Marks of the Mazza: Reverse Harem (Mazza Series Book 1)

by Blake Blessing

  I close my eyes again, still not ready to face this new roadblock. It can’t be too terrible since everyone is still in the car. Nato and Egan are trying to come to some kind of decision, and it will either go smoothly or it won’t. Fifty-fifty chance, right?

  Making the decision to face whatever this is head on, I curl up into a sitting position and feel a slight twinge from the wound. I need Nato’s magic fingers again. I lose Jari’s hands and pull my feet from Sage’s lap to the floorboard.

  The sky has gone from clear and sunny to dreary and overcast. A pall of dark-gray clouds blankets the heavens. There’s anticipation in the air; at any moment the heavens might weep and drench the earth.

  Directly in front of our SUV is a massive, black wrought-iron gate. On either side of the gate, a ten-foot wall made of jagged, dark-gray stones stretches and curves out of sight. The wall appears old and weathered but still strong. The gate and wall, coupled with the dark weather, present an ominous picture.

  Whoever lives behind that gate must be a formidable presence.

  I lift my mouth to Jari’s ear, trying not to disturb Nato and Egan in the front seat. I smell the clean soap and musky scent as my nose brushes Jari’s ear. His hair tickles my face as he bends toward me. It would be easy to get lost in him, but now isn’t the time.

  Nope, we have more pressing matters at hand.

  “What is this place?” I whisper softly.

  Jari draws his nose along my cheek to the ear farthest away from the front seat. “This is the entrance to Yunez’s compound. Remember Nato said we needed to find him? Well, it doesn’t look like he’s here. It’s locked tight, and it’s only ever like that when he isn’t here.”

  I nod in acknowledgement and scrutinize the gate closer. A heavy, thick chain is draped around the gate doors and fastened with a rusty padlock.

  Distant sounds of crunching gravel meet my ears, and we all swivel around to check behind us. A small, nondescript blue car zooms up the drive.

  Egan makes a sloppy three-point turn and accelerates on the right side of the road, ready to dodge past this new threat and make our getaway. The other car skids sideways across the road and stops directly in our lane.

  Egan stomps on the brakes. Sage curls around me and grabs the headrest behind Jari’s seat to keep me from getting whiplash. My hands grip his shirt over his chest as he presses into me.

  I slam back into my seat and watch the scene unfold over Sage’s shoulder.

  The driver’s side door of the car opens, and a long body unfurls out of it. The man turns, and I gasp as I recognize Rand.

  My mind races as I run through possible reasons he could be here. I hoped he would be an ally, but I can’t help but think he is here for nefarious reasons with the way my posse react to him.

  With his every step, my body pulls tighter like the drawing of a bow string. Tension vibrates through me when he raps his knuckles on the window.

  Does he have a weapon?

  If he doesn’t mean us harm, then how did he know where we are?

  He must have followed us.

  Nato rolls down the window. It is such a very mundane scene: Rand waiting to speak to Nato, and Nato waiting to speak until the window has descended all the way. If I hadn’t lived the last several days… To a stranger looking in, they would seem at ease and ready to shoot the breeze.

  Rand is completely relaxed with a bored expression on his face. Maybe he doesn’t mean us harm after all. If he did, he would be a coiled snake ready to attack. Similar to the vibe Nato is giving off in this unknown situation. Right? Right?

  “Rand, imagine seeing you here. How did you know we were coming?” Nato’s voice comes off as unconcerned.

  “Let’s just say a little birdie asked me to come get you. You are looking for Yunez, no?”

  “As you know we are, since we are sitting at Yunez’s gate.” The sarcasm comes out heavy this time. Based on Nato’s tone, I can imagine the sneer he throws at Rand.

  Rand bends in and places his hands on the window sill. Flexing his arms and rocking back a bit, he dips his head.

  “Yunez isn’t here. I need to take you to him if you wish to speak with him. Believe me, you will want to see him.”

  “How do we know we can trust you?”

  “I guess you really don’t, Nato. But I swear to you that I mean neither you nor Isolde any harm.”

  Nato and Rand stare each other down for several long seconds before Rand flicks his eyes over me in the back seat. At some point, Sage had straightened back up in his own seat so Rand could have an unobstructed view.

  He stands up and walks calmly back to his car. No one moves a muscle as Rand climbs back into the driver’s seat, turns the ignition, and backs up to turn around.

  “Hell! Follow him, Egan. We don’t really have any other options right now.” Nato slams his hand on the dash.

  Egan growls low in his throat but follows Nato’s direction.

  Sage is the next to break the silence. “Are we sure he isn’t taking us into a trap?”

  Nato turns around to face us. “No, we aren’t. But there is no one else I trust to give us answers, and if Rand says he will take us to Yunez, we have to see if he speaks truth. You all saw that he isn’t at his compound, and our home isn’t safe. No, we have to trust Rand for now.”

  He faces forward again, and everyone falls silent once more.

  Fully awake now, I study the scenery as we follow Rand. We’re deeper into the mountains, and the trees are much denser while the boulders have all but disappeared. Trees start to blur as we catch up to Rand.

  “Okay, listen up, Lusty Legion.” Chuckles and snorts echo around the car as Egan belts out a hearty laugh. I forgot that he wasn’t outside to hear our silly brainstorming.

  He catches and holds my attention in the rearview mirror without so much as swerving on the road. His burnished red hair falls over his right eye, making him quite dashing.

  “I’ll be in your Lusty Legion, Issy. Totally sign me up.” Tossing me a wink and a quick flash of teeth, he diverts his attention back to the road. I think my ovaries just exploded.

  “Anyway, I need to know some details. One: Who is Yunez? And two: Why is Rand considered a potential enemy?”

  Sage picks up my hand and loops his fingers through mine. “I can tackle Rand, especially since he is of my house.” Sage’s eyes rove over my features before settling on my own blues. We are so close together I can see his pupils constrict.

  “I grew up with Rand. Our families ran in the same circles and were once close friends. When the attacks started, though, people grew afraid and irrational. They were constantly trying to lay blame on someone or something, because if you know what to fear, you can work against it and overcome it, right? If your fear is unseen, unknown, well… then you are hopeless. Helpless.”

  I swallow hard. That statement has so much truth I can taste it. Sage lost his family in those attacks. I wonder if this is how he felt. So hopeless that he started stealing food to survive. Using anger at the world as his outlet. What changed? How did this man come out on the other side without bitterness?

  “The Fennin were divided. There are those of us, the Lusty Legion included”—his mouth twitches ever so slightly—“who are searching for the cause of the attacks. We refuse to blame any group of people without concrete evidence. The attacks could even have a scientific explanation, but we can’t take action until we’ve figured out what it is. At least no action that puts others in danger.

  “But some needed to blame an immediate party. That is Rand’s family. They believe humans are the cause of the attacks. All the attacks happen around portals to this realm. They presumed humans must have somehow discovered the portals to our realm and are trying to invade. In a misled attempt at being proactive, Rand’s family and others of the same belief are lobbying to take over the human realm. They think if they conquer this realm, they will stop the attacks on Fennina.”

  “Rand is one of those supporters?” At my que
stion, Sage lightly runs his thumb over the pulse point on my wrist. It immediately jumps in tempo.

  “Knowing Rand, I would really like to think he would never do that. But the fact of the matter is, he is his father’s prodigy son, and his father is the biggest voice in that camp. A leader of sorts.”

  “You think he could be faking it since he might not want to disappoint his father or be disowned?”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. We really can’t be sure, and we have yet to get proof either way. Until then, we have to remain cautious.”

  He leaves me to mull over everything he just shared. What did I think of Rand when I first met him? He was handsome, that was a given. I don’t think there are any unattractive Fennin in existence. At least, not among the ones I’ve met.

  I found him to be nice, friendly even. He cared about me catching chill. He also walked me back to the house and left without a fight. Those aren’t the actions of someone who would cause me harm.

  Then there was the way he seemed detached. When he smiled, it never reached his eyes. That is a bit alarming all by itself.

  “Isolde,” Nato calls, dragging my attention back to him. “I can give you the short answer of who Yunez is.”

  Once he has my undivided attention, he continues, “Yunez is from the House of Zien. I told you he was also an elder. What I didn’t tell you is that when I mean elder, I mean he was around the last time a Mazza was brought into our society with all her mates. He is one of the oldest living Fennin alive today. He also has unbelievable foresight. If anyone can help us navigate what you are, it’s him. I also would trust him with my life. He was a mentor for me as I was growing up.”

  “Wow. Just…wow. Let’s back up a second. You said that the last Mazza was around 600 years ago. Are you saying he is older than that?” My eyes are bugging out of my head right now. I must look like I have magnifying goggles on.

  “I think he is around 720ish or somewhere in there.”

  “Next question, and you’d be silly not to see this one coming. Will I live that long?”

  “Well, Yunez is particularly long lived, but our people usually make it to 500 easy.”

  I can’t. I just can’t even. How can I wrap my head around living more than 100 years, much less 500! Damn. I’m shelving this topic for later.

  “Wait! Just wait one damn minute. How old are you all? Don’t tell me I slept with a grandpa!” Don’t freak out. Don’t freak out.

  Nato chuckles. “Well…”

  I gasp.

  “Just kidding. I am the oldest at 32, same age as Egan, who’s a few months behind me. Jari is 30, and Little Sage here is 29. Still practically babies for our race.”

  “Shew. I was about to break this whole thing off if you all were ancient.” I slump back against the seat. Not entirely joking. “Although you all are still pretty old to me.”

  “You’re the baby now. You are light years behind old Nato at twenty-four.” Sage beams.

  I grumble unintelligibly. These jerks. They must have rummaged through my bag if they know how old I am. I will have to make sure to get it back from them.

  Up ahead, the blue car turns left down a dirt road. There’s a gate across the road, but before the car even comes to a full stop, the gates swing open. I lean forward. There is no one around the gate, and it’s definitely not an electric gate either. It’s old and rusty, barely hanging on the hinges.

  Jari sees my confusion and tugs me against him. “Rand is metal gifted. He can move metal without touching it.”

  “You can do that too, Sage?”

  “Pfft. Can I do that. Of course I can do that.” He seems genuinely insulted that I would question his ability. I roll my eyes. Men.

  “So wherever this Yunez guy is hiding out, he placed his safety behind a flimsy, two-rod metal gate that someone from Janer House can move with their gift, and that someone like me could get out and push open.” My eyebrows climb my forehead.

  Nato drums his fingers on the dash. “It is not about security. He has foresight, so chances are he knows we are the ones opening the gate. It is more about being unassuming. You wouldn’t expect a road like this to be where he is staying.”

  Silence takes over once more as we make our way to a modest log cabin. The sun is high in the sky, giving the cabin a warm, safe appearance. Rand does a U-turn and pulls up next to us, rolling his window down.

  Once Egan has his down, Rand says, “This is as far as I go. Yunez is inside. Take care, Isolde.” Again he finds me through the window, spearing me with a look that I can’t decipher. He flicks two fingers in the air as a farewell and drives back the way we came.

  “Does anyone else find this weird?” I lean forward between the front seats, head popping between Nato and Egan.

  “Yeah, Issy. This is hella weird,” Egan states before he kisses my cheek and then opens the door. I twist my head to gape at him, but he is already out of the car.

  We all climb out after him and trek up to the front door. There is hesitation in my every step. This could be a trap. I try to analyze what my gut says, but I don’t have any sense of foreboding. That’s good, I think.

  Nato heads up the front while Sage and Jari take up either side of me. Egan draws up the rear, completing our diamond formation. I assume they feel that this will protect me. The bigger question is who will protect them.

  Nato lays three solid bangs on the door with the side of his fist. We all hold our breath as we wait on a response.

  I FAINTLY HEAR someone moving inside before a muffled “Come in!” is shouted from within.

  Nato’s shoulders relax, loosening the taut lines of his frame. Blowing out a breath, he swings the front door open.

  “Nato! How nice of you boys to stop by.” I hear the laughter in a deep baritone as footsteps rush toward us. Nato rocks backward as arms are thrown around his shoulder. Trying to steady my balance, I stumble backward a step. Egan places his hands on my hips and holds me upright. He gives me a gentle squeeze before he releases me.

  “Are we glad to see you!” Nato returns the embrace and thumps the man I assume is Yunez on the back. This brings Yunez’s face to the crook of Nato’s neck. Even with his eyes closed, I can tell this man is impossibly beautiful.

  He has coal-black hair, and where his bangs fall over his forehead, they lighten to a luminescent, golden blond. His face is all angles, with sharp cheekbones and a jaggedly square jawline. Plush lips are rosy against his fair skin.

  His mouth spreads into a wide smile that shows off brilliantly white, pointed canines. When his eyes finally open, he takes my measure with luminous violet eyes. The depth of knowledge is as unmistakable as his youth is undeniable. He is a complete contradiction.

  “Come in, come in. Let’s get settled so I can take a good look at this Mazza.” He ushers us in while wrapping his fingers around my bicep and tugging me toward him so he can wrap me in another embrace.

  “It’s so nice to meet you, Isolde! I hope these babes are treating you well?” He squeezes me to him and drops his face into my neck. His chest vibrates against me as he talks, and at some point I fold myself around him too.

  A unique, spicy scent permeates the air around him. I inhale his addictive scent without meaning to.

  “Uhhh…”

  Jari pulls me from Yunez and wraps himself around me instead, almost as if he could erase Yunez from my body. “We are treating her perfectly. We are after all, her very own Lusty Legion. You can’t be a part of it. Nato already took the Zien bond.”

  Yunez gives a hearty laugh and guides us to the living room, where he sits in an overstuffed leather chair positioned next to an unlit fireplace.

  We all take seats on the couches and loveseat throughout the room. Jari pulls me down into his lap, facing forward, and pulls me tight against him. My only option for my hands is to lay them on top of his arms around me. Otherwise it would be awkward.

  “Lusty Legion, you say?” He chuckles, and the way it rolls through the room gives me goosebumps.

/>   At some point, I hope to be past this incessant scarlet tinge that creeps up my chest and neck. And into my cheeks, if the heat in my face is anything to go by. Probably not my best look.

  “No worries there. I’m far too old, not to mention not ready to settle down. Yet.”

  Could have fooled me. Without looking in his eyes, you could easily believe he was twenty-five years old. This is what elders looked like? Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  “I thought you would be…” I trail off once I realize I spoke out loud.

  Yunez whips his head to the side to get the hair out of his face in a total surfer move. His mannerisms only add to his youthful appearance. He puts on a charming, lopsided grin and leans toward me.

  “Not what you were expecting?”

  “No, I was expecting someone completely different. Someone more…” I seek help from Nato with a desperate glance.

  “Someone old and stuffy. A stick in the mud?”

  “The way Nato described you… Well, I’ll just say he left a lot out.” I toss a scowl Nato’s way.

  Nato grins in response, not sorry in the least.

  “I am old, it’s true, but what fun is life if you don’t enjoy it? I’d like to think that I’m responsible for some of Nato’s more fun and adventurous qualities.” Yunez puffs up his chest as if he is a proud papa.

  Taking the talk down a more serious lane, Nato starts in. “Okay, first, what was that hug in there? It looked like Iss was losing her mind a bit.” Nato looks at me with a little bit of accusation in his stare.

  “Don’t take that out on young Isolde here, Nat. Completely my fault. I couldn’t help myself. Wanted to see how she reacted to me.” Yunez’s answering smile is positively sinful. “Because of my age and power, any woman would react that way to me if I wanted. I just usually control it better.”

  “That makes…no sense.” Nato shakes his head. “Has anyone told you about the way the men at Mehki’s reacted to her?”