Nameless Ghoul

Use Me

The moment of fear Santos showed was short-lived and it didn’t take him long to resort to his default bravado, even in his current sorry state. It didn’t matter, though. They’d all seen it. Itzal had seen it. The preacher’s eyes went back to their cocky, calculating glare.

“It is time then,” Santos croaked out.

Itzal cocked his head and smiled, showing plenty of fang.

“Not yet Santos. Not quite yet,” he said, forcing himself to turn and walk away.

He needed to get back to Sunshine before she woke up. He didn’t want her to be alone.

Itzal heard the chains rattling as Santos used what little energy he had left to launch into a tirade of venomous insults aimed at Sunshine in Spanish. His voice was breaking with the effort and the gaps in his vocabulary were punctuated with frustrated screams and grunts.

Itzal didn’t need to translate for the others, though, they would get the idea.

Santos’ words could not hurt him now. They were a last ditch effort to punish him and win back some of the control that he so craved. He refused to give him the satisfaction of reacting.

Itzal calmly left the cells flanked by the other ghouls and made his way back up to the lair, making sure to thank Aether and Dew on his way out.

“Feeling better now?” Air asked as they walked through the Abbey.

“Much. Thank you,” he replied with a grin.

The heaviness he’d felt over the last few days at knowing Santos was under the same roof as them was dissipating. He knew for certain now that there was no hope of him getting free.

“Well, now we’ve just got to make sure Secondo doesn’t find out. I don’t care what you think about the next time you see him, but make sure it isn’t this. I like my balls exactly where they are, thank you very much,” Air said, and Quinn laughed.

They split up once they reached the lairs and Itzal headed back to his room where Sunshine was still sleeping. When he glanced at the clock on the wall, it was just after four a.m, so he crept back into bed silently. Sunshine stirred slightly at the movement and he spooned behind her, placing his arm carefully around her waist. She grabbed his hand in her sleep and pulled it up to her chest with a contented sigh. He breathed in the scent of her hair and she snuggled back against him.

Itzal drifted off to sleep, knowing that for now they were both safe and Sunshine could continue to heal. They both could.

____

A couple of days passed and Sunshine gradually came further out of her shell. 

Itzal was lying on his back on her bed, and Sunshine had wrapped herself around him. She had laid her head on his chest and her pink curls were tickling his skin. He could feel her fingers tracing the lines of the tattoo that he'd gotten the night of the party. She felt him stirring and looked up to meet his gaze.

“Hey,” she said with a lazy smile. “I didn’t have the chance to appreciate this,” she said sadly. Her fingers circled the ink and the raised pattern of scars underneath. Itzal's flesh broke out in goose bumps and he shivered, earning him a more sultry smile. She kissed the tattoo and stroked his face. “Thank you for looking after me the other night. I’m sorry I woke you up.”

He skimmed his hand down her back, feeling the now familiar warmth of her skin underneath his palm.

“It's okay. The amount of times I’ve woken you up? It's totally fine. Do you want some breakfast?”

She nodded into his chest and groaned.

“That means getting out of bed, though, doesn’t it? I’m comfy.”