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sense this?”
    Did she really not know? She was acting like this was a surprise. “When she…” Shit. Awkward . He squared his shoulders. “When she climaxed.”
    A slow smile spread across Zoraida’s face, followed by a laugh that seemed to grow from her belly in strength and intensity. “She’s fallen. She has to be.”
    “What the hell does that mean?”
    “It means, djinni, that her powers are bound on earth.” She tapped her fingers against her ruby-red lips again, her gaze far off as if she were looking into another realm. Or the future.
    Abruptly, she dropped her hands and faced him once more. “You’ll go back. And this time, you will not fail. I want her soul.”
    “No.” He moved back a step. “No fucking way.” He wasn’t losing his powers to an angel. Zoraida might bind his powers here so she could control her slaves, but he wasn’t losing them for good.
    Her hand shot out, and an arc of energy ripped through his body, hurling him back until he hit the wall. He slumped to the floor. Pain spiraled up his spine and stars fired off behind his eyes, but he struggled to stay conscious.
    She lunged over him, her face no longer beautiful but taut with rage. “Do you think you have a choice, djinni? You are a slave. My slave, and you will do what you are commanded. Do you think the dungeons were bad? I have the power to make you feel pain like you’ve never experienced. And though you hide it, somewhere, someplace there is someone you care about. If you fail me, not only will I make your life a living hell, I will destroy theirs. I will make it my life’s work. Only then you will know the full extent of my power.”
    Fear flashed through Ashur. Not for himself—he didn’t care what happened to him anymore—but for his parents. No, they hadn’t looked for him when he’d gone missing, but he didn’t want them dead.
    Slowly, Zoraida straightened, but her fury-filled gaze never left his. “Bring me. That. Angel’s. Soul,” she ground out. “Do whatever it takes. Just do not fail.”

 
     
    CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
    Claire straightened the bed and tried not to freak the hell out.
    Her hands shook as she smoothed the bedspread, then sank down to the end of the mattress.
    She’d sent Ashur back without a fight. Nerves gathered in her belly, felt like a stone weight dropping. Whatever she’d said or done in that moment of release had obviously freaked him out. What had happened?
    She couldn’t remember. All she knew was the way he’d made her feel had been electric. Amazing. The most soul-shattering thing she’d ever experienced. And she wanted to feel it again. Wanted more. Wanted him.
    She blew out a breath, combed both hands through her unruly hair, tried to calm the nerves bouncing around in her stomach like Mexican jumping beans. He was good, she had to give him that. Hot. Sexy as hell. And now… Now she didn’t know where he was or even if he was coming back. And thanks to her epic lack of self-control, she also didn’t know if she’d just ruined her chance to find the opals.
    A breeze blew the curtains from the windows, and a chill spread down her spine. Rising, she looked across the sand at the swirling black smoke, slowly fading to reveal the man— djinni —once again standing on her beach.
    She swallowed hard, and those nerves kicked up even higher. He was back. Why so soon? What had happened in his realm? And what the hell was she going to say when she faced him again?
    Heat crept up her cheeks, and a dark craving ignited in her belly. One that left her rattled.
    Play it cool. Act like you don’t care. Whatever you do, don’t spook him again .
    She drew in another breath, let it out. Moved to the sitting area of her hut and eased down to the couch cushions while she waited.
    Seconds ticked by on the clock in the kitchen, echoing through the small hut. What was taking him so long? What could he possibly be doing out there?
    The door to her hut finally pushed open, and she looked