Borrowed Ember (18 page)

“Oh my God.” Ari felt like she’d been kicked in the stomach. “It was al you. Al this time, it was al you.”

“I wanted you for myself. I wanted to see if, through you, I could have a Lilif the way my Sultana was always meant to be. She was supposed to be light and dark.

True, she was always heavier on the dark and Asmodeus always heavier on the light, but there was always a balance. Until she let the darkness destroy her. But through you there was hope that at least her power could exist as it should have.” He dropped his head, seeming almost sad. “But Asmodeus, unaware of my true hopes, grew suspicious of what the Seal was realy doing to you. When you argued, your eyes changed to black like Lilif’s and your whole being reminded him so greatly of her, that he decided today to trigger the Seal and see once and for al if his suspicions were correct.”

“What suspicions?” she asked, taking a step back, but the fear in her gut was teling her she already knew what he was about to say.

“That Lilif’s essence is escaping the Seal and fighting to take control of you.”

“How is that even possible?” Ari whispered. “I thought the essence was just the power?”

“Lilif is no ordinary Jinn, Ari. She is almost as old as I. No Jinn was ever meant to carry
her
essence within them. I see that now.”

“So I’m what? An experiment gone wrong?” she spat.

He shrugged. “Succinctly put. Now I think we should take the Seal back before Lilif causes any more damage.”

Back? Back… back would mean kiling her. Right? Oh God, she despised them! Ari wanted to destroy Azazil, she wanted to command the damn son-of-a-bitch to

his knees… and Lilif was in there ready to help her to do it…

As if sensing the danger within her, Asmodeus began to move a hand and Ari felt the gathering of his power in the air. She blew back from him using her newly found speed and held up a hand. “Stop!” she commanded and both Azazil and Amosdeus’ expressions darkened, like thunder clouds roling over a sky that had only moments ago been calm.

To al of their surprise Asmodeus took a menacing step forward, the Seal’s command seeming to have no effect on him.

“Stop, Asmodeus!” she cried out in desperation, her hand flying up as if to pulse the power of the Seal out of him.

He kept coming.

“Stop,” Azazil commanded quietly and Asmodeus immediately turned to give him a quizzical look of frustration. “The Seal does not work against you. Did you know this?”

Asmodeus shook his head, a bewildered, feral look in his eyes. “No, Your Majesty, I did not.”

Smiling now, Azazil stood up, his smug expression terrorizing Ari. “Wel, this changes things slightly. Not for you.” He flicked Ari a careless look. “But for Asmodeus. I was going to destroy the Seal and place Lilif’s essence back in hiding. But…” he smiled as if amused, “The Seal is almost mythical in its existence. It excites my people. It chalenged my son to draw up a quite briliant plan, even though it backfired on us al. And here is Asmodeus, immune to the Seal. The perfect protector. Why not alow it to remain here, with you, Asmodeus? It’s only fitting since it is your sister’s being. The Seal was safe with you my friend for centuries, and clearly for a reason. So… what wil it be? Ari as a pet? Or the ring back around your neck?”

Considering his options with a penetrating run of his eyes over Ari’s body, the Lieutenant finaly shook his head and Ari wasn’t sure if that was regret she read in his eyes, or only her own wishful thinking. “I think I’d prefer the ring around my neck. This one is too dangerous to have around.”

Azazil nodded, seeming to understand Asmodeus’ enigmatic comment. “Oh don’t worry, Ari.” Azazil’s expression was bland again. “Recovering the Seal may or

may
not
kil you. We have no way of knowing. Your destiny is very—for lack of a better word —blurry, at the moment.”

Ari took a step back, her thoughts whirring around inside her head. Okay. She couldn’t live with Lilif inside her. She knew that. She did.

A momentary shot of terror gripped her heart as she realized she might die either way. But as she fought to control her breathing and relax the way Jai had taught her, Ari let herself think about it. Sacrificing herself meant Lilif would be kept imprisoned. Surely that was worth the sacrifice?

But if she offered to sacrifice herself and there was a chance that she actualy made it out on the other side, she was getting something of worth out of it.

“Come any closer and I’l command Azazil to kil you before you even make a move,” Ari told Asmodeus softly.

The room darkened as Azazil’s energy thickened with what Ari assumed was his anger. “What do you want?” he asked shrewdly.

Ari drew in a shuddering breath. “If I die, you save Jai and let him return unharmed to his tribe.”

“Done.” He nodded, his expression one of utter boredom.

Ari narrowed her eyes. “And-”

“And?” Azazil sat forward now, his eyebrow raised in haughty enquiry.

“If I do this wilingly, and I live, then I get to cal in a favor.”

“I thought that was your favor.”

“No, that was just a gesture of good wil.”

He smirked at that. “If your favor then is for the sorcerer, I cannot save him if he kils the Labartu. I am sorry. That is out of my hands.”

Dammit. Ari forced down her helpless tears. They were of no use to her here. “Fine. But I stil want a favor if I survive. And I want your oath that you’l give me whatever it is I ask of you.”

She flicked a gaze at Asmodeus to see his eyes gleaming at her again, as if he almost respected her in that moment. As she turned to find Azazil’s answer, she saw he was smiling, as if enjoying himself immensely. “You have my oath that if you survive, I wil grant you a favor—if it is within my power to do so.”

“Done.”

Asmodeus was a blur, his glowing fist crashing down into her chest before Ari had even blinked. Shocked agony tore through Ari as his dark eyes bored into her pleading ones.
I am sorry
, his voice whispered inside her head. Or had she just imagined it?

It was with relief that his fist withdrew from her, light pulsing between the cracks in his fingers. They uncurled slowly, and the throbbing bal of ember in his palm was the last thing Ari saw before the sweet relief of dying pain swept her away on its tides.

23 -
At Least Take My Shield When You Go Into Battle

For two years the Labartu, Akasha, who had kiled Mikey and left the Creagh family to drown in their own devastation, had not left the United States. Ari’s strong aura of power when she’d turned sixteen and broken the protection magic Sala had placed around her, had drawn Akasha to Sandford Ridge when she’d been nearby with another victim. But after kiling Mikey, and hungry for new victims and new places, she’d quickly moved on.

According to The Glass King, Akasha had been hopping from State to State for a number of years, although there had been a period of three months when she’d

disappeared (his guess to Mount Qaf), leaving The Guild who had been tracking her to scramble to find her when she returned.

Her hunger, her vile and wicked evil had led Charlie to this moment—to this motel room in Alief, Southwest Houston. The motel was situated just off of the

Southwest Freeway, the constant flow of traffic buzzing in the near distance was the only thing to break the silence of Charlie’s despair.

When Glass had told Charlie he’d found Akasha, Charlie had lied to Falon. He’d promised her that he wasn’t going anywhere until he knew that Ari was okay.

Before Red had given him the emerald, that probably would have been true. He would have waited for word from her. He even might have attempted some stupid-ass rescue mission.

But not now.

Whatever fear he’d felt after using the emerald had begun to recede with its proximity again. It had begun to recede when Glass had come to him with news of Akasha’s whereabouts. He was on the cusp of his revenge and consumed with the need to use the emerald again; the lingering taste of its incredible power provocative and beckoning.

So with Falon convinced he was going nowhere, Charlie had approached Glass and asked him to take him to the Labartu. They’d traveled using the dizzying rush that was the
Peripatos
to a smal, dark room off of Route 59 in Houston.

Then The Red King had shown up to destroy everything, Charlie thought bitterly.

No need for words of explanation, his face grim as he’d looked upon Glass, Red had simply said, “We’ve done what father wished of us. No more. We’re done

here.”

“But… what?” Charlie had asked in a rush, in a panic. “We’re in Houston, Texas. Houston! How the hel am I supposed to find Akasha in a city this huge by

myself?”

That was the point, Charlie had suddenly realized, taking in Red’s blank expression with absolute disbelief and bitter disappointment. Without their help, Charlie couldn’t find Akasha in time.

Red was trying to keep his word to Ari.

Before Charlie could try to argue his corner, the two Jinn Kings had disappeared into the flames.

He would always just be a human kid who’d been granted some power from those guys. He couldn’t
feel
out Jinn yet from great distances. Al he had was an emerald and what Glass had taught him.

And that would have to be enough.

Damning the consequences, Charlie had conjured a credit card to pay for the room at the motel. He conjured food that didn’t belong to him after spending day in and day out troling the streets for Akasha, hoping that if he got close enough, he’d feel her. It was quite the task, annoying and frustrating as he had to avoid the worst neighborhoods. The last thing he wanted was to accidentaly kil a human bent on holding him at gunpoint for whatever was in his walet.

The search felt pointless.

Nothing.

Stil nothing.

But he couldn’t give up.

He couldn’t leave.

An impatient knock broke through Charlie’s miserable stupor, his heart suddenly pounding as he stared at the motel room door. Wary and clasping the emerald in his pocket, Charlie took slow steps towards to the door, peering through the peephole to see what kind of visitor he had.

Shock and anger, mingled with a strange sense of relief shot through him as he ripped the door open.

Falon glared up at him in the dim light.

“How did you find me?”

Pushing past him with a familiar huff, Falon threw her bag onto one of the twin beds and whirled around to face him, her spiky, short hair flying around her pretty face. “Glass told me. He’s stil watching over my guild and Trey.”

Chin jutting out stubbornly, Charlie shook his head. “I’m not leaving until I find her.”

Stil glowering at him, Falon nodded as she slowly sank down onto the bed. “I knew you’d say that, that’s why I brought snacks and enough talismans and stones to conjure more, and whatever else we need.”

What? Charlie raised a questioning eyebrow.

She huffed again. “I know you’re just trying to protect me by running off without a word and pissing me off, but I’m just trying to protect you too. I’m not going anywhere. If you’re going to find and take down this bitch, then I’m going to help you do it.”

Attempting to ignore the ache in his chest and the way it seemed to constrict with way too much feeling, Charlie merely nodded. A little dumbstruck, he slowly closed the motel door and the rest of the world out, and successfuly closed himself in with this girl who had come out of nowhere and changed a big part of the game.

“You said you
would protect her.”

Red spun around, torn from his own disbelief, his own musings, to face Sala. She stood in the entrance to his bedroom chamber, seeming uncaring that any Shaitan who passed may see her. With a furious flick of his hand, the door slammed shut behind her. Before he could admonish her, the pain in her eyes finaly registered along with her accusation.

He’d done everything he could to protect Ari: skirting around his father’s orders, keeping things from him, investigating him… discovering the truth…

Sighing and in no mood for a passionate argument with Sala, Red shrugged wearily. “I left Charlie to his own devices and I imagine Akasha wil be long gone before he ever finds her. As for Jai, yes, I cannot find him, but I am assured by my brother and father that he has come to no harm, nor wil he.”

Sala’s eyes blazed at him now and Red almost flinched back from the hurt in them. “And what of
Ari
? You said you’d protect her!”

Scowling, Red nodded. “I am protecting her. She is safer here in Mount Qaf with my father than she is anywhere else. The Seal, its properties, they are important to him. Azazil wil protect her.”

“Then why do I feel like something is wrong?” she hissed angrily. “I think she is dying, Red. I’ve always felt her here.” She beat a fist against her chest. “But I feel like the rope that tethers me to her is fraying.”

Shaking his head as dread settled over him, Red went with denial first. “No. Ari can’t be harmed. I know she can’t.”

“A mother knows, Red.” Sala shook her head and a tear fel down her cheek, hammering the dread firmly around Red’s heart.

Mind racing, he tried to think what to do. What could possibly have happened? Was it White? It couldn’t be Azazil?

Asmodeus?

Cursing, Red gave up guessing and strode determinedly towards Sala. He wiped the tears affectionately from her face and whispered, “Get back in the
Cloak
where I know you’l be safe. I’l cal on you when I know what’s happening.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Grab my healer and get to my father’s palace as soon as possible.”

24 -
The Night is Immune to the Day but Addicted to the Light

“You really love what you do, don’t you,” Ari commented softly, sitting across from Jai in Michael’s small gymnasium. Fallon had disappeared on them

and Jai had finally called their training day to an end.

But instead of heading upstairs to shower before dinner like they always did, they both found themselves lingering, enjoying this rare moment alone. Jai
was sitting down, leaning against the wall by the French doors, his strong hands dangling over his bent knees. He seemed relaxed for once. He had been

working Ari pretty hard these last few weeks and she knew it was because he wanted her to be able to take care of herself, in case he couldn’t be there to
protect her. Ari didn’t even want to dwell on that. It didn’t bear thinking about. But taking pleasure in being able to study him uninterrupted, Ari wished Jai
would worry a little more about himself and less about her. His eyes were tired, he looked a little leaner and he hadn’t shaved in a few days. For the

moment, he was just covered in bristly, sexy fuzz that made him look older, but in a few more days he’d have a full-on beard going on.

“What do you mean?” he asked with a slight smile, seeming also to take pleasure in the sight of her lying on her side along the edge of the training mat,
her bent arm holding her head up so she could drink him in.

“Being Ginnaye. A protector. A guardian.”

“It’s the only thing I was ever good at.”

A sharp stab of regret bit into her. “And I’ve taken you away from it,” she murmured, her gaze dropping so she wouldn’t see his expression confirm it.

“I’m still doing my job, Ari.”

“You know what I mean.”

At his silence, Ari couldn’t help but look back up at him. He was frowning at her, and Ari might have confused it for a scowl if it hadn’t been for the soft
tilt on the left side of his mouth that told her he was bemused, not angry. “Ari, it’s just a job.”

She guffawed at that. “You would never have said that two months ago. Two months ago it was your whole life.”

Her melancholy must have shown on her face because Jai got up with a big sigh only to lower himself down beside her, her bent knees curving around his

back. “Ari, the reason I loved my job was because I was looking for acceptance. I know that now.”

Drawn by his proximity, addicted to it even, Ari sat up so their bodies were turned into one another. “So you’re really okay about being here?”

He reached out to touch her cheek gently, and as if mesmerized by the feel of her, he forgot what he was about to say, his eyes following the rough tips of
his fingers as they trailed a line down her cheek, across her neck, along her collarbone, before slowly drawing to a stop on her sternum. By now Ari’s

breathing was erratic, her chest rising and falling, willing his fingers to slip further down. Her eyes were glued to his face, waiting for his next move.

Finally, he blinked, clearing his throat as he came back to himself. But his eyes were a little brighter than before as he raised them from her chest to meet
her gaze.

“Why are you asking me this again?” his voice was deeper, rumbling. “I told you when you asked me the first time to come with you that I’d do anything

to protect you.”

“That doesn’t mean you don’t miss your life before.”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “I liked my job. But I was indifferent to my life. And you changed that.”

She couldn’t help but smile at his meaningful look, butterflies beating their wings inside her chest instead of her belly. “You know what else has

changed?”

“What’s that?”

“You’re a lot more loquacious.”

Jai laughed, a soft rough sound that thrilled her. “Loquacious is a good word.”

“It is a good word. That’s exactly what I was thinking when I read it in a book last night. I was, like, I do not use that word enough. So I decided I was
going to use it in a sentence today.”

He chuckled again, but the look in his eyes had grown more serious. “You’re so adorably weird, you know that.”

“Good idea to add the adorable part.”

Jai cocked his head to the side as if he were thinking deeply on the matter. “Yeah. It was. I think I’m getting good at this boyfriend crap.”

Ari burst out laughing, shaking her head. “Oh, I think you may need to work on it a little more. Boyfriend crap?”

They shared amused smiles until eventually a comfortable silence crept over them as they gazed at one another.

“I suppose we better get going,” Jai eventually said softly.

But Ari didn’t want to leave, and she didn’t think he did either.

Instead of replying to that, Ari reached out to run her fingers over the scruff on his cheeks. “You need to shave,” she whispered, loving the feel of his
bristly whiskers against her skin. It was weird, but she wanted to kiss him right then just to feel the burn of those whiskers scraping against her skin. Like he
would be marking her as his somehow.

Jai had grown still under her touch, his eyes darkening in a way Ari had come to recognize. It matched her own excited hunger. Needing to be closer to

him, she slid along the mat until they were pressed together and then she slowly curled her arm up around his neck, bringing her left cheek to his right as she
nuzzled him like a cat, his two day beard abrading her soft skin.

Jai’s breathing sounded shallow in her ear as she felt his arm slip around her back, his fingers kneading her muscles. She turned her head, inhaling him,
before pressing her lips to his cheek, a hot sensual press of her mouth to the corner of his. There was nothing innocent about that kiss and Jai’s hold on her
tightened.

“I miss you,” she breathed deeply.

“Ari…” Jai groaned, but before he could respond she pulled back, biting her lip in anticipation. “What?” he asked, his fingers brushing lazy patterns on
her spine.

“Take your shirt off,” she ordered gently, her voice low and husky. She liked how it sounded—hoped it would be enough to convince him to give into her

request. Ari bit her lip harder to stop the smile that awoke inside her as Jai’s eyes narrowed with intensity at her husky demand.

“What?”

“I just want to see you. I miss you. All of you.”

“You want me to take my shirt off here? Where we could get caught?”

“If anyone walks in they’ll just think we’re training. I’ve seen you train without your shirt on before.”

He didn’t look convinced but as if deciding he wanted to cater to her whim anyway, Jai stood up with a grace Ari both envied and lusted after. His strong,
masculine grace was one of the hottest things about him.

Ari’s breathing grew strained as Jai stared down at her. He was completely focused on her, his gaze never wavering as he offered her a little strip tease,
reaching for the hem of his t-shirt and raising it inch by slow inch until it was up over his head and then discarded on the mat beside her.

She’d seen him shirtless before, but she’d somehow forgotten over the weeks just how… wow. He was honed and roped.

He had a warrior’s body.

So hot.

Taking hold of his hand, Ari started to rise and Jai’s fingers automatically tightened around hers as he helped her up. Standing now, Ari still had to tilt
her chin to meet his gaze.

“Now what?” his voice was hoarse.

“I just want to touch you.”

His eyes flashed and he grew still, as if considering whether or not it was a bad idea. Finally he nodded. “Okay.”

Excitement pulsed through Ari as she tentatively let her fingers fall against his stomach. It rippled under the lightest of touch and Ari felt her lower belly
tingle at the affect she had on him. That she had that much power over him. It made her insecurities over his sexual experience and her inexperience melt
away. Feeling bolder, she ran her hand up the center of his six-pack, tracing the ridges of the muscle. His olive skin was silky beneath her touch, silk over
pure steel. She’d read that somewhere in a cheesy romance novel Rachel had given her, but God, did it fit. She was finding it a little harder to breathe evenly
as her touch reached his hard pecs. When her fingers brushed his nipple Jai moaned and Ari’s eyes flew to his. They were blazing down at her and Ari felt
that look like an explosion in her lower belly. Encouraged, breathing completely ragged now, Ari leaned closer and pressed her lips to his chest, whispering
butterfly kisses across his skin and reveling in the way his chest had begun to rise and fall more rapidly.

Some devil crawled inside of her and her hand backtracked, sliding slowly downwards, slipping over his abs until she hit the waistline of his jeans. At the
same time as she tickled her fingers along his lower abdomen, Ari pressed a kiss over his nipple, her tongue tentatively flicking over it.

Jai cursed, his voice low and guttural. He grabbed her by the elbows and pulled her into him but before he could retaliate the sound of footsteps echoing
down the staircase towards them stopped them. They froze for a second, and then Jai was pushing her away from him, turning his back and letting his magic
crackle around him. A t-shirt covered his upper body but he refused to turn around.

“Almost done?” Caroline’s voice called out to them, and then she was there, peering around the doorframe. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

Jai looked like he was still brooding, staring out of the French windows. Ari was flushed, trembling, but somehow she managed to throw Caroline a tight

smile. “Yeah. We’re just finishing up.”

“Great.” Caroline smiled back at her and left after shooting Jai a curious look.

Ari listened to her footsteps fade and then turned to Jai. He shot her an unreadable look over his shoulder and she wished she understood what the hell it
meant. “Are you mad?”

“No. I’m not mad. I… want you. Now.”

Ari grinned, relishing the possessive look in his eye. “Well, that’s good, right?”

“No, Ari,” he laughed despite himself as he brushed past her, careful to barely touch her. “Time and a place. Okay? There’s a time and a place.”

Hurrying to catch up to him, Ari disagreed. “Well, I thought it was incredibly hot. Maybe the time and the place was a factor in that.”

“Maybe you’re right. But if we’re going to keep a lid on this, then no more strip teasing.”

So unlike her, Ari found herself pouting. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

He caught her look and laughed, shaking his head.

“I love that sound though,” she admitted, the words just slipping out before she could stop them.

Jai stopped on the stairwell, a quizzical frown appearing between his eyebrows. They were getting closer to the rest of the house and its occupants where
unwanted ears might be in listening distance, so Ari understood why Jai’s voice suddenly popped into her head.

What sound?

Your laugh. It does crazy things to me.

His eyes widened.
Ari,
he breathed as if winded,
No one’s ever…

No one’s ever, what?

No one has ever looked at me the way you do. It’s humbling… to have someone like you look at someone like me that way.

Someone like me?

You’re everything,
he admitted, his voice catching,
You know that right?

Then tell me you love me, she wanted to say. Instead she nodded.
You’re everything to me too. I look at you and I forget that I’m in the middle of the

deepest shit anyone’s ever been in.

Jai snorted, shaking his head.
And you say I’m the unromantic one.

They playfully grimaced at one another and Ari impulsively stood on her tiptoes to press a quick kiss to his lips. She drew back, stroking his cheek.
You

need to shave.

In response, he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
I will never get tired of hearing you say that.

Pain shot through her chest as Ari drew in a breath. Jeez, it felt like she’d been shot. What had happened? Where was Jai? Why was it dark? Hadn’t they just been on the staircase heading up to dinner? “Jai?” she mumbled, reaching a hand out in the dark for him.

“No, Ari, it’s me.”

The familiar rumble of her uncle’s voice was like a key unlocking the memories from the point in the gym with Jai onwards. The forest where he had finaly told her he loved her, the high school, the Jinn attack, her mother saving her, The White King stealing Jai, her bargain with Azazil…

The image of Asmodeus smashed its way through al the rest, his fist ripping out of her chest with the ember inside his closed hand.

Ari’s eyes flew open with a gasp.

Hovering above her was the familiar face of The Red King and the healer with silvery hair that brushed his chin. He’d saved her before. After the
Haqeeqah
and then again after Dalí had drained the blood from her. “Red?” she croaked out, her mouth feeling dusty, her throat dry. As she tried to move, sharp aches and burning pain shot through her body. Her limbs didn’t feel so light anymore… they felt… real? It was almost as if for years she’d had help carrying the weight of them and now she was left to carry them alone.

The Seal.

Lilif’s essence…

It was gone.

“I’m alive,” she managed, trying to sit up. Red reached to help her, his features a little strained as he puled her up into a sitting position. She had been lying on a mattress scattered with silk blankets and a mountain of cushions. The room Azazil had given her.