Slightly Spellbound by Kimberly Frost

really hope that we can get together today. I’m desperate for a slice of The Tammy torte. I dreamed about it last night. And second, I need your advice on firearms.”
    Oh, for the love of Hershey!
    “So as soon as you finish breakfast, can you call me back? Ex-oh-ex-oh. That’s hugs and kisses. I’m not sure if anyone really says that. But I used to see that on Gossip Girl and always liked it. All right, again, in summary, you should get in your car and drive away. But barring that, if Bryn starts calling down the heavens, take cover and use an Aetas spell for protection. Bye for now.”
    For a moment, I stood as still as stone, completely bewildered. I had no idea what an Aetas spell was or how to do one. And why was Bryn coming to Zach’s?
    I checked my messages. There was only one text from Bryn, and it contained two words: All right.
    “Where are the other messages?” I demanded.
    “Flip,” Edie said, and Zach turned the page for her. “What messages, Tammy? What’s she talking about?” Edie asked Zach.
    “Lyons is on his way over,” Zach said.
    “Oh, he is,” Edie said, sitting back in her chair with a smile. “Are you going to shoot him?”
    I glared at her. She had no business egging Zach on. What the hell was wrong with her anyway?
    “Nah,” Zach said.
    “Too bad,” Edie said. “What are you going to do?”
    “I’m going to let things take their natural course.”
    “I see,” Edie said, still smiling. I wanted to throttle her.
    “I don’t see,” I said. “What are you planning to do? To pick a fight with him?”
    He didn’t answer.
    “Of course you are,” I said, bitter as unsweetened cocoa. I really needed some chocolate to settle my nerves. I grabbed my purse and stomped through the living room and out the front door. Hopping up and down on the porch, I contemplated texting or calling Bryn and telling him not to come. But I knew he’d come anyway, and I didn’t want to fight and distract him while he drove. What if he crashed?
    I dug through my purse looking for anything sweet and found two miniature Mr. Goodbars. I ripped off the wrapping and consumed them in three bites.
    Bryn’s superfast sports car roared up to the curb, and I met him halfway down the walk.
    “I didn’t send you those text messages,” I said.
    “I figured,” he said. “But it seems they were true.” He looked me over, and I remembered too late that I was wearing one of Zach’s football jerseys as a nightgown. Waves of Bryn’s magic crashed over me, and it was hard to meet his eyes.
    “Bryn, wait. It’s not as bad as it looks. I didn’t make love with him.”
    “You spent the night here. You slept in his bed,” he accused.
    When I didn’t deny it, he walked past me.
    “What will confronting Zach accomplish? He’s not the problem.”
    “He’s half the problem,” Bryn said, his Irish lilt returning. It always came out when he was really mad.
    He stalked into the house, and I looked around helplessly. I had to stop them. I knew men sometimes needed to let their anger out, but this was too dangerous. Zach could break a jaw with one punch. Bryn could wield magic that sliced like a knife. If they tried to kill each other, they’d succeed.
    “What I really need is a tranquilizer gun.” I spotted the hose. Or that , I thought. Crashing sounds exploded from the house as I ran to the spigot. I spun the knob and dragged the hose up the porch steps.
    Halfway across the living room, I ran out of hose. I pointed the nozzle toward the kitchen and blasted the guys with it.
    They jerked apart, sputtering, but Bryn muttered a spell and Zach yanked off his shirt. I felt Bryn’s spell ricochet off Zach’s amulet. It slammed into Bryn, who doubled over. Pain sliced through my chest. I dropped the hose, gasping.
    The amulet glowed purple and gold. I hiked to the kitchen, shielding my eyes from the bright light. Bryn rubbed his chest, eyeing the medallion. He whispered and his power reached out to the other