Talon shook his head. “No, showing up as a huge group would just make us seem more threatening. We’re there to ask questions, not bully anyone.”
“Aw, really?” Malachi pouted as he and Luke joined them around the table. “Not even a little bit? For me?”
Talon chortled. “Don’t tempt me. We can’t get answers and piss Lilith off at the same time, as entertaining as it might be.”
“We don’t want to make things harder for ourselves by giving her more reason to hate us, either,” Ira pointed out.
“Ah, fine,” Malachi said, slinging an arm around Luke’s broad shoulders. “It’s not like I’d be there to see it anyway.”
“We should get moving, I guess,” Nathan said. “The sooner we find out about these pills, the better.”
“Yes, may as well,” Talon agreed. “I’d like to get this over with. I have better things to do with my night.” He leered at Alex in a way that left little to the imagination.
“Let’s take my truck,” Storm suggested as they turned toward the door. “I don’t fancy trying to squeeze into the back of your little sports car, Talon.”
“I didn’t bring it, anyway,” Talon said. “Harder to track us if I teleport us everywhere.”
Nathan hummed. “Have you guys all taken the chance to move, by the way?”
“We did,” Talon said, filing out of the Rink behind Nathan and holding the door for Alex. “I own a couple of properties, so it was easy to move to another. One of them is actually an apartment complex. The others are staying there for now, too, just to be on the safe side. And I may or may not be looking into real estate overseas, if shit should hit the fan. Ira’s been tight-lipped whenever I ask him about the future, but he didn’t tell menotto buy a hidden-away mansion somewhere in Europe or the Baltics, so…” He shrugged.
Nathan eyed Storm as they climbed into the truck, Talon and Alex taking the backseat. “What about you? Did the paladins ever follow you home?” He’d never been to Storm’s apartment. Was it safe?
Storm nodded. “They followed any of us they’d seen interact with Alex and Talon. I moved at the same time as the others. Remind me to show you my place sometime.” He cast Nathan a smile. “It’s got a nice view.”
Nathan struggled to hide how much the idea pleased him. He did want to know where Storm lived. Wanted to know everything about him. “I’d like that.”
The drive passed in a companionable blur. Nathan hadn’t been out on a mission with Alex since before his banishment, almost a year ago now. The Alex he saw now was vastly different from the one he remembered patrolling with back then, though. Gone was the simmering anger that had lurked below the surface. This Alex was relaxed, and his smiles appeared readily. It was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and Nathan wondered if it was vengeance or love that had done more for him. He suspected the latter, because he felt the same buoyancy when he was in Storm’s presence. Like the whole world was a little brighter.
He couldn’t blame Alex for willingly going with Talon, now that he knew what Alex must have felt at the time.
They stopped in a fenced-off parking lot across the street from the club. Nathan studied the outside of the warehouse with interest. He’d never been inside In Extremis before, and he had to admit, he’d always been curious. The windows of the converted warehouse were painted black, and a lone halfling stood guard at the door. That used to be Storm’s job, and his gaze slid to Storm’s profile curiously. Did he miss it?
“No weapons,” Talon said, glancing between Alex and Nathan.
Alex nodded in agreement, and Nathan shook his head, raising his hands. “I didn’t even bring any.” He’d left them in the trunk of his car. If he’d needed anything, he’d assumed they would have mentioned it before leaving the Rink.
“Good. Demons get squirrelly when they see holy weapons. Bad enough you’re walking in there with that ring on,” Talon said, unbuckling his seatbelt and reaching for the door.
Nathan looked down at the signet ring on his finger. The ruby looked black in the darkness, stark against the white pearl of the cross that was inlaid in the middle. “Should I remove it? I’m here on guild business.”
“No, it’s fine,” Storm said. “People will be wary, but they’re already going to be wary ofus. Seeing your ring won’t make that much of a difference.”
They crossed the street as a group, Alex and Nathan side by side with Talon and Storm at their backs.
The bouncer stepped in front of the door, crimson eyes bouncing from face to face. He was almost as tall as Storm, but not quite as broad.
“Tripp,” Talon greeted.
The halfling nodded in greeting, blowing a lock of dark brown hair back from his face. “What’s your business here? I’ve been told not to let you in.”
“We just want to ask some questions. We’re not here to cause any problems,” Talon said.
“You asking questions might cause problems.” Tripp arched a bushy brow. He nodded at Nathan. “This one’s a paladin.”
“I’m unarmed,” Nathan said.
Tripp looked away, smirking. “You won’t want to come in tonight anyway.”
