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“Don’t. Stay here in case I send them this way. You’ll need to let them in.”

Hugo shook his head. “Fifteen minutes to sunset?”

“Fifteen minutes,” Alice confirmed. “I’ll have to drive.”

“Be careful.”

“I’m always careful. Besides, I’ll have backup.” She winked to Hugo and then whistled. “Gwennie, let’s go.”

The floating broomstick followed Alice to the door. Alice grabbed the broomstick handle. She paused and they nodded at each other.

“I’ll be back,” she said.

The sunlight poured into the darkened hallway as she opened the door. She trotted to her awaiting SUV. Alice placed Gwennie in the backseat before climbing in. The engine roared to life. Alice and Gwennie took off on their mission.

Alice tapped the steering wheel with every passing moment. She controlled her breathing, inhaling and exhaling with every twist and turn of the vehicle. Flashes appeared in her mind. Flashes of death and destruction. She had traveled this path so many times. It should have only taken her minutes, but time passed like thick molasses. The visions and the endless possibilities weighed heavily on her mind.

Would her defenses hold? Were the Raskins okay?

Her heart pounded. Her mind raced. She held her breath.

The tires of Alice’s black SUV screeched as she brought the SUV to a stop in front of the Raskin’s home. Alice drew in a sharp breath as the four ghouls, armed with rocks and other heavy landscaping stones, smashed their improvised instruments into the windows of the single floor folk Victorian home.

Even after the ghouls’ bombardment of the windows, the defenses Alice had conjured held firm.

After unsuccessful attempts to break through, they moved onto the next window. Two ascended the stairs tothe covered porch spanning the full length of the front. The ghouls alternated turns striking the front doorknob with their stones. Through all of their efforts, all of their might, it all proved fruitless. The door held.

She rolled down the back window.

Guinevere popped halfway out of the window.

“Wait here,” Alice commanded. “Wait for my signal.”

The broomstick retreated inside. Alice opened the door and leapt out, charging into battle as she ran up the walkway, stopping halfway between the street and porch steps.

Alice Primrose snapped her fingers and conjured a purple, arcane flame of energy in each hand. She raised her head, peering out from under the brim of her curved witch’s hat. The hem of her black and purple tailcoat flowed in the breeze of the late autumn evening. Her shoulders pulled back and the balls of arcane energy were at her hips.

Like a gunfighter ready for a shootout, Alice was prepped for the quick draw of battle. She inhaled a deep breath, determined to defend her friends . . .No. Not friends. Her family’s home.

“Four against one,” Alice said. “Not good odds for you. I’m feeling merciful, so I’ll offer you a choice. Leave or perish.”

The ghouls held onto their stone implements. They trudged down the steps, raising them above their heads, ready to strike. They picked up speed, racing toward her.

“You want to dance? Let’s dance,” Alice said.

She flung her arm forward, sending the arcane flame hurtling toward the lead ghoul like a bowling ball careening toward a rack of pins. It struck him on the chest and exploded in a dazzling display of arcane sparks. He dropped his stone implement and fell backward onto the cement walkway. The ghoul writhed in pain and evaporated into a cloud of dust.

They continued their march, now closing in halfway to Alice. She threw the other flame, striking one more on the side. He fell to his knees, writhed in pain, and turned to dust as well. This didn’t stopthe other two. They continued their relentless march, rushing faster. They were within striking distance.

Alice took a step back. She snapped her fingers to produce more arcane flames. They closed in too fast. She couldn’t concentrate enough to produce the purple flames. The ghouls leaned into their blow, bringing their stones down to strike at Alice.

With a quick jump to her right, she tucked and rolled on the ground to avoid the stones crashing down on her. The ghouls smashed the stones into the sidewalk where Alice once stood. She rolled on the ground and sprung to her feet, ready for the next round.

The ghouls turned to continue their pursuit of Alice. They stepped onto the grass, but stopped. They were frozen, unable to move forward. Alice blinked a few times, unsure of what was transpiring. Her heart and mind raced, but she never let them distract her from the two ghouls standing before her.

They dropped their stones and pivoted, sprinting in the opposite direction. The ghouls disappeared into the darkness as they rounded the corner of a home.

Alice exhaled as she kept an eye out for other would be intruders. Night had fallen and shadows lurked around every corner. The street was quiet and dark. Porch lights weren’t yet illuminated to fight back against the darkness. A car or two drove past; their drivers curious enough to glance Alice’s way before continuing.