Death Bringer

capable of evading capture and executing my own plan.” There was no need to tell him that five seconds after getting through the door, she’d been captured again. She certainly wasn’t telling him that she owed most of her success to his powers and Rossa’s help. “I’m not stupid, you know.”

“I never thought that.”

“You said I would be a liability in Otherworld.”

“I said what I needed to say to keep you safe.”

“And then waltzed over here by yourself and were immediately captured.”

“I—”

“Just because you were dumb enough to get caught, doesn’t mean I had to be too.”

He breathed out carefully through his fangs. “I didn’t get caught. I allowed Adam to bring me to Otherworld.”

“Oh, that’s right. Your noble gesture to save my pretty face.”

“Who told you that?” His question was sharp.

“Several people. Apparently there was supposed to be a pact to prevent Adam from taking my face. A pact brokered by you.” He shifted in his seat but remained silent. “Aren’t you going to defend yourself?”

“I thought you said you didn’t want to discuss our relationship.”

“This isn’t about us, this is about you threatening your entire family if they didn’t do what you wanted. Who the hell does that?”

“Death Bringer does.” He scowled at her. “And this isn’t about my family. You’re pissed because I left you. Can’t you even admit that?”

She drew herself up to her full height. “I thought that was too obvious to mention. Why would I care that you deliberately tried to alienate me and kept me in the dark about your true purpose? Who the fuck would mind that they were deemed useless? Why the hell would I even give it a second thought?” She realized she was shouting and that he was regarding her with a faint smile. “Don’t you dare laugh at me!”

“I’m not laughing. You’ve expressed your lack of concern for my welfare many times before.”

She hated the way the light had gone from his face and that she was responsible for it. “Do you want them all to loathe you?”

“If it brings results, why not?” He shrugged. “They made me what I am. Perhaps it is time that they learn to fear what they can no longer control.”

There was a hardness to him that she hadn’t expected, a grandeur and arrogance that fitted the immense power of his true form. He’d always seemed strong, but now he was truly frightening. He stood up and walked away, presenting her with a fine view of his wings and the tight, high curve of his ass.

“You’re saying you’d kill everyone who loves you, just for me?”

He swung around to face her. “They don’t love me. They are afraid of me and wish to control my power.”

“Which is why you left Otherworld in the first place.”

“Yes.”

“If we can retrieve my face, would you stay in Otherworld or go back to San Francisco?”

“That’s up to you, isn’t it?”

This time she was the one to look away. Damn the man for demanding certainties she wasn’t yet prepared to give him. She was no therapist, but didn’t he understand that his desertion had activated all her fears of abandonment and betrayal? She hadn’t expected that, hadn’t ever wanted to feel like a bawling five-year-old kid left at an institution again. She’d spent years learning to protect herself from the hurt, putting up barriers to keep herself safe. Why should she let him know that seeing him made everything right in her world? Why give him the ammunition to destroy her again?

“It’s getting late. Do you want to take a look at my shoulder, or not?”

He regarded her steadily for a long moment. “Still hiding, Ella?”

“I’m not hiding anything.”

“Liar.”

He flowed toward her; the beauty of his movements made her think of sex and entangled limbs and kisses. “For a female who prides herself on speaking her mind, how is it that for me, your mate, the male who shares your thoughts, you have nothing but deception? Is what you feel for me too ‘honest’ to be shared?

“As I said, it’s getting late.”

“Then show me your wound.” His tone was impersonal and polite again. It made her want to sink her teeth into his flesh.

“Be my guest.”

Ignoring his suggestive intrusion into her mind, she eased out of her jacket and then her rose-covered blouse to reveal the handkerchief that covered her shoulder.

“Is that one of mine? I can never find any of my handkerchiefs. What the hell do you do with them?”

“I had to pack it with something, and it’s not as if you have any pocket to put it in here.” She carefully removed the folded cotton.

Vadim’s breath hissed out. “Ddwu.”

“What?”

She awkwardly turned her head to stare down at her shoulder, which appeared to be glowing with a dull red light.

“That’s not good, is it?”

“No.”

“Can you fix it?”

“It’s difficult. Where did the spell come from?”

“I’m not quite sure. As I said, I was trying to get into through the main door when someone started shooting spells. One of them rebounded and hit my arm.”

“Was it one of the guards?”

“No, it was some guy on a horse.” She hesitated. “I did wonder if it was your father.”

“That might explain it.” He sat back. “If it was him, I suspect he wasn’t aiming for the door.”

“Then make it better!”

“I can stop the pain and slow down the spread of the poison, but I can’t remove it completely.”

“Back up.” She grabbed his hand. “What poison?”

“Perhaps that was a bad choice of words. The substance in your arm means that my father can always find you. The spell is like his personal brand.”

“Why would he want to do that?”

His smile wasn’t pleasant. “You tell me.”

She stared right back at him. “I told you. He was very keen for me to take you away from Otherworld.”

“And what did he promise you in return for that small service?”

“He offered to get my face back.”

He took his hand away. “No wonder he wanted to put his mark on you.”

“You’re such an idiot, Morosov. I didn’t accept his terms. I told him I was quite capable of achieving what I wanted without his help.”

“And how did he take that?”

“Not very well, obviously.”

“And yet you are still alive.”

“I’m not stupid—I didn’t outright tell him no. I said I wanted to think about it.”

He shook his head. “Sometimes your gall amazes me, Soul Sucker. There are not many people on the earth who argue with my father and survive.”

“You did.”

“And look where it got me.” His faint smile disappeared. “Right back where I started.”

“That’s not quite true, is it? You’re no longer under his control, and you have me.”