Soul Sucker (20 page)

She sat down before her knees gave way. “I’m still going. I might take Sam along. He needs to start doing more fieldwork, so you don’t have to come.”

“I’m damn well coming.” Vadim stalked toward the door, his expression icy. “Don’t try and skip out on me. I don’t want to use our bonded link, but if you try and shut me out, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.” He shut the door so hard it rattled the frame.

Ella stared after him. She’d offended him but what had he minded most—being shut out of her next mission, or out of her mind? With a groan, she rubbed her hands over her eyes. Didn’t he see that she couldn’t cave at work? Did he expect her to cry all over him? She had no experience being in a relationship, especially not one with an OCOS supplied mate who could read at least some of her thoughts without even trying.

She opened her desk drawer and found a bar of chocolate. It looked a little battered, but it would do. When she’d fortified herself sufficiently, she’d go and find Sam and update him on the Bonetti case. Vadim would be accompanying them; she had no doubt about that. A flicker of remorse made the chocolate suddenly tasteless. This mating business was new to Vadim too and he hadn’t asked for this. Crap. She probably owed him an apology.

* * *

Vadim slammed the door of the small conference room and briefly closed his eyes. His flexed his hands. The temptation to blast something into oblivion tingled in his fingertips.

“What’s up, Vadim?”

Liz was sitting on Alexei’s vacant desk, long legs swinging, coffee cup in her hand.

“Ah, hi, Liz. I didn’t realize anyone was in here.”

“I saw that.” She cocked her head to one side. “Let me guess. Is Ella driving you mad?”

“She...” Vadim hesitated and Liz looked at him expectantly. He reluctantly concluded he could share some of his frustration, even if it was just about work.

“She what?”

Vadim sat down. “I went to see if I could offer her any help and she wouldn’t let me near her.”

“That sounds like Ella.”

“I tried to be sympathetic and respectful but she wouldn’t give an inch.”

“She’s a very private person.”

“I
understand
that. I’m the same.”

“So how would you take it if someone tried to comfort
you
at work?”

Vadim thought about that. “Not very well.”

She clucked her tongue at him as if he were a child. “Then why are you surprised Ella was ticked off?”

“She’s always ticked off with me. That wasn’t a surprise at all.” He contemplated Liz for a long moment. “She’s insisting on going out to work the Bonetti case tonight.”

Liz finished her coffee and threw the cup neatly into the trash. “That doesn’t shock me either. Ella’s remedy for avoiding emotional stuff has always been to work and play harder.”

“I’m going with her.”

Liz’s faint smile faded. “You must go with her. In fact, you must stay with her as much as you can.”

“Is that an order?”

Liz’s Fae-Web shimmered around her and her eyes turned gold. “Yes. You need to face this danger together. Your destinies are linked.”

“Not a problem.” Vadim hesitated. “Does Alexei know what you know?”

“Not in quite the same way, but he’s probably got some idea of the bond between you and Ella. Why?”

Vadim switched on his computer. “No reason.”

“What don’t you want him to know?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“He’s your friend.”

“He’s almost one hundred percent Fae. He’s no one’s
friend
. He was sent here to report to our boss in Russia.”

“So he told me.” Liz nodded. “But I don’t think he’s going to have you sent back now. You’re far too central to this investigation for that to happen.”

“Don’t count on it.” Vadim clicked on the SBLE website page.

Sam came bounding into the office. “Hey, Liz, Ella’s taking me out on a case with her tonight! Isn’t that sick?”

“It’s great, Sam.” Liz smiled enthusiastically at Sam, who blushed. “Just remember to pay attention and don’t get in Ella’s way.”

He made a face. “It’s okay. She’s already read me the riot act.” He paused at the door. “Do you think she’s intending to hand over all the cases to me before she...?”

Liz frowned at him. “I have no idea. Just take what you can and be grateful.”

Sam gulped. “No offense, Liz.”

“None taken, but don’t say that to Ella, will you?”

Sam disappeared and Liz grimaced at Vadim. “He’s such a kid.”

“At least he’s honest.”

She slid off the desk and headed for the door. “Tell Alexei I was looking for him, will you?”

“I will.” Vadim settled down to research the SBLE files for little green men. Ella might not want him there, but he was determined to be as well prepared as he possibly could.

Chapter Sixteen

“Okay, this is how we’re going to proceed.” Ella looked at the two men. “The three of us are going to stake out the kitchen. When the creature emerges, I will be the one to engage it. Got that?” Sam and Vadim nodded obediently. “If I am in trouble, please feel free to help out.”

“What kind of trouble?” Sam whispered.

“Don’t worry, you’ll work it out. Remember, the aim is to capture the creature and persuade it to go back to Otherworld, not to kill it.”

Sam’s face fell. “Why would it want to come back?”

“Did you read the file I sent you? If what I suspect is correct, this creature has been living quite happily in the pipes for almost a hundred years. Now, along come these humans and break up the creature’s nest. It’s not pleased about that.”

Sam nodded. “Got it.”

Vadim didn’t say anything, but Ella could tell he was listening intently. He’d changed into black jeans and a long sleeved gray T-shirt that blended in with the gloom of the kitchen. The jeans fitted him really nicely. She’d almost salivated when she’d seen his tight, neat denim-clad ass.

For some reason, her eyes had adjusted more quickly than usual to the dark. Sam was the only one of them who was still stumbling around finding his way. Vadim always moved as lightly as a cat and was just as sure-footed. She pointed at a good hiding spot for him. He nodded and disappeared silently from view, a complete professional to his fingertips. After his earlier lapse he’d returned to treating her with a precise courtesy that bordered on uncivil. She wasn’t sure if she was pleased or irritated that he had the ability to compartmentalize like that. That was supposed to be her specialty.

She indicated another spot to Sam, and waited until he had subsided rather noisily into the cramped gap between the workstations. She patted his knobbly bare knee, and moved closer to the industrial kitchen sinks where she intended to sit. It was cold in the kitchen, the tang of disinfectant cutting through the lingering smells of cooking oil and grease.

Ella licked her lips and thought longingly about a plate of sweet potato fries sprinkled lavishly with salt and topped with a serving of ranch dressing...

“
I
have
a
protein
bar
if
you
need
one
.”

She jumped, expecting Vadim to be by her shoulder but he wasn’t there. She concentrated hard.

“
Are
you
talking
to
me
in
my
head
?”

“
Obviously
.”

“
You
can
do
that
?”

“
What’s
the
problem
?”

“
Is
this
part
of
the
mating
thing
?”

“
It
might
be
easier
because
of
that
,
but
I’ve
always
had
this
ability
.
Do
you
want
the
protein
bar
?”

“
No
thanks
.
They
suck
.”

“
Okay
,
then
.”

He disappeared from her thoughts as swiftly as he had arrived. She’d had her shields up, and yet Vadim seemed immune to them. How come he could get into her head so easily when she couldn’t get into his? But then, she hadn’t really tried, preferring to pretend their relationship was just about sex. She didn’t do the emotional stuff. It never worked out well for her. She’d tried to date shapeshifters and Fae who didn’t care about her extra abilities, but she’d never been able to get close to any of them. Not that those species were very interested in long-term relationships anyway. The werewolves eventually settled down when they mated, and the Fae would fuck anything without a single qualm. She should be comfortable with just fucking Vadim, but something inside her wanted more... With a sigh, she returned her attention to the kitchen and settled down for a long wait.

After what felt like hours, and probably was, Ella was startled from an uneasy doze by the subtle hint of Otherworld power seeping through the air. A thin trickle of green mist was coming out from the cupboards and she checked her weapon. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and what looked like a small typhoon swirled out into the kitchen making the stacked piles of crockery shudder and the glass tinkle.

Ella concentrated on the center of the storm and made out bony arms and legs that looked like green spiky thorns. When the disturbance came close, she reached out a gloved hand and grabbed hold of whatever it was. With an unearthly shriek, the thing stopped spinning, almost pulling Ella off her feet and into the turmoil. She held on, aware of the rose-like thorns sticking into her skin through the leather glove and the inhuman screeching that rattled around her oversensitive empath’s brain like an exploding bomb.

“Stop it.” She tightened her grip on the bony arm. “I’m from the SBLE. I have the authority to send you back to Otherworld if you continue to create unnecessary disturbances in the human world.”

“What is SBLE?”

The thing stopped spinning and faced Ella. Three green spikes adorned the top of its head like the diadem on the Statue of Liberty and it had wide-spaced black eyes, no obvious nose and a mouth full of spiked teeth. Its body was composed of sharp multi-jointed green limbs, a small torso and strands of green plantlike hangings that reminded her of vines or ivy. According to her research, a variety of female sprite.

“You might not know about the SBLE, but you know you aren’t supposed to cause a disturbance in this world,” Ella said.

“They disturbed me!” hissed the sprite. “They destroyed my nest!”

“I understand that, but they didn’t do it deliberately.”

The sprite showed its teeth. “Humans are worthless!”

“Not all of them.” Ella sat more comfortably on the floor, her hand still locked around the sprite’s upper arm and her weapon at the ready. Vadim and Sam had come a lot closer. “If you don’t like humans, why are you here?”

The sprite looked at her as if she was stupid. “They trapped me. My mother left us younglings in her nest to hunt by the stream, and when we woke up, we were alone, encased inside metal and couldn’t get out.” It shrugged its bony shoulders. “All my siblings perished. I was too weak to break free, so I made the best of it and stayed in the nest until they destroyed it
again
.”

“I’m sorry. The original pipes probably contained iron, which bound you here. The new ones tend to be plastic, so your ability to move around and use your magic has been restored.”

“I suppose they did me a favor then, although it doesn’t feel like it.” Her little mouth turned down at the corners. “I’m sorry about all the mess.”

Ella put her gun down. “You can’t stay here.”

“Do you think I want to?”

“Would you like to go back to Otherworld?”

“Not really. I’d like to live by a creek again, though. Somewhere I can find others of my kind, perhaps a mate.”

“
Ms
.
Walsh
,
I
can
find
that
information
for
you
.” Vadim’s calm voice echoed in Ella’s head. “
Yes
.
There
are
several
sprite
colonies
up
in
the
delta
area
.
We
could
take
her
there
.”

Ella smiled at the sprite. “We could do that right now.”

“Truly?”

“Yeah.” Ella looked behind her. “I have a couple of colleagues here who can help with that.” She pointed. “That’s Sam and the other one is Morosov.”

The sprite looked dubiously at Sam and then her eyes widened and she ducked her head.

“I am sorry for looking at you directly, sire. Do not kill me, I beg of you.”

Ella frowned at Vadim. “What did you do?”

He held up his hands. “I did nothing. Perhaps the sprite mistakes me for someone else.”

“Mayhap you are right, sire, but I beg your pardon, anyway.”

She put her ungloved hand on the sprite’s shoulder. “There is one more thing I need to do before we can go. I have to erase your memories of this place so that you aren’t tempted to return.”

“I would not want to come back.”

“Unfortunately, female sprites are programmed to return to their original nesting site when they have their own young, and that wouldn’t be a good thing.”

“You are a soul sucker, then?”

“I’m an empath. I promise I’ll just take what I need and not damage you in any other way.”

“All right, then. Do your worst.”

Ella closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling her way through the young sprite’s memories, cherry picking the references to her nest that started even before her birth. She hesitated, unsure of what to put in their place and Vadim’s thoughts slid into hers. He sent her images of the delta, of small creeks and inlets, covered bank and concealed nesting holes... It took but a second to feed them to the sprite.

Ella let out her breath and carefully extracted herself from the sprite’s mind. “Do you feel all right?”

The sprite blinked. “Yes. I just want to get away from here.”

“Just give me a minute to consult with Sam, and then Morosov and I will take you to your new home.”

Vadim took over her spot and settled to watch the sprite, who wouldn’t even look at him. Ella went across to Sam.

“That was really cool,” Sam breathed. “It’s weird, it didn’t exactly speak ‘American,’ but I could understand it anyway.”

“That’s because you’re an empath.”

Sam nodded. “You didn’t have to hurt her at all.”

“That should always be your aim.” Ella felt the beginnings of a terrible headache and was already shaking. “I want you to write up a report of everything you saw tonight so that we can discuss it in detail tomorrow.”

“Sure!” Sam stretched. “I’ll have it on your desk asap.”

“Great.” Ella forced a smile. “Go on home now and remember, don’t discuss your work with anyone outside the SBLE.”

His enthusiastic expression dimmed. “That’s the kicker, isn’t it? Not being able to share stuff. No wonder we all go nuts.”

“It’s part of the job, Sam.” Ella patted his arm. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Night, Ella. Night, Vad.”

Ella didn’t see Vadim’s reaction to his new nickname, but it still made her want to smile. She turned to face him and the sprite.

“Do you have enough magic to get us there?”

“Of course.”

She didn’t have the energy to confront him about the variable estimates of his magical powers tonight, but she sensed a showdown coming. Surely as his mate she should know these things?

“Take my hand, Ms. Walsh. We can do this together. You also have the power now.”

Putting the sprite between them, they linked hands, and a moment later, Ella smelled the briny tang of the delta and heard the gentle sound of water and the swish of willow trees. It was still quite dark but the suggestion of dawn lapped at the edges of the blackness making it easier to see.

The sprite inhaled deeply. “This is a good place.”

Ella let go of both the sprite’s and Vadim’s hands. “We’ll wait over there until we see that you are okay. If you don’t sense anyone, or you don’t feel welcome, come and find us, and we’ll take you someplace else.”

The sprite bowed low. “I thank you, soul sucker, and you, sire.”

Ella smiled. “Thank you for being so cooperative.”

They retreated behind a large tree and watched as the sprite approached the bank of the creek. Within moments three other sprites of varying sizes emerged from the murky darkness and began conversing in a strange clicking language that reminded Ella of whale song. All seemed to go well, because within another few seconds the sprite was led toward the nesting holes.

Ella let out her breath. “Looking good. Let’s give her a couple more minutes.”

“She’ll be fine. They have no females left in their particular pack. They will treat her like a queen and vie for her favors.”

“Lucky girl.” She pulled her hand free of Vadim’s. “How do you know all this?”

“I’m part Fae.”

“I know that, but what part exactly?”

His smile was meant to distract her and almost succeeded.

“Morosov...”

He cupped her chin. “How are you feeling?” His expression darkened. “Your resources are seriously depleted. Why didn’t you say something?”

“It’s just the way it is.” She grimaced. “Every time I take a memory it drains me even more than the last time.”

He studied her for a long moment. “I have a solution for that.”

“Sex is not the answer to everything, you know.”

His mouth hovered a fraction above hers. “In this case, it is. Now kiss me and let me in.”

She gave in to the kiss far too easily. It was a guilty relief to lean against his solid strength, slide her fingers into his short hair and be supported. As he kissed her, she felt a visceral tug on her psychic senses—as if she was the one having her memories purged. She bit down on his lip and he recoiled.

“What the hell was that for?”

“What exactly are you doing?”

He stared at her as if she was an idiot. “What I’m supposed to do. Take the memories away so that you don’t get overloaded.”

“But—”

“Shut up, Ms. Walsh, and let me do my job.”

His mouth descended again and she surrendered to his kiss with all the enthusiasm of a heroine in a romance novel. Pathetic, but there was no one there to see, apart from a few sprites who might well be getting up to some mating activities of their own. Vadim deepened the kiss and she responded, unwilling to be the passive partner in their embrace, determined to make him work for it.