Ghost Boyfriend Anthology.

#9 - Mated.

Okay, the guy sitting far off, across the dimly lit restaurant room is starting to creep me out. He's been seated over there, watching my every move and gesture intently since I stepped in with Nick about an hour ago and due to some invisible instinct, I'd been able to feel his prodding eyes on me.

"Psst Nick," I nudged my companion who was currently in a discussion with our departmental head impatiently forcing him to end the conversation and turn to me, slightly annoyed. I looked at him apologetically and gestured to the other side of the room. "Could you tell me why that man over there has been watching me silently since we got here?"

He sighed. "Oh, I dunno maybe he finds you attractive. Come to think about it, it's about time you find your bink. He looks businesslike and unfamiliar. Preferably not from this part of town," Nick shrugs at me. I'd agree that his devilish looks and the aura he exudes confirm him as a very powerful bink who's not accustomed to being seen around here before. But the fact I won't believe is that he finds me attractive.

What? Have the world ended already? What must he possibly have seen in me that strikes off as attractive? In the least bit, I'm far from that. I'm brown, skittish and may not have half the amount of ass as other edible vevils around. My hair is impossibly messy and can't possibly be put to rest, even though I'd always use a half bottle of shampoo each day to calm them down a bit. It made me look untidy, and the fact that I'm 5'8 which is a rather short figure doesn't help much.

Plus, which type of teenage kid answers the name Caiden anyway?

Completely ignoring me once more, Nick hauls himself into another argument with the rest of the students we came with. Now alone, as always, I was forced to confront the man's wicked dark eyes that probed my soul, trailing down my exposed arm as he casually sipped his fourth glass of wine. I immediately secured my arm beneath the table and threw my gaze the other way.

Life was hard for me. Since I was six years old, my elder brother and I have been haunted down at all towns by our abusive father. It'd been hard having to one day make a bunch of friends and hoping to spend some meaningful time with them, you wake up and get told that you'll have to move. Then you don't complain and just have to go along with it for you don't have a say in it. I wasn't in the least bit the social bud, making friends were extremely hard for me and any relationship I had, I stay true to it. Those friends I'd left behind were still left with the burning question, where were those friendly neighbours from yesterday? Where had they gone and what exactly made them Move?

I'd grown up under my brother's stiff care. Kasper might not be the kind of guardian who's fun to be with but over time I'd gotten used to his icy personality and begun to appreciate it even more because he reminded me of my mother. She was the quietest and observant human I'd ever seen and it's from her I'd learned that perseverance truly pays. All through my first six years, I'd watched how silently she bears our father's abuse. She wouldn't say a word against him, nor fight against him just like those cheap housewives do. She'd patiently allow him to beat her senseless and then after, she'd still be the one to clean her wounds and still assure us if we worried much that she was alright.

She hadn't lived long. She had been diagnosed with third stage leukemia and before six months elapsed we were weeping on her grave. Though Father managed to remain sober throughout the funeral period, he returned to his old self soon after that. We were only allowed to weep at her grave and weren't permitted to attend the actual funeral itself since we were little kids. Kasper had consoled me although the dark ceremony which made me ascribe to him the post of my new mother. His icy glint and subtle manner of handling things reminded me of her. I still saw her in him and so I hung on. Before long Dad had hit the perfect job and had gotten rich within a fortnight. He remarried and that's where our purgatory began.

His new wife at first treated us well, shielded us from father's abuse and showed us love and affection after a daunting while. All that changed when she took in and in nine months we'd have a new addition to the family. The kind treatment continued until she put to bed. Our younger brother was born and that's where unmasking her true nature began. Firstly she never allowed us to touch her baby, calling us bad luck and for killing our mother with dark magic. She then forced us to vacate the single room we shared so she'd stay there with her baby. We'd complained, citing that there were many other rooms around which got her mad and as punishment we were starved of our dinner. I remember crying so much that Kasper went to beg her to allow me some food. It was the bravest thing he'd ever done and I'd seen just hurtful and undignifying it was. I watched her screech like a witch when upon opening the door, caught sight of my brother's kneeling figure on the floor. He begged and soothed her with all the eloquent words he'd known but she still refused anyway. Kicking him hard at his left temple which permanently left a scar up to this day, she slammed the door against him.

That's when he decided that we'd leave. We couldn't stand her wicked treatments and our father's abuse which hadn't gotten any better in the least bit.  We slipped out a little after midnight, Kasper had left the back door open earlier on planning to stow away using the subway to V city. As a vevil, fitting in was very hard. Some people had an aversion to them and there was a time vevils were being killed by humans. It took pretty long before the Vevils 101 act law was fully established. It said, that no vevil should be discriminated and that we were all one and other stuff. The only difference between vevils and females was the lack of chest endowment, and our hair was naturally short and curt like men. We were blessed with just as much glutes and facial outlook also like females, but our compact physique betrayed any improvement in that gender. To put it simply, vevils are men with female features and characteristics. We were also blessed with the ability to reproduce but nothing more than three kids were allowed. Our system couldn't take the stress.

I was the only vevil in my family. Over time I'd begun to think my father's abuse was sole because of me. Trust me the sight of a vevil in full bloom was irritating. We don't see our periods like women do. We call ours bloom; a state in which we become overly emotional and fragile. We sulk all day and cry our hearts out like babies and once the bloom is over, poof!! We're all over the place hyperactive and excited over nothing. It was this cycle every month that showed if you were pregnant or not because even as a little kid you could still get pregnant and if the baby was in any way removed, it reduced your birth allocation to two. Most of my father's abuse was always channeled at me all because of this bloom and the way I often act extreme. Giving birth to a vevil was hard work because they needed constant guidance. Any little drop of sperm could trigger a birth and in a society where single parenting wasn't allowed, life would be hell on earth. For this sole reason, Kasper hardly let me out his sight. All my course assignments, he'd always accompanied me, securely tucking me to his side as we walked the streets, and just before he lets me go, he delivers a strict warning that I should return home in an hour, whether finished with my work or not. He was utterly overprotective and suspected any man that threw in a greeting or hi.

We've been into countless towns and city but I've never seen him break down. He still takes care of me like we aren't on the run or something. We arrived in San Diego a summer ago and because I'd always gotten a written note from the previous schools I'd been in, getting back into the University was never a problem. I admit it did shake my grades a bit, but except that it was okay.

Out of the prying suspicious eyes that had greeted me that first day in class, Nick's was the only one less intimidating and assuring. We'd been buddies before long and having him by me always lessened my anti-social spirit. He was a geek and always wore glasses that made him look smart, plus he was so great at fitting in that I often wished for a heart exchange.

The man was whispering non-commit to the guy he came with and gesturing subtly while motioning to me. I'd felt a sickening dread spread all over as I watched the smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. The guy he talks with goes out of the restaurant and he sits back like nothing was going on.

His signals were strong now. He wanted me. The hell! He owns me. I'd always knew this day would come, but I hadn't expected it to come this soon.

Why now lord? His dark eyes elude me.

I'm protecting you for your soul mate. One who you've been coined from. The day his signals become strong is the day he'll stake his first claim on you.

"Wow, You must have had him on huh Caiden." Nick fussed, his brows knotting in glee. "He's been staring intensely at you like he wanted to eat you whole."  this was true. He was still looking at me, watching if I'd take the hint. I turn away, shutting out the raging electricity.

He stands up abruptly making me flinch in my seat. His gaze turned hard and there's something with this bad aura he's currently exuding. A soul mate would have to take you by force because he can pretty much sense your hesitation. Once you've off with him and he takes a solid claim during the first s*x, you automatically become his wife. He's the only one who can only get you pregnant if he wants to. Other than him, no one could.

He closed in on us, the whole restaurant was whispering now. Great, it's not every day you get to see binks whisk their wives off to their prison home. I hate the fact that this would practically be my last day in open earth, his demeanor doesn't show him as an understanding mate. I got up my phone to dial Kasper when suddenly, he snatched the phone away from my grasp.

"Not so fast midget," he snarled, his very muscular body bent slightly as he came down to face level with me. I felt my heart beating wildly against my chest, his seductive cologne swirled within my head, making me feel light. I could feel Nick's surprise as the bastard circled my wrist.

"You're coming with me,"

"Um, sir... " Nick says anxiously, ignoring my warning glare to stay out of this. The other students were still watching us.   "This is the first time you're meeting him, you could be charged with k********g if you just take him with you like that."

Oh Nick, so not the time.

"I've met him now. And you  honestly don't think I'll try to kidnap my soulmate do you?"

At this, everyone swooned, casting an unnerving look of pity. I felt like I'd been stripped naked in the public. Now that he's told the whole world that we're mates it'll be futile turning him down. The crowd now knows and any wrong move on my part could lead to my possible death.

The other guy who he'd talked with earlier returned. Now, I was forced to note his appearance. Just like my mate, he wore a tuxedo and reeked with lust And impeccable sin. His inner shirt wasn't bottled up and exposed his bare chest. Now I was fully convinced that they were friendly business expatriates. He leaned down and much to my shock and charging pecked my chin softly.

"W-what the... " I glared right up at his heavenly face. Darn, why do binks always have this attractive face and godly body? They're blessed with the looks, brains and muscular body and have I mentioned how incurably sexy they are? Whatever clothes they had on even if it turned out to be rags fitted them perfectly. Nick whispered rather loudly. "Looks like you're baited."

Rolling my eyes, the second man said to my mate. "He looks like the most innocent and quiet type Brock. His type won't give any stress in bed."

"I'd have wished for a spitfire instead. But he looks the kinky type, and I'd love to see how quite a scene he'd make when I f**k him senseless."

The swoons and snickers grew louder with each word they said. How perverted they are.

"Aren't you old hoes not so perverted for your good? Please... Have some shame." Nick fumed relentlessly despite the nudges I shot to his sides.

"Now that's spitfire Derrick," Brock roars in laughter. "I suppose you'll have more on your hands from now on."

Uh-huh.

"Quit the coded talks and speak in simpler terms," Nick shot back, his pale cheeks had stains of red already. I groaned. "But anyway we were about leaving." He draws me up with him.

Now they're smug expressions turned hard as we attempted brushing past them. Derrick made to pull Nick back but Brock draws him. His sinister gaze beat down my back as we slipped outside.

"Oh, my world! " Nick exclaims as soon as the cool fresh air outside hits us. A sports car gushing with power and wealth sat at a corner. I needed no soothsayer to know that it belonged to Brock." You have a rich mate Caiden. He looked just about ready to take you home with him that very minute. Wonder why he didn't."

"I don't know what to do now Nick. We've both found our mates and I'm as sure as hell that he'll keep coming for me if I don't give in. And I still don't feel happy or ready since we're on the run." I've never been away from Kasper even for a single day, and as a vevil, I'm pretty sure Brock won't let me out his sight ever again. I wasn't ready, to say goodbye to university, to say goodbye to my brother or accustom myself as a wife. I decided to go home, maybe if Kasper agrees then we'd make preparations to leave again. I know he'll agree. He loves me and will do anything to protect me.

But from what exactly?

This isn't illegal.

"I'm not ready I mean we just went through the funeral.. " he trailed off. Nick's father passed away recently and with his mother remarried, the financial burden was shifted to him. Already he's been doing part-time jobs to fend for his two siblings but it was hardly ever enough. "I regret coming here even and what I don't understand is why you'd keep silent like that in there."

Chewing off my nails idly, I retorted. "Well, what did you want me to say? He turns out to be my mate and approached so what else? I surely hope his stake doesn't grow stronger."

"Mine's already starting," he winced slightly as we flagged a cab down. "I can already feel his grief."

Soulmates went through the same pain and felt the same way because they were coined together and had the same soul.

"Mine wouldn't dare," I said offhandedly slipping into the cab. With Nick at the front, it made it easier for me to whisper to him. "Do you think they'll come for us?"

"Hi girls."

We both froze on our chair at the deep manly voice that's filled my ears this evening. Turning, we both beheld a smug Brock and although Derrick sat behind the wheels I could still sense his smile of triumph as he instinctively trailed his forefinger down Nick's thighs.

"You both thought you could get away from us? Well sorry for your bubble burst we aren't leaving anytime soon." Brock tightened his hold on my wrist.

Kill me now dear god...