Death Bringer

“It’s fine. She’s waking up.” He nodded at the approaching cavalry. “They’ll make sure she’s going to be okay.”

To avoid any embarrassing questions about exactly what he’d been doing, he chose to leave in the opposite direction and walked unhurriedly to the stairs. The elevator doors opened, reminding him of Ella and how he’d gotten her over her claustrophobia with the magical power of mated sex. He got on and descended to the main entrance. It was raining a little, and after a quick look around to see if anyone was watching, he magicked himself a raincoat over his favorite Armani suit.

When it rained, the city wilted as if it needed sunshine to thrive, like a struggling plant. Out toward the sea, the sky was the same gray, making everything blur into a miserable mess. He turned up his collar and decided to walk back to Market. It would take a while, but he needed time to think, and he wasn’t anxious to see Ella until he had time to put his thoughts in order.

A flash of diamonds brought his attention sharply to an alleyway on his right, and he stopped walking.

“Mother?”

She smiled at him from within the gloom of the dirty passageway.

“There’s something I wanted to ask you.”

“Which couldn’t wait?”

She bit her lip. “I couldn’t speak of it in front of your father.” She hesitated. “If you want to return to Otherworld for good, I think I may have the answer.”

* * *

Ella sipped her chocolate martini and stared at her newly restored reflection in the mirrored bar of the hotel. It was definitely cool to be blond again, although she missed her aristocratic nose. The whole team, except Feehan, who had rushed off to take his wife shopping, had decided to come and have a drink, celebrating her safe return. They’d also told her that since Vadim was immortal and she was his mate, he was probably loaded and that the drinks were on her. She only hoped her bank account could stand it.

“Come on Ella, cheer up.” Liz clinked her glass against hers. “You’re twenty-seven, you’re mated to the hottest guy in the universe and you still have your crummy job!”

“Lucky me.”

“Hey, birthday girl!”

Rich interrupted to kiss her a sloppy goodbye, then weaved his way unsteadily from the bar toward the street. Sam and Andrew had already gone to get tacos. She wondered where Vadim was. Had he left the hospital? She’d left a message for him on her desk to say where they were, but he’d be able to find her anyway.

“Ella, what’s up?”

She put her glass down carefully on the bar. The possibility of anyone overhearing her in the roar of conversation was slight, but she still leaned in close to Liz.

“If you were Morosov and had all that power, wouldn’t you want to stay in Otherworld?”

“I thought you said he didn’t want the power.”

“He says he doesn’t, but I’m not sure if I believe him.”

Liz finished her drink and ordered two more. “Do you want me to be honest or supportive?”

“There’s a choice?”

“Everything I’ve seen in the Fae-Web about Vadim tells me that his number-one priority is you.”

“Jeez, don’t say that.”

Liz stuck her finger in Ella’s face. “Which means that you are the problem.”

“Gawd.” She made a face.

“Why can’t you believe that he wants you and wants to be with you? Dammit, the male is a hero. He killed for you.”

“Because...”

“Listen to me, when I first met Doug, I really didn’t see myself settling down with a hairy shape-shifter.” She smoothed down her immaculate white skirt. “It just so wasn’t...me, you know. But the more I got to know him, the more I realized I couldn’t live without him, and when we first had sex— shut up, Ella—we bonded, and I knew I’d never be the same without him. The question you need to ask yourself is whether you’d be happy if Vadim wasn’t around anymore.”

“I can’t think about that.”

“Because it scares you too much, right?” Liz picked up her glass again. “The thing is, you two have done this thing half-assed and backward. You’re bonded, so you need the sex, but you haven’t had time to get to know each other yet. How could you, when you’ve been expecting to go nuts this week?”

Ella scraped a piece of chocolate off the side of her glass with her fingernail. “That’s what he said.”

“And he’s right. Why don’t you give him a chance?”

She’d told him that too, because she was scared. “I suppose you’re right.”

“I usually am. Look how many scummy boyfriends I’ve steered you away from over the years.” Liz’s cell phone rang and she checked the screen. “It’s Doug. He’s on his way to pick me up. Do you need a ride to the ferry?”

“No, I’ll be fine. I’m supposed to be meeting Morosov here. I’ll walk with you to the door, though.”

She hadn’t heard a thing from Vadim since they returned to the city. The silence was starting to unnerve her. What would it be like if he wasn’t with her at all? It wasn’t just that she’d miss the sex. She’d miss him. How had she come to depend on him so fast? It was totally against everything she believed in. But what was worse— not allowing him to be with her or being with him and wondering when he’d leave?

Outside the rain has stopped and the unpleasant stench of trash bins and wet tarmac drying in the sun surrounded her.

“There’s Doug!” Liz waved enthusiastically at a blue minivan.

“Nice wheels.”

“Shut up.” Liz grinned at her. “He’s coaching a shape-shifter soccer team, so we have to go and pick some of the kids up.”

“God help your opponents. If a decision goes against one of your team, does someone get eaten?”

“That’s why we need to practice.” Liz kissed Ella’s cheek. “I’m really glad you survived, hon. See you tomorrow.”

Ella was busy making faces at Doug over her friend’s shoulder. “Thanks for everything.”

She waited until Liz was safely in the van and then retreated into the hotel lobby. She saw a shape-shifter litter in her buddy’s immediate future. Where now? Should she send Vadim a text?

“Ella.”

“Hey.” That was cool and calm enough, wasn’t it?

“Can you meet me in Golden Gate Park by the Japanese Tea Garden?”

“When?”

“I’m already here, so whenever you’re ready.”

She deliberated ordering a cup of coffee from the bar to clear her head, but the alcohol in her system might help her relax more and say what needed to be said. She went to the bathroom, and after checking everyone else had gone, she closed her eyes and sent herself to where Vadim was.

It didn’t take a second until she was sitting on a bench looking out over the beautiful gardens. Here the rain had stirred the scents of nature rather than the city, and a heavy, flowery perfume hung in the air.

“Ella.”

She looked up to see Vadim in front of her. His black hair was damp from the rain and slicked back away from his amazing face. He’d somehow acquired a raincoat to protect his designer suit.

Of course he had.

“You really are quite beautiful in both your forms, Morosov.”

“Thank you.” He indicated the bench. “May I sit with you?”

“Sure.” She patted the seat. “It’s a bit damp, but nothing that’ll kill you. Not that anything can kill you anyway.”

“Only you.”

“I knew I should’ve kept that dagger your father gave me.”