CHAPTER 16

Mac

I KNEW THE MOMENT SHE awakened but I didn’t move from the bed. Instead, I watched her beneath cracked eyelids as she went about her wake-up routine as normal. I thought she might still be a bit sick after last night. And knowing her, she’d be embarrassed too.

When she went into the bathroom, it was my chance to get up. I’d hoped things between us would have been better. Aly seemed to have gotten over the encounter with Jared and her irritation with me. But then she’d started acting evasive.

She was hiding something. I didn’t know what, but I knew her tells well enough now to know when she was lying. And Aly was lying through her teeth. It frustrated me to no end that I couldn’t get her to admit it.

Oh well, she would tell me when she was ready, I reassured myself.

Waiting around today was worse than the first day. I couldn’t stand the not knowing. I tried to watch television but nothing kept me interested. The clock moved too slowly and I wished for once I could use my full powers and not the restrained version that came with being a genie.

I smiled at the thought. What would Aly think of the real me? Not the deluded genie version, but the full one: Prince of Tavokia. Ability to pop anywhere I wanted, materializing objects out of thin air, and even transforming into other beings not just glamouring myself to look like them.

I realized then that I wanted to show her. I needed her to see everything there was to know about me. Even—maybe if she allowed me to—take her to visit my world. I wouldn’t be the first Tavokian to bring a human to our realm. There were plenty who had cross-bred which was one of the things I had wanted to put a stop to. Now, though, I couldn’t even remember why.

I glanced up at the clock again and saw it had been a few hours since Aly had left. She should be getting out of class now. Since Aly had indicated we would have lunch together I decided to jump into the shower.

While in the shower, I realized that I didn’t have any other clothes to wear. I’d worn the clothes Aly had left me yesterday and hadn’t seen any other suitable garments lying out for me. I climbed out of the shower and grabbed a towel, quickly drying off as I moved into the main room.

I searched the room for the clothes I had worn the first day, and found them in the basket of dirty clothes. Picking up my shirt, I sniffed it and grimaced. Couldn’t wear that.

Suddenly, my eyes locked onto the smaller washer and dryer system in the kitchen. I’d never used one before, but I couldn’t imagine it was that hard. With a smirk, I picked up the basket of laundry and took it into the kitchen.

As it turned out, using the washer was a lot harder than it looked. I wasn’t sure how much soap to put in, and ended up using too much. Which resulted in suds overflowing out the side of the machine. I quickly stopped the cycle and glared down into the top.

“Argh,” I growled, grabbing my shirt and pants out of the washer and throwing them into the sink. At this rate, I wouldn’t be ready in time.

I used the sink water to rinse my clothes out the best I could before throwing them into the dryer. I needed it dried quickly so set it to ‘Quick Dry’. Which apparently wasn’t good enough for soaking wet jeans. When the timer went off, I pulled out damp jeans and a semi-dry shirt.

Frowning in dismay, I contemplated putting them back in when I felt it. A sharp pain in my chest almost knocked me off my feet. Aly.

One of the positives about being a genie was the bond between master and servant. It alerted me when they were in trouble and also enabled me to get to them at a second’s notice. In case, they needed me to use a wish.

I used to be bitter about it, but now the pain only worried me. I pushed aside the discomfort of wearing wet clothing, shoved my legs into the pants and jerked my shirt over my head. I’d barely put on my shoes when I dematerialized and reappeared on the street across from Coffee and Stuff.

I searched the street and didn’t see Aly anywhere. Glancing through the shop’s window, I saw that her boss, Bruce, was back at work. On crutches but working. But Aly wasn’t.

I was about to use my magic to find her when a scream rang out from behind the shop. I ran around the store and my heart stopped in my chest. Jared had Aly pressed against the wall of the shop, her arm twisted behind her back.

“You always do this to me, babe,” Jared growled as he pushed against her arm causing her to cry out in pain, “You should know by now that I always get what I want. Just give me the money and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Never,” she snarled and then screamed as he shoved her away from the wall, throwing her to the ground. Something fluttered between them, but before Aly could grab it Jared snatched it out of the air.

“What’s this?” Jared ripped the envelope open just as I came up on them, “Your paycheck? Man, you don’t get paid shit,” Jared chortled but he choked on it when he saw me, “You stay out of this. It’s none of your business.”

“I think it is,” I glared, my anger barely contained. My gaze moved to Aly and my eyes softened, “Are you okay?”

Swallowing, Aly licked her lips and started to get off the ground, “I’m fine.”

“Good,” I nodded to her and then curled my fingers into a fist and slammed it into the side of Jared’s face. He went down without a fight. For how much he talked, he sure didn’t have anything to back it up.

With Jared groaning on the ground, I went to Aly. Looking her over for any other injuries, I frowned. She was holding her arm gingerly and wouldn’t let me touch it.

Rage roared through me and I spun on my heel, fully intent on teaching Jared a lesson he’d never forget. Before I could get to him though, Aly grabbed my arm.

Shaking her head, Aly glared down at Jared, “He’s not worth it. Let’s just go.”

“But he was hurting you. We can’t just let him get away with it,” my eyes locked onto the whimpering man.

“Yes, we can,” Aly pulled at me once more, “The cops can deal with him.”

“Fine,” I begrudgingly let her lead me away from him.

“That’s right, asshole,” Jared yelled after us, “Do what the bitch tells you to.”

I spun on my heel so fast I feared I might get whiplash. I planned on beating him until he pleaded for mercy, but Aly got to him first.

Kicking a foot out, she hit Jared right under the chin knocking him out cold. “I hope you rot,” she snarled at his prone form. She reached out and grabbed the paper he had taken from her before, “And this is my money. Mine!”

She lifted her leg and I assumed she was going to kick him again, but before she could I wrapped my arms around her waist. Sirens blared in the distance, so instead of trying to drag her out of the alley, I used my magic to dematerialize us.

We reappeared at her apartment with Aly struggling against me. “Let me go!”

“Not until you calm down,” I said, holding her tightly to me.

“I am calm,” she growled and tried to kick my shin.

“Yes, you are the epitome of cool,” I remarked, the sarcasm dripping off my words. I held onto her as she fought until eventually she wore herself out. Head hanging, she heaved a big sigh.

“Am I a bad person?” Aly asked in a small voice.

Frowning at her question, I loosened my grip on her. “Why would you ever think that?”

“Because bad stuff keeps happening to me. First, with Jared, and then with Bruce at the shop. I can’t even get a loan for my dream because of the asshole.”

I didn’t need to ask to know what asshole she was referring to. I smoothed a hand down her hair and held her close. “Sometimes bad things happen to good people. But it’s what you do when that kind of things happen that makes you a good person.”

Aly tipped her head up to meet my eyes. “You mean how I almost kicked Jared even though he was already down?”

I smiled slightly. “Even good people have weak moments. You were justified in your anger. No one would have blamed you if you had beaten him to a pulp. Or believed him for that matter.”

Frowning, Aly pressed her cheek to my chest. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Still, you’d think being worthy enough to have a genie, I’d have better luck.”

I pressed my lips together tightly and then said something I knew I would regret. “You still have one more wish left. You could change your luck around.”

Aly’s head jerked back and she stared at me. “Is that what you want?”

Surprised by her question, I didn’t know what to say. Was she asking me if I wanted to leave? Did she want me to leave?

“Only if that’s what you want.” I leaned down and pressed my forehead to hers.

Breathing her in, my heart pounded in my chest. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been so nervous. I didn’t know what I wanted her to say. If she wanted me to go then I would, but then if she wanted me to stay I didn’t know how we would work out. I wasn’t human and would live longer than she ever would. Which was only one of the problems we would face.

I didn’t get to go over any more of my hang ups because Aly said in a quiet voice, “I think I could deal with having a bit of bad luck.”

My lips spread out into a grin. I lifted her into the air, spinning in a circle while she laughed. “Really? Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” She held onto me tightly as I brought her to her feet.

Holding her about the waist, I bumped my head against hers, “Well, it looks like I’m staying. There’s only one problem though.”

“What’s that?” Aly asked, her brow furrowing.

“I think we are going to have to buy me more than one set of clothes,” I gestured to the soap still bubbling on the washer, “And you might need to show me how to actually wash my clothes.”

Placing a hand over her mouth, Aly laughed, “I think I can help you out with that. After all I just got paid.” She held the envelope up she had retrieved from Jared.

“Well, I don’t know about you,” I started to lower my head, “But I’m starving.” But not for food, I finished internally as I took a hold of her mouth with mine.