The Seven Kings of Jinn

Jai didn’t even so much as twitch. In fact, he enjoyed the way Luca’s eyes narrowed on David in disappointment. It killed him that his eldest acted like a five-year-old when Jai, his offspring with one of the jinn who had seduced him against his will, was the most professional and mature of his four sons. Not that he’d ever admit that out loud. Just as much as his stepmother, Nicki, liked to take Jai’s unfortunate parentage out on him, so did Luca. Duty bound him to Jai; it was the reason Luca raised his son with all the same education and material comforts provided to his other sons. But raising Jai with affection and love? No. That had been out of the question. It had made Jai the angriest son-of-a-bitch for the longest time. A fury he’d never shown, even when his elder brothers beat him to a bloody pulp while the youngest watched. Even under the disdain of their entire Ginnaye tribe, who looked at him like some filthy half-breed. Rather than acting out, Jai had done the opposite just to piss everyone off. He’d worked and trained harder than all the rest, gaining the grudging respect from some of the elder Ginnaye, especially those from other tribes around the world. Now, at only twenty-two years old, he was one of the most respected security operatives at Bitar Security in L.A. His father was the son of the last tribe leader out in California. For centuries their family had lived human lives, protecting importants for money. Back in the 40s, Jai’s grandfather moved his tribe to California and set up Bitar Security when Hollywood was at its height. As well as acting as guardians to importants and jinn who hired them, the Bitar Ginnaye were paid big bucks to protect starlets and rich folks. Still were. Jai’s last job had been guarding a pop princess with a flagging career from a stalker. Luca Bitar preferred jobs to be wrapped up quick, so he’d given Jai permission to go directly after the stalker. Using a little jinn enchantment, Jai had ripped the darkness from the creep; darkness that compelled him to obsess over women he believed owed him something. It left the guy drooling in a hospital somewhere, but it was the best Jai could do without killing him. This way, no one innocent got hurt. Luca was pleased with his son’s work. Not that he said so, but Jai knew it to be true because his father hadn’t criticized him in a week.

Until today.

“Fine.” Luca ground his teeth, trying not to admonish David in front of Jai. Not that Luca didn’t criticize his other sons. Jai had overheard him doing it plenty of times when he thought Jai was nowhere in sight. He thought showering his full-blooded Ginnaye sons with support and affection in front of him was just another way to torment him. It was at first. Until Jai realized Luca was the one tormented by the fact that Jai was more like him than any of his full-blooded sons. “You can leave.”

“I want to see what he has to say about this? If he doesn’t want it, I’ll do it.”

Luca flicked David an exasperated look. “You weren’t requested. He was.”

Jai frowned, his curiosity growing. “What’s going on?”

“David, leave.”

With a heavy sigh, David muttered, “yes, sir.” He threw Jai a look. See you later, douchebag.

Jai let his smirk glitter in his eyes where Luca couldn’t see. Go cry to your mommy, dick.

At least I have a mom, dick. With that, he slammed out of the office.

Jai turned to his father. “What’s so important you needed to talk to me here?”

Before his father could respond, the air shimmered beside his desk, and Jai anticipated the new arrival. The explosion of fire signaled their entrance, the flames shooting to the ground before disappearing. Jai blinked, wary and bemused by the enormous amount of power that pulsed into the room. It exuded from the jinn before him. He was huge, at least six and a half feet, with long flame-red hair pulled back into a ponytail. He wore modern clothing and grinned congenially at Jai.

“So this is Jai Bitar.” The jinn strode toward him. He gave a little respectful bow to Jai, which Jai returned out of good manners. Whoever the jinn was, he was someone important. Perhaps even royal. A minor prince, perhaps?

“Jai.” His father’s voice was colder than usual. “I’d like to introduce you… to the Red King.”

Not a lot of things could elicit a reaction from him, but that sure as hell did. He quirked an eyebrow in surprise and the Red King laughed. An immortal? The Red King. One of the Seven Kings of Jinn was in his dad’s office?

Why?

“You must wonder why I have requested your services, Jai?” The Red King tilted his head, his light blue eyes washing over him, assessing.