Page 66 of Soul Sucker

“She can hardly blame you.”

“Apparently I should’ve taken better care of her. Laney was the only one of my friends my mother ever liked.”

Vadim wrapped his fingers around her ankle. “You can’t always save people, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ve lost far too many colleagues not to understand that. I think I’ll go to bed.” Vadim moved out of her way and she stumbled toward the bathroom. “You know where the sheets are, right?”

“Yes.” He waited to see if she’d invite him to join her, but she just closed the bathroom door behind her with a snap. He stared at the pine door, not sure whether to be insulted or not. It would be far better if they could solve this case and then get together. Perhaps that was what the Fae-Web predicted, a nice quick heated affair before he left. But by then Ella would either be hooked up with an OCOS mate, or on her way to a madhouse…

When she emerged from the bathroom wearing only her bra and panties, her hair loose around her shoulders, Vadim resolutely kept his gaze on his bedding. “I’ll come to Laney’s funeral with you, if you like.”

She paused. “I thought you’d be there to check out the mourners. You know how the ghouls are sometimes drawn to the scenes of their ‘triumphs.’”

“I would’ve come with you anyway.”

“I appreciate that.” She headed into her bedroom. “Night, Morosov. Sweet dreams.”

* * *

Ella closedher bedroom door and leaned back against it. Not asking Vadim to join her had been easier this time. The more she got to know him, the less she wanted to use him just for sex. How annoying was that? Unfortunately, it went right along with her dating creed. She’d fucked as many men as possible in the vain hope that she could avoid her fate and meet a potential mate, but that hadn’t happened and she’d gotten tired of having to erase herself from men’s memories. Perhaps she was finally growing up. Approaching death and madness could do that to a person.

“Good evening, Miss Walsh.”

She blinked at the naked man who lounged seductively on her bed. His hair was gold, his eyes a celestial silver and every single muscle on his body was toned and buff and yet kind of soft andfeathery…

“Who the hell are you?”

“Don’t you know?” He smiled at her and she felt it in her core. “Am I not familiar in any way?”

She stared at him again and certain things fell into place. She raised her voice.

“Morosov? Can you come in here?”

She just remembered to peel herself away from the door as it opened abruptly behind her. Vadim appeared, his gun at the ready. With a disgusted sound he slammed the door so hard it hit the wall.

“For fuck’s sake, Rossa. What are you doing here?”

The naked man didn’t even flinch. “I might ask you the same thing. She’s hardly your type, is she?”

“She is my colleague. Now sod off back to Otherworld.”

“What’s wrong? Are you afraid I’ll tell on you?” She poked Vadim in the ribs. “He’s related to you, isn’t he?”

“You might say that.”

“He’s like a blond version of you, but fifty times sexier.”

The blond gave a crack of laughter. “She’s certainly amusing. Is that why you keep her around?”

Ella took a step closer to the bed. The man’s chest was covered with fine, white, downy feathers she yearned to stroke. “You can shut the fuck up and get out of my bed.”

He held her gaze, his gray eyes glowing, daring her to delve into their depths and never come up again. Her shields flexed but held steady, and his confident smile wavered. He glanced at Vadim, who had remained by the door with his weapon raised.

“Not quite what she seems is she?”

“Quit talking about me as if I’m not here,” Ella said. “I’ve asked you nicely to leave. Don’t make me have to get nasty.”

“What could you do to me, little human?”

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