A Council of Betrayal (13 page)

I groaned, of course they would be keeping an
eye out for him walking the hallway alone.

He shook his head and I nodded, closing the
door softly behind me.

I went to my room with no interaction with my
roommates. Maybe that was the problem with Grams, we were just
shoved too closely together. I sighed. That still didn’t excuse her
betrayal, as much as I wanted to. I didn’t want things to crumble
between us, but I wasn’t blind.

Stripping out of my clothing, I shut my phone
on silent and headed to the shower.

I doubted Logan would call. Shit, why would
he? I really wanted him to. That desire didn’t feel like my own,
didn’t settle right inside of me. Absently, I rubbed my breastbone.
Maybe this thing just had to run its course. I’d really like to
weather the side effects in bed or on any flat surface with Logan’s
tanned body.

Fucking hell that sex was good. I shook my
head, willing myself to pay attention to showering.

The hot water glided over my skin, easing the
pain his bite had inflicted on me. How did I not know mate marks
were real? I supposed I’d have to shove it in the same category
with the witches gaining power by stealing it from other witches.
Secrets of the clans.

Heat seared from the bite on my neck,
dropping me to my knees. I gasped as my sight was taken from me, my
own panting breath dulled from my ears.

Voices whispered to me. Thoughts, feelings
that weren’t my own bombarded my senses. The hard surface of the
tub disappeared and I felt like I was falling, plummeting through
golden cords, following the connections as I touched each one with
my essence. I received shock and disbelief through the bonds as I
traveled faster and faster. Faces blurred together, emotions
ripping into me, anger beginning to greet me, followed by hatred
and finally envy. I tried braiding the emotions down, but they
weren’t my own and I couldn’t control them.

The falling sensation stopped, but I was
still trapped in the intricate web of golden veins. I did what I do
best, I threw my guards up, blocking my emotions. Well, I thought
it would work that way. Thoughts still pinged around me and I
caught the briefest flash before they disappeared. It seemed we
were all waiting for something.

I huffed, this had to be from Logan. This was
the shifter magic that had allowed Darren and Logan to find Mark
when the insane witch Destiny had kidnapped us.

The question was, how the hell did I get
out?

I focused on Logan, trusting my instincts to
guide me. He blossomed in my sight, blinding me from his powerful
radiant glow. I felt his confusion as I merged our essences
together.

What the hell, Logan
? I screamed at
him.

We are not having this conversation
here
. His voice was level. I threw guards up around us
both.

Better? We are going to have to do this
here, because I can’t get back to my BODY!

I – how did you do that?

Logan, focus! I could be drowning and not
know it!

You are in danger?
I felt his
protectiveness and heard his lion’s chant of ‘mine.’

I don’t know, I was in the shower when this
happened.

I’m coming.

That was so not helpful. I bounded around
trying not to experiment with the veins surrounding me, these were
people’s feelings and lives. I honestly had no right to be
here.

Finally, warm hands cupped my cheeks and I
sucked in a fresh breath, my back arching off the bed. My eyes
opened to Logan, slightly bloodied, in front of me.

“What happened?” I asked, instantly
regretting opening my eyes. I closed them again, feeling my heart
pound painfully loudly in my ears. With a groan I swallowed down
the bile creeping up my throat.

“What have you done?” Garrick asked
softly.

“Garrick, what the hell are you doing in my
room?” I asked, rolling onto my side, wrapping the blankets tighter
around my freezing body.

“Logan was attacked on his way to see you. He
yelled for me to open your door, that you were in danger.”

I grunted.

“You were passed out under freezing water,”
Garrick informed me. Logan was holding me close, stroking the side
of my face.

I didn’t even have the strength to grunt.

“I didn’t realize you had decided to mate the
Alpha of the United States,” his voice was deceptively quiet.

“What does it matter, Garrick—and did you
know about mate bonds?” I squinted at him.

“Yes, I did. It matters, Olivia. Not only
have you demonstrated the ability to use magic against the Fae, now
you have a controlling interest in the Shifters and The Council.
You are amassing quite a powerbase.”

I sat up, pushing Logan down so I could look
at Garrick through squinted eyes. “Garrick, I wasn’t given a
choice. We were touring the new Lovely Lust establishment
and—things just happened. I in no way, shape or form am trying to
grow my power.”

Garrick nodded, watching Logan and me
closely. Something flickered into his gaze, but I couldn’t catch it
between the heat of Logan’s hands and the fact I was naked with him
in bed.

The asshole had the nerve to laugh. “My dear
girl, you are in quite the pickle.”

I threw a pillow at him. “This is not funny!
I have no idea what the fuck is happening!”

Garrick continued to laugh, shaking his head.
“Oh Olivia, my darling girl.” He took a step forward but Logan’s
deep growl stopped his movement.

“Yes, I suppose you are off limits now,
unless I want to fight your mate to the death for you.”

It was my turn to growl. I squawked when I
realized what I had done, covering my mouth. It only fueled
Garrick’s laughter.

“Well then, I suppose I shall leave you to…”
He waggled his eyebrows before heading out.

I heaved a monumental sigh, falling back into
bed, hearing the door close behind Garrick.

“What the ever loving FUCK, Logan?” I
screamed at him through the pillow I had buried my face in, it
muffled the effect.

I could feel Logan’s uncertainty about how to
approach the situation, his raw need to bed me again flaring alive
in my bed with my scent heavy on the air. Damn if my body didn’t
warm to that thought.

“Argh!” I flung myself out of the bed. “You
are not getting in my pants until you explain this shit!”

He smiled. “So, I get in your pants after I
explain?” His eyes roved over my naked body.

“Dammit,” I hissed, roughly pulling on
clothing.

“Better?” I yelled at him, freaked the hell
out, my arms crossed over my midsection.

“Olie,” he tried to begin.

“Don’t you fucking Olie me!” I was freaking
out. “I need something to kill.” I groaned, raking my hands through
my hair.

“Olivia.” Logan put force behind my name.

“Logan,” I countered, looking at him.

He was smiling. The fucking fool was smiling.
I tried hard not to return the smile.

He stood up, closing the distance between us.
I head butted his chest. “Logan,” I whispered, “what is going
on?”

“We are mated, Olivia, bound together through
pack magic. You are part of the packs now.” His voice was soft and
I wrapped my arms around his waist, needing comfort.

“That’s what all the golden threads are, pack
members?”

“They look like golden threads?” he
asked.

I nodded. “What do they look like to
you?”

“I feel them, Olie. I’ve never seen them
before.”

I grunted, feeling his contentment at this
situation.

I felt guilty asking, given how he had
confessed that he actually liked me, a lot, “Is this
reversible?”

His muscles tightened, rage and anger
flooding my brain. I hobbled back, clutching my head before
stumbling against the nightstand. I sagged down, focusing on
breathing.

“You want it reversed?” Logan hissed.

I checked my internal blocks, finding they
had slipped down. Forcing them back up, I imagined solid thick
metal protecting me. The throbbing in my head eased and I dropped
my hands.

I was pissed. “How fucking dare you be mad at
me? I didn’t bind our futures together without even asking!” I
pushed myself off the floor and into his face.

Guilt and shame hit my shields before he
managed to pull back.

“Drop your guards.” His voice was low with
the command.

“Make me,” I hissed back, still too pissed to
be rational.

Logan kissed me and all the tension
dissipated from my body. I was hungry for him. I needed him. He was
mine
.

Raw, base instincts had me writhing against
him. I was so preoccupied with his hands kneading my ass that I
missed the probing of his mind against mine.

Logan broke the kiss, panting heavily. I
whined, pulling him back down for more.

“Olie, we need to talk about this,” he
whispered, not fighting my pull.

“After,” I whispered against his lips.

Logan’s weight pressed me into the bed.

“You owe me,” I whispered, letting his lips
work along my jaw line.

He grunted a noncommittal response, his warm
fingers pulling up my shirt. I tipped my head and shoulders up,
discarding the garment. Logan’s stubble tickled against my stomach
as I tilted my hips up so he could remove the rest of my
clothing.

My lids were heavy with desire. I reached up,
slowly releasing the buttons on his shirt. His chest heaved and the
muscles of his arms tensed from my slow movements.

I smiled; he deserved every ounce of torture
I was about to lay onto him.

Pressing my hands against the coiled muscles
of his stomach, I ran the pads of my fingers up to his shoulders
and under the shirt, forcing the garment off.

“What are you feeling so smug about?”

“You’re going to beg me, Logan.” My words
radiated confidence, right next to his ear. His startled look was
quickly replaced by a disbelieving one.

“Bring it, little girl,” he whispered close
to my lips.

I tilted my head, taking the corner of his
bottom lip between my teeth and biting down hard, his body jerking
before I sucked the sting away.

He panted, “You’ll have to do better than
that.”

“Oh sweetie, I’m just getting started,” I
whispered into his ear, with a whisper of a kiss floating over the
lobe. He groaned, pressing the bulge between his legs into my soft
flesh.

“No powers,” he groaned.

My hands roved down his back, toying with the
belt at his waist.

“I don’t need them,” I breathed against his
skin, enjoying his muscles clenching under my soft assault.

“But you if you want me to use them,” I said,
dipping my fingers into his waistband, “just ask.”

He groaned, grinding his length against me. I
searched for the band of his underwear and found myself coming up
with only more warm skin. Shit, that was hot.

As I worked my fingers to the clasp of his
belt, he lifted his hips while his lips continued to trail a path
of fire along my neck, dipping down to my breasts.

“Two can play this game,” he whispered
against my nipple.

I laughed, a sultry sound.

“You can try, love, you can try.”

I leisurely pulled the tail of his belt
through the clasp, taking my time, being sure my knuckles brushed
his tense stomach muscles. Bringing my hands together, I carefully
undid the button before sliding the zipper down his engorged
length.

A long groan sounded from Logan’s throat, his
eyes closing.

I smiled, careful not to touch what I wanted
to. I slid the fabric over his glorious butt and down his thighs.
Logan’s body shuttered and he kicked off his pants vigorously.

I gave a low, throaty chuckle. “Just say
‘please,’ Logan, and all this stops.”

He growled, turning his gaze back on me, his
caramel eyes darkening with flecks of espresso as his lion
roused.

“Here, Kitty, Kitty,” I taunted him, my lips
closing over his shoulder blade. I let Logan keep his position. I
didn’t need to be on top to make him plead for his pleasure.
Besides, the shaking in his arms was a perfect gauge for me.

I snaked a leg up his, trailing my toes
lightly over his calf before moving up, rubbing the inside of my
thigh against his hip.

“Olie,” he whispered, finding my lips again.
I let him kiss me deeply, feeling his desire and need through our
bond and our bodies.

“Say it, Logan,” I taunted him, lifting my
hips to align with the searing heat between his legs.

“You win,” he said, smiling against my lips,
shoving his hips forward.

I tilted back down, his attempt at piercing
me leaving a fiery path against my stomach.

“Uh-uh, you know what I want to hear.” Needed
to hear. I needed to know I had retained some part of myself in
this “bonding.”

“Please let me make love to you, Olivia,”
Logan whispered, drawing back and cupping my face with his large
palm. His eyes were earnest, his beast clawing to be let lose.

“I’d love that,” I whispered. Somewhere in
the back of my mind, my defunct emotions screamed I wasn’t ready,
couldn’t cope and wouldn’t be able to care for him as he was on his
way to caring for me. I pushed them away. I could handle our bodies
at this moment and that was it.

His hips pulled back again, but instead of
the throbbing member, his fingers slid inside of me.

“Fuck,” he groaned, testing my readiness.
“You are so goddamn wet,” he whispered, pulling his fingers from me
as I whimpered. He brought the digits to his lips, his tongue
taking the glistening liquid into his mouth.

“That was hot.”

He chuckled, nuzzling my neck, “I’m glad you
think so.” I tilted my head, wanting his lips back, wanting to
taste myself on him. He obliged me, the tip of himself pressed to
my wet entrance. I shifted my hips. Lifting my legs to lock around
his waist, I pushed against his mounded ass.