I’d spent Sunday hiking up in Snoqualmie, Monday hanging around my mother and visiting with friends, catching up on what I’d missed the past six months at the university. Yesterday, I’d walked until my legs felt like they’d fall off, window-shopping downtown and through Pike’s Place market.
I’d visited my mother again, seen a movie, bought and read a book…
Staying busy was hell. I wanted to relax, to use this downtime to recuperate from my nightmarish stint as a bartender. The money had been great, but the hours had started to suck my back into a place I didn’t want to go — Dark.
Due to my heritage as a Djinn, I thrived at night. I could tolerate the sun well enough, but my body and soul flourished during after sunset. Yet another black mark against Cadmus. Taking the job at Outpour had thrown my entire chemistry out of whack. I’d spent the last three nights staring at the ceiling, still not used to sleeping in the early a.m.
Those stupid Storm Lords. They should have stayed in Tanselm, in a parallel world humans had no idea existed. Were it not for their unwelcome presence in this place, in my world, I would even now be sleeping peacefully, resting up for my job teaching English 101 at the university. A job currently taken by Jane Rascombe, that miserable suck-up.
As if losing the teaching position to Jane weren’t bad enough, my nights had been restless with erotic memories and fantasies of the Earth Lord who’d broken my heart.
I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep — all because of him. Sighing at the expectation of another long, uneventful day, I stared at the ancient ceiling light, aware that one bulb needed replacing. Right on that thought trailed the question of what I’d do today to avoid Cadmus.
My door crashed open, and I gasped, my heart racing.
“That’s it.” Cadmus, wearing a pair of low-slung denims and nothing else, stalked into my room and stopped at the foot of my bed. His eyes were a dark brown, mirroring his irritation. On Cadmus, annoyance looked way too tempting. He breathed in deeply and drew my gaze to his sculpted chest.
I swallowed audibly, blinking up at him. Had any man ever looked so fine? He could have posed for any fitness magazine, or better yet, for designer underwear, showcasing those tight, smooth abs and rock-hard thighs.
A sucker for a muscular body, I was having a hard time hanging onto my anger as I stared at him.
“It’s been three days. I’m so bored I’m going out of my mind.” He held up a hand to stop my reply. “Not your problem, I know. But until I’m back at home, I’m making it your problem.” Breathing hard, Cadmus let his gaze trail down my face to linger on the hollow of my throat, where my pulse wouldn’t stop racing.
“I’m open to suggestions,” he murmured, drawing nearer. “Maybe we could work off some of my energy together.”
I scrambled to a sitting position, not wanting to be prone with Cadmus anywhere close by. “Hold it! I agreed to let you stay here, but that’s all I’m agreeing to. What did you do that they kicked you out of Foreia, anyway?”
He flushed, and I waited, more than curious.
“I got a little rough with Jonas’ brothers.”
I frowned. “Jonas doesn’t have any brothers.”
“Well, that’s what he called those giants he pals around with in Foreia.”
“Oh, the other warriors.” Jonas had no siblings, but he did have several cousins. I was his favorite, and the feeling was mutual. But from what he’d told my about his fellow Djinn warriors, the bond between them was unbreakable. The rebel Djinn acted like family, and I could only imagine what Cadmus had done to interrupt that.
“Was it a woman?” I asked wryly, having no problem believing that.
He scowled. “No. I’m not into Dark — ah…” he stumbled, picking up right where we’d left off.
“Go on.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “You’re not into Dark, evil Djinn. Or, you know, women like me.”
He ran a hand through his hair, the action showcasing the corded muscles of his biceps. “That’s not what I was going to say. The few women I met in Foreia were Djinn warriors. The only thing those women were selling was anger, and all directed my way.”
“Poor Cadmus.” I chuckled, pleased when his eyes narrowed. “So much Earth Lord and no one to share him with. You should have just stayed in Seattle where you could have screwed as many human women as possible. I think Beth’s still pining for you at the club. Maybe you should look her up.”
I know I sounded petty, but I couldn’t help it. I normally liked myself. Cadmus made me doubt my worth, which annoyed me.
He said nothing, staring at me with a quiet intensity I found more than unnerving.
“What?” I snapped, keenly aware of my thin nightshirt.
He shrugged. “You seem awfully interested in my sex life for a woman who’s gone out of her way to avoid me. Could it be you’re afraid of what’s between us?”
I pushed off the bed and clenched my hands into fists, barely refraining from socking him in the mouth. I didn’t stop moving until I stood within punching distance.
“Afraid? If anything, I’m afraid I’ll forget why I got involved in the first place and throw you out on your fat, conceited head. I’m avoiding you because I can’t stand being cooped up with a man who’s made no bones about his distaste for ‘my kind.’ I still have trouble believing you may one day be king.”
