“You’ve lived too long, Mother. That is your only ailment.”

Her smile turned to a malicious glower and she reached for Tamir’s chin, tilting his handsome face up to hers so she could study it. He refused to meet her eyes, his fists clenched in fury at his own helplessness. “He is beautiful, my son. I can see why he has you so enthralled.” Her fingers bit into his skin, drawing blood, making him flinch. “I will end his life if you do not give your essence to me willingly.”

“You’ve gone insane,” Glass spat but she could hear desperation in his words.

Her eyes glittered now as she turned back to him. “I have to do this. Please forgive me for seeking you first, my love, but I fear this will be the hardest of all… destroying my Glass. My beautiful Glass. I must do it first. It must be over with first.”

“Mother, please…”

“I cannot be reasoned with. Just give me your essence and I will see Tamir free. I will make sure that no harm comes to him. I will try to save him when The After comes for us.”

As someone who needed to be loved most by everyone, Lilif watched with pained envy as Glass shifted his gaze to Tamir. A deep love for the lesser Jinn

lived with Glass for all to see, and Lilif could see the moment Tamir realized what the depth of that love meant. He started struggling in Lilif’s arms. “No, Glass, no!” he yelled. “What is my life without you? Do not do this! I am not worth the consequences!”

“You are worth everything,” Glass whispered hoarsely. He turned to his mother, seeming numb, but relenting. “If you let him go I will leave with you.”

The closest Lilif had ever come to loving anyone that much was her love for her twin, Asmodeus. She believed she would do anything for him… but to die

for him? Was she capable of such love? A bitter inability to understand her son twisted Lilif’s mouth into a sneer. “My dear son, when you love, you love so deeply. If I had not used it against you, your father or brothers certainly would have eventually.”

“Not this brother,” Red growled furiously as he stormed into the room, the air around him crackling dangerously. In sync, as the two brothers had always been, Red and Glass turned to her and Lilif felt the steel grip of their combined power binding her body. She cried out in rage as Tamir stumbled away from her. “You will not have him,” Red proclaimed. Hurt and anger were just two of the myriad of emotions in his unearthly blue eyes.

This one, Lilif thought hatefully, chipping away at the binding slowly but surely, this one had always been far too easily manipulated by Azazil. “You

fool,” Lilif spat at him, “Loyalty is not a currency you can afford to use.”

Red curled a lip at her in distaste. “Then I shall always be a pauper for a king, mother.”

Impotent anger made her power react faster against theirs and Red and Glass struggled to hold her. But still the fear that she might not be able to win

against the two of them filled her. With a shriek of fury, she broke their binding and lunged at Tamir. The crack of his neck breaking – the sound of the end of his life - echoed around the room. Glass’ deep cry of pain followed in its wake.

Lilif stepped back into the Peripatos before Glass could take his revenge.

… “Ari, come on, wake up,” a deep voice rumbled in her ear. She nuzzled deeper into the soft pilow, hunching her shoulder so it rubbed her ear where his breath had tickled. “Michael wants to see you in his office.”

Ari groaned and flipped over, her eyes narrowed on Jai’s face. He was braced over her, his hands on either side of her head. His gorgeous shaven face and bright eyes hovered inches above her. “You woke me from a dream. I think I was actualy Lilif in this one.”

Jai’s eyebrows drew together. “What was it about?”

“It was her memory of trying to kil Glass. Taking his essence,” she mumbled, stil a little sleepily. A sadness echoed in her chest for the Jinn King she had never met.

He was just as extraordinary as Red, with his long cerulean blue hair and matching eyes. If her dreams were true memories, Lilif had kiled the man Glass loved. “She kiled his lover when Red and Glass wouldn’t let her take his essence.”

“Sounds like something The White King might do.”

“Hmm,” Ari agreed, trying to forget she was related to these spiteful beings. “Not that it’s not nice waking up to you, but why the early wake-up cal?”

He smiled grimly down at her as he puled away to sit up on the bed. “Michael wants to see you in his office.”

Her heart did a little skip as the words finaly woke her up. If Michael wanted to see her that might mean she was ready for assignments. With a little huff of energy, Ari pushed the bed covers off and slipped past Jai, practicaly running into the adjoining bathroom. She quickly cleaned up and brushed her teeth, laughing with a mouthful of toothpaste as the door to the bathroom opened just enough for Jai to throw in a t-shirt, jeans and some clean underwear. She tried not to think about him going through her underwear drawer. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen her out of it. Sort of. Yeling a garbled thank you, Ari spat, and then rushed into her clothes, taking a second to pul her long hair into a ponytail.

When she came out of the bathroom, Jai was standing by the window with that brooding look on his face—that look that always got to her. The early morning sun lit up his eyes, making them glitter like crystal green lake water. His eyebrows were dipped into a little frown and his lower lip pouted a little. Rich dark hair was beginning to grow in on top of his head, and Ari couldn’t decide what suited him better… the close-shaven look or this boyish ruggedness. Her heart felt ful as she watched him, blown away by how every nerve in her body seemed to zing with life in his presence. How her chest just ached with too much feeling.

Sensing her study, Jai turned his head to look at her, the smal diamond in his ear winking in the sunlight. “You okay?”

No, she was thoroughly distracted. “Does Michael realy need me this second?” she asked softly, walking slowly towards him.

He reached out an arm as she drew closer, sliding it around her waist and drawing her up against his chest. She felt his bicep flex against her, felt the strength of his chest under her fingertips and gave thanks to whoever was listening for giving her Jai. Being with him was the only time she ever felt safe. The only time she ever forgot who she realy was and what that meant.

Trailing her fingertips up his chest, along and up his neck to his jaw, Ari shivered at Jai’s tiny exhalation of pleasure at her touch. Lifting her gaze as she stroked her fingers along his cheek, she gazed into his eyes and felt wonder. Ari had read about moments like these, when you were so lost in someone else the room around you just disappeared. It was true. Everything in her peripheral grew fuzzy and unreal. Michael’s summons blew away on a breeze.

Together they reached for a kiss.

“What are you doing to me?” Jai whispered across her lips, not waiting for an answer before reaching for a kiss. Their mouths brushed against one another’s; soft, tingling expressions of torture. And just as Ari was about to give into her impatience, Jai beat her to it, his hands cupping her face closer as he deepened the kiss, his tongue touching hers and sending chils of pleasure rushing through her. He tasted like toothpaste again, or she did, Ari couldn’t tel. It didn’t matter. He just tasted divine. Wanting him closer, Ari slid her arms around his back, puling at his t-shirt so her hands could slip under it. His skin felt silky and hard, her fingers tickling his lower back. Jai groaned and tightened his grip on her nape, his kisses so long and deep now, Ari was gasping for breath.

If Jinn weren’t supposed to feel the heat, how come she felt like they were both on fire?

As abruptly as the kiss had deepened, Jai pushed her away until she stumbled back from him.

Their panting filed the silence of the room and Ari stared at him wide-eyed, her lips swolen. “You stopped. Again.”

He nodded, and then shook his head, smiling ruefuly. “I think Michael has a job for you. We better go see him.”

Nervous excitement flooded her stomach and Ari couldn’t tel if it was from what had been happening or what was about to happen. “That’s good, right? That he has a job for me?”

Her guardian/boyfriend immediately went back to brooding mode. “Hmm.”

Ahh, he was feeling a little overprotective this morning. Warmed by the thought, Ari reached up to give him a quick peck on the lips. She grinned. “I’l be fine.”

He studied her for a moment, and she wondered what was realy going on behind those beautiful eyes of his. “I know,” he replied finaly.

Not sure if he meant it, Ari sighed and started towards the door. A sharp tug on her wrist brought a gasp to her lips, a gasp that was almost immediately swalowed in Jai’s mouth as he puled her back into his arms. His kiss was rougher, harder, more desperate—his hands scalding against her waist as he pressed her as close to him as he could get her. Feeling a need to reassure him, although she wasn’t sure why, Ari wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into his kiss, matching him rather than trying to gentle him. Her weight pushed him back against the wal and he groaned into her mouth. That would never cease to be hot, Ari shivered. Her shiver set him off again, his hands sliding down the back of her thighs. His grip turned hard and Ari let out another surprised gasp as he lifted her up, easing her legs around his waist in the same motion as he turned so her back was against the wal. His mouth trailed hot kisses down her neck and Ari let her head fal back, her thoughts muddled, her synapses fried. There was only him and the feel of his strong hands under her shirt, reaching for the clasp on her bra.

A loud crash behind them stiled Jai’s hands and he growled in frustration, dropping his head against her chest. “Let me guess…” he whispered hoarsely.

Ari stroked his hair, her fingers trembling from the adrenaline that was shooting around her body. She eyed the smashed lampshade and pile of books that had been on her bedside table, but now lay littered on the floor. The hum of Ms. Maggie’s energy broke through the lust haze. “…Ms. Maggie,” she finished for him softly.