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if her suspicions were correct, this wouldn’t be the last monster the kid saw.
    “Okay.” Tom nodded. “Let’s play.”
    * * *
    “Mr. Morosov. Come in and shut the door.”
    Vadim walked into Madame Dubinsky’s office and took the seat she indicated without a word. As usual, his boss looked impeccable, her dark hair drawn back into a neat ponytail, her tailored blue suit and brooch reminding him of uptight royalty the world over. She didn’t smile but he’d hardly expected her to. He was in deep shit and he knew it.
    Her office was so heavily warded against magical interference that it always felt as if he was being smothered. He appreciated the fact that nothing could get in—he had family who just loved to interfere with his life—but it made it hard to focus. Although that was probably intentional too.
    Madame studied her folded hands for a long moment before finally looking up at him. “We have a situation that requires international cooperation of the highest order.”
    Vadim still didn’t speak but he allowed himself to look faintly interested.
    “ Your cooperation as it happens.”
    “But I’m suspended.”
    “I know that, but I’ve been ordered to send you on this mission. Apparently no one else will do.”
    The dryness of her tone indicated her skepticism as to that, but he didn’t care. “Exactly what is the mission?”
    “The U.S. SBLE authorities have contacted us about a situation in the San Francisco Bay Area. They believe they have an Otherworld serial killer who is targeting empaths.”
    Govno . “I hope not.”
    “Apparently, when the SBLE in San Francisco were researching their supposed killer, they came across some similar traits to the last series of cases you worked on with Natasha. Alexei picked up the connections as well, and reported them to me.”
    The mention of Natasha surely wasn’t a good sign. Due to the worldwide shortage of empaths, anyone who was involved in the death of an empath was viewed with extreme suspicion, whatever side of the law they were supposed to be on.
    Madame looked him right in the eye. “They want you, and despite my reservations, I have been ordered to send you to aid their investigation. You will not fuck this up. You will represent your country and me, and do a good job or die trying. Do you understand me?”
    “Yes, Madame.” He inclined his head a respectful inch. “When do you want me to leave?”
    “Tomorrow morning and take Alexei with you. His knowledge should help add to the overall picture.”
    He wanted to ask why the SBLE team in San Francisco didn’t have Fae resources, but decided against it. Alexei was a pain in the ass, but at least he was company, and Vadim knew enough about the Fae not to trust his companion. Alexei would be reporting back to Madame about Vadim’s conduct—he’d bet his life on that.
    Madame passed a folder of papers across to him. “Read the intel and destroy the file. Alexei has already integrated the information into his Fae-Web, so you’ll have that to work with when you get there, in case you forget anything.”
    Vadim stood up. “I won’t forget.”
    She fixed him with her cool stare and the feeling of suffocation intensified. Her shields were so good that he had no idea what powers Madame did or didn’t have, but she scared the shit out of him anyway. He wanted to get out of that room more than he wanted to breathe.
    “I expect regular reports on your progress, and if you put a foot wrong, or I hear any complaints about you, I’m bringing you back here and firing you. Is that clear?”
    “Yes, Madame.”
    “Then I wish you a successful trip.”
    He managed to smile and stroll casually toward the door as all his instincts screamed at him to run. Something about Madame set all his shapeshifter genes on alert. She was a dangerous woman to cross, and would live up to her promise to fire him if he fucked up again.
    And then what would he do with himself? Crawl back to Otherworld? He shook his