Page 50 of The Shadows of Excess

Justice stood close to my side, his arm lightly brushing against mine. He took up the thread of conversation. “We came across a book…” He cast a quick, admiring glance in my direction. “Or, more accurately, Sawyer did. She found it, and it even shocked her when she touched it.”

A frown creased Elijah’s brow, piquing his interest. “And the title of this book?”

“It’s called Echoes of the Eternal: An Illustrated Guide to Mystic Ridge’s Graveyards.”

“Do you still have the book?” Elijah asked.

“It’s in my car.” Damon poured himself a shot of bourbon. “We thought you might have a copy.”

“No, it’s not,” Justice countered. “I grabbed it before we came in.”

Damon exaggeratedly rolled his eyes.

“Good.” Elijah took another sip of his espresso. “I do, but it would be worthless to you.”

Damon tossed back the shot. “Why?”

He wandered toward the front window, lost in thought. “I assume you’re searching for Whispering Shadows Cemetery. Unfortunately, I can’t help with its location. The witches have cloaked it in spells, shielding their sacred ground from prying eyes.” As he peered out the window, his train of thought seemed to shift. With a casual glance over his shoulder, he asked, “Isn’t that fiery red Fairlane parked out there yours?”

Damon’s frown deepened. “Yeah, why do you ask?”

My rose tattoo started burning, and I rubbed my arm. “I think something evil’s close by.”

Elijah tilted his head, an intrigued expression on his face. “Because there’s a dark-haired woman standing next to it, and I can sense an immense power emanating from her.”

Justice immediately hurried to Elijah’s side and peered out the window. “Oh, shit. That’s Maci.”

Elijah turned, surprise evident in his tone. “You know her?”

Justice nodded grimly, his gaze not leaving the figure outside. “Yeah, we do. She’s a shadow dragon, and by the looks of it, she’s far from pleased.”

My heart skipped a beat. Great. Maci had finally tracked us down, and I doubted she wanted an espresso.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Maci sat on the hood of the car like she owned it. She looked into the shop with a smirk. Damon’s face turned bright red as he rushed toward the door like a raging buffalo.

Using vampire speed, Justice beat him to the door and grabbed his arm. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Damon struggled to break loose. “She’s sitting on my baby.”

“And not hurting it,” Justice reminded him. “Did it occur to you that this is a trap, and she wants you to come storming out like a pissed-off pit bull? Maci plays to win, and I doubt she came to this little shindig alone.”

I rubbed my arm, which felt like it was on fire. Maci’s evil played havoc with my rose tattoo.

Damon narrowed his eyes. “Then what do you suggest?”

Elijah reached into his pocket and retrieved a sleek black key fob with the Porsche logo stamped on it. “Take my car,” he offered, holding the keys out to Justice. But Damon snatched them away before he could grab them.

He shot a sharp look at Justice. “I’ll be driving.”

I rolled my eyes and ran a hand through my hair in frustration. “Damon.” I clenched my jaw. “We don’t even know where we’re supposed to be going.”

“You can figure it out. Don’t fight your ability. Instead, welcome it. You can do this. I know you can.” Elijah’s smile was warm. “Give her the book.”

“Are you sure?” Justice hesitated as he looked at my stricken face. “The last time Sawyer held it, she took a nasty jolt.”

Elijah’s brows furrowed as he turned to Justice, his gaze boring into him with stern intensity. “Listen, she needs to trust her instincts and decipher the message in that book.” He crossed his arms. “That’s the only way you’ll find the Whispering Shadows Cemetery.”

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