His eyes widened slightly as I felt the backup wards powering up with a surge of fire magic. His power started to dim as his access to the water realm was heavily dampened, and he turned toward the back door and ran for it.

  He waved a hand in anger, and blasted Katie, probably in revenge for turning the tide of the battle, but she was ready for him.

  She already held a black pearl, and she’d barked a single word to activate the pre-made spell.

  I’d shielded her as well of course, just in case, but I didn’t even feel his power hit as it broke against the strong shield she’d erected. It wasn’t a simple protective ward or charm, it was an active spell of all four elements. Its only weakness was its limit in duration, but it was extremely powerful at the same time and would last more than long enough for a battle much bigger and longer than this one.

  It was a black pearl I recognized, I’d been feeding it magic for months, much the same way my mother had been draining me, but as a gift. I doubted he could break that shield if he had a half an hour, and his full power, but he didn’t have either the time or power in that moment.

  He was almost at the door when I hit him hard in the chest with a blast of water and pure magic both. Physics was a thing, and like me he was tossed backwards by the hit even if his shields held against it.

  I winced, as Miku and her sword blurred and slammed into the back of his legs as he was still stumbling backwards against my attack. It made his body flip up into the air as his legs went flying, and he landed on the back of his head, or at least, his shield did.

  By that time, he’d used almost all of his stored power, and he couldn’t channel enough water magic to maintain his shields. Even the tiny bit of access to magic he’d have under the wards was removed by Miku’s spirit shield, as it tightened around him.

  I raised my hand to finish him off, but hesitated when Katie yelled, “No!”

  We all looked at her in surprise, even Salvatore.

  Katie rolled her eyes, “I’m not saying we should show the bastard mercy. I’m saying you don’t need the memory of killing your own father. If mine ever shows up, you can kill him for me.”

  I suppressed a giggle, not quite sure why such a horrible thing tickled my funny bone. Perhaps the rush of battle, my racing heart, and the flood of adrenaline in my veins had something to do with it. The relief of still being alive, and in having our enemy at our mercy.

  Or perhaps, I had the urge to laugh because otherwise I’d have cried. Evil mothers, and at best careless and entitled murderers for fathers. If that wasn’t sad, I didn’t know what was.

  I also wasn’t worried I’d end up like him. If I ever killed with such misplaced arrogant surety then I was sure my cousin and mate would bring me up short. I’d always listen to them, and never kill without discerning all the facts first.

  Salvatore’s eyes didn’t widen, and he evinced no surprise at Katie naming him my father. My gut tightened, as I came to the truth that he knew exactly who he’d been hunting down. If it had been the news that brought him here, he’d since figured out the truth of it, and that still hadn’t given him pause. Bastard. There was so much I wanted to say to him, but there was no point in saying any of it, it would be lost on him, and he’d already forfeited his life to our right of self-defense.

  Katie pulled out a bone, and she barked a word.

  Salvatore’s eyes rolled up in his head, and his body went still. It’d been an elemental spell of some kind, not a death magic spell which would’ve been dark magic, but I wasn’t entirely sure what it had done.

  Miku said, “I’m sorry.”

  I shook my head, “I’m okay, or I will be. I never knew him. Katie?”

  She said, “More than fine. Though I’m going to get a Lois Lane complex if this keeps happening.”

  I snickered.

  She shrugged, “I might’ve taken him alone actually, but I was afraid he’d escape, so I waited for you to show up.”

  I could see that, if she’d used the pearl first, then taken his powers with the backup wards while safely behind the shield, she could’ve killed him alone. Witches were a match for sorcerers in their strongholds and when prepared.

  She was also right though, since he probably would’ve fled before she could finish powering the wards and when he couldn’t get through the shield.

  Miku said, “I read his soul, the world won’t miss him. I’ll also send a list to your coven’s recovery department, he has quite a few well-hidden assets.”

  I nodded, more millions to invest. At his age, it was probably more money than I already had, even after splitting it three ways. Not that I was complaining. It was so much money though, that it didn’t even really feel real to me anymore. But, it’d do a lot of good in the human world, and it’d keep Dana busy, so for that reason alone I’d be a good steward of it.

  “I need to take Miku back. You’re alright?”

  Katie smirked, “I am, but why don’t you take me for the ride. Sally can watch the store.”

  I nodded, good idea. I also took the body with us and made a quick detour east. I dropped him into the ocean several hundred miles east of the coast. With another thought, the ocean water turned into blades that completely destroyed the evidence and sucked the very small pieces and blood down into the depths. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant thing, but coverup was important.

  “Thanks, Miku.”

  She nodded, “Your welcome. Can’t wait to see what happens next Thursday.”

  I gave her a funny look at her deadpan delivery, and she started to giggle.

  Maybe Miku wasn’t as straitlaced as I’d first thought…

  I wouldn’t say I was sad about my father’s death, so much as wistful and regretful about the might haves and should haves.

  Still, warm feelings bubbled up inside me as I appeared in the suite at the coven house after dropping off Miku and Katie. Feelings of home and hearth overwhelmed me and put a smile on my face, warm feelings that this was where I belonged. Even the vampire auras felt like home, as I identified my mate, the enforcers, and other vampires I’d met.

  I hadn’t expected to feel that so soon, it’d only been six days since I’d moved in. I didn’t really need to, since I was physically clean, but it was mentally cleansing as I took another shower, and I pulled on new clothes before heading down to rejoin Mark.

  His scent was like coming home as I curled up against him with my feet under me.

  I had on a blue sweater dress and black tights, and I’d probably wear that to the club later that night, despite how conservative it was.

  Family, children, turning, practicing and growing my magic, and so much more than that awaited me. There was a long life ahead of me filled with endless possibility if I wasn’t killed. With my love and allies, my belief was that I would survive to see it.

  The future was ours to make.

  Afterword:

  I hope you enjoyed this story, if you did please leave a review. Reviews are the lifeblood of independent authors, and I would greatly appreciate any constructive feedback or opinions.

  There’s one more series in this world. Reopening Ben’s and Miku’s world was actually a hard decision for me, but it felt incomplete to me, and Danielle wouldn’t stop nagging at me from the back of my mind. I hope you enjoyed her journey and you’ll see more of her from another POV soon.

  About the Author: If you have any comments or suggestions you can send me an email at dlharrisonauthor@gmail.com If you like my work, or even if you don’t, please consider leaving a review of this book. I can also be found at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7456808.D_L_Harrison

  Other books by D. L. Harrison:

  http://www.amazon.com/author/dlharrison

  The Formerly Dark Mage, by D. L. Harrison – This stand-alone fantasy book follows the life of Silvia and takes place in a world unique and separate to our own.

  Silvia is a dark mage. Unfortunately, she finds herself about to be sacrificed. Someone must have told her evil master about her plans to kill him and take over. After that, things just seem to go downhill. She has no choice but to escape the kingdom of Zual, something that to her knowledge has never been done before. She will need to deal with many issues she never had to face before.

  Among those issues, the white mages, and her conscience.

  The Rise of a Dark Mage - This stand-alone fantasy book follows the life of Cassandra, it takes place in the same world as The Formerly Dark Mage, but happens three hundred years later, long after Silvia is gone and some shocking changes have taken place in the world.

  Cassandra is a dark mage in the kingdom of Zual, she’s also a mage prodigy.

  She hates both her kingdom, and her master. She wants him dead, not to take his place, but so she can leave and explore the world. Her ambition will drive her to rediscover the secrets of the strongest of magic.

  She is determined to succeed, or she’ll die trying.

  Celia Winters Novel Series

  Witch’s Moon: A Celia Winters Novel Book 1

  Celia Winters was raised by her single mother, and her earliest memories are of the store her mother owns and the nearby coven, who have always been her family’s close allies and friends.

  She grew up believing her magic was weak, but she was satisfied with her life, and happy. She was a midwife, healer, and supplier of surrounding covens.

  Then her mother died, and she’s about to discover she isn’t who, or what, she believes herself to be, not completely. She will learn that her entire life up until now was a lie. She’ll need to figure out her place, who she is when she no longer recognizes herself, and try to hold on to her closest friends as she gathers enemies for the simple crime of her existence.

  She’s stronger than she believes, but will it be enough?

  Power of Air Series:

  Just a Psychic: The Power of Air Book One starts off this series.

  Ben has grown up with missing memories of his early childhood.

  He has known he was a psychic since his earliest memories, seeing the future and gaining knowledge with his gifts.

  Is it possible he isn't just a psychic?

  Ben's world is about to be turned upside down as he turns twenty-one, all is not as it seems.

  Alicia Jones novels is a series that follows a bright young inventor and scientist named Alicia Jones. It is a space opera and light science fiction.

  The first book is titled First Contact:

  Alicia Jones is a genius, and a little odd. At just twenty-three years of age, she is close to finishing her doctoral dissertation. But when she tests her latest theory in the lab to generate a strong EM field, it has very unanticipated results. Results that lead to faster than light travel, and first contact with another race.

  Her life just gets more complicated after that, when she finds out who she really is, and that the universe may not be as nice a place as she’d been told. Her determination to help keep Earth safe takes her to places more dangerous and strange than she’d ever envisioned.

  Spirit Sorceress series, by D. L. Harrison is a new urban fantasy series. Miku is a spirit sorceress who spent the last one hundred years growing up and learning about her power in the forests near Seattle Washington. She’s about to make her debut in the big city, but not in a way she ever expected.

  The first book is titled Spirit Sorceress:

  Miku is a spirit sorceress who spent her unusually long childhood in the forest away from the city with her mother and father. After tragedy strikes, she finds herself alone and on her own. She knows that one day she’ll need to move to Seattle, and fully accept her birthright, and if necessary finish her training on her own.

  But before she’s ready, and still in grieving, a rogue vampire and his band come along and change everything. She’ll need to learn her new place in the world, and find some allies quick if she’s to survive.

  Katrina Baker Novels, by D. L. Harrison is a new series about a super named Katrina Baker. Problem is, she gets caught up in her mother’s plan, who is a mad scientist and supervillain, and gets herself transported to another world in the multi-verse. A world where mages, witches, clerics, and the gods are real. Not to mention the monsters…

  The first book is titled Banished:

  Katrina baker is a super. She has mental abilities such as telekinesis, telepathy, and others. Her parents are supervillains, and she isn’t all that sure she’s cut out for that line of work. Her empathy with others through her power makes it hard to be uncaring, much less mean or evil to people. Problem is, the last thing she wants to do is disappoint mom and dad.

  Katrina gets caught up in her mother’s supervillain plot to get rid the world of the indestructible hero Omega, and that’s when it all goes really wrong, and she finds herself on another world.

  Banished.

  Will she be able to find her way back home, or even understand this new world of gods and magic, or will she die trying?

  Rise of the Empyrean Empire – This series is space opera / science fiction. Space, technology, other worlds, aggressive and far more powerful aliens, artificial intelligence, evolution, and advances to the point humanity doesn’t have to work to maintain infrastructure.

  The first book is titled: Scout Ship

  Michael Williams followed in his father’s footsteps, and joined the UEDF, the United Earth Defense Force, when he turned eighteen. Due to heroism and long distinguished service he’s elevated to the rank of Lt. Commander when most of his peers have just attained senior lieutenant. His career appears to be going very well.

  The year is 2263, and the EUDF is in several star systems in a twenty-light year radius from earth, but are expanding even further. He’s assigned to a one year exploratory mission to become accustomed to his new rank, one that will finally culminate in reaching a new star system, 61-Virginis is just short of twenty-eight light years away, and he’s excited to be one of the first humans in a new solar system as they finish the race across the void between stars in the scout ship Columbus.

  There will be challenges he never imagined though, especially not on a simple survey mission. Because mankind always thought they were alone in the stars. They’re about to find out they’re wrong, very wrong…

  Book Description

  Three more months had passed in Daniel’s new life. Magic, relationships, and making a true impact in the world had her satisfied with the way things were.

  Her life was about to change again, and quite drastically. She’ll have to reinvent herself, and try find her true destiny in this life.

  If she survives…

  Note: This is the final book of a trilogy. This story is told in the first person, from Danielle’s point of view.

 

 

  D. L. Harrison, Crossing the Line: Water Sorceress: Book Three

 

 

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