Page 29 of Ghoul Kisses

Aservant opens the red velvet drapes, and sunlight floods the room. I pull the covers over my head. My sex throbs. I’ve never had such intense, hard sex before. Did we make love last night? Because that’s how I feel right now—in love. Was it good for him? I’m the first human he’s ever been with, so I hope I didn’t suck last night. Once I hear the door close, I remove the covers, gazing around my new room. Eric is not in sight. His side of the bed is perfectly made. My heart begins to sink. Was this a casual fuck to him? He did disappear without saying anything. OH, MY GOD. He used me. He took advantage of me, coming in here sweet-talking me, using the “Don’t think, just feel” bullshit. Like an idiot, I fell for it. When I see him, I’m going to slap the shit out of him! He could have left a note or at least had enough balls to wait until I woke up, but no, he bails the minute I go to sleep. I care deeply for him. I was having thoughts about us being together. Ghoul men are just as bad as human men. They are all the same.

I rush to the bathroom, turn on the faucet, and jump in the steamy shower. I scrub my body and my scalp in hopes of washing away his scent, his touch, and my feelings. Never again will I open up to anyone. Stepping out the shower, I wipe my body down with a towel. I look at myself in the mirror and realize I am crying. To make myself feel pretty, I put on some make up: just because I feel like shit doesn’t mean I have to look like it. I brush my wet hair into a messy bun. I wiggle my way into my clothes. My bedroom door opens. It must be the servant dropping off my breakfast.

“Change the sheets.” I don’t want the smell of Eric in my room. Eric leans in the doorway, our eyes meet and a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he says. My breath hitches. He wraps his arms around my waist, and I turn around to face him.

“Where were you? Where did you go?” Concern tinges my voice.

“I was with David and Nicholas,” he murmurs. I lean my head against his hot chest, inhaling his zesty soap. Happiness floods my chest. He didn’t actually leave me; I panicked for no reason.

“I… just.. thought,” I whisper.

“You thought what?” he asks as he tilts my chin to look at him. Damn Eric for having good hearing.

“Oh… nothing,” I plaster a smile on my face.

“I have to go meet Dr. Edward in thirty minutes,” I say.

He kisses the palm of my hand.

“No, you aren’t. Not today. We’re playing hooky. I already talked to Edward.”

“What do you have planned for us today?”

“We can get back in bed for now.” He nips my bottom lip. “And later, we can hang out in Port Angeles.”

“Okay,” I say, as Eric unbuttons his jeans.

Eric drives me to Café Garden; they have the best salads in town. I order a Chipotle Chicken Salad with a coke, and Eric orders himself water.

“What do you want to do after this?” I ask, slathering ranch dressing on my salad.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Can we drive to North Gate Mall in Seattle?” I ask, stabbing the chicken with my fork.

“Okay.”

“Also, I want to go to a bar with Vanessa.” He nods before gulping down his water.

I fish for my phone in my purse and send Vanessa a quick e-mail asking her about her plans tonight.

“How many ghouls are in here?” I ask, as Eric gazes around the restaurant.

“Four. You see the couple over there in the corner?” He tilts his head to the booth on the far-right side. My eyes follow his direction. The ghouls appear to be deeply in love. The woman kisses the man on the lips, and he whispers in her ear. I face him and nod.

“They’re ghouls.”

“Oh,” I say.

“You see the female who is feeding her young on my left?” I look at her. The woman is breastfeeding her child. A blue blanket is draped over the baby’s head; the baby’s feet dangle from under the blanket.

“She’s a ghoul.”

It amazes me how they can blend in with us, and we will never know. After I finish my meal, we head to North Gate Mall and begin shopping for clothes. Eric looks awkward standing in the store. He follows me around, and women try to get his attention by talking to him, but he ignores them. I go to a dressing room and try on a few outfits. When I finish trying on the clothes, I purchase the items, and we leave the store. We walk to Bath and Body Works to buy my favorite body wash and lotion, Cashmere Glow. A ghoul has the nerve to ask him out on a date right in front of me. I try to keep my jealousy under control. I keep forgetting he is famous among his people, and women are going to throw themselves at him. Questions plague my mind. How many women has he slept with? Does the sex between us seem normal? My insecurity eats at me. I want to make sure I didn’t suck in bed. I’ve never had this problem before. Do other women feel this way? Is this a normal way of thinking? After I check out at the counter, I grab Eric’s hand and watch as the ghoul frowns. I want her to know he belongs to me. What am I thinking? Are we in a relationship? We haven’t discussed the whole dating world.

I walk to a bench and place the bags next to me.

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