“You don’t have to worry about those mundane things, Nina. Not with me. I am human, in form and in every way a regular man is, but I am more than that, as you know. You do not risk illness or a child with me…unless the latter is something you want,” he said thickly, leaning down to bury his face in the nape of her neck.
She scoffed. “Sure, like my mom used to say, a lot of babies have been born on someone saying, ‘Trust me,’” she said, her breath catching as he nestled closer to her.
“But your mother, a wise woman, no doubt, did not know about jinn. I am a magical creature, Nina. My form is changeable. I am real, but not really,” he said somewhat poetically, his breath hot in her ear as she watched him—literally watched him change his appearance before her eyes.
Suddenly, he was light-skinned, blond and blue-eyed. Still big and muscular, but she shook her head in reflex. “Okay, you’ve proved your point, but I like you the other way,” she said truthfully. His exotic dark looks were so different from any other man she’d been with. Maybe that was the attraction.
He rubbed his hands over her shoulders, seducing her into relaxing, and her head rocked back against his chest as she leaned against him. Even though her mind couldn’t grasp, entirely, what was happening, her body understood just fine. She was slick and ready when his cock nudged her opening, seeking entrance.
It took the discipline of a thousand women to move away from that tempting nudge, but she put space between them, her sex aching for what he was promising. Her brain was telling her she had to get out, to get away.
“I have to go to work. I can’t just stay here all day doing…that,” she said, her eyes focused on his erection.
When she looked up, he was smiling again, temptation in his eyes. She took a deep breath, fighting the urge to give in. He was so gorgeous…so perfect.
That thought grounded her. No man was perfect, no person was perfect. This was all some weird, surreal make-believe. In reality, she had rent to pay, and she had to get to work.
“I have to shower and be in the office.”
“Let me join you,” he said seductively.
She spun around, shouting, “No!” though she didn’t really mean to yell, and she took a calming breath. “No. Listen, I don’t really understand how this all is possible. Obviously, it’s happening but I also have a life and a job, bills to pay. I can’t ignore that.”
“All you have to do is make a wish, and all of those menial problems would disappear,” he said in a very common-sense tone.
She paused, thinking about it. Could life really be that easy? Wish away your problems?
If only. Anyway, she already knew that genie wishes came with a price, and any wish she made might not turn out as she hoped. Look at what had happened with Peter. Her life, messed up as it was, was her own doing, the result of her own choices, and she wasn’t about to have it get worse.
“No, thanks. Now, I don’t know how this all works, but I really don’t want wishes, so, um, you can go back to wherever it is you…live. Here,” she said, sliding the ring off her finger. She’d completely forgotten she’d put it back on last night in her wine-influenced mourning about Peter.
“I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that Nina. I’m attached to the ring, and whoever has the ring controls my fate. If you make your next two wishes, I will return there until someone else summons me, but that is the only way I would be free. Unless you gave the ring to someone else, and then you give me with it. That is also your choice,” he said in a muted tone.
Nina was very uncomfortable with the picture he was painting, that she was stuck with him, unless, like he was an unwanted chair or an old book, she decided to give him away to someone else. And who would she give him to? That definitely didn’t feel right. Though he might not be completely human, he was human enough that she couldn’t treat him like a trading card.
Blowing out a breath that stirred her bangs, she nodded. “Fine. I wish for a bagel with cream cheese and some coffee. There, that was two, now you’re free.”
Alec smirked. “I can go get you those things from your kitchen while you shower. I’ve actually become quite handy with the amenities of modern life, but your wish has to come from your heart. It has to be real.”
“I really want that bagel,” she said, knowing from the look on his face that it was no use.
“I’ll get it for you,” he said with a small smile. “You shower.”
With that, he just blinked out of sight, and Nina was left standing alone in the room, though she could hear him moving around in the kitchen. Unable to comprehend the situation, she gave up and went to shower, then put on one of her old business suits. Armor against the unknown, and against a boss who was probably going to be completely pissed off.
A professional appearance probably wouldn’t save her job, but she could hope. She followed the enticing scent of an onion bagel and freshly brewed coffee. Alec was having a cup at her small kitchen table, dressed in worn jeans and an orange T-shirt that made her stop and take him in. He really was magnificent, in and out of his clothes, but the homey look made him seem so real, so normal, that her heart lurched.
“I hope you don’t mind I whipped up some of my own coffee from home, a fresh Turkish blend that’s stronger than what you have here, but I think you’ll like it. I also took the liberty of getting some pastries.”
“You just zapped them in?” she said, sitting down at the table as he poured her coffee and put a bagel in front of her, with a glass of orange juice, the tray of pastries between them.
“No, I just went to the Greek bakery you have down the street—lovely place. Very old-school,” he said.
She laughed, and shook her head. “Okay, well, uh, thanks. This all looks wonderful, though I have to get to work or I’m going to be so, so fired.”
“Eat. Don’t worry. I took care of it.”
Nina’s hand froze midway to the pastry. “What do you mean?”
“I called your boss.”
Alarm reasserted itself so quickly she stood and nearly upset her coffee. “You did what?”
“I called your office. The number was on the pad by the phone, and I think you need a proper breakfast after last night,” he said casually, his eyes traveling over her suit, approving. “That suit is severe, but it forms to your curves nicely. I’ll look forward to taking it off later.”
Her cheeks heated, her heart pounding as she thought about him doing just that, and she tried to focus. “What did you do? Did you tell Lindsay I would be there soon?”
Alec grinned. “I did better than that, dear Nina. I told her you were already there.”
“Excuse me?”
He waved his hand carelessly, and reached for another pastry. “A little genie confusion…when she sees you, she’ll think you were there all morning. You don’t have to worry. Sit. Eat.”
Nina did sit, mostly because her knees were feeling squishy again. Maybe she did need food.
“So you can do that? Just mess with people’s minds?”
He shrugged. “Jinn have different talents, but generally, yes, most can interrupt the pattern of human perception, make them think things are there that are not, or vice versa. It’s a parlor trick, mostly, generally meant to protect us against those who would remember too much or share too much about their interactions with us, but some jinn use it for fun, I’ll admit. Tricking people into tripping on a sidewalk, or sometimes worse,” he said with a hint of darkness in his expression.
“It sounds dangerous.”
“A jinn can be dangerous, like any magical creature. As humans do, we have emotions, thoughts, needs, desires, and when crossed, a jinn can cause considerable damage. Or, in the case of Ifrit—”
“What’s that?”
“Ifrit are a type of jinn, more generally known for their dangerous natures, their cunning and wickedness. They cannot be all painted with the same brush, of course, but an Ifrit is more…feral…than the average jinn,” Alec explained, and then smiled. “Is th
is for your interview?”
Nina had been listening intently over her breakfast. She realized she was getting information that would make for an amazing story.
“Is there any way to talk to one? An Ifrit?”
Alec seemed to ponder it, and he nodded shortly. “Perhaps. I would have to ask him. There is one more mild-mannered Ifrit I know, who calls himself Joe these days. He’s older, and past most of the antics of his youth. He might be willing, or he might want something in exchange. Usually with Joe, it’s sex. I could dissuade him from that, unless you would like both of us. That is also possible.”
Nina’s eyes widened, and the bite of pastry she had almost stuck in her throat. “I, um,” she sputtered, coughing. “I don’t think so. I’m not that…adventurous.”
“Never know until you try,” Alec teased, but his eyes remained serious.
“No, but if he would be willing to do an interview, and maybe pose for a photo, it would really get my backside out of a bind.”
“And what a lovely backside it is,” Alec said again, his gaze warm, making her blush again. She hadn’t reacted to a man like this since she was a teenager. Sheesh.
“And you?” she said, changing the topic away from her physical attributes.
“Me? You already have me—any way you want me,” he said easily. It was her turn to smile.
“No. I meant, will you let me interview you, and maybe get a picture, you know, in your genie getup?”
One dark eyebrow lifted. “My getup? If you mean our traditional garb, then yes, though I would change my facial appearance, if you don’t mind.”
Nina thought about it, and nodded. Often sources wanted to conceal their identities in some way; Alec’s method was just a little more extreme than most. “That would be fine.”
Finishing her coffee, she stood. “I have to go. You’re welcome to hang out here during the day, if you want, unless you have other things to do?”
What did he do on his off hours? She marked the question down to ask later.
“Thank you. I will be…around, and I will see you tonight when you return.” He promised this with such an intent note of sensuality in his voice that it replayed in her mind as she strolled to the train that would take her to the office.
ALEC WAS TRUE to his word. Up until the moment that she walked through the office—nearly three hours late—she hadn’t really believed him. But no one seemed to have any notion that she hadn’t been there all morning.
Amazing.
Alec was obviously very real, which made her much more nervous about the article. She wasn’t just making something up, playing around with silly facts, and there was no way around that. He could be affected by her report, and more than that, anyone reading it was sure to think she’d really lost her mind. It was darkly ironic that in reporting the truth, in telling what could be the most incredible story of her life, most readers would think it was a lie.
Even more amazing was that it was happening to her and that it was real. There was real magic in the world, and suddenly her current job seemed a lot more important and interesting, regardless of what people thought. Either way, reality was shifting on its axis lately.
She knocked on Lindsay’s door, then proceeded into her office. “Lindsay, you got a minute?”
“Not quite, but have a seat,” her boss said gruffly, not even looking up.
“I have some good news—great news, actually. I have a genie. I can get the interview, and pictures, probably by day after tomorrow.”
That got her boss’s attention.
“Are you kidding? You really found the guy? The one they were blogging about?”
“Yep,” Nina said, feeling excited about this news, but also apprehensive about protecting Alec. Given her past with protecting her sources, she wanted to make sure she made a good job of the article and of making sure Alec was safe. Then again, he was an ancient jinn. It seemed silly to think he needed her protection at all. “He’s agreed to answer questions and perhaps even include a friend, a different type of jinn.”
The absolute gleam in Lindsay’s eye told Nina that she had hit the jackpot jobwise, and relief flooded her. She wouldn’t be fired, not today. And maybe she’d get that cover. Cover stories came with sizable bonuses, and writers who spiked weekly sales were often less likely to find themselves investigating pig farms. Having a jinn on the cover would go a long way in making her life more pleasant around here.
“How do you know he’s for real?”
Nina felt her cheeks warm. “Well, it’s kind of hard to explain, but I found a ring…the same ring that one of the women on the blog found when she met him. Apparently that’s how it works. Whoever has the ring controls him, or rather, that’s who gets their wishes granted.”
“Do you have it?”
“No, I left it in my dresser drawer. I guess it only matters that I own it. I can’t quite bring myself to wear it, not after that first time.”
“Did you make a wish?” Lindsay was watching her so closely, Nina had to fight the urge to squirm in her chair. She didn’t want to reveal what a disaster her first wish was.
“I did. And he did grant it, though while he granted the literal meaning of the wish, he said he couldn’t make other people feel things they didn’t feel in the first place. There are some other, uh, limitations on wishing. He’s an ancient, magical creature,” she said with complete seriousness, which had her pausing to deal with the reality of it all, “and yet he’s as human as you and me,” she explained, remembering just how human Alec’s warm flesh felt pressed up against her own. She didn’t intend on sharing that.
“This is astounding,” Lindsay said on a breath, her tone excited as she stood and then began pacing behind her chair. She stopped, sending Nina a shrewd glance. “I have to admit, I didn’t think you’d really do it, but you did. I guess I shouldn’t have thought less of a first-rate investigative reporter, huh? When will the article be in to copy?”
Nina hated to admit it, but the praise warmed her. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she was back in form, and straightened in her chair. It was the first time doing work at The Scoop felt exciting and important.
“Two more days, tops. But, I want to do this solo—no photographers. I’ll get all the shots and do the editing. I want to make sure this is just right,” Nina said, holding her breath at making the demands, but Lindsay just nodded.
“Of course, no problem. Tell me, what does this guy look like?”
Nina shrugged. “Well, technically speaking, he can look like anyone. He can be male, female, any race…but to me, I think he looks like…” She paused, crossing her arms over her chest as her nipples budded just thinking about how Alec looked. Like heaven was what she wanted to say, but she kept to the facts. “To me, he looks like a genie, I guess. Darker coloring, black hair, handsome in that exotic way,” she continued. “Sometimes he wore his traditional clothes, you know, flowing robes, satin pants and vests, and other times regular clothes, like you or me.”
And sometimes, absolutely nothing at all, she added silently. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she thought she heard Alec’s sexy chuckle.
“So, get on it. I’m reassigning your other stories this week, and I want you focusing only on this.”
Nina smiled. “You got it.”
The idea of focusing only on Alec was not a hardship whatsoever, and her job had suddenly become much more appealing.
ALEC FROWNED WHEN HE didn’t see Joe at the bar. He didn’t know if his old friend would go for being interviewed for a newspaper, but then again, Joe had a huge ego and a sense of adventure.
He spotted the waitress that Joe had been seeing sitting at a table, working on putting menus together. As Alec made his way across the tavern, he saw her pause, set the menu down to wipe the back of her hand across her eyes and grab a tissue.
When he got closer, it was clear she was crying, though she was trying not to.
“Uh, hi,” he said uncertainly, trying not to
startle her.
She looked at him suspiciously, and then her expression softened. “Oh, hi—didn’t I see you talking to Joe the other day?”
“Yeah. My name’s Alec.”
The pretty woman’s eyes flooded with a new wave of tears. “So, he sent his friend to do his dirty work for him?”
Alec was momentarily taken aback. “What? No. I was just wondering if you had seen him. I thought he was usually working the bar in the afternoon.”
“He’s missed two shifts. He doesn’t call, he doesn’t answer my messages,” she said sadly. “He’s already lost the job. They brought in a new guy. No one seems to know where he is,” she said, painfully close to a wail.
“He didn’t tell you that he was going away?”
“No. That’s what I mean. We were supposed to meet at a club after my shift, and he never showed up. His stuff is still at my apartment, except for that stupid lamp he was so attached to, but there’s no sign of him. I don’t know whether to be frightened for him or pissed off,” she said honestly, picking up another tissue. “I don’t even know enough about him to call the police and file a report.”
“Did you tell anyone?” Alec did not have a good feeling about this. When a jinn just “disappeared” it was usually a bad sign. “And you’re sure the lamp was gone?”
“No, what would I tell anyone? I didn’t even know his last name. How could I not know that? It’s like I never even realized it until I tried to ask around about him, and then I felt like a complete slut, sleeping with a guy and never even knowing his name,” she said miserably.
“Did you tell anyone else about you and Joe?”
“I told my friends how great he is…and how it was so romantic when we met when I bought that antique glass lamp at the thrift shop. I picked it up, and he reached for it, too, but let me keep it. It’s so weird he would have taken it with him. He’s always saying he wants to make all of my wishes come true…and he did, until now.”
Blazing Bedtime Stories, Volume IV Page 13