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The force of the explosion flipped the Bentley onto its side as it careened off the driveway. The blast slammed into Kasey, knocking her off her feet.
She lay on the asphalt, her heart racing. Her eyes searched the ruined vehicle. Flames billowed from the vehicle as it ground to a halt, a plume of oily black smoke rising into the air.
No one could have survived that blast. Even a wizard would have needed time to raise a ward. They would have needed to know it was coming, and even Kasey with her gifts had not considered it a possibility.
She was rooted to the spot as a gurgling scream carried across the yard. She willed her body to get up, but her system was still in shock as Vincent raced past her prone form toward the car. He crossed the driveway in seconds, sweeping his hands before him, extinguishing the blaze with magic, but the scream had already died down.
Kasey knew why. It was too late. Tanner Harrington was dead. The only person who hadn’t been staying in the Villa the night Lester had died. The only child whose innocence was unquestionable was gone. It was so sudden.
The violence of the explosion had clearly shocked James also. He pulled himself to his feet but stood staring at the smoldering wreck still billowing smoke. Still lying on the ground, she tore her eyes from the burning Bentley and looked beneath the town car. Her town car.
Strapped beneath the vehicle was a small package with a blinking red light on it.
A bomb. It had to be a bomb. She couldn’t see a timer, which meant only one thing: someone had the detonator.
She scrabbled to her feet, shouting, “James, get away from the car.”
James looked at Kasey, registering her warning but not moving a muscle. His eyes bulged as he realized the threat.
Kasey raced towards James, grabbed him by his suit, and yanked him past the car. After all, he was just a normal, another pawn in the Harrington machine. A willing one perhaps, but one these psychotic brats wouldn’t lose a minute over killing.
“What’s going on?” James shouted as they continued to run.
“World War Three!” Kasey yelled.
They hadn’t even made it to the edge of the parking area when the town car exploded. The blast catapulted them both forward onto the ground.
A sharp pain shot through her arm as she broke her fall, rolling across the driveway. She felt the tender kiss of the asphalt as it tore at her jacket and slacks. Coming to a halt, she tried to stand but her world was still spinning. Resting her head against the ground for a moment, she sucked in a deep breath. Sweat ran down her brow, as she gasped for air. Pain shot down her right side, and a dozen other minor cuts and bruises clamored for her attention.
“James?” she moaned, fearing the worst.
“I’m not dead, but I’ve been better,” he replied. “Been worse too though so I guess I can’t complain. I haven’t had someone try to blow me up in years.”
“Lester’s will,” Kasey panted. “The old man’s death wasn’t an accident. The wily old bastard expected it. He left his estate to his last surviving heir, which means—“
“They’ll have to kill each other to get it,” James finished the thought.
“It seems that way.” Kasey muttered, “How do you work for these people? They’re crazy.”
“The kids might be. Lester wasn’t. He was a wily old devil though. With him gone, I don’t think much of my job security,” James replied, climbing to his feet. His suit coat was shredded and half its lining was hanging out through a gaping tear in the back.
Kasey clambered to her feet. “Job security? Right now, I’d be more worried about the health insurance. We’ll be lucky to make it out of here alive.”
James shook his head. “But why us? It’s each other they need to kill, not us.”
Kasey pushed her sweaty hair back out of her face. “Yeah, but do you think that whoever drags them self to the top of that dog pile is going to want any witnesses left breathing?”
“You have a good point, but what now?” James asked. “That car isn’t going anywhere.”
Kasey glanced at the burnt-out shell. Behind it, the front windows of the Villa Maria had been blown out by the force of the blast. As she gathered her thoughts, a tiny figure shot out the front door.
“Thea,” Kasey whispered.
In the chaos, she had forgotten Lester’s children were not far behind her, including Thea, Lester’s timid younger daughter. The poor thing had fared poorly during the meeting; she certainly wasn’t cut out for the Harringtons’ insane Hunger Games re-enactment.
Thea raced down the stairs. Part of Kasey wanted to run straight for the fence line, put as much distance between herself and the unfolding insanity as she could. That would make sense.
“This isn’t my mess,” Kasey told herself. “I just need to get home. Leave Lester, his will, and his insane children behind.”
She looked at the fence and then at Thea and knew she just couldn’t do it.
With a growl, she ran back toward the Villa, Thea, and certain death.
A second person appeared in the doorway: Lucas Harrington. He clutched what looked like an enormous spear made entirely of ice.
“Come now, little sister. Don’t worry, I’ll make it quick,” he shouted as he raised the spear.
“Cover me!” Kasey shouted back at James. She glanced back, hoping he had followed. James nodded and drew his pistol, a compact Sig Sauer, from an underarm holster.
Lucas hurled the spear at Thea as she raced down the steps. Thea looked over her shoulder and screamed as the javelin hurtled towards her.
She missed the next step. She fell forward, head over heels as the enormous shard of ice sailed mere inches over her head. The javelin slammed into the burning town car and shattered, letting off a wicked hissing noise as fire and ice consumed each other. Gunshots rang out over the yard and Lucas dove back inside. Bullets sparked as they impacted the priceless centuries-old bronze doors.
Kasey reached the bottom step and grabbed Thea.
Thea trembled as she let Kasey pull her to her feet.
“We have to get you out of here or they’ll kill you,” Kasey said.
Both of Thea’s palms were grazed from the fall and she whimpered as Kasey took her hand.
“It’s just a scratch, Thea, it’ll be much worse if we stay.”
Thea’s lip trembled. “He tried to kill me. My own brother tried to kill me.”
Kasey patted her on the back. “Yup. He’s a real charmer, that one.”
“I saw Tanner’s car explode, and when I turned, Lucas was just standing there about to stab me with that spear,” she said between sobs. “If it wasn’t for Kendra distracting him, I’d be dead.”
More gunshots rang out and Kasey knew they were on borrowed time. James would only have so much ammunition, and he would soon be empty. Besides, the bullets wouldn’t deter a wizard indefinitely.
“Tanner is gone, and if you stay, you will join him. We need to get you out of here. Is there a car or anything we can take? The further we can get away from this chaos, the better.”
Thea nodded. “My car is in the garage.”
“Where is that?” Kasey asked.
Thea pointed off to the right, where the house angled back toward the water. “It’s at the end of the east wing.”
“Let’s go,” Kasey said, clutching Thea’s hand. She dragged her down the side of the house. “Come on, James, let’s go.”
A hollow clicking noise warned her that James was empty. Lucas reappeared in the Villa Maria’s doorway smiling like a lunatic.
“Gicela,“ Lucas shouted after them.
A hail of deadly shards raced from his outstretched hands. Whether they were ice or crystal it was difficult to tell, but it mattered little. From the light reflecting off their uneven surface, they were as deadly as they were dazzling.
James dove onto the grass but the dense mass of icy shrapnel was too wide.
“Respingere!“ a voice called over the fracas.
A wave of energy collided with the storm of shrapnel and shattered them into harmless particles.
Vincent strode over to James. “Leave the help alone, Lucas. This is between you and your siblings.”
Lucas raced back into the house as James plucked himself off the grass. “Thanks, Vincent, I owe you one.”
Vincent looked at Thea and then turned to Kasey. “If you take the girl, they will come for you.”
Kasey shrugged. “If I don’t, she won’t last the day. I’m not leaving her to die just because she had the misfortune of being born into all of this.”
Kasey grabbed Thea by the arm and continued racing down the side of the house toward the garage, James only a step behind.
As they rounded the corner of the Villa where it arced back toward the water, Thea pointed up ahead. “We should cut through the house.”
James nodded. “Sounds good. We’re far too exposed out here.”
“Sounds good to me,” Kasey replied. “Lead the way.”
Thea raced up to the door and twisted the handle. The lock rattled but the door didn’t budge.
“No,” Thea shouted, pounding on the door with her fists.
“Let me,” James said. He raised a foot and drove it into the door just next to the handle. The timber shattered inward, leaving the lock firmly in place, but the rest of the broken door swung in. “After you.”
Thea stole a look inside, peering around the corner.
“It’s clear,” She called back as she entered the house, motioning for them both to follow.
“I’ll watch our back, you look out for Thea,” Kasey said.
James nodded, ejecting the magazine from his pistol. He pulled another one from inside his jacket and slipped it into the weapon as he hurried after Thea.
Kasey followed, glancing over her shoulder as they bolted through the east wing of the house. She shook her head at the opulence of it. Here too, priceless antiques and modern art lined the wall. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a painting behind a thick panel of glass.
“You’ve got to be kidding me?” she muttered. “That’s a Cezanne.”
She shook her head in disbelief. That singular piece of art, Boy in a Red Vest, was worth almost one hundred million dollars, and here it was, relegated to an out of the way corridor in the east wing. Yet another reminder of just how much was at stake. Whichever Harrington could outlive their siblings would control it all.
Some of the Harringtons might be willing to go it on their own, but she had no doubt that a few of the others would fight rather than relinquish their power and prosperity. Lucas clearly had an axe to grind, and Kasey severely doubted Connor would give up Harrington Industries without a fight. Kendra was a wild card; it was difficult to tell which way the charismatic woman would go. She had been disinterested in the meeting, but when push came to shove, would she simply roll over? It was anyone’s guess, but Thea had barely made it out the front door before Lucas had tried to end her.
“One down. Four remain,” Kasey muttered.
Thea opened the door at the end of the corridor. Beyond it was the expansive garage. In the past, it had been a stable but the march of time and a series of renovations had seen it added to the Villa itself. The garage could comfortably store twelve vehicles. Kasey just hoped they could find Thea’s and escape the madhouse before it was too late. James disappeared into the garage after Thea, and Kasey risked one more look over her shoulder.
Her heart stalled.
The plush carpet had masked the approaching danger. Slowing, Kasey found Maria closing fast, her two outstretched arms lunging toward Kasey’s throat. As she stopped abruptly, the figure crashed straight into her. They went down in a heap, slamming into a marble plinth. The vase balancing on top of it teetered and then toppled down beside them. Kasey winced as it struck the ground inches from her head. The vase rebounded into the plinth and shattered, sending ceramic shards in every direction.
“You!” Maria shouted, clawing at Kasey’s throat. “You should have kept your nose out of my business.”
She had ditched her jacket and was straddling Kasey as she tried to choke the life out of her. Unable to shout for help, Kasey grabbed at the woman’s arms. She was strong. Certainly stronger than Kasey had expected. She was fit and full of a strength born of rage.
Kasey felt her strength waning. Her oxygen-starved muscles were beginning to fail her. Summoning her strength, she let go of Maria’s arms and grabbed her expensive blouse with both hands as she kicked off the carpet. The combined force allowed her to throw Maria clear into the marble plinth resting behind her.
Kasey struggled to get her breath back. Scrambling to her feet, she raced after Maria who was raising her hands. Magic’s familiar embrace washed over Kasey. As Maria opened her mouth to cast her spell, Kasey punched her square in the throat.
The spell died on Maria’s lips as she gasped and wheezed for air.
“How do you like that, you wretch?” Kasey said.
Maria doubled over, choking. Kasey grabbed her belt and threw her into the wall. Maria cracked the plaster, powder raining down on her as she hit the ground.
She rolled onto her back and muttered, “Drifan.”
The blast of arcane energy struck Kasey, slamming her back into a bookcase against the opposing wall. The shelves broke and she hit the ground followed by a pile of aging tomes that looked older than the property itself. As she scrambled to dig her way out of the mess, she looked up and found Maria looming over her.
A ball of fire shimmered in her outstretched hands, the broiling ball of flames a stark contrast to her perfectly manicured hands.
“Looks like you’ll burn, just like Tanner,” Maria said.
The announcement rocked Kasey to her core.
“You killed your own husband?” Kasey asked.
“Who do you think inherits his estate?” Maria asked, her facetious smile a clear indicator that Kasey really didn’t need.
“That’s right. Me,” Maria said. “And the only thing better than one company, is two. With Lucas, I will have it all.”
Maria drew back her hand to throw the ball of fire at Kasey.
Kasey’s heart skipped a beat as she searched her memories for a counter spell that would serve her. It was moments like these that she regretted her unfinished studies.
She bit her lip as her mind came up blank.
“Scyfe!“ a faint voice said.
The spell was little more than a whisper, but the energy it unleashed struck Maria like a rampaging rhino. Maria was launched clear through the bay window behind her. The fireball dissipated with the scream that followed her clear out of the house.
Kasey looked up to see Thea standing in the garage doorway, shaking.
“Oh my gosh. Did I kill her? I think I killed her.” Thea’s eyes locked on the broken window.
Kasey pulled herself to her feet and headed over to reassure Thea. As she did, her foot caught on something. Looking down, she spotted a black stone on a silver chain. It was Thea’s pendant, Kasey snatched it off the ground.
She handed it to Thea with a smile. “Don’t worry, it was just one little window. I doubt it killed her, but she sure as hell won’t be happy about it. Let’s get out here.”
Thea nodded, shakily taking the necklace as Kasey pushed her into the garage.
The room had all the trappings of a man cave. Along one wall stretched a sports bar with a flat screen TV. Two complete sets of medieval plate armor sat on stands between the garage doors, while a dizzying array of ancient weapons were mounted on the walls.
To Kasey’s surprise, the room only housed five vehicles. There were matching red Ferraris, a Lamborghini, a black Mercedes E class, and in the corner, looking incredibly out of place among the racing elite, rested a bright yellow Volkswagen beetle.
“That’s mine,” Thea replied pointing at the Beetle.
“Of course it is,” Kasey mumbled. “You couldn’t find the keys for the Ferraris?
Thea shook her head. “I don’t know where Dad kept them, but I have mine on me.”
Kasey shook her head. “Alright, alright, get in.”
She half shoved Thea into the back seat, shut the door, and jumped into the passenger seat.
James occupied the driver’s seat, his pistol resting on the center console.
In the backseat, Thea sucked in deep noisy breaths. If she was panting, clearly, she wasn’t used to relying on her magic.
“What happened?” James asked.
“Tanner’s ex-wife was a little clingy. Fortunately, Thea took out the trash.” Kasey turned in her seat. “Thanks for the save back there. Things were about to get ugly.”
Thea nodded as she dug around the back seat of the car until she found a bottle of water. Lifting the bottle of water to her lips,the poor girl was shaking so badly she spilled half of the first mouthful. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a container, popped two pills into her hand, and swallowed them.
Kasey stared at her.
“They help calm me down,” she said. “Otherwise, I get wicked panic attacks.”
“After what we’ve just been through, I wouldn’t blame you.” Kasey turned to James. “Let’s go.”
James nodded and punched the button on a remote hanging from the beetle’s sun visor. As the roller-door lifted he knocked the Beetle into first gear, waiting to let out the clutch.
As the steel door rose, Kasey gazed out into the yard.
There, standing in front of the rising door, were three men, their pistols raised, barrels pointed directly at the waiting Volkswagen.
Join Kasey in the hectic magical adventure that is A Date With Death