Her Guardians Read online

  Her Guardians

  A Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance

  Piper Phoenix

  C opyright © 2017 by Piper Phoenix

  All rights reserved .

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review .

  First Edition December 2017

  Contents

  Mailing List

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Other Books

  Don’t Miss Out!

  Special Note From Piper

  Mailing List

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  1

  Eve

  S he told me if I left home, she wouldn’t be able to protect me. My mom told me that if I left, I’d die. I told her if I stayed with her another minute, I’d kill her .

  Leaving my mother behind was harder than I thought it would be. It seemed crazy to be out on my own so abruptly, but it was long overdue .

  I was pretty sure I was the only twenty-two year old woman who’d spent nearly every waking moment with her mom. She said it was for my own good that she was protecting me, but there was a part of me that just thought that maybe she was lonely. Maybe she didn’t want to let me go because she was selfish .

  The crazy thing was that it wasn’t like I was going to be that far from her. In fact, I was only moving across town. I’d be in my own apartment, an apartment which she saw and had to approve. She purified it and put numerous protection spells on it before I was allowed to bring any of my things there .

  My mom was a well-respected High Priestess. She was the most powerful witch in the country, if not the world. Everyone knew her. It was like she was famous, at least to those who knew about people like us. Of course, most people didn’t know about witches and warlocks and all the other special folks .

  Ever since the day I was born into this crazy world, she’d done everything for me. She had told me that I had been both a blessing and a curse to her because I was her everything. If she ever let her guard down, it was because of me. But of course, she also said she wouldn’t change anything for the world .

  I told her that I’d be out of her hair and that she could go back to focusing on those that needed her help. She could take care of other matters and get back to doing the work I knew she loved. I didn’t want to be a distraction any longer .

  My mom loved helping others like us. She was devoted to leading us all. She wanted a world where we could come out and the humans, or regs as we called them, would accept us .

  But we hadn’t made progress on that front. We were still a secret from the regs, and I wondered if that was how it would always be .

  After all, how could we come out to the regs when there were wars being waged among the other specials, and even among our own kind. If we couldn’t accept others that were like us, how would the regs ever accept any of us ?

  The cold night air prickled the skin on my arms as my feet tapped on the sidewalk. It hadn’t been long since I moved out of my mom’s temple and I was already breaking one of my mom’s rules… never go out alone at night .

  If she ever found out, she’d be furious. It wouldn’t surprise me if she made me move back to our home inside the Morelsville Temple .

  My mom loved that building. It was spacious with high ceilings. Years ago, she had it remodeled into what was now our home, keeping a space for those in our vast coven to come if they needed help or just a place to stay. To me though, the place never really felt that much like a home .

  Since the day I was born, she’d put spells on me… frequently. My mom worried about everything, especially when it came to me. There were so many protection spells I couldn’t even remember them all, but I knew there was one very crucial one. The one she demanded I’d maintain to keep myself protected from evil at all times .

  My mother made me promise that I would do everything to keep my energy high. To keep my protection shields in full force. It was something she’d done since she was my age, and something I would have to do until the day I died .

  My magic was still in its infancy, or so she said. In other words, I was a pathetic witch, but if there was one thing I could do, it was to keep my energy high and her protection spells in full force .

  I could still remember the smile on her face when she watched me pull from my first donor. Me on the other hand, well, I wasn’t smiling .

  “No, no, no, Eve! Darling, it’s like this,” she said running her hands through the man’s hair. He couldn’t have been much older than I was but that didn’t stop her. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek. “Then move to his lips .”

  “Sorry,” I mouthed to him, unable to stop myself from wincing at her. I shook my head at the gorgeous guy sitting next to me. “It’s not you. Really, it’s just weird having her here .”

  He just smiled and shook his head. “You need to relax .”

  “I have no idea how to do that,” I said pulling at my fingers awkwardly .

  “Eve, please pay attention. This is important. Touch is how we pull energy. It won’t hurt him unless you do it wrong or overdo it, so please, you need to focus, and give me your full attention,” my mom said staring at the guy's mouth. I couldn’t help but see the hunger in her eyes, she wanted his energy .

  I felt so uncomfortable as she stroked the young man’s cheek. Her hand slid over to his shoulder, and she patted him gently before stepping away from him .

  “Go on,” my mom said gesturing at him .

  I bit my lip and turned to him. “OK,” I sighed, “What’s your name ?”

  My mom scowled. “Eve,” she clicked her tongue, “this is your energy donor, nothing more, and here you are worried about his name. He’s here for just one thing, to fuel you .”

  “I can’t help it, mom! That’s just not how I work,” I said with a shrug. My mom shook her head, and I turned back to him. “Your name ?”

  “Rex,” he said with a nod. He glanced up at my mother as if making sure she wasn’t upset. Rex reached out his hand waiting for me to take it .

  I stood up sharply and took a step away. “Sorry,” I said squeezing my eyebrows together. “This is just too weird with her watching. In the same room .”

  “Oh, merciful Gods and Goddesses,” my mother said throwing her hands into the air. She turned and stomped over to the door, looking at me over her shoulder. “Fine. I’ll leave, but you better practice for real this time — ”

  “I think I can handle it,” I said swallowing down my frustration. After she closed the door, I sat back down next to Rex. I folded my hands and placed them on my lap before looking into Rex’s glowing, crystal blue eyes. “Sorry about that. I promise it’s not you, you’re very, um, yeah, and it’s just weird you know? She’s my mom .”

  Rex cocked his head to the side. “Weird because she’s your mom? Or because someone is watching .”

  “Both, I guess, but mostly the mom thing,” I said scrunching up my nose. “I really don’t know you at all. This whole thing is just… I’m not sure I’m ready .”
>
  “What would you like to know about me,” he said sliding closer. I could feel his solid chest muscles pressed against the side of my arm .

  I sucked in a deep breath, as he slowly moved his hand across my back causing shivers to run up and down my spine. Pulling energy was just something I had to do, and I wished I could be more like the others I’d seen do it. But I couldn’t. I was a nervous wreck .

  It wasn’t like I had a choice in the matter. If I wanted to stay strong and protected, I needed to pull from Rex .

  “There are many ways to pull, Eve,” he said, his breath soft against my ear. He slid his fingers down my cheek. “And while it’s not the quickest or most efficient, touch, like this, is the simplest .”

  I closed my eyes and tried to focus on his touch. His skin lightly grazing my skin. My blood started to pump through my veins, and I could feel it building inside of me. I could feel the energy warming the center of my body .

  “It’s working,” I whispered, feeling just how badly I needed to pull .

  “As you get older, you’ll need more. You’re still young, and Lorne takes amazing care of you, but one day you’ll have to manage this all on your own,” Rex said as if Lorne’s words were coming out of his mouth. My eyes popped open, and I tried to back away, but he had anticipated my move and pulled me back, so our bodies were touching .

  I shook my head. “Is she talking through you ?”

  “Of course not, but Lorne and I have talked about you. She was trying to find the perfect first for you, and she picked me,” Rex said brushing his lips against my neck .

  I gazed into his eyes and my body warmed. “Because those really sounded an awful lot like her words .”

  “They may have been. But right now, they were mine. It’s just you and me here. I promise .”

  Rex was unbelievably good looking. Every inch of his body perfectly sculpted. Lorne must have been paying him a shit ton of money to be a donor .

  I’d seen him around the temple before. There was no way a good-looking guy like Rex would hang around Lorne’s temple for fun .

  “Another way to pull is with kissing,” he said moving his lips centimeters from mine. “As you probably already have guessed, the energy you take from a kiss will be significantly more than that from just a touch .”

  When his lips touched mine, I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to pull away. It was like a fire had started inside me, and I never wanted it to go out. The feeling was overwhelming… intoxicating. I wanted more .

  “Hmm, yes, you’re getting it just fine,” Rex grinned. “You were definitely low .”

  “I didn’t know,” I said in an airy voice that floated out from between my lips .

  “No one ever does their first time. You’ll get the hang of it .”

  I couldn’t help but blush. It felt like Rex knew way more about me than he should. In fact, it felt like the closer we got, the more he could figure out .

  Rex placed his hand on my thigh and started to slide it up my leg. “Of course, fucking is the sweetest and most satisfying way to fill up your energy tank .”

  My entire body pulsed .

  For a second I was afraid all the warmth was going to melt us into one. The second his hand dipped between my legs, I stood up. “Um, hmm, OK.” I drew in a sharp breath. “I’ll keep that in mind. I think that’s enough .”

  Rex smiled and stood next to me. His body was so close I could feel his warmth pulsing out towards me. It was almost as though it was trying to reach out and pull me closer to him. I shoved my hands into my pockets, so I didn’t give into the temptation .

  “Well, you know where to find me. Anytime,” Rex said raising his eyebrows .

  “I do ?”

  “Just whisper my name, and I’ll come,” he said with a wink. He quickly pressed his lips to mine before turning and walking out of the room .

  A horn beeped somewhere down the road, and I was startled back to the present. I had to stop and look around to reorient myself .

  “God dammit,” I mumbled as I turned the corner. Thinking about Rex, was enough to feel that warmth in my middle. He had taught me everything I had needed to know about pulling energy, and every session after that first had only gotten more intense .

  It wasn’t long after our first meeting, maybe only a few months, when my mom sent him away. I’d been so hurt, I had stopped talking to her for weeks .

  She never would explain why exactly she’d done it, only that he needed to get away… to recharge. It was like he was a dead battery she’d said, but I still didn’t believe she had been telling me the whole story .

  Not only had his leaving broke my heart, I learned something extremely valuable that I never told anyone. Unlike others like me, I couldn’t pull from just anyone. I had to feel something. There had to be a spark to ignite the fire inside me .

  “Ugh,” I groaned as I pushed away the memories. My mom was far from perfect, but I knew without a doubt, that she loved me with every ounce of her being. Which was also why she hadn’t wanted me to move out .

  The second I heard the quick tapping of footsteps behind me, I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe she’d been right. Someone was approaching. Fear stopped me from turning around. It was probably nothing, but just in case I was wrong, I picked up my pace just short of a jog .

  When I heard the footsteps speed up, I knew I was wrong. I was in trouble .

  2

  Roman

  “J esus Christ!” I shouted as I slammed my palm against the steering wheel. Instead of my horn blasting how I really felt about the other driver’s poor driving skills, it made a rather pleasant little toot .

  Embarrassing.

  Everyone on the road was so selfish. It was as if wherever they needed to be was more important than where I needed to be. I could tell them with one hundred percent certainty, that it wasn’t. If I didn’t get to where I was going, it could mean someone dies. In this particular case, it would be someone extremely important .

  “Stupid fucker,” I muttered as the driver made a left turn, forcing me to practically slam on my brakes .

  I stepped on the gas and my phone buzzed. I looked over at it face up on the passenger seat trying to read the screen. Shit. My boss .

  “Hello,” I said after swiping to take the call. I swerved around a car going incredibly slowly in the left lane. “That’s like super dangerous!” I shouted. “Move! Over !”

  No time to flip them off .

  “Sounds like things are going well,” my boss said, the sarcasm plainly obvious .

  “Too funny .”

  “Try to keep your road rage in check. It won’t help matters. Are you there yet?” My boss, Lorne, asked .

  “I wish I could say that I was, but traffic is a killer tonight, it’s almost as if…,” I trailed off wondering if it was actually possible. Could it be magic ?

  There was a brief pause on the other end. Then she cleared her throat. “As if what ?”

  “As if someone is trying to stop me from getting there,” I answered .

  “Do you see anything unusual ?”

  I shook my head and then remembered she couldn’t actually see me. “No. But that doesn’t mean — ”

  “No, of course, it doesn’t .”

  “There isn’t usually this much traffic at this hour unless the stadium lets out, and I know there wasn’t a game tonight,” I said swerving around another car that pulled out in front of me. “God dammit !”

  “I can sense it even stronger than I had before. I’m really worried .”

  It pissed me off when I disappointed Lorne. She’d been good to me. “I’m doing everything I can .”

  “I know, but you must get there as soon as you can. She’s in danger. I can feel it .”

  The worry in Lorne’s voice was heavy. It wasn’t something I’d heard in her voice often, so when I did, I knew it was trouble. In fact, the only time that worry was ever in Lorne’s voice was when it had something to do with her daughter .
r />   I’d seen her daughter around the temple, but Lorne had liked to keep her tucked away from us. Not because she didn’t trust us, but the fewer people she interacted with, the safer Lorne believed her to be .

  If she could have locked her up in a tower for the rest of her life, she probably would have. OK, maybe it wasn’t quite that bad .

  Little did her mom know how frequently Eve liked to sneak out. Whenever Lorne was out of the temple, Eve came out for a visit. She never really talked to anyone, but she’d roam around exploring her home .

  I loved to watch her sneak around. But at the same time, she’d always seemed so… bored .

  Lorne had given her everything she could have ever dreamed of. She’d had music lessons, tutors, computers… everything. The only thing she hadn’t had was her freedom .

  That was until this whole apartment thing. I was shocked. Shocked .

  Lorne had almost immediately put me on as her guardian. One of the few .

  I’d been so honored to be selected. It was like winning some kind of award or trophy. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt that way. Maybe never .

  The position can be quite dangerous but it was also highly respected. It essentially meant that Lorne trusts me… I couldn’t let either of them down .

  Her daughter, Eve, was incredibly gorgeous. I often felt hypnotized whenever she was within ten feet, which hadn’t been often. Of course, I wouldn’t ever admit that to Lorne .

  There had been several times I’d almost just walked right up to her and introduced myself, but I’d always chickened out. She didn’t talk to us, and talking to her hadn’t been part of my job description .