Nameless Ghoul

Absolution

Itzal flopped down onto the sofa, pulling her with him, and Sunshine giggled.

“Holy shit Itzal, how do you do that to me every freaking time?” she said breathlessly as he sat her over his lap and wrapped them in a blanket. She snuggled into his chest and scraped her claws along the bare skin of his stomach. He pulled her closer and felt himself smiling as he caught his breath and traced imaginary lines up and down her shoulder blade with his finger. “We really need to get ready now, we’ll be late otherwise...” She gasped and smacked him playfully as he sent her an image. “Separate showers! Otherwise, we’ll be in this position all freaking day!”

He laughed and then pouted at her reaction to the image he’d sent her through their bond. It was them in the shower and the potential ways they could waste some more time.

“No fair,” he said.

He knew they had to get ready, but if he was honest, he would do anything he could to delay it as he felt so on edge. Sex had been the perfect distraction, but now he had to face it. They were going home to visit their families, and everything about it made him a nervous wreck.

The actual summoning itself was an unknown to him. When Santos had summoned him to Earth, it was not the way the Clergy used and had perfected over the years. It had been brutal, and Itzal didn’t want to experience it ever again. All the other ghouls had assured him that the worst he would feel would be a little motion sickness, but it was hard to shake the memory of his only summoning experience.

The thought of meeting Sunshine’s family filled him with dread as well. Especially meeting her sire. Ghoul fathers always wanted the strongest partner for their offspring, and he knew he would be a disappointment.

The worst thing, though, was the thought of seeing his own family again, his brothers and their partners and his mother. Itzal knew they’d be happy to see him, and he would be happy to see them, too. He was a different ghoul than the one they knew before he’d been sold, though. He was a stranger to them now, and he didn’t want to have to keep explaining himself and his little quirks to them. Sunshine was beyond excited to meet his brothers and the kits, and he didn’t want to let her down by backing out of it.

Itzal groaned and they got up. Sunshine wrapped the blanket around herself to cover her modesty, before heading back to her own room to get ready. Papa had offered them an apartment in the main Abbey like the one Omega and Seren shared, but they’d decided they liked things how they were in the ghouls’ lair. They never slept apart, but they also liked to have their own spaces, too. Why fix something that wasn’t broken?

Itzal got up and went to the bathroom to clean himself up. He supposed he should try to look his best even though it would make no difference, but at least he would know that he’d made the effort. It didn’t take long and they were both heading down to the chapel to meet Shay and Papa, who would be in charge of sending them home. They had a pass for about twelve hours there, and it would only be the second time since Sunshine was summoned that she’d been home for a visit.

As usual, Sunshine looked breath-taking wearing the Ghoulish clothes she had worn when she met his mother. Itzal had decided not to wear his and opted for his usual jeans and long-sleeved top as that’s what he felt most comfortable in; he skipped the boots though, as barely anyone wore them there.

His heart was racing as they got to the chapel, and Sunshine squeezed his hand reassuringly. Papa gave Sunshine a hug when they entered. They had been working on using a spell Secondo had gained from the redheaded witch to strengthen the bond between them and so far, it seemed to be working. There hadn’t been any more glitches since.

Shay explained they could send them both at the same time and all too soon—way too soon for him—they were standing in the circle, ready to go. Papa began the incantation and Itzal grabbed Sunshine’s hand, holding on for dear life, waiting for them to be sent.