Page 38 of The Shadows of Excess

Stupid-stupid-stupid-stupid.

I quickened my pace, hurried inside, and made a beeline for the toy aisles. My brilliant plan was straight out of a movie. Grab some squirt guns and fill them with holy water. In my head, it played out like a scene from The Wizard of Oz, spraying the demons and watching them melt away like the Wicked Witch.

As I grabbed three squirt guns off the hook, my rose tattoo seared with an intensified heat. I turned to head to the cashier but froze in my tracks.

“Sawyer,” a chilling voice echoed around me, sinister and familiar.

My heart raced as I spun, only to find the aisle empty. In a hurried panic, I accidentally knocked another squirt gun to the floor. My gaze darted to the large security mirror positioned to monitor customers.

There, in the reflection, was the hooded figure from my nightmares, standing ominously behind me.

With a surge of adrenaline, I bolted from the aisle, not sure if I was running toward the cashier or aiming to escape through the door, still clutching the plastic guns.

The demon’s cackling echoed through the aisles, and customers scattered like mice. I dodged past slow-moving shoppers, my heart racing. The laughter seemed to grow louder and more sinister with each step, taunting me as I frantically looked for an escape route.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I glanced over my shoulder, fear prickling at my neck, to see if the demon was still tracking me. Suddenly, strong hands wrapped around my waist from behind and pulled me against a solid chest. I released a blood-curdling scream and thrashed wildly, trying to break free from the demon.

“Sawyer, stop. It’s me.”

I ceased struggling and looked over my shoulder into a pair of deep, dark brown eyes.

“Justice?”

He pulled me closer, and I inhaled his masculine scent.

“Yeah, it’s me. What’s wrong?” Justice’s voice was a grounding force in the whirlwind of my panic. As he gently brushed my hair behind my ear, his touch acted like a balm to my frayed nerves. The simple, caring gesture helped dissipate the haunting image of the demon in the mirror, replacing it with a sense of safety. His presence was like a shield, holding back the wave of terror that had threatened to overwhelm me.

I leaned closer, trying to calm my racing heart and trembling limbs. “The demon...he was after me,” I whispered, still feeling the burn on my arm, letting me know evil was close by. I looked behind me, desperately trying to locate the elusive shadow. “Justice, the demon from my dream. He’s here. He called my name.”

Damon rushed over to us, concerned and confused. “What in the world’s happening here? Sounded like a horror movie scream-fest from the other aisle.”

At that moment, a security guard with a professional demeanor approached. “Is everything all right, miss?” he inquired.

I hastily shook my head, trying to ease the tension. “No, I’m fine, really. I’m sorry for the commotion.” I placed my hand on Justice’s chest, offering an apologetic glance. “He took me by surprise, that’s all.”

The guard’s expression softened. “Please try to keep it down. This is a store, not an amusement park.”

I quickly told Damon what happened.

He cursed under his breath. “That’s why you don’t go wandering off like you’re Indiana Jones.”

I wanted to argue that I could take care of myself, but since I was shaking like a bowl of jelly, they would both know it was a lie.

Damon frowned. “What’s with the squirt guns?”

I drew a deep breath and exhaled. “I thought we could fill them with Father Ray’s holy water and squirt the demons if they attacked us.” Luckily, my voice was steady and sounded normal.

The tips of Justice’s lips tugged into a smile. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”

“Maybe,” Damon conceded reluctantly. “That still doesn’t give her a free pass to go on a solo mission.”

Justice clasped my arm, his grip firm and decisive. “Let’s pay for those squirt guns and get out of here,” he urged, his voice low and tense. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this demon. Something tells me we haven’t seen the last of him.”

I didn’t answer him. There was no doubt the demon would be waiting for us, and I had a sinking feeling he’d guessed my brilliant plan, but it didn’t matter. We were going armed.

* * *

---