Realms and Rebels: A Paranormal and Fantasy Reverse Harem Collection

by C. M. Stunich

  My teeth nip against his lip and in response Maro growls, pulling my hair hard as his mouth moves down the curve of my exposed neck and slides back up again seeking out my mouth once more. We kiss for what seems like forever. It doesn’t move on from the kiss, even though I can feel Maro’s arousal thick and hot between us. For once in my life I am being kissed as though that’s all that matters. There’s no rush to move on to the next part. There is just satisfaction in our mouths pressed against one another. It’s exhilarating.

  Eventually, Maro pulls his mouth away from mine. He places his hand up, resting it against my shoulder preventing me from seeking his kiss once more.

  “No more, Cookie. As much as I want to kiss you all night, this must stop now before it goes any further.”

  “But I want…”

  Maro lifts his finger to my lips. “I know, I do too. But this isn’t the time, or the place.” He cups my face in his hand and brushes the pad of his thumb against my cheek. For a moment we just stare at each other, before Maro’s head suddenly snaps to the door. In one swift movement he lifts me off his lap and is standing in front of me, his sword withdrawn and glowing.

  “Maro, what is it?” I ask.

  The door flings open and Ceb and Plutus rush in.

  Plutus and Ceb are by my side in an instant. “Get up, we have to go now,” Plutus demands, handing me my bow and arrow. I hadn’t even realised I’d left it behind.

  “What’s happening? What is it?” I ask, feeling slightly better now that I have my new weapon back. I’m so much better with a bow than I ever was with my knives.

  Ceb snarls, the light in his eyes changing.

  “The gate’s open…. All Hell’s breaking loose.”

  The End

  Continue the Infernal Descent Series in book two, Hell’s Weeping.

  skyemackinnon.com/infernaldescent

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  About the Authors

  Bea Paige lives a very secretive life in London... she likes red wine and Haribos (preferably together) and occasionally swings around poles when the mood takes her. If you like your books filled with vampires, wolf-shifters, angels, fae and Demi-gods then start reading her Sisters of Hex series, but if you prefer contemporary romance then grab the Brothers Freed series of books. Bea can't wait to see what you think.

  Read More from Bea Paige

  www.beapaige.co.uk

  Skye MacKinnon is an International Bestselling author with a slight obsession with bunnies, dried mango and Scotland. And when she says slight... her friends are trying to find ways to trick her into not having a book set in Scotland.

  Whether they're set in space (Scottish space, obviously), fantasy worlds (Scottish fantasy worlds, obviously), or Scotland, Skye's tales are full of magic, romance and adventure. Oh and unicorns.

  Read More from Skye MacKinnon

  skyemackinnon.com/books

  Twisted

  Amy Sumida

  Twisted

  Oz just got twisted

  Get swept away with Dorothy and Toto to a new Oz; an oppressed land ruled by a powerful wizard and his witches. Dorothy must learn to use her hidden talents to unite the elemental tribes of Oz and lead them into war against the tyrannical Wizard and his air witches. Along the way, she'll meet three magical men who challenge her wits, strength, and heart. Can they come together despite their differences, or will the Wizard's evil reign continue?

  1

  “Dorothy, I'm so sorry.” Aunty Emaline shouted above the screeching wind. “There's no time to explain. Just know that I love you, and you're going to be okay.”

  “What are you talking about? Get in the damn cellar, Aunty Em!”

  We had just made it to the storm shelter, and the twister was less than a hundred feet away. My Alaskan Malamute, Toto, was sitting patiently beside me; completely undisturbed by our impending doom. Nothing much bothered Toto as long as I was there and no one was trying to hurt me.

  “Your mother didn't give me any notice; her message arrived with the outskirts of the storm,” Aunty Em continued to babble on incoherently. “When you get to Oz, take the silver slippers!”

  “Aunty Em, we gotta get inside!”

  Emaline opened the cellar door and hurried in, but then she pulled it closed after her.

  “Aunty Em!”

  “You're going to be all right, Dorothy!” She shouted through the door. “Just remember what I said; take the silver slippers! So much depends on you claiming those slippers! Make me and your father proud. Avenge him, Dorothy!”

  “What the fuck?” I screamed as I pounded on the wooden door.

  Aunty Emaline had bolted the heavy door from within, and the twister was breathing down my neck. My hair flew about my face wildly, and debris shot by me; cutting me in several places. The shrieking sound—like a wounded monster—was becoming deafening. Toto finally began to bark.

  “Come on, Toto!” I shouted as I ran back to the house.

  Toto chased after me as the twister chased us. A board pulled loose from the nearby barn and sliced through the air; smashing into the old apple tree near my bedroom window. The wind chimes Aunty Em loved were swinging about and slamming up into whitewashed eaves. The scent of a freshly struck match filled the air; a smell that never failed to raise goosebumps on my body. Toto and I ducked and dodged as we ran up the steps and bolted into the old farmhouse. I slammed the door behind us with the tiniest measure of relief and bolted it.

  Yeah; that'll keep out a tornado. Sure.

  The relative peace within the house was short-lived. First, the apple tree came blasting into the house with the force of a battering ram and then it was torn away. Wind whistled in through my demolished bedroom window, and I slammed the door shut on the chaos as I raced to the hall closet with Toto. The storage closet was the safest place I could think of; it was beneath the stairs, in the center of the house, and went back six feet. I climbed over boxes of old blankets and winter jackets and then made a hole to hunker into. Toto crawled in, and I slammed the door shut; wedging the boxes firmly against it and then using my feet to hold them there. I grabbed Toto and hugged him to me as the tornado hit. The sound of crashing glass and the bump of heavy furniture being tossed around like cardboard made my heart pound. Things began to bump against the door, and I pushed more firmly; my thighs starting to burn from the effort.

  “We're going to be okay,” I said as Toto started to whimper. “We're going to be okay. I won't let anything hurt you. Don't worry, Toto; I got you.”

  As soon as I said the words, the whole house shuddered and then shook violently. I cried out as the entire building lifted. Toto whined, and I closed my eyes as we spun through the rushing wind of the twister. My stomach dropped as we surged upward, and I knew we were far too high ever to come down safely. Tears stung my eyes, and a horrible ache filled my heart. Why had Aunty Em done this to us? She had been the only mother I'd ever known, and I loved her more than anyone. I had thought she loved me too, but she had just sent me to my death. Me and Toto. It seemed like forever that we spun and rose; tossed about like clothes in a washer. Then we began to fall, and I knew these were the last moments of our lives.

  “I love you, Toto,” I whispered as I stroked his white fur. “I'm so sorry, but I was wrong; I can't protect you this time. At least, it will be fast. I want you to know that I couldn't have asked for a better friend; you've seen me through some rough times. Thank you for that.”

  Toto whimpered, licked my face, and then nestled his head into the curve of my neck. Then we hit the ground.

  The whole house crunched into itself, and Toto and I bounced; landing roughly on the boxes of winter clothes. The cardboard flattened, and the puffy coats poured out; creating the perfect cushion for us. The closet door cracked as it fell out into the hallway, and the bang of its landing made my heart jump. But then everything went still, and—miraculously—we were unharmed.


  “Holy hamburger buns,” I whispered. “We're alive.”

  Toto was calm once more; already past our near-death experience and ready to celebrate living. He lifted his head and licked my tears away. Then Toto walked over to the open doorway and stood there; waiting for me to get a move on.

  “Yeah; you're right,” I muttered as I got to my feet. “We should probably get out of here before the whole thing falls down around us. It would be the worst kind of irony to die now, after we made it through the twister.”

  I climbed over the piles of cardboard and clothing to stumble into the hallway. Cracks ran through the drywall like spider webs, and everything in the house was either broken or missing, but the house itself had survived the tornado in relatively good shape. By that, I mean that it was still standing.

  “How is this even possible?” I asked as I walked through the farmhouse in a daze.

  The windows were gone, and so was most of the furniture, but I didn't think to look outside until I was nearly to the front door. When I did, I froze. There was a crowd of little people standing around the farmhouse; as in midgets. They were staring somberly at the front door; as if waiting for something.

  “What the hell?” I whispered as I went to the door. “Did we land in a midget commune? Maybe it's a convention.”

  Cautiously, I opened the door, and the crowd applauded. Toto made a huffing sound and moved in front of me; eyeing the little people warily. I stepped out onto the porch with him, and we went slowly down the broken stairs. As we did, a woman and a man separated from the crowd and approached us.

  “Greetings, Great Witch!” The woman said. “We welcome you to Oz!”

  “I'm sorry, what?” I scowled at her.

  “Oz,” the little man said.

  “Where the fuck is that?” I huffed. “How far did that damn twister take me? Am I still in Kansas?”

  “No,” the woman said slowly, “you are not in Kansas anymore; you are in Oz.”

  The woman looked at the man as if he may know why I was so stupid.

  “You have just killed the Wicked Witch of the East; a traitor to Oz and the Wizard!” The man declared grandly; moving past my confusion instead of dealing with it. “And you may now claim her precious silver slippers as your reward.”

  “Silver slippers?” My blood went cold as I remembered my Aunt's words. “Where did you say I was again?”

  “Oz!” The woman huffed angrily. “It's two letters, lady. What's so hard to remember?”

  “Oz,” I murmured. “Didn't Aunty Em say something about Oz and some slippers?” I asked Toto.

  He huffed some fur out of his eyes.

  “Show me the slippers,” I demanded.

  The little people cheered and led me around the house to where a pair of legs stuck out from beneath the foundation.

  “Oh my God!” I exclaimed. “I really did kill someone? I mean; I didn't have control of the house or anything, but...” I looked up and saw the little people frowning at me. “Ah, I don't wanna disturb the dead.”

  “Just claim the slippers,” the man said impatiently. “You don't have to touch them.”

  “Claim them?” I growled as I waved a hand to the body. “Sure; I'll just twirl my fingers and say 'I claim these silver slippers!' How's that?”

  The slippers vanished from the silk-clad legs and appeared on my feet.

  “What the fruitloops?!” I screamed and jumped as the little people cheered, and Toto barked.

  “Congratulations, New Witch of the East!” The little man said. “We hope that you shall be a better witch than your predecessor, and we would like to celebrate your new status with a feast at the Munchkin Village.”

  “Munchkin Village?” I asked. “That's a cute name. What is that; German?”

  “It is our name,” the woman said proudly. “We are the Munchkins of Oz.”

  “Where is she?!” A strident voice demanded.

  The Munchkins scurried out of the way as a blonde woman came striding up to us. She was tall, built like an Amazon, fair-skinned, and dressed in a horrifying amount of pink. Her long coat was baby pink, her tight pants were hot pink, and her shimmering tunic was blush pink; she couldn't even decide on a shade. Her hair was held in place by glittering diamond pins around her temples, but the rest of it was left wild; like her current temperament.

  “Where is that bitch?” She growled as she stepped up to me; brandishing a glittering wand tipped with a star. She ignored me completely as she stared at the lower legs still protruding from beneath my house. “Tavia, you pain in the ass; you finally got what you deserved.”

  I gawked at the woman while the Munchkins slowly eased further and further away.

  “Now, I'll take those...” The woman froze when her stare landed on the slipperless feet, and then she turned unerringly toward me; or rather, she turned toward my new, shiny shoes. “What are those slippers doing on your feet?” She screeched as she stomped over to me. “Take them off this instant!”

  Toto started to growl.

  “Hey, lady, I just got here.” I held up my hands. “It's been a rough day; I was almost killed in a twister, and then—“

  “A what?” The woman narrowed icy blue eyes on me. “What almost killed you?”

  “A twister.” I frowned at her. “You know; a tornado. A swirling mass of wind—”

  “A tornado!” The woman was screeching again. A strong wind started to blow around us. “Where did you come from, witch? What tribe are you of?”

  Toto was barking full out now; something he never did.

  “Why do people keep calling me a witch?” I huffed. “Shh, Toto, it's okay.”

  Toto calmed but continued to eye the Lady in Pink dubiously.

  “Because only a witch could take those slippers.” The woman pointed at my feet.

  “She killed the Witch of the East, Great Glinda,” the munchkin man said. “Her flying home fell on the Wicked Witch and killed her; we all saw it happen. And then she claimed the slippers. It is a great day for Oz, is it not? The traitor is dead and—”

  “Shut up!” Glinda shouted as she waved her wand at the little man.

  He went flying into his fellow munchkins.

  “What the hell?!” I shouted; finally losing my temper. “That guy was only trying to be nice.”

  Glinda went tumbling as a blast of rain and wind hit her in the stomach. I gaped at the rumpled pink tangle of her and her ensemble as she screeched and scrambled to her feet. Glinda shook out her coat and came stomping back to me with her wand outstretched; with every step she took, the wind picked up speed.

  “Give me the slippers!” She shouted as she pointed her wand at them.

  A blast of sparkling silver light shot out from the slippers and knocked Glinda into the air. Her arms flailed out to the sides as she tumbled, and she righted herself; coming to a stop about forty feet above us—midair.

  “This isn't over, witchling!” Glinda shouted before flying away.

  “What a bitch,” I muttered as I watched her leave. Then something occurred to me. “Was that bitch flying?”

  “Yes, and she's more than a bitch,” a calm, female voice said. “She's my sister and your aunt.”

  “What?”

  I turned around to see a woman with long, dark hair curling down to her waist, dark eyes, an hourglass figure, and fair skin with the perfect blush to it. Her lush lips smiled warmly, and I suddenly felt as if I knew her. I knew those features; some of them, at least—they were nearly identical to mine.

  “Who are you?” I whispered.

  “I'm your mother.” She softened her smile, and a tear slipped out of her eye as she stepped closer. “I've waited twenty-two years to bring you home.”

  The woman embraced me, and I felt my own eyes filling with tears. Her scent was so comforting, and her voice made me feel safe; I recognized her on a deep, subconscious level. But I couldn't process it.

  “My parents died in a car accident when I was a baby,” I said as I eased out of h
er hug. “I'm sorry, but you can't be my mother.”

  “No, sweetheart,” she said gently. “You were sent into hiding. Your father's sister—your Aunt Emaline—took you over the Rainbow to protect you, and she swore to me that she would look after you until I thought it was safe enough to bring you back. But I need your help to make Oz safe again, Dareaux Thelia. So, I sent a tornado to bring you home.”

  “What did you call me?” I whispered.

  The name had brought shivers to my skin.

  “You are not Dorothy Gale of Kansas; you are Dareaux Thelia Gale of the East Wind,” she said. “Welcome home, Daughter.”

  2

  “I'm going to need a little more information than that,” I finally said.

  “You have a birthmark in the shape of an S on your ass,” the witch said.

  “No; not that,” I huffed and then my eyes widened. “Holy shit; I do.”

  “I'm your mother, Dareaux,” she said patiently. “And I know what you meant; you want explanations. Come with me, and I will answer all of your questions.”

  The Munchkins made a path for us as my mom led Toto and me into their village. Tiny, bulbous homes were laid out in a spiral pattern around a central well. Fragrant flowers grew wild as well as in window boxes, birds sang in the trees, and strange but adorable animals scurried by. Mom took me to one of the larger homes, and I followed her into the cozy living room. The Munchkins left us at the door but loitered outside.

  “They're sweet, but it can get annoying,” my mom whispered to me.