ISHTAR.His tongue burned my mouth, the kind of fire that ignited everything good within me, and I found that I was helpless against his touch. I kissed him hungrily, my hands in his hair and his on my lower back, and he pressed me tighter to him, his urgent lips working wonders on mine.I was kissing him, open-mouthed, with my eyes fluttered shut. My hands burrowed into his hair while he reached up to answer by pulling me closer to him, my back hitting the cold wall while he pushed harder against me. His hands were everywhere on my dress, grabbing me roughly. The shock of his mouth against mine wasn't cold or intimidating. The contact sparked up a passionate connection that traveled into my knees and weakened it. I weaved my hands behind his head to draw him closer, my breathing labored and ragged with a forcefully demanding heat engulfing my insides.I couldn't believe I was touching him. Kissing him hastily enough to communicate something that words weren't enough to. All our hidd
DAMIAN."You want to go to college?" I asked again, leaning back against the chair. "That's new…" Of all things, she mentioned college. What was up with this sudden and hasty decision? "Why?" "Because…" Ishtar shrugged, "It's…something new. I want to do something for myself, and going to college seems like a really good idea. You told me to wish for something, genie.." She pursed her lips. I let out a wry chuckle, scrunching my nose, "So you just want to go to college. That's it? No dream, no passion. Did anyone tell you it's going to be fun? Like a vacation or something? Was it Reiss who put you up to this?"Ishtar sighed, "You ask too many questions for someone who pretends to be nonchalant. Yes, Reiss talked about college, but he never asked me to go without him or anything of that sort, okay? I just chose to. And I'd like to study art.""You don't seem like an art person to me…""Then what do I seem like to you!" Ishtar snapped, "Someone you can kiss at random and act like it di
ISHTAR.Reiss walked in with a box of pizza in his hand, and I was more than delighted to have him over. After my conversation with Damian earlier, I was left drained and empty. And I couldn't get his voice out of my head.I couldn't seem to process the fact that he was going to keep acting like there was nothing going on between us. I liked him, and I'd made my peace with that. My fragile heart seemed to have fallen for his cheap tricks.It was saddening. "Welcome to Ishtar Flys, we are the best, and we're glad you're here," I said in a sharp, enunciated tone. I'd been pondering over what could be a good idea to study, and being a flight attendant didn't seem like a bad idea. "Flight attendant?" Reiss guessed in a go as he set down the box and sat down. "Are you taking this college thing seriously? It'd be really nice if you were."I exhaled tiredly and slumped into a chair before him, "Well, it seems like a really good idea if I manage to pass the exams. I did some research, and da
DAMIAN.As I got into the car and drove off, the question she asked me seemed to pound in my head, ringing at the back of my mind like a nevermind ending tale.I had managed to lie to her and told her I didn't know who Rebecca was. Of course, I knew who Rebecca was. She was her best friend. No, wait, she was Minerva's best friend. Not Ishtar's. Ishtar was a different person, utterly different.She had no connection with Minerva or my past. That would be bizarre and impossible. I didn't see a way by which that could happen, except the gods had chosen to torture me for the little time I have left."It wouldn't happen. It would not." My head was spinning as the thoughts kept punching me in the guts, and I pulled over on the highway to take a deep breath. "Minerva is not Ishtar," I muttered to myself, panting as I wound down the glass. The car had gotten stuffy, rid of any space for breathing. "This has to be some kind of nasty trick. I don't see a way that's possible." I paused, remembe
ISHTAR.I was going to try preparing dinners again tonight, even though I was almost sure he wasn't going to take a bite of it. Ever since I got discharged from the hospital, our interactions had been so minor. It was almost as though he didn't live under the same roof as I did.Damian tried to hide away for a reason I was insanely curious about. It wasn't helping that I reminded him of the death of his sister or how much he tried to question me about what happened when I passed out. I told him everything already, exactly how it happened, but I couldn't answer the questions he had.My heart was heavy, and I clutched tightly the bag of groceries I was holding, looking up at the moon that seemed to be walking with me. At least I wasn't alone. Not entirely. The wind slapped me in the face, and the cold air settled on my lips. It was the kind of atmosphere where everything incited tears and ill feelings, the kind of night where I wouldn't mind being wrapped up by a stranger's arms and cu
ISHTAR.My hands shook as I held the same kind of letter again, perusing it without tearing the envelope open because I was anxious about what I'd find next. The same security who had gotten the first got this one, too. This time, he didn't see who slipped it under the gate.I inhaled sharply, sitting upright as I gently tore open the tip of the brown envelope and fished out the white sheet folded inside of it. I carefully unraveled it, and my eyes fell on the words largely scribbled at the center of the white sheet.DAMIANOS KINKADE. No question marks this time? Was this some sort of confirmation? Whoever these people were, they knew me, and they knew me well. The paper was the only thing contained in the envelope, and there were no hidden messages.Just as I'd tried to read the last one with candlelight, I'd do this, too. I and the security guard had checked everything— whoever it was, they were able to meticulously bypass the CCTV cameras while on this mission.Everything was stif
ISHTAR.The moment I heard the roaring of the engine as his vehicle entered the compound, I ran back to my seat and pretended to be engrossed in my book. I'd been sitting by the window for the past hour, waiting for him to arrive.Damian was a bit late, and I wondered why. I flipped the pages and perused over a particular page when I finally heard the door open, and the room was engulfed by the strong smell of his cologne. It was to die for, literally.As though it was the key to playing with my brain, I became restless on the seat, thinking about how or when I'd ever get a chance to be that close to him again. His footsteps echoed in my direction, and it took everything in me to stay still.I was burning with excitement, like a kitten would before milk. He'd been standing there for a while, watching me while my cheeks burned, and I tried to hide between my hair. It was excruciatingly anxious to pretend like I didn't notice he was there, so I turned slowly and looked up at him, "Thank
DAMIAN.The day of the gala arrived, and the hours seemed to drag as I waited eagerly downstairs for Ishtar to be done dressing up. It wasn't anything important, so I knew she could handle it, especially after the appearance she'd pulled off on the day she tried to tempt me. Time ticked by really slowly, feeding into my anticipation, and I couldn't help it. I couldn't help wanting to see her in that dress. I was hungry to see her in a dress again, just one more time.The want hit me like never before, and I paced around the living room, my hands behind my back as I waited for what seemed like decades. The sound of the ticking clock filled my head and synced with my heartbeat, troubling me even more. It seemed as though there was a void inside of me waiting to be filled. I just couldn't wrap my head around it.Maybe it was because tomorrow was the first day of a full moon, and all my senses were heightened. Finally, Ishtar's footsteps filled my ears, and I hesitated, pausing in my t