Page 78 of Soul Sucker

He didn’t look convinced. “But you’ll come back to the hotel?”

Ella’s whole body shook with exhaustion. “Okay.” She let him reclaim her hand and walk her through the streets. It wasn’t her style, but for once she needed the physical support,hissupport if she was honest. At some point during their fiery sexual encounter she’d felt more connected to him, moresureof him than of any other person in her life before. And that incredible sensation of trust still lingered. Dammit, she had no intention of delving into that emotional minefield until she’d slept on the matter—preferably alone.

Vadim ushered her into his hotel room and gave her a passkey.

“I’ll be right next door if you need anything.”

“Thanks, I’ll definitely holler.”

“You don’t even need to do that.” He tapped her forehead. “Just call me.”

“How?”

“Think it.”

She scowled at him. “Damn it, Morosov, don’t get all odd on me. I’m too tired.”

He kissed her forehead where he’d tapped it. “Get some sleep.”

She closed the door in his face and wandered in to inspect his room. It was incredibly neat and not just because housekeeping had been in. There wasn’t a single garment thrown on the floor, an open suitcase or a discarded book. When she got the chance to stay in a hotel she positively enjoyed throwing her stuff everywhere. Ella went into the bathroom and surveyed the ranks of Vadim’s cleaning products, his electric razor and his two types of aftershave.

A shower would be good. Her whole body ached. She put on the water and amused herself messing up the order of Vadim’s stuff. When she stepped under the water, she sighed and tried to relax. The scent of Vadim’s lovemaking curled around her and she thought back on those few frantic, possibly life changing minutes. She’d never think about elevators in the same way again…

* * *

Vadim shutthe door into Alexei’s upgraded suite and listened carefully. He suspected his friend was out, but you never knew with Fae and he didn’t want to deal with Alexei right now. Fae were far too good at detecting sex. Vadim picked his way through Alexei’s discarded belongings and went into the bathroom. A shower would revive him and then he could go and check on Ella.

Ella.

With a sigh, Vadim sat on the edge of the toilet seat and contemplated what he’d done. There had seemed no other option. He had a terrible sense that from the moment he’d walked back into Otherworld he’d been compromised. But why this? Why a human mate? Was it some kind of punishment? He raked his fingers through his hair. There wasn’t any point in trying to understand. He of all males knew that the ways of Otherworld were beyond comprehension. If they wanted him to know why, someone would make sure to come and spell it out for him.

With a groan, he stood up. He didn’t want to stay with Alexei. He wanted to be in the shower with Ella and then in bed with her. Maybe he’d let her out after a week or two, but it would be close…

“Shit,” Vadim muttered. “This is bad.”

Mating with her had set off all sorts of instincts that he’d very carefully quashed. If he disappeared, left his job and his painstakingly built identity, what would happen to Ella? Did a mated empath still go mad if they were abandoned or was it now a done deal? He groaned, the sound echoing in the tiled space. But he couldn’t disappear completely, could he? Current events had proved that. The Fae-Web had indicated Ella was important to his own survival. He had to stick with her at least until the case was solved. Nobody came to talk to him about the craziness, so he took off his clothes, got into the shower and rather unwillingly washed all traces of Ella Walsh from his body.

13

“Ella!”

Ella woke up to find someone leaning over her and fought a scream. A familiar hand cupped the side of her face.

“It’s me. What’s wrong?”

She managed to open one eye and glare at Vadim, who was hovering an inch in front of her. Either she’d left the bedside lamp on, or he’d put it on when he’d come in.

“Get off me.” She turned her head and bit his thumb and the hand disappeared.

“Ouch.” He sucked his thumb into his mouth. “You were shouting in your sleep.”

“Loud enough to wake you next door? This must be a shit hotel.” She sat up. “How did you get in?”

“I had another key.” He sat beside her on the bed and she realized he only wore his boxers. “I heard you in my head. You woke me up.”

She winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I must’ve been having a nightmare.”

Without asking he walked around to the other side of the bed and settled himself beside her as if he belonged there. “It felt like Otherworld to me, so I thought I’d better check up on you.”

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