Dark Lord of Kismera: Knights of Kismera

by Tamara H Hartl

  A warm hand moved across his lower back. “Will you not be late this morning?”

  He burrowed his head into his pillow. “I don’t work today. We can sleep in, eat a leisurely breakfast—do anything we want.”

  The hand moved a little lower, coming over the smooth curve of his butt cheek. Then, more than the hand was against his back, moving enticingly. “Mmmm,” he hummed with pleasure.

  In a blur of covers, Drace pushed up and pinned Ki. She gave an undignified squeak that changed to a throaty moan. Moments later she lay in sprawled abandon with Drace resting his forehead on her breast.

  Both froze at the knock on his front door.

  Drace rolled off her and gathered his jeans off the floor. He pulled them on, not taking the time for underwear. His hair hung in wild disarray and he pushed it out of his face. The knock came again and he hurried out of the bedroom.

  He checked the peephole then opened the door. “Penny!”

  “Morning, sunshine. I saw your truck was still here so I thought you might have today off. Autumn and I are going to the zoo and we were wondering if you would…oh.”

  Drace saw her gaze had shifted behind him. Ki stood in the bedroom doorway wrapped in the comforter off the bed.

  Penny blushed crimson. “I’m sorry, Drace. I didn’t know you had company.”

  Drace cleared his throat, “Ki, this is Penny James. Penny, Ki. Penny lives two doors down with her daughter, Autumn,” Drace explained.

  “I see. I am very pleased to meet you. If you would excuse me, Penny?” she said with a tilt of her head. Without waiting for a reply, Ki disappeared back into the bedroom.

  “Drace, I’m sorry. I guess I should have called first.”

  Drace went into the kitchen and began to make coffee. “Want a cup?”

  “No, no, I’m good. I left Autumn watching cartoons. I should be getting back.”

  “What time?” Drace asked, pulling two cups out of the cabinet.

  “Excuse me?” Penny stammered, flustered.

  “What time were you thinking of going to the zoo?”

  “About ten. If you’re busy, maybe another time.”

  “Penny, its okay. God, you don’t need to be embarrassed. Let me check with Ki. She might enjoy going. That is if you don’t mind.”

  “Oh, no. She’s more than welcome. I just don’t know how I’ll explain it to Autumn.”

  “Why don’t you let me worry about that?” Drace offered with a grin.

  Penny went to the door. She mouthed, “She’s gorgeous,” then left.

  Ki came back out of the bedroom wearing jeans and a cocoa brown tank top. She was barefoot and her hair was still loose.

  “Where is your friend?” she asked, taking a cup from his hand.

  “She had to get back to her daughter,” Drace told her, pouring coffee into her cup.

  “I believe I made her uncomfortable,” Ki noted, taking a sip.

  “I’m not in the habit of bringing women back to my home,” Drace told her, leaning a hip nonchalantly against the counter. “I was never a player.”

  “Does that mean mating with many women?”

  “Yeah.” He gave her a look that made her breath catch and her blood hot. “There’s been no one else since I first laid eyes on you. There will be no one after you.”

  “Do not say that. While I understand how you feel, someday you may wish to mate again; to father children. It is the natural course of things.”

  “Stop it!”

  Ki jumped at his sharp tone.

  “I’m sorry, Ki. I didn’t mean to bark at you. Just don’t tell me how I need to feel in the future.”

  “One day at a time?” she asked.

  “One day, one hour, one minute,” he returned, a sorrowful look in his eyes. He seemed to gather himself. “Would you like to go to a zoo?”

  “What is a zoo?”

  Drace tried to explain it to her.

  “Yes, I think it might be entertaining,” Ki agreed, then smiled broadly, “Can we eat first?”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  THEY HAD TIME FOR a leisurely shower where Drace showed her something else new. Afterwards, there was a little time to kill before meeting Penny and Autumn so Drace turned on the TV. Ki sat like a child, watching a cartoon. He showed her how to work the volume and channel buttons and she spent several minutes flipping channels. She settled on a channel featuring a documentary on the ocean.

  “I’ve created a monster,” Drace muttered as she sat transfixed.

  When it was time to go, Ki wore the brown tank and some blue jean shorts and her tennis shoes.

  “Here, try these,” Drace said when he found an extra pair of sunglasses.

  She let him put them on her face and when she opened her eyes she jumped back, pulling them off and looking suspiciously at them. Gingerly she turned them several times then tried them again. “It is magic,” she breathed, incredulous

  “No, hon, not magic. People make these. They protect your eyes from the sun. You’ve seen me wear mine.”

  “Yes, but I did not know they did this. These are…,” she paused, looking for the right word. “…cool.”

  Drace laughed at her expression. “Are you ready? Be prepared for a hundred questions from Autumn. Inquisitive is her middle name.”

  Ki gave Drace the once over, taking in his tan cargo shorts, a white t-shirt with the Nike logo on it and a newer pair of Nike sneakers. With his shortened hair loose and sunglasses atop his head, she wondered what Cearan would say of Drace’s idea of casual.

  “I am ready, my Lord.”

  “Ki, there is no ‘my Lord’ here, remember?” He grabbed his wallet, keys, and cell phone then they locked the apartment and went down two doors to Penny’s apartment.

  When Drace knocked, there was an excited adolescent yell from behind the door. “Drace is here, Drace is here, Drace is here! Mommmm. Drace is herreeer!”

  “I heard you the first three times. Let him in, please.”

  Drace grinned at Ki. This ought to be interesting, he thought. He had never seen Ki interact much with children. Let’s see the tough warrior handle this.

  The door flew open and a little girl of eight jumped into Drace’s arms. He swung her up and secured her with a strong arm under her bottom. She enveloped him in a hug around his neck.

  “Hey kiddo. What’s shakin’?” Drace asked, ruffling her strawberry blonde curls.

  Autumn noticed Ki for the first time. “Drace, who is that?”

  Ki gave the little girl a smile. Drace bounced Autumn in his arms. “This is Ki. She’s a very special friend of mine.”

  Autumn leaned back on his arm and looked at him suspiciously. “Like as in a girlfriend?”

  “Yeah, like as in a girlfriend.”

  “Do you like-like her or like-love her?”

  “Autumn James, what a thing to ask! That is none of your business.” Penny scolded. “Come in. I’m trying to find the sun block or we’ll have a crispy critter.”

  Drace motioned Ki through first then Ki’s sharp ears caught his whisper to the little girl, which made her smile. “Like as like-love. Is that cool or what?”

  Autumn whispered back. “That’s really cool. Mom said you needed a girlfriend.”

  Ki made a choking sound that had Drace raising an eyebrow.

  “Autumn, you need to be getting your shoes on, young lady.”

  “Ah, Mom.”

  “No shoes, no zoo.”

  Autumn made off in search of her shoes after Drace let her down. Penny motioned for Drace and Ki to sit on her sofa.

  “That stuff is here somewhere. I’ll be right back.” Penny headed for the bathroom.

  Drace and Ki sat down and he put his arm across the back of it behind her. Autumn came in with a pair of sneakers and some socks. She sat next to Drace on the floor and put them on. She kept giving Ki curious looks. “What happened to your leg?” Autumn asked, when she noticed the three diagonal scars across Ki’s thigh.

 
Drace looked at the scars in question; noticing for the first time the lowest one had changed. It looked like a fresher wound had happened over the original. The path of the cut had followed at a slightly different angle and was deeper and angrier.

  Drace looked up at Ki who avoided his eyes.

  Ki touched the scars lightly. “I had an accident. It is nothing.”

  “What kind of accident? Did you wreck your car?” Autumn wanted to know

  Ki looked to Drace for help. “Where Ki comes from they have some really big wild dogs. One attacked her when she was younger,” he told her.

  “You have a cool accent. Where are you from?”

  “Kismera. My home is called Oralia. I am afraid you would not have heard of it.”

  “You’ve got a cool tattoo. Mom look,” Autumn said as Penny came back in the living room brandishing the sunscreen victoriously. “It’s a dragon. Isn’t it neat? And she got bit by a big, huge dog at her home in Kismera.”

  “Kismera,” Ki corrected her, rolling the R properly. She then rattled off something in Werren that left Autumn temporarily speechless.

  “What did you say?” Penny asked, sitting on the arm of the sofa.

  “I told your daughter that she reminded me of the first rays of sunshine of a new day in my homeland. Bright and golden.”

  “That was very sweet, wasn’t it Autumn?”

  “Yes, Momma. Drace, she looks like the lady in the picture I drew for you on your birthday. She’s the lady you are going to rescue.”

  “She does kinda look like her, doesn’t she?” Drace commented to Autumn, looking Ki over. He said to Ki, “It’s the hair.”

  “I see,” Ki replied. She looked at Autumn and Penny didn’t miss the brief flash of something she couldn’t name in Ki’s eyes. “Drace did rescue me and he will be my knight always.”

  “Do you love him, too?” Autumn asked, climbing into Drace’s lap but not taking her eyes off Ki.

  “More than my own life, little one.”

  “How did you guys meet?”

  “Autumn, that’s enough. Leave the poor woman alone. Are you ready?” her mother asked her.

  “Yes ma’am,” Autumn answered politely.

  Drace stood and offered a hand to Ki to rise. “We can take my truck,” he offered.

  “Are you sure?” Penny asked, gathering her tote bag.

  “Of course. Ladies…,” he stood by the door and ushered them all out.

  The ride to the zoo was almost uneventful.

  Penny insisted on paying all their admission since Drace had driven. Once they were inside and past all the food venders, Ki stopped and inhaled deeply a few times.

  “What is it?” Drace asked, studying her face. She had that intent look again.

  “I have missed the smell of animals here. There are three lions somewhere.”

  “Can we go see them, Mom?” Autumn asked, pulling her mother’s free hand.

  “Sure, let’s see where they are on this map.” She checked a sign. “Why, they’re clear on the other side of the park,” she said, looking at Ki in puzzlement. “You’ve been here before?”

  “I have never been to a zoo. There are lions in my homeland.

  “Oh-kay.” Penny mused, but Ki was already moving in the lions’ direction.

  Drace took Autumn by the hand and followed Ki who began to slow as other animal exhibits caught her attention.

  Ki stopped in front of some big horn sheep but she seemed to be studying more than the animals. She moved on to the next exhibit that featured ostriches. Her eyebrows furrowed as she reasoned something in her mind. She took Drace’s arm, but looked at Penny and Autumn. “Would you excuse us for a moment, please?”

  Penny looked confused but acquiesced.

  Ki pulled Drace by the hand to a third enclosure where an okapi, a relative to the giraffe, stood placidly watching the crowd, chewing its cud.

  Ki eyed it for a second. “That is a most interesting looking animal.” She pushed her sunglasses up and Drace saw the confusion in her eyes. “Why are these animals confined? All the animals I have seen penned were pigs or chickens; but the wild animals were free. To see them thus saddens me. I do not understand.”

  Drace ran his hand over her shoulder. “A lot of wild animals in this world have lost their homes because of men. Zoos breed them so they don’t disappear entirely. Some of the breeding programs will introduce the offspring back into the wild, if it’s possible.

  “Zoos also allow men and women to study the animal’s behavior, to further help them. It’s not meant to be cruel, hon. Do you understand now? I’m afraid this world is not like yours in that mankind has not always protected the land.”

  Ki pulled her sunglasses back down but not before Drace saw the shadow of sadness in her eyes. He took her hand. “Are you okay?”

  She took a deep breath and her back straightened slightly. “Yes, my love.” She turned to look at Penny and Autumn. She gave them a welcoming smile that had them heading her way. Ki turned her back to Drace. “I am fine. After all, I am here with you.”

  Penny and Autumn caught up to them. “Everything okay?”

  “It’s great,” Drace said. “Let’s mosey on to the lions.”

  The four walked through the park and found the lion exhibit. It had recently been renovated and they had a large open enclosure with a rock grotto at one corner with a thick glass observation window.

  The large male lion lay watching his admirers from the shade of a large tree, looking very regal. The two lionesses were in the shade of the grotto by the window.

  Drace held Penny and her daughter’s attention while Ki went into the observation area of the grotto. He saw one of the lioness jump as if someone had poked her in the rear and turn towards the window. Next thing he knew the lioness was rubbing her head against the glass and making little chuffing noises. He could have sworn he heard an answer from inside the rocks.

  A moment later, Ki strode out relaxed, a half smile on her lips. She came to him and let him pull her against his side. She threaded her own arm across his back.

  After watching the lions for a few minutes more Autumn grew bored and they began to wander the rest of the park.

  Penny watched the couple discreetly and was amazed at how well they went together. She had been out with Drace a couple of times when he had first moved in but they had both quickly agreed that a friendship was all they wanted. He did make her pulse go up on occasion like this morning when he had answered the door. Standing there in nothing but a pair of worn jeans, his big body with its assortment of scars, the big tattoo, beard stubble, and his hair in major disarray—it was obvious what he had been doing even before Ki had stepped out of the bedroom.

  Now that one was a mystery but Penny was very glad she had come along. Drace hadn’t dated anyone for a while, and the last few months he had seemed, well, sad and lonely. Ki and he made one of the most striking couples she had ever seen.

  “Mom!” entered Penny’s musing and she gave her daughter her full attention.

  “I’m sorry dear. What did you say?” She looked to see where Drace and Ki had gone and saw them a little way ahead looking at some tamerin monkeys.

  “Momma, can I please have some ice cream?” Autumn pleaded.

  “May I,” Penny corrected, “and yes, I think that sounds pretty yummy and it’s getting hot. Go see if Drace and Ki want some, too.”

  Autumn scampered away from her and practically plowed Drace. He leaned over to listen and nodded. Autumn galloped back to her mother.

  “Slow down, missy,” Penny laughed and told Drace and Ki in passing, “Hope you’re ready for her when the sugar high kicks in.”

  The four stopped for ice cream. Penny and Autumn each got two scoops of chocolate in a cone. Drace got a scoop of strawberry in a cup and ordered a vanilla cup for Ki. He knew she’d never had ice cream and couldn’t wait to see her reaction.

  Ki watched Drace as he took a dig with his plastic spoon and came up with a small quant
ity and put it in his mouth. She copied his actions. She had known it would be cold, she could feel it in her palm. She wasn’t prepared for the sharpness of it though and almost spit the first bite out.

  Drace choked back a laugh at her expressions as surprise changed to wonder. “Good, huh?”

  Ki took another taste and closed her eyes with pleasure. “Oh my, yes.”

  “Here, try mine. It’s strawberry.”

  She had taken her sunglasses off and Drace saw the tawny eyes grow even more amazed at the strawberry flavor. He offered her more and she licked it off, sending a shot of heat pooling south as he watched.

  Suddenly, she gave a little cry and dug the heels of her hands against her temples, her fine brows drawing together. “It is poison. I will not eat anymore,” she moaned.

  “What’s wrong with Ki?” Autumn asked Drace, confusion on her chocolate smeared face.

  “Ice cream headache,” he explained. “Her first.”

  “Ki’s never had ice cream?” Autumn couldn’t believe it.

  “Nope, never.” He noticed Ki was sending him a baleful look.

  Autumn noticed it too. “Hey Mom…Ki’s eyes are the same color as those lions.”

  Ki sat still, holding her head, but the sharp headache quickly passed. She blinked at Autumn’s innocent comment and ran the tip of her tongue over the point of one of her canines. “Why ever did that…,” Ki asked, motioning with one long finger at Drace’s ice cream cup, “make my head feel as if it would split?”

  “Try to eat it slowly. It’s when you eat it too fast that it will give you that headache.” Drace looked at Penny, who was indeed checking out Ki’s eyes.

  Ki tentatively tried another bite of her vanilla. Luckily she had set it down before grabbing her head. Going at it with more caution, she finished the ice cream.

  The rest of the day passed uneventfully and the ride back home was quiet as Autumn fell asleep, exhausted from her fun day. Drace carried her up the stairs and into Penny’s apartment, depositing Autumn into her own bed. He gave Penny a chaste kiss on the cheek and thanked her for inviting them.

  Drace had a lemon herb rotisserie chicken in the fridge, which he warmed up and they ate that with some streamed asparagus with butter.