“What do you want for lunch?” she asked. 

 

“Whatever you want,” he replied, “I don’t mind.”

 

Ruby made fruit salad and beef broccoli. Jimin set the table then Ruby waved her hand as the food appeared on the table in front of Jimin. Jimin saw Ruby grab two pitchers, one water and the other looked like raspberry juice. She placed the water in front of him and kept the other near her. She poured herself a glass of raspberry juice and Jimin looked at her as he made his plate.

 

“What’s in that pitcher?” he asked her.

 

“Raspberry juice and blood,” she replied while making her plate of food, “I spelled my drinks so you won’t accidentally drink from it.”

 

“How so?” he asked as he poured his water into his cup and saw it turn into whiskey.

 

He looked at his drink then at Ruby who handed the pitcher that was next to him.

 

“Try and pour it,” she said to him. 

 

He took the pitcher and a separate cup. He tipped the pitcher to pour the drink but nothing came out. He looked at Ruby as she drank her drink. He handed her the pitcher then picked up his drink and drank it.

 

“Why is my drink whiskey?” he asked.

 

“In your pitcher it will turn into any drink you desire. I spelled the pitcher so you can have whatever you want. All you have to do is place water into it,” said Ruby.

 

Jimin nodded and they ate in silence. Ruby stood up to take the dishes to the sink but Jimin took the dishes from her.

 

“Let me,” he said, “you should study.”

 

Ruby nodded, “Thank you. If you need me I’ll be in my room.”

 

“Alright,” he said.

 

Ruby went to her bedroom and started studying. Jimin cleaned up the kitchen and saw Ruby on her bed studying. He went to his room and they heard a knock on the front door. Ruby looked at Jimin then walked past him and went to the front door. She placed her right hand on the door and put her other hand on the door knob.

 

“Who is it?” she asked.

 

“Miss Shaza, it’s the landlady,” said a woman, “has a suspicious man come by your apartment with a scratch on his face?”

 

“No, ma’am, why do you ask?” she questioned.

 

“He was searching for something,” the landlady replied, “If you’d like I can help you find a more secure place to live.”

 

“Thank you, but I’m safe here,” Ruby replied, “You should go home. Your husband will worry that you’re walking around here by yourself.”

 

“Right, have a good night,” she said.

 

Ruby exhaled then locked her door. She looked at Jimin. 

 

“Since I’m your master doesn’t that mean you’re bound to me?” she asked.

 

“In a way yes,” he replied.

 

Ruby placed her forehead against the door and sighed.

 

“I’m going to have to move again,” she grumbled.

 

“Why don’t you wish for a new home?” he asked her.

 

Ruby looked at him then sighed, “No, I won’t do that to

you. Besides when I hear of a new home coming from a djinn it could mean a home that’s not being lived in or a home that’s still on market and wasn’t sold which also means I won’t have the deed to the house. Things like that are tricky and your kind likes to read between the lines and make the wish complicated.”

 

“You’ve done your homework,” he said.

 

“I’ve done a fair amount, but not enough,” said Ruby while heading back to her room, “besides that werewolf won’t find this place. I put a barrier over this apartment where no one can get in.”

 

“That’s why you put your hand on the door and the door knob,” he said.

 

“Yes, it is,” said Ruby as she sat on her bed and picked up her math book.

 

Jimin watched her and Ruby looked up at him, “If you’re going to stand there and watch me study, may I suggest you sit down on the daybed and go back to watching me.”

 

He went by her door and saw a daybed with a pillow and a blanket next to a desk.

 

“Why do you have a daybed in here?” he asked her as he walked over to it and sat down on it.

 

“My books are always sprawled open on my bed since I only use my desk for art and other things that I end up having to sleep elsewhere so that’s why I have a daybed,” she replied, “feel free to do what you need.”

 

Jimin folded his legs then grabbed her stuffed animal and held it in his arms. Ruby studied for hours while Jimin watched her without getting bored. He studied her features while she looked down at her books. He noticed that she would constantly bite her lips or the back of her pen while focusing on a problem, he noticed how she would calm herself when she’s frustrated by shaking her leg or tapping her left middle and forefinger on her knee when she needed, and what he never noticed was her sharp vampire fangs that were hidden by her plump lips.

 

She looked up at him from her book having him look away from her eyes. She smiled then got off of her bed then stretched.

 

“Are you hungry?” she asked him.

 

“Is it that late already?” he questioned.

 

Ruby pointed to the clock next to him and he saw it showed six o’clock in the evening.

 

“It’s a little past dinner time,” she replied, “did you want to go anywhere for dinner?”

 

“I would prefer if you’d cook,” said Jimin, “You made the food perfectly.”

 

Ruby nodded, “Alright, I’ll make you chicken and pork.”

 

Ruby went to the kitchen and cooked. Jimin watched her cook, noticing she never used salt in her food.

 

“Why is it you never use salt?” asked Jimin.

 

“I get sick from it,” replied Ruby, “I get bloated from it and since I’m a vampire I don’t need it in my food.”

 

“Ah, I see,” said Jimin.

 

They ate dinner and Ruby handed him a canteen that looked like salamander scales on the outside. 

 

“Here, I found this on my way home from school,” she said.

 

He took the canteen and he could feel the heat radiating from it. He opened the canteen then tipped it back into a cup noticing the water was hot.

 

“I put a spell on it so that you had something to keep you warm,” said Ruby, “I figured it can help out on days when the temperature gets cold. The canteen radiates heat so your hands can stay warm as well.”

 

“Thank you very much,” he said, “but it wasn’t necessary.”

 

“For you it is,” said Ruby.

 

Ruby waved her hand and everything on the table disappeared.

 

“I’m off to bed,” said Ruby, “sleep well. I have tests to take tomorrow.”

 

They went to their rooms. In the morning Jimin heard the front door close at three in the morning. Jimin fell asleep at four in the morning. At six in the evening he awoke and walked out of his room. He noticed that Ruby wasn’t home. He walked out of the apartment and went to search for her.

 

He went to the different colleges nearby but never saw her. He frowned then walked past a graveyard and saw her laying on a grave with blood covering her neck and white shirt. He ran toward her and he checked for a pulse. She placed her hand on his then looked up at him.

 

“Sorry, I hid here to heal,” she said to him, “Hyunbin attacked me on my way to school. I buried the dead human I drank from in this grave and fell asleep.”

 

“Why didn’t you teleport me to protect you?” he asked.

 

Ruby smiled, “I was too worried to teleport you to help me.”

 

“You have to learn to trust me,” he said to her, “I’m here to protect you.”

 

Ruby sat up, “I’m sorry for that. I’ll call you when I really need you from now on.”

 

Jimin helped her to her feet and they heard low growls of a wolf nearby. Ruby and Jimin looked at the wolf and Hyunbin turned back into his human form then looked at Ruby then at Jimin.

 

“How the hell did you get out?” asked Hyunbin to him.

 

“My new master,” replied Jimin, “why did you think no one was going to live in that apartment since you bound me there after your last wish?”

 

“Of course,” he replied, “you’re a djinn and people won’t live in a home that’s inhabited by one.”

 

“That’s because my new master knew I was a djinn,” said Jimin, “and I get the freedom I want as long as I protect her.”

 

Hyunbin ran forward at them but Ruby put her hand on the ground and shadows of wolves took him through a portal.

 

“Damn wolf,” she grumbled, “come. He’s no longer a threat.”

 

They went back to the apartment and Ruby changed out of her bloodied clothes.

 

~Three Years later~

 

Jimin’s life of freedom in the past three years has been wonderful. Ruby spoiled him with many gifts and never asked for anything in return. They lived apart after five months of living together since Ruby found a job elsewhere. Ruby bought him a home that he could call his. He heard a knock on his door and he went to the front door from the library then opened it.

 

The mailman handed him a box, “Delivery.”

 

Jimin signed for the box and he took the box from the mailman. He opened the box and saw a gold key in it with a letter. He opened the letter and it read:

 

Time for you to be free from me. Live your life to the fullest.

 

-Ruby

 

Jimin grabbed the key and the ring on his thumb disappeared along with the key. He felt the contract between the two of them disappear. Jimin felt different since he wasn’t bound to Ruby. He smiled then placed the empty box on the table.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<<<<<
 

sorry for this short story