The Mermaids' Pearl: Semi-Sequel to Emmett's Jeanie

Chapter 6

Jeanie's POV:

I didn't let myself relax any though at Witanica's words, for even it she was telling the truth it could mean that she was planning something wicked for a white witch. And I was not about to risk the fury of the Genie Council and the High White Witch should something happen to one of them. Witanica looked at me again before rolling her eyes and waving her hand through the air a bit towards me.

"Oh always the goody goody aren't you Jeanie, even when it's nothing like your species was meant to be when you were first created by the scorned birdmen flying around. You should have reveled in serving masters like Nero, celebrating the death and carnage that you caused with but a snap of your fingers." (Wit)

I heard Emmett growl at her from deep within his chest as she let out an evil cackle and I flinched in on myself for a moment. I saw Emmett move to charge her but I kept him from going anywhere by standing in front of him. I watched as her black eyes seemed to light up even more as she watched his reaction as well as mine with a smirk on her face.

"Why even your beloved lover has blood on his hands yet you still want everyone to play together so nice. How disappointed the angels must be in creating such, docile creatures." (Wit)

"No more disappointed than the demon that had to deal with you when you started practicing. Now you will leave my past and my lover out of this conversation from here on out or I swear I will break my own council's rules to reign my own form of terror down on you." (J)

"Oh I see you've gotten more fire in you since the last time I'd seen you. It's about time, may I assume your lover boy had something to do with that?" (Wit)

I felt another bubble of anger swell within even though I knew she was simply doing it to push my buttons. I snapped my fingers before I could stop myself and her once black walls were hot pink with white polka dots. I saw her eyes light up in rage before Emmett wrapped his arms around my waist in an attempt to calm me down, just as a smirk crossed her face.

"You will leave him out of this now or I swear we will find another dark witch to help." (J)

"Not likely that any would be willing to help, or at least not as willing as I am and with a deal as good as what I'm offering. Is there Jeanie?" (Wit)

I held my tongue, angry that she called my bluff but also angry knowing that she was right. I felt Maddy squeeze my arm again and I knew she was afraid that I was telling the truth. For even Maddy knew that not many dark witches would even consider helping her let alone offer such an 'easy' deal. Witanica laughed a bit at me before rolling her eyes.

"If it puts your mind to rest it's for another dark witch that has challenged me at the next blood moon. That is in three months-time, so I need all the pain filled screams that dear Madeline here can provide every time she has to be changed back into a human by you." (Wit)

"And if......if my pearl has another or I fail in some other way?" (Mad)

"I'm afraid then that your voice and your pain will be mine for as long as either you or myself live." (Wit)

"How is the deal finished?" (Mad)

"Quite simple really, your pearl must tell you he loves you." (Wit)

"Ha. What no true loves kiss needed for this deal as it was needed for the last one?" (J)

"Oh Jeanie, don't you know that kisses are not as serious as they once were so just a kiss will not do. No her pearl must say out loud that he loves her but if he is forced to, it will not count. It must of his own free choice that he says it, and of course he must mean it with his entire soul." (Wit)

I roll my eyes at her adding that knowing full well that no genie could ever force someone to tell someone else they loved them. We were genies, not cupids. I felt Maddy tense next to me and I knew she was weighing her options. If she lost her voice, she lost the only way she had to communicate with her pearl if he was human. She could speak English, Italian, Greek, and even Hebrew but she could not read any of the languages except mermish.

"Oh I can see the battle waging in your mind little mermaid. Tough choice isn't it?" (Wit)

"You are just as cruel as she was." (J)

"Oh I know, but I'm also smarter than she was as I'm sure you too know. I know that this deal offers her much more than she expected and I know that she has no other options. Nor do I when it comes to the screams that I need. I will give you a day perhaps to think it over, shall I? But I must have an answer by tomorrow night my little mermaid, or the deal changes." (Wit)

I watched as she cackled before we were surrounded by black fog. When it cleared, we were just outside the graveyard's metal gate, watching it slam shut in front of us. I felt another wave of anger rush over me towards that foul witch's deal, knowing that it wasn't much better than the one given to Milania so many centuries ago.

"Come on, Gio has an apartment over on Bourbon Street that we can stay at tonight. We need to talk." (J)