Burning Hearts (27 page)

Malcolm groaned in pain, but remained on the
ground, his eyes closed. Jenna had to see if he was all right, but
she couldn’t do that with Fatima and Saladin lurking around.

“
C’mon!” she challenged
Fatima. “Get your spoiled princess ass over here and let’s do
this!”

If Saladin was cool as a cucumber, Fatima was
hot as a habanero. He stood aside, arms folded over his chest,
leaning against the wall, as his sister charged toward Jenna,
screaming an undecipherable war cry.

Just as Fatima was about to make contact, she
disappeared before Jenna, and then reappeared behind her,
delivering a heavy blow to her back, knocking her on the ground,
near Malcolm.

Jenna coughed, spitting blood upon a stretch
of golden sand, dotting it red.

Saladin struck his palms against each other
once in a clap, and then again with an added smile. “Jinniyah-Two;
Mage-Zero.”

Malcolm groaned and opened his eyes.
“Jenna?”

Jenna smiled and reached over, caressing his
face. “I’m here.”

Fatima charged again, but Jenna was ready,
back to full health. She leapt from the ground and in a spectacular
kung fu move that would’ve made Bruce Lee proud, kicked the
princess as hard as she could in the stomach; she went flying
across the room in a collision course with the wall, where she slid
down ungracefully and collapsed on the ground. The castle shook
from her embarrassing defeat as chunks of sand pelted her from
above.

Separating himself from the wall and
unfolding his arms, Saladin, for once, seemed worried.
“Fatima?”

But his sister was all right. She got up,
fixed her dress and hair, shaking out the sand, and then narrowed
her fiery eyes at Jenna. “Bitch!” she shrieked.

Jenna held her dagger steady. “C’mon little
princess who can’t keep a man,” she taunted.

Jenna expected an explosive comeback, but
Fatima was silent as she smiled wickedly, sweeping her fiery eyes
from Jenna to Malcolm.

Quick as a flash, Fatima disappeared, and
then reappeared behind Malcolm, focusing her crazy fiery stare at
Jenna. “If I can’t have him, NO ONE CAN!”

In one swift move, she hoisted him up by his
neck, and threw him toward the pillar of fire, shrieking in
laughter.

“
NO!” Jenna screamed. Then
she screamed again, but no one heard her; it was in her mind and it
told her what to do:
EXTINGUISH THE
FIRE!

The signal from her brain connected to her
hand; it felt numb at first as if it’d been asleep, and then
awakened with excitement as skin-deep jolts of electricity
supercharged her left palm. She tossed it up, spreading her fingers
wide, and watched as the howling flames died down to a whimper.
Gray smoke rose, hugging the low ceiling, until it escaped through
the emerging cracks of Saladin’s weakening stronghold.

Malcolm collided against the wall, instead of
the pillar of fire, and landed hard on the ground.

Jenna ran and fell on her knees in the sand
next to his body. “Malcolm?” His eyes were closed. “Malcolm?”

Finally, he looked at her and smiled; his
blue eyes were ablaze with joy. “Jenna?”

She smiled back. “Hey, baby. Are you all
right? Anything broken?”

He shifted his body, testing it for
weaknesses. “No,” he replied, shaking his head. “I’m fine.” He
looked behind her where the ring of fire used to be. “How’d
you—JENNA!”

All Jenna heard was a shriek before hands
clasped tightly around her neck. Malcolm yanked one hand away, but
the vice-like grip of Fatima’s other hand was holding steady,
heavily ensnaring Jenna’s windpipe.

Malcolm kicked Fatima’s feet from out under
her and she crashed on the ground. Jenna was free. She took a
needed breath, plunged the dagger into Fatima’s cruel heart,
twisted the blade, and then tore it free, watching red blood spurt
like a geyser from her fatal wound. The princess shrieked not in
vengeful fury, but in horrific pain as she burned from the inside
out.

But Jenna didn’t have time to relax. There
was still one more enemy to destroy. She stood at the ready with
weapon in hand as Saladin slowly approached his sister’s ashes,
head tilted down.

But something in his face made her lower the
blade. He actually looked sad. He was a demon, but he was also a
brother, and he’d just lost his only sibling—the last member of his
family.

“
I’m sorry,” Jenna
consoled.

Saladin looked up at her, emotionless. “You
see where love gets you, little rose.” He waved at his sister’s
remains as proof of love’s foolishness.

“
Fatima didn’t love
Malcolm,” she countered. “Your kind is incapable of
love.”

He finally smiled. “True, but we do form
close attachments. Our lust is like a thirst that can never be
quenched.” His eyes shot to Malcolm. “It’s a good thing my sister
threatened your life, or else I wouldn’t have enjoyed witnessing
your girlfriend’s talent. Of course, Magi from the Love line have
been known to exhibit certain Jinn traits, notably controlling the
elements.” He gave Jenna a crooked smile. “Perhaps we’re cut from
the same cloth.”

“
I’m nothing like
you!”

“
Then how do you explain”—he
wiggled his fingers in the air—“that bit of hocus
pocus?”

She fell silent. She couldn’t explain what
had happened, but he didn’t offer up any answers either. Her left
hand felt normal again. The magic departed as soon as it’d
arrived.

“
You saved his life, but
you’ll end up regretting your actions,” Saladin informed her as if
he cared. He shifted his eyes to Malcolm, giving him a knowing
smile, before focusing back to Jenna. “He keeps his dark side
contained, bottled up, but one day, he’s going to blow his top. It
happened to his father, Ishmael. He turned on his beloved Antonia,
and well, your dear grandpa—once his friend—decided he needed to be
put down…or so the rumors go.” He smiled. “The same will happen to
Malcolm. Like father, like son. He’ll turn into a monster, and
you’ll have no choice but to slay your beloved
half-breed.”

Jenna was shaking with anger. “You’re
wrong!”

“
Denial ain’t just a river
in Egypt,” he quipped.

Malcolm growled and lunged, standing in front
of Jenna in a protective stance. “Get out,” he commanded through
clenched teeth to the King of the Jinn. “Or stay and die.”

Jenna tensed, fearing Saladin was going to
punch through Malcolm’s chest, and rip his heart out, effectively
killing him; it was something his sister was unable to do. But
Saladin only smiled, as if Malcolm was the least of his worries, a
non-threat. Or perhaps he was delightfully amused.

He shifted his fiery gaze to Jenna. “Until
next time, little rose.” He vanished, giving her a smile and a wink
as he went.

The sand castle started to shake, threatening
to fall down.

Malcolm grabbed Jenna’s hand and they
disappeared from the desert, leaving the Devil to sort out the mess
that Saladin had made of his path.

THE END AND THE
BEGINNING

The horrible events that the townspeople had
experienced were over. There weren’t any Jinn, save one, left in
Oasis. As the days passed, everyone had gone back to their normal
routines, and talk of the “Time of Troubles” had been replaced by
preparations for Christmas.

Jenna went to visit Mrs. Tinsley, still
recovering in the hospital.

“
I prayed and prayed and
prayed, sweet girl, and you know what?”

“
What?”

“
The Good Lord heard me and
with His mighty hand, swatted the Devil from outta
here.”

Jenna squeezed her hand, dotted with old age
spots. “That He did.”

Jenna left the hospital, wrapped in a coat
with a scarf around her neck, and sat on a wooden bench, next to
Riddick; he was wearing just a black T-shirt over a black
long-sleeved shirt.

“
How is she?”

“
Good.”

“
What’s wrong?”

She sighed. “I can accept being a slayer.
Hell, anyone could probably do that. All you need to do is stab the
Jinn in their hearts. But controlling the elements? Putting out
fires with the will of my mind? How is that even possible?”

After that day in the desert, Malcolm had
tried to soothe Jenna, telling her that Saladin had lied about her
being part Jinn. She’d believed Malcolm, refusing to accept that
demonic blood was flowing through her veins. But like Saladin,
Malcolm hadn’t been able to solve the mystery of her surprising
demonstration of magical talent.

At least her boyfriend didn’t accuse her of
being evil.

“
You’re wrong about how
ordinary you are,” said Riddick. “Not many people can be skillful
and successful demon slayers. And about being a firefighter, didn’t
Saladin say—”

“
I don’t trust Saladin,” she
snapped at Riddick, and then immediately said, “Sorry,” in a softer
tone.

He waved her apology away as if she’d every
right to burst. “They say the Devil mixes truth with lies. You just
need to find out which truths Saladin spoke of.”

“
Malcolm said that Saladin
had lied about everything.” She shrugged. “Maybe he did. I found no
evidence in my grandpa’s journal about extraordinary powers, beyond
what a Mage can do. Or any twisted family tree where I’m related to
Saladin, or any other Jinn for that matter. And if my grandpa had
killed Malcolm’s father, and he knew it, wouldn’t he be mad at
me?”

Riddick put his arm around her shoulders. “If
it were true, it’s not your fault. You had nothing to do with his
father’s death.”

“
I know. I guess you’re
right. But something’s been worrying me. Saladin said that Ishmael
turned against Antonia, that his demonic side came out.”

“
Another lie.”

She shook her head. “Maybe, maybe not, but it
got me thinking about Malcolm. I know he’s good. He’s great,
actually. Wouldn’t hurt a fly. But…”

“
You’re worried that he’s
gonna turn? Suppress his humanity? Be full-on demon?”

“
No Maybe. I
dunno.”

He held her close and kissed her cheek. “I’ll
admit it: I hate Malcolm. Not because of who he is, but because he
has you. It’s only natural, I think, to hate him. But I’ll tell you
from my own experience that humans, full-on humans, can act just as
demonic as demons.”

She clasped his hand. “But you were
influenced by the Jinn. You would’ve never tried to hurt me if they
didn’t become involved. Right?”

“
Of course. I can’t even
think back on that moment without my heart hurting. But what I’m
saying is this: don’t worry. Malcolm’s one of the good guys. He’d
never hurt you. Trust him.”

She smiled. “Have you been talking to him?
’Cause you know he can sway, make you believe whatever he
wants.”

He shook his head and smiled. “No swaying.”
He tapped the side of his head. “All these crazy thoughts are
mine.”

“
I love you,” she said
wholeheartedly.

She’d been resisting, but now she didn’t care
about the consequences. She had to let him know the truth. He
deserved it.

He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “I
know.” Then he moved his hand to hers, holding it.

She smiled, interlacing their fingers.

The wind stirred, lifting her hair, waving it
like a fiery red banner.

“
Ah, it’s cold.” She let go
of his hand to readjust the scarf around her neck. “Let’s get outta
here.”

“
You can’t do a spell?” He
smiled. “Throw up your hand and
will
the cold away?”

“
I wish, but no.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a
cigarette lighter.

She gasped. “When’d you start smoking?”

He rolled his eyes. “I don’t. I just have it.
I keep it with my Swiss Army knife. It’s what all guys carry. Not
everyone can have a fancy demon-slaying dagger as you,” he teased.
He clicked the lighter, expelling a tall flame. “See if you can
make it go out.”

She hesitated, but then raised her left hand,
willing the flame to extinguish. She felt nothing. No numbness. No
shock.

She let her hand drop. “Guess it was a one
time thing.” She shrugged. “Like adrenaline; a feat of
extraordinary skill when you’re desperate to save someone.”

He released his thumb, ending the experiment,
and put the lighter back in his pocket. “Maybe you have to
practice.”

She shook her head. “I don’t wanna practice.
Controlling the elements is a demon thing. And the last time I
checked, I’m supposed to kill demons. I’m not one of them.”

“
Still…it’s kinda cool,
right?”

She shrugged again. “Yeah, I guess. But I
don’t wanna talk about it anymore.” She patted his knee. “Let’s get
going.”

As they settled in his new car, a black
Mustang GT with matching leather seats his step dad had gotten him
for a Christmas present, Jenna turned up the heat.

“
You know, you’re gonna be
beating the girls off with a stick now that you have this
car.”

“
I’m ready.” He thumbed
behind him. “I got my beating stick in the back.”

“
I thought that was for the
zombie apocalypse.”

He turned out on the road. “That too. I bet
those zombie girls are gonna be a bitch to deal with.”

“
Yeah,” she agreed. “Eating
brains. Asking if they’ve gotten fat from all the brains. Flirting
to get car rides from some poor schmuck so he can drive them around
for more brains.”

“
Even undead girls can be
teases,” he said deadpan.