“And what will they suffer if we come back empty handed?” Kyla asked quietly. “Nameer, Seeba is winning. And they’ll keep winning if we don’t take back the upper hand. We need an antidote, gas masks, information.”
Nameer sighed. “You’re right. I just...I don’t know what to do here. It’s strange being nobody.”
“Hey,” she said, cupping his face in her hands and turning him toward her. “You’re not nobody. You’re my...” she took a breath. “You’re my mate. And I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure that we have a home to go back to.”
“You would make Khaytab your home?” Nameer asked, his bright green eyes steady on hers. “You would leave this behind?”
“For you?” Kyla asked with a smile. “I would.”
His kiss was eager and thankful. “I have wanted to hear you say that for a long time,” he admitted, breathing hard when he finally drew back. “But I didn’t want to push you.”
“You’ve come a long way,” Kyla said, twining her arms around his neck. “You would have ordered me to stay in the past.”
“And you would have put me in my place,” Nameer replied, lifting her up so that she could wrap her legs around him. “I don’t know how I’ve earned your love, Kyla, but I am honored to be able to take you home for good when the time comes.”
******
THE END
Realm Shifters: New Beginnings
Book 4
Kyla and Nameer are in New York with no idea what’s happening back in his kingdom of Khaytab. Time is passing much faster there than it is on Earth but Kyla is determined to go back to Khaytab with an antidote…
However, the only person that can help her with that is a little distracted by the sudden understanding they humans aren’t the only intelligent species out there.
And more than a little angry that his brother is in an unknown world at war.
Back in Khaytab, time is passing and Danny is getting worried that the king might not be coming back. Or that he’ll come back to a kingdom ruled by the Seebans.
How long can Danny, as an outsider, hold any influence in a country falling apart from fear?
Most importantly, how can he protect beautiful Lirana if the toxin is released?
Realm Shifters: New Beginnings
Book 4
It took Kyla a moment to get oriented when she woke up. She was in Nameer’s arms, but the New York skyline peeked through the curtains of her own apartment. She turned and pressed her face against his warm, solid chest. He murmured low in his throat and pulled her closer.
As much as she wanted to snuggle in, maybe introduce him to the wonders of New York style bagels and lox, time was passing in Khaytab. It was too early to calculate the exact exchange rate, but her two weeks in New York had been nearly a year last time. They had to move and they had to move fast.
“Nameer?” she whispered.
He made that deep rumbling noise that always reminded her of a purr, but his eyes didn’t open.
“Nameer,” Kyla repeated. “It’s time to wake up.”
“Not yet.”
His rough morning voice sent shivers through her, as always, but she had to be firm.
“Nameer, we’ve got a lot to do,” she said. “Scientists to call, the possibility of a fugitive to track down, clothes to buy.”
His eyes opened at the last part. “What?”
“Even in New York, you’ll draw attention if you don’t get some jeans,” she said, sitting up and leaning back against the headboard. “And we’ll have our share of officials to deal with. I don’t want to answer more questions than I have to.”
Nameer rolled over, resting his head in her lap. “Can’t you command someone to come here and make what you need?”
Kyla shook her head with a grin. “Uh, no. I’m not exactly royalty here. Or back home, really,” she teased as she sifted her fingers through his thick, dark hair. “You haven’t made me your official queen.”
“There’s been no time,” he said earnestly. “But believe me, when my kingdom is in order, you will become my queen in a ceremony to rival the gods.”
Another shiver when those bright green eyes locked on hers.
“I was only joking.”
He reached up and traced one finger down her cheek. “I wasn’t.” When he saw her face flush, he smiled. “Now, where do we need to go?”
“First place?” Kyla tapped her chin. “Bathroom.”
He followed her into the small bathroom and glanced around. “Where’s the bath?”
“This is New York,” Kyla said. “Space is an issue.”
“I can see that,” he admitted, glancing around. He could have stretched out his arms and touched both walls at the same time. “What’s that box?”
She pulled the glass shower door open and turned a knob. Nameer’s eyebrows went up when water sprayed from the showerhead.
“You stand under the water,” Kyla explained when he didn’t move. “Soap and shampoo are there.” She pointed at the bottles. “I’m going to go and get breakfast. I’ll be back before you’re done.”
It was only a mark of his dedication to his country that he didn’t ask her to join him. He was stepping gingerly under the spray when she left.
There was no food in her apartment. At least, none that she wanted to serve a foreign king. Kyla pulled on yoga pants and a sweatshirt, yanked her hair back into a ponytail and headed for the nearest deli, Barney Greengrass.
The shower was still running when Kyla came back with a bag filled with food. She’d gotten the cream cheese and Lox bagels, of course. But there were so many things that she wanted Nameer to try! She’d also gotten matzo ball soup, a cream cheese and jelly bagel, whitefish salad, a horseradish cheddar cheese sandwich, noodle pudding, and two slices of cheesecake. The thought of eating even half of it was making her feel queasy, but she’d wanted him to try it. Who knew when, if ever, they’d be back.
She put the food on the table and went into the bathroom. A cloud of steam hit her in the face the minute she opened the door.
“What are you doing?” she called out.
“What?”
“I said what are you doing? I’ve got breakfast on the table.” She couldn’t see into the shower because of how steamed up it was.
“Oh,” he said. “This is very relaxing.”
Kyla laughed. “I hope you’ve left enough hot water to relax me a little.”
“It runs out?”
“Yeah. Come on, get out and I’ll get in.”
He did as she asked and she handed him a towel, jumped into the shower and washed quickly. The water was just turning cool when she’d rinsed the soap off. When she got out, Nameer was still there, the towel wrapped around his waist as he finger combed his hair.
“I liked those pants,” he informed her when she walked into the bedroom, leaving her yoga pants on the bathroom floor.
She grinned at him over her shoulder and dropped her towel, digging in her closet for something more presentable to wear out.
“Most guys do,” she informed him as she pulled on a pair of jeans, tucked the legs into the brown boots she loved best when she wasn’t working, and then pulled on a cream colored sweater. She’d let her hair air dry while they ate.
Nameer had dressed again in his battle clothes. She hoped that no one would notice the blood stains on the black pants.
“You look beautiful,” he said, letting her precede him back to the kitchen. “You should wear those boots more often.”
She imagined wearing nothing but a pair of boots for him and filed the image away for later.
“Was my mate hungry?” Nameer asked when he saw the amount of food on her small table.
Her stomach lurched and she shook her head. “No. I’m not a big breakfast eater.” She began measuring coffee into her favorite kitchen appliance as she spoke. “But New York deli food is something that everyone should experience at least once.”
He began pulling food out of bags and sn
iffing at it. She named things off as he opened them. When her coffee was done, she joined him at the table. “Start with the bagels,” she advised. “The other stuff will be fine in the refrigerator if you don’t get to it.”
With a wary expression, Nameer bit into the lox bagel. His expression turned from dubious to delighted so fast that it made her heart skip a beat. He tried everything she’d brought home and even helped her clear things up when the meal was over. The dishwasher fascinated him; she practically had to drag him out the door once it had started.
Fall, midmorning, New York captured his attention quite well though. People of all kinds bustled by, talking on cell phones, carrying briefcases, looking like models, dodging tourists who were desperate to Instagram every moment of their big city vacation. Nameer’s eyes were bright with interest as he watched them.
“Everyone is so busy,” he said, reaching for Kyla’s hand so that she didn’t get too far away from him. “Where are they all going?”
“Different places,” she said, pointing out a woman with a briefcase and a cellphone practically glued to her ear. “She’s probably a businesswoman. Maybe Wall Street. They work weird hours if they deal with foreign accounts.” A Chinese man was walking past them, his arms filled with grocery bags. “He’s coming back from the store.” She pointed out a group of college age people gathered around a cell phone. “Tourists. They picked a good time of year. Fall is my favorite season here.”
“You haven’t seen the harvest season in Khaytab,” Nameer realized. “The sky is golden when the sun sets and there are social events. The palace always hosts a masked ball.”
Kyla squeezed his hand. “Really? So it’s like Halloween!” She wouldn’t lose all of her traditions. And maybe she could introduce the palace to the joys of zombie makeup. “We dress up in costumes and have parties here too,” she explained when he looked slightly confused. “On October 31st. We call it Halloween.”
“I like the sound of that,” Nameer said. “We can--” He broke off suddenly. “What are those?”
His attention had been so focused on the people that he hadn’t really noticed the street. People swerved around them when Nameer stopped to stare at the traffic.
“Cars,” Kyla said, holding back a laugh. “It’s how we get around.”
His hand tightened on hers when the traffic began to move. “They’re alive?”
She lost the battle and laughed, pulling him along with her so they weren’t in the way. “No, they’re machines. We drive them.”
Nameer stared at the sleek red corvette passing by. “I want one.”
“Of course you do,” Kyla said as they approached the clothing store. “It’s a universally male characteristic.”
“Women don’t like them?”
Her lips parted in surprise and then she leaned her head on his arm for just a moment. “You got me. That was sexist.”
He smiled down at her. “That’s all right. I’m happy to teach you how to be tolerant.”
He dodged her punch and they walked into the store.
******
“How can I...” the salesclerk trailed off when got a good look at Nameer. She swallowed hard. “How can I help you?”
Nameer looked at Kyla.
“He just needs the basics,” she said. “I think we’ve got it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
Nameer raised an eyebrow at Kyla. “Isn’t helping us her job?”
Kyla twitched her shoulders in a shrug. “We shouldn’t need help. I know where to find jeans.”
“Who makes all of these?”
“Factories, mostly. More machines.” Kyla eyed him up and down and then flicked through the rack, guessing wildly at his size.
“What do people do?” Nameer asked from under a stack of jeans. “They don’t clean, they don’t sew, they don’t walk...”
“Well...we...it’s complicated. And trust me, there’s cleaning to be done no matter what.”
She tossed some tee shirts on top of the jeans and showed him to the changing room. His big hand closed around her upper arm and he pulled her in with him.
“Why are all the rooms on Earth so small?” he asked.
“They aren’t.” Kyla stretched up and put her arms around him. “You’re just big.”
His hands rested on her slim waist as he pulled her close and kissed her. Kyla parted her lips and met his tongue eagerly. He caught his breath when she pushed his pants down, but she pushed back and held up a pair of jeans.
“We are in here for a reason.”
“You drive me crazy,” he informed her. “Now, how do these work?”
“Like all pants. Put them on and I’ll help you with the zipper.”
He pulled them on and then switched his shirt for a black tee shirt. Kyla bit her lower lip when he pushed his hair back off of his forehead and gave her a smile.
“What do you think?”
“Not too shabby,” she said, trying to keep from visibly shivering. He was sexy no matter what, but the tight jeans that molded to his lean hips and hugged his ass were mouthwatering. The black shirt was just a little too tight, stretching slightly through the shoulders, but she didn’t care. No one with eyes was going to care either. “I think these will be fine.”
They paid and walked out. Kyla was just pulling out her cell phone and hoping that she’d saved Steve’s number when Nameer stopped again.
“What’s the smell?”
She blinked up at him. “You’ll have to be more specific. Exhaust, trash, overpopulation...”
“No, it’s good.” He looked around. “Over there.”
“A Chinese restaurant? We just finished breakfast!”
“But it smells so good.”
“You’re supposed to be a tiger, not a puppy.”
Seeing that he wasn’t going to give, she took his hand, dove into the pedestrian traffic crossing the street, and went inside. She picked at her sesame chicken while he ate everything in sight.
“You’ve really got an appetite, don’t you?” the waitress said when he stopped her to order more egg rolls and crab rangoons.
“Everything here is delicious,” he said. “Do you cook it?”
“I will if you want me to,” she assured him. “How do you stay so...” She trailed off when Kyla leveled the full weight of her stare on her. “I’ll be right back out with those.”
“Jealous, kitten?” Nameer asked with a grin. “I promise that I only have eyes for you.”
“Doesn’t look like it,” she snapped, surprising both of them. She didn’t know why she was so annoyed. Nameer had been inspiring looks the whole time she’d known him, and their time in New York was no different.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” She took a bite of her noodles to keep him from asking more questions. “Can we get a bag?” Kyla asked when the waitress came back. “And the check?”
The waitress dropped it off without speaking again. Kyla made sure to tip decently; she wasn’t thrilled, but she also wasn’t a jerk. She pulled away from Nameer when he reached for her arm and they walked back to the apartment in silence.
“I’m going to call Steve,” she said. “I wrote his number down somewhere.”
“Wait just a minute,” he said. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing.”
“Is it because of what I said to the waitress? You don’t usually mind. You know I don’t mean anything by it, Kyla.”
“Yes, I do,” she said in frustration. “I mean, I know that you don’t.” Her annoyance was fading and she was starting to feel very silly for how she’d overreacted. “I don’t...I guess I’m just tired.”
Nameer pulled her against him. “I don’t want anyone but you.”
His lips met hers and she tightened her arms around him. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he pulled back, a wicked sparkle in his eyes. “I had no idea you’d be so possessive.”
She laughed and pushed away from him. “We need to call Steve.”
“What’s he going to do?”
“He’s Danny’s brother. More importantly, he’s a scientist. He can get us an antidote.” She dialed his number and waited impatiently for him to pick up.
“It’s Kyla Dean. Any luck with that antidote?” she asked when he picked up.
Steve gave a quick laugh. “Uh, no, not really. It hasn’t even been a week.”
Shit. The time difference was really messing with her. “Can you take some time out today to talk to me?” She was going to have to come clean with him if she wanted his help, but she’d need to run it by Nameer first.
“Sure,” he said easily.
“Good. And, do me a favor. Start going over what you need for the antidote.”
There was a sudden rush of background noise. Kyla frowned. “Steve?”
“Yeah, I’m still...I’ll have to go. I’ll call you back.”
The call disconnected before she could say anything else. “I wonder what that was about?”
“What does this do?” Nameer asked, pointing to the television, too distracted to pay much attention.
Kyla turned it on. “It’s mainly for...” she trailed off when she saw the screen.
A news anchor was looking worriedly into the camera and speaking quickly. The banner across the bottom of the screen read, “Man appears to turn into something other than human.”
“As this disturbing security footage shows, the man about to enter the frame appears to change his shape. Do shape shifters walk among us?”
“Darabin?” Kyla whispered.
The grainy security footage jerked to life again. She noticed that it was dated last night, right about the time she and Nameer had gotten to her apartment. Darabin was holding his head, lurching along the sidewalk, clearly having as much trouble as Nameer had had. He ran into a group of people and one of the men shoved him. Darabin snarled and began to change, but he only got about halfway there.
The camera only caught him from the back, but his muscles bulged as he grew taller. The group of people scattered. Darabin moved to go after them. Right into the path of a massive truck. Kyla gasped when it hit him.
Realm Shifters Page 11
