was consumed with such bliss.
Adara tugged at her arm and pulled her a few steps away from the merrymakers. “Are you convinced?”
“Oh, yes. Please take me back to Mark now.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Adara folded her arms across her chest and blinked.
Savi didn’t realise she’d been holding her breath until it whooshed out with a rush back in the justice chambers. Her gaze met Mark’s hopeful one and shivers raced down her spine as the bailiff inserted the key into the handcuffs and they slid off with a clank.
More joyous than the last time she’d made love to Mark, Savi hugged her new friend and kissed her cheek. “Thank you. Thank you.”
The genie pulled back as if embarrassed. “Honestly, you can thank me best by granting my freedom.”
Savi melted when Mark winked at her.
“I’m over here,” Adara said in a peevish voice.
Chagrined, Savi cast a small, secret smile to Mark then turned back to the genie. “Oh, of course.” Savi lowered her voice so as not to be overheard by anyone exiting the courtroom. “Genie, I hereby grant you your freedom.”
Chapter Three
Poof! Savi found herself wearing a scanty harem costume, trapped inside the genie’s bottle.
Oh, no! Savi’s heart pounded riotously.
“What happened?” she yelled, craning her neck to peer at the top of the bottle. Her echoing voice nearly deafened her and she turned around in circles seeking a way out, spying no escape hatch save the corked top. She jumped and kicked. She performed every karate trick against the bottle she’d ever learned, but nothing worked. Her new residence rocked precariously and she was tossed from side to side. She could make out a pair of huge, midnight black eyes staring at her unseeingly.
Wicked feminine laughter greeted her. “You are now the genie. You wished me free.”
Staggered, Savi swore under her breath. “That wasn’t part of the bargain. I set you free in goodwill. I never said I’d exchange places. You tricked me!”
“You should’ve read the small warning print on the bottle. This place is full of lawyers. Ask them to explain contracts to you.” Adara laughed at her, not the sweet woman she’d at first appeared to be.
“You can’t just leave me in here! What’ll I do? How do I get out?” Savi rubbed her throbbing temples, cursing her stupidity. Why had she trusted the powerful genie?
“You get out when your master summons you. Read the genie bible on the nightstand. It explains everything you need to know. I hope the evil one doesn’t find you. Adios, amiga.”
“Wait!”
Adara’s evil laughter faded away, and Savi lunged and kicked the bottle again to no avail. Now she really didn’t have a prayer of getting back together with Mark. The irony of it struck her hard. She was all powerful, yet so weak.
Savi’s bottle started floating and she felt green, bile rise in her throat. A new master had already claimed her. Instinctively, she squared her shoulders, crossed her hands over her chest and blinked. Her body evaporated into smoke and she slid out of the bottle and rematerialized in front of Mark.
Her eyes widened painfully in her face as her heart swelled to thrice its original size. Elated to see the man she loved standing less than a foot in front of her, yearning to feel his warmth, she flung herself into his arms. Squeezing him tightly, burrowing against his chest, she blinked back tears of joy. “It’s really you. You’re really free.”
Mark swung her around in his arms, squeezing her so tightly she couldn’t breathe. “God, I’ve missed you. Oh, Savi…”
He froze, then pushed her to arms length. His frowning gaze raked over her. “What in the world are you wearing?”
Bitter cold seeped into her bones. She inhaled deeply then looked into his eyes and voiced the words she was compelled to say. “I’m a genie. You’re my new master. Your wish is my command.”
Humiliated, she wanted to cringe, but she stood tall.
Mark