by SF Benson
Crimson colors her cheeks as she plops down on the armchair near the sofa. “Princesses must remain chaste before marriage. If I lose my virginity before I marry Shedad, it voids our arrangement.”
Interesting. She’s all mine if I bang her? Tempting.
Get your head out of the gutter.
My tone softens. “Listen Qadira, as much as I do want you, I won’t take your offer.”
She touches the base of her neck. “Why would you want me? I’m no one special.”
Damn, has she not looked in a mirror? “Anyone would want you, Qadira. You’re…” My voice drops. “Perfect.”
Qadira drops her chin to her chest, hunching her shoulders. “If you feel that way, then why not take my offer?”
I curl my fingers around hers and wait for her to look up. Sadness stretches across her face. Spasms rack my chest while the words stick in my throat. I swallow hard and say, “First off, you don’t want it. Second, I might be a man-whore, but I try not to be an…a jerk. I won’t take advantage of you. Understood?”
She nods.
“Good. Besides, your first time shouldn’t be with a sex-starved incubus. I don’t want to hurt you.” I’m telling her the truth. Bringing harm to this beautiful female is something I can’t bear.
She draws her legs in and wraps her arms around her knees. “So, what will you do?”
“Go into town.” I push off the sofa. “I may be an hour or so. While I’m out, I’ll pick up some food.”
Her voice is barely audible when she says, “I don’t want to stay alone.”
Guilt clouds my thoughts. If my energy wasn’t so low, I’d take her up on her offer. No. Using Qadira is wrong. “Sorry, but I’d prefer going alone. It’s something you shouldn’t witness. Just stay here. Contact no one. Got it?”
“Yes. I’ll entertain myself.” She lowers her forehead to her knees.
The sadness in her voice triggers something in me. I’m almost tempted to stay and let her entertain me. I dismiss the thought and prepare to do something else I hate doing.
As soon as Cash leaves, I regret telling him I would entertain myself. It’s far too quiet for me in this hideaway. A large screen television is on the wall, but I have no interest in it. It’s a mundane, colossal waste of time. Humans should find better ways to occupy themselves.
Nearby, piled on a low table, is a stack of old magazines. The covers, featuring women with big hair and too-bright clothing, date back to the year 1980. Alas, I’m not a fan of nostalgia.
Too bad Cash didn’t bring a sketch pad. I love creating random patterns—some might call it intricate doodling. These darned bracelets prevent me from using magic to summon up anything.
I lie back on the sofa and stare up at the ceiling. Back home, whenever I grew bored, I hung out in the harem. All the female servants stay together in their own wing of the palace. Their rooms are lively with lots of music, dancing, hookah smoking, and laughter. I miss home. There’s a solution though.
Yes, Cash warned me not to contact anyone, but my brother isn’t just anyone. Besides, there’s no way I’ll sit alone for another night while the incubus indulges his baser nature. “Hadi! Hadi, I need you!”
Instantly, bright blue smoke curls beneath the front door. The wisps dance across the floor. A dense cloud billows before me. It dissipates, and Hadid, larger than life, appears. He did not bother to take on his usual human façade. His muscular blue girth takes up most of the living room. Hadid shimmers and shifts before settling into one spot. He smiles down at me. “Ah, dear sister, you could not wait for me to call you?”
“No. I am bored.” I cross my legs and swing my foot. “The incubus left again.”
Hadid laughs. “You can still be the petulant child.”
I sit up quickly and wail, “I’m not a child!”
He claps his hands. “You always fall for that one. So tell me why you are here?”
“Long story, Hadi.” I hold up my wrists. “I made a huge mistake.”
Hadid crosses his arms over his massive chest. “What did you do wrong?”
I hang my head and stare at the floor. “Wrong place at the wrong time, I guess. Their local law enforcement caught me.”
He rests a finger against his jaw. “This is not good, Qadira. You should be home instead of traipsing all over Allah knows where.”
“I know. I know. The incubus brought me to the cabin until my name can clear.”
“I will look into it. Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”
Good question. One I don’t have an answer for.
Hadid floats across the room, waving his finger in the air. “Explain to me what happened.”
I cover my face with my hands. My involvement in the murders of humans is all circumstantial, but it’s still embarrassing. It’s not easy to surprise Djinn. Concern over the Si’lat and my marriage to Shedad distracted me.
“Stop hiding, Qadira,” my brother demands. “Tell me.”
I look up, and the words tumble from my mouth. “Someone’s killing humans in Falls Creek. The police think I’m behind it.”
“Wait!” Hadid’s stops floating. “Why would anyone think you killed someone?”
“I…uh…stumbled across the first murder.”
Hadid face-palms. “What did you find?”
Recalling the headless, torn apart body makes me shudder. “It was gruesome, Hadi. Whatever did it removed the head and nearly shredded the body.”
Hadid rubs his chin. “This creature is unfamiliar to me. Maybe a werewolf?”
“But the head?” I tap my leg with my fingers and slowly wag my head. “Would a were remove the head?”
He purses his lips. “Like I said, I shall investigate.”
“That’s nice, but how do I clear my name?”
“Give me a chance to find out more about what happened. I might learn something that will help you. In the meantime, explain how you ended up in cuffs.”
I slouch against the sofa and drag my hands through my hair. “Aargh! The police have a supernatural working for them, a were-panther. I told him I was a djinniyah. He freaked out and slapped them on me before I could blink. I warned him bad things would happen. He threatened to throw me in a cell.”
My brother drifts from one side of the room to the other, his style of pacing. “You cannot tell anyone else that you’re djinn. All beings, human and supernatural, get all discombobulated over stuff they don’t understand. Give me a few days to check into it. Does anyone else know about the murders?”
I almost say no, and then I remember the vampire. “There is a female vampire in town. She knows Cash. I think I heard him call her Edie. She came to the second murder.”
“I will find her.” He cocks his head to the side. “I believe your incubus is back.”
“Oh no!” I exclaim and stand up. “Cash didn’t want me to contact anyone. You must leave.”
Hadid smiles at me. “Nonsense. I would like to meet this demon.”
First thing to remember about incubi: no wall built can contain one of us. Male Lilin are the only ones able to materialize into bedrooms during the wee hours of the morning. It’s quick and easy, but it causes a bit of a head rush. My preference is the old-fashioned, human method—flirt, make out, and receive a direct invite. In my weakened state, however, taking on my ethereal form is the best way to get to town.
In a matter of minutes, I appear outside a gas station convenience store. Since we need supplies, this place is perfect. A musical chime sounds as I open the glass door. Behind the counter is a full-breasted female with dyed purple hair and pouty red lips. Her leopard top has a hard time concealing her assets. Oversized earrings hang to her shoulders. In other time, she would do just fine but not now. There’s someone else I want to be with.
The second fact about Lilin: we don’t discriminate over size or sex. Big girls and guys love us. We lavish them with attention and affection. As a result, they provide us with
enough stored energy to last a few weeks. When I’m out for fun, I seek females who keep it tight with curves in all the right places. Their appeal drips off them in the most appetizing way.
At the present time, however, a male could work the counter. I wouldn’t hesitate to get what I need from him.
She looks away from a TV and gives me a bleached-white smile. She twirls a strand of her wild, curly hair around a painted nail and says, “How ya doin’ tonight?”
A grating New Jersey accent hits me. I think about Qadira’s lyrical voice. No comparison.
I give the girl a wink and a grin. My voice is buttery smooth as I say, “Real good now that I’ve seen you.”
Her giggle follows me as I grab a basket near the door. I listen, discretely, to the news report. The police are looking into the disappearances of a couple of girls from Falls Creek. Fortunately, the reporter doesn’t give a description of anyone associated with the case. I release the breath I didn’t realize I’m holding.
I saunter down the aisles, shifting my gaze back to the cashier every few feet or so. Her gaze anchors on me. She watches me toss toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, and toilet paper into the carrier. A box of condoms—can’t be too careful around humans—is added along with a few bottles of water. For the most part, I have everything I need for a short stay. I stroll up to the counter and place the basket in front of the clerk.
“Ya need anything else, sweet stuff?” Her eyes drift slowly up and down my body.
I lean forward and lift an eyebrow. “You here alone?”
“Yeah.” She smacks a too large wad of gum and pulls out a plastic bag. “Got stuck with the night shift.”
I glance at the security mirror hanging over the register. No one approaches the door. In a way, I wish someone would intrude on us. I bite my lip, a little connection to the pain I’ll experience if I don’t do this.
“Rumor has it I do my best work at night.” I reach across the counter and touch her arm.
A low moan escapes her lips as she rings up my items. When her hand lands on the magnum-sized condoms, she pauses. “These for you?”
I scan the store, looking for anyone I might have missed, before making eye contact with her. “Want to find out?”
The girl rings up the rest of my items in record time and tosses it all in the bag. “My car’s parked in the back.”
I don’t do backseats. Never have. Never will. “Gotta restroom?”
She nods quickly, grabs the key, and practically rushes from behind the counter.
“Maybe you should lock the front door?” I jerk my thumb toward it. “That way no one will interrupt us. If someone asks later, tell them you needed to use the bathroom.”
“Yeah,” she mutters. Her eyes widen as she fast walks past me. I watch her black-polyester-clad butt bounce toward the door. After locking up, she takes my hand and leads me to the restroom. I’ve seen cleaner spots, but this doesn’t require tidiness.
“What’s your name?” I ask as I remove a condom from the box.
“Betty.” She pulls me over to the sink. “Yours?”
I don’t need to give a real name in case the cops come through. “Just call me Bill.”
“Works for me.” She presses her mouth to mine.
I’m a little surprised when Betty darts her tongue between my lips. The girl can kiss, but I’m not here for a prolonged make-out session. My heart isn’t in it. Thoughts of Qadira swirl through my mind.
I break off the kiss. “Sorry to have to rush, sweetheart. But I don’t want you to lose your job.”
Betty purses her full lips, still red by the way, and cocks her head to the side. “A man of action. I like that.”
She pushes her snug pants down her plump thighs. Betty kicks off her high heels and wiggles her feet out of the pants. My eyes land on a pair of lacy black panties, barely covering her generous ass. I ease closer and slide my fingers between her delicate folds. She shivers and squirms against my hand.
Normally, I enjoy these quick encounters. Not this time. Someone is on my mind. Someone else I want to find pleasure with.
Betty gives a breathy little moan. “I want you inside me, Bill.”
Damn. Her impatience might be a good thing. The sooner I’m done here, the sooner I can get back to Qadira.
I rip open the gold package, roll on the condom, and push Betty over the sink. She spreads her legs, and I plunge into her wet heat. She’s unexpectedly tight. Betty arches her hips and meets me thrust for thrust. We buck and thrash against each other until we reach our shared release.
“Bill,” she pants. “You’re fucking amazing.”
“You’re not bad yourself.” I rub her backside and pull out.
Betty pulls up her pants. “Gonna be in town long?”
I drop the condom in the trash can near the sink. If I’m fortunate, I won’t need to visit Betty, or anyone else, ever again. Where did that come from? “Sorry, babe. I’m just passing through.”
I won’t waste another minute hanging around here. Once outside, I glance around the area to make sure I’m alone before losing my corporeal form.
I materialize a few feet away from the cabin. It hits me I didn’t get us anything to eat. Maybe someone will deliver pizza out here. I pull out my phone to make the call when it lights up with Rocco’s name.
“Hey, Roc. What’s up?”
“We’ve been looking all over for you, that’s what,” he shouts.
“Man, you don’t have to yell.”
“Where are you?”
“We had to leave Falls Creek. When you guys left the alley, Hank showed up. He was gonna arrest Qadira and me.”
“Shit.”
“Exactly.” Hell, I can’t tell him Edwina came to our rescue. “We got away from him, but we had to leave.”
“Tell me where you’re at.” Impatience coats his words. “We’ll come to you.”
“Not a good idea, Roc. Someone could follow you. Just keep your ear to the ground. Find out what’s going on in town and call me back.”
He hesitates for a beat before asking, “You sure that’s what you want?”
I rake a hand over my face and turn toward the cabin. “It’s the way it has to be.”
Before I hang up, something large and blue catches my eye.
By the time I burst into the living room, ready to release a slew of profanity, there’s a blue, eight-foot giant crowding the space. My mouth opens, but nothing comes out. He could easily be the fucking genie from that Disney movie, except he’s all muscle. The creature even floats on a cloud of blue smoke. Maybe I should find a bottle...
“Cash?” Thankfully, Qadira’s voice cuts across the abyss and slaps some sense back into my brain.
My gaze darts between the giant and the djinniyah. “What is this?”
She bounces a curled knuckle against her mouth for a moment. “Meet my brother Hadid.”
The oversized aberration offers me a smile.
Qadira places her hands on her hips. “Hadi, can you tone it down? You’re freaking him out.”
“Sorry, sis.” His voice rattles the room.
The cloud of smoke dissipates. Slowly, the giant transforms into a manageable height—just north of six feet—and a believable frame. His blue complexion fades into a human skin tone, but he retains his brown beard. When the transformation is complete, Hadid wears a bright blue suit and a white shirt. He also has a pair of white Converse on his visible feet.
The djinni extends his hand and says in a deep voice, “I did not mean to…how would you say…jar you.”
“That works.” I stare at his hand for a beat or two before shaking it. “Qadira, I thought I said not to contact anyone.”
“Don’t blame her,” Hadid interjects. “I had not heard from my baby sister in some time. I’ve been checking every realm and universe trying to find her.”
Somehow, I don’t believe a word he says. The grin on Qadira’s face confirms her
brother is lying.
Hadid continues speaking, “Thought she might have run off with a lover. Imagine my surprise to learn of you.”
“We’re not lovers.” I avoid making eye contact with anyone and set the plastic grocery bag on the coffee table.
The oversized djinni glances at me. His eyes shift to the table. A mischievous smile crosses his face as his eyebrow lifts. “The contents of the bag say otherwise.” His gaze drops to my crotch. “Impressive.”
“Stop it, Hadi!” Qadira blushes. “It’s not what you think.”
“Ah, but it is what he wants,” the blue djinni adds.
Heat crawls over my face.
Hadid crosses his arms over his broad chest. “My sister says that you were both at the scene of two murders in your town.”
“Yeah,” I say. “We came here before the police could arrest us.”
His head bops up and down. “Qadira mentioned that, but how is it you are her rescuer?”
“He showed up after the first murder,” she admits. “He gave me sort of an alibi.”
I hold up my hand before Hadid can interject. “As much as I love anyone talking about me, I’d prefer it if you’d stop. You’re giving me a damned headache.”
Hadid ignores me. “Qadira, how do you put up with his foul mouth?”
Her lush lips curl up. “He has other endearing qualities.”
I do? Since when?
“Enough chit-chat. Sister dear, would you like news from home?” Hadid unbuttons his jacket and rests his bulky frame on the sofa. It groans while his suit jacket, I swear, gives an audible sigh. I must be hallucinating.
“Yes, please.” She sits beside him. I keep my distance and stack logs in the wood-burning stove.
“Well, you are not the only one running from responsibility.”
Qadira leans forward. “Shedad?”
“Yes. Neither of our families are pleased. But this is what happens when you get involved with a maththali aljins?”
