Kate Pearce - Death Bringer

Even as Ella shrieked the message to Vadim, her elbow was grabbed in a punishing hold and the Fae king glared down at her.

“What are you doing, Soul Sucker? You have no right to interfere in this matter.”

She tried to pull out of his grasp. “Like you’re not? I can sense your power blending with the sect’s!”

“Be silent.” His grip tightened and she almost blacked out.

“Let her be, Fergal.” The Fae queen stood up, then put her hand on the king’s arm, her expression furious.

“You support this attempt to suborn us? This traitor in our midst?”

“He’s my son. I should never have let you take him and use him as a weapon.”

“It’s too late for regrets now. I created a killing machine! Your guilt can’t change that. He needs to die, and his mate needs to stop meddling.”

“Stop being so melodramatic!”

Ella felt like a bone between two ravenous dogs as her mind was bombarded with the intensity of the king and queen’s power. The moment the king’s grip slackened, she slid down to the floor, leaving the Royal couple nose to nose, and crawled back toward the view of the arena. Had the queen intervened deliberately to free her, or had she been spoiling for a fight over her son for centuries? She tried to repair her link with Vadim, but nothing happened. Either the Fae king had alerted Adam to her interference and strengthened the force field, or she was too debilitated from the Royal psychic screaming match to help.

She fought a sudden wave of panic. Had the king done that deliberately? Held her fast so that she couldn’t escape his thoughts? Whatever had happened, she needed to reestablish the link pronto. Vadim might think he didn’t need her, but she still wasn’t sure what new tricks Adam had up his sleeve. He looked far too confident for her liking, and she needed to be alert.

While everyone else, including her guards, watched the king and queen fight, she kept creeping forward through the ranks of empty chairs toward the fighting. She peered over the balustrade. Dammit, they were about to surround Vadim! If she remained blocked from his mind, she could only hope he really did have the strength to fight off all four members of the sect by himself, because God help her, she wasn’t sure if she’d reach him in time.

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.