Read Online Burn With Me by R. G. Alexander - Free Book Online Page A

out her arms and sighed dramatically. “Yes, yes, Ms. Spanish Inquisition, you did indeed see me. I can currently appear to you alone at any time, but since these two have seen what you can do and we can’t have them inadvertently putting you in more danger, I knew I had to make a decision. There are rules as to what I am allowed to do, and I broke several of them this afternoon. Now I’m breaking a few more. But what are rules if not something to be broken, yes?”
    Not-Penn tilted her head and studied Aziza. “Speaking through them was the only way I could tell you what you needed to know, save you , until my tau’ma— you would use the word partner, I believe — receives approval for us to disclose the necessary information and brings back our official traveling papers.” Aziza’s strange visitor snorted, eerie emerald eyes sparkling. “Bureaucracy, you call it. I name it as the demon it is. The mere idea that we need permission to interact with—”
    Greg pushed Aziza behind himself, interrupting her possessed aunt with a glare. “What. Are. You?”
    One blonde eyebrow lifted in surprise. “Welcome to the game, man of clay. Slow, but look how quickly you bounced back. I’m impressed you haven’t fainted yet. Humans have that tendency around me, for various reasons I won’t go into right now.”
    Not-Penn bowed with a flourish. “I am called Ram, since the woman who bore me loves long, important-sounding names that no one can pronounce and I’m always looking for the shortcut. What I am is currently not an accepted topic for discussion. You should be asking what Aziza is.”
    Aziza laid her forehead on Greg’s back for a moment, knowing he was trying to protect her. Knowing without a doubt that in this case he couldn’t. She walked around him. “Ram? What am I then? How did you make my hands do that?”
    Not-Penn’s expression was serious. Almost pitying. “You are the last descendant of your father. All that remains of what was already a rare and unique lineage. Once you’d accepted your gift with the oath of blood and your initiation had begun, my tau’ma, Shev, and I decided to intervene before the line was completely eradicated. Since you’ve had no exposure to that part of your family, no inkling of what it is you are or how to protect yourself, we didn’t believe it was fair to abandon you to the whims of chance—regardless of the cost to us. My one mistake was not waiting for Shev’s return before awakening the spark within you.” That smile again. “But I couldn’t resist, and you must admit you enjoyed the experience.”
    Aziza looked up at Greg, knowing he would see her pallor, her confusion. She also hoped he would see her resolve. “I need a drink. Desperately. Penn has cognac in the cabinet above the fridge. Grab me a glass?”
    He resisted, sending her a “no way in hellam I moving from this spot” expression. She countered with a “trust me and do it because I can out-stubbornyou” glare. Finally he nodded and moved to the kitchen, keeping her and Penn in view the entire time, while Aziza turned to face her possessed aunt.
    “Look, you twisted motherfucker. Get out of her now . I don’t care what you are—you can’t play with people like they’re lifeless dolls. She’s a human being.”
    “Language, please.” Not-Penn sighed and shook her head, blonde curls swaying with the movement. “She is human, yes. And I hate to disagree with you, but this is exactly how I can play with her. As long as I do no harm in this body or to it, it is fully permissible under the law. It also ensures my protection.” Aziza continued to stare stone-faced at the creature until it relented. “However, I can see you don’t understand, and I have no desire to anger you further, Fireborne. You would never forgive yourself or me if you lost control again.”
    “Why do you keep calling me that?” Penn staggered and Aziza reached for her, pulling her pint-sized aunt into her arms.