A Council of Betrayal

by Kim Schubert

  I blinked at that, surprised. “Why would the vampires bankroll you to make a serum that creates a beast, if you intend to use it against them?”

  She laughed. “My dear girl, you prove how poor a choice you are for Mate. The vampires only see me weakening the shifters, nothing more.”

  “I can’t believe I am going to say this, but I don’t think the vampires are that dumb.”

  She scoffed, “You don’t think the shifters would pay for such an expensive place, do you? Oh no, they’re all about the secluded, cheap, rundown, rustic homes.” Her face contracted with disgust. “I deserve more than that. I deserve it all.” She examined her nails. “The real trick was convincing the blood suckers to give me Amin.”

  “If you wanted it all, you should have challenged Logan. Challenging me does nothing to advance you with the shifters.”

  “No, but killing you will greatly weaken Logan.” She sat regally, with perfect posture. “I can kill him then.”

  “Just to clarify, you aren’t strong enough to kill Logan healthy, but you think you are the strongest choice to run the shifters? Please tell me you see the flaw in that logic.”

  “The only flaw I see is you.”

  “I couldn’t agree more, but I do have one additional question. How did you make Amin your bitch?”

  She stood, furious. “You will not speak to him that way.” Regaining her composure, she said with a flourish, “He was a gift from Zachariah.”

  I groaned, “I should have fucking known.”

  “He has grand plans for you,” she taunted.

  I was done with this evil mastermind dialogue.

  “So Amin, if I kill her, are you going to be a problem for me?”

  “If you kill her, I will become your possession,” he answered, his dark gray eyes watching me closely.

  I grunted, “I’m not really into keeping Supernaturals as possessions.”

  “As if you will win!” Sage screamed, shifting forms to fight me. “Amin, I wish to be the victor of this battle.”

  With that, she morphed into a jaguar.

  Alright, I’m willing to admit that was impressive. Her black lips peeled back, exposing sharp teeth. But what really had me worried was that wish. I’d be fighting them both when I got the upper hand.

  Sage growled low in her throat and stalked toward me, before pushing off the ground, leaping at me.

  I set three daggers into her soft stomach, quickly rolling out of the way as she crashed down, destroying the wood coffee table, sending splinters scattering. With a cat howl, she twisted up. Amin waved a hand and the knives fell harmlessly onto the pile of wood.

  Fuck, where was that chopper when I needed it?

  As if summoned by my thoughts, Sage turned, looking at the ceiling. I smiled, “That would be backup.”

  She snarled something at Amin. “I can’t understand you in that form,” he replied nonchalantly, having no concern over the life and death fight happening.

  Sage snarled once again and came at me, teeth snapping. I pulled both guns, training them at her. She paused, looking at me, before charging again. I managed to squeeze off a few shots, none of which did any real damage, as she pinned me under her.

  I kept shooting, emptying both clips into her chest. Her eyes widened, mouth hanging open slackly, before Amin stepped in again. The bullets dropped harmlessly from her body.

  I took advantage of her hesitation, though, dropping my guns and slamming my palm against her left paws, which had me pinned down. No wonder she was willing to take such chances with her life. The fucking djinn made her a fucking god.

  But I wasn’t done yet.

  I rolled quickly, feeling her hot breath against my neck. I pulled another dagger from my boot, launching it while I ran. I heard it clatter harmlessly to the floor. I needed to play it smart. I was losing weapons and not gaining any ground.

  Claws slashed at my back and I arched, sliding around the counter into the kitchen. There goes my jacket.

  I also needed to stay alive until Mark and Jerry got here, preferably in one piece.

  I pulled a kitchen knife from the counter, turning and plunging it into her flank. She in turn clawed at my thigh, her claws raking deeply.

  I went down in front of her gaping jaw and she fucking smiled. I yanked the kitchen blade out, thankful she kept her knives sharp. I used both hands to slam it through her brain. It wasn’t silver; it wouldn’t kill her.

  Her surprised yelp made me smile. I left the knife, knowing I didn’t have long before the djinn pulled the steel blade out. Pulling my silver dagger from the small of my back, I wheeled and wrenched the blade through her neck, yanking it to the side. She lolled to her side, half her head hanging off.

  Sage rolled away from me. Following her, I slammed my blade down to sever the remaining tendons.

  I wasn’t moving fast enough. The djinn had removed the blade lodged in her brain. If I didn’t finish removing her ugly head from her body—yes, that was jealousy—then I was done for. The wounds on my back and legs were weeping blood. I may heal fast, but not shifter fast.

  The pressure against my blade disappeared and my momentum kept me going until I landed hard on top of Sage’s corpse in her human form.

  I sighed, leaning back, keeping my knife gripped tightly in my hand.

  A door burst open and my name was screamed out.

  I lumbered up, smearing blood on the quartz countertops.

  “Olie,” Jerry cried out, running to me.

  “Nice of you to join the party,” I grunted, taking a tentative step, finding it more like a limp.

  “I’d like to hear it now,” I continued.

  “Hear what?” Jerry asked.

  “I’m right, you were wrong.”

  Mark looked between me and Amin, not sure if he was a threat or not.

  “You were right?” Mark offered uncertainly.

  “Thank you. Mark, Jerry, meet Amin. He’s the djinn bound to Sage.” I groaned as Jerry set me down onto a white couch, where I just kept seeping out bodily fluids. I was enjoying ruining the dead bitch’s furniture.

  Alright, so I was jealous. But just to be clear, I was still right.

  “Amin, you going to be a problem?” Mark asked.

  “Only if my new mistress requires it of me,” Amin replied, totally unfazed by Sage’s decapitation.

  “Amin, I don’t want to be your mistress—“ Jerry clamped a hand over my mouth.

  Amin’s eyes glistened with hope. “Do not free him,” Jerry whispered.

  I looked at him. “Why?”

  “Because he will kill you.”

  I grunted, looking at Amin. “True or false?”

  He shifted, looking mildly perturbed. “Truth, I am required to kill the one who frees me.”

  “That’s stupid,” I grunted.

  Amin shrugged.

  “So what happens now?” I asked.

  “Make no wishes, command him to do nothing,” Jerry informed me.

  “Didn’t I already do that?” I asked.

  “No, you asked a question. He wasn’t forced to answer because of how you asked it,” Jerry informed me.

  I sighed. “Amin, what would you like to do now?”

  He looked at me, surprised. “Anything?”

  “That doesn’t involve harming humans, Supernaturals, or animals,” I amended.

  “But I have to stay close in case you need me,” Amin stated, coming to stand closer.

  “She won’t.” Jerry was adamant.

  I pressed a hand against my stomach, feeling a little lightheaded. “Get a cell phone, Amin. I can call you if I need something and you can check in if you have any questions about the arrangement.”

  Jerry nodded.

  “Great, now can someone stitch me up before I lose all my blood?”

  Amin waved a hand and pain disappeared. I ripped open my shirt, finding my wounds perfectly stitched. “Nice work,” I commented.

  “Are you certain you don’t need me?” he a
sked with longing.

  “Look, Amin, I’d be perfectly happy fr—” Jerry slapped a hand on my mouth. I looked at him and he lowered his hand cautiously. “But since I can’t do that, I’d like you to live a pleasant life without harming anyone.”

  Amin nodded, pulling a cell phone out of his pocket. “I am unfamiliar with this technology.”

  Jerry took it cautiously. “Here, let me show you.”

  After a twenty-minute demonstration on how to use a phone and a few test calls to make sure he had our numbers programmed in, Amin disappeared.

  “Well, that was fun,” Mark grunted.

  “Not even a thank you,” I added, annoyed. I leaned against the couch, my eyes drifting closed.

  “You gotta see what we found, Olie,” Jerry said, helping me stand.

  We made it to the roof and I looked around at the hundreds of potted St. Helen Olive plants.

  “No flowers,” I whispered, wandering though the rows.

  “What do we do, Olivia?” Mark asked me softly.

  “Burn it, burn it all.” I looked to Jerry. “You got enough juice for it? Everything has to be destroyed, we have to torch her apartment, too. Actually, we should probably check the entire building.”

  Jerry nodded, looking around.

  “The rest of the building is rented. I can hear the others,” Mark said, bending down to inspect a plant. “How could she have gotten these?”

  “The djinn, she must have wished for it.” I rubbed my temple, pulling out my phone, “The real issue is, how long has she been experimenting and how long has Zachariah been bankrolling her?”

  I dialed Logan’s number and he answered groggily. “You okay?” he slurred.

  “Yeah, but I need to you to wake up. We have a situation.”

  He cleared his throat. “Go ahead.”

  “Sage had a djinn that she was controlling. She told me the vampires have been funding her experimentation on how to make insta-beast, Zachariah to be specific. That he was also bankrolling Nari.” I paused.

  “Is there more?” he asked, now fully awake.

  “A roof full of St. Helen Olive without flowers.”

  “Fucking hell. You have to destroy it.”

  “Duh, Logan. Jerry is going to light it up. I just wanted to call and fill you in.”

  “Oh, are you hurt?”

  “My leather jacket is done for,” I admitted. “Amin, the djinn, who is now mine by right of my winning the death match, stitched me up.”

  “Wait, you have a djinn?”

  “Yeah, apparently it’s not a good thing.”

  “Take care of the plants and come home,” he urged, his voice earnest.

  “Will do.”

  “Oh, and Olie?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you.”

  I stopped breathing for a moment before my smart ass kicked in. “Hmpf, you should be saying I was right about her.”

  He laughed, “Yeah, that too.”

  I delayed saying goodbye, not wanting to say the L word, but needing to say something else. “How’s the nanny working out?”

  “Great, she even came back for my emergency call when the kids were watching Ginny. I’m having her babysit tomorrow as well.”

  “Good, I’m glad.”

  A squawk sounded.

  “Alright, take care of our girl.”

  “Will do.”

  I turned to see Mark looking at me like a lovesick puppy. “Your love, it’s trickling down the packs.”

  “I didn’t say I loved him.”

  Mark shrugged, patting his chest.

  “Whatever. Jerry, you ready to light it up?” I asked.

  Jerry was looking at Mark with longing. “Can you mate mark me, Mark?”

  I looked at Mark, having no idea what the answer was.

  He shrugged. “I can try, but I didn’t even know it worked with a succubus. I have no idea what the effects would be on a mage.”

  Jerry nodded. “Give me a minute.” He walked to all four corners, muttering.

  “Alright, let’s get back into the penthouse,” Jerry instructed.

  Jerry repeated the same four corner muttering in the apartment, while Mark and I looked through the rest of the penthouse. We didn’t find anything of interest.

  “Let’s get out of here,” I instructed.

  I leaned on the back wall of the elevator, ready to get some food and some sleep to help my body heal. I hoped I hadn’t made a mistake with Amin. I knew I didn’t with Sage. I groaned, now we had to fill the North Compass Alpha’s spot.

  “Any chance you guys wanna take over here?” I asked, closing my eyes, feeling the downward momentum.

  “No,” they answered in unison.

  I gave a soft laugh. “Politics not your thing?”

  “Have you met us?” Jerry asked.

  The doorman was busy on the phone, calling the fire department.

  I smiled at him. “The roof and the penthouse are going to burn. Let them.”

  I could feel his slack-jawed gaze following me, but I heard the phone click. Hi, I’m Olivia and I will be obeyed. Mark had an arm around Jerry’s shoulders, helping him across the street as Jerry continued to mutter.

  I held the door to the hotel open, following behind my shifter and mage. Oh crap, I called them mine. Like I wasn’t possessive enough.

  I helped Mark get his door open, following them in.

  He deposited Jerry onto the sofa and he went down with a groan. “How you doing, Jerry?” I asked, rubbing his shoulders.

  “Nothing some food and rest won’t cure,” he assured me. He pawed around for the phone, lifting it to his ear.

  “As much as I’m enjoying your poor attempt at a massage, you reek,” he informed me.

  …

  I set the spray to scalding in the shower, letting it work on the kinks in my back and shoulders.

  I heard the food arrive as I finished dressing. “That was fast,” I commented, running a dry towel through my wet hair.

  “Impressively fast,” Mark said around a wad of food.

  We devoured every scrap of the food and I was giving serious thought to ordering seconds. A yawn had me changing my mind.

  “Good night, guys.” I hauled myself up, dragging ass back to my room. The bed felt empty without Logan. I curled up on my side, holding the extra pillow to my chest.

  …

  Morning came too fucking early and I rolled out to the bathroom, shuffling my feet. I could hear Mark on the phone ordering breakfast for us.

  “I’m getting way too used to nicer accommodations,” I grunted to myself. Crap, and I couldn’t afford them.

  The knock on Mark’s door came faster than I expected and I hustled to get dressed. I could expense this to Logan and not feel guilty, right? Fuck, no.

  The door opened and the cart rattled in. Music to my ears, or really to my stomach.

  I had just tied my tennis shoes when Mark grunted, his cry of pain cut off.

  I barreled into the next room. Mark was on his side, the hotel employee holding a stun gun to his neck, delivering far above the recommended dosage.

  I lunged for him. He straightened up. I took out the food cart in my zeal to bring the fucker down. The cart smashed into him, hindering my takedown attempt. The taser was conveniently rammed into my neck. Clearly, not my most brilliant move.

  I lost all control over my body, my muscles jerking at random intervals. I rolled, pretty sure I was drooling. That was attractive. Fucking tasers.

  My vision ceased, my teeth vibrating together. I curled around myself in the fetal position.

  It felt like hours later, but I was guessing it must have been a few minutes, before I regained my faculties. I batted at the white, swishing clothing in front of me, finding my arm not responding to my commands.

  “Hurry, she’s waking up,” a voice hissed.

  I wrapped my hand around the cool metal of the rolling cart I was stuffed under, finally getting my bearings before I was shoved do
wn a steep ramp, still under the cart. I braced myself against the poles, silently cursing my idiotic captors. And seriously, what the fuck is going on with me getting kidnapped so fucking often?

  I gave thought to letting my momentum take me over the edge, but I decided to wait. Look at me, having patience.

  The ground finally evened out and my empty stomach lurched. Motherfuckers were going die bloody for making me miss breakfast.

  A hand reached under the linen to grab me. I bit down, tasting blood. A scream greeted my ears and I released, spitting. I fell forward from the cart, rolling to get free of the linen before I got my feet under me, staying low.

  Grunting, I turned on my heels, looking at my would-be captors. This whole kidnapping thing ended right here. I’d leave a bloody fucking warning for anyone else thinking I was easy prey. I scented the air and growled disgustedly. Humans. Three humans were going to kidnap me?

  They at least had the decency to look properly terrified.

  “I’m going to kill you all,” I promised with glee.

  I launched onto the closest one, my momentum carrying us to the ground. Landing my hands on his bulletproof vest, I gripped both sides, pulling him up before bouncing his head off the concrete with a satisfying crunch. Brain matter and blood spread out in a dark pool, his eyes glazing in death.

  Another barreled into me, his shoulder knocking my head back. We landed with my back slamming hard against the concrete. My legs were free so I slammed my knee into his side. He huffed, his body arching away from me. Sitting up, I shoved him off.

  I turned to the side, my fingers wrapping around the wrist of the bellhop, the taser hissing inches from my face.

  “You’re going to regret the use of that.” My fingers closed until my thumb overlapped my fingers. His wrist bones pulverized in my hand. Oh yeah, that was all shifter anger and it felt fantastic.

  I stood, releasing his hand with a fling.

  “Back off!” a familiar voice yelled. I lifted my eyes to the back of the hotel and saw Mark barreling down the ramp toward us.

  I smiled before the asshole I had hit in the side tackled me. “Motherfucker,” I hissed. My arms were pinned so I kicked out, but I was on my side so it wasn’t doing any good.

  “Get away from her!” Mark screamed. I felt the air shimmer as he shifted and a pissed off wolf landed next to me.