Chapter 30

CHAPTERTHIRTY

Ezra blinked, and they were out of the filthy, dilapidated building and back on Zahir’s boat. It wasn’t the home she thought he would take her to.

"What’s wrong?" he asked.

"I thought you would take me back to my home," she admitted, trying to fight the feelings that were suddenly attacking her. "The Cabal is caught. The slave bonds are gone." Even the last tally mark was gone. Clearly, the magic thought that a night of terror and torture still counted as a night together. Seeing her blank skin sent irrational panic through her.

"And what? You thought I was going to dump you in an empty house after everything that’s happened?" he asked, his brows drawing together. He was pissed.

Ezra stepped back from him. "I don’t know, Zahir. Maybe?"

"You’ll be lucky if I ever let you out of my sight again," he growled, closing in on her. Ezra bumped against the bathroom door. Zahir caged her in. "Do you have any idea how insane it was to use yourself as bait? I almost lost my damn mind when Stella told me."

Ezra’s heart was in her throat, but she wasn’t going to let him intimidate her. "It got us what we needed, didn’t it? The Varangian mage is caught, and the Cabal is stopped."

"I don’t give a fuck about them! I care about you, and you could have gotten yourself killed," he said. His hands rested on her cheeks. "Don’t ever do something so reckless again. My heart can’t take it."

"Zahir, I…" Ezra didn’t know what to say. Her own heart was beating too fast. She touched the ring on her finger. The ring. "Shit. I’ll get this thing off, I promise. I will free you from it and me as soon as possible. You can go back to being the king and everything will be fine."

"I don’t want to be free from you," he said, his eyes flicking in frustration. "It’s never been about the bargain, and it’s certainly not about the ring. It’s about you and me. It has always been. I want you, always. Why can’t you understand that?"

Ezra’s chest ached. How could she trust this feeling? "You can’t be serious, Zahir. You’re the King of the Djinn! I’m a human, and not a remarkable one at that."

"You’re wrong," he replied, his eyes dancing with magic. His lips brushed against hers. "You’re my consort, and I will have you, Ezra. I don’t care how long it takes me to convince you that it’s true."

"Y-Your consort? What are you talking about?" she demanded.

Zahir just grinned at her, like he couldn’t help it. "Come for a bath with me, and I’ll tell you all about it."

Ezra’s eyes narrowed. "Are you serious?"

"Deadly. We both smell like a bad night, and I want to have a bath," he said, moving her away from the door and going into the bathroom. He stripped off his shirt, his grin widening when he saw her staring. "Come on. Have a bath with me, Ezra."

It was so rare for him to use her real name that she found herself toeing off her boots. She really couldn’t resist him. Zahir’s magic danced around the bathroom, lighting candles and turning on the bath taps until everything was steaming and golden.

Zahir sank into the bath, stroking the top of the water with a finger as he watched her undress. She was shaking a little and didn’t know why. This night had taken so many twists that she didn’t know if she could handle another. Zahir held out his hand and helped her into the tub. She purposely settled in the opposite end of the bath.

"What are you doing all the way over there, sparrow?" he asked with a playful smile.

"You said you would tell me everything if I had a bath with you. Well?" she demanded, sounding far braver than what she felt. She wanted nothing more than to sit in his lap to make her forget she’d ever heard of the damn Cabal of the Wise.

Zahir leaned back with a sigh, his muscular brown arms coming to rest on either side of the tub, hot water dripping over his shoulders and chest. God, he was beautiful. Ezra’s self-control wavered.

"Stop it," she growled.

Zahir laughed, a sound like sin. "Stop what? I haven’t even started. Come here, you are too far away from me."

"Zahir. Just tell me," Ezra said, refusing to budge.

"I went to see the old king, Karsudan, this morning," he replied, his playful expression sobering. "God, this day has been long."

"The old king? I didn’t know there was one before you," she said, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"I took over at his behest when the Republic was forming once more," Zahir replied. His hand found her foot and began to massage it gently. "He is one of the oldest of my kind, and I needed his advice regarding you and how our magic reacts to each other. More than that, how I react to you."

"How do you react to me?" she whispered, eyes wide. This was not where she expected the conversation to go.

"I want you, all of you, all of the time," Zahir said, his grip on her ankle tightening. "My magic was erratic from the moment this foot touched the deck of my boat. It was all a sign of something that I didn’t believe was possible."

Ezra flicked some water at him. "You’re speaking in riddles again."

"No, I’m not. I’m trying to tell you this in the right way because you want to argue with me about everything."

"I do not," she said and then laughed at his expression.

"Too far away," he muttered and pulled her leg. They met halfway, water splashing over the sides as her legs went around him. Her arms circled his neck, and she knew he’d won.

"Hey, that was cheating," she complained, gently flicking the small golden hoops in his ears. She never could resist him for long. Zahir picked up a small purple soap and washed down her back in calming strokes.

"You are my consort, Ezra. Karsudan confirmed it," he continued, resting his forehead against hers.

"Consort. What does that even mean, Zahir?"

"It means, when the Creator made djinn, it made us as a pair. That our magic would be able to be shared with another. You are my missing half," he replied, his eyes burning into hers.

Ezra shook her head. "That’s not possible. I’m not a djinn. How can I share your power?"

"Karsudan said that you will have a djinn in your bloodline. Your power is in creation, so is ours. But more than that, you used my magic already," he said, lifting her hand that held the golden ring. "At the warehouse when you danced, I could barely breathe. You were elemental. Glorious. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. You drew on my magic. I don’t know how, but you did. I felt it, and you wielded it as easily as your own. Why do you think Arkon found it so amusing? He could feel my magic being used by you."

Ezra’s heart swelled dangerously. It was impossible. It had to be. She stared at her hands and then back up at him. "But I’m human. I can never… We can never…"

"There is a ceremony, like a djinn wedding, that would bind us, and you would share in my immortality. Karsudan said that he would do it." He kissed her hand. "I already have one ring on your finger binding us. What’s one more?"

"But I’m going to be able to break the sigil on this!" she complained.

Zahir kissed away her other protests. "I’m not saying we need to do the ceremony tomorrow, my love. I know you’re going to need some time to process things and wait to see if what I say is true. I can wait. I just don’t want you to run from me. From us."

Ezra rubbed at her face. "But you’re djinn. Being monogamous isn’t a concept for you guys."

"Not true. I’ve always been faithful to my lovers. You need to stop listening to rumors. Also, how could I ever want anyone else when I have my consort?" Zahir argued, pulling her closer. "I know you are scared to trust me, but believe me, Ezra, I’ve had thousands of lovers over the years. I don’t need any more of them. I just need my consort. I want you."

Ezra smiled, and she felt it fill her entire being. "You do?"

"If you’ll have me," he replied, stroking her cheeks.

"Can I think about it?" she teased.

His eyes flared. "You have to? I can’t believe—"

Ezra kissed him, unable to torment him for long. It was like lighting an inferno. Ezra’s hands buried in his dark hair, mouth burning against his. Her whole body wanted to claim him. Zahir groaned, dragging her up against him so her breasts pressed against his chest. His dick was already hard, and Ezra dropped a hand so she could stroke him and toy with his piercing.

"Fuck, Ezra," he gasped, and she loved that she could make him sound that way. His hand grabbed hers and pulled her away. "I need to get into a bed right this second."

"I thought you wanted to have a bath," she said and rubbed herself against him.

Zahir’s hair was sticking up riotously from her hands, making him look wilder and more wicked than usual. "And now I want to fuck you."

Zahir stood up, carrying her with him as he got out of the tub. She was laughing as he dried her roughly with a towel, refusing to let her go the entire time. He carried her into the main room and lay back on the bed, taking her with him so she was on top of him. The room filled with candles on every surface, making the world glow golden.

"This is much better," he said, putting his hands behind his head. Ezra leaned down and kissed him, her tongue flicking against his. She gasped when another set of hands stroked down her back, and an invisible mouth kissed her neck.

"You and your tricks," she teased softly.

Zahir leaned up onto his elbows. "I love you, and one set of hands on you isn’t enough for me," he replied, shifting so he could nip his way down her neck.

Ezra cupped his face in her shaking hands. "I love you too," she said and kissed his happy smile.

Zahir rolled her onto her back, caressing and kissing down her chest. Flushed red marks appeared where he kissed and sucked at her breasts before spreading her legs and teasing her clit with his pierced tongue until she was gasping for breath.

"I think I’m going to keep you like this until you agree to be my consort," Zahir said, brushing his beard up against her sensitive inner thigh.

"I make better decisions when there is a dick inside of me, I swear," she retorted, trying to hide the tremble in her legs.

Zahir chuckled and lifted her hips up off the bed. "You really are perfect for me," he said, and thrust deeply into her. Ezra’s back arched, her hands gripping the sheets, trying to find purchase. "That’s better, isn’t it, my consort?" Zahir circled his hips, moving inside of her slow and deep.

"Yes, fuck. More," she begged. She would never get enough of him, of them being and moving as one. Ezra still couldn’t believe that she could have him permanently. But she wanted to. Zahir’s eyes sparkled with magic above her as he thrust deeper and faster into her.

Ezra pulled him down to kiss him breathlessly. "I love you," she whispered. Zahir’s eyes went full bronze, and she was suddenly floating up from the bed. She cried out at the impossible change in positions.

"Don’t worry. I won’t drop you, my love," Zahir said.

She hung onto him, her nails scoring his thighs. She could feel her orgasm starting to rattle her, and she cried out with each hard thrust of his dick.

One of Zahir’s hands went around the side of her neck, and he pushed up against her for a dirty kiss. "Tell me you’re mine, Ezra."

"Please, please, I’m so close," she babbled.

"Tell me you’re mine, and I’ll let you come," he growled against her lips.

"Fuck, I’m yours, Zahir. I’m yours."

His smile turned filthy. "Promise?"

"Zahir!" she snapped, making him laugh.

"Good girl." He kissed her deeply. "I’m yours too, Ezra. Don’t forget it."

Ezra’s hands fell helplessly in the air around them as he pulled her legs over his shoulders and resumed fucking the life out of her. An invisible mouth started to suck hard on her clit, and she couldn’t hold herself back any longer. Her magic and orgasm roared through her, and she exploded like a supernova. She was glowing like a sun, and Zahir… He was smiling like she was the best thing he had ever seen in his long, long life.