Hers From The Start: A Collection of First In Series Reverse Harem

by Laura Greenwood

"No, it was early this morning. I didn't remember it until I napped. The voice told me he's coming for me now. He said we're each other's destiny and that he’d find me wherever I am." I twisted my hands in my lap. "How could he find me like that?"

  "He would need the help of a powerful witch to track you from anywhere in the world," Elias explained.

  "And the witch would need your blood," added Anthony.

  "How in the world would someone have my blood?" I exclaimed.

  "We won't know until he catches up to you.” Elias turned to face the road ahead. “The best thing we can do is keep moving and get lost in Peru. Maybe, by some miracle, we'll find the entrance to the underworld soon. If we can get that spring water into you, we'll be safe…and most likely lauded as heroes." He scrubbed his hands through his hair and gazed out the window.

  Anthony drove all the way. I spent part of the ride dripping blood into a bag and storing it in our cooler. Our conversation was full of silly getting-to-know-you questions like favorite colors, favorite foods, and bucket lists.

  Anthony’s favorite color was red, his favorite food was rare steak, and his biggest dream was to create a strong family unit for his children and future children. Elias's favorite color was navy, his favorite food was broccoli, and he agreed with Anthony about his biggest dream. He also wanted to go on a safari.

  We arrived in Córdoba with little fuss. After a quick bathroom break at a questionable gas station, we went straight to what appeared to be an abandoned military air base. I stayed in the car with a gun in each hand—paranoid—as Elias and Anthony bartered with a pilot near the small dirt runway.

  I fixated on the petite white plane. I'd never been on an airplane in my life, and I was about to get in one with a seating area smaller than our SUV. My stomach rolled.

  Anthony opened the back door and pulled out the first of our bags. "I'm so glad he was willing to take the SUV. We wouldn't have had enough cash otherwise. In this size plane, he'll have to refuel five times on the way there. But he’s willing, and we should have enough cash left to carry us for at least another month in Peru if we're still there."

  My nose tickled from some kind of random Mexican allergen as I climbed out to help unload the car. I stayed quiet as we loaded the plane with our bags and cooler of blood. So much could go wrong. We were trusting our lives to a random pilot, so far from home. I’d never even been out of the US before!

  My mind raced with possible dangers. “I wish we’d flown commercial,” I grumbled to Anthony as we grabbed the last of the bags out of the SUV.

  “Coya, love, I will protect you. I will see you safely to Peru.” His intense gaze unnerved me, even as I saw love in his eyes. “I wish I could calm you. I would be more relaxed if you were at peace.”

  I picked up the cooler. “I’ll have peace when this journey is done and we are back with our children in Tennessee.” I kissed his cheek to show I wasn’t biting his head off and turned on my heel toward the minuscule plane.

  The pilot smiled warmly and motioned for me to enter and sit. He handed me ear protection that was similar to what I used at the gun range. At least he looks like a nice person. I buckled the harness-style seatbelt in the Cessna but my hands trembled. Anthony sat beside me and took over the straps. I chuckled.

  “It is going to be okay, my Coya. Elias has some experience with this size plane, so he'll sit beside the pilot,” he said as he deftly buckled me in. “In case of an emergency, he’d get us to the ground.” He smiled and tucked my hair behind my ear.

  “I was laughing because I’m nervous, and it popped into my head that you were strapping me in. It was sexy. I’m sorry, I’m scared.”

  My hand came up and clasped his. He twined our fingers and set our hands in my lap. His sure grip calmed me. The seats were so close together our bodies were pressed tightly against each other, and I welcomed the contact. After so many years without a loving touch or any sort of embrace, it was heartening, even with the heavy load of guilt accompanying his touch.

  I jumped and put on the headset as the pilot turned the engine over. The plane engine put me in mind of the old muscle car my mom owned when I was a teenager. I could feel the car engine rumbling in my bones—the plane was much like that. I peered around the shoulder of the pilot at the small runway. How could we take off in that short span of dirt? My legs bounced with my nervousness.

  We lurched forward. “He’s putting it at full throttle!” Anthony yelled into my ear. I looked at him incredulously—he was thrilled to be taking off in the death box. He bounced in his seat with an enormous grin on his face. I watched his excitement and tried to forget to be nervous.

  My stomach felt like it literally dropped to the ground as we lifted off. I looked past Anthony to see we were skimming over the top of the trees after running out of runway. I squealed and buried my face in his shoulder, but I couldn’t stop myself from peeking out at Elias as he turned around, laughing at me, though I couldn't hear him over the engine.

  Anthony draped his arm over my shoulders and pulled me as close as the seatbelts would allow. I was small and secure under his thick arm, tucked into his side, and enjoyed watching the countryside pass by underneath us.

  I let out another unheard squeal as we went through a cloud. My head whipped from side to side, trying to look out of every window at once. When we broke through the top of the cloud, I was mesmerized by the sight of the puffs under us. Elias handed two pairs of sunglasses to us and I was glad to have them. The sun was unrelenting as it reflected off of the pure white clouds.

  The time passed quickly as I spied sleepy villages, followed by sprawling metropolitan cities. We were so high I couldn’t make out the people, but I could see the buildings and pools of the cities, and the lakes and farms of the countryside.

  I amused myself by imagining the goings on of the people in the tiny houses. Stretches of the country went by with nothing but lush green hills for miles and miles.

  After the first hour, I grew tired of my game, and my eyes drooped. Three hours later Elias woke me by tapping my knee. Anthony was asleep with his head on top of mine. My neck pinched with a crick from the awkward angle I’d slept in.

  I read Elias's lips as he pointed to the ground. “We’re about to land.” He mimed the motion of a plane landing. I tickled Anthony’s ribs to rouse him, and he startled awake. I giggled, watching him wipe his eyes, while I lifted his ear protection and yelled Elias's message in his ear.

  Thankfully, the descent and landing were much smoother than the take off. We climbed stiffly out of the plane once given clearance. This airport was bigger than the last. “Where are we?” I asked the pilot. He shrugged, not an English speaker.

  Elias helped me out. “¿Dónde estamos?”

  Well, Elias speaks Spanish too. Handy.

  “Acabamos de aterrizar en la ciudad de Guatemala,” the pilot responded. I looked at Elias to fill me in.

  “Guatemala City”.

  They both spoke Spanish. If I was going to spend any time around those guys, I’d have to brush up my language game. They made me feel ignorant.

  “How much longer until we reach Panama?”

  Elias relayed my question to the pilot then turned back to me. “A good ten hours. Our next stop is in San Jose, Costa Rica.” Elias pulled me into a hug. “It’s going to be an exhausting trip, but it'll be worth it in the end.” I gripped him tightly, dreading the journey. More than anything in the world, I wanted to erase the last five years and return to the boring, yet fulfilling, life Michael and I led.

  What about Anthony and Elias? I’d never have met them if I went back.

  Guilt—my new best friend. I sighed and walked with Elias into the airport to freshen up and use the restroom. I spotted a Burger King, of all places, across the street.

  Elias went to ask the pilot what he’d like to eat. We jogged across the road, joined by Anthony. They translated for me, and I eventually was able to order an Americano cheeseburger and fries. The restaurant even served t
he same soda I occasionally drank at home.

  “I hope we'll have time to try some local cuisine at some point on this trip.” So what if I was complaining? If I was going to travel across Latin America, I wanted to eat well. “So far we’ve eaten nothing but what amounts to American food.”

  “When our trip is complete, I will take you around the world and let you try any food you can imagine, little Coya. Until then, we eat whatever is handy and cheap,” said Anthony. He opened his wallet and counted out US dollars.

  “How can you use American money here?”

  “They charge a bit more, but a few shops will convert the money for you.” Elias grabbed our cups, and I helped him fill them at the self serve station while Anthony waited on our bags of food.

  Lunch was a quiet affair as we sat beside the pilot at a sticky table in the airport. We made our way to the refueled plane and took off for Costa Rica. This time the ascent was bumpier. Elias turned around and smiled, giving me a thumbs up when he saw me clinging to Anthony.

  We pulled our bags full of clothes out to use as pillows. I knew we would end up sleeping sporadically once we made it to Peru, so we snuggled in to sleep. My eyes drifted, and I watched the clouds soar by while sleep eluded me and my mind wouldn't turn off. Instead, thoughts of Michael bombarded me. I even smelled him. In my lulled state I looked around to see if he was there.

  He’s not there, Riley. He’s dead. Be thankful your children are alive. It could've been much worse given the circumstances. They could’ve killed you too.

  Anthony handed me an iPod, and I found a band Michael and I loved. I listened to music from the happiest time in my life until I eventually dozed off.

  Chapter Nine

  Riley. I know where you’re going now. I will meet you in Peru. I can help you. I can get you to the underworld. Soon we'll be together, forever.

  I opted to keep the most recent installment in what was becoming a creepy sleeping ritual to myself. Hiding my nighttime visitor’s words was dangerous, but there was something about that voice.

  I was quiet and introspective for the remainder of our flight. We stopped again at another minute strip in Apartadó, Colombia. The pilot asked for a four hour break to nap. He curled up in the back seat of the plane and we set off to find authentic Colombian food.

  The city of Apartadó was both beautiful and sad. The population numbers were almost as high as my native Knoxville, but the poverty in the city was rampant. We found a small cafe, and were welcomed with the smell of delectable spices.

  I pigged out on Colombian tamales wrapped in banana leaves. By the time we left, my pants were snug and my brain fuzzy and warm. Remembering the hungry look on the faces of the people we passed on the way to the restaurant, I whispered to Elias to leave a large tip.

  The rest of our journey to Peru passed in a fog of naps, guilt, and contemplation of my newfound feelings for Elias and Anthony. I noticed less scenery and spent more time spacing out while looking at their profiles.

  Twenty eight hours after leaving Córdoba, we were in Cusco. I’d slept for a portion of each flight, but I lagged like I’d run the entire way on foot.

  We thanked the pilot—we’d learned his name was Arturo, and his two young sons were adorable and chubby.

  Elias took his contact information to later send him a bonus for getting us safely to our destination, and rented a small car at the large airport. We stopped at the first hotel we found. The Hotel Ferre Cusco became the second place we played the American celebrity song-and-dance. Before I knew it, I was collapsing onto another plush bed. My guys climbed in around me, and the next six hours were spent in a blissful, dreamless sleep.

  We were woken by a hard knock on the door. I scrambled into the bathroom so that my distinctly not-celebrity face wouldn’t be seen. Since I was in there anyway, I used the toilet and washed my face. The bathroom wasn’t as posh as the last hotel, but I was hopeful for a decent shower. I flipped off the tap when I heard the sound of a body hitting the wall. “Riley, stay in there until we tell you it’s safe!” Anthony’s voice was faint, he must’ve been across the room.

  A series of crashes and bangs followed his statement, and I pressed my ear up to the door to listen when it quieted. I heard male voices murmuring but couldn’t make out any words.

  “Where is she? She’s here, I can smell her.” A voice came through the door, a familiar voice…A too familiar voice. I pressed my ear against the door. I couldn’t hear clearly enough.

  If I didn’t know any better I’d’ve thought—

  “Riley! Baby, are you in there?”

  Oh god. Oh my god. I panicked. I’d heard that voice in my mind so many times. My chest was full of hope and terror.

  I couldn’t handle it. It was cruel. I didn’t want to open the bathroom door; if I opened the door then I might learn that the hope in my chest was for nothing. It couldn’t be him. He was dead.

  Stop it, Riley. He’s dead. He. Is. Dead. He died a long time ago. My stomach was hollow—my whole body was hollow. The door vibrated against my ear as a fist struck it.

  I jumped back and stared at the door. “Elias? Anthony? Are you still out there?” My voice was thin. It certainly didn’t sound like me, it sounded weak and scared, and I hadn’t been weak or scared in years.

  “Riley! It’s me, Baby. It’s Michael. Please come out.”

  No fucking way. I was sure it was a cruel trick. Elias said witches were real, maybe I was being put under a spell.

  Elias's voice came through the door next. I could hear his torment as he spoke. “Ri, come out. It’s him.”

  I meant to open the door, but my legs were frozen. I was incapable of taking the two steps to the door to open it. My breaths came out in pants, hysteria rising.

  Anthony tried next. “Coya, we're here for you. We’ll help you through this, but it is him.”

  I held my breath as I cracked the door and peeked out. I could see the outline of a large male body with his fists resting on the door. The lines of the muscles on his arms were familiar. I breathed rapidly again. “Please back up,” I whispered. He moved several feet from the door and the light of the lamp beside the bed illuminated his face. I opened the door fully and stood there, dumb.

  Alarms shrieked in my mind. My emotions had swung from the deepest pit of despair to the highest hope over the past week. This was almost too much to process. “Elias. Anthony.” Their names, barely audible, left my lips and they were beside me, taking my hands. Lightning flashed in Michael’s eyes as he looked at our hands.

  “Michael. How can this be? How is this happening?” I couldn't accept that my long lost, dead husband was standing in front of me.

  Anthony put his arm around my shoulders and answered before Michael could. “My Coya, I don't yet understand how this has happened, but it’s him. The first thing we did was ask him questions only Michael could answer. We believe it really is him. It isn't someone else using a glamor spell.”

  I lurched forward. My knees buckled, and I sank to the floor. Michael sat on his knees in front of me while I gaped at his face. There were several white scars on it that were not there before. His light brown hair was longer than I’d ever seen it, pulled up into a bun, and he’d grown a short, neat beard.

  I lifted a shaking finger to smooth the wild hairs of his eyebrows. It was something I’d done constantly before. The motion was alien and brought on a wave of emotion. The texture of his brows hadn’t changed. I was shocked I could remember it.

  He ran his knuckles along my jawline as a tear ran down his cheek. “Riley, I'm so sorry. I tried so hard to come home to you. I’ll never leave you again, baby.”

  I burst into sobs. He wrapped his arms around me and let me cry into his neck. “You were gone! I came home and everything fell apart.” It was hard to speak through my sobs.

  “I’m so sorry, baby. I never wanted to leave you. I tried, Riley, I tried. Please, please tell me our sons are okay. Did they kill them?” His expression was tortured, and his f
ace was soaked in tears.

  “They’re safe. They’re with your family.”

  A low moan was his only response as he wrapped me in his arms again. He felt like home and yet his touch was so foreign. Our bodies didn't meld together in the same ways anymore.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed myself against him, enjoying the sensation of my newly-toned body touching his. He stood and grabbed me under my thighs, lifting me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist, something he’d never been able to do before. He sat on the bed and squeezed me tightly. Sobs shook his body.

  I bet he could’ve lifted me with his supernatural strength but didn’t want to draw attention to it. I pushed it out of my mind and focus on the moment. We sat on the bed clinging and cooing loving words to each other until I felt Elias's and Anthony's stares.

  They sat on the small sofa opposite the couch. Anthony cleared his throat. “Brother, we're happy to see you, but there are many explanations we need to hear.”

  “I agree, Tony,” said Michael. I ogled him, still amazed. The cadence of his words mesmerized me. I could listen to him talk all night. He was alive—I didn’t care how. “Elias, Anthony, you can begin by explaining how you are in Peru with my wife after your part in my kidnapping.”

  I turned to face my best friend and the man to whom I was becoming attached. “The what? What the fuck, guys?” I didn’t truly believe they were involved in whatever happened to Michael, but I wanted the story.

  “We had no part in your death, Michael. Well, what we thought was your death,” said Anthony.

  “You’re the only ones who knew where we were living!” Michael’s voice resonated fury.

  Elias stood up. “Michael, we didn’t tell anyone!” He dropped to his knees in front of us. “I swear to you, brother. We would never do anything to jeopardize your life. When Danyelus told us you’d died fighting the Junta, it broke us.” He hung his head. “It broke my heart, Michael,” he whispered.