Tainted Novels & Stories

AJ… The fucker branded her. It was red and raw and looked like it was going to become infected but the AJ was so prominent… It was a scar she was to wear for the rest of her life. He made it so the world now understood that she was his… Sick fucker that he was… She would forever remember AJ now… Not that he was easy to forget. Lillianna did not see AJ again until later that night. The men had left and it was only the ladies. “So you are like a cow… They mark cows right?” Sally was being a complete bitch to her. Marla and Britney laughed. Lillianna for the life of her could not understand how anybody could be so cruel.

“Watch closely, Alzna. This is what happens to those who cross me.” One of his guards handed him two remotes. “This collar,” he began, holding one of the remotes above, “is designed for rats like you. It electrocutes, burns, and beheads its victim and one of its amazing features is it will kill you instantly if it is tampered with. Let's start with electrocution,” he said, his gaze never leaving mine. I gulped down hard as my heart thudded in my ribs, but I wasn't going to let him see I was scared.

DAMON'S POV The doctor’s voice was devoid of emotion, yet there was weight behind every word he spoke. His explanation came slowly, as though each syllable was a burden he hesitated to deliver. “They’re called taints,” he said, his gaze fixed but weary. “Marks of betrayal. Every time you share yourself with someone else, it stains the bond. And Velara—she’s your bond. That means every one of your encounters doesn’t just hurt her; it brands her. Deeply. Irreparably.”

“Selene might not have used clean magic to track Eren’s scent.” I froze. “Meaning…?” “Meaning,” Lera said carefully, “there’s a taint to it. A hitch in the weave. It isn’t pure warlock work. More like she mixed something forbidden into it.” My mind jumped instantly to Kael, to the fact that they were in the pack together and she could do anything to him. “If it’s tainted magic and she used it on him-” I cut myself off. The image of him hurt was sharp, too sharp.

“It detected hesitation.” “What does that mean?” “It thinks I’m unstable.” A cold wave moves through my body. “Unstable?” “Yes.” Another violent tremor shakes through him. His wolf flashes across his eyes. Silver. Bright. Furious. Then it flickers out again. “Kieran,” I whisper. “It’s accelerating.” My chest tightens. “No.” “Yes.” He inhales sharply. “The system interprets hesitation as corruption.” “That’s insane.” “It was built that way.” “Then break it!”

I knew I should link someone, but I needed to know what they were after. Finally, the composed one cried out in triumph, holding up something small that fit easily in his closed fist. I couldn’t make out what it was. But then one of the crazed girls turned, and I froze. Her pupils were vertical slits in a spatter pattern, bloodshot and wild. The mark of a freshly turned Tainted. I suppressed a gasp as my blood ran cold. *No…* She made eye contact with me and snarled. The other three sniffed the air and turned my direction. *Shit.* I had to run. Now.

[ Bima: "You call my power a taint. A corruption. But it is your power, your 'security,' that is corrupt. Built on a foundation of stolen life. And I will tear it all down." A dangerous, almost feral energy emanated from Bima, making the students closest to him instinctively back away. His mana, once a hesitant trickle, now surged with a terrifying, uncontrolled intensity. The violet taint within him, no longer a sign of corruption, but of a raw, untamed power, pulsed and flared, momentarily overpowering the emerald hue of his Verdant Root. Headmaster Alistair took a step forward, his face contorted with a rage that was terrifying in its intensity. His silver robes seemed to writhe with unse

I want to be a friend for Zavian, to be someone who can care about him. "Does Tai know?" I whisper. Zavian swallows, looking pained, dark hair hanging down over his eyes. It's clear that he's embarrassed by this, that him being addicted to Tani blood is not something he wishes to divulge to Tai unless absolutely necessary. And I wouldn't never betray his confidence, if he didn't not wish me to. "No," he mutters. "No one but you." "You don't want to be anything like those Tani..." I tell him firmly. And by those, I mean one's like the Beast, like Marek. Predator Tani, which do nothing but hurt, lie and betray anyone who dares get close to them.

Very few these days understood the ways of undoing corruption from tainted claws. To the supernatural world, tainted claws were just not done. It was the magical version of biological warfare. Only evil would use this. An evil that had lost all value in life and others. It would work into the wounds and fester. A death from corruption was horrific. A slow rot from the wound boring deep into the body. Painfully slowly and it ate at the person’s mind feeding its false sights and sounds no one else could hear. When the one afflicted was conscious they would scream and thrash. Eventually, tearing at their wounds making them

“I do not. This is why our being here is such a gamble. Eros, the god of love and…. Sex. That is who we seek.” I don’t know why I blushed at the simple use of the word sex. But the heat in Finn’s gaze told me I was not alone in being affected. “He can teach us how to…. You know…. Without causing the apocalypse?” “I hope so. He is responsible for forging the tethers. He handpicked us for each other, so it is my hope he will tell us why, as well teach us how to control the power of our bond.” The whisper of a breeze caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand on end. I threw my arm out to stop Finn and held my finger up to my mouth to indicate silence.