Page 7

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Vadim cleared away the remnants of his lunch and deposited everything in the trashcan. He came back and tidied up Alexei’s space while his coworker spun his magic. He was just dusting off the desktop with his napkin when Ella came through the door, a large pink box in the curve of her arm and a monster cup of some beverage that was leaking bright orange bubbles through the inadequately fitted lid.

He held out a chair for her and grabbed for the box as it slid off her arm.

“Thanks. Is Feehan back yet?” Ella asked.

She looked less fragile than she had in the morgue. He preferred her in full-on belligerent mode, although why he was concerned about her feelings at all was a mystery.

“I think he only just left.” He gestured at the box. “Is that your lunch?”

“Yeah, would you like one?”

He stared through the clear plastic lid at the brightly colored glazed donuts. Only in America . “No thanks. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth.”

Ella’s gaze wandered over his body. “I bet you work out, don’t you?”

“I try to keep in shape.”

She smiled and he couldn’t look away. “Of course you do.” She opened the box, took out a donut covered in white glaze and purple sprinkles and bit into it. “Mmm…”

He watched, fascinated as she licked the frosting off her lip with the tip of her tongue and then slowly chewed.

“May I have one, please?” Alexei asked.

Ella nodded, and kept eating as Alexei pondered his selection. The Fae could eat just about anything and still retain their beauty. Alexei only accompanied Vadim to the gym to look good rather than because he needed to go. Ella started on her second donut, pausing occasionally to slurp at the disgusting orange concoction.

Vadim had to look away, instead concentrating his gaze on the Fae-Web that still hovered over Alexei’s head. It took him a while to interpret the Fae symbols and gain entry, but soon he was enmeshed in the beauty of the web. It took on the dimensions of a tunnel he could walk through with information covering every surface, constantly offering new pathways, new analogies with all roads leading to a central rune that glowed blood red.

Death.

Being immortal, the Fae preferred not to deal with the consequences of death. Only those who weren’t purebred could cope with the ramifications of the Fae-Web, of its predictions for the future, of a mortal’s ultimate fate. Vadim carefully avoided all avenues that addressed himself, concentrating only on the trail of the elusive killer and the far brighter light of Ella Walsh. But Alexei was right. The red stones of death were definitely drawing closer to Ella, and so was his lifeline…

God , no .

“What are you doing?”

Vadim jumped as Ella poked his arm. He was snapped back into reality with a speed that made him want to vomit. He glanced down at the sleeve of his jacket where a large yellow blob of frosting now rested.

“Give him a second, Ella. He was in the Fae-Web,” Alexei said.

Vadim swallowed hard and refocused on the offensive frosting.

“You can see into those things, Morosov?”

He got out his handkerchief and tried to decide whether he would make matters worse by trying to rub the stain off. There was really no other option. He’d have to get the hotel to dry clean the jacket for him tonight.

“Morosov?”

He dabbed at the stain, then wet his handkerchief with water to blot out the stickiness.

“What, Ms. Walsh?”

She rested her chin on her hand and studied him. “I was asking if you could see into the Fae-Web. Liz tried to tell me what it was like, but I couldn’t really understand.”

“It’s…different.”

She snorted. “That’s a lot of help.”

“It just is.”

Her brown eyes narrowed. “So what percentage of Fae are you exactly?”

“I have no idea.”

“If you’re more than fifty percent Fae, Morosov, don’t you need a permit to live on this side?”

“You should know, gatekeeper. Isn’t it your job to police Otherworld creatures?”

“One of my jobs. I can’t tell with you. Your shields are too good.”

“What a shame.” He returned her earlier smile with interest.

She looked across to Alexei, who was still helping himself to the box of donuts. Vadim noticed they’d managed to eat about half-a-dozen between them already. “How much Fae do you have to be to make that thing work?”

“To operate it? At least thirty-three percent. To see it?” Alexei shrugged, his gaze skipping over Vadim. “That depends on your line.”

“Your Fae line?”

“Yes. Some families are more powerful than others.”

“I’ve noticed that. Sometimes it’s harder to remove one memory than another, although they initially seem the same.” She turned back to Vadim. “Can you create one of those things?”

He repressed a shudder. “No.”

“I wish I could see into one. I bet things would make a lot more sense on a case.”

“It’s not quite that straightforward. Fae logic is not the same as human.” He glanced at Alexei who looked amused. “In fact a lot of it is both misleading and irrelevant. That’s why we need Alexei and Liz to interpret the data for us.”

“He’s right, Ella. Sometimes even I don’t understand what my Fae-Web is trying to tell me.”

“Until it’s too late,” Vadim said. Alexei had the grace to look abashed. Vadim stood and pushed in his chair. He took off his jacket and laid it over his arm. “Will you both excuse me? I need to clean off my sleeve properly.”

* * *

Ella watched him leave the room, then turned back to Alexei.

“What did you miss last time?”

He shrugged. “That Natasha was going nuts.”

She considered that and found her gaze drawn back to the door through which Vadim had just left. “Morosov’s a bit cranky about his clothes, isn’t he?”

“That’s a bespoke suit from Savile Row in England. I’d be pissed too.”

Ella stared at the remnants of her donut. “No wonder he looks so good in it.”

“It’s his armor.”

“Against what?”

Alexei smiled. “Against everything.”

“How much does one of those cost?”

“About four or five thousand dollars, but they are made to last a human lifetime.”

“Holy shit.” She dropped her donut onto her napkin. “Should I offer to have his jacket dry-cleaned or something?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Alexei helped himself to another donut. “We get enough in our budget to cover cleaning, and Vadim isn’t short of money.”

Curiosity was vulgar, but she couldn’t help herself, and the Fae were terrible gossips. “He’s rich, as well as handsome as a god? Why on earth does he work for the government?”

Alexei sat back. “You’ll have to ask him yourself.” He idly studied his fingernails. “You think he’s handsome, do you?”

“Who doesn’t? You’d have to be blind not to notice that ass and that face,” Ella sighed. “But it’s okay, I’ll live.”

“He likes you.”

“He does not.”

Alexei grinned. “Sure he does, but he’s fighting it. Natasha really did a number on him.”

“Were they that close?”

“Hard to tell. She certainly doted on him. I was never quite sure how he felt about her. Vadim’s never been one to like a clingy woman, and by the end she was emotionally needy.”

“Like all empaths. I’m a bit of an exception apparently.” She grimaced. “I’ve seen a picture of Natasha. She was stunning. Let’s just be grateful I know he’s way out of my league. Morosov would do better to date Laney.”

“But Laney’s just about to meet her OCOS match, isn’t she?”

She stared at him. “You don’t miss much do you?”

He shrugged. “She ended up in my Fae-Web, I have no idea why. Naturally, I picked up some information about her.”

“ Supernaturally , you mean.”

“Well, that and some deliberate eavesdropping on your conversation last night.”

Ella couldn’t help laughing at Alexei’s cool admission of guilt. “You’re definitely more Fae than human, aren’t you?”

“I certainly have more adaptable morals.” His gaze dropped to her mouth. “Is it just Vadim you won’t date, or does that ban extend to me?”

She took her time looking him over. He certainly was a beautiful specimen and most Fae were spectacular in bed…

“Nope, I can’t do it.” She shook her head. “It just makes everything complicated at work. I need to keep my mind on Otherworld.”

“Not a problem.” He picked up his empty cup. “Can I get you anything?”

“No thanks, I’ve got soda.”

He rose to his feet and looked down at her, all delicious silver hair and eyes. “If you change your mind, let me know, won’t you?”

“Sure.”

He nodded, and she watched him walk to the door with his usual grace and then hesitate. “Mr. Feehan’s back.”

Ella stood too. “Good to know. I’m going to my office. Come and get me if anything exciting happens.”

* * *

Ella left Feehan’s office. She’d done her job and established that George Ralston didn’t have any obvious connection to the victim, her apartment or the killer. It would be up to Liz and Alexei to decide if he was of any further interest to the Fae-Web. She found Liz chatting to Alexei, their heads close together, their Fae-Webs enmeshed.

She coughed loudly and they both jumped. Damn, she should have remembered from lunch that interrupting someone when they were deeply in the Fae-Web gave them a shock.

“Sorry, guys. Feehan wants to see you, Liz.”

Liz stretched, and the silver lines of her Fae-Web trembled and disappeared. She walked out to Ella in the hallway. “Did you meet Ralston?”

“Yeah, I did. As far as I’m concerned, he’s in the clear. Feehan wants you to meet him too, though.”

“I’d be happy to.” Liz smoothed down her pink skirt and patted the shining curve of her blond bob. “By the way, is it okay if I bring some guests to the barbecue on Sunday?”

“The more the merrier. I can hide from my parents in the crowd.” She’d finally succumbed to Mom Guilt and agreed to visit her family in the East Bay for the weekend. Apparently, they were celebrating something she should have known about weeks ago. Something she’d already forgotten the details of—again.

“Do you still need a ride, Liz?”

“No, we’ll bring the others. You can take Laney.”

“If she wants to come.”

“Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. She’s just all excited about hooking up with her OCOS date.”

“ Laney is?” Liz stopped walking.

Ella forced a smile. “Yeah, she decided to go for it after all.”

“Well, good for her.” She patted Ella’s shoulder. “You should consider it.”

“Hmm…”

Liz knocked on Feehan’s door and Ella continued on down to her corner office. She passed the open door of the small conference room and saw Vadim writing on the whiteboard. His precious jacket was placed carefully on the back of a chair and his sleeves were rolled up to the elbow.

She paused in the doorway, ostensibly to check out what he was writing, but also to check him out. Just because he thought he was too good for her didn’t mean she couldn’t admire him from afar. His hair was almost black and his cheekbones rivaled a supermodel. Luckily, that tough mouth of his saved him from being too pretty…

“Did you want something, Ms. Walsh?”

She leaned against the doorframe. “Mr. Ralston’s here if you want to see him.”

“What did you think of him?”

She came farther into the room and dropped her backpack on the table. “I can’t sense any connections between him and the victim. He seems genuinely upset about her loss.”

He exhaled and shoved a hand through his dark hair, which immediately fell back into place. “Damn. I suppose it would’ve made it too easy if he’d been the murderer.”

“And unlikely, seeing as he hasn’t ever been outside the U.S.”

“That we know of. Otherworld doesn’t keep the same kind of immigration records as the U.S. He could have gone through a portal.”

“Did your guy actually speak Russian?”

Vadim went still. “That’s a good question. I’ll have to check Natasha’s notes, such as they were.”

Ella got out her laptop. “I can do that right now.” She found the files and opened the one marked with Natasha’s name. Vadim came to look over her shoulder. Up close, he smelled of expensive aftershave and warm, vibrant male. Ella shivered.

“What is it?”

She ignored him and concentrated on the file. “This is the translation. Do I have the original as well?”

“Yes.” Vadim leaned around her and tapped something on the keyboard. A second file came up and they both stared at the Russian script.

“Look.” Ella touched the screen. “This bit is in English, right?”

Vadim cursed softly, his mouth close to her ear. “Interesting. That’s just above Natasha’s comments on the killer’s voice and thoughts. Sounds like he is an English speaker.” He straightened away from her. “What made you think of that?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe I picked it up when I sensed him in the stairwell at the victim’s apartment.” Vadim frowned and she hastened to add, “It might not be important.”

“But I still missed it.” He walked away from her. “And I was all ready to blame you for fucking up this case. Maybe I’m the one who needs to worry.”

“Shit happens.” She couldn’t believe she was the one trying to make him feel better.

He swung around to stare at her, his dark blue gaze intent. “This time I can’t afford to make a mistake.”

“Because you’ll be the one held accountable back in Russia?”

“Exactly.” He grimaced. “You don’t know my boss. When she says if you fail she’s going to eat you alive, she means it literally.”

“She’s a shapeshifter?”

“And the rest.” He picked up his jacket and put it back on. The fabric settled around him like a second skin. “I need to talk to Alexei.”

“Sure.” She shut down her laptop and put it back in her backpack. “Are you doing anything this weekend?”

“I think Alexei’s got something planned.”

“Then have a good one.”

“Thanks.” He smiled at her and she had to remember not to drool.

For a moment she’d considered inviting him to her parents’ barbecue, but perhaps it was best that he was busy doing other things. If she had a few beers, she might get up the courage to flirt with him, and despite his avowed dislike of empaths, he might just take her up on it. She might not have the courage to call his bluff and walk away.

Ella sighed and checked her cell. Laney had sent her a text about the party saying she didn’t need a ride and would come on her own. A second text said she’d be late because she would be chatting online with her OCOS mate, Peter.

She stared at the text and tried to think how to answer it. For the first time ever, she was aware of feeling a little jealous. None of Laney’s other conquests had ever bothered her, but Peter did because—because what? Because he represented Laney’s survival, something Ella couldn’t do for her best friend? Something she was afraid of doing for herself?

She sat down on the nearest chair. She’d had another letter from Otherworld today, repeating their offer of finding her a mate and reiterating all the benefits. The letter was still stuffed in her backpack. She slowly took it out and studied it, squinting to read the small blurred print she’d earlier ignored. In two weeks they’d be sending her details of her mate anyway. Her only choice was to either agree to meet the guy, or ignore the information. What kind of a man had they found, and who in the hell would ever want to put up with her?

“Ella, are you coming for a beer?” Liz appeared at the door of the conference room. “I said I’d meet Doug at the bar across the street.”

“Sure.” Ella smiled at her friend. “As long as I make the last ferry.”

She stuffed the letter into the pocket of her backpack. Soon, she would be that much closer to madness and know the name of this mythical male who would supposedly make everything right for her. Would she leave off making her decision until it was too late like Natasha had? She slung her backpack over her shoulder and snorted. What a fucking awful set of choices.