Death Bringer

Chapter Fifteen

Materializing right under the male’s nose, Vadim went for Adam and knocked the bow out of his hand. He placed the tip of his blade under his enemy’s chin.

“I thought you wanted to fight, but it seems all you can do is cower behind your fellow sect members.”

Adam smiled. “I’m not hiding now, Death Bringer, and you are exactly where I wanted you to be.”

He held up his hand, and dark power roared through Vadim, making him rock on his feet and take an involuntary step back. The malign force of the other sect members coalesced behind him. It was like being enmeshed in a suffocating circle of iron and darkness. He gathered his powers and pushed back at the boundaries that were attempting to crush him on all sides.

Nothing shifted, and he redoubled his efforts.

“Ella? Now would be a good time.

“Ella?”

Nothing. He glanced up toward the balcony and couldn’t see his mate at all. Fear beat at him, and he staggered forward into Adam and felt a blade pierce the skin right between his ribs. With one stroke of his dagger, Adam could sever his keel bone, and he’d be unable to fly away. A flash of pink caught his eye, and he finally saw Ella struggling to stand up by the edge of the upper circle. Two of the guards were right behind her and closing in.

Fuck that.

No one was touching her again.

He forced himself to concentrate and fought back with everything he had. With an almighty roar, he sent the three junior sect members flying backward. They landed in a heap like broken puppets, their magic dying with them, releasing Vadim to face Adam again. This time it was his opponent who backed away, his bloodied dagger held high in his hand.

Vadim bared his fangs in a deafening growl.

“Stay back, Death Bringer, or I will kill your mate.”

“No, he won’t!”

This time he heard Ella shouting out loud. She’d done something to get rid of her guards and was preparing to climb over the remaining barrier and jump down onto the checkerboard floor. Power flowed toward him from her, power he recognized as his, but with a very definite twist of Ella. He switched his gaze back to Adam.

“Stay there, Soul Sucker.”

She kept moving. “I think I know why they need me to be alive.”

He shot her a quick glare. “Will you just let me execute Adam before we get into that?”

“Don’t kill him before I get my face back. Ouch!” She suddenly stopped and grabbed her shoulder.

Adam smirked. “That’s what I was trying to tell you, Death Bringer. If you come any closer, your father will use the power of his mark to kill your mate.”

Vadim didn’t lower his sword or his mental shields. “Why would he do that for you?”

“Because he wants you dead.”

The other members of the Royal family were advancing down the steps toward them. One of the guards reached Ella and was helping her stand. Her face was white, and her pain beat within him like a drum. He felt the shield around the arena come down.

“Don’t let any of them use me against you, Morosov. Seriously, I’d rather die.”

Her voice was clear and steady. At that moment, he loved her more than he’d ever thought possible.

“I don’t intend for anyone apart from Adam to die, Soul Sucker.” Vadim locked eyes with his father. “Why are you attacking my mate for this male? You agreed that winning this contest cancelled out all debts.” He gestured at Adam. “The only reason I can’t execute him right now is because of you.”

“And that’s a terrible mistake, Fergal.” Ella limped forward until she stood opposite the Fae king. “Don’t you get that you’re being used? Adam wants to rule Otherworld. He wants you all to destroy yourselves, can’t you see that?”

“Nonsense.”

“Listen to me. Why do you think he forced Morosov back here? Why do you think he stole my face? He wanted him to annihilate all of you! He’s still hoping you’re going to carry on being a dickhead right now and annoy your son so much that he’ll carry out his threats!”

“Be silent.”

The king’s hand shot out, and she gasped and fell to her knees, her whole body shuddering.

A low totally inhuman growl erupted from Vadim’s throat. “Hurt her again and I shall willingly rip you to pieces.”

“You see?” Ella gasped, her head lowered, her hand covering her shoulder. “He’ll do it, if you don’t listen to me.”

“The only way I will release you from your mark, Soul Sucker, is if you keep your word to me.”

Vadim tensed as Ella met his father’s cold gaze.

“You mean it?”

His smile was chilling. “Not quite. I no longer trust you to carry out your intended purpose. I believe I’ll do it myself.” The king held out his hand. “Give me the weapon you carry so secretively in your backpack.”

“What weapon?” Vadim asked, but no one answered him.

“I tried to warn you all that she was weak and untrustworthy. Why do you think she was so desperate to keep her possessions shielded from your gaze, Death Bringer?”

“It’s not like how he’s making it sound.” With some effort, Ella took off her backpack and placed it on the ground in front of her. “He was the one who gave me the stupid thing.”

“And you were the one who intended to use it.”

“To do what?” Vadim asked again.

She retrieved something from her bag and slowly stood up.

“Take off the mark.”

The king held out his hand. “Give me the weapon first.”

“What?” Vadim stepped in front of his mate and stared into her eyes, willing her to talk to him, to tell him what the fuck was going on.

“Give it to me now, Soul Sucker.”

She shook her head. “No, I think I’d rather stick to our original plan.” She launched herself at Vadim, a small, lethal dagger in her hand. Even as he fought her to the ground, he heard her screeching orders inside his head.

“Take it, kill him.”

“Which one?”

“God, I don’t know. Can’t you get them both?”

He expertly rolled her onto her front, bent her arm up against her spine, and disarmed her.

“Ow! That hurt!”

She kicked out, catching him on the shin. He bit back a groan and increased the pressure of his hold. “Stop fighting me, then!”

“No, it has to look realistic.”

A burst of mangled magic shot past his ear, making him wince and the spectators closing in on them scatter.

“Fuck it, Ella, you nearly took off my head with my own power!”

“Good!”

He moved off her and dragged her to her feet, the dagger now concealed within his massive hand. “If I kill Adam, you won’t be getting your face back.”

“I don’t care about that.” She hesitated. “Do you?”

“It’s a matter of principle.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Give it to me then!” She tried to head-butt him. He jerked his chin back just in time and held her out in front of him like a shield. “What the hell did you give her, Father?”

“I gave her nothing. I assume she obtained the dagger from the Dark Lord and his minions. When I met her for the first time, she already had a plan in place. She asked whether I would have any objection if she killed you. I told her to go ahead, and in return I would help her get her face back. In truth, you might say that this entire mess is her fault.”

“That’s bullshit! Don’t you get it?” Ella kicked out and tried to get free again, but Vadim restrained her. “Adam wants Morosov to kill you all. He probably hoped that if I saw that massacre, I’d turn on my mate and use the dagger on him, leaving Adam king of the world.”

“You are a liar, Soul Sucker. Can’t you see it, my son?”

“She can’t lie to me. Remember, she is my mate.”

Ella wiggled around until she could see into his face, and put her hand on his chest. “That’s why I’m still here. Your father hoped I’d kill for him, and so did Adam. They both had a vested interest in letting me live.”

She turned to look at his mother and grandmother. “Hell, I’m the only one that can kill Morosov, aren’t I? That’s what you were trying to tell me.”

“Is that true, Father?”

“She said she wanted you dead! She told Adam the same thing! You heard her!”

Vadim smiled slowly down at his mate. “She is entitled to kill me. I am hers for all eternity. But she is not going to do it at your bidding. If we combine our powers, Soul Sucker, do you think we could find the truth in Adam’s mind?”

Terror flashed across his adversary’s face and he tried to run past the encircling guards. Vadim stopped him dead with an entrapment spell.

“What do you think, Father? Shall I ask my unworthy opponent for his opinion?”

For the first time, unease flickered behind the Fae king’s eyes. “Why bother? What can he tell us that we don’t already know?”

The queen mother stepped forward. “I would like to hear Adam’s thoughts on this matter, too. If I find out that he truly wishes to annihilate our family, I want him to suffer for it.” She glanced at her daughter-in-law and then at the visitor from the dark court. “Are we all in agreement?”

Vadim smiled at his father. “It seems as if you have been overruled.” He released his mate and reached for her hand. “Come, Soul Sucker. Let’s see what thoughts Adam really harbors in his mind.”

Ella let Vadim lead her toward the immobile Adam. Beyond him lay the rubble of the arena and a neatly stacked pile of dead bodies. She’d heard the explosion of Vadim’s power and felt it within her, but missed the visual as she was crawling on the floor. Looking at the remains of the explosion, she was glad she’d skipped it. She was totally happy that the sect members were dead, though.

Adam radiated a strange mixture of power and anxiety that drew her empath senses like a strong cup of black coffee.

“Do you feel it too?”

She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to reply to her mate at this moment. He was being far too arrogant and possessive for her liking. On the other hand, he had just killed three males for her and threatened to wipe out a whole bunch of his superpowerful family... She couldn’t buy devotion like that for all the money in the world. Such immense power was curiously addictive, which explained a lot about the lure of elderly politicians for younger women.

“Will the net hold?”

Vadim ran an experienced eye over it. “I think so. We can’t make it too strong, or we won’t be able to penetrate it.”

“Makes sense.” Ella reached out her hand and gently probed between the strands until she touched Adam’s arm. He hissed a curse and tried to shift away from her, but his bonds wouldn’t allow it.

“Wow. There’s a lot going on in there.”

“I noticed that too.” Vadim came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder, strengthening their bond with his physical presence. “He’s full of shit.”

She wanted to grin at his cool tone. “Where’s everyone else?”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Right behind us, why?”

“We should put a guard on your father, and a couple on the other side of Adam in case he manages to break free of us.”

“I had the same thought.” She felt the quick rush of him communicating with someone else. “My mother will watch my father and will command the guards to move into place.”

Ella nodded, her senses already engaged with the delicate task of feeling her way into another sentient being’s mind. With a male as old as Adam, it wasn’t easy. He was fighting her at every turn. But if she took a more direct route, she might inadvertently damage his memories and destroy the very information she wanted.

“Even if I find something, how am I going to make this work?”

“Remember, we all have a familial link. You relay the information to me, and I’ll amplify it and send it onward. They can’t accuse us of lying, then.”

“True. Where do you want to start?”

“Home in on his guilt and his fear.”

She probed deeper and felt Vadim’s power and physical presence steadying and supporting her. Being inside Adam’s head was like splashing around in a sewer. His delusions of grandeur, arrogance and his obsession with magical power made him a fearsome enemy and one who, despite his current position, still hadn’t conceded defeat.

She’d dealt with enough monsters to know to seek the most heavily protected areas of his mind, to pick and probe until the walls crumbled and the intent behind the thought was revealed. Ah, there it was...

“Here you go.”

Like a skilled weaver extracting a single, delicate thread, she removed the memories and thoughts and spun them into Vadim’s mind. Images of his three dark-haired victims were followed by those of Brad Dailey, Ms. Phelps and herself. Each memory was as clear as a diamond and saturated with satisfaction. Adam thrived on their terror and loved pushing them to take that final step and kill themselves. Shielded behind his enjoyment of his trophies’ pain, she discovered his pure loathing for the Fae family who currently surrounded him.

Adam made a gurgling sound, but Ella and Vadim’s magical hold on him was too powerful to allow him to speak.

“Keep going, Ella.”

She plunged deeper and relayed Adam’s agreement to aid the Fae king in his vendetta against his son, his satisfaction at the ending of the trial and his conviction that he and his fellow sect members would finally be strong enough to overthrow not only Death Bringer, but also his entire family.

“Ah, the Soul Sucker finds the truth.” The older queen’s voice sounded far away. “Adam is guilty. He truly wished to destroy us all.”

A flash of bright, bitter anger seared Ella’s senses, and she flinched as she saw the moment Adam had stolen her face. He hadn’t reckoned on her coming after Vadim or expected the depth of power a bond between a dark Fae prince and a human empath would deliver. His hatred of her was a clear, shining blade.

“That’s enough, Soul Sucker.”

She was shivering. She turned her face into the comfort of Vadim’s shoulder.

“You don’t need to exhaust yourself. He is already doomed for his treasonable thoughts.” He stroked her hair. “My parents are arguing again. My mother believes my father should be executed alongside Adam.”

“No!” She gripped his arm. “That’s—” She turned back to Adam, who was now smiling at her. “That’s what he wants!”

“Why?” She addressed Adam directly. “Why do you want the king in particular to die?”

Beside her, Vadim had gone still. “What is it, Ella?”

She reached through the net again and sought Adam’s skin. Something wasn’t right. He was puzzling her, his walls ever shifting, his true personality hidden behind...

She opened her eyes.

“Who is he, Morosov?”

The row behind them was growing louder as the Fae took sides.

“What do you mean?”

“Think.” She felt him open his mind to hers while she kept the link to Adam wide. “Adam’s not his real name, is it?”

An abyss yawned at Vadim’s feet, and he pulled Ella roughly away from Adam.

“Tell me something before you die.”

A superior smile lightened his opponent’s all-too-familiar features. “Why would I tell you anything? Can’t you use your human pet to force the information out of me?”

“I could.” His hands clenched into fists. “But this is between us. It always has been. Why is that?”

Adam shrugged. “You’re supposed to be the most powerful being in Otherworld. You work it out.”

“You always hated that, didn’t you? That I had all the power, that I was the chosen one. Is that why you took over the sect?”

“The sect welcomed me. They appreciated my powers.”

“I’m sure they did. If you die, will my mate get her face back?”

“How would I know? I’ve been alive for almost as long as you have. I’m supposed to be immortal. Why would I bother to find out about the effect my death has on others?”

“Then free her from the spell.”

He fake-sighed. “I can’t do that when I’m trapped. My powers aren’t working.”

Ella touched his arm. “I don’t care about my face, Morosov. Don’t let him go free.”

“How noble,” Adam sneered. “But it isn’t really about you either, is it, Soul Sucker?”

Her fingers sank into Vadim’s flesh. “He wants you, right?”

He nodded, his gaze not leaving the other male’s as he sorted through a myriad of memories and impressions and tried to blend them with Adam’s pilfered thoughts.

Behind him, he was aware of his father moving toward him. He intentionally raised his voice.

“You wear my brother Ciaran’s face.”

“So?”

“When I first saw you in San Francisco, I said that you were a fraud, because my brother was already dead.”

“Because you’d killed him, and things Death Bringer kills never survive.”

“That’s what I believed.” Vadim drew in a slow breath. “It appears I was wrong.”

“What?” His father’s jarring voice bellowed in his ear. “Are you suggesting this is really Ciaran? How ridiculous is that? Good God! Death Bringer, will you do anything to bring this family down?”

Vadim kept his gaze on the prisoner. “Is that why he helped you?”

Adam blinked very slowly. “That’s for me to know and for you to find out.”

“I can do that for you, Morosov,” Ella said softly. “All I have to do is touch him again.” She looked up at him. “This is what he was hiding. He didn’t really want my face, he wanted you back.”

“For revenge.”

“Even though you obviously didn’t kill him after all. Was he always jealous of you?”

“Of course. My father professed to love him the most yet spent most of his time training me—his personal weapon.”

“That isn’t true.” Adam practically spat out the words. “I always knew I was loved, while you were hated and feared.”

“But you were willing to do anything to get power like mine, weren’t you?”

“I did what anyone faced with an impossible situation would do.”

“Forced a confrontation between us? Used your twin sister as bait?” Vadim fought to control his voice.

“She loved me. She was willing to help me in any way she could.”

“That’s not love,” Ella said. “That’s stupid.”

“I regret having to lend you my sister’s face, Soul Sucker. You are not worthy to wear it.”

“Strange, it doesn’t bother me in the least.”

Adam sighed elaborately. “It amuses me to know that my brother will have to live with it for the rest of his unnatural life.”

Vadim drew Adam’s attention away from his mate, who looked ready to do him harm. “Did you kill her?”

“Who, Nia? No, she was weak. She couldn’t live with the idea that she’d betrayed you by pretending I’d died in your attack. She was more than willing to listen to my suggestion and take her own life.”

“Is that what gave you the idea for your little game, then?” Ella asked. “To take her face as a trophy?”

“Yes, Soul Sucker, how astute of you to notice.” He snarled. “I obviously underestimated your intelligence.”

“Most of us do.” Vadim recovered his veneer of calm. “So if we assume that you follow the sect’s usual rule of three, and that you wanted my face next, whom did you choose to complete the pattern?” Adam’s gaze flicked momentarily to Vadim’s right. “Ah, you wanted Father’s face, because once you had his, no one would remember you as Ciaran, and you could move on with your plan to control the whole of Otherworld.”

“What?”

In his desire to get up close and personal with the captive, the Fae king tried to push past Vadim, who put out an arm to hold him back.

“He intended to kill you. Didn’t you get that?”

“That’s impossible! I—” The king suddenly broke off as if aware that his estranged spouse and mother-in-law were regarding him suspiciously. “It’s not true.”

“Why would I lie?” Adam said. “I’m not expecting to come out of this encounter alive, are you?”

Blustering, the Fae king turned to survey his audience. “The man is mad. He obviously wants to implicate as many of us in his crimes as possible. Perhaps Death Bringer was right in the first instance, and Adam was trying to annihilate our whole family. Isn’t that rather more important?”

“Nice try, Fergal.” Ella pretended to clap. “And, by the way, that was my idea, not Morosov’s.”

Vadim reached out and took her hand. He half turned to face his family. “For once I’ll agree with my father that the state of the realm is rather more important than the state of his conscience. What do you want me to do about ‘Adam’?”

He couldn’t call that monster by his brother’s name. From what he’d sensed in the other’s mind, all vestiges of humanity had been leached from his soul over the intervening years. Adam cared for no one and thrived on power, hatred and vengeance.

His grandmother raised her chin. “What do you wish to do with him, Death Bringer?”

Vadim went still. Beside him, Ella squeezed his hand hard.

“It’s okay about my face, it really is. I don’t care if you execute him. He’s done enough harm in his lifetime even for an immortal Fae.”

Vadim stared at his brother for a long quiet moment and then raised his hand.

Ella wanted to close her eyes, but she owed it to her mate to watch to the end. She couldn’t let him destroy himself again. Didn’t his family understand the terrible burden he’d carried with him for centuries?

“Morosov...”

“No!”

A bolt of the Fae king’s magic shot between her and Vadim, releasing Adam from his bonds. With an exultant cry, he rose above the ground and grabbed for Ella.

“Get off me, you idiot!”

Vadim rose too, his huge wings unfolding, claws out, fangs extended.

“Let her go!”

Twenty feet up in the air, Adam held her out in front of him, and her legs dangled like a doll’s. “Father, kill her!”

She looked down at the Fae king’s face. The wound on her shoulder started to throb like fire.

“Don’t be stupid!” she shouted. “If you kill me, Morosov will kill you and Adam will have won everything!”

“She’s right.” Despite his aggressive stance, Vadim’s voice was eerily calm. “Now release her, Adam. This is between us. It always has been.”

She glared at Vadim. “Don’t you dare fight him! That’s what he wants! Why are all you Fae so dumb sometimes?”

She tried to turn to see Adam’s face, and he was smiling. The door to the hall crashed open. Beyond it was the long corridor leading to the trophy room. Was he intending to gather his trophies on the way out, or did he intend to destroy everything?

His trophies...

She looked from him back to Vadim and then at the Fae king.

Sets of three. The blondes, the brunettes and the final set of Fae royalty that would never be completed....

“Give me the dagger and give me your power.”

“Don’t be stupid.”

“Don’t argue with me! I think I know how to fix this!”

“Ella...”

“Please. Trust me.”

A second later, the blade was in her palm. Below her, the Fae king held up his hand, and the pain in her shoulder began to spread throughout her entire body. Without allowing herself to think any longer, she used Vadim’s immense strength to free her right hand and, turning, plunged the lethal blade into Adam’s throat. As he screamed, they started to fall. By the time they hit the floor, she was beyond feeling anything at all.