Nebulous_A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy

by Katie French

  “How long are we going to do this?” I asked, my own voice startling me.

  “Shh,” she said. Then I felt her probing further.

  There was nothing I could do to stop her, so I sat, sweating and feeling a bit nauseous, as she rummaged through my thoughts as if she were at a yard sale.

  “What is this?” she said aloud, worry in her voice.

  “Just my inappropriate thoughts about Zac Efron,” I joked, trying to disguise the chill her worried tone sent up my back.

  Suddenly, she pulled out, the presence in my head leaving so fast I lurched forward, nearly falling off the rock. I stared up at my aunt in the dark, only her ring giving enough light to see by.

  “What was it?” I asked.

  My aunt stared back with a strange expression on her face. Something in her eyes said she’d looked inside me, and she did not like what she saw.

  “That’s enough,” she said tersely.

  “But I thought we had more to go over.”

  “That’s enough!” she snapped. “We’re done for tonight. You can go.”

  I cocked my head, all the good feelings over what I’d accomplished draining out of me. “I… don’t understand. What did you find?”

  “I’m tired,” she said, though I was sure she was lying. “I want to be done. Do you understand that?”

  “Fine.” I grabbed my glowing sword, though it had begun to dim, and stalked away from her.

  I didn’t understand her behavior, but the only explanation seemed to be something she’d found in my head. But what? As I mulled it over, the boys rushed to greet me. From the faint glow of my sword, I could see their searching eyes. I had no answers for them.

  I decided to preempt their questions. “Let’s go home. I’m exhausted. I have that interview with Webb first thing in the morning.”

  I fell asleep on the boat ride home, too tired to even hold my head up. I barely woke as someone carried me into the house and up to my room. When they laid me in bed, my mattress was the greatest thing in the world.

  Sometime later, sunshine woke me. I opened my eyes, the sleep I’d had not even close to enough. My body seemed to scream, telling me I needed about ten more hours. But there was something nagging at the back of my mind. Something I needed to do.

  My eyes scanned my bedroom, landing lazily on my nightstand clock. As the red readout slowly formed into numbers, I gasped as I remembered.

  The lighthouse keeper job interview. I’d missed it.

  Chapter Six

  “Shit, shit, shit!”

  I flung my sleeping shorts and tank top to the floor, hastily moving to grab my slacks and blouse from their hangers in my closet. I’d taken them to the cleaners, so I would have them ready for the interview. I’d prepared for days, and now I’d screwed it all up.

  I ran out the door. Halfway down the steps, I spun and hurried back up to retrieve my hastily-drawn proposal. I’d included some pictures of the lighthouse after the boys had cleaned it and repaired the pavers, a list of all the things I intended to repair, and even a few ideas on how to increase the number of visitors per year.

  With the binder under my arm, I dashed through the kitchen, wishing I could grab some coffee, but there was no time.

  I drove to the city council building like a maniac and skidded to a stop in the parking lot at 9:04 AM—thirty-four minutes late. As I power-walked toward the front door, my stomach clenched. For a second, I thought I would need to run to the nearest bush to show my guts to the world, but the wave of sickness passed. I broke through the main door, panting, then cursed at the lack of a receptionist at the front desk.

  A door opened to my left. Mr. Webb exited with Jimmy Foster and the other council members right behind him.

  Mr. Webb and Jimmy stopped and shook hands, smiling at each other with so much pleasantry I felt like throwing up again. The rest of the council members scattered to whatever holes they’d crawled from, looking relieved to be on their way.

  Inhaling deeply, I rubbed the band of my ring with my thumb, conjured my pixies, and walked in their direction.

  The two men turned to me, standing shoulder to shoulder like two good ol’ boys. Jimmy looked vastly different from the night we’d caught him spying around the lair. His thick stubble was gone, and he wore a sharp blue suit and polished shoes, a regular business A-hole that matched Mr. Webb almost perfectly. Just two chummy asshats patting each other on the back for doing absolutely nothing. Both smiles faded as their eyes landed on me.

  “Mr. Webb, I’m sorry I’m late,” I said, swallowing the big lump in my throat that had to be my pride. “Um… I had a flat and had to change it. I’m here now, though.”

  Mr. Webb let out a little laugh, then looked at his watch. “But Ms. McCarty, the council has reached a decision and adjourned.”

  “Already? But—”

  “I’m sorry,” he said, while Jimmy smirked. “Out of consideration and compassion, we waited for twenty minutes—more than we would have for anyone else. But there is only so much we can do, so as of today, Peely Point Lighthouse has a new keeper and will be well taken care of. Rest assured.”

  “That’s right,” Jimmy said. “You have nothing to worry about, little lady.” He smiled with pleasure, making my stomach clench.

  “But you can’t—” I started.

  “Now, now, Ms. McCarty,” Mr. Webb interrupted. “You’re young and shouldn’t have to worry about old buildings and such. What you need is to start anew, my dear. It’ll be good for you.” He attempted to rub my arm, but I stepped back. He forced a smile at my rebuff. “I must go now. I’m terribly busy today.” He took a few steps, then very deliberately glanced back over his shoulder. “Oh, look for a letter in the mail, Ms. McCarty. It will contain the most crucial and time sensitive information.” Then he departed, leaving me standing there like an ice sculpture.

  “It doesn’t pay to party, Lila,” Jimmy said with a smirk. “Take it from someone with experience in the matter. You should’ve gone to bed early.”

  How did he…?

  Ugh… he must have been spying on me again.

  “Stay away from me, you douche-nozzle.” I retreated a step. My ring grew warm.

  I clenched my fists, confused. Why would it send me a warning now?

  Jimmy loosened the tie around his neck, took a step closer, and loomed over me. “You are so out of your depths, little lady.”

  His eyes flashed red for a split second.

  Dragon eyes!

  Before speaking, he glanced right and left to make sure we were alone. “We’ve allowed wardens to occupy our beacon for too long,” he said. “But it’s time for change.”

  “You’re with Deeploch,” I whispered. So stupid. I should have guessed.

  “Your dad screams like a little girl,” he purred.

  I lost it and went for his throat with my ringed hand, but he was fast and dodged away in a blur I barely managed to detect.

  From several feet back, he tsked, tsked, shaking his head. “That impulsiveness is gonna get ya killed one day, Dragon Warden.” He said the last two words with mockery. “You should perhaps take note from your elders. They know how to keep it in their pants.” Laughing, he began to walk away.

  “Where is my father?” I demanded, following him.

  “No worries. Tara’s taking good care of your old man. You might even see him again… if you behave.”

  He pushed past the front door and started toward his obscenely oversized truck, slipping his jacket off and throwing it over his shoulder.

  “I’ll come for the key in a couple of days. You’d better start packing.” He laughed, climbed into the truck, and took his sweet time driving out of the parking lot.

  The binder that held my pathetic proposal flew out of my hands and hit the back of my Mustang.

  I was a screwup. A homeless screwup.

  The next day, the letter from the city council arrived. It could hardly be called a letter since it was as thick as a midterm paper and ca
me in an oversized manila envelope. The boys were with me when I opened it. We struggled through the legal mumbo jumbo, unable to decipher most of it. Only one thing was clear, I had to out of the lighthouse by the weekend. Four more days.

  My hands shook as I set the papers down on the kitchen table. Santiago rested his hand on top of mine, a muscle jumping on his jaw. Tom, Ki, and Fang sat around the table, too.

  “Those bastards!” Santiago said. “If I see them, I swear I’ll kill them.”

  Of course, that was Santiago’s bravado talking. He could swallow Mr. Webb whole, but Jimmy Foster was a different matter, or so we had learned.

  We’d never gotten a chance to describe Jimmy, the stalker, to Tom, and that had turned out to be another mistake. According to Tom, Jimmy was an immensely powerful member of the Deeploch den, a massive bull who Tara Palmer, and others in their circle, liked to use when dirty deeds were necessary. Tom said he was dangerous and ruthless, a sort of SWAT dude with training both in his human and dragon forms. So if he was here, it meant Deeploch had lost all scruples, and they seriously meant war.

  At the other end of the table, Tom sat staring at his hands as they played with the salt shaker. He looked so tired and sad I wanted to wrap him in a hug, but he was still pushing me away, dealing quietly with all his problems. He appeared deep in thought, conflicted by whatever ideas were bouncing inside his head.

  Finally, he said, “You could move in with me.”

  Santiago, Ki, and Fang’s head swiveled in his direction. I clamped my mouth shut, trying to hide my surprise. I hadn’t expected that.

  “Is that safe?” Ki asked. “Your mom could come back.”

  “She’s not coming back,” Tom said flatly.

  “How are you so sure?” Fang asked.

  Tom cleared his throat and straightened. “She disowned me, said the house was mine, but other than that, I was on my own. She called me a traitor, and said she never wanted to see me again. Unless she was there to watch me die… or kill me herself. Mother of the Year, am I right?”

  Rubbing a hand across his face, he blinked. He was doing his best to show strength, but it was costing him.

  “That’s harsh,” Santiago said.

  Fang huffed. “You’re better off, dude.”

  I leaned forward. “Tom, you did the right thing. She—”

  He cut me off, raising a hand to let me know he didn’t want to hear it. I wished the others would leave so I could comfort him. But if I did that in front of them, he would just get angrier.

  “I don’t like it,” Santiago said. “Having Lila move to your house still sounds risky.”

  Tom’s blue eyes flashed in Santiago’s direction. “Are you sure that’s your only concern?”

  “Yep, I don’t have any other concerns,” Santiago said, his voice confident, even conceited.

  Chair scraping the floor, Tom rose. “It should be up to Lila.”

  “And it is.” Santiago pushed to his feet. “She’s free to do as she pleases.”

  “Guys—”

  “She can move to Mirror Island,” Ki suggested in a rush of words.

  “Do you think your dad would be okay with that?” I asked.

  “Your aunt is there now,” he said. “I don’t see why not.”

  I nodded. This seemed more sensible than moving into Tara Palmer’s house—no matter what Tom said.

  Fang stood up abruptly. “Something’s wrong.” He rushed to the door and exited the house, Ki right behind him.

  I exchanged wary glances with Tom and Santiago. “What is it now?”

  “Must be a message on their private channel.” Santiago tapped his head to indicate it must be telepathic.

  We ran outside, bumping shoulders at the open door, just to find Fang’s brown dragon already aloft, and Ki exploding into his black form. The night sky obscured their shapes quickly as they flew away.

  We’d just gotten back from training all day in Mirror Island and had barely had time to look over Mr. Webb’s huge manuscript, and now we had to go back? Everything had been fine when we left. What could have gone wrong in such a short amount of time?

  “I’ll get the sword.” I ran in, retrieved the weapon, and hurried to rejoin the others.

  Back outside, Tom and Santiago had already shifted. Choosing the safer dragon, I climbed on Tom’s back. Santiago gave me a sideways glance with one golden eye. At first, I thought he was mad, but his voice inside my mind let me know otherwise.

  Chicken, he said, then huffed, pushing plumes of smoke through his nostrils. Juvenile dragons were incapable of expelling fire, but it looked as if Santiago might be on his way to developing the skill. He trotted forward, then leaped into the air.

  I cleared my mind and focused on casting a sheet of cloaking energy over us, the way my aunt had showed me. I wasn’t good at it yet, so it didn’t manage to conceal us completely. It just produced a slight façade that mimicked the night sky, but it was better than nothing.

  In seconds, we were flying fast, the lake speeding below us. The dragons’ wings thudded in a frantic rhythm, taking us to Mirror Island faster than ever before. We were across the membrane a moment after Fang and Ki disappeared behind its veil.

  What greeted us on the other side took my breath away.

  Mirror Island was on fire.

  Huge flames roiled in the forest below, their heat so intense it slammed into us almost immediately. The wooden cabin that served as living quarters to the few who were staying on the island burned like a dry brush fire.

  Where’s everyone? I thought frantically at the boys.

  All four were hovering in midair, flapping their wings with tremendous force to stay afloat. I held onto Tom for dear life, one hand wrapped around one of the spikes at the back of his neck.

  There! It was Ki’s voice in my head.

  The dragons turned in unison, then dived toward the far end of the beach. All the Mirror Island residents were huddled there. Mr. Liang had shifted into a magnificent black dragon much like Ki’s, except bigger. Santiago’s father was also in his dragon form, a golden brown lit orange as his hide reflected the flames. My small aunt stood between them, sword in hand. All three stood protectively in front of the smaller den member while four huge dragons I’d never seen circled threateningly around them.

  There was, however, a fifth enemy dragon, one I would recognize anywhere—Tara Palmer.

  Chapter Seven

  I hurled myself off Tom’s back the minute his claws hit the sand. The ring burned like a hot coal on my finger as I drew my sword from the scabbard, running straight at Tara Palmer.

  She was back. With God as my witness, I would make her pay.

  As I ran through the sand, I took in the scene again. Our side consisted of Ki and Santiago’s families and my aunt. Though we had them in number, they were faced off against Tara and four of the largest dragons I had ever seen. The two to Tara’s left were twin emerald-green dragons. Firelight rippled over their hides, making them shimmer like jewels. They were broad and stout, sporting more muscle under their scales than I would’ve thought possible. Their faces, like their bodies, were nearly identical—long tapering snouts, giant fangs, smoke coiling out of their nostrils. Each had a ridge of spikes down the center of their heads like a mohawk of knives. The only difference between the two was that one of them had a jagged scar running through its closed left eye.

  Of the two dragons on Tara’s right, my eyes fell on the white dragon flanking her shoulder. He was slender and snake-like, but just as large, with a long, lashing tail. While the other three were posturing and snarling, the white dragon regarded the whole scene with stony grey eyes.

  The last dragon resembled Tara in size and shape, but he was a fiery red. He glanced in my direction and bared his teeth in a wicked smile. He even winked. Really? It had to be Jimmy. Well, he would get a taste of my sword right after Tara did.

  As I held his gaze, a ball of flames shot from his gaping mouth, scorching the sand right at Mr. Liang’s
feet.

  A warning shot. He would most definitely taste some warden badassness.

  But as I made it to where the dragons gathered, Ki came loping after me, his black dragon catching up easily.

  Stop! He shouted in my head. When I ignored him, he ran around me, using his giant body to block my path. Black scales obstructed my view of Tara, so I darted left, but he curled around me until his body became a cage.

  Anger pulsing at my temples, I tried to climb his side. As I scrambled over slippery scales, he grabbed my jacket with his teeth and lifted me until my arms and legs were dangling. My jacket ripped, but held. I was trapped in the air, swinging like an idiot.

  Let me down! I yelled.

  I felt his body cringe as my voice reached him, but his jaws stayed shut.

  Ki, drop me! I kicked my legs, swinging as the jacket cut into my armpits and pinched the skin of my throat. I couldn’t unzip it without dropping my sword.

  Stop struggling, he said.

  He’s right, came my aunt’s voice in my head. Lila, let me deal with this.

  The Scarlet Warden strode out, cape swirling behind her and flashing like the fire consuming our island. She didn’t seem to notice, nor care, that everything around us was burning to the ground. Calmly, she approached the five gigantic dragons, her ring glowing like a force field, which I hoped it was.

  “Tara Palmer,” the Scarlet Warden’s voice boomed. “You have no right to come here and attack this island. Cease and desist what you are doing. Retrieve your ilk and leave before I am forced to take action.”

  Man, I had to hand it to my aunt. She sounded like a bona-fide badass.

  Tara shook her dragon head. At first, I thought it meant she was refusing, but then I saw her body shiver. She morphed into her human form, naked and unashamed.

  “Tara!” I screamed. “Where’s my father?”

  Her eyes flicked my way as an oily smile crept up her face. But instead of answering me, she turned to my aunt.

  “Scarlett, how nice to see you. Here for a little family reunion? How lovely.” She glanced between my aunt and me. “Lila must be so happy to have some family again.”