Page 3 of The Shadows of Excess

She pointed a long finger at us. “You’ll all pay for destroying our home!” With a swirl of her cloak, she vanished into the shadows, leaving a lingering threat that hung in the air as heavy as the dust.

CHAPTER TWO

The dragon responded with an angry shriek that reverberated through the crumbling walls of St. Marinus Abbey. With a powerful swipe of its tail, it brought down the remainder of the unstable ceiling. The beast spread its majestic wings and leaped through the gaping hole it created, soaring into the sky.

I wrapped my arms around Tim’s waist, clinging to him as I pressed my knees against the dragon’s side. His white hair whipped my face, a stark contrast to the blur of the sky as the air rushed over us in turbulent waves. I hesitantly looked down and gasped at the destruction below.

Below, the ruins of St. Marinus Abbey succumbed to their final demise, crumbling as if struck by an earthquake. The steeple, a silent witness to centuries of hidden lore and rumored gateways to other realms, swayed precariously before toppling over. It crashed to the ground with a thunderous roar, sending a massive dust cloud billowing into the sky reminiscent of an atom bomb.

As the dragon flew higher, the warmth emanating from my tattoo began to fade. The diminishing heat was a relief, a hopeful sign that we were out of immediate danger. For the moment, at least.

Justice sat behind me, and I was keenly aware of his presence. He wrapped his arms firmly around my waist, pulling me back against him. The heat from his body seeped through my clothes, and his warm breath tickled the back of my neck. A jolt of electricity shot down my spine, but it wasn’t fear that coursed through me. It was a strange mix of excitement and vulnerability.

My father had always instilled in us a deep hatred for vampires ever since one had brutally murdered our mother. But as I sat here, held in the embrace of a vampire, I couldn’t deny the pull I felt toward him. He was everything I had been taught to fear, and yet, at that moment, I couldn’t resist him.

I leaned against his broad chest, knowing he would protect me from every danger. A storm was circling us, and soon, I would have to face the wrath of my brother and father.

A thundering boom broke me from my thoughts. I looked down at St. Marinus Abbey. Even from this height, the cacophony of destruction filled the air—the groaning of the earth, the cracking of ancient stones, and the distant cries of startled wildlife. We sat on the dragon in awe and horror, witnessing the end of an era, the fall of a monument steeped in mystery and legend.

As the dust settled, the landscape below us had changed irrevocably. The once serene and eerie lake near the abbey now reflected the scene of devastation, its surface rippling with the aftershocks. The destruction of St. Marinus Abbey was not only the end of a structure. It felt like a closing chapter in the supernatural history of Colorado, a final, dramatic act in the supernatural lore that had surrounded this place for so long.

As the dragon veered away from the crumbling remains of St. Marinus Abbey, it headed toward the familiar sight of Damon’s red Ford Fairlane. I had left it parked in a secluded grove, nestled among a stand of aspens and pines. With their whispering leaves and sturdy trunks, these trees had served as silent guardians, concealing the car from prying eyes wandering from the abbey.

As we approached, a wave of relief washed over me. The sight of the Fairlane, with its glossy red paint glinting in the sunlight, felt like a beacon of normalcy in a sea of chaos. It seemed like days, maybe even lifetimes since I had last seen it, even though it had only been hours. The world I had left behind when I climbed into that car felt impossibly distant now, altered by the events and revelations that had unfolded since.

I inhaled deeply, letting the scent of pine resin and rich earth fill my lungs, anchoring me to the present moment. The dragon glided down toward the car, its massive wings beating softly against the air.

Despite the chaos of our escape from the abbey, this descent felt almost surreal in its smoothness and gentleness. My heart still raced with adrenaline, but at the sight of the familiar Fairlane, a glimmer of hope ignited within me. It was a reminder that reality existed beyond our current state of terror and wonder.

The dragon landed beside the car, and Damon was the first to slide off his back.

My brother flew across the ground, his feet crunching the leaves and twigs as he raced toward the car. When he reached it, he ran his hand along the smooth, shiny surface as if caressing a lover.

“You’re still perfect,” he whispered, his voice filled with relief and fondness. This car was more than a mode of transportation for him. It was a piece of his childhood, a constant amid the chaos of our family life. He meticulously inspected every inch, making sure she hadn’t been damaged in any way. A sign of stability in his turbulent world.

As I dismounted from the dragon’s back, my legs wobbled, and I stumbled. Justice caught me in his strong arms and gently set me down on the ground. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unfamiliar vulnerability as he wrapped a protective arm around my shoulder. Despite being fiercely independent, there was something undeniably comforting about being cared for by someone else.

“Thank you,” I muttered, grateful for his presence in this dangerous world.

I caught my dad’s angry eyes and moved away from Justice’s protectiveness. Justice looked at me curiously, and I thought I saw a glimpse of hurt in his dark brown eyes.

I cleared my throat and turned to my brother. “I made sure she was safe, Damon.” My voice held a confidence I didn’t feel inside.

“You’re damn straight you did. She’s my baby.” Damon headed toward me with his palm stretched out. “Keys?”

The hardness in his blue eyes had softened, and he wore a proud smile, reminding me of a sixteen-year-old kid buying his first car.

With a surge of mischief, I pretended to search through my back pockets. “Oh, no. The keys—they’re gone.”

Damon’s smile vanished, replaced by panic and desperation in his blue eyes as he looked through the trees at the fallen abbey. “What?”

“Damon, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have teased you,” I replied with a small grin, unable to contain my amusement any longer.

He whirled and snatched the keys. “That wasn’t funny.”

I covered my mouth with my hand, still trying to stifle a laugh. “You must admit, it was a little bit funny.”

He scowled at me. “Not when you’re messing with my baby.”

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