Dark Lord of Kismera: Knights of Kismera (29 page)

Ki was quiet, taking in the sights as he began the trip down the strip until they came close to the Belligio Hotel. The fountains were going and she gasped in pleasure. Checking his mirrors, Drace eased the truck over to the curb and let her watch the display for several minutes. Knowing he couldn’t stay there long, he eased back into traffic and continued on to his apartment.

“That was beautiful!” she exclaimed. “Can we come back sometime? I would love to see that again.”

He squeezed her hand that still rested on his thigh. “Absolutely, hon.”

She jumped when another car blew their horn nearby, “By Arahtok’s mane this world is noisy,” she commented.

A few minutes later, they pulled into the apartment complex and Drace parked in his spot. He cut the engine and undid both their seatbelts.

“Many people live here?” Ki asked, looking at the other vehicles parked there.

“Yes, there are quite a few here. Hopefully they’re all asleep.”

“Why is that?” she asked, turning her gaze back to him.

“Because they would see me do this,” he said, and kissed her. When she opened her mouth for him, he moaned low in his throat. Reluctantly he broke it off. He put his forehead against hers until he could breathe and he wasn’t so hard that he hurt.

He got out of the truck and came around to open her door, not forgetting her bag from the back. Closing up the truck and locking it, he took her hand and led her to his apartment. He was limping a little by the time he reached his door and knew his knee would be throbbing later.

Drace opened the door and led Ki in, turning on the living room light as he closed and locked the door behind them.

“I’ll put this in the other room,” he told her. “Go ahead, look around if you like.”

She was already investigating as he went into the bedroom. He went back into the living room and saw her looking at several photos on the wall. He pointed at one of him on a big, bay mare going over a big jump in a stadium. “That was at the Olympic Trials. She was a Hanoverian mare; loved to jump. We missed going to the Olympics by a whisper. I loved that mare.” He touched another picture of him on a different horse, jumping on a cross-country course. The obstacle looked huge and hazardous to Ki. “This was a Dutch Warmblood stallion we had. Two jumps later, he refused and dumped me. Broke my collarbone. You can still feel the knot.”

“These are my parents.” Ki saw a tall blonde man with serious blue-gray eyes standing behind a willowy woman with dark brown eyes and rich mahogany hair that curled around her pretty face.

Ki studied it for a moment then looked at Drace. He had his mother’s hair except his was not as wavy, and the shape of his eyes had come from her, but he looked a lot like his father. She had even seen that expression on Drace when he was thinking hard about something.

Ki moved on to another picture. “Who is this woman?” she demanded, and Drace picked up the note of jealousy in her voice.

“That is my aunt, Cerise. My dad’s sister; she’s more like my sister.”

Ki saw the resemblance to both Drace and his father and just said, “Oh,” and looked at the last picture on the wall. It was of Drace and Cerise on a beach in Hawaii, just before he moved from Charlottesville, Virginia to Las Vegas. Drace had asked someone else to snap the picture for them. He stood next to Cerise, one arm around her shoulders. Both were smiling happily. She wore a skimpy bikini and he had on swim trunks that came down almost to his knees. Their hair was blowing across their faces.

“Your hair is much shorter here.” She glanced at him, touching a lock of his dark hair. “I do not think I like it like this. It is not a warrior’s mane,” Ki commented. Her attention returned to Cerise in her bathing suit. “Women of your world dress this way?”

“Yeah, when they swim in the pool or the ocean. I’ll get you a swim suit and we’ll swim in that pool we passed.”

Ki left the pictures, with an ‘I don’t know about
that,
’ look, and went over to the television. “This is a microwave?”

“No, hon, that’s a TV. You can watch movies or the news on it.” At her blank look he added, “We’ll try that out later. Do you want something to drink? I have some tea in the fridge.”

At another puzzled look from her, he went into the kitchen and got two glasses out of a cabinet. He took a pitcher out of the refrigerator and filled the glasses, handing her one. He looked in another cabinet and took out a bottle of acetaminophen. He dropped three into his hand, and then swallowed them with a drink of his tea.

“What was that?” Ki asked.

“Those were a pain reliever”

“What hurts you?”

“My knee. It took a beating when I was sent back here.”

Ki looked thoughtful for a moment. “May I have one? My head hurts badly.”

Drace noted the tension between her eyes for the first time. He gave her two, hoping they wouldn’t have some adverse reaction on her. “Swallow them, don’t chew. Tell me right away if they make you feel worse.” He remembered Vashti had told him that a headache and fatigue resulted in the passage spell.

Ki obediently swallowed the pills then drank most of her tea. She nodded at the taste of the sweet cold tea. “Want some more?” Drace asked her.

“No, thank you. I do have another pressing need, however. Where might I find a chamber pot?”

Drace smiled at her, amused. “Let me show you the modern convenience of running water and indoor plumbing.” He took her into the bathroom and showed her how the toilet and sink worked and where the toilet paper, soap, and hand towels were. She was practically shoving him out the door when he finished.

He put up their glasses, turned off the living room light and went into the bedroom. He turned on the bedside lamp and turned to see Ki standing in the bedroom doorway looking as nervous as he felt.

Ki approached him, everything she needed to tell him pushed to the back of her mind.
Let us have this one night with nothing hanging over us.

Drace held out his hand and she took it. He pulled her closer, “I thought I was dreaming when I saw you sitting there earlier. I’ve dreamed of you often. Some of them horrible ones, about the battle; some of you, so erotic, I was glad I live alone.”

Ki let go of his hand and slid her arms around him, taking in his scent with so much pleasure. “It has been the same for me. Now I am here. Drace, I need to feel your touch again; to feel you inside of me.”

He trembled at her words and stepped away from her to remove his t-shirt. Ki touched the two new scars on his side, a question in her eyes. “Later,” he whispered.

He sat her on the edge of the bed and removed her boots and stockings He then pulled her back up and removed her shirt. She wore a chemise under it and he removed that as well. He unlaced her breeches and with her help dropped them to the floor. She was naked underneath and her golden skin glowed in the lamplight.

Drace slid his jeans down and as he removed his boxer briefs, Ki noted how white his skin was compared to the tan on the rest of his body. His erection stood out as a testament of his desire for her.

They stood there for a moment looking at each other then Ki stepped into his arms once more. Their mouths met hungrily as the loss of the last several months took over. Drace scooped her up, a strong arm under her knees and laid her gently on the bed, then kissed her again, his hand skimming her side and resting lightly on her hip.

Ki buried one hand in Drace’s short hair and placed the other on his chest. He reached behind her and took the end of her braid to undo the laces. He took his time unbraiding it. “When I dreamed of you, this was all around me,” he whispered, his breath a caress against her throat.

With soft words, and a gentle, knowing touch, Drace drove her over the edge time and again before riding the last crest with her.

Retrieving the covers that had gotten kicked to the end of the bed, he pulled them over them both and pulled her close against him. “God, Ki. That was more than real,” he pulled the cover higher over her and kissed the top of her head. “I love you so much. I’m so glad you’re here.”

His words hurt her, but he could not know that yet. She moved her arm tighter around his belly. “I love you too, Drace. So much.”

He gave her a gentle squeeze then looked at his alarm clock. “Ah shit,” he grumbled.

“What is it?” Ki asked him sleepily.

“I’ve got to get up in about four hours. I have to work tomorrow—well today.” He reached over with his free hand and patted her butt. “Want to come with me?”

“Of course I will.”

“Great. I’ll treat you to a big breakfast. How’s your head? Still hurt?”

“No, well, not much. Everything else feels wonderful,” she said, and arched in a stretch against him and then settled once more.

“Mmmm, I know what you mean. Sleep, hon,” he said, but she already was. He fell asleep shortly after, and didn’t dream at all.

IF
DRACE HAD NOT AWOKEN a couple of minutes before his alarm went off, he would have gotten a knee in the balls. The loud beeping noise scared Ki awake, and she jerked, hard. Drace managed to pull a leg up fast to ward off her knee in the nick of time. “Easy, girl,” he said soothingly, grabbing her as she tried to bolt off the bed in a panic. He slapped the alarms off button.

She sighed in relief. “That hurt my ears,” she complained.

Drace chuckled sympathetically. “Come on, woman. I need a shower and breakfast.” He had been entertaining thoughts of what else he needed before the alarm had gone off but Ki still looked tired and the near miss to his manhood had wilted things.

He had used the bathroom and was shaving when Ki stumbled bleary-eyed into the room with him. She didn’t even seem to care he was there as she sat down to relieve herself. Drace politely averted his eyes until she was through, although he had to laugh when she played experimentally with the handle. “This is amazing,” she mused.

Drace stepped aside so she could wash, taking a swipe down his cheek with the razor, looking over her head into the mirror.

Ki looked under his reflection. “I have never seen a mirror this clear except for Nimbus’s.” She touched her cheek and the side of her neck as she noted the burn from Drace’s beard stubble.

He had finished shaving and was gathering a couple of towels while she studied herself. He then started the shower and Ki looked on as steam started to fill the room. Drace stepped in. “Care to join me?”

She had to study all the knobs after he closed the door, truly awed by the showerhead. Drace handed her a bar of soap then shampooed his hair. She handed him the soap when she was done, taking his shampoo and sniffing it.

“We can stop at a store this afternoon and I’ll get you something more girlie if you’d like.”

“There is nothing wrong with this one. It smells like you. I was enjoying the scent. I like it better on you, however,” she commented, looking through her lashes at him. “Would you help me please?”

He squirted out an adequate dollop and went to work on her long hair. It took a while to get it all rinsed, but when he finished, it hung dripping past her hips.

He soaped and rinsed off quickly, then cut the shower off. He gave Ki a towel then dried himself. He snugged it around his hips and gave her a third towel for her hair, and then dug around under the sink and found a hair dryer. He used it occasionally when he was in a hurry, but mostly it was for Cerise’s use when she was in.

Closing the lid on the toilet, he instructed her to sit. After surprising her with the unexpected noise, he set to work, and while he didn’t get it completely dry, he got the heavy length in some semblance of order. He was content with just combing his own hair and letting it dry in unruly waves.

“Did you bring some extra clothes, hon?”

“I brought a few things. I have something for you also.” She rose from her perch and went into the bedroom, wearing nothing but her curtain of hair.

Ki took the satchel from the top of the dresser and set it on the bed. She untied it and pulled out some clothes. Some under-things came first and then a pair of dark brown breeches, another white shirt, a blue sleeveless tunic, and her hairbrush. What she pulled out last made him catch his breath.

Wrapped in a well-tanned sheepskin complete with wool was the sword he had carried while in Kismera. It was in its scabbard and the dagger with the moonstone and its sheath were with it. His boot knife completed his armament.

Drace took the sword from her. As he pulled it from its scabbard, a vivid memory of the last time he’d used it popped into his mind. He swallowed hard, feeling emotion clog the back of his throat. He coughed to clear it. “I don’t know what to say, Ki.”

“That is the weapon of a great and true warrior. It should be with its master, not adorning a wall as a trophy. The people called you the Dark Lord, did you know that? You are a hero to many.”

Drace made a noise, “Hero, huh.”

“Yes.”

“I did hear myself called the Dark Lord a couple of times; in whispers like they were afraid for me to hear it.”

“Not fear, my love. Awe perhaps, and respect,” Ki corrected. She shook the bag and a small linen square dropped out. Unfolding it she untangled the chain of the cat’s eye necklace he had given her.

Drace sheathed the beautiful sword and laid it on the bed. He took the necklace from her and fastened it around her neck. She stood there wearing nothing but the necklace and there were some serious stirrings under his towel. He glanced at the clock while Ki was glancing at his towel with interest.

He moved the sword from the bed along with the daggers and laid them back on the dresser. Ki came up to him and jerked the towel off his lean hips. She reached around him in a hug and touched the length of him, which caused things to stir even more.

With a growl of lust, Drace turned and pushed her back on the bed among her clothes. Burying his face in her shoulder he grabbed at her hips. “We have to hurry if you want to eat breakfast.”

“I need you to hurry anyway. I burn for you,” she breathlessly replied, ignoring the noise her stomach gave. “Please; fill me.”

Drace touched her and found her ready for him. He rose up on his knees, pulling her by her hips with him and buried himself in one thrust. He thought he had hurt her when she cried out, but her hands pulled at his hips and the look on her face was anything but pained.

In only a few strokes she was flying apart and a few more he joined her, his dark head thrown back in abandon.

He sat there for a moment resting on his heels, Ki’s long legs draped around his hips. He was blowing like a spent racehorse and Ki watched with a satisfied, smug smile on her beautiful mouth, her lion’s eyes gazing at him.

He untangled her from around his legs and gave her a matching grin. “Come on, you greedy wench. Let’s get moving. Now you’ll have to settle for a Mickey D’s sausage biscuit.”

He got off the bed, and limped to the bathroom, his knee protesting its earlier cramped position. When he returned, Ki was wearing the dark brown breeches and pulling on her stockings.

Drace pulled on a pair of gray and blue striped boxer briefs, followed by the worn Levis from the night before then pulled on a pair of thick, gray crew socks. He retrieved his old, distressed leather Western work boots, shoving his feet into them but not bothering to pull the legs of his jeans free. He grabbed a white t-shirt with the casino’s logo on the right breast and pulled it on, absently, halfway tucking it into his waistband. He looked at Ki, found a plain light blue tee and tossed it to her. All she had to go under it was her chemise. Every red-blooded male out there was going to know she wasn’t wearing a bra. She had too much chest to hide that fact. He added bras to his growing mental shopping list.

Drace tossed clean clothes into his gym bag along with his sneakers. He picked up her hairbrush and some ties and threw them into the bag as well. “Sorry, hon. you’ll have to braid in the truck on the way to the barn.”

Ki pulled her boots on while he found his wallet.

“Ready?” he asked her, tucking his cell phone into his front jeans pocket.

She gave him a brave smile. “I think so.” She tried to sound more sure than she felt.
Being here in Drace’s home is one thing; but to be out in his world meeting many new humans is very different.
She now really understood what Drace had gone through when introduced to her world.

They left his apartment and got into his truck. After starting the truck, he leaned into Ki for a quick kiss. “I didn’t say it yet this morning—I love you, Ki.”

She returned his kiss. “I love you, too, Drace.” She gave him a sexy smile.

“Stop looking at me like that or I’ll never get to work.”

Drace was late and pushed the speed limit all the way into town. Traffic was heavy, so he had to concentrate on driving. Ki laid her hand on his thigh, enjoying the feel of his muscles as he worked the gas and brake.

With a quick “hold on,” he whipped the truck into a McDonalds and got in the drive through line. “Want me to order something for you or do you want to pick it out?”

“You order, please.”

A voice came over the speaker, startling Ki.

Drace put a reassuring arm around her as he ordered. A moment later, he pulled up to the window and fished his wallet out of his back pocket. He pulled out a few bills and handed them in, receiving a bag and two cups. He flipped the drink holder open and placed the coffee in the drink caddy, handing Ki the bag. Before he pulled out onto the street, he pulled out a wrapped sausage and egg biscuit. He peeled the wrapper back and took a bite then offered the biscuit to Ki.

She sniffed at it, wrinkling her delicate nose. Reluctantly, she took the biscuit from him. Drace pulled out into traffic while she sampled it. Hunger took over and by the time they reached the casino, two biscuits and two hash browns were gone.

“Coffee’s not as good as yours, but it’ll do,” Drace commented. They reached the casino only a few minutes late. They got out of the truck. He grabbed his gym bag and Ki’s hand and they walked quickly across the parking lot and into the barn area. He stopped at the barn office for a visitor’s badge for her and clipped it to the hem of her t-shirt.

Several appreciative male gazes followed the couple as they checked out Ki’s form. They also noted Drace’s possessive hand riding on the upper curve of her butt.

The two went into the locker room. Drace stashed his bag in his locker and pulled out a pair of spurs, which he strapped to his boots. “Do you want to exercise Pride while I school Magnifico?”

Happy to help him, she replied, “I would love to, but there will be a cost to you.”

Drace raised an eyebrow as he grinned. “Oh yeah? What’d you have in mind?”

She showed him by pulling his head down for a toe-curling kiss. When she released him, she said something in Werren, and with a saucy walk, headed for Pride’s stall.

Joe cautiously stuck his head around the corner. “You kid’s done yet?” He watched the woman walk away, came over, and slapped Drace on the back. “Don’t know who she is, but she’s done a number on you, bud. What the hell did she say, anyway?”

Drace flushed and cleared his throat

“That good, huh? You lucky bastard.” Joe gave him a friendly shove and headed for his horse’s stall.

The grooms had the horses cleaned and standing tied in their stalls. Drace saddled and bridled Pride and led him into the arena, then gave Ki a boost up, patting her on the thigh as she gathered up the reins.

Drace went back for the Andalusian. After getting the gray ready, he went back to the arena. Ki was trotting Pride in large circles, her long braid bouncing behind her. That wasn’t all that was bouncing enticingly.
I have to get that girl a bra.
Joe and another man sat on their horses, watching her, practically drooling. Drace made sure to ride in the line of their vision. “Roll up your tongues, boys, she’s mine.”

Magnifico was not as nearly as docile as Pride, and he kept Drace busy during his exercise. Ki sat on Pride, watching Drace put the beautiful gray through its paces. Joe came over on his big chestnut gelding and Ki tilted her head in greeting.

“You are the first person I’ve ever seen Drace let ride that horse,” he commented, pointing a finger at Pride.

I’ve ridden him before. He’s a wonderful horse, and I have a mare in foal to him.”

“You have an interesting accent. Where are you from, Miss…?” Joe
asked.

“Kismera,” she answered, sitting regally on the black stallion.

“Don’t believe I’ve ever heard of it,” Joe commented.

She raised one brow, “I doubt that you would have. It is very small compared to your lands.”

“Mmmm,” Joe mused, intrigued. He extended a hand across his horse’s neck. “I’m Joe Rawlings.”

Ki took his arm in her fashion, clasping his arm below the elbow. “Ki Lionblade. I am pleased to meet you, Rawlings.”

“Joe, please. So, are you royalty? You seem like you should be,” he said.

She smiled at him, careful not to expose too many teeth. It was still enough of a smile to devastate him. “Of a fashion. I do rule over part of Kismera at Oralia.”

Her attention for a moment went to Drace whose head was bent in concentration as he worked Magnifico on a difficult movement.

“Have you known Drace very long Miss Lionblade?”

“Please, it is Ki. Let us say I am on holiday for a short time. As for the MacKinnon, I have known him awhile.” She bowed her head briefly. “If you will excuse me, Joe.”

Wow,
Joe thought as she trotted Pride towards Drace, who had dismounted from the gray. Ki leaned down for a quick kiss when Drace put a hand on her calf.
Lucky son-of-a-bitch.
Joe shook his head in amusement.