Out of the Lamp

Chapter 12: Returned

I nod in agreement and turn on my heel to rush homeward bound.

'Yeah, you can make it up to me as I walk you home.' Jason gives Mathew a two finger salute and falls into step with me.

My mouth opens to argue when he cuts me to the quick. 'Now, Alia, come along,'

The red hot sensation rippling through me is warning enough. The change to his tone is laced with a threat, and I heed it. With all the self control I can muster, I offer what I'd hope was my best uncaring shrug to Mathew, and followed the demon incarnate.

'Very well, master,' I spit out with venomous spite as we turn the corner. The last word a mockery to my existence.

'Good girl.' He croons, without missing a beat.

The two words stop me dead in my tracks. 'What. Did. You. Say?' My own voice comes out hard like grit and sand. Distasteful and grimy.

Jason turns around, a light amusement shining in his eyes. 'You heard, genie, now come here!'

The order boils my blood and I refuse. I refuse to move as the brand begins to burn and scorch my skin. I refuse and stand my ground as my body tingles from hair tip to toe nail and the familiar overpowering urge consumes me.

Jason raises a single brow. 'Now, Alia.'

Something in me tips, and I lose the concentration and fight. My body lurches towards him, as if he's my sole gravitational point. Without which, id no longer be grounded to the very earth. His frame is hard and muscly against me as I feel myself press against him, and all the burning stops. It vanishes and a breadth of fresh air brushes over me. A groan of liberation escapes my lips at the sweet release. My eyes flash open and I wish the sound back. Too late.

Jason latches onto it and grins. His face victorious, and something truly creepy glinting in his eyes. 'Don't you ever disobey me again, or even think it.' He says, nuzzling against the top of my head. I jerk away from the intimate touch. Disgust evident all over my face.

'You're taking this too far. I'll have you know, this stupid branded magic was the work of a demonic freak, almost as perverted and twisted as you!' I shout at him as his hands drape across my waist his sheer size overshadowing me.

To passers by, it looks like we two are just standing intimately with one another, my face and all it's disgusted expressions perfectly hidden from view. Probably a couple, maybe just friends getting friendlier. The very thoughts made my gag reflex go into overdrive.

'Tsk tsk,' Jason shakes his head once. 'Temper, temper,' he taps his index finger over my lips and I turn my head away from it.

'Haven't you thought about your remaining two wishes yet? There's a time limit you know.' I lie. 'So you'd better get cracking.'

'Liar.'

The one word has my neck almost snapping at the speed to which I turn back to his face. 'What did you say?'

'Liar, liar, probably cute pants on fire.' He says this in a sing song way.

My eyes widen in alarm. No way! There's no way he could know Djinn lore like that. He couldn't! 'W-what dyu mean?' I feign ignorance as he takes a step back from me and ushers us both to move on.

I direct us toward my house.

'I know how it works, and there's no limit. So I can take my sweet ass time with it. Forever if I want, isn't that just great?'

I gulp down the rising nausea and sheer wave of fear coursing through me. Most mortals never figured that out. Heck they got so greedy, so quick, they'd wish all their wishes as soon as possible. Then what the frick was wrong with this one?

'Though I don't know about all that other stuff you bang on about, but who knows how long that'll last? I'll probably be finished with you once that wears off. Coz what's the fun then?'

He's talking about the Seventh Sin. The sick bastard was actually planning on keeping me around like his personal lust-bound slave. That's when it hits me - when does it wear off? Under what conditions? There were always conditions. And where there were conditions, there were loopholes.

Maybe I'd actually have to tell Ali now. If there was anyone that could help me, it'd have to be my mentor and the Immortals Bureau. Yes! That's what I'll do. To think, I actually wanted to handle this on my own. Pah!

'Won't you say something?' Jason is practically oozing self-satisfaction. He knows he has me cornered, and he's loving it.

'I hate you.'

The malice in my own voice surprises both of us. Something similar to a look of hurt flashes across his face. Did he actually have the nerve to look hurt when he's the one imposing on me, and basically suggesting his ownership of me for all of eternity?

Ooh I can't wait until he dies. Then it'll be all over.

Ah man. The thought shrivels up as soon as I think it. No, that's not my style. That's not me. I take it back.

Too late, little genie. I heard that.

A low, gurgling chuckle echoes around in my head, and I almost feel to rip my hair out of my scalp. This is bloody insane! Get out of my head Daemon! Of course he would hear, anything sinfully wicked was straight up that demonic freaks alleyway. Oh boy did he love it when I messed up and let his kind into my head. He fed off malice and ill-will as much as he did off fear. Though the latter was his more preferred and favourite cuisine.

The sickening twisted laughter is all I hear. My eyes open to find Jason staring intently at me. He's silent. Too silent.

'We're here.' I announce. I didn't even realise how quick we had been walking, or the fact that all that distance had been eaten up by my sheer rage.

Jason stares at my house. His eyes dark and unwavering. He gives me a nod and turns on his heel to leave.

I stumble over my feet in surprise as he begins to walk away from me. 'What the hell?' I question out loud and he stops. 'You're just gonna leave like that?'

He shrugs and begins to walk away again.

'what? No perverse comment? No lewd suggestions? No taking me against my will type of shit?' I yell after him, ignoring the strange looks people are giving me. Crike, they'll probably think I'm a perverted BDSM masochist at this rate. Great.

Jason doesn't even look back as he raises a hand in a farewell wave. Clearly dismissing me.

I stomp down the path to my house, fuming at him. Can you actually believe the nerve of that guy?

I kick the door shut behind me and throw the keys across the living room. They clatter onto the new coffee table I'd whipped up to replace the shattered one. This time, all solid wood.

That's when it finally hits me. Why the hell am I annoyed that he isn't being his usual lecherous self? I let out a groan and run a hand over my face. This was all just too confusing. I think I really am losing my damn mind.

Cupids warning rings faintly in my head. Now there was another confusion to add to the pile of confusing men. Then three words cut through the silence of my house and stop my thoughts altogether as they caress my ears with a long forgotten familiarity that I couldn't explain. Spoken with clear cut precision and a coolness that soothes my mind instantly and warms my belly with nostalgia. They seep across the room and into my head like a toxic fog.

'Hello there, darling.'

I look up to meet the voice and my legs buckle from beneath me. My eyes take in the figure t the other side of the room and all I can see is the replay button going crazy in my brain. My voice feels lost and swallowed up with the sight before me., and croaks out the one word I hadn't spoken in all my nineteen years of existence:

'M-mum?'

~*~