by Kate Pearce
“Yes, Mom.” She picked up the bowl of peanuts, aware of a strong desire to burst out laughing. How had her redemption turned out to be all about Vadim? “Let’s hope.”
She walked through into the family room and found Vadim in conversation with Scott and Julie. He looked up and she grinned at him. Within a second he was by her side.
“What’s so funny?”
“This.”
“Your family?”
“My mom just told me you would probably stray. Should I arrange to have you neutered?”
His smile was breathtaking. “You know you’d regret that.”
“Will you stray?”
He held her gaze. “Never.”
She swallowed hard as the echo of his spoken word reverberated through her mind. “That’s kind of scary and reassuring at the same time.”
“Will you?”
“Will I what?”
“Stray.”
“Hell, no.”
He bent his head and kissed her hard on the mouth. “Then what do we have to worry about?”
“Apart from crazy Otherworld sects, our dangerous jobs and your family? Nothing much.” She shook her head. “In fact, when you think about it, my family is easy.”
“Exactly, so let’s just relax and enjoy the rest of the day.”
* * *
Much later, she closed the door of the guest bedroom and stared at Vadim. It came complete with pink roses on the wallpaper and Austrian swag drapes. For the first time in years she’d actually enjoyed an evening with her family, and it was all due to Vadim. His attitude toward her and his excellent manners had almost made them behave like a regular family celebrating a normal family occasion.
“They still drive me nuts.”
He appeared to follow her thoughts even as he stripped off his T-shirt, displaying his flat stomach and perfect abs. “Of course they do. They’re your family.”
“Is it true that both your siblings are dead?”
“Yes.”
“That must’ve been horrible for you.”
“Yes.”
She raised her eyebrows. “That’s all you’re going to say?”
“What would you like me to say?”
“Do you miss them?”
“Our relationship was...difficult. They were allied with my father. My sister worshipped my brother and hated me.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Because I was the eldest?”
“That’s stupid.”
“Families often are. Your mother doesn’t appreciate you at all.”
“Because I disrupted her life.”
“But that was hardly your fault, was it?”
He held her gaze and she hurriedly looked down at the buttons on her dress. “I can’t believe how she fawns over you, though.”
“I am rather spectacular.” His smile was wicked as he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his jeans to reveal his already erect cock.
“You sure are. Spectacularly arrogant.” Ella shrugged out of her jacket and dress. “Do you want to shower?”
“Let’s do that later. I have to fulfill your fantasy first.”
She paused. “Which one?”
“Having sex under your parents’ roof.”
“I was kidding.”
“No you weren’t.” His gaze fastened on her bra and the tight buds of her nipples. “Maybe I’ll make you scream when you come, so they’ll hear you.”
“And make my dad all awkward over his breakfast cereal?”
He advanced toward her. “Then you’ll have to keep quiet, won’t you? And I know how difficult that is for you.”
He moved even closer until he was right in front of her. One gentle push on her chest and she was flat on her back, with him covering her. She couldn’t help grinning up at him as he lowered his head. Who would ever have imagined sex could be so much fun?
“Now, lie back and enjoy, Ms. Walsh, and for God’s sake, keep it down.”
Chapter Ten
Ella sat up in bed and scrabbled to find her weapon. It wasn’t under her pink fluffy pillow. As it was still dark, she assumed something had woken her up, but what was it? Where the hell had she left her gun last night? Even as she thought about nudging Vadim, she froze, her attention on the end of the bed, where her naked mate was confronting something that gave off the strongest Otherworld vibe she’d ever encountered.
“Morosov?”
He didn’t reply, and she crawled to the end of the bed. His attention was fixed on the shimmering image of the man she knew as Adam. Up close, the resemblance to Vadim was so startling, it was like seeing double.
“Morosov.”
She tried using her mind instead of her voice, but her thought bounced back from the strength of his shields.
“Tell her.”
Adam’s voice shuddered through her, breaking the silence and her fear. Her purse was on the floor and she lunged for it, bringing it up onto the bed, where she could finally retrieve her weapon. She fumbled to open the clasp.
“Hold on, Morosov. I’ve got it.”
“Tell her.”
She found her weapon and pointed it at Adam. Vadim slowly turned to face her. His smile was cold, his expression pitiless.
“I’m leaving, Ms. Walsh.”
“What?”
“I’m going back to Otherworld with Adam. He has convinced me that the only way we can meet and battle as equals is in my homeland.”
“But you don’t need to battle him anywhere.”
“I do. I can’t stand to be defeated.”
“That’s just stupid! If you go back, they’ll kill you!”
He shrugged. “It’s my destiny. I cannot escape it.”
“Fine, but I’m going with you.”
A muscle twitched in his cheek. “I don’t need you, Soul Sucker.”
“We’re partners.”
“You’re human. In Otherworld you’re also a liability. You’d slow me down and make me more vulnerable.”
She swallowed hard at the harsh truth behind his words. “But—”
He sighed. “Do you really want to air your emotional laundry in front of Adam?”
“Why not?” She tried to push through his shields, to force him to let her sense his real thoughts, but it was impossible. “Your quarrel with him is obviously far more important than your partnership with me!”
“This is Otherworld business.”
“This is bullshit!”
He averted his gaze. “I’m sorry, Ms. Walsh. I’ll be far better off without your ‘help.’ Goodbye.”
“Wait!”
It was too late. In a cloud of black feathers, Vadim disappeared.
Even as she registered his loss, she realized Adam hadn’t gone anywhere.
“What the fuck do you want?”
His smile was so much like Vadim’s, it hurt. “I think you know.” He stretched out his hand. “Goodbye, Soul Sucker.”
She fired at him, but wasn’t quick enough to avoid his outstretched hand. With a cry, she fell back onto the bed and everything went black.
* * *
There was something on her face. She lifted a hand and batted whatever it was away from her cheek. Damn feathers got everywhere. Who knew that swan shape-shifters molted so much?
Ella opened her eyes.
Black feathers.
Vadim.
She sat bolt upright and wrapped her arms around her knees. Had she dreamed him leaving her? His clothes were neatly folded on the chair, but there was no sound from the bathroom. Tentatively, she searched for him within her mind. There was nothing, just a horrible sense of loss like the whining static after an explosion.
He’d definitely left her.
“Bastard!” she screeched. “If anyone’s going to kill you, it’s going to be me! How dare he walk out on me? How dare he suggest I’m a liability?”
She stomped into the bathroom, just to make sure he wasn’t hiding in there, and caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror
.
Hell, no.
Black hair, blue eyes and cheekbones to die for.
Vadim in feminine form.
Had he sacrificed himself for her, or was this Adam’s idea of a joke? She scowled at her beautiful new face. How long did she have until he came back to persuade her to kill herself? Would he wait until he finished off Vadim too?
She focused on her face and considered trying the spell Vadim had given her for cleaning things up. He’d said it might make her look like she’d had plastic surgery, but what could be worse than this?
“What was it again?” She said the words out loud and watched her new mouth shape them. “Gey-ei-landah?”
Her face quivered like Jell-O and then reappeared in all its black haired, blue-eyed glory.
“Damn.”
She threw Vadim’s toothbrush in the trash and showered away all evidence of his lovemaking. He’d been incredibly gentle with her, bringing them to new heights of pleasure and a sense of being one that she’d never imagined existed. So why had he left her? It didn’t make sense. She’d started to believe they were truly partners and that he trusted her. For years she’d been treated like an unstable bomb, and he’d changed that, had made her feel valued and loved. So why the hell had he lied to her and chosen to fight alone? Had he been saying goodbye? Her tears mingled with the water, and she let them flow. No one needed to know how she felt inside. Anger would sustain her through this time. At least she knew she could count on that.
She dressed and combed out her luxurious new head of hair and made the bed. Dammit, she was hungry. She couldn’t put off eating forever. With all her courage, she sauntered into the kitchen.
“Morning, Mom.”
“Holy God! What happened to you?” Darlene screeched, and dropped her mug of coffee. It smashed into a thousand shards on the ceramic tile floor.
Ella mopped up the coffee and poured herself and her mom a cup. “I’m not sure.”
“What do you mean?”
“Last night. Vadim disappeared, and I woke up looking like this.” She shrugged. “Don’t worry, I’ll sort it out.”
Darlene pounced on her father, who was coming into the kitchen with the newspapers under his arm. “Ned, look at her!”
Her father blinked and carefully put the papers down on the countertop. “New shampoo, love?”
Ella smiled at him. “Bespelled.”
“Ah, that makes sense, then.”
“Makes sense?” Darlene said. “Look at her! She’s completely different!”
“She’s still the same person inside. You don’t have the same hair color or face you had when we met either.”
“That’s different, I—”
Ned patted her shoulder. “Not that I mind. If Ella was bespelled, there’s not much we can do about it, is there? She’s a big girl. I’m sure she can figure it out.”
“I’ll do my best, Dad.”
“That’s my girl.”
Madison appeared in the doorway. “What’s all the noise?” She stared at Ella. “Interesting look for you, sis. I like it.” She dropped into a seat at the table and rested her head on her folded arms.
“Thanks.” Ella topped up her coffee. “After breakfast, I have to be on my way. I’ve got to go and find Vadim in Otherworld.”
“Why?”
“He’s originally from there.”
Darlene sat down narrowly avoiding dropping her second cup of coffee. “You said he was Russian.”
“His human ancestors are.”
“He’s not human?”
Ella put two strawberry pastries in the toaster. “He’s about five percent human. The rest is all Otherworld. Some of it is shape-shifter, some of it is Fae.”
Madison lifted her head from the table. “Cool. Vadim’s a big fairy. I knew there was something wrong with him.”
Ella put her pastries on a plate and squirted them with frosting.
“What kind of shape-shifter?’ Madison asked. “Is he a wolf, like Doug? I like Doug. He’s kind of hot, but scary.”
“Does it matter?” Ella chewed down on the sweet, sticky center of the pastry.
“I suppose not. I should’ve known there was something not right with him when he willingly took up with you.” Darlene sighed and finished her coffee. “Do you want me to pack you a lunch?”
Ella paused to appreciate the moment, wanting to laugh and cry at the same time. Her family might drive her crazy, but who else would sit there and carry on as if nothing unusual had happened when their daughter’s face had been bespelled and her newly found mate had disappeared?
“Thanks, Mom, but I won’t need a lunch.” She finished her pastries. “And thanks for not freaking out too much about everything.”
Her dad raised his coffee cup in a salute. “Living with you, Ella, has been an education. After fighting off trolls in the closet and Water Fae in the shower when you were young, nothing fazes us at all.”
“But you will be careful?” Darlene added.
“Of course I will.” Ella slid down from her stool. “I’ll be in touch. Thanks for a wonderful birthday.”
* * *
She found Vadim’s car keys in his jeans pocket and bundled the rest of his clothes in a deliberately untidy heap to take with her. The hint of his aftershave made her bury her nose in his T-shirt with a pang of what felt suspiciously like longing. Damn the man. She needed to be angry, not a moping fool.
The drive back to San Francisco was uneventful, the sky a bright uncaring blue, the sun warm on her newly acquired face. Every time she glanced in the rearview mirror, she was shocked by her appearance. It was worse than when she’d dyed her hair black and been a Goth. How long would Adam wait before he came back? Had he already fought Vadim? Wouldn’t she know if her mate were dead?
Pushing her fears aside, she parked under the SBLE main office on Market and headed for the elevators. There was no one around when she walked into the department, so she headed for Feehan’s office, knocked on the door and went straight in.
“Hey, boss.”
He leaped to his feet, half a dripping tuna sandwich clutched in his hand. “Who the hell are you?”
She waved her ID badge at him. “It’s me, Ella. Something’s up with my face.”
He grabbed his phone. “Security!”
“Boss, calm down. Adam got me last night after he got Vadim.”
Feehan clutched the phone to his chest and stared at her. “Ella?”
She took a seat in front of his desk. “Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
She patted her torso. “Same crappy attitude toward authority figures? Yup, I’m sure it’s me.” The door behind her burst open, and she turned to the two security guards. “Hey Mitch, hey Frankie, what’s up?”
Feehan waved them away. “False alarm. Ms. Walsh has suffered some kind of magical accident. Can you ask Liz and Sam to come in here, please?”
After a long look at her new face, the guys departed and were quickly replaced by the rest of the special team. They all started talking at once.
“Everyone, sit down!” Feehan shouted. “Ella, shut the door and tell us what the hell is going on.”
She told them the bare minimum of what had happened on the previous evening. For a change, no one interrupted her, their expressions ranging from horrified to appalled. Liz’s Fae-Web hovered over her head like a billowing veil in a storm.
“So I need to get to Otherworld, find out what Adam’s done with my face and get it back before he decides to come after me.” Ella concluded. “I just wanted to let you know what was going on. I don’t think I have much time.”
“You don’t.” Liz said. “Adam is very sure of his victory.”
“Not until I’m dead, he isn’t.”
Sam raised his hand. “What about Vad?”
“What about him?”
“Aren’t you going to save him, too?”
“That idiot?” Ella snorted. “He went to Otherworld to prove what a big bad fairy he is. I’
m not getting involved in his petty squabbles.”
“Ella—” Feehan hesitated. “You might have no choice.”
“Because of the mating crap? He’s the one who left, not me. I don’t owe him a thing.”
“Hang on,” Sam said. “You’re, like, mated to Vad? Dude! That’s awesome!” He tried to high-five her. “That’s why you haven’t gone nuts!”
Liz reached out and touched Ella’s knee. “You have to save him.”
“I damn well do not!”
“Whatever you think, he did what he did to save you. That’s his primary goal. That’s all I see.”
Ella swallowed hard. “Bullshit.” She pulled away. “I have to go. Is the portal by the Bay Bridge still working?”
Even as Feehan was promising her backup, she left and magicked herself directly to the portal. She could probably get there without one, but this wasn’t the occasion to be trying new things. Time sometimes moved differently in Otherworld. She might arrive and find Vadim hadn’t even got there yet or that he’d already fought and died. Not that she cared. Not that the bastard owed her anything...
Then why was she so pissed at him? Because he hadn’t believed in her after all? She swiped at something wet on her cheek. Dammit, was she crying?
Had she really fallen for all his shit about forever together?
Apparently she had.
She checked her weapons and stashed a silver dagger in her back pocket. Didn’t he know that saying about scorned women and revenge? She’d go to Otherworld, kill Adam and reclaim her face by herself. If she did see the slimy worm, she’d make him grovel and beg for forgiveness before she killed him with his own magic. Buoyed by this magnificent image, she stepped into the portal.
“Otherworld central, please.”
Within a heartbeat she was stepping out into a wide paved square with a fantastic fountain set in the center of it. She’d arrived at this point in Otherworld once before, so was familiar with the layout. The sky overhead was a bruised purple and filled with storm clouds. Warily, she approached the statue, which depicted a male Fae dominating a female. She angled her head to study the face of the woman who appeared to be having an orgasm. Or was she? Clutched in the female’s hand was the hilt of a dagger that had already pierced the male’s side.