Page 11 of The Shadows of Excess

He shrugged and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “All right, all right, so we’re looking for a secret club that’s buddies with our greedy demon. Great. Any idea where we begin this magical mystery tour, or do we start crashing random cult meetings?”

“We need to delve deep into ancient lore, maybe even seek out scholars who’ve studied these demonic pacts,” Brody corrected, his firm voice imbued with a sense of purpose. “This isn’t only about deciphering a mark. It’s about understanding an enemy that threatens all we stand for.”

Damon’s eyebrows furrowed in a frown. He glanced around the table and sighed. “I thought Dr. Gould was the grand master of this kind of stuff.”

Brody gave him a steady, reassuring look. “Dr. Gould has been invaluable with his knowledge, but this goes beyond what’s in the books. We’re dealing with something that threatens not only us but potentially countless others.”

He continued in a firmer tone. “Finding someone with the mark or confronting one of these demons directly won’t be easy. Remember, we’re not doing this for answers alone. We’re protecting those who can’t defend themselves against these threats. This is about more than our personal quest. It’s about doing what’s right.”

He glanced around the table, making eye contact with each team member. “We’ve faced tough situations before, and we’ve always come out stronger because we did it together. This time is no different. We’ll tackle this challenge the way we always do. With courage, determination, and unity.”

I sat beside my dad and held his limp hand. He hadn’t moved since we brought him in here. “What about Dad? We can’t leave him here while we do research and find one of these demon worshippers.”

Tim sighed heavily, the weight of responsibility evident in his voice. “Looks like I’m on babysitting duty, then. None of you have the first clue about brewing that elixir.”

I stared down at Dad’s pale face. “I don’t know if I can leave him.” My voice wavered with fear and guilt. If something happened to him, and I wasn’t here, I would never forgive myself. I was the one who allowed Justice to give him vampire blood. If the cure killed him, this was all on me.

Tim’s expression softened a bit. “I know it’s hard, kid, but sitting here watching over him won’t do any good if we don’t find a way to beat this thing. I’ve got his back. You go do what needs to be done.”

I wiped away a stray tear. “Where do we start?”

Brody, Grady, and Scott exchanged knowing glances.

Damon narrowed his eyes. “What?”

Brody turned to me. “Dr. Gould said you and Damon would know where to start.”

I put my hand on my chest. “Us? Why would he say that?”

Damon rolled his eyes. “Is this really the time to play games?”

A thought popped into my hand. It was too simple, but it was all I could think of. “Do you mean the witches next to the safe house?”

Brody folded his arms. “We tried to visit them, but they’re gone.” His tone hinted that something was terribly wrong.

“Maybe they went on vacation,” I offered, though the idea felt more like wishful thinking than a real possibility.

Damon shook his head, a wry smirk on his lips. “Witches like them don’t go ‘poof’ for a spa vacation. There’s something fishy going on here. Is there a reason why Dr. Gould wants us to locate them?”

“Wait here. I may have something.” Tim left the small office and returned to his. Damon and I glanced at each other. Tim always seemed to pull something out from his sleeve. Maybe this was one of those times.

I heard quick, purposeful strides coming down the hardwood hallway, and my heart sped up, thinking Tim was returning. Instead, Justice appeared, his broad shoulders filling the doorway. His black shirt stretched over his chiseled chest, and his fitted jeans accentuated every muscle in his legs. It took me a moment to catch my breath from the sudden rush of attraction.

I caught my brother’s angry stare, and heat burned my cheeks. Hopefully, the others hadn’t noticed my reaction.

Justice scanned the room, his gaze serious and foreboding, and finally rested on me. “Dr. Gould sent me.” An air of urgency had replaced his usual easygoing demeanor.

Everyone in the room tensed, sensing the gravity of his words. Damon leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “What’s happened? Spit it out.”

Justice drew a deep breath. “It’s about the witches,” he began, pausing as if weighing his next words carefully. “One of them...” He trailed off, his jaw tightening.

My heart skipped a beat. “One of them what, Justice?” I whispered, dreading the answer. I thought of Becky and Lisa. They’d been so helpful to us, and I didn’t want anything to happen to them.

He locked gazes with me. “She’s been found dead.”

A stunned silence fell over the room. His ominous announcement hung in the air like a thick fog, suffocating and undeniable. A cold shiver ran down my spine as my mind raced with questions and fears.

Damon broke the silence. “Dead? How? And why?” he demanded.

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