Sunshine led Itzal down a long corridor towards the back of the Abbey. Doors lined either side. Halfway down, it opened out into a living room on one side with sofas and a huge TV, and on the other was an open-plan kitchen-diner with a breakfast bar and a large dining table that could seat twelve.
“Okay, so we’ve got three spare rooms at the moment, plus some guest rooms. Mine’s up here on the left. One of the spares is opposite if you want that one. They’re all the same inside,” she said, pointing to her room before opening the door across the hall.
They stepped inside. It was a decent-sized room with a big, comfy-looking wooden bed. There was a desk, a small sofa, a TV, and a large closet. An arched window overlooked a pretty courtyard garden. Another door led to a bathroom with a bath, sink, toilet, and shower stall.
“What do you think?” Sunshine asked hopefully.
Itzal eyed the room wearily, even though this was way beyond any comfort he’d experienced before.
“It’s perfect.” He walked to the back and dropped himself onto the sofa. Sunshine gave him a sympathetic look and offered to clean his neck wounds. “Thanks,” Itzal said.
She went to gather supplies. Itzal leaned back, rested his head against the cushions of the sofa, and closed his eyes.
He must have nodded off, because he startled awake as Sunshine set a first aid kit down on the coffee table. She handed him a bottle of water while laying out medical supplies. He took a swig. The cool water felt amazing in his dry throat. Sunshine came and sat beside him.
“Is it okay if I clean these for you?”
Itzal nodded, and she gently brushed his hair back from his shoulder, carefully cleaning the tender skin around the collar burns. He was surprised to find he didn’t mind having her this close. He felt less nervous than he had when the human Sister tended to him.
Probably because he knew Sunshine better. He trusted her. That realisation made him smile. Ridiculous. He hadn’t trusted anyone since arriving on Earth. Everyone he’d met had either used or abused him. Usually both.
Sunshine smiled, teasing, “What’s got you smiling while I’m out here dishing out pain?”
She caught him with his guard down, and before he could stop himself, the truth slipped out.
“I’m just thinking about how lucky I was to meet you that night. You gave me the courage to do the right thing. To get away.”
She leaned back slightly, a small smile on her face. One hand touched her stomach.
“When I saw you, I got the feeling you needed help. I felt it here. I get those gut feelings sometimes. Intuition, maybe. That one was strong. It was probably stupid, chasing after you on my own, but I just knew you wouldn’t hurt me.”
Itzal looked down at her hand, and before he could think, he reached out and took it into his own. She gasped, then grinned at him.
“Thank you. You’ll never know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” he said quietly.
He let go of her and sighed, feeling so tired all of a sudden.
“It’s nothing. And I know you don’t think much of yourself, but I can see the ghoul you’re meant to be. And guess what?” Itzal raised a questioning brow and Sunshine grinned. “I really like him. I really like you. So I’m a hundred percent sure I did the right thing.”
He stared at her, stunned. She genuinely believed that. The warmth that settled in his chest was almost too much to bear, so he looked away and cleared his throat.
“I should get some sleep. I’m wrecked, and my head’s killing me.”
Sunshine handed him a couple of pills from the first aid kit.
“Painkillers. Should help a bit.”
She gently applied some of Secondo’s ointment to the burns, and it soothed them almost instantly. The man was a magician.
Sunshine packed away the medical supplies and picked up the bag.
“I’ll bring you some clean clothes. There’s a stash around here somewhere. The bathroom’s stocked, and if you get hungry, just help yourself to whatever you want from the kitchen, okay? I’m just across the hall if you need me.”
He thanked her, and she left with a smile and a wave.
Itzal used the bathroom, found a toothbrush and toothpaste in the drawer, and splashed cold water on his face. He kicked off his boots, wandered over to the bed, and climbed in. The duvet was thick and soft, and the sheets felt divine against his skin. The room was warm and quiet. For the first time in forever, he felt safe. Within minutes, he was asleep.
He woke in the early hours, stomach growling. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast the day before. Quietly, he got out of bed and peeked out into the hallway. No one around. He padded into the kitchen and opened the fridge. It was packed with food, but he bypassed everything and grabbed a carton of chocolate milk. He’d had it once before, years ago. Remembered how incredible it was. He poured himself a large glass.
As he reached to put the carton back, someone tackled him from behind and slammed him to the ground.
Instinct took over.
They rolled, snarling, fists flying as Itzal grappled with his attacker. Definitely another ghoul. They thrashed and cursed, each trying to pin the other.
Itzal finally got the upper hand, holding the ghoul down. His opponent bared his fangs.
“What the fuck, dude? Why the fuck are you stealing my chocolate milk in the middle of the night?!”
Itzal blinked in shock. It was Dew, the lead guitarist from the Ghost Project. He immediately backed off.
The kitchen light flipped on. Swiss and the three ghulehs stood watching with various levels of amusement.
Swiss laughed and shook his head.
“Ooh, way to piss off Dew, my man. Nobody touches his chocolate milk and lives to tell the tale.”
Itzal got to his feet and backed away, glancing from Dew to the others.
“Look, I’m sorry. I was just hungry. And it looked... really good.”
Dew stood and wiped blood from his nose, wincing.
“Shit, I thought you were Swiss. That fucker’s always stealing my stuff. Wasn’t expecting you to be here.”
“He’s staying in the guest room for a while,” Sunshine said. “I thought everyone knew. I didn’t think to warn him about Dew’s stash. It’s been a bit of a stressful day.”
Cumulus snorted.
“Yeah, Dew doesn’t share.”
The others laughed.
Dew grabbed the glass off the counter and handed it to Itzal.
“Well. Here’s your one free pass, then.”
Itzal thanked him. Everyone said goodnight and drifted off. He heard Swiss and Dew bickering as they walked away, and soon it was just him and Sunshine left in the kitchen.
A blush crept onto his cheeks.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, I guess. Sorry for waking everyone up. I tried to be quiet.”
Sunshine stepped close, stood on tiptoe, and kissed his cheek. Then she quickly backed off.
“You’re so adorable when you’re flustered. Goodnight, Itzal,” she said with a smile.
He didn’t have time to react, only to blush deeper as she disappeared into her room and shut the door behind her.
He stood there for a moment, barefoot in the kitchen, holding the chocolate milk and wondering how the hell his life had gotten so weird.
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...
