A Council of Betrayal Read Online Free PDF Page A

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