Three months after I began working at Outpour, I gave Gerry my final notice, less than pleased I’d been forced to continue working at the bar through the spring. It would take forever to get back into the academic groove.
My own fault, really. I was honest enough to admit “forced” meant “trying to gain Ethim’s approval.”
As much as I distanced myself from that otherworldly part of my makeup, I knew how important the Storm brothers were to Dad. The way he acted, life as we knew it would fall to pieces if I didn’t report every move Cadmus made.
A small hand on my arm shook my thoughts, and I smiled down at my soon-to-be ex-boss.
Gerry looked like he was on the verge of tears as he stood to say his good-byes. My father should take lessons from this man. “We’ll miss you here, Ellie. You were more than just an employee.”
I smiled and hugged him, letting out a startled breath at the tight squeeze he gave me. With a warm nod, I pocketed my last paycheck and exited the back office into the alley behind the bar.
Since it was still daylight, I had no worries about being molested in the sour unloading zone, though the hand that yanked me into the shadows startled me all the same.
“What exactly happened between you and the Earth Lord?”
I let out a breath and tugged my arm free. “Jonas, you scared the piss out of me.”
“Oh, did I?” my cousin asked pleasantly. “Well, ever since Darius married Samantha and took off for Tanselm, you’ve been acting peculiar around his brother.”
I hoped the shadows hid my sudden pallor. Cadmus, one of Darius’ identical quadruplet brothers, was the one sticking point in life I couldn’t, for the life of me, wrap my mind around.
I had enough trouble dealing with memories of the man. I sure as hell didn’t need Jonas interfering where he had no business. “That’s a moot point now, isn’t it, Jonas? Considering Cadmus is in Foreia and far away from me.”
“Not necessarily,” he hedged.
Alarmed, I quickly scanned our immediate surroundings, only to find them empty. “I told you I was finished. I wanted out a long time ago. Now that Ethim has the information he needs, there’s no longer any reason for me to be involved.”
Jonas studied me. “You sound awfully panicked, Ellie.”
Damn. I had a terrible poker face. I forced a smile. “I’m not panicked. I simply want nothing more to do with the Djinn and your stupid alliances with Storm Lords and Light Bringers.” Seeing his chagrin, I added, “Present company excluded, of course.”
He rolled his eyes. “Be practical, Ellie. You can’t ignore who you are.”
“And who am I?” I asked in a hard voice. “I’ve lived my entire life here with my mother. My father has made such rare appearances over the years it’s a wonder I recognize him when he jaunts into town.”
Jonas just stared at me.
I blushed. “Okay, so we look alike. I have Mom’s blonde hair, you know.”
“The bottom line is that part of you is Djinn too. What happens in Tanselm concerns you as well.”
I shook my head. I’d been over this with him, with my father, hell, even with Cadmus.
“Fine.” Jonas huffed. “Be as stubborn as you like. But you’re not done with the Earth Lord yet.” He grabbed my arm, and we shimmered through space.
I didn’t know how he did it, but Jonas enveloped us in a wave of black energy, like moving through the murky warmth of a bath at night. Pleasant but cloying, and a bit off-putting to find oneself in another place altogether.
In a heartbeat, I stood in the middle of my small apartment in Queen Anne with Jonas.
And we weren’t alone.
Chapter 2
Cadmus
I stared at Ellie Markham, aware of my constant hunger for the woman. I smiled broadly, amused at her shock that quickly turned to anger. Her brilliant blue eyes that I couldn’t seem to forget narrowed like lasers. Her breasts heaved, making my mouth water and my fingers itch to touch.
Hell. Two seconds in her presence and I wanted her.
