She came five more times and then the visits stopped. He waited for her to return and realized in his waiting that she was right. He was alone, and as much as he hated to admit it, he didn’t want to be.
When he returned to Earth, back to reality, so much had changed. To him he’d been gone for just a few years, but the reality was that he’d been away for much longer, centuries in fact. Gone was the time of corsets, and men in white wigs. The women wore less fabric than he could fathom, and the men were just as… expressive with their appearances. He came out of his shell just in time to see the world go to hell in a handbasket.
It was the 80’s. He’d missed the times of discos, he kicked himself for that, and the 40’s. If there was ever a time for a djinn to shine, those were the days. He read up on all that he could and brought himself up to date on all the wonderful and horrific things he had missed out on. So much life had passed. The world had taken leaps toward technology, and he could see that happening more and more as time passed.
There was a different energy to the world. The energy he felt was strange and yet familiar and in time he would understand that what he felt was the restless spirits of those in the supernatural world. They were all still in hiding, lurking in the shadow, being sure not to be discovered, but an uprising was coming. He could sense the rebellion in the air. Another thirty years had passed before the first exposure, thirty years before their world would be revealed to the humans. Fifty years after that they would take over, following a twenty-year war. For the first time in the history of their kind the human population fought together. They put aside their petty differences to face a common goal. Their forced union was poetic in the obvious way. Tragically beautiful how they would band together in the end. Jinn had no idea how far things would go or how ugly things would get once they’d crossed that line… no one did.
Though he was back, with the way things were, he decided to keep a low profile. Odds were that no one would recognize him, but there were immortals, a few he’d run into before he slipped away to his own paradise. They would know him. If they were still around, there was no doubt that they would come for him if they found out he’d come out of hiding. He thought about changing his appearance, but he liked the way he looked. How could he take away from his six-foot four-inch broad frame? How could he fathom diminishing the muscles, or fading out the melanin in his skin?
His appearance was the last thing that kept him grounded—looking in the mirror and seeing the face of a man who wanted nothing more than a good, simple life. The face that reflected back in the mirror reminded him of who he really was, not the person they wanted him to be. Instead of the tall afro of reddish curls he once had, he sported a low cut that paired well with the full beard at his face. He’d later grow his hair back out, missing the length of it, but at the time the close cut helped him blend in a bit better.
His first encounter after returning to earth, was with an older human woman named Claire. He remembered her well—light skin, dark hair, and a smile that brought him back to his childhood, however long ago that was. She looked so much like his mother, he nearly asked her if she knew who her ancestors were. Perhaps there was some relation between the two of them. She’d sat next to him on a park bench, overlooking a small man-made pond. He was contemplating the world, and what place he would assume in the order of things now that he had returned. He looked over to find her smiling face, eyes focused on the ducks dancing across the surface of the pond.
“You look lost, young man,” she addressed him when he continued to watch her and not speak.
“The world, it’s so different now.” He sighed, taking his eyes from her, and joining her in watching the family of ducks.
“Different, from what exactly?” The wrinkles of age and wisdom stretched around her grin. “World’s been the same as long as I’ve known it. Different faces, different people running the show, but it's all the same.”
“I remember it being so much quieter than this, simpler.” Jinn’s nostalgic expression confused the woman for a moment until recognition flashed in her eyes.
“You one of them?” She squinted, studying his face, and shook her head. “You don’t seem like a vampire.”
“Vampire?” Her blunt delivery shocked him. She spoke the word as fact, not fiction, as if it was a common topic of conversation. One that she was well versed in.
“Yeah, blood suckers. They’re all around here. Reason why I have a daily dose of vervain and garlic smoothie.” She laughed. “Bite me if you wanna, and you’re going to burn!”
“Sounds delicious.” He chuckled, knowing very well the concoction couldn’t have been a palatable one.
“Tastes more like cat piss, but it keeps me safe from those bloodsuckers. Works like a repellent. They can smell the stuff on me, and they steer away. You, I don't know what you are, but you aren’t a vampire. Your soul is quieter, your spirit less frantic.”
“How do you know so much about this?” This was a time when beings such as vampires kept their existence hidden, and yet she not only knew of them, but how to avoid them at all costs.
“I grew up in a place where this world, this quiet, peaceful reality, isn’t all it seems to be. I escaped, years ago, but others were not so lucky. Trust me, I know that this world is not what any of us choose to think it is. For now, everyone gets to go on about their lives, not knowing all those creatures they read about in their fantasy novels are real. That the accounts are more like their history. Who do you think penned those stories? They belong to them. Their way of coming from the dark, even if the world thinks it's just for entertainment. Soon, and I hope like hell that I am long gone when that time comes, but those creatures, well they’re gonna come to light, and this world will be an entirely different place.”
The old woman was correct in her assessment. He checked in on Claire often, though he wasn’t sure why. Perhaps it was the resemblance to his mother or that she was so aware of all the things he felt she shouldn’t know. Over the years he shared stories of his life with her waiting for the moment when she would be shocked, but it never happened. She would simply shake her head and mumble about those damn supernatural assholes. Jinn started to look forward to their times together because in speaking about how complicated the world had become, he felt he’d returned to simpler times.
Five years after he met the woman by the pond, she passed away. Jinn stood outside her home watching as her family surrounded her bed. He’d never introduced himself to them because he knew he would feel in some way obligated to them if he did. He remained there, beneath the calm rain until she sighed her last breath. As he walked away from the quaint home and the faint smells of garlic and vervain, he smiled. Claire wouldn’t be around for the day when things got bad. He could feel it in the air, something major was coming.
It was only a few years after her death when the first exposure happened. The world came face to face with the secrets of the dark thanks to a battle in the middle of the busy city of Chicago. Gods and other supernatural beings took to the streets in a fight to end all. The battle was the one that tore through the city and blew their cover wide open. Usually these things were cleaned up quietly but with modern technology and cameras readily available, this wasn’t something they could hide.
The world watched the entire event live via social media and news coverage; there was no way to contain it. While some worked to attempt to cover things up, others knew that there was no hope in trying to make the entire world forget about dragons, shifters, and a hole to another world ripping into the night sky. Those who sought control, quickly mobilized and the war was on. The ones who everyone thought were less likely to take part were the ones who changed the game. The fairies.
Everyone thought of them as gentle creatures who would watch from the sidelines, and that is precisely why their strike was so deadly. Their uprising was swift, precise, and left the southern half of the United States in flames. Their guards mobilized across the world in unexpected numbers. The second largest group were the
witches and even they were outnumbered three to one.
Fairy holds were quickly positioned as their towers sprouted from the grounds all around the world, some even being erected in the middle of oceans. The towers which were initially meant for war would soon become safe havens for the fleeing human populations and other weaker beings. Once it was clear that the fairies were the controlling force, others had only one objective. Find a new territory and mark it as home.
The vampires fled, taking hold of Canada. The wolves staked their claim in Mexico, but would eventually migrate down to what was once Argentina as the shifter alliances were made, and every other species did whatever they could to claim a bit of territory for themselves. The frenzy spread like wildfire, across the globe, and territories were fought over often resulting in entire races being homeless. The dragons took over Australia, their hub being on the neighboring New Zealand. This was before all birds of fire, the Phoenix people, were called to return to their realm away from Earth. They had no stake in the game and wouldn’t be joining any alliances.
All the nations, once claimed by human rule, had been transformed. Some were ruled by monsters who enslaved the humans who remained on their lands. Others by saints who chose to live in peace. Their homes were strong, and they provided safety. The fairies were the widest spread. They had hubs across the globe where humans could find safety, if they lived by a strict set of rules. They had to stay within certain areas and were not allowed to mix with the general population unless for work. Their homes were theirs; the fairies made no point to control what they did within their areas as long as things remained peaceful. For the most part, humans were okay with this. They were great accommodations in the face of the alternatives—living as slaves, being eaten, or becoming the subject matter for magical experiments.
Because of their ingenuity and their strength, the fairies quickly became the governing group. If things got messy, they were the enforcers of the new laws. Of course, there were those who disputed this claim, but they weren’t strong enough to challenge them. As it were, the fairies were top dog and most of the world was okay with that.
Through the entire ordeal, Jinn stayed on his own. When war came knocking, he packed up and moved. For him, safety could always be found with the fairies, though he tried to stay clear of even them. When things got hairy, that is where he went. There weren’t many djinns still around, and those who were, were still pawns, bound to vessels, having to grant wishes to whoever possessed them. He’d heard of an old friend, who was being passed back and forth between the gnomes. Granting wishes that kept them safe. Yeah, he wasn’t in any shit, but his life was a series of wishes that provided cover for them whenever their sticky fingers brought monsters banging on their door. He would forever be their slave.
Jinn approached the mediocre home that sat in a cul-de-sac. The other four houses were shells that he’d given a quick facelift to because he was tired of looking at their charred studs and caved in roofs. He didn’t worry about the interior it wasn’t as if anyone would be moving in. He’d healed the lands in a one-mile radius of his home, which allowed new life to sprout. Trees stood around him, tall enough to block out the ash covered world beyond his boundary. He didn’t need much; he’d had paradise before, and all that did was teach him that all the lavish possessions in the world could do nothing to really make him happy. He enjoyed a simpler life.
“Jinn!” The cheerful voice met him as he walked through the door of his modest home. Praia waited for him at the door and watched him closely as he parked the bike in the garage.
“Glad to see you here again, Praia.” The enthusiastic girl was a fae, who were not to be confused with the fairies who ruled. Make that mistake and you might lose your tongue. Literally. Unfortunately, it was an easy enough error to make considering they were cousins and shared most of the same physical attributes. Nothing upset Praia like calling her a fairy. Jinn could only think of one other time that he’d made her so upset.
“I know you!” The short girl bound up to the large man whose hair had grown to a shoulder length, with a large grin and eyes that examined every inch of the man in front of her.
“Excuse me?” Jinn stared down at the young girl who wore pigtails wrapped in twine, denim shorts, and an oversized shirt that hung from one shoulder, leaving the tanned flesh exposed. She held an ice cream cone in her hand and continued to enjoy the swirl of vanilla and chocolate as she watched him.
“I know who you are! I’ve learned about you.” She licked the melted ice cream from her fingers and smiled.
“I’m sorry, you must have me mistaken for someone else.” He turned to walk away. Clearly this young girl was confused, there was no way she knew who he really was.
“Jinn, Aladdin’s djinn, the only one who is free!” She paused as if questioning her own information—perhaps she was wrong, but she shook that thought away. She was sure of her conclusion.
He turned back to her, quickly hushing her words. “Look, I told you, you have the wrong person! Now, move along and enjoy your ice cream.”
“I’m sorry,” the girl hurried to correct the offense. “I thought you were him. I, they told us, you look like him, the pictures. That would have been so amazing if you were. I’m sorry.” With sorrowful eyes flooding with tears, she turned from him.
“Wait!” Dammit, she had to cry, and Jinn was never one to allow a girl to cry.
“I said I was sorry,” she pouted with full tears sliding down her face, and wide eyes full of apology. He could have turned away, allowed her to think she’d made a mistake. She would get over it eventually.
“No, okay, you’re right.” Though he told himself he would never reveal his identity, there was something about her that made him trust her. It could have been her innocence, her obvious reverence for life, or just the feeling of being recognized by someone who he could already see wanted nothing from him. Or, it was because he was a big ol’ softy and she had pulled at his heart strings. Either way, he believed that the girl was curious, not wanting, and that made him want to know her. She followed him around for the rest of the day, asking questions about his life and where he’d been. When the sun left the sky, she asked if she could see him again. She wanted them to be friends and promised that she would never tell anyone else about him. He’d given her a way to communicate with him, a charm she wore around her neck. When the war started, that connection was how they stayed safe, delivered messages without others knowing. She was the only person he trusted without pause.
“Back from another secret rendezvous, I see.” Praia teased him as she tucked the book she’d been reading in the bag by her side. “You know, one of these days you’re going to have to tell me who the lucky lady is.”
Praia’s people, though strong, kept a discreet life. This has always been their way. They were powerful, but once their king announced that his people would not fight for the right to rule, they were left alone. To rule would mean to allow the world to see inside their homes and this was not what they wanted. The lands which had always belonged to their people were the only ones untouched by fire.
“Why would I ever tell you who she is? So you can bite her head off?”
“Little ol’ me? I would never do such a thing!” The woman laughed. Praia was fit, a warrior trained to fight, as they all were. She was short, less than five feet tall, but her size was her best weapon, often underestimated because of it. Most fae were tall, slender, yet strong. Despite the anomaly of her physique, Praia was a weapon like no other. They were friends before the world changed; she was one of the few people that Jinn had allowed into his world. He met her in the 90’s. She was just a kid then, out in the world, away from her home for the first time, when she stumbled across a man who felt familiar to her. She was the first to recognize him for who he really was. She saw the power in him.
“Oh yes, I forgot, you’re just a sprite of a thing, so innocent.” He unlocked the door and entered the house with Praia bouncing in behind him.
; “Exactly, and don’t you forget it!” Once inside, she did as always. She pounced on the couch, claiming the entire space for herself even though, head to toe, she still didn’t take up the full length of the sofa. “So, what’s for dinner?”
“Whatever your heart desires.” He waved his fingers as he moved through his home, completing the series of tasks that had become habit for him. Turn on the light, switch on the filtration for air—the air outside got to higher levels of toxicity at night, being so close to the wastelands, he had to take further precautions. He then turned on the camera system which allowed him to view the inside of his garage where his baby waited for him.
“Hmm. My heart desires steak!” She grinned widely.
“Again?” He laughed. “I should have never introduced you to the stuff. Should have kept you on that veggie diet.” One juicy steak conjured and cooked to perfection and the girl was an addict.
“Oh, but now I know the joys of meat!” She laughed maniacally. “Besides, I can only get steak with you. The stuff barely exists in the world now.”
“Yes, how unfortunate. I guess I could conjure up a piece for you.” Steak, beef in general, once in abundance, had become a rare commodity. Cows, like many other animals, were nearly extinct. They’d become a spectacle people paid to see in zoos. Of course, there was substitutions available, beef-like products for general consumption, but the conjured meat paled in comparison to the real thing.
“See, you do love me!” She sat up and clapped her hands, eager for the food he’d make.
“Like no other!” He headed to the kitchen and his little friend pulled herself from the couch to follow him. “So, tell me, what’s new in the world?’
“Do you really need an update?” She reached inside of the refrigerator and grabbed a juice. “Let’s see, what do I have to report? Oh, yeah, more war, more hatred. It’s ugly out there. Some places are better than others.”
Djinn Rebellion Boxset (Books 1 -30: A Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy Page 2