His arms felt as solid as bronze and I don't know what possessed me to close my eyes. Only girls in the movies closed their eyes while they were kissing.

I wasn't a hopeless romantic but you have to give me a break, I'd just endured a severely traumatic experience and sometimes when you have PTSD you do some awfully strange things.

I wasn't one to give my love freely to anyone especially to men.

I'd never known any men besides my cousins. I'd never really dated when I was back home on the farm either. So I really didn't have any idea what i was doing. Most women my age had practiced all that kissing in the mirror. I hated the mirror. I never wanted to look too long in the mirror because once when I was 10 years old I thought I saw a ugly scaly face peering back at me. I was afraid of mirrors and dolls terrified me.

So my aunt never gifted me with any dolls

I was also allergic to salt. If I had any in my food my mouth would burn and I would get very ill.

Sometimes i would be nauseous and I would refuse to move fearing I would vomit.

I didn't like the cold and preferred hot scalding summer days. The kind that made even my big boned cousins run for cover.

"How can you even breathe Anna? It's so hot out here I can hardly catch my breath. Its absolutely stifling out. Lemonade sounds mighty nice right now. You coming in Anne?"

Jacob would wipe the streams of sweat off his red face. His face was usually a pleasant peach color but that day his face was so red from the relentless sun that he looked like ripe tomato.

"No I'll stay here. I'll be right behind you in a bit. Nothing wrong with a bit of heat. The sun honestly feels so good today, I could stay out here for ages but for your sake I won't stay outside for much longer."

He trudged back into the house. I hardly would sweat at all I felt that the sun was my ally. I could feel new strength flow through me as the sun hit my skin.

"Nothing wrong with a little bit of heat to warm the bones". I told myself out loud. Kissing him was like I had kissed the sun. I had never felt such warmth even from the sun itself.Most girls would have just melted into a puddle somewhere but I wasn't like most girls. I saw the girls that joined the tourist groups. Taking water breaks, constantly fanning themselves off and smearing on so much sunscreen that it made the locals blush with amusement.They wore dark pants accompanied with hot pink tank tops and they always were pulling out their phones to check the time and to complain to friends and family."Its so hot. Omg don't even talk to me, I'm too hot to think right now. I'm practically dying from heat. Next time we are going skiing. Yes someplace cold. I don't care where it is daddy just as long as its cold."

There was that new energy flowing through me again, but this time it was magnified by 10.

Made of fire not of stone

In the desert I make my home.

Eternal Flame

Eternal Smoke.

Sun is my blanket and the heat is my cloak.

Rise from blood and the hearts of gems

Once I awake 3 wishes I will grant unless of course you chant Bismillah, Bismillah Bismillah

There I will wait till I am reborn from the wishes of the desperate ones.

Then I shall return to claim all souls. Humanity is full of fools.

The words reverberated through my brain.

"Are you of the Djinn?".

I was still giddy from my first kiss.

I saw before me blood red eyes, huge white inhuman teeth, a dark green hideous face.

Every inch of him was green, except his black horns, his ornamental black tentacles that draped over his two broad shoulders and his blackened fingernails.

I now wanted to wash my mouth out. I wanted to wash everything just to erase the very memory of him from my mind.

He was slimy, rough, coarse and scaly in some places.

He was the most horrific thing I had ever seen. He was evil and nightmarish. I realized what I had kissed was a illusion and this monstrosity that stood before me was it's true form.

I had kissed a monster.

Whatever affections I had for this creature were now gone.

"Does this awnser your question Anna?"

The Monster spoke in a even darker and far more gravelly tone.

"I did warn you sweet Anna. I did tell you what would happen. I told you I was hideous. It's not as if I care. You aren't the first to react so dramatically.

In fact I am quite used to it. I've learned to accept that not everybody sees how absolutely majestic I am.

I am quite surprised you were fooled by my simple disguise. Surely you knew I wasn't human? Oh never mind, its not as if I care much about what people think of me."

"What about what I think of you?"

"Oh come now you. What is that human saying? Ah yes don't judge a book by its cover. So you're not going to judge me for the way I look are you?"

He frowned and pushed his bottom lip out so he would might gain my sympathy.

"You don't fool me, not anymore and you won't fool me ever again." I defiantly threw my chin up and grimaced at him contemptuously.

"So you intend on venturing out there all on your own without a guide?"

"I'd rather travel alone thank you. I wanted to travel alone in the first place anyway. Even before I met you I wanted to stay alone, so thank you for reminding me. For now I take my leave. Good day to you sir".

I expected him to stop me but instead he just stood there frozen as a grotesque statue, obviously unsure of what to say next.

"Don't try to stop me." I warned him.

"I wouldn't dream of it, but aren't you forgetting something?"

"If it involves you helping me, I'm not interested".

I searched the camp for a map and other necessary items for my journey, such as a water canteen, a weapon incase I met any more other ruffians along the way and possibly some more appropriate clothes.

"May I perhaps point out Anna that those nasty little fetters are still on around your ankles." He motioned down gracefully to my feet with one of his unnaturally long fingers of his.

"It'll have to wait till I get there."

"Oh I hope its not too much to ask but where exactly are you planning to go?"

"Far away from here, far away from civilization and far away from you."

"These deserts are full of mines, brigands, rogue ghouls, scarabs, scorpions and not to mention more Shaitan. How do you plan on surviving all that by yourself?"

"Don't underestimate me. If you think for a moment that I can't possibly survive because I'm a woman, I'm going to blow your head off".

I waved a small pistol that I had just found amongst the abandoned camp, in his face.

"You can try, but it won't do much good. I am immortal, that which is eternal cannot die."

"I know what immortal means. I'm not feeble minded. Just...just stay out of my way".

"Oh terrifying. What else will you do to me?"He asked of me mockingly

"I won't ever kiss you again, that you can be sure of".

"Why did it displease you?"

He magically materialized in front of me just to plead with me.

His green chest shimmered like a a million emeralds in the desert sun.

I nearly ran right into him but I stopped myself a few inches from his chest.

It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Tiny bits of rainbow were hidden within the green skin.

There were hints of grey and black and tiny flecks of yellow in between the creases of his body.

He noticed my peculiar interest and my lingering gaze upon his chest.

"Enjoying yourself are you?".

"No I most certainly am not. I was thinking about something else completely different".

"You are a terrible liar. No, actually terrible would be a understatement. Anything else you wish to admire?"

"Oh don't you get started on any wishes. I don't wish anything from you. Every wish you give me probably comes with a price tag."

"I assure you that there is no price for any of your wishes. You owe me nothing. In fact every wish you make I assure you will be completely free of charge".

"Really. So how about that kiss I gave you? What was that for?"

"Oh it's all part of the package my dear. Consider that kiss to be yet another bonus. One of many If I might add".

"So you're saying that kiss wasn't any kind of payment?"

"No of course not my dear. It was just a simple request. Unlike those other those sex crazed riff raff, I do not consider you to be some kind of prostitute. I did ask first before I kissed you".

"Wait I thought I kissed you".

"No it was I who kissed you. Do you have any idea how long you had your eyes closed for? It was quite awhile."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh nothing. I'm sure it's only because it was your first time."

"What is that supposed to mean? Okay I'm not talking to you anymore."

"Oh don't worry there's nothing to be ashamed of. There's a first time for everything."

"I'm not ashamed of anything. Just leave me alone!"

"I don't know if I quite understand you. Perhaps you could explain. Why is that you hate me so much?"

"Why? Because you...you...deceived me, that's why!"

"It is in my nature to be deceptive, old habits die hard, so I do apologize. How else may I make it up to you sweet Anna?"

"You can't make it up to me."

I crossed my arms like a rebellious teenager.

"Name it and I will give it to you."

"I want nothing from you!"

"I'll give you whatever you wish. I'll give you a 1,000 wishes. I would gladly give you more than 1,000 wishes. You can have a million if you so desire. May there be no limits. You can have unlimited wishes. Wishes from here to all eternity. Wishes without end." I could hear the desperation in his demon like voice.

"For crying out loud I don't want any wishes. Give it up will you. You can keep your wishes. Why don't you bother some other human airhead with your unlimited wishes routine?"

"This isn't a routine I assure you. Humans have very little interest to me. They are slow and foolish. You are intelligent, you aren't foolish in any manner and you certainly aren't slow.

None of those humans can compare to you, they cannot even match your extraordinary intellect and your magnificent beauty." He purred seductively into my ear.

"Okay quit it with the flattery. Why are you being so pushy and persistent?'

"You are a very special young woman. A very powerful young woman".

"So? How is that valuable to you?"

"You are priceless as far as value goes."

"Why all this flattery?"

"Flattery Is deceptive. I speak only the truth. You are powerful, you are special, you are extremely intelligent and incomparably beautiful."

"You want something don't you?"

I narrowed my eyes in a challenging manner.

"Yes I do but don't we all. Even the Djinn has a dream and a secret desire. I have a secret wish. You can keep a secret can't you Anna?"

"Yes I can but why trust me of all people?"

"You are different than most people. You have a trustworthy face. Your heart is honest, loyal and pure. You are fiercely loyal. You have a fire in your soul, A Restless ever burning fire.

i

All Djinn have that kind of fire living in their souls".

"So wait, I'm not human?"

"No not in the slightest. You don't have a single drop of human blood."

"Then I'm of the Djinn Kind?".

"Yes you are sweet Anna. You also have the blood of Iblis flowing through your veins. You are both Shaitan and Djinn."

"Is that unusual?"

"Its not only unusual its very very rare. It's a highly uncommon occurence. It almost never happens. Its practically a miracle that you even exist dear Anna."

"So what is this secret of yours?"

"Oh don't you know by now? I'm searching for a mate. A soulmate if you will. A soul mate to be with me for all eternity".

"An eternity with you? Look I don't want to hurt your feelings but let's just say you're not my type".

"You have a type? You never knew what love was until you met me."

"It wasn't love, it was a mere infatuation."

"Is there any chance you could learn to love me?"

"I'd almost feel sorry but you're a soul sucking Demon, so no, there is no chance of that."

"I AM NOT A DEMON!.I do not feed on human souls, I only feed on wishes."

His voice sounded of 1000 voices speaking in perfect unison.

"So that's why you were so desperate for me to make all those wishes. You just wanted to drain me of all my energy and then when I was weak enough you'd have carried me away so you could marry me."

"How very inventive and original but no I hadn't any intention of draining you of your life force. Those wishes were tokens of my affection towards you. They were gifts for our wedding. Besides it would be quite impossible for me to feed off any of your wishes. I can only feed off the wishes of humans. I may have limitless power but there are rules."

"How absolutely...disgusting! So the only reason you granted me any wishes was so you could gain my trust and hopefully my affection.

You used wishes to take advantage of me."

I charged at him and shoved him with all my aggression.

"You men are all the same you give things just so you can be given things in in return. I don't need your gifts, your wishes, your help, your love, your affection or any of your wedding presents. You can keep your wishes, your kisses and your stupid tokens of affection to yourself."

"Oh so you think those despicable men and I are the same?"

"Yes, you are despicable, you are disgusting, you are hideous, you are the most grotesque mythical creature I've ever seen and I wish I'd never met you."

"Please don't wish that." His expression went a unpleasant shade of grey. He looked worried.

"You are a Wishmaster aren't you? I wish that every single memory of you was erased from my head".

"I can't grant that to you."

"Why not?" I snapped back at him

"If you forget me you will forget everything I told you about your origin.

You will find yourself amongst those humans, wandering the earth, restless as a ghost, roaming to and fro without end. Never knowing your true purpose. Lost for all eternity, never being at ease, never resting, moving through the crowds of humanity without a single clue of where you are going. There will forever be a emptiness that will never be filled and you'll always feel inadequate and out of place no matter where you are and no matter where you go. You don't belong with the humans Anna if you continue to live amongst their kind a part of you will die. If you give up being who you are all together, I hate to say it, in fact It pains me to say this, but you will not survive sweet Anna."

"You mean i could die?"

"There is a old saying in my realm that a Djinn without a home is a Djinn without a heart. Your place is with my people Anna not with all this riff raff. Those despicable men that nearly sold you into slavery there are more just like them. There are more of those gremlins waiting in the shadows for you. I'm sure you can handle them all by yourself, you're a nice strong girl after all, but just imagine if one those greedy men found out what you are. I know what they'd do. I know how they think. The only thing they love more than physical pleasure is power.

A Little metal, a pinch of salt and few chants and they could control you without very little trouble. There are few that remember our weaknesses but those that do wait for the perfect opportunity to use such knowledge. There was once a beautiful Djinn from my tribe who ventured to the world of the humans and on her finger a evil man placed a ring. If she was ever disobedient to him he would place on her another ring.

Eventually there was a ring on every finger and then he had ten more rings forged to fit upon her toes. She eventually never argued and she only obeyed. Then her powers faded until she could no longer grant any wishes.

The Evil man took her to the center of the desert and he left her there to die. The only thing that had kept her alive was the hope that she would one day return to our Realm. Only then when she returned to her people was she revived. Don't make the mistake of trusting humans. Humans will always disappoint you, no matter how much you trust them. That story is a excellent example."

"Well since you put it that way, I suppose I'll stay here for the time being. I am not I repeat I am not going to be your wife. I'm not going to fall in love with you like some sick fairy tale. I still despise you but i will allow you to escort me to the next abandoned area. After that I don't want to see you again is that clear?"

"Crystal. I'd be happy to escort you wherever you wish".

"Remind me to wish for a restraining order."

"That won't be necessary. I'll be out of your hair before you know it , don't you worry. I can take rejection. I'll survive without you but I shall miss you, when i go."

"I wish I could say the same but I don't have any feelings for you, so there's no loss there".

Then something strange happened to my mouth, my tongue felt like it was twisted in a knot and my lips twitched and jerked from side to side.

"I'm going to miss how your skin shimmers in the desert sun and I'll miss the colors of grey, yellow black in every crease of your face. Why did I say that? I didn't mean that. I don't... i... miss...I'll miss the beautiful way you tell stories to me. I don't even like you. I hate you, but at the same time there's this admiration. Oh what's the use i hate myself more than anything".

I sat down on the same rug I had slept on.

"You hate yourself for what?"

"I hate myself for lying to you. I hate myself for telling those terribly stupid things to you."

"The ones where you said you hate me or the one's that you said you'd miss me?"

"Both actually. I don't actually hate you. I don't even despise you. Then I said all that nonsense about your chest and your skin shimmering."

"That's not nonsense, you only spoke of what you saw. Just a mere observance. The bit about my storytelling was your opinion. As for all the hatred and aggression that was just you protecting yourself.

Djinn are well known to be a fiery folk. We came from fire, we were born of the flame, therefore each of us carry our own undying torch of passion. You thought I was meaning to tame you, so like a dragon you bit back."

"So I spoke the truth". I gazed into the horizon to see the dying sun.

"You wished for the truth and the truth came to you. The truth was already there you just wished to speak it out loud". He laughed dryly, his laughter sounded of a million thorns being thrown into a open fire.

"So you granted me my wish?"

"You could of very well granted it yourself". His blackened lips curled into a sinister smile.

I realized he was merely being playful, Even though he appeared to be a sinister, dark and demonic entity.

I stood up on my own two feet.

"Well I think its only fair since you saved my life that I owe you a wish." I offered him.

"How generous. Any wish besides marriage of course right?"

"Any wish besides marriage."

"I'm in search of something. A certain gem. It is broken and I would very much like to have it fixed."

"So you want me to fix it or you want me to find it?"

"Fixing it would be a easy task but in order to do that I must first find it first.

Help me find that gem."

"Anything else you'd like?"

"I wish to find the gem then grant the soul that opened it 3 wishes".

"Bound in blood from the heart of the gem, within the heart of Jewels I make my home, reborn from desire and desperate cries, from the death I arise.

Oh awaken me from your despair, from bloody shards, I escape, give me your wishes so I may make a new world."

I remembered a old poem I had read from a open book long ago.

"Impressive. You are very well learned."

"So the gem that is broken was your home previously. You were bound to it until someone touched the stone and freed you from your crimson prison.

The gem is red right?"

"Correct".

"Yet I don't understand the last bit where where you make a new world".

"The new world is where all the Djinn shall once more be free to enter the human realm. Most humans consider this to be a time of chaos and mass destruction."

"Will it be? Be honest with me".

"I do not plan to annihilate the whole human race. Many of humankind will survive and many will live. Once my people are free, humans shall no longer rule us, we shall rule them. We used to be the most revered and the most feared race upon the earth. We shall be once more. Does that plan displease you?"

"I have no ties to humans, so I'll have to admit your plan actually sounds pretty nice. I'll help you find the gem and I'll help you find the person that freed you. Consider it your two wishes."

"What of my third wish?"

"Use your imagination. I'm sure you'll think of something".