Darkness, Kindled (Fire Spirits 4)

For hours she lay there, staring into the dark, her stomach churning with nervous anticipation. And then, as though her lids could take any more weight, they drifted closed and Ari ventured into unconsciousness …

“Finally. Took you long enough.”

Ari burled around at the familiar deep voice, her whole body tensing.

Asmodeus.

She was back at his cove, dressed in the white dress he seemed to like so much. “Again?”

Instead of smirking at her snarkiness as he would’ve done in the past, his eyes narrowed and he approached her slowly, in a way that made her take a step back. There was something more menacing than usual about him.

“The Red King paid me and Azazil a visit today.”

Ari nodded. Red had promised her he’d find out what the hell Asmodeus wanted with her. She’d hoped that would mean the lieutenant wouldn’t be paying her any more visits. Clearly that hadn’t been the outcome of Red’s social call on Mount Qaf. “Yes. I told him I was concerned about your visits.”

He shrugged, coming to a stop inches from her so that Ari had to crane her neck back to meet his gaze.

“I’m merely trying to get to know you.”

She swallowed. “And if I don’t want to get to know you?”

He raised a hand and Ari flinched. His expression hardened at her reaction, but it didn’t stop him from brushing his knuckles across her cheek. Ari shivered. “Do you, like Red, think my intentions nefarious?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what you want from me.”

“Yes, you do.” He bowed his head, bringing his mouth to Ari’s ear. The hand at her cheek unfurled against her skin and she trembled as it slid down and around to grip her tightly by the nape. “I want you.” His lips grazed her jawline and Ari tried to pull back, but he wouldn’t let her. Suddenly, he was there, his nose brushing hers, his eyes searing into hers. They narrowed again as he squeezed her nape.

“But someone has already had you.” He gripped her close and bent her head away from his. Ari raised her arms, pushing at his chest in an effort to get him to release her.

“Stop,” she snapped,

feeling like a kitten caught in its master’s grip.

“You slept with the Ginnaye.” The disappointment was evident in his eyes, in his taut features. And just like that, he let her go. Ari stumbled and tried to steady her balance in the sand.

“That’s none of your business,” she huffed, her anger fueling her power and her intentions. For the first time she felt her energy tingle within Asmodeus’s dreamscape. The White fabric wrapped indecently around her body disappeared and Ari replaced it with jeans and a T-shirt.

She threw her head back in triumph, her ever-changing eyes defiant against the lieutenant.

Expecting anger, Ari was taken aback to find him staring at her with a soft smile. It was so unlike him, and for a moment he reminded her of the man she knew he’d once been.

“You’re growing powerful, Ari,” he murmured, his thumb brushing his lip in thought. “Perhaps all is not lost yet.”

Confused as all hell, Ari shook her head. “What are you talking about?”

He shrugged lazily. “I will not lie … I coveted the thought of seducing you first. I find now, however, that it does not matter. You were meant for more than the mortal realm, Ari. You were meant for more than a Ginnaye. I’ve always found patience to work in my favor. Your boredom will send you to me in time.”

Shocked that Asmodeus had openly declared his real intentions for her, and even more frightened by the intimacy of those intentions, Ari shook her head, trembling the whole time.

“I love Jai. I won’t ever leave him.”

The lieutenant smiled viciously. “We’ll see.”

Ari shot up in bed, chest heaving, head spinning with disorientation.

“Ari,” Jai murmured. She felt the mattress shift as he drew up beside her, his gentle fingers brushing her hair back from her face. He turned her chin and she looked into his sleepy eyes.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

Remembering her promise to not keep secrets from him, Ari’s stomach flipped with guilt as she pressed her forehead against his. “Bad dreams about tomorrow. That’s all.”

He wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her down so her head rested on his chest. “It’ll be okay. I promise we can do this.”

She nodded, swallowing hard, praying that Asmodeus would grow tired of his infatuation. Of course he will. I’m just a girl. He’s a centuries-old Jinn. And I’m not that interesting!

Feeling how tense she was, Jai sighed. “Try to sleep. You’ll need all your energy tomorrow.”

Ari wished she could sleep, she really did. But she was scared of her dreams now more than ever, scared of where they’d take her. And worse, who they’d take her from.

***

They were tense, silence wrapped around them like an old friend. Jai’s gaze drifted from his best friend who was staring into his coffee mug, jaw clenched tight, to Ari who gazed out into the gardens with worry crinkling the corner of her eyes. He didn’t want her to do this. He knew that when she followed Charlie and the fiends into Rancocas, she would have to go in seemingly alone, with Jai and Trey hiding in the Cloak. He’d still be there but … he wanted Charlie to know he was there. He wanted Pazuzu and that bitch Ghulah to know that Ari had backup. Truthfully, he didn’t want Ari there. He’d rather handle it alone than put her in danger.

Since discovering what David had almost done to her, Jai had been feeling particularly overprotective toward Ari. The thought of anything happening to her on his watch knocked the wind right out of him.

The thought of never waking up again to find her in his arms … well, it killed him.

Needing to touch her, Jai placed his hand over hers. When she offered only a lukewarm smile, he squeezed her hand reassuringly. “It’s time.”

Ari heaved a sigh and stood. “Okay.

You guys will be right behind me and you know what to do?”

“We’re all set,” Trey assured her.

Jai nodded his agreement. Trey had confided in Glass what they were planning to do with Pazuzu; Glass in turn explained how they needed to focus their power to join their energies to create a force great enough against Pazuzu. Once they had him in their control, there was a binding incantation required to compel Pazuzu into the Secretum. Jai had done it before but it was a difficult task on an ordinary malevolent Jinn, never mind one as old as Pazuzu. He had no illusions that this was going to be easy.

Ari reached up and placed a soft, sweet kiss on his lips. When she stepped back, she smiled lovingly at him, the worry evident in her gaze. “I’ll see you back here with Charlie in a little bit.” At Glass’s suggestion that Ari, with her royal blood, may have the ability to take another person through the Peripatos

, Jai had volunteered to test it out.

And sure enough, his epically brilliant girlfriend could do it. Thus, she was in charge of the idiot who was Charlie Creagh.

“Be careful when we’re out there,” she continued, her gaze straying to Trey. “Both of you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Trey grinned cockily and winked at Jai. “Tell your old lady to stop worrying and get on with it.”

Shaking his head ruefully at his friend, Jai sighed. “You heard him.”

Without another word, Ari let the flames of the Peripatos erupt around her and then she was gone. Jai felt his heart begin to race as he turned to Trey and gave him a sharp nod. “Let’s do this.”

In seconds he was in Rancocas Park, hidden in the Cloak, following Ari as she hurried through the thick of the trees. Trey, you there?

Right beside you, following Ari.

Good. Jai focused on his girl now. We’re right behind you, Ari.

Okay, she answered, her voice shaking in his head. Charlie’s just up ahead.

They hadn’t even been walking two minutes when a blast of magic shot past Ari, barely missing her head. It exploded against a nearby black oak tree. The air rippled around her as she prepared her energy to defend herself. Needing to be at her side, Jai rushed toward her only to discover they had ventured into a small clearing. Charlie stood off to the side as Pazuzu and the Ghulah walked slowly toward Ari.

Jai tensed, remembering his last encounter with the ancient being.

Pazuzu’s face was part human, part lion. The flesh of his mouth curled in an upside-down heart shape, huge fangs peeking from between his lips. He had human-shaped eyes and nose, except completely flat where the bridge should be. His skin was almost black, his amber eyes glowing eerily against the rich dark chocolate of his flesh. His fingers were like long twigs. The creepiest aspect of his physical appearance was the way his left hand twisted downward and his right up.

The Ghulah, on the other hand, passed for an attractive human woman, until she opened her mouth and her jaw elongated to reveal huge, sharp teeth.

Ari, you bind Charlie and get him out of here. We’ll take care of these guys. Trey, you ready?