Thoth by Alessa Thorn

18

Minutes later, Kema found herself standing on the warm white sands of Marina El Alamein, her mind still pleasure-fuzzed and trying to catch up with what Thoth had been saying.

“How do you know it’s a djinn we are hunting?” she asked Thoth.

He looked obscenely calm and collected, as if he hadn’t wrecked her and her underwear moments ago.

Thoth reached into his pocket and pulled out a glowing orb. “This is an early warning system for magical surges. Usually when it glows red like this, there’s a djinn somewhere in Egypt doing deals. Djinn’s magical signatures are unique, so this will lead us right to it.”

Kema looked around at the beach side restaurants and well-dressed people, strolling along and laughing. Marina El Alamein was a resort town where the wealthy of Egypt liked to relax and spend money.

“Why would a djinn choose a place like this to make deals instead of a slum? These people lack nothing,” Kema asked, straightening the hem of her purple top self-consciously. Rich people made her nervous in a way she hated.

“Djinn love the wealthy because they usually had to do something illegal to become so. Flexible morals are something that djinn can easily exploit. Rich assholes always think they are the ones making the good deal,” Thoth replied with a shake of his head. “No one gets the upper hand in a djinn deal, except the djinn. Don’t listen to anything it promises you.”

“I won’t as long as you don’t try and make me into bait this time,” she replied.

“I only did that once! I’m never going to live that down, am I?”

“Never. You wait until I decide what your punishment should be.” Kema bit her lip and fluttered her lashes cheekily at him.

Thoth didn’t seem worried. In fact, his expression grew deviant. “Just remember I can give as good as you can, and I have many, many more years of practice to know how to torture you.”

His hot gaze dropped to her crotch before he raised a knowing eyebrow that had her clit pulsing and turned back to the night crowd. Shaken that he had that kind of effect on her, Kema had to physically drag her body after him or be left behind.

They found the djinn standing under a palm by a resort pool bar, drinking a pink cocktail that matched her dress and the bright bougainvillea tattooed on her black shoulder. Gold glittered from multiple rings in her ears and elaborate necklace. Everything about her drew the eye and dazzled.

She was chatting candidly with a sunburned man with fair hair and a thick European accent. Her throaty laughter broke off when she saw Thoth moving towards her.

“I’m so sorry to interrupt your drinks. Please leave,” Thoth told her companion. His annoyed expression vanished as Thoth’s magic took hold, and he walked back inside. Now that they were alone, some of the djinn’s glamor dimmed, and for a moment, flames burned in her eyes.

“That was rude, even for one of your kind,” the djinn said, stirring her cocktail with a straw. Her golden eyes flicked to Kema. “And whatever the fuck she is.”

“Kema is the one that foolishly let you out of the Duat. She’s here to correct her error,” Thoth replied.

“Is she now?” The djinn laughed, a sparkling wonderful sound that made Kema yearn to be just like her. Kema shook her head, trying to clear the buzz of the djinn’s charm magic away.

She eyed Kema. “I thank you for releasing me, child. Let me repay you. Tell me what you desire most, and I’ll give it to you.”

Thoth began to make small patterns with his fingers behind his back, and Kema could sense his magic weaving in the air even if the djinn couldn’t. Kema had to keep her talking and distracted.

“I sense there is an if in there somewhere,” Kema said, inspecting her nails like she had actually bothered with a manicure.

“If you convince Thoth here to let me remain free. I’m not hurting anyone. I’m merely providing a service,” the djinn purred and drew closer to Kema. “Tell me, beautiful one, what do you want most in the world?”

A few weeks ago, Kema might have asked to know who her real family was, but now she knew it was Hermes. She would’ve asked to learn magic, but she had that now too.

“How about money? Humans love money,” the djinn asked.

Kema shrugged. “I’m okay, I can make my own.”

“What about a man or woman you desire?” The djinn pressed, running a hand down Kema’s arm.

Kema looked Thoth over. “I’m doing fine there too.” The djinn followed her gaze.

“Oh, my dear. You should know better than to fall in love with the moon. He might be magical and beautiful but will always be cold and distant.”

The djinn walked over to Thoth, flames dancing in her eyes and glamor thick in the air. She circled him, her hand running over his back and chest. Kema’s possessive streak reared up, and she fought to push it back down.

The djinn was desire itself as she pressed up against Thoth. “Please, don’t send me back. I will be so very good this time. I promise.”

“I wish I could believe you,” Thoth replied.

“You can. I would never lie to you, Great One.” The djinn put her arms around his neck, her mouth reaching up toward his. “Let me warm your ancient flesh and give you a thousand nights of the most intense pleasure—”

Kema erupted, her hand rapidly flicking through the motions to summon the star in her hand and shot it at the djinn. She startled, letting go of Thoth and turning just as Kema collided with her. They sailed through the air, hitting the water of the pool with a crash.

The djinn thrashed, wrestling with Kema under the water until it let out an eerie, earth-shattering scream and exploded. Kema flew backward into the tiled side of the pool, momentarily blacking out. She came around seconds later in an empty pool, the puddles of water and her soaked clothes steaming. All that remained of the djinn was a scorch mark and melted gold.

“Well, that was one way to get rid of it,” Thoth said, climbing down beside her.

“You were taking too long,” Kema groaned. Thoth’s mouth was twitching, trying to hold in his laughter, and helped her stand.

“Easy, you hit that wall hard and survived an exploding djinn,” he said, looping his arm around her waist.

Shouts were coming toward them, and Thoth dragged her through a doorway. Kema blinked, the air warm and steaming around her.

“Where are we?” she asked.

Thoth’s magic sizzled in the air, and warm lights glowed to life. Kema stumbled back, staring at the marble and aqua pools around her.

“This is the bathhouse underneath the store. Now, let me have a look at you to make sure you don’t have a head injury,” Thoth said, leading her over to a marble bench and making her sit down. He pressed a clean towel to her head, and Kema winced.

“Ow,” she complained. She thought that the wetness on the side of her face was water, but when he pulled the cloth back, she saw it was blood.

Thoth tsked under his breath and sent delicious hot healing magic through the cut. “What were you thinking, attacking a djinn like that?”

“I was thinking I didn’t want her rubbing her tits all over you,” Kema snapped, yanking the towel out of his hand to wipe the blood and ash off her face.

Thoth threw his head back and laughed. Kema hit him with the towel, but he only laughed harder.

“She could have killed you with a snap of her fingers, but you attacked her because you were jealous? You’re insane,” he said. He grabbed her face and kissed her, pulling her in a hot and heady embrace. “Insane and beautiful and brave.”

Thoth kissed her again, and Kema dragged him closer, her wet and ash-stained hands twisting in his shirt, leaving dirty marks all over him.

“Mmm, we need to get all of this dead djinn off you,” he said and toyed with the hem of her scorched shirt. Thoth looked almost shy as he asked, “Come for a bath with me?”

Kema knew where a bath would lead, but she was being offered a moment to step back if she wasn’t ready. Kema didn’t hesitate for long. She lifted her arms, her sore back protesting. Thoth only smiled and raised the fabric over her head.