“Will you come work for me?” he asks.
I had considered it for a while, but Mystica has a much better offer. “No, I think I'm going to head to the Food Curse Investigation Division. There's a class coming up soon.”
Being able to use this weird power to help other people like Brandon really excites me. Besides, the more curses I eat, the less I have to worry about someone else hurting the ones I love.
Brandon takes my hands in his and smiles down at me. “You're going to be amazing.”
“What about you? Is everything settled with Fortuna?”
“Uncle Viktor and his associates have confessed a lot of dark deeds for the Fortuna family.” This is a huge mess that affects all the major Kitchen Witch families. “Heard your sister got into the Academy.”
“I was going to tell you that later,” I say with a laugh. But of course he'd know something like this.
“They let her wait a semester so that Al can attend the bad kitty familiar school at the same she starts classes. Your grandmother made sure to let my sister know that this was her last chance at redemption. If she leaves the Academy, she’ll have to face the consequences of her curses.”
Al was touch and go for a while after the huge fight. He'd taken several curses thrown at Melanie, and that helped clear most of the worst of his record. Of course, he still had to be retrained on attacking non-magical people, but it's a gray area after all since I had magic all along.
Melanie made sure to keep that part from him, though, so he'll actually focus on training and not try to escape his responsibilities.
“And your family?”
“They’re under investigation, but I’m sure they’ll weasel their way out of it somehow.”
“I heard it’s a solid case,” he mutters under his breath.
“What was that?” I love teasing him.
Mystica already told me that he’d filed charges on my behalf in order to compensate me for my pain. A part of me thinks I should be upset about it, but it’s freeing to have their chains off me. None of them can sign my name ever again. Baba Yaga kept her promise.
“Did I fulfill all your expectations?”
“What do you mean?”
“Pancakes. Fried chicken. A date.” He smiles at me and the heat rises in my cheeks as tension suddenly explodes between us.
“Not everything.” I smile and tug him down for a slow, burning kiss. I sigh in contentment. I pull away and nip on his earlobe. “I still have to get revenge, remember?”
“For what?” he asks as he puts his arms around my waist.
“For tricking me with that kiss,” I say. “I still owe you for that.”
“I'm looking forward to it,” he says with a smile as he kisses me again, stealing my breath and making my heart slam in my chest. Damn. I could really get used to this.
“It could be really bad, you know.”
“Hmm,” he says and kisses me again.
The water splashes against my calves and I realize the tide is coming in, but I don’t want to move.
“Do you know how you want to get back at me?”
“No,” I say, breathless.
“Then why don't you take a few years to think about it. Until then, let's stick close to each other so you can take your revenge any time you want.” He lets me go and starts to walk up the beach again.
I stand there, dumbfounded, staring after him. “Hey,” I yell as I chase him down. “Did you just suggest something?”
“What do you think?” His smile makes my knees weak. And so does that arched eyebrow. Since the curse insanity ended, he's smiled more often. Years of pain and fear no longer weigh on him, but you can see the shadow of trauma occasionally.
“A few years might not be enough time,” I say cautiously, holding my breath just in case he takes it the wrong way.
“True.” He puts his arm around my shoulders as we continue our stroll down the beach. “How about a lifetime to get back at me?”
“Is that a proposal?” I ask as my heart pounds in my chest.
“Yes. Don't answer now. I'll ask again properly.”
“Why wait?”
“Because the woman I love deserves to shine. Your family needs to know how important you are to our family and to the world. You are a unique magic user who was mistreated in a declining magic family. You saved the life of a powerful family's heir and blew open a hundred-year conspiracy involving another prestigious family. We'll do this the right way.”
Butterflies erupt in my stomach as his words warm my heart and soul. “You're such a smooth talker. Don't think this gets you out of trouble.”
“I would never dream of it.” He says with a kiss on my forehead. “Thank you for coming into my life.”
He pulls me into his arms and deepens the kiss. When it ends, the warmth in my heart has spread to the rest of my body. “Thank you for loving me,” I say. “Falling in love with you was the strangest, weirdest trip I've ever been on.”
He smiles at me. “I've got the rest of our lives to make it weirder.”
I laugh. Okay, that's true. “I'm looking forward to it.”
Magic and Mayhem Universe
To check out all the side-splitting books in the Magic and Mayhem Universe, go to https://magicandmayhemuniverse.com/
And if you would like to read the book that started all the madness, Switching Hour is FREE!
https://robynpeterman.com/switching-hour/
About the Author
Dawn Montgomery
I met Robyn at a vampire rockabilly concert. She was fanged out in her polka dot pinup dress while I rocked capris and an off the shoulder number. We teamed up when the werewolves invaded and started a dance off. Vamps versus Fangs. Together, we out-snapped the competition, showing our vampire pride. Victory was ours when the morning sun rose over the horizon, and we were the only ones remaining. Turns out, we were the only actual humans at the event.
Is this story true? Only me, Robyn, and the stars know for sure. In all seriousness, receiving the invitation from Robyn to write for her Magic and Mayhem Universe was a step into a world I have loved. The Kitchen Witch Switch is a transition for me from my more serious books into this amazing universe. The plan is to build on the Academy with lots of fun, hijinx, and food hilarity in the coming books. I hope you join me for the adventures.
If you liked The Kitchen Witch Switch, check out some spicier novellas set in the same universe
Kitchen Witch
If you liked The Kitchen Witch Switch, check out some spicier novellas set in the same universe:
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Kitchen Witch, the Collection
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Contains the following titles
Kitchen Witch
A Recipe for Christmas
Vampire Kisses and Chocolate Dreams
The Kitchen Witch Switch Page 15
