Ais Touchstarved Novels & Stories

Touch with fear: punished. Touch with desire: fed upon. That one makes my stomach twist. “Intimacy isn’t forbidden,” I whisper. “It’s… taxable.” Cain’s jaw tightens. “It takes a cut.” “Yes,” I say. “A heavy one.” I rest my hand on his forearm, not to comfort, not to provoke. Just there. My mind stays still. Present. No longing. No dread. The heart beats. Neutral. The Devourer watches. I feel its attention like a weight behind my eyes, probing for cracks.

“Obsession isn’t rational. And neither is Ravena anymore.” But I wasn’t listening anymore. I could feel Star’s bond, faint but persistent. She was waiting. And this time, I wouldn’t be too late.

Luna’s POV The smell of turpentine clung to my skin like guilt I couldn’t wash off. It was 3:17 a.m., and I stood barefoot in my studio, wearing nothing but an oversized, paint-streaked shirt and a pair of underwear I couldn’t remember putting on. My fingers trembled from too much coffee and too little food, hovering just above the last blank canvas. My bank account was a joke. I hadn’t paid my rent. I’d been living off wine, cigarettes, and instant ramen.The final piece for tonight’s show. My chest tightened. I still hadn’t touched it.

I move to drop the tray on the mini table when his hands close around my wrist, sending mini sparks flying across my body in response to the mate bond. "Wait," he says. "Actually — wait." The whole rooftop seems to lean in a fraction, the way crowds do when they smell a scene about to happen. "Elias—" "You know what," his voice climbs, eyes glinting with the particular cruelty that alcohol always dragged out of him, "I don't actually want that." He knocks the bowl clean out of my hands. It hit the floor with a crack loud enough to cut through the music — broth splashing across the marble, across my shoes, up the hem of the gray dress his mother had approved that very afternoon. A few people

Hunter swiftly silenced the music, while Hayden deftly removed the drink from my unsteady grip. "Hey, d-don't touch my music or my d-drink, okay?" I slurred, my words slinking out in a drunken haze. Their eyes lingered on my chest, their expressions tense with a mixture of desire and concern as they observed me with unwavering focus. I clumsily attempted to reclaim my drink from Hayden's grasp, my body swaying unsteadily, I found myself disregarding any sense of propriety. Ignoring the proximity of our bodies, I scrambled to reach for the glass, my breasts inadvertently brushing against him in the process.

He stepped away from Até and wrapped his arm around my waist, planting a kiss on my forehead before whispering in my ear. “Scold me for not keeping my distance later love, I can sense you need me close right now…” He was right. His touch was instantly calming. I was thankful we were not near the sea, for the storm that would have brewed from that little episode would have been intense. “My, my…. Tethered mates? Now that is a rare sight indeed.” Até mused. “Pleasure seeing you as always, cousin. But we really must keep on our way…”

And on his right, was his visitor, who gleefully chuckled when he saw us. The door closed behind us. "Here they are," said the visitor as he rubbed his hands. "I want to watch them fuck." That felt like someone threw a bag of nails at me. Fuck the slave girl in front of them? "It is forbidden for my male slaves to have any sexual parley with female slaves, Elias Thorne," Lord Kael said. "Then make tonight an exception, Kael. I am an important visitor, aren't I?" Lord Kael gave a slow nod then clapped his hands at us. "You heard him. Entertain us."

she admits with a grateful smile. "Who might you be?" Ember inquires, her curiosity piqued. "I'm Star, Phoenix's mate," Astrid replies warmly, a smile gracing her lips. Ember's eyes widen in pleasant surprise. "Oh, how wonderful! I wish I could linger and chat longer, but Titan tends to get rather impatient." The sudden intrusion of the door sliding open caught everyone off guard. Titan emerged from the room, blindfolded and wearing nothing but boxers and handcuffs, a perplexed expression on his face.

' Home, God I miss that place. I reach my hand and try to capture it between my fingers. Terra 2, the brightest star the skies can bear. Then, my eyes shift to the small tattoo on my wrist reminding me of why I am here. I stretch the sleeve to cover it, but her piercing gaze is too disturbing. Let's go inside. I'm starving.' I change the subject catching her staring again.

Before he could recover— Another blow, this time to the stomach. Pain ripped through him. His body spasmed uncontrollably. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth onto the concrete. But he didn’t seem to care. He dragged himself forward inch by inch, pressing his cheek to the rough floor until he reached Jack’s shoes. Gone was the untouchable tycoon of the capital. He lifted a trembling, bloodstained hand, trying to grab the hem of Jack’s pristine trousers— Then pulled it back at the last second, ashamed to dirty them.