Invincible: The Curse of Avalon #4

by Skye, Sariah

  “Hey. Remember I lived in your head for a couple of months. I heard every little goddamned little fuck-fest you had with your future husbands. I also lived in your house for about six months until I had to move into one of the cottages so I could get some sleep.” Gavin pulled a face. “Nothing like hearing your sister get it on all night, every night, sometimes with more than one of them!”

  I shrugged indifferently. “I do what I want.”

  He snorted, shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah. So… this is a party? Why aren’t you drinking?”

  “Why, you want?” I asked, avoiding his question.

  “A beer if you’re offering.”

  “Of course I’m offering. Maybe you’ll get drunk and get the hell out of my hair.” We gave each other petulant scowls, just like a “real brother and sister” as I went around the bar and fetched him a beer on tap, sliding it across the bar top at him.

  “You never answered the question. Why aren’t you drinking? I know Mathias bought a big, fancy bottle of red, and I know how you like it. So…?” He asked, with a smirk, taking a long sip of his beer.

  I sighed, and leaned over the counter, arching a brow. “I can’t right now.”

  He nodded slowly. “Yeah, I figured that’s what it was. They know yet?”

  I shook my head, letting my gaze fall.

  “Hey.” Gavin set his hand over my arm. “Ava, I promise they’ll be fine. Because if not, I’ll fucking kill every last one of them. No one gets to treat my niece or nephew like that,” he said, giving me a wink. I grinned up at him.

  “Thanks for the offer. But pretty sure that Mathias alone could make you worm food if he wanted to so… please don’t attempt that,” I replied.

  He rolled his eyes. “Ah, that’s right. That immortal shit.”

  “Technically aren’t you immortal now? Whatever spell that was to lock you away sorta…? At least that’s what Rhys and Igraine said.”

  “Probably, but I would rather not test the theory,” he said with a shrug. His eyes landed on the bling that was exposed still by my sleeve. “Shit! Someone’s been a good girl this year.” Gavin shuddered at the thought. “What on earth could you give them in exchange? Besides the…” he dropped his gaze toward my abdomen, hinting without saying the words.

  “Well they decided it was fair I didn’t get them gifts, because I had to buy four and they only had to do one. And you know the whole getting-into-my-pants thing—”

  “—didn’t need to hear that!”

  I laughed evilly. “So, we decided they’d each pick an activity—whatever they wanted—and we’d do it. Xander was particularly detailed asking for me to… uh… help in his studio. Hopefully I’ll be washing paint off myself for the next day afterward.”

  Gavin grimaced, with a gag. “Sorry, I asked.” I shrugged indifferently.

  “There they are!” I glanced up, and Gavin turned over his shoulder, grinning at Lachlan who’d just pushed on through the club with Guinevere in tow. Dad was dressed up—for him—in jeans and a button up shirt, and Guinevere looked pretty in a long blue sundress. With the magic of Avalon, they were able to be together and not be harmed.

  I didn’t want to think about that though. Yuck.

  “Your husband said I could find you down here. Hiding…” Lachlan said with a grin. “Who hides from their own anniversary party?”

  “Me, that’s who. Crowds still make me…” I shivered gently. “Even though I basically know everyone here.” All the witches, a great deal of the Round Table knights came over for the occasion, some of the supes that came through Avalon needing refuge, plus a lot of the supes that Finnian knew, including Gabriel and Leorah the dragon, only this time she looked much, much happier. “Which one ratted me out?” I asked, with narrow eyes.

  “Sebastian of course,” my father replied, like it should be obvious. I sighed, shaking my head. “He specifically asked for you to go upstairs.”

  “Oh lord what the hell are they up to now?” I grumbled.

  “Better go find out,” Guinevere replied with a bright smile.

  “Right. Help yourselves to whatever is at the bar,” I said, with a gesture, walking around the bar, pausing only to give my brother a shove and stick my tongue tauntingly at him.

  “You get away with it just this once,” Gavin warned, shaking a finger at me. “Because of the… well…” He said, pointing that same finger at my stomach.

  “What now?” Lachlan asked, eyes widening in surprise.

  “Later,” I said, waving him off, knowing fully well Gavin would spill my beans. “I better—” I gestured at the ceiling, indicating I was going upstairs to find the guys. I weaved through the crowd of supes and mythos—whatever they were calling themselves—drinking, dancing, and having a good time. I spotted Leorah, dancing with a particularly tall man with wavy, rust-colored hair, looking bright and happy. I caught her eye and gave a little wave. She nodded at me in return with a wide grin.

  I paused briefly to say high to Morgause and Bedivere who’d become quite the item over the past few months. Morgause and Bedivere talked loudly, drinking their wine and giggling to something hilarious. Bedivere was a lot less intimidating without the armor, and Morgause looked great in a high-necked blouse with long sleeves and her hair done in a modern pixie. Igraine broke free of some of the other witches, and promptly came over to us. She exchanged a look with Morgause, and Bedivere took the hint, offering to go to the bar to get drinks.

  Igraine wore a silver pants suit and long flowing hair and smiled at me. Something in her eyes said she knew I was hiding something. “How long have you known, Ava?”

  “Huh?” She didn’t mince words, just set her hand on my stomach and nodded. I blew out a breath. “You can tell?”

  “Part of our Avalonian ways.”

  “Uh, yeah. Well only since this morning, actually.” Igraine nodded slowly. “So, it’s for real then? I did a test but—”

  “—yes, it’s for real. We wanted to say something earlier but weren’t sure if you knew yet. Didn’t want to scare you,” Morgause replied.

  “How long have you known?”

  “About a week.”

  “Shit…” I replied, running my hands through the length of my curled hair. “Don’t say anything yet. I’ll tell them later.”

  “Your secret is safe with us,” Igraine replied, leaning into me. “You should know everything seems to be well with it.”

  I felt my lips spread into a warm smile. “Yeah? Can you tell whose?”

  Morgause shook her head. “Not yet, a few weeks.”

  I nodded in reply. “Good to know. I better go off and find them, see what shit they’re getting into now.”

  “Congratulations, Ava,” Igraine said warmly, taking me in her arms for a brief hug, Morgause setting her arm on my shoulder to do the same.

  “Thanks, Grandma.”

  I managed to peel away from them and made my way up the stairs to the Stargazer portion that should have been empty, however my forehead furrowed at the lights that seemed to be coming from the club portion. “The hell…?” Wandering in, my mouth dropped open lightly and my eyes misted, seeing the dance floor lit up with soft lights, the disco ball above catching it and casting soft, dancing light beams over the walls, including the beautiful starry mural they’d made some time ago with all our star-signs on it, and music playing at a considerably quieter-than-normal decibel level. But the best thing of all…

  …my four husbands in the center, talking animatedly with each other, drinks in hand, all dressed up. They hadn’t seen me yet, and I took a moment just to take it all in.

  Xander wore a soft purple shirt and black pants, his black hair off to the side and a mischievous smirk as he chatted with Bash, who laughed loudly, wearing a pair of khakis and a blue polo, his blond hair neatly trimmed and tousled in front, showcasing his killer, steel-blue eyes. Trystan caught wind of what they were saying, and joined the conversation, pulling Mathias in. Trystan was decked out in a green sweater that
looked amazing against his skin and emerald eyes, his hair brushed back and beard neatly trimmed. The most surprising part was the red-plaid kilt he wore; same as the one he wore when we married. He didn’t wear them often as an incubus because in Minnesota? Kilt-clad men were not the norm. He looked great, though; I loved to see him be fully himself. You could hear his voice above all the others, his accent hardly intelligible he was laughing so hard. Mathias was always well-dressed, but he took it up a notch in my favorite trimmed black suit of his, and a light gray shirt, unbuttoned just down to his chest. He tipped his head back, taking a sip of his whiskey-on-the-rocks and smiled at Trystan, flicking the brown hair out of his eyes that’d flopped over with a toss of his head.

  My heart skipped a beat, warmth spread through my chest and I smiled so hard, I felt it up to my eyes, seeing the four of them together, looking gorgeous, happy and… alive. We made it through the toughest times, and we had so much more in store for us.

  Perhaps our arrangement wasn’t the most practical, and sometimes was a bit frustrating but I wouldn’t trade it—or them—for all the magic or all the gold in the damned world, or any other realm for that matter.

  I’d once felt like I was inferior—subpar…

  …invisible.

  The love of those four men, and all the feats we’d accomplished together from saving me from being kidnapped, to saving them from their loneliness, to building this club, building a home, and building our lives was enough to prove that I was truly something after all. And, so were they.

  “Hey, there she is!” Xander greeted, as they finally noticed me in the atrium.

  I bit my lip, smoothing my hand over the soft, stretchy fabric of the black dress I wore, with long sleeves and the shoulders cut out, and shiny silver shoes I’d picked out just for this occasion, flipped my hair over my shoulder and grinned at them widely. “What did you do?”

  “Eh, lassie, we know how you hate crowds.” Trystan was the first to step forward, and take my hand, leading me in to the dance floor.

  “We also know you like to dance a bit, just not with all the people around,” Bash said, with a grin.

  Mathias enveloped me in his arms, lifting me into the air, and spinning me around just like that one night not so long ago when he first told me he loved me. I caught his face between my hands and brushed my lips over his in a sultry, tender kiss before smiling at him as he lowered me to my feet. “So judging by that greeting, we did good?” He asked hesitantly.

  “Yeah, you did good, handsome,” I said, giving him a shy grin.

  “It was my idea!” Xander piped up, nudging his way past Mathias, shooting him a feigned dirty look and me a cocky sidelong smile. He took me into his arms next, giving me an agile spin to the music, catching me in his arms and dipping me backwards while holding my gaze with his own heated one before standing me up slowly. He leaned into me, our noses brushing together before he captured my lips in a sexy, kiss, and tangling his fingers in my hair.

  “Don’t be a jealous dick, Xan,” Bash scolded playfully. I felt him press up against my rear, smirking at me while his hand roamed over the curve of my ass. I giggled into Xander’s kiss and broke free, letting Bash urge my face to his and take my mouth in a scalding kiss as I was pressed between them, just like I had been so many times before. Heat spread low in my belly and pulsed outward, and despite the fact that I’d been feeling a bit groggy and a hormonal mess with what was going on inside me—being newly pregnant—the desire for Bash and for all of them started to spike and grow to a fever pitch. I hoped it never stopped. I didn’t think it would.

  “All right, laddie. My turn.” Snickering, Trystan pushed his way between them, setting his hands on my waist and pulling me away from them. “We love you, you know that?”

  “More than anything,” Mathias added, huddling around us with me in the middle.

  “I know. I love you too. So damned much,” I said, glancing at each one in turn.

  “Good. Now…” Trystan’s hands clamped tighter on my waist, and he was about to pull me into him when his head cocked to the side, forehead pinching in confusion. “What is… this?” He asked, patting my hip and finding the plastic test I had been hiding in my dress. I blushed guiltily, as he pulled it out.

  “Holy…” Bash said, peering around me.

  “Oh my—what?” Xander exclaimed in surprise.

  “Ava…” Mathias snatched it out of Trystan’s hand, taking a closer look. “Is this what we think it is?”

  I held my hands out to the side and smiled awkwardly. “Uh… surprise?” I glanced at Trystan first, who’s mouth was dropped open in shock.

  “Luv, so… you’re saying…?” he stammered, his voice shaking.

  “Yes, I’m saying it. One of you knocked me up.” I released a deep breath that I didn’t realize I was holding, relieved that it was now out.

  “Oh my god…” Xander let out a high-pitched laugh; I wasn’t sure if it was a happy one or not.

  I looked at each one in question. “Um… so…?”

  Mathias’ eyes were as big as saucers. He slapped Trystan in the side of the arm. “Say something, you bastard.”

  “You say something, you arsehole,” Trystan hissed.

  “Oh dear god you three are fucking pathetic.” Bash rolled his eyes, and shoved them aside, taking my hand and brushing his fingers over my cheek. “Are you sure? Really sure? I didn’t think the potion would have worn off already.”

  “Apparently, it did. Igraine noticed too. Some…Avalon thing. It’s real. So…?” I asked cautiously, glancing at each one of their stunned faces.

  “Are you okay?” Xander scrubbed a hand over his face, finally composing himself to eye me with tender concern.

  “Yeah, fine. I don’t feel anything yet but a little tired,” I answered with a shrug. “Is… this going to be okay?”

  “Okay? Okay?” Mathias was the first to spread into a grin. “Of course it’s okay!”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yes, Ava, luv. We’ll be fine. We’re just…” Trystan ruffled his hair, laughing awkwardly. “Surprised. We thought it’d be a while.”

  “But it’s not bad news at all. It’s not,” Bash added quickly, and I beamed up at the four of them.

  “We’re going to take care of you. Both of you, we promise,” Mathias leaned in and whispered quietly to me, tipping his head against mine and kissing my temple.

  “I know,” I replied, with a big grin. “You always have.”

  And, they did. Better than anyone else ever had. I knew whatever was in store for us, as I was passed in between the four of them receiving excited hugs and kisses that they would be. They’d be great.

  We’d be great.

  As the night wore on and the news settled in, the four of them and I swayed together on the dance floor, huddled together, sharing the love and the security we brought each other, like coming home.

  It just proved, I supposed, that no one was truly invisible. At least, not to the right people. You just needed to find your place in the world, find your tribe, and find your home.

  Took some time. But I found it.

  Rather, it found me.

  They found me.

  It was going to be a great life together, I was sure of it.

  Invisible? Ha!

  Not anymore.

  THE END…

  …OR IS IT ONLY JUST THE BEGINNING?!?!

  Stay tuned for a bonus scene/epilogue!

  Bonus Scene/Epilogue 2

  Just a hint of what may come…

  Thirteen very busy years later…

  “Mmm… dammit, Trystan, don’t stop.” I moaned quietly in my husband’s mouth, as we sat on the sofa, quietly enjoying a few moments of stolen time. It wouldn’t be long before someone came in, or someone started screaming, and we were going to take advantage of it.

  “I don’t plan on it, luv,” Trystan replied, with a low, quiet laugh as he parted my lips and speared his tongue inside. The feeling of his kiss—ugh, it’d been
a while—ignited the flames of desire in me that hadn’t been able to come out in a while, but now, they were. Four weeks postpartum and all of it was coming back. It always did, of course.

  “I’m just sorry we probably don’t have time to do anything else,” I protested, as he broke the kiss and started nipping down my jawline.

  “It’s okay, lassie. You’re still healing. Besides, when was the last time you just made out?” Trystan asked, with an impish grin.

  “Been a while— oh god just like that…” I moaned, a little too loudly and I promptly winced, hearing the sound of our four-week-old daughter, Isla Munro, stirring from her little portable cradle nearby. “Oh hell…” I whimpered. “I thought we’d have more time.”

  “We will, luv. We will. Later.” Trystan grinned, standing up to retrieve the little, writhing bundle from her snug little nest, beaming at her with all the love in his heart that made my heart sing. He kissed her fondly, whispering something to her in Gaelic, and handed her to me. “Think she’s hungry, luv. I know I am,” he replied, giving me a devious wink as his gaze landed on my ample breasts.

  I snorted, rolling my eyes and getting comfortable on the sofa, holding Isla at my chest and letting her do all the work to eat, feeling relieved when she latched on; she was probably overdue for eating, but I’d been having such a nice time with Trystan I figured—a few more moments wouldn’t hurt. Smiling down at her, wrapped in a plaid blanket, she gazed up at me with wide, green eyes—Trystan’s eyes—and I instantly felt the love. I felt it from all of them, but it was particularly precious in these earliest weeks.

  Trystan plopped down beside me and leaned in to the sofa, cocking a brow. “You know there are two of those… can I have one?”

  “Sick pervert,” I admonished, quickly giving him a slap. Trystan laughed impishly, and we remained silent, allowing a calm moment while Isla ate—before all the hell would break loose. It always did.

  We heard a shriek from down the hallway and instantly groaned, hearing someone yell angrily. Mila, probably.