“Well where will she go?” Malachi asked.
Jaasir, the demon using Stephen’s body shrugged. Blisters from the holy water scarred his face, appearing to have almost eaten through one of his cheeks, the flesh weeping.
Malachi didn’t like to acknowledge that his minions had a weakness.
“Her family lives too far away, but she has a few friends close by,” Jaasir said as he picked at one of the blisters, peeling the skin back to reveal the layers underneath. “She might go to one of them.”
Malachi nodded. Damn that girl. She was turning out to be more than an irritant. “Is there anywhere else she might go?” He suspected that she wouldn’t return to a church, not after last time. It had been blind luck that his minions checked out the holy places in their search. That luck wouldn’t last.
“She might revisit Margaret Jones.”
Malachi frowned. “And who is Margaret Jones?”
“Both Joanna and Margaret received corneal implants from a priest. That’s how they can see us. The priest has given them the ability.”
“So there’s another one with the power? Why wasn’t I told about this?” Malachi glared at Jaasir. “See to your face, then fetch me this Margaret Jones so that I can pluck out her eyes myself.”
Jaasir nodded and exited the basement room.
Malachi watched as his minion departed. The brief sense of glee he felt at possessing Joanna’s boyfriend with one of his creed had been short-lived.
With Jaasir gone, he turned to face one of the doctor’s in his group. “I need something to keep my vessel asleep so that I can be in control at all times. Your host will have the information in his memory files. Access them.”
The doctor nodded. “You’re talking about a barbiturate-induced coma.”
“And what’s one of those?”
“Basically it’s a temporary coma brought about by using a drug such as pentobarbital or thiopental. Humans use it to put a patient’s brain into hibernation so that it can recuperate.”
Malachi waved his hand dismissively. “And will it stop Lincoln from waking?”
The doctor nodded.
“Then get me the drugs.”
Malachi smiled. When he had total control, nothing would be able to stop him.