Charlie didn’t do soap operas, even if the accents were hilarious. Jai and Trey were in the study having what was obviously a private conversation, so Charlie offered to do the dishes, escaping into the kitchen for peace and quiet.
Ari had been gone for four days.
Jai had explained that time moved more quickly on Mount Qaf, so four days to them was only about ten hours to Ari. Still, despite not knowing her so well, Charlie found himself concerned for her. When delivering the scariest, craziest news of his life, she’d been kind, and she clearly cared for him and Mikey. It should be weird how much she cared, since he didn’t remember her, but somehow it wasn’t.
Okay, so it was definitely weird for his mom who was freaking out over the fact that no one was watering her plants, or doing her job, and that the neighbors would be so worried. Charlie didn’t care about plants, or his job, or his neighbors. He cared about keeping his family alive. In fact, he and Mikey had adjusted fairly well to the new situation. However, that didn’t mean he didn’t want it to be over.
His peace had been interrupted by Fallon and her question. “Very,” he answered honestly, watching her cross the room and take a seat at the table.
He understood immediately why alternate Charlie had hooked up with Fallon Roe. Despite her small stature, she had a great body and gorgeous eyes. She was graceful, but also kind of funny. However, the last few days had been uncomfortable for them both and they hadn’t spent any time alone until now.
“You must be wondering if you’re dreaming.”
Charlie smirked and dropped the dish towel as he settled into the seat across from her. “I just keep telling myself it’s not possible for me, my mom, and my brother to be sharing the same whacked-out dream.”
Her pretty mouth curled up in the corners and he studied her a moment, taking in all the necklaces and rings she wore. “You sure like your jewelry.”
“They’re talismans,” Fallon answered. “They fuel my power. Guild Hunters are mutts. We don’t have the same juice as Ari, Jai, and Trey who are full-blood Jinn, so we use talismans to help power our magic.”
Genuinely interested in how it worked, he leaned forward and touched the copper coin that hung around her neck. “Do each of them do different things?” When she didn’t answer, Charlie glanced up at her face and found her staring at him oddly. “What?”
“It’s déjà vu,” she murmured. “You did this before. I was there on some of your training when you were learning about talismans.”
The strangeness of it made him drop the coin and settle back. “This is incredibly bizarre for me. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for you.”
Fallon shrugged and gave him a sad smile. “It’s easier and it’s not. I don’t mean to be harsh, but you’re not Charlie. You’re not the guy I was seeing, so in a way, it’s not as horrible that you don’t remember me. But it’s more final that he’s gone.”
Charlie didn’t know what to say.
Eventually, he murmured, “I’m sorry.”
She made a face at him. “Look, your little bro is alive. I wouldn’t change that for the world.”
“It really messed me up, huh?”
Fallon’s eyes widened. “Uh, yeah.
You were a freakin’ time bomb. Don’t get me wrong—the broody, focused guy who got excited about magic was a total turn-on, but you, well, alternate you, couldn’t handle that magic. So if I can impart a little piece of advice?”
“Shoot.”
“Don’t touch my talismans, or anyone’s talismans. Don’t make deals with Jinn. Stay out of it.”
Normally it would piss him off to be bossed around by a girl half his size, but after everything Ari had told him, he was guessing Fallon was probably right. “I will definitely be following that advice,” he grinned at her. She blinked in surprise.
After a moment, she sighed. “Crap.
You’re still hot in this reality.”
A flush of pleasure washed over him and his grin turned flirtatious at her blunt honesty. He didn’t know a lot of girls who said it like it was. “I can see why alternate me had a thing for you.”
She twisted her mouth playfully and raised her eyebrows. “It was more than a thing. You couldn’t get enough of me.”
More heat hit him again, this time lower. “Is that right?” he murmured, his eyes dipping to her mouth.
Before either one of them could say anything else, a ruckus from the sitting room caught their attention. Fallon shot out of her chair and ran from the kitchen, Charlie close after, his heart thudding against his ribs. What now?
When he got there, he found Michael and the other Roes surrounding an exhausted-looking Ari. He was gently pushed aside as Jai strode into the room, followed by Trey. Jai immediately went to Ari, pulling her into his arms, his words to her too quiet for Charlie to hear.
He watched them together, saw their closeness, and felt a small spark of envy. Jai didn’t say a lot and was a pretty intimidating guy. He gave the impression that he could take care of absolutely anything, so Charlie could understand why Ari was attracted to him.
And okay, he wasn’t a woman, but even he could see the Ginnaye was pretty easy on the eyes. Still, he felt this odd discomfort at the seeing the two of them together. Charlie could only put it down to his attraction to Ari. The girl was out-of-this-world gorgeous. Not to mention kind, obviously loyal, and pretty tough. Jai was a lucky guy.
When her eyes lifted from Jai’s face to Charlie, he froze at the desperate expression within.
“What’s going on?” he asked uneasily.
Ari’s expression turned apologetic.
“I’m sorry, Charlie … but I need to ask your permission for something.”
Uh oh. Charlie did not like the sound of that. “Permission for … please say anything but shark chum.”
Her face fell. “Sorry.”
He wasn’t going to lie. The idea of being used as bait for this Lilif woman, who, by description, sounded like the apocalypse personified, didn’t fill him with confidence or courage. He fought his inner wuss and groaned, “Fine. Bait me up and show me the hook.”
18
Black Dust on an Indigo Sky
It was fair to say that Lilif was sulking. Sulking in that throwing furniture that didn’t belong to her around and singeing the eyebrows of anyone who got in her path kind of sulking.
They were in White’s mortal home in Saint Lucia since it was clear his palace was a no-go area at the moment. He gazed at the beautiful Caribbean waters as he waited for quiet to fall over the home.
Finally, Lilif strolled out onto the bamboo-constructed balcony, the air around her crackling. He slid her a glance but didn’t say anything. There was nothing he could really say to soothe her. Asmodeus, her twin brother, had just tried to kill her.
If Azazil’s story was true, Lilif had allegedly tried to kill Asmodeus centuries ago. As far as White was concerned, Asmodeus’s recent attempt on his twin’s life was only fair, really.
Not that he was going to say that.
He looked back out at the water.
His mother had called him to her, leaving the Marids to deal with the search.
He didn’t know what she wanted, other than to abuse the Shaitans he had on staff at his villa and destroy designer furniture. For now, however, he was glad to be away from the pursuit that involved the wasteful destruction of their kind.
They stood in silence, White almost enjoying the moment, recalling the days not so long ago when the only being in this world he’d loved had been his mother, when Red’s voice blasted into his head. Tell Lilif Ari has Charlie and she’s prepared to make a deal.
The White King stopped himself from tensing at the message and replied, That so obviously screams trap. You may be right. Mother may in fact be insane, but she’s not stupid.
Just do it.
It’s your funeral, White thought to himself before he turned casually to his mother. “I just received a message from your son, The Red King.
”
She glanced sharply at him. “And?”
“He says Ari has Charlie and is prepared to make a deal.”
Lilif sneered. “Trap.” She flicked him a suspicious look. “Does this mean you’ve been communicating privately with your brother behind my back? I’d hate to think you are the reason Charlie was put into protective custody in the first place.”
White stared her down. “Red and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms these centuries. This is the first I’ve heard from him.”
Giving him a haughty nod, she turned to stare out at the water again. “As I said, it’s obviously a trap.”
“Oh, you think?” he muttered sarcastically.
“You were far less impertinent when you were younger.”