Insatiable (The Curse of Avalon Book 3)

by Sariah Skye

  “You’re lying, there is—”

  “—Bash?”

  Bash promptly grabbed the incubus’ arms and pinned them in back, pointing the stunner at his back. “This shoots to kill, so you know.”

  “This’ll just take a sec,” I said dryly. I walked to the other side of the den of iniquity, ripped off my shirt, and dropped my pants and underwear. Yeah, I was fucking naked in a room full of dudes, but who cared? Especially when it’d help prove my point.

  Besides, I knew my dick was the biggest in the room, so I had nothing to worry about.

  I clenched my eyes shut and willed the shift. Everything pinched and squeezed tightly, it was immensely painful for about three seconds before everything righted again. My legs shrank, and my arms hovered at my sides; now wings. I let out a piercing eagle’s shriek, and buffeted my wings sharply, taking a quick spin around the room. It wasn’t quite big enough for me, but it was just enough to prove my point.

  Glancing down at them through my eagle-eyed stare was weird, but the smell of their terror was palpable still; even more so now. I dipped down and hovered in front of the one incubus and stared him directly in the eyes. He writhed violently.

  Bash slammed the butt of the stunner into his shoulder, effectively stopping him. “One more time asshole and I’ll blow off your fucking nuts.”

  “Dude…” the other incubus’ eyes rolled into the back of his head, and I swore he was about to pass out. Xander slapped him quite forcefully on the cheek and he came to again.

  “We’re not finished here,” Xander glowered, in his ridiculously and surprisingly deep voice.

  Satisfied I’d proven my point, I lowered my wings into a sharp glide, and landed deftly on my yellow taloned feet. I willed the shift back to human, feeling an uncomfortable stretching until my limbs turned back into human ones again.

  “Now ye believe me?” Both incubi nodded quickly.

  I wasn’t shameful about turning around and glaring at him. His eyes shied away from my crotch, and I just laughed. Fucking shitbag. I dressed quickly though before anyone else got any ideas.

  “Good. If we hear any reports of women being victimized, we will kill ye,” I said with menace. “If we hear ye’ve had contact with the witch and not told us—and we will find out—we will kill ye. It’s really quite simple.”

  “Stay out of our way, we’ll stay out of yours,” Xander said. We exchanged nods and released the pathetic cursed demons to the ground. They scrambled away, relieved to be out of our grasps.

  “Another thing.” Bash pulled out two vials of something from his pocket. “Drink this. Each of you. Or else.”

  They quickly nodded, pulling out the corks and downing the liquid inside.

  “That is a contraceptive. Don’t need any women getting knocked up. Not that it’s likely to happen but just in case. It lasts for about a year. After that, I hope you’ll have your lives figured out. But even if you don’t, you are not to ever victimize a woman. Got it?” Bash said sternly.

  “Right—right.”

  “It’s best if you leave town soon; don’t try to contact your families. Your identities are now null; you’re no one. As far as they’re concerned you’re dead. Again if we find out, will kill you.” Bash motioned for the door. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  “Don’t forget us,” I said, pointing at them both. “We have eyes and ears everywhere.”

  They both held up gestures of surrender. I opened the door and started out.

  Bash tossed a couple of vials into the room and they shattered, releasing a black and gray mist respectively. “Immobilizers; they won’t be able to budge until the party is over, and the other was a potion to keep people out.”

  “Good thinking.” I took one last glance at the stunned—literally—incubi, and shook my head regrettably, clicking my tongue. “Maybe we should just kill them. It’s much more merciful then leaving them to their own devices.”

  Bash shrugged. “Maybe. But they deserve a chance at least. It’s not fair what happened to him. Or us.”

  “Right.” I sighed, hoping we wouldn’t regret our mercy. “Let’s get back home, this whole night has given me a headache.” Pushing through the noisy crowd, I was relieved for the cooler air outside. I was nursing a nasty headache, and all I could dream about was getting into a hot bath—don’t judge me. Preferably with a naked, hot blonde. I could soap up those—

  I stopped mid-thought, not wanting to pitch a damn trouser tent all the way home. I grinned to myself though anyway as we walked back to Mathias’ car.

  The events of the night were fruitful, but I was glad it was over. Hopefully we were one step closer to figuring this shite out, getting it over with, and just going back to our lives; whatever that meant now.

  Chapter Thirty

  It took a handful of dizzy teleports, landing in random, unfamiliar places; like in the middle of a city block, or the edge of the woods—before we finally appeared in the yard of the house.

  Home.

  “Do you want to—” Rhys motioned to the door. I’d left my keys in Bash’s leather jacket in the car.

  “Um, actually…”

  “Say no more.” He grabbed my hand one last time, and with a blink we appeared in the living room.

  Everything was quiet. Some of the dogs were sleeping in various spots on the floor, and Mathias was dozing on the sofa, wearing a comfortable gray t-shirt and black cotton pants. His tablet was dark in his lap, indicating that he’d been asleep for a while at least, and he propped his head up with his hand, elbow resting on the sofa’s arm. His dark hair had fallen into his eyes, and he breathed evenly.

  Rhys nudged me. “Go get him.” He grinned widely. “Are you okay?”

  I nodded. “Thank you—for everything.”

  “Not a problem.” Rhys leaned over and pecked me platonically on the cheek before sauntering away into the back bedroom. Before departing he flashed me a playful smile. “Have fun,” he trilled, his voice sing-song.

  Before I woke Mathias, I took a moment to unfasten the Excalibur-dagger from around my thigh, setting it carefully on an end table. Biting my lip, I tiptoed over to the sleeping Mathias. My heart actually leapt in my chest; he was so peaceful and so gorgeous, I almost didn’t want to wake him. But even more than that, I needed to be next to him. I leaned over and grazed my lips over his. “Hello, handsome,” I whispered.

  He stirred. His arms instinctually wrapped around my waist, and he pulled me in, deepening the kiss to straight-up sinful levels. His eyes slowly opened, but were still droopy either with sleep or lust. “You’re home.”

  “Yeah.” He pulled me into his lap, bending his face to mine.

  “Everything okay?” He asked, his voice was raspy and thick from sleep; it just made him sound that much sexier.

  “Yeah, we found the incubi. I don’t know what happened after that. Xander just told Rhys to take me home,” I said. My heart thudded in my chest when he tilted his forehead to my temple, his mess of hair falling into my face.

  “Sorry,” he said as he started to brush it away, but I pushed his hand aside, opting to do it for him.

  “Don’t be, I love it,” I crooned, and a light blush spread over his cheeks.

  Just minutes ago, I was in a noisy party, two incubi attempting to fondle me and now I was safe, warm, and secure here back home in the arms of my favorite gladiator.

  I was beginning to really, really like all this magic stuff.

  “You’re back early from the club,” I said. I wasn’t sure what time it was, but he couldn’t have been there long.

  “Yeah, Link and Naomi had most things handled. I only had a couple of things to do, a few things to sign. When they heard what was going on, they urged me to go home. Just as well, I was just too worried. I didn’t want you to be here alone just in case.” Mathias slid a hand over my stomach and lightly gripped my left hand. “What’s this?” He cocked a brow.

  “Oh,” I laughed uncomfortably. “Just something Bash
made; the stone detects poison. This was the only finger it really fit on.”

  “Ah. That’s really smart. He just thinks of everything, doesn’t he?”

  I grinned slyly. “What did you think it was?”

  “I—” Mathias stammered, another blush spreading over his cheeks. “You know what I thought it was,” he said pointedly. He coughed lightly, his unease apparent.

  “Don’t worry, Bash was just as uncomfortable with that thought as you are,” I said with a chuckle.

  “It’s not uncomfortable, just…” Mathias sighed. “A few weeks ago, you were terrified to sleep with me. Us. Seems rather foolish to be talking about commitments.”

  “Yeah…” I said, suddenly sullen.

  Mathias appeared thoughtful, his forehead puckering between his brows. “Before all this, did you see yourself getting married? Having a family?”

  Frowning, I shook my head. “Not because I didn’t want to, but it just didn’t seem plausible. I couldn’t get a date, let alone a,” I swallowed nervously, “husband.”

  “What about now?” His gaze was heated.

  “Now?” I smiled uncomfortably. “I guess I don’t know. How would it work, even? Would I eventually have to just pick one of you?” My heart sank at the thought. “I couldn’t.”

  “No, we’d never ask you to do that. At least I wouldn’t.” Mathias slid his hand over my stomach to the curve of my hip, pulling me in closer. “I just know I always want you here.”

  I snuggled in closer to him. “I always want to be here too. We can talk about it later.” Mathias agreed with a slight nod, his eyes eagerly roving the length of my body.

  “You know, this dress is just simply scandalous,” he said. A hand traced gently up my arm and cupped my chin; his thumb lazily stroking my cheek. “It wasn’t easy thinking of you out there, those assholes’ hands possibly on you.”

  “No worries, they didn’t get that far,” I said, stroking my fingers languidly under the outline of his pec, clearly defined underneath the straining fabric, my other arm slid around between his waist and the sofa, tugging him even closer to me. His heart slammed into his ribcage, indicating his anxiety, though outwardly he remained his generally calm self. “You don’t like the dress?” I asked timidly, feigning offense.

  Mathias breathed in sharply, dragging his fingers down my neck, resting just over my breasts. “I didn’t say that.”

  I smiled lazily, as the air between us turned heady and thick with desire. I bowed into him, arching my back slightly, giving him an eyeful of my ample cleavage. Feeling particularly wanton, I sought his earlobe with my mouth, and easily grazed my teeth over it. “If it’s so scandalous, maybe you should help me take it off,” I breathed into his ear.

  Mathias tensed briefly, clenching his eyes shut for a split second; I knew he was getting control of his feral strength. They slid open again partway, his deep brown eyes rimmed with dark red and dilated. The voracious feeling of lust permeated the air and charged every nerve in my body. I fisted a handful of his t-shirt—not an easy feat—still straddling his lap and his already completely hard cock. My grin was seductive and with a gentle tug on the shirt, I pulled his mouth to mine. When he parted my lips with his tongue I let out a quiet moan, stifled by his kiss. It was immediately needy, entirely passionate and all-encompassing; all the events of the day quickly washed away with the intensity of his delectable mouth. His large hands roamed over my body, pressing me even closer to him. He sought my bare leg and smoothed over the soft skin and skirted dangerously close to my core. As it was, with nothing but the fabric of my satin panties and his cotton pants, there was little between us and with a quick tip of my hips, I rutted my clit against him easily, feeling his cock twitch under my heat. I earned a light groan for my efforts, our lips parting to catch a breath.

  In the bedroom, Mathias generally preferred to control the movements; afraid his long length would accidentally cause pain. It never did, but it was sweet that he worried about it. But before hand? He loved being dominated, at least somewhat; he ate up every moment of it eagerly.

  Obliging his innermost desires, I carefully climbed off of his lap, and stood at his side. Reaching around, I found the zipper of the dress, and pulled it down just enough so I could push it down my body, let it slide to the floor, and kick it away. It’d make quite a story when the guys arrived home later but I didn’t care.

  “Ava…” Mathias whispered huskily, kicking his legs off the sofa until he was directly in front of me. He was so massively tall that even in my heels and him sitting, he was near my collarbone in height; but it gave him free access to my breasts. Catching his lower lip between his teeth, his hands and eyes both skimmed me, drinking me in. One hand caressed up the length of my thigh, especially when I propped my foot on the edge of the sofa on the side of him, and he chuckled mirthfully. “Fuck…” was all he said, and eagerly began worshipping my body with kisses, starting with my chest, his tongue dipping into the lacy white cup of my bra, just barely grazing the edge of a silken nipple. I bent into his touch, and needing to feel more, I reached an arm back and deftly unfastened the three hooks on my bra with surprising agility. Quickly I flung it to the side, somewhere on a chair probably. I’d find it in the morning. Mathias wasted no time palming one of my full breasts, bringing it to his mouth to circle the tip of his tongue around the peaking bud until it was fully hard.

  “Oh fuck…” My hands raked through his hair and grasped tightly. I didn’t even mean to do it, everything just felt so good. Really, really good. I instantly regretted it because it was hard. But Mathias didn’t protest, instead his eyes rolled back into his head and he released the longest, most seductive moan I’d ever heard come out of him.

  “Whoa. If I’d have known grabbing your hair would illicit that sort of reaction, I would have done it long ago,” I said, with a flirty giggle.

  His head snapped back towards me, and when his eyes opened again, they were completely crimson. Not lined, not a hint, but nearly blood red. I wasn’t supposed to see their eyes change color unless their emotions were really, really intense—desire being the most intense of all, rage being the second.

  “Are you okay?” I was actually concerned this time; the aura palpitating off him was strange and intoxicating but…

  “Sorry,” he rasped. “You um, found a sensitive spot of mine.”

  I cocked a brow. “Sensitive?” Not wanting to lose the mood, I climbed back into his lap, pressing myself against him, chest and all. I grazed my fingertips over the side of his neck and his eyes slid shut again, and he limply set his cheek against my breasts. Curious, I dug my nails into his skin a bit deeper and he jumped, wrapping his arms around my waist tightly, and sucking in a breath.

  Whoa.

  I scratched just a bit harder, and his breathing hastened, nearly to the point of a wheeze. Mathias was a masochist?

  I skated my hand over his jaw and tipped his chin upward. “Are you into pain, hun?” I asked carefully.

  “I…” his cheeks flushed again, and he shook himself out of a daze, scrubbing hand over his face. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

  My brain processed this new information slowly. “Is this a new development?”

  “Ah… no.” He admitted reluctantly, his eyes shying away from me.

  “Hey.” I brought his gaze upward again and forced him to purposely hold it by keeping a firm grip on his chin. “It’s okay, you can tell me. I won’t judge.”

  “It’s incredibly embarrassing. But… if we’re going to do this…”

  “…this?”

  “This. Relationship. You should know. Just in case it comes out in weird ways… like it just did.” He sighed deeply. He gripped my hips tightly and with no effort, he lifted me off of him, and set me on my knees next to him on the sofa. He tucked a leg under himself and took in a deep breath. I felt sort of anxious sitting here mostly naked, wearing cheeky panties and my boobs hanging out, and he was still fully clothed. Realizing my unease, he moved closer and s
lid his arms around me, enveloping me in his taut, warm body. His brow furrowed, as if trying to figure out just what to say.

  “Well. You, ah, are aware of my past. Gladiator. Fighting. You know how much I hate fighting. I hate the sounds, the smells, and I can’t ever get the sensation of stabbing a sharp blade into someone’s flesh and taking a life out of my mind. I hate it. I live with it every day. Every day. It tormented my every thought, even making it hard to do every day things. It nearly drove me insane…” Mathias paused.

  “Ohhh…” I said sympathetically, feeling my heart crash into my stomach at his sadness.

  “In order to, ah, cope with it,” he stammered, laughing uncomfortably. “I started going to BDSM clubs. As a submissive.” He winced, bracing himself for my reaction.

  The news weighted my mind like I’d just learned the world was a flat Frisbee that cats continuously knocked shit off of and they floated aimlessly into space.

  “So, what was that like?” I finally asked, keeping all hints of judgement out of my tone, because I really didn’t have any. It was shocking and surprising but… it didn’t change anything. “I still love you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  He stared at me from the vicinity of my chest, and gave a small grin. “I am… glad. That’s probably a pretty freaky thing to hear.”

  I shrugged. “I could tell you some things about Bash and Xander that’d make you cringe, probably.”

  He snorted gently. “You mean the fact that they regularly had threesomes, and Bash may or may not have been into Xander at one time? Trust me, I already know,” he said with a playful wink. “They think it bothers me, but I really don’t care. I don’t want to discuss it with them because, um, there are just things you shouldn’t know for sure about your friends.”

  Chuckling lightly, I shook my head. “Guys are weird. Summer and I tell each other everything.”

  “Everything?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Like, who is best in bed and who has the biggest dick?” Mathias kidded.