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“Why, because you can’t imagine a human doing such a terrible thing?”

“Of course I can. I’ve seen those movies with Anthony Hopkins.”

“Who plays a fictional character.”

“I know that.” She glared at him. “Why don’t you want it to be Otherworld?”

He put down Brad’s phone and met her gaze. “Because there aren’t many beings like that even in Otherworld, and those are usually incredibly powerful and well connected.”

“Damn.” She blew another bubble. “So we’re going to have a hard time finding this guy and executing him.”

“Oh, I think he’ll come back.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “I just do. I’m going to suggest to Mr. Feehan that we restrict access to Brad’s room and that he’s monitored 24/7.”

“And I’m going to get hold of Liz and see whether she has any data about similar crimes.”

“That’s certainly a good place to start. Do you want to go ahead and leave me to talk to Feehan and Ms. Phelps?”

“No, I’ll wait. They’ll probably be back in a moment, and we need a ride from the boss, remember?”

Vadim subsided into one of the chairs. “I’d forgotten.” He passed Ella Brad’s cell phone. “He definitely doesn’t have black hair.”

While she waited, she flicked through Brad’s photos and then checked out his social-media pages.

“Gawd, I hope his parents haven’t seen these pictures.

If I was paying for my kid to attend medical school, I certainly wouldn’t appreciate seeing him grinning, drinking, and fondling women in every bar in the city. ”

“I’m sure your parents felt the same way.”

“They never saw a thing.” She tossed him the phone. “That was one good thing about the empath college being in Otherworld.”

The door opened and Feehan came back in with Ms. Phelps.

“What did you think of the patient?”

“Well something’s not right, is it?” Ella slid off the side of the desk. “We’re going to talk to his ex-girlfriend and visit the last bar he was in.”

Feehan hesitated. “Ms. Phelps has a request.”

“What’s that?” Ella turned to face the administrator, who’d taken up her original position behind her desk.

“Brad Dailey’s grandfather is a retired senator for the state of Michigan.”

“So?”

“His father has political aspirations too. The family has requested that the information about Brad is kept between the hospital, the Dailey family and the SBLE.”

Ella cast a sidelong look at Vadim. “Like we’d gossip to the media about a case.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t, Ms. Walsh, but we’d just like to make certain we’re all on the same page. Brad’s parents are flying in later today to see him.”

“Do you think that’s advisable?” Feehan followed Vadim to the door. “If he’s obviously unstable, that might complicate things.”

“We’ll make sure he’s sedated.” Ms. Phelps stood too. “I hope to hear from you as soon as possible.”

“We’ll do our best.” Feehan held open the door for Ella and Vadim and closed it behind him. “She seems like a nice woman.”

“For someone who’s desperately trying to protect her ass.

She’s got an influential political family breathing down her neck, which might affect future hospital funding, and she’s got to stop any stories leaking to the media about Brad’s stolen face.

” Ella turned to Feehan. “I bet she’ll have Brad sedated.

She won’t want him talking about any of this. ”

She walked right into Vadim, who had stopped in the middle of the hallway. Feehan kept moving. “What’s up?”

“I think I’ll go back and see Brad and make absolutely certain he won’t wake up and scare his parents.”

“You can do that?”

He smiled. “Haven’t you ever heard of Fae who can make humans sleep a thousand years?” He turned toward Brad’s room. “Don’t worry, I can bring him out of it too. I’ll meet you in the parking lot.”

Ella watched him walk away and followed Feehan down the stairs to the staff parking garage. Could Vadim really put people to sleep? What else could the man do? Sometimes it seemed better not to ask.

* * *

Vadim knocked softly on Brad’s door and waited until the nurse answered him. He gave her his best smile and she preened.

“I’m sorry to bother you—” he glanced down at her name tag, “—Delia, but I need to return Brad’s phone to him. Is that okay?”

“Sure. Do you want me to give it to him?”

“I’d rather give it to him myself. I don’t want him to think I can’t be trusted.”

“That’s fine. Go right on in.”

When he approached the gurney, Brad’s eyes were half-closed, but they opened when Vadim took his hand.

“Hey. Did you find out something already?”

“Not yet. I’m just returning your phone and wallet. I’ll put them on the side here, okay?”

Even as he replaced the items, Vadim concentrated on tracking that small and ever-eroding stream of Otherworld magic that clung to Brad like cologne.

One taste was enough for him to identify a creature’s magical genes, his family, his connections and his power.

After a moment, Vadim pushed more magic through Brad and waited until he fell asleep.

The nurse hovered at the end of the bed and Vadim nodded to her.

“Thanks for letting me see him.”

“You’re welcome.” She walked him to the door. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No, I’m originally from Russia.”

“How cool is that?” She widened her eyes and leaned against the doorframe, arching her back. “I’d love to go there one day.”

“You should. It’s a wonderful country.”

She glanced around and closed the door behind them. “I don’t normally do this, but can I give you my number? Just in case you ever need someone to show you around town.”

“That’s very sweet of you, but?—”

“But you’re already taken.” She sighed. “All the nice ones are.”

“It was still a pleasure to meet you.”

“Same here.”

Vadim nodded and headed back down the hallway toward the bank of elevators, his thoughts focused on deciphering the myriad of messages from the Otherworld magic he’d sensed. When he first identified the power through Ella, it had felt vaguely familiar, and now he was sure of it.

He pressed the button and watched the lights of the elevator flicker downward to his level.

He sensed Ella in the parking lot below him and concentrated on screening his thoughts from her.

Of course, if he was right and the creature returned to seek his prey, he’d blown his cover completely, because like knew like.

The elevator arrived and he stepped in, his stomach sinking along with the descent. The magic stemmed from his bloodline.

From someone who was supposed to be dead.