Touch

By Clare London

Will a spoiled prince abandon everything he holds dear, for a forbidden love?
A powerful but pampered lord, Chariz has only a passing interest in the new slave thrown at his feet, although he's both beautiful and helpless. But the rumours of Oriel’s powers flow quickly and shockingly around the court. Is he an empath, a Magician—or a clever trickster? Chariz selfishly enjoys Oriel’s company, but cynically dismisses the rumours as nonsense—until Oriel shows how deeply he both understands and empathises with Chariz’s personal, and closely-hidden pain.
Oriel's mysterious and compassionate allure draws Chariz closer as they bond, and the initial lust develops into love. But Oriel's touch is a prize that others both crave and fear, putting him in mortal danger from the political machinations of Chariz’s ambitious and imperious mother.
Chariz has only ever lived life on his own terms, indulging his own desires. But the time approaches when he must decide whether he’ll stand up for his principles, and pay the price of Oriel’s love. Especially when that price may demand a shocking sacrifice... from them both.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clare London
• Release date: Oct 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005142148

Clare London

Clare took the pen name London from the city where she lives, loves, and writes. A lone, brave female in a frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home, she juggles her writing with the weekly wash, waiting for the far distant day when she can afford to give up her day job as an accountant. She’s written in many genres and across many settings, with novels and short stories published both online and in print. She says she likes variety in her writing while friends say she’s just fickle, but as long as both theories spawn good fiction, she’s happy. Most of her work features male/male romance and drama with a healthy serving of physical passion, as she enjoys both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic and sexy characters.Clare currently has several novels sulking at that tricky chapter 3 stage and plenty of other projects in mind . . . she just has to find out where she left them in that frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home.All the details and free fiction are available at her website. Visit her today and say hello!Join up for her newsletter at http://bit.ly/2WpHlyK and receive a free short story!Clare also writes as Stella Shaw and launched her Love at the Haven series of rent boy romances in 2021.Website + blog: http://www.clarelondon.com / stellashawauthor.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/clarelondonTwitter: https://twitter.com/clare_londonGoodreads: http://bit.ly/2lNSfC2Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/clarelondonBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/clare-londonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarelondon11/Quids&Quills: http://www.quidsandquills.com (accountancy for UK authors)

Book preview

TOUCH

Copyright ©2010 Clare London

Published by Jocular Press 2022

Previously published by Dreamspinner Press 2010

Smashwords Edition

This title has been written in UK English.

All Rights Reserved

This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee. Such action is illegal and in violation of Copyright Law.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Blurb

Will a spoiled prince abandon everything he holds dear, for a forbidden love?

A powerful but pampered lord, Chariz has only a passing interest in the new slave thrown at his feet, although he's both beautiful and helpless. But the rumours of Oriel’s powers flow quickly and shockingly around the court. Is he an empath, a Magician—or a clever trickster? Chariz selfishly enjoys Oriel’s company, but cynically dismisses the rumours as nonsense—until Oriel shows how deeply he both understands and empathises with Chariz’s personal, and closely-hidden pain.

Oriel's mysterious and compassionate allure draws Chariz closer as they bond, and the initial lust develops into love. But Oriel's touch is a prize that others both crave and fear, putting him in mortal danger from the political machinations of Chariz’s ambitious and imperious mother.

Chariz has only ever lived life on his own terms, indulging his own desires. But the time approaches when he must decide whether he’ll stand up for his principles, and pay the price of Oriel’s love. Especially when that price may demand a shocking sacrifice... from them both..

INDEX

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

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CHAPTER 1

My dream moved in the middle of the night like blood: smooth and thick, seeping through my body as I slept, its tendrils warm and wicked. I couldn’t ignore it, and I couldn’t protect myself against it, for it possessed me. And pain followed in its wake, as vivid as the fear and shock associated with a sudden flow of real blood.

The small, childlike hand that nestled in my palm started to slip away. It took its warmth and comfort with it. Loss stripped me of its company and bereaved me of its love. I couldn’t do anything to cling to it, for my body was weak and my mind confused. And then the anguish struck.

This is just a dream.

I knew that in both my head and my heart, but the hurt felt real. How could that be? My eyes ached, my ears hummed. A youthful voice echoed around me, laughing and crying by turns, but no one ever came into view. The sound was fading fast.

I was determined to move this time, to fight back, to keep that tiny hand within my grasp, but I seemed unable to control my limbs properly. Wherever I lay, I was wracked with discomfort, and every movement felt clumsy. Frustration! Too hot, too cold, near or distant, I had no idea what or where I was.

But for one last, marvellous moment, the fingers of that small hand brushed against mine, the plump fingertips still tickling my skin.

The love was still there. It understood. It was still mine. It cared.

And then I awoke, panting, my hands fisted around empty air and my naked body straining to reach something that didn’t exist. My bed linens were crumpled and sweat-stained beneath me. I would have cried aloud if there’d been anyone to hear, but I was alone. The dream only came when I was without company, as if it knew when I was at my most vulnerable.

I pulled myself up to sit against the head of my bed, clutching the edge of the mattress with a shaky hand, waiting for the thudding of my heart to ease and the familiarity of my bed chamber to return my senses to me.

Even with company, I was always alone. I recognised the truth of that with sudden, sharp bitterness. I’d lost that unconditional, innocent love a long time ago and had never recovered it. Or my own capacity for compassion, some might say. But there were few people who knew me well enough to make such criticism, or who dared to. And I had no time for such weakness nowadays, such vulnerability. I didn’t deserve it.

Chariz…

A lingering whisper chastised me, but I shook my head, fully awake by now. Just a dream. Of course.

But the tears on my cheeks took far longer to dry.

CHAPTER 2

He’s nothing but another slave, I said sourly.

The sun had passed the mid-day point hours ago, but my head still hurt badly from the late night before. There’d been heavily spiced food at the Council festival and excessive wine, rich as a bull’s blood. I’d felt lethargic all day, though that was to be expected after the overnight attentions of an enthusiastic bed-mate… or three. I had a grain-trade meeting set for early evening, but I knew I probably wouldn’t turn up. It wouldn’t be the first time I had neglected my pompous Council duties as Chancellor.

And now my servants had burst into the ante-room of my private quarters and flung a jumble of bone and flesh at my feet, all of it accompanied by their excited jabbering. The noise jarred on my sensitive ears. I was in poor humour for visitors, and they should have known it. I’d been known to break the limbs of my lackeys in punishment, but… no, perhaps not until I felt more physically robust.

Hul saw my look; he knew me perhaps the best. He had been with me for over a full Earth season-set, and that was quite an impressive reference for a servant of my department.

See him for yourself, Chancellor Chariz, he insisted. The others fell silent around him, as they were used to following his lead. The Lady’s housemaids were taking him to her quarters, but we told them he had to be interrogated first. He nudged at the captive on the floor with his boot. Kneel up before the Chancellor, idiot, like I told you.

I ran an aimless hand through my thick, half-combed hair and glanced at the heap of cloth