Nameless Ghoul

Update Chapter: Safe Words

Check out Itzal's Pinterest board for the inspiration behind some of the tattoos mentioned in this chapter. The link to my Pinterest is in my bio.

"Itzal?"

Sunshine's voice had him whipping his head around. She stood just inside the entrance to the gym that Secondo's ghouls used for their training. They'd just finished a sparring session, and Itzal was fresh from the shower.

He felt his eyes burning and he grinned, turning to her and stalking over. She'd been away on an overnight trip with her pack and Papa, but it had felt like she'd been gone for a week to him.

She jogged towards him, arms outstretched, and Itzal snatched her up, burying his nose into her wild curls. She squealed and wrapped her legs around his waist, nuzzling his throat and kissing the skin over the new tattoo he'd got the morning she left. Earth had done this one, as he had most of Itzal's others, and the abstract design covered most of the scars around the base of his neck. He'd changed to his shadow form straight afterwards, and it was very nearly healed already.

"I missed you so much," she murmured against him. "I need you to make me feel good."

She said that last part directly into his mind, nipping his throat, and Itzal groaned when he realised what she meant. Her hands strayed down his back, coming to rest on his ass.

"Missed you too," Itzal breathed, drawing in her scent.

A wolf whistle from behind them broke the moment, and Sunshine peered over his shoulder. Itzal knew who it was. It was Air.

"Get a room, you two!" he said, and Itzal could hear the shit-eating grin he no doubt wore on his face in his voice.

The rest of the pack snickered and catcalled them. Sunshine giggled against him and wiggled out of his hold. She took Itzal's hand and they turned to face them. Itzal's cheeks burned, but the others seemed happy for him. He'd been miserable since she'd left, and they'd been the ones to bear the brunt of it. They were always supportive of him, though, knowing how much he relied on her, and he'd grown to love them for it.

"That's exactly where we're headed," she called out to Air, who laughed. "Oh, unless he has to work?"

Earth shook his head and smiled at them.

"As if I'd put him on the schedule when you were due to come home. He's off tomorrow, too, so he's all yours."

"Perfect," Sunshine said, already pulling Itzal towards the exit. "I've got big plans for him."

Itzal looked back over his shoulder, and the pack gave him thumbs up. Well, Air made what seemed to be an obscene gesture that Itzal didn't even recognise, but he meant well. Probably.

"Lucky ghoul!" Air shouted after them, and the others laughed again.

Sunshine dragged Itzal out of the gymnasium, through the courtyard, into the Abbey, up the stairs and back to the lair. He followed, like a loyal puppy, powerless to resist her commands, even if he'd wanted to. She had that effect on him. Not that he minded. He'd spent half of his life forced to indulge Santos' whims, but for Sunshine? He would gladly be her slave.

The rest of her pack was home. The sounds of laughter and conversation drifted out of the lounge and the kitchen, but they barely noticed as they made their way to Itzal's room. Sunshine pushed him inside and closed the door behind them, shoving him against the wall.

Itzal growled and leaned down to kiss her, suddenly desperate to taste her. His hand closed around the nape of her neck, gently stroking her velvety skin. She'd set fire to his blood, as she always did, and he felt the need to be closer to her as a physical ache. That's what happened when you bound your soul to another; being separated from them was a torment like no other.