Page 28 of Magical Midlife Rescue (Leveling Up #11)

SEVENTEEN

Jessie

The next day, Broken Sue and Tristan waited for us in the living room of the suite.

Aurora sat on the couch, able to inject herself into the situation because of family status.

She’d chosen to hang out with us over her dad because we were, apparently, the more interesting party.

I wasn’t sure about that , but we were certainly the less organized.

Mr. Tom was in the bathroom, working around Austin to finish straightening up after taking over my makeup application.

He’d also taken over my wardrobe selection, even though we’d collectively chosen the pantsuit and matching accessories in O’Briens.

Clearly, he was trying to ensure he was needed at all times; I supposed he hadn’t forgotten being left out of my affairs in Kingsley’s territory.

I stopped in the middle of the room and pointed at Broken Sue. In the past, he’d apologized for giving me a once-over and declaring I was fit for a professional setting. It had been a habit of his as a former alpha. Now, his expertise was truly needed.

He gave me a small grin. Following Aurora’s lead, he’d been allowing more expression in my presence, as they clearly thought I was beyond saving. He inclined his head. Checks out. Or maybe good to go . Hell, it could’ve been close enough , and I’d be none the wiser.

“You look great, Jessie,” Aurora said, her eyes glittering. She was laughing at me. “Very boss bitch. You’ll fit in perfectly.”

“Well.” Tristan wiggled his hand. “With your crew, I’m not sure about the fitting in part…”

I rolled my eyes at his teasing, making him laugh.

Mr. Tom came bustling out. “Now, let’s see, how about some coffee? No, what am I saying—you sometimes get jittery when coffee and nerves collide. Tea? Water? A laxative?”

“You’re worried about her being jittery, but the sudden urge to crap herself is okay?” Tristan asked incredulously.

Mr. Tom scoffed and waved his hand. “I meant chocolate. Austin Steele’s pulses of power have me addled. Would you like a chocolate, miss?”

“No, I’m fine, thanks.” I slipped on my heels.

“It’s customary for alphas to go barefoot to meetings like this,” Broken Sue said. “In case there’s a heated debate leading into a challenge, the alpha will want to change as quickly as possible.” He half turned to Aurora. “Unless things have changed?”

“Susan is correct,” Aurora said, and I snickered at the name. “Alphas of this caliber rarely challenge in a professional setting like this, especially since my dad knows them very well, but it’s a custom and a precaution.”

“Austin told me all that.” I stopped by the window with my hands clasped behind my back, looking out but not seeing anything.

Spells were whizzing through my mind. “I don’t need to shift to be deadly—I just need my hands.

I can smear an attacker across a wall.” I turned back to show how serious and a little horrified I was by that.

“I can literally smear a person across a wall. It sounds so gross.”

“Then why did you learn how?” Tristan asked with a lopsided smile. He tended to enjoy gruesome things. A big lover of Halloween, that guy. It was a wonder he didn’t make friends with the dolls and gnomes.

I turned back to the window. “Honestly, each spell was more horrifying than the last, and I couldn’t stop myself.

It was like watching a car accident. I wanted to turn away, I didn’t want to see the carnage, and yet my eyes were glued.

I learned half the spell book before the nightmares started getting bad. I haven’t returned to it. Yet.”

I didn’t see their reactions. They were probably talking among themselves without words.

“I can slice off a head.” I cut my hand through the air. “Just slice it right off. It’s supposed to be a clean slice, too. It takes a lot of power, so I’d really only have the one go with it. If I miss, it’d probably be curtains because I wouldn’t have the energy to keep fighting.”

“Why would you use all your energy on one person?” Broken Sue asked.

Tristan’s answer was haunted: “In case you’re up against a revenant.”

I nodded, my back still to them. “Or a vampire in its prime. Or countless other magical species that I wish I didn’t know about—the book gave some examples.

I tried the spell on a big tree, and it cut about a quarter of the way.

The original basandere had to carry me back to Ivy House.

After she nearly stomped on me, that is, thinking I was an enemy. It drains me that much.”

“What kind of species did it name?” Tristan asked, his voice guarded.

“You were probably listed.” Aurora’s tone held humor. She didn’t care what Tristan was any more than the rest of us did.

“Watch yourself, monster,” Broken Sue teased Tristan. “If you step out of line, she can kill you without batting an eye.”

Tristan huffed. “She’s already almost killed me, and that was by accident. If she wants me dead, I’ll first ask Mr. Tom to make my favorite coffee drink, and then I’ll say goodnight.”

I scoffed, then turned in confusion when no one else scoffed with me. Broken Sue was nodding, like that made perfect sense, and Aurora didn’t show any sign of tension—evidently, she believed them.

“What’s this now?” Mr. Tom said. At least someone had sense. “You have a favorite coffee drink?” he demanded of Tristan. “And here I am making all these other things. What is it?”

Never mind.

Austin emerged from the bedroom in a black twill suit with a black silk shirt underneath. His leather dress boots were polished to a high shine, and gold-and-diamond cuff links, matching his watch, gave the black on black a stunning bling.

“Boots?” Aurora lifted an eyebrow. “Those are even harder to get off than regular shoes.”

He was making a statement, then.

“I’m already painted as reckless and volatile.” Austin adjusted a cuff link, dapper as all hell and so incredibly handsome. “Unpredictable. I’m wearing boots in good faith. They’ll know I intend to mind my manners.”

“Does my dad know?” Aurora asked.

“No. I’d intended to follow custom, but Jess’s reasoning made me think harder about it. This is the right message. I should’ve planned this all along.”

Aurora’s slightly narrowed gaze swung to me.

She was thinking that through. A lot of her shifter customs were being challenged in the convocation.

Instead of resisting, she was analyzing and, in many cases, opening her mind to different perceptions.

She was an intelligent and driven young woman.

Even though I was new to the family and probably didn’t have the right to be, I was so incredibly proud of her.

“Not to mention, if something kicks off, you won’t have to get up from your chair.” Tristan laughed. “Jessie will freeze the room or just blast them all to hell.”

Austin smirked. “There is that. It can’t hurt to show the trust I have in my mate’s dangerousness.”

The rest of our group waited out front. Every alpha was allowed ten people with whom to show their team’s strength and power.

We were exceptions. There were a lot of rumors about the convocation, and these packs wanted some assurances.

Or maybe they were just curious. Regardless, we’d show up with a larger force, bringing shifters, gargoyles, and my whole crew.

Broken Sue stepped to his position in front of the line of shifters, a row to the right and waiting next to the railing on the walkway. Tristan sauntered to his spot in front of the gargoyles. Both lines were crisp, stoic, and polished.

And then there was the Ivy House delegation.

“What…” I put out my hands in utter bewilderment.

They were all over the place. Dave was standing down the walkway next to the wall, Indigo and Edgar leaned way over the railing to see the flowers below, Niamh was waiting by a maid’s cart and clearly thinking about taking something…

Only Hollace was where he should be, pushed out from the other lines, my crew partially in front of the others.

His hands filled his pockets in his stylish cream suit, not the color we’d agreed upon.

“Did we not practice this?” I ground out, not supposed to show emotion but unable to help it. “Get in line!”

“Edgar, hurry, it’s starting!” Indigo twisted to look at me, shoving the vampire as she did so.

“Whoa!” Edgar’s feet swung into the sky as he tipped over the railing. He tried to hold on, but he was falling before he could get purchase. His nails scratched against metal, and then he dropped into the bushes and flowers below with an oomph .

“Oh, no. Shoot!” Indigo scrabbled over the railing after him.

“No, Indigo, save yourself!” Edgar shouted.

“Don’t go after—” I began, but stopped as Indigo leapt from the second-floor walkway and into the bushes.

“It’s okay, I heal fast!” she called up.

I sagged, not daring to look or even allow myself to feel Austin right then. What a mess he’d shackled himself to.

“Right. Great.” I shook my head, at a loss.

“At least we get to be in the gargoyle line,” Ulric said out of the side of his mouth to Jasper, who nodded. Tristan’s fierce gaze darted that way, silencing the two.

“Okay—let’s…” I waved my hands, trying to bring everyone in. “Come on. Get in line. Niamh, put that back. You don’t need any more toothpaste.”

“They’re the best size for traveling, sure,” she protested. “I could just call the front desk. This saves everyone the hassle.”