His gaze fell on Jacinth, who sat curled gracefully in the corner of the sofa. "And you are...?"
At exactly that moment, a vision of red hair, green eyes and porcelain skin appeared at Jacinth's side, luxuriously clad in a long silk caftan in shades of emerald and amber. Jewels trembled at her ears and encircled her wrists, catching the light with every graceful movement. Her rippling waves of dark red hair cascaded to her waist, framing features which somehow managed to combine the elegance of a silver screen goddess with the sensuality of a 1950s bombshell.
"Darling!" She exclaimed, leaning in to kiss Jacinth's cheeks, her perfume a subtle blend of jasmine and roses. "I came as soon as I heard."
Ethan stood transfixed, apparently unable to take his eyes from the woman before him. Her emerald eyes narrowed on him, sparkling with curiosity and perhaps a touch of amusement. "And who is this?"
"Ethan Carter, at your service." Apparently recovering, he stepped forward to take her hand, raising it to his lips with old-world courtesy. "Enchanté."
"Oh!" The vision of femininity smiled at him, dimpling as her eyes sparkled in delight. "Well, it is my pleasure, of course. I am Zahra."
"We're Djinn," Jacinth said bluntly. She added, "And you can forget about us, now that you know. The shapeshifters might have been outed, but no one is to know about the Djinn." She paused, uncertainty flickering across her face as she glanced at her mother. "At least... are they?"
"No, dear one." Zahra's melodic voice carried centuries of wisdom. "That's what I came to tell you. I've spoken with Kieran, and he says the Djinn Council has agreed we are to hold back for now, and watch." Her emerald eyes softened with compassion. "We are allies, however, to our shapeshifter friends, and will lend them what support we can." Her lips parted in a soft sigh, a crease forming between her perfect brows as she considered the implications. "Probably in the form of rescues."
Ethan looked curiously between the two, the honey-skinned Jacinth with her ebony hair and large brown eyes, and the elegant red-haired, emerald-eyed sultress. The pair shared no obvious resemblance, one petite and dark, the other tall and sinuous with her flame-colored tresses. "You're related?"
Jacinth dimpled mischievously, her chocolate eyes sparkling with amusement at his obvious confusion. "She's my mother."
His jaw dropped, and he stared from one to the other in disbelief. "She cannot possibly be old enough to be your mother."
Douglas cleared his throat, shifting with a combination of impatience and bewilderment. "Excuse me? Breaking news, and all that?"
"Oh, right." Jacinth looked apologetic.
There was a stir in the hallway, and a large man, tall and broad, and deeply tanned, with dark blond hair and mossy green eyes, came through the doorway. Katerina darted across the room, her slippers silent on the hardwood floor, to throw herself into his arms. His familiar scent of leather and spice enveloped her as she pressed her face into his chest.
"Troy! I'm so glad you got here fast." Her voice trembled a little, and he held her tighter, one hand stroking her wild black hair.
"Of course I came straight away, kitty cat." He held up a bottle of amber-colored fluid, the light from the window catching its rich golden hue. "I had a feeling we'd need this."
Douglas grabbed it from him, his eyes widening as he read the label. "Whoa! This is Balvenie Caribbean Cask."
"I've been saving it up for a special occasion." Troy's deep voice rumbled through his chest where Katerina still clung to him. "Seems like it might be needed about now."
"It sure is." Douglas cradled the bottle like a precious treasure.
Ethan was staring at Katerina, recognition dawning in his eyes as he leaned forward in his chair. "You're Katerina Kazakis."
She blinked at him, surprise flickering in her golden eyes. "I am. And you are? Oh…" She flushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, you said your name before, but I've already forgotten."
"Understandable. I'm Ethan Carter. Er, my sister is a fan. She has several of your designs in her closet." A slight flush crept up his neck.
"Nice to meet you. At least, I think." Her lips trembled as she made an effort at smiling. "And," she added, "this is my husband, Troy Shelton."
Troy reached out a huge hand for Ethan to shake, his moss-green eyes assessing the smaller man. "I take it you're a friend?"
Jacinth snickered from her perch on the arm of Douglas's chair. "He is now." Her dark eyes sparkled with amused interest.
"He and his sister are guests of the inn," Angus explained, his deep voice resonating through the room. "They arrived from England only a few hours ago."
"Er." Uncertainty and anticipation mingled on Ethan's face. His eyes bounced between the gathered people and the steps leading upward. "Actually, about my sister. She'll never forgive me if she sleeps through all of this excitement. Would you mind?" He motioned to the staircase.
Douglas waved a hand, resignation clear in the set of his shoulders. "Might as well. By now the entire world knows..." He sighed, running fingers through his toffee-colored hair. "Or will, soon enough."
Zahra stirred, her graceful movements drawing attention as she glanced at the ornate clock mounted on the wall.. "Dear one, I must return to Qaf. The Council requires my presence for an emergency session to discuss..." She waved an elegant hand at the television screen where the fox-versus-bear footage continued to play on mute. Her jeweled bracelets caught the light, sending prisms dancing across the walls. "All of this."
Jacinth rose from her perch on Douglas's chair, the silk of her caftan rustling as she moved to embrace her mother. "Of course. Will you come back afterward?"
