Dark Lord of Kismera: Knights of Kismera (45 page)

Maggie poked him in his chest. “You have
this
kind of body and you eat
butter?”

Drace grinned at her, his spoon in one hand. “Oh yeah. And it’s real butter. Love it.” He offered her a taste of his creation, blowing on it gently first.

“That
is
good,” Maggie said, wiping delicately at her lower lip with a fingertip.

“What? How come you sound surprised?”

“Sorry. It is good. Let me set the table. Where are your plates?”

Drace was moving the food to the table when he saw headlights come down the drive and stop at Cerise’s house. He squinted into the dark and a flash of lightning illuminated her car.

The weather had turned bad and he had been worried about her being on the roads. Relieved she was home; he turned his attention back to the meal and Maggie.

Maggie outlined her plan to Drace over dinner. They would have to fill Cerise in on the details tomorrow.

After cleaning up after their meal, Drace and Maggie went into his living room. They sat next to each other on his couch. Drace picked up the television remote, but did not turn the set on.

Maggie looked over at him and saw he was frowning. “What’s wrong? I can still get a hotel in town if you’re uncomfortable with me staying tonight.”

Drace came back from his thoughts. “No, no. That’s not it. I was just remembering something you told me, about someone you had cared for once.”

“Oh,” she replied, startled by his thoughts, and wishing he had forgotten.

“Tell me about him,” Drace said, turning to face her.

“I don’t know. That was a long time ago, but it still bothers me to bring him up.”

Drace gave her a sympathetic, but steady stare.

She realized he wasn’t going to give up.

“Why do you need to know?” Maggie asked

“I’m fighting the urge to rip apart someone I’ve never met, that’s why.”

“Oh,” she said. “I see.” Maggie gave a sigh of surrender and positioned herself more comfortably. “His name was, is, Ted—Ted Maxwell. Not anything like you. He was my college sweetheart, same field of study and we decided to work together after college. We worked for a couple of years in Egypt, and one day I made an incredible find. I literally fell into this tomb on a dig.”

“The priest’s?” Drace asked.

“No, that came later. It was the tomb of a pharaoh’s favorite wife and there was so much new information. Ted had gone for supplies and so he was rather upset that he had not been there. That was the first time he hit me.”

Drace stiffened and Maggie saw his jaw clench but he didn’t interrupt.

“At first I was frightened, but then I got angry. Ted is nowhere as big as you but he was still a lot stronger than I am. When I started to fight back that’s when he started to really hurt me. It just made it worse. But I didn’t want to lose my find, so I stayed and put up with his crap and tried not to do anything to set him off.” Maggie closed her eyes against the memories and then swallowed hard. “In the end, it got so bad I had to go. I think if I had stayed, something would have happened.”

“You think he would have hurt you badly?” Drace asked, softly.

“Oh yeah. He had become very quick to take out his anger physically. If it wasn’t hitting, it was to hurt me sexually. I’ve dated some since then and had a few sexual partners, but I never could relax and not feel some degree of fear.” Maggie looked up at him then, tears shining in her eyes. “Until that night with you. There was no fear at all.”

Drace felt a flush color his face. “Christ, Maggie,” he uttered.

Maggie gathered her composure and went on. “Anyway, finally I had had enough. I left everything behind, except my toothbrush and my passport. I snuck away while Ted was in the tomb, got to the airport and left for home on the first available plane. Ted took my notes and pictures, wrote a book and took all the credit. I didn’t even try to fight him on it. I’m careful not to work with him on any projects and I took a self-defense course. Last time I had the misfortune to see him, it was in a public place and I told him to stay away from me. He had gotten what he wanted so I wasn’t worth his effort anymore,” she finished and wiped at her eyes.

Drace wiped a tear she had missed gently from her cheek. “I’m sorry, Maggie. I just needed to know for some reason.”

“I know your story. Guess it’s only fair to give you some of mine. I’m just glad I didn’t marry the jerk.”

Drace gave a sharp laugh at her comment. “Now I know why I felt that way. Where is this guy now?”

“He moved to New York. He may have been worried I’d take him to court over the find. I never had enough proof so I can’t pursue it. The less dealings I have with him the better.”

Drace stood up suddenly and went into the kitchen. He came back a moment later with a couple of tissues and a glass of water. He handed those to Maggie and sat next to her, closer this time. He picked the remote up again, flicked on the TV and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his side. She snuggled closer to him as he found a movie they both agreed on. Drace brushed a kiss against her forehead in comfort and they spent the rest of the evening as friends.

MAGGIE AND CERISE hit it off immediately on meeting. Drace rolled his eyes as they acted like they had known each other for years. The three discussed Maggie’s idea over a breakfast that Drace cooked.

“I don’t know how fast winter comes to Kismera, but I know it’s going to be anytime now. Actually it’s past time,” Maggie remarked, looking out the window at the bright sunshine. “If we don’t go for it right now it will be spring before you can try.”

Cerise looked at Drace for his decision. He stood by the window doing the mental calculations on the Kismerian season. She knew he was also taking into consideration Ki’s probable pregnancy.

He turned to look at the two women. “Now. I want to try now,” he said. “If you ladies want to get some groceries, I’ll put up a couple of tents and set up a camp.”

Cerise poured herself another cup of coffee. “Where are you setting up?”

Drace stood with his hands in his back pockets, looking inward. “My practice field. Don’t drive out there. We’ll take horses.”

“How will I get there?” Maggie asked, her face paling visibly.

“You can ride with me on Pride. I assure you, you’ll be perfectly safe,” Drace informed her but she still looked doubtful.

Drace walked past her, putting a hand on her shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze as he went by.

“I promise, you’ll be fine,” he said then disappeared down the hall.

“Before this is over with, you will see him go into warrior mode. It’s like part of him is already over there or never really left. It’s a scary thing to watch, but at the same time it’s beautiful. He’s beautiful,” Cerise warned Maggie.

Maggie remembered that night at her apartment and the nightmare he’d had. “I have already caught a glimpse of it when he was in D. C.”

Drace came back from his room with his boots on and his coat. Both women gave him an innocent, wide-eyed smile.

Drace gave them each a puzzled frown, jammed his hat down on his head, and went out the front door with a ‘Hmmph!’

“He would have made one hell of a cowboy,” Maggie commented.

“You should see him ride. I’ve never seen anyone who can ride like he does,” Cerise said. “Come on. I know where he keeps his tape from the Olympic Trials. Keep in mind he was eighteen.”

Maggie practically skidded to a halt when Cerise stopped suddenly and turned. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” she exclaimed.

“Uhh, do I have to answer that?”

“Yes, you do. But it won’t change the fact that I like you,” Cerise pushed, heading on to the living room, and then going to the back shelves and to fine the tape.

“Come here and watch this. And don’t think I’m letting you get away from answering my question.”

They sat huddled together and Maggie watched a young Drace ride a dressage test on a big bay mare. Cerise fast-forwarded through the other competitors to the cross-country course. Maggie sat with a hand over her mouth in horror as Drace and the same mare went at a gallop over some huge obstacles.

Then came the stadium jumping where Drace rode a beautiful clean round. Finally, there was footage of Drace talking to his coach, his helmet under his arm. He hadn’t reached his full height or build, but was already big. He wore a big smile and ran a hand through his sweaty hair.

When he repeated it, Maggie laughed. “Seen that. He looks quite different with his hair short like that.”

Cerise quickly rewound the tape and placed it back on the shelf. “We had better get going. There’s a lot to do.”

Maggie stopped her for a moment. “To answer your question, yes, I think I do love him.” Judging by the tight feeling in her chest, she knew the answer was definitely yes. She ignored it as best she could. “But I want him to be happy and this is the path for him to follow. He knows how I feel. If things had happened differently maybe we could have had something.” Maggie blinked back tears; her husky voice choked a bit as she went on. “But he needs to go to her or he will never really be happy. So…,” she took a deep breath, “…let’s go get his groceries and get this plan rolling.”

They grabbed their coats and went outside, giving Drace a wave as he led Leo to the horse’s paddock. The big chestnut stallion pranced next to Drace, showing off.

Cerise and Maggie drove to town. Drace went back to the barn for Raven, the young Friesian stallion. Pride and Mitch were the only left horses in the barn.

When Cerise and Maggie returned Drace was gone. They arranged items in bags they could carry on the horses. Being close enough to home to resupply as time went by, they put the rest in Drace’s refrigerator and cabinets.

They were just finishing packing their clothes when Drace rode up to the house on Pride, leading Cerise’s big gray, already saddled.

Cerise hung the bags of food and clothes over her horse’s saddle then mounted.

Drace took Maggie’s bag and tied it to Pride’s saddle then put out his hand. She gave him a frightened look. “It’s too far up. He’s huge and I’ll fall.”

“Maggie, I would never let you fall. Take my hand, put your left foot on my boot. When I pull you up, swing your right leg over the horse’s rump. Then put your arms around my waist. Piece of cake.”

She gave him a dubious look. “Piece of cake, my butt,” she muttered but took his hand anyway. She was not prepared for the strength of his pull and almost went over. Drace caught her with his other hand, stopping her in the middle of the horse’s back.

“You’re not holding on to him. He’ll run away!” she almost screeched.

Pride flinched but did not take a step at the higher pitch of her voice.

“Maggie, never yell around the horses. Keep your voice easy,” Cerise instructed gently, turning her horse to face them. “It frightens them.

Maggie put her arms tightly around Drace’s waist and felt him shaking.

“Are you
laughing?”
Maggie whispered into his back.

Drace cleared his throat, composing himself. “No.” He choked back another laugh. “No, I’m good. Must have been a chill.”

“Are we ready?” Cerise asked. She turned Mitch back around and headed down the lane past the barns.

Maggie felt Pride’s haunches bunch as he moved to follow and she tightened her hold around Drace. He put a reassuring hand over hers where she had them clasped in a death grip above his naval. “Maggie?” he inquired, rubbing her hands.

“Yeah?” she squeaked, her breath warm against the back of his t-shirt.

“Mag, I’m kinda fond of breathing. You can ease you’re death grip a little and still not slide off. God, girl, your hands are cold.”

Maggie eased her hold slightly, but she was still pressed hard against him.

Drace asked Pride to stop after only a few strides. He turned his head to look at Maggie with one eye. He hoped this analogy didn’t turn around and bite him in the butt. “Think of sex,” he said bluntly.

“Excuse me?” Maggie exclaimed, shocked.

“Okay, it’s not the illustration I’d use for teaching kids, but for you, just think of sex.” Drace put a hand back on her thigh. “I don’t mean graphic, hard core. When the horse moves just let yourself relax and let your pelvis move with his rhythm, like if you were riding…,” Drace flushed darkly. “Well, you get the idea.”

Actually Maggie did, in more ways than one. She nodded against his back. If she hadn’t been so scared she would have enjoyed the mental picture.

“Ready to try again?” Drace asked her and felt her nod once more.

Maggie felt Pride take a few walking steps and willed herself to relax.

“The walk is a four beat gait. Let your pelvis rock to it,” Drace instructed. “Good,” he said as he felt her relax more. “Count out loud if it helps you.”

A small laugh bubbled out of Maggie as she relaxed further and the horse extended his walk a bit, his body moving more under her. A mental picture of Drace carrying her down her hall distracted her and caused her to stiffen as she fought it off. It didn’t help that she could feel him moving fluidly with the horse in front of her

“Oh shit,” she groaned and as her back straightened, Pride stopped.

“What happened? You were doing great,” Drace asked, patting her hands.

“Nothing. I just got distracted. We can go now. Give him some gas, okay?” God, she was glad Drace couldn’t see her face. It matched the color of her hair.

Drace laughed out loud. “He’s not a car, Mag. I don’t just give him gas. Did you see a gas pedal? Feel here.” He pried one of her hands from his belly and laid it on his thigh and then gently squeezed Pride’s sides with the sides of his calves.

Maggie felt the faint move of muscle in Drace’s thigh and her mouth suddenly went dry; but she did notice the small touch had Pride moving again.

Maggie jerked her hand off Drace’s leg and returned it to his stomach. She tried to relax and move—one, two, three, four.

They rode past the show barn and on down the lane. Cerise was far enough ahead to be out of sight. Drace knew Pride had a big trot and Maggie would be bounced all over the place. “Maggie, I’m going to ask Pride to canter. That’s a three beat gait and it will feel almost like sitting astride a rocking chair.”

“Oh good,” he heard her mutter. “I can’t handle anymore sex talk right now.”

Drace smiled at her comment, put his free hand over hers and gave Pride a silent command to canter.

Drace was right, rocking chair smooth,
Maggie thought. It was almost fun. She tried to relax further and enjoy herself. She wanted to peep over Drace’s shoulder but he was too large. Instead, she watched to the side and saw Cerise walking Mitch. Cerise waved and Mitch broke into a canter as well. There was a big felled tree and woman and horse popped over it like it was nothing.

How pretty,
Maggie thought of the sight. She felt Drace’s hips move slightly in front of her and Pride made a skipping step. They repeated it several times and Maggie felt the horse skip each stride, his long mane flowing like a banner.

Cerise came beside them when Pride returned to his regular canter. “Show off,” she said with a laugh.

Maggie looked at Cerise with a puzzled expression.

“Remember on Drace’s tape when the horse came down the center and it looked like it was skipping? That’s what Pride just did with you. It’s called tempe changes. Cool, huh?”

Maggie grinned.
How can these people talk while riding?
She felt breathless and the wind was sounding in her ears as the big horse ran on. Now Drace’s hair was blowing in her face. She reached up to brush it away and then realized what she had done. She didn’t really need to squeeze the life out of him to stay on. She laughed out loud with the sheer joy of it.

When Cerise rode ahead, Maggie pressed a kiss of thanks against the center of Drace’s back. It caught him unaware and he stiffened for a second, confusing Pride who slowed to a trot.

Maggie slammed up against Drace who corrected his mistake and had Pride back into a canter. “Sorry,” he said. “You okay?”

“Oh yes,” she answered, smiling and adding that memory to a place in her heart.

The horses hoof beats made soft splashing sounds on ground wet from the previous day’s rain. The sun shone bright and it had warmed up to be quite pleasant.

The three rode on for a few more minutes and came to Drace’s practice area in the clearing. Drace put a hand on Maggie’s knee to warn her of a change of pace. He halted Price next to a small wagon, and then moved his hand to help Maggie dismount. Once on the ground, she felt the pull of muscles she hadn’t been aware she had possessed.

Drace swung down easily and pulled a halter out of the back of the wagon. He slipped Pride’s bridle off and put the halter on the stallion and then tied him to the wagon.

Maggie looked around the clearing while Drace and Cerise tended to the horses. There were two tents set up on the edge of the trees and a fire pit arranged next to them.

“You were busy while we were gone,” she commented. “How did you get all this stuff out here?”

“Pride pulled all this gear in the wagon. I rode him back to the barn and then saddled him and Mitch,” Drace explained as he set his saddle on the edge of the wagon. He pulled a brush from a bucket and handed it to her.