Page 25 of Releasing the Djinn
Chapter9
Climbing the steep hill, the self-driving car quietly pulled around the circular drive showing off a beautiful fountain sitting in the middle. Though as beautiful as the white stone fountain was with its glimmering water cascading down its sides, it did nothing to prepare her for the beauty of the house sitting behind it. With vibrant green ivy creeping up along the side of the pristine white stucco walls topped with terracotta clay tiles, the Mediterranean style house made the lush flora of the landscape surrounding them explode in a natural frenzy of colors.
Unable to move from her seat, Nadira was surprised to see that Idrak had already gotten out of the car and walked around to her door. Like water hitting a searing surface, the human façade he wore faded into a vaporish steam leaving the true demon beneath. Wearing the same style of a short wraparound dhoti as he did the night, she released him, she noticed that this one was green and black with an intricate detailed pattern running along the edges of the thick fabric. Still shirtless, his black skin shined in the sunlight as he outstretched his arms and let his head lean back, his long curving black horns bowing backward in his movement.
"Welcome to our new home," he exclaimed with a wide grin that showed off his sharp white teeth.
Opening her door, he tugged her out and wrapped her arm around his forearm. Her hands felt cold in comparison to the hot heat of his flesh.
"While you slept, I found this place," he explained chipperly.
With a large rounded turret that had the two longer sections of the house fanning out on either side of it, the immaculate home was so much more than a mereplace, it was an estate.
Enjoying her awestruck silence, Idrak led her through the heavy rod-iron and glass door. With tall fifteen-foot ceilings and curving entryways, the home was beautiful and rich in every detail. Thick black and white Moroccan rugs cushioned their feet as they passed through the foyer and entered the living room, polished hardwood floors extended past them eventually leading into a jaw-dropping kitchen towards the end of the large room, while exposed beams ran along the length of the grand window-lined living room above an inset seating area.
Stepping away from the djinn, Nadira pulled her arm free from his purposely ignoring the feeling of his hard muscles brushing against her skin.
"How did you get this place? Where are the original owners?" she asked, still unable to pull her gaze from the massive room.
Barefoot, the djinn walked casually through the living room and stopped, looking over his shoulder, he gave her a droll look at her questions. And for the first time, Nadira realized the demon had pointed ears reminding her of some sort of dark elf.
"The previous owners suddenly realized that they wanted to live somewhere else," he happily informed her before turning down a connecting hall that seemingly led to a round turret.
With little choice but to follow him, Nadira peeked into various doors along the open hall, finding that there was a half bath, a few closets, and even a guest bedroom along the way. Reaching the turret room, Nadira couldn't help but gasp at the simple beauty of it. Matching the rest of the house in its pristine all-white stucco finish and exposed wooden beams, the brightly lit rounded room held a beautiful iron curving staircase that gently wound up to the second floor. Moorish designs spiraled and twisted delicately through the iron banister giving the hard, unforgiving metal a whimsical touch.
It was breathtaking, she thought as she gently placed her foot onto the polished dark wood of the first step. Slowly, she ascended the staircase, not caring at all that she lost sight of the mischievous djinn, her focus had turned to the absolute glory of the cathedral ceiling at the top of the turret. Raw, exposed wooden beams and slanting windows patterned the top of the dome roof, allowing bright sunlight to pour into the turret and bounce off the stark white walls. It felt as if she was ascending to the top of a waterfall made of pure light.
Reaching the top, Nadira stopped and stared back down at her progression before turning to look at her surroundings. The halls broke off into two wings of the house just as it did downstairs, each of the long halls had arched doorways lending to the Mediterranean feel of the house. Seeing that the hall on her left only had one immediate door, the hall on her right went down further with doors along the wall. Nadira reached for the handle of the carved wooden door on her left. Pushing it open, her mind immediately stopped as her eyes scanned the sheer expanse of the gigantic room. Running the entire length of the living room and kitchen that sat just one floor below the humongous room before her, which could only be the master suite, was absolutely cavernous. Stepping in, Nadira let her eyes pan over the room, taking in the towering arched windows that lined both sides of the room that extended nearly to the ceiling. On the left side of the room, just like in the living room below, Nadira could see beyond the windows to the expensive plush outdoor furniture sitting serenely on a long balcony that stretched to the length of the room. Long shimmering cobalt blue drapes spilled from the top of the windows and pooled into delicate frothy puddles on either side of the massive windows. Turning slowly in place, Nadira finally let her eyes settle on the focal point of the room, a design purposely orchestrated to steal the attention of whoever entered. Centered near the back of the room, the black velvet tufted bed sat like a massive throne. Bigger than any bed she had ever seen, she scanned the length of it and imagined that it had to be at least two and a half king-sized beds put together long ways and lengthways.
"Do you think it will be enough room?" The low inhuman voice rumbled from over her shoulder.
Whirling around, she took a few steps back from the tall demon that was suddenly standing behind her. Now wearing his same gold, an ivory beaded necklace and gold armbands against his coal-black skin, the horned djinn reminded her of something found on an Egyptian palace's wall.
Crossing her arms underneath her breasts, she gave him a caustic look. "Sure, you and your horns should have plenty of room on there," she waved dismissively toward the bed.
Instead of responding to her goad, he gave her a cheerful smile that only made her shiver. The white rows of sharp shark teeth in the creature's wide, almost chaotic smile made her think of the text she found, stating that some djinn ate the souls of their victims. He certainly had the teeth for it, she surmised, but she also knew Idrak could wield them with precise control. Memories of those sharp teeth scraping across her swollen nipples and tender clit caused an involuntary shudder to rack her body. Damn him!
"Do you know in all the time I have been alive," he said thoughtfully. "I have never once been married?"
Still angry at her turn of thoughts, she threw the brunt of it back at the source. "And you're not married now! You forced me to be here," she reminded him, she had to control herself from stomping her foot to punctuate her outrage.
With a slow, unhurried gait, the demon walked over to the row of windows and stared out beyond the lush landscaping to the bright blue sea beyond. "You would be surprised how many marriages begin the same way."
Desperate now, Nadira approached him subconsciously, noting the fine striations of muscles in his wide back leading down to his tapered waist. "Idrak, why are you doing this? I don’t want to be here, I just want to leave."
Cold empty eyes turned back to her, and Nadira's breath caught in her chest as she watched them glow brighter in warning anger. "You're here because it is my will," he began slowly, his tone lethally soft. "You're here because you were dying in that prison of a life. You wanted freedom, I gave it to you, end of discussion Nadira."
She ignored the low growl of her name and focused on her own anger. Opening her mouth to argue, she was cut off.
Turning to face her fully, he took two long steps towards her until he stood only a foot away, his empty white eyes glaring down at her. "I will not have this argument again," he said evenly.
Seeing that he was very serious, Nadira instinctively bowed her head and stared at her worn sneakers against the shining dark wood flooring. "Am I to be trapped inside this house?" she asked softly, hoping her question did not invoke the demon's anger any further. "Because I still want to go to school. I still want to live. I don’t want to be trapped."
A warm finger glided beneath her chin and lifted her head back up to face his. Not glowing nearly as brightly as before, his white eyes were directed at her, and Nadira found herself searching for the light grays of his pupils she spotted the other night. "Of course," he answered benignly. "Go to your university or do whatever you like, but at the end of the day, of each day, you will come back here," he pointed one long black claw to the floor.
Feeling a bit more confident with her demands than before, she put both hands on her hips and raised her chin. "Fine, but I am not sleeping in that bed."
Releasing her chin, he tilted his head with a chuckle. "Incorrect, you will be."
