Possessed by Desire by Elisabeth Naughton Read Free Book Online Page A

wasn’t the case for her, fallen or not.
    She considered what he was offering. The only plus to the opal at this point was that it bound him to her, not the other way around. Then she caught the spark of fear in his eyes.
    He still didn’t believe her. He wasn’t planning to give her anything. And if she released him like he wanted, she had no doubt he’d disappear into the mist and she’d never see him again.
    “No.” She dropped her hand. “I’ll not take it off.”
    His jaw tightened. “This is not a game you want to play, noor .”
    Oh, but she did. And not simply because winning meant she’d be able to pass into his realm. But because being with him, challenging him, made her feel…alive. In a way nothing and no one ever had before. For the first time since she’d concocted this crazy plan, confidence swelled inside her.
    A slow smile slinked across her face, and she moved in front of the couch, then eased down to the cushions, draping her body over the seat in a way she knew would entice him.
    “I’m not afraid to get burned, djinni. And from where I’m sitting, it looks like you have a job to do.” She glanced at his hips, where the stirrings of an erection pressed against the soft cotton of his pants. Oh, he still wanted her. That was another plus in her favor. Djinn, after all, were ruled by their desires.
    Dragging her gaze back up to his full lips, she smiled wider and added, “I think it’s time you stopped arguing about something we both know you want and got on with it.”
     
    * * *
     
    Ashur’s heart pounded as he stared down at Claire, laid out over the couch like an offering for his most wicked desires.
    The months of training, of denial, of sexual frustration coalesced inside him until the blood pounded in his ears and throbbed in his cock.
    He gathered his strength. Black smoke swirled around him as he transported his body from the middle of her hut to the beach outside. He needed a minute to think. Needed to get away from her so he could do that.
    Soft granules of sand cradled his feet. He breathed deep and looked out over the rolling waves.
    She wasn’t going to release him—that much was clear. And he couldn’t go back to Zoraida until he’d accomplished his goal. But he wouldn’t open himself to the possibility of her stealing his powers either. His mind swirled as he scanned the water’s surface. He wished he’d paid more attention in school. Nasir was the thinker, not him. He had no doubt Nasir would know exactly what to do with a celestial being like Claire.
    He tried to recall everything he knew about her realm. Angels had no free will. Each performed a job for Allah. But some could take human form, and sometimes Allah sent them to test souls to see if they could be corrupted. He’d heard stories of djinn who’d fallen prey to these types of tests in the human realm. Djinn who’d gone with the intention of toying with a human soul only to have their powers stripped by an angel in disguise. And the way they’d done so was in that moment when the djinni opened himself up, either emotionally or physically.
    Indecision warred as he looked back at the hut. And his entire body hardened when he remembered the way she’d looked at him, the sparkle in her eyes when she’d all but offered herself, the intensity with which she’d climaxed earlier.
    Fallen or not, she wanted him. He didn’t know if it was a result of free will or simply a test, but maybe…
    If she wasn’t bound to the opal, then there was a strong possibility she couldn’t command him, not like a bound human. Which meant that until he corrupted her soul, he could do whatever the hell he wanted, and she wouldn’t be able to protest.
    And an idea took root. One that grew in strength and possibility with every second. It was wicked. It was dangerous. But she’d said she wanted to be thoroughly seduced. He knew one surefire way to do that. The only question was whether or not she truly had any powers