Borrowed Ember (6 page)

I don’t want to be scared, Jai. And I don’t want to hide. I want to hunt Jinn like Dalí and Pazuzu. I want that control back. I need that control back.

He rubbed a comforting hand down her arm.
Then we’re definitely going to The Guild.

Ari stifled another ‘I love you’ and instead pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder.
Thank you.

I’d like to stop in at home first and explain to my father that I’ll be gone for a while. I want to say goodbye to Trey.

Trey
. Ari blanched, realizing she was taking Jai away from his best friend.
Jai, I… maybe you should stay.

He puled back from her, his eyes incredulous.
I can live without seeing Trey every day, Ari. I can’t live without seeing you every day.

She turned to mush in an instant.
Who needs an ‘I love you’ when a hot guy you love says that to you?
Ari knew her grin was dangerously wide.
You are

getting so good at this.

Laughing, a little abashed at his confession, Jai hugged her closer and they sat in perfect, comfortable silence for a while. Finaly, just as her eyes were drifting closed, he whispered into her mind,
Have you had any more dreams?

The memory of her dream about White and Lilif jolted Ari awake and she puled back to face Jai as she told him everything she remembered from it.
The realms

will start to collide into one another, until there is nothing but a wasteland of dust? If the balance is completely destroyed?
Jai was aghast.

That’s what Lilif said to White.
She shrugged.
I’m beginning to think I should tell Red about the dreams. This could be something really important

that we’re missing here. What do you think?

I honestly don’t know what to think about Red. But you’re right. It might be the only way to interpret the dreams and find out why you’re having

them.

Ari nodded, feeling a little better now that she had made a decision.
I guess I have to trust him.

If it makes you feel better, I really believe he cares about you, Ari. You didn’t see his reaction when Anabeth hit you with the Haqeeqah, or when

Dalí took you.

You think?
she asked unsurely

Jai smiled slowly. Sexily.
You’re kind of hard to resist.

You didn’t think so two seconds ago.

Jai’s response to her chalenge was to push her back on the bed and start kissing the oxygen out of her. Ari opened her mouth, alowing him to deepen the kiss, tasting remnants of the mint toothpaste he must have used before readying for bed. Ari would never have believed toothpaste could be such a turn on. She slid her hands over his back, urging him closer, deeper. As if giving into the inevitable, Jai’s own hands started to wander, his soft touch chasing goosebumps al over her body.

Lost in the moment and greedy for some skin on skin, Ari reached down and began tugging on Jai’s t-shirt. Helping her, he sat up, his knees braced on either side of her hips, and he puled his shirt up over his head, throwing it to the floor. Ari bit her lower lip to stifle a sound of pleasure. She’d seen him shirtless before but never this close.

Oh wow.

He was broad-shouldered, powerfuly built, ripped and athletic without being too beefy. Although… those biceps… Ari sighed, sliding a hand up his arm. She was giddy with excitement, trying to contain it, trying not to come off as some inexperienced virgin. But she’d never felt like this before. She got it now – what Rachel was always talking about – the heat, the need, the want.

Sex was a big deal and you had to want it. You had to be ready for it. With the right person.

Ari was finaly ready for it. And she was definitely with the right person.

The thought had just popped into her head when Jai’s lips returned to hers. Their kisses were growing frantic again, like they both knew where this was heading and were eager to get there before something epic – like a Jinn King – interrupted them. Ari’s hands smoothed over every inch of Jai’s skin, touching and stroking and learning him. But when she ventured further to where she’d touched no guy before, Jai jerked back with a muffled groan and gently pushed her hands off of him.

He eyed her sardonicaly as if he couldn’t believe he’d let himself get so carried away.
We need to slow this down.

We don’t have to.
Ari sat up, trying to reach for him again.

Jai took her hands in his and quirked an eyebrow at her.
How far have you gone with a guy?

Completely unprepared for the question Ari blushed.
Not far,
she admitted,
Kissing. Touching under the shirt, not under the bra. I haven’t really dated a

lot,
she shrugged off her explanation, feeling a little mortified as the words ‘because of Charlie’ hung unspoken and suspended between them.

Jai tensed and Ari couldn’t stop herself from reaching out to clasp his cheek in her hand

What?

His vivid gaze burned into her and for a moment Ari forgot what she was asking him. Jai finaly shook his head ruefuly but there was a hard glint now in his eyes.
I

hate the thought of any guy touching you.

Ari tried not to be pleased.
You’re jealous?

I guess,
he whispered.

Grinning, Ari wriggled closer to him.
Well, I’m kind of hoping you’re about do a whole lot of stuff to me that no guy has.

Jai laughed hoarsely, the hardness melting from his eyes.
We’re still taking it slow. I am not rushing a second of this with you.

No fair,
Ari pouted.

His grin turned cocky as he leaned over to kiss the pout away.
Believe me… you’ll like how I do slow.

A while later, Ari felt her body relax into the bed as if she’d melted into a puddle of Ari-goo. Her fingers uncurled from the bed sheets as she lay there panting and gazing at the ceiling in wonder.

She’d never been kissed
there
before.

“Wow,” she breathed.

Jai laughed softly.
Not out loud.
His expression was light and happy as he brushed her hair back from her face.
And yes. Wow.

Ari roled into him, her bare legs feeling sensitive against his jeans. She wrapped her arms around him and he puled her so close his lips touched her neck.
What

about you?
she asked, determined to fight through the languidness he’d created in her body if she had to.

Instead, Jai smiled against her neck.
Believe me, I’m good. I’m really good.

This taking it slow thing is nice,
Ari breathed in total relaxation, her eyes drifting closed.

The last thing she felt and heard was the blanket faling over her and Jai snuggling her closer, whispering goodnight in her ear.

6 -
Losing Too Much can Make You Yearn to be Lost

Ari felt Lilif’s grief and rage as if it were her own. She followed the Jinn, confused by how young Lilif appeared. She looked as if she were no more than
eighteen years old. The wind whipped through Lilif’s long black hair, grime and blood streaked her face and marred the metal of the dress that was fitted to
her body. The sandstone walls were polished to a high shine, the halls wide and open, servants gaping at Lilif as she blew past them with fury in her feet. Ari
hurried to follow, somehow aching for Lilif as she rammed against double doors, throwing them open. Like the hallways outside, the room was tiled and

polished, sparse but luxurious, with a huge bed in the center covered in exotic fur blankets. Asmodeus lifted his head from the bed and groaned when he saw
his sister. He pushed gently at the naked woman beside him. “Leave us.”

The female Shaitan hurried to grab fabric that barely covered her and she fled the room, darting terrified glances in Lilif’s direction.

“Turn your back, sister, so I may dress.”

Lilif did so and Ari found herself averting her eyes too. That was just something she didn’t need to know about Asmodeus. “I can’t believe while I’m out
warring you are in here tupping anything that moves.”

“Not anything,” Asmodeus argued. “Anyway where were you this time?”

“Africa.”

Confused, Ari tried to center herself more in the dreams. She was now fully aware while in the dream that it was a dream, but that didn’t make it any less
confusing. The timeline of the dreams kept changing. This was an earlier time. A much earlier time than she had ever visited before. What was Lilif talking
about? She peered closely at the Jinn and as if her curiosity had power, the knowledge seeped from Lilif to Ari. Lilif and Asmodeus were part of the balance
within war. Throughout the ages, throughout the realm, they would fight wars of the mortals, bringing balance to the situation. Sometimes Lilif would

seduce leaders to weakness with her succubus gift, or fight physically side by side with the Jinn that were sent to aid her against those who were sent to aid
the other side. Just as she had done the night before. And the month before that and before that…

“I lost Meenah,” Lilif gasped, her eyes round and glassy with disbelief.

Suddenly Asmodeus was there, turning her around, his own eyes bright with sympathy. “I am sorry, sister. I know how deeply you cared for her.”

“She was my friend.” Lilif shook her head. “We have been friends for over a hundred years. I knew her when she was but a child. She had so much life

left. Meenah was light, Asmodeus. She was beautiful light. How could someone put that light out? How can this be what we do?”

“Ssh, Lilif, shh, it’s okay.” He held her close.

But Lilif was having none of it. She tugged out of his grasp and pushed him roughly away from her, her glare burning into him. “How can you say that? It
is not okay! And Meenah is not the first! For centuries I have borne witness to the wars of men. Azazil preaches of balance, placing Jinn on one side of the
war and Jinn on the other and we fight our own people, to balance out the life of mortals! Meenah was killed by one of our own. All my friends, killed by our
own. Because it is the way? We should leave the wars to the mortals and let them destroy one another!”

Asmodeus’ face darkened. “You are grieving. You are saying things you do not mean. If Azazil heard you speak thus… Lilif you are to be married to him

within a sennight. Do not do anything foolish to ruin that.”

Lilif curled her lip in disgust. “As if I could. The way our Master speaks of the future, he cannot do anything but marry me. I am to bear him sons.”

“Exactly. And once you do, the balance will even out. Perhaps we will no longer be required to fight all these wars.”

Seeming weary now, Lilif slumped, a single tear rolling down her soft cheek. “Do you think so, brother? When I am Sultana mayhap Master will allow me

to suggest some changes?”

“Mayhap.”

“Oh, Asmodeus,” Lilif sniffled like a little girl, “I have dreamed of a world so far removed from this one, my chest aches with longing for it. It is a barren
dustland, new, untouched. Empty. Ready for life. I cannot seem to stop dreaming of it lately.”

“You mean The After,” Asmodeus sighed.

Lilif stiffened. “You have dreamt of it also?”

“It plagued my dreams for a while so I confided in Azazil about it. It is not a dream, sister, but a warning.”

“A warning?”

“The After is what will happen if balance is destroyed. If we destroy the balance. The realms collide and cause desolation to all that already exists. In its
place will exist The After and only those powerful enough will survive… only to find themselves alone.”

“The most powerful?”

“Azazil. You, me… a few of the stronger Jinn as Meenah was.”

Lilif dropped her gaze from her brothers. “It is too late for Meenah,” she murmured and Ari felt the grief lessen as a new feeling enveloped Lilif.

Hope.

…
Ari, wake up
, Jai’s voice invaded Ari’s conscience, bringing her out of the dreamworld and back to his. Her eyes fluttered open and to her happy surprise she found herself in Jai’s warm arms, his gorgeous face hovering over hers.
Morning.
He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth, the bristles of his cheek scratching against hers.

Mmm,
she mumbled lazily, brushing her fingers over his face,
you need to shave.

His laughter made her eyes pop open and ask ‘what?’ He shook his head, smiling.
It’s nice.

What’s nice?

Waking up to my girlfriend telling me I need to shave. It’s so normal.

Ari chuckled and kissed him again before pushing herself up into a sitting position. So… she was definitely his girlfriend. Good to know.

She looked away from Jai’s naked chest, determined not be distracted.
I can de-normalize things for you by telling you about the dream I just had.

Jai frowned.
I want to hear all about it. But we better be quick. You can’t be found in here.

When she was done relaying the dream, they were both even more confused than they already had been. Deciding it was definitely time to tel Red, Ari scooted out of Jai’s bed and into her clothes, rushing across the room and out of it and into hers in record-breaking time.

After a quick shower, she stood in the middle of her guestroom and telepathed Red.

“You rang?” The Red King uttered droly as he stepped out of the
Peripatos
.

Ari smirked, and just in case there were ears listening at doors or watching through peepholes (and wasn’t that just a creepy-ass thought?) Ari replied, “We ready to leave?” and telepathed,
We need to talk. Pronto. Somewhere private.

Red raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Yes. We’re leaving right now. I’l get Charlie.” He then telepathed an address in Los Angeles, teling her to give Jai the

address.
I’ll bring Charlie. Let’s get going.

The
Peripatos
was definitely one of Ari’s least favorite things about the Jinn. Sure it was fine when you were just flashing from one room to the next, but leaving Mount Qaf for Los Angeles was gut-wrenchingly sickening. Ari colapsed on cement ground after what felt like the fastest, most vomit-inducing rolercoaster ride ever.

She felt strong hands wrap around her arms, steadying her to her feet.

“You okay?” Jai asked softly, his brows drawn together in concern.

Ari swalowed down vomit and smiled weakly. “Just peachy.”

“You made it,” The Red King’s voice brought her head up and Ari stared across the length of a practicaly empty warehouse to see Red striding towards her with Charlie at his side. Charlie looked refreshed and eager. She hated him for that, knowing she looked like she’d just donated three pints of blood.

“Where are we exactly?” Ari asked, brushing dust from her knees.

“A studio warehouse. TV.” The Jinn King grinned. “It’s got state-of-the-art soundproofing.”

“Oh gee, you think of everything.”

Red eyed her thoughtfuly. “Stil not used to the
Peripatos
, huh?”

“Was it the hair that gave it away?” Ari asked sarcasticaly.

Charlie snorted. “You have definitely inherited a bite since you became Jinn.”

“Look, I’m just trying to keep whatever pigeon we ate last night down so, can we get on with this.”

Red didn’t seem to take too kindly to her attitude. He stared her down until Ari began to squirm. “You wanted me here?”

“Yeah. Sorry. Your Highness,” she added for good measure, glad to see him smirk. “I’ve been having these dreams…”

When Ari was finished explaining the dreams, from the ones where she saw Lilif fighting Asmodeus, to the one where a faceless Jinn kiled Lilif, to the ones where Lilif bemoaned her fate as a simpering wife to Azazil, to the one of her speaking with White and finaly the last in which she’d lost her friend at a much earlier time in her immortality, Red had become strangely quiet. There was a tension around him, a crackle of expectation. When he realized they were al watching him, the blank mask slipped over his face, concealing his reaction.

No way, Ari thought. There was no way he was keeping important information from them.

“This means something to you doesn’t it?” she probed.

Sighing, Red took a moment. “I don’t know how much to tel you. Or where to begin.”

“Let’s start with the truth. Please… uncle.”

His eyes sparked at her use of his familial title. Sighing again, Red turned away from them, his long, bright red braid swinging against the leather label on the back of his jeans. “Lilif… my mother… she tried to destroy everything.”

“Why?”

He shrugged and threw Ari a forlorn look, seeming so much like a young man whose parent had deserted him. “We were raised to believe in the balance, and yes for many years the Jinn fought in al the wars of men, but then my brothers and I were born and we brought a new balance to the world. Now we only fight in large-scale political wars. Wars that determine the outcome of a grander fate.” Red rubbed his forehead, as if he were trying to see his memories. “I always knew my mother was unhappy with the state of things. I didn’t know why, but I knew she was. As the centuries passed and the birth of her sons failed to bring the changes she obviously sought, she began to plan… to plan the destruction of the balance.

Her first stop was her sons. Each of us had more of one parent’s essence within us. White, Shadow, myself and Gilder al have more of Azazil within us. Glass, Lucky and Gleaming have more of Lilif. She attacked Glass first because even though he had her essence, he was most like Azazil in his bearing. Ironicaly, Glass was her favorite.

She planned to kil my brothers because over the centuries we had become embroiled in so many destinies, and so many bloodlines, that we had been threaded so deeply into the fabric of nature that our deaths would rip at the seams of our world just as Lilif wanted. Think of this realm as made up of milions of paths, and those paths are created by bilions of people as though they were paving stones. Al those paths are connected to seven major roads—my brothers and I. Think of Azazil as split into seven bridges that connect us to him, to this realm and the Others. If you destroy the roads one by one, everything begins to disconnect, to crumble, and eventualy al the paths are destroyed too. It would leave a barren landscape; a new world with nothing in it, but only those powerful enough to have survived without connection. That’s what Lilif wanted. She wanted The After.

But I saved Glass. She was no match for the two of us. I warned Azazil and tried to warn White… White did not believe us. He was poisoned by Lilif. He actualy believed she was trying to protect the balance.”

“I think he stil does,” Ari whispered sadly.

Red nodded distractedly. “My father believed me, but he had a harder time convincing Asmodeus. With my brothers now protected by Azazil, Lilif stooped to the one level none of us ever imagined she would. She went after Asmodeus.

Though it so clearly pained her for there was no one in either worlds that my mother loved more than her twin brother, Lilif believed that by kiling Asmodeus she could steal his essence and become powerful enough to take on Azazil. You see, they were the half of one another, Asmodeus and Lilif. Asmodeus was calm, light, wisdom, patience. Lilif was passion, darkness, impetuous, and unforgiving. Together they were able to balance one another out, that’s why they were never without one another. But Lilif began to withdraw more and more from Asmodeus until finaly she attacked him. My father saved his life and Asmodeus has been completely loyal to him ever since.”

“But changed,” Ari said, thinking of how different Asmodeus was in the past compared to now. “He’s darker.”

“He doesn’t make sense without Lilif. Asmodeus goes through periods of dark and light. Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to be one of the latter, and I am curious as to what exactly he wants with you, Ari.” He shook his own comment off, not wanting to be derailed. “My father kiled Lilif. He stole her essence and destroyed it. He then buried her body in a tomb no one has ever seen. No one knows where it is. White has never forgiven him. That’s why he wants to use you. To punish Azazil. To somehow overpower him without ticking off the balance.”

Ari blinked, trying to take in al the information. She glanced at Jai to see his reaction, but he was just listening to Red in utter fascination. Something niggled at Ari but she couldn’t put her finger on what that was. Not wanting to be distracted from her own point, Ari took a step toward her uncle. “So these dreams… they are memories?”