Authors: Kate Pearce
“
Morosov
.”
Again, nothing. She rubbed her forehead as a headache threatened. It felt as if there was a thunderstorm about to break inside her. She needed to get out of this place and back to work. She glanced impatiently at the clock. Where the hell
was
the clerk?
The door at the back of the office opened and Ella waited as the guy came toward the counter. Outside, real thunder boomed followed by the gentle patter of rain on the closed, shuttered windows.
“Miss Walsh?”
Startled, Ella stood up. “Yes?”
“Would you mind coming through to my office?”
“Why?”
“There is some paperwork you might wish to see.”
“Can’t you give it to me here?”
“Unfortunately not. I’m not even supposed to let you see these items, but I’m trying to be helpful.” He lowered his voice. “It concerns Geoffrey White.”
Ella left her backpack on the seat and allowed the man to usher her through the silent office and out into the hallway beyond. There were at least twenty matching oak doors all currently closed, except for one right at the end of the hall. Despite the booming thunder, the pressure in Ella’s head hadn’t receded at all. In fact, the farther she went down the corridor, the worse it got. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was aware of Vadim trying to reach her. Somehow it didn’t seem to matter.
She smiled at her silent companion. “I appreciate your help.”
He shrugged and she noted how perfectly ironed his shirt was. Vadim would approve. She frowned as she tried to picture him and found it increasingly difficult. She had to concentrate; there was a killer at large.
“Please take a seat, Miss Walsh.”
Ella sat in the proffered chair and rested her linked hands in her lap. There was something about the man that made her feel relaxed—as if she didn’t have to worry about Morosov, or the Siren, or anything really...
He took off his glasses and she realized he was way younger than she had thought. His gray eyes were kind and crinkled at the corners. “Firstly, may I congratulate you on turning in your OCOS paperwork? I’m sure you are looking forward to meeting your mate.”
“Yes, I am.” Ella nodded. He didn’t need to know that she’d done it as a show of faith so Vadim would know she was taking their relationship seriously—well, as seriously as she could take anything.
“I know it is always a struggle for an empath to decide what path to take—to commit to a stranger, or to allow nature to take its course and send you plummeting into madness.”
“I wasn’t going to do it,” Ella found herself saying. “I was convinced I’d rather go nuts.”
He sat forward. “Really? What changed your mind?”
“Fear, I suppose. Fear of going mad and somehow damaging those I work with, or those I love.”
He nodded sympathetically. “I can understand that. Being an empath is a heavy burden.” He hesitated. “But isn’t there another way?”
“What do you mean?”
“I heard you were investigating a serial killer called the Siren.”
Somewhere faintly in the back of her head warning bells sounded and she sensed Vadim shouting at her. She blinked and refocused her gaze on the tranquil face of the man in front of her. When she stared at him, all her anxiety slipped away and she felt calm and sure, and, yeah...almost happy.
“Yes, I am. What of it?”
He smiled and she found herself smiling back. “I heard he offers empaths another way out of their dilemma.”
“What do you mean?”
“He relieves them of their pain and sets them free.”
Ella considered that. “But they die.”
“They die at peace, though, don’t they?”
“I suppose so.” She found herself nodding. “It’s hard being an empath.”
“I know. All that psychic burden, all that
knowledge
bringing you down. You can see why none of the empaths struggled at the end.” He sat forward. “Didn’t you sense that? That they were happy to die?”
She stared at him. “I’m...not sure. How come you know so much about this?”
He ignored her question and brought his chair around to sit beside her. “Don’t you feel that, right now? That the burden is crushing you, that you can’t go on?”
God, she wanted to agree with him. A single tear ran down her cheek. He reached forward and gently wiped it away.
“You’ve been under so much stress, haven’t you? You’ve been so alone. Your family doesn’t understand you, your colleagues fear you, and madness is approaching. No wonder you panicked and chose to take an OCOS mate.”
She found herself nodding again as more tears spilled. He gave her his ironed cotton handkerchief.
“It’s all right. I understand what you are going through, I really do.” He grasped her left hand and she shuddered as his power rolled over her and through her. “Just let it go. I’ll make sure that everything is all right for you.”
* * *
Vadim pointed Doug toward Netherfield Hospital.
“Liz is in there. She’s fine, but a bit confused. Go and see if they’ll let you take her home.”
“Thanks, dude.” Doug slapped him on the back. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
“No, you go take care of Liz. I’ll manage.”
Doug headed up the steps and Vadim turned back toward the main road. Ella was definitely in Otherworld but she’d stopped communicating with him. He wasn’t sure if she just didn’t want to talk, or if she was being prevented. It didn’t make any difference. He was going to find her and God help anyone who had harmed her. Otherworld always put him in the mood to kill.
He didn’t have time to be careful anymore, and he was twenty human miles from the records office where Ella was. He closed his eyes and materialized on the cobbled street outside the building. Rossa sat on the steps shivering in a thin gold cloak and green hose that clung to his muscular thighs.
“I was wondering when you’d get here.”
Vadim jerked his head at the records office. “Is she in there?”
“Your female?”
“No, the Queen of the Fae.”
Rossa went pale. “Don’t even joke about her. Of course I meant your woman. She went in about half an hour ago, and she hasn’t come out yet.”
Vadim walked around to the side door and tried it. “It’s locked.”
“That’s because the place is shut for the day.”
“Not if Ella is still inside.” Vadim lowered his shields an inch and frowned. “There’s a lot of magic around. It’s trying to keep me out.”
Rossa gave a crack of laughter. “Keep
you
out? They must be insane.”
“Unfortunately I think they might be.” Vadim nodded at Rossa. “Can you stay here and make sure no one else comes in?”
“I’m not risking my life for you or anything.” Rossa ambled back around to the front of the building. “But I’ll wait. This could be seriously amusing.”
Vadim ignored his half-sibling and concentrated his formidable talents on the task in front of him. He could only hope the abilities he’d buried so successfully in order to function as human were still there beneath his skin and his shields. He lifted his hand and power danced like lightning at the end of his fingertips. Ah yes, he still had it. Now he just had to hope it was enough to deal with whatever was behind that door.
* * *
Ella realized she was still holding the man’s hand and that she was surrounded by a curious sense of warmth and complete understanding. His mind enfolded hers, stroking her psyche, making her want to lean against him and...
“
Ella
Walsh
,
fucking
pay
attention
!”
Who was that roaring at her in her head? She stiffened and the warm glow around her dissipated a little. She snatched back her hand.
“Did you say something?”
“Only that you can confide in me, Miss Walsh.”
“But, I didn’t come here to do that, did I? I came to—to give back my OCOS form and to find out what happened to Geoffrey White. Oh God, you’re Geoffrey White, aren’t you?”
He looked pleased. “Do you remember me at all? Unfortunately my time at college was cut short.”
“When you stole Anna’s empath powers.”
“I didn’t steal them. She let me in her head and I realized I had special abilities far beyond most mortals’ understanding.”
“You almost destroyed her.”
“I was still learning my craft. Eventually I perfected my technique.”
“Your technique to do what? Murder other empaths?”
A stab of pain lanced through her head and he reclaimed her hand.
“That wasn’t nice, Miss Walsh.” His thoughts poured over her, soothing the hurt. “We were talking about your psychic burden, about how you could lay it down and be free.”
She wanted to nod, to agree with him, but something nagged at her,
someone
who
wouldn’t
shut
the
fuck
up
in
her
head
...
“It’s okay. I don’t need to lay down my burden. I just remembered. I have a mate.”
“You have a
potential
mate. I know. I’m the one who sends out the paperwork.” Her companion’s smile was beautiful.
“Of course you do.” She found herself agreeing again. God, it was so hard not to simply relinquish control and let him in. “You know everyone, don’t you? You met us all at college.”
“Luckily for you, I did. It makes my life’s work so much easier.”
“Your life’s work being...?”
“Bringing an empath peace at the end of her life.” He touched her knee. “You know what I do. You’ve seen the results.”
Laney
.
Vadim was closer, she could feel him now, but he was different, stronger, more powerful, more
Other
. She had to fight, had to make sense of all this.
“You
murder
empaths.”
“No, I offer empaths an alternate way to leave this life with dignity and with their souls intact.” A flare of anger resonated through his happiness. Ella wasn’t sure if she was pleased about that or scared. She sensed he could hurt her very badly.
“Why are you trying to resist me, Miss Walsh? I’m offering you peace.”
“At a price.” Damn, creating an individual thought was like wading waist-high through molasses. She tried to cling to the chaos of Vadim shouting at her, telling her to let him in.
Let
him
in
where
? “What do you gain out of it?”
A small frown marred his brow. “I only take what is offered freely.”
“I know that, but what do you do with it?”
His expression gentled. “I use it for good.”
“Your own good?”
“Taking your pain is a gift to me. It enables me to increase my powers and help others. Eventually there will be no more empaths left—just me—and then Otherworld and the humans who tossed me aside as some kind of freak will come crawling back and beg for my help.”
Okay, even in her currently deluded state she knew this guy was seriously nuts.
There was a crashing sound and Vadim appeared in the now smashed doorway. He seemed to be speaking, but Ella couldn’t understand what he was saying. He also looked murderous. She unconsciously shifted closer to the Siren, or Geoffrey or the desk nerd, whatever he was called.
He stroked her arm. “It’s all right. You don’t have to take any notice of him. Do you have your gun on you?”
She nodded and brought it out. The Siren smiled and Vadim went still, although she suspected he was still shouting at her in some realm. He loved shouting at her almost as much as he enjoyed being cryptic and mysterious. She imagined him moving over her, the taste of his skin, his sweat, his come...
“I can see that you are conflicted, Miss Walsh.” The Siren’s compassion washed over her and she shivered. “If you want him to go away, you can just shoot him.”
Ella nodded and slowly stood up, the gun pointed at Vadim. If he just stopped shouting at her it would be so nice, so quiet, so
peaceful
...
“
Ella
,
don’t
you
damn
well
give
up
on
me
!” The power of Vadim, his rage entranced her and she held still. “
Turn
that
gun
around
and
shoot
him
.
He’s
trying
to
kill
you
.”
She rolled her eyes. “No, Morosov, you idiot, he’s trying to make me shoot
you
.”
Vadim’s hand shot out and she could’ve sworn she saw sparks. Puzzled she turned to look at the Siren who was trying to hide behind her.
“Ouch!” Ella squeaked as one of the sparks hit her shoulder. “That hurt!”
“Then get out of the damned way, and let me kill him!”
She heard that real time and turned helplessly toward the Siren. “I can’t get him out of my head. I’m sorry. He’ll never let me seek peace.”
The Siren gripped her hand and she almost staggered beneath the force of his rising power. “That’s
impossible
.”
“He’s my mate. I can’t help it.” Vadim’s magic surged through her like a tidal wave, displacing the Siren’s hold. It felt like a nuclear war was being fought inside her head. The gun wavered in her hand. “Stop it. I can’t kill my mate and be happy forevermore. I just
can’t
.”
Vadim smiled at the Siren. “Are you listening? You can’t have her. She’s already mine.”
“No!”
Pain splintered across Ella’s skull and she closed her eyes.
“That can’t be correct. You’re not the right male for her,” the Siren shouted, his features distorted with rage. “She
needs
me. She only just turned the consent form in. I defeated
you
in Russia! You weren’t chosen for her. You aren’t worthy!”
Vadim looked at Ella. “You turned in the form?”
She could barely manage a nod. “Morosov, he says he can give me peace, take away my burdens...”
“By killing you? By stealing everything that makes you special? Fuck that, Ella. We can do so much better together.”