by Liz Schulte
"Yeah, that’s him all right. He's the new commander. He sort of came out of nowhere. But I've heard stories. Vicious. He's not someone you want on your bad side, but from the way I hear it he doesn’t have a good side. He doesn’t like jinn or humans.” She wiped her hands on a napkin and leaned back in her chair, eyes still shifting in a cat-like manner. “Are you sure about tonight?"
"I'm positive. Holden doesn't know where I am. We'll be fine."
She looked doubtful. "Olivia, if he wants to find you, he will. He’s a jinni. Finding something that’s desired is his specialty."
"He doesn’t want to find me. But all the same, if he does show up tonight, it’s best if you let me handle it. No matter what happens, walk away, forget you ever met me."
Her eyes widened and her brows pulled together. “Have you lost your mind?”
"I’m serious. He won't hurt me, but he will hurt you or anyone else who stands in the way of what he wants."
"And what does he want?"
"It's hard to say. I thought I knew once, but now I'm not sure."
"Well, let's just hope he doesn't show." She grimaced and I laughed at her.
"Holden is the least of our concerns. We need to worry about whoever’s killing guardians."
"You’re sure it isn't him?"
"Positive. He wanted me to become a guardian from the start. He knows I’m back. If he wanted to kill me, he would’ve already made his move. I’m 100% sure, especially after last night."
"Wait, wait, wait. What happened last night?"
I told her about our little encounter, and she slapped the kitchen table. "Holy crap, I have to meet this guy. And your other one too," she said with a wink, knowing full well how uncomfortable talking about Quintus in that manner made me.
“You can meet Quintus if you want, but let’s hope you never have to meet Holden. When the two of us are together, people in my life start dying.”
“Yet you love him.”
“I don’t know how I feel.”
“That’s bullshit. They’re both standing in front of you right now, asking you to come with them. Who do you choose?”
“It isn’t that easy.”
“Of course it is.”
“I have obligations.”
“No obligations, just feelings. Which one do you choose?”
“I don’t want to play this game.”
Femi smiled knowingly. “That’s what I thought. Just because you don’t like the answer doesn’t change what it would be. You like the guardian, but you love the jinni. You’re totally screwed.”
“Gee thanks.”
“I call ‘em like I see ‘em. Whether or not he’s mixed up in all of this, eventually you’re going to have to see him again.”
“I'll deal with that when I have to.”
She shrugged. “So what’s the plan for tonight?”
“I don’t really have one. I thought we’d just go to the club, and I’d hone in on the most powerful seeming jinni and see what he knows.”
“You’re just going to ask him?”
I hadn’t really thought it through any further than that. People always told me things. But hearing her skepticism made me doubt myself. Why would a jinni brag to a human about killing guardians? “I don’t know how I will get him to talk?”
“How far are you willing to go with his?”
“What do you mean?”
“There are two ways we can do this. The peaceful way or the bloody way. The peaceful way equals you romancing the jinni. A lot is said in the bedroom, and you’d find out a lot without anyone ever knowing what you were doing or that you were watching. It wouldn’t be the first time you were with a jinni either so you would be . . . prepared.”
I stared at her. I couldn’t imagine anything more distasteful. “What’s the bloody way?”
“Act really flirty and easy with the jinn, but not too easy or he won’t be interested, and get him to take you to the owner’s office for privacy—where I’ll be waiting. I’ll temporarily dispatch the jinni, and we can search the office.”
“First, what if the owner is there? Second, how do you know the owner has anything to do with what’s going on? And third, how do you know where the office is?”
Femi smiled. “Glad to see you’re paying attention. First, owners of these types of establishments are rarely in their offices, and if he or she is, then the jinni won’t take you up there. You need to be aware that nothing may come from tonight. We’re figuring out the lay of the land and seeing how we can get what we want in the future. I’d be amazed if it did work out for us.” She took another bite of pizza, but it didn’t stop her from continuing to talk. “Second, Xavier has become a jinn hotspot. Where there are a lot of jinn, there’s trouble. That’s why I took you there. I needed someone to help me blend in, so I could get inside and check out their operations. You assisted on my own recon mission.”
“You used me?” I didn’t know whether I was angry or impressed at how well she maneuvered me.
“Yeah, I did. Sorry about that. Third, I didn’t see any offices on the main level, but there was a staircase in the back of the club that no one was using. I assume the offices are upstairs—owners usually like to be on the top.”
“Femi, you’re sort of amazing.”
“It’s my job. So which one do you want to go with?”
My mind spun. The last time I ran off on one of my hair brained schemes, everything systematically fell apart. Was I ready to do this again? Maybe the stake out was for the best. Maybe I just needed to be patient and wait for answers to come to me. I couldn’t get involved with a jinni again. I’d been down that road with Holden, and it didn’t work out well. Also, if the jinni in the club was any indication, I wouldn’t be able to stand being near one for long enough to gather any intelligence. The second option was much more appealing, but dangerously dependent on everything going according to plan.
“Or we don’t have to do this at all,” she said sensing my hesitation.
“No, I need to do this. I’m weighing my options,” I said weakly.
“Why do you have to do this?”
“Because no one else can or will do it.”
“Then what’s it going to be?”
“Looks like I’m taking door number two.”
Twenty Seven
Impatient thumping pulsed through the apartment jarring me out of sleep. Tonight of all nights I needed to sleep. Why was someone trying to stop that? I flung open the door with murder on my mind. Juliet stood in the doorway wearing a trench coat, and I doubted anything else. Either this chick had serious self-esteem issues, or she was undoubtedly behind the guardian killing fiasco. Why else would she constantly be trying to ensnare me? It wasn’t like we were friendly or even cordial. Did she really think she could blind me with lust? Greed was more Juliet’s strength, but maybe she hadn’t figured that out yet.
"What?" I asked not bothering to pretend that seeing her was anything other than annoying.
She pushed past me, untying her coat and letting it drop to the floor. She looked back over her shoulder. "I thought we would finish what we started," she said with a coy smile.
I weighed my options without shutting the apartment door. I could kick her out and ruin the farce I was building. I could have sex with her and perhaps gather more information, but now that my anger with Liv had mostly subsided that idea felt wrong on a level I wasn't even aware I possessed. So which was worse, committing an unforgiveable act against her or failing to obtain the means to save her?
The sound of my door closing filled the apartment as I followed Juliet into the bedroom. Liv wasn't coming back to me. Hurting her, while undesirable, was less concerning than her dying again. If this was what it took, so be it. My mind fell into a blissfully empty state, void of any thought or emotion, during our escapades. She served the only purpose I needed her to serve. Afterwards, I showered to wash the scent of her from me and to give her the opportunity to leave. When I came back into the room, however, she was st
ill lounging across my bed,
“I haven’t slept in a couple days.” I glanced from her to the door. She arched her back and stretched her arms above her head.
“Mmm, that’s not what I have in mind. I was thinking more along the lines of all night.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” I said coldly, tossing her jacket to her. She ignored her trench coat and stood up. Rubbing her body against me in one long caress, her fingers scraped against the round scar on my back just below my left shoulder blade.
“Is this how you died?”
“Yes.”
“What did you make your deal for?”
“Revenge.”
“Who deserved such an act of devotion?”
“It’s not important. How about you? How did the demon talk you into making the deal?” Last time she had refused to tell me, which piqued my curiosity. I legitimately wanted to know. The information might be pertinent later down the line.
“To keep from becoming schizophrenic.”
I vaguely remembered Olivia saying something about Juliet’s mother having been institutionalized, but it was a unique angle for a dealmaker. “He knew right away what was happening to me. I never had to tell him anything. I had to hide the signs from Olivia—I didn’t want to worry her. Not that she would have noticed.” She laughed bitterly.
“I didn’t want to die, but I didn’t want to be crazy either. As months went by, I felt my life slipping further away. Control was harder to come by. When he made me the offer, I knew it was the escape I’d been hoping for. It couldn’t have come at a better time.”
That actually made sense. It explained a lot about her behavior. Her death would have stopped the disease in its tracks, but it wouldn’t have reversed anything that was already there. Being a jinn, thus ungoverned by rules or any moral fiber, would allow whatever insanity she already had to thrive. Eventually it would still take over, though I'm sure the demon didn’t explain that. It also explained why she accepted her fate and took so well to being a jinni. She knew she wasn’t missing out on the grand normal life most of us jinn wanted as soon as we realized we could no longer have it. Juliet had managed to use the system to her advantage.
However, I remained unmoved. She had turned Olivia into a villain in her mind. Crazy or not, it pissed me off. I didn’t want her here, nor was I interested in her continued attempts at seducing me.
“Hangings always leave an ugly scar,” I remarked, running my fingers across her neck. She covered her throat with one hand and stepped back from me with flushed cheeks. Good old Juliet, always worried about how she looks in other people’s eyes. I handed her the coat one more time. “I’ll see you tomorrow. “
“You’re a bastard.”
I nodded. I never pretended to be any else. She could have no expectations to the contrary.
I walked her to the door to make sure she actually left. Something caught her eye in the living room. “Olivia had a camera bag just like that.” She pointed towards Olivia’s tan satchel sitting next to the couch in the living room. I forgot to put it away after I spoke with Marge.
I looked back, pretending like I didn’t know what I would find. “Oh, the last girl that was here left that. A student, completely perfect, not a mark on her.”
“Isn’t that photo on your mantle from Olivia’s show?”
“Yes. Quite a good investment—the value skyrocketed after the murder. She was a wonderful photographer, wasn't she?” Christ, I should have thought ahead. Juliet could have stopped by here countless times. Leaving so much of Olivia in my apartment was stupid. “Bye.” I pushed her out the door and locked it.
I grabbed the camera bag, made sure everything was back where it belonged, then put it back in its spot in my closet. One little corner acted as a shrine to her. My black shirt she last wore hung in my closet never washed. While I knew I couldn’t, part of me still believed I could smell her on it. Her camera, the bag, and the single photograph of us, which I had developed from her camera, were there. I’d burned everything else when I came back home that day and tried to purge her from my life.
I smelled the shirt and the emotions I fought so hard against snuck back in. I would never be rid of her. Not completely anyway. Olivia was part of me. It was undeniable. Perhaps that was why she didn’t want me to know she was back, because I had stolen a piece of who she was and wouldn’t relinquish it. Maybe she was worried I would take more, take everything. “Olivia.” I said aloud, holding my breath for a response.
I felt a surge of panic, but it dissipated quickly. It made me smile. A real smile that started deep in my chest and spread until it reached my lips. She was always near. Even if I couldn't see her, she was right here. Those little surges of panic, hurt, anger all meant she felt what I was feeling too. She would never be rid of me either. I wanted Liv to be happy, but I liked the fact that I was literally on her mind.
"Liv," I tried again, but received no response.
I changed the sheets on my bed, mulling over what was different between the times she heard me versus those she did not. Every time I felt her in my mind, strong waves of emotion washed over me. When she responded to me, those feelings built up to the point of needing release. If I focused what I felt, maybe she couldn't keep me out. I suddenly had a very real phone right into Olivia's mind. Tempting, very tempting. A little test wouldn't hurt any anyone. I lay in my bed and thought of the last time we were together. I relived taking off her clothes piece by piece, the softness of her skin, the vibrancy of her eyes, and the blend of our emotions and sensations as we came together.
I let the gentle, protective feelings I had for her fill me completely before I shoved them all towards the little light shining brightly in my mind. A moment later, Olivia filled my senses. I could smell her, taste her, nearly feel her on my skin. She didn't snap the connection closed right away like she normally did. This time it lingered. I was careful not to converse, worried that the sound of my voice in her mind would make her break the connection, and it felt too good to let it go. I continued letting those feelings flow from me to her, and she began to return them with her own, but underneath her happy, content memories of that morning, I felt something new. Grief, sorrow, pain lay underneath the surface. I was hurting her doing this.
"I'm sorry," I said aloud and broke the connection. I didn't want to hurt her. I closed my eyes and worked on steadying my racing heart. I couldn't do that again. If I did, I would find her no matter how determined I was to give her space and let her take her second chance. She was back and I didn’t have to feel guilty anymore. No matter how it played out, I got what I wanted. She wasn’t dead. She just wasn’t with me. I would make sure she got to have this new life. Olivia was a drug that I couldn't leave alone. A taste would always lead to a binge which would undoubtedly lead to regret. I would focus on saving her now and spend the rest of my existence battling not to partake in any more of her goodness.
I had to find out who Juliet was working with—and get her phone from her—but I wasn't sleeping with her again. I could beat it out of her, perhaps—not subtle but effective. Or I would have to get her to let her guard down. I chewed on that thought until sleep finally found me. It was the best I’d slept in four years. I awoke the next morning with a plan and a new outlook on my existence. I texted Juliet to say something had come up and that Baker and I had to go to St. Louis. If she had any problems, she’d better think of a way to fix them without my help. Next I called Baker and told him to stop following her.
If she didn't believe I was in the city, there was no reason for her to sneak around. She wouldn’t watch her back, and she’d screw up. I followed her from her apartment to an office building downtown. I watched as she entered and waited several minutes before I went to see what was housed in the building. It looked like a normal office building. Several floors belonged to an insurance company. There was a magazine, an advertising agency, a law firm and several other businesses. The only company I didn't recognize was on the top floor and went by A
DA Inc. I googled the company while she was in the building, and it definitely appeared to be shady. It took me several moments to see what I should have noticed right in front of me. It practically shouted the connection. How had I missed it? Danica was always so vain. ADA Inc. was no more than Danica rearranged.
Now it was only a matter of finding out what exactly they were up to with their scheme. I arranged to rally with Baker, and decided to return later to check her office. If it was anything like the last office, it would take me the better part of the night just to find her desk, but I would get to the bottom of everything before the night was through.
Twenty Eight
I watched Olivia disappear into her lovely white light. Everything was suddenly complicated again. I had gone how many hundreds of years with no problems and in the mere four years I had known her it was one fiasco after another. Not the least of which were my very inconvenient feelings for her that continued to grow even as she shied away from me. The only thing I knew for certain was that I wanted to keep her safe, and right now every obstacle imaginable stood in the way of that.
Not only did Olivia all but refuse to do anything I wanted her to do, acting as if she were invincible, but Ezra was completely on her side. Neither of them would listen to reason. It must have been an elder trait. I was able to sleep for a few hours when I left her earlier, but Ezra’s call yanked me from peaceful slumber. Minutes later I stood in his office, waiting to see what new impossible task he was going to assign me. I think I liked it better when the elders mostly ignored me.
“Hello, Quintus. How is your progress?”
“Fine. We’re set up and have maintained a 24-hour watch on the warehouse. There has been jinn activity, but no sign of the traitor.”
“Good, good. I have heard of no more disappearances.”
“That’s wonderful.”
“Perhaps. I believe they are building towards something. We need to stay vigilant and invisible. Discovering their plan is the priority at this juncture. I believe you mentioned Olivia has the unique talent of repressing her light?”