Free Forecast by Rinda Elliott

boots.”
    “Billy, you better put me down.” The words caused me to shiver as they came low and gravelly from Taran’s throat. A warning dripped from each syllable.
    “I think you should listen to him.” Grim added as he and Josh walked up to stand behind Billy.
    “Go back to sticking things in your mouth, gay boy.”
    I gasped and so did a few people around us.
    Every muscle in Taran’s body went taut and that fierce energy I’d picked up from him before suddenly spilled so heavily into the room, others must have felt it. People started squirming in their seats.
    “Bad move, Billy,” Josh muttered. “Bad, bad move.”
    Taran’s fist shot out, hitting Billy so hard in the nose, the kid’s thick neck snapped back, and there was an audible crunch that had several around us wincing. Blood splattered Taran, but that didn’t stop him from jabbing Billy twice more until those huge fists released his coat. Billy staggered back, his hand over his face. “I think you broke my nose. There are witnesses here. You’re going down.” He looked around the room.
    “What witnesses?” the other big kid I’d noticed earlier said as he came to his feet.
    Blood splattered the floor when Billy whipped his head toward that table. “Sit your happy tourist butt back down. You have no idea what’s been going down around here—”
    But the new guy interrupted. “You’re right. I don’t live around here, and I have no idea what you have against this guy. All I saw was him walk in, holding hands with his girlfriend, and you attacking him.” He looked at me. “Name’s Magnus.”
    Billy turned that snarl on the guy, but he shouldn’t have taken his eyes off Taran. When Taran stepped forward, the fury pouring off his taut body made me wince. He wasn’t as big, but it was obvious he was more dangerous. I put my hand on his back, noticing that he went instantly stiff before he looked over his shoulder at me, eyebrows raised in surprise.
    “Don’t know why you’re standing up for
Taranis
Breen.” Billy wiped the back of his hand under his nose, leaving a huge smear of red across his cheek. “Everyone around here knows he’s bad news. Killed his own mom when he was little.”
    “Wow, you’re really stupid,” Josh said through gritted teeth.
    Taran yelled and lunged at Billy. Surprisingly, Magnus held him back. By the grimace on his face as he gripped Taran’s arms, it was obvious he struggled more than he expected.
    Guess Billy decided that having Taran held back made him safe. He came at him like a lumbering bull, ducking to drive his shoulder into Taran’s chest. Magnus moved him out of the way.
    “Hey!” one of the restaurant employees yelled as he came running from the kitchen. “Stop it or take it outside.”
    Billy wasn’t listening. It was as if he’d let his anger take over his humanity or his ability to listen...or fight with any sort of brains or finesse. When he rushed Taran this time, Magnus let go so Taran could fight back. Taran smashed his fist into the side of Billy’s face, but Billy’s momentum still took Taran to the floor. I winced when Taran’s head smacked the hard, brown tiles. He tried to twist out from under Billy but was stuck.
    I tried to push Billy off, but it took me and Magnus to roll his leg off Taran’s neck.
    Magnus helped Taran to his feet then smiled down at me, showing very white teeth in his dark face. Noise in the restaurant began to pick up.
    A tall, curvy girl came up to slide her arm around his waist. She studied me closely as she pushed her straight, blond hair off her shoulder. She had a gold beanie on her head that sparkled under the restaurant lights.
    Magnus tugged her close and looked at her as if she’d hung the moon. “This is Mist.”
    Her name was like a punch to the gut. I knew that name from my mythological studies. “Mist?”
    “It’s an old family name.” She turned a smile on Taran, Josh and Grim, who now stood on either side of him. Josh turned a