prayer position.

  Eric stands in front of him.

  “Speak, servant,” Eric commands.

  “I’m sorry, sire. The vampire threatened to kill my young and mate,” he chokes, his voice trembling.

  “Did you tell him where we live?” David asks.

  “No, sire,” he says through sobs.

  “Execute him,” Eric’s tone is ice cold.

  “Why!!?” I scream. They can’t kill the poor guy; he has a family, people who love him. My eyes plead with Eric, but his eyes are lifeless, empty. I’ve never seen him so heartless.

  “I’m sorry,” the ghoul screams. Guilt squeezes in my chest. This is my fault. If I hadn’t agreed to go out that night, this man wouldn’t be condemned to die.

  “Stop blaming yourself, Sarah,” Mac says, reading my thoughts.

  “He shouldn’t have opened his mouth to Pete. He knows the law.”

  “Which is?”

  “Don’t give information to the vampires.”

  Eric stands next to me. I watch two other servants tie the ghoul’s hands behind his back. David drenches the servant in gasoline, takes a match, and lights him on fire. The ghoul’s screams hurt my ears. The smell of burning flesh fills my nostrils, bile rises in my throat, and I puke up my chicken sandwich on the grass. I never want to witness another execution in my life.

  “Did you really have to kill him?” I ask.

  “An example needs to be made; that’s part of me being a king,” he says stonily.

  “You’ve been ignoring me.” Eric rubs the back of his neck.

  “Are you going to execute me because I’m not speaking to you?” I ask sarcastically.

  “We need to talk,” he says.

  “Okay. Fine,” I say through tight lips.

  “Meet me for dinner at six,” Eric says.

  “Okay, see you then.” He brushes his lips against my forehead and every cell in my body comes to life. Damn you, Eric, for having this effect on me.

  When I return to my room, I try to drown out the mental pictures of the servant’s execution. Placing the headphones over my ears, I hit the play button on my computer. Seether’s Waste blasts in my ears. If Eric asks me to cut Vanessa loose, I’m going to pack my stuff and leave him. I mean it. It would crush me, but I won’t let him control who I associate with. I need to be strong; expect the best but prepare for the worst. I can do this. I can do this.

  The purple drapes are open in the dining room. The sky is inky blue and the moon shines bright. From this viewpoint, you can see tall trees surrounding the mansion. Eric stands in front of the window with his hands clasped behind his back.

  “I didn’t think you would show up,” he says as he faces me.

  “Why wouldn’t I?” I ask as I sit at the end of the table. Eric sits next to me, his face colored with sadness.

  Oh no! He is about to break up with me. Why did I have to be stubborn? Why did I have to keep ignoring him? I can be so stupid sometimes. Worry tugs at me. A servant sets my plate of food on the table and pours me a glass of wine. My plate consists of grilled salmon, sweet peas, and candied yams. Even though my stomach grumbles, I am not in the mood to eat. He rubs the back of my hand as his red eyes pierce through me.

  “I’m sorry for asking you to stop being friends with the human,” he says gently. I sigh in relief.

  “Vanessa is like a sister to me,” I pause, trying to choose my words carefully.

  “But, you are as important to me as her,” I say, reassuring him.

  “I want both of you in my life, and I want you both to get along with each other. It bothers me that you don’t like her.” Eric nods his head. I needed to get that off my chest. Eric kisses the back of my hand.

  “I’ll try to get along with her for you,” he murmurs. At least he is trying.

  “Are we good?” I ask.

  He nods. I begin eating the candied yams. Relief washes over me. I’m glad Eric didn’t break up with me, and he understands where I am coming from. Eric and Vanessa might not like each other right now, but there is hope for the future.

  Eric plants soft kisses on my hip bones making me feel a bit aroused. I thrust my fingers through his rough, dark hair as I lie naked on the bed. We made love last night after dinner. My sex throbs with pain. It’s five in the morning, and I have three hours to sleep before my shift starts at the facility. Eric traces his finger over my scar and his warm mouth kisses it. I flinch.

  “I’m getting a tattoo to cover up my scar.” If I cover it up, that could be a start in the process of me moving on and forgiving myself for what I did. I need to heal, live, and not be afraid to have a life. The healing process doesn’t happen overnight, but I can at least start.

  “What kind of tattoo?” Eric asks.

  “I don’t know yet.”

  My phone dings with a notification and I grab it from the nightstand. An e-mail from Vanessa displays on the screen.

  Hey

  Meet me at my condo tonight at 8:30. Don’t bring your douchebag boyfriend with you. I need to talk to you. It’s very, very important!

  Nessa.

  I reply to her message.

  See you there.

  I set the phone back on the nightstand and straddle his lap.

  “Who was that?” he asks, kissing my neck.

  “It’s Vanessa,” I can’t tell him about the message because he will not let me go without him. Right now, I need some girl time.

  “We can get a tattoo tomorrow,” Eric says.

  “We?”

  “What will you get?” I question.

  “A hawk.”

  “Why a hawk?”

  “It’s my kingdom’s symbol.”

  “Do you miss living in Venice?”

  I have never been to Italy, but I would love to go. I heard they have good food, and the city is pretty.

  “Yea, I do. It used to be my home.”

  “Used to be?”

  “Home is where the heart is; you’re my home now.” My heart swells at his words. For a ghoul, he knows what to say to make me fall in love with him again.

  After work, I change into a white sweater and black yoga pants. I am eager to find out what Vanessa is going to tell me. I don’t care what it is, I just want to be there for her. How will I leave the mansion without getting caught? In the kitchen, I notice a cupboard with different k
eys. I see a servant stacking dishes in the dishwasher. I lightly tap him on the shoulder. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.

  “How can I help you, Miss?”

  “Give me a pair of car keys, please?” I ask.

  “Does King Eric know you’re down here?” his face turns red.

  “Yes, of course,” I say, tapping my freshly manicured nails against the counter.

  “If you give me the keys to Eric’s SUV, I’ll tell him you are a good servant and to give you a raise,” I say, fixing his black tie. His face turns beet red.

  “King Eric left in it,” he answers.

  “What about the red Porsche?” I bat my eyes and smile. My flirting skills suck.

  He opens the box and tosses me the keys. I kiss him on the cheek and head to the garage.

  Fifteen cars are lined up in a row on both sides. I spot the red car. Opening the car door, I tap the start button. The engine hums to life. Heavy metal booms through the speakers. The music is giving me a headache, so I turn the knob on the radio to low. Eric’s taste in music sucks. I strap my seatbelt on. Shifting into drive, I race out of the garage. I hope I will get home before Eric does.

  The heavy rain fogs the windshield, making it hard to see the road. I pull up to the car garage, kill the engine, and walk up to Vanessa’s condo. I knock on the door, but there no response. Whipping out my phone from my back pocket, I dial her number. Vanessa’s phone rings loudly inside the condo. I grab the spare key from under the mat and unlock the door. Slowly, I push it open.