Of Wish and Fury (Seven Kings of Jinn)

The dog wasn’t a dog at all.

It was David.

“Ari Johnson,” David said in a soft drawl as his eyes greedily swept over her. “Well, well… look at you.” He drew to a stop inches from her, trying to intimidate her. Ari refused to step back. “All alone. Finally.”

“Yeah well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m late for training.” She turned to go and uneasiness choked her when he grabbed her upper arm.

“Now, now, what’s the hurry?” he grinned. “You know, if Jai had turned down this assignment I was going to be your guardian.”

She let how distasteful she found that show on her face, and David’s eyes narrowed.

“You’re a little ill-mannered, you know that.” He pushed her and she stumbled into the wall in surprise, unable to believe that this jerk was actually accosting her. He pressed up against her before she could move, the smell of coffee on his breath turning her stomach.

“What is your problem?” Ari hissed. She pushed against him, but he wouldn’t budge. “Are you kidding me? You’re actually coming on to a Bitar client under your father’s roof?”

She saw a flicker of something in David’s eyes, but it didn’t stop him from sliding a hand down onto her hip, his other hand stroking her cheek. Ari turned and bit at him, which only made him laugh. “You’re not just any client, Ari. You’re something else. An important. Why? What makes you so special? My parents won’t tell me.”

“If you don’t get off me, I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Try me.” He squeezed her hip harder.

Fear coalesced within her and Ari glanced around to see if anyone was about, but the hallway was deathly quiet. She couldn’t even feel the hum of Ms. Maggie’s energy. Crap, just when she needed the damn ifrit to smack this idiot upside the head with a vase. She pushed again, but he just pressed harder against her, his nose trailing along her neck. Ari shivered, terrified. He wouldn’t try to do anything, right? Not here?

“You know,” David whispered in her ear. “There are rumors going around that Jai has an unhealthy interest in you. I think I might finally win a round with him if I took something he clearly wants for himself.” His hand disappeared under Ari’s shorts and her blood instantly ran cold as she stilled.

The sticky, thick blackness spread across her lungs making it difficult to breathe, but as the ugliness ripped her from her own body, leaving Ari floating outside of it as if she were merely a spectator in her own life, she didn’t much care that breathing was difficult. It was happening again. The voice that rumbled out of her was deeper, darker and much more frightening than she could ever be. “I command you to release me.”

David instantly let go of her and stepped back, his eyes wide and afraid.

Ari grinned evilly at him. “You will never touch me again,” she commanded. “Nor any other woman without her permission.”

“I will never touch you again, nor any other woman without her permission,” he repeated, dumbfounded. He flexed his fists as if checking he was still in control of his own body.

Task done, the anger that had unleashed the darkness began to ease and Ari fought to snap back in control of herself. Her frantic breaths filled the hallway and furious tears glistened in her eyes. She’d just used the power of the seal against a nobody. Oh hell.

Think, Ari, think!

Shuddering, Ari wrapped her arms around herself and glared at the piece of scum who had forced her to do something she was ashamed of. “I command you to tell no one I commanded you at all. I command you to keep this encounter with me to yourself.” Her voice was her own, but it shook with the demand.

David nodded, his jaw clenched in fury, too. “I understand.”

And just for good measure… “I command you to question no one about whom and what I am.”

If it was possible, his face turned purple with frustration and anger. “Understood.”

Warily, Ari stepped around him, her eyes glued to him as she backed off. She whirled around and ran to the training room.

She was still shaking as if the world was trembling under her feet when she reached the doorway to the room and saw Jai, Trey, and Charlie inside talking. The sight of them forced Ari to calm down. She had to pretend that she hadn’t just commanded a jinn against his will (even though he had been trying to make her do something against her will). And no matter what was or wasn’t between her and Jai, she knew he’d go crazy if he found out David had just tried to intimidate her physically. As she stood there watching the three of them, Ari realized that despite their faults, they all had something honorable inside of them.