Djinnx'd (The Tamar Black Saga #1)

by Nicola Rhodes

  ‘He had nothing to fear. But for you, reality awaited. I’m sure that you knew that on some level, sensed it maybe. Anyway, your fear was instinctive.’

  ‘I have a question,’ said Denny. ‘How do we get out of here?’

  ‘Wait,’ said Tamar suddenly. She turned to Clive. ‘you certainly did go to a lot of trouble over this,’ she said, I mean, surely … you said the other clerks would have been happy to let it lie – I’m not trying to sound ungrateful but …’

  Clive sighed. ‘Well, the fact is, it was our fault too; I just couldn’t live with that. Askphrit told you that the Djinn were enslaved yes?’

  Tamar nodded, it had been a long time ago, but that was one thing she would never forget.

  ‘That was us; we amended the files, the Djinn files in mainframe I mean, but somehow… the file for him was, well it was not done properly, we left him a loophole, that he should never have had.’

  ‘It was you, wasn’t it?’ said Tamar shrewdly, but not unkindly. ‘That was why you took it so personally?’

  Clive nodded. ‘Yes, Askphrit was my fault. I was the one who … we were so busy in those days, I got distracted, forgot to run the program to test the results, and ended up leaving out some of the protocols that should have been added in his case. I am sorry my dear, but on the other hand, the loophole I accidentally left for him, has now worked in your favour.

  Tamar grinned. ‘I suppose it has,’ she said.

  ‘Still, it was good of you to go to all this trouble,’ said Denny. ‘We are grateful, you know.’

  Clive smiled expansively. ‘It was my responsibility,’ he said, ‘that was how I saw it. Besides, it’s been an experience; I’ve enjoyed it all in way. I never knew humans could be so interesting, but it’s time to go home now, for all of us,’

  ‘Yes,’ said Denny, ‘about that …?’

  ‘Well, there’s the long answer,’ said Clive. ‘Or you could just ask superwoman here.’

  ‘Of course,’ said Tamar. ‘No problem.’ She jerked a thumb at the bottle. ‘What do we do with him?’

  ‘That’s up to you.’

  Tamar picked up the bottle and took Denny by the hand. Well ... then,’ There was an awkward silence. ‘… um, thank you – Clive – er, I suppose we should be going. – Er, what will you do now?’

  ‘Oh, back to the filing, you know?’

  ‘Oh – well, good luck with that. Goodbye.’

  ‘Goodbye to you my dear and good luck to you both. Use your power responsibly, I think you’re ready.’

  ‘Goodbye,’ said Denny. ‘And – you know – thanks – for everything.’

  ‘My pleasure – goodbye.’

  Tamar snapped her fingers, and they were back. They arrived outside Denny’s flat. Pinned to the door was a note. It read. “NOTICE OF EVICTION”.

  ~ Chapter Thirty ~

  ‘Have you ever thought about red?’ asked Denny.

  Tamar looked at him curiously ‘Red?’ she queried.

  ‘Red hair,’ he explained, ‘I always liked red hair.’

  ‘Do you want me to have red hair?’

  ‘Not if you don’t like. I mean I don’t want to come over all chauvinistic about it. I mean if you absolutely hate the idea ...’

  ‘No, I don’t, not at all. Actually, I spent most of the middle-ages as a redhead. And part of the renaissance too. It was very popular then.’

  ‘Ha, so you were a Djinn-ja?’

  Tamar groaned theatrically and threw cushions.

  ‘You know what?’ Denny mused. ‘I still can’t get used to it when you talk about history like that; like you were there.’

  ‘I was there.’

  ‘That’s what I mean, it’s weird. Although, I could have used you when I was at school, I was terrible at history.’

  ‘Hmm, I don’t know that I would have been much of a help really. I had a somewhat unique perspective. A lot of what I saw never made it into the history books, all I could have told you is what happened, and that’s not the same thing at all. Besides, I missed a lot, living in a bottle. – So, you don’t like my hair then?’

  ‘It’s beautiful,’ he said hastily. ‘I didn’t mean ... I’m sorry, am I being a sexist pig?’

  ‘In what way?’

  ‘Well, you know – change this or change that. My father was like that. I didn’t mean it to sound like an order.’

  ‘It didn’t.’

  ‘All right, but now you’re thinking about it, just because I suggested it. And you don’t really want to; otherwise you’d have done it already, wouldn’t you? I was only wondering if you could – if you might ...’

  ‘You know what, it’s been a while, maybe ...’ She shook her hair out. ‘Whaddya think?’

  ‘Wow!’

  ‘You like?’

  ‘Yes, but ...’

  ‘But?’

  ‘You look different; I don’t know. I’m not sure.’

  ‘Well, I think I look fabulous actually. I’m going to keep it. You got a problem with that?’

  ‘I think I should have just kept my mouth shut.’

  ‘Probably.’

  Denny mused for a moment at the transformation and asked ‘Why black?’

  ‘Huh?’

  ‘I mean, if you can do that with your hair, why have it black? I mean to say I would have thought, with your personality, you would have gone for blonde. More eye catching.’

  Tamar laughed. Hah, says you, the only blonde in the room.’

  ‘I’m not blonde, I’m mousy.’

  ‘Only because you never wash it, you filthy bugger.’

  ‘Well, you haven’t answered my question, why not be blonde?’

  ‘It’s inverted vanity I suppose,’ she said.

  ‘Explain.’

  ‘I have noticed that almost anyone can look prettier with blonde hair, unless they’re a real monster. Like you said, it’s eye catching. But it takes a real stunner…’

  ‘Like you?’

  ‘Thank you,’ said Tamar without a trace of irony. Denny grinned to himself but said nothing.

  ‘A real stunner,’ she reiterated, ‘to get away with dark hair and still turn heads. You see I’m being completely honest. I’m vain, get used to it.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t mind. As long as you don’t mind that I’m not. Well, I’ve got nothing to be vain about, let’s face it.’

  ‘You’re not ugly.’

  ‘That’s not what you used to think.’

  ‘Shut up.’

  Tamar sighed. ‘I wish…’

  Denny cut her off. ‘Don’t,’ he warned, jerking a thumb at the bottles that sat side by side on the mantel. ‘There are still two active Djinn in the house.’

  ‘I know, it’s okay.’

  ‘Well, you’re human now, you have to be careful.’

  ‘Yes that’s the problem.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Well, I thought it meant that we ... that you and I, well you know?’

  ‘I know, but you still have all that power it’s too dangerous.’

  ‘I wish – no I will say it, I want to say it and to hell with the consequences. I wish I didn’t. So we could be together – properly.’

  They waited, and Tamar shrugged. ‘I don’t feel any different.’ She shook her hair out to its original midnight black.

  ‘I guess it didn’t work,’ said Denny. ‘Do you have to let him out first?’

  ‘No, how do you think people managed to get us back into the bottle. Once you have the bottle. You have the Djinn, no matter where he is.’

  ‘Then I guess it’s not our destiny to be together.’

  Tamar snorted. ‘Destiny be damned. It should have worked.’

  ‘Well it didn’t. Maybe if I tried it.’ But they both knew it would not make any difference. Tamar had wished for the power, and a wish cannot be undone. These were the consequences.

  There was a short silence before Tamar changed the subject. ‘We
’re just putting it off, aren’t we?’ she said.

  ‘What?’

  ‘You know what.’ She jerked a thumb at the plastic bottle on the mantel. ‘What are we going to do about him?’

  * * *

  Slammer was furious. ‘What did you want to go and do that for?’ he raged. ‘What am I supposed to do now?’

  Tamar shrugged. ‘Tidy yourself up – for God’s sake, change your name. And get yourself a job.’

  ‘A job? A job?’ howled Slammer. ‘I had a job. Why did you do it to me?’

  ‘Because, the Djinn are a damned plague and a rotten nuisance whose time is over. We’re going to get rid of all of you – except one.’ She picked up Askphrit’s bottle. ‘I think a few thousand years in here to think about his sins will do him good.’

  ‘A fitting punishment,’ agreed Denny.

  ‘But what about me?’ wailed Slammer.

  ‘Well, I guess we’re stuck with you, until you get on your feet anyway,’ said Tamar.*

  *[Slammer lung, after bumming off Tamar and Denny for a while, eventually got sick of them, and – without changing his name – joined the pro – wrestling circuit. And so you could say he lived happily ever.]

  ‘In the meantime, we’re going Djinn hunting.’

  ‘Do you think we should?’ asked Denny. ‘What about the files and all that? Maybe we shouldn’t have even done this.’ He gestured to Slammer.

  ‘No, you damn well shouldn’t,’ interjected Slammer, heatedly.

  Denny ignored him. ‘I mean we don’t want Clive coming after us.’

  ‘He won’t,’ said Tamar calmly. ‘It’s time, and he knows it too. The Djinn are an anachronism; they don’t belong in the world anymore. So, we free them; they become human; they live, they die and they go to the archives.’

  ‘All these Djinn we release, are they all going to be like him?’ asked Denny. ‘Are we going to end up babysitting all of them?’

  Tamar smiled. Virtue is its own punishment,’ she said serenely. ‘You know the score by now. There are always consequences.

  ~ EPILOGUE ~

  One year later ...

  Tamar was lurking, something she had got exceptionally skilled at over the last year.

  A different Tamar this, her beauty was still remarkable by human standards, but that was just it, she was now only human. The pale luminosity of her skin had become pallor, and the drama of her presence was reduced. Older, she seemed somehow, and grimmer; not physically exactly, to a casual or loving eye, she looked exactly the same; there was just something about the dark hollowness of her eyes. Being human had taken a toll; the price of freedom is constant vigilance.

  She and Denny had tried hard, over the last year, to save the world, one person at a time. Not with grand futile gestures, no world peace, nor the eradication of all evil. Just the saving of lost souls, protecting the innocent and helping ordinary people in trouble like “Amelie” with bite, making only a small difference in the world perhaps, but a big difference in the lives of individuals. They were adding their light to the sum of light; it was the only way.

  She wondered why she was skulking in this alleyway, since Denny was several thousand miles away, and did not know where she was anyway. Guilt probably; she should not be doing this, and he would have stopped her if he had known. That was why she was here. She would just do it and then confess later. He would be angry, but it would be too late by then.

  The alley was silent; Tamar lifted the bottle out of her bag and pulled out the cork. BANG!!! Curse it.

  She looked around furtively. ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she told herself. Denny was miles away, and anyone else in earshot would tell themselves that it was a car backfiring. Didn’t she know all about the lies people told themselves? She controlled herself,

  Askphrit was grinning hugely. ‘O’ My Mistress ... Oh it’s you! Well it’s about time you let me out.’

  ‘Shut up,’ said Tamar, she faltered, why was she doing this? Oh yes. She took a deep breath. ‘I wish ...’

  Askphrit smiled. Some people never learned.

  Next for Tamar and Denny

  Reality Bites

  Ran-Kur was growing, thirty feet – forty, fifty. Tamar stood her ground and did nothing, except watch silently. Ran-Kur reached down and plucked her off the ground.

  The spectators were watching in terrified horror. This was more than they had bargained for.

  Tamar was lifted high into the air; Ran-Kur continued to grow.

  Denny was panicked. ‘She’s stuck,’ he said. ‘Her arms are pinned; she can’t reach the dagger.’

  Ran-Kur was now seventy feet tall at least. He held Tamar out in front of him on his palm, as he brought her closer to look at her,

  ‘I am the mighty Ran-Kur,’ he said. ‘That you, puny mortal have dared to summon, now you shall pay the price. My name, it means “ill feeling”, and “spite”.’

  ‘Yes, I know.’

  Ran-Kur lapsed into normal speech for a second. ‘Oh, you speak Demon then?’ he asked interestedly.

  ‘No, it means the same thing in human.’

  ‘Does it now? Well there’s a thing.’

  She saw her chance. She crossed her fingers; the dagger seemed awfully small now, and leapt, sliding down the robes, and plunged the dagger into the chest as far as it would go. As she did so, she felt all the strength ebb out of her. She let go of the robes as Ran-Kur gave a shudder and fell.

  As she hurtled through the air, powerlessly, she thought, ‘at least it worked.’

  * * *

  The world is overrun with vampires, and finding out where they came from is secondary only to finding out what they want. And who exactly sent them.

  Who is the mysterious “Master”, and what is happening to Denny is it possible that he has gone over to the dark side?

  With both gods and vampires, not to mention a dizzy witch and an extremely suspicious policeman to deal with, can Tamar discover the truth before the whole world goes to hell and she loses everything she ever cared about?

  About the Author

  Nicola Rhodes often can’t remember where she lives so she lives inside her own head most of the time, where even if you do get lost, it’s still okay.

  She has met many interesting people inside her own head and eventually decided to introduce the rest of the world to them, in the hopes that they would stop bothering her and let her sleep.

  She has been doing this for ten years now but they still won’t leave her alone.

  She is married to the long suffering Mike who lives in Derby, England because he is not crazy (well not much anyway) and they have three girls between them.

  She wrote this book for fun and does not care if you take away a moral lesson from it or not.

  You have her full permission to read whatever you wish into this work of fiction. As she says herself:

  “Just because I wrote this book, doesn’t mean I know anything about it.”