“Where will they take him?” Nameer asked tightly.
Steve’s hurried goodbye suddenly made sense. He worked in the most well-known and secure labs in America. She yanked her phone out of her pocket and hit redial.
“Kyla, I really don’t have time,” Steve began.
“Make time,” she ordered. “I’ve got information you’ll need.”
Silence filled the line. “Oh Kyla,” Steve said after a minute. “Come on. And this better be good.”
******
“We have to hurry,” Kyla said, digging through the junk that covered the small table by her door in a frantic search for her keys. “The lab is upstate and it’ll take a few hours to get there.”
“What are you looking for?” Nameer asked thickly.
“What are you...” She turned and saw him push the last bite of the cheese sandwich into his mouth. “Are you eating again?”
He shrugged. “Maybe it’s something to do with the time shift.”
“Maybe you’re part pig as well as part tiger.”
He raised an eyebrow and she sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m just...we don’t have much time.”
And why wasn’t he as worried as she was? She was freaking out and he was eating sandwiches!
Nameer pulled her against him. “This won’t help,” he said quietly. “We have to be clear headed if we’re going to save them. You’re the one who taught me things like that. Take a breath for me.”
Kyla was tense against him, but she felt her body relax as she took his advice. He was right. And he was worried. She’d seen the darkness in his eyes when he talked about saving his people. She exhaled slowly, calming her racing heart. She was trained for this. He was a warrior king. If anyone could save Khaytab from here, it would be them.
Kyla raised her face and met his eyes. “Thank you. I know we can do this.”
He cupped her cheek. “My fierce mate.”
She held up her keys. “Now, let’s get to that lab.”
Realization dawned and purely boyish grin crossed his face. “You have a car?”
Any guilt she might have had about taking the squad car vanished in the face of that smile. “I wouldn’t be a very good cop if I didn’t.”
They got in and he immediately began pressing buttons. The radio wasn’t that bad, and neither were the flashing lights, but when he hit the siren in the enclosed garage and then growled at the loud noise, she couldn’t help but chuckle at him.
“I don’t think we need that,” she said, turning it back off.
A few miles down the road she was rethinking that. Traffic was gridlocked and Kyla’s impatience was starting to grow again. Nameer sighed and leaned his head back.
“I might have discovered the downside to these vehicles,” he said when she glanced his way. “Can’t some of these people go together? They all seem to be going the same way.”
“That would be logical,” Kyla agreed, allowing the car to slowly roll another few feet forward. “But carpooling has never really taken off in big cities.”
It was four hours later when they finally pulled up to the lab. Her badge got her in past the guards and into the door.
“I wonder what our odds of finding Darabin are?” Kyla asked in a low voice as she studied the map of the building.
“Good,” Nameer answered. “I plan to do just that.”
His hand closed around her upper arm and he led her down one of the halls.
“Steve’s office is--”
“I know Darabin is close,” Nameer said simply.
As they rounded the corner, Kyla knew too. 6 armed policemen stood outside a door to their right. Thankfully, they weren’t in her unit. She hadn’t been answering the Captain’s calls today. What was the point? She wasn’t going back to that job and she had no idea how to explain why.
“Move along,” one of the officers said flatly.
Nameer’s jaw went tight, but Kyla tugged him back. “Sorry,” she said, giving them an innocent of a smile as she could muster. “Wrong turn. We’re looking for Steve Isaacson's office.”
“Well, it’s not here.” The officer turned back to his conversation and Kyla had a sudden urge to pull her badge out and demand to be let in. Nameer wasn’t the only one who hated being ordered around. She managed to walk away though.
They found Steve’s office and Kyla knocked on the door. When it opened a very disheveled and stressed out man greeted her.
“Kyla? Nice to finally meet you in person.”
“Same here.” She shook his hand and then took the seat he offered her.
“Steve Isaacson,” Steve said, holding his hand out to Nameer.
“Kyla’s told me about you,” Nameer said, shaking the scientist’s hand. “You’re Danny’s brother.”
“That’s me,” Steve agreed. “Where is my little brother, anyway?”
Kyla cleared her throat and evaded the question. “How’s the antidote coming along?”
Steve’s eyes shifted in the direction of the hall where Darabin had been so heavily guarded. “Not real well,” he said. “We’ve got a situation here.”
“You’ve got what you think is an alien creature in that room down there,” Kyla said.
Steve’s eyebrows rose. “How did you...”
“You’ve got another one in your office.” There wasn’t time to ease him into this.
His eyes went to Nameer again. Kyla put her hand on Nameer’s leg. “Show him.”
Nameer looked at her. “Are you sure?”
“They said that guy halfway turned into a tiger,” Steve said. Like his younger brother’s, Steve’s southern accent deepened when he was emotional. “And you’re telling me he does the same thing?”
Nameer stood up, allowing himself to start to change. Fangs appeared and his eyes darkened, his body flexed and expanded, but then he moved back to his human appearance and sat down. Steve dropped into his own chair.
“It took Danny a while to get used to it too,” she said sympathetically.
“Where is Danny?” Steve asked again.
Kyla took a breath. Nameer reached across and entwined his fingers with hers.
“Your brother is in my kingdom,” Nameer said. “Khaytab is at war with the people who put the toxin together. If we don’t get that antidote, we can’t get your brother either.”
“Are you telling me that Danny’s a hostage in some other...some other...” He couldn’t seem to find the words.
“It’s a different world,” Kyla said. “And he’s not a hostage. It’s just that I’m the only one who can get us back. And I’m not leaving until I can save them.”
Steve rubbed his forehead and exhaled slowly. “OKyla. Can you give me just a second to figure this out?”
“I wish I could,” Kyla said honestly. “But time moves differently there. I was in New York for a week last time and it was nearly a year in Khaytab. I don’t know how much time has passed since we’ve come back this time, but it’s time that Danny’s in an unstable country at war.”
Steve’s jaw clenched. “Fine. I’ll get your damn antidote. And you’ll send my brother back home where he belongs.”
Nameer growled low, but Kyla tightened her hand on his. She understood Steve’s anger. She’d hit him over the head with too many frightening facts all at once and then pushed him to action.
“Two more things,” Nameer said.
“What?” Steve demanded, digging through his desk for the information on the toxin.
“I want to see Darabin.”
Steve looked at him in confusion. “Who? Oh. Is that the man’s name?”
“Yes. He used to be my guard captain and now he’s betrayed us.”
“I’m not going to let you kill him,” Steve said flatly.
“I don’t wish to. Secondly,” Nameer went on.
Kyla hid a smile at her king assuming that his first request was going to be granted.
“I’d like you to test Kyla for after effects of the toxin.”
�
�Wait, what?” she demanded.
“The toxin can’t affect her,” Steve said shortly. “I could drink a vial of it right now and be just fine. So could she. There’s no feline DNA for the toxin to bond to.”
“Why would you want him to test me?” Kyla asked.
“Because you haven’t been well,” Nameer answered, his eyes dark with worry. “I know you haven’t been honest with me. You’re pale and...different.”
“Well, it’s not the toxin.” Steve pushed his chair back. “And if you want this antidote, then you can’t waste my time with pointless tests. Come on. I’ll get you in to see the prisoner.”
Kyla and Nameer stood beside Darabin’s bed. He was unconscious and there was blood on the bandages and the sheets. Kyla felt a surge of vindictive pleasure. He was going to be a science experiment, kept here, tested, poked and prodded. She didn’t know how it would affect things here on Earth, or the perception most humans had of being the only intelligent species out there, but she did know that this was no more than Darabin deserved.
Nameer sighed and she glanced up at him. He was looking down at his former captain with regret etched into the new lines of his face.
“Were the two of you close?” she asked quietly.
“I once trusted Darabin with my life,” he answered. “He’s brilliant. Calculating. Strong.” He stopped and shrugged. “Everything that was important to me before you came along. Then I saw that his brilliance was only cunning. That he used his calculation to get only what he wanted. And that his strength was more often used against his wife than our enemies.”
They looked down at him for a moment longer. “I wish that I could be the one to bring him to justice,” Nameer said. “I fear for what he’ll do if he gets free to roam your world.”
“They won’t let it happen,” Kyla said. “I mean, look at this place.” She glanced at the concrete walls and two inch thick glass. There was no way out. “And, even if he did escape, he wouldn’t get far. We’ve got more resources than you know. And Steve has the toxin.”
“Let’s go,” Nameer said abruptly. “There is much to do while we wait for the antidote.”
******
“Thank you for your help,” Lirana said as Afani straightened the sheets on the other side of the king’s huge bed. Nameer had been gone a long time, but Lirana still freshened his room weekly. “This bed is massive and it’s so hard to make it look nice on my own.”
Afani tossed her a blanket and she spread it on top of the clean sheets just as the baby began to fuss. She turned away, scooping her daughter into her arms.
“Ledra,” she said in her soft voice. “I’m here, I’m here.”
Lirana concentrated on plumping the pillows she was stacking on the bed. Ledra was a gorgeous little girl and sweet enough to twist her heart. Afani tugged her top down and raised Ledra to her breast. As the child suckled, Afani caught Lirana’s eye.
“Why did you leave training?” she asked bluntly.
“Because I was horrible at it,” Lirana answered, trying for a smile. “You saw me. I can’t use a sword. I can’t do hand to hand combat. I’m dangerous with a bow and arrow. My tiger form is so small that it wouldn’t even be a threat on the battlefield...”
“No one is good at those things right away!” Afani said hotly. “That’s what training is for!”
Lirana looked at her friend in surprise. “Well, I know...but...”
“You’ve hidden yourself away since Darabin disappeared,” Afani continued, heated color flushing her cheeks. “And I’ve tried not to say anything because I know this must be awful for you, but you can’t keep doing this!”
“Doing what?”
“Nothing! You clean rooms that no one uses! You hide in your room! You ignore every effort that people make to bring you out of your shell! You ignore Danny at every turn and he only wants to help you!” Afani sighed when Lirana’s eyes filled with tears. “For the love of the Gods, Lirana. Even if you don’t notice or care how Danny looks at you, do something with your freedom. You never would have had the chance before he and Kyla came here.”
Lirana groped for something to say, but tears were clogging her throat. She shook her head when Afani reached for her and walked out the door. She passed through the training grounds and then headed up the path to the woods. She wanted to be as far from the castle as she could get.
The Khaytab summer sun beat down on her back as she walked and soon she realized that it wasn’t just sweat running down her face. She was crying. Not notice how Danny looked at her? She wished she could ignore it.
As she stepped into the cool, shady forest, she pictured his blue eyes. She’d only seen the ocean once, when she was a child, but his eyes reminded her of the deepest parts of it, calm and dark. His eyes were rivaled only by his smile, which was wide and honest. Everything Danny felt tended to show on his face and she loved that she always knew where she stood with him. Darabin had been unreadable, cold, and as remote as the mountains in the distance.
Darabin...he’d married her because he hadn’t had a choice. Their fathers had been guards together. His father had saved her father’s life. In return, her father had offered her up and Darabin’s parents had been happy to agree. Arranged marriages happened all the time in Khaytab, but usually because the people in question had a connection. She hadn’t even seen Darabin until their wedding day.
His eyes had been like ice as he’d said his vows and his lips had barely moved against hers when they exchanged their first kiss. The night that followed had left her in tears of pain until dawn. Her thighs had born his bruises for over a week and she’d been able to tell that he liked it. He’d taken her every night that week, pressing against the same places, watching her wince in pain. He had never kissed her again.
Danny’s kiss...Lirana put her hand on her stomach when it clenched. His kiss had been a whirlwind inside her. She couldn’t even name the sensations. Her legs had been shaky, her lungs hadn’t been able to draw breath. And between her thighs...a feeling she’d never had before. Heat and longing.
And she thought of it every time she saw him. He moved with absolute confidence, not all uncomfortable with the fact that all of the men around him had a powerful tiger form that could probably rip him to shreds. He was a big man, tall and muscular, but he was still a bit smaller than most of the men he trained with. It never seemed to bother him in the slightest.
She wished that she could be that confident. Then, maybe she could ask for another kiss. Her face went hot as she imagined it. He would think that she was desperate. Maybe she was.
Lost in thought, remembering a kiss she’d had no right to enjoy, Lirana walked right into the webbing strung through the trees. Swiping at her face and half growling, she stepped back, looking for all the world like an annoyed cub. She was glad she was alone as she struggled with the caterpillar silk.
It was strong and very sticky and she knew that the only thing that would get it off completely was a hot bath, which meant she’d have to go back to the castle with it strung through her hair. She sighed, hoping she wouldn’t run into anyone. The stuff was pretty much...
“Indestructible,” she whispered to herself.
An idea was blooming. The gauzy leaves above her, covered with a thick layer of the caterpillar silk...it might actually be enough to filter the toxin. If the army had even a slight edge, they could take Seeba handily. Seebans weren’t as well trained, they couldn’t shift form, and lately they’d relied too much on technology they didn’t truly understand.
Lirana reached up and pulled some of the leaves down from the branch above her head. Experimentally she spread some of the sticky silk across the green surface. It stayed. She raised the leaf to cover her mouth and nose. She could still breathe, but she could also tell that the air coming through the mask was filtered. It might work!
She stuffed her pockets with leaves and, wrinkling her nose, grabbed more of the silk with both hands. Then she ran back to the castle as fast as she could. This
could change everything and she needed to talk to Danny as soon as possible.
******
“Everyone calm down!” Khaza shouted to the milling soldiers.
“Calm down?” One of them shouted over all the rest. “Why should we wait calmly for our own deaths? Or are you pretending that an entire unit didn’t just die while we wait for a king who might not return?”
“No one is denying that we’ve lost people,” Khaza said. The loss had been devastating. The Seeban army had surprised a regiment of soldiers and poisoned them all, sending their bodies back naked and branded.
“You aren’t doing anything!” another soldier shouted.
“Well, that’s loyalty for you,” Danny drawled. “It’s only been a month. What do you want to do?”
“Maybe we want to be led by one of our own kind!” the outspoken man shouted back. “You’re an outsider, just like the one who got us into all of this. You don’t understand our ways, our customs--”
“If they involve dying for nothing, then no, I guess I don’t,” Danny answered.
“You’re not helping,” Khaza informed him.
Danny shrugged. “If any of you have better ideas, we’re listening,” he told the crowd. “But we’ve got no antidote, no defense against the toxin, and no way to avoid having you all die in our service. That’s not exactly what we’re looking for here.”
“I...I have an idea.”
Danny’s heart thudded. Lirana’s voice was the last thing he’d expected to hear in the middle of a crowd of pissed off soldiers.
“I don’t think sewing and shopping will help,” the soldier snarled at her.
Lirana shrank back, her eyes going to the floor immediately.
“Don’t push it,” Danny said. “You’re already pissing me off and looking at treason. I doubt your king will be happy to hear that you wanted to throw him over after a month’s absence.”
The man fell silent. Danny gestured for Lirana to step closer. “What’s your idea?”
She held out a palmful of sticky thread and a leaf. Danny blinked.
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