A Council of Betrayal (15 page)

I rested my head against the seat, watching
the people outside laughing and talking. If I unfocused my sight, I
could see who were the shifters and sense their intents. As I
dropped my guards further, voices whispered at me.

Interest and curiosity met my hesitant brush.
I called on my succubus power, seeping confidence and contentment.
Easy relaxation met my touches.

Logan’s warm hand wrapped around my forearm.
I wasn’t looking too closely at how I knew it was him.

“Open your eyes, Olie,” he whispered into my
ear.

I blinked, bringing the sight before me into
focus.

“Oh, oops,” I muttered. The shifters at the
tech conference had stilled, drawn towards me and my prying.

I pushed out of the limo to the curious
stares. “You are the Mate we have been feeling?” a tall man asked
me.

Logan’s hand came to rest on my shoulder.
“Yes,” I said softly, suddenly nervous.

Heads nodded and I fortified my shields
around me, uncertain how to proceed.

“Your touch is calming,” a woman in a pink
shirt said.

“Nice shirt!” someone in the back yelled.

I smiled.

“Let’s us all get in before all the good tech
is taken.” Nods met Logan’s command.

A few stares met mine, stony and determined.
I would be facing more challenges. I wish being mated came with a
few added benefits, like you know, claws or fangs.

Nope, now I heard voices. Wonderful.

“You got Tommy’s list?” I asked as we moved
through the crowd inside.

“Yes, he’s texted and emailed it to me.” I
could hear Logan’s smile.

Everything was sunshine and puppy dogs. This
shit couldn’t last long.

…

Checked in with my tote bag for purchases
secured, we waited for Grams, Mercer, Ali and Grant.

I twirled the badge around my neck, my
irritation with Grams riding me hard.

She stepped into the scene, surrounded by
fierce looking shifters.

“Wow. Is that your doing?” I asked, looking
at Logan.

He nodded. I pursed my lips, not exactly sure
I liked the fact that Logan viewed my security as not enough.

Ali saw us and relayed our position to the
group. They moved through the crowd, parting the seas of people
like a freight train. I was so jealous.

Pushing off the wall I was leaning against, I
crossed my arms, watching Grams closely. She didn’t meet my
gaze.

“Did Tommy send the list to you as well? Are
we really buying all this stuff?” Grant asked, looking at his
phone. “What is this R5 tracking device?”

“Humor him and buy a few items,” Grams
pronounced, dismissing the rest of Tommy’s list as my hackles rose.
“We are primarily here to attend the seminar on the detrimental
effects of technology on the social setting.”

“Gah, well, take notes for me. Also, don’t
worry about Tommy’s list, I got it. Have fun and stay safe; I’m
certain to be challenged. Hopefully not around anything
expensive.”

I smiled and Grams bristled.

“Hey Olie, can we come with you?” Ali
asked.

I smiled, “I’d love that.”

The Compass Alphas came to join the party,
and we were a big fucking party. We pushed into the first rows of
electronic contraptions. I moved slowly, my eyes roving over the
tables and the people around me.

I felt fairly safe, realizing I had forgotten
the humans also came to this event, being that it did dominate the
entire Convention Center. I saw them ogling the different
contraptions. I probably should have paid closer attention the
guide map; maybe there was a Supernaturals only section.

“How are you feeling?” Sage asked me, picking
up night vision goggles. No way she would actually need those.

I shrugged, looking at a concealed carry
purse for sale. “Fine, it’s an adjustment.”

She nodded, careful not to keep my gaze long.
“It must be a big adjustment.”

“Yeah.” I was careful not to mention that I
could now hear thoughts. If I wanted to.

“How’s Logan handling it?” she asked me,
leaning closer, trying to force a sense of intimacy between us.

My guards were up and I didn’t like her
questions. So I met them with a winning, full teeth smile.
“Wonderful, he couldn’t—I mean we couldn’t be happier.”

She took the hint and shut up, giving me the
cold shoulder.

A ping hit my shields and I looked up to see
Logan watching me closely. Shit, I checked my internal guards and
found I was locking him out as well.

I rolled my eyes and adjusted the feed of our
bond.

“Happy?” I asked him, coming to stand next to
him at the booth.

“Overjoyed,” he deadpanned. “What do you
think of these tracking devices?”

I looked at the table before looking up at
Logan. “That’s the tracker?” I asked, impressed, looking at the
salesman behind the counter.

“Yep, it’s our smallest and thinnest model
yet,“ he beamed.

“What’s the radius? How reliable?” I peppered
him with questions.

He smiled. “We have a 98% tracking rate and
have yet to have a unit go down.”

“How long does it work?” Logan asked.

The tech paused. “Only for a half hour.”

I sighed. “It’s so pretty, but so fleeting,”
I lamented before moving on.

Logan stayed by my side as we moved farther
down the rows.

We managed to sort through the first two
rows, collecting an impressive stash.

“Tommy is going to freak over those ear
buds,” I told Logan, excited.

“Do you think I should find something for
Lorraine?” Logan asked me while looking at a laptop bag.

I shrugged. “It would be a nice gesture, and
considering you may have to tell her about us, it wouldn’t be a bad
idea.”

His eyes shot to mine, like he hadn’t even
considered he’d have to tell Lorraine, and he might not have. It
wasn’t like we were soliciting her advice or needed her to like us.
She was a pregnant pain the ass.

I squirmed under his gaze, moving on to look
at a tablet with impressive capabilities.

We made our way to the far wall with an
imposing-looking doorman.

“So this is where they keep the good stuff,”
I smiled. A girl could never have too many weapons.

Logan smiled. “So, you weren’t paying
attention when we checked in?”

“Nope.“ I wanted to add a smartass reply, but
as a Mate and an Alpha’s partner—real partner, no longer
temporary—I had to keep my mouth shut in public. I doubted I’d be
able to keep up that pretense for long.

The guard scanned our wristbands before
nodding his bald Asian head and letting us pass. The double doors
parted and I was greeted by the smell of oil and wood. I twirled,
taking in the glittering silver and the empty pop of guns being
tested.

Logan looked at me with a smirk. “We’re going
to need a bigger bag.”

…

Six hours, an impressive stash of new toys,
and one terrible lunch later we were loading up all our goodies
into the limo.

“I can’t believe you purchased a cross bow,”
Sage commented.

“It’s actually really practical, and the draw
back on that beauty was so smooth. Not to mention the duel firing
action.”

She looked at me with a raised brow. I went
on, “You ever try taking down any Indian demigod? You have to hit
the heart with blessed rosewood. Such a pain.”

“So, think you will gain some of Logan’s
immortality?” she asked, closing the trunk.

I shrugged. “Whose to say I’m not already
immortal?”

She looked at me, interested. “Are you? Have
you experienced anything to indicate you are?”

“Yeah. I’m still alive,” I answered
evasively.

She laughed, trying really hard with me. “You
are so funny!” Turning to the Compass beta, she signaled she was
ready. “See you later!” she called chipperly.

“Later,” I grunted. I had quite a few
questions for Logan regarding her.

I turned from her, ready to call Tommy and
relay the success of my purchases.

Apparently, both items on my to do list would
have to wait. I exhaled and walked to Logan’s side as he faced off
against a small nest of vampires.

Logan snarled as I approached.

“Hey, darling. You guys interested in dying
today?” I asked, cracking my neck.

Mark, Jerry, Logan, Hudson, Ali and Grant
were all primed for action. While the vamps outnumbered us two to
one, I had no doubt we’d hold our own.

I stood next to Logan, opening my jacket to
showcase my very pretty guns. The vampires were wired, tense and
coiled for action. I was about to ask what the holdup was when the
lights went out.

“Wonderful,” I groaned. The shifters and
vampires would have perfect sight. I was affected by the lack of
light, and Ali and Grant might be as well.

“Protect the Mate,” Alec growled.

“Protect Ali and Grant, too!” I added
hopefully. They were shoved into me.

A cell phone flashed on.

“Turn it off!” Logan bellowed.

Ali shut it off quickly. “This sucks,” she
grumbled.

“Agreed, I’d love to kick some vampire ass,”
I lamented.

Claws dug into my shoulders and with a grunt
I was airborne. Not being able to see the ground rushing at me was
disorienting at best.

“Olie!” Grant yelled.

I hit on my hip, letting out a yelp of pain
as the cold concrete tried to crack my bones.

I rolled to my knees, deciding to stay low
instead of being mobile.

“Light, Ali!” I cried out. It ended in an
oomph
as I took a hit to my chin.

My head snapped back, pain lacing through my
jaw. I flew, landing flat on my back, my skull bouncing on the
concrete.

“Ow,” I groaned, sucking down air and rolling
to my non-injured hip.

Light trickled to my left and I rolled the
opposite way quickly, avoiding a boot aimed for my head.

“Get back here, whore,” hissed the vampire.
Pulling my legs under me, I drew my guns. In one fluid motion, I
stood and put two bullets into each heart.

“Asshole,” I groaned. “Who kicked me?!” I
demanded, turning, my guns still outstretched.

A mouth at my ear whispered, “I did,” before
clamping down on my neck. I’ll admit I screamed. I dropped my guns,
my hands scrambling for the dagger at the small of my back. The
asshole wrenched my arm behind me.

I stopped my attempt to pull myself off of
his fangs, reversing my momentum into him. Caught off guard, he
stumbled a step back, the grip on my arm loosening.

My arm freed, I pulled my blade, spinning and
driving the recently sharpened point into his chest before drawing
it down to cut across both hearts.

He sputtered, fear flashing in his eyes
before he turned to dust.

Keeping my center of gravity low, I spun
toward the light, seeing the phone on the ground as Ali grabbed a
vampire, her hair flying wildly around her. Words left her lips and
the bloodsucker collapsed into dust.

I really need to learn that trick.

I surveyed the area, finding only piles of
dust to irritate my sinuses. Standing, I watched Logan rip the head
off the last vampire, his eyes wild when they landed on me. His
breathing was harsh as he stalked to me, his eyes roving over my
body, examining my injuries. He cradled my head and I winced,
pulling away.

“Disagreement with the concrete,” I
conceded.

He crushed me to his chest, his breathing
slowly evening out. I probed the mate bond, opening the connection.
His relief flooded me; his fear at seeing the vampire throw me had
almost sent him into pure beast. I smiled, nuzzling closer to him.
He loved that there wasn’t any doubt of his commitment, but whether
it was from the mate mark or from him I wasn’t sure.

Finally
loaded into the limo, I settled against Logan before asking,
“Alright Ali, you gotta fill me on how that works.”

She smiled at me wearily. “It’s a pretty
light show, but it drains.”

“She also has to have the offending party
stay still and make eye contact while she is saying the
incantation,” Grant added.

Ali nodded, her head lolling. I patted her
knee. “Good job guys, get some rest.”

“Rest?” Hudson asked from my other side. “I’m
starving.”

I smiled, “Me, too.”

“Just drop us off at the hotel, we’ll get
room service,” Grant whispered, stroking Ali’s hair.

Logan nodded, relaying the change to the
driver.

My head dipped swiftly and I caught myself
blinking rapidly.

Logan’s fingers reached down to rest against
the back of my neck, rubbing small circles.

“Please tell me we are getting pizza,” I
groaned, checking if my neck had stopped bleeding.

“Just rest. I’ll wake you when we get there,”
he whispered.

…

Logan shook me gently. “Food, Olivia.”

“FoodI’mup,” I slurred, pushing off his chest
to fall off the seat.

“We might need to monitor her for a
concussion,” Mark said thoughtfully. “I’ll check if Jerry has a
potion for it.”

I nodded, rubbing sleep from my eyes before
lumbering out of the limo. We didn’t have to wait for a table, and
someone had apparently had the good sense to call ahead and order.
Appetizers were coming out as we sat down. I snagged a piece of
garlic bread, stuffing my face in bliss.

“I don’t like Sage,” I confessed as I
swallowed my bread.

Logan raised his head, giving me a curious
look.

Hudson and Alec chuckled. Hudson probed, “Are
you certain it doesn’t have anything to do with her being
female?”

It was my turn to tilt my head. “No, she was
just asking lots of questions today.”

“And no one is allowed to ask you questions?”
Hudson asked.

I narrowed my eyes. “What are you getting
at?”

I trusted my instincts, they kept me alive.
Too bad they hadn’t warned me what would happen with Logan. They
thought the worst situation would be sleeping with him, ha. Now I
was bound to him forever.