by Sariah Skye
Chapter Ten
I swallowed thickly as he pinned his hands on either side of my head, trapping me with his body from moving. I tried to duck under his arm, but he was surprisingly fast for one so burly, and able to clothesline me easily with his thick arm. I glared at him angrily, trying to choke back the terror ebbing inside; if I flipped out, I couldn’t fight, and I wasn’t going down without a fight. “You won’t do shit, fucker. This is a public restroom, anyone could come in at any time and find you out. Are you that stupid that you would risk using magic in public around people with cell phones?”
Isaak threw his head back in taunting laughter. “Oh, I figured you’d be smarter than that! No matter.” He pressed his body against mine and I cringed; everything about it was wrong. He smelled of sweat with undertones of alcohol permeating his pores. Effectively pinned, he lowered a hand and gripped my cheek tightly, pushing my face to the side and leaned in to inhale deeply, smelling the side of my neck. I gagged.
“You are disgusting, you know that?” I combatted, hoping to make him angry enough so he’d shift, or move. My magic was buzzing and thrumming in the back of my mind, waiting for release.
“I may be, but I’m not stupid. All it took was one little look and a touch of their cheeks, and all the women in line took off when I asked them to.” His putrid breath tickled my neck, smelling like stale cigarettes and…lunchmeat? I wasn’t sure, but it was repulsive. “Being an incubus has its advantages.”
I snorted derisively. “Then why not go after one of them? I’m sure one of them is up for a good time.”
“Ah, because, sweetheart, they’re only good for a quick fuck.” He began trailing his finger down the side of my cheek, and down my neck, resting just over my breasts, and at this close distance they were thrust upward and on prominent display. I tried to shy away from his sneer, but he grabbed my neck forcibly, thrusting me forward. I cried out in both discomfort and disgust. “You, however, I could fuck over and over again, and infinitely feel rejuvenated.”
I shivered violently, the words “fuck” and “you” out of his mouth were a reality check. “I’d rather not, thanks,” I said, trying to wrench my way out of his grasp. He shifted himself to stop me and I took advantage of his brief distraction, and rose my leg to kick him in the crotch.
But he was quick and moved to the side just so I hit him in the hip instead. It was enough, and my magic hit a fever pitch, and an ebb of an unseen force thrust out from my body, socking him directly in the chest and knocking him back onto his ass.
“I’m more than just a cambion, bitch,” I taunted him, spitting on him while he was down and calling for my invisible shield. The air shimmered around me gently as the magic took hold, and I made a beeline for the door. Obviously, I knew he’d see the door open, but it didn’t matter; I just need to evade him long enough to get out the door and into public where I knew Trystan was probably waiting outside—wait, how did Isaak get in because there was no way Trystan would miss that? —and Mathias was just down the hallway.
Isaak cackled loudly, and I dared to look back. He was already on his feet but didn’t attempt run for me; probably too drunk react. Silently thanking the gods for my stroke of luck, I reached for the door handle and quickly flung it open with a loud squealing sound of the hinges. I noticed it before but now I was insanely grateful I didn’t remind one of the guys to fix it.
I was about to bolt when I slammed directly into the rather large form of another tall, burly man. This one a dirty blonde, with murky gray eyes; there was something disconcerting about them that was positively… serpent like. Fighting the urge to cringe, I ducked; hoping to slip past his arms flailing out to reach for me, for something that he couldn’t focus on.
A fist from out of nowhere startled me, hitting me directly in the shoulder and I winced; it was a hard punch, flung haphazardly into the air and unluckily hit me; the sharp pain distracted me just long enough to drop my shield. A second man, this one almost the size of Trystan but a bit more stacked, appeared from behind the first, and gripped my hair at the neck and tugged me into an unnatural position, my shoulder sending sharp knives of pain through my body. I cried out loudly, and he dragged me back into the restroom with his hand in my hair. Cringing, clamping my eyes shut, I tried to call on my magic, invisible or Avalon, but the pain was blocking my thoughts and I produced little more than a brief shimmer in the air. This man wasted no time, bringing me to my feet effortlessly with little more than a tug of his arm and smashed me back into the wall, the force knocking my breath out of me briefly. His friend flanked him, and I was essentially, trapped.
My heart knocked into my ribs with force and my stomach roiled when I realized what was about to happen. I could fight my way away from one man, probably. But three? I’d need a whole lot of luck for that. And if I didn’t get lucky, soon, I was going to become a victim of…I didn’t even want to think of what.
Adrenaline began to surge, hastening my breath. I opened my mouth to scream a bloodcurdling shriek, but the first man pressed his thick forearm into my mouth before any noise could come out, gagging the sound in my throat and stop me from making more. So I opted for flailing and kicking my arms and legs. At least I’d go out swinging.
Still squirming I tried to find the magic again, but I couldn’t; the pain in my shoulder was blocking it from the surface, just like before. And it was made worse when each disgusting man pinned an arm behind me, forcing me to submit.
Isaak licked his lips as I shivered; tears stinging at my eyes. “No…” My words fell silent against the foul-tasting skin of the man’s forearm. Isaak bent over me smelling foul, and licked the side of my neck, his hands coming too close to comfort to my breast, and the other gripped my thigh, lifting it and pushing his body into me.
“Maybe I should get your boyfriend in here.” His voice was dark and poisonous as his unwanted grasp moved up the side of my thigh; I was pinned too tightly to avoid it. His black eyes were rimmed with blood red crimson; anger and lust. “Show him how an incubus does it.”
“He is an incubus, you twatmonkey,” I spat, though my words were stifled.
“Just be quiet, this won’t take long if you stop fighting me, dammit!” Isaak barked. I trembled violently under his words; closing my eyes, the tears streamed openly down my face.
I was helpless. I hated helpless.
Dearest one, you are never helpless as long as we’re here. The faraway voice of my grandmother entered my mind.
What do I do? I can’t call my magic—I’m stuck! I’m being attacked! I replied in panic, my mind focusing on the sound of her voice.
I know, dearest. Avalon cannot be called on with a threat; it’s how it protects itself from falling into wrong hands. But, you’re not alone, this I promise you.
But, what can you do from there?
It is not I that will do something. Her voice trailed off, suddenly faraway again and I was utterly alone once more and completely helpless.
Chapter Eleven
Bash
“Here you are,” I said politely, sliding a brightly colored, fruity drink over the hard counter of the bar to a female patron. I tried not to roll my eyes as the overly made-up, big-haired brunette in the tight black dress slipped her hand over mine, fingertips of her long-nailed hands grazing over my thumb. I offered her a curt smile as she handed me a ten-dollar bill.
“Keep the change, handsome,” she said, her voice low and flirty.
“Thanks,” I said blandly, trying not to encourage her any more than was already guaranteed by my incubus-ness—as Ava would call it. Even before Ava, girls like her did nothing for me; while I didn’t give a shit what a woman chose to do with her body, the heavy makeup and artificiality didn’t do much for me. A little was fine, but this chick was plastic. Nor did I care for the overly flirtatious attitude. Confidence was fine, but this was… too much. I collected the money in my hand and waited for Christian, the other bartender that previously worked here under Morgaine, to finish his
order on the purchase screen. I could use my large tablet to do the same, but it was quite slow tonight for whatever reason; something I’d have to look into later.
“So,” the brunette crooned, swirling the stirrer around in the clear glass. She was determined to get my attention, even after I had moved on to the next customer—I was relieved it was a dude this time. Bad tippers usually, but at least I didn’t have to worry about being ogled. After all the years of being an incubus I never quite got used to it. Mostly because we never knew if it was because of the curse, or if it was really us. Generally, it was the curse. “Do you like sex on the beach?” She purred and I had to stifle a groan; she was making a play by using the name of the drink to get my attention.
I forced a smile at her, cool bottles of liquor in hand, and paused in my concocting the perfect Tom Collins for the male customer. “Can’t say that I have. But maybe I’ll try it sometime with my girlfriend,” I said, exaggerating the word, hoping she’d get the hint; and I was secretly thrilled to be able to say it.
I had a girlfriend. I actually had a fucking girlfriend. Okay, so I had to share her with my “brothers” but I really didn’t mind. Women were fucking complicated and at least I wasn’t alone in trying to figure her out.
The woman’s flirty gaze dropped immediately. “Oh.” She didn’t say anything else and turned on her heels to walk away. Thank god.
“Dude, is she fucking blind?” Christian leaned in to whisper as he passed me for the tall shelf full of various spirits. “Did she not see you stick your tongue down Ava’s throat just a few minutes ago?”
I scoffed and grinned. “Maybe she thought it was part of the show.”
Christian smirked. He was young, probably around twenty-one but he was probably seen as good looking. I wished they’d pay more attention to him and leave me alone. Such is the curse of the incubus.
Suddenly he mouthed words, but nothing came out. My forehead pinched as I watched him speak, my vision suddenly becoming blurred and foggy. Overcome with an abrupt wave of extreme nausea, I stumbled backward. Christian just barely broke my fall before I tumbled into the racks of alcohol; that would have been a disaster. The glass bottle I was carrying slipped out of my grasp and to the floor as I slumped down to the ground, feeling my knees go completely slack and the rest of me weak and listless. What the fuck? The room spun out of control, the purple, blue, and pink lights overhead began to swirl together until everything turned black for a brief moment.
My eyes opened, and I found myself in the middle of…where? I glanced around quickly, the air was thick and heady but not unpleasant. Cool as it touched my skin. Everything was white, and I heard the easy sound of lapping waves against a shoreline nearby.
“Oh, thank the gods you’re here.” A low, unfamiliar feminine voice commented behind me. I was in a heap on the dirt ground, and I craned my head over my shoulder; an ethereal, regal silver-haired woman stood behind me, her arms folded one over the other as the white gown she wore billowed in the gentle breeze.
“Who are—” I demanded, first angry, but then she smiled and I knew exactly who she was. “Igraine.” Ava was a carbon copy of her father, but there was something about the smile of this woman; there was no one else it could possibly be.
“Yes,” she said, holding out a hand. Still somewhat disoriented I obliged and allowed her to assist me back into a standing position. “I’m afraid I don’t have much time for introductions; we must be quick.”
“Quick? Am I dreaming, or…?” I struggled to wrap my head around what was going on. I must have blacked out in the bar while working and was hallucinating. Incubus or not, I was still prone to the same human crap that ailed them, and I hadn’t eaten all day; that was probably why.
“No, this isn’t a dream. You are really here—more or less—on Avalon. I’m using the connection you have with Ava as her protector to find you. I sense it in all of you, but you are strongest; something about your magic…” Igraine tapped her finger against her chin, eyeing me carefully.
I snorted. “Me? Xander is the strongest magically. Mathias is just the strongest. I don’t have magic. I hack things, I make potions; I’m a fucking witch.” Flinching as she smirked, my cheeks flushed briefly with embarrassment. “Sorry.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “Not at all. You are feisty, just like Ava. Exactly what she needs,” she said, with a warm laugh. “But, you do have a magical presence about you. I’m surprised you aren’t aware of it. Hasn’t Merlin obliged you, yet?”
I shrugged. “No… not really. Besides peeking into our rooms while we’re… umm…”
“Making love, it’s okay, you can say it,” she said, with a wink. “That’s what a lot of Avalon’s magic is based on. There’s no shame about it here.” She smirked when I appeared unconvinced—it was strange enough talking about sex to Lancelot about his daughter, now here I am discussing it with her grandmother? Fuck me…
“Well,” she continued. “If I am right, and I usually am, I can feel the magic. It’s subtle because you get your strength from others.”
“I… do not know what you mean. And what does this have to do with anything?” I asked, confused. “I still don’t know why I am here.”
“Ava needs you. She’s being attacked. I can’t say where, but the room is… brightly lit, but I see black walls?”
My heart sank into my stomach. “Oh no—restroom. Let me out of here—I need to—”
“—do not worry, time does not pass here the same as your world. You’ll come to, at the exact same moment in time you left.”
My fists clenched at my sides. “No offense, but I’d rather not take that chance.”
“I know. But you need to understand your connection; it will be imperative in the times to come,” she said, her voice a hint of foreboding.
I raised a brow. “Times to come? What sort of times?”
Her mouth set in a firm line. “War.”
I sucked in a breath. “With Camelot?”
She nodded slowly. “I’m afraid so. You have the power to see it through; you, and Ava.”
“I… don’t follow.”
“You will. I believe you are a siphon; one of the rarest sorcerers ever known to humanity, second only to conjurers. You have the ability to channel the magic of others into your own and amplify it.”
Shaking my head, I laughed loudly. “Oh come on, there’s no way. I would have known that—”
“—it is an ability that usually doesn’t manifest itself until the wielder is older. Tell me, when did Morgaine curse you? How old?” She inquired.
“I was nineteen.”
“And, because of the curse you’ve been generally weakened, your supernatural side, for… hundreds of years?”
I wanted to protest, but she was right. “Yes.”
She smiled knowingly and nodded. “When you coupled with a cambion—Ava—your strength was restored, along with an ability you didn’t even know you had because you were too young to have it. While your spirit is aged, your body is still in its late twenties; long after the time it should have manifested. In the meanwhile, it may have manifested itself in other ways.” Her gaze momentarily focused elsewhere before fixating seriously on me. “You must go, Sebastian. When the time is right, when everything is aligned, we will meet again.”
I nodded; there were so many questions I wanted to ask her, but Ava came first. “Thank you for coming to me.”
“Avalon is always here for you, for everyone. It’s the least I can do.” She frowned severely. “Before you go, though, there is something you need to know. Something that can mean destruction or salvation for Avalon or Camelot.”
“What?” I asked.
“There is a spell. A certain spell recorded years and years ago by my grandmother and carried by heredity over the years. I believe it’s near you somehow but I don’t know where. I can feel it; it has the same magic. But you need to find this spell before Morgaine does, or someone else.”
“What will this
spell do?” I asked.
“It will summon Avalon into full existence; it’ll act as a barrier between your world and Camelot. I’m afraid I don’t know more, I don’t know much about your world. But it’s there, somehow. I’m sure with all your research, you will find it,” she said, with a slight wink. Igraine appeared faraway for a moment. “It is time. Go well, beloved of Avalon. We will meet again for real, soon.” She pressed her hands together like she was praying and bowed gently at the waist. With a flourish of her arm, everything began spinning again, that feeling of nausea returned and everything went briefly black.
Chapter Twelve
Bash
My eyes flew open, I gasped for air desperately. Christian was standing over me, lightly slapping my cheek. “Bash? Are you okay?”
I raised my hand. “No time. I have to—” I struggled to get to my feet, and Christian helped me by gripping my arm. A sense of terror washed over me, shaking me to the very core of me inside.
Ava is in danger. Once on my feet, I struggled to get out of his grasp. “Dude, I have to go!” With a jerk of my arm, stumbling at first until I gained my footing, I hightailed it through the atrium. “Xander!” I shouted urgently, pausing only long enough to wave my hands. “Jian!” I beckoned him loudly in Mandarin, hoping the language would stand out enough to be heard over the loud music. Yes, I could speak fluent Mandarin, thank you; as well as a handful of others. I was a fucking genius, remember?
He looked up, eyes widening; he knew something was wrong. Blocked by crowds of people, Xander made a wide sweeping gesture and pushed outward, and I felt the strong wind he summoned even over here. It wasn’t enough to be noticeable or hurt anyone, but enough to startle them apart so he could run.
“What is it?” He asked, panicked.
“Ava. No time.” He was hot on my heels as I tore through the rest of the way to the hallway, not caring if I shoved or knocked anyone over. Igraine said there was bright light, and black walls: it had to be the bathroom. That’s where Ava said she was going with Summer. I never should have let her out of my sight for a second. I’d beat myself up over that later, though.