Royce Hemlock Novels & Stories

She asked and I nodded. "Well, there are different kinds of poisons that can be harmful to wolves but hemlock contains several alkaloids including coiine and alpha–coniceine. It is a highly toxic plant that can cause serious illness or death if ingested. The toxins present in this plant can affect the nervous system, causing paralysis and respiratory failure. In some cases, hemlock poisoning can also cause abdominal pain, seizures, and death." "Death?" She gasped. "Would you have died yesterday if something was not done quickly?"

Nightshade roared "QUIETEN DOWN! HEMLOCK IS HERE!" This made the buzzing die out, so everything was silent. I could hear whispering as an area around the window was cleared for Hemlock who had appeared in it. Eagle and the mohawk woman shoved more people back to make the gap wider. Hemlock held his wooden staff tightly in his grasp as he stood up on the sill and turned to the crowd before him. Everyone fixed their eyes on him in a mixture of awe and worry. Most of the Souls probably hadn’t seen their temperamental leader in person until today. Lucky them.

Pushing backwards on his chair coasters Mac slowly exhaled, took out his phone and sent a picture to the crime scene investigators. After two minutes his phone buzzed. Poison Hemlock. Conium maculatum. The leaf was a green hand of splendid shiny skin, as if the perfect alien had reached out in gentle friendship. It was as supple as paper, perhaps more so, and in the strong light it was as magnificent as any stained glass.

Chapter Two: SIGHTING Later that night, Rojean dolled up to go to a place that was both a nightclub and a bar that everyone was talking about. She was old enough, for sure, especially if she was going to get married soon. But she was never the kind of person to go out on the weekends, to a club or even a bar and always preferred the comfort of their apartment which Lucas didn’t mind at all even when he wanted to go out. She was in a cream coloured off shoulder dress which stopped mid-thigh and hugged her curves beautifully.