Emmett's Jeanie

Chapter 42

Jeanie's POV:

I knew that by defying my master, even by trying, I would be given the punishment for it by the curse of the bottle. I had never been able to defy a master until now, but I knew that he needed to know what he had to do if he wanted me to speak freely.

I felt the pain of the punishment from defying him begin before I even began to speak, and I realized that Gio was right. It was the most excruciating pain I had ever felt in my life. I barely got the words out as I felt myself fall into darkness. I knew that when I woke that pain would be with me until a genie wished the wounds healed, or until they were healed on their own.

All I could do was hope that when I woke up, defying him was worth it and he knew what he had to say. Hope was, after all, all I had left at the moment.

Emmett's POV:

Everyone seemed to stop moving, breathing, everything when Carlisle's hand went right through her. It wasn't until Carlisle called me over that things started going again, starting with my feet sprinting me closer to my hurt mate.

"Emmett, I need you." (C)

"What can I do?" (Em)

"Try to touch her and if you can, gently move her to the couch and then I'll walk you through it." (C)

I nodded to him before I gently slide an arm under her, feeling the familiar feather-light feel of her body in my arms as I picked her up. I stood as slowly and carefully as I could with her in my arms, seeing her flinch with each movement I made before I carried her over to the couch.

"Ok, well now we know that only her master can touch her. The wounds aren't bleeding, rather they look like they've been cauterized." (C)

He went to say something else but stopped as we saw that she seemed to waking up. I kneeled down next her before I saw her eyes open in fear and pain. She let out a gasp before looking at me with a bit of hope in her eyes.

"Remember what she said son, whatever you want from her you must wish it." (C)

"I wish you could talk with me Jeanie." (Em)

I watched a brief smile cross her face before she slowly crossed her arms and nodded her head at me. Her smile was soon replaced with another look of pain and I ached to hold her in my arms and comfort her knowing that I couldn't just yet.

"Master why did Rose not re-stopper the bottle?" (J)

I flinched a bit at the way she called me master instead of Emmett or Em, not to mention the sight of her tears still falling from her eyes made me want to set myself on fire. I didn't get the chance to answer her question as Rose answered it instead.

"I didn't know you would be given a master when it was opened Jeanie. I just thought that we could let you out after and it would be fine." (Rose)

"Master why did you bring my bottle down here to begin with?" (J)

"I'm.....oh Jeanie I'm sorry I was going to try and figure out a way to free you from it forever and before I could tell the others not to open it, Rose did. Though I can't lie I was planning on opening it without you in the room as well to see if it held the same curse on you when you weren't near it. I swear though I would have closed it as soon as I saw it did. I'm so sorry." (Em)

I see the tears from her eyes increase some as she sits up on the couch and then stands, before walking a few feet away from me. She resumes the same pose she had when she emerged from the bottle and I can't tell if it's her choice or the bottles choice anymore.

"I wish your wounds were healed." (Em)

"You cannot wish for such a thing Master." (J)

"What? Why not?" (Em)

"My wounds came from my act of defiance towards you when I spoke out of turn and without your wish. I have never been able to defy a master before now, it is an accomplishment that I was able to defy you at all as few genies may do it without great pain." (J)

"That wasn't great pain you were in?" (Em)

"No, for I am still able to stand." (J)

"But I can't heal you?" (Em)

"No Master, only another genie may grant my wish for that." (J)

"How many more genies are there?!?" (Alice)

I saw her start to answer Alice's question but her mouth snapped shut before another few tears fell from her eyes and she looked at me as if begging to let her answer. I felt pain rush through my heart and eat at my soul as I realized that this was what she went through for each and every owner and some of them enjoyed it.

"I wish you could answer anyone and everyone's questions here." (Em)

"To my latest knowledge, there are over 9000 genies still alive today, though only a few have made the journey beyond life into death." (J)

"What's with the shackles Jean?" (Jas)

"These shackles represent my imprisonment to my bottle, they are part of a genie's curse. A genie with a master will always have them." (J)

I felt my eyes drift away from her face and the few tears that were still leaking from her beautiful blue eyes, towards the shackles on her wrists and then her ankles. I could see how they seemed to be cutting into her skin and worried that they were hurting her.

"Do they hurt Jeanie?" (Em)

"I will not lie Master, they are painful but there is nothing to be done about it. They will remain with me until my curse is complete." (J)

"How long have you been cursed like this dear?" (Esme)

"Genies awaken cursed. Some are freed with the finding of their person, but I have yet to find that person so I have been cursed since my awakening." (J)

"Awakening? What does that mean?" (Em)

"A genie is awakened when an angel is scorned." (J)

"Angels are real too?!?" (Alice)

"Yes, though they are perhaps one of the supernatural creatures that we genies do not care much for, as they are responsible for our curse. A genie is made through the scorning of an angel. I was human once but a parent must have scorned an angel when I was quite young. I then woke as a genie." (J)

"When was that?" (Edward)

"2442 years ago in Egypt I opened my eyes to find my Uncle Gene standing over me telling me to stay quiet otherwise we might be found by humans." (J)

"You never knew your parents then?" (Esme)

"I am sure I did once when I was still human, but I do not remember my human life now. No genie does." (J)

"What of growing up?" (Esme)

"Genies grow at an exceedingly slow pace, as my age and my outward appearance may demonstrate. We have an aunt or uncle that takes us in until we are old enough to live on our own, usually around 300 or 400 years old." (J)

"What about having kids?" (Rose)

"Genies cannot have children, it is a lasting permanent part of our curse. Our families consist of an aunt or uncle as I have said and cousins. I myself have six cousins that my Uncle and Aunt took in over the centuries." (J)

I watched as Rose's face seemed to soften as Jeanie said this, realizing that she had more in common with Jeanie than she originally thought. I saw Jeanie stare at Rose and seem to understand her asking about children, as she nodded and offered a small smile towards her.

"If I am ever freed from my curse, I will be in line to receive my own nieces or nephews. Though now genies are created rarely in this day and age, with usually no more than one or two a century, so it may never come to be." (J)