Falling For Them: A New Adult Reverse Harem Collection

by C. L. Stone

  When she finally reached the empty clearing, Evie's heart fell. She hoped Max would wait for her. After all, he said it was a special day. She was eager to celebrate it with him. Also, she was excited to meet Caleb. Max talked about him non-stop over the last few months.

  With a long sigh, she made her way over to the water’s edge and sat down on a nearby boulder. Pulling her legs up, she rested her chin against her knees and stared at the water. The reflection of the moon rippling on the water’s surface gave a distorted view of the heavens above. Small waves lapping outward from the pressure of the water flowing from the earthen rocks making up the spring’s floor relaxed her like a symphony of music. Evie’s sanctuary was a striking and peaceful place, but with the full moon, it moved from beautiful to the magical and mystical.

  Voices murmured on the wind, causing Evie to freeze where she sat. She didn't want to be caught out here. Her father would give her extra duties as punishment, and Evie didn't have the time with her course work. She doubled up on classes this semester. If she did the same for the spring semester, she would graduate at the beginning of summer.

  Tension wracked Evie’s body with the desire to bolt when she heard one of the voices laugh, causing Evie to relax. She recognized that chuckle anywhere. Max was out here, but he was with someone. It must be Caleb, but she wasn’t sure. She stood quickly, wondering if she should hide. If it was someone from the camp with Max, that would be really bad. Undecided, she hesitated a moment too long until it was too late. Two men stepped out of the forest into the clearing. Max was in front, walking backwards towards Evie, still laughing at something the other man said. The man behind him was hard to make out since Max blocked her view. From her position, she couldn’t see him. What Evie could tell was that the mystery man was taller by a few inches, and his silhouette was broader than Max.

  Max turned around and stepped to the side, pulling the man alongside him. The man stood directly in the moon’s rays. Evie's breath escaped in a rush of air. Pale pink eyes glistening like diamonds looked right at her, capturing her full attention. Startled, she took a step backwards, forgetting that there was a boulder there. One minute she was standing, the next her arms flapped wildly trying to stay upright but to no avail. With a yelp, she crashed down onto the hard surface, landing on her butt.

  "Evie!" The yell startled her further, but she refused to look up. She heard laughter in Max’s voice, and her face flamed in embarrassment.

  "You okay, Sweetheart?" Max’s hand reached out to her, pulling her back up to her feet. Her tailbone and her pride bruised, but otherwise, she was unhurt.

  Evie stared mutely at the man standing next to Max. Her eyes roving over every inch of him, trying to memorize every detail. It was a first for her. One she planned to remember her entire lifetime.

  "Evie, this is Caleb, my bond mate." Max sniggered, still laughing at her. Crap, she had to get a grip before she embarrassed herself more.

  "N-nice to m-meet you," she stuttered out, still in awe. Caleb was a full blooded Surmata. She grew up looking at pictures in the newspapers but never managed to meet one in person. Those pictures didn’t do them justice.

  Caleb smiled at her and extended his hand. Wordlessly, Evie returned the handshake. Damn, she wished she had a camera. She would love to take his picture, but that would be rude as well as dangerous. Evie couldn't share this news with anyone at the camp. They would all go running to her father, labeling her a traitor. But she could share it with the members of the Unification Society. If she even hinted about meeting a Surmata, they would demand all the details. She was almost bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. Her first Surmata.

  "Max has told me so much about you, Evie. I feel like I already know you." Caleb's deep voice flowed through her with its velvety texture. He released her hand and offered her a gentle smile.

  "I feel the same,” Evie confirmed. Squaring her shoulders, she tried to string together a few more coherent words. "What are you doing here? I mean, not here, here, but at this camp. Isn't it dangerous?"

  "We were careful, Sweetheart. Caleb is only here for a few hours. He wanted to meet you before the party." Max placed his hand on Evie’s shoulder, reassuring her of Caleb’s safety.

  "What party?" Evie thought back to their earlier discussion. Max never mentioned a party. Her father would go ballistic if they were discovered in the woods.

  "The party I arranged to celebrate your seventeenth birthday, of course." Max fist-bumped Caleb and winked at me.

  “But you said you would keep it low key. Plus we can’t have a party out here. There are sentries everywhere.” Evie’s hand shook slightly, imaging the consequences of Max’s actions.

  “Trust me. I have everything arranged. And I never go back on my word. Now shush and grab my hand.” Before Evie could respond, Max’s strong hand swooped in and held hers tightly.

  Evie pursed her lips and looked at him dubiously, eyeing him up and down. Max was up to something, Evie was sure of it. Shaking her head, hoping she wouldn’t regret her decision, she clasped his hand. Seconds later, the forest disappeared around her, and she found herself in nothingness.

  *****

  Evie's stomach threatened to expel its contents. She bent over, hands on her knees, praying the rolling sensation would ease. The feeling in the pit of her stomach was similar to that of motion sickness, minus the turning green part.

  "It will pass in just a minute, Sweetness." Max's hand brushed her hunched shoulders, but she shrugged him off, pissed that he didn't warn her. "You asshole!"

  Max chuckled, not repentant in the least. "You will get used to it. After a few more times, you won't even feel it."

  "Oh, god! We have to go back home that way!" Evie stood back up once her stomach settled. She looked around but nothing looked familiar. Max transported them to another clearing, but the spring disappeared only to be replaced by a large home.

  "Where are we? And how the heck did we get here?"

  "We got here using a teleportation stone.” Max’s arms swept wide. “And this is the home Caleb and I share with my brother and his Kaveri."

  "Kaveri?" Evie let out the breath she held as she surveyed the rest of her surroundings. The word sounded familiar but she couldn’t remember where she’d heard it before.

  "I will explain later. Let's go inside." Max left Evie no additional time to think about it as they bounded forward.

  Their two-story, log cabin home reflects the rustic nature I’ve seen in Max. A large wrap around porch extended from the front, down one side. Large picturesque windows dominated the front of the house, tinted from the outside to keep an unwanted visitor from peering into the homes interior. All that could be seen was a soft white light illuminating the darkened home. Strategically placed lights placed around the front lawn lit the path to the set of wide stairs leading to an oversized front door.

  Caleb opened the door and walked inside first. He didn't bother to knock. Just walked right in. Max followed, gesturing impatiently at Evie. With a mock glare at Max, Evie pushed her way past him.

  The warm interior of the house invited Evie in. A foyer in soft grey tones greeted them. A staircase directly in front of the door spiraled out of sight, leading to the second floor. On the left were double doors made from old reclaimed wood. They stood open, and Evie glimpsed a large living room.

  The guys continued walking down a hallway to the right. Evie followed quietly behind them as they entered the spacious room single file. The room that housed the kitchen and dining room was an open floor plan. The countertops created an L-shape with four stools placed on the other opposite. The dark wood dining table with bench seating contrasted with the white cabinets of the kitchen, giving it a homey yet modern feeling. A set of french doors, which stood open, allowed Evie a limited view of the backyard. Feeling like she was playing follow the leader, she continued her trek behind the two men as they made their way onto the back deck.

  It was empty.

  "Where the fuck ar
e they?" Max ran a hand through his hair in agitation.

  "Where's who?" The only person mentioned so far was Max’s brother. Evie wondered if he was one of the missing individuals.

  "Shush it, Evie. The adults are talking." Max winked at her, taking the heat from his words.

  Evie snorted in derision. Max can be a condescending ass sometimes, but she never took it to heart.

  "They must be late. Let's go crash in the living room and watch a movie,” Caleb's reasonable tone broke the silence.

  An hour later, the three of them sprawled out in the living room, popcorn in their laps, drinks on the table, and a current comedy on the flat screen. Max and Caleb cuddled on the brown leather couch. Evie curled up in a matching side chair, her legs over one of the arms, watching the screen at an angle.

  Evie adored movies of all kinds. She had never seen one in a theater, but her laptop played DVD's. The variety shop in town rented them for a small fee.

  The front door slamming shut caused Evie to jump. Loud booming voices echoed, not in anger, just in volume.

  Max paused the movie, but didn't move from his position on the couch. Instead he gave her a lazy smile and a wink just as multiple pairs of thundering steps stopped outside the living room. Two male Surmatas took up the entire entranceway to the living room. The two men looked like they were caught unexpectedly on camera, the dark wood paneling from the doorframe that surrounded them acting as a faux picture frame. The man on the right was tall, well over six feet. His muscles rippled under his tight t-shirt which also showed off his broad shoulders and tapered waist. Black hair trimmed short on the sides but left long enough on the top to hang over, went almost to chin level. A five o’clock shadow hugged his cheeks and chin, giving him a fresh from bed appearance. His left eyebrow was pierced but that was the only piece of jewelry Evie spotted. Sparkling jade green color glinted in merriment.

  The man on the left was also tall, but he was a shorter than his friend by a few inches. While the first man was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, this man was dressed in black leather pants with a matching button down shirt that stretched tight across his tone chest. A thin silver chain hung around his neck, and he had two piercings in his right ear, three in left. He sported a circular piercing in his right eyebrow. Black motorcycle boots completed his outfit. Blond hair, so light it was almost white hung in straight locks that reached his shoulders. Deep indigo eyes smiled at Evie, arched in question at her obvious perusal. Heat licked her cheeks at having been so forward.

  "Evie, this is my brother, Dashiel.” Max pointed to the man with the blond hair. Moving his arm to point at the dark haired one, he continued, “And this is our friend, Cyne."

  "Hi. Nice to meet you,” she said in a rush of words. The two men in front her were breathtaking. She was tongue-tied, blown away by their beauty. Her face burned even more at the lack of eloquence in her speech.

  "Hey, short stack. Happy birthday,” Cyne responded, giving her an easy smile that lit up his features.

  "Happy birthday, Evie. It's a pleasure to finally meet the girl who has won over my brother so easily,” Dashiel spoke from the doorway. His tone cultured, belying his rough appearance.

  "The others should be here shortly. We brought pizza. Hungry, Evie?" Dashiel had a calming presence, unlike his more exuberant younger brother.

  "Fuck yeah! It's about time." Max said, getting up from the couch.

  Dashiel rolled his eyes. "Since when is your name, Evie?"

  Max unrepentant shrugged and held out a hand to Evie, hauling her up from her position in the chair. "Come on, Sweetness, let's eat. Donetellos makes the best pie around."

  She could only nod as he pulled her forward. The two men at the doorway backed away, turning sharply on their heels, leading the way back into the large kitchen.

  "Are you coming, Caleb?" Evie called out over her shoulder, not wanting Max's mate to feel left out. She glanced back, his eyes making contact with hers. He gave her a slight nod and moved to follow them.

  Max handed out plates for the five of them as they sat around the large dining room. The table sat ten people easily so there was still plenty of room. Max positioned himself on one side of Evie while Cyne sat on her other side. Dashiel and Caleb sat across from them.

  "The birthday girl gets first choice." Max nudged her, nodding at the boxes in the middle of the table. Evie checked the contents carefully before selecting a box containing just pepperoni. The others waited patiently for her to grab a slice, and then they descended on them like animals.

  Taking an experimental bite, Evie was surprised to find out Max was right. The pizza was delicious.

  Cyne spoke beside her, his words a little mumbled due to the half slice of pizza shoved in his mouth. "So, little bit. It's your seventeenth birthday. Did you do anything special to celebrate?"

  Putting her slice back on her plate, she took a drink of her water before replying, "Not really. It's just me and my father. He was busy in meetings, and we don’t really celebrate any special occasions.”

  "Well, we are big on celebrating birthdays around here. We usually go all out, but Max mentioned that he wanted to keep yours low key. Didn't want you to feel uncomfortable."

  Evie smiled widely at Max, thankful he was so thoughtful of her. Evie didn't do well in large groups. She grew up isolated from everyone, learning at an early age that most people in the camp could not be trusted. Until Max, Evie believed she would be totally alone until she was of legal age to escape from her father’s clutches.

  The front door slammed shut for the second time that night. More voices floated through the air, more friends of Max's arriving.

  Evie watched the doorway nervously waiting for the new arrivals to make an appearance. The first man to walk through the doorway was dressed casually like Cyne. He wore a pair of light colored jeans with a white, button-down shirt and a pair of loafers. He was tall and willowy, but his arms were defined, hinting at a muscular physique. His russet colored hair was short on top and ended in curls around his ears. As if sensing her gaze, he looked up and bright cerulean blue eyes locked with hers.

  “Well, what do we have here? Who’s this pretty little lass?” A big booming voice filled the room. Evie’s eyes reluctantly pulled away from the curlier-haired man and took in the appearance of the other man. He was average in height for a Surmata, still over six feet tall but just barely. He had a runner’s body, all lean muscle, narrow at the waist and hips. His eyes were a dark brown mahogany, and his face was serious until he smiled. Then it transformed his features into a playful sprite, intent on mischief. This must be Cyne’s partner in crime. They both look like the trouble makers of the group.

  “This is Evie. Evie, the loud one is Xander, and the quiet one is Aaron.”

  Evie waved a small wave at them, not speaking. The two newcomers joined them at the table, sitting on the opposite side of Evie.

  “Jaxon and Jaoel can’t make it. Jaoel had an emergency, and Jaxon is stuck in a debriefing.” Aaron smiled gently at her.

  The pizza was passed around and consumed with record speed. Evie was shocked to see how much the guys were able to put away. They each ate a whole pizza while Evie was only able to eat a couple of slices.

  “Are you enjoying yourself, Love?” Cyne asked from beside her.

  Evie nodded and smiled up at him. Wanting to know more about him, Evie ventured a question. “Which of the others is your bond mate?”

  Cyne looked at her quizzically for a moment. “All six of us are part of the same Kaveri.”

  “Six!” Evie squeaked out, disbelief almost rendering her speechless. “You have five bond mates?”

  “Yep.”

  “How does that work?” Evie asked, wide eyed.

  “How does what work, Love?” Cyne’s brow arched up.

  “Having five boyfriends.” Evie expanded.

  All conversations around her ceased all at once as six horrified gazes stared at Evie.

  “What?”

  Cy
ne reached over her head and a loud smack echoed in the room.

  “Ow, you fucker! That hurt!”

  “What the fuck have you been telling her, shithead?”

  Reaching up, Evie grabbed Cyne’s arm and pulled it down in between them. She didn’t want him to be able to hit Max again.

  “Max hasn’t told me anything about you. Just that he thought of all you as family, and he mentioned you were a Kaveri. Whatever that is.”

  “Obviously, Evie is under a misconception on what it means to be bond mates.” Dashiel’s calm voice floated across the table.

  Evie looked over at him, confused. “It doesn’t mean you are soul mates? But what about Max and Caleb. They are together, together. You guys aren’t like that?”

  “Fucking hell, no! I love my mates, but I sure as shit don’t want to fuck ‘em!”

  “You cuss a lot.” Evie blinked up at Cyne. Not judging, just making an observation.

  “I know. Does it bother you?” Cyne queried.

  “No. I’m used to it. The soldiers around the camp cuss a lot too.”

  “Oh, good. It’s fucking hard to break the habit after doing it for a few hundred years.”

  Evie’s eyes went wide.

  “You can’t be that old!” she exclaimed out loud.

  Laughter rang out in the room, all five men chuckling at Evie’s outburst. “Sorry, Love. Max and Caleb are babes compared to us.”

  Dashiel stood up to grab another beer from the fridge. “Let’s set the record straight, shall we.” He uncapped his bottle, taking a drink.

  “A Kaveri is a bonded unit. It’s a brotherhood. A family, not by blood, but by destiny. When Surmata males reach maturity, they find those they are meant to bond with. This bond is so strong, it’s unbreakable. Even death cannot sever it. Members are called bond mates.”

  “The number of males in a Kaveri is decided by destiny. It can be as small as two males, like Max and Caleb, or it can be more, like the six of us. The average number is three Surmata males. Our Kaveri is the largest in Surmata history. When a Kaveri is complete, which means, all members are bonded, then the members take the same surname of their Soma, which is the Kaveri leader.”