Soul Sucker (21 page)

With a groan he clamped a hand over her ass and pulled her tight against him until she could feel the hard throb of his denim-encased cock. She wanted to climb him, to fit her sex against his hardness, to have him inside her.

“
Damn
it
,
Ella
,
slow
down
.”

His words reverberated in her mind, but only encouraged her to rub herself against him even more. With a soft curse, he lifted her up, swung her around and placed her back against a tree trunk. She wrapped her legs around his waist and rolled her hips, felt his cock press against her clit, then came hard.

One-handed, he stripped off her overalls and let them fall to the ground. While he was busy doing that, she worked at his belt buckle and zipper to reveal his shaft, which was barely restrained by the waistband of his straining boxers. He took her hand away, and pushed down his jeans and underwear, barely pausing before he shoved his thick length inside her, making her scream and come again.

She tried to control his strokes, but he was too powerful so she sank down on him and just enjoyed the ride, the power of him, his scent, the flex of his tight ass as he drove into her making her climax almost constantly. Magic gathered around them and inside them and when he finally came, she joined him and saw the equivalent of psychic fireworks explode in her mind. She also felt curiously carefree, as if his touch had burned away her burdens, her fears, her...

She opened her eyes to find Vadim holding her up against the tree, his cock still inside her. A quick mental check revealed a lightness of spirit that had evaded her for years. She pushed at his chest and he looked at her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just think we should cover up. We’re near water, and I don’t want my ass covered in mosquito bites.”

He didn’t move. “What’s really wrong?”

She forced herself to meet his gaze. “Nothing. Will you just move, please?”

He pulled out and away from her and she leaned back against the tree, hoping her legs would stop shaking and hold her up. He kept an eye on her as he dressed and then bent down to retrieve her overalls and panties.

“Here you go.” He hesitated. “Would you like my handkerchief to clean up?”

“Thanks.” She took the immaculately laundered cotton square and waited until he turned his back. After she put her clothes on she sauntered over to him.

“Can you get us home?”

“With your help.” He took her hand. “But I can only take us to one place.”

She’d half expected that. “Then take us both to Tiburon.”

He nodded, his expression unreadable in the half light. “When you feel me cast the spell, open your mind to it and imagine that you are adding your power to mine.”

“Okay.”

Ella shut her eyes and waited. The power of the spell took her by surprise and she wondered why on earth it needed amplifying, but she’d promised to help out, so she took the magic inside herself and added her power. Within the blink of an eye they were outside her front door in Tiburon. For the first time ever, she didn’t even feel nauseous. Maybe it was the magical equivalent of not getting sick when driving a car instead of being a passenger.

She found her keys and led the way inside. The message light on her phone was flashing. She hesitated so long that Vadim touched her arm.

“Would you like me to check that for you?”

His question made her feel like a coward. “No, it’s okay. It’s probably just my mom nagging me about the weekend again.”

She wasn’t even sure why she was pretending. Vadim probably knew damn well that she was getting leery of picking up any messages at the moment. They all seemed to end in death. She dumped her backpack on the countertop and dialed her messages. Sure enough, it was her mom, her voice loud enough for Vadim to hear every complaining word.

She deleted the message and turned to her silent guest. “I suppose I’ll have to go.”

“I’ll come with you, if you like.”

“To do what?”

He shrugged. “Support you?”

Unwanted emotions clawed at her gut. “I don’t need anyone to hold my hand, Morosov. I’m quite used to dealing with my mom.”

He stood his ground. “We’re not at work now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You told me not to smother you at work, so I’m not doing that. But we are connected now, Ella, and if I want to support you with your family, why can’t you just accept it?”

“Because I don’t
need
anyone.”

He glared at her. “You damn well do.”

Anger shoved aside her other more fragile emotions and she embraced it gladly. “I need you for sex, okay? That’s all. And as we’ve already done that tonight, you can sleep on the couch.”

She turned around and headed for the bathroom, suddenly eager to wash all traces of him from her body, to eradicate all the erotic images of him fucking her hard and fast against that tree... She slammed the door behind her and turned the shower on full blast. Would he allow his calm, human façade to slip and follow her into the bathroom, fuck her into ecstasy in the shower? Did she want him to?

She studied her face in the gradually steamed up mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, her pupils wide, her hair a straggly mess of half-undone braids and bits of greenery. She had no idea why Vadim would want her anyway, but maybe he had no choice. The mating bond was way more complicated than she had ever realized.

* * *

He stared at the closed bathroom door and snarled a curse in Fae. Ella Walsh had no idea of his abilities. If he wanted to, he could blow the door down, follow her into the shower and have her obeying his every command. She’d be on her knees, his cock in her mouth, his hands in her hair...she’d be begging him to fuck her forever, until she died from it.

Power roared out of him and the entire house shuddered. With a groan he sat on the couch and covered his face with his hands. What the hell was happening to him? He sounded like Alexei at his most arrogant. God, he hated that about the Fae, that they thought they could just take whatever they wanted, destroy a human’s soul purely for their pleasure. Wasn’t that why he’d left? Hadn’t he wanted to be better than that? This mating bond was affecting him far more seriously than he had anticipated and Ella certainly wasn’t making it any easier.

He slowly exhaled as he heard the shower come on. And why should she make it easy? She was not only dealing with the approach of a significant birthday, but with a serial killer who was targeting empaths and closing in on her. The last thing she needed was an over-protective male cluttering up her life. He had to try and remember that, like him, she was used to protecting herself, allowing nobody to get close to her because closeness meant pain.

He got up and went to the closet where the spare bedclothes were kept. She had to
want
to share stuff with him, not have him forcibly demand it. He wanted to laugh. In his relationships, he’d always been the one to withdraw, the one that had been too private, too self-contained, and too elusive.

He punched his pillow, then laid it on top of the neatly tucked sheet. Despite what both Ella and he wanted to believe, mating was obviously a lot more complicated than having sex and sharing a psychic burden. With his mixed heritage it was also potentially dangerous.

The door to the bathroom opened and Ella came out, a towel wrapped around her body and another around her hair. Vadim focused on spreading the light quilt over his makeshift bed.

“I’m going to bed.”

He didn’t look at her, just nodded and concentrated on the correct placement of the flowery quilt.

“Feel free to use the bathroom.”

“Thanks.” There, it was all neatly lined up now, just like his emotions, a nice, straight orderly arrangement—except he wanted to follow her into her bed and make love to her all night.

He willed her to leave, but she hovered at the end of the couch.

“It was nice of you to offer to come with me to see my mom,” Ella said. Vadim sat down and focused his gaze on her pink toenails. “The only person who ever understood about my family was Laney. I’m used to dealing with them by myself.”

He raised his head. “Are you apologizing to me?”

“I suppose I am. It’s not your fault that you got forced into this crazy Otherworld arranged mating, is it?” She swallowed hard. “I should be grateful to you for saving me from madness, not shrieking at you every chance I get.”

He couldn’t look away. Despite everything, there was a core of honesty and decency in Ella that made it hard for him to ignore her, especially when she was like this. The least he could do was try and be honest back—well, as honest as he could be.

“I’m struggling with this myself.”

“You are?” She sat on the arm of the couch.

He forced the words out. “I’m part shapeshifter. Those instincts make me want to protect my mate. I forget that you’ve been doing an excellent job of protecting yourself all your life. I’ll do my best to remember that.”

“That’s very generous of you when I’ve been behaving like an ungrateful shrew.”

He attempted a smile. “I hadn’t noticed.”

“Liar.” She tapped her head. “I know you. I drive you nuts.”

He had nothing to say to that and she rose from her perch on the couch.

“I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

“Good night, Ms. Walsh.”

“Night, Morosov.”

He waited until he heard her close her bedroom door and then headed for the bathroom, which was its usual mess. While he waited for the shower to heat, he straightened everything up to his, if not to Ella’s, satisfaction and stripped off his clothes. Under the punishing heat of the shower he closed his eyes and relived the moments when he’d made love to Ella and taken the burden of her psychic energy into himself. For the first time ever he’d felt as if his Otherworld powers had been used for good. He’d felt like a superhero.

He opened his eyes.

Fuck
this
.

He’d never stop wanting to protect her. He would lay down his life for her. All he had to do was make sure she never realized the strength of his devotion ever again.

Chapter Seventeen

“So where were you last night?” Alexei leaned back in his chair to stare at Vadim as he entered their temporary office.

“Where do you think I was?” Vadim took off his jacket and placed it carefully over the back of his chair. Despite the air-conditioning it felt warm in the enclosed space.

Alexei inhaled. “You smell of Ella’s shower gel, so my guess would be you were with her.”

“Feehan asked me to stay with her.”

“How closely?” Alexei’s silver gaze narrowed. “You’re fucking her, aren’t you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Vadim strengthened his mental barriers. If Liz had picked up on his bonding with Ella in her Fae-Web, Alexei must have too, but he wasn’t going to admit that to the devious Fae. “I stayed over at her place after we sorted out a sprite issue. I used her shower this morning.”

“Really.”

Vadim met Alexei’s skeptical gaze head on. “Yes, really. Ask her if you don’t believe me. I slept on the couch and it was damned uncomfortable.”

“You can’t afford to fuck this up, Vadim.”

“I know that.”

Alexei’s Fae-Web streamed out and encircled Vadim. “You are essential to this case.”

“I know that too.” He resisted the urge to blast the Fae-Web into pieces as it shimmered around him like a fisherman casting a lure. “Do you think I’d do anything to jeopardize my future after the last case?”

“I’m no longer sure.”

“Then go and tell tales to Madame Dubinsky. Just remember if she demands my return, this case is ruined and I’m a dead man.”

“I’ll do what I have to, Vadim.”

“Of course you will. You’re Fae. You have no conscience at all.” He rose from his seat. “Feehan called a meeting at ten. Are you coming?”

Alexei followed him out of the room, his expression petulant, his Fae-Web flashing like a thundercloud. Vadim stood back to let Liz and Ella enter ahead of him and then followed them in. The whiteboard had yet another picture attached to it. This one was a gruesome snap of Trini Yamada in her party hat, her dead eyes fixed on the afterworld.

He hardly listened as Feehan rattled through the details of Trini’s short life, her decision to come to San Francisco and the tragic consequences of that choice. Ella doodled flowers on her yellow notepad. Even without trying, he knew it was a front and inside she was grieving for all of her classmates and fellow empaths. She wouldn’t allow him to comfort her and he didn’t want Alexei picking up any stray communications between them. His Fae colleague was already too suspicious.

“So we have to assume that the Siren isn’t murdering his victims in alphabetical order,” Feehan concluded. “I also want you all to know that I’ve alerted the other empaths who graduated with Ella and sent her twenty-four-hour protection. She’s not going to do anything but stay at home until I give her the all-clear.”

Ella looked up. “Has anyone contacted the two male empaths yet?”

Sam stuck up his hand. “I did. They are both alive and happily mated.”

“Good for them. But just because they are mated doesn’t mean they couldn’t have killed.”

“That’s true—” Vadim drew a black box on his legal pad, “—and they do know all of the American victims, which might explain why no one has put up a fight. Can we trace their movements for the past few weeks?”

“I’ve already got someone on that,” Feehan said. “I’ll let you know the results as soon as I get them.” He looked around the table. “So what else do we have to go on? What are the Fae-Webs telling us?”

Liz looked stricken. “That Ella will be next.”

“Oh great, thanks,” Ella said.

“The Fae-Web can be wrong, Ms. Walsh.” Vadim glared at Alexei and Liz.

“That’s right, and the way isn’t clear yet. Death is near Ella, but we both feel that she is the key to solving this mystery.”

“Over my dead body, right?”

“We’ll try and make sure that doesn’t happen, Ella.” Feehan’s smile was strained. “Now, is there anything else?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“Well, let’s call it a wrap until tomorrow then.” Feehan beckoned to Vadim. “Could I speak to you for a moment, in private?”

Vadim could see no way of avoiding the request and reluctantly followed his superior out of the conference room.

* * *

Liz reached over to take Ella’s hand.

“I’m so sorry. That came out all wrong.”

“It’s okay. It’s not as if my chances were looking good anyway.”

“But to just blurt it out like that!”

Ella squeezed her hand. “It’s
okay
, really.”

Liz’s expression cleared and her Fae-Web glittered brightly. “You feel different.”

“Really?” Ella tried to sound disinterested. She was all too aware of Alexei leaning in to overhear their conversation.

“As if you’re lighter or something.”

Ella winked at her. “I’ll tell you all about it later. We can do lunch.”

“That would be awesome.” Liz moved in closer. “Do you have a new man?”

“I think she does,” Alexei said.

Ella turned to meet his gaze. “And how would you know anything?”

“I talked to Vadim this morning.”

“About what?”

“I think you know.”

She rolled her eyes. “What is this? High school? If you have something to say, just spit it out.”

“Vadim stayed over with you last night.”

“Yeah, he did.”

“He smelled like you this morning.”

“That’s because even though I tell him it makes him smell like a girl, he uses my shower gel and stuff. What exactly are you getting at?”

“You’re dating him.”

Ella started laughing. “Dating Morosov? Hell no. I’d rather date you. At least I’d know where I stood.”

“There’s something going on between you. I see it in my Fae-Web.” Alexei’s web flowed out and meshed with Liz’s. “Yeah, there’s definitely something going on. Your fates are linked.”

“So everyone keeps telling me.”

Alexei’s expression darkened. “There’s no need to be sarcastic. You have no idea what Vadim Morosov is capable of, do you?”

“No, and I don’t want to know. He’s a pain in the ass.”

“He’s dangerous.”

“Right.” She went to get up and Alexei put out his hand.

“I’m serious. That incident, when the pair of you were stuck in the elevator together last week? That
incident
that no one else knows anything about, including the security cameras?”

“What about it?”

Alexei sat back in his chair, his silver eyes glittering. “Did it occur to you that Vadim might have orchestrated the whole thing?”

“Why on earth would he want to do that?”

“Think about it. He saves you, you’re grateful, he gets in your pants.”

She tried to ignore the sick feeling in her stomach. “You think he’s that desperate? Have you looked at him?
Seriously
?”

“If it makes him look good, he’d do it. Underneath that bland exterior he’s as ruthless at getting what he wants as any Fae.”

Ella stood up and pushed in her chair. “It’s a great theory, but there’s a massive flaw in it. I’ve already asked Morosov to hook up with me, and he turned me down flat.”

“I thought you didn’t sleep with your colleagues.”

“I was drunk. He put me to bed and left me there. I’m glad he did. It would’ve been awkward otherwise.” She glanced over at Liz. “Shall we do lunch?”

Liz rose, as well, ignoring Alexei. “Sure. I’ll get us some sandwiches, and we can eat here.” She linked arms with Ella and together they walked out.

Over lunch, she managed to keep chatting with Liz, but it was an effort when her mind was dealing with a hundred possible scenarios. She had to assume that Alexei didn’t know what had really happened in the elevator or he would have gone for the jugular, not sought information. Would Vadim want to mate with her so badly that he’d arrange such an elaborate stunt? She couldn’t see why he’d bother when he was obviously as unprepared for the mating call as she had been.

But what if he wasn’t? What possible advantage could mating with her give Vadim? Ella considered his aversion to Otherworld. By allying himself with her was he escaping a more dangerous fate on the other side? Hadn’t that letter mentioned that the lucky bonded mate was eligible to live in either world? Another more insidious thought surfaced. What if they weren’t really truly mated and Vadim had set the whole thing up simply to get her through the case alive? According to Alexei, Vadim was both ruthless and powerful. Unfortunately she now knew that was true.

Ella picked up her phone and called Liz. “That party you are going to tonight with Doug at the shapeshifters’ place? Can I tag along? I’ll be safe surrounded by Doug’s pack.”

Liz squeaked in delight. “Awesome! Come home with me after work and we can get ready together. It’ll be fun!”

Ella sat back and contemplated her phone. It would also give her the opportunity to prove whether her mating with Vadim was real or a figment of her imagination.

* * *

Vadim nodded as Feehan went through his list of requirements for Ella’s safety again. Unless she was on SBLE property, he had no intention of leaving her unguarded for more than a second. Even if she declined his escort, he would be able to find her through their mated link. She had no idea that he could blast through her shields if he needed to and that he would guard her to the best of his considerable magical ability.

Feehan cleared his throat and shuffled some of the papers on his desk.

“There’s one more thing.”

Vadim tried to look approachable and willing. “What’s that, Mr. Feehan?”

“The head of the SBLE in the U.S., Drew Spencer, is aware of what is happening to the empaths, and is contemplating taking over the case. I’m sure you’ll agree that this would not be ideal for either of us or our future careers.”

“I’d rather we got to see it through ourselves.”

“I agree, but Mr. Spencer doesn’t think we are acting fast enough.”

“What does he expect us to do? This killer appears and disappears into thin air!”

Feehan turned off his computer. “I spoke with him on the phone this morning. He intends to come down and speak to us all tomorrow.”

Vadim fought to control his instant protest. “What good can he do? We had the head of the SBLE in Russia involved and it made no difference.”

“I did tell Mr. Spencer about that.” Feehan avoided his gaze. “I regret to say he suggested the Russian organization wasn’t as capable as ours, and that with our resources we wouldn’t have failed.”

“What’s he offering us—the Navy Seals?”

“I’m not sure exactly what he’s offering. All I know is that if all the twenty-seven year-old empaths in America are wiped out, heads will roll.”

Vadim sat back. “I can’t see Ms. Walsh liking this interference, can you?”

“Not at all. She is very protective of her kind, but if she chooses not to take a mate, her influence will be very short-lived anyway.”

Silence fell as he struggled to control his rage at Feehan’s offhand comment. No wonder Ella felt her life was dispensable when faced with the ignorance of the SBLE bureaucracy. He got to his feet.

“She’s been offered a mate. I hope to God she takes him. No one’s life should be considered expendable by the SBLE.”

He walked out and wondered where to go next. Alexei wouldn’t be pleased to see him and neither would Ella. He noticed Sam strolling along the hallway with a bag of popcorn and headed toward him.

“I thought I could help you with the research on the male empaths.”

Sam’s face broke into a smile. “That would be cool, Vad. Come into my cubby and pull up a chair.”

* * *

Ella pursed her lips in the mirror and added another layer of bright pink lipstick. She hardly ever bothered with makeup, but tonight was an exception. She wanted to be noticed, to get drunk and maybe even to get laid. Liz had lent her a sleeveless black dress, which came thigh high on the tall blonde, but skimmed Ella’s knees. It was made of some stretchy, clingy fabric that stuck to her boobs and tended to ride up. She’d also borrowed a pair of high-heeled sandals that were already making her feet hurt. Ella was satisfied with her appearance. She looked
totally
unlike herself.

Music thumped through the walls of the narrow row house where the party was being held, and even the stairs were full of people. Doug’s wolf pack was large, very social and remarkably tolerant of every other kind of magical power including Ella’s. She’d already had a beer and been introduced around by Doug to a lot of males who seemed more than happy to see her. Her purse vibrated again and she finally took out her phone and turned it off. It wouldn’t deter Vadim for long. He’d have no compunction in ignoring normal avenues of communication and finding her anyway.

She emerged from the bathroom and went down the stairs, wobbling on her high heels toward the kitchen to get herself another beer. Six months ago this would’ve been her idea of heaven. Good friends, alcohol and plenty of sex if she wanted it. Shapeshifters didn’t have the same narrow morals as humans and wouldn’t hold a one-night-stand against anyone. Having nothing to live for, she’d been happy to take whatever she could get and enjoyed it.

Big Jim Dresden, the second-in-command of the pack, held out a can of her favorite beer.

“Looking for this, or looking for me?”

She smiled at him. “Can I have both?”

His answering grin showed the sharp points of his canines. “Is that a promise?” He held the beer high over his head. “A kiss if you want the beer.”

Ella considered him. He wasn’t called Big Jim for nothing. He was at least six-four with hands and feet and, allegedly, other parts of his anatomy to size. She stood on tiptoe and put a hand on his shoulder to balance. He smelled of tobacco and mint. He obligingly bent his head and she allowed her mouth to brush his before kissing him properly. He tasted just fine and had some skills, but she drew back and studied his mouth.

“Can I have my beer now?”

He laughed and handed it over. “That was nice. Want to do it again?”

She held up the beer. “Maybe after I’ve drunk this, okay?”

He blew her a kiss and she walked over to the window, ostensibly to look outside, but really needing some space. Big Jim was the third guy she’d kissed in the past hour, and none of them had made her feel remotely sexy. She popped the can and drank thirstily. Maybe she needed to be drunk to do this properly. Or maybe, she couldn’t do it anymore because none of the males were Vadim Morosov...