Sofía thought she was seeing a ghost. The young woman had the same face as her missing cousin.

Standing at the entrance of the sea tunnel, silhouetted against the roaring orange glow of the burning mansion, was Julian Vance.

His suit jacket was gone; his white dress shirt was smeared with soot and rain. In his right hand was a sleek black automatic pistol. His face was twisted into a grotesque mask of fury—the veneer of the refined, distinguished billionaire stripped completely away.

"You always were a treacherous little parasite, Victoria," Julian yelled over the wind, stepping onto the wet wooden platform. "Twenty years of designer dresses, luxury vacations, and silence—and you betray me for a ghost?"

Victoria stepped directly between Julian and the two young women, leveling the heavy double-barreled shotgun at her husband's chest. "I’m not a coward anymore, Julian. It ends tonight."

"Put that antique down," Julian scoffed, taking another slow, predatory step forward. "You’ve never fired a weapon at a living thing in your life. You don't have the stomach for it."

"I shot you once," Victoria hissed, her hands locked steady on the wooden stock. "I can finish the job."

"Julian, drop the gun!" Sofía shouted, pulling Maya back toward the narrow cliff path that wound down toward the jagged rocks of the cove. "The fire department is already on their way! The whole county can see the manor burning! You can't cover this up!"

"The fire department won't be here for twenty minutes in this storm," Julian yelled, his eyes tracking Maya with lethal intent. "And twenty minutes is plenty of time to throw three bodies into the Atlantic. The undertow will carry you straight to the continental shelf."

He raised the pistol.

*BOOM!*

The shotgun roared, a blinding flash of orange fire erupting from the muzzle. The blast chewed a massive hole in the wooden handrail inches from Julian's hip, the heavy recoil knocking Victoria back two steps on the slick planks.

Julian didn't flinch. He fired twice in rapid succession.

The first bullet struck Victoria high in the right shoulder. She cried out, dropping the shotgun, which clattered off the edge of the platform and plunged into the churning sea below.

"Victoria!" Sofía screamed.

"Run!" Victoria gasped, collapsing against the stone cliff wall, clutching her bleeding arm. "Sofía, take Maya to St. Jude’s Cottage! The lighthouse road! She’s there—she’s always been there! RUN!"

Sofía didn't hesitate. She grabbed Maya’s wrist and dragged her down the treacherous cliff path.

Rain lashed their faces like shards of glass. The narrow trail of wet shale and mud sloped steeply downward, carved into the sheer drop of the headland. Fifty feet below, black waves slammed against the granite fangs of Devil’s Leap, throwing spray high into the freezing air.

Behind them, heavy boots pounded against the wooden stairs.

"Maya! Sofía!" Julian’s voice echoed down the rocks, stripped of all humanity. "There’s nowhere to go! The tide is in!"

"Keep moving!" Sofía yelled, her boots sliding dangerously close to the edge. "Don't look down!"

Maya stumbled, the precious leather journal slipping from beneath her arm. It hit a rock ledge, hanging precariously over the abyss.

"My mother’s book!" Maya cried, lunging backward to catch it.

"Leave it!" Sofía shouted.

"No! It’s all I have!" Maya grabbed the journal just as Julian rounded the bend of the cliff path above them.

He raised his gun, his eyes locking directly onto Maya. "End of the line, little girl."

He squeezed the trigger.

*CLICK.*

The slide had locked back. Empty.

Julian cursed, reaching into his pocket for a spare magazine.

In that split second of hesitation, Sofía saw their only chance. She didn't run away—she charged.

Using the downward momentum of the slope, Sofía lowered her shoulder and slammed into Julian's midsection with every ounce of strength and fury she possessed.

The impact knocked Julian off balance on the slick shale. He let out a sharp grunt as the pistol slipped from his fingers, clattering over the ledge and vanishing into the foaming surf.

Julian roared, grabbing Sofía by the hair and slamming her against the rock wall. Pain exploded behind her eyes, stars dancing in her vision. "You ungrateful little bitch!" he snarled, his fingers closing around her throat. "I took you in when your father died! I gave you everything!"

Sofía clawed at his hands, her air cut off completely.

Suddenly, a heavy, jagged piece of granite crashed against the side of Julian’s skull.

Julian cried out, his grip tearing free as he stumbled sideways, clutching his bleeding temple.

Maya stood there in the pouring rain, holding the bloody rock in both hands, her hazel eyes blazing with ferocious, feral hatred. The white streak in her hair was plastered against her pale forehead like a brand of lightning.

"Stay away from my family," Maya whispered.

Julian staggered, losing his footing on the slick edge of the path. The gravel gave way beneath his polished boots.

He lunged forward to grab Maya’s coat, but Maya stepped back.