Magical Midlife Invasion (Leveling Up 3)

“Who are you?” I asked, noticing he had a glowing, ethereal quality.

His smile was faint, as though he were waiting for me to realize the punch line of a joke. “I work for Mr. Graves. You have been very elusive up until this point, Jacinta. He hoped I might reconcile that. Lovely to meet you. I do so enjoy your woods. I’ve made quite a home here, of late. You really should close the shades in your windows. I had to turn away a few times to preserve your modesty.”Twenty-ThreeMy heart rushed in my ears, but I tried not to let myself feel vulnerable at the thought of this man peeping in my windows. Or angry that he’d somehow blocked me off from Ivy House’s defenses and my crew. He was using a spell, and I needed to find my way around it.

Then I needed to rip him from limb to limb.

“You turn into a deer?” I asked, putting my hands behind my back. I preferred to use them while doing magic, but I couldn’t clue him in.

“No, thankfully. My associate turns into a deer. He’s not much use in a battle, I grant you. He’s probably dead now. If not, he and his band of stupid critters will be soon. They are a mere distraction for the polar bear and…basajaun, correct? You somehow got a basajaun on your side? Did you bed one of his relatives or something? They usually only work with family.”

“That’s super gross, and you’re not forgiven for it.”

“You know, that deer shifter usually isn’t noticed when spying within a wood. It was the glow, wasn’t it? I told Mr. Graves that the glow was sure to give us away. I am sure soon he will remedy that issue. He is exacting, as you can probably guess.”

“A glowing deer is a little odd, yes,” I said, looking this guy over.

Speaking of glow, his was minimal, nothing more than a pleasing effulgence of his skin and clothing. That was probably why he was wearing white, to disguise its presence. If he were wearing black, the glow would’ve stood out like a beacon. As it was, the glow wasn’t nearly as bright as the deer’s. Either it was a more powerful and efficient spell, or it was barely holding everything together.

I’d learn soon enough.

“Oooh.” It struck me that I’d felt this way before—blocked off from my friends, from Ivy House—in the cave prison Elliot Graves’s other lackeys had taken me to. “You’re exploiting another of Ivy House’s vulnerabilities, just like your buddies did a couple of months ago. Damn it. Elliot Graves is good.”

The guy lifted his nose a little, snootily, and spoke, but I wasn’t listening. What sort of spell could cut me off without creating a visual sign? There was no glow around me or the area, no veil draping down through the trees, like the one those mages had used to protect the cave. It was almost like he held one of those electrical things that cut off cell phone transmissions, only this was for Ivy House’s magic.

“Hmm. I sure wish I knew more stuff,” I said, walking toward him slowly, noticing his hands hung at his sides and a little red pocket square was nestled in his jacket pocket.

“That’ll be fine. Just stay right there.” He gave me a stop motion, his elbow pulled in tight to his side and his hand not venturing too far away from his chest. Even so, I could see the spell that engulfed him leave his chest like a sheet and stretch around his hand. How peculiar.

“Right, okay. Well?” I shrugged. “What’s next?”

It dawned on me that I was at a disadvantage in my skin. My gargoyle form could withstand a magical attack much better than this human form. I needed to change. Hell, I needed to start fighting in my stronger form, full stop.

“You know what?” I said, grabbing the bottoms of my shirt and sweatshirt. “I’ll trade you. My body for my freedom.”

I gave him a sultry smile and pulled my shirt and sweatshirt over my head.

“No, that really won’t be necessary.”

“Why not?” I unclasped my bra and unhooked my pants, not the most glamorous of faux seductions, but probably the fastest.

His voice rose and his hands popped out of the glow. I still couldn’t feel it, though. That stupid bubble!

“Stop now, or I will be forced to subdue you.”

I rammed a spell into his body, the zip of it coming together right before it hit him. He shrieked, startled, flinging up his hands to cover his face. The spell hit his ribs as I slipped out of my pants. I changed form, feeling my spell scrabble around the slick potion covering him. It wasn’t latching on. There went the puncture theory.

His eyes widened as he looked at my body. This form really stopped people up short. Catching him off guard could only help me, so I flapped my wings a couple times to get the rainbow effect going, light tracing through the dark patch of air, while I mentally regrouped.