The Soul Game

by McQueen, K. T.

  ‘Not today thanks,’ before pulling the cord out of the wall and heading to the kitchen.

  Two cans of old lager later he was feeling awake. Annoyingly awake. Angry. But another can of lager soon put an end to that, as he rushed to the loo to throw it all up again, giving his phone the good news.

  He didn’t hear the key in the lock. Or footsteps on the carpeted staircase. So, the looming figure in the bathroom door set him off screaming like a scared girl.

  ‘Mate, mate, chill it’s just me. I went and got the spare off your dad.’ Kyle had been his best mate since school. But sometimes he didn’t understand when Oliver said no. Like now.

  ‘I told you not today.’ Oliver pushed past him and went back to bed, certain he’d forgotten to flush the toilet. But that was okay Kyle was here now, he’d do it.

  ‘What happened?’ He asked.

  ‘Long story, marriage over, due to my own stupidity.’ Not such a long story after all. ‘Just leave me alone, okay?’

  ‘We thought you’d died or something, couldn’t get hold of you.’ Kyle kept talking.

  ‘I told you not today on the house phone.’

  ‘I didn’t ring the house phone,’ Kyle told him.

  ‘Oh.’ Oliver wondered who it had been then realised he didn’t give a shit.

  ‘So how about you get up and get washed and we go out for a drink?’

  ‘Already had a drink, it didn’t turn out so well. I’d rather stay here thanks.’

  ‘Okay, you want anything?’

  ‘No.’ Oliver shuffled deeper under the covers and ignored Kyle till he left.

  Kyle would forgive him. Hell, his dad would forgive him, especially when they heard the whole story. But he wasn’t in the mood to regale them now. He climbed out of bed and into the shower. There was a lingering smell of vomit and he wondered whether it was on him or his clothes. He would have to change the bedding and his pj’s. But not till he’d ordered take away.

  CHAPTER TWENTY: MAËL

  Mike knew the knock at the door didn’t herald more books. When he answered a huge black and silver striped package greeted him. In the arms of Miss Spice. Matching balloons bobbing above her head and a bottle of pink champagne in her free hand.

  ‘Hey Miss Spice, what’s all this?’ he asked, chuckling.

  ‘It’s not for you!’ she stepped past him, inviting herself into the apartment. ‘Where is she?’

  ‘Joy!’ he called.

  Her head emerged over the back of the sofa.

  ‘Hello?’ she said, trying to stifle a yawn. Miss Spice looked at him with sympathy, one of the downsides of the black sulphur was the excessive tiredness it brought on.

  ‘Well, hello there, Joy!’ said Miss Spice all bubbly and friendly. ‘I’m from Marcel’s Palace. And as a new customer, you get a few special extras.’

  ‘Oh, really?’ she sat up.

  ‘The best pink Champagne you’ll ever taste. Chocolates to die for. Gorgeous scented balloons. And samples of our other products, along with your personalised order.’

  ‘Wow, that was fast.’ Joy raised her eyebrows in surprise.

  ‘Usually, it would take a day or two. Time for Marcel to work his magic. But seeing as you’re a first-time customer, and Mike is a friend he bumped yours right to the top.’ Miss Spice was one of those women who smiled all the time, always friendly and warm and inviting. Making her perfect for her current position.

  She’d also been an amazing circus performer, pole Dancer, saloon girl, and King’s favourite concubine. She knew how to draw people in and keep them enthralled in the performance. She was always performing. It was when she let her hair down that her true personality came out. And it was a sight to behold – but not for the eyes of mere mortals. She didn’t want a string of them following her with gifts and love poems, or singing at her window. Even minor Demons were affected by her full honest self.

  ‘Tell Marcel I said thank you, and greatly appreciate the swiftness of the delivery.’ Mike smiled warmly. She returned it before turning back to Joy, hands on hips.

  ‘Remember, no sharing the chocolates. He is not allowed a single one!’ and with that, she danced out of the apartment.

  ‘Well she was a bundle full, wasn’t she?’

  ‘A bundle full?’ he asked confused.

  ‘Of fun!’

  ‘You have no idea,’ he muttered to himself.

  She was so impressed with the package that she disappeared straight into the bathroom to put everything away. Leaving the chocolates and champagne for him to put in the fridge.

  ‘You’ll have to tell Marcel thank you for me,’ she called through.

  ‘Sure.’

  ‘Are you ready to go over to my place and get my things? I can borrow Casey’s car.’

  ‘Whenever you are.’ He sat down to put his shoes on. Wondering whether he’d thought this through. He hadn’t imagined her moving in with him, only asking her to marry him. Why did he think that would happen without the living together part? And after that dream she’d had, there was a chance she was a sensitive and he’d never noticed. That could get awkward.

  It also made him doubt their relationship, if she was with him because she sensed his Demon lurking, beneath the carefully constructed layers, it could spell disaster.

  He shook it off. She was moving in, why would there be a problem. How would it be any different to how it had always been? After all, she was pretty much here all the time anyway.

  He smiled as she came back into the room and swept her into a huge hug.

  ‘I’m so excited to have you live with me.’

  ‘You’re so silly sometimes, I practically live here already. I even do your laundry!’ she laughed.

  ‘And I love you even more for that.’ She wasn’t aware she only did some of his laundry, the rest, the clothes with the sulphur deposits, had to be sent to a specialist cleaner.

  ‘Come on, let’s go make my place suitable for Casey and her boys.’ She led him out the door laughing. He followed like a puppy, happy as can be.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: PURPLE

  Task: Sex is your all-consuming desire today. You must have it, somewhere, somehow, before midnight. Perhaps there is someone you fancy but have been too shy to approach or you want something you’ve never had the guts to try.

  She only had two days left of her holiday and task three seemed like it would be easy if the night she’d spent out in the bar was anything to go by. But she was nervous. Perhaps she would stay off the alcohol tonight.

  She took herself out to the pool to swim a few laps. She’d slept funny and ached. The pool was quieter this early in the morning, and the bar served smoothies rather than alcohol. She spent a significant amount of time lounging by the bar sipping various detox concoctions. Unfortunately, around lunch time, she realised that there were two parts to a detox. Grabbing her towel and throwing it around her waist she made a swift exit. Aching with the urgency she managed to make it back to her room before a very embarrassing accident could occur.

  No more smoothies for her. Her stomach was making disturbing noises as she found herself on the toilet far longer than normal. In fact, it was so long she laughed. Right up until she heard a voice.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘Yes?’ she responded. Just loud enough so they wouldn’t come in. What they were doing in her room was a mystery but there wasn’t much she could do from her current position.

  ‘Erm, I think you may be in the wrong room.’ For a moment, she didn’t answer, just looked around the white bathroom, so like her own, apart from the men’s toiletries lining the bath. This guy had more toiletries than she had.

  ‘I think you might be right.’ She heard a faint laugh. ‘But you might want to consider coming back later.’

  ‘I did already, you’ve been in there a while. I brought you some tablets for your, er, issue. A bottle of water and a room freshener. Well, that’s mostly for me when you leave.’ She wondered how long ago he’d first come up.

&nb
sp; Well this was embarrassing, wasn’t it?

  ‘I won’t be long,’ she muttered.

  Flushing the toilet and opening the little window she heard a squawk and couldn’t help imagining she’d just killed one of the local birds with the smell. Opening the door, a crack, she stuck a hand out and was rewarded with a carrier bag which she quickly pulled back through. She sprayed vigorously, choking on the aerosol and resorting to sticking her head out the window. Much to the amusement of the people on the balcony across the way. She hoped the smell hadn’t drifted that far.

  Downing the water and taking two tablets meant to ease her discomfort, but did nothing for those in smelling range, she wrapped her towel back around her waist and nipped out through as small a gap as she could manage.

  ‘I’d give it about an hour if I were you,’ she said, sheepish as she headed for the door. How had she not noticed a bloke was staying here? His clothes were on the bed, and on the floor. A bag of lager sat in one corner and for some reason, he had decorated the mirror with a huge flag.

  ‘Are you not even going to introduce yourself?’ he laughed.

  ‘I think we’ve had as much of an introduction as we’ll ever need, don’t you?’ she smiled, sort of. Making her way out into the hall and ignoring the calls about a half-naked woman turning up in his suite without him having to invite her. She was trying to work out where she’d gone wrong.

  Turned out she was a floor below where she should have been. And grateful to be safe from the stares of the other guests, who she was sure already knew what had happened, she slumped on the bed. Her stomach was still growling ominously but with no imminent need to head to her own bathroom. Still, she wouldn’t be going anywhere until she was sure she was out of the danger zone.

  She couldn’t imagine for a second that he hadn’t told his friends and everyone within earshot. But if she was going to keep playing she was going to have to leave her room. She took a long bath and felt a little better. The warm water helped. Wondering whether it was possible to pull in the hotel bar, she chose her outfit with care. No white. Just in case. Simple make-up, low heels, and sun glasses holding her hair back. She didn’t think she’d be needing them at this time of night but it seemed the fashion to wear them at all hours, and they did have purple frames.

  Then she headed down to the bar. There was a barbecue and the guests were free to eat as much as they wanted and join in with the activities. She wasn’t keen on joining in but the food sure smelled delicious. Almost drooling by the time, she got to the food tables she selected salads and rice and ribs, before curling up on an abandoned lounger to eat her feast.

  ‘Here I brought you a water.’

  ‘Omg, what are you doing?’ she asked the guy whose bathroom she’d fumigated earlier.

  ‘You need lots of fluids.’

  ‘I need my eyes testing more like.’ She was talking around a mouthful and holding a napkin in front so he couldn’t see her chewing.

  ‘We’ve already shared so much, seems a shame to go out on a bad note.’ He was trying real hard to look offended. Why would he be interested in the girl who stunk up his bathroom?

  ‘We haven’t shared anything!’

  ‘We’ve shared a toilet seat.’

  ‘Oh my god!’ she gasped. ‘Stop please, let me finish this mouthful, or you’re going to end up wearing it.’

  He made a zipping motion across his lips and sat stock still on the next lounger as she finished eating. She raised her eyebrows.

  ‘Where are your friends?’ she asked, hoping it was just a brief visit to rub in the embarrassment of what she’d done. And that in a moment he would take off to meet up with them and leave her to her evening.

  ‘They went to a night club but there’s only so much foam a person can cope with.’ He grinned ‘My head is still banging from last night. Thought I’d chill and drink a ton of water instead tonight.’

  ‘Sounds sensible.’

  ‘And boring I know, but now I’ve found you we can have a sensible kind of fun.’ He smiled.

  ‘Now you’ve found me?’

  ‘I wasn’t exactly looking for you, just hoping you’d be staying near the hotel tonight, what with you being, erm, unwell?’

  ‘You’re not going to let that go, are you?’ she asked, picking at her food.

  ‘Not anytime soon,’ he agreed. ‘Be right back, need some of that tasty looking chicken.’

  She couldn’t help but laugh as he dashed off in his flip flops to pile a plate full of food.

  They sat and ate in companionable silence. Which was a little weird considering how they’d met.

  As the evening wore on they chatted and laughed and joked until they joined in with the activities the hotel and holiday staff had concocted for their entertainment. In answer to how low could she go, she won second prize to some bendy gymnast girl. But she could only balance the pineapple on her head for a total of ten seconds before she burst out laughing and dropped it.

  Not a drop of alcohol passed her lips so it was a bit of a surprise to find herself in his bed just after midnight, giggling like a school girl as he tickled her. She couldn’t wriggle away and he kept pinning her down until they were no longer giggling but kissing. Deep yearning kisses as if he was the water and she’d been in the desert for a month, maybe longer.

  There was just something about him that made her want to wrap herself around him and climb inside him and merge with him and, hell, everything all at once. His skin was still warm from the sun and his tan enhanced the darkness of his hair and eyes. She melted into the moment until she wasn’t thinking, just doing. Again, and again and again.

  Gathering her things somewhere around dawn, he made her promise to call him when she’d landed back home. He wanted to take it further and she wasn’t objectionable. But for now, she needed a long sleep in her own bed before she had to pack. Only one day to go.

  Task: All those things you are normally so good at – you are not allowed to do today, at all. Get it wrong or just don’t put any effort in.

  Emerging from her room around noon she wandered down to the dining room for her second to last meal, nothing planned other than packing. Her normal self would be packed already. In fact, she would have risen before nine, despite the late night, and packed before breakfast had even been served. But the book had told her not to be her usual self. She was determined she would manage this one perfectly. Despite being a little OCD about packing.

  She lasted till three before grabbing the suitcase and beginning to shove stuff in. Yup shove. It nearly killed her to just grab stuff and chuck it in. Ordinarily, it would be folded and rolled to prevent creases; organized for balance. Her shoes would be spread across the top. There could even have been a couple of towels in there too that weren’t hers. Then she’d had to sit on it to make it close, and shoving it by the door ready for the next day she flopped back on the bed. And began to chew her nails.

  A few minutes later she remembered stuff she hadn’t packed. Her straighteners from the little shelf under the mirror, her clothes from today. The toiletries she would need in the morning. She was going to have to be at least a little bit organized. She emptied the bag on the bed and separated everything into two piles. Things she needed in her large handbag and everything she wouldn’t need till she got home. Then re-stuffed, sure this time she could get the rest in in the morning. She’d be checking out at four am and breakfasting at the airport.

  The handbag was repacked three times before she thought it looked both organised and unorganised. She wondered who she was fooling and climbed into bed. She slept for two hours before getting up to repack the case. There was nothing she could do about it. It had to be packed the way she packed stuff, it was the only way she knew she had everything.

  Tucked just out of sight, under the edge of the bed, lay her diamond engagement ring.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: MAËL

  The next morning, Mike woke aching. He hadn’t realised just how much she wanted him to move around her
house. Even with his Demon strength that solid oak wardrobe had been a struggle.

  ‘I’m off to work babe,’ she said leaning over the bed and planting a kiss on his forehead. ‘I’ll see you later.’

  ‘Okay, not sure when I’ll be back in myself. If you’re hungry don’t wait for me.’

  ‘Sure thing.’

  He lay back in the warmth as he listened to her footsteps retreating. Then with a final stretch, he threw the covers back and got up. He had stores to visit, books to sell, and witches to question.

  Whilst waiting for a decision from one of the managers he saw a young woman perusing the eReaders, trying to decide between models. And knowing which one the book was on he went over to offer his help.

  She was sweet. He hoped she liked the book.

  The manager returned just in time to see him making the eReader sale and let him know they would be placing a large order.

  ‘If they don’t sell, which I’m sure they will, we can always take back any surplus.’ Mike smiled, nothing like a reassuring guarantee.

  ‘I’m sure they will. Haven’t read one myself yet but the staff have been saying great things,’ the manager said, signing the forms. ‘See you again soon.’

  Mike nodded. For all that he’d been meaning to read the book he hadn’t gotten around to it yet.

  He left the store and headed for the Demon part of town, down the narrow cobbled street, to the Victorian fronted book shop. There were streets like these across the world, catering to the more magically inclined. Of course, Demons also used them, as well as less favourable creatures.