Chapter 13

IwishIcould say sex with a ghost was the strangest thing I had experienced in my life, but sadly, it didn"t even get an honorable mention.

It did sound like something a Lovell would do though, which didn"t make me feel too warm and fuzzy. Still, this was Elijah we were talking about, not some demented ghoulish spirit I"d summoned from the depths of hell.

Semantics, probably. But I didn"t care.

The ghost in question had been slightly more opaque ever since our encounter, a bit more solid—still not able to really affect the physical world, but I could make out more of his features. And every once in a while, you could just catch the faint golden glimmer of energy arching out of his back and up over his head. I had never seen an angel in person, and I knew they weren"t all the holy crap they were rumored to be, but still, I got a little shiver when I brushed up against his aura—at the mere glimpse of just a sliver of the creature he must have once been.

I was glad that we"d ironed things out. It was nice to have him hovering around my workbench, offering suggestions and answering questions as I tried my best to prepare to free a water weaver from the bestiary. It would be yet another rare and powerful creature that I had no experience with, and I wasn"t holding out much hope that it would be as easy to deal with as Zhong. The gargoyle was a miracle. I didn"t get blessings like that, so I knew it wouldn"t happen again.

The water weaver was an elemental of Aahil"s caliber, but even more mysterious. He was likely to just straight up fill my lungs with water before I even got a chance to explain that I was freeing him rather than summoning him for nefarious purposes.

A big hand patted my back, rubbing in soothing circles, dragging me out of my anxious spiral. I turned to glance upward into Zhong"s concerned yellow eyes. "It will be okay, master—uh, Andy," he said, clearly making an effort to honor my wishes and stop calling me by stupid titles. "You freed the rest of us. You can do this. And I will protect you to the best of my ability. As will the others."

He lifted his hand to push the green hair back out of my face, his eyes a bit sad still, but full of this weirdly open need—the need to be useful, to find his worth in serving others. It was both irritating and endearing all at once. His rock-like skin was oddly smooth, like polished marble, as his fingers glided over my cheek.

I lifted a hand and covered his fingers with my own, holding his hand against my face. "Thank you," I said on an exhale, for once allowing myself to take the comfort he offered. Being in Zhong"s presence was easy. Comfortable. There was none of the posturing, or appearances, or trust barriers that existed with the others. Niamh and Elijah were growing on me, and we were working through our stuff. But with Zhong…there just wasn"t any stuff. How he could be so weirdly solid and trusting, even after his apparent wounding at the hands of my ancestors and his past lover was strange to me. But his entire being was magnetic somehow.

I licked my lips, suddenly wanting to say something, but not sure what. Zhong"s yellow eyes watched me, the black pupils dilating. Then his gaze lowered to my lips, and I nodded, stepping a bit closer, not sure what the fuck I was doing, but going for it anyway. I wanted the solid, easy strength of him. And I wasn"t really big on denying myself what I wanted. Why bother, when a misplaced curse or an angry enemy of my parents" might off me at any moment? "Live like you were dying," was a very human sentiment—but they knew a thing or two about having less than stellar life expectancies.

The gargoyle wrapped his big hands around my waist and lifted me up, plopping my big ass on the workbench like I weighed nothing. Then he stepped between my knees, his leathery gray wings spread slightly, head tilted in question. "Master?"

I rolled my eyes. "Andy. Stop talking and just come here. And no, that is not an order. Just an invitation, if you want it."

He smiled softly, a little slip of fang showing as he moved closer, cupping my face in his big hands before he pressed his smooth lips to mine. He was so sweet for such a big, powerful guy. So gentle with me, like I might break. Which, I mean, he absolutely could break me, so that was fair.

I curled my hands around his hips, content to follow his lead, losing myself in the gentle caress of his lips and tongue, smoothing my hands over his muscular back and venturing out to touch his wings. Goddess, what would sex be like with this massive creature?

He shivered under my fingers, like a man too-long deprived the warmth of another"s touch. And goddess, I could see myself spending entire days exploring his big, strange, beautiful body, mapping out every inch of him and curling up in his big arms where maybe, for once, I might figure out what it was like to feel safe.

But of course, this was my life.

"I know what you did." Aahil, almost shouting.

A muffled whump of displaced air sounded out in the hallway, and I heard Bis chittering angrily while Niamh tried to talk him down. Elijah had drifted out there a few minutes ago, and I heard his hollow voice as well, a pleading note to it now.

Zhong pulled away slightly and turned toward the doorway as the ultimate headache came blazing into the workroom. Literally. Aahil was all lit up from the inside with his fire magic, like he was about to burn the entire fucking mansion down. That explained the noise out in the hall. He"d probably started a fire and set off one of my suppression wards.

Heh. Nice to know they worked. Take that, jinn-hole.

He was barefoot and bare chested, as always, his body piercings gleaming under the flickering heat of his red aura. His golden eyes shimmered like candle flames as he paced the length of the workroom, trailing a finger over the back of a chair, leaving it singed and smoking. His dangerous gaze slid over Zhong, taking in his proximity to me. "First the forest creature, then the poltergeist," he sneered. "Now you"re fucking the servants. Tacky witch. Especially when you have work to do."

The ruby charm on my stupid collar heated up suddenly, growing uncomfortably hot against my skin.

I narrowed my eyes at the asshat. Zhong tried to step between us, but I shoved him aside, sliding down off the workbench and crossing my arms over my chest, not looking away from the pissy jinn. "Don"t worry, Zhong," I said evenly. "I"ve got this. You can go check on Bis and let Niamh and Elijah know I"ll meet them out in the back garden with the rest of the spell ingredients. This won"t take long."

I didn"t want Zhong getting hurt, and jinn fire would burn everything. Even stone, if it was directed just right.

The gargoyle looked torn, but he was nothing if not obedient. Eventually, he sighed and strode out of the room.

"Well?" I said, waving a bored hand at the jinn. "You done bitching now?"

He slid closer, almost within touching range. I was tempted to reach for him, just to see him slide away from me the way he always did. The jinn had a real problem with the idea of me touching him.

But apparently, he could touch me. At least, enough to put me in shackles. The necklace—scratch that, collar—at my throat only grew hotter, and I knew it was probably leaving burns behind.

"Did you forget who you belong to?" The sensual purr of his voice made my knees weak, but I wasn"t fooled. That wasn"t seduction in his smooth voice, it was pure danger.

"I belong to myself," I reminded him. "Your damned dog collar doesn"t mean anything. And you certainly don"t get a say in who I do or don"t fuck." I snorted. "What? Are you jealous, jinn? Goddess, what a fragile little ego."

He looked up into my eyes from under his dark lashes, something dangerous flashing in his eyes and…oh, fuck, he was probably going to murder me for pointing out his weakness.

He lifted his perfect nose in the air and tossed his silky black hair over his shoulder. "What do I have to be jealous about, witch? I merely dislike the thought of another entity inside that empty head of yours. Ghost possession lacks the…finesse…of my own abilities." He smirked at me. "Besides, I own you. I could have you on your knees anytime I want."

I snorted. "Not fucking likely." Even if parts of me perked right the hell up at that. No, Andy. Bad girl. Don"t drink the poison.

Aahil"s eyes narrowed, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. The faint white markings on my skin heated up, like warm honey sliding over my entire body, glowing slightly with golden light. His perfect, beautiful mouth curled up into an evil grin. "Kneel."

I glared right back at him and refused to move, even as I felt his power pressing in on my aura, his bindings on my flesh urging me to comply. He really could make me. And he was going to fucking have to. Because I might go down, but I was going to go down swinging, damn it.

I pulled on my own power, fortifying myself with the essence of the earth, drawing it into me and strengthening my will. We"d been dancing around whatever the fuck this was for far too long. If he wanted to finally have it out, fine. "Fuck you."

Aahil"s expression shuttered, his pretty lips losing their cruel tilt, becoming a grim line. "I could force you, witch. You know I could. Your little ghost"s possession tricks are nothing compared to a demon."

I let out a short breath, almost like a sob. Goddess, now is not the time to be turned on by power, Lovell. "Maybe."

He tilted his head. "I"m not like your other pets," he murmured, "I won"t coddle you, or treat you like some precious thing. You are mine and I will use you. I will strip you bare and leave you a quivering mess of desire. I"ll burn you alive, witch."

I shuddered. What the fuck was happening right now? I took a step closer to the jinn, looking down into those mesmerizing golden eyes. Why was he like this? So sharp edged and angry? If anyone was burning up here it was him. He was a live, open flame, and I was so tempted to step right into the fire, like a moth with no sense of self-preservation.

As I stared into those liquid gold eyes, I felt his wild, fiery aura beating against my own, all the sexual tension I"d been denying since he was dragged from the bestiary coiling inside me, and something clicked into place.

I saw him.

I saw past the haughty, bratty exterior to the need it was hiding. "You want me to submit to you," I breathed, so out of my element, but knowing I was right, in that deep, intuitive way that only a true earth witch could, with the bit of me that could read the seasons and the give and take of life. "You need it."

His eyes flared brighter, his mouth twitching with something between a sneer and a smile. Uncrossing his arms, he lifted a hand, trailing one black claw along my jawline and downward, across my throat, tracing the vulnerable blood vessels that beat there with the thundering of my heart, denting the skin, but not—quite—drawing blood.

"Scared, pet?" he whispered, his voice sliding inside me, shivering under my skin with all its wicked temptation and dark promise.

I swallowed thickly, my mind whirring. All of his temper tantrums, his hot and cold mood swings, his posturing, and the way he couldn"t stand to be ignored or left out…it all suddenly made perfect sense. Taking my life in my own hands, I did the most natural and dangerous thing in the world.

I knelt at the jinn"s feet.

My eyes never left his as I tilted my head, baring the collar at my throat.

He sucked in a deep breath, his hot aura swelling, growing brighter and stronger as a thin line of fire flared to life around us, easily overcoming my suppression wards, burning nothing, but trapping me within a circle of deadly flames. "Do you even understand what you"re doing?" he said, his wicked voice slightly rough, sending tingles sparking through me, like a wildfire about to ignite. "The risk you are taking playing with fire this way?"

I couldn"t look away from this powerful, wounded creature, honestly surprised he was even making an attempt to warn me. "Yes."

How had I missed this? It was so obvious. He had all but told me from day one. He needed me to submit to him. He was unstable, struggling with control, lost as to how to move forward now that he was free. He had spent too much time—much longer than the others—under someone else"s control, crushed under their heel.

Aahil craved the same connections that the other denizens of the book craved. But he wasn"t like them—he was an elemental creature of pure energy, a consuming fire…and he wasn"t capable of lowering his guard. He needed to feel like he was in complete control. He needed to know he was no longer powerless, that he was in charge. It was a trauma response, a coping mechanism…and much needed catharsis, all in one.

His searing fingers stroked the skin of my throat, just above the collar, his yellow eyes searching mine, his gaze vindictive, but also laced with fear. I knew what he was thinking. What any sane person in my position should be thinking—that Aahil could so easily cross the line from control into domination and subjugation…into degradation. What if his need for revenge took over? I was fragile compared to this creature, a slip of flammable paper in the grip of a hungry flame.

I leaned into his touch, lowering my eyes the way I thought a submissive person might. "I trust you," I whispered. I had no experience with this sort of game, but I could sense what he wanted.

He slipped his fingers under the collar and tugged, forcing my head up so my eyes met his, his expression fierce, full of anger and longing all at once. "Say it again."

I curled my fingers into my jeans-clad thighs and stared into his hungry, hurting soul. "I trust you. Master." The word felt strange on my lips, but I uttered it anyway, knowing I was literally playing with fire. Hoping I was right, that I wasn"t about to be completely destroyed—at least, not in the deadly sort of way.

Aahil"s hand wrapped around my throat, claws pressing in slightly, his skin burning hot. "You"re mine," he murmured, his other hand coming up to stroke my hair back from my face, claws raking against my scalp, tugging at my hair hard enough to make my eyes water and my core clench in some weird combination of fear and lust. "Say it," he purred, stepping closer, bringing with him the scent of hot cinnamon candy, wood ash, and incense.

"Yours," I breathed. But I couldn"t help adding, "this time."

His eyes flashed and one corner of his perfect lips curled up at the hint of a challenge. Then he removed the hand from my throat. He trailed his claw-tipped fingers along his own faintly luminous red-brown skin, from his long throat, down across his lean, but defined chest, pausing to toy with the gold hoop in one of his hard nipples. I licked my lips, wanting to toy with his piercings too, wanting to feel the heated metal against my lips and tongue. His eyelids went heavy and half-mast as he drew in the lust I must be pumping out like crazy.

His hand slid lower, outlining his tight, smooth abs, past his ruby belly button piercing, moving to the waistband of his light, flowing harem pants, tugging teasingly at the fabric. "I"ve got better uses for your mouth than talking, pet."

Okay, so I was new to this whole being ordered around thing, and I was all about women"s empowerment. But…goddess, he could boss me around all he wanted in that orgasmic voice of his. I lifted a hand, looking up at him in permission before tugging down the waistband of his pants, pulling him free so I could taste his rock-hard dick. He was hot there, too. Almost burning against my fingers. And pierced, of course he was pierced, the prince Albert hoop gleaming dully at the tip of his uncircumcised cock.

I looked up at him again, as if I needed his permission. He nodded, fingers raking through my hair, the warning prick of claws obvious. I stroked him with my hand, pulling back his foreskin before licking his swollen head, my tongue playing over the warm metal of his piercing.

He wasn"t gentle. He tugged at my hair again, guiding my head where he wanted it, then thrusting into my mouth, slow and deep. "No hands," he ordered, and I dropped my hands to my thighs again, bracing myself, making a ridiculous needy noise as he fucked my mouth.

He cupped my jaw with the other hand, his thumb stroking my cheek, running over my wet, stretched lips. His eyes glowed and fangs flashed as the jinn used me for his pleasure.

And fuck if I didn"t enjoy every moment of it. His slender dancer"s body arched above me, and I knew that rough as he was being, this was Aahil holding back. He was a mythical creature, a seductive, dangerous demon of legend. His slight, pretty form was just an illusion, window dressing meant to lure mortals into his flames. I groaned against his silken skin as power and lust coursed through me, both my own, and the seductive powers of the jinn that flowed through my body.

Aahil growled, his hand returning to my throat, pressing harder, restricting my airflow as he snarled and thrust deep, his cock hitting the back of my throat as he came, forcing me to swallow while I was still starved for air. His other hand still gripped my hair, holding my head back, forcing me to look up at him.

I swallowed him down, drowning in the taste and scent of cinnamon and fire. Then he withdrew, releasing his grip on me, finally allowing me to draw in a deep, shuddering breath. The elemental stood above me in our little ring of flame, his eyes dancing with the light from his fire.

Then he dropped to his knees, his fingers sliding through my hair with more gentleness.

"Are you damaged, witch?" he whispered, his face emotionless, but his gold eyes riveted to mine. "Regretting your choice?"

I shook my head. "Fine," I said, my voice husky, throat a bit roughed up from the enthusiastic dick I"d just tried to swallow whole. But it was mostly true. I was fine. Aahil had been purposefully rough, but he hadn"t actually hurt me.

He pulled me closer, his perfect lips caressing mine. "Good pet," he murmured, his smirk returning. "And a generous owner rewards obedience."

I snorted at that, but he kissed me again, harder this time, deeper, his tongue tangling with mine, his flaming aura wrapping around me and sparking something inside me, like holding a torch to the fuse on a stick of dynamite. I gasped against his lips as I convulsed, arching into him and coming hard, nearly drowning in the warm, overwhelming waves of heat and pleasure.

"Holy fucking shit," I muttered eloquently when he pulled back, as I struggled to catch my breath. What the hell was that?

Aahil just smirked at me with his usual arrogant, asshole smile before he gracefully stood, turning his back on me as the flames around us extinguished. "Just a taste, little witch," he promised. "Remember who you belong to."

Then the asshole sauntered out of the room.

I lifted a hand and flipped him off. I should go smack him around or something. But…I still couldn"t feel my legs at the moment. Maybe I"d wait to put him in his place til after the lingering effects of the life-altering orgasm faded.

Holy shitballs.

And I was supposed to work magic after this?