Ari leaned up to brush her mouth over his, loving the way his fingers dug into her hips with need. “You make that sound so much worse than it is.”

His kiss quickly turned hot and deep. Finally, Jai pulled back, their breathing heavy. “We should get back.”

“Or find the nearest hotel.”

“Or find the nearest hotel,” he agreed, his eyes heavily lidded with passion.

And then Jai’s cell beeped and he groaned, dropping his head against hers as he pulled the phone from his back pocket. He groaned again. “It’s Michael. He says once we’re done here, he needs us back at his place to discuss our next assignment.”

Ari frowned, took his cell, and began texting.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m telling him we’ll see him in the morning. It’s almost midnight, Jai. We need ‘us time’ and some rest.”

“I know.” He sighed but she could hear the teasing in his voice. “It’s not like we’re immortal or anything.”

She rolled her eyes and shoved his cell suggestively back in his pocket. “That’s the fifth time this month you’ve used that joke. You need to get new material.”

“You need to get your hand out of my pocket unless you want to do this in a cemetery.”

“Mmm, kinky,” Ari laughed.

Jai chuckled. “You’re a nut.”

“I’m your nut.”

“This is true.” His expression grew tender as he dipped his head to kiss her again.

“Ugh, gag me. Could you two be anymore sickening?”

The unfamiliar voice was a splash of ice water that drew them apart. Ari whirled around and her shoulders slumped in annoyance at the sight of the gnarled Jinn sitting atop a nearby headstone.

Another Utukku.

“Another one?” she huffed.

“You know they sometimes travel in pairs,” Jai reminded her.

She cracked her knuckles as she gazed up at her boyfriend. “Let’s make this quick. I do intend to get lucky at some point tonight.”

Lips curled at the corners, Jai nodded and then turned to the Utukku. He took a menacing step toward the Jinn.

“I’ll do the honors this time.”

“I’ve got your back, baby,” Ari answered, following him into the fight.

Always.

THE END