by Sariah Skye
“Shit!” Trystan flew out of bed, frantically searching in the dark room for I assumed his pants. I began fumbling around for anything of mine and coming up empty.
Trystan quickly found his shirt, jeans, and underwear. He began to pull on his jeans, carefully zipping them over his manhood. He tossed his underwear at me, and his t-shirt. “Sorry about yer pretty panties, luv, but these will do for now. We need to get you somewhere safe!”
I nearly tripped, trying to awkwardly step into and pull them up my legs. “Um, I’m not—”
He waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah yeah. Och, I know. Strong woman. Takes care of herself. What if it’s Morgaine with another glamour spell? I’ll never, ever live that down, dammit, so please just do what I ask?” He waggled a finger at me, as I yanked his t-shirt over my head.
I sighed, exasperated. “Fine.” I rolled my eyes and tried not to scowl. I knew he was right, but I didn’t have to like it.
“Here! Coming!” Trystan gripped my hand and we tore up the stairs, pausing only to lift the trap door out of the way.
Bash was furiously tapping on his phone, pacing in the kitchenette area of the barn. When we emerged from the floor, he paused his typing and eyed us carefully. The moment of realization cocked his brows upward and catching us half naked—he knew exactly what had happened in Trystan’s little “love nest”.
I lifted my gaze, staring down my nose, jutting out a hip, trying to be all casual. Internally, I didn’t know what to think. Yeah, they might have all said they were okay with “sharing me” but that didn’t mean when actually faced with the prospect, they were.
Trystan clearly had the same thought; he stood next to me, grinning awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
A smile tinged on the corner of Bash’s full lips, and he winked at me. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
The trilling of his phone distracted Bash, and he lifted it to his ear. “Mathias! Dude, I’m not sure, I just know the wards are broken. I heard a crack—like thunder, but not quite?” He paused, and my stomach flipped.
“A crack?” I asked uncertainly. I surely just dreamed that, right?
“Och, it must be our mysterious note writer, ye think?” Trystan said, and Bash nodded, his steely eyes wide with anxiety.
“Well I’m glad Xan says there’s no storm in the vicinity, however we clearly heard thunder or something…”
Underneath us the ground began quaking, like standing next to a freight train as it barreled through town. It nearly knocked me off my footing, but I was caught by Trystan, who barely looked able to stay upright himself.
“The hell?” Bash said. “Get here now!” He barked into the phone, ended the call, and shoved it into the front pocket of his jeans. “What is that?”
“We’re not on a fault line, are we?” I shrieked, feeling the ground shake harder. Trystan pulled me tighter under his arm and took a few steps to the side to brace us against a solid beam. Bash stumbled to the counter, leaning over it until the rumbling stopped.
“No, we aren’t on a fault line,” he said, composing himself. Thankfully the barn was solid, and there wasn’t anything on high shelves. “I don’t understand how it’s possible to shake like that!”
“Aye,” Trystan echoed. “You okay?”
I shrugged with nonchalance. “Oh, just fine. Only an earthquake in a place it’s never supposed to happen…”
“Well, it’s not impossible. The San Madrid Fault line isn’t far; if it were a large enough tremor, we could easily feel it here,” Bash explained. “But I’m guessing that wasn’t an earthquake.”
“No? Then—?” I began, but my words were interrupted by a loud explosion. It was deafening. I shrieked in terror, doubling over as I pressed my hands against my ears.
Trystan wrapped himself around me, his body tense. “It’s okay Ava…it’s okay…” he said, trying to be soothing but his tone was betrayed with worry.
I allowed myself to be comforted for a moment; I mean, wrapped in the arms of a hot dude, what’s not to like? And then I coughed gently, and pulled out of his grip, brushing his shirt flat over my stomach, trying not to draw more attention to my boobs poking out of the thin fabric. Trystan gave me a sidelong look, and a smirk when I waved my fist at him warningly. He cringed and shied away but chuckled good-naturedly.
“Guys! Enough of your shit and get out here!” Bash commanded. As I was threatening Trystan, he’d left the barn to assess the situation. Smart. Glad someone is thinking correctly…I thought.
“Stay with me,” Trystan pleaded, and squeezed my hand tightly. I nodded, noticing his forehead creased with worry, and we joined Bash outside.
“What the…?” I asked, slowly glancing around in amazement.
Night had clearly fallen, but there were no stars or moon in the sky. Instead, a deep purple hue touched everything around us, from the grass, through the woods, and kissed the trees with unusual darkness. Another low shaking vibrated the ground, less than before but still jarring and unusual.
“What the fuck is going on?” Trystan murmured, pressing his fingers into my shoulders, as we stared around us at the bizarre scene. “And where the fuck are Mathias and Xan? Shouldn’t they have been back hours ago?”
Bash shrugged. “They were searching for any sign of the entrance Morgaine used to the Underrealms. They lost track of time, I think.” He raked his hands through his hair, gripping the wavy strands by the roots and pulling, as if to alleviate stress. “Shit, it’s everywhere, whatever this is. I’m afraid that if I run off that way,” he said, motioning with a gesture to the east, “I will miss what’s going on here. Why couldn’t I have been born with fucking wings?”
My head snapped up. “Wings?” I turned in Trystan’s grasp, raising an eyebrow. “You weren’t, Bash, but you were,” I said, poking Trystan squarely in the naked chest.
“Yeah, but—” Trystan cut himself off, eyes widening. I grinned, nudging him pointedly.
Bash eyed us oddly, before realizing. “Yes! If you did—” he blushed and made a rude gesture that clearly indicated fornication. In any other circumstance I’d probably deck him but right now, time was of the essence. “Maybe you can shift now! We could use your eagle eyes!”
Trystan blew out a tense breath. “Aye…I just…” Something heavy in his eyes indicated emotional overload. I almost thought it was tears.
The ground rumbled slightly again, almost as if a warning to hurry.
“Shite. I don’t want to leave you,” Trystan said, touching my cheek gently. “Last time I did, look what happened…”
I offered him a small, sympathetic smile. Bash grumbled loudly.
“Um. Fucker, I’m right here, you Scottish bastard!”
Trystan sighed. “What’s the code word?”
“Code word?” I repeated.
“Yeah, anytime there’s a fucked up situation—and we need to part ways, we have a code word. You know, to make sure the other isn’t a glamoured version of Morgaine, or something equally as insidious.”
“Ah.”
Trystan raised his brow expectantly, and Bash sighed outwardly.
“Bawhair.”
I narrowed my eyes, wrinkling my nose. “What’s that? It sounds unpleasant.”
“Oh, it is. It’s Scottish slang for the width of a pubic hair,” Bash said, rolling his eyes with exasperation. “Apparently.”
Trystan smirked. “Aye.” He took a deep breath and summoned his gumption. He cupped my chin with his hands and gave me a quick, tender kiss on the lips. “Don’t leave Bash’s side for nothing, got it?”
I couldn’t even protest, his face was so earnest, the kiss so sweet. I just nodded. “Okay.”
“And enjoy the show,” he said, with an exaggerated wink as he spun, and started taking off his pants.
“Dear god…” Bash said, with a snicker. I stepped back toward him, gaze trailing downcast, so I wouldn’t gawk openly at Trystan’s bare ass.
He kicked his pants off to the
side, rolled his neck, and stretched his shoulders momentarily before becoming motionless. He stayed like that for a handful of moments before I whispered, “Is it not working?”
Bash shrugged, and spoke quietly, “No idea, I’ve never actually seen him shift. Think about it though; it’s been years since he’s been able to.”
“Just like riding a bike, eh?” Trystan jested, before the air around him seemed to shimmer and shift. He collapsed to his feet, crying out in pained agony.
“Shit!” I shouted, concerned, and I started for him when Bash placed a firm hand on my shoulder. I turned to him questioningly, and he shook his head.
“Give it a moment,” he instructed.
Trystan’s feral roar grew louder, and raspier until he burst into a puff of smoke—or a cloud—and in its place, flapped a very large—very large—bird, with a wing span taller than I was. The bird flapped furiously, gaining its bearings before crashing to the ground. He caught himself and flew upright, dipping a wing and coming around to face us.
I gasped, my hands flying to cover the awe out of instinct. Bash from next to me cheered loudly, fist-pumping in the air in triumph.
The eagle—Trystan—opened his large, golden beak, and let out a loud, shriek; I could almost imagine him saying, “Yessssssssss!” in celebration. He beat his wings furiously, gaining air before he shot like a bullet into the sky, where he swooped and circled, happy for his newfound, winged freedom.
The ground rumbled again, but I ignored it as I stared up at Trystan in the sky, feeling teary and emotional. I easily recalled the expression on his face when he described how much he missed the sky, the flight…and here he was, on eagle’s wings, soaring high above us.
“He’s amazing!” I called gleefully, clapping my hands together as eagle-Trystan made a swooping, dive-bomb descent, nearly crashing into us, but pulling up at the last minute. Eagle-Trystan let out a shriek, that almost sounded like a chuckle.
“Hey, birdbrain! Go check out the perimeter, ya fuckin’ showoff!” Bash called into the air, waving into the sky wildly.
Trystan hovered in the air briefly, slowly beating his massive wings, before slowly dipping down. He cautiously lowered himself almost to my eye level.
I beamed at him, still riding the emotional roller coaster, until I caught a glimpse of his huge golden talons on his large, yellow feet.
Trystan seemed to understand and somehow, he retracted them, while still hovering in the air, the beat of his wings pulsing an easy breeze around Bash and me. Can all birds do that? I wondered, watching him in amazement. I doubted it; must have just been the shifter-magic.
“Can you hear me?” I asked, cautiously searching his eyes for any sign of the man I’d just made love to a short time ago. He blinked, and inched his way closer, and I got a better look at his green eyes. Green? I thought eagles had yellow eyes?
Obviously not this eagle, because upon further inspection, they were all Trystan. Same color, same impish glint.
“Awesome, man,” Bash said, grinning widely.
Trystan let out an eagle cry, a soft one—well, as soft as it could be, it still pierced my ears. He bowed his head carefully, and I didn’t flinch as he bumped my nose with the soft feathers of his head. I closed my eyes, still grinning, as we touched foreheads.
The feathers on his wings ruffled as he beat them again against the air, and took off into the tree line, disappearing quickly as he reached the opposite end of the property.
“Should we—?” I pointed questioningly in the other direction, but Bash rested a hand over my finger, shaking his head.
“He’ll make two laps back and forth, before we can even get to the other end. We just…wait.” Bash instructed. “Though you probably should go get some clothes on.”
I glanced down at my scanty attire and groaned. “I should probably find my dress.”
Bash peered at me from the corner of his eye, scanning me up and down. A dimple began to appear in his cheek when he started to grin. “Glad the amulet worked,” he said, before again turning serious. Or trying to anyway; his sidelong smile betrayed him.
I forced an uncomfortable smile. “Um…yes, it did.”
Bash chuckled. “You don’t need to be ashamed. We all knew what could happen. But maybe go grab that dress while we wait for Trystan, huh? The shaking seems to of settled down for now.” I nodded in agreement and darted back into the barn. The trap door to the shelter had been left up and lights on, so I quickly clomped down the stairs to search for my dress. I griped in frustration, because it was easily found at the end of the bed. I quickly replaced Trystan’s clothes with the dress, leaving them on the bed for him to grab later. Trystan really didn’t try very hard to find it, I mused in my mind. Almost like he wanted us to be found like this.
Huh. Who knew? Eagles liked to brag. Well…maybe lots of people knew but I didn’t so… there.
I didn’t find my bra, but it’s not like it did much anyway. I smoothed the dress around my body and raked my fingers through my hair, trying to give the appearance of somewhat put together. When I emerged from the barn, Bash was standing just outside the doorway, with Mathias and Xander. Both new sets of eyes peered at me questioningly when I emerged. Another booming crash sounded, and the sky was illuminated briefly in a dark, deep purple.
Mathias shoved his car keys into his pants pocket, staring above in shock. Xander eyeballed me carefully, raising a brow. “Where is Trystan?” He asked, his interrogating tone more low than normal.
Trystan took that moment to swoop from overhead, pulsing a beat of wind just above them, swishing our hair.
“That’s not—” Mathias began, but his question was answered when Trystan hovered over the ground nearby, and shifted back into his burly, Scottish self.
Both Mathias and Xander’s mouths fell open into huge, gaping maws of shock, as the eagle-shifter flashed a smug grin at them; but not before winking pointedly at me.
Mathias and Xander glanced at me slowly, mouths still agape.
“Umm…amulet works?” I offered, blinking my eyes innocently.
Xander snorted. “I’ll say it does.” He glared down Trystan as he pulled his jeans back on, covering up his naked bottom half. He began to stalk off towards him, expression grim, but Mathias jut out a hand, stopping him.
“Not the time, or place,” Mathias grumbled.
Xander reluctantly sighed and stepped back. “Not like we didn’t know this would happen.”
“Jealousy later, guys,” Bash instructed sternly. “Trystan, what did you see?”
Trystan walked over to us, brushing the skin of his biceps with his opposite hands. “Two cracks in the sky. One is a wee larger than the other, towards that way—” he pointed towards the way of Sammy’s cave; I think it was west, I wasn’t sure.
I gulped nervously, remembering the words of my grandmother in my “dream vision”. “The sky is opening up?”
Trystan nodded. “Aye.”
Bash lowered his head, raising his temples, squinting his eyes, in concentration. “Okay,” he said, after a moment. “Let’s weapon up, guys.” Everyone started towards the house, but I stood still on the lawn.
“Avie?” Trystan asked, noticing I behind.
“’If the sky opens, let him come.’” I repeated her words with a sort of awkward, ominous tone.
“Let who come?” Bash inquired.
I bit my lip nervously. “I’m not sure. But they’re being sent here to help.”
“Help?” Mathias asked, his voice calm, but his terse features indicated he was anything but. He joined me on the lawn, placing a careful hand on my shoulder as he eyed me carefully. “Who told you that?”
I swallowed again, knowing how crazy it was about to sound. “My grandmother, Igraine.”
“How—?” Bash began, confused, but Mathias raised a hand, commanding his silence.
“Weapon up if you must, but if Avie says this is what it is, it’s what it is. Let’s go, boys. Let’s find out what this help is o
nce and for all.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Xander and Bash had headed into the house, retrieving their stockpile of swords and supernatural stunners from their hidden arsenal, and passed them out. I had my stunner I’d “acquired” from Swarthy, and I held it close to me as we carefully crept through the woods. Bash took the lead, with a light that attached to one wrist, and a sword drawn in the other. Mathias carried Trystan’s weapon and brought up the rear behind me, and Xander took the middle, keeping precariously close to me. Trystan shifted back into his eagle and was flying overhead to make sure we didn’t miss anything. We didn’t want any surprises. Especially if my grandmother was all in my head, and or completely bananas.
“Why exactly are we taking the word of a hundreds-year-old woman in Ava’s mind, again?” Bash asked, concerned as we made our way deeper into the trees.
Xander clomped forward and shoved Bash roughly in the shoulder. Bash protested, glaring at his friend severely. “What’s with that, man?”
“You’re being an ass, Sebastian. We are trusting Avie because that’s what we’re supposed to do, right, Trystan?” Mathias called to the eagle overhead, who let out a shriek of what I assumed was agreement. “We’re protectors now of Avalon, and even though it makes absolutely no sense,” Mathias said, shooting me a penetrative stare, “we have to trust that she knows what she’s talking about.”
Bash paused in his tracks, turned, and gave me a repentant smile. “I’m sorry, Ava. I just don’t do well with without facts. I know if you believe it though, there’s a good reason.”
“It’s okay,” I replied. “I don’t fully know what I’m talking about, but it seems too much coincidence now to be just in my mind. I’ll explain later,” I said, trying to give him a confident smile.
It was enough for him. He nodded and urged us forward, as Trystan in his eagle form swooped up and down, back and forth, trying to keep an eye on both mysterious magical phenomena.
As we neared the edge of the property, the tree line began to lessen, giving way to open land. The area surrounding Wild Township was nothing but fields; the nearest inhabited populace was the smallish town of St. Michael, Minnesota. And that was twenty-some minutes away. It was phenomenal thinking just how private this place was, like we were in our own little world. The more I learned about Bash’s alchemy and witch capabilities, the more I realized that was a distinct possibility.