“Like I said, he envied Samir’s position. I believe he became my lover to be closer to Samir and Bast because at that time, my mother and I were very close. He was very good looking and charming. I could not resist. It was not long after that I found one of my neighbors dead. She was young and beautiful with not a mark on her. No one knew how she died. Each night afterwards another young woman perished.”
I could see the scene perfectly. Young, innocent women dead on a dusty Egyptian road. I shuddered. Natalia didn’t seem affected by the story, but it had happened a long time ago. In thousands of years, maybe I wouldn’t feel so vengeful. Though, maybe when I got my memories back, I’d feel even worse about things.
Natalia sat on a bench and patted the seat next to her. “I didn’t know what to think, but after a few weeks, I questioned Gabriel, as the deaths had not started until after he arrived. He charmed and sweet-talked me, but that night a dear friend of mine died. When Gabriel found me crying in my room, he pulled me into an embrace and whispered low in my ear. I’ll never forget the malice in his voice. He said that the next time I questioned him, it would be my sister.
“I was terrified and did not know what to do. That night, another girl died. I did not know her, and I pretended like everything was normal, but inside I was shattered. He virtually held me prisoner.”
I listened carefully, enthralled and yet horrified. If we ever managed to create a new Djinn, the first one he should kill should be Gabriel.
“After a few more weeks, I couldn’t stand it. I kicked him out of my house and told him to never return.” She sniffed and dabbed a tissue under her eyes. “My sister showed up dead on my doorstep that morning, and Gabriel was back in my bed.”
I gasped, and my stomach churned.
“Then what?” I asked, needing to know how this ended.
“Even though I rarely asked for help, I went to my mother.”
Bast. If Natalia was this intimidating, I couldn’t imagine what Bast must be like.
“What did your mother do?”
“She trapped Gabriel. In his anger, he convinced Samir to kill girls as well, and so mother trapped him too. You know the rest of the story. No one knows about Gabriel because Samir was Djinn, and mother didn’t want Gabriel to have any more power than he already did. He wouldn’t utter the story to anyone else because the Jinn would hate him if they knew being trapped was his fault.”
I could not believe Gabe was the same man who did that to Natalia. He deserved to die. But I didn’t get why Natalia and Bast never spread the story. Something like that would make Gabriel a target for other Jinn, and surely Natalia wanted that. But it didn’t matter because I had information that would help Natalia find him, and I was going to use it.
“I know where he is,” I said without thinking.
Natalia cocked her head and looked at me suspiciously. “How do you know where he is?”
I dropped my eyes. Maybe I shouldn’t have told her. I didn’t want her to think badly of me. “I… I… saw him in town. He said he had answers about my past, so I didn’t tell Lianna. Plus I don’t really trust her. No offense.”
Natalia gave me a small smile and leaned forward. “None taken. Why do you trust me?”
“I don’t know. But your story. He shouldn’t be free.” I wasn’t sure I trusted her either, but it was true. Gabriel was a monster.
“You are right. Let’s see if we can find him.”
Oh. I wasn’t quite ready for that. I needed time to prepare. Plus, I still wanted to get a few answers from him. I tried to stall.
“What about Goddess Lianna?” I didn’t want to piss off my headmistress. She was formidable enough as it was. Though I probably feared Natalia more.
“What about her?”
“Shouldn’t she come too?” That would give me some time to think of how I could convince them to let me talk to him first.
Natalia snorted. “No. I’m more than capable of dealing with Gabriel now. I’ve had thousands of years to prepare my revenge. Let’s go. Where did you see him last?”
I had no choice but to tell her. “In Glen Arbor. By the beach.”
She took my hand, and we winked out of the garden.
Maybe I could convince Natalia to get answers from him before she captured him. If not, I’d be back to wondering where I came from. But that story. He probably wouldn’t tell me the truth anyway. He’d lie to gain sympathy or something. I shuddered. This wasn’t at all what I’d planned for the day. Natalia had turned my world upside down.
That’d been happening a lot lately.
Chapter Twenty
Gabe
Ali left early in the morning, and I headed to the beach. Mostly because I hoped Liv would show up, but also because I couldn’t stand the quiet house. The cats went with Ali and Melissa. I didn’t know how to find Liv. Going up to the school was out of the question. The goddesses would sense me and put me away before I could even get close. And if I returned, they’d know I was Djinn, and then I would be in worse trouble.
I kept my eyes open as I walked. I didn’t want to run into any goddesses and be caught unaware. Luckily there was no one around at all. Which was just how I liked it. A peaceful beach.
My phone buzzed, and I answered it. “Hey, man, just checking in with you. We’re all settled.” Worry oozed out of Ali’s voice. “What’s the plan?”
“I don’t know. I’m hoping she comes into town.” Even as I said it, I knew how lame it sounded.
“I’m still hoping you’ll join us.” Before Ali left, he told me where they would be staying—in the middle of Egypt where no one would ever find them. And Liv certainly wasn’t getting any closer to knowing who I was. For a second I considered what it might be like to go away and forget about her. My chest hurt thinking about it. I had to get her back.
“What would I do? Sit on a beach all day and stare at the waves?” The place they were staying was an old Jinn hideout on the Red Sea. Gorgeous, but only good for staying far away from anyone.
“It’s what you’re doing right now anyways.”
“How would you know?” I was offended he thought so little of me. I should be up at the sanctuary trying to find a way to break in. But maybe he knew as well as I did that it was impossible.
“I can hear the waves.” He was too smart for his own good.
“Yeah, well, at least here, maybe I’ll see Liv.”
She hadn’t shown up in town since I last told her what I was. I worried she would tell the other goddesses, but I hoped her desire for answers about her past would make that less likely. Though now with Natalia around, she was likely to call for my blood. I’d give it to her. I’d give her anything.
I needed to see her again. Desperation clawed at my insides. If this kept up, I was likely to do something stupid. Though if I was being completely honest with myself, I was already doing stupid things. I had been ever since I fell for Liv. Love. It truly was insanity.
“I hate to say it, but it’s a lost cause,” Ali spoke the words cautiously, like he was afraid I’d lash out.
“It is not a lost cause,” I growled. “Besides, I’d rather be here doing something than hiding out like you.” It was a low blow, but I couldn’t think of losing her. I had to do something.
“I’m not hiding out. I’m protecting Mel.”
“And you can’t understand that I would do the same for Liv.” We had this argument many times over the last several weeks. Maybe he was hoping that at some point my answer would change. It wouldn’t. Liv was everything.
“If I told you there had been rumors of Samir floating around, would you come?”
“There are always rumors. Plus we’ve seen him a few times.”
Ali was quiet for a moment. “True. But I stopped in Cairo on my way here, and now I’m more concerned with the rumors of the goddesses.”
“What’s that?” The only rumor I cared about these days involved Liv. I was completely obsessed. This was awful.
“Old ones who haven�
��t left Egypt in years are on the move, but no one knows why.”
Oh, who cared? I obliged him though. “You could always pay your gal Nut a visit. I’m sure she’d be glad to tell you why.”
“Ha. Ha. Seriously. Be careful. If they find out you’re Djinn, you’ll be done for. Have you considered what you’ll do if Liv remembers and tells them everything? She’s seen you do things that would tell them you’re Djinn.”
“If she remembers and tells them everything, then it doesn’t matter. I’ll be dead inside anyway because that would be the ultimate betrayal. I love her.” That was my worst fear. That she would remember and choose to stay away.
“You can’t mean you’d give up. Gabe, if they use you, that means certain death for Jinn. You don’t know how Samir managed to ignore their summoning. Please tell me you wouldn’t allow them to use you to kill us all.”
“I don’t know what I’d do. I just want her back.” A lump formed in my throat. I was a mess with her gone. I probably wouldn’t even care what they made me do, even if that horrified Ali.
“I know, man. I gotta go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
I hung up the phone. Tomorrow would be the same arguments. I never knew it was possible to feel so torn up—love ate away at my insides because I craved Liv in every way. But mostly I wanted to hear her voice and see her smile. I wanted to hold her hand and gaze into her eyes. I wanted to see that she loved me too. Desperation was an awful feeling.
I punched the sand. She had no idea what she was doing to me. This wasn’t fair. Maybe Ali was right. Maybe I shouldn’t stick around here. It was too dangerous. Maybe instead, I should hunt down Bast and force her to give Liv her memories back. I’d do whatever she wanted.
Then I would come back, and Liv and I would run away, and I would do everything I could to protect her. Life without Liv didn’t seem worth living.
My grumbling stomach reminded me I hadn’t eaten anything that day. I wandered into town, not paying attention to anything. I had no plan, no way to take action. I was stuck. A small inkling of a goddess pricked at my skin. I spun in a circle, but I didn’t see anyone. I had to pay more attention.
I stopped at a small café where they knew me by name, and I made sure there were no goddesses inside, but I could still feel them. They were around.
“The usual?” Mary, the waitress, smiled down at me. If I wasn’t stuck on Liv, I might find her pretty.
“I thought I wasn’t that predictable.” I forced a smile.
“‘Surprise me’ is predictable. I’ll give you the special.”
“Thanks, Mary.”
Out of the window, a flash of raven hair caught my eye. I stood and peered out the window. Liv strolled across the street with Natalia. My breath caught in my chest, and I dropped down. She was the last person I wanted to see Liv with.
Natalia hated me with a burning passion. I hadn’t seen her in thousands of years, but I was certain her hatred was still going strong. Not that I blamed her. I would hate me too in her position. It made me wonder why they wanted her to talk to Liv.
“Mary, cancel my order,” I said and rushed out the door. I hung back several feet and listened to them talk.
“He won’t come around if he sees me,” Natalia said. “He’s close. I can sense him. Maybe I should hide.”
I ducked into a cove so she wouldn’t spot me, but their voices still carried.
“We don’t even know if he’ll show again for me,” Liv said. I melted a little at her voice. I missed it so much.
“Oh, trust me, dear, if he wants you as much as we think, he’ll come out.”
I faltered for a second. Why would they think I wanted her? The only explanation was that Liv remembered, and she told Natalia how to find me. My heart constricted. She knew me and still hated me. I was too late. I fought the crippling despair that threatened to consume me. This was not over. I had to believe that.
“What if he tries to hurt me?” Liv asked.
Natalia pressed a bottle in her hand. “You know how to trap him.” If Natalia thought it would be that easy, then she didn’t know I was Djinn. This was good. Maybe Liv hadn’t told them everything. I crept closer.
Natalia disappeared. Liv glanced over her shoulder, and I hid behind a tree. The fear in her eyes was real. We’d spent months together, and after a few words from the goddesses, she still feared me.
Whatever Natalia told her must not have been good.
She continued wandering down the street, and I kept up with her. After a while, she sank onto a bench and stared at the bottle. I had to know if she remembered me.
Time seemed to slow as I approached her. This was probably the stupidest thing I’d done, but I couldn’t help myself. This was Liv.
She muttered under her breath and fiddled with the bottle. I wanted to hear her words.
I slid onto the bench next to her, and she jerked her head up.
“Gabe,” she gasped. Her eyes widened in fear, and she held up the bottle.
“Liv, what are you doing?” I asked. The betrayal was almost too much.
Before she could utter a word, goddesses descended from every corner. Natalia cackled behind me. Real fear crept in. Sure I could get out of there, but then they’d know I was Djinn. It was an impossible situation. Plus, if I left now, I would never see her again. She’d proved she was on their side.
But then I met her eyes. I needed her. I couldn’t let her go. It was a long shot, but we could both disappear and still make it look like I was acting like a normal Jinn. As if I was granting a wish.
I did the only possible thing I could in that situation. I gripped her hand, and we both disappeared.
Chapter Twenty-One
Liv
We landed in a room I didn’t recognize. Gabe let go of my hand, and I scrambled away from him. I’d walked right into a trap. How was this possible? I thought Natalia could protect me. I quickly took stock of the room.
“You can’t do this to me,” I said, the vessel gripped in my hand. “Gabriel, get…” But words disappeared. I clawed at my throat. I mouthed words, but nothing came out. Panic settled in my stomach. He could kill me, or worse. I had no recourse if I couldn’t speak.
“Liv, I’m so sorry, but I can’t have you saying anything.” He held out his hands, panic in his own eyes. He knew what I was capable of.
I looked past him. I could fight him. All I needed was a weapon. The room was surprisingly sparse. Its walls were a light brown, but looked like it had at some point been a grand room in an old mansion. Dusty sheets covered a few pieces of furniture. A fireplace on the opposite wall had a few figurines. I could use one of them as a weapon, but I had to get there first. Damn him for taking my voice.
That was the only way I knew to trap them. I should be able to do other kinds of magic that didn’t involve my voice. But I couldn’t do any magic. I backed away from him, watching him carefully, his beautiful face twisted in confusion.
He took a few steps toward me, but I jerked away. I would not let him touch me. He kidnapped me. Kidnapped! No one warned me how to get out of this.
He sighed. “You have nothing to fear from me,” he said. His voice was soft and sweet. I would not be falling for that. I’d been trained in persuasion and seduction, and he was using both against me.
I pointed to my throat and glared at him. Nothing to fear my ass.
He chuckled. “You, on the other hand, can trap me if you could speak. I can’t take any chances. Not until I know for sure you remember me. Do you remember who I am?”
I stomped my foot and crossed my arms. I shook my head. I wished I did. Then maybe I wouldn’t have been so scared of him. Maybe then I’d be able to remember how to defeat a Jinn without my voice.
Gabe dropped his shoulders and stared at me with his penetrating gaze. “They’ve told you things that aren’t true about me. Please, you have to trust me. Liv, I love you.”
His eyes pleaded with me, but I threw up a little in my mouth. This was the same man who
slaughtered those girls and betrayed Natalia. He couldn’t love me… or anyone. At some point I must’ve loved him though. Or maybe I didn’t, and this was in his head. I could never love someone like him. But if I did, then I must not have known those things about him. He probably fooled me. He was good looking, no denying that. He could’ve sweet-talked a lot of girls into falling for him. I didn’t want to admit that maybe I’d been that naïve. That I’d fallen so far for him. The thought that I might’ve kissed him was repulsive. He was a murderer.
I had to find a way out of here.
A door handle jiggled behind him, and I jumped. Gabe spun, and I should’ve attacked then, but I had no weapon. Dammit. Another Jinn entered. Oh gosh, I was never going to get out of here.
“Gabe! What are you doing here?” he asked, rushing toward us. A short woman followed him. She was only a human.
The man saw me and stopped. “Liv.” He turned to Gabe. “Does she remember?” The hopefulness on his face was irritating. I was kidnapped here, and he was all concerned about whether or not I remembered him. How many Jinn had I been cavorting with?
“No,” Gabe said.
I backed up a few feet and stepped on a fire poker lying on the floor. Finally. Some luck. I crouched down and listened to them talk. Their voices grated at my ears. This wasn’t fair. They could use their magic. I couldn’t.
“What happened?” the man asked.
“Natalia showed up, and Liv tried to trap me.”
Slowly, I picked up the fire poker and held it behind my back. No one seemed to notice. They focused on Gabe. I studied the room, looking for a window or something I could escape from. We were on the second floor, so I’d have to go for the door.
Ali flicked his eyes to me. “What’s she doing here?”
“I took her voice. I couldn’t leave her there. I’d never see her again. Natalia would’ve poisoned her against me. She probably already did.”
“Poor thing,” the woman said, meeting my eyes. “You must be terrified.” She turned to Gabe. “What did you do to her?”
The Glowing Sands (Sons of the Sand Book 3) Page 10