Of Wish and Fury (Seven Kings of Jinn)

Ari shuddered at the thought and twisted around to glare at him, her upper lip curled in utter disgust at the sight of his coldly handsome face. “Why don’t you just get whatever you plan to do with me over with?”

“Because you are of no use to me if you don’t come to Mount Qaf willingly. Forcing your will has not proven fruitful so far. But I have a feeling it won’t be long before you realize I’m the only one who truly wants you, Ari. And isn’t that what you need. To be truly wanted.”

“Shut up.”

He cocked his head to the side again, eyeing her thoughtfully. “I would even free your mother,” he bartered. “If you come with me, I will free Sala and you can have a little joyful reunion with her.”

Ari’s heart sputtered at the thought but hurt compelled her to state, “She didn’t want me. She left me.”

“Who is to say she wouldn’t have come back for you if I hadn’t trapped her in that bottle?”

No, Ari, don’t listen, she begged herself, hating the weak, niggling voice inside that tried to persuade her meeting Sala would make her happy, could change everything, could give her someone who loved her.

“ARI!” Jai shouted through the door, jolting her out of her thoughts. He banged fiercely at the door and Ari felt the flare of his magic in the air.

The White King sighed, drawing her eyes back to him. “That is my cue to leave. For now. And remember, Ari, I am a patient king. I don’t expect you to come to me willingly today or even next week. But if you don’t come to me soon, I will play the game my way. I will repeat the Derek situation.” He nodded, his eyes emotionless. “Perhaps this time I’ll play the game with the guardian jinn who had his body pressed so tight to yours it was a wonder you could breathe on that dance floor.”

And with a small smile at the unmasked fear in Ari’s eyes, her father stepped back into the peripatos just as the bathroom door blew open. Jai rushed in, his face dark with determination and violence. He stalled, seeing her alone, his eyes bright with relief to find her in one piece. She shook from her very toes to the tips of her hair as Jai gathered himself together, slamming the door shut and locking it before hurrying over to her. “Are you okay? Was he here?”

“He’s gone. I’m okay.” She held up her hands, palm out, placating him. He looked as though he was about to jump out of his skin and rip it to shreds just to have something to violently attack. “How did you know? I didn’t telepath.”

Jai’s eyes narrowed as he looked her over, as if searching for injury. “Just as I felt a warning in the trace, Ms. Maggie talked to me telepathically. She told me the White King had you in the bathroom.”

Ms. Maggie spoke to him? Ari opened her mouth to ask about it, Jai grabbed her upper arms and tugged her roughly into a fierce hug. He crushed her against him, his arms wrapped tight around her, and Ari felt his heart pounding in his chest, his muscles trembling beneath her. Warmth rushed through her as she realized how concerned he’d been. “I’m alright,” she promised, whispering the words against his throat. “He just wanted to mess with my head. I did nothing. I didn’t command him. It was hard, but I didn’t, I promise…”

“Shh,” he hushed her, brushing his mouth against her ear. “I know. I’m proud of you.”

Nuclear need shot through the core of her and Ari pulled back, her breathing ragged. She felt too much in his arms. She stared up at him, and her eyes widened at his expression. His green eyes were liquid fire and as her mouth trembled at the blatant lust in them, those green molten pools dropped to her lips. The moment hung suspended between them, like a thin rope bridge that would snap if one of them took that irreversible step forward. Trying to find some equilibrium, Ari retreated instead and Jai’s hands tightened around her upper arms. “Jai—”

He hauled her against him, his mouth crushing hers in the deepest, hardest kiss Ari had ever received. She felt her legs tremble beneath her and grabbed onto him for support, gasping as he pulled her closer, the sound swallowed by his hot mouth. Urgency took over, sanity fled, and all that existed was Jai’s mouth and body holding everything that she was together. The cool counter bumped against her thighs as Jai lifted her easily onto it, never breaking his desperate kiss. He shoved between her legs so she could wrap them around him, gripping her hips and pulling her closer. His groan reverberated pleasurably through her entire body.