Thin Air Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Just a taste. You used to control more than rain, Jo. You will again.”
    He pulled me into his arms, and his lips pressed gently on my forehead, my closed eyes…my lips. I didn’t know if I should respond, but my body was already making the decision for me. The warm, damp pressure of his mouth on mine raised something wild inside of me, something deep and primal. I sank my fingers deep into the soft silk of his hair. He was a good kisser. Rapt, intense, focused, devouring my lips hungrily.
    And then he broke free, sighed, and rested his forehead against mine. His fingers combed through the mud-caked tangle of my hair, leaving it straight and shining and clean.
    â€œHow long…” My voice wasn’t quite steady. I licked my lips, nearly licked his as well. “How long have we, you know, been…together?”
    â€œA while,” he said.
    â€œYears?”
    I felt his smile. “What do you think?” His lips brushed mine when he murmured that answer. Keep talking , I thought. Because I was tempted to do a lot more.
    â€œNot years, maybe…um…I don’t know.” All I knew was that whoever and whatever David was, he had the key to turn my engine. “Then why don’t I remember you? Remember us ?” I was fairly sure, given the intensity of the kisses, that it was well worth remembering.
    â€œYou don’t because you can’t,” he said, and his fingers stroked through my hair again, gentle and soothing. “Because someone took away your past.”
    â€œThen…how come I can still talk? Remember how to dress myself—okay, not that I dressed myself, bad example…” I got lost on a side thought, and pulled back to look at him. “Did you? Put my clothes on?”
    â€œDo you seriously think I’d let Lewis do it?” David asked, raising his eyebrows. “Of course.” He gave me a slow, wicked smile. “Don’t worry. I didn’t take any liberties.”
    I didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved.
    â€œIn answer to the original question, certain kinds of memories are stored differently in the human mind. Memories—memories of events, of people, of conversations—these are more vulnerable. They can be taken away more easily.”
    â€œWhy? Why would anybody do that? Wait a minute— how could anybody do that?”
    Outside, the fire suddenly died to a banked glow. The tent flap moved, and Lewis, crouched uncomfortably low, ducked inside. He gave the two of us an unreadable look, then crawled over to the other sleeping bag.
    â€œEarth Wardens could have done it,” Lewis said. “It’s possible, if an Earth Warden had the right training and skill level, to remove selective memories. It’s part of how Marion Bearheart’s division drains away the powers of Wardens who have to be taken out of the organization and returned to the regular human population. Only they don’t just take memories; they take away the core of power inside.” He stretched out, put his hands under his head, and stared at the glow of moonlight on the tent fabric. “But in your case it was done by a Djinn. His name is Ashan.”
    â€œA Djinn,” I repeated. “Like you?” I pointed at David, whose eyebrows rose.
    â€œNot anymore. But yes, Ashan was Djinn, and he did this to you. He didn’t want to kill you; he wanted you to have never existed at all. And he had the power to do it. He made a good start on it.”
    â€œSo what stopped him?”
    David and Lewis exchanged looks. It was Lewis who answered. “Let’s get into that later.”
    â€œFine. General question.” I licked my lips and avoided staring directly at David. “What exactly is a Djinn?”
    Lewis sighed and closed his eyes. “We’ve really got to get you fixed,” he said. “The Djinn are another race of beings on this planet. They can be corporeal when they