He stood over the cluttered yard sale table with his rescued treasure. Holding the tarnished brass oil lamp, he turned and studied it as his imagination ran wild with thoughts of wish fulfillment. The lamp was heavier than he had thought it would be before picking it up. Still fighting a growing urge to rub its metal skin, his eyes darted all about to see if anyone was watching without giving away that he cared whether or not anyone was watching. Only after forcing open the lamp's lid did he notice it was completely filled with a clear glass-like substance, which could not be removed without destroying the lamp itself. On the reverse of the $2.00 price tag dangling from the handle was scrawled the word "Deactivated".
Who doesn't like the occasional bit of wish fulfillment? How about ass-biting, ironic, Twilight Zoney, you-didn't-really-think-that-through-did-you wish fulfillment? Hands? OK, just you in the back? Get out.
For the rest of us, whether we're watching I Dream of Jeannie or reading "Arabian Nights", this stuff is just bloody entertaining. Usually not literally, but I think we all know that a character who treats the gift of a wish too carelessly is going to end up regretting it. That's OK, though. We're also usually taught that comeuppances have educational potential. Failing that, we're still left with horror or comedy. Sometimes both.
In the oldest djinn lore, they are perceived as malefic beings bound into service by King Solomon through the power of his magic ring. Over the many years since, they've come to occupy their own special place in literature and popular culture. With them, the concept of being granted or making deals for wishes through some supernatural agent has grown into an almost ubiquitous part of our collective psyche.
In my own take on them, djinn are beings forged of the fire and smoke who come in three distinct flavors: marid, ifrit, and imp. They refer to themselves collectively as either Djinn or Shaitan, the Children of the Adversary. While they possess both Free Will and potentially staggering multi-dimensional power, their lack of imagination limits their drive. This aspect of their nature makes them good minions. There is a belief among their kind, though, that if they ignore their own desires and serve others enough, then an individual might know inspiration. The djinn recognize such a development is a rare, even legendary, occurrence and more go mad than realize that precious spark. Some of these zealot Searchers have been bound to containers by others, mortal and immortal. Binding them to a physical object allows that container to act as a pandimensional, hypertime anchor, inhibiting roaming. A Searcher is more likely a convert--evolving from disrespecting mortals and plotting their temptation into self-destruction, with some taking on a genuine liking for mortals either specifically or generally--than one bound into service unwillingly. One bound unwillingly may still serve others as a means to enlightenment, but should still be considered cunning and dangerous. Still, there are some djinn who are curious to study mortals and learn about them. This curiosity has resulted in wish-granting experiments, spontaneous human combustion and the occasional inside-out cow.
The least regarded Children of the Adversary are shaita-imp, mortal offspring of djinn and mortal flesh, that possess only a fraction of the power potential of even an imp (imps may seem quite potent to the limited perceptions of mortals, but the majority of changes wrought by an imp‘s efforts will be undone should they so much as leave the dimension). They’re encouraged to perpetrate corruption against all that is Bright or Balanced, to stand opposed to all things of the light. While they have some ambition, they tend to be undisciplined and of limited imagination.
I have yet to introduce the shaita-imp characters created for the Theobroma series, so no spoilers there. Over in the City of Magick, though, Brick Stone's sexy assistant, Jonni Berlin, has been revealed to be a shaita-imp. Though he has been able to make use of her arcane knowledge, the beleaguered detective has yet to realize the implications of having her in his life. Do be there as things unfold.
In case I haven't been completely clear, I love this stuff. Whether you're someone who can't get enough or looking for something new, follow a link below and experience a sexy twist on the djinn. Rub the lamp and get your personal copy of "Summoned", an urban fantasy from author Rainy Kaye.
In a magical nutshell:
Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker.
Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well. When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can't tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn't the type to tolerate secrets.
Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl's ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.
Or follow the dark criminal out to steal your heart over at Amazon
Rainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the mean time, she blogs at RainyoftheDark and writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona. When not plotting world domination, she enjoys getting lost around the globe, studying music so she can sing along with symphonic metal bands, and becoming distracted by Twitter (@rainyofthedark). She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.
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