Magical Midlife Battle （Leveling Up, #8）(57)

I was on them in moments, grabbing the first and flinging her. She hit the nearest wall and fell as I snatched the throat of the other one.

“Get Indigo,” someone yelled. Niamh, now pushing at Ulric. “Hurry, fly and get Indigo. Jessie, let him out to get her.”

I released the back door near him, still holding the woman’s throat. I didn’t plan to rip it out.

Instead, I let my gargoyle push to the surface and take over, replacing fingers with claws as my whole body shifted. I ripped to the side, slitting her throat shallowly like Nessa might’ve done, enough to maim and severely freak her out, but not enough to kill a shifter. It would send a strong message, something the shifters back home had insisted I do.

She screamed and tumbled away, her clothes ripping like mine had just done as she shifted into her other form. A wolf, and a small one at that.

I was back at the first woman, though, picking her up as she was shifting. The flash of heat and light didn’t bother me. I slammed her down as her form grew larger and then turned hairy.

“What the hell…are…you,” I said, battering her animal form against the wall. It looked like a huge hamster crossed with a rat. “A rodent…of…unusual…size?”

I dug claws into her midsection and ripped. That wound would really suck for her.

Clearly no longer an idiot, she lay still, putting up the white flag.

I rose slowly, shedding light from my very pretty gargoyle form, which was also splattered with blood. It was probably messing with everyone’s minds, especially as I opened my mouth, letting saliva drip down, not so pretty at all, and roared.

People shouted and screamed. Banging sounded on the front door, people trying to get out. More than one person yelled into a cell phone.

No help besides a healer would get into this bar, I’d make sure of it. They’d all see what it meant to disrespect a female gargoyle’s claim.

I stalked toward the wolf slowly. She was waiting in a suddenly cleared area between the long tabletop and the booths at the side. Her head was low and her lips were pulled back, revealing her teeth, snarling. She did not intend to put up a white flag, it seemed. She was ready for a challenge.

After cutting out the excess sound in the bar with magic, I stalked closer to my challenger, my toes clicking against the ground. I pumped gushes of magic across the bar, pounding the patrons with it, causing enough pain to induce fear but no more. They hadn’t acted up and so they wouldn’t be punished. They’d get a warning, that was it.

The wolf bristled and then lunged, snapping her teeth. I let that sound be heard. I let her efforts propel her closer. And then I answered.

I met her lunge and snatched her up before launching into the sky. The ceiling was only about fifteen feet high in this area, but it was enough to get her over the tabletop. Her teeth sank into my shoulder as I situated her body and then ripped into her with the claws on my feet. Her howl of pain didn’t slow me down as I turned her and scratched along her sides.

She yelped again, now flailing, trying to get free. I spun and threw her, aiming at a window. She hit it smack in the middle, striking my magic and bouncing off.

The crowd parted around her, hands out, looking down at her landing. I allowed the sound back, panicked screams, shouting. Two people were recording everything.

The wolf lay still. Blood seeped from her side.

I didn’t wait for Indigo. I patched the two women up enough to keep them from dying. The second had been on the brink. Then I shifted into my human form.

“Niamh, Jasper, erase all pictures and videos,” I barked. “Phil, make sure the bar patrons comply with our request to strip away any recordings. Patty wouldn’t want this leaked. Broken Sue, slip out the back and go get that jacket from Mr. Tom so I can wear it. Who knew his disguises might be useful? Have him run back to the house and grab me something else to wear.”

The last shreds of my ruined clothes fell away as I turned and walked back to Austin. He waited

right where I’d left him, his eyes burning with love and arousal and his hands reaching for me immediately.

“Or next time, you could just tell them you are mated…” I wrapped my arms around his neck and closed my eyes as he squeezed me.

“I did. Twice. I didn’t push them away because…I wanted to see the show.”

I pulled the back of his neck, bringing his lips closer. “I was supposed to witness a show.

Kingsley is going to think I’m an absolute menace. At least I didn’t hurt his bar. Or kill anyone.”

Harried knocking sounded at the side door.

“It’s Ulric with Indigo,” someone called, and I released the magic from the bar.

The doors flew open. Ulric fought to get through the crowd, dragging Indigo with him. She looked around wide-eyed before pushing her glasses up onto her nose.

“They won’t bleed out,” I said as Broken Sue struggled through the panicked crowd.

“Oh.” Indigo paused, looking between the two shifters still in animal form. “Yeah, it looks like they’ll live. Should I not bother to heal them? I’d hate for them not to learn their lesson, whatever the lesson might’ve been.”

“Astute,” Ulric said, nodding at her.

“Go ahead and help them if they want it,” I said. “The challenge is over.”

“You guys want these beers, or…” The bartender, Oliver, leaned on the other side of the bar amid the drinks he’d gotten so far.