We make it to my bedroom and stand in front of the door staring at each other for a minute too long. Without thinking, I rub my hand against his soft face, and he flinches. His skin is burning hot. Without comment, he exhales and opens my door.
“Just tell me what you are?” I demand as I enter the room. He leans against the arch of the doorway and stands with his hands shoved in his pockets.
“I will see you in the morning,” he says before disappearing out the room, not bothering to answer.
For the last few weeks, Eric has been avoiding me. Living in the mansion, I notice that servants are constantly cleaning, and the hallways are decorated with expensive artwork. I’m assuming Eric, the servants, and Kate are the only people living in the mansion because I haven’t run into anyone else. To keep myself busy, I write in my journal and go to the library. I still can’t find anything on any paranormal creatures that resemble Eric in the library. Frustrated, I grab the duffle bag from the closet and begin to throw clothes into it. If Eric won’t talk then I am going to leave.
Once I strap my bag across my chest, I rush downstairs to the double doors. Outside, Eric and Jack stand against a black SUV. When they spot me, I exhale and march slowly towards them. I can do this, I can do this, just stand your ground. My gaze falls on Eric as my breath hitches, so I face Jack instead.
“Give me a lift to the city, please?” I ask Jack, giving him a flirty smile. He flashes his pearly whites and blushes. Jack is leaner than Eric, his muscles bulge through his long sleeve sweater. Eric balls up his fists at his sides. Is he jealous? I think that’s what I’m seeing.
“Sure, where would you like to go, sweetheart?” I pretend not to see Eric standing there.
“Home,” I answer. Eric snatches my bag and slings it over his shoulder.
“You’re not going anywhere; we still haven’t found Pete,” he says through gritted teeth. I pull out the key that he desperately needs.
“Eric, if you don’t tell me what you are, I’m not going to help you find the book!” I fold my arms across my chest and pout.
“Jack, leave us,” Eric says, not taking his eyes off me. Jack looks between us for a moment, then hops into the SUV and drives off. Eric rubs his chin. I can see he’s debating whether or not I’m serious.
“Follow me,” he says. We turn back to the mansion. I really never took the time to notice the exterior. The mansion has a Spanish style to it with red roofing, surrounded by giant oak trees. I’ve never seen anything like it, it’s breathtaking. As he opens the door, he ushers me to a black couch in his study. I notice a picture hanging on the wall above the computer desk. A picture of him and two other men sitting on a throne. Both of them look just like him, but one has piercing blue eyes and a scar stretching from the bottom of his chin to his right eye. Eric sits next to me. The cold air from the air conditioner causes goose bumps to arise on my skin. He thrusts his hand through his black hair before speaking.
“I’m a ghoul,” he says slowly. He faces me, waiting for my response.
“A ghoul?” I repeat as if the word is foreign.
“Yeah.”
When I was a child, Jessie used to tell me stories about them; how they prey on humans and eat them, describing them as demons. They are like vampires except they’re alive. I stand up and rush to the door. I’m not going to be one of his snacks. He slowly walks towards me, and I put my hand up to stop him.
“Don’t come near me,” I shout. Eric stops, disappointment flashing through his eyes.
“What do you eat?” My voice is uneven, sounding higher than I intend.
“Raw meat.”
“What kind of meat?”
“Animal meat,” he supplies. I let out a long exhale, feeling stupid for jumping to conclusions.
“I heard ghouls eat humans,” I murmur.
“No, we survive on animal meat. My kind hasn’t preyed on humans in centuries.” I can’t believe I’m talking to someone from a different species. I survey him from head to toe; he looks like a human. In a blink of an eye, he stands in front of me. My back brushes against the wall.
“Are you afraid of me?” Eric asks, brushing the pad of his thumb against my cheeks. I feel my cheeks heating up. Honestly, I don’t know if I am. I am intrigued by him. I want to know him because we have a connection. If he wanted to hurt me, he would have. His touch makes me melt. Taking a step back to catch my breath, Eric doesn’t move, letting his deep black eyes burn through me. I shake my head and let my shoulders relax.
“I want to know more about you,” I say, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Tomorrow then. Meet me at first meal in the morning,” he smiles.
The next morning, I am up bright and early. I slide my white sweater over my head, wiggle my way into a pair of jeans, and tie my hair into a bun. Eric knocks on the door, and I open it. He is dressed a little different than normal; his brown t-shirt hugs his biceps, displaying his muscular arms. He wears dark blue jeans and his hair is damp like he came from the shower. I blush at the thought of him wet and naked. A smile stretches at the corner of his mouth.
“Are you ready?” Nervousness laces his voice. I nod my head.
We make it downstairs to the dining room. Two men and a woman sit at the white marble table. I recognize the two men from the picture hanging on the wall in the study area. Eric is the spitting image of both of them. They must be related. Sitting beside one of the men is a woman with electric blue hair and smoky gray eyes, dressed in a gothic black gown. She is a little taller than me, and her skin is pale and smooth. She stands up from the table, marches towards me, and pulls me into a tight hug.
“It’s so nice to meet you. My name is Odessa.” She releases me.
“You must be Sarah,” she states, her eyes beam at Eric and me.
I nod. Eric motions for me to sit next to him. I take my seat, which places me next to the man with a scar on his face. He stares at me with cornflower blue eyes. Different emotions flood my body. First, I feel confused, then desire blossoms at the bottom of my stomach. My panties become wet, and I feel the urge to jump on the guy and tear his clothes off. What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I so horny? I’m not even attracted to him. I gawk at the guy with a dumb smile as I scoot my chair next to his. The guy flashes his straight white teeth.
“Cut it out, Nicholas,” Eric says. I begin to rub up his pants, unzipping his fly, making my way to his shaft.
“Cut what out?” I ask in a flirty tone. The guy snaps his fingers, and I am cut from the trance.
“My oldest brother has the ability to manipulate women into thinking they want to fuck him,” Eric says. Embarrassed, I scoot my chair away from his.
“You’re a pig,” My cheeks are flaming; I want to slap him for taking advantage of me. Asshole.
“I was just seeing if my powers work on humans.” Nicholas smirks.
“Try it on another person, I’m not your guinea pig,” Breakfast hasn’t been served yet, and I already don’t like Nicholas.
“This is David, the middle brother. He is Odessa’s Mate,” Eric points to a guy that looks exactly like him. David nods his head and continues to chat with Odessa.
“What do you want to know about ghouls?” Eric asks. A servant sits a plate with eggs, grits, and shrimp in front of me. Another servant serves raw meat to the others: the smell of which makes me gag. I watch them eat the food and push my plate away, having lost my appetite.
“Do all ghouls live on Mercer Island?” I ask, keeping my eyes on his face. He chews his food a moment before he answers.
“No, we are scattered all over the world. I’m sure you’ve come across a few ghouls in your lifetime, you just don’t know it,” he says between bites.
“Why do you say that?”
“We can blend in with the human race. Everything around you is an illusion, Sarah,” he says calmly, wiping the corner of his mouth with his napkin.
Purple drapes hang over a gigantic window complementing the grey walls. A g
lass statue in the shape of a dove sits in the middle of the white marble table. The utensils click against the empty plates as the maid clears the table. Odessa, David, and Nicholas chat while leaving the room. There is no way I came across a ghoul. It is impossible, right? I try to remember people I met over the years.
“So you mean to tell me, if I go to a local shop, I will find a ghoul working there?” He nods. I feel like everything around me is unreal; like I’ve been sucked into a different reality.
“I’ll give you a tour of the mansion.” Eric stands up and leans against the table, waiting for me to join him.
He grips my hand; I feel an electric charge buzzing through me. Pulling away, I feel my cheeks heating up. I hate the way he affects my body. Every time I am around Eric, I feel more acutely attracted to him. I don’t know if that’s part of his powers, but I don’t want him having that effect on me.
As Eric gives me a tour of the mansion, I realize how big the place is. We tread from floor to floor, and I count thirty-five bedrooms and thirty bathrooms. The servants live on the second floor. The mansion has a modern theme to it, lace drapes, expensive furniture. When I picture a king, I think of castles and dungeons. When I think of ghouls, I think of the movie-The Addams Family. The staff is nice; he employs fifteen servants to keep the place running. Eric informs me that not all ghouls have powers. When I ask him why, he says it’s caused by a mutated gene. We stride to a check-out desk in the basement. A ghoul sits at the desk with his arms propped on the edge. When he sees us, he stands up.
“Welcome, King Eric,” he says, pushing his glasses higher on his nose. “What can I do for you?” he asks.
“I’m here to show Sarah the training room,” Eric says.
“Of course.” He hits a button on the wall and a pair of metal doors open. We stroll downstairs.
“Why do you need warriors, if ghouls are living in human society?” There’s confusion in my voice.
“We can’t rely on human policemen to protect ghouls from vampires,” he answers nonchalantly. We stop in front of a glass door. I watch ghouls workout on the treadmills. A ghoul blows ice from his mouth freezing a mannequin solid. It’s amazing. I tear my eyes from the room and glance up at Eric.
“What are your powers?” A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as he places his fingers on the side of my temple. I flinch.
“Don’t move,” he orders. Closing my eyes, an electric current flows through me. Pictures flood my mind. Pictures of him picking me up the night Pete attacked me, bathing me, and convincing his brothers to let me stay. My cheeks flush at the thought of him looking at my body. I feel him releasing my temple, and I open my eyes.
“Memories,” I mumble.
“What else can you do?” I ask as Eric opens the glass door.
“I run at a faster rate than others and hear things that others can’t.”
We walk to a group of ghouls. They look like they are in their late teens or early twenties. They are dressed in blue uniforms and black boots.
“What do you mean?” I ask him.
Eric takes off, my eyes unable to keep up with his speed. He stops in front of me.
“I can hear the dishwasher on the top floor and a conversation David is having with Jack about his mate Odessa.” I bet he can hear everyone’s conversations. It has to be annoying to hear things you don’t want to hear.
“Fascinating,” is all I manage to say.
A guy with summer-blonde hair walks towards us. He bows his head at Eric. They are quiet for a minute, and I study the tattoo on the left side of his neck; a tattoo of a dragon’s head peeks from under his brown shirt.
“Mac meet Sarah,” Eric continues. “Mac trains my warriors.”
“Hello, Sarah.” I wave back at him. Mac is hot. The way his hair shines like the sun is stunning. He is leaner and more athletically built than Eric. And I thought Eric was sexy. Are all the ghouls unrealistically beautiful?
“Thanks for the compliment.” He winks at me. I look at him and Eric.
“What are you talking about?” I raise my right eyebrow.
“You think I’m hot, and you think Eric is attractive too,” Mac deadpans. I can’t get my words out because I am so embarrassed.
“Don’t be embarrassed,” he soothes.
“Mac has a rare trait; he can read minds,” Eric murmurs.
“Cut it out; it’s rude!” I scream. The male ghouls don’t have any boundaries. Jeez!
“Sorry,” Mac says.
“It’s getting late. We need to head back to Sarah’s room,” Eric says, easing the awkwardness.
“Wait, I’m not done, I have so many questions to ask you.” I am eager to learn so much about the ghoul race.
“Sarah, we will finish this later,” Eric states.
Eric follows me to my bedroom. I rush into the bathroom, and pull my black Slipknot t-shirt over my head. When I flop on the fluffy bed, Eric sets up a Mac laptop on the dresser.
“Here you go.” he rests the computer on my lap.
“I can give you the money for this computer,” I say, brushing my fingers against the keyboard. I’m not big on computers but Mac is expensive.
“No need.”
“Come with me to an auction tomorrow,” he says more like a demand than an invitation.
“Where and why are we going to an auction?” I ask. My eyes focus on the screen as I set up a password and username. Excitement flutters my chest; I can’t wait to connect with the outside world.
“Kailua, Hawaii. We will stay a night there. I need to get a box I’ve been looking for,” he answers. I check my Facebook, and I have over 100 notifications from Vanessa and old co-workers. Apparently, the word got out that I went missing. I see a picture of me from my vacation with Vanessa in Boston last year. The caption beneath says, “Have you seen her?” I hate the thought of worrying her.
“Yeah, sure.”
Eric says something else, but I don’t catch it. I nod my head, pretending I heard him. Eric disappears from the room. I check my Gmail and find that Vanessa has sent me over thirty e-mails. I scan through the last four. The police have been called, and they are looking for me. I click on the compose button and begin writing her.
From: Sarah
To: Vanessa
Subject: Alive
Hey Nessa,
I’m alive; staying with a friend. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It was a last minute decision. I’ll make it up to you soon. I’m sorry I caused you pain. I love and miss you too.
Love,
Sarah
P.S. I will call you when I’m available.
Hitting the send button, I close the laptop and pull the covers over my head. I wish I didn’t have to keep things from Vanessa. We always tell each other everything but I can’t tell her about Eric. I miss her so much; we do everything together. It’s hard to keep secrets from your best friend, especially if she is the only person you can talk to about your problems. Sighing, my mind drifts to Eric and this auction. Why does he need me to go? I still have so much to learn about ghouls. My reality has been turned upside down and I don’t know how I am going to cope with it.
There is a knock at the door. The servant is a bit early. Normally, she brings me my breakfast at eleven in the morning. Eric invited me to breakfast but I refused. I couldn’t watch him and his brother chow down on raw meat. It’s revolting; just thinking about it makes me want to puke. I open the door to find Odessa standing there. Her wavy hair hangs past her shoulders, and she is wearing a pair of black jeans with a white turtleneck. She is exotic. If I were into women, I would sleep with her. Victoria’s Secret models don’t have anything on her. She clears her throat before speaking.
“Can I come in?” her voice is cheerful. I wave her in, and she sits at the edge of the bed. She gazes around the room, probably taking in the mess I made in here. The servants are not allowed to clean my room; I don’t like it when people touch my personal belongings.
“What can I do for you?” I ask a
s I bow. She gives a humorless laugh.
“You don’t have to be formal with me. Besides, you’re not as formal with Eric, now are ya?” she asks.
I shake my head.
“I’ve been talking to the kings, and we’ve come, well I’ve come to the conclusion that we could use a hand with some of the ghouls. We need your help.” I sit next to her.
“What exactly do you want me to do?”
“Treat them. Sometimes, ghouls get injured enough that their body can’t heal without aid, and according to Jack you have magic hands.” I smile at her last comment.
I guess I could do that instead of being cooped up in this room all day. Plus, it will give me a chance to study the race one on one.
“Okay, when do you want me to start?” I ask.
“When you and Eric come back from the auction,” she answers as she rises from the bed. Kate barges in with a gown draped over her arms and a pair of black heels in her hand. She drapes the items on the rocking chair. Odessa and Kate air kiss each other, and Odessa leaves. I admire the stunning dress. The long, black dress is made of silk with red rubies sewed into the sleeves. The high heels have rubies on the back of the heel. How much did Eric spend on this? It must have cost a fortune.
“Eric needs you to wear this tonight,” Kate says.
I don’t think I’ve ever worn a gown as beautiful as this in my entire life.
“Eric wanted me to inform you that your flight leaves at four, and the hotel room has already been booked,” she says.
“Where will Eric be staying?”
“In the room with you.”
Same room? Oh no! This cannot be happening. I like Eric, but I don’t want to ruin it. My hands feel clammy as anxiety flip-flops in my gut. I’ve never slept in the same room with a guy. I have a fear of getting attached to people; that’s why I keep them at arm’s length. If I spend the night with Eric, things could change between us. I like keeping him at a distance. But then again, I like spending time with him.
A Ghoul's Kiss Book 1 Page 4
