Page 17 of The Shadows of Excess

He glared at me. “You’re not going to budge on this, are you?”

I set my jaw. “No, I’m serious. I want to go now.”

His gaze darted back to where Justice had lain on the ground, leaving a bloody stain. He shook his head. “I think we’re making a mistake.”

I gripped his bicep, my fingers sinking into the hard muscle. Damon’s chest heaved with anger and adrenaline as I tried to steady him. His heart raced under my hand. The last thing we needed was for him to charge in and put himself in harm’s way.

“Damon, we can’t do this alone. Whatever that thing was hurt a vampire, a very powerful one. We need to find out more about it. Justice may have the answers.” I tried to keep my voice calm and hoped I’d convinced him to be logical.

Damon drew a deep, steadying breath, his bicep still tense under my grip. He glanced down at our hands before meeting my eyes again with frustration and resolve. “All right, I hear you,” he stated with a hint of strained reluctance. “But if Justice is out cold, we can’t sit around playing the waiting game. We’ve got a monster on our hands, and sitting ducks don’t last long in our line of work.”

He released a short, humorless chuckle, trying to lighten the mood in his typical fashion. “Besides, hospitals aren’t exactly my favorite hangouts. We find out what we can from Justice, then we get back to doing what we do best. Agreed?”

I gave him a sharp look. “I promise, but wait time isn’t five minutes.”

He tilted his head. “Come on.”

I followed him to the car and hopped into the passenger side. My stomach growled in protest as we drove away, but food wasn’t an option right now.

Damon put the car in reverse, and we screeched out of the parking lot. “At least keep your eyes peeled.”

I settled into my seat and stared out the window. I had a sinking feeling whatever had attacked Justice was following us, and we couldn’t see it…or them.

Within a few minutes, Damon smoothly brought the Ford Fairlane to a stop. My arm wasn’t burning, and I exhaled a calming breath. In contrast to the sprawling metropolitan hospitals we were used to back in Denver, Mystic Ridge’s hospital was noticeably smaller. Yet, it had a certain charm about it.

Though modest in size, the building was well-kept and inviting, with a façade that blended seamlessly into the town’s quaint aesthetic. Its presence in the heart of Mystic Ridge gave it a sense of community and accessibility, a stark difference from the impersonal giants in the city.

Like the other hospitals in the metropolitan areas, we had to go through security. The quaint waiting room had a fireplace with comfy chairs, a loveseat, and a couch. It was much different from most waiting rooms I’d been in.

I hurried to the front desk. “Excuse me. An ambulance just brought in a man who was attacked. Justice Cristea. Is he all right?”

The nurse looked between us. “Are you family?”

I blurted, “I’m Sawyer Grant. He’s my boyfriend.”

Damon’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

I ignored him. The nurse’s tight voice said she was a rule follower and only family would be allowed to get information or see Justice.

The nurse’s fingers flew across the keyboard as she scanned the computer screen, her expression neutral. After a moment, she looked up. “I’m sorry, but I can’t give out patient information unless you’re immediate family. However, I can tell you he’s been taken to the emergency room. They’re doing everything they can for him right now.”

My heart sank, but I pushed further, desperation edging my voice. “Please, can we at least stay in the waiting area? We only want to be close by.”

After a moment’s hesitation, the nurse nodded. “That’s fine.”

I muttered a quick thanks and turned, feeling Damon’s gaze on me. We sat on the sofa, facing the gas log fireplace, but I could still see the nurse. I hoped she’d let us know about Justice.

Before Damon could grill me, I called Tim. As soon as he answered, I started right in. “Tim, it’s Sawyer. Justice was attacked near the diner. He’s at the hospital now. We think whatever did this might be tracking us.”

There was a brief pause on the other end, followed by a heavy sigh. “Damn it, kid. That’s not good. How’s Justice holding up?”

“He’s unconscious in the ER. And Tim, there’s something else. I think whatever attacked Justice is still following us. We might be dealing with something we can’t see.”

Tim’s voice grew stern, laced with urgency. “All right, listen to me, Sawyer. You and Damon need to stay sharp. Don’t let your guard down, not even for a second. Now, about Brody, Grady, and Scott. I’m going to get them on this. They can start canvassing the area, see if they pick up on anything unusual. You two aren’t alone in this.”

His words were a small comfort, but the weight of the situation was still pressing. “Thanks, Tim. We’ll be careful. Just...let us know if you find anything.”

“Don’t worry. I will.”

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