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

by Laura Greenwood

  Why does that make me jealous? My gut clenched, and I made sure my feelings didn’t show on my face.

  “Once we decided to start to look for someone Anthony and I could build a life with, without Michael, he was killed and the children were taken. We’ve secretly looked after you ever since, and in doing so, discovered the woman we want to love.” Elias buried his face in my neck and nuzzled my hair.

  My head rested on his shoulder as I contemplated the staggering information he’d given me. Michael had wanted to share a wife with his best friends. What in the world did he see in me to be willing to sacrifice his family and friends, his plans, to hide and spend only a part of his life with me? I couldn’t be enough to pull a man away from his entire world.

  “This is cozy.” Anthony’s voice made me squeak and jump so hard I fell onto the bed, out of Elias's lap. I laughed at Anthony’s confused face and collapsed flat.

  “It’s been an emotional morning, Anthony,” I said. “So, are you in love with me?” He looked startled for a moment then glared at Elias.

  “I care enough to commit my life to yours, and that must mean some aspect of love.” He contemplated his words. “I’d be devastated if you died, and I can picture us together over the coming centuries. I believe I have the beginnings of love for you, yes.”

  I sat up and turned to Elias. “And you, do you love me?”

  Elias replied instantly and with abandon. “More than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life. I would follow you to hell and do everything in my power to protect you.” He grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to my palm. “I’ll be loyal to you until you die, and I’ll never leave you willingly. You’d have to convince me that you never wanted to lay eyes on me again—and then I’d still watch over you, but you wouldn't see me.”

  He couldn’t have surprised me more if he’d revealed he was actually a vampire. Ha! Been there, done that, and still reeling. I knew he cared, but that—that was the sort of declaration little girls dream about.

  Anthony sat on the end of the bed. “My Coya, we didn't want to bombard you with our feelings. When we decided it was time for you to meet me, we wanted to make you think I was investigating Michael’s disappearance so we could tell you he was dead. We wanted to watch over you and know you, but slowly, with the least pain possible.” He grabbed my other hand in both of his and stroked it. “But, you see how that went. And here we are. We care for and love you. Until you are ready to process that, we need not speak of it again.”

  I pulled my hands away and placed them in my lap, twisting them nervously. “You’re right, I’m not ready to process that. I’m still trying to come to terms with Michael, that he’s…” I couldn’t say it. I looked at Elias. “But I want you to understand that I do care about you a great deal, and I appreciate your help more than I could ever find words to say.”

  Turning to Anthony I continued. “I’m beginning to care for you as well. Time will tell if that will grow.”

  Anthony leaned over and collapsed on top of me in a hug, knocking me into Elias, who wrapped his arms around both of us. I giggled in between them. “I won’t say no to more out of this world sex again. Though, maybe not right now. We need to get this show on the road, and it’s too much to handle yet.”

  I’m not sure if I’m ready for you to love me, but you sure can fuck me any time,. Sheesh, Riley. You’re really pouring the gasoline on those hell-panties.

  Anthony let me push him off so we could get busy packing. He explained that the SUV had hidden compartments so we could hide the guns and blood to get across the border. I made them stick me and draw my blood. Apparently, like all Supay, the guys had gone through basic phlebotomy after math class.

  I’d discovered in my research that the human body would replenish up to 450mL of blood every twenty four hours. Until they ran out of bagged blood, I would let them draw from me daily to sustain as much of a supply as we could.

  While blood dripped into a bag beside me, the guys gathered supplies, as well as the cash and weapons. Our clothes were still packed from the trip down, and in a little over an hour, we were ready to go.

  Chapter Eight

  We traveled south from the house in Alice, Texas and soon found ourselves in Pharr, just north of the Mexican border. Conversation was sparse with all of us wrapped up in our own thoughts. I sat behind the two gorgeous men and studied their profiles. They were beautiful men, and I was struck again with a series of “Why me?” questions. I hoped one day I’d be able to get past my insecurities.

  We stopped for a bathroom break and to get coffees. It amused me to watch my two big, strong vampires order mocha frappes.

  Back in the SUV, I sipped my sweet drink, enjoying the French vanilla creamer I’d added. Elias produced three sets of fake IDs and papers as we approached the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge. Here was our first test of the journey—getting out of the country. Every lane was open, so we only waited about twenty minutes before it was our turn.

  A trim man greeted us with a warm smile. “Hola, and welcome to Mexico! What’s the purpose of your trip?”

  Anthony smiled at the man, and my forehead gave a small pinch. He was sending his calming sorcery to the smiling man. “Hola, sir. We’re on vacation. We’ll be making our leisurely way to Panama.”

  The border agent raised an eyebrow. “That’s a dangerous trip, young man. Are you sure that's wise? Not many are equipped to handle the travel through the jungles.” The pain in my forehead intensified, telling me Anthony was laying it on thick. The man smiled and continued, “I’m sure you’re filming a documentary or something, eh? Well, good luck, cabrón.”

  I whispered to Anthony. “Did he just call you a dumbass?”

  “Yup,” Anthony said teeth clenched into a smile.

  The man gave each of us papers to fill out. He told us what information to bring when making the return trip home, and then we were safely across the border.

  “Riley, I swear, you’re bad luck for my calming ability. He was hard to soothe. And he thought we were stupid for making this trip,” Anthony complained as we entered Mexico.

  “You made my head hurt trying to do it. Do you think my possible Unseen ancestry could be helping me block you?” I asked.

  “The thought has crossed my mind. Its something for us to explore when we're safe,” Elias interjected.

  I pressed my nose to the window, taking in the sights. Since we weren’t sure which cities along the way were safe and which were dangerous, we decided to drive straight through to Mexico City. We opted not to take the most direct route down to Panama, in case someone figured out where we were trying to go.

  It took us seventeen hours to get to Mexico City. The guys wouldn't let me drive, so I mostly slept, aggravated that I wasn’t allowed to pitch in with the driving. Halfway to our destination, when we rolled through a tiny town and encountered some problems, I suddenly became grateful I didn’t have to drive.

  We were stopped in the road by police carrying large guns. They spoke rapid Spanish, and I didn’t understand a word. Anthony handed over a small wad of cash, and we were on our way again. I didn’t ask to drive after that.

  I didn’t see Mexico City coming. It was so immense that I didn’t realize we were there until we were almost in the middle of it. The city was a mishmash of vibrant colors, Aztec-inspired architecture, and modern skyscrapers; absolutely stunning. Elias drove us to an opulent downtown hotel, The St. Regis.

  “Shouldn’t we stay somewhere less conspicuous?” I asked as we pulled up to the front doors. Anthony got out to secure a room, and Elias drove around to the parking garage.

  “We’re taking a page from Michael’s book and hiding in plain sight. Plus, this hotel has excellent security and surveillance. Anthony will tell the front desk we're transporting an American celebrity, and we'll be given access to the service entrance. Grab my bag, there’s a black hoodie in there. Pull the hood low so your face won’t be on camera.” He parked the SUV as I rifled through his stuff. We wai
ted for Anthony to find us before unloading our bags.

  They climbed in the back seat with me, and we loaded our holsters with guns, as well as tucking several into each bag before putting the rest in the hidden compartment. The blood came up to the room with us. In case of car theft, we could afford to replace the car and the guns but not the blood. I wasn't allowed to carry anything up to the room so we could maintain the celebrity facade.

  My steps were slow between my bodyguards. I soaked in the opulence of the hotel as we made our way through a hallway to an elevator. Even coming in through the service entrance, my feet sank in the plush carpet. The wallpaper looked too expensive to touch, and the light fixtures sparkled enough to hurt my eyes. It was by far the most expensive hotel I’d ever been in. Michael and I rarely traveled, and when we did, we stayed in cheap roadside hotels and motels.

  I kept my head down and my gaze on my feet, afraid someone might be watching the cameras and realize I was no one special. We made our way upstairs in a ritzy elevator covered in rich wood paneling. My jaw dropped when we entered our room. The view was phenomenal—I couldn’t wait to see the city lit up at night. I pulled back the hood and turned in a circle, taking in the room. An enormous bed with an ornate wood frame dominated the room. A separate seating area circled a television, and a small, fully functioning kitchen shared space with a grandiose dining table. I sped to the two doors off of the sleeping area. The first door was an empty walk-in closet, and the second was a bathroom I knew I’d never want to leave. The bathtub was so luxurious it even put Elias's tub in Tennessee to shame, and I was sure four or five people would fit in the shower.

  “Are we in a hurry? Well, I know we’re in a hurry, but do I have time for a bath?” I called to the guys. They stood inside the door with bemused expressions on their faces. I realized they’d been watching me admire the room.

  “You have plenty of time, Coya. It’ll take us a while to arrange transportation out of Mexico. I’m going to try to charter a plane.”

  I jumped a little and clapped my hands. Then I scrambled to take off my shirt as I shut the bathroom door. I stripped and filled the enormous tub with scalding hot water.

  “Riley?” Elias called through the door. “I’ve got your clothes and toiletries.”

  “You guys can come in here,” I replied. “You’ve seen me naked already. There’s no point in being shy.”

  Elias opened the door and set my bag on the floor. He avoided looking up at me.

  “Eli, will you order me a steak, medium well, with a loaded baked potato and steamed broccoli? I’m starving.”

  “Of course,” he said, looking up at me. His gaze perused my body, lingering on my lower half, and I blushed. Saying I wouldn’t be shy didn’t make it easy to actually not be shy.

  My big toe protested as I dipped it in the hot water. “Leave the door cracked open, please. In case I want to talk to you guys.” He smiled at me, then walked out, leaving the door open about a foot.

  I spent some time sniffing the selection of bubble baths before choosing something that reminded me of a lotion Michael always loved, sweet pea. I sank down into the water. The tub was so big the water completely covered my body. It was heaven.

  The guilt burrowed in the back of my mind became harder and harder to ignore. I was luxuriating in a bubble bath while my kids were being raised by strangers, and I was pulling Anthony and Elias away from their own kids. The bath lost its luster.

  “Coya? Quick question.” Anthony stuck his head in the door and blinked several times as he stared at me.

  “Yes?” I was secretly happy that the sight of me in the bath made him lose his train of thought.

  “I wanted to make sure you didn’t mean medium rare.” He made a face of disgust as I replied.

  “No, I’d like medium well, please.” He opened his mouth to argue with my steak choice, but I sent a splash of water toward the door. He dodged it with his lightning reflexes, laughing.

  I soaked and leisurely washed while I waited on my food. When we heard a knock Anthony shut the bathroom door so no one would catch a glimpse of me. My gnawing stomach urged me to get out and wrap up in the ultra plush hotel robe. I made my way out to the dining area to see the guys ordered the same meal I did, with their steaks rare.

  “Do you two have a craving?” I asked.

  “We need to keep up pretenses, and it won’t hurt us to absorb a few extra vitamins with the food since we're rationing our blood,” said Elias through a mouthful of steak.

  Dinner was delicious as long as I didn’t look at their undercooked steaks. When I’d eaten my food and a little of their vegetables—no way I was touching their raw steaks—I climbed up into the bed and turned on a TV that floated up out of the end of the bed. Low chuckles matched my giggles as I made the TV go in and out of its hidden cabinet. I flipped through a few channels until I found a show about a vampire slayer, and left it there to be cheeky.

  Anthony went out to see about finding us a plane. Elias watched a few episodes, laughing his way through the misconception of a vampire while I paced the room, bored and restless. I changed into yoga pants and a tank to have something to do.

  “Play cards with me.” Elias produced a deck of cards, and I sat down with a sigh to pass the time. We started playing strip poker, and I was down to my tee and panties in no time.

  I fanned my full house out on the table with a flourish. “Read ’em and weep, Eli. Take off your pants.” I gave an exaggerated eyebrow wiggle and duck lips.

  “Not so fast, there, smarty pants. I’ve got four of a kind.”

  My ridiculous expression left my face as I read his cards. He had four aces. “Dammit!”

  “Lose the shirt, Riles.” I gave him a fake scowl and started to take off my shirt when the hotel room door burst open.

  “I can’t leave for a few hours coming back to find you two in a compromising situation.” Anthony walked over to the table and quirked an eyebrow at Elias's state of undress.

  “We were restless.” I feigned a pout.

  I was surprised to discover it was dusk outside, I’d become so wrapped up in the card games. The darkening city was beginning to light up, so I settled into a plush chair by the windows to watch the night come alive.

  Anthony filled us in on his day. We wouldn't be able to embark on the rest of our journey until morning, given how long he looked for a plane. He’d been unsuccessful chartering a plane straight out of Mexico City but heard of a pilot willing to make trips for cash in Córdoba.

  We prepared for an early bedtime. My eyelids grew heavy, my body snuggled in between the two new enigmas in my life. I was content, despite my guilt, despite my nerves, despite missing my boys. I drifted off to sleep between them.

  Riley, I'm coming. Don’t worry, beautiful one. I'm finally on my way to you. Stay with Elias and Anthony. They are the least dangerous option right now. I will find you wherever you are. You are my destiny, and I'm yours. Sleep now, and watch for me. I will take care of you.

  I woke in luxurious splendor. The mattress in the hotel matched the comfort level of the tub. I was rested like I'd slept on a cloud sent to me by angels. Are angels real, too?

  Two large blood-sucking heaters enveloped me in warmth and security. The city illuminated the night and I was surprised I'd slept so well with the room brightened by the city lights.

  We were a triple spoon on the big bed. Anthony was behind me, and I was snuggled up to Elias's back. I wiggled down the bed so I could cool off a bit. All the body heat had me sweating.

  Elias's flip phone sat on the bedside table, so I checked the time. Five after three in the morning. I had the urge to use the bathroom and gave their sleeping forms a gleeful look. They didn’t move as I got up, so hopefully, they were sleeping soundly. I ran to the bathroom. I could poop without them smelling!

  I finished my business and washed my hands. Finding air freshener under the sink, I sprayed it liberally to save any embarrassing smells drifting through the door.

>   When I walked out, Elias was sitting up in bed, staring out the window. Anthony slept, curled around the pillow I'd been lying on. "Good morning, Riley,” Elias whispered.

  "Good morning. What does our day look like today?" I climbed onto the bed and snuggled into Elias's side. He put an arm around my shoulders, and I grasped his hand, marveling in the change our lives had taken in a few short days.

  "You smell like air freshener." He laughed, making it obvious he knew exactly what I'd been up to in the bathroom.

  "It’s impolite to mention a lady's bathroom habits, Elias," I said with authority, cheeks flaming. "Now, what's up for today?"

  "I'd considered giving us a day of rest, but I'm too paranoid about being caught. I think we should keep moving." He rubbed his eyes. "I hope to charter a small plane from the guy Anthony heard about. Flying commercial from here straight to Peru would be easiest, but I don't want to risk our identification papers being too closely scrutinized when we go through customs. They’re much more relaxed for private airstrips. Sometimes nonexistent."

  "Eli, please sleep some more. You look exhausted." I tugged on his shirt to pull him down onto the bed with me. We fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

  The morning passed in a rush. We packed up and checked out after a quick breakfast from room service. I exited the hotel in the same fashion that I entered it, hope blossoming about our journey as we encountered no problems getting out of the city.

  Anthony drove us out, headed south toward Córdoba. They hoped the pilot would be willing to take us to Panama or Peru in exchange for the SUV and some cash.

  I dozed for a while, and when I woke, my dream from the night before was fresh in my mind. "Uh, guys?" I was nervous about the news I was about to deliver. "I had another one of those dreams."

  Elias whipped his head around toward me. "Now?"