By the time no more men entered the booth I sat in I was exhausted and about ready to cry. I’d lost count of the number of men, but a collection of names had been added to my database and beside my purse sat a small pile of tokens.Every man had tipped me, and some of them had tipped me well. It was one of the few things I could be truly grateful for.For a moment I sat on the edge of the cushioned table, sore, achy, and so tired my limbs felt impossibly heavy. I didn’t want to move, but a small amount of curiosity got me to do so. I reached for the device in my purse and checked my earnings. Five men had paid me almost seven hundred credits. I had made the money I needed and some. If I wanted I could go home.But I still hadn’t seen Tomichii. Or Kioshi.After checking my appearance and tucking the hundred credits I also had in tokens away, I got to my feet and pulled back the curtain. The room was busier than I’d expected, the night feeling later than it clearly was. Edward appeared b
“Have you been painting long?” I asked, not sure what else to say and falling back on small talk from the era I’d grown up in instead.“Only eleven years. I’m nowhere near as good as some of the greats,” the boy replied.“Eleven years?” I asked. “That’s a huge amount of time. You must be a pro by now.”“No. I still have a long way to go before I’m as good as some of the masters, but this will be good practice. I’m sure Tomichii will be pleased.”It was all I could get out of the kid. Everything else was merely comments on things like asking me to keep a part of my body especially still.Over an hour had passed when Tomichii returned. He immediately smiled and went over to the painter to see what had been produced so far. The two of them talked about things in hushed voices before Tomichii smiled and came over to me.“Thank you, Markus. If you could return in a week’s time, we will continue it then.” Markus nodded and left as Tomichii reached for my hand and lifted me to my feet.“I thi
I was in the car heading to the club the next morning before I had a chance to even think. I’d woken where I’d fallen asleep. In Daniel’s office, underneath Daniel. He’d ushered me off to my room to clean up, touch up the paint I wore and head back out again.More than once I’d been thankful that I wore paint instead of clothing and that it could last, but this would be the first time I’d worn the exact same design two days running.“You seem distracted,” Edward said, pulling out of me after using my body to meet his needs as well. Looking at him, I tried to work out what to say. Neither of us had promised to be with each other long term, but equally I knew I was living in a careful balance. Daniel’s gentleness had shocked me, however.“There’s a lot to think about,” I said in the end, knowing it was a non-answer. If it bothered Edward, he didn’t show it. Instead he sat back and waited for the car to take us to the club. It was half true. Having gone to Daniel and barely had five minut
“Where’s Dante?” I said a moment later, noticing he’d not joined the group with Keaton, and wishing to change the subject so I could regain my train of thought and composure.“Gone,” Keaton replied, his vocal tone suddenly changed, clipped and almost aggressive in its deepness. “Not that you should be looking for someone else while I’m the one paying for your time.”Gulping, I tried to find the words to respond. I’d clearly angered Keaton with my careless question.“I was just surprised. You were obviously talking about very important things, and I didn’t want to interrupt you or distract you,” I replied.Keaton studied me for a moment, the room silent now as everyone waited to see how he reacted. I tried to look like I didn’t feel guilty, but I knew everyone was looking at me and it made me feel more than a little uncomfortable.Eventually he nodded and waved at the waiter to bring him some breakfast as well.“Let’s talk about something happier,” Keaton said. “None of this depressing
Not sure entirely what to expect, I walked into the restaurant again. This time, rather than seeking out a companion, I found a table and ordered a drink and a small snack. It cost me a few credits, but less than I’d been tipped already that day. Before I could decide on a person to approach, a familiar face came to me.“Richard, isn’t it?” I asked, vaguely placing him as a business trip person whom I’d helped with some kind of math problem while at a bar.“Yes, I’m Richard. I think I owe you an apology, Auralia. I freaked out over a few rumors. Took a friend pointing out that jealous courtesans can make them and spread them faster than most of us men can keep up for me to realize you were probably innocent in all this.”For a moment I sat in a stunned silence, unable to process what he’d just said.“Would you do me the honor of letting me buy you a drink?” he asked a moment later.“The honor would be mine,” I replied, both grateful and stunned that this was happening. Maybe someone wa
“Is there anything in particular that you’d like me to do for you?” I asked. Almost immediately he frowned.“I don’t want this to be... like other courtesan and companion moments,” he said. “I’d like this to be more like lovers. I want this to satisfy us both, and for you to enjoy this and get what you want too.”“That’s very sweet of you,” I replied. “Shall we take some of these clothes off so we’re a little more equally attired and snuggle up under the duvet?”I felt him relax against me as he nodded and my hands found his trousers. Quickly, and almost as if I was an expert, I had him in nothing but his boxers and I was pulling back the covers.As I tried to get into the low bed beside him, I caught my foot and tumbled slightly. I blushed and laughed but felt him relax near me as he chuckled, and then I was in his arms, our mouths pressing together.My slight mistake and the laughter that had followed had broken the ice and he finally felt confident enough to explore my body with his
“There she is,” Tomichii said as I walked into the room, trying not to look as flustered as I felt.I smiled and slipped into the offered arm, letting him pull me into a hug while I smiled at the room of people. There were four investors, as Tomichii and Kioshi had promised, but no sign of Kioshi himself.Tomichii introduced all the men, although I recognised a couple of them from a previous party I’d been at. One where Bernice had done her best to embarrass me before I was unveiled.This time all the eyes were on me and I was the only courtesan in the room. I tried to smile and asked the two I recognised if they were doing well, wracking my brains for something they might have said the last time so I could ask them about it again. This seemed to do the trick and immediately I was surrounded by the four men.I was offered drinks, small items of food and generally conversed with for the next few minutes, everyone making it clear they were only there for me. I used the opportunity to pra
I slowly walked towards the door, my legs growing stronger as I moved and tested them. Apparently, even after all that, I had some capacity left.But I found my feet taking me in only one direction, towards the garden. I didn’t fight my instincts, knowing I’d appreciate the moment to clear my head before I had to return to the court and Daniel.It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders as I walked into the garden. The stars were out and more than easily viewable despite the city surroundings, and the lights had been dimmed to make viewing them easier while still being able to see to explore the gardens. I wandered towards my favourite spot, a view that continued to make me stop and think.Before I could get there, one of the men I recognised from the first investor meeting I’d been to stepped into view. He’d been sitting on the bench, a drink in one hand, until he’d clearly spotted me.He held up two tokens. Another one hundred.“I’ve been hankering to taste you since Tomichii let y