Wish For Me (The Djinn Order #1) (4 page)

“Oh, I doubt that.”

We stared at each other for several minutes before Irving sighed and removed his duster, tossing it over the end of my bed.

Why the fuck did he do that?
He wasn’t wearing anything underneath. Just a pair of leather suspenders to hold up his leather pants and that wasn’t enough. Had he done it on purpose? There was no way in hell I’d be able to concentrate on anything else but his toned chest and abs until he abracadabra’d his ass out of there.

“Stop ogling me, Glory, and let’s get on with this,” Irving said, making himself comfortable in my armchair and kicking his booted feet up on the matching footrest.

“I wasn’t ogling you,” I protested.

Irving rolled his eyes. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Who said I wanted to talk?”

Irving’s eyes pierced mine, then slid down my body in obvious appraisal. He grunted. “You’ll have to
wish
that to happen.”

My face flamed. It was like he got off on insulting me. “You’re an asshole.”

The Djinn shrugged. “If you want my cock, Glory, you’ll have to wish for it.”

I thought up a million snarky comebacks, but for some reason, all that came out of my mouth was, “Have women actually
wished
for that?”

“Of course.” He grinned. “One silly woman actually wished for it once a day for a year, in a different city each time. I happily obliged her.”

I snorted. “So the only way you can get laid is if some pathetic woman wishes upon a damn star for it?” I clucked my tongue. “Sucks for you.”

Irving laughed. “Was that your attempt at an insult?”

I shrugged. “Simply speaking the truth. Calling it like I see it.”

“You see and know nothing, human. So do not presume to speak on matters beyond you.” He smiled, but his tone was laced with venom.

I wanted to tell Irving to fuck off, but that would have made him happy and I wasn’t in any way trying to make him happy. Besides, I was his master, which meant I called the shots. He wasn’t leaving until I was good and damn ready for him to.

Resorting to plan B, I turned to fluff my pillows, then grabbed my cola and barbecue chips from my nightstand. I settled back on my bed and crossed my bare legs at the ankles. “Tell me about Shrinelyn.”

Irving remained silent and glared across the room at me.

“I would say I don’t have all day. But actually, I do.” I smiled at him and then fed myself a chip.

It took Irving a while to realize that he wasn’t going to be able to escape my presence until he did what I wanted. But eventually, he gave in.

“Shrinelyn is a beautiful realm swathed in magic and bathed in peace. Everything your realm is not.”

“Let me guess,” I said. “Everyone there is gorgeous and perfect, they always say ‘please’ and ‘thank you,’ and cover their mouth when they sneeze, therefore, preventing a civil war from breaking out over manners.”

Irving’s eyes flashed. “Do you want to know about Shrinelyn or not, human?”

With a sigh, I waved my hand for him to continue.

“Shrinelyn is ruled by a very wise and powerful Sultan who has fiercely protected our realm ever since he ascended to the throne.”

My eyes widened. “You have royalty where you’re from?” I felt silly at the excitement that shrilled from my words. But I adored anything royal—kings, queens, the whole lot. I was absolutely obsessed with Louis XIV of France, Queen Victoria of England, and many others. But there no books to read or documentaries to watch about the Sultan of Shrinelyn, and I wanted to know everything there was to know about him.

“What’s he like?” I asked. “Have you ever met him?”

Irving chuckled, but I didn’t know why that question was funny. “Of course I have. As for his demeanor, there is not a more kind or gentle Djinn in existence. It is why he has reigned so long and is so loved by my kind.”

“Does he live in a palace?”

“Yes. The grandest of palaces that my eyes have ever seen. And I have seen many.”

“And what about the queen? How is she?”

“
There is no queen.
” The sharpness of his tone warned me not to press for more information. The topic of the queen of Shrinelyn was off limits.

“So, what is your other job in Shrinelyn then?” I asked, heeding the warning. “Granting wishes can’t be the only thing you do.”

Irving shrugged one of his beautifully toned shoulders. “I have refused all other posts within my kingdom and spend my days away from the human realm working with my steel creations. Because of that, the Sultan refers to me as a
worthless rogue
. He says I waste my talents on this craft, but I beg to differ.”

“So you’re an inventor?” I’d only known Irving for a day, but I never would have guessed that this handsome Djinn was an inventor.

“I would not necessarily call myself an
inventor
, but yes, I have crafted many marvelous creations during my existence.”

“Arrogant, aren’t we?” I drained my soda and scooted to the edge of my bed. “So tell me about something you’ve invented,
created
.”

Irving seemed surprised that I wanted to know. But why wouldn’t I? Why wouldn’t anybody?

“The verity-meter is my most recent. Yesterday was the first time I had ever put it to use.”

“What!? Are you saying you
experimented
on me?”

Irving shrugged, looking unashamed. “Yes.”

“Well, did it at least work?” I asked.

His eyes gleamed. “Perfectly.” I thought on that and wondered if my blood turning blue meant I’d told the truth or lied about something. After another moment, I realized I didn’t care.

“What else have you invented?”

Irving cocked his head. “Would you like to see one for yourself?”

“Duh.”

He nodded once, then let out a high-pitched chirp that was loud and quiet at the same time. That was the only way to describe it. It pierced my ears, yet didn’t leave them ringing. It was weird.

A moment later, something banged against my bedroom window, scaring the shit out of me. I looked over to find a
bat
flapping its wings against the glass pane, begging to be let in. I leaned forward and gasped when I realized it was a
mechanical
bat with black leather wings and a tiny steel body and talons.

I rushed to the window to open it. The tiny bat shot inside the moment the pane was up and flew to Irving, who sat up and offered the little bat a finger to land on. The room filled with the mechanical chirps it emitted and I grew giddy with excitement.

“This,” Irving said, scratching the bat’s little steel head, “is Nagi.”

“Cute name,” I replied, still by the window, waiting to be invited over. I didn’t know how the bat would react to me if I just came up on it with no warning. I liked my face
without
claw marks.

“Nagi is one of my earlier creations and my most prized. She has become more of a friend to me than anything and I treasure her.” Nagi chirped as if she reciprocated Irving’s statement.

“Is it safe for me to come over and have a better look?” I asked.

“Of course. Nagi is a gentle soul and only attacks when threatened.”

I tiptoed over, regardless. Nagi chirped as I approached and flapped her leather wings.

“Hi, Nagi, I’m Glory,” I said as I held out my finger to see if she would climb on. To my childish delight, she did. I couldn’t help but let out a tiny squeal.

I brought her up to eye level and was just awed by the detail Irving had given the little bat. From her black pearl eyes to her ivory jaws and fangs, she was absolutely magnificent.

“She’s stunning,” I breathed. I looked at him. “Honestly, Irving. She’s amazing.”

Irving seemed uncomfortable with the compliment, but responded with a ‘thank you’ anyway.

I sat down so I could check Nagi out without dropping her and watching her smash to pieces on my hardwood floor. Brass joints connected her wings to her body and little steel ears sat on top of her ivory head. They moved and twitched as real ears did, and after further inspection I could see that her ear canals had tiny built-in phonographs inside them. I was just blown away. Irving had taken such care with Nagi’s creation and the result was the brilliant little creature perched on my finger.

“She seems to like you,” Irving said, drawing my attention toward him.

“Like me? She’s a steel bat. She has no emotions.”

“On the contrary. She feels the same as you and I, and it is clear she does not see you as a threat. Otherwise, she would have already clawed your eyes out.”

“Lucky me.” I peered down into Nagi’s onyx eyes. The bat stared back at me as though she could really see me. On second thought, I knew that she could. If she could feel, she could see. I smiled, hoping that was the image she kept filed away in her tiny mechanized brain. I never wanted the little bat to see me as a threat.

“Is our conversation over?”

I looked up at Irving and was disappointed to find that he seemed as irritated with me as ever. More than disappoint me, it pissed me off. We’d had a nice talk with no arguing and now he had just gone and ruined it all.
Bastard.

“Sure,” I snapped. “I’m even more bored than before so I don’t see any reason why you should stay.” I thrust my arm toward him. “Here, take your bat and go.”

Irving shook his head as he stood and claimed his duster. “Nagi will leave when she is ready.”

“What?”

He nodded toward the window. “Just leave it cracked. Nagi will find me on her own.”

“So you’re staying in the human realm then?” I almost asked if there was another human he was in a hurry to see, but refrained since I wasn’t even supposed to give a shit.

“Nagi will find me wherever I am.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” I glared at him. “
Answer it.
”

Irving returned the glare, but he responded. “No. I am returning to Shrinelyn. I have business there.”

“Thought you didn’t have any other business besides granting my wishes.”

Irving cocked his head to one side and a smile inched across his face. “Ah, I see. You believe my business is soft and beautiful, with long legs and a scent that is far more intoxicating than
soap.
”

I bristled. “No. I do
not
believe that.”

“You do.”

“I do not!” I took a deep breath. “Just leave, Irving. If you really don’t want to be here, just go. I’ll be fine.”

Irving dropped the grin and frowned. He stared at me as though he didn’t understand me. “I have upset you.”

I snorted. “And this is the first time you’ve noticed?”

His frown deepened. “I did not mean to upset you. I only thought—” His words cut off and Nagi chirped to fill the silence.

“You only thought what?” I said.

Irving shrugged, his amethyst eyes on super sparkle. “I thought you enjoyed our debates.”

“Debates?” I scoffed. “That’s a flowery word, Mr. Amir.
Flowery.
”

“I do not understand.”

I glared. “I thought you were leaving.”

“Is that your command?”

“No! That was your own idea!” How had he turned this around on me? “Stay or go, Irving. I don’t give two shits what you do anymore.”

There was a moment of silence, then after a chirp from Nagi, Irving removed his duster and returned to my armchair.

“I think I will stay,” he said.

I shifted on the bed. Irving’s decision pleased me more than it should have. I wanted him to stay, and it wasn’t because I actually believed there was a woman waiting for him in Shrinelyn. There wasn’t any woman in Shrinelyn. Rather, there wasn’t any woman that Irving truly cared about. If there had been, he would have mentioned her. If there was a woman he was in love with, he wouldn’t have stayed. He would have been there with her, not here with me. There was no woman and I hated that that even mattered to me. Why did I even care? Irving was just an annoying Djinn I’d met less than twenty-four hours before and I was his master.
That was all
. I needed to stick to the rules, make my wishes, and be done with him. That would be easy enough if I didn’t start creating issues where there weren’t any.

Irving cleared his throat. I looked at him. “What?”

He pointed. “Nagi.”

I looked down and laughed. Nagi was hanging upside down from my finger, fast asleep, while wrapped tightly in her leather wings. It was the cutest thing to see, but I cradled her in my hand just in case those little talons slipped loose.

“Should we continue our conversation?”

I shrugged and found Irving’s eyes again. “What do you want to converse about?”

Irving thought for a moment, then smiled and rose from his chair. He moved to my dresser and opened my underwear drawer. After rummaging through it for a few seconds, his hand emerged with something in its grip.

“Fuck my life,” I grumbled, feeling my face heat up to the point of boiling.

“I have just one question,” he said, his grin having stretched even wider. He held up the vibrator he’d just pulled from my drawer. I’d forgotten it was even there.
Oh, fuck my entire life.

“Whatever do you need
this
for, Glory St. Pierre?”