Page 123 of Shadow Witch

The wheels touched the ground, jarring her and her stiff muscles. Rochelle and Ronnie had arranged for transportation to be waiting for them when they arrived, and within minutes of touching down, they piled into the two vehicles to set off for the ruins.

With Drucinda behind the wheel of the first car, Paige and Dewey climbed inside, leaving Devon with his sister and her paramour.

Paige glanced in the side mirror, studying the vehicle that followed them. “How do you think it’s going back there?”

“Terribly,” Drucinda answered. “Devon hates being challenged. Caleb challenges him in every way.”

“He’s not that hot,” Paige answered. “He’s sort of creepy, actually. It’s like…he’s too sexy.”

“Is that possible?” Dewey asked. “I’m asking for my book. I’d really like to add him as a side character. I mean, there’s just so much potential there. The gravelly voice, the piercing eyes, the swagger.”

“Please,” Paige said with a shake of her head, “whatever you do, don’t make Paige fall for him. Because that would never happen.”

“You said Paige would never fall for Devon, but now you’ve admitted you are attracted to his beefy muscles.”

Paige shook her head before letting it fall into her palm. “Let’s concentrate on finding my mom, okay?”

“You’re the one who brought it up, Paige,” Dewey said with a wrinkled nose. “You’re super concerned about what’s happening in the vampire vehicle.”

“I’m just being nice,” she shot back.

“Call it what you want, but you brought it up.” Dewey shrugged.

Paige rolled her eyes as the ruins came into view. Drucinda brought the vehicle to a stop, and they climbed into the damp heat. Paige craned her neck to stare at the pyramid rising in front of her.

“Remember the last time we were inside one of these?” Dewey asked as he landed on her shoulder.

“Yep,” Paige said with a bob of her head. “Not an experience I’d like to repeat.

“Me either. You fell into all those skulls, and I had to save you–“

“I really don’t want to remember it that much.”

“If you two are done chatting, what’s the compass say?” Drucinda asked as the others joined them.

“Oh, right.” Paige dug it out of her pocket and clutched it in her hand, her heart fluttering as she focused her energy on it.

The needle pointed directly at the pyramid. She flicked her gaze to it again. “Inside?”

“That’s what it looks like. We’ll need to follow that carefully to see where it leads,” Drucinda said. “And we’ll need a way in.”

A branch snapped in the trees behind them. All eyes turned toward it. “Why don’t you vampires keep a lookout whilst we head inside.”

“I could keep a lookout,” Dewey said. “I’d really rather not go into the pyramid there given what happened the last time we were inside one of these things.”

“Dewey!” Paige said with a wrinkled nose.

“She’s right, little man. You should be with her. You are her best friend, and you’re too tiny to effectively help when it comes to defensive moves.”

“I have teeth and claws.”

“You barely could break the skin. Sorry, you’re coming with us. Let’s go.” Drucinda trudged toward the many steps leading upward. “We should find an entrance on the top.”

Paige stared up at the small rectangle poking from the pyramid’s summit. “That’s a lot of stairs.”

“Start climbing, Paige.” Dewey patted her head as she mounted the first.

She stared up, noting Drucinda already a quarter of a way up them and showing no signs of slowing.

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