“It’s worth a try. Right?”
Sliding her arms around his waist and sinking into his embrace as his own arms wrapped around her shoulders, Ari nodded. “Yeah. I don’t want to feel that way again. Or have you feel that way about me again.”
Shoving her gently back, Jai frowned at her. “Feel what way?”
“You were… mad. Disappointed.”
“No. I was upset. I don’t like feeling helpless, and not knowing how to help you makes me feel like crap, okay.”
“Realy?” Ari asked doubtfuly. “Cause, you kind of had your scary, don’t talk to me, don’t even look at me, thing going on when it happened.”
“That’s my helpless face.”
“Oh. It looks a lot like rage.”
“Yeah, I only have three expressions. Blank. Pissed off. And polite boredom.”
Ari laughed and he smiled softly at her. Self-deprecation was something she hadn’t seen on him before. She liked that she was beginning to see a side to him she suspected only Trey knew existed. “Wel, I balance you out, so don’t worry about it. I’ve been told my face is an open book.”
“I don’t know.” Jai shook his head as he tucked her hair behind her ear and stroked her waist with his other hand. “Not so much anymore. Sometimes I’d love to know what you’re thinking.”
Grinning flirtatiously, Ari stepped into him until their bodies were pressed tight against each other. “Can you guess what I’m thinking now?”
In answer Jai gripped the nape of her neck and puled her up to meet his mouth, his movement surprisingly fast and rough, his kiss overwhelming. Tingles of
excitement shot through Ari as she opened her lips to let his tongue touch hers. The kiss deepened and he groaned into her mouth, and as the vibration of it buzzed through her body, sparks were set off in places Ari didn’t know sparks could be set off in. Their mouths refused to break apart, their bodies taking over and screaming at them that they wanted to meld into one. Ari’s leg was climbing Jai’s, his hands were on her hips, keeping her tight to him, their breaths mingling as they remembered the night before and al the possibilities ahead of them. It wasn’t until Ari reached under Jai’s shirt, tickling her hands along the waist of his jeans that sense seemed to come back to him and he broke the kiss, panting heavily.
Ari’s own pants whispered across his mouth. She felt dizzy and disorientated, her eyes unfocused. Whoa. “You stopped,” she muttered in disappointment.
“Yeah,” he chuckled hoarsely, gently pushing her away from him. “Because we have dinner to get to and I don’t want to look like I just tried to get my client into bed.”
Laughing now at his physical predicament, Ari took a step back. “I see. Wel, if it’s any consolation, you were trying to get your girlfriend into bed.” With a cocky smile that smoothed Jai’s scowl, Ari sauntered to the door. “I’l leave you alone to cool off. See you at dinner.”
“You’re learning too fast,” Jai grumbled.
Ari stopped halfway out of the door. “Learning what too fast?”
His frown transformed into a wickedly sexy smile. “How to drive me crazy.”
Grinning, Ari shrugged. “It’s only fair. You drove me crazy for days sleeping on my floor, sometimes without a shirt on. It was a form of torture and I intend to get my vengeance.” Feeling lighter than she had fifteen minutes ago, Ari left Jai staring sensualy after her and took a few smug steps down the halway before she stopped, placing a hand over her racing heartbeat.
Maybe she needed a few seconds to cool down too.
9 - Giving the Pawn a Name Makes the Game a Little Harder
“I asked you to protect her as much as you could. Not encourage her to seek danger by becoming a hunter.”
Red glared at her, her admonishment raising his hackles. “You forget yourself.”
Scoffing, the beauty flipped her dark hair over her shoulder and eyed him unafraid. “Don’t use that tone with me, Red. You and I are past that.”
“Then don’t accuse me of putting Ari in danger. You’re being overprotective, Ms. Maggie.”
She scowled at the nickname. “Are you sure this just doesn’t fit into your father’s twisted plans? Like his plans for Charlie. Fruitless plans,” she laughed bitterly.
“Not fruitless. He stil plans for Charlie to kil the Labartu. As we speak, Glass is tracking the Jinn so he can lead Charlie to it.”
“So Azazil kils Charlie and puts Ari forward as a hunter… to die too? What is the meaning of this? What does he want?”
Trying to rein in his anger, Red turned his back on her and stared into the flames in his fireplace. Despite everything that had happened, she was stil able to make him feel more than anyone else in this world. Speaking slowly, calmly, Red replied, “Azazil has nothing to do with this. I did this for Ari.”
“Ari doesn’t know what she’s doing. She’s just a child! And after that trial they are al curious about her. Questions have been raised. The old rumors about the Seal are resurfacing and it won’t be long before they come after her.” She cursed vehemently. “I wish I could trust that you care enough about her to put her first… like you put me first.”
“You can’t.” Red whirled around, eyes blazing into hers. “I can’t even trust that of myself.” At the sad despair in her eyes, Red desperately wanted to reach for her.
Instead he shook his head. “I… you care about her. You do. And you’re strong. Go to her. Protect her.”
Stunned, she took a tentative step towards him. “You said you didn’t want me putting myself in danger. You practicaly forbade it if I remember correctly.”
“Yes, wel…” feeling his throat close with emotion at the thought of anything happening to her, Red couldn’t meet her eyes. “I’m beginning to understand your need to protect Ari. I won’t hold you back from that anymore. You would only resent me if something were to happen to her.”
“Red…” she whispered longingly.
He glanced up sharply, desperate to be rid of her before he broke his tight control. “But remember I wil never forgive you if something happens to you…so stay hidden and only intervene if you absolutely must.”
She smiled sweetly, seductively. “Of course. I’m not suicidal, my love.”
A harsh wind tore through the State of Zubair, the land in which The White King ruled on Mount Qaf. Fabric snapped inwards from his balcony as the icy torrent tried to blast its way inside, seeking any warmth it found and snuffing it out in cruel triumph. White stared out at the balcony from his seat near the empty fireplace in his bedroom. The wind would find no warmth here—only a companion who understood its desperation and felt none of its brutal cold.
“She has taken you by surprise, Master,” Rabir murmured carefuly from the corner of the room.
White glanced up at his servant, his expression bland and calm despite his inner storm. “Ari changed the game.”
“I was certain the blackmail would have worked, Master.”
“Oh it would have. However, she no longer intends to let her affection for the people in her life rule her actions. My daughter has more of me in her than I anticipated.”
“So what now, Master? I fear we no longer have time to take it slowly. The trial has resurfaced the old rumors. Your people have grown curious and I fear what they may unearth. I fear they may seek Ari out before you have her in your grasp.”
White nodded a little numbly now. Time was running out. He needed a new plan. If only he could make her understand what was at stake. If only he could make her see that her sacrifice would save them al. “I fear you are right, Rabir. I must reconsider tactics. And quickly.”
Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, White glanced up to see Rabir was standing beside the purple bottle he kept safe in his bedroom. Throwing him a very tentative smile, Rabir gestured at the bottle. “And what Ari said about Sala, Master? Is that out of the question?”
His first instinct was to rage at Rabir’s impudence. To even suggest such a thing… White shuddered inwardly, pushing the fury down so he could think more clearly.
Finaly, when he felt calm enough to speak, he shot the bottle that throbbed with the taste of Sala’s essence an unfathomably dark look before snapping his gaze away and back at the storm outside.
“I’l think about it.”
10 - Without Fear, I Wrap My Shadows Around You
“What are you guys doing?” Charlie asked with laughter in his voice as he eyed Mikey and Ari. They were in the Creagh’s kitchen surrounded by
newspaper, paint and paste. And there was some kind of lump in between them that had their complete focus.
Ari pasted another piece of newspaper onto the lump, biting her lip in concentration. Seeming satisfied that it was wrinkle-free, she picked up another
strip without looking at him. “Mikey’s art project is due tomorrow so I’m helping him.”
Scooting onto the stool across from them, Charlie tried to stifle his smile as Mikey frowned at the plans in front of him and then at the lump Ari was so busy with. “Uh… and what’s your project, Mikey?”
His little brother looked up at him, a pained expression on his young face. “We had to make a household item but with a theme. I picked space.”
“Oh,” Charlie nodded and gestured at the lump. “Are you making a moon ornament?” A lopsided moon ornament, he added inwardly.
“No,” Ari huffed, glaring at him now.
Charlie tried not to smile. “You’ve got a blob of paste on your nose.”
She wiped it roughly away and blew her hair out of her face. “It’s a lampshade. A lampshade shaped like an alien.”
Choking back his laughter, Charlie reached for the plans Mikey held out to him. They were supposed to be making a green alien lampshade with three
arms on either side. “This is ambitious.”
“Yes. But we can do it.”
“Charlie…” Mikey begged silently with his eyes.
“Ari, you ever done papier-mâché before?”
“Of course. Remember we made planets in fourth grade.”
“No,” Charlie gently shoved her out of the way and took her seat, “I made planets. You ate paste.”
“You can’t just manhandle me out of this. I’m project manager.”
Laughing, Charlie eyed his brother. “You want to fire her or will I?”
Looking serious and regretful, Mikey turned to Ari who was standing over them with her hands on her hips. “I’m sorry, Ari. You’re fired.”
She made a few spluttering noises before crossing her arms over her chest. “That was so harsh.”
Like always, Ari’s silent treatment lasted five minutes. She hovered over them as they started from scratch, making them snacks and bringing them soda,
and offering commentary and suggestions that were ignored as he and Mikey spent three hours creating a papier-mâché alien lampshade. By the time they