Page 44 of Death Bringer

“She can’t be here. We were just in here.” She tried to turn the handle. “It’s locked.”

“Try it again.”

A surge of Vadim’s magic passed through her fingers and the lock clicked open. She drew her weapon and gently pushed open the door. Someone sat in Ms. Phelps’s chair. She didn’t turn or react to the opening of the door. Her eyes were wide open and she wasn’t blinking.

“Holy cow.” Ella whispered. “That’s not how Ms. Phelps looked yesterday, is it?”

“No.”

Vadim went past her. “She’s in a trance.”

“Maybe that’s for the best.” Ella moved closer. “If itisMs. Phelps. Her face and hair coloring are completely different.”

“It’s her, all right. Can’t you feel the magic? Remember, this was where Adam’s power was most concentrated.”

“Shall I call Feehan?”

“Yes, tell him what’s happened and get him to send a second SBLE security team up here. I’ll keep her under. You and I can take turns standing guard until they get here.”

8

“Ella,can I speak to you, please?”

She looked up to see Feehan at her elbow. “What’s up?”

He nodded in the direction of the door. “Out here?”

She rose from her seat beside Ms. Phelps’s bed, nodded at Vadim and headed out into the hallway. It was now dark outside, and the SBLE team had secured the private room where Ms. Phelps lay. She was still in a magical trance and had betrayed no trace of awareness of what had been done to her.

The smell of coffee lured Ella farther down the hallway to the nurse’s station, where Jose obligingly handed her a cup.

“Thanks.” She smiled at him. “I needed that.”

“You’re welcome. Where’s lover boy?”

“Who?”

“You know, tall, dark and dangerous, who looks as if he wants to devour me whole every time I talk to you.”

“Oh, him.” Ella shrugged, then sipped at her coffee. “He’s standing guard.”

Jose leaned against the desk. “What’s going on with Ms. Phelps?”

“She seems to have had some kind of fit.”

“What kind of ‘fit’?”

“They’re not sure. That’s why she’s being kept in isolation.”

“I saw her this morning at the staff meeting, and she looked fine.” Jose shook his head. “Whatever happened, it sure seemed to come out of nowhere.”

“I know.”

“Ella?”

She turned back to Feehan, who was waiting patiently behind her.

“Sorry, boss. Emergency caffeine refueling.” She nodded at Jose. “Thanks for the coffee.”

---