A Council of Betrayal (4 page)

Not wanting to burst it, I leaned into him.
“So, you’re pretty excited about your first vacation with
Mark?”

His smile revealed all the starkly white
teeth in his dark-skinned head. “It is that obvious?”

“Naw, just a lucky guess.” I leaned back,
bumping his shoulder good-naturedly.

He nudged me back. We both turned, hearing
the clatter on the cobblestones. Grams exited with Mercer in tow
with her three suitcases, none of which contained weapons. My smile
fell watching her.

“Everyone set?” she asked merrily. I wished I
knew what was going on behind her slate gaze. It was possible there
was nothing.

“Where are Ali and Grant?” I asked, helping
stow her and Mercer’s luggage. He, like me, only had a duffle bag
of clothing, which was good since the back was starting to look a
little crowded.

Ali and Grant were next in line to rule the
Supernatural Council should anything happen to Grams, or when she
chose to retire. They helped run the day-to-day activities of the
Council and each had their own special brand of unique powers.

That was the sole purpose of the Council, to
protect those who lacked the strength of a shifter clan or the
resources of a vampire House. Granted, when I had taken over, some
7 or 8 years ago, its power had been grossly misused. I like to
think I brought back clarity, justice, and protection for those
like my succubus and incubus brethren.

The reality was I probably just scared the
Council into obedience. Whatever. I’m not picky.

It helped that I was the most powerful
succubus I had yet met. I’ll have to pay credit where it is due, at
the dead feet of Selena, my own personal monster who had pushed me
beyond my limits. Most of our kind went unnoticed in the human
population until our power manifested, usually after a traumatic
event. At that point, unless controlled, the emotions would be felt
by all.

You’d be amazed how many I liberated from
mental health institutions.

“They are meeting us at the airport,” Grams
replied, bringing me back. “Grant had to drop his cat off at his
sister’s.” She settled her leather purse pristinely over her
shoulder.

“Jerry, you need three bags?” Mercer asked,
closing the trunk with a thud.

“I only have one suitcase; those three bags
belong to Olivia,” Jerry informed him. The conversation halted as
we got seated.

“Weapons?” Mercer asked, sitting in the
backseat with me. Powder blue eyes twinkled with approval. His hair
had grown out since he was no longer with the police department,
and I liked the look on him.

“Weapons,” I confirmed with a nod and a grin.
“I got some new toys you are going to love.”

“Is that the opening line of a badly-planned
porno?” Jerry asked in the front seat.

I slipped a hand around his shoulder from the
back seat, “Do you want it to be?”

“Eww! Get your female hands off of me.”

I laughed, his easy mood catching. Or perhaps
I was just getting better at faking it.

The drive to the airport made me nervous. The
Fae fucking terrified me, and so did flying. Probably for the same
reason: lack of control was not something I handled well. I didn’t
know how to kill the Fae and I couldn’t fly a plane.

…

Logan was arguing with airport security when
we pulled up to his private jet.

“Shit,” I groaned, getting out of the car. It
really probably wasn’t for the best that he was here right now,
given everything that had happened.

I debated. Offering help might only throw the
unhinged shifter into more of an angry tailspin. Not getting
involved could lead to the small human getting ground into the
asphalt.

Jerry gave me a look, knowing what was going
through my mind as we met at the trunk.

“Sir, you cannot—“ began the security guard
again.

“Tell me I can’t again,” Logan growled,
stepping forward, leering over the smaller man.

I watched the man step back, seeing the fear
in his widening eyes, the flare of his nostrils. Logan’s tall form
arched over him. His eyes began to shift, his lion pressing against
his control.

I hesitated, grabbing my bags, moving to the
side to let Jerry, Grams and Mercer take their bags to the
plane.

“I’m going to call for back up,” the human
squeaked, shaking.

“Logan,” I began softly, moving between the
two of them. Placing a hand against Logan’s chest, I pushed gently
before turning to the security officer.

“What appears to be the problem?” I asked,
flashing my best smile.

Straightening at having the threat of the
Alpha removed, he pointed to the plane. “The safety checklist
hasn’t been completed.”

“I signed off on the checklist,” Logan
growled, directly into my ear. I can’t lie, that was kind of hot.
The fact he kept picking inopportune times to flirt with me was
annoying.

I watched the man shift in front of me ever
so slightly, his shoulders slumping almost imperceptibly, a nervous
twitch on the side of his lip.

“Where is your identification?” I asked, all
kindness gone from my voice.

His eyes widened slightly. I pushed forward
from the balls of my feet, my left hand slamming down on his wrist,
connecting to the skin not covered by his jacket.

“Tell me who you are,” I demanded again, my
voice low with the persuasion I was pumping though his body.

He sucked in air as I pushed compliance, the
pleasure of obeying, into his body. His eyes glassed over.
“Tony.”

“Who do you work for, Tony?” I asked, softly
drawing my power back slightly as his knees wobbled.

“The Herald.”

I released him, disgusted I had even touched
him. My lips curled in repugnance.

“Why did you want on the plane?” Logan asked
behind me, his shifter warmth seeping into me.

“One of the spy cameras on the plane needs
new batteries,” Tony admitted, swaying slightly, his head lolling
on his shoulders.

“WHAT?” Logan bellowed.

I reached down and steadied Tony.

“Olivia.” Logan said my name between clenched
teeth.

“If there are cameras in the plane, Logan, we
are undoubtedly on camera now.” I wanted to kill Tony, too, but now
wasn’t the time or the place.

He moved to Tony’s other side, roughly
helping him stand. I reached in my back pocket, calling my favorite
troll.

“Olivia,” Myrtle answered. “What can I do for
my best client?”

I like guns, knives, swords, crossbows—okay,
so anything that can kill or maim. Some women collect shoes. I
collect weapons.

“Hi Myrtle, I was wondering if you’d consider
delivery for your favorite customer?”

“What do you need and where?”

“I need equipment that can detect cameras and
listening equipment.”

The noise on Myrtle’s end died. Apparently, I
had her attention. “Do I even want to—actually, no. I don’t want to
know.”

I laughed, “We are on Airmark Field outside
of St Ann.”

“Give me twenty minutes. I’m also charging
you a delivery fee.”

“Twenty minutes, that is impressive,” Logan
commented as we entered an empty hanger, following Tony.

I sat Tony down gingerly, though Logan did
not mirror my actions. Tony sat dazed.

“What is wrong with him?” Logan asked,
turning to survey the area with his superior hearing.

“Humans react differently to my powers.
Unlike Supernaturals, they take a few hours to rebound.”

Logan twitched his head toward the far left
corner. So we weren’t alone.

“Come and get Tony,” I called out.

Even I heard the shuffling and muffled
voices.

“Seriously assholes, we don’t have all
fucking day,” I grunted.

Still no one came out.

Logan tilted his head, listening, before he
laughed. “They’re scared.”

“I suppose they aren’t completely idiotic,
then,” I muttered.

“Maybe they were after another X-rated video
of you, Olie,” Logan joked.

I turned to him, hands on my hips, mouth
hanging open in shock.

“Too soon?” He cringed.

I could have been mad at him. It would have
been easy to let my humiliation at that video overshadow
everything. Instead I rolled my eyes. “And who do you think I was
going to be giving a repeat performance with?”

His gaze met mine with an alluring
half-smile, and I couldn’t help the flashback to the kiss he had
given me, my cheeks warming.

I wasn’t claiming my heart had healed up
perfectly from the devastation known as Blake. Hell, just the
thought of him had my smile slipping. Logan was dangerous. He
wasn’t a quick fuck to get my rocks off, he was an emotional
attachment and I wasn’t sure I was ready for that again.

“Are you going to kill us?” a small voice
squeaked out, breaking our moment.

“No, but we are going to sue you,” Logan
replied evenly, arms crossing over his broad chest.

A red head peeked out from a door in the
back, his stature hunched and meek.

“Technically, you can’t since your status as
a citizen hasn’t been approved,” Meek replied.

“Mine was never in question,” I replied.

He pushed his glasses up, taking a few steps
forward. “After that little demonstration, I’m doubtful of your
species.”

I narrowed my eyes.

Logan rummaged through Tony’s pockets,
pulling out his ID and sticking it in his own pocket.

“Any video gets leaked of this event, and we
will find you and make you pay. Legally,” he added as an
after-thought.

I’d make him pay in blood, but let’s not put
that on tape to come back and haunt my ass.

I shrugged. “I’m agreeable to that.”

A car horn honked behind us.

“Supplies are here,” I announced. Casting a
look at Logan, I turned my back on Tony and his friend. In the
Supernatural community, turning a back on an enemy was
disrespectful. It was a sign that we didn’t perceive them as a
threat.

Logan and I moved away. Neither of us was
comfortable that the situation had been handled, but we had things
to do, and scaring the daylights out of two feeble humans wasn’t
high on the list.

Myrtle’s lilac hair glowed in the morning
sun, her dark sunglasses protecting her delicate eyes.

“Olivia, your fans not satisfied with only
one sex tape?” she joked.

I groaned. This wasn’t going away for a
while.

“I’m pretty sure they just want to steal my
moves,” I informed her, trying to make the best of a crappy
situation.

Behind her, Jerry was getting instructions
from another troll on how to sweep for bugs.

Logan, Myrtle, and I talked for a bit. Ali
and Grant arrived in a rush. They were lucky we were delayed.

Ali sent a look at Grant before her cheeks
flushed and he took her hand, bringing it to his lips.

“Aww!” I yelled, happy to shift the attention
off of me. “You guys got back together.”

They shrugged uncomfortably before heading
into the plane.

Jerry moved in front of us. “Alright, we are
good, the bugs have been destroyed.”

“Wonderful,” Logan grunted, following Jerry
up the short flight of stairs to the plane.

I blew out a breath, feeling Myrtle’s eyes on
me. “Not a fan of flying, Olie?” she asked gently.

“Not too much.” I turned to face her, putting
off climbing into the flying machine. “Are you going to the
Conferences?”

She shook her head. “I prefer to stay out of
politics. Besides, with our limited numbers, we fall under your
protection.”

“Does that earn me a discount?”

She laughed, “Not with your expensive taste.
Take care, Olie.” She patted my arm in farewell.

I made myself climb the stairs, finding
someone had already put my bags in the plane. I gripped the white
handrail with a venom that suggested it alone could save me.

The interior was dimly lit and the ceiling
was far too close to the top of my head. The flight attendant
closed up the hatch upon my arrival. I swallowed loudly, taking the
first available seat. It faced Logan and Mark. Alec sat on the
bench seat with me.

With shaky hands, I secured the seatbelt
against my torso, although it seemed silly. If the plane crashed,
the seatbelt’s only function would be to identify my body, and
since we didn’t have assigned seats, even that was pointless.

Blowing out a breath, I closed my eyes,
willing my insides to relax and my breakfast to stay down.

I grunted, screwing my eyes closed as the
plane began moving. I clenched my jaw. This was going to be a long
fucking flight.

Our speed increased. My heart rate did as
well, my fingers digging into the soft leather seating. It was five
hours. I could survive five hours.

The seat next to me dipped down and Logan’s
scent filled my nostrils, wild woods and pine trees. I opened my
eyes, watching him continue his conversation. He handed me whisky
on the rocks.

I smiled up at him, taking the drink
gratefully.

“What’s the game plan, Olivia?” Alec asked.
“Darren told me to come prepared.”

I cleared my throat, having downed half my
drink. “Grams is to be protected at all cost. She is not to be
alone at any time. Ali, Grant, and you are charged with keeping her
safe.”

“Safe from what?” Jerry asked, realizing this
wasn’t the social vacation he had originally thought.

“Everyone,” Logan answered. “Olivia is the
head of the Supernatural Council for the Eastern United States,
plus she holds an honorary place next to me. Many will use Grams to
try bring down Olivia, who, in her death, would relinquish that
power.”

“Wait, you mean to tell me that if someone
kills Olie, they take her power?” Jerry asked from the grouping of
seats behind us.

I chuckled. “Guess we have more in common
with the witches than I originally thought.” I took a long sip.

“The same goes for Logan. He isn’t to be
alone, Mark will be with him constantly, and you as well,
Jerry.”