“I see. What would you want out of our arrangement?”
Darabin shrugged. “I think it only fair that I have a position of power in the new Khaytab. Once it’s occupied by Seeba, I could do a lot of good showing you those who would try to undo your power.”
“I see. You seek power.”
“I seek a return to the ways the gods intended us to live,” Darabin said hotly. “I will not have this human dictate my life any longer.”
“And if I grant you this power, you will bring the human to us?”
“Of course!” Darabin said eagerly.
“And your king?”
He paused. He’d served Nameer all his life. He’d worked his way up through the ranks to sit at the king’s right hand. And now what did he have to show for it? Nameer had replaced him, and not even with a man. His position was occupied by a woman. A woman who had cost Tayas his life.
“Very well,” Darabin said. “I will bring you Nameer and Kyla Dean in return for your promise.”
Sahir held out his right hand. “You’ve made the right choice. Duke.”
******
Almost a week later, Darabin stood outside the room where the council convened. His palms were sweating, but he’d gotten the message from Seeba. Tonight was the night. He knocked on the door.
“My lord? May I speak with you?”
“Of course,” Nameer said, opening the door and gesturing to the table. “Have a seat. How do you like your new job?” He’d assigned Darabin to handle the newest recruits recently. There was no sense in letting the man’s years of talent go to waste and, with time, Nameer was sure that Darabin would work his way up again. The man was too smart to stay down for long. He was just a little too set in the old ways.
“Fine,” Darabin lied. “I enjoy the new recruits.”
Nameer smiled. “Good. I knew that you would do the job well.”
“Hello, Darabin,” Kyla said, walking in with Danny, Khaza and Afani. “I didn’t know you were joining our meeting.”
“The king asked me in,” he said, returning her bold gaze.
Kyla looked at Nameer and he smiled at her, pulling her down into the chair next to his. “Darabin has something to say,” he told her. “I thought it would be best if he told my whole cabinet.”
“I’ve been thinking about the crisis with Seeba,” Darabin said.
“It’s not a crisis,” Khaza cut in. “It’s a war.”
Darabin’s jaw clenched at being corrected by one of his former subordinates, but he managed a nod. “As you say. I think that, rather than focusing on the toxin, we should attempt to get the travel devices. If they can’t get to the other worlds, they can’t keep manufacturing.”
“We don’t know for sure that they’re manufacturing there,” Kyla said.
“It’s a reasonable assumption though,” Khaza said reluctantly. “Our spies would have found a facility if they were doing it here.”
“And how do we get the devices back?” Kyla asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I would leave that up to you,” Darabin said. “I’m sure the Captain is more than capable of this type of mission. It will be just like the toxin retrieval.”
Kyla flushed hot, but Nameer put his hand on her leg under the table.
“Watch your words, Darabin,” he said simply. “And if you have an idea that would be helpful, speak up.”
“I would suggest a smaller group,” he said. “Perhaps only the people in this room.”
“Not Afani,” Khaza said quickly.
“What?” she demanded. “Why?”
He shifted in his seat. “I could say that it’s because I love you and I don’t want you to be hurt,” he admitted. “But it’s mostly because of our daughter. Afani, I don’t ask you to stay because you aren’t capable. I ask you to stay because I want our daughter raised by a woman who can teach her what she’s truly worth.”
“Also, you’re a good nurse,” Kyla said matter of factly. Afani was looking suspiciously bright eyed and Kyla didn’t want any tears at the war table. “Danny, maybe you should stay too. Hold down the fort.”
“Pretty sure I should go with you,” Danny said, frowning. “Naturally immune, remember?”
“And smart enough to keep things together around here if we’re gone,” Kyla finished. “So it’s me and Khaza and...” she sighed and looked across the table. “Darabin.”
“And me,” Nameer said.
“What?” Kyla demanded, but he held up his hand.
“I will not be dissuaded,” he informed her. “And I would do this whether or not I was in love with you.”
“Now that we’ve gotten our team together,” Darabin said, leaning forward. “I think we should plan our approach. We need to be quick, and I don’t think we should bother with spies this time.”
“All of that would make sense if we knew where we were going,” Khaza said. “Unless you have a lead.”
“I might,” Darabin said.
“Well, let’s have it,” Nameer encouraged.
“I’ve been...looking around,” Darabin said. “Trying to find a way to help. I have a plan. If we go tonight.”
Kyla bit her lower lip and glanced at Nameer. It all seemed awfully convenient.
“Very well,” Nameer said after a long moment. “We’ll try it.”
******
“I don’t like this,” Kyla said in a low voice as they followed Darabin out of the city. “It’s too easy. When has he had time to spy around? Why didn’t he say something if that was what he was doing?”
“Darabin is a lot of things,” Nameer said, putting his hand on the back of her neck. “But he’s always been loyal.”
“Things have always gone his way,” she pointed out. “I think it would be easy to be obedient then.”
“We’ll keep an eye on him tonight,” Khaza promised from behind her. “I know I plan to get back to my family.”
Kyla smiled at him. “I’ll make sure of it.”
“I don’t think so.”
Kyla spun around to face the new voice and recognized the Seeban general who had allowed his troops to die choking on poison. She’d been suspicious, but it had never occurred to her that Darabin would be working with the Seebans. Nameer was right...Darabin had always been loyal. “You!”
“Sahir,” Nameer said coolly. “You were the one who left his troops to die?”
Sahir shrugged. “There are more where those came from.” He gestured at the men approaching and surrounding them.
Kyla reached for her gun and then realized it was pointless. Nameer pushed her slightly behind him.
“What do you want?” he asked, trying to keep the growl out of his voice at the threat to his mate. Sahir couldn’t be allowed to see that she was a weakness.
“He wants Khaytab,” Darabin said, stepping over to the general’s side. “And I want a leader who cares about our traditions.”
Nameer looked at his former captain. “I had no idea you were such an idiot.”
Darabin’s face flushed. “I’m not the one throwing away our customs and spitting in the face of our gods! But I will be the one to rule over Khaytab when Seeba conquers it.”
“Yes, about that...” Sahir said with a smile as he drew a vial of poison from his pocket. “I think we might look into different leadership.”
He strapped a gas mask on and flung the bottle down into a small puddle of water. Mist rose. Kyla dug into her pocket and pressed the button of the one device she had. As the portal opened, she raised her gun and fired, dropping the soldier closest to Khaza. He was too far away to take through the portal, but she wouldn’t let him die the way Tayas had.
“Get the mask and run!” she shouted.
Khaza was turning to do as she said when the portal opened fully. She shoved Nameer through it. He grabbed the back of her shirt and dragged her with him.
******
Khaza ran until his lungs burned with exhaustion, rather than the threat of poison. The city of Kha
ytab was in sight, and the Seebans didn’t seem to be following him. He burst into the castle courtyard and then ran up five flights of stairs to bang on Danny’s door.
Danny appeared, rubbing his face with one hand and buttoning his jeans with the other. “What’s the matter?” he asked. “You’re breathing funny.”
“Darabin betrayed us,” Khaza said grimly.
Danny stopped fumbling with his jeans. “What?”
“He betrayed us to the Seebans. And then they betrayed him.” Khaza smiled bitterly. “If my luck holds, that bastard died choking.”
“Where is Kyla?” Danny demanded. “And Nameer?”
“Gone.”
Danny’s heart stopped and then started again with jarring force. “I’m going to need you to be a little more informative.”
“They went through a portal. I guess they went back to wherever you came from.”
“New York?”
Khaza shrugged. “I don’t have any idea; obviously I’m still here.”
“Get Afani and the rest of the cabinet,” Danny said after a moment. “We’ll have to figure out what to do.”
“Should I get Lirana too?”
“Wh--” Danny began, but then he realized. “Oh. You think she might have known?”
“It’s possible.” Khaza looked tired. “We have to check.”
“I guess so. You get her. Give me a second and I’ll round everyone else up.”
It took nearly an hour to get everyone in the same room, but most of the time had gone to informing the patrols that they were on high alert. They couldn’t afford to take any chances.
Khaza told them all what he’d seen. Afani kept checking him for injury while he talked. Lirana kept her gaze on the table in front of her.
“We need to know if you had any knowledge of this,” Fasheed said, eyeing her sternly.
“I knew nothing but the fact that my husband is angry,” she said. “He does not like our new ways or the fact that he was replaced by a woman.”
“Lirana,” Afani said gently. “Are you sure?”
Lirana lifted her head and looked into her friend’s eyes. “I am. I never would have...I am...” Tears filled her eyes and she dropped her gaze back to the table. “I am loyal to Khaytab, I swear it.”
“You were also loyal to your husband.” Fasheed’s voice was sharp.
“Of course she was,” Danny cut in impatiently. “But that doesn’t mean that he told her what he was planning. If you want to keep her in the castle for observation, you can, but I think we’ve got bigger things to worry about here. We seem to be a king short. If the time difference is the same this time as it was last time, he might be missing for a while. If he’s still alive.” He knew that he was being too blunt, but he really wanted to get Lirana out of there.
“Kyla acted quickly,” Khaza said. “I think it’s likely that the king still lives.”
“Even so,” Fasheed said, rubbing his chin. “We need someone to rule in his stead.”
“Why not Khaza?” Danny asked, growing even more impatient.
Khaza’s mouth fell open. “What? I’m not even of royal--”
“Who cares? You’re capable, you’re smart, you got the hell out of Dodge when it got dangerous, and you kept us safe,” Danny said matter of factly. “You get my vote. Whatever vote I have.” He pushed back from the table. “Lirana. Come with me.”
She started, looking at Afani.
“I can get her settled, Danny,” Afani said, but he waved her off. He needed to speak to her.
******
“You can stay here,” he said, showing her into Kyla’s room.
“This isn’t the one I had last time,” she began.
“I know. But I know how to get to this one and it’s really nice,” he said as he dropped an armful of new bedding down. “It’s got its own tub too.”
“Thank you,” she said, looking down.
“How are you doing?” Danny asked. “This can’t be easy for you.”
Lirana lifted her hands and let them fall in a helpless gesture. “I don’t know. I keep thinking of how he was when we first met.”
“Was he better then?” Danny asked roughly. He didn’t want to hear about the other man. Not when he was dying to be the one to make this better for her.
She gave a small laugh. “No. I...I always thought that he would grow to love me. Afani and Khaza...they were an arranged marriage too. But he was always so much kinder to her. My lord...he never...” Tears began to slide down her cheeks again. “I was never good enough.”
Danny couldn’t hold back any longer. In two strides he’d crossed the room and pulled her to him. “That’s not true,” he said fiercely. “If he didn’t love you, it was his problem not yours.”
She looked up at him. “How do you know?”
“Because I...because you...” He couldn’t think of how to say it. Instead of trying to figure it out, he cupped her face in his hands and brought his mouth down on hers. For a moment, her lips were stiff with surprise, but then they parted. He teased her tongue with his, taking the kiss deeper and deeper. He felt like he could drown in her taste and her scent. She fit him, she finished him.
“Ah, Lirana,” he murmured against her mouth. “God, I’ve never wanted anyone like I’ve wanted you.”
She was like fire in his blood and he couldn’t help but reach for her again when she pulled back. The look on her face stopped him though. She was crying again.
“I can’t!” she said, nearly hysterical suddenly. “I...you’ve made me unfaithful! When he comes back, he’ll never forgive me!”
“Lirana, he might not--”
“Don’t say that!” Her eyes blazed with pain, confusion, and frustrated desire. “Please, please, just go!”
Danny had no choice but to do as she’d asked. He leaned against the door she slammed behind him, slid to the floor and put his head in his hands. His body ached for her, but it went deeper than that. He needed her more than he’d ever needed any other woman in his life. He wished Kyla was around. Maybe there was more to this mating thing than he’d thought.
******
The sounds of the city greeted Kyla abruptly. Nameer was beside her, but he wasn’t upright for long. With a growl, he lurched and fell to his knees. Kyla’s heart nearly stopped. She dropped down beside him.
“Nameer?” She grabbed his shoulders and hauled him upright, facing her. “Is it the poison?”
He shook his head. “Not pain. Just dizzy.”
Relief hit her like a punch in the gut. She’d been dizzy like that the first few times she’d jumped worlds too. He growled again, sounding very much like a seasick tiger.
“Come on,” she said. “I’ll help you back to my place.”
“Your...place?” He squinted at her. “What...”
She pulled him to his feet, letting him lean heavily on her. Nighttime New York twinkled and glowed all around them. No one had even stopped to look at them. They all probably assumed that Nameer was drunk.
“Welcome to Earth,” she said with a smile, stretching over to give him a kiss.
In the confusion, they missed seeing Darabin disappear into the crowd. They walked slowly down the bustling street. Luckily they hadn’t landed too far from her apartment building. She didn’t think he was quite ready for the elevator in his current state so they walked up.
When she opened the door and turned on the lights, he groaned so she turned them off again, navigating by the lamp she always left on in the corner of the living room. Remembering what Afani had done for her, Kyla steered Nameer to the couch and helped him lie down.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, smoothing his hair back from his forehead.
He reached for her, but his reflexes were a little slower. She smiled. “Be patient.”
A low rumbling growl was her only answer. She ran a washcloth under some cold water and poured him a glass of ginger ale. She laid the cloth over his eyes and he sighed in relief, reaching for her hand again.
>
“Is Earth always this way?” he asked after a moment.
“What way?”
“Loud. And all the smells. And so...unsteady.”
She laughed softly. “Yes to the first two. At least in New York. But as to the last one, I’m afraid you’re the one who is unsteady. It’s the jump. You’ll feel better soon. Here.”
Nameer fumbled for the glass and half sat up to drink. After one sip he coughed, looking at her in surprise. “What is this?”
“Ginger ale. It’ll make your stomach feel better.”
Nameer eyed the glass suspiciously. “It’s cold, but it burns.”
Kyla laughed again. “Trust me. If you can drink beer, you can drink this.”
He chanced another swallow. Then another. “It isn’t as bad now,” he finally said.
She ruffled his hair. “Told you.”
Eventually, he sat up and began to prowl around. There was no other word for it. She’d never seen him look outside his element, but in her small apartment, he did. Kyla joined him when he stopped in front of her window. The view was the reason she paid so much for this place.
“It’s huge,” Nameer said when she stood beside him. “I thought I ruled a large kingdom, but whoever rules here...” he trailed off.
Kyla decided not to get into American politics. It would take longer than she cared to spend and it didn’t really matter in the long run anyway.
“I have an idea,” she said. “I have a vial of the poison, and I know a man who promised to work on an antidote. He probably hasn’t had time yet...” She’d spent months in Khaytab this time, but it was the same as it had been before. She’d landed back in New York only minutes after she’d left.
“You think we should find this man?”
“Why not?”
Nameer looked out over the city, the bright lights playing on his strong features. “The longer I am gone, the longer my people suffer without a king.”
Realm Shifters Page 10
