Dying to Meet You

by S. C. Stokes

  “Is that fear, Danilo?” Kasey asked. “It should be. You might be the Golden Wolf, but to the spear of Odin, you are simply another mutt falling before Odin’s wrath.”

  As Danilo’s strength failed, his frame shook and then began to shrink. Before her eyes the Golden Wolf faded, leaving only Danilo lying there in his human form. Blood seeped from the wound in his chest.

  “Who sent you, Danilo? Who wants me dead?”

  Danilo shook his head. “I’ll never talk.”

  “If you aren’t talking, I have no reason to keep you alive,” Kasey threatened.

  “There… are worse things than death, Kasey Chase. You… have… nothing… on me.”

  “What does it matter? You’re about to die. Why protect them? They sent you to your death.”

  Danilo took a labored breath “You asked if I was afraid, Kasey. I am. Just not of you and certainly not of death. There are far worse fates, as you’ll soon discover. I wonder if you’ll see yours coming.”

  “Very well,” Kasey replied, raising the spear. “You’ll certainly see yours.”

  “When you meet the Master, you’ll need more than an old spear,” Danilo spat.

  Kasey pointed it straight at Danilo’s heart. After everything that had happened, she was taking no chances. She drove the Spear of Odin straight through his heart.

  Danilo went limp, his eyes slid closed.

  Kasey drew out the spear and held it aloft. Danilo’s blood vanished, somehow absorbed into the blade itself.

  Before she could wonder at the strange weapon’s behavior, she heard them in the distance.

  Sirens.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Kasey glanced around her apartment. It looked like a bomb had gone off. The furniture was in disarray and shards of Kasey's cage were scattered everywhere. One piece of steel was embedded in the wall by the front door.

  Both the roof and wall still bore the scars of Danilo's impact, and the assassin himself lay dead on the living room floor.

  She wasn't sure how the police had tracked her down so quickly, but she was glad they had. It was reassuring to know Bishop had her back.

  It was in Kasey's best interest however, that no one take too close a look at the body. Particularly Vida. He would surely run tests and the spear wounds would be difficult to explain away, not to mention any traces of DNA resulting from Danilo's Werewolf heritage.

  She looked around and weighed her options.

  I need to clean this up and fast.

  The sirens drew nearer. They would be here any minute. Subtle magic had never been her strong suit, so Kasey opted for a spell with which she was becoming increasingly familiar.

  “Pêl Tân.”

  Flames soared from Kasey's outstretched hands and struck Danilo. She didn't stop there. Turning on the rest of the apartment, she channelled her frustration of the past week and ensured there would be no evidence left to collect.

  Soaring spheres of flames struck the sofa, the walls, and the carpets which caught fire. Kasey ran for the door. From the safety of the doorway Kasey watched as her small world went up in flames. Fortunately, she'd never owned much and the little she had would be easily covered by insurance.

  As the flames grew, Kasey realized the threat her fire posed to the rest of the building. At this late hour there would be families and children asleep.

  Kasey grabbed the fire extinguisher from behind the door. She could extinguish the flames with magic but that wouldn't leave the right trail of evidence for the police to find.

  Pulling the pin, she squeezed the trigger. Foam and mist burst from the hose, drenching the flames. She made her way around the small apartment, targeting the base of the flames to combat the growing inferno.

  She had only made it a few steps into the living room when the small extinguisher ran dry.

  “I may have overdone it,” she realized as the flames before her continued to rise. Discarding the empty canister, she focused her mind on the fire before her. “Diddymwch.”

  There was a hissing noise as the flames dissipated. Thick smoke threatened to suffocate her, so she abandoned her effort and the war-torn apartment.

  Slamming the door behind her, she raced down the hall. The red fire alarm caught her attention, and she came to a halt.

  She broke the glass and pushed the button. Just for good measure.

  The wailing alarm filled the night air. If any of the buildings occupants had managed to sleep through the ruckus, the alarm would surely wake them.

  She ran down the three flights of stairs and out the front door to find half a dozen squad cars cordoning off the street.

  She spotted Bishop as she was fastening her bullet-proof vest.

  Bishop turned toward her, then her eyes widened. She jogged over, still working on the vest. “Oh, Kasey, thank goodness. We thought he had you. Why did you leave the station?”

  Kasey threw arms around Bishop as her emotions got the better of her. “He did. He grabbed me at the station and brought me here. How did you find me so fast?”

  Bishop patted Kasey on the back. “Well… that might have been me. I was worried you might do something stupid, so I had our tech guys put a tracker in your phone just in case. Good thing I did. It would have taken us hours to find you. Where is he?”

  “He's dead,” Kasey replied. It felt surreal to hear herself say the words.

  She'd never expected to take another person's life, even in self-defense. Now as the adrenaline faded she felt the weight of what she had done.

  “What happened?” Bishop asked.

  “I was in the morgue when I realized who he was,” Kasey began, taking care to leave out a few key details. “We fought but he got the better of me. When I woke up I was here. He tried to kill me, but I had the homecourt advantage. Darn near burned the place down but I got him.”

  Bishop looked up at the smoke billowing out of the third-floor window. “Who was he, Kasey?”

  Kasey looked down at the pavement, not sure how to break the bad news. “It was Collins. He wasn't FBI, that was just a cover. He staged the shooting this morning to throw us off the trail.”

  “What?” Bishop's face trembled.

  “I’m sorry, Bishop. I wish it wasn't true. But he admitted it in the end. He killed the others and he was going to kill me too. It had to be done. I'm sorry.”

  Bishop shook her head. “You have nothing to be sorry about, Kasey. I just feel so stupid that I fell for it.”

  “We all did,” Kasey said. “But he's dead now. He'll never hurt anyone ever again.”

  There was a scuffle at the police cordon.

  “Kasey, Kasey,” a woman's voice called.

  Kasey turned to see her mother running toward her, her father only a step behind.

  Jane Stonemoore was the matriarch of the family. In the tradition of Stonemoore women, she was an intimidating figure. Slender but with piercing gray eyes and dark hair that was slowly turning silver with age.

  Kasey knew where she got her fiery temperament from, Jane had never lost a step and would happily contend with anyone who argued otherwise. Ralph, her father, was the calm to her mother's storm. Quiet and reserved, he happily yielded control of the family to his wife, as was tradition.

  Jane swept through the crowd and drew her daughter into her arms. “Kasey, you had us so worried. We saw the smoke and the sirens and thought the worst. We are so glad you're safe.”

  Kasey burst into tears, sobbing into her mother's shoulder. The strength and cool facade she had forced herself to wear this past week came crumbling down.

  The tears came quick and Kasey just let them out.

  Kasey felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Bishop. “Kasey, why don't you head home with your parents? We'll clean up here. Take as much time as you need. We will get your statement when you're good and ready. No need to rush things. I'm sure the chief will understand.”

  Kasey nodded. “Be careful up there. I think I got most of the flames but there is a chance I missed so
me. The smoke was pretty thick.”

  Bishop laughed. “The fire department will be here soon, don't worry. You should go get some dinner. Unfortunately, I think someone else had already taken your pizza when you didn't show up to claim it.”

  In the commotion, Kasey had forgotten just how hungry she was.

  “Thanks, Bishop,” Kasey stammered. “Call me if you need anything, even if you just need to talk.”

  “Will do, Kasey. For the time being, you just get some rest. I'll talk to you soon.”

  Her parents steered her through the crowd.

  Leaning toward her, her mom whispered, “So pizza is still the clear favorite?”

  Kasey laughed. It was a strange contrast to the tears that were now drying on her cheeks. “Yeah, mum, always.”

  Jane pulled her tighter. “Arturo's it is then. We'll get a booth and you can tell us all about it.”

  They helped her into the car and then drove off, leaving the smouldering apartment behind.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Arturo’s was one of New York’s hidden secrets. A pizzeria in the heart of Queens, its entrance lay concealed in an alleyway just around the corner from the New York Hall of Science.

  Accessible only to those who knew magic, it was a refuge from the hubbub of New York’s night life. Kasey and her parents took a seat in their favorite booth. It sat opposite a large glass window that looked into the kitchen. From the booth, the chef could be seen creating his masterpieces.

  In a normal pizzeria, a chef might toss his dough. As a child at Arturo’s, Kasey had been mesmerized watching the dough levitate before the window as Arturo worked both magic and art into some of the finest pizza New York City had to offer.

  Kasey hadn’t been to Arturo’s in years. It had been a part of the world she had sought to leave behind, but sitting here now brought back so many memories.

  Arturo smiled when he caught her eye. Scooping a ball of dough off the counter, Arturo flicked it behind his back like a basketball player tossing a pass. The dough sailed up and over his head before coming to a hover above his outstretched hands. Kasey watched in familiar wonder as the dough spun, forming a perfect base. At Arturo’s command, ingredients sailed off the counter and onto the base, arranging themselves according to Arturo’s most exacting specifications.

  The sound of a throat being cleared drew Kasey’s attention away from the window.

  Johnson and Clarke, the two goons from the ADI, stood beside the booth.

  “Miss Chase, we’re sorry to interrupt but we’ve just been by your apartment...”

  Kasey couldn’t believe it. After everything she’d been through, they just couldn’t leave her alone.

  “And what, Clarke?” Kasey erupted, cutting him off. “Something about it not to the Council’s liking? When you set me up to die, you weren’t very specific. I thought torching the place along with everything I owned would be sufficient. What did I miss, Clarke?”

  The ADI agent looked nervously at his partner before continuing. “It’s nothing like that, Kasey. I assure you, the ADI feels you did admirably. You should be commended for your success.”

  Kasey’s eyes narrowed. “I feel a but coming.”

  Johnson chimed in. “When you return to work, if you could also ensure any evidence of Danilo’s true nature is erased, we would be most appreciative.”

  Kasey nodded. “Of course. I was already planning to.”

  “Wonderful,” Johnson replied. “Well, once again, we apologize for interrupting your meal. We hope you have a pleasant evening.”

  The agents turned and made for the door.

  “Ahem,” her mother said, stopping them in their tracks.

  The agents turned.

  “Come here, boys,” her mother said. Her voice was firm and unequivocal.

  If the agents took umbrage with being called boys, they weren’t game to show it.

  As they approached, her mother stepped out of the booth and made her way over to them, not stopping until she was right in their face. “Do you know who I am?”

  “No, ma’am,” Clarke responded nervously.

  “Ah, that explains a lot. Let me enlighten you. I am Jane Stonemoore of the Caerdydd Stonemoores.”

  Clarke and Johnson’s face fell as they stepped backward.

  “Yes, those Stonemoores, and if I ever find out you’ve put my daughter in harm’s way again, you will spend the rest of your lives frozen in amber lying in the bottom of the harbor. ADI be damned, you’ll rue the day you crossed my path, do you understand me?”

  The agents nodded as they beat a retreat from the restaurant.

  Her mother returned to her seat and looked expectantly at Kasey.

  Her father broke the silence first.

  “Kasey, it seems you’ve had quite the week. Care to bring us into the loop?” Her father’s calm demeanor never wavered.

  “Sure, Dad, but before I get into it I should mention something.”

  “What is it, dear?”

  “Ernesto asked me to put in a good word for him. He said you had a jeweled box he’s been trying to trade you for, for some time now.”

  Her father laughed. “Tread carefully with Ernesto, Kasey. He is as sly as he is shrewd. Were it only a jeweled box, I’d have parted with it years ago. I know as well as he does what is inside.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Kasey raised her eyebrow. “What is it?”

  “It is a subject for another time. Pray tell, what did Ernesto give in exchange for that favor?”

  Kasey pulled out the shard out of her pocket and laid it on the counter. “He loaned me this.”

  Her father leaned forward to examine the silver shard. “What is it?”

  “That, Dad, is Gungnir. The Spear of Odin.”

  Her dad bolted upright. “You’re kidding me. It couldn’t be.”

  “I assure you it is,” Kasey said. “It saved my life.”

  Her father nodded slowly as he leaned back in his chair. “Ernesto must be more desperate than I imagined. Start at the beginning, Kasey. Don’t leave anything out.”

  “Well,” Kasey began, “you remember when I was at the Academy. You remember my nightmare, the one of the destroyed city?”

  “Yes, of course,” her mother replied.

  “It turns out it wasn’t a nightmare. It was a vision and it is the future not the past…”

  “Pardon me,” Arturo interrupted as he set down his masterpiece.

  The aroma of the freshly baked pizza wafted through the pizzeria and Kasey could feel her mouthwatering.

  “Arturo, you haven’t changed a bit!” Kasey declared.

  He smiled. “Oh, if such were true, Kasey. I am an old man now, but you are the same charming young woman you always were. We’ve missed you.”

  Kasey felt guilt at having not visited the pizzeria for almost a decade. “I’m sorry, Arturo. I’ve missed you too. Things have changed, though. You’ll be seeing a lot more of me than you are used to.”

  Arturo bowed. “I hope so. It would be our pleasure.”

  Her mother beamed as Kasey hoisted a slice of pizza into the air, the melted mozzarella stretching beyond belief as she sunk her teeth into the slice.

  “Mmm.” Kasey was in heaven.

  “You were saying, dear?” Her mother prompted.

  Kasey gulped down the mouthful of pizza. “Oh, yeah. Sorry, mom. It all started on Monday…with a murder.”

  The End

  If you enjoyed Dying To Meet You, please consider leaving a review here.

  The sequel Life is for the Living, launches May 2nd 2018 you can get your copy here.

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  About the Author

  I am a writer based in Brisbane, Australia. Dying to Meet You is the first title in my new series Conjuring a Coroner. It has been a thrill for me to write
and I hope you have enjoyed it too. I grew up reading from many amazing authors like Tolkien, Feist, Clancy, Matthew Reilly and others.

  Each of them spun tales that filled me with wonder and awe as I imagined the world they vividly crafted with each carefully selected word. They are incredible masterpieces that have thrilled readers for decades. My hope is that I can add something that will entertain and delight readers for years to come.

  I expect that my writing (like everything in life) will improve with each novel. I hope you enjoyed this latest installment.

  Until next time!

  Samuel C. Stokes

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