Magical Redemption

by Nicola E. Sheridan

  Lucian looked surprised. “You still can’t speak?”

  Jinx scowled and shook her head so hard, her hair tumbled from its loose bun.

  “No, I can’t, you fucking bastard.” She wrote the words in the air.

  Silenus roared with laughter.

  “I don’t see what you’re laughing about,” Lucian remarked coolly. “Speak, Jinx.”

  “You sod,” she screamed. “How dare you.”

  Lucian was startled by her tone. “There is no need to scream. I didn’t intend for you to be completely speechless.”

  Jinx felt her heart squeeze, with what she wasn’t sure, but she definitely felt angry. “You can’t just make me speechless. We’re supposed to be–” The words caught in her throat. “We’re supposed to be partners, friends, or something.”

  The world around them suddenly disappeared. Lucian gazed at her through red eyes as acute as a laser ray. She watched as if in slow motion his tongue flickered and licked his bottom lip. Her body swooped with lust.

  “We aren’t friends,” Lucian said succinctly. “We can never be friends. You are my genie, and you’ve now been my lover. Whatever chance we had of being friends has long since passed.”

  Jinx’s breath left her as if struck by a brutal punch to the guts.

  Confusion swamped her. What on earth had she been thinking? Had she really thought this cruel, masochistic, misogynist turd of a man could be anything more than a master? Her lungs screamed for a breath. She inhaled deeply. She even told him her name. She blushed furiously and ran a nervous, trembling hand down her dress. Lucian turned away.

  “In the name of Dionysus, you’re a brutal beast,” Silenus remarked. He stood tall behind his desk. “You shouldn’t speak to her like that. Not in my house.”

  Jinx warmed slightly to Silenus but still felt raw and utterly bewildered.

  “We will not be in your house much longer,” Lucian said coolly. “Do you know the whereabouts of the Nephilim Antigone Watson?”

  Silenus’s brows rocketed to his curly hairline in clear surprise and recognition of the name.

  Lucian continued. “She left the Family in the company of a genie named Omar some months ago. It is imperative that we find her.” He paused, still avoiding Jinx’s pained gaze. “I can sense she is here somewhere. If I had time, I could find her via her dreams, but I think I’ve wasted enough time here.”

  Was making love to her a waste of time? Hot embarrassment raced up Jinx’s neck to her cheeks as she remembered his gaze on her stretched and ruined stomach. She felt betrayed. She caught her reflection in a silver, polished goblet on Silenus’s desk. Her face was distorted and her nose more out of proportion. How could she have fallen for the evil charms of incubus spawn? Why had she discarded all she was taught as a child? How could she exchange part of her soul for sex with him? She cringed inwardly, again. As a hopeless romantic at heart, she hoped he’d remember her by it when she disappeared after the last wish. Now, as she had on countless occasions, she made yet another bad decision. Jinx tensed her shoulders and lifted her head. Oh well. She’d been betrayed worse than this before and was stronger from it. She’d be damned if she let this demon spawn know her pain.

  Silenus was speaking. Jinx struggled to listen.

  “Jinx?” Silenus interrupted her morbid musings.

  “Silenus is asking you a question,” Lucian said angrily.

  “What?” She turned to face the satyr, whose angular face was strangely gentle against the hard, cruel planes of Lucian’s.

  “Lucian has offered to give you to me,” Silenus said, “so that when he takes his final wish, you will at least be well-cared for here. How does that sound?” He gave a suggestive wink.

  He was planning on pimping her off to a bunch of satyrs? How low could Lucian go?

  Jinx swiveled her head to glare at the bastard. She thought she saw a slight flush of red creep up his neck before he took a nostril-flaring deep breath and spoke.

  “I did not mean that kind of care,” Lucian said stiffly.

  Silenus laughed. “Oh, it’s much of a muchness.”

  Jinx shook her head. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to end up with Silenus or any satyr. Her lamp was securely in the fat, slimy hands of the bomoh, to whom she would unfortunately return the moment Lucian took his last wish.

  Lucian looked peeved. “Silenus” He turned to face the satyr and stepped in front of Jinx. “She is not to be used like that.”

  Again, Silenus chortled, his curly auburn hair bouncing with his amusement. “Like what? Like you just used her?”

  Jinx felt herself blush yet again. Did everyone in this damned building know she shagged Lucian?

  “I…” Lucian began furiously but stopped short.

  “My man, don’t be concerned. It’s unlikely Eloise would allow me such liberties, anyway. I can’t speak for others at the Revelry, but rest assured, no harm will come to your hook-nosed beauty.”

  Lucian opened his mouth to say something but Jinx had enough.

  “Whatever,” she said, plastering a weakly neutral face over her grimace. “Do you have an address for this woman or not?”

  “Omar used to have a house across the road,” Silenus murmured, “but he moved not long ago to just the other side of the river. The house is well warded. Omar is a powerful being in his own right and mightily jealous, I’m afraid.” He looked a little chagrined.

  “I don’t care about Omar.” Lucian glanced at his watch. “We have a little over twenty-one hours for Antigone to find a way to remove the pledge before I take my last wish.” He glanced at Jinx warily. “If she cannot remove the pledge, I will take the last wish and hand your lamp to Silenus before the Family returns to collect me. You will not join the Family with me, nor will I allow that bomoh to have you. I will spare you that indignity, if I can.”

  Jinx snorted rudely. “Really? How kind.”

  Lucian ignored her. “Do you think you can locate her? Now?”

  Jinx turned and caught him watching her. She flushed, trying not to remember how he felt as he moved his body against hers. She stumbled on her words. “Now? When we’ve not planned anything?”

  “The plan is to go there and make her remove my pledge. Without wasting more time, what more can we do?”

  Jinx stared at the tight line of his lips with a growing unease.

  “Right, then. Antigone Watson is on the other side of the river? Sure. I can do that. Catch ya later, Silenus,” she hissed.

  They disappeared in a maelstrom of rainbow smoke.

  Chapter Thirteen

  They reappeared in the midst of a lush, tropical garden. Large insects buzzed, and the patter of a water fountain sang a trickling song in the strange serenity. The gentle aroma of cinnamon and allspice wafted around them. It smelled vaguely genie-like, but not quite. The magic in the air was calm and had an almost welcoming feel to it. It didn’t threaten like most security wards did. Feeling overdressed and awkward in her long dress, Jinx changed into slightly more grungy, baggy jeans and a loose-fitting, mauve-gray top in a swathe of magic. Lucian frowned at her change in attire.

  “Do not use any more magic than is strictly necessary,” he snapped. “Omar will probably have wards everywhere to detect other magical interference.”

  Jinx was about to state that the designs of the wards were to cleverly inhibit attack not stop benign magic, when a voice interrupted from behind them.

  “Nah,” a gravelly voice growled from the left. “He has us for that.” Lucian spun around and instinctively pulled Jinx to his side. An enormous manticore and a golden-haired warrior padded toward them. The warrior, clearly wearing the hallmarks of a Tuatha Dé Dannan, glared at them, yet it was the creature beside him who spoke first.

  The manticore leered at her with his humanoid face and sniffed the a
ir. “I’ve smelled you before,” he said and grinned, bearing rows of deadly sharp teeth.

  Jinx recognized him. “Yes, I saw you in the street,” she said stiffly.

  “You poked your tongue out at me. That was rude.” He padded threateningly closer.

  “You shouldn’t have stared. That was rude,” Jinx retorted.

  The manticore raised his chin as a smile tugged at his large lips. His gorgeous, red-gold coat shimmered in the sun.

  “He’s improved,” the manticore commented, jerking his head in Lucian’s direction. “A demon by the smell of him.”

  “Demon spawn,” Jinx corrected, as if it made a difference.

  “Oh dear,” the manticore tutted. “Our master doesn’t like demon spawn, and nor does his wife.”

  “His wife?” Lucian said, his interest clearly piqued.

  “That is none of your concern,” the warrior boomed in a thick, Irish accent. His blue eyes twinkled as he caught Jinx’s gaze. “Who are you? Why have you infiltrated our home?”

  “I need Antigone’s help,” Lucian said. He sounded as if it hurt him to say it.

  “Who are you?” the warrior boomed, again.

  “I am Jinx, a genie, and this is my master,” Jinx explained. She watched with fascination as the Tuatha ran his hands over his muscular forearms as if he suddenly felt cold.

  “Who is he?”

  “I am Lucian,” Lucian said uncertainly. “I was Antigone’s handler when she was in the Family.”

  The speed at which the manticore’s jaw dropped was comical. The Tuatha recovered minutely quicker and in the next breath drew an enormous broadsword. There was the sound of metal whooshing through air. The glistening point of the sword planted itself in a wall of shimmering rainbow smoke as Jinx immediately defended them.

  “Get out,” the Tuatha bellowed. The manticore growled and hunched his massive bulk, as if to pounce.

  “I need her help.” Lucian said. He dropped the sports bag and rested it between his wide set feet. “I’m not here to harm her.” He raised his hands in a gesture of goodwill.

  “Harm her? You’ve already bloody harmed her,” the manticore roared and advanced on them.

  “I was just doing my job,” Lucian retorted. “I did what I had to, to survive. Just as I am, now.”

  “Are you here with the Mafia?” the Tuatha asked, his Irish accent even more pronounced in his rage.

  “No, that’s why I need her help. I have pledged to them, and I think she can remove it.”

  “Why would she do that, now?”

  Jinx felt the heat of anger radiating from Lucian. She could tell without looking that his eyes were turning a furious red.

  “Antigone wouldn’t want to see anyone suffer at the hands of the Family, anymore. She’s a better person than I’ll ever be.” Lucian’s voice was stiff and awkward. It surprised Jinx.

  “Platitudes won’t get you squat.” The manticore sniffed. “I’ll get Omar to send this demon and his piddly genie back to where they belong.” With an angry roar, the manticore turned, swished his mighty tail, and stalked from the garden.

  Lucian shook his head warily.

  “Don’t get Omar,” Jinx said softly. With a gentle wave of her hand, she demolished her smoke shield. She looked imploringly at the Tuatha. “Please, just give me a moment to explain.”

  The big man softened somewhat and turned his head to speak to the manticore. “Phil,” he called but was interrupted.

  “What is he doing here?” a woman’s voice shrieked. Every head in the garden turned with lightening speed.

  A tall woman stood there, dressed in flowing, white cotton pants and a loose tunic. Her face was pale and her eyes wide. “Omar,” she screamed and turned. As she did, Jinx caught sight of her swollen belly. Oh, God, she thought.

  “Stop” Lucian barked. The woman immediately ceased her escape. She froze. “Turn around,” he ordered.

  Antigone turned stiffly and unwillingly. Jinx was struck by her loveliness. Her heavily layered brown hair cascaded just below her shoulders. Her crystalline blue eyes were wide in her fearful face but didn’t detract from the sensual planes of her lips. Neither did it help the continuing sense of insecurity Jinx felt about her own body.

  “Don’t, Lucian,” Antigone moaned. “Please, don’t. Let me go.” Jealousy roared through Jinx when she saw the woman’s nipples harden beneath the tunic top.

  The Tuatha warrior raised his sword again and pointed it at Lucian. “Leave her alone. I’ll kill you.”

  “My genie will not allow that,” Lucian quipped coldly. Jinx was obliged to recreate the smoke shield around him.

  “What do you want?” Antigone whimpered. She used her hands to cover her small, swollen belly, as if protecting the unborn babe sleeping there.

  “I need your help.” Lucian looked at Antigone and then the manticore, who hovered uncertainly near the back door of the house.

  “I can’t help you, and I won’t help you,” Antigone cried. “I hate you.”

  Lucian shrugged. “Love me or hate me; it doesn’t matter. You will help me.”

  Antigone fell to her knees and mouthed, “No.”

  “Come closer,” Lucian ordered.

  Antigone moaned, clearly battling with every fiber of her being to refuse his command. The manticore launched to her side, snarling and revealing his sharp, deadly teeth. He grabbed her tunic with his mouth and held her back as her arms and legs forced her unwillingly toward Lucian.

  “No,” she moaned, “not again.” Her body kept moving, though the manticore tugged her back.

  “Come,” Lucian barked, again. “Remove my pledge.”

  Jinx watched with mounting unease as Antigone made her way down the paved garden path toward them. The pavers beneath her hands and knees must have been hot in the Borneo sun. Sympathy burned within her. “Stop this, Lucian,” Jinx whispered and tugged his arm.

  He shrugged her touch away. “I have to do this. What other chance do we have?” he growled and continued to monitor Antigone’s slow progress with the morbid fascination of someone watching the sad efforts of a semi-crushed snail.

  “She’s pregnant,” Jinx said. “How can you let a pregnant woman crawl to you?”

  “I’ve let worse things happen.”

  “Make her stand up.” Jinx shoved him. Her smoky shield shimmered and reacted to her anger. “Don’t be a bastard.”

  “I am a bastard,” Lucian said.

  “No, you’re not. I know what you are, and it’s not a bastard, though you try hard to make me believe it,” Jinx hissed. “Please, give her the dignity she deserves. Don’t make me hate you, too.”

  Lucian stilled beside her, clenching and unclenching his fists by his sides. Jinx tentatively took hold of one and gripped it tightly.

  The world swayed. For a second or two, nothing happened. Jinx took her eyes from the crawling woman and stared up at Lucian’s face. Hard and tight, it was set for cruelty. Then, his light brown eyes flickered toward her. She held her breath. He roamed his gaze over her face and something, she wasn’t sure what, changed.

  “Stop and stand up, Antigone,” Lucian said very softly.

  Antigone stared at them, then something flashed over her face. Jinx melted with relief. The moment was cut abruptly short.

  “Antigone,” a male voice boomed. It was loud, deep, and full of angst. In a maelstrom of shimmering, clear but spicy magic, a man appeared.

  “I warned you,” he roared. Suddenly, Jinx’s magic shield was hammered by a forceful assault. She staggered from the man’s strength. Clearly, the wards around the property were designed to allow his attack. The man―she could only presume it was Omar―rushed to Antigone’s side and assisted her burdened body to stand. Then, he sharply turned her in the direction of the house, whisp
ered quickly under his breath, and surrounded her with protective magic. He urged her to go.

  “Omar, wait,” Antigone exclaimed and struggled in his arms. “You don’t―”

  In one clean gesture, he swept Antigone into his arms and thrust her toward the Tuatha warrior, who accepted her as if she weighed no more than a leaf. “Lugh and Phil, take her away from here.” Lugh the warrior turned to leave, but Antigone struggled in his arms.

  “Wait,” she cried again, twisting her head violently toward Jinx and Lucian.

  “I told you if you even so much as laid eyes on Antigone again, I’d kill you.” Omar’s voice was low and threatening. Jinx felt his magic insidiously working around her shield, so she doubled her efforts. “Now, not only have you returned and set eyes on my wife, you’ve made her crawl. You’re dead,” he said flatly.

  “Not on my watch,” Jinx retorted. She conjured the safe radius tighter around them.

  They could all heard a ruckus ensuing inside the house. Omar grimaced, anguish flooding his angular, handsome features.

  “Genie?” Omar hissed. “You have no idea what you’re defending.”

  “I have no choice. He’s my master.” She glanced up at Lucian. “For better or worse.”

  Lucian’s lip twitched in a grimace or a smile, she couldn’t decide.

  “Then, you are a very unfortunate genie indeed, because I’ll gladly kill you, too.” Omar snarled and let loose even more magic to weaken her shield.

  Jinx gasped at the force and ferocity behind the attack. She shoved Lucian behind her, so she could protect him better, but he scowled and wrestled her. His hands bit into her biceps.

  “Yasmina, he can’t kill me, so don’t put yourself in the line of fire.” He slammed her body into his.

  Heat, lust, and general craziness nearly nuked her self-control. She wanted him so desperately. Yet, when she registered his use of her real name, she froze. “What?” She gasped.

  “I can kill you, demon spawn,” Omar spat. “You’re not so strong now without your Hellcats to protect you, are you? I’ll shatter your little genie’s shield and slice your head from your shoulders and use it as my chamber pot.”