A Date with Chaos: A Reverse Harem Fantasy

By Parker DeVesci

One empress. Four hellpups. A quest into the mysteries that lie hidden on pale earth...

With the vague threat of more demon invasions lingering over the Realms, Alex and her hellpups must find a permanent solution. Alex is convinced that the answers are tied to the very essence of what she and her warriors are. Clearly their combined magic is a force so potent that it must be the key to protecting the Realms.

Sky has been searching pale earth for the stray demons that have been wreaking quiet havoc since the last invasion. Pale earth shields their magic, making them difficult to locate. When the others join him on pale earth, it only makes sense to postpone his search in favor of Alex’s quest.

As they begin their adventure, none of them realize how deep the answers will reach. The Realms are about to be changed forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Parker DeVesci
• Release date: Jul 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005303174

Book preview

Chapter 1: Alex

flourish

THE DIGS WERE definitely not bad, especially considering that it was pale earth. The non-realm was like a blown out picture, missing the vibrancy and distinct details of real life as Alex had come to know it. Still, there was a familiarity underneath all that. A sense of home. Alex had been born on pale earth, more than once. It was… kind of like the kiddy pool. It would always have a soft spot in her heart.

But when it came down to it, she had little interest for the blatant luxury and striking style of the penthouse apartment. There was a single reason she’d been aching to get on with this trip for more than a week, now. As she stopped inside the doorway, he turned toward her.

Sky was across the room, and when they’d walked in, he’d been leaning over a scattering of papers on a dark slab of a table, frowning. Now his eyes found her, his back straightening. His vibrant blue eyes were anything but readable. He watched them come in.

Hey, brother, Silver greeted with a smile, but was already moving on, heading toward the silver-banistered spiral staircase with the bags he was carrying.

As Sky murmured something back, he and Ice exchanged glances of greeting, so much passing between them in a single look. Thousands of years of friendship.

Ice followed quickly after Silver to unburden himself of his luggage and most likely unpack.

That left Alex blissfully alone with Sky. She smiled and moved toward him, hoping for the greeting she hadn’t gotten yet. But he only watched her cross the room, a sense of cautious reservation in his gaze. It was not the reunion she had been imagining for the past week. She strolled up to him, had a glance at the note-strewn table, and then met his blue eyes. You’ve been doing this nonstop, haven’t you?

The sooner we can track down these demons, the sooner we get back home, he said.

Home. Alex’s heart leapt, that he should call the Wyld home. Her smile grew, her eyes lighting as she looked up at him. I’ve missed you, Sky, she said a little breathlessly.

Still, he did not return her smile. There was a subtle caution in the cerulean depths of his eyes. He said nothing.

So that was how it was going to be.

Not missing a stride, Alex leaned back against the table behind her. I was thinking this might be fun, she said, being back on earth.

He glanced around doubtfully. How so?

An innocent shrug. You know. I could maybe show you a little of the world I grew up in. That sort of thing.

A puzzled frown dented his brow. "I have seen much of this place already."

I know. Her eyes sparkled as she worked up to it. "But you haven’t exactly taken the time to see things, have you?"

He did not argue, so she went on.

I was thinking we should start with… oh, maybe going to a park. Her smile flashed into a wicked grin and she reached into the chaos, an object flickering into her hand in the reality of pale earth. I even brought you something to play with.

Sky’s eyelids fell as he looked at the ball she presented before him. Deadpan, he fixed on it for a long moment before his gaze returned to her face. He stepped toward her. His hands caressed her hips as he tipped his face down to hers. This is really what you want? he asked softly.

Alex’s chest was heaving because it was only the beginning of what she wanted. She reached up to his neck, already rising on her toes, her mouth reaching for his.

Sky bent toward her, one of his hands slipping down her thigh, moving across, as the other gripped her waist firmly. Her feet left the ground in a baffling twist and she found herself upside down across his lap as he plunked himself down on the floor. He grabbed both her wrists, gripping them behind her back in one hand as he freed the other to—

Thwack.

Alex shrieked, squirming to get away, but did not accomplish much more than rocking on his lap, her legs flailing. Her backside stung from the hard smack of his palm.

I already told you… He struck her again, right on the same spot. Her butt cheeks clenched involuntarily as the hot burst of pain shot through her, making her thrust her hips forward. Sky held onto her solidly. I am not your pet. He punctuated his words with a third strike.

Alex flailed, trying to get free. He released her wrists and she scrambled to get away from him, pushing herself up on hands and knees. His hands were on her stomach, her thighs. Before she could get away entirely, a shock of pain stabbed into her ass cheek, making her yelp and dive forward, faceplanting on the floor.

Sky was already picking himself up and dusting himself off as she rolled onto her back, still charged with the need to get away. But his level gaze said he was done with her. Alex scraped herself up off the floor with as much dignity as she could muster and tugged down the hem of her t-shirt, all the while glaring at him.

Silver and Ice appeared at the bottom of the stairs, only in half a hurry, their gazes full of cautious curiosity. They eyed Alex and Sky, clearly wondering if they should step in.

Alex wondered why the hell they didn’t, until she remembered their annoyingly keen sense of smell. Right now they would be smelling her anger, but also a good dose of sexual arousal, because, damn her, being spanked by Sky was strangely thrilling. What was worse was that Sky had likely scented it, too.

Biting her, though? That had been taking it too far.

She tossed the hellpups something between a pout and a glare and pulled down the waist of her pants to show the offending mark. "He bit me."

Silver was wandering toward her, now, and had a peek before tossing a grin at Sky. Looks like fun. He then turned his attention to the table and all the notes that Sky had made in the process of tracking the demons.

Alex was fuming. She expected more soothing, regardless of how Sky’s manhandling had affected her.

Ice must have known this, because he sidled up behind her and slipped his large, warm hand into her pants, rubbing the stinging area. He bent his face to her neck, his other hand on her stomach, and murmured soothing words.

Sky was watching this. When his eyes flicked up to her shoulder and narrowed a fraction, she knew that Ice had silently taunted him, whether she could see it or not.

Good.

She leaned back against Ice, turning her face sideways so she could look up at him, reaching one hand around to caress his chin.

Ice’s blue eyes met hers, his ebony eyelids lowering to display a gorgeous sweep of dark lashes. His gaze was full of affection as he met her lips in a slow kiss.

Whatever Sky had done to her, Alex was quickly forgetting it under the care of Ice’s diligent attention. Her fingers dug into his neck as her mouth dragged over his swollen lips, her tongue gliding against his.

Ice drew away reluctantly, easing his hand away from her bottom to wrap his arms tight around her. He tucked his chin onto her shoulder and both of them looked at the table.

Silver had picked up one of the note cards and was reading it with a frown of concentration.

Any good leads? Alex asked, sighing. She did not really want to worry about demons at the moment. It seemed to be all she’d done since she’d found herself unexpectedly Empress of the Wyld. Demons, demons, and more demons.

It’s boring work, Sky said, possibly reading her mind, but it’s not particularly hard. A lot of watching and waiting. I’m not even sure why we’re all here.

The last was clearly a question, though he did not speak it as one. Alex answered it anyway. We’re all here to be done with this. And to be together again. She was finished with having them all scattered to different places, unable to use the strength of their combined magic if needed. The only reason it had taken them so long to come was because there had been matters to be seen to in the other Realms.

Then where is Sage?

Silver made a noise in his throat. Dealing with a few loose ends. He’ll be along shortly.

By ‘loose ends’ Silver meant that it was Sage who got stuck with the job of soothing the emissaries from the Flow who had come to complain about something-or-other at the last minute. Alex wondered if they were aware that her solution to heal the Realms had been temporary. That any solution would be temporary. Another reason that she wanted all her hellpups together was so that they could all seriously put their minds to solving this puzzle and ridding the Realms of the problem once and for all. As it was, Tinal had warned that another would rise to take Carplag’s place. This was only a reprieve, not a victory.

We have much to talk about, she said. The Realms will be in danger until we can figure out a way to stop the Otherrealm from being able to come through.

An uneasy glance shifted between the hellpups, though this was not news to any of them.

Sky leaned against the back of the dark leather sofa, crossing one heel over the other, and his arms across his chest. His biceps bulged against the sleeves of his simple t-shirt, and his jeans fit him like a rock star. Ideas, Empress?

None whatsoever, she said, short of nuking the entire Realm.

Silver’s eyebrows rose and he cocked his head, clearly considering the idea.

Don’t go getting excited, pup, Alex chided, reaching out to touch his arm. I’m not spending my time on earth raiding military facilities. Not that it would be too hard, all things considered. Is there not a way to keep them from coming through?

They are drawn to our power, Sky said. They’ll continue to come for it as long as it exists.

It will always exist. Silver gave Sky a pointed look.

He shook his head. I’m not talking about undoing the power. But what about shielding it?

Ice lifted his face, his attention caught. "Is it possible we could devise some kind of cloak that would keep the Otherrealm from seeing us?"

Silver shrugged. Possible. But maybe too late. They are already aware of our presence. Likely the entire cosmos is.

Ice grunted. "We did stir things up a bit, didn’t we."

Alex tapped her finger on Ice’s arm, her thoughts cast back to their moment of connection. Not just the uniting of their powers, but the combined use of all the different magics of the Realms. All of them had lit up like a Christmas tree. "Maybe… Maybe we’re focusing on the wrong thing. Maybe we should be trying to figure out what we are. How to… how to be us. Because surely it’s not all just… chaos."

A lazy smile scrawled across Sky’s kissable mouth. "I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if this was all your doing. Empress."

It’s a good idea, Silver said, turning his ash-grey eyes to Alex. And whether it solves our demon problem or not, I think it is something we all need to know.

Sky made a noise of overeager acknowledgement.

Great, Alex said. But how do we go about figuring this out?

Ice scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the couch, cradling her onto his lap. It’s strangely convenient, he said. There are places on earth that might be searched for answers.

Alex’s eyebrows shot up. Earth? Really?

The other two had come around to the sitting area. Silver slouched crookedly into an armchair, owning the space with a casual twist of his broad shoulders. Pale earth is not good for much. But something about it is protective to the forces of magic. You’re always reborn here for a reason. Were you born into any of the Realms, your enemies would have been able to find you even as an infant. But the way that earth dampens everything out, it creates a cocoon around you, keeping you far better hidden. He only glanced at Sky once during all of that, though Sky had hunted Alex while she still lived on pale earth. Earth has also been a repository of arcane knowledge. Some of it has been passed down through humankind in half-truths. Some of it is locked away. But for those of us who know where to look, much can be found.

She sat up straighter, looping one arm around Ice’s neck as she turned toward Silver. Fantastic. Where do we start?

Chapter 2: Alex

flourish

"IDAHO? ALEX ASKED as they winged their way over a stretch of forest. What are we looking for? Potatoes?"

May as well be, muttered Ice, but his words were mostly lost on the wind.

We’re looking for chocolate, Silver said, which didn’t make any sense until a while later when they strolled up a street in Nampa, Idaho, and Silver turned into the doorway of a little shop with a display of chocolate bars, bonbons, and one gorgeous full-height chocolate castle in the window. Alex lingered by the window for just a moment, marveling at the fine details, the tiny stairs that wound their way up a rocky cliff, the texture of the bricks, the gothic windows. As she stepped