Magical Redemption Page 11

  * * * *

  Jinx had no such comforts or relaxation when she arrived back in Kuala Lumpur in a maelstrom of rainbow smoke.

  “Ah.” She heard the sickeningly familiar voice of the bomoh. “Speak of the genie.” He laughed.

  Jinx held her eyes shut for a brief moment, battling the sudden fatigue, and then forced them open, again. She had arrived in the same marble underground room beneath the market. She had a depressing, sinking feeling in her gut as she saw the gnome, his chupacabras, and the heavily guarded sports bag.

  Without waiting, she attempted a quick retrieval spell; however, her smoke shattered on contact.

  “Fuck,” she muttered and rubbed her forehead wearily. Casting a protective shield around herself, she stared through the shimmering smoke at her two foes. “I want my lamp,” she said.

  “Ah, that poses a bit of a problem, doesn’t it?” The gnome’s pale, yellowish eyes glistened with ill-concealed malevolence.

  “No, I don’t see why. It’s not yours. It’s my master’s.”

  “He shan’t be your master much longer. My friend Mister Bomoh told me he has one wish left. Isn’t that right?”

  Jinx stiffened.

  “Well.” The gnome’s face ticked. He eased himself down onto a chair with a sigh. “I’m sure we can come to some sort of arrangement,” he said smoothly. “Something mutually satisfying.”

  Jinx couldn’t help but flick a nervous glance toward the bomoh. He kept his distance from her but licked his fat lips in anticipation.

  “Nothing will satisfy me but getting my lamp back and getting the hell out of here,” she snapped. The muscles in her shoulders screamed with unspoken tension.

  “Well, I’m afraid you can’t get out of here, dear,” the bomoh cooed softly from the corner of the room. “It’s warded. Can’t you feel it?”

  She felt it, but the magic of the genie was a powerful thing. The bomoh’s magic couldn’t stop the link between a genie and master–and Jinx’s master wanted her out of there. There was no power except that of another genie that could keep her from returning to him. She only hoped Lucian’s desire was strong enough when the time came.

  “Yes, I can feel it,” she agreed blithely.

  Something fluttered past her ear and straight through her shield of smoke. The nuisance pelesit returned to its master in a flurry of flapping green wings.

  “Baby,” the bomoh murmured, “you’ve done well.” The pelesit landed on his shoulder. The gnome twitched, his gaze riveted to the bomoh and his pelesit. Cocking his neck to one side, the bomoh offered his greasy neck to the grasshopper. It ticked appreciatively as it pierced his neck with its long proboscis.

  Revulsion showed plainly on the gnome’s face as the pelesit fed from its master.

  “A hungry pelesit is a dangerous thing,” the bomoh said as the pelesit retracted its proboscis and chirped cheerfully.

  “Hmmm,” the gnome agreed and returned his interest to Jinx. “Jinx, is it?” he asked suddenly.

  “Yes,” she said, thrown slightly off guard by his unexpected amiability.

  “We need to come to some sort of arrangement.”

  “Clearly,” she agreed.

  “You know Lucian is pledged to the Family. His defiance has caused considerable upset amongst us.”

  Jinx threw a nervous glance toward the bomoh, who rubbed an ashen cheek, his face a mask of nothing. She nodded.

  “I sense that you’ve tested the pledge no less than twice in search of a weakness. Correct me if I am wrong, but you have found no weakness?”

  She shook her head.

  “Then, I am sure you realize the pledge is strong enough to kill him, should I choose to do so.”

  An icy fear crab-scuttled through Jinx’s bones. She remembered the tight, cutting pressure of the pledge around Lucian’s soul and his pained moan when she pulled at it.

  The gnome narrowed his gaze, carefully assessing her for a flicker of emotion she did not betray. She was silent.

  “I shall take your silence as agreement? Though I want him back, I will kill him if I have to. I need you, and so does Mister Bomoh here.”

  Jinx slid her gaze to the bomoh. “He doesn’t need me. He wants me. There is a difference. If you think he’ll honor whatever agreement he’s got with you, then you’re delusional.”

  The Pater Rex’s small face ticked and convulsed before he replied. “That is no concern of yours. Your job right now is to return Lucian to me, so he can take his wish and leave with me.”

  “I’m not returning him to you,” Jinx hissed. “Never.”

  “I will kill him, then. I’d rather he be dead than not within the Family.”

  “You wouldn’t.” She sneered and glared at both the Pater Rex and the bomoh. “Now, if you don’t mind,” she muttered. With a phenomenal blast of magic, she flattened the room. Wards shattered, bookshelves exploded, and chairs cracked. The hundreds of little bottles with captured djinn hit the floor. Glass smashed.

  The djinn reformed and grew larger. Within a second, the gnome and his chupacabras disappeared behind a shimmering wall of mandarin-scented magic, clearly unwilling to risk the djinn’s revenge. The bomoh scowled and cursed in Malay, sending spells here and there, trying to catch the rapidly increasing number of reforming djinn.

  It was then Jinx had a moment of clarity. Time stood still, and the thunderous echoing of her labored breath resounded in her body. Using the bomoh’s moment of distraction, she uttered the most powerful summoning spell she could muster. There was a clap of magic. Then, like a blue and white rocket, Lucian’s sports bag hurtled through the chaos and thumped into her open arms.

  Her heart sang with relief. Just as Jinx recited the motus spell to get her quickly from the bomoh’s lair, her gaze caught his. The swollen, toad-like face was red instead of its usual ashen. His eyes glittered with sheer malevolence.

  “You’ll pay for this,” he hissed. Jinx knew without a shadow of a doubt that sometime in the near future, she definitely would.

  Chapter Nine

  When Jinx arrived at the bird hide in the Spectacles Nature Reserve, south of the city of Perth, she was exhausted and frankly terrified. She landed heavily on the wooden boardwalk. She squeezed her eyes closed, fighting the rolls of nausea and anxiety.

  “Jinx?” Lucian’s voice came from above her.

  She took a strengthening breath and shuddered. Jinx felt him looming above her, his power radiating heat through the already warm air surrounding them. She felt it as clearly as waves from the ocean. Jinx opened her eyes. Weakness flattened her, and she felt herself lolling backward. She used far too much magic and needed energy quickly.

  “I need food,” Jinx moaned as vertigo annihilated what little equilibrium she had. She fell backward.

  “You need me.” Lucian growled. Jinx suddenly found herself encapsulated in his strong arms and instinctively closed her eyes. He smelled delicious wrapped in her magic. The scent fitted him well. A weak groan escaped as his heat flooded into her. Behind closed lids, she saw colors and light. Power filtered through his skin and clothing like the sun though a black shirt and went into her body. It was strengthening and felt vaguely wholesome.

  “Open your eyes,” he hissed.

  She reluctantly peeled her eyes open and gazed up, tilting her head to meet his stare. His eyes were red and filled with the passion, lust, and hunger only a demon could possess. Instead of disgust, horror, or shock, heat of another kind swooped through her body, in a much less wholesome way. Her exhaustion receded like a tide. A slight smile tugged at Lucian’s lips as he gently tilted her chin and angled her lips for his kiss. She felt her entire body tingle with anticipation. Her breath caught in her throat, and she found herself unwilling to exhale. Blessedly, his lips met hers. They were soft and strong, and their touch sent flames o
f desire rushing like wildfire through her body. Jinx moaned and clung to him, drawing power and inestimable strength from his body. This time, he didn’t push her away. He kissed her firmly and passionately, until she was energized and utterly revitalized.

  It was Jinx who eventually came up for air.

  She sheepishly pulled away from him and reluctantly uncurled her small hands from the folds of shirt she gripped. Her breath came out in fast pants, as if she’d been running. Lucian’s eyes resumed their usual light brown.

  “Do you still need that food?” he asked softly.

  Heat flooded her cheeks. She knew without the benefit of a mirror that even her darker complexion was furiously red.

  “I didn’t know...” She was still breathless. “You could...do that.” Jinx looked up and saw Lucian had proffered a hand. He wrapped his long, strong fingers tightly around a thermos cup of steaming coffee. She wished they were wrapped around her, instead.

  “Here,” he said.

  “Uh, thanks.” She accepted the cup with a hand no longer trembling with exhaustion. Jinx surveyed the swamp. It was so familiar, it sent a pang of nostalgia hammering through her newfound strength. She shuddered slightly, sending some of the hot contents of the cup over her hand. Gasping, she raised the cup to her mouth and sucked on her knuckles, licking the hot, bittersweet coffee and scalding them. Lucian’s eyes hungrily followed the path of her tongue.

  “Have you got the bag?” he asked, his voice weaker and his gaze locked on her lips.

  “Well, yes. Here” She bent slightly to lift the bag that had at some point fallen from her grip. The momentum of the gesture spilled more coffee over her right hand. She gasped, again.

  “Here,” Lucian growled, swiftly taking possession of the bag and diverting his eyes as she brought her fingers to her mouth, again.

  “So...” Jinx hesitated.

  Lucian returned his gaze to her, his expression calm but assessing. “What happened?”

  “I think we may have a problem.”

  “We may?” Lucian laughed without humor.

  She sank wearily onto the bench, and listened to the wind stir in the magical paper-bark swamp. “Yes. The Family and the bomoh are officially working together.”

  “Really?” He sounded a little skeptical.

  “Yep.” She took a sip of coffee. There was a faint zipping sound as the pelesit arrived in a small explosion of sweet magic. Jinx scowled and nudged it with her foot. It clicked irritably, so she pushed it a little closer to the edge of the boardwalk before continuing. “The Family and the bomoh both want me, and it appears they are prepared to share me. After the Family gets you back, the bomoh gets me. When he’s finished, he’s passing me onto the Family.”

  Lucian was silent, clearly considering. “We don’t have many options, then. We will simply have to remove the pledge and find someone who can free you from the lamp. Otherwise, no matter where we are, with that pelesit around, we’re sitting ducks.” He glanced around the swamp.

  “Antigone, wasn’t that the Nephilim’s name? I said before that she owes you. Let’s find her. Even though you’re demon spawn, surely a Nephilim can free you and…”―Jinx felt her throat tighten―“…maybe me?”

  Lucian was silent, again. His light brown eyes were mottled and golden in the spangled light of the swamp. “No.” His voice was sharp. “She hates me, and Omar hates me. He tried to kill me on principle.”

  “We can work something out. I’ll approach them. You keep out of sight. If she doesn’t come willingly, I’ll force her.” Jinx’s guts squeezed with disgust at her own words. She didn’t want to harm anyone, but desperate times called for desperate measures―or so the old adage went.

  “My, my. Aren’t we ruthless, today?” Lucian teased. Jinx felt herself stiffen in surprise. “I mean it. Do not try and find Antigone. I command you.”

  His command resonated through her. She knew there was no way she could disobey him. Jinx was about to try and reason with him when the pelesit crawled up her pants. For once, she was pleased by the interruption. She knocked it away with a sharp flick of her thumb and forefinger. The green grasshopper sailed through the air, clearly surprised. It landed in the dark water with a small splash, ticking and kicking its legs furiously. They watched the grasshopper flounder in the water. The inky, brown water swirled curiously.

  “What is that?” Lucian asked as the small vortexes of water swirled faster and closer to the pelesit.

  “Something ancient, I guess. It’s always been here,” Jinx murmured. “Ever since I was a little girl and my father first showed me this place, and probably long before then.”

  They walked in companionable silence to the edge of boardwalk and leaned on the gray, wooden handrails. Peering in the dark water, they tried to discern what kind of creature lived beneath. The water swirled faster around the pelesit.

  “Is it going to eat it, I wonder?” Jinx said.

  “I don’t think you can eat a pelesit,” Lucian said, “but I guess whatever is in that water is going to try.”

  The water swirled faster as a small pelesit-sized water funnel appeared. The pelesit spiraled down into the water. It ticked and flapped its drenched wings uselessly. Down it went until the water suddenly calmed, and it sunk into the depths, out of sight.

  “It will be back,” Jinx said.

  “Not for a while,” Lucian replied and turned from the handrail to face her. “Why don’t you get some sleep?” He examined her with a cool gaze. Jinx felt herself absurdly hoping she didn’t look a wreck, although she suspected she did. “You’ve done a lot of travelling. You’re going to need rest. We’ve got a lot to do.”

  The idea sounded like a great one. Although revitalized, she needed some time to think and calm her jumpy mind. Sighing, she raised her head to meet his gaze. “No, I’m not going to sleep. We do have too much to do.”

  “Jinx,” Lucian murmured and caught her in his arms, pulling her away from the handrail and mysteriously calm waters. She didn’t have the heart to resist him. Like wax near a flame, she felt her body sink and melt against his. She relaxed in his arms, her body absorbing still more of his pulsing heat. Lucian lifted her weightlessly in both arms and returned her to the bird hide, gently setting her down on the blankets.

  “I don’t want to go to sleep. I need to think...” she said, looking up into his impossibly handsome face. Lucian’s usually cool eyes held a gentle, warm light. The lips that so often were twisted in a snarl, now curled with the memory of smile.

  Her heart flipped, and she worried he heard it.

  “Sleep, just sleep. We have time to think later.” He bent low toward her and whispered his lips across hers with a feather-light touch. Jinx sighed with pleasure. Whether it was Lucian’s strange, demonic powers or the peaceful magic of the swamp, she was suddenly fast asleep.

  * * * *

  Lucian looked down at Jinx as she slept. She’d been sleeping for a few hours now, and miraculously, the pelesit hadn’t returned. After the constant excitement of the past few days, he was feeling bored. Blowflies buzzed lazily around, and an army of ants marched by his feet. He had the horrid sensation he was just waiting―waiting for something bad to happen. Lucian pushed the thought aside irritably and stared into the paper-bark swamp.

  Another peculiar, icy pain ripped through his body. He groaned. It had happened three times since Jinx returned and was increasing in severity. A weakness fell across him and vomit sat high in his esophagus, burning and threatening every time he moved. Lucian leaned against the wooden handrail, gripping it as the pain passed.

  What is wrong? He couldn’t have food poisoning; he’d only eaten Jinx’s food. As demon spawn, he was immune to most human diseases. He breathed in, feeling the breath stretch his lungs, then exhaled heavily. The pain passed. He raised a hand to wipe the sweat away from his brow. The
pain spasmed through him again, and this time, he crumpled to his knees. What the hell?

  Vomit boiled in his throat. He swallowed it down with a confused gag. I’ve never vomited in my life. He was strung up in that box over London for months without succumbing to death or sickness.

  Lucian threw a tormented gaze at Jinx, who slept on—her small chest heaving with breath. Her face was peaceful in slumber. He inhaled a deep breath of dry air. The day was hot, and a warm breeze languidly rocked the branches of the ghostly paper-barks around them. Liquid dripped from his nose as the icy pain ripped through him once again. This time, it tore through him from his head to his feet. Lucian battled to stifle a loud groan and lifted his hand to wipe the liquid from his nose. It came away bloody. He stared at the blood, incredulous, horrified, and even more confused. Demon spawn didn’t get sick and didn’t get nosebleeds. Throwing another worried glance at Jinx, who continued to slumber, he hauled himself to his feet and left the bird hide.

  Breathing deeply through his mouth to quell the sickness in his stomach, Lucian knelt down near the edge of the boardwalk and stared into the dark water. Nothing stirred in its depths. He saw his reflection distorted by miniscule ripples in the water. It was horrific. Blood dripped steadily from his nose. He raised his hand again and found blood seeping from his tear ducts. Then, something warm slid from his ear and scurried down his neck, soaking into the fabric of the shirt. He gasped, his horror mounting with every stricken beat of his heart. Using the cuff of his shirt, he tried to wipe the blood from his eyes and neck, but it smeared everywhere. Beginning to panic in earnest now, he turned to head back to the bird hide. Maybe Jinx would know what was wrong. Alas, as soon as he made one step toward her, the pain returned yet again. This time, it smashed through him with the force of a hydraulic hammer.

  A terrified roar clawed its way up his throat but couldn’t escape through the bloody fog surrounding and filling him. Lucian heard rather than felt his body slam down onto the boardwalk, before unconsciousness swept over him like a lead blanket and stopped his thoughts altogether.