golden belt and a piece of golden cloth that trailed down the front of the material. When he moved again I noticed that he was barefoot. I’m not sure why, but I liked seeing his feet.
Normally, someone standing before me barefoot in only a long skirt would appear weak or unarmed. He was neither. His long fingers curled around my hand gently as he pulled me toward him. I wondered why Morgan didn’t stop him. Then again, I didn’t really want him to.
When he looked down at me I realized that what appeared to be long blue dreadlocks were actually made of flesh. They were thin, hair-like extensions of his scalp. It really did look like hair until you got as close as I was. That meant he could feel everything his “hair” touched. How interesting.
His smile may well have been the true death of me had I not remembered that I don’t have to let someone hypnotize me.
I shook my head and focused on his chest instead, which was right in front of me.
“You’re not supposed to be real.” My voice was breathy. I sounded all hot and bothered. Come to think of it, I was.
“I could say the same about you,” he replied. “If you say this man is yours, then he is yours. This auction will not proceed.” Lightning crackled behind us and he raised his other hand. “You can lower your guard, Jester. I mean you no harm. At least, nothing worthy of sending me flowers.”
It was then I understood that he was the new leader of Tarnak. He never released my hand as he turned his attention back to the auctioneer.
“Kik, you have not answered my question. Did you trick this man?”
The auctioneer shook so badly that I thought he might fall. “Y-yes. I had my men take the toll from him. P-p-pretend that they were the city guards.”
“So when he came to the real guards they had no choice but to bring him here.” It wasn’t a question. He sounded disgusted. When the auctioneer went to speak again he held up a hand. “Silence. I will decide what to do with you later.”
He looked back down at me and my heart leapt. How strange.
“You’re a djinn,” I whispered.
His smile was like switching on a light in the darkness.
“So few people even know that word anymore. How is it that you know it?”
I felt like we were the only people in the room. That our conversation was just between us.
“A long time ago, before I left Earth, I enjoyed the library. One of my friends used to work there. I’d help close up at night. I liked the really old stuff, the books you had to wear gloves to even touch.”
He seemed intrigued. “And you learned of me there?”
“Yes. What is your name?”
That was a stupid question to ask a djinn. They never tell people their true name. According to legend, knowing a djinn’s name is one of the ways to control them. Of course, there is a lot more to it than that, but it is a dangerous thing for them to reveal.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
He stroked the back of my hand and I ached with longing. I wanted to fuck him right there on the stage in front of everybody. And then I wanted to do Morgan too. This was dangerous. This was very dangerous. I licked my lips, wondering what he would taste like. Not just his blood, but his flesh.
He smiled again, a slight curling of his full lips. “You can call me Hud.”
He turned then to greet Morgan, but he still didn’t release my hand.
“I should thank you,” he said to Morgan. “If it were not for you, I would not be in charge.”
The sparks flying from Morgan’s extremities died down and so did the lightning behind his eyes. He laughed at Hud’s greeting and extended his hand. They shook and briefly exchanged pleasantries. But I still couldn’t get my mind off of his name. It rang a bell somewhere in my memory.
“Is it short for something?” I asked, tugging his arm gently.
“What’s that?”
“Hud, is it short for something?”
His eyes widened slightly and I could hear his heart beating faster. He seemed alarmed by
Normally, someone standing before me barefoot in only a long skirt would appear weak or unarmed. He was neither. His long fingers curled around my hand gently as he pulled me toward him. I wondered why Morgan didn’t stop him. Then again, I didn’t really want him to.
When he looked down at me I realized that what appeared to be long blue dreadlocks were actually made of flesh. They were thin, hair-like extensions of his scalp. It really did look like hair until you got as close as I was. That meant he could feel everything his “hair” touched. How interesting.
His smile may well have been the true death of me had I not remembered that I don’t have to let someone hypnotize me.
I shook my head and focused on his chest instead, which was right in front of me.
“You’re not supposed to be real.” My voice was breathy. I sounded all hot and bothered. Come to think of it, I was.
“I could say the same about you,” he replied. “If you say this man is yours, then he is yours. This auction will not proceed.” Lightning crackled behind us and he raised his other hand. “You can lower your guard, Jester. I mean you no harm. At least, nothing worthy of sending me flowers.”
It was then I understood that he was the new leader of Tarnak. He never released my hand as he turned his attention back to the auctioneer.
“Kik, you have not answered my question. Did you trick this man?”
The auctioneer shook so badly that I thought he might fall. “Y-yes. I had my men take the toll from him. P-p-pretend that they were the city guards.”
“So when he came to the real guards they had no choice but to bring him here.” It wasn’t a question. He sounded disgusted. When the auctioneer went to speak again he held up a hand. “Silence. I will decide what to do with you later.”
He looked back down at me and my heart leapt. How strange.
“You’re a djinn,” I whispered.
His smile was like switching on a light in the darkness.
“So few people even know that word anymore. How is it that you know it?”
I felt like we were the only people in the room. That our conversation was just between us.
“A long time ago, before I left Earth, I enjoyed the library. One of my friends used to work there. I’d help close up at night. I liked the really old stuff, the books you had to wear gloves to even touch.”
He seemed intrigued. “And you learned of me there?”
“Yes. What is your name?”
That was a stupid question to ask a djinn. They never tell people their true name. According to legend, knowing a djinn’s name is one of the ways to control them. Of course, there is a lot more to it than that, but it is a dangerous thing for them to reveal.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
He stroked the back of my hand and I ached with longing. I wanted to fuck him right there on the stage in front of everybody. And then I wanted to do Morgan too. This was dangerous. This was very dangerous. I licked my lips, wondering what he would taste like. Not just his blood, but his flesh.
He smiled again, a slight curling of his full lips. “You can call me Hud.”
He turned then to greet Morgan, but he still didn’t release my hand.
“I should thank you,” he said to Morgan. “If it were not for you, I would not be in charge.”
The sparks flying from Morgan’s extremities died down and so did the lightning behind his eyes. He laughed at Hud’s greeting and extended his hand. They shook and briefly exchanged pleasantries. But I still couldn’t get my mind off of his name. It rang a bell somewhere in my memory.
“Is it short for something?” I asked, tugging his arm gently.
“What’s that?”
“Hud, is it short for something?”
His eyes widened slightly and I could hear his heart beating faster. He seemed alarmed by
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