Claimed by the Desert

Chapter Eight

So sorry it's a bit late! In an attempt to try and make up for it being late, I'm dedicating this chapter to all of this story's fans! Thanks guys!

Chapter Eight

Vera took a deep breath after she finished rambling off everything she knew about Amias, the jinni. Halsten hadn't said a word during her rant, but he did look a bit upset.

"So that's everything you know?' he asked after she had finally caught her breath.

She nodded and replied, "I'm sure the book Papa gave me could tell us more about it though. I'm thinking we need to figure something out soon, there's no telling how long that thing will keep Kareem alive."

"Thing?" he asked, his mouth pulling down into a sneer.

"Well, I told you I don't really know that much about it," she said, not understanding his sudden hostility.

Halsten stood up rather abruptly, making Vera jump in surprise. The temperature in the room dropped significantly and she knew what that meant.

"Halsten! Amias is here in the room with us! The temperature has just dropped, like I told you it does when he is around."

Her eyes searched the room and she backed slowly toward the door, motioning for Halsten to do the same.  When he made no move to do as she instructed, Vera tried tugging on his sleeve. She stopped scanning the room long enough to look up at his face and what she saw made her step back in shock and fear. Rage seemed to ooze from him like pitch black tar and his eyes blazed with a ruby glow.

"Foolish, spiteful, irritating, little girl," Amias's voice mocked from Halsten's mouth. "Did you really think I would let you tell everyone my secret?"

"A-amias? What have you done to Halsten? What have you done to Kareem?!"

Her voice had started out stuttering and unsure, but turned to hysterical shrieking by the end. Amias shoved her back against the door as her voice began to echo through the house. She was just about to scream for her father when his – or rather, Halsten's - hand clamped down over her mouth. She tried to wriggle away from him but the more she moved, the more it felt as if a crushing weight was pinning her against the wall.  Eventually she struggled with the effort to even breathe.

"I ought to kill you for this betrayal," Amias told her. "I've killed for less – much less."

Vera's heart began hammering out an erratic beat against her ribcage as her fear of the jinni increased with each word.

"It amazes me that I haven't killed you yet. If you were anyone else, I would have. But you..." he trailed off, looking at her with a puzzled expression. "What is it about you that has me so enthralled?"

Vera tried shaking her head, but only managed to move it about a centimeter to the left. She wasn't sure exactly what she was trying to convey, but she wanted to be rid of him as soon as possible.

"Now, now, don't try to interrupt. That's rude."

He moved away and began pacing back and forth in front of her, pausing every few seconds to eye her with the same look of confusion as earlier. Suddenly his eyes narrowed on her and his hand clamped down hard on her throat.

"I've decided to give you two options," he stated in a calm, even tone, as if moments ago he hadn't threatened her death. "You can forget this night ever happened and never betray me again, or you can keep on trying to expose me and watch all of your friends die bloody, horrifying deaths. Which will it be?"

The invisible weight on her chest lifted slightly, enough for her to draw her first deep breath since the whole ordeal began. Her first instinct was to scream, but Vera knew if she tried Amias would probably hurt or even kill her, so instead she forced herself to calm down and try to come up with a solution to her predicament.