Realm Walker's Rising: Realm Walker Book 1 Read online

  The door behind me opened, reminding me I was blocking the way, prompting me to move to the nearest table outside the Starbucks. I put my belongings down and looked through my pockets and purse.

  No keys.

  Ah, god! This couldn’t be happening!

  Growing desperate, I pulled everything out of my pockets and dumped my purse out on the table. My keys were on a lanyard. There was no way I would’ve missed them in my purse or pockets. But no, they weren’t there.

  Backtrack.

  I shoved my things back in my purse and pockets. Grabbing my drink and straw, I quickly walked inside the coffee shop.

  I scanned the ground, thinking they had to be here somewhere.

  How could I’ve dropped my damn keys? How the hell was I getting back home?

  I stepped around people, still checking the floor and around the whole shop.

  Still no sign.

  “Lose something?”

  I looked up at the same gorgeous man from earlier. He was savoring his drink and watching me with what might be concern. His brows drew together, and sadly a frown pulled at his lips.

  Why did his frown bother me?

  I nodded. “Yeah, my keys.”

  His breathtaking eyes looked away, and he turned his head as if he were searching as well. After a glance around the shop, his eyes locked back on me. “Did you check your car? Perhaps you locked them in there.”

  Of course, why didn’t I think of that?

  My eyes widened and my cheeks heated.

  “Um, I’ll go check then.”

  I moved around him, freakin’ embarrassed, and quickly made my way back out of the chaos of the coffee shop that had, of course, gotten busier.

  Please don’t tell me I stupidly lost my keys, I chanted in my head over and over as I rushed to my parked car.

  With the sun setting, there was still a small amount of light left for me to look around the ground outside of my car for my keys.

  They weren’t there.

  I looked in the driver’s window and still saw no sign of them.

  Crap. Crap. Crap.

  “Anything?”

  I jumped in surprise from his voice being right behind me. Glancing back at him, I shook my head and sighed in defeat. “They’re not here.”

  I looked away from him and glanced around the lot, not knowing where to go from here. What the hell did people do when they lost their car keys? I probably needed to call a tow truck to have it taken from the parking lot so I wouldn’t get fined. Would the tow truck drop my car back at my apartment, or would they take it somewhere else? I couldn’t afford to pay for it to be towed in the first place, let alone having to pay a tow yard when I pick it up.

  Grumbling under my breath, I leaned against my car. “Crap.”

  “Would you like a ride home?”

  He took another sip of his coffee.

  My eyes traveled to his full lips. They looked so soft, and there was some wetness to them from the coffee. Would his lips be sweet?

  God, I wished I was that coffee.

  Shit, he asked a question.

  I snapped my eyes up, meeting his beautiful ones, and instantly thanked god he didn’t notice me staring.

  “Are you offering by chance? I need to call about a tow, but I’m honestly not sure where to start.”

  My cheeks heated as I realized I’d forgotten he was so handsome and I was having an ordinary conversation with him. And my question even came off as flirting too. That was a start to something, right?

  Talking to him and hearing his voice somehow settled me to my very core. Something about him seemed comforting and familiar, which was strange since we’d just met.

  He laughed, and it was like a deep rumble in his chest. I’d never thought something like that about someone.

  “I’m offering,” he said in amusement, pulling his keys from his front pocket.

  Don’t look, don’t look, don’t look, I screamed in my head. Fuck, I looked.

  What the hell was it about him that had me reacting like this?

  “I’m sure you won’t need to get towed, so don’t fret it. Do you have a spare key?”

  Did he just say fret?

  I pushed away from my car. “No. Never got one made.”

  As if he were disappointed in me, he shook his head and stepped back. “Silly girl. Come, I’ll take you home, and you can call a locksmith to unlock your car and make a new key.”

  Why did he sound so amused by that?

  Why didn’t I think of a locksmith?

  Why the hell did I feel like I had to tow the damn car?

  A blush crept up to my cheeks at my shame.

  Well, this just showed I didn’t know crap about any of this.

  “Does it cost a lot?” I nervously asked as I followed behind him to his car, parked only three cars down.

  “Shouldn’t,” he answered, while unlocking the doors with the key fob.

  He opened the passenger door, and after I slid onto the plush leather seat, he gently closed it. There was a pleasant yet odd mixture of scents I noticed while trying to calm my nerves. Leather and bubble gum. I swear that had to be it. Intriguing aroma preference. I found it oddly fitting for a man I knew nothing about. The car seemed nice as well. While I didn’t know anything about cars, I knew this was a much nicer one than mine.

  I peered over at him as he closed his door after climbing in. Nervously, I buckled my seatbelt.

  I swallowed back my nerves and took a deep, shaky breath as I watched him buckle his. My heart raced and butterflies flapped around in my stomach. I knew my hands were trembling with my nerves and I only prayed he wouldn’t notice.

  “Where do you live?” he asked as he pulled out his phone and tapped at it.

  Awkward as ever, I stared at him as if I’d heard nothing.

  What was wrong with me?

  He showed me his phone screen, where he had a navigation app pulled up. Feeling like a complete moron, I quickly told him my address.

  I watched his large hands cradle his phone, his deft fingers flying across the screen as he quickly got my address in.

  Those hands and fingers handling the phone were almost too much for my brain. His hands swallowed the phone and made it look like it was a damn tic tac in them. I was sure if he held my hand it’d look like he was holding an infant’s hand.

  Once the address was in and the GPS told him the directions, he started the car, shifting it into reverse.

  He looked over his shoulder, but he kept glancing at me while backing up.

  Why was he glancing at me? Or maybe I saw things wrong. Maybe he was looking out my window, seeing if anyone was coming.

  Yeah, that was it.

  “What’s your name?” he asked in that deep rumbling voice with the thick accent.

  Where the hell was he from, and why couldn’t I place the accent?

  “Isa.”

  He paused for a moment, then shifted into drive.

  “Isa?” he asked, testing my name on his tongue.

  The way he rumbled it and curled my name in his heavy accent did wicked things to me.

  Because of my anxiety, I worried he thought my name was odd, and I felt the need to explain.

  “I know. It’s a weird name, but my mom was pretty intent on naming me something unique to show my strength, as she would say. She said I was a miracle baby and needed a name to show just how special I am.”

  I always had to explain this to people because they would laugh at my name or look at me bewildered. It was an odd name, and I hadn’t met many people named Isa. In all my school years, people pronounced my name wrong. They’d always say eye-sah when it’s pronounced e-sah. Some bitches in school gave me a hard time and pronounced it incorrectly because they knew how much it upset me.

  “It’s a beautiful name to match the beauty of the holder.”

  Quickly my cheeks flushed, and my heart fluttered.

  Did he call me beautiful? Or well, that I was a beauty?

  No, no, I couldn’t think that.

  I couldn’t believe he called me beautiful.

  I looked out the window and tapped my fingers nervously on my lap.

  What the hell was I supposed to say to that? Thank you? It would be the right thing, but I didn’t want him to think I took it as a compliment if it weren’t meant as a compliment. He was painfully attractive, and I was pretty sure he was used to better-looking women falling all over him. So I kept quiet, not knowing what the correct response should be.

  “My name is Rune.”

  Oh god! I’d forgotten to ask his name! Now he probably thought I was rude.

  Pins and needles prickled along my palms and the bottom of my feet.

  His name was strange and seemed like something for witchy stuff. I’d ask him about it, but he probably had as many people ask about his name as I did mine.

  I’d look it up later.

  But I did like his name, and it was nice finally meeting someone else who had an odd name.

  I peered over at him and watched as he drove. One hand loosely gripped the steering wheel while the other rested on his coffee, occasionally bringing it to his lips to sip the hot brew.

  Shit, my Frappuccino!

  With shaking hands, I pulled out the straw and put it in my drink. I took a hesitant sip and bit back a moan.

  It was pretty good.

  I took a bigger drink.

  “You’re not much of a talker, are you?”

  Amused again.

  I cringed and swallowed my drink. Looking at him, I noticed his eyes were on me as he had waited for me to look at him with his knowing smile. He stared back at the road.

  He must’ve had a funny thought about me because his lips curled up into a bigger smile.

  “I… I am,” I answered.

  He chuckled and turned on the blinker, rounding the corner with ease. “I don’t believe you, Isa.” Pause. “How old are you?”

  Guys who were usually interested always asked for age, right?

  “Twenty-nine. You?”

  We stopped at a light.

  “Twenty-nine, hm?” He looked at me with a glint in his eye. “You’re so young.”

  “Wait, I’m not young at all! I’m a year closer to being middle aged! How old are you? You can’t be much older than me.” I insisted.

  Amusement flashed across his face. “How old do you think I am?”

  He couldn’t be older than me. He had a youthful face, not like a baby or anything, because it looked like gods chiseled it, but still. “Thirty-something?”

  He laughed, a deep baritone sound that was so warm and so heavenly. My skin erupted in goosebumps, and my breath quickened.

  “You color your hair? Cute,” he said amused, totally changing the subject.

  The light turned green, and we set off again.

  “My natural color isn’t something I like, so I change it. Your hair color can’t be natural either. There is no way that deep brown is mixed with that shade of gold without seeing a stylist.”

  More laughing ensued, and I assumed it was at my expense again.

  I grumbled under my breath, looking away while I sipped on my drink.

  I should shut up now. Rune obviously thought I was stupid, and everything I said made me look like an idiot. That was why I didn’t like talking to people and why I sucked at flirting with men.

  I sucked at everything.

  “I’m sorry, Isa.” His voice was laced with amusement. “It’s been a while since I’ve laughed, and you’re funny.”

  I narrowed my eyes out of my window and watched the view, not even looking at him. I couldn’t look at him because he’d see the shame.

  Of course he found me funny, but horribly and embarrassingly so. I wanted to be home and away from this guy so I could surrender to my existential dread and curse myself for being the way I was.

  At almost thirty, I couldn’t act normal around an attractive man. I could function normally around others who I found lacking, including those with good looks but shit personalities. I was almost aggressive towards their shortcomings. However, now, I was in a car with a man I found to be lacking nothing, so of course, I forgot how to people.

  The rest of the ride was silent except for the GPS telling him where to turn. By the time we got to my apartment complex, my Frappuccino was gone from me sucking it down to keep quiet. When he parked in a spot, I unbuckled myself, opened the door, and climbed out while saying, “Thanks” over my shoulder.

  Just try not to fall and don’t freak out, I chanted in my head while closing the car door gently, then made my way to my first-floor apartment.

  Luckily, no stairs were involved for me to trip up them in my quick retreat, because I was sure it would’ve happened while he watched.

  I wanted to get away from Rune and into the sanctuary of my apartment to wallow in my self pity.

  When I lay in bed tonight, my asshole of a brain would remind me of everything I said and did that was cringey. I would play everything out how it should’ve happened, what I should’ve said, instead of the weird crap I’d said to Rune.

  “Isa.”

  My shoulders stiffened as I sucked in a breath.

  He was right freakin’ behind me!

  I glanced over my shoulder with wide eyes and skeptically asked, “What are you doing?”

  “Mind if I get your number?” His bright eyes swept over my face. “I figured it would be better to get your number rather than come here unannounced. That seems creepy, even to me.”

  He smirked at his small joke.

  All the air in my lungs whooshed out, and my heart was literally in my throat. “You want my number?” I squeaked.

  His smirk turned into a full-blown smile, flashing perfect white teeth. “Yes.”

  I nodded quickly and faced him, fumbling with my phone in my hand. “O…okay, umm.”

  I stuttered through my number while he swiftly tapped with those large fingers on his phone. My eyes followed them in a trance then snapped away as heat pooled between my legs and my stomach flipped.

  “I sent you a text, so you have my number. If you have any more issues with your car, be sure to give me a text or call, and I’ll help.” He tapped away at his phone, then slid it back in his pocket after he sent the message.

  I swallowed nervously and nodded.

  My phone buzzed once in my hand.

  He wasn’t lying. He sent me a text. This gorgeous man I met sent me a text!

  “Okay, well, have a good morning—Um, evening,” I stammered.

  He turned away chuckling, with a wave goodbye and his deep baritone voice hitting my core as he said, “Have a good night, Isa. I’ll be talking to you.”

  As he walked away, my eyes roamed his backside, noticing the strong, broad shoulders gently tapering and showing a perfectly fit waist trailing to the most fantastic ass I thought I’d ever seen.

  What would he look like naked? Was he proportional? From what I could tell, he was pure muscle. I was sure if I saw him naked, I would see all the indents of his muscles and the veins.

  Lord, the veins on men were…

  My cheeks heated as a door somewhere in the complex shut, drawing me out of my fantasy.

  Once Rune was out of sight, I turned back to my door and fumbled with the lock. Thank god I had a spare key in my purse pocket for emergencies.

  With me losing my car keys tonight, I was getting a spare so this didn’t happen again.

  Safely tucked away in my apartment, I locked the door and took a calming breath. I kicked off my shoes and put my purse on the table beside the couch. Walking into the kitchen, I started a fresh pot of coffee then read the text message from Rune.

  Rune: You like strawberries?

  Wait… what?

  Me: Yes, why?

  After pouring a cup of coffee and stirring in my favorite creamer, I settled on my favorite spot on the couch. Out of habit, I checked my messy bun on the top of my head with one hand as I sipped my coffee.

  I needed to find a locksmith, and Google was the place to go to get numbers. Setting my mug on the table beside me, I typed in the search bar on my phone and watched as results popped up.

  After I tapped on the first one and saw a high rating, I went with that one.

  Tapping the call button, I turned on the speakerphone listening as it rang a few times. After five rings it went to voicemail.

  Of course, they were closed for the day. Considering it was after eight o'clock at night. I hung up without leaving a message and put my phone down with a sigh.

  I made a mental note to call them tomorrow morning when they opened.

  Crap, I still needed to find a ride to my car tomorrow. I didn’t know how long it would take, but I wasn’t fond of standing in a busy parking lot alone all day.

  My nerves were everywhere, and the thought of Rune texting me at any time put me on edge. Maybe a good edge? I was excited for sure, but also nervous. I could be misinterpreting his intentions. He could have wanted a friendship or knew I would need a ride tomorrow and was being kind.

  I pushed aside the thought of him wanting anything more from this than simple kindness for a damsel in distress.

  He seemed like a nice guy, genuinely concerned even. But I really didn’t know anything about him other than his name, he had a nice car, and everything about him set me on fire.

  What if he was a horrible guy and had awful intentions? A lot of guys were pigs and wanted to fuck around and leave. That was not my thing, but regardless, there was no way Rune wanted anything to do with me.

  No fucking way.

  For whatever reason, the thought of Rune using me then ghosting cut me deep. Which was odd because I just met him and I wasn’t one for clinging on to anyone. The few men I somehow landed for a few dates never brought this clinginess out of me.

  I didn’t like this feeling and needed it gone.

  Now.

  Jumping to my feet, I power walked to my bathroom and turned on the water to heat up.

  Grabbing my phone, I opened my music app and hit shuffle. When “Creep” covered by carolesdaughter played, I undressed and looked at myself in the mirror.

  Faded blue hair needing to be retouched piled in a messy bun at the top of my head. My eyes looked tired and dull, like dead moss. They could be a stunning emerald color, but I lacked shine in my life. Glancing over my naked body, I scrunched my nose, then climbed in the shower.