Authors: Kate Pearce
“Okay, you have all the basics here. We have a deceased twenty-seven-year-old female. She was a registered empath named Christa Louise Morehouse. Last known address, according to her driver’s license, Humboldt State University.”
The name was vaguely familiar even if the face wasn’t.
“Then what was she doing in the city?” Liz asked.
“That is unknown at present.”
“Do the police think she was living with someone?”
“Apparently not. The apartment was leased in her name.”
Liz got to her feet and started pacing. As she walked, a thin stream of silver like a spider’s web followed along behind her. The Fae-Web already contained a mesh of words and images connected to the case. Being part Fae, Liz had the ability to perceive problems in different dimensions and was adept at seeing connections that would evade most human investigators.
“What else do we have?” Liz demanded.
“The police are following up with Humboldt State and interviewing her neighbors, so we’ll get that information within the next day or two,” Feehan said. “I’m surprised you don’t remember her, Ella. She was in your class at the Otherworld Academy.”
“She was? I vaguely remember the name, but nothing else.”
Feehan nodded. “Perhaps it will come back to you.”
“I hope so.”
“Anything else, Mr. Feehan?” Liz asked.
“Nothing except Ella’s take on the victim at the scene.” Feehan looked at her. “Do you want to share?”
Ella put her elbows on the table. “It was weird. Most empaths have really strong shields, but hers were paper-thin. I had hardly any problem getting into her head, and when I did, there was almost nothing there.”
“What do you mean?” Liz swung around, her expression intent.
“It was as if whatever killed her had ripped out every memory she possessed, both her psychic memories and her personal ones.” She shivered. “There was nothing left, apart from a few echoes of her last thoughts.”
“And what were those?” Feehan asked.
“Mainly relief.”
“The victim was twenty-seven, right?”
Feehan shared a glance with Liz, and Ella stiffened. “So?”
Feehan hesitated. “Is it possible that she did this to herself to avoid going mad?”
Everyone turned to stare at Ella. “Sucked out her own brain? I don’t think that’s possible.”
“The police did say there was no sign of a struggle,” Liz murmured as her silver web shimmered with possibilities, none of which Ella liked.
“No. Someone must have done it for her.”
“Could she have asked someone?”
“Another empath?” Ella looked down at the table. “I don’t think so. We retain all the shit we take in. Taking on another empath’s entire psychic burden would probably kill the recipient as well.”
“And there was only one victim.”
“And it felt like Otherworld,” Ella insisted. “I sensed dark magic.”
“Fae or shapeshifter or Other?” Feehan asked.
“Not Fae or shifter. Definitely Other.”
Liz grinned. “Well at least that excludes all of my Fae kin, and Rich and Andrew’s shapeshifter families. But then again, ‘Other’ is fricking scary.” She switched her attention back to Feehan. “Didn’t you say there was another case like this recently?”
“Not to me, he didn’t,” Ella said sweetly to Liz.
Feehan avoided Ella’s gaze. “I found it when I put the new case details into the database earlier. It flagged another file, and I pulled it.” He passed around some paperwork. “I’ve also emailed you the files, so check them out tonight.”
Ella read quickly and frowned. “How come no one at SFPD notified us about this one?”
Feehan shrugged. “Different area of the city, different team. They decided this victim committed suicide.”
“It does sound similar,” Liz added, as her silver web lit up again and seemed to grow to twice its size. “I wonder whether our killer has developed a habit of doing this? I’ll check our international database as well.”
“Oh great,” Ella groaned. “A potential Otherworld serial killer.”
Feehan took the chair next to Ella, his expression sympathetic, and she leaned as far away from him as she could. “Do you feel up to handling this, Ella, or would you like me to draft another empath in? Sam needs more experience.”
“Especially if I lose it in the next three months. I don’t think he’s ready to handle this alone yet. He’s just out of college and he’s only twenty-one.”
“Well, maybe he could act as your assistant.”
“Sure, whatever you want. We all have to learn.”
It was a pity Sam Nadal already thought he knew everything. But every empath was cocky when they graduated from the Otherworld college system. It took a few months of working in the field to realize book learning taught you nothing.
Feehan rubbed his hands together. “Great! I’ll tell him to talk to you tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait.” Ella smiled and Liz stifled a snort. “Now, do we have anything else to discuss, or can we call it a day?”
Chapter Three
“Vadim? There’s something showing up on my web that might interest you.”
Vadim Morosov turned from his glum contemplation of the Moscow skyline to see Alexei, one of the members of his team—no, strike that—his
former
team standing in the doorway of his darkened office. It was way past clocking-off time, but he’d been putting in some extra hours in a vain attempt to convince his boss that he was sincere and trustworthy.
Not that it was going to work. She was still pissed with him, and worse, he knew he deserved it.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to be interacting with me, Alexei.”
The Fae’s already arched eyebrows rose even further. “Says who?”
“Our esteemed boss.”
Alexei shrugged. “Oh, her.”
“Yeah, the woman who can suspend you just like she did me.”
“She can’t afford to lose me. I’m too valuable.”
“And I’m not?” Vadim asked.
For a second the Fae looked almost serious. “
Makk
, you know I didn’t mean it like that. She’s just crazy mad at you.”
Vadim sat back in his chair. “And rightly so. I killed one of my team members.”
Alexei leaned back against the door and folded his arms. “Well, that is debatable. Natasha wasn’t exactly the dependable type, was she?”
“She was completely dependable right up until she went nuts and screwed us all over.” Vadim shoved a hand through his dark hair. “And until that mess is cleared up, I’m stuck here doing quality control on past cases.”
“Not anymore.” Alexei smiled.
Vadim stiffened. “What’s going on?”
Alexei came in and shut the door. He activated his Fae-Web and Vadim tried to read its shifting images and words.
“There’s been a new outbreak of murders.”
“What kind?”
Silver images floated across Alexei’s skin, circling his head. “Your kind. Serial killer murders.”
“Where?” An all-too-familiar mixture of dread and excitement settled in his gut.
“In San Francisco.”
Vadim sighed. “
Damn
. She’ll never let me go.”
“
She
might not have a choice. This is big, Vadim, and you might be the only guy who can help them catch this killer.”
* * *
Ella paid the cashier at the one and only supermarket in Tiburon and then picked up her bag, ready for the walk back to her apartment. On her side of the bay, the sea was shining and lapping gently against the rock-strewn shore. On the other side, the city was barely visible through the encroaching fog and haze of congestion; only the stark parallel lines of the steep streets stood out like a giant tic-tac-toe puzzle.
She nodded friendly greetings to the dozens of joggers and bicyclists who relentlessly made their way up and down the sea path. About five minutes from home, when the path took a definite upward swing, she started to puff. At her age she could do with the exercise, but she’d never been that inspired to actually join a gym or anything proactive. Her crazy lifestyle kept her moving.
She glanced up at Tom’s house as she passed and saw that the lights were on in the kitchen. Despite her stressful day and the bad feeling the murder had left in her gut, at least she’d be able to keep her promise and go over to help him sort out his little problem.
She dumped her shopping and keys on the countertop and took off her jacket. There was no sign of the guy from last night. He’d even cleaned up after himself and made the bed, which made her very happy.
The bucket of still-warm fried chicken she’d bought at the supermarket called out to her. Did the thing under the bed next door really need it all? Surely she deserved a wing or two. She took a plate from the cabinet over the sink, added a beer from the refrigerator and sat at the granite countertop to eat.
While she ate, she tried to picture Christa Morehouse and place her at the Otherworld Academy. She had a faint recollection of a shy girl who’d spent most of her time hiding behind her long curtain of mousey hair and talking in monosyllables. Even after spending three years with her, Ella couldn’t remember what subjects the other woman had excelled in or form any strong opinion about her at all. Christa hadn’t been a drinker, or hung out after class, because Ella would have remembered her. So what had changed? Why had the empath ended up drunk and alone in a new apartment with all her memories sucked out?
By the time she’d finished her chicken, the light was beginning to fade, so she headed for the shower and a change of clothes. She knew Dianna, Tom’s gran, would be delighted if she stopped by to spend the evening playing video games with her boisterous grandson. In her backpack along with her usual stuff, she put the latest in grandma-approved Pokémon games, and one that was first-person shooter and aimed at teens. That one was definitely not approved, but much more fun, especially for keeping her shooting skills sharp.
She locked up and took the shortcut over the fence to the back of Tom’s house. She could see Tom and Dianna sitting at the kitchen table, so she tapped lightly on the glass paneled door. When Dianna looked up, Ella waved.
“Hey guys, what’s up?” Ella came in and took a seat opposite Tom. She tossed the video game out on the table. “I’ve come to extract revenge from your grandson.” She stared at Tom. “Are you up for it?”
Dianna laughed and hugged her grandson. “She looks like she means business.”
Ella patted Tom on the back. “Come on, buddy. I hope your bedroom’s clean enough to receive visitors.”
“It’s okay,” Tom said as he shoved his chair away from the table. “Gran makes me clean up way too much.”
“I’ll bring you up some snacks later,” Dianna called.
Ella paused to look back at her. “I brought some chicken. I hope that’s okay?”
“Sure, that boy will eat anything.” Dianna chuckled. “I’ll bring some iced tea up then.”
“That would be awesome.”
Ella followed Tom up the stairs to his second floor bedroom, which had been converted out of two small attics. Exposed beams painted a soft cream crossed the ceiling and the triangular-shaped windows faced out over the bay and back at the steep hillside behind the house. When she was a kid, Ella would have died for a room like this. She’d had to share a room with three other kids at school where she’d been dumped, kicking and screaming, at the age of five. She’d been allowed to
personalize
her space, but it wasn’t the same.
While Tom set up the video game, she glanced around the room. The bed was against the interior wall and faced the door. The windows were on either side along with a double fitted closet. She gauged the distance between the bed and the various escape routes and considered where best to bait her trap.
“Tom, can you think of anything you do that makes the thing under the bed appear?”
“I don’t do anything.” He hunched a defensive shoulder and refused to look at her.
“I meant is there a particular time when the thing turns up?”
“When I get into bed.”
“Have you usually turned the lights out at that point?”
“I used to, but not anymore.”
She hated the vulnerability in his voice and understood it far too well. “So it doesn’t wait for it to be dark, then.”
“Not anymore.”
She hunkered down beside him on the rug. “We’ll play some games, wait until your gran checks in on you, and then we’ll set a trap, okay?”
He finally turned to look at her, his expression intent. “Do you really think we’re going to catch it?”
“Sure I do.” She hesitated. “Don’t tell anyone, but it’s my job to catch stuff like this. That’s why I was glad when you told me what was going on, because I knew I could help.”
“Your job?”
She had his full attention now and she really didn’t want it. “Yeah, I can see the monsters. Because I know where they come from, I can send them back. It’s a secret, right? You can’t tell anyone, not even your family.”
If it came down to it, she could wipe the memory from him quite easily, but, considering what he might be, that wouldn’t be her first choice. If he was an empath, he needed to understand his world and start to protect himself from it. She would help him build his shields without him even realizing it, because if her suspicions were correct, this wouldn’t be the last monster the kid saw.
“Okay.” Tom nodded. “Let’s play.”
* * *
“Mr. Morosov. Come in and shut the door.”
Vadim walked into Madame Dubinsky’s office and took the seat she indicated without a word. As usual, his boss looked impeccable, her dark hair drawn back into a neat ponytail, her tailored blue suit and brooch reminding him of uptight royalty the world over. She didn’t smile but he’d hardly expected her to. He was in deep shit and he knew it.
Her office was so heavily warded against magical interference that it always felt as if he was being smothered. He appreciated the fact that nothing could get in—he had family who just loved to interfere with his life—but it made it hard to focus. Although that was probably intentional too.
Madame studied her folded hands for a long moment before finally looking up at him. “We have a situation that requires international cooperation of the highest order.”
Vadim still didn’t speak but he allowed himself to look faintly interested.
“
Your
cooperation as it happens.”
“But I’m suspended.”
“I know that, but I’ve been ordered to send you on this mission. Apparently no one else will do.”
The dryness of her tone indicated her skepticism as to that, but he didn’t care. “Exactly what is the mission?”
“The U.S. SBLE authorities have contacted us about a situation in the San Francisco Bay Area. They believe they have an
Otherworld
serial killer who is targeting empaths.”
Govno
. “I hope not.”
“Apparently, when the SBLE in San Francisco were researching their supposed killer, they came across some similar traits to the last series of cases you worked on with Natasha. Alexei picked up the connections as well, and reported them to me.”
The mention of Natasha surely wasn’t a good sign. Due to the worldwide shortage of empaths, anyone who was involved in the death of an empath was viewed with extreme suspicion, whatever side of the law they were supposed to be on.
Madame looked him right in the eye. “They want you, and despite my reservations, I have been ordered to send you to aid their investigation. You will not fuck this up. You will represent your country and me, and do a good job or die trying. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Madame.” He inclined his head a respectful inch. “When do you want me to leave?”
“Tomorrow morning and take Alexei with you. His knowledge should help add to the overall picture.”
He wanted to ask why the SBLE team in San Francisco didn’t have Fae resources, but decided against it. Alexei was a pain in the ass, but at least he was company, and Vadim knew enough about the Fae not to trust his companion. Alexei would be reporting back to Madame about Vadim’s conduct—he’d bet his life on that.
Madame passed a folder of papers across to him. “Read the intel and destroy the file. Alexei has already integrated the information into his Fae-Web, so you’ll have that to work with when you get there, in case you forget anything.”
Vadim stood up. “I won’t forget.”
She fixed him with her cool stare and the feeling of suffocation intensified. Her shields were so good that he had no idea what powers Madame did or didn’t have, but she scared the shit out of him anyway. He wanted to get out of that room more than he wanted to breathe.
“I expect regular reports on your progress, and if you put a foot wrong, or I hear any complaints about you, I’m bringing you back here and firing you. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Madame.”
“Then I wish you a successful trip.”
He managed to smile and stroll casually toward the door as all his instincts screamed at him to run. Something about Madame set all his shapeshifter genes on alert. She was a dangerous woman to cross, and would live up to her promise to fire him if he fucked up again.
And then what would he do with himself? Crawl back to Otherworld? He shook his head. It had taken him years to escape from his family, and many scars, not all of them visible. Even if he had to work with an empath again, he’d do it. He reached his office and started gathering up his stuff, a pulse of excitement beating in his heart. He’d rather die than go back. That sounded overdramatic but, in the present circumstances, it might just happen anyway.
* * *
By the time it was completely dark, Tom was yawning and Ella turned off most of the lights, leaving the room bathed in the glow from the TV screen and a nightlight that illuminated the door. She put her backpack on the bed, and pulled out the remains of the bucket of chicken and various other things, the most important of them being her gun.
Tom’s fingers headed straight for her weapon and Ella smacked them away. “Don’t touch that. It’s loaded.”
“I knew you were going to say that, but I had to try.”
“Look, if you want to help me, you have to do what I say. No independent thinking allowed here.”
“You sound like my teacher at school.”
She sat cross-legged on the bed with him so that she had his full attention. “We want to coax the creature out, so we’re going to use the chicken as bait. If it is what I think it is, it loves eating chicken almost as much as small children.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Not really.” Ella gazed down at her open-mouthed helper. “In the old days this creature often took small children and babies because they were easy prey. Nowadays, because food is so plentiful here, they tend to go for the easy option, which is take-out from the trash bins.”
“Oh, like the seagulls and the pigeons in the park.”
“Exactly.” Ella placed the chicken on the floor beneath the bed. “So, you’re going to lie down and pretend you’ve fallen asleep.”
“And what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to hide under the bed behind the chicken.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No. If it looks like it is getting away from me, I want you to smack it on the head with something heavy.”