A Council of Betrayal

by Kim Schubert

  “She was very adamant that I would be funding you and your expensive children for a long time. That she wanted me to understand the commitment I would be locked into.”

  I paced, looking for something to break.

  “She stole from me, she’s been planning this. The power was shut off to the manor yesterday,” I hissed.

  “Do you need money, Olivia? I know you. I can’t imagine you will be without funds for long. Your pride won’t allow it and your jobs pay well,” he stated matter-of-factly, as if my entire world wasn’t falling apart.

  I leaned against the counter, rubbing my forehead, holding back my tears with sheer willpower.

  “I have it covered,” I answered, turning to look at Logan.

  He was watching me, his face unreadable.

  “Power has been restored?” Garrick asked.

  “Yeah, we’re okay, Garrick. I have it under control.”

  Logan got up and put his bowl in the sink. “Good, I am glad to hear it,” Garrick said. “Tell me, how are things with your lion?”

  Complicated. I was on a teeter-totter between blissful happiness and freaked the fuck out about my life being tied to him forever.

  “It’s good. New, but good,” I decided on.

  Logan broke a bowl in the sink and I looked up at him mouthing, “What the fuck?” Oh crap, he had heard the teeter-totter comment.

  He stormed out of the room and up the stairs. I sighed watching him go, wishing I wasn’t so conflicted. He deserved someone more stable than me. Sorrow dragged me down. I was a burden, emotionally and financially.

  “Did you hear me?” Garrick asked.

  I turned away from the stairway. “No, what did you say?”

  “I have a very lucrative, very dangerous job if you are interested in it.”

  I fought the urge to get Logan’s opinion on the matter. I needed something to kill, hopefully several somethings.

  “You have my attention.”

  …

  The details hammered out, I leaned back on the barstool, toying with my phone.

  I recognized Logan’s steps coming down the stairs and I turned to see him put his bag by the front door.

  “I don’t understand why this is so hard for you,” he began, his tone clipped.

  I took a step toward him, wanting to explain, wanting to ease his pain.

  He held his hand up to stop me and I felt his resolve form his own shield between us. It broke my confused heart.

  “I’ll be here for you, anything you need, you only have to call. But I’m not going to keep pushing you somewhere you don’t want to go.” His pain sliced through me.

  “Logan, I just need time,” I whispered, searching for right words.

  He reached out to cup my face, leaning down to place the briefest kiss against my lips.

  “I love you, Olivia, and I trust this bond, even if it was forged—” He stopped, and here was our problem.

  I closed my eyes, leaning into his hand. “Without my knowledge,” I finished for him.

  He leaned down, resting his forehead against my own. “I am sorry, Olivia. I’m willing to spend the rest of my life making it right.”

  I turned away from him. “I have a job to do for Garrick. I’ll be gone for about a week.”

  Logan’s irritation spiked, his nostrils flaring and lion speckling his eyes. He huffed once and turned his back on me, slamming the door behind him for good measure. Yeah, I can’t say I’d love him taking a job from his ex-lover, either.

  Ugh, how were we going to make this work?

  I slunk back into the chair. I felt terrible hurting him, but distance was exactly what I needed.

  I wasn’t built for this, I wasn’t relationship material. Blake proved that.

  I sighed, stashing my bowl in the sink before heading upstairs to pack.

  …

  I checked my clips for a second time before I flipped open my bag, stowing them next to the throwing knives, daggers, and my pretty new crossbow.

  “Are you certain I can’t convince you to take backup?” Grant asked from the doorway.

  “I don’t need any, but thanks for the concern.” I turned to him, my bag over my shoulder, seeing him leaning on the doorframe.

  “Where’s Logan?” he asked.

  I sighed, “We’re fighting … I think. Honestly I have no idea.”

  Grant moved aside as I lumbered out.

  “I’ll check in once I’m done.”

  “Be careful, Olivia, you are our protection now.”

  I turned and smiled at him, reaching out to pat his arm. “Don’t worry, Grant. I’m hard to kill.”

  Chapter 12

  I looked out over the burnt landscape in front of me, pulling out the map of the White River National Forest from my pack.

  Garrick was right, this burn wasn’t natural. I bent down, picking up a charred piece of wood. My fingers came away oily. I brushed my hands on my jeans after dropping it. The sun was starting to set in the distance, casting brilliant oranges and pink across the sky.

  I turned away from the fire and hiked back to my hotel room. I had selected a room above my usual crap grade because it had a door that led directly to the scene of the unusual activity, including the random fire circles. But of course random fire circles weren’t the only thing screwy.

  I’d made the fifteen-hour drive with only a few stops and as the sun set behind me, my exhaustion weighed heavily. So did the fact I hadn’t heard from Logan. Granted, I also hadn’t reached out. The mate bond was limited this far away. I wasn’t sure if I liked that or not.

  I stomped the snow out of my boots before removing them to enter my warm hotel room. I slid the door closed behind me, pulling off my knit cap.

  The files from Garrick were lying scattered on the queen bed. He had lost two executioners on this gig, and had only given it to me with my promise I would deliver my own special brand of justice.

  Tossing my jacket on the couch, I sat down cross-legged to go through the files again, hoping some nugget would jump out at me.

  I rubbed my eyes, finding my brain going back to Logan and not the information in front of me. With a groan I hopped off the bed. I needed a shower and a few hours of sleep before I went back out. The fun things always came out at night.

  Showers were pretty boring without Logan, not to mention quick. I dried off, dressing in warm, dark clothing before I cleared off the bed.

  Freshly cleaned, I toyed with my phone as I sat on the bed.

  I decided to text Logan. Even though we hadn’t clarified the level of communication I needed to provide him, I still felt obligated to let him know I was alright.

  Arrived in Aspen, going to catch a few hours of rest before I start hunting.

  I’d like to pretend I didn’t sit there and wait for a reply, but I’m a big believer in honesty.

  It didn’t come. I felt crushed. Brushing a tear away, I stretched out, willing myself to get some rest. The last thing I needed was to add another dead executioner at this thing’s feet.

  I was lying curled up on my side, the curtains pulled back from the windows, snow falling leisurely. Burrowing under the covers, I gave serious thought to waiting until morning to check things out. I hate the snow.

  …

  I dreamed of Logan. Standing on a hillside, his back to me. I exhaled, leaning against his warm strength.

  “What are we going to do, Olivia?” he whispered.

  “Survive,” my answer came quickly.

  “I don’t want survival, Olie. I need you to love me.”

  I backed away. Apparently, even in my dreams I was having to deal with this conversation.

  I was being watched. Logan tried to say something else to me, but I didn’t hear it as I regained consciousness.

  I didn’t open my eyes right away, straining my ears for any clues as to what was stalking me.

  I heard a tapping, which could have been the trees outside, and I probably would have attributed it to that, except for the
small hairs on the back of my neck standing up.

  Well, lying there playing dead wasn’t doing any good. I opened my eyes.

  “Holy fuck,” I whispered. “That’s impressive.”

  Long claws tapped against the class, fading into a dark robe, with twin fires where eyes should have been. It moved closer to the glass, the hood hiding any additional features. Tossing the comforter off, I walked to the glass door.

  The claws reached for the handle and I unlocked it, stepping back. “Come on in. We have business to settle.”

  The hand stilled, and the fire eyes stared deeply into my own.

  “You are not afraid?” it hissed.

  “I am afraid of a good many things. You, however, are not on that list. Now, are you ready to die?” I asked, placing my hand on the door handle.

  It hissed again, spraying fire out its mouth, igniting the glass.

  “Whoa, neat trick,” I muttered, stepping back. When the cold air put the flames out I relocked the door and went to get dressed.

  If that wasn’t a fucking calling card, I didn’t know what was.

  My leather was out in this frigid climate. I opted for layers, lots of fucking layers. The silk long underwear wasn’t cheap and it had taken a chunk out of my ego to ask Logan for the funds. It was followed by the lightweight flannel and topped off with snow pants, shoes, jacket, gloves and a hat. I huffed. The only good thing about the damn snow was that I now had lots of hiding places for knives.

  Unlocking the door, I slipped out into the cold night air, wishing this little visit could have come during daylight hours, when the sun was beating overhead and my nose didn’t feel like an ice bunny was gnawing it off.

  I looked down at the ground as I hefted my backpack on, and was rewarded with tracks.

  It was such a trap. I hoped they were well prepared.

  I bent down, running a hand over the tracks that looked very human. It couldn’t be, though, since humans didn’t have red eyes or breathe fire. I honestly wasn’t sure what we were dealing with—what I was dealing with. But the silver strapped to my back was my best bet at eliminating it. Not much can survive without a head.

  I pulled my jacket closer around my throat. Logan wouldn’t need this gear.

  Fuck, I was not thinking about him. I had enough worries with Grams and the lack of our—my funding.

  The tracks stopped abruptly. I turned around, checking if I had missed something in my musings. Turning back around, I grunted in frustration, scanning the area ahead.

  I shifted, turning and surveying the area again. What was I missing?

  A bird flapped its wings above me in the tall pine tree. I twirled my dagger, annoyed, debating my next move. The smart decision would be to go back to my room and wait for daylight to hunt.

  I’ve never been accused of being terribly bright.

  I moved through the snow, watching for more tracks while scanning the area in front of me.

  “Come on, asshole,” I taunted under my breath, “come out and play.”

  …

  I stayed out until the sun began cresting the sky. The last thing I needed was to run into a human, curious as to why I had a small arsenal of weapons strapped to me.

  I found nothing but a cramp in my neck and a cold that was engraved into my bones. Turning on the water to warm up, I called Garrick.

  “Olivia, done so soon?” he questioned.

  “Do you know what has claws, human feet and breaths fire?” I asked.

  “No, why do you ask?”

  I sighed, sitting down to unlace my boots. “I had a visitor last night, who I believe was trying to warn me off. Breathed fire over my hotel room window.”

  “Are you changing hotels?” he asked, a note of worry edging his voice.

  “No, whatever it was disappeared after the little trick and I couldn‘t track it down.”

  “What does Logan think?”

  At the sound of his name, pain laced my heart and I made a primitive noise of agony. Clearing my throat, I managed, “He’s not here.”

  “Olivia,” Garrick reprimanded. “Please tell me you are not going after an unknown Supernatural killer with no backup.”

  “Okay.” I wouldn’t tell him.

  “Dammit to hell, call Logan and get backup. This thing killed two of my best executioners.”

  My fingers clenched around the phone as I debated how nasty my retort was going to be.

  “Why isn’t Logan there with you? I was under the impression mates did not like to be separated.”

  I groaned at his question. “We are fighting. I’m having a hard time with this whole thing.”

  Garrick scoffed, ”By the Gods, Olivia, you having a hard time giving up control?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “That’s not it.”

  “You certain about that? You trust no one, rely on no one and refuse to be a burden to anyone. Logan is a powerful Alpha, obviously. If you two were getting along I’d be shocked.”

  “He keeps telling me he loves me,” I whispered softly. “You know me, Garrick, I’m no good to him. I never would have agreed to this.”

  “Why are you no good?” His question was rapid fire.

  I rubbed my forehead. Fighting back the tears there, I exhaled a shaky breath. “I’m not dependable, polished, politically savvy or fuck even mentally stable. He runs the entire US! What do I do? I run around the fucking country killing things because my own mind is so fucked up I can’t deal with it. Did you know he can feel my emotions, borderline read my fucking mind? There is some fucked up shit there and he is feeling and seeing all of it!” I ended my rant on a high-pitched note.

  “You fear his rejection,” Garrick succinctly stated.

  “He’s stuck with me, Garrick, forever and ever. What if he doesn’t like what he sees?” The words left me in a harsh whisper, giving voice to my darkest fear.

  “Perhaps he won’t, but isn’t that his choice to make? The distance you are forcing will work, it will keep you miserable, but why? You have a chance to be happy, Olivia. I know the circumstances are not ideal, but trust in the chaos. Trust in your mate that he already knows you and loves you for it.”

  I smiled, a few rebellious tears slipping down my checks. “When did you get so wise?” I asked, too softly for a human to hear, but his vampire hearing didn’t miss it.

  “I’ve had lifetimes, Olivia. Take my advice, call Logan.”

  “Alright, alright, thanks, Garrick.”

  I hung up, scrolling to call Logan before I lost my nerve. His voicemail picked up.

  “Hey, I need backup on this case.” I heaved a sigh. “I probably shouldn’t have left like I did. I – I – I don’t know what to say, Logan. Except this whole situation terrifies me. No one should see inside of me the way you do. You deserve better than what I have to offer. Fuck, this isn’t going—I’m in Aspen, Colorado if you can spare someone. If not, I understand.”

  I hung up before I could blather even more. The shower helped chase away the lingering cold and I closed the blinds before trying to get more sleep.

  I fell into the soft sheets, pulling the comforter under my chin, visions of red eyes dancing in my mind.

  Chapter 13

  Four hours later I rolled over, staring at the ceiling, debating if I needed to check my phone or not. I was a light sleeper; my phone would have woken me up.

  I sighed, rolling onto my stomach, looking at the closed curtains.

  “Fuck it,” I huffed. I illuminated the screen. My heart sank with the sight of no notifications and I sucked in a breath. I needed backup, I could admit it.

  I dialed Mark. “Olie,” he picked up in a hush.

  “Hey, I’m sorry, is this a bad time?” I asked.

  “Give me a minute.”

  I heard doors closing when Mark finally came back on. “What’s up?”

  “I need backup on this case I’m running. You available?”

  “Yeah, I gotta clear it with Logan first.”

  I rubbed my foreh
ead. “He’s not answering my calls,” I confessed.

  “Of course not, he’s a little busy right now,” Mark chided me.

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “Olie you can’t be jealous of Lorraine.”

  “What?” Anger blasted through my veins.

  “Oh shit, no one told you.”

  “Told me what, Mark?” I asked.

  “Lorraine went into labor, the baby was too early.” His voice contained sorrow.

  “What?” I whispered. “Is she okay? The baby?”

  Mark sighed. “She’s in the NICU. Logan won’t leave her side. I’m having a hard time getting Lorraine to pump for her. The doctor said breast milk would be the best for her.”

  “Give the phone to Lorraine,” I demanded. “Mark, now.” I infused my voice with the power of an alpha.

  I heard his steps, rapidly followed by the opening of a door.

  “Get out, Mark, I am not putting that leech on my boob,” Lorraine yelled.

  “Calm down,” I heard Blue’s voice.

  “You are on speakerphone, Olie,” Mark informed me.

  “Listen, Lorraine, and listen well. You will pump as often as needed for your child. If you don’t, I will find every living member of your family and force you to watch as I slaughter them. It won’t be quick. I will take my time, until their screams haunt your dreams and their voices are hoarse from begging for death.”

  “She has a sister in New York,” Blue offered.

  I smiled. “Do I need to find her?” I asked softly.

  “No, you psychotic bitch. I’ll pump.” Her voice trembled and I took great pleasure in it.

  “Excellent. Blue, you want to come give me a hand in Colorado?”

  “Bloody hell, woman, I’d love it.”

  I smiled. “Let’s go. Mark, tell Logan I’ll get back as soon as I can.”

  …

  I hung up with Mark and Blue, debating if I should wait for Blue or go ahead. I felt shitty, but I actually felt better about Logan’s silence. I wanted to be there with him to take turns comforting the poor little girl who entered the world too soon and to a worthless mother. At least she had Logan. I wonder what he named her?

  I dressed, my mind made up. Any intel I could gather would help speed this process along and get me back where I belonged.