Dark Pact: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance (Her Dark Guardians Book 1)

by Alana Serra

  “It’s done,” Karak said, stepping out of the glyph, that sudden certainty of what he was feeling fading from Rhia’s consciousness. “Who’s going next?”

  “I will,” Wesley said, moving to take Karak’s place.

  Rhia handed over the blade, looking at him in a way she hoped conveyed sympathy. She still felt awful about not getting his sister out, but they would change that. Together. If she truly was going to help people and beat Aeredus at his own game, then she needed to right this wrong. And that started with this pact, something Wesley had desperately wanted from the beginning.

  She wasn’t alarmed by that knowledge now, though. He’d explained it to her. It was obvious he wouldn’t have been able to make it to his sister on his own, though he’d tried. And perhaps he needed it for another reason. Perhaps he needed her to keep him in check, as much as she apparently needed him and the other guardians.

  “Can you trust me again? After what I did?” he asked, low enough that only she could hear.

  Rhia reached out and touched his face, resting her palm against his cheek. “I know why you did it. And you’re here. That’s enough.”

  He nodded and she brought her hand back to offer him the sword. Wesley took it, held it out in both hands, dropping to one knee even though it wasn’t a requirement. She almost told him to stand, but he’d already begun the recitation. Offering the same words Karak did, he held up the blade. Rhia took it and performed her half of the ritual just the same, replacing Karak’s name with Wesley’s, but not deviating from the words she was meant to speak.

  Again, magic swept outward from the blade in black tendrils, wrapping around her arm and Wesley’s chest. Again she could feel herself bound to him, her destiny inextricably tied to his. And when it was over, when Wesley rose, his gaze never leaving hers, she felt the intensity of his emotions as they crashed over her like a wave at dawn.

  Grateful. Determined. Focusing on proving her trust in him wasn’t misplaced. And that same affection she’d felt from Karak, all of it directed at her. Rhia blushed deeper, having to look away from him as he began to think of the night they’d spent together. The things they’d done, and the things they hadn’t yet done.

  They’d have to rectify that once his sister was free.

  Wesley stepped away, his thoughts taken with him, and Liam didn’t have to be prompted to fill the empty space in the sigil. He arched a brow, holding his hands out for his own blade. Rhia passed it over and watched him heft the weight of it as if making sure it was still balanced.

  “Afraid I tampered with it?” she asked.

  He let out a soft snort. “Oh, I know you tampered with it. But I’m the one who offered. Besides.” He held the blade out, admired it in the low light. “It looks better this way.”

  “It does not,” she said with a laugh, shaking her head.

  She sobered instantly when Liam held the blade in both hands, palms facing up. He didn’t kneel like Wesley, but the look he gave her was the most deferential she’d ever seen from him.

  “You’re sure you want to do this?” she asked in little more than a whisper.

  “I’m sure.”

  It was all he said, but it was all he needed to say. Even without the pact, Rhia could feel the truth in that statement. She could see the conviction burning in his eyes, and it took her breath away. Breath she never really regained as he spoke the oath, looking into her eyes the entire time, his intensity never once wavering.

  She stumbled over her verse in return, and when she went to press the tip of the blade against his heart, Liam carefully took the blade in hand and pierced it deeper, sliding the edge between the chain links. Her eyes widened, but he simply smirked at her.

  “What’s a drop of blood between us now?” he mused.

  Once again, she saw the magic work, felt the same connection binding her to Liam and him to her. As soon as that bridge was made, though, the sudden force of his emotions almost made her stagger. He was so reserved normally, hiding his true feelings behind a stony wall and bitter sarcasm. But the depth of what he felt was immeasurable, and Rhia was afraid she might drown in it. Afraid, yet all too willing.

  She was drawn toward him, so tempted to touch him, but Liam pulled away. Not suddenly, not cruelly, but with enough purpose to let her know he needed time to adjust to this new sensation.

  That was it, then. She’d formed a pact with all three of her guardians, and she felt stronger for of it. Power surged within her, but this kind wasn’t the seductive, too-alluring power that Aeredus offered her. This was something else. Something borne of trust and respect and a reliance on one another that she suspected was as new to these men as it was to her.

  She opened her mouth to speak, to say something that would hopefully befit the occasion, when Tanris interrupted yet again… by stepping into the glyph before her, his hands held out expectantly.

  “Well? Do I get a turn, or not?”

  Chapter 28

  Rhia’s expression was priceless. Her lush lips were parted, her violet eyes wide, slender dark brows nearly to her hairline. Honestly, if he’d just been after a laugh, he could’ve left a happy man.

  But he wasn’t just after a laugh. Curiously enough, he wanted to be there. Precisely where he was, standing on that sigil, waiting for his turn to pact with this woman. It wasn’t something he’d planned, but here he was. Driven by… what, exactly? Fate? Destiny?

  Tanris wasn’t sure he believed in either, but something called to him. Something about this woman and her three guardians was so alluring that he couldn’t let it pass him by. He needed to be a part of it, even if that meant offering up his services in a more binding manner.

  “You can’t be serious,” Rhia said, finally managing to compose herself.

  “He’s not.” Liam stepped forward, those rippling muscles straining as he folded his arms over his chest. “Get lost, thief. You have no part in this.”

  “On the contrary, Sourpuss. This is a pacting ceremony, and I intend to pact with your lovely lady.”

  He gave Rhia a winning smile and she flushed a bit. Good to know his charms hadn’t failed him just yet.

  “This isn’t some lark you can cast aside when you’re bored of it,” Karak said sternly. “The pact is binding. If you speak the oath, you’ll be a part of this.”

  “I thought that was the point,” he said, arching one brow at the half-orc. “I’m not going to be a part of this tantalizing sandwich any other way, now am I?”

  He saw Wesley suck in a breath, the warlock’s cheeks flushing just the slightest shade of pink. It was worth it, just for that. Ah, if only he was the type of boor to take the man up on the many offers he would have made the other night.

  “Let’s get one thing straight, Tanris.” Rhia’s voice was firm and commanding, drawing his attention away from Wesley. “We’re not pacted together so we can… so we…” She grit her teeth, struggling against her own sense of propriety. Delight shone in Tanris’ features as he waited. “If you’re thinking this is going to lead to some giant orgy, you’re mistaken.”

  “I don’t know about that,” he said, fingers stroking over his finely trimmed beard. “Alas, that’s also not why I’m here. It would be a fine bonus, but that’s not the point of pacting with you.”

  “And what is the point?” Wesley asked. “What do you want out of this?”

  He’d asked himself the very same question, when the thought first occurred to him. The answer was clear, centering on one woman who deserved a different hand than the one she’d been dealt. Everything Tanris did had been for her, to secure a future that didn’t involve fucking violent drunkards and wayward adventurers who thought they could get away with anything because of their status.

  Even now, his fingers started to curl into his palm. He managed to stop them, flexed them outward and assumed a more casual air, sending Rhia his most dazzling grin.

  “I’ve made my desires clear, Lady. You can open doors I cannot access on my own. And while we could certai
nly reach an accord just working together, it’s in my best interest to keep close and benefit from what all of you have to offer.”

  Her brow furrowed, a look of derision flashing across her features. Tanris was used to that look. It wasn’t respectable to speak one’s selfishness so openly, and that was exactly why he did it. Best they all think him a consummate scoundrel and little more.

  Not a soul here needed to know his true reasons. He didn’t need interference, nor did he need assistance beyond the ability to shake hands with new contacts and make a small fortune at Rhia’s side.

  The lady’s expression changed, though, scrutinizing him in a way that made Tanris deeply uncomfortable. He shifted slightly on his feet, smirked at her, arched a brow in challenge. But inside, he was desperately searching for someplace to hide.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  His throat went dry, some instinct in him insisting he search for the exits. He saw one out of his periphery and made note of it, but kept his pleasant smile fixed in place. “No? I assure you, a person can be that uncomplicated. And that selfish.”

  “Oh, I know they can. I grew up on the streets, rogue. You don’t have to tell me what the world is really like.” She took a step toward him in obvious challenge. “I just think you’re full of shit.”

  Tanris laughed, a full and throaty sound that shook through his shoulders. “My, you are a spitfire, aren’t you? No wonder you need three men to keep you satisfied.”

  She ignored him, pressing onward with what she’d intended to say. “Here’s the thing: If I pact with you—and that’s certainly an if, not a when—you won’t be an enigma to me any longer. I’ll know what you truly feel. You won’t be able to lie to me, Tanris, so you need to think long and hard about whether or not you believe it’s worth it.”

  Well, she had him there. The anxiety that niggled away at the back of his consciousness was ratcheted up to eleven, and Tanris’ lips twitched, his smile faltering. He looked away from her for a moment, unable to face such a direct assault. It was clear proof that she was right, but at this point, he didn’t care. He should just leave. Forget this ridiculous idea and go on his merry way, calling in favors and eventually collecting the piles of gold left behind by the Dark Lady and her guardians.

  But something kept him there, rooted in place. Not a spell or some effect caused by the glyph. Not even some physical weakness that’d suddenly overcome him. It was force of will that kept him there, made him look her in the eyes again, his smile subdued this time. It was that same force that made him speak, offering more honesty than he’d given anyone in… longer than he even remembered.

  “Do you want to know why I seek this pact, Lady? The true answer? It’s not a happy tale. You won’t like it.” She said nothing, but didn’t back down, so Tanris continued. “I do, in fact, need the gold and the connections and anything else you and your men can give me, but it’s not for me. Oh, I enjoy my fineries, and I refuse to drink the piss that passes for wine in most taverns, but there’s something more important than appearances.”

  “Get to the point, thief,” Liam grated out.

  All three of Rhia’s men had closed around the glyph, near enough now that they would hear his confession. Tanris made his peace with that. If it got him what he wanted, then fine. They could know.

  “I’m here because it’s going to take a lord’s ransom to buy my mother’s freedom, and I intend to do it while she’s still young enough to enjoy herself.”

  Rhia stared at him, her expression rivaling that of earlier. Her mouth moved, but for several attempts, no words came out. Finally, she released a croaked, “What?”

  “Well, buy my mother’s freedom is perhaps a bit of an overstatement. She’s not in servitude, but… she has no choice, just the same. She’s worked as a whore since before I was born. One of the most prized jewels on the coast, in fact. Men come from far and wide just to say they’ve fucked her,” he said, bitterness turning his words into something harsher than he intended. “Fucked her, threw her around, hit her, did whatever they pleased with her flesh regardless of her consent.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Wesley blanch, all the blood leaving his face in an instant. He looked close to passing out. Liam and Karak, meanwhile, were a mixture of surprise and growing anger. And Rhia? Compassion shone in her eyes, a tender heart he’d not expected a Dark Lady to possess. It spoke to something inside of him, beckoned him like a kitten seeking a warm lap to curl up on.

  “You want to make sure she doesn’t have to do it any longer,” she said, her voice rough with emotion. “I’m sorry, Tanris. I… I never had to turn to that life, but I know many who did.”

  Oh, he certainly didn’t want to talk about even more depressing things. He’d given her the truth, just as she asked. That was the end of it.

  “As much as I’d love to compare childhood traumas, Lady, I’ve told you my reason. The real reason. Now, will you accept my pact, or will you not?”

  Rhia swallowed, looking from him to Karak. “The language of my oath suggests a pact can be broken after it’s struck. Is that true?”

  “It is,” he said cautiously, “though at great personal cost to both parties. And just as it says, you’re in danger of losing your powers if you revoke it from one of us unwillingly.”

  She nodded, her gaze fixing on Tanris once more. “Great personal cost. That’s something I don’t intend to put myself through, so if you want to do this, you need to be sure. I won’t be breaking it. Do you understand?”

  “I never make an offer I intend to withdraw, Rhia,” he said with a salacious little wink. “So yes, I do understand. This pact is binding. It’s very serious,” he mocked Liam’s voice with the last word, “and I need to be absolutely certain before making it.”

  He stepped closer so that they were nearly touching, pleased when she sucked in a breath.

  “I’m certain.”

  She nodded, and hefted the sword, clearly intending to hold it out to him. Tanris had nearly taken it when Liam spoke up, interrupting as he seemed wont to do.

  “You can’t be serious. He’s not a guardian, Rhia. He… can’t pact. Each Dark Lady has three who are with her from the start, and that’s it.”

  “Actually…” Karak had an apologetic look on his face before he even said the words. “That hasn’t always been the case. All Dark Ladies start with three, and most keep only three bound to them, but there’s nothing preventing Rhia from pacting with more. Any men she chooses will become her guardians once the pact is complete.”

  “And I’m willing to pact with him,” Rhia said, looking around at her men, “but I need all of you to be okay with this. If he truly wants to pact, if he understands what he’s committing to, I have no reason to turn him away. He’s already proven himself useful.”

  “That’s true,” Wesley relented, frowning.

  “I’ll defer to your choice, Lady,” Karak’s answer was predictable and a bit boring, but she had to give the half-orc credit for his loyalty. “I do think it would benefit us, though. The more guardians, the better off you’ll be, and Tanris has skills none of us can replicate.”

  “Too true!” he said, his tone jovial once more. “Though I can teach you some of them, of course. What’s a bit of instructive loveplay among friends, hm?”

  Liam growled like some feral beast, sparking a not-so-surprising fire in Tanris. “Is this all this is going to be? You acting as ridiculous as possible, saying things just to get a rise of us?”

  “You don’t need my help with the last, Liam,” he said, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You seem very capable of baiting one another. The sexual tension in this room is stifling. How could I not be caught up in it?”

  He looked back to Rhia, who had the grace to blush, though she shouldn’t. She should feel no shame at all, in Tanris’ opinion. She had a rare gift here. Best to indulge in that gift to the fullest, for life was much too short to be a prude.

  “To answer your question, I can tone it down, i
f I’m making you uncomfortable. But I think, dear paladin, that any discomfort you feel is the result of your pants being a little too tight and your cock being a little too interested in the offers I’m making.”

  Liam’s eyes blazed, but it wasn’t all anger. In fact, Tanris suspected very little of it was anger. Just the pent-up frustrations of a man who’d been kept celibate for much of his life. A man who appeared to have a depth of passion to him that Tanris yearned to explore. He’d settle for one night, one taste, if he could survive it.

  And he knew exactly how to get a man like Liam to come around. At least enough to not raise further protest against the pact.

  “Do I intimidate you, Sourpuss? Is that the problem?”

  “No one intimidates me,” Liam said through clenched teeth.

  “I’m not going to infringe on your territory, I assure you. There’s plenty to go around. Isn’t that right, Lady?”

  “Enough,” she said, her whole face as red as Liam’s hair. “He’s right, Tanris. You could stand to tone it down. If you’re going to be here on a regular basis, I don’t need you making me or my guardians uncomfortable all the time.”

  “Very well, I will curtail the more interesting parts of my personality,” he said, sweeping into a low bow.

  Promise made, he stood to his full height and held out his hands, smiling expectantly at Rhia. She sighed and handed him Liam’s sword, the blade still enshrouded in dark magic.

  “Don’t make me regret this,” she whispered to him, a plea in her eyes.

  For once, Tanris was completely serious, his expression sobering as he answered. “I’ll do my best.”

  “Do you need the oath?” Karak asked.

  “Not at all. I’m somewhat disparaged by having to speak it word for word and not being allowed to add my own embellishments, but I suppose I’ll live.”

  Clearing his throat, Tanris held the blade aloft in both hands and began to recite the same oath the other three had taken. He offered the sword to Rhia and she took it, speaking her own in turn. As the words left her lips, a certainty blossomed in Tanris’ heart. This was the right choice. He wouldn’t have backed down from it, regardless, but he knew this was the path he needed to be on.