Page 50 of Death Bringer

“He might have popped in.”

He raised her chin so that she had to look into his eyes. “You didn’t tell him anything, did you?”

“Like what? He already knows the important bits.”

“Don’t trust him, Ella. Everything you say will be reported to Otherworld.” She blinked and he forced himself to keep calm. “He might look like an angel, but he’s as devious as the devil.”

“I know that. What are we going to do about Ms. Phelps?”

“We’ll just have to stay here and keep her safe.”

“And stop Adam getting to her.”

“Exactly.” He kissed the top of her head and released her. “He won’t be back for a while. Why don’t you go down to the cafeteria and get us both some coffee?”

* * *

Ella wokewith a start and fumbled for her weapon.

“What’s up?”

Beside her, Vadim was staring intently at the space around Ms. Phelps. It was dark in the room, and the unnatural play of light around the bed was startlingly obvious. Ms. Phelps was sitting upright, her mouth open as if she were silently screaming.

“Something’s wrong.”

“Duh.”

“My magic’s being attacked.”

She could feel it now inside her, the insidious sense of being drained and squeezed dry.

“Then do something! You’re supposed to be strong!”

“Too many forces are combining against me, all the power of the sect, I?—”

Vadim crashed to the floor, his head in his hands, and Ella fought to reach him through the demons howling in her own mind. The room shuddered like the quiet center of a tornado. Why weren’t the SBLE guards coming in to help? Ella tried to shout, but the sound was whipped away.

“Hold on!”

The shield around Ms. Phelps was thinning like the ripped silk of a defective parachute. Ella reached the bed and marshaled all her power to try and mend it, but nothing worked. Even as she watched, the Fae shielding spell was drawn inexorably toward Ms. Phelps’s open mouth. Did she know she was inhaling death? Did she understand what was happening to her?

“No!” Vadim staggered to his feet, power shooting from his outstretched hand. “Leave her!”

Everything seemed to be suspended, and time moved so slowly that she could see the battle for supremacy being fought frame by frame. Even as Vadim’s power roared through the room, it was already too late. The shield was gone, swallowed down by Ms. Phelps, who collapsed back onto her pillows.

As quickly as the storm had arisen, it subsided, leaving Vadim and her on the floor. The door flew open and one of the security guards nearly trampled her as he rushed in. She noticed for the first time that the drapes were ripped, the blinds askew and both the chairs were upside down.

“What the hell happened?”

She pointed at the motionless figure on the bed. “That happened.Dammit!” She crawled over to Vadim. “Are you all right?”

He snarled something obscene in Fae and shook off her hand. Without another word, he turned on his heel and pushed his way through the security personnel and medical staff now arriving at the door. She didn’t bother to chase after him. She could find him anywhere, and someone needed to be here to tell Feehan the bad news.

As if he’d heard her thoughts, her boss appeared at the doorway, a cup of coffee in his hand.

“Ella, are you all right? I was just coming to check on you. I saw Vadim heading down the stairs. Was he looking for me?”

“He needs some space at the moment, boss. He’s angry with himself for not being able to protect Ms. Phelps.”

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