They sat in comfortable silence for a while, sipping coffee and nibbling at chocolate bars. Itzal had never truly enjoyed human food before. Santos had only ever given him the basics; nutritional fuel, bland and utilitarian. He’d had scraps from banquets and functions, sure, but never enough to register a taste. Now, the chocolate melted on his tongue, smooth and sweet. He took small bites to make it last longer, savouring the unfamiliar pleasure.
Sunshine watched him from the corner of her eye as she finished hers and took a long sip of coffee.
“Why did you come after me that night?” he asked.
She rested her cup in her lap, fiddling absently with the lid.
“I was curious when I saw you,” she said. I didn’t expect to find a ghoul I didn’t recognise in the crowd. I wasn’t thinking about the bigger picture. I just wanted to see you up close. Your aura was...beautiful.”
Itzal frowned, sceptical. So she was an air ghuleh, after all. They could see auras. Could read people like books, really. He’d thought she felt more like fire. Maybe he was more out of touch when it came to their kind than he thought?
“You’re kidding, right? My aura must be just as fucked up as I am.”
She turned to face him, a mock frown on her face.
“If that’s what you really think, then you’re wrong. When I first saw you, your aura was covered in something. It looked like TV static. I’d never seen that before on a ghoul. But the longer I looked, the more I saw that the static wasn’t you. It was something laid over you. Him, probably.” Her voice softened. “Now that you’re here and the wards are blocking him, it’s almost gone. I can see you clearly. Your aura looks like the Milky Way on a cloudless night.”
He stared at her, unsure what to say. She wasn’t lying. She had no reason to. He’d never considered what his aura might look like to others. If he had, he’d have imagined something dark, cracked like broken glass.
“I’m glad I followed you,” she continued. “Now you’re here, not with him. Shay’s honourable. He’ll do everything he can to help. And we’ve got a real family here. I think you’d love them.”
He sighed. Her optimism was comforting, if not contagious. But he knew better. He was bound to Santos. As far as he understood, the only escape from that was death.
“I’m not sure they’d want me around,” he said. “Alpha and Omega hated me on sight. I imagine that’ll be the default reaction. And honestly? I’m not exactly great at socializing. I haven’t done much outside of ritual sacrifices and the orgies.”
Sunshine snorted mid-sip and choked, then burst into laughter. Between coughs and giggles, she wheezed, “Did you just make a joke, Itzal?” She playfully punched his arm, and he flinched. Her expression fell. “Oh shit, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t thinking!”
Itzal stood and crossed the room, rubbing the spot where she’d touched him. He turned back and gave her a small, strained smile.
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to react like that. I’m...”
He left the sentence hanging, and thankfully, she didn’t press him to continue.
She tucked her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them, watching him.
“Don’t be sorry. I wish your life had been different. I can’t imagine what it’s been like for you, but I do know this: we all want to rip that fake Papa to pieces for what he did. Being bound like that? It’s every ghoul’s worst nightmare. And if I get the chance to? I’ll gut him myself.”
Itzal couldn’t help the smile that curved his lips. Coming from a tiny, firecracker of a ghuleh like her, it almost sounded cute. Almost.
“You don’t know how many times I’ve dreamed of doing just that,” he murmured.
Footsteps echoed in the corridor. Sunshine perked up, clearly recognizing them. She hopped off the bed and went to greet the visitors. Itzal followed more cautiously.
Two ghulehs approached. One was petite, blonde, and curvy; the other tall, dark-haired, and lean. He recognized them from the Ghost Project and tried to guess their kind. Air probably, based on their energy.
“Oooh, you weren’t lying. So pretty!” the curvier one said with a teasing smile.
Itzal blinked, startled. Sunshine rolled her eyes and mouthed, aura. That didn’t help.
“Hi, girlies!” Sunshine said. “What are you doing here?”
“We came to check on you. You’ve been gone a while,” said the tall one. Her eyes swung to Itzal and she grinned. “And obviously to scope out the fresh meat.”
“Cumulus! You are the worst!” Sunshine laughed. She turned to Itzal, reassuring. “Sorry. This is Cumulus and Cirrus. They’re from my pack. We’re basically sisters. Also, they have zero filter and they’re chronically nosy.”
Itzal raised a hand, uncertain.
“Hi.”
“The boys want to watch a movie,” Cirrus said. “You guys in?”
Sunshine glanced at Itzal with a hopeful look. He hesitated, eyes darting between them. It took him a beat too long to realize they were inviting him, too.
“Umm... I’m not sure I’m even allowed to leave here.”
Cumulus pouted dramatically.
The idea of sitting in a room with a bunch of strangers made his stomach clench. Sunshine must’ve sensed it. She stepped in, gently.
“No worries. There’ll be plenty of other chances. Every other night is movie night around here. You’ve been through a lot. You should rest. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah? I’ll leave the snacks in case you get hungry.”
“Sure,” he said, managing a weak smile.
He wanted to go. Wanted to be normal, just for a night. But he was too raw right then. Too tired. The last few days had cracked something in him wide open. If he pushed it too far now, he wasn’t sure what the result would be.
Sunshine waved, then followed her friends down the corridor.
Itzal stood in the doorway and watched them disappear around the corner, a weary sigh escaping him.
YOU ARE READING
Nameless Ghoul
ParanormalA ghoul is summoned illegally and enslaved by a rogue sect of the Clergy. For the past twenty years, an evil Satanic sorcerer has held Itzal captive. He took control of his will, subjecting him to unimaginable horrors, and forced him to commit acts...
