Page 32 of Soul Sucker

“Don’t go all mystical on me. I’m not in the mood for it.” Vadim picked up his sandwich and took a big bite. It was surprisingly good. “I thought you were having lunch with Liz.”

Alexei pouted. “Her husband called and she decided to go out with him instead. I did get to meet him though. He seems like a nice enough guy.”

“With the flexible morals you require?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll need to get to know him a bit better. Speaking of which, are you free for lunch this Sunday?”

“I’m free every Sunday.”

“Liz said something about us all getting together for a barbecue.”

“Sounds fine to me. American beef is always excellent.” Vadim concentrated on finishing his sandwich. “The report from the morgue is that Christa Morehouse was not assaulted in any way.”

“I’ve already added that information into my web.”

Alexei shuddered. “If it is the same guy, he’s obviously getting better. The first victim was tied up, the second was choked, and the third only had a couple of bumps and scratches on her wrists.”

“Great. Maybe he does feed off their empath power.

Maybe it enhances his.”

Alexei sat up and his Fae-Web streamed out around him. “That’s an interesting possibility. Let me share it with Liz.”

7

Vadim cleared awaythe remnants of his lunch and deposited everything in the trashcan. He came back and tidied up Alexei’s space while his coworker spun his magic. He was just dusting off the desktop with his napkin when Ella came through the door, a large pink box in the curve of her arm and a monster cup of some beverage that was leaking bright orange bubbles through the inadequately fitted lid.

He held out a chair for her and grabbed for the box as it slid off her arm.

“Thanks. Is Feehan back yet?” Ella asked.

She looked less fragile than she had in the morgue. He preferred her in full-on belligerent mode, although why he was concerned about her feelings at all was a mystery.

“I think he only just left.” He gestured at the box. “Is that your lunch?”

“Yeah, would you like one?”

He stared through the clear plastic lid at the brightly colored glazed donuts.Only in America. “No thanks. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth.”

Ella’s gaze wandered over his body. “I bet you work out, don’t you?”

“I try to keep in shape.”

She smiled and he couldn’t look away. “Of course you do.” She opened the box, took out a donut covered in white glaze and purple sprinkles and bit into it. “Mmm…”

He watched, fascinated as she licked the frosting off her lip with the tip of her tongue and then slowly chewed.

“May I have one, please?” Alexei asked.

Ella nodded, and kept eating as Alexei pondered his selection. The Fae could eat just about anything and still retain their beauty. Alexei only accompanied Vadim to the gym to look good rather than because he needed to go. Ella started on her second donut, pausing occasionally to slurp at the disgusting orange concoction.

Vadim had to look away, instead concentrating his gaze on the Fae-Web that still hovered over Alexei’s head. It took him a while to interpret the Fae symbols and gain entry, but soon he was enmeshed in the beauty of the web. It took on the dimensions of a tunnel he could walk through with information covering every surface, constantly offering new pathways, new analogies with all roads leading to a central rune that glowed blood red.

Death.

Being immortal, the Fae preferred not to deal with the consequences of death. Only those who weren’t purebred could cope with the ramifications of the Fae-Web, of its predictions for the future, of a mortal’s ultimate fate. Vadim carefully avoided all avenues that addressed himself, concentrating only on the trail of the elusive killer and the far brighter light of Ella Walsh. But Alexei was right. The red stones of death were definitely drawing closer to Ella, and so was his lifeline…

God,no.

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