Realms and Rebels: A Paranormal and Fantasy Reverse Harem Collection

by C. M. Stunich

  “Crow, I'm scared,” I whispered. “I'd never admit it to my mother, but I am. I've never even been in any type of fight, and now, I'm going to war.”

  Crow took my hand; his palm was rough but warm, and his touch instantly soothed me. I felt something inside me go still; like the surface of a lake.

  “I know,” he said. “We're all scared; even Rantin. Even me; the Scarecrow himself.” He chuckled. “Fear is necessary; it keeps us alert and ambitious. We must strive toward our best—in all things—if we want to defeat the Wizard.”

  “It's always the Wizard who people mention first,” I mused, “then they add the Air Witches.”

  “He is the most powerful man in Oz,” Crow said simply. “And it is because he is not of Oz; similar to you.”

  “So, being from another world gives me more power here?” I asked.

  “No, not exactly.” His expression went pensive. “You were born here; technically you are of Oz. But you were raised on Earth.”

  Crow chewed at his lip as he considered how to explain it. Then he unfolded our joined hands so that my palm was laid atop his; facing upward.

  “You had power on Earth,” Crow said as he tapped the center of my palm.

  My magic rose to his touch, and an ivy glow covered my hand.

  “But you didn't know it,” he went on. “Even if you had, that power would have been limited by the magicless region in which you lived. But if you take it from there and bring it here”—Crow lifted my palm with his own and smacked it down on his other hand. The glow flared out between us with the crack of skin on skin, and we both inhaled sharply from the rush of magic that tingled through our bodies—“you magnify it.” Crow's voice dropped to a sensual murmur. “The journey—the rapid progression from one place to another—creates an amplifying effect. The magic compounds; gathering in strength like an object moving in a curve. Do you understand?”

  “I think so,” I whispered. “The force of that twister bringing me here twisted me even more.”

  “Yes.” He smiled and lifted his hand to my cheek. “But in the most glorious way. Add to that the fact that your magic was born in Oz, and you double the effect. Your aunt didn't consider such things when she took you to Earth; she only did it to save you. But in so doing, she saved us all.”

  Shivers coasted over my skin. It was a lot to take; hearing over and over that I was supposed to save an entire world. I'd never been out of Kansas before, and there I was; on an alien planet, fighting for freedom with the natives. And I was one of them.

  “You are not alone.” Crow leaned his forehead against mine. “Just as you have gathered your strength, you are now gathering allies. You will lead, Dorothy, but we will all fight beside you.”

  “Thank you.” I lifted my face, and our lips brushed.

  We both inhaled sharply at the accidental touch; taking in each other's breath. Our eyes met, and for a few moments, I saw something; I had a vision. I stood on a grassy hill, looking down on a vast city with moss-green walls and an emerald castle in its center. Around me were the armies of the elemental witches; all except for Air—that was an army of two. My mother smiled grimly at me, and the image changed. I was in an echoing room of high-ceilings and a glassy floor. Crow was lying to my left; his neck broken. Blood dripped from his lips onto the shiny floor.

  “Foolish, prideful girl,” a man's voice hissed smugly. “You came against me with a coven and then failed to use it. Your victory was in your unity, not your silver slippers. Had you worked together, you may have stood a chance.”

  I gasped as I came out of the vision, and Crow steadied me; his gaze gone wide with wonder.

  “You saw something,” Crow whispered. “You shared my magic.”

  “Shared,” I murmured as the picture of his corpse rose up to haunt me. “I failed to share.”

  “What do you mean?” Crow brushed my hair back so he could look into my eyes. “Dorothy; tell me what you saw, and I'll help you interpret it.”

  I swallowed roughly and shook my head. I didn't need him to help interpret that.

  “Dorothy,” Crow's voice hardened into that of the Scarecrow. “I'm here to help you. Now, tell me.”

  “I saw you dead,” I whispered. “And I heard a man's voice telling me that our chance at victory laid in unity, not slippers.” I looked down at the glittering shoes on my feet. “He said that I failed.”

  “Unity,” Crow said with a nod. “We know this already. So, why did you fail? He mentioned your silver slippers?”

  “Maybe I tried to use them against him,” I suggested. “Maybe I thought I could handle him alone.”

  “And this nefarious 'him' is the Wizard; I'm assuming,” Crow muttered.

  “I don't know.” I shrugged. “I didn't see his face, and even if I had, I have no idea what the Wizard looks like. But I can't imagine who else it could be.”

  “He is... unusual in appearance,” Crow said.

  “Unusual how?” I asked as I absently started petting Toto for comfort.

  “Too perfect.” Crow shook his head. “His skin has no lines or pores. His face and body are symmetrical. The Wizard has no flaws, and it's said that he heals rapidly.”

  “Does he drink blood?” I joked. “He sounds like a vampire.”

  “Blood?” Crow blinked in surprise. “Not that I've heard. But I suppose that would be something he would keep secret. Tell me more about these vampires.”

  “They're myths, like the werewolves I mentioned before,” I said. “They aren't real.”

  “And yet our shapeshifters exist,” he pointed out. “Perhaps we have a version of yet another of your world's mythical monsters.”

  “Yeah, maybe.” I frowned. “Okay; the myths say that vampires were once human, but then something happened to change them. The stories differ, but what stays the same is that they develop a need to consume blood—human blood. The blood prolongs their lives and regenerates them. Often, their bodies heal to the point of making them perfect, and therefore, beautiful.”

  “Perfection is not beauty,” Crow huffed. “It's a mutation.”

  “You think perfection is a mutation?” I asked with a chuckle.

  “Take a look out that window; Nature is not perfect,” he reasoned. “And—as a part of the natural world—neither are we. It is our imperfections that make us unique, and therefore, beautiful. Like this freckle upon your cheek; it adds to your appeal, not detracts.”

  “You're quite a smooth talker for a hermit,” I said with a smile.

  “It's been a long time since I've spoken to people; perhaps I've been storing up my charm.” Crow winked at me.

  12

  Cornfields became forest and then forest shifted to jungle; the foliage getting glassy, and the weather humid. Leaves and flowers grew in size; hanging over the road and brushing the top of our spark. Then we slowed to a stop.

  “We have an escort,” Rantin said as he stood. “I'll go speak to them.”

  “No; I'll go,” my mother said. “They're expecting me.”

  “As you like,” Rantin nodded. “But I shall accompany you.”

  Mom and Rantin exited the spark while Crow and I made annoyed faces at each other. Rantin's soldiers followed after him.

  “I guess we just wait here,” I said to Crow.

  “Flush that.” Crow stood and offered me his hand. “I want to meet our escort. What about you?”

  “Damn straight; I do.” I took his hand and kept holding it as we left the spark.

  The heady scent of tropical blooms and rich soil hit me as soon as we stepped onto the road. So did the humidity, which was like being slapped in the face with a damp towel. Still, it was lovely. I was absently admiring the flora as we rounded the front of the spark, but then I froze. Blocking the road before us were six tigers. I had never seen a tiger up close before; they're larger than I'd imagined. With bigger teeth. And much scarier. Even though these tigers weren't trying to be intimidating. They were just sitting calmly on the road; listening to m
y mother.

  “At least they're not flying,” I muttered.

  “Flying?” Crow asked with a sideways look my way. “Oh; the slaves. Yes; that would be bad.”

  “I didn't realize that my aunts' flying minions were shifters,” I said.

  “Not all of them are,” Crow said. “Just the lions, tigers, and bears. The rest are regular animals.”

  “Thank you,” my mother ended their conversation and turned to us. “Dareaux, what are you doing out here? I've already handled it; the tigers will take us to the Pride. They're a very prestigious escort.”

  I looked back at the tigers, and one of them smiled at me. I swear it did. Or maybe it was baring its teeth. Either way, it was unsettling. But then the tigers turned away and started to run. We hurried back into the spark, and Rantin drove us after our escort. The jungle began to thin and then became grasslands; a few tenacious trees venturing out into the fields before giving up entirely. The tigers branched off the main road, and we followed; rolling between undulating grass like a silver ship over a golden-green sea.

  Then a fortress came into view; manned by more soldiers than I would have thought necessary. As we approached, they all stopped patrolling and fixed their stares on our cavalcade with animal intensity. The tigers raced through a set of open, iron gates, and Rantin navigated our spark in after them. He parked it in a courtyard; before the steps of the largest building within the compound.

  The boxy shape of the building was softened by a wide veranda of polished wood planks and columns. It was three stories high; each floor with a wrap-around balcony. Around this main structure, hundreds of smaller buildings spread out. People were strolling through the streets between these homes, but when they spotted us, they changed course toward us.

  A group of ten men stood at the top of the steps, on the veranda of the main building; waiting for us. The other sparks pulled in behind us and started emptying of soldiers while we were still checking things out. The Earth Witches drew in closer around our sparks and watched the other elemental witches warily, but the men on the veranda looked calm and collected. They didn't even bat an eye when the tigers climbed the steps and went past them; into the building.

  “Those are the Alphas; Kings of the Earth Tribe,” my mother said as we exited the vehicle. “Be reasonable but firm with them, Dareaux.”

  “Especially with him,” Crow nodded toward a man on the end.

  I followed Crow's gaze to the alpha he indicated. A black velvet tunic draped over the muscular body of a man who was even taller than Rantin. Blond hair hung wildly around his savage face, and his hands clenched at his sides as if waiting for something to pummel. But despite all of those barbaric traits—or perhaps because of them—he was stunning. His tawny skin went well with his pale hair; making him seem to be entirely golden. But then, as I admired him, his stare slammed into mine. Vivid green eyes glared out of that golden face, and I knew that they were only the beginning; his true colors would be even more striking.

  “Is that him?” I asked Crow breathlessly. “The third?”

  Crow sent me an amused look. “Yes; he's the last of our collective.”

  “He looks like a jackass,” Rantin huffed.

  “He kind of is,” Crow mumbled.

  My mother shushed us before we strode up the stairs.

  “Lady Tavia,” one of the ten Alphas said. “Welcome to Landslide.”

  “Thank you, Flyn,” my mother said warmly. “How is Maribella?”

  “She's well, thank you.” Flyn flashed Mom a smile. “And is this your daughter; the witch we've heard so much about?”

  “The one destined to save us all,” my destined consort said disdainfully.

  I lifted an amused brow at him, and he scowled deeper. Oh, so that was it; he wanted to get a rise out of me. Interesting. It was like being in third grade again; except the other children were deadly shapeshifters.

  “I've seen it,” Crow said as he stepped forward. “Dareaux Thelia will lead us to victory.”

  “She can barely wear her mother's shoes,” my intended mocked me with a wave toward my silver slippers. “They look too big for you, little girl. Be careful on those stairs.”

  The other alphas chuckled.

  I laughed with them before I said, “They fit just fine, but if you have doubts, I could give you a closer look”—my smile turned vicious—“when I shove them up your ass.”

  All ten alphas went silent—their jaws falling open—and then nine of them started to laugh uproariously. Guess which one was the holdout.

  “You think you can handle me?” The third man in our future collective growled as he stalked over to me. “Perhaps I should give you a lesson in the dangers of taunting an alpha.”

  “It seems that you are the one in need of a lesson,” I pointed out. “In manners. I have just arrived on your doorstep, and you have been nothing but unnecessarily rude. Is this how the Kings of the Earth Tribe behave toward their guests?”

  He pulled up short—just inches from me—and took a deep breath. With a clenched jaw, he shook his head. Then he cracked his neck.

  “I wanted to test your mettle,” he growled—almost apologetically.

  “Did I pass your test?” I asked calmly.

  “Not yet,” he said grimly. “Not even close. But at least you're not a simpering idiot.”

  “You still haven't introduced yourself,” I said. “Perhaps you should offer your name before you offer insults.”

  “She sounds like my wife,” one of the other alphas said. “I think she likes you, Marex.”

  “It's time you started a family,” another man said. “An alpha cannot be a lone lion for long; he needs heirs.”

  The man before me blushed; just slightly, but it was enough for me to catch.

  “Marex; that's your name?” I asked as I held out my hand. “I'm not looking to join your pride, but I may have a place for you in mine.”

  Marex frowned as he stared down at my hand. Then his hand shot out and grabbed mine roughly. He started to shake it, but the collision of our magics tightened his muscles into immobility. I saw the connection vividly in my mind; the blue of my Water magic flowing over the rumbling brown of his Earth. My magic calmed his as it fed him, and his magic added stability to mine. We both breathed in deeply and then exhaled peacefully.

  I opened my eyes to find Marex studying my face, but this time, his look was soft and accepting.

  “Marex?” One of the alphas asked warily.

  “Enough small talk; let's get started,” Marex declared as he released my hand.

  Marex turned about and strode into the building, not bothering to see if anyone followed.

  “That went better than I expected,” Crow noted.

  13

  The meeting with the Lion Alphas was the hardest yet. The Earth Kings were respectful but stubborn, and Marex stared at me with narrowed eyes the entire time. There was a hierarchy within the Alphas, with age as the determining factor. Marex was the youngest, and the only unmarried king in the group. That being said, his roar was just as loud as the others, and the group listened to everything he had to say.

  “I don't hear a clear plan to infiltrate the Emerald City,” Marex noted. “How do you expect to surmount their defenses?”

  “My people will take care of that,” Rantin said smugly as he pulled out sketches of war machines.

  Marex looked over the plans carefully, and the other alphas waited for his decision. Finally, he looked up at them, nodded, and passed on the sketches for their perusal. I slid a secret smile at Rantin, but Marex caught it and focused his hard stare at us. I transferred my smile to Marex.

  “I vote yes,” Marex said as he continued to stare at me.

  The other alphas discussed their doubts among themselves awhile longer, but they all came to the same conclusion. The Earth Witches were with us. My mother breathed a sigh of relief and gave me a huge grin as the meeting concluded. Then the Alphas strode out to inform their people of their decision.
All except for Marex. He stalked over to me and took my hand.

  “I need to speak with you privately,” Marex snarled as he pulled me out the door with him.

  I let him lead me down a hallway and into an empty room. Marex shut the door behind us and looked me over scathingly. I looked back calmly.

  “I don't know what kind of twisted shit you got going on with the Tin Man and the Scarecrow, but I'm not into that,” he declared.

  “Okay,” I said.

  “Okay?” He lifted a suspicious chin.

  “Did I ask you to join us?” I suddenly snapped; pushing him right in the center of his chest.

  Marex stumbled backward; his mouth hanging open.

  “How dare you reject me before I even extend an offer?” I snarled. “I don't even like you; you're a jackass!”

  “And you're a mutant; a rootless witch without a home or a tribe.” He bared his teeth at me. “You tried to use your magic to seduce me. So, don't act affronted when I call you on it.”

  “I did not try to seduce you,” I protested. “That was our magic, you moron. And if you'll recall, yours was doing just as much 'seducing' as mine was.”

  “That was your Storm magic pushing its way in!” Marex roared. “You think you're strong enough to subdue me? I'm an Alpha of Earth; I can't be bullied.”

  “That was my Water magic; it had nothing to do with my Storm! You want a storm? I'll show you a real storm!”

  I threw my arms out—way past the point of thinking rationally—and my magic leapt to my defense. The humidity in the room condensed around me and wind twisted up from my feet; magnified by my slippers. Marex's eyes darted about warily as claws sprung from his hands. Then I launched a spiraling spout of water and wind at him. It knocked the lion on his ass, and I followed him down. I jumped on Marex's chest like a rabid she-wolf and took his throat in one hand.

  “Is this wild enough for you?” I growled in his face.

  A full-body shiver ran through Marex right before he went limp, and then he closed his eyes on a rumbling sigh. His massive hands slid up my thighs and settled on my waist. I could suddenly feel his manhood pressing hard against my crotch, and my thighs clenched around his thick waist as lust surged through me. Marex moaned and opened his eyes. They were darker; a mossy green full of desire. I held his hot stare as I lowered my lips to his. But I didn't kiss him; I just hovered a breath away.