Magical Midlife Love (Leveling Up 4)

“Yes,” I said, sensing the truth in that. People would continue coming if they thought we were weak or lenient. “I just wish we were fighting Elliot Graves so we could end this once and for all.”

“If this goes how I think it’ll go,” Sebastian said, “Domino Kinsella won’t be the only one who hears the message. We ready?”

Austin turned off the engine and swung his legs out the open door. Apparently we’d be walking a ways.

As if hearing my thought, Austin said, “I want them to see what the big, hairy beast in the back is as he is running at them.”

“Yes. That will be a better approach.” The basajaun’s hair bristled, making him look just that much bigger. He crawled out over the back of the car. “Should I go now?”

“No.” Austin stripped off his shirt. “Jess and I will make the first approach. When they attack, we counter.”

“Miss Jessie,” Sebastian said, grabbing my arm. “Remember that shield spell we went over. Use it. Keep it around you at all times. It’ll keep his spells off you.”

I nodded and pulled it around me right then. Austin slipped out of his pants and immediately changed into his polar bear form. He started forward, and I kept pace, walking with my head held high, my body brimming with magic. Time to show Kinsella the goods. Maybe he’d be smart, apologize, and leave.

Fat chance.

Kinsella’s people watched us approach, having created a funnel for us to walk down—a funnel that closed in behind us as we passed them, separating us from the basajaun. My heart beat faster, the pulse joined by Austin’s. Our link was not just from Ivy House now, but from the strengthening bond growing between us. It comforted me. Energized me. Gave me just a bit more courage.

“He isn’t even trying to hide that he’s an animal anymore, hmm?” Kinsella gave Austin a look of pure disgust as we approached.

“Just like you aren’t trying to hide your ridiculous taste in clothing. What is that, a nightshirt?” I stopped just before the gazebo. My people weren’t far away, having stopped at the base of the hill to keep out of sight. I looked around. “No champagne? When I show up to dinner and dancing, I typically expect some sort of libation.”

“I likely won’t get any sort of status boost when I kill you and all your animals, but at least I will let Elliot Graves know that he is nothing. There is some consolation in that.”

“You sure do know how to make a woman feel treasured. Speaking of, where’s your date? Or have you put away the Viagra for the night?”

His eyes narrowed slightly, and I actually found myself laughing.

“Struck a nerve with that one, did I?” I laughed harder.

“I will enjoy killing you,” he spat.

“Actually, you won’t even enjoy trying.”

He threw out his hands, a zip of light speeding through the air at me. I braced myself, but the shield took it easily, the spell like one I’ve used before, but with more bells and whistles.

His spell bounced off, fractured, then enhanced, increasing in power as it sprayed back at him. He screeched and dove out of the back of the gazebo. Two of his people, waiting behind him, threw up their hands as the spell sliced right through them. He’d shot a nasty spell at me, and an even nastier one had been sent back.

Austin stood up on his hind legs and roared, the sound rumbling through the ground and crowding the air. Everyone in the area flinched and then cowered, unable to help themselves. A loud bang came from the banquet door. It flew off its hinges and tumbled onto the walkway. Men and women in black poured out of the door, all dressed the same, holding weapons and moving with lethal economy. Magical mercenaries.

An answering roar rode the tail of Austin’s call, and then the basajaun launched himself into the fray, his long legs and hairy body quickly eating the distance between him and the enemy. He was at the gazebo in no time, his large teeth flashing, his arms swinging, and the enemies’ eyes rounded comically.

“It’s Bigfoot!” someone shouted, the pitch much too high for a man but coming from one all the same. “It’s Bigfoot, save yourselves!”

Kinsella swallowed down a potion as the invisible people around me rushed forward, firing spells at us. Austin lowered and rushed right, out of my protective bubble and not worried about it. He swiped a woman with his great paw, smashing her to the side, before lunging forward and biting through a man’s face.

My belly rolled and I turned away, my defensive spell doing my work for me. Even still, I zipped off a few more spells as the basajaun scooped someone up, bashed their head on the ground, and then threw them over the lip of the hill. He charged someone else, who immediately reduced down into a little ball of person, his arms over his head, shaking. He wasn’t going to try to defend himself, too scared of the giant beast charging him. The basajaun’s laughter at what he perceived a great joke made his incredible violence that much more gruesome.