The Glowing Sands (Sons of the Sand Book 3)

by Kimberly Loth

  Melissa raised her eyebrows. “You nearly skewered Ali.”

  Okay, I’m sorry about the fire poker. I was scared, and I wanted to escape. Gabe kidnapped me.

  “So, you would hurt Ali and Gabe?”

  I clutched the pencil. This was Stockholm syndrome of the worst kind. She wanted to protect them. Oh well. After I got her out, I’d make sure she saw a good therapist.

  I’ll kill them, and I won’t make apologies for that. You have no idea what they’ve done.

  “You’d be surprised what I know. They aren’t who you think they are. That school brainwashed you.”

  Yeah, right. Those videos weren’t fake. I saw what the Jinn could do. She was the one brainwashed.

  I wanted to argue, but I knew it wouldn’t do any good. I doodled for a moment, not sure what else to write.

  Melissa finally broke the silence. “Would you like to see the rest of the house? Maybe we can find your cats.”

  I nodded, but took the notepad with me in case I wanted to ask any more questions. I felt like there should be things I would want to know, but nothing came in that moment.

  She led me down a hall with several closed doors. Most had peeling paint, but next to the stairs, we stopped at two polished wooden doors across from each other. They were the only clean doors I’d seen.

  “This is my bedroom, and that is Ali’s. If you need anything at night, you can come to me. I want you to feel comfortable.” She glanced around at the dusty walls. “We only arrived a few days ago, and I still haven’t decided what to do with the rest of the rooms. I’m guessing Gabe will take the room across from you.”

  I scowled.

  She laughed. “Be glad he’s not trying to share a bed with you.”

  Revulsion crawled up my spine, and I gagged. Every time I thought of him, the only thing I could see was the dead eyes of the Jinn victims.

  I’d stab him.

  “No doubt you would. You’ll come around though. We need to get your memories back.”

  Oh, she was delusional. There was nothing Gabe could do to change my mind. I already knew who he was and what he was capable of.

  The house was an ancient mansion, and I found myself a little fascinated.

  Where are we?

  “Egypt somewhere. On the Red Sea.”

  So far away from America. To think we arrived here in the blink of an eye. I had to learn how to do that.

  She led me down the curved wooden staircase into a cozy living room with a large tv and comfy looking couches. Two cats curled up on one end of the sofa.

  I sat down next to them. One cat poked up his head and meowed.

  Names?

  “That’s Rio and Paris. London is around here somewhere.”

  I must’ve liked to travel. One perk of being here was that I was finding out more about myself than I had before. I’d spend my time trying to find a way to escape and learn as much about myself as I could.

  Melissa sat next to me. Rio stood and stretched, then curled up on my lap. I scratched him behind the ears.

  “You did. Once, Gabe granted a wish and took you to New York City. It was the day you decided to trust him.”

  I shuddered. I shouldn’t have trusted him. He was a monster.

  Maybe he should take me again. Then I could escape. I wanted to be anywhere but here. There was no way out. No people around. Just a deadly desert and an even more deadly sea.

  Melissa smiled politely, but kept her mouth shut. Maybe she knew what I was thinking. If there were no people here, we had to get out at some point.

  Do you have a car? All I had to do was find people and get a car.

  “No. Ali takes me anywhere I want to go.”

  I flopped back onto the couch. This was impossible. I would never get away from these guys. Melissa had no idea who she was dealing with. When I escaped, I’d have to bring her with me. The goddesses would straighten her out.

  Raised voices floated over from the kitchen. Melissa smiled. “They’re back. If you promise not to try to kill them, you can come into the kitchen with me. If not, you should probably go back to your room.”

  I gathered my notebook in one hand and grabbed Rio with the other and slowly trudged upstairs. I didn’t want to lie to Melissa. I had to keep her trust.

  Because I couldn’t promise her anything. If the opportunity came, I would definitely try to kill them again.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Gabe

  Ali and I landed in a market in Cairo. He disappeared to go get food, and I kept my eyes on the crowd searching for a Jinn.

  A few minutes later Ali handed me a sandwich. “See anything?” he asked through a mouthful.

  I shook my head.

  “Well, there has to be one around here somewhere. Do you have a vessel?”

  I held up a small bottle.

  We wandered the market, and memories of years gone by floated in my head. I was so different now than I was then. There were things I missed, like the late nights doing nothing but listening to music and smoking shisha. I had no conscience. Nothing to tell me that what I was doing wasn’t morally right.

  That was all before Liv.

  No. If I was being honest with myself, my conscience had been building for some time. I wasn’t sure if I could identify where I started thinking that maybe what I was doing wasn’t okay. Maybe it was that way from the very beginning, but I blocked my conscience to hide the horrors I’d performed.

  Ali smacked my shoulder and pointed. Across the market square a young Jinn sat flirting with a pretty woman who was all smiles. Today was her lucky day. She would live to see another year.

  “Who is that? I’m not sure I recognize him,” I said.

  Ali squinted. “Oh, that’s Nadim. Give it a try.”

  He wasn’t in hearing range, but from what I knew about trapping Jinn, this would be enough. I stared at the bottle in my hand.

  “Nadim, go into the vessel,” I commanded.

  He disappeared from next to the woman, and she tumbled over. Ali snickered. The bottle in my hand warmed and now contained a swirling yellow mist.

  Ali stared at it for a moment. “So. What are you going to do with him?”

  “What the goddesses do with us. Let’s walk. I need to think.”

  This was an odd, yet comforting ability. I could catch Samir, but being Djinn, he’d be able to escape right away. It would buy some time though. I was more disturbed by the fact that Liv and I shared abilities. Could she grant wishes now? Would she even realize it if she did? This meant she could have a mistress. Also, I could access a wide range of goddess abilities. I had to focus on getting Liv’s memory back, but after that, she and I would explore these newfound abilities.

  We reached the Nile, and I stared out over her massive waters. I drew my arm back and flung Nadim into the river. He’d find his way out eventually, but this should keep him off the streets for a couple of months at least.

  “How is she?” I asked Melissa as soon as we arrived home. I’d hoped she was with Melissa, but that was too much to ask for.

  “Fine. She doesn’t want to see you.”

  My heart clenched. Of course she didn’t. I’d have to change that, but I didn’t know how. I was so lost without her. If only she had her memories back. We wouldn’t be stuck here. We might still be hiding out, but we’d see the world. Maybe riding elephants in a jungle in Thailand or holed up in a monastery in Italy. Together and completely in love.

  “Did you have any luck?” Melissa asked.

  I jerked my head up. “What? Oh, yeah. I can trap Jinn. Looks like our powers are combined.”

  “That’s dangerous,” she said.

  “You’re telling me.”

  Melissa sat down in front of me. “Then you only have one choice. You have to release her so you aren’t her Jinn.”

  “I can’t.” The thought of not having her connected to me tore at my soul.

  “Why not?” She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips.

  I d
idn’t know how to explain this to her. I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a sigh. “It’s the only connection I have left with her. I can’t lose that as well.”

  “Gabe, she can kill you or Ali. If you are going to physically keep her here, then she cannot have that ability.”

  I swallowed. “I know. But she doesn’t know what she can do. For now, we’re safe.”

  “How could you ever trust her again?” Mel’s voice went up a few notches.

  “I don't know. But I have to try to get her to love me again.” I pressed my hands to my eyes.

  Ali took the seat next to me with a look of resignation. “Fine. I’ll play along. How did you do it before?”

  I shrugged. “I just talked to her. She was fairly easy to win over.”

  Ali chuckled. “No. She wasn’t. She barely talked to you. Think about the things you did to win her over the first time.”

  “I saved her life and made her feel safe.” But this time, instead of saving her, I kidnapped her. This was going to be impossible.

  “That wasn’t the only thing. You paid attention to the things she loved. You were bold with her. Do you remember when you serenaded her?”

  I grinned at the memory. She’d threatened to kill me then too. She meant it, but at least then she didn’t have the ability to.

  I’d have given anything to go back to that moment. She probably would too. Losing her memories had to be so frustrating. She had nothing from her past but a few bits of information from random people. If only I could give Liv her past.

  “That’s it.” I jumped up.

  “What?” Ali asked.

  “I’m going to help her remember.”

  “How?” Ali asked skeptically.

  I paced in front of him. “I’m going to show her the past.”

  The plan unfolded in my head as I thought of the things I could show her. The problem was that most of it required me to trust she wouldn’t run away or try to hurt me. I had to establish some sort of trust first. I’d start with her room.

  I crept up the stairs and knocked on the door. Footsteps pounded on the other side. She cracked the door open, met my eyes, and slammed it shut. I stared at the door.

  Fine. I’d have to do it from afar. This was easy.

  I pictured her room from Grand Haven as best I could. From the messy nightstand, to the vanity where she hung her parents’ ashes, to the closet full of Converse shoes, and I created it.

  Then I waited. Maybe she wouldn’t come out. Maybe she would. Either way, I knew I’d given her something no one else could.

  After several long minutes, the door cracked open again. She glared at me for a moment. She opened the door a little wider and shoved out a notebook.

  What did you do?

  “I’m trying to help you remember. That is a recreation of your room back home.”

  How do you know?

  I chuckled. “Because I spent a lot of time there.”

  She shuddered, and I met her eyes. That was a look she reserved only for Samir, and now she was looking at me that way.

  Go away. She moved to shut the door, but I caught it. I needed to be near her. Even if she was scared. I missed her.

  “Just wait. I can tell you what things are in your room, and maybe it will jog something in your memory.”

  She pursed her lips and shook her head. She scrawled something on the notebook and shoved it in my face.

  Hang on.

  She slammed the door shut. I could hear her rustling through the drawers. It was silent for several moments, and I wondered what she was doing. This dusty hallway was getting old.

  She opened the door and stared at me. I tried to take a step in, but she blocked the way. I wanted to rush to her and wrap her in a hug, but not with that look on her face.

  Her eyes were wide with fear. In one hand she held a curling iron and in the other, that notebook. She shoved the notebook at me, and I took it from her.

  Try anything funny, and I’ll burn your face off.

  She waved the curling iron in my face, and heat radiated off of it.

  “Understood. Now can I come in?”

  She nodded and stepped back, the curling iron held toward me. I cautiously entered the room. The faint scent of cinnamon and Liv hit me. I’d spent so many good hours in here with her avoiding her grandmother. Those were the best days of my life.

  “Does any of this ring a bell?” I asked.

  “No,” she mouthed. She must be so frustrated.

  I thought for a moment of what I could show her first. Smell and taste were the biggest memory joggers. I moved to her nightstand and pulled out the drawer. Three half-empty packages of big red sat in there. I took out a piece, unwrapped it, and handed it to her.

  “You always chewed gum. Never anything other than cinnamon though. Go on. It’s not poisoned or anything.” Perhaps that would allow a flash of a memory. Maybe even something positive about me.

  She set down the notebook and cautiously took the gum from my hand. She put the piece in her mouth and chewed. Nothing flickered behind her eyes. Oh well. We would just have to try something else. I wasn’t going to give up now.

  I moved past the bed and opened the closet door and sighed. A pile of shoes were on the floor. Finding the ones I was looking for would be a challenge. Liv’s mess was a little endearing though.

  I started digging, found a red one, and pulled it out. She tapped me on the shoulder and handed me the notebook.

  Why did I have so many of the same shoe?

  “You loved them, but you hated shopping. Your best friends, Scarlett and Penny, used to bribe you with shoes to get you to go shopping with them.” She loved complaining about it too, but I think she secretly liked it.

  She creased her eyebrows. Why?

  “Because you were good at helping them pick out clothes. Hang on, let me see if I can find a picture of them.” I couldn’t believe she didn’t remember Scarlett and Penny. They were pretty unforgettable.

  I moved to her bookshelf where she had several framed photos. The one front and center was her and I at prom. I hadn’t seen that one yet. She must’ve just had it printed. My chest tightened. That night should’ve been amazing, but instead she nearly died.

  She crept up besides me, standing closer than she had since I brought her back. It was difficult to not reach out and take her hand, but she still had the curling iron gripped tight.

  Her eyes flicked through the pictures. She didn’t react to any of them. She literally had zero memory of her past.

  “Ah, here.” I pulled out a picture of her with Scarlett and Penny on either side of her. They were each wearing some silly glasses and weird necklaces.

  Liv took the picture in her hand, and silent tears flowed down her cheeks.

  “Do you remember?” I asked. This was the first sign that she might know something.

  She shook her head and rushed for the door. She opened it and pointed out. My stomach sank.

  “Please, don’t make me leave.”

  The tears on her face flowed faster now. She stomped her foot and pointed at the doorway again.

  I didn’t move.

  She rushed after me, waving that stupid curling iron, her face anguished.

  “Okay, okay. I’m leaving.”

  She slammed the door behind me, and I couldn’t help but think that I’d made things worse.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Liv

  It was hard to stop the tears. I cried myself to sleep on my bed. Though it was one that I didn’t recognize, it was hard to deny that the room was mine. It felt right and comfortable. Plus, the pictures proved it. I knew this was my room, but I also knew I was still in Egypt. It was the coolest bit of magic I’d ever seen.

  I had no idea how long I slept, but when I awoke, things looked brighter. This room was the key to finding out who I really was. Maybe Gabe was onto something. Though I’d never admit that to him. Every time I looked at him, all I could see was what he would look like hovering over a gir
l and sucking out her life force.

  I skipped breakfast and started hunting for clues.

  I started with my dresser and dug through my clothes looking for anything I might have hidden. A journal or something that might give me any clues. But I had nothing stashed in a corner, unless you count the black thong.

  I went to my nightstand and opened the top drawer looking for anything that might give me a clue into my past. I shoved the drawer closed on the nightstand, and the precarious pile of papers fell over.

  My mouth dropped open.

  A phone.

  I grabbed it and turned it on. I bounced on my toes. I had contact with the outside world. Gabriel was careless in his re-creation. I would call the goddesses, and they would come and rescue me. Wait. I couldn’t talk. I’d have to text. I could get a hold of Josie, and she’d lead the charge to rescue me.

  The phone buzzed on.

  No signal.

  Crap.

  I nearly threw the phone across the room, but slammed it on the bed instead. This was absurd. I was sick of having a little hope and having it stripped from me. I felt like I would never get my old life back. Or my new one, for that matter. I was stuck as a prisoner for a stupid Jinn indefinitely, and eventually I’d succumb to Stockholm syndrome like Melissa.

  My head burned with anger. I threw myself on the bed and looked at the phone through blurry eyes. It probably still held some clues, even if it was completely useless as a connection to the outside world.

  First I went through the pictures. There were several with my friends from the bookshelf, but most of the recent ones featured only two people.

  Me.

  And Gabe.

  My stomach knotted tighter with every picture. We looked so damned happy. He always had his arm around me or was kissing my cheek. In a few pictures, I was just staring at him, and the love in my eyes was sickening. There was no way I loved him. I kissed those lips that freely sucked the life out of unsuspecting girls.

  I went farther back. Pictures from a year ago. Gabe didn’t exist. There were pictures of me with another guy, but my smile seemed forced. I certainly wasn’t as smitten with him as I had been with Gabe.