Djinn Lover

by Michelle Howard

  The instinct to chase kicked in. Kale smoothed a hand over his hair and started after her. Tag. The idea appealed. Not for the same reasons as Carolyn, he was sure. As he closed in, a smile curved his mouth.

  He’d create his own prize.

  He stalked her through glass enclosures. Chased around the busts of people long dead.

  And had...fun.

  The concept was so novel, he deliberately didn’t catch her right away. The game shifted as it continued. Became one of sexual teasing. When Kale did catch Carolyn, he did it by groping her breasts and listening to her indignant squeal.

  “Tag, Carolyn.”

  She smacked at his hand, cheeks glowing and gaze cloudy with desire. “One of us doesn’t play fair.

  Kale smirked. He didn’t play fair. He played to win.

  Always.

  ***

  Carolyn giggled and hid behind one of the many white columns. She’d never enjoyed a museum visit more. They were tied two tags each.

  Ignoring all of the keep back signage, Kale leaped over the red velvet ropes, creating a shortcut.

  “Kale,” she gasped. He would get them in trouble for certain breaking museum rules. Her eyes checked around quickly to see if anyone had seen his violation.

  “Why don’t you come over here?” he taunted from the other side of the museum.

  Back in the spirit of their game, Carolyn laughed. “Make me, husband.”

  She loved saying it. The thrill of knowing this powerful man, this djinn who could have anyone he wanted, wanted her. Simple Carolyn Sutherland. Carolyn Serano, she corrected.

  Suddenly, Kale straightened. His head jerked around behind him.

  Ha! Carolyn stayed crouched in her spot. She wasn’t falling for any of his tricks.

  He faced her, no humor glinting in the pools of gold staring at her. “Carolyn, come to me now!”

  “Make me,” she sang out. Giggling madly, Carolyn ducked behind another display.

  A sofa went soaring past. “Now, damn it!”

  What the...? “Kale?”

  She peeked around the wide column only to have her gaze drawn to the large plate glass window across from them. A silver and blue helicopter spun madly in the direction of the museum. The kind tourists used when they wanted to go sight seeing. The whump whump of rotors filled the air.

  “Carolyn!” Kane raced in her direction over the gleaming tiled floors.

  Fear held her immobile.

  “Please, sweetheart. Come here!”

  Heart pumping, Carolyn tried to move but her feet froze in place. The helicopter got closer. In seconds it would rip through the building, through the window. No way could they escape.

  Then it was too late.

  Glass shattered. Shards flew in every direction. Carolyn bent low, arms over her head as she screamed. Wind created a tunnel effect. Loud whistling filled her ears. The base of a lamp slammed into her side.

  “Kale!” She yelled and finally her muscles unlocked.

  “Carolyn!” Kale’s roar motivated her.

  She took a blinding step forward. Wind from another destroyed window whipped in a frenzy throughout the room. Artifacts slammed into the walls around her. A desk smashed into pieces to the left of her head.

  Protecting her face, Carolyn turned away, running in the opposite direction of Kale. She had to hide. Find safety.

  “No, baby. Not that way. To me.”

  His voice pleaded. But she didn’t turn back. She couldn’t run toward the devastation. Carolyn risked a look over her shoulder. The helicopter burst through on Kale’s side of the building. Her mouth parted on a silent scream. The blades continued to spin round and round. What was left of the window exploded beneath a grinding sound, taking the top of the wall with it.

  “No!” Kale stopped half way to her. He threw one hand in her direction and the other toward the crashing helicopter.

  The world paused.

  Pure power. He could save them with his magic.

  “Kale, get us out of here,” she begged, her eyes burning with tears. Her throat clogged as Carolyn placed a hand over her mouth to hold in more screams of terror.

  The sadness in Kale’s eyes hit first. Then regret. “I can’t, sweetheart.”

  With the helicopter suspended by his will alone, the air buffeting around her, Carolyn remembered their earlier conversation. He’d grounded today. Gave up his connection to his power at her insistence.

  This was her fault. All her fault. Carolyn wiped at the tears spilling down her eyes.

  His gaze narrowed, taking in her tears. Muscles in his arms bunched with the strain of holding back the helicopter and its inevitable impact. He must be using the last of his power reserves.

  “Let it go, Kale.”

  They’d die. Both of them. No way he could hold off much longer and there was no where for them to run. Feet separated them.

  “Let it go,” she snapped, scrubbing frantically at her face.

  He shook his head. “I love you.”

  What? What was he planning to do? Carolyn studied the remorse shining from the gold eyes she adored.

  “D-don’t.” The whisper broke free. She took two tentative steps in his direction. Whatever he planned, she wasn’t going to like it.

  “I will always love you.”

  He swung both arms in her direction, palms out. Power rammed into her and Carolyn’s weight was thrown backward. His lips moved, but she couldn’t hear. Couldn’t hear anything in the bubble he wrapped around her. A bubble that flew in the opposite direction of her husband toward the outside of the building.

  “No!” Carolyn banged on the clear wall. “No, damn you!”

  The helicopter crashed, skidding over the floor. Jagged chunks of tile flew about. The ceiling caved and the wall tumbled down. On top of her husband.

  Carolyn dropped to her knees and screamed. She screamed until she was hoarse while the bubble landed on the ground. Outside the museum. On the street.

  Safe.

  Chapter 19

  “Alright, the doctor’s say everything is done and you’re clear to leave.”

  Carolyn ignored Macy’s cheery voice and allowed the nurse to help her sit in the wheelchair. She didn’t really need to but apparently it was policy. Heart heavy, Carolyn decided to go along instead of arguing. Nothing mattered any more. For the last three days, she’d kept herself together by staying firmly planted in her mind.

  If she cracked, the reality of what happened would tear her apart. Each time she closed her eyes, the terror of the accident replayed in excruciating detail. The only thing she had to cling to was the love in Kale’s eyes. His love was all she had left.

  The nurse stood behind her chair and pushed while Macy propped the door open. Her friend kept up a running monologue as they strolled through the halls of the hospital. She talked on the ride down in the elevator. And babbled non-stop when they reached the double door entrance where Macy’s car blocked another driver in.

  They honked as soon as Macy clicked the remote and the headlights flashed.

  The nurse’s final instructions buzzed in her ear like background noise. She needed to take it easy. Relax and heal. Rest and use the pain medication when her bruised ribs hurt. Bruised ribs.

  Carolyn sniffed back a wave of sadness as she eased into the front passenger seat with Macy’s help. You would think having a building explode and being thrown hundreds of feet away that she’d have more than bruises. But she didn’t. Because of Kale. Kale, who’d used the last of his power to save her. A solitary tear rolled down her cheek.

  “Carolyn, are you in pain? Do you need the medicine the doctor prescribed?”

  She could only shake her head and face the window. Three people had died in the helicopter. Investigators were still trying to find out the cause. Carolyn and Kale had been the only visitors to the small museum that day. A guard and staff member had managed to escape with minor cuts since they’d been at the lower level. The entire top half of the museum had been
sheered off.

  No signs of Kale’s body was mentioned. She’d begged for information and every scrap of detail until stares narrowed and the look in their eyes doubted her sanity. Carolyn let the subject drop, wondering how she could follow up. She didn’t know anyone in his family. No one to contact.

  Macy’s silence filled the car as they drove to Carolyn’s apartment. Carolyn rested her head on the cool glass of the window as the scenery flew by. Macy didn’t know it or maybe she did but the lack of immediate questions were a life saver. She should be thankful. Her friend came to the hospital right away when Carolyn called.

  Macy knew something more than the accident bothered Carolyn, but wisely kept silent during each visit. She brought lattes, candy, balloons and even a silly stuff animal to cheer up Carolyn. None of it mattered.

  Carolyn choked on a sob. Everyone insisted she was lucky. Lucky to be alive. Lucky she hadn’t been inside the museum when the helicopter crashed.

  But she wasn’t lucky. She had been in there. Nothing mattered with her husband dead. In her apartment, Macy settled Carolyn on the sofa and sat next to her. With a blanket thrown over her lap, Carolyn leaned back and closed her eyes. She hadn’t take any medication since the morning and exhaustion fueled by well meaning nurses who checked her vitals throughout the night kicked in.

  Macy turned the tv on, her fingers flicking through channels at the speed of light. A smile pulled at Carolyn’s lips. It felt tight and unnatural but it sparked her first bit of humor.

  “You, my friend, are predictable.”

  Macy glanced her way and grinned. “There’s never anything on. I’m looking for one of those celebrity gossip shows you like so much.”

  Eyes shining, Macy continued her search and paused. Carolyn turned to see what caught her eye and froze. It was Kale. Her Kale. She shot up on the sofa, joy unlike any before bursting in her chest.

  “He’s alive.” At first she mumbled the words. Shock holding her in awe as the camera showed Kale leaving his downtown office building and getting into the back of a limo. “He’s alive!” she squealed and jumped up from the sofa, the blanket falling to the floor.

  Macy stared at her, mouth open. “I knew you liked the guy, but this?”

  Uncaring how it looked, Carolyn snatched the remote from Macy’s lax fingers and cranked the volume. It took a moment for her to tune into the announcers words. The footage was recent. Her gaze went from Kale’s face to the scrolling bar at the bottom of the screen.

  Apparently he’d just concluded a deal that would add millions to his already vast fortune. Carolyn choked and sat back on the sofa with a hard thump. Macy stared at her.

  “What’s wrong, Carolyn? Did the jerk do something when you went to dinner with him?”

  Carolyn faced her friend, trying to find the words. Elation bubbled to the surface. Joy burst in her heart to keep pace with the overwhelming happiness in her soul. Kale lived and nothing else mattered.

  “Carolyn?” Macy patted her knee. “You’re scaring me girly. Do I need to kick some djinn ass?”

  She had to snicker. Tears in her eyes, Carolyn leaned back against the sofa and released a soft breath. Her heart pounded in her chest as she dropped the remote and took another deep breath then released it.

  “No ass kicking needed.” Carolyn searched the bags Macy had brought in for her. Mostly her ruined clothes from the blast. A smaller bag at the bottom contained her personal effects. She dug through frantically looking for one specific item. Carolyn found it in a clear pouch.

  Throat locked tight, she slid the diamond on the correct finger and held her hand up to Macy.

  “Holy shit.” Her friend’s blue eyes bugged. Macy grabbed her hand, turning it from side to side. “What the hell did you do, Carolyn?”

  The tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. Carolyn smiled bravely. “I married him.”

  ***

  Kale sat slouched back in his leather seat at the head of the conference table listening to his finance director drone on and on. His head ached with a vengeance and nothing he did pushed the pain away. He turned to Jadon seated directly across from him. His friend’s blue eyes met his and it still threw Kale to see the concern reflected there. Ever since his accident, Jadon watched him like he expected Kale to disappear.

  He didn’t plan on disappearing. Again. Kale tapped his finger on the lacquered table. Neither of them could yet figure out why he’d been at the museum in a downtown suburb of all places. He was over five centuries old and lived through half the stuff on display there which he had no desire to revisit. Why the hell had he been there and with who?

  “Mr. Serano, are you in agreement?”

  Don shuffled the papers in front of him as he eyed Kale nervously. He’d missed everything the man said.

  “Leave the reports on my desk or email them to Jadon. I’ll review them later.” When his head wasn’t fucked sideways.

  Kale stood and walked from the room, leaving behind ten surprised and confused men. Jadon reacted first and followed him. Kale battled a smile. Jadon, the consummate worrier.

  With the door closed behind them in his office, Jadon folded his arms over his chest and spit out. “Okay, what the hell is going on with you?”

  Kale leaned over and braced his hands on his desk, gripping the wood tight. “I don’t know.”

  He hated to admit any signs of weakness. Three days ago, he woke on the streets in front of a destroyed building with screaming sirens. His power was useless. Apparently, he’d grounded at some point during the day.

  Head careening in agony, he’d made it home and fallen asleep in his bed to heal faster. Only he wasn’t sure he had. His mind wouldn’t settle and over the last few days he and Jadon realized his memories had holes in it.

  Nothing business related from what they could tell. Kale knew every detail concerning all current business deals, but he couldn’t explain where he’d been off and on for the last week.

  “Have you remembered anything new?” Jadon’s voice lowered despite the two of them being alone in his office.

  No one could know that Kale had spots in his memory covering at least a week in time. Hell, maybe more. “No, nothing new.”

  The headaches hadn’t abated and even now the dull roar at the back of his head had him gritting his teeth. Kale straightened and adjusted his tie. “Walk me through again. There has to be something we’re missing.”

  And so they did. They covered all of Kale’s movements from the date of the Children’s awards ceremony, his work schedule, his evening with Brie at the film festival awards and his dinner with Carolyn Sutherland.

  “Carolyn Sutherland,” Kale murmured as a spike of pain lanced his temple. Her name triggered the same reaction each time. Rubbing his finger over the spot, he asked. “What did we do?”

  Jadon shrugged, taking a seat across from Kale’s desk. The wolf threw a leg over the arm of the chair, earning Kale’s glare. “You brought her to the house for dinner, I made myself scarce and she left in the morning.”

  Blonde hair, warm eyes and a soft smile.

  Kale shook away the image. “I slept with her at the hotel. I went back and she left me after you called about an issue overseas.”

  Jadon chuckled. “Maybe you didn’t impress her.”

  Kale rolled his eyes and sat on the corner of his desk, thinking. “I impressed her.”

  They’d fucked all night. He’d been out of control and unable to get enough of the delicate beauty. What was he missing? Kale fingered the leather band on his left wrist.

  He held it up, staring at the cheap accessory. He never wore jewelry but when he’d gone to remove the band from his arm a deep surge of denial rose up so quickly he’d bent over at the waist gasping. “What the hell is this anyway?”

  A piercing frown creased Jadon’s forehead. “How would I know?”

  Kale dropped his arm and grunted. “What do you know?”

  “Liam sent me an update this morning.” Jadon referenced the investiga
tor they’d hired. “There were rumors you may have been in Vegas one of those days. A couple of shop owners claimed to have seen you, but no confirmations yet.”

  This was news to Kale. He hated Vegas. The city reeked of desperation. Humans and paranorms scraping through for a chance to make their fortune. “What sort of stores?”

  “A lingerie store.”

  Kale smiled. Now that sounded like him. Maybe he’d met a woman with a fetish for silk. That wouldn’t be unusual. What was unusual was the claim that Kale purchased the items himself. He’d never do that. “Pull up my charges. See what I spent and when.”

  Jadon jumped to his feet. “Already on it. Just waiting for the report. If you weren’t so opposed to app technology, you could have this information with a click.”

  Kale merely stared. He hated being tied to a phone in all but urgent matters pertaining to business.

  For once, Jadon didn’t badger the issue. They’d been through this argument before. “I’ll let you know when it comes in.”

  Kale stopped his friend before he left. “As soon as it comes in, Jadon. I want to know what the hell happened during that time. We can’t afford to have any mistakes.”

  Jadon nodded, the grim set to his features assuring Kale he’d do everything in his power to resolve the mystery. Jadon closed the door behind him, leaving Kale alone with his thoughts.

  Taking a seat behind his desk, he flicked on two of his three monitors and plugged in his head set. First he’d deal with the emails Jadon prioritized then he’d go through all of the stuff his admin added to his calendar.

  He fingered the leather band on his wrist, unable to let it rest. Kale hated the uncertainty.

  Chapter 20

  “Are you serious?” Macy stomped from one end of Carolyn’s living room to the other. “You married Kale Serano, the djinn and billionaire?”

  For the third time, Carolyn repeated her answer with a simple. “Yes.”

  It was the same thing she’d told Macy yesterday over and over when she’d grilled her and just because it was a new day didn’t change her answer.