The queen opened her blue eyes wide. “You are part of this family, my dear, whether you want to embrace it or not.”
“If I leave your family’s antics out, that doesn’t leave me a lot to put in my report.”
“Exactly, granddaughter.” She patted Ella’s arm. “Perhaps I might make a suggestion. If you simply state that you tracked down Adam to the sect’s palace and disposed of him. You were the one who killed him, my dear, so what else is there to say?”
“What about the family vendetta and Death Bringer?”
“Surely they are of no interest to anyone at the SBLE?”
“What about the king?”
“I’ll take care of him. He will not be allowed to conspire against your mate any longer.”
“What about Ciaran being Adam?”
“The history books tell us that Ciaran died a very long time ago. Why resurrect him only to kill him again? Why not let him
Ella contemplated the ageless face of the queen for a long moment. “And if I do this, what’s in it for me?”
A smile lightened the other woman’s features. “You are more Fae than you realize, Soul Sucker. You certainly haggle like one. If you omit my family from your report, I will no longer seek Death Bringer’s permanent return to Otherworld.”
Ella glanced over at Vadim, who was talking to his mother. “Suppose he wants to return?”
“He doesn’t, my dear. He wants to be with you.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Why do you doubt him? He will not leave you for all eternity.”
“That’s the bit that scares me.” She stared at the back of his head and then nodded. “If he doesn’t want to stay here as Death Bringer, then I agree to your terms.”
“Excellent, my dear. Now I suggest you take him home before he comes to blows with his father again. Those two will never share a universe amicably.”
She escorted Ella back to Vadim’s side.
“Are you ready to go, Morosov?”
He looked down at her. “If that is your wish.”
“I think I’ve got enough information to close the case, how about you?”
“There certainly isn’t anything else worth staying for. My mother insists she can deal with my father and that I shouldn’t worry about her.”
“She’s a strong woman.” She linked her arm through his and led him toward the exit. “She’ll be okay. Did she tell you she invited me back for dinner?”
“She invited you?”
“Well, she asked both of us.”
He looked down at her. “Is that something that would appeal to you?”
“Dude, she promised to show me her closet. I bet she has some amazing clothes in there that she is just dying to give away to her favorite new relative.”
One of the guards opened the door, and they were outside in the bright sunshine, totally alone. A gust of wind blew her hair into her face, and she pushed the blond strands behind her ear.
Ella kept moving toward the wood and Vadim caught her hand.
“We don’t need a portal, if that’s what you’re looking for.”
“That wasn’t what I wanted. I just don’t want anyone at the palace spying on us.”
“While we do what?”
She looked over her shoulder at him. “While I kill you.”
The moment the shadows swallowed them up, she turned on him. “When were you going to mention that I had my face back,
He raised an eyebrow. “When I felt like it.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean? Don’t you think it was rather important?”
“To you, obviously.”
“You’re still sulking about me killing Adam for my face, and not just to save you.”
He leaned back against one of the trees, his massive arms folded over his chest. “I might be. Or maybe I thought you might like to see how it feels to be left out of the loop.”
“When did it come back?”
“Just after Adam breathed his last.”
“It makes sense. How come no one else mentioned my face? Your whole family just stood there and said nothing.”
“What I find fascinating about you, Ella, is how you get all bent out of shape about the little things and yet can deal so calmly with death and disaster.”
“Because those things are easy.”
“Not to everyone. And while we’re on the subject of things you find uncomfortable, do you want me to return to San Francisco with you or not?”
She realized she was scowling at him. “It’s up to you.”
“That’s a typically evasive Ella Walsh answer.”
“It’s not evasive. I’m not going to tell you how and where to live your life.”
“Do you think I want to stay here?”
“I can see why you might.” She gestured at his awesome body. “Here you can be in your true form, have all your magic around you and be the most powerful being in Otherworld.”
“But I’d already given that up before I even met you.”
“Only because you felt so guilty about your siblings.” He went to speak, but she pressed on. “But at least that’s over. You know you didn’t execute your own brother, so if you wanted to come back here, you could.”
He contemplated the grass in front of his feet for so long that Ella wanted to scream.
“Sometimes I am tempted.” He held out his hand and flexed his fingers. “To feel such power running through me again is addictive. But I also fear that power. If I came back, I would eventually be corrupted just like my brother.”
“Not necessarily.”
He half smiled. “I appreciate your faith in me. In this instance, I know I would become too powerful or succumb to the lure of the dark king’s court and destroy my own. It has already been foretold.”
“By whom?”
“By many seers, including my grandmother.”
“That’s definitely a kicker.”
“And what do you want, Ella?”
She tried to laugh. “I’ve never been a long-term planner, you know that.”
“And I know why. You didn’t think you’d have a life to plan, did you?”
She shook her head.
“Is it still all too much for you?” He spoke very gently, his words barely reaching her on the breeze, as if he was afraid of startling her.
“What do you mean?”
“Me, the mating bond, the prospect of us being together...”
“About that. You’re immortal, right?”
“Technically, yes. But you could kill me, or I could choose to die for you.”
She grimaced. “Neither of those options appeal to me at the moment. Why would you even
“Feehan knows what I am now. I won’t need to hide anymore.”
She pointed at him. “You can’t walk down the street looking like that!”
“Other shape-shifters manage to live in your world. I’m sure I’ll find a way to stretch my wings occasionally.
