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Augustus needed to approach the subject of her curses and how he could help break them in a delicate, non-threatening way.
Mara had proven that acting like a protective caveman wasn't the way to win her over, and he wanted her to trust him and his magic enough to let him help.
Augustus needed to deal with the fucking Druids first, or they would continue to harass him, and he didn't have the time for that particular drama. He didn't know if he had time for the specific drama that was waiting on the front step of her teashop either.
Augustus ignored the tingling in his lips as Mara spotted him and smiled. She was in a jaunty red overcoat, the same color of her lips and the blush over her cheeks.
"How's the hangover?" he asked, trying to sound more relaxed than he felt.
Did I kiss you the other night?was not a polite way to start a conversation, especially if she hadn't reciprocated the sentiment.
"Hangover is gone after lots of sleep. Thank you for the food. It did make me feel better," she said. "So where are we off to?"
"Swanston Street. We've been summoned by the Druids. It would seem Seamus has sulked to Connor, and I need to clean up the misunderstanding before they annoy me too much," Augustus replied.
"Why? Seamus shouldn't remember me at all from the alley. Besides, I thought you said you had a truce with the Druids," Mara said.
"I'd say Seamus remembers me and thinks that I gave him the ass whooping. I need Connor to know the truth, especially if his son thinks it is okay to harass women. And I do have an agreement with the Druids. Connor took over from his dad about eight years ago after a regrettable incident involving a possum and a dog."
"You better spit out the story before we get there. I don't want to be walking in blind."
"Worried I wouldn't be able to protect you from the scary Druids?"
"Trust me, Augustus, I'd be able to protect myself. My boxing skills aren't the only card I have up my sleeve." Mara had a wicked grin on her face that made him feel worried, curious, and slightly aroused all at once.
Augustus decided there was no harm in telling her. After all, Connor or his son was bound to bring it up.
Augustus's most recent disagreement with the Druids had been with Connor's father, Brennan. He'd held a grudge for years against Augustus, considering him too big for his posh English boots, so he'd started a slur campaign to try and create a mob brave enough to either lynch the sorcerer or chase him back to England.
In the beginning, Augustus had tried to politely explain that Melbourne's magic prevented him from leaving, and even if he could leave, it wouldn't be because of an Irish loudmouth forcing him to.
This escalated to a public row at Brennan's house in Kensington, where the feisty Druid crossed a line and tried to use magic on Augustus.
Tired of his shit, Augustus had turned him into an angry possum. What neither of them could anticipate was that Brennan had trained his mastiff to hunt small creatures, and the night had ended with a bottle of whiskey, Connor and Augustus signing an agreement to never use magic against each other again, and a shoebox filled with what remained of Brennan being buried in his back garden.
Mara's laughter was loud and horrified when he finished. "No wonder they are angry with you."
"That was only the most recent incident. Connor is fine. He keeps the Druids out of my way, and I stay out of theirs."
"And you thought the other night was worth breaking the agreement over? I told you—"
"That you didn't need my help, yes, I know. I didn't use magic, so I haven't broken anything. But if it had come to that, yes, I would've broken it and done a hell of a lot more if they'd hurt you in any way," Augustus said.
Mara looked shy and awkward as she glanced up at him. "Thanks. Not many people would do that for someone."
"Decent people would. Connor needs to know how his son acts when his father's not around. Are you hungry?"
A statue of a traditional Druid looked down his long nose at them from his knave in the side of the building as Augustus and Mara crossed Swanston Street and stepped into a warm café.
"The food here is excellent if your appetite is back," Augustus said.
"My appetite never stays down for long. Saints need to eat a lot to counteract all the energy they use," Mara explained before ordering a latte and salad wrap. Augustus filed this fact in his growing mental folder of 'Saints and their magic' before he ordered his own lunch.
They sat down at the back of the café and had only just received their coffee orders when the kitchen door opened.
Connor was a brawny widower in his forties that had a decent enough temperament when he wasn't dealing with family bullshit. He gave them a nod in hello.
"Come on back, Vance. We need to talk."
