Page 37 of The Shadows of Excess

Damon’s phone buzzed. He stepped to the side, his back to us as he took the call.

Justice and I exchanged a glance, the weight of Elijah’s words still hanging over us.

Damon finished the call with a decisive snap of his phone, a glint of frustration in his eyes. “That was Brody,” he announced, sliding his phone back into his pocket with a swift motion. “They hit the jackpot at one of those creepy warehouses. Stumbled upon some ancient mojo artifact. Dr. Gould’s all over it, wants them to haul ass to PMC HQ like yesterday.”

I raised an eyebrow and fixed my gaze on him. “What did they find?”

Damon gave a nonchalant shrug, the corners of his mouth turning up in a half-smirk. “No clue what it is exactly. But Dr. Gould was like a kid in a candy store, so you bet it’s gotta be something big. My gut’s screaming it’s tied up with whatever freak show we’re walking into tonight.”

I was dying to know what they found, but we had to be focused, or we could end up on a slab. “Let’s head back to the Fairlane and hole up at a hotel to get prepared while we wait for tonight.”

We climbed into the car.

Damon started the engine. “What hotel? The Broadmoor?”

I rolled my eyes. “Very funny, Damon. Very funny.”

Broadmoor was the epitome of luxury and elegance, and it was way out of our budget. Even if we weren’t hunters, we wouldn’t be able to afford it. Besides, it was in the opposite direction from Colorado Springs.

“You’ve never stayed at the Broadmoor?” Justice asked from the backseat.

I stiffened. “No. Supernatural hunters don’t have the budget for fancy hotels like that.” I twisted around in my seat. “Why? Have you?”

“Actually, I have,” he muttered.

I had never thought of Justice having money, but he must come from a rich family to afford that place. Or maybe the PMC footed the expense.

He cleared his throat. “Is that someplace you’d like to go?”

Damon shot me a you’d-better-not glance. This was not the time to argue with him.

“I will someday,” I stated as I met my brother’s protective gaze. “Let’s go to the Ridgeview.”

It was a pragmatic choice for our modest budget. Unlike the opulent Broadmoor, the Ridgeview Motel offered nothing in the way of luxury. Nestled on the modest side of the northern end of Mystic Ridge, it was a humble establishment with a faded sign boasting affordable rates and basic amenities. Damon and I had stayed there during other supernatural investigations.

He pulled into the parking lot. The Ridgeview was a throwback to classic roadside motels. It featured a simple two-story structure with doors opening directly onto the parking lot. The motel’s charm lay in its unassuming presence, a stark contrast to the grandeur of The Broadmoor. The rooms were clean but dated, furnished with the essentials and little else.

It was the kind of place frequented by travelers, especially supernatural hunters. Tim usually recommended hunters to stay here. I always wondered if Tim got a kickback when they did, but I never asked. Tim needed the money.

Damon parked the car and looked at me. “I’ll get us some rooms,” he announced and got out to head to the office.

Across the street was the local department store, Ridgemart, and I got an idea about how to use Father Ray’s holy water.

I looked at Justice. “Tell Damon I went across the street. I’ll be right back.”

“Wait. Sawyer.” He exited the car with me. “I don’t think we should split up. The demons could ambush you like they did me.”

I rolled my eyes and put two fingers under the crystal lying on my neck. “Justice, I have the black tourmaline. Wait for Damon. He’ll panic if I’m not here.”

He called after me as I crossed the road to the store. “And he’ll kill me for letting you go alone.”

Sometimes, I got tired of having such protective men hovering over me. I wasn’t a damsel in distress. I’d fought things that would give most people nightmares.

Cars and trucks filled the small parking lot. I hurried toward the front doors, then slowed my steps. My tattoo was starting to get warm. Crap, maybe my headstrong determination had landed me in a whole bunch of trouble.

I scanned the parking lot for any signs of lurking darkness or hooded figures, but all I saw was a typical scene. A sea of cars and people bustling in and out of the store.

Beads of sweat formed on my forehead as I slid my hand into my back pocket for my phone and realized I’d left it in the damn car.

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