“Hi, Doctor Maxwell. It’s a fine time. What can I do for you?”
“Oh, I’m calling because I tested that black pill you gave me. It had traces of sulfur, human bone, salt, wormwood and cedar. It looks like you were right; these pills are like miniature hex bags. I can only assume that if one ingests enough of them, the ingredients will accumulate in the body and allow a demon to take possession.”
“Holy shit,” Nathan whispered. Louder, he asked, “Thank you for letting me know, Doc. Have you spoken with Commander Sloan yet?”
“I have. He was… not as receptive as I would’ve liked.”
Nathan paused, and Storm glanced over at his uncertain frown. “What do you mean?”
“He insisted that you were helping with some ploy of the traitors’. I’m afraid he won’t listen to anything regarding these pills.”
“Even now that we have proof they’re causing the possessions?”
“I can speak with him again later, try to make him see reason.”
“I… I don’t know if you should.”
Storm heard Maxwell’s sigh through the tinny speaker. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of at this guild’s behest in the past, Captain. This time, people are dying. Someone needs to speak up.”
Storm was dying to know what the doctor was talking about, and based on Nathan’s shocked look, he felt the same. Instead, he shook himself and said, “Okay. Just be careful. Don’t push too hard. I’m… I’m working with those ‘traitors’ to find the source of the pills now. I’ll do what I can out here to put a stop to it.”
“Good. Do what you can, and I’ll do the same. Good luck, Captain. God be with you.”
“And with you.”
Nathan hung up and blew out a breath. “Okay. Looks like he confirmed what we already knew. Those pills are what’s killing people. Lilith is helping the distributor. We just need to find out where they’re coming from.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Storm promised, squeezing his leg.
Chapter19
Nathan
Nathan was startingto think some of the guyslivedat the Rink. It was like they never left. Everyone was already there when they arrived. Zachary bounded over to take the food from them, and rather against his will, Nathan’s gaze found Alex’s, who flushed and ducked his head, scratching at the back of his neck.
“So about last night,” Alex started, and Talon laughed.
“Whatever happened last night?” Shadrach asked, curious and teasing. He glanced between them, and Nathan’s face burned with embarrassment.
“Shadrach,” Storm growled.
Shadrach blinked innocently. “I just asked a question.”
“You asked it in an annoying way,” Storm said. “What have they already told you?”
“Nothing at all, of course,” Shadrach replied.
“They told us about the pill you had to take,” Wolf said, shooting Shadrach an exasperated look. “And the, uh, side effects.”
“Oh God,” Nathan groaned, massaging the bridge of his nose.
“I imagine both of you said thatquitea bit last night,” Shadrach remarked.
Malachi barked out a laugh—and then covered his mouth when Luke shot him a halfhearted glare.
“Look,” Alex said, “things—happened. It’s not a big deal. We got the answers we went there for. Or, I guess Talon and Storm did.”
“You were there, little bird,” Talon said graciously. “You can include yourselves in that.”
