“I am sorry, but it’s the law. We are not to integrate humans into our lives. If we are caught, we will be severely punished just for telling you. If we weren’t who we are, they would kill us.”
I buried my face in Anthony’s shirt again until he jostled me, and I looked up long enough to see we were walking down a darkened stairwell. I hid my face as a fresh wave of agony washed over me and new tears fell. Elias gripped my hand at the back of Anthony's neck. He kept his hand there until we stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
I raised my head again as a strong breeze signaled a door opening. The air smelled earthy and damp through my partially clogged nose. I hiccuped as I finally got my tears under control, and my interest in our surroundings piqued.
We stood in a circular room with six doors. Anthony strode toward the second door on the left and opened it by pushing in a certain brick to the right of the frame. I knew I'd never be able to pick out exactly which brick if we ever went through there again.
A soft gasp left me as, instead of opening on a hinge, like the door seemed like it would, it slid into the wall. More stairs greeted us down a pitch black passage. Elias went down first. Anthony started down the stairs, still carrying me as if I were no heavier than little Jaime. "I can walk. I’ll need to use my phone for a light, though.”
Elias's voice came out of the darkness, "Artificial light won't work in this place. It's enchanted. We can see as if we were in the noon sun, but any other creature will see black. A flame would only illuminate a few inches around itself."
Elias grabbed my leg and Anthony's arms tightened around me. I squealed and slammed my eyes shut as I was doused in water. Had we walked under an underground waterfall? When I no longer felt the cool liquid running over my face, I opened my eyes to find we stood in the finished basement of a home, no waterfall in sight. A washer and dryer sat in one corner with a drying line, and a deep freezer was in another corner. Various trunks and boxes took up one wall. It was meticulously clean and absolutely ordinary.
Anthony sat me down, and I swung my long hair around to wring the water out of it, but it was bone dry. "What the fuck, guys?” I stared at my dry hair and clothes. “Did I imagine walking through water?"
Elias chuckled as Anthony walked over to the washing machine. "Sorry for the secrecy, Riley. We went through a gateway. A gateway gives the feeling of being drenched, but that’s the magic moving you to your destination. That particular gateway will take us wherever we want, so long as we're touching the first person to go through. We can’t return to the manor in the same way though.”
“Where are we?” I gaped at the two of them. A magic waterfall portal? I mean, really?
“Texas, at a safe house. Besides Michael, only we know about this place. They shouldn't be able to track us here as long as we keep ourselves out of public areas. We have a lot of planning to do and can lie low for a while.”
Anthony pulled the washing machine out from the wall and spun the dial on a hidden safe. My eyes boggled. The safe was full of cash, guns, and papers. "Michael had access to that kind of cash, and we struggled the way we did?"
I felt bitter about the long hours I worked while pregnant so we could afford our semi-nice rental house. Then guilt set in, because how could I be mad at the dead love of my life? I hung my head.
I took off my backpack and set it next to the cash and guns Anthony was piling up. Elias took my hand and led me up the basement stairs into a spacious, neat kitchen. I explored the house a little and found three small bedrooms and one bathroom upstairs. Downstairs was only the kitchen, a large living room, and a half bath. It was cozy.
A nondescript sedan and SUV were in the double garage off the kitchen. A quick peek out the front windows revealed a cul-de-sac in Anytown, USA. It was the perfect hiding place.
"Don't the neighbors wonder about why the house is always empty?" I asked Elias. He was rummaging around in the refrigerator.
"We have a cleaning lady that comes in once a week and keeps it ready for us to drop in at any time. She also keeps the food fresh and stocked. The neighbors have been introduced to Anthony and me, and they think we're a sweet gay couple who work on a cruise ship and use this house as a home base. Normally, one or two of us stops in and spends a weekend here once a month, to keep up appearances. We pop in through the gateway and then take a cab to the airport and fly home."
They really did think of everything. Except…"Eli," I began, "If you're hiding here, how are you going to eat?" I wouldn’t look at him, still uncomfortable with their dietary needs.
"That's part of the planning, actually," he replied. "We have a three day supply in Anthony's backpack, but we'll need to replenish. If we stop in at any one of the Supay blood banks in the world we’ll be stopped. More than likely, the banks have been instructed to detain us upon arrival." He sighed and sat down in a kitchen chair. "Being a pure Supay is a bit like being a celebrity. Most of the Unseen know who we are."
Anthony came up the stairs with our stuff and shut the basement door. Our bags bulged, and he carried a small satchel as well. "Elias, do you have any reason to think we have been compromised here?"
"No, I don't. Nobody knows we rent this house and it's paid up for years. I used a fake ID to rent the place and I'm the one that made the ID and put the credit history and whatnot online. I was cautious."
Anthony shrugged his shoulders. "I would've sworn I left ten thousand dollars in the safe and only six are there now. I can't imagine the housekeeper could’ve found that safe and cracked the combination."
I piped up. "If she found it, she would've taken the money and disappeared. I doubt someone would only steal a little bit of the money."
Elias nodded his head. "Maybe you're misremembering the amount of money in the safe."
“Yeah, probably.” Anthony pulled a bag of blood out of his backpack and popped it in the microwave. My eyes tracked his every move. There was my further proof. I supposed by then I believed them. I wouldn't have left my children behind in the mountains if I didn't believe their story. But still, visual proof of their blood drinking would help.
When the microwave beeped, Anthony pulled out two coffee mugs and filled both of them up with the blood. He tossed the bag in the trash and set a mug in front of Elias, who sipped it and grimaced. "It's getting old."
"It's all we had in the fridge upstairs at your house in Tennessee. We’ll have to drink it," Anthony replied.
"I wish we'd gotten around to installing that deep freezer behind the wall in the basement so we could keep some here frozen that the housekeeper couldn't find.” Elias grumbled, sipping the mug of blood.
I sat with wide eyes and watched the exchange. Anthony noticed the startled expression on my face first. "I'm sorry, Riley. We didn't mean to be rude. Can I make you a cup of coffee or tea?"
My stomach rumbled. "Oh, I’m fine. You sit and drink your blood, and I'll rummage around and make myself some dinner. Thank you for offering, though."
Opening the freezer, I was greeted with glorious junk food. I snatched a bag of pizza rolls and nuked them in the microwave. The refrigerator held a variety of sodas and bottled teas. Grabbing a Dr. Pepper, I took my piping hot plate of pizza rolls over to the table to eat and watch them sip their blood. They drank it like a cup of coffee. How'd I never see Michael drink any blood? I voiced my inner thoughts to the men.
"Michael thought he was hidden from the Supay. Elias and I found him and kept tabs on him nearly from the minute he went off the grid, though we didn’t tell him for a long time. We didn’t intervene until he tried to rob a blood bank to avoid using our centers. We didn’t understand why he was hiding, but we loved him and wanted to help, so we kept him supplied in blood. You had a freezer and a refrigerator in a storage unit near your house."
"I never knew we rented one of those things! And how in the hell did he think he was hidden when he was thirty miles away from your manor house?" Michael was a lot of things, but he wasn’t stupid.
"He was
going for hidden in plain sight. He knew we didn't frequent the areas near the house. Everyone living at the manor drinks from blood bags.”
"I think it's time to be filled in on the rest of the story, guys. But I'm exhausted and emotionally drained. I've been through the wringer today.” I stood and put my dishes in the sink. “I want to sleep. You two can plan whatever you need to plan. In the morning, we're sitting down, and I'm getting the rest of the story. And I want the entire story.”
"That's fair," said Anthony. "We should be safe for as long as we need to be here. We have time to let you rest and nurse your emotions before we take our next steps."
"Out of curiosity, what's our end goal here? Besides outrunning the henchmen your little rulers set on us, I mean?" I considered the men I was forming trust and attachment to. I left my entire world on top of a mountain in Tennessee solely because they said I needed to do so.
Elias looked at the table top, but Anthony met my challenging gaze. "Riley, we're going to make you a Supay. We’re going to turn you into a vampire."
"But you said vampires are born, not made. I don't understand."
"We’re going to find the Inca god Supay. It’s been attempted many times and each mission failed. We aren't going to fail." He stared at me, waiting for a visceral reaction.
I blinked several times. Then I blinked several more times. "Okay. Of course. Sure." I turned and walked upstairs, entering the first bedroom I came to. I slipped off my shoes and climbed into bed.
Ooooooookay. I’m going to be a vampire. I fell asleep before my eyes fully closed.
You're so strong and beautiful. You’ll make the Supay world turn on its head when you are turned. The first new Supay in thousands of years. I'll be coming for you soon, Riley. Let Anthony and Elias lead you to South America to find the entrance to the underworld, but don't trust them. They betrayed you. They knew where your children were. They lied to you. I'll catch up to you, and you'll understand when you see me. You will trust me. Be patient, beautiful one. We’ll be together and raise David and Daniel and the world will tremble. Soon.
I woke screaming, the memory of the voice fresh. My head throbbed like someone split it open with a hatchet. Even in my sleep I must've been fighting off the invasion of my mind.
Elias burst into the bedroom with Anthony on his heels. I cried out in relief. They gave me safety, even though the voice told me not to trust them. I knew damn well what they did to me, what they kept from me, and didn’t need a bodiless voice to remind me.
My boys were less than thirty five miles away from me the entire time. I should’ve still been furious with Elias, at least. I couldn’t reason with myself though. As angry as I still was, I trusted them to keep me safe.
"Riley, what happened?" Elias asked. He and Anthony sat on either side of me in the bed.
"It was that voice again. He keeps telling me to continue on our journey and that he'll find me so we can be together." I threw myself down onto the pillows and glowered at the ceiling, my tears drying as frustration built in my chest.
"Riley," Anthony began, "would you like for us to sleep in here with you?"
My eyes drifted between the two of them. Conflicted, I wanted to say yes, and at the same time, I wanted to tell them to fuck off. As a strong, independent woman trained in different styles of combat and defense, I shouldn't be unnerved by a voice.
My mouth blurted out, "Yes, please," before I could stop it. Shut up!
My eyes drifted from their faces to their bodies. They were both clad in only pajama bottoms. They sat facing me, and their strong chests and six-pack abs were on display. My lady bits tingled. Damn it, calm the hell down. It’s been a while, but these are your dead husband's best friends. I tried to reason with my enflamed sex drive. Inappropriate, don't you think? The Notorious V.A.G. didn't appear to find it inappropriate, and I pressed my knees together in frustration.
My eyes moved up to their faces as I warred with my libido, and I found them smirking at me.
"Don't feel bad, Riley. I know it's been a long time for you. We’ll go put shirts on," Elias said.
"Oh, please!" I exclaimed. "I'm perfectly fine. If you're sleeping here, lie down. I'm tired." Liar, liar, vagina on fire. I grunted at the thoughts running through my mind.
Anthony reached over and turned out the light and they climbed into bed on either side of me. Crammed between those two, the queen sized bed shrunk to the size of a twin. I quickly became overheated from the warmth of their half-naked bodies so close to mine. I kicked the blankets off of us and huffed out a quick breath.
“I can’t sleep,” I grumped.
“You never used to be able to sleep unless you’d exhausted your body. You’re definitely emotionally exhausted, but physically you’re raring to go.”
He had that fucking right.
“Well, I’m too tired to go run, Elias, so what would you suggest?”
Anthony let out a snort. “I have a few suggestions,” he said. “The most innocent would be you let me give you a massage.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me in mock seduction.
A massage sounded nice. “Are you going to want me to return the favor?” I asked suspiciously.
“No, I’m okay. You’re the one that’s tense and can’t sleep.”
“Well, okay then, thank you.” I rolled over onto my stomach.
“Lift your butt,” Anthony commanded.
Fuck. I pulled up my ass so he could take off my pants, thankful I wore clean underwear. Even if they weren’t Victoria’s Secret, at least they weren’t my period panties. Pressing my breasts down onto the bed, I struggled to get my shirt off without flashing both of them.
Elias chuckled in an especially deep voice, “I’ve seen your parts, remember?” My cheeks burned as I sat up and removed my shirt. I held Elias's gaze with a challenge in my eyes, daring him to move his gaze to my breasts. Ever a gentleman, he held my eyes. I broke our staring contest to see Anthony staring unabashedly at my breasts. My nipples tightened, and the blush on my cheeks spread to my body. I rolled over and buried my flaming face into the pillow.
Strong fingers danced down my spine and a moan started low in my chest. Anthony’s fingers played a song only he could hear. My sex drive was doing a good job of behaving until Elias massaged my upper thighs. In an instant, I was covered with an entirely different kind of blush. My moan became throatier and Elias's hands paused.
“Are we hurting you?” he asked, the picture of courtesy. “Sometimes we're stronger than we realize.”
“I’m fine,” I squeaked into the pillow. I realized I was breathing like I’d run a marathon and forced myself to calm. Anthony made circular motions up and down my back with his palms. He went down my love handles and then…he didn’t stop. Sweet mother. He’s massaging my ass. Ms. Lady Bits, that fink, drenched my panties. Elias and Anthony stopped massaging at the same time.
Elias put his hand on my thigh. “Riley, do you want us to stop?”
“God, no! Why would you ask me that? You just got me started!” I replied, rather snottily. “Keep going! Uh, please.”
Anthony continued in a seductive voice, “It’s…Well, we can smell your excitement.”
Any semblance of a blush on my body was gone as all my blood dropped to my vagina. I was simultaneously embarrassed and overwhelmingly turned on by that little announcement.
“Does…does it bother you?” I asked shyly.
Elias cleared his throat. “Riley, I’ve dreamed of the scent of your nectar for the past five years.”
“That goes for me too,” added Anthony.
Sitting up and whirling around to face them, I fought giggles. “You called it my nectar.”
I got no reply. Instead, they stared at my body like they wanted to eat me. Fuck, maybe they did. The thought of them biting me was a powerful aphrodisiac, which confused me further, considering how squeamish I‘d been when they drank blood.
“Guys?” I whispered. They snapped their eyes to my face. “Can you make me forg
et? For tonight? It’s a horrible decision, and we'll regret it, and I don’t know enough about you and blah, blah blah.” I fixed a stern stare on Elias. “And I’m totally not over the fact that you lied and spied on me. But I want to forget my life and focus on how you can make my body feel.”
Elias answered by leaning forward and capturing my mouth. His tongue pushed past my lips and met my own. I didn’t fight him as he lowered me onto the bed, his hands tangled in my hair. The bed shifted and Anthony straddled my waist. I sucked in my stomach in surprise as the stubble on his chin whispered across my right nipple. I moaned into Elias’s mouth.
He responded to my moan by biting my lip, sending a jolt straight down that made me buck into Anthony. “Oh, God.” I panted. “I can’t wait. Please, one of you touch me.”
Anthony growled, actually growled, as he moved back and ripped my panties off. I was self-conscious and felt his eyes on my too-stubbly F.U.P.A. With a nonexistent sex life, I frequently ignored trimming. I was just relieved I’d shaved my legs within the last week.
Elias peppered open mouthed kisses down my neck, making his way to my aching nipples. My knees clenched together as Anthony trailed his fingers over the skin of my upper thighs. I watched them teasing my body and moaned in frustration.
“Please.”
“Please? What do you want, beautiful one?” Anthony’s fingers tantalized my inner thighs.
“Please make me scream. Please, get inside me,” I begged, in no mood for excessive foreplay.
Elias put his lips around my nipple, and I pressed my breast against his face. Anthony’s fingers circled my mound and slipped between my lips.
“My God, you’re so wet. Do you want us so much?” Anthony asked softly as he moved his finger between my folds.
“Yes! Yes, please,” I replied. My body craved release.
Hers From The Start: A Collection of First In Series Reverse Harem Page 47