Realms and Rebels: A Paranormal and Fantasy Reverse Harem Collection

by C. M. Stunich

The van jostled and the back clicked open.

  I twisted in my seat. Elias chucked a duffle bag in the back. Our eyes locked.

  He blinked. “Good. You’re here.” He glanced up again. “Your hair. Looks nice.”

  I touched my fingers to the locks free of the ponytail. “Thanks.”

  “She’ll understand,” Thomas’s voice echoed in the garage. With two steaming traveler mugs in hand, he navigated between sedans with a frantic Sung on his heels. Thomas had a suit jacket on over the white shirt, looking very dapper and businesslike. “She can meet us later. After the Healers check her out.”

  “But we’re a team,” Sung whined. “A unit! We can’t just leave without her!”

  My door opened. Lover Boy stared down at me, surprise wrinkling his brow. “No worries, my friends. Harper would never run out on us.” He cocked his head. “Would you?”

  The passenger door opened and in jumped a man even bigger than Lover Boy. He was formidable, built like a fortress. Or a bear. A dark grey sweater that matched his eyes stretched tight over bulging bands of muscle. His features had a sharp elegance, more attractive than handsome, a darkness lingering in those intense eyes. A thin scar, old by the look of it, ran down one side of his face. Dark hair buzzed short. Five o’clock shadow covered a chiseled jaw and lined around lips that had almost as much pout as Harper’s.

  He fixed with me with a hard glare. “Where the hell have you been?”

  “She should not be driving in her condition.” Elias climbed in the rear section which had been cleaned of his copious amount of blood. Although the scent still lingered.

  “Agreed.” Lover Boy grasped my arm. “Call back the Healer.”

  “We have no time,” the angry bear of a man growled. “Get her in back.” His accent was subtle but clearly Slavic. Russian. He pronounced the word time more like teem. And he just had that hard look of a brutal Siberian winter. Majestic, stunning, and dangerous.

  Unlike Sung, who was nothing but warmth and acceptance. “Harper!” he yelled and pulled me into a hug as soon as I climbed in back. “I told you to yell if you needed me.”

  “Talk while we move.” Thomas pulled Sung off, which I found disappointing. “Get your gear.”

  “Sasha and I got a lead.” Lover Boy nodded at the bear in the front seat. “The Mandatum child is in—”

  “New York City,” I told them.

  They all stopped the hustle and bustle.

  “How do you know that?” Sasha asked. His artic eyes zeroed in on me.

  I felt a chill but decided a shudder wouldn’t do. It would show too much weakness. Something Sasha would not appreciate.

  I steeled myself against his frigid gaze and held up the key. The one Lover Boy had thrown at me earlier. “This is a key to the Hotel Eris. In New York.”

  It was an old-fashioned skeleton key. A dull, grey metal. At the end of the long barrel, the handle had the simple image of an apple carved on one side, and a stylized “H.E.” on the other with roman numerals underneath.

  “Hotel what?” Sung asked.

  Sasha gave me a doubtful look. “Hotel Eris is a myth.”

  “Ah, ah, ah,” Elias said, excitement entering his voice. “Myth only because no hunter has ever proven its existence.”

  He pushed on the wall of the van. A section opened up revealing some sort of built in electronics station. Several digital screens lit up, along with knobs and buttons blinking different colors. A set of headphones hung on a hook. A keyboard popped out and Elias began frantically typing.

  “There is an abundance of fascinating folklore substantiating its viability,” Elias said.

  “Exactly,” Sasha said, irritated. “It is a fable. We don’t have the luxury of bedtime stories.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Let me guess. The Mandatum spotted the child through various cameras around New York, then he simply vanished. And any attempt to track him further has proven empty.”

  “That is exactly right!” Sung said, then told Sasha. “She knows more than you. Maybe you are just jealous.”

  I held Sasha’s cold gaze. “And with a child’s life on the line,” I said. “What we really don’t have time for, is pettiness. So since we are going to New York anyway, maybe you should shut up and listen to what I have to say.”

  Sasha’s jaw worked overtime, clenching, unclenching. The rest of the guys seemed to hold a collective breath. Finally, Sasha nodded.

  “Start driving,” he told Lover Boy, then he moved into the back and sat down on the bench seat next to me. Way too close for my comfort. “And you start talking.”

  12

  I would have moved away from Sasha, but Sung had scooted up on my other side. So while Lover Boy, whose name had to be Xander, drove us out of London, I had to deal with their close proximity and intense scrutiny while I told them what I knew.

  At the end, Sasha rubbed his eyes. “A network of hotels around the world used to hide and protect demons—”

  “And rouge Mandatum hunters,” Elias said.

  Sasha rolled his eyes. “Entire buildings so well hidden that even the Mandatum has never located one. But somehow you can find them.”

  “Yes,” I nodded. “Some crazy Mandatum hunter built them ages ago. Used some protection spells, I don’t know, but then he abandoned the lot. No idea why. Time passed with nothing, but several decades back, some rogue hunters started using them. Even letting in demons. It’s neutral territory.”

  “A type of sanctuary,” Elias said, pointing at the computer screen. “According to the legends.”

  I nodded. “Someplace to hideout if the Mandatum were on your tail. The deal is that you can’t use your powers or fight against each other when you are in there. If you break rules, you’re banned from life.”

  “You mean for life,” Sasha said.

  “No,” I said. “From life. They kill you. And whoever does kill you, gets access to all sorts of wealth. Money, extra privileges.”

  “Lovely chaps,” Thomas muttered.

  “If I have this,” I said, holding up the key, “I can get in, find the kid, and get out.”

  Elias studied the key. “So the apple on the key means the Big Apple? That’s why you knew it was New York?”

  “No, the apple is the marker of Eris, Goddess of Discord,” I said. “Symbolic for wreaking havoc on the Mandatum. The roman numerals indicate its New York City plus the room number. It must be where they have the child.”

  “And you know all this how?” Sasha asked.

  This was the tricky part. “Culus told me.” That was the truth.

  “Culus, the asshole,” Elias said.

  Sung tsked. “Such language.”

  “No,” Elias said. “In Latin, his name actually means asshole.”

  Lover Boy, Xander, made a disgusted sound. “I’ve heard of him and the name fits. He’s like a pimp.”

  My eyes widened. “What?”

  “You know how pimps hang around bus stations,” Xander said. “Like in Los Angeles waiting for some naïve girl coming to Hollywood. They promise to help her be a star, then she ends up addicted to drugs and he whores her out.”

  “Yes,” Thomas nodded.

  “Well,” Xander continued over his shoulder. “Instead of hanging out at bus stations, this Culus creep hangs out near portal locations, waiting for some demon who somehow got through but doesn’t know how to survive on earth. He pretends to be their friend and—”

  “Turns them into prostitutes?” Sung sounded horrified.

  Xander shrugged. “Not exactly. He only acquires demons who have powers he can use for something. He gains their trust, shows them the ropes. I heard he even sets up attacks so he can ‘save’,” he lifted a hand off the steering wheel and made air quotes, “the new demon. Help prove how much the new one needs him, owes him even. Then he uses them for his own purposes.”

  “Apparently that one’s use was over,” Elias said. “He killed it without hesitation.”

  I blinked. The fresh memory of C
ulus stabbing me brought pain to my heart. Was that how it had been? I was just a pawn? A means to an end? Used then tossed aside. Gosh, that made me feel special.

  Sasha shot me a hostile look. “You were an idiot for trusting him.”

  Couldn’t really argue with that. “Be that as it may, can we get back to the child?”

  It was the one thing I could do to try to make up for any evil I helped perpetuate. And if it somehow ruined Culus’splans, that would be an added bonus. Maybe I could find some peace after all.

  Sasha glanced around at the guys. “Could she be confused because of the blow to her head?”

  “She sounds most confident and believable,” Sung said, reaching for a duffle bag of weapons and checking them over. “We should ready for the mission.”

  Thomas got up and looked closely at my skull. He frowned. “Her injury has gotten better. Almost as if she has seen a Healer. I’m not sure what is going on, but something’s bloody well off.”

  “I saw her take the hit,” Elias said, folding his arms. “Brutal. So I’m still concerned about brain damage, but I don’t know. She seems cognitively functional.”

  Sung picked out knives to add to the weapons collection. “Maybe it is some strange demonic voodoo passed on through their touch. Elias said the demon was holding Harper’s hand when Culus killed it.”

  Uh oh.

  “Something your great Korean ancestors told you?” Sasha shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  Elias looked thoughtful. “I suppose it’s not out of the realm of possibility.”

  Not good.

  “I don’t need a Healer!” I said.

  “You still have a bullet in your shoulder,” Thomas countered.

  I had actually forgotten about it, the pain was so inconsequential. I shoved Thomas aside, shot to my feet, ripped off what was left of my shirt, sending buttons flying, dug my fingers into the bullet wound, and pulled out the slug.

  I held it up with bloody fingers. “Now I don’t have a bullet in my shoulder! So can we get on with it?”

  I stood in only my bra and trousers, my chest heaving, blood trickling from the small hole in my shoulder. The group in the back stared at me.

  Lover Boy caught my image in the rearview mirror, then twisted around to gape. The car swerved hard. I lost my balance, spun and fell. Right into Sasha’s lap.

  He wrapped his arms around me. Horns honked. The car righted. Sasha gave me a look of surprise, that slowly changed to aggravation. I tried to scramble out of his grip, but his hold tightened, his hands on my skin feeling warm despite the cold of his steely eyes.

  “Let me go,” I said through gritted teeth.

  His bottom lip jutted out for a brief moment. “You don’t want me to do that,” he said evenly. “You need my proper attention.”

  He touched a finger to the bullet hole. I felt a flash of heat, then the smell of burning flesh. Other than wrinkling my nose, I didn’t react. He eyed me for a long moment before he held out his hand.

  Thomas passed him gauze and antiseptic. Sasha wiped away any blood from the bullet hole, used antiseptic, then covered the wound with clean gauze and pressed it on my wound. Thomas offered strips of tape, clearing his throat several times and keeping his eyes averted from my chest. Sasha took the tape and secured the bandage. As he worked, his touch gentle, the heel of his hand tickled over the curve of my breast.

  He didn’t seem to notice. But I did. With the continued contact, heat trickled across my skin and spread slowly across my torso. Up my neck. Flooding over my cheeks.

  Thomas cleared his throat again. “She doesn’t like—”

  “A lot of things,” Sasha said, keeping his eyes on his work. On me. “And I don’t like her working with demons. But we’ve got a job to do. We all have to get over a few…unpleasantries.”

  Elias glanced up from his tablet. “Told you she had nice breasts. But the bra. Honestly, Harper, that isn’t doing you any favors. No wonder we never noticed before.”

  “Maybe you hadn’t,” Lover Boy said with a wicked chuckle.

  “That’s enough,” Sasha warned.

  I looked down at the bra. Industrial or utilitarian was the kindest way to describe the undergarment. The word lingerie didn’t come to mind. Plain white, no support, texture or pattern. Certainly no hint of lace. Gads, if I had a chance to dress this body, I’d be having a lot more fun with it.

  When I looked up, I saw Sasha scrutinizing my chest too. He caught my eye and raised his brows, but didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed.

  “Get her a shirt,” he told Sung.

  “I have her things right here.” Sung opened a duffle bag and pulled out a white shirt exactly like the one I had ripped off my body. Basic button down.

  “Isn’t there something with color?” I asked.

  Sung looked confused. “These are the only shirts you wear anymore.”

  “Anymore?” I said.

  Sung swallowed. “Yes, since—”

  “Just give her one of yours,” Sasha said quickly. When Sung hesitated, he barked, “Now!”

  “You do not need to be rude. So impatient.” Sung handed Sasha a men’s dress shirt. Another button down, but at least it was a lovely pale lavender.

  Sasha sat me up in his lap. I started to stand but his hand gripped my wrist and he plopped me back down and helped put the garment on.

  What was I, a child?

  But it wasn’t so bad. His breath warm on my skin as he leaned in close to make the needed movements, getting my arms through and the shirt over my shoulders. The fabric smelled fresh and smoothed on soft and luxurious. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

  “Smells nice,” I sighed.

  “Nice?” Sasha snapped. “There’s nothing nice about this situation.” He yanked the shirt closed across my chest, then grabbed my waist and lifted me up, giving my backside a final shove with the palm of his hand. “Finish the rest yourself.”

  I glared over my shoulder. “Sung’s right. You’re rude.”

  “I’m devastated,” he deadpanned. “Don’t break open the wound again.”

  The shirt billowed about me, far too large, especially in the shoulders. I buttoned the top buttons then tied the tails at my waist. With the sleeves falling well past my fingers, I started to roll them up, but Thomas and Sung each took an arm and did it for me.

  Sung stepped back and smiled. “An excellent color for you.”

  The van turned a corner. I grabbed a shelf to keep from landing in anyone’s lap again.

  Moments later Lover Boy stopped the vehicle and turned around. “We’re here. The jet’s ready. What is the plan?”

  Sasha blew air out of his lips. “We go to New York and salvage this mission despite Harper’s stupidity of dealing with demons and almost tanking the whole damn operation.”

  I put hands on my hips. “Oh shut up. It seems my stupidity is going to save this kid’s life. Along with your precious mission.”

  A quiet, tense moment followed.

  Sasha slowly brought his head up and latched his cold gaze onto me. “Don’t you mean our precious mission?”

  Oh.

  “Right,” I said, in a chipper tone. “That’s what I meant.” I held up the bullet to help distract from my mistake. “What is this thing anyway? It looks like plastic. So did the gun.”

  Elias took it from my fingers. “It’s some sort of special polymer I haven’t seen before but I’ll know more once I have time to analyze it in the lab. Clever actually, since it would be immune to your power.”

  “My power?” I said.

  They all gave me an odd look.

  “I mean, yeah.” I nodded. “Of course. Totally immune. That makes sense.” Or it would be if I had any clue as to Harper’s power. But asking would be out of question. “So let’s go!” Quickly. Before I screwed up again. “Come on. Everybody out and on the jet. Move, move, move!” I grabbed a duffle bag, not knowing if it was mine because they all looked alike, jumped out the back of th
e van, saw the jet, and froze.

  “Something wrong?” Elias asked.

  “Yeah,” I told him. “I’m not going.”

  13

  Sasha opened the driver’s door and looked at me sitting in the seat, my hands gripping the steering wheel. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  I stared straight ahead. “Can’t go.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re go—”

  I reached over and shut the door.

  He gritted his teeth. Then he opened it. “Why not?”

  The rest of the guys had gathered around him.

  “Because that…” I flung my hand toward the plane. “That isn’t a jet, it’s a tin can!”

  Sure it was nice. As far as private jets went, but it was smaller than I expected and the last time I was on one that looked almost exactly like this one, it’d been a disaster. Literally. Even made the news. People died. Sure I could blame it on Culus, his orders, but their faces, their terror, their screams, it all haunted me still.

  My lungs iced up. I struggled for breath.

  “I can’t,” I said, and shut the door.

  Sasha opened it and growled. “You seem to forget. If I say jump…” Behind him, Sung jumped high into the air and landed with a theatrical clap of his hands. Sasha nodded. “Thank you.”

  “Yes sir!” Sung executed a sharp salute and flashed me a huge smile. “I’ll get your bag!”

  “And if I say go, you go,” Sasha said.

  “Why can’t we use something like that?” I pointed across the tarmac to a huge jet.

  Xander laughed out loud. “That’s not exactly on our paygrade just yet.”

  “But soon,” Sasha said. “Especially if we complete this mission. Now let’s go.”

  He reached for me. I started to shut the door. Sasha gripped the edge and yanked it open, pulling my hand with it. My body followed, and I tumbled out of the van.

  Xander caught me and helped me back in the seat, his bright green eyes muddied with concern. When he felt me shaking, he put an arm around my shoulders and shot Sasha a harsh look. “Ease up, my friend.”

  Sasha made a frustrated noise. “So she’s going to let the kid die?”