“But what’s the endgame?” I move to my desk, pulling up files on the artifacts we’ve traced to Lucien. “What does he intend to do with so much power?”
Darick chuckles, and I smile wryly. “Okay, stupid question. The fucker’s always been power-hungry.”
“You’re right, though,” he adds. “With the influence he already has, plus the magic he seems to have amassed, I wouldn’t be surprised if he could stage a coup right now.”
I grimace because the prospect is frightening. Lucien Marlowe has caused enough trouble without being given the reins to our kingdom. If he was our leader, I don’t want to think about what might happen.
My attention snaps to Darick as his phone rings. His expression shifts instantly as he answers. “Rowan? Slow down—”
Even from across the room, I can hear the panic in her voice. Something about Kara. Gone. Acting alone.
Damn it.
“She did what?” Darick’s tone sharpens. He puts the call on speaker.
“She and Mia were arguing about following up a lead on one of Lucien’s properties,” Rowan explains, her voice tight with worry. “Next thing we knew, she’d shadow-jumped. Mia’s beside herself – she wanted to go after her, but we wouldn’t let her.”
I slam my glass down. “Oh, for fuck’s sake! That reckless, stubborn—” I cut myself off, rubbing a hand over my face. We’d specifically discussed the need for careful planning, for working together. But no, Kara Blackwood has to charge in alone, like some avenging angel.
“Which property?” I demand.
“She said something about an estate in the north?”
I heave an exasperated breath, my jaw clenching. “The old Delacourt place. Marlowe took it over in the early 1900s.”
“Goddammit,” Darick mutters. “That place is a fortress of dark sorcery and deadly traps.”
“And she’s walking right into it.”
“We need to do something, Darick.” Rowan’s voice rises an octave. “Mom and Dad have gone to the Conclave, and we can’t reach them. This is something we would normally have turned to Gran to help with, but—” She stops. Obviously, that’s not an option right now.
“I’ll handle it,” I say, already moving toward the door. I pause, confused by the urgency coursing through me. Since when do I feel such a compelling need to protect a witch who clearly despises me? The feeling makes no sense – she’s made it abundantly clear she wants nothing to do with me.
Yet here I am, reaching for my jacket, ready to rush to her aid.
“Marcus.” Darick’s voice holds a warning. “Don’t go in without backup.”
“There’s no time,” I growl, frustrated by both the situation and my inexplicable reaction to it. “That witch is going to get herself killed.”
And for some reason I can’t explain, the thought is completely unacceptable to me.
3
Chapter 3
Kara
TheshadowspartasI materialize on the old estate grounds, my heart in my throat as adrenaline surges.
Pull yourself together, Kara.
I steady myself, taking in my surroundings. Ancient oaks loom overhead, their twisted branches casting strange patterns in the moonlight. The mansion rises before me like something from a nightmare – all sharp Gothic spires and weathered stone, its windows dark and watching.
I press my palm against the ground, sending out tendrils of magic to test the wards. They’re strong – layers of protection spells woven together like a deadly web. But I didn’t spend years mastering magical theory for nothing. I find the weak point, a small flaw in the pattern, and carefully unravel just enough of the ward to slip through.
“This is insane,” I mutter to myself, even as I move forward. “Absolutely insane.” But when I’d held Gran’s charm – the one she always wears – I’d felt something. A pull. A connection I’ve never experienced before. My tracking spells have always fizzled, yet somehow, I could pick something up today. A trace of her. A series of images that strung together to form…this. This towering monstrosity that looks like every vampire cliche I’ve ever heard of.
Bracing myself, I move toward the grand courtyard. The grounds show signs of recent activity – fresh tire tracks in the gravel, disturbed leaves near the side entrance. My stomach twists as I spot dark stains on the stone steps that could be blood.
