Austin lunged forward over the bar and grabbed Damarion with both hands, dragging him up and over the barrier. In a show of dizzying strength, he then lifted the huge gargoyle over his head and slammed him down onto the bar, crushing glass and spilling drinks beneath him.
Damarion grabbed Austin, twisting in such a way that he threw him over the bar. But Austin hadn’t released his grip on Damarion, and he pulled the gargoyle with him.
Their bodies knocked people out of the way, sending them reeling, before they both crashed onto the floor. Austin punched Damarion square in the face, the crack making it clear he’d broken Damarion’s nose. The gargoyle was already throwing his own punch, though, and it landed on Austin’s jaw with a pop that made my knees weak.
Adrenaline blasted through me.
“Go,” I yelled at everyone backing away from the two men. A pulse of my magic sent everyone scattering for the pool area. Everyone this time, including those on the outskirts.
I magically yanked the bar doors closed, apparently not needing to be in Ivy House for that sort of trick to work anymore, and slid a magical barrier between the pool area and the bar to keep everyone put. Well, everyone but me and Niamh.
Austin smashed his fist across Damarion’s face. But Damarion didn’t look like he felt it, as he threw Austin off him, sending him crashing into the wall. Austin slid down halfway before bouncing up, but he wasn’t on his feet for more than a moment before Damarion was up and plowing into him.
They hit the wall, shaking the whole place, exchanging punches faster than two boxers in the ring. Fear gripped my guts. I’d never witnessed this kind of intense brutality close up between people I knew and cared about.
My mind snapped back to the million or so schoolyard fights I’d broken up. Other mothers would scream and wring their hands, leaving me to wade in and shove everyone aside. Of course, those kids had been weak and easily controlled—these man-kids were a force to be reckoned with.
Screw it.
I pushed forward, determined. Niamh plucked at my dress to keep me still, but I shrugged her off, hoping none of my lady bits fell out.
Austin landed a punch to Damarion’s ribs. Crack.
“Enough!” I shoved my hands apart, magic blistering within the room.
Austin’s hand flung sideways, and he jerked back from an invisible force—me. Damarion struggled to push through and get at Austin, but he only hit hard air.
“Stop!” I kicked off my shoes, needing to be grounded, and stepped up to the dueling alphas. They kept fighting my magic, and it felt as though they were scratching my flesh.
“Enough!” Electricity crackled. Sparks flared. My rush of anger filled the room to bursting. “You’re acting like children! Knock it off.”
Damarion stepped forward, shoving the wall of my magic. Austin slashed the air, shattering my hold entirely for an instant.
I gritted my teeth and strengthened the magic wedged between them, the wall now spitting fire if they reached forward and touched it.
Damarion, his whole body flexed, his eyes on fire, dropped his arms to his sides, responding to my force. But Austin pushed forward, his jaw broken, his determination unshakeable, his power still trumping mine. I hadn’t learned enough to best him.
My jaw ached from how hard my teeth were clenched together.
“Please, Austin,” I said, appealing to him as a friend. “I know this is your bar and you have the right to enforce your law, but please stand down just this once. For me. I need him.”
He cocked his head, cracking his neck, his gaze never leaving Damarion. His fists clenched and his pecs popped. The dark side of his beast had emerged, and I knew he felt the compulsion to sink down into it and fight until a victor emerged.
I could not bear to see him destroy or badly wound a man who had saved my life.
“Please,” I whispered, the bar dead silent, my words carrying.
A tense moment trickled past, adrenaline still coursing through me. I wasn’t sure what I’d do if he refused.
“Get. Him. Out. Of. Here,” Austin said at last, each word clipped as though it had cost him great effort. “Now.”
The dam burst, and I pushed my way out of the bar, shoving Damarion in front of me with my magic. As we left, I released the spell holding everyone else in the pool room. I needed them to rush back into the bar so Austin had something else to focus on. He wouldn’t lose his mind and chase after Damarion if his customers, his friends, needed his attention.
“There are rules here,” I yelled when we got outside, my anger and fear boiling over. I grabbed Damarion by the lapel and shoved him backward. Only my magic made it possible. “There are rules in this town. Is that why you took me somewhere else for dinner?”