Rest For The Wicked Read Online Free PDF

Jinn who showed any vulnerability—never mind admitting it.
    “What happened to you?”
    He closed his eyes, silent for so long she didn’t expect him to answer her. He did, finally, his voice heavy.
    “I was—cast out, when my wife died in my place.”
    Heaven help me. She wanted nothing to do with this, with him. But she had been the cause, the reason for his suffering. Twice now.
    “Marcus, look at me.” After a long moment he did, his eyes dark with grief. “When did this happen?”
    “I hid myself away, Claire. I found the deepest, coldest cave, and buried myself in it. The cold leached my power, just as I had hoped. But it kept me alive as well. I meant to die in that cave—I should have, hidden away from the sun, unable to touch the sand. When I returned to the world, more than three hundred years had passed.”
    “That explains a few things. How long ago?”
    “Three months now. I had to leave—the home, the life I once knew no longer exists.”
    His hands shook, fists clenched until his knuckles pressed against skin. Claire covered his hands with her own, jerked when heat flared up her arms.
    “You’re still—”
    “Tapped in, to my power. It takes time for me to let go. A result of my self-imposed imprisonment. The reason healing is difficult for me.” She moved her hands, not wanting to drain him further—and Marcus caught her fingers, studying her. “I am not the only one carrying such a burden.”
    Claire pulled her hands out of his grasp and backed out of reach.
    “It’s nothing.” When he raised an eyebrow, she sighed. “An old illness. No one can do anything for me, so I don’t talk about it.”
    “Yet people have noticed.”
    “If by people you mean Annie—yes. I don’t want to worry her, but I don’t want her to think it’s worse than it actually is. Can I get you something?” The other eyebrow went up. “It’s my fault you ended up accosting my best friend—”
    “Claire.” She met his eyes. “She won’t remember. I gave her that much before I left her.”
    “Thank you.” Relief flooded her. “You know it may not stick. She has a good bit of power. It’s raw, but she can control it if she focuses.”
    “She showed me.” He described what she had done. Claire shook her head, not surprised. “Your Annie has quite the temper.”
    “You simply pushed her hottest button. Stay here—I’ll get you some water. And something for that headache.”
    A smile touched his mouth. “I will not ask how you know. And thank you for your hospitality.”
    “This is all conditional, Jinn.”
    “And what would that be?”
    “Stay away from Annie.”
    Marcus closed his eyes. When he looked at her again, his eyes were a hazy green, brushed over with regret.
    “If it means staying away from you, I can’t make that promise.”
    “Damn it—”
    “I am still trying to understand what led me here, Claire. The only clear answer I get is you. So, no, I will not stay away from Annie. I will, however, keep from engaging her in any way. Is that satisfactory?”
    Oh, yes—here was the Jinn she remembered. Stubborn and charming at the same time. A lethal combination, for most women. Claire was not most women. But even she couldn’t fight straight up stubborn; not when it came in a six foot plus package wrapped in power, however diminished.
    “I’m not getting rid of you, am I?”
    “Claire.” Marcus stood, laid both hands on her shoulders. She tensed, but he simply looked down at her, no manipulation. “I will not let another person come to harm. Not when I can prevent it. And there is something coming at you, something I can’t yet see clearly. Until I can, you are staying in my line of sight.”
    With a sigh, she eased out of his grasp.
    “Fine. But you’re going to be doing it from a distance—or not all,” she added when he opened his mouth to protest. “That’s my final offer.”
    “Acceptable.”
    “Good.” She crossed her arms, a smile tugging at her lips.