Magical Midlife Dating (Leveling Up 2)

“She has plenty of instruction—we were talking about this earlier,” Niamh said. “She has a senile vampire who found a magical book among the petunias that he can barely decipher. I’d say that’s her sorted.”

“You are reacting to your surroundings, as you always have,” Austin said, “but now your feelings are manifesting magically. Thankfully, you have a shining character and a good heart, because you sent everyone to safety while you handled what you deemed a threat against you. It’s what I would’ve done. Actually, this situation provided you with some good, low-stakes practice. A greater threat would have yielded a stronger reaction, and given you are not in direct control…”

“Anything could have happened, and we might not have been enough to set it to rights,” Niamh finished.

“And here I was worried about dealing with annoying old dudes and wearing sexy disco-ball dresses,” I murmured.

“You shouldn’t worry about either of those things. One you handled just fine, and the other…” That vein flared again, and Austin pushed back from the bar, his eyes intense.

“Would look absolutely lovely on ye,” Niamh said. “That, or it’d look like a clown suit. But sure, I can see you pulling that off, too. Ye have the jokes for it, like.”

I gave her a flat look. “Thanks.”

“Let them back in, Jess, and we’ll talk about it.” Austin jerked his head at the pool room.

“Sure, yeah, except I have no idea how.”

“Remember how you call Earl when he’s in his stone form?” Austin said. “You just think about what you want from him, right?”

“Ye’ve gotten good at that one.” Niamh pushed her empty glass forward for a refill. “That gobshite is changing in and out all the time these days, wantin’ to fly for this and that. He’s a little too excited, if ye ask me. It’s gone straight to his head and corroded what’s left of his brain.”

“Give them the all-clear, Jess,” Austin said, magic riding his words, a command hidden in their depths.

Instead of wanting to resist, like earlier, I fell into his power and command, letting him guide me. He might not have officially signed up for the alpha role, but he was a master at leading the people in this town. He could curb their behavior or bolster them, depending on what was needed to create a thriving magical society. I could learn a great deal from him, even if I just applied it to the current protectors of Ivy House. Getting Niamh and Mr. Tom to stop bickering would take all of what Austin knew, I was pretty sure.

I was lucky to have him for leadership, Niamh for battle strategy, Edgar for hunting lessons (I’d insisted he stick to theory) and reading that book’s instructions, and Mr. Tom for managing the house (and me) and teaching me close combat. That was a great start, but I still needed someone who knew something, anything about the practical application of my magic. Someone who could guide me to use it in increments—like the people who’d grown up with magic had learned to use their abilities. And I needed a safe place in which to learn, away from a bar full of people I, thankfully, hadn’t harmed this time, because in the future I might not get so lucky.

I’d always been a quick study. I was confident that with a little more insight and hands-on instruction, I could really roll with this thing. I would really roll with it. I’d stomp on the Garys of the world, I’d wear disco dresses with confidence, and I’d handle my magic like a champ.

Like I said, goals.

A blast of magic concussed the air and flowed out of me like a wave, rolling out of the bar and across the town and beyond, spreading out like the magical force from earlier. This one felt a little different, but I knew it was doing the same as the last. Summoning aid.

“Ah, Christ, she’s after doin’ it again.” Niamh shook her head. “Don’t tell Earl, or he’ll moan something awful.”

“He would’ve felt that,” Austin said, his expression grim.

Those in the pool room started returning to the bar. At least I’d managed that bit.

“Yeah, I s’pose,” Niamh replied. “Austin Steele, soon we’re going to get visitors. Lord only knows what kind.” She tapped her empty glass. “Get me a whiskey, will ya? I’m goin’ta get pissed. No need to face the future sober.”6Austin sat in his Jeep at the curb in front of Ivy House, staring straight ahead with his hands on the wheel, his knuckles white. He’d gotten as far as shutting off the engine.

He’d sworn he would never answer a magical summons from this house.

And there’d been many of them since the house had claimed him as one of its protectors. He’d ignored every single one. It didn’t matter how strong they were: if they were beating, or throbbing, or pulsing deeply within him, he’d shouldered his resolve and resisted the pull.