Hyena Queen: An Unconventional Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (The Legend of Synthia Rowley Book 1)

by Ann Mayburn

  At least I wasn’t stalking any elderly humans at the moment.

  The second I walked through the double brass doors leading to my department, my coworkers all gave a big round of applause and shouted welcome back. I could feel their genuine happiness that I was okay, and it brought tears to my eyes as I thanked them. My boss Dr. Greg wasn’t good with sentimental stuff, so he got me to work going through my backlog and entering in samples I’d received to the database. It was the perfect distraction I needed from my growing list of worries, and I gratefully lost myself in my mundane tasks for the rest of the morning. When I got back from lunch I found a message waiting for me that Dr. Greg needed to see me. Taking the elevator to the third floor, I walked through a warren of hallways before finally reaching the aged walnut door leading to Dr. Greg’s office. Like every other part of the museum it was a work of art, and I gave a brief knock.

  “Come in,” he yelled from the other side.

  Opening the door, I squinted at the bright sunlight pouring through his window right behind his desk.

  Greg didn’t look up from the crystal he was holding in the sunlight, a sparkling piece of quartz that threw beautiful rainbows on his curly grey hair. Wearing a yellow and blue Hawaiian shirt beneath his lab coat, Greg looked like he belonged manning the behind the bar on a cruise ship with his perpetual tan and gold hoop earrings. It was easy to forget that he was one of the best geologists in the world, even if he didn’t look it. Maybe that was why he hired me. I wasn’t bragging when I said I was one of the best in my field of study, but if you judged by appearances all you’d see is a homely, skinny nerd.

  Or at least you used to.

  Despite my lab coat and my efforts to dress conservatively, my new figure had gotten a lot of attention. I used to envy women that the world found sexually attractive, but not so much anymore. Maybe I was too much of an introvert to enjoy being some random stranger’s fantasy made flesh. Plus, I was good at detecting emotions now thanks to my enhanced senses, and I knew how totally insincere most guys were when they flirted. Their smell came off as bleachy and self-centered somehow. I could sense the fact that they were only thinking about getting their dick wet.

  The most irritating thing was that I was aroused, just not by anyone other than myself. My imagination was responsible for my near constant needy state, and I wondered how normal people ever functioned. All I wanted to do right now was go home and spend some quality time with myself and maybe order a vibrator and a dildo online with overnight delivery. My pussy gave a warm pulse at the thought, and I fought a grimace.

  If Greg had been a shifter he would have no doubt smelled my physical state. I’d passed a few shifters at work of various species and they’d all done a double take when they caught my scent. It had been majorly embarrassing, but I pretended I didn’t notice them staring. Thankfully, Greg remained his normal, chill human self as he put the quartz down and peered at me. It wasn’t unusual for Greg to get caught up in his work and forget things, so I gave him a moment to mentally catch up.

  “Synthia, so good to have you back with us.” He stood and came over, giving me a brief hug before returning to his desk. “How are you feeling?”

  “Good,” other than being constantly preoccupied thinking about sex. “No headaches and I have lots of energy. But I’m back and ready to work.”

  “Well that’s good, because there is a lot of work to be done. The team handled the majority of your load, but I’m afraid you’ve got more than a few projects screaming for your expertise. In the last few years you’ve become our most requested research assistant. I didn’t really realize it until you were…gone, but now that you’re back I just wanted to tell you that.”

  Embarrassment flowed from him as he put his hands into his pockets, but I really appreciated what had to be a big effort for Greg. It was his way of telling me that he was proud of me. That I mattered, and once again I thanked the Goddess I had such a good boss.

  “Thanks, Dr. Greg.” Seeing him still standing there uncomfortably, I gestured to the quartz sparkling on his desk. “What is that?”

  It felt good to be drawn into a conversation with my boss about research. There were new mysteries unlocked from deep within the earth every day, and it was exciting to be one of the first to examine new finds. The Smithsonian had literally millions of unique specimens and artifacts from all over the world in its storage. I’d been down to the bunkers dozens of times, and never failed to feel a chill of awe at all the treasures locked up safe. Now I wondered if there were secret shifter only storage areas, and what they might contain. Heck, maybe the witches had their own wing as well. I’d have to ask Judy later.

  After finishing up with Greg, I made my way to my office, pressing my thumb on the print scanner before the door clicked open. The cleaning crews must have still been coming on a regular basis, because the space was dust free despite being closed up for a month. After I shut the door behind me, I let out a long sigh as I sank into the comfort of my space.

  Right before I screamed.

  A young woman sat in the grey suede lounge chair in the corner of my office, startling the crap out of me.

  I started to mentally scramble to control my hyena, but she was strangely calm. Even annoyed at me for my girly shriek. It took me a second, but I soon recognized the young woman watching me with sparkling diamond eyes.

  “Wow,” I whispered without thinking, “Your eyes are amazing. They have stars in them.”

  Valaria Corgan, looking more put together than when I’d last seen her at the exhibit, smiled. With her blonde hair done up in a French twist, wearing a smart looking blue and pink wrap dress, she somehow oozed confidence and sophistication. It wasn’t until she stood and offered me her hand that I realized how nervous she was.

  “Valaria,” I gave her a quick hug instead of a shake. “It’s good to see you. How are you? What are you doing here? And how did you get in?”

  “I should be asking you how you are,” she returned to her chair, perching on the arm instead of the seat. “Last time I saw you I was pretty sure you were dead.”

  Feeling uncomfortable, I looked away with the excuse of sorting through the pile of mail on my desk. “Guess I’m harder to kill than they thought, huh?”

  Valaria was silent long enough that I looked over my shoulder at her, surprised to find her visibly fighting back tears. “I’m so sorry you were caught up in all that. Fighting in front of humans is considered taboo. I should have kept you safe.”

  “Oh my Goddess, are you crazy?” I picked up a large amethyst crystal I kept on my desk and squeezed it in an effort to calm myself. Yelling at the poor girl wasn’t going to help the situation. “Those assholes were going to hurt you. At my job—as if! I couldn’t just stand there and let it happen.”

  For a moment she blinked at me, a few tears falling as she giggled. “So if it wasn’t at your job, you’d have been totally okay with it?”

  Realizing how I’d sounded, I grinned. “You know what I mean.”

  “I do, and I appreciate your effort to help me more than you can imagine. It was a selfless act, and I grew up in a very selfish world. I am in your debt, Synthia Rowley. As such, I seek to make things even between us.”

  Her words were very formal, and I could only respond with a confused, “Uh, okay.”

  “My gift is the calling.”

  “Okay.”

  Quirking her head to the side, she pursed her lips. “You have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?”

  “Not a clue.”

  “Well, you know how some humans are psychic or have other skills, without being witches?”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard about people like that.”

  “Well, shifters have gifts as well. Not all of us, but the vast majority. Some people go their whole lives only to finally find their gifts on their death beads, while others are born with something extra. I was one of the people born with something extra. A gift shifters refer to as ‘the calling’.” She gave me a s
mall, sad smile. “I can summon people to me, lure them like a mythical siren if you will. Eventually, they’ll find a way to my side.”

  “Whoa. And you could always do that?”

  “Yes, but it’s very taxing. If I do it too much I risk weakening my heart to the point where it will no longer beat.”

  Right away I shook my head. “No, it’s cool. We’re even. No need for all of that.”

  “Synthia,” she said with an amused smile. “You’re adorable. I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t know how to protect myself. I may look like a young human woman, but never forget what I am. A lioness.”

  The last part came out in a growl, and to my shock I growled back.

  Slapping my hands over my vibrating chest, the growl seemed to originate there instead of my throat, I flushed. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I know you’re really new. I can smell it. Right now the scent you give off is one of someone needing protection. Almost a child among our kind.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yes. Until you mate, you’ll continue to smell—well not exactly like family, but close. It’s nature’s way of protecting young shifters.”

  “And what happens once I mate?”

  “You will smell like a Queen, a threat,” her face grew solemn. “I must leave soon, before anyone notices I’m not at work. Will you accept my gift?”

  “I don’t know who to look for. I mean, I think I should call my mates, right?”

  “Your calling will need to be more specific than that, more like one mate in particular.”

  I chewed on my thumb. “Crap, who do you think I should choose?”

  She seemed surprised that I asked, then crossed her arms as she considered. “I think that if I were in your situation, I would seek out my Omega.”

  “Really? My first thought was to find my Alpha.”

  “No, I think he’ll find you. As will your Beta. At least that’s how it usually works. It’s the Omega that proves to be the hardest mate to find for most hyenas. I think it has something to do with how Omegas are treated.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Looking slightly pained, she said, “Omegas are submissive, Synthia. In some packs, hell in some prides, clans, and flocks the submissive members are treated like servants at best, slaves at worst. Most groups protect their submissive members, they’re the heart of any shifter community, but there are a few who abuse them. Shifter submissives are nowhere near as aggressive as most shifters. They don’t have the same mass, and are often weaker than their more dominant brethren. While we don’t know who your Omega is, I don’t like the idea of her somewhere being used right now.”

  Fury roiled beneath my skin, an angry tidal wave of rage at the thought of anyone abusing my Omega. “Used how?”

  “The usual ways. But I don’t think that’s an issue with hyenas. Your Omega will have been born with a very small vagina, too small for a normal male to penetrate. Her body was created for yours, and your erect clitoris will be the perfect size to penetrate her once you’ve found all your mates. It’s like the Mother Goddess’ reward for completing your family.”

  Shocked at the casual way Valaria was laying this out, I hid my face in my hands and mumbled. “TMI, TMI, TMI.”

  “TMI?”

  “Too much information.”

  Her lips twitched. “Are you embarrassed?”

  “No!” I shouted.

  “You are. How amusing.”

  Lowering my hands I glared at her. “I thought you had to leave.”

  “I do, but first let’s call your Omega. Agreed?”

  “Agreed.”

  She whipped a slim silver knife out from her purse and I jumped.

  “Relax, I just need a little bit of your hair.”

  Setting the knife on my desk, she efficiently braided a whisper thin section of hair, then sliced it off.

  “What are—”

  “Quiet,” she snapped. “I need to concentrate.”

  I took a step back, giving her lots of room as she knelt on the floor with her hands on her lap and her eyes closed. While I couldn’t see anything happening, I had the oddest sensation of the air vibrating slightly against my skin coming from her direction. Valaria remained as still as a statue, my tiny braid grasped between her fingers. I became conscious of my breath, of my heartbeat, the blood moving through my veins. I began to think about my Omega, a faceless being that already occupied an important place in my life.

  “Done,” Valaria breathed.

  When she opened her eyes, the glow of her sparks was a lot dimmer.

  I rushed forward to help her up. “Are you okay? Your eyes are…not the same.”

  Giving me a wary look, she nodded. “I’m all right. Just tired.”

  “Do you need me to take you home? To call you a cab or something?”

  “No, I’m fine.” She walked over to her purse and pulled out her phone, tapping on the screen as she said, “My bodyguard will be picking me up.”

  “Do you want me to walk you out?”

  “No, the less people that see us together the better. Right now it wouldn’t be…wise for you to be seen with me. I’m at odds with my parents over a variety of matters, and I’m afraid they would use your friendship against me if they could. They’re assholes like that.”

  “Are you in any—uh, like in danger?” I tried to let her know I was sincere when I said. “If you need a place to stay you’re more than welcome at my house. It’s not much, but I have two spare bedrooms. You don’t have to be someplace you’re not safe.”

  Valaria gave me that sad, wise beyond her years smile again. “Thank you, Syn, but no. I’m afraid my family would destroy you right now. Maybe when you get your den set up, we’ll talk again.”

  “You’d want to join my den?”

  “I want to live somewhere I’m free to be me, to love who I want, and to just live my life. I have a feeling you would allow me to do that.”

  “Of course. But you’re a lion. Isn’t that like…taboo or something for you to join a hyena den?”

  “Now it is, but it wasn’t always that way. It was only in the last few generations that we began to segregate ourselves by species. Before that we all lived in large groups that were mixtures of every species. This was before our birth numbers began to plummet.”

  “What happened?”

  “Isn’t that the million-dollar question?” She smoothed her jacket with a sad look. “It’s a lot easier to get pregnant by another shifter of the same species, and our numbers were so low we couldn’t afford to lose anymore. The shifters began to enact rules that lions only mate with lions, etc. They don’t care who you love, they care about continuing their line. That’s a huge thing in the shifter world, the biggest actually. To have children to pass on your DNA and name. Kids have become a commodity to the elite, things to be collected as a sign of wealth and prosperity.” Her phone beeped and she glanced down before sighing. “I have to go. I wish we had longer. Talking with you is a very…unique experience.”

  “Well, you know where I work so if you ever need me, or just want to hang out, my door is open.”

  She smiled and slipped her chic taupe leather purse over her arm. “I will. And I’ll let you know as soon as I start to sense your Omega.”

  “How long do you think it will take them to get here?”

  “A day? A year? It’s hard to say, but the call is out. They will answer.”

  The next morning, when I woke up I was achy all over and feeling like hell. My body was now in an almost constant state of biting arousal, the need rising and receding like the tides. At first I thought about going to work, but the almost accidental orgasm I had while showering convinced me otherwise. I wasn’t even playing with myself, just washing as usual. One brush of my bath gloves over my vagina and I was sliding down the wall of my shower, whimpering. And putting on a bra? Forget it. My nipples were so sensitive I was tempted to go shirtless, but decided against it.

  Knowing that she would be pisse
d if I didn’t tell her that I was sick, I called my mom and managed to fend off a well-meaning visit. The only thing that she could do to make me feel any better would be to bring me a truckload of vibrators. Right now, I was pretty pissed I’d thrown away all the sex toys I’d used in the past to try and coax a response out of my body.

  Oh the irony.

  I was getting so desperate for something more than my fingers that I was eyeing anything even vaguely phallic.

  After finding myself giving the handle of my hairbrush a considering look, I gave into temptation and ordered a bunch, and I do mean a bunch, of toys. Some of them were ambitiously big, but I figured I could work my way up. I even ordered a butt plug set of increasing sizes in order to train my bottom to accept a man. While I’ve never understood the physical motivation of sex, I’d researched it until I considered myself pretty well versed on the mechanics. One of them being you didn’t just shove your sausage into the rear entrance without lots of prep.

  And lube.

  Having four husbands to satisfy, I needed all my options…open.

  Biting my lower lip, I added a couple bottles of lubricant to my shopping cart, including one supposedly flavored like chocolate.

  Wearing only a light blue silk robe, I crossed and uncrossed my legs, my clit throbbing and my pussy begging for attention. I’d been shopping for toys long enough that my coffee was cold, and my thighs were slick with arousal. While I’d read about this happening, I was a little disconcerted at first with how wet I got, but it made the sensation of my fingers on my clit that much better.

  Before I knew it, I was rubbing myself to yet another orgasm, the feeling amazing, but at the same time it left me empty and unfulfilled. It was like my body knew my fingers were a poor substitute for what it could have, and it was pissed. Hell, my hyena was also acting strange. Unsettled and yearning. The orgasms helped calm her a little bit, but she was growing increasingly restless and it left me feeling the same.

  Thanks to the wonders of technology and spending three hundred dollars, I got a two-hour delivery on my toys. Answering the door in sweats, I tried to keep from blushing as I took the rather large box, hefting it into my arms as I thanked the deliveryman. After he left, I stared at the taped package, feeling weird. On one hand, I was excited to see what these new devices could make me feel. On the other hand, some of the kinkier stuff I’d ordered made me feel like some kind of sex freak. I was having a hard time meshing the new me with the old me, and I felt like I was stuck between the two.