Inevitable (The Curse of Avalon Book 2)

by Sariah Skye

  “And I’ve always managed to thwart you. You aren’t as great as you think you are,” she replied.

  Rhys smiled widely. “All part of my master plan.” Morgaine began to grouse again, but Nadina threw up her hands.

  “Someone want to fill me in here?” She glared pointedly at Lachlan. “Starting with, this is your daughter? How old are you?”

  “Twenty-five. My birthday is in February. I’d love a Sephora gift card,” I said sarcastically, as Nadina laughed wildly.

  “How about Victoria’s Secret?” Trystan interjected, raising a brow. Xander was closest to him and kicked him gently in the shin, but he still grinned.

  “Leave that to us,” he said.

  I rolled my eyes.

  Lachlan crossed the room to Nadina, who slowly was calculating something in her mind. “That means…”

  “I’m sorry, Dina. I never meant…” He reached out for her, but she shied away.

  “I don’t think it was entirely his fault, Nadina,” Bash said calmly, the voice of reason. “Morgaine is a well-known enchantress. She probably manipulated him.”

  Lachlan snapped his fingers, giving him a thankful smile. “That’s it exactly.”

  Morgaine stood up taller, proud of her misdeeds.

  “Well that explains why you hadn’t wanted her to meet me,” I said dryly. “You were embarrassed of me.”

  Lachlan spun around quickly, glancing between me, his daughter, and Nadina, his mate, with indecision. “Please…I’m so sorry. I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I should have just—”

  Nadina looked away from him, her beautiful features contorted in anger.

  “Oh come on, Lance. The whole kingdom knows you were a deceitful liar,” Rhys sneered. “Why don’t you tell Ava and the Incubus Boys about what else you’ve lied about? Just why did you keep Morgaine here, after all, huh?”

  I didn’t notice I was pacing back and forth across the room; my skin was beginning to crawl, stomach churning with the lies, and the close-knit space. I wasn’t entirely claustrophobic, but I didn’t enjoy crowded spaces. The guys I was fine with, but the four newcomers? Let’s just say my trust level was nonexistent right now.

  “Avie?” Mathias pushed past Rhys and attempted to comfort me. I lifted my hand, indicating that I just needed “a moment”. Mathias respectfully allowed me my space.

  “We’re waiting, lad,” Trystan prompted, after a few moments silence as he glowered at Lachlan.

  “Mostly,” Lachlan sighed, “I wanted to keep Avie safe. But I knew if I told you Morgaine was here, you’d want to kill her.”

  I chortled loudly. “And why shouldn’t we?”

  “Yeah, I gotta go with your daughter on this one. This woman is a real pain, there’s nothing redeemable about her,” Nadina said.

  “Because, he hoped that Morgaine could open the portal to Camelot, and he could go home. Finally,” Rhys said.

  “Portal? To Camelot?” Mathias was incredulous.

  Nadina let out a little squeal. “You…aren’t kidding about all this Lancelot stuff, are you? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Dina…” Lachlan’s tone was pleading, but Nadina shoved him away.

  “You fucked everything up this time, didn’t you?” Rhys let out a maniacal laugh.

  “Can we focus here? Camelot? Wasn’t that like—hundreds of years ago?” I asked.

  Lachlan sighed. “Years ago, Camelot was a target for war. You name it, everyone wanted to conquer us. You cannot defeat entire nations, time and time again without gaining some enemies. To protect ourselves, Arthur asked his supe allies to help send Camelot into another realm for protection. Literally. It was a massive five-year undertaking, but we got the entire kingdom safely over.

  “What no one told us is that we wouldn’t be able to leave once we were there,” Lachlan said. “Nor were we able to get in if we’d been left behind.”

  I frowned sadly; my father’s face was crestfallen. “How did you miss it?”

  He shrugged. “It’s not important, now. What matters is for years I was alone while the world changed around me. I was a relic, forgotten. I took on a new identity and…well…”

  “So, what does Morgaine have to do with it? Why do you think she could open the portal? And where the hell is it anyway?” Bash demanded.

  “Oh, it’s…hidden,” Lachlan replied, his tone implying there was more to his words.

  “And, Morgaine can somehow help?” Xander asked.

  Lachlan shuffled about nervously. “Morgaine and one of her spells, plus a little help.”

  “You, Ava,” Rhys said, “you’re the help. With Morgaine, they can use the magic of Avalon to open up the portal to Camelot, and Lancelot can finally go home.”

  “Me?” I pressed a hand to my chest, watching my father breathe heavily.

  Rhys sauntered over to me casually. “I would be willing to bet that he wasn’t all too eager to stop Morgaine from infusing you with it. When contained in the interdimensional vessel—”

  “The what?” I interrupted.

  He ignored me and continued. “When it has a living vessel, like you, it can be activated. And you could get him home.”

  My heart sank into my stomach. “You mean…you didn’t stop her? I thought you just weren’t in time—”

  “—I wasn’t! Truly.” Lachlan insisted.

  Rhys snorted. “Come on. You wouldn’t have stopped her; it was your only chance to get home, Lancelot.”

  “This is just too much for me,” Nadina said, stomping through the room. The guys gave her a wide berth, as she stormed out the front door, letting it slam behind her. Lachlan began to go after her, calling and pleading her name, but Mathias was quick. He gripped the ancient knight by the arm, holding him in place. His demeanor was positively feral as he stared Lachlan down.

  “You have deceived us.” Mathias’ stated darkly, his tone was foreboding and chilled even me to the core. “If you weren’t Ava’s father, I’d rip you apart right this second, and mop the floor with your entrails.”

  I inhaled deeply, trying to control my emotions.

  So, my father betrayed me too. Big deal. It’s not like I’ve known him long.

  “Ava, I’m sorry.” Rhys attempted to comfort me, my reaching for my hands. I pulled away, glancing upward, trying to extinguish the sting of hot tears in my eyes.

  A body came up behind me and wrapped himself around me. The light scent of fresh linen and musk invaded my nose, and I could tell right away it was Bash. He scrubbed his rough cheek against mine. “I know it hurts, but you still have us.” He squeezed me tighter into his broad form. For a minute I allowed myself to melt into him, forgetting the cruel world around us, and the shit circumstances that had me once again questioning who I was.

  I am Ava Dawson. I thought to myself, clamping my eyes shut. I have been betrayed by the ones I thought I could trust, time and again.

  I’m a dog lover. Sometimes I game. I love purple. My best friend is Summer Santiago, and she’s never, ever been anything but the best. She is your family.

  And these boys are also your family now. Remember that.

  I opened my eyes. “What…?” I said quietly. At first, my inner monologue felt like me, but towards the end? It felt like someone else in my head.

  Believe in yourself, Ava. Believe in them. Believe in Avalon, and your sisters. We have your back.

  The voice was familiar, like Igraine’s but…younger. “Morgause,” I whispered quietly.

  “My sister?” Morgaine asked in shock. Obviously, I was louder than I thought.

  “Can you hear them? My sisters?” Morgaine’s tone was positively pleading as she spoke.

  I turned, rising up to my tiptoes to place a thankful kiss on Bash’s chiseled chin. He smiled slowly, and I gave him a wink. Stepping out of his arms, I looked fiercely upon my mother. “They are not your sisters. They are mine now. They want nothing to do with you, ever again!” With each word, my voice raised with fury.

  “Ava,
I’m so sorry. I should have been honest! I should have—” Lachlan protested. His handsome face was wrought with shame.

  “Just…” I dismissed him with a flippant gesture.

  “Name it, dear. We’ll do it,” Mathias said.

  “Get him out of here. Get them both of out of here.”

  “Let’s go.” Mathias roughed up Lachlan, urging him towards the door. “Xan, can you jump a car? We’ll be taking his truck to port our cargo back home.”

  Xander thrust the end of his chain towards Bash, who took it gladly. “On it.”

  Sighing sadly, I wandered aimlessly about the room. Not that there was much space to wander, but I scrutinized the house my father had been living in, for who knew how long? Probably since I was born, I surmised. The table in the center of the room caught my eye. There was just something about it…

  For starters, it appeared to be made of several different pieces of wood. It was malformed, edges jagged in a messy round circle. One piece stood out more than the others; it was highly glossy and shone even in the dim light. The wood was worn and appeared very, very old. It was perfectly smooth, unlike the other sections of the table that contained nicks and dents. This was obviously well cared for.

  I extended a hand, suddenly overcome with the idea of needing to touch it, to feel the cool, smooth wood under my fingers.

  “Ava—don’t touch that!” Rhys made the attempt to reach for me, but I didn’t hear him in my trance.

  The wood was hard under my fingers and seemed to crackle with energy.

  “Ava!” I don’t know who called my name, but the brightest white light ignited around me, and I felt myself grow increasingly dizzy as the world spun around me, and the small house, and the guys disappeared from my view.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Bash

  I felt the pulsating of magic in the air, and before I could act, it exploded.

  She was gone.

  I should have followed my fucking guts; the second we walked into Lachlan’s house I felt something…off. Unusual. I assumed it was just Lachlan, because he always had a droning around him. Very faint. I figured it was because of his age and exposure to the ancient magics from Avalon. Mathias had a similar—albeit much stronger—feel about him. All the guys did, but there was just something about them both that was different.

  But I was too late; I didn’t react.

  I heard Rhys call out for her, and a blinding white light that exploded into a large orb. Now only a faint white crack was left in the air that faded by each split second since she disappeared.

  My feet were glued to the wooden floor, I couldn’t move besides the rapid rising and falling off my chest as I took in everything that just happened. When Lachlan finally reacted by covering his awed, gaping mouth with a palm, something in me broke. The magic thrum of Mathias’ power was all I could feel, buzzing in my ears, and a control I didn’t know I had shattered.

  Before I registered what I was doing, I flung myself at Lachlan; a force of fury and frustration. Mathias’ grip on him had been firm, impenetrable, but through my wrath I broke his barrier. I propelled both Lachlan and I into the wall of his log home, where Lachlan landed first with a sickening crack of broken bone. Shoulder, presumably. Good! I thought, with a disturbing pleasure to myself as he cried out in pain.

  “Holy fuck, Sebastian.” Those were the first words I heard, uttered out of Mathias’ mouth. He was behind me now, I assumed. I felt his power nearby, but not around me like before, when it inhabited my skin. It didn’t make sense to me whatsoever. His brawny arms were underneath my armpits, helping bring me to my feet.

  I fought his grip. “Get the fuck off me, man!” I wrenched my arm out of his grasp and growled—actually growled—at him. Inhaling deeply, I seemed to be staring directly into his face—which was beyond strange because of all the guys, I was the shortest. I was still looking up slightly, but not nearly as much as I would normally. I raised a fist, and I actually watched as Mathias’ eyes flinched from his normal brown to a muddy yellow.

  Before I could connect, I felt my muscles seize.

  “What the—” I sputtered. I was frozen, not able to move my arms or legs, but I could breathe as Rhys popped in between Mathias and I, with a startling serious expression on his face. Not that I’d—we’d—known him long, but he always seemed to have an air of jest about him. Maybe insanity, or genius, or a combination of both.

  “We will discuss you later, boy,” Rhys said sternly. With a fluid motion of his hand, the air around us released and my muscles relaxed. The buzzing of magic was gone—all magic.

  Including the magic that ripped my beloved Ava away from me—us.

  I slumped against the wall, feeling a sudden wave of despair wash over me, with a hint of confusion. I had no idea what was going on, all I knew is she was gone with no trace. It had to be some sort of portal but—how?

  The feeling of her absence was indescribable; like my soul was a bottomless pit that never found solace. I knew she was something special the second Xander and I laid eyes on her at The Stargazer weeks ago. The guys and I never competed over women, knowing that if we wanted to—truly—we could have whoever we wanted. Even if that woman was currently with another one of us. Only a look, or a touch, and she was putty in our hands. There was no challenge. It was… unfulfilling to say the least.

  With Ava, there was jealousy. At first. And if I’m being honest, there probably still is at least a little. We stared at her in amazement from across the crowded club floor, and she barely noticed. We were always noticeable after walking into a room, hordes of women of all ages, sizes, races fawning over us; it was exhausting. But Ava did not until she was introduced. Her attraction was genuine—you could tell by the bright, shining sky-blue in her eyes. The curse dulled the mind of anyone else, resulting in a glassy, glazed over look. She saw us.

  And that was only the beginning. Circumstances pushed us together, and she fit in so well with us all, none of us could imagine being without that sultry-blue eyed look, that flirty smile, her fire, or her humility. She was beautiful—yes. She had an ethereal sort of otherworldly beauty. Had her stealth magic not misfired all those years, there is no doubt she would have been the object of many male affections. Her modesty was endearing but she was not unconfident, which was remarkable after the condescending behavior of her mother. I know she pretended to care about Ava over the years—and maybe she really did in her own fucked up way.

  When I knew Morgaine, she was Faye; just a witch with a lot of empty promises. As soon as I was cursed, she treated me like dirt; not even sticking up for me when the villagers sentenced me to death. That feeling was now the third worst feeling I’ve ever had. The second was watching Ava, helpless and hopeless, tied to a stake; her defiance subdued, and her heart broken…and being captured myself—I and the other guys—we couldn’t do anything about it. Comprehending fully that Ava was gone—actually gone—was the worst, by far

  I glanced up, watching the other guys realize slowly what had happened.

  “All right, what the hell is going on here?” Trystan’s voice boomed loudly, bringing us all back to the matter at hand.

  “How did a table suddenly come…alive? And take Ava? And what the fuck was that, Bash?” Xander echoed the Scot’s furious and confused tone.

  “I…don’t know,” was all I could reply.

  “I do, but that’s not important right now,” Rhys said. He patted me on the side of my arm reassuringly—I think that’s what it was, maybe it was pity— and inspected the table carefully in the exact spot where Ava was standing before she disappeared.

  Mathias reached out a hand to me. His expression was flat but precise. I recognized it as him barely keeping the control below the surface. He was about to snap, and, as Ava would put it, “Go all Hulk”. Reluctantly, I took his arm and he helped me to my feet. He offered a brotherly handshake, indicating that he was all right. We were all right; at least physically.

  I scrubbed a hand over my fac
e, trying to shake off the feeling of grogginess from my vision. Trystan and Xander still held the chains that subdued Morgaine, but they both appeared uneasy, like they were barely keeping control too.

  “So, you know what happened then?” Mathias asked, glaring scornfully at Lachlan, who was slumped in the worn sofa nearby now, head in his hands.

  Lachlan inhaled deeply, but just shook his head. “She’s okay, I promise.”

  “Promise? Promise? How do you know?” The control was beginning to lapse from Xander. He flung the chain he held to the ground and began charging for Lachlan. Rhys lifted a hand and murmured something quietly. Xander stopped, mid-step, frozen to the ground.

  “Yes, she’s okay. Well, she’s alive, not sure about okay…” Rhys didn’t even acknowledge the magic he used on Xander; it was instinct to him, like breathing. Xander’s eyes flashed a bright, blood red; he was irate. I suspect whatever magic Rhys used was used on all of us, because no matter how I raged inside, I couldn’t bring myself to act on it. He was a powerful fucker indeed. Maybe he actually was Merlin after all…

  And, if he didn’t start giving up the goods about Ava’s whereabouts, the first second I could, I was going to rip his throat out. I panted in agony but remained motionless. Slowly I felt the magic subside. I summoned up my fury, but Trystan raised a hand, shaking his head gently.

  We had no alpha hierarchy; one would think in a ‘pack’ of men, in order to get along there would be. No, we were Omegas with Alpha moments. We deferred to whomever was the strongest or most knowledgeable at the time. Trystan was clearly in control of his faculties—more so than the three of us right now, so I deferred to his judgment. He glared pointedly at Lachlan. “This is part of the Round Table, isn’t it?”

  Lachlan swallowed thickly, nodding slowly. “Yes. After Camelot was transferred to the new realm, this was all that was left behind. Just a small plank from the table.”

  Rhys sighed deeply. “And you have no more of it?”

  Lachlan shook his head. “No. The rest of the wood was just bits and pieces left behind; I fashioned them together, hoping that if it were whole I could open up the portal once more, but… I am not strong enough.”