Magical Midlife Love (Leveling Up 4)

Desire pooled hot at his future mate’s protectiveness of him, and he constricted his arm, pulling her tightly against him. Her soft moan nearly undid him.

“No problem,” he said, walking forward with her.

“He’s in the center of the room, Mr. Steele,” Janet said. “He chose the table. It seems like…” Her brow wrinkled. “This is just a hunch, but there’s more than meets the eye in that room. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s danger in there I can’t actually see. Mages are underhanded like that. They put up that ward right after I seated him, so they might’ve changed the seating arrangement.”

“You’d be a damn fine asset to my pack, Janet,” Austin said, reaching what felt like an elastic wall. He didn’t see her reaction as he swelled his power and forced another step, then another, the wall trying to keep him put as he continued to push it back. If he was in his animal form, he could tear through this thing no problem. Trying to be civilized about it took a little more effort.

With a last push forward, it felt like the resistance snapped, falling away.

“Sebastian is asking how easy that was,” Jess whispered. The woman she’d magically subdued couldn't be the only watcher, but he couldn’t feel the others at present. Maybe they weren’t close.

“No sweat,” he said as they walked past a potted plant and then the bar on their left, a lone bartender waiting behind it.

“Just follow the alpha back,” he heard Janet say, and felt the rest of the Ivy House crew following them in.

“I agree,” Jess murmured, her fingers moving, her body close to him.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“They clearly don’t know how adept shifters are with scent,” she replied, barely a whisper as they entered the main floor of the restaurant, the lights turned low and candles glittering in crystal holders on each of the square tables swathed in white tablecloths. “They might be trying to intimidate you. They spared some time and power by using potions that only cut out sight. If they ever battle a shifter, they’ll get a rude awakening.”

“More than one,” Austin said.

Their man sat at one of the center tables, his bald head reflecting the light and his black suit a tad big in the shoulders. A beautiful brunette sat on his right, less than half his age, in a dress barely containing her chest. From the way she smiled at him and batted her lashes, she wasn’t a constant in his life and clearly wanted to be. She’d be in it for the money or the power—or both. It couldn’t be about his looks, with his pointed face and big nose.

The tables directly around him sat empty, but clusters of his people were dotted throughout the rest of the space.

“The back wall is lined with invisible mages, and a bunch of people are on the side and at the entrance to the other dining area,” Jess said softly. “The back corner table of six is full.”

Austin glanced there and then away, the chairs pulled out enough to fit a person, whereas the rest of the empty chairs were pressed up close. Pretty obvious, that, if someone knew what they were looking for.

Did they think Jess and her people were stupid, or just incredibly naive?

She gave the mage a tight smile after stopping behind the open chairs opposite him. “Mr. Kinsella, lovely to meet you.”

His shrewd brown-eyed gaze took in her face and then dress, lingering on the necklace. He waved the woman at his side away like a fly. She stood without a word and slunk to one of the back tables. No one joined her.

“Yes. Ms. Evans.” He gestured at the chair in front of him, not bothering to stand for her or show common courtesy. He clearly thought she was well beneath him.

Anger simmered deep within Austin’s gut, but he pushed it down. This was not the time or place to let his feelings for Jess provoke his animal. She could use this contact in the magical world. He wouldn’t get in her way.

He pulled the chair out for her.

“I see you let him through.” The mage didn’t look at Austin. “I didn’t think you’d even know what the ward was, new as you are to magic.”

Jess’s rage boiled again and her hands tightened at her sides. The mage noticed, and a tiny grin played on his colorless lips. He liked that he was getting to her.

“I’ve heard of him,” Kinsella said. “The bear who killed the phoenix, right? Tall tales, of course, but I like fables as much as the next mage.” That watery-eyed stare slid to Austin. Kinsella flinched when he met Austin’s gaze and pulled back into himself, his shoulders rolling forward, compressing his chest. A primal defensive technique to protect the vitals.