Page 82 of Night's Fall
“District?”
“Seven.”
“The hospital?”
“MercyRoyal.”
“The doctor and nurse?”
I’d started shivering.
Something was wrong here.
Really wrong.
“The doctor’s name wasBuildlore,”Itold him shakily. “Shifter.Thenurse, she was human.Ithink her first name wasCarmen.Lastwas…Fitzgerald?”Iasked like he could confirm.
His gaze shafted over my shoulder, and he growled, “Geton this.Andsend a team toLaura’swarehouse.Someone’sfiltering benzos into her water supply.”
“On it,”Setgrunted, and he and the female turned back to the elevator.
The doors closed on them and slowly, carefully, like my body would shatter ifImoved too fast,Iturned to my mate.
“What’s going on?”Iasked, my words trembling as much as my body was.
“Come here,bissi,” he urged tenderly.
“No, tell me what’s going on,”Idemanded lamely, because, yes, my voice was now even shakier.
“Do you know what benzos are?”
I shook my head but said, “Sedatives.”
“There are two types.Benzodypenesare sedatives.Colloquially, they’re referred to as dypes.Thereare alsoBenzobytines.Thoseare referred to as benzos.”
“I’m not understanding why you’re sharing this information with me.”
“I’m sharing it with you becauseBenzodypenesare used widely, as prescribed by a physician, as sedatives, and in lower doses, to combat anxiety.Benzobytinesare also sedatives, but they have different results.They’reused strictly and solely for two purposes.Infact, there’s a law that if they’re used outside of these purposes, it’s a felony, with a mandatory prison sentence starting at two years.”
“O-okay,”Istammered, rolled my shoulders to pull myself together, and asked, “Whatare the two purposes?”
“In healthcare for the mentally deranged, they’re used on shifters to make certain they cannot shift.Andin the prison system, so inmate shifters will be arrested in the same.”
Okay.
All right.
Okay.
Was he saying…?
I wrapped my arms around my stomach tightly and protectively, doing this instead of putting a hand hopefully to my chest.
“All inmates get it,”Alekseicontinued. “Ithas no effect on demons, fae and humans.It’sfiltered into the water, so they receive it even through their skin in the shower pods, which means everything they consume constantly delivers a low-level dose that keeps their beasts alive inside them, but unconscious and thus not a threat.”
“Oh my gods,”Ibreathed.
He came to me then, butIdidn’t move, even when he got in my space, cupped my jaw in both hands, and dipped his face to mine.
