Page 63 of Defying the Relic Hunter

Popping the top on a can of pop, Ethan handed it to me. “Drink up; it’ll help with the shock.”

I took it gratefully. My hand shaking visibly, I raised the can to my mouth but kept dribbling it down the front of my shirt.

Ethan took the can from me.

Quinn started the engine. “She needs a keeper.”

“Do not.”

Ethan held the can to my mouth. “She’s got me.”

Alpha males were a pain-in-the-butt, but sometimes it was nice to be taken care of. I obediently drank the pop and snuggled against his chest. I could get used to this.

I noticed the lines of stress etched in his face and ran a soothing finger over them. “Sorry, I scared you.”

“A warrior never goes into battle without a plan or sufficient backup. Before you attempt to connect with any more ghosts or Thunder Gods, Granny will be present and you’ll link with me. I’m your backup.”

“You up to dealing with things that go bump in the night?”

Ethan brushed his lips over mine. “I am.”

“Just remember ghosts are as dangerous as the Tai-Kok.”

“We wiped the Tai-Kok from existence,” Ethan countered.

“True.” I laid my head against his shoulder. God, I was so tired.

Ethan’s fingers stroked my back soothingly and my eyes drifted shut.

A shuddering bounce woke me. A symphony of color dazzled my eyes. Milk white monoliths stood like sentries next to towering mesas in ever changing shades of red which contrasted sharply with the turquoise sky.

“Are we there yet?”

“We are, sweetheart,” Ethan replied.

Quinn brought the Hummer to a stop next to a new silver Airstream motorhome.

I eyed the Airstream giddily. “That’s our command center?”

Ethan nodded, “It is.”

“Nice digs.” The last motorhome I had been in had holes in the floor and couldn’t go faster than thirty miles an hour.

General Jones exited the motorhome and walked toward us.

“He promised to bring us chocolate,” Xenia said happily.

The sensation of sudden overwhelming danger screamed through me like an electric shock. I jumped out of the Hummer and scanned for the source. My gaze fell on a metal sign with a large arrow pointing down the dirt road. It said, Caves Lake Canyon 3 miles. “Holy hell, we’re too damn close.”

Quinn barked, “To what?”

I pointed to the sign. “Caves Lakes are where those eight-hundred angry Aztec warriors reside. We’re gonna need a shit load of salt and some blessed crosses.”

“What does salt do?” Xenia inquired.

“Spirits can’t cross salt.”

Quinn slid in nastily, “Why didn’t you tell us this sooner? We could have bought the salt before we left Kanab.”

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