Aftershocks

by Marie Harte

  “Ellie?”

  “Thanks, Cadmus. I really needed that.” She forced herself not to run to the bathroom, conscious to keep her back to him, her face a tell-tale mask of confusion, need and worry. Stopping in front of the door, she stretched and sighed, as if pleased by the physical attention and not completely unnerved by the power he held over her. “I’ll try not to use all the hot water.”

  Closing the door behind her, she leant back against it. Her limbs still felt like rubber, and her heart beat so fast she worried it might explode. Ellie could feel him prodding subtly at her mind and concentrated to shore her mental walls.

  She did not still love Cadmus Storm.

  Annoyed, she nearly ripped the curtain from the shower rod and turned on the water. She breathed deeply and watched the rivulets of water slowly run down the curtain, heading towards a certain end in the drain.

  “What have I done?” she whispered, aware she had made a monumental mistake in dealing with Cadmus Storm.

  Stepping into the shower, she washed him from her body, wishing she could as easily wash him from her mind. A month ago, she’d been eager to profess her love. She’d thought that two people who had bared their souls to one another, who had shared intimacies so profoundly deep that they shared one another’s thoughts, could live and love together despite their differences.

  They’d shared thoughts, but apparently not the same feelings. Though she could understand Cadmus’ hurt when he’d found out she had lied about her identity, his reaction had been too intense, too unforgiving for a man supposedly in love. The rejection had felt all too familiar. Another man she loved, another push away.

  Now, to top that off, she’d slept with him again. Let him into her small, uncomplicated world.

  Working herself into a lather, she decided to do the same to her hair and washed it like crazy. Suds and bubbles floated around the stall as she massaged her scalp, trying to rub some reason into her growing insanity. A moment of weakness, make that two moments of weakness, and she once more found herself vulnerable to Cadmus.

  And who had been the idiot to suggest he stay here with her, when he could have been safely ensconced in Foreia, a world away? Oh, that’s right, she’d volunteered. Am I a sucker for pain, or what? Gritting her teeth, she shoved her head under the spray and rinsed thoroughly.

  Much as she hated to admit it, the sex had been to-die-for. Considering he’d initiated her into the wild world of hedonism, it was no wonder she still wanted him so badly. Cadmus possessed bedroom skills that would put Casanova to shame. Those hands, that tongue. She flushed and turned the water temperature colder.

  Well, there was no turning back now. She’d declined her father’s offer to take Cadmus off her hands. And since experiencing Cadmus between the sheets again, her libido had firmly left its hiatus.

  Ellie told herself to be strong. She’d keep their relationship basic, physical. Purposefully ignoring the image of Cadmus smiling, of his generosity when they’d been shopping, of his protective instincts that were more courtly than overbearing, she washed herself with the special lemon soap her mother made and grimaced. Thoughts of her mother only emphasised how wrong two different people could be for each other. Ethim and Amanda, her Djinn father and human mother, always seemed to be at odds. Affection existed, enough to have created Ellie and put a sparkle in her mother’s eyes after one of Ethim’s visits. But nothing more than that, nothing long-lasting.

  And if her father found out what she and Cadmus had been doing… Not that she particularly cared, she reminded herself, but staying in Ethim’s good graces might just help her mother finally reconcile with him. Hell, it couldn’t hurt.

  Letting the water pound at the knot in her neck, she stood under the warm shower and managed a plan, of sorts. Cadmus wouldn’t be here that much longer. Despite the ache that thought produced, she knew she couldn’t ignore the facts. She had no willpower when it came to the Earth Lord, and he knew it. So Ellie would sleep with him while keeping her heart distanced, safe. That way when everything ended and he returned to Tanselm, she would survive, and perhaps look back on this interlude with fondness.

  Fondness? She snorted. At least be honest with yourself. Nothing about Cadmus calls to mind fondness. Fury, lust, laughter. But ‘fondness’?

  “You’re much too quiet in here.”

  She stifled a gasp and turned to find a naked Cadmus watching her with steady brown eyes.

  “Why don’t you join me?” she offered, determined to stick to her plan, and smiled. Distance, Ellie. Remember, keep it just physical. “There’s just something about a naked man in the morning that sets me off. Especially when he’s wet.”

  He said nothing as his gaze drifted over her. His erection spoke for him.

  He sighed. “I’d like to withhold sex to get you to tell me what’s wrong. But I have no self-control when it comes to you.” Stepping into the shower, he closed the curtain behind him and pressed her against the shower wall. “We’ll talk later, baby. You can count on it.”

  Before she could protest his high-handedness, his lips found hers. Like a switch, her mind shut down as feeling erupted within her body, bypassing her hardening heart.

  * * * *

  Cadmus stared at the taillights of Ellie’s car through the window of her living room. She could say what she wanted, but the stubborn woman was running away. He curled his fist and forcibly withdrew the energy suddenly shaking the small apartment. Breathing deeply, he retreated into himself, trying to understand how the best sex of his life had ended so badly.

  Last night had been a dream come true. He’d finally had Ellie Markham in his arms, where she belonged. Waking up to find her wrapped around him in bed, he’d been helpless to deny taking her all over again. Like a fever heating his blood, she made him burn. Echoes of discord faded when he held her close, joining her in incredible climax.

  But when she’d shot out of bed, leaving him alone and wanting, he’d known she hadn’t felt the same peace he had. What the hell had he done to put that distress in her eyes? He knew for a fact she’d felt the same desire, the same rapture he had. Ellie was not a quiet lover. He liked the passion that dwelled deep within his little Djinn. But his enthusiasm faded as he recalled that wounded look she’d worn in the shower.

  Baffled, he shook his head. Trust a woman to muck up outstanding sex. No doubt Ellie was throwing conspiracies and evil motives his way. As if making love to the most desirable woman he’d ever met was a means to some nefarious end. He doubted he’d ever truly understand a woman’s thought processes, and Ellie was more confusing than most.

  He wondered if she really intended to visit her mother this morning, or if she’d lied simply to escape him. Cursing, he ran his fingers through his damp hair and dressed in rumpled jeans and an Outpour T-shirt. After making a pot of coffee, he stepped out onto her small balcony and inhaled the rich scent of earth, thriving pansies and burgeoning bulbs beginning to prosper in Seattle’s rich brown soil.

  A faint vibration shook the air, an arch of danger mixing with a spreading Darkness Cadmus recognised. He turned around to see Jonas suddenly appear in the middle of Ellie’s living room.

  “Ever heard of knocking?”

  Jonas scowled. “Made yourself right at home, I see.”

  The Djinn wore a dark brown vest and trousers, his powerful build clearly showcased by the formfitting clothing. Deep gouges marred his left shoulder, and a smattering of blood covered his temple. A bruise lingered at the edge of his mouth.

  “Been brawling again?”

  “The wraiths really don’t like you Storm Lords or anyone bent on helping you.”

  “Why are you helping us?” Cadmus watched Jonas like a hawk. “You’ve been feeding me that ‘it’s best for everyone’ crap for over a month. Tell me the truth, Jonas.” A sudden vision hit him as he stared at the Djinn. But unlike the other visions he’d had, this one brought no pain, only confusing pictures of possibilities.

  The Djinn in Tanselm. Dark bre
thren grouping in what looked like the northern lands. Someone spoke to the gathering, where Light Bringers and Djinn stood together, uneasy, yet…accepting?

  Lightning flashed and ‘Sin Garu appeared. His mouth gaped wide, sharp teeth and curled talons threatening as he flew over an Ellie Cadmus had never before seen. A woman with a queen’s bearing, wearing flowing robes of brown, who suddenly flamed in truth.… He rubbed his temple.

  Jonas poked him in the shoulder. “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing, hmm?”

  “Just a headache from trying to figure out what the hell you’re doing here so soon on the heels of Ethim il Ruethe’s visit.”

  Jonas stilled. “Ethim was here? When?”

  “Last night.” Cadmus watched Jonas puzzle over the matter. “Problem?”

  “No. What did he say, exactly?”

  Perhaps Jonas could shed some light on Ellie’s strained relationship with her father. “He seemed to want to help Ellie with some problems concerning her schooling. But she didn’t look happy to see him.”

  “She wouldn’t be. Stubborn woman.”

  “Why wouldn’t she want to see her father?”

  “That’s really her business, isn’t it?”

  “It’s mine while I’m here. I trust her judgement. And if she’d not comfortable with Ethim, perhaps I should take a second look at the man. Could he be a part of ‘Sin Garu’s schemes?”

  Truth be told, Cadmus didn’t think Ethim il Ruethe had anything to do with ‘Sin Garu. From what he’d seen of the Djinn leader in his brief stint on Foreia, he knew Ethim regarded ‘Sin Garu as the lowest form of life. But Cadmus wanted to know more about Ellie, and he doubted Jonas would tell him anything by simply asking.

  Jonas sighed and sank onto the couch, rubbing his shoulder. “Ethim has nothing to do with the Dark Lord. He and Ellie have never had what you’d call an easy relationship. Ethim has responsibilities that take him from this plane often.”

  “So what? He refused to take her with him?”

  “Her mother wouldn’t allow him to.”

  Surprised, Cadmus shut up and listened.

  “Ethim and Amanda, Ellie’s mom, had a falling-out nearly thirty years ago. She’s yet to forgive him and, in her quest to punish him, pulled Ellie into the middle.”

  “That’s not right.” Anger on Ellie’s behalf surged, surprising him at how personally he felt her loss.

  “No, it’s not. But, much as I hate to admit it, I agree with Amanda’s decision to raise Ellie here. Being with Ethim would only have put her in danger she’s not ready to face.”

  “Because she’s not a true Djinn?”

  Jonas shook his head. “Because she won’t accept she’s a true Djinn. In our culture, blood doesn’t tell all. Ellie’s half human, but it’s her magic—her very soul—that determines her course in life. The stubborn woman is gifted with great powers of Darkness, powers she refuses to acknowledge.”

  “I still don’t get it. She’s Djinn. What more is there to acknowledge?”

  “Don’t be so dense.”

  Cadmus scowled.

  As usual, Jonas ignored him. “Being a Storm Lord is much more than simply being born a Light Bringer, right?”

  Cadmus reluctantly nodded.

  “You had to accept your elemental nature, to allow it to build and grow within so you’d be able to skewer as many creatures of Dark and Shadow as you possibly can,” Jonas finished caustically.

  Cadmus flipped his middle finger, spurring a smirk out of the Djinn.

  “Real creative of you. But you get my point?”

  “I suppose. I still don’t see why Ellie wouldn’t simply embrace her heritage if it meant becoming closer to her father.”

  Hell, Cadmus had done everything in his power to prove himself worthy to his father, a man he would forever love and respect. Faustus Storm had rewarded him in so many ways. Trips into the forest, surrounding his son with Tanselm’s rich earth and hearty magic. Their treasured times together, just Faustus and Cadmus, apart from his brothers, where father and son would joke and pull pranks against the rest of their tight-knit family.

  “I think perhaps your growing years were different than Ellie’s,” Jonas said quietly. “Even mine was filled with a closeness I’ve yet to rediscover among the humans. Don’t get me wrong, Amanda is a very loving mother. But her strained relationship with Ethim soured Ellie in a lot of respects.”

  Cadmus nodded, understanding more about Ellie, and wanted to comfort her for what he couldn’t change. Wary of his deepening feelings, he shied away from the notion of growing affection and changed the subject.

  “Okay, so Ethim isn’t a bad guy. Fine. So what are you doing here? Did you miss me, Jonas?”

  Jonas pinched the bridge of his nose as if seeking patience, and Cadmus couldn’t help but chuckle.

  “I don’t know how your brothers put up with you. I’m here because my mistress wants to see you again.”

  Cadmus hadn’t expected that. He felt more than uncomfortable around the Djinns’ Dark Mistress, though he’d be damned if he’d let anyone see that. Lexa’s energy drew him. In her presence, he had to constantly remind himself not to trust her. The struggle drained and annoyed him, as much as her beauty dazzled him.

  “What does she want?”

  Jonas shook his head. “You know, when I left you here, it was with the intent of keeping you safely hidden, so that the Netharat wouldn’t find and crush your sorry ass. Yet I find you’ve been shopping all over town, insulting Ellie’s peers at the university, and who the hell knows what else.”

  Cadmus didn’t need to read minds to know Jonas suspected the intimate relationship he and Ellie now shared. “What exactly are you trying to say?” Cadmus rested his hip on the balcony ledge and tried to appear innocent, having fun at Jonas’ expense.

  When the big man’s face darkened, he had to work hard to suppress a grin.

  “Don’t bullshit me, Earth Lord. I’ve seen the way you look at Ellie. And I don’t like it.”

  “You mean, as her ‘cousin,’ you find my attentions offensive?”

  “I am her cousin, lekharn.” Jonas swept a disdainful glance over him. “Granted, I’m quite a bit older, but our tie is true enough. I won’t have you hurting her, not when she’s gone out of her way to help us. She has no more fondness for the Storm Lords than she does the Djinn.”

  Despite a niggle of relief that Jonas and Ellie were related, a twinge of guilt hit Cadmus remembering how devastated she’d looked before he’d left the last time. Even realising she’d deserved some of his anger couldn’t alleviate the notion he’d crushed something just beginning to grow between them. The sex had been indescribable, but the incredible intimacy they’d shared had been wondrous.

  “Cadmus,” Jonas growled, “tell me you aren’t sleeping with my cousin.”

  “I’m not.” It wasn’t a lie, exactly. Cadmus wasn’t presently sleeping with Ellie. Later when she returned, he’d take her to bed and fix their problems. Sleep would be the last thing on their minds.

  “We Djinn take our sexuality very seriously. Play is all well and good, but every interaction creates a bond that strengthens with each touch, each whisper and promise. Ellie might not want to admit it, but she’s Djinn to her bones. Casual sex is not something my cousin can handle.”

  “Who said it would be casual?”

  In the blink of an eye, Jonas yanked him into the house and slammed him into the wall hard enough to leave an imprint. Cadmus dropped to the ground with a groan.

  “Shit. Now look what you made me do?” Jonas snarled in disgust, shaking the Dark energy from his hands. “She’s going to be pissed.”

  Cadmus opened his mouth to retort, but one look at Jonas stopped him. Until he saw the threat looming in the distance outside. “Yeah, but not as pissed as she’s going to be with wraith blood all over the couch.”

  Backing deeper into the living room, Cadmus swore as the Netharat swarmed close. Ragged robes p
oorly concealed the wraiths’ skeletal frames, and their paper-thin necks barely withstood the pressure of their bulbous, bruised skulls. Gaping maws of blackened teeth flapped as the creatures screeched, threatened and gurgled with malicious, maddening laughter. They stared with blank, white eyes while their pointed, high-set ears twitched as they searched for prey. Spying Jonas and Cadmus, a half dozen of the creatures suddenly filtered through the balcony doors, blasting blue flame with the intent of major destruction.

  Cadmus drew on the earth for shocks of vibration that stunned and paralysed the two wraiths nearest him. Calling on his connection to Tanselm, he surrounded the wraiths in the land’s soil that appeared at a wave of his hands. He watched them struggle to breathe while he wheeled to avoid the strike of blue fire that singed his forearm.

  Jonas captured a wraith in his Dark energy, then shoved two more wraiths out of Cadmus’ path when they would have closed in on him. Shoving his wraith into Cadmus’ floating mound of earth, Jonas restrained two more of the enemy and did something that made Cadmus blink in awe.

  Dark energy blanketed the wraiths. Cadmus would have thought the creatures, being Dark themselves, would thrive on the energy. Instead, they slowly withered and died, while Jonas’ eyes glowed brighter and brighter, looking like twin flames of light where amber orbs used to be.

  “Cadmus, look out!”

  Blue flame sizzled by his ear, and as Cadmus reached out to take care of the remaining wraith, instinct stopped him. The creature looked at first like a typical ice wraith. A lumpy, hairless skull sat atop a thin neck. Its body was long and thin, bony with claw-like hands and tattered black robes that covered it from neck to toe. Its skin, however, was not the typical mottled black and yellow of the ice wraiths Cadmus had previously encountered.

  This wraith possessed smooth, white skin veined with blue streaks over its exposed forearms and face. Its neck was thicker, its skull more rounded, human-like, and its eyes… Unlike the milky whites of its brethren, this creature had pure black eyes. No pupils or irises to speak of, its gaze was fathomless, what Cadmus imagined the voids between worlds looked like.