Chapter 17 The IBMA
seventeen
The IBMA
Soot’s glowing body lights up the small space between the walls. There’s a little bed of rubber-looking material that’s been knitted together, an empty bowl, and a bone that looks suspiciously like a human femur.
Soot pushes another button on the wall and the doorway snaps shut, encasing us in the little space together. I reach out, feeling the heat coming from his body. He leans into my hand and I wince as the fire touches me.
But it doesn’t burn.
It’s hot as heck, and I don’t really want to be touching him, but as I move along his body, petting like I would a little dog, he wiggles in silent pleasure. I pet him a few more times as I listen to what’s happening in the room beyond.
Rhazan takes several steps away from us, and then I hear the door swing open. There are low, muffled words, an exchange of greetings, and then two sets of footsteps come back into the room.
“…report of a human here,” the other voice says. Could be a man or woman, the range was right in the middle.
Soot makes a little grunt, and I get my petting back in motion as I listen.
“Yes, my brother was here with his human mate. I apologize for not mentioning it sooner, but I have need of energy to ward my home against Skreet.”
“Skreet? Why is it here?” the IBMA agent asks.
“The establishment in the mirror realm has a new owner. She spilled sugar.”
The agent grunts. “And how do you know it’s a woman?”
Rhazan is quick to reply. “I went to the mirror realm of course, and secured the location. You’ll find several of my marks there if you want to inspect.”
“You saw this woman?”
“I did.”
“She saw you?”
“She did.”
There’s silence for a moment.
“Why haven’t I heard of this before?”
“She must not have tried to report it. I didn’t think it was of note.”
Footsteps pace closer to the bookshelf and I hold my breath.
“You’re just a few months from freedom, Rhazan. I would hate to have to mention an infraction and set you back.”
The voice is female, but she sounds tough, like she’s seen some shit.
“I understand, Officer Ott. I would hate that, too.”
“Clean up your cot better next time. As you get closer to coming off parole, more agents will come, more frequently. You need to keep your place in order.”
She knows I’m here.
She knows, and she’s trying to help him.
“Yes, ma’am. I understand.”
She walks away from the shelves. “Is it worth the risk?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
No hesitation.
My heart clenches hard. This is temporary. I’m going home soon. And he’s risking his parole to finger me.
Fuck.
I’ve been so selfish.
“Well, I see no infraction here. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. Malakar.”
The woman walks to the door, and Rhazan follows her with his heavy footsteps.
“Good evening, Officer Ott.”
The door clicks shut, and we all hang in quiet stillness for a moment, and another, until I hear a bang down the hall. Rhaz walks to the bookshelf and the doorway snaps opens.
“Jade,” he whispers.
I crawl out the passage and he pulls me up into his arms. He grabs a fistful of my hair and drags my head against his chest as if he needs me to hear how fast his heart is beating. So fast, and all for me. I wrap myself up in him, feeling like a goddamned traitor.
“You need to go home now,” he says. “I’m sorry.”
“What about your wards?” I ask.
“I can manage them myself. You gave me more than enough magic,” he says, his lips pressed into my hair.
I want to apologize. I want to tell him that I’m not staying long. That I’m going to go home to Boston as soon as this trial is over.
But what’s even in Boston?
A few of Ace’s friends, whose names I don’t know. Nai Nai’s plants that are probably dead. An apartment that’s too small for all three of us. Debts. Favors. Gangs that want my magic and now might want my head.
“Should I come back with you?” he asks.
“No.” I shake my head. “No, I’m okay. Plus, Ace doesn’t think any of this is real.”
“Ace?”
“My little bro,” I say.
Rhazan grunts. “I thought his name was Zixin.”
I look up at him. “How do you know that?”
He shrugs. “I may have lingered in the shadows a few times during dinner.”
My mouth pops open. “You what?”
He scowls. “Don’t look so offended. I can tell you love the attention.”
I scoff. “Do not.”
“Do,” he murmurs, holding me tighter.
Damn it. I do.
I like the idea of being the center of his interest. Of being so desirable that he’d hide somewhere out of sight just to watch me eat dinner.
This seems unhealthy.
“You need to go now,” he whispers.
“Yeah, about that. I don’t know how to leave.”
He chuckles, then grabs my arm. His thumb smooths along the inside of my forearm to my hand. The drag of his skin on mine has my attention hyper focused on that sensation. I shiver and he groans.
“We can’t, Firecracker,” he murmurs, kissing my wrist.
“I wasn’t…”
But I was feeling it.
Embarrassment burns in my cheeks.
“You have access to my magic now, including my ability to phase between realms. All you have to do is will it,” he says.
“That sounds so simple,” I mumble, looking at the brand on my arm.
“It is that simple.”
I look up at him, wanting one more glimpse before I go.
He’s so freaking gorgeous with his black hair half pulled up in a bun, his dark eyes burning like coals at the center, his fangs and red lips.
He leans down and stops just short of kissing me. An invitation, and a request, but not a demand. I push onto my toes and meet him, brushing my lips against his in a gentle kiss. He sighs and cups the back of my neck, holding me against him harder and deepening the kiss.
I get lost in him until he pulls away.
“I want you to stay,” he says, frustration in his voice.
“But I can’t,” I finish.
Of course I can’t. Zixin has school in the morning, and I do want to take him this time. I have orders of coffee and syrups to stock, an espresso machine to clean and fix, and a sign to put up. Lots to do tomorrow. Maybe I’ll call Lacey.
He kisses me one more time with tender fervor. “I want to see you again.”
The admission hurts my stomach.
I want to see him, too.
“Maybe you will.”
He huffs and smoke curls around us.
“Wish it so, and it will be,” he says as he presses his thumb on my mark.
I don’t want to go home. Not yet.
But I have to. There’s no escaping tomorrow morning.
My gaze bounces between his eyes and I find the same yearning there in him.
“I wish to go home.”
As soon as I say the words, fire burns through my arm and the air around me thrums. Rhazan gets fuzzy in the haze of all the vibrations. It thrums again, and with a pop, I’m back in my room.