Recover: Book 2 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

54: Echoes of Promise and Pain

Ignoring Ben's request to not tell Ollie was more than easy. As Ben and Jayce took off to get some groceries for the evening—Ben stupidly thinking that because Erica was with us then Ollie would be safe from hearing about my plan—I patiently waited until Erica stepped outside to take some business calls.

How did I know Erica would have to though?

Well... perhaps we passed in the hallway earlier and I told her to... using mind magic.

But that's not important.

With Ollie and I finally alone, sitting in the living room by the fire as she played on her phone, the moment Erica walked out I said, "I had a new idea with Rüdiger."

"Did you?" she replied, flicking off her phone screen and leaning over in her seat.

Nodding, I pressed my lips together before I said, "Ben doesn't like it though." That's an understatement.

"You spoke to him about it?"

I heaved a fake-tired sigh. "While you were having a shower earlier. He shut it down straight away." Was I building up the mystery intentionally? Yes. But I knew if I did, Ollie would continue to pry until she found out just enough that would see her turning on Ben. To her lover's dismay, I simply knew her better. I knew her ticks. I knew what would pique her interest. And I knew what would push her over the edge.

As expected, Ollie's jaw clenched and her brows furrowed. "Please don't tell me it involves me."

"It does," I replied, trying to look glum. But the truth was, I was rejoicing at the fact that things were going exactly as I hoped.

"He's fucking ridiculous," she growled, getting to her feet in anger as she began to pace the room.

"Sit down, Ollie. It's okay," I said half-heartedly.

But she shook her head, continuing to storm. "It's not okay, Lukas. He just said he'd let me make my own decisions and talk with me more, but I didn't have a clue about this and he's already shutting it down?" She was flailing her hands about in her anger, and I did everything in my power to stifle the smirk that threatened to tug on my lips. I always found her cute when she was angry. I found her cute all the time... but her small size, the flaming red hair, and the boiling rage that could sometimes pour out of the usually kind-hearted woman was such a stark contrast to her normal state.

"Maybe he was going to talk to you about it tonight," I lied. Or maybe he had threatened to kill me if I told you... but I digress.

The anger slowly dissipated from her eyes at my words, and I began to worry.

Shit... I can't have her wait for him to confess. She needs to be enraged. She needs to argue with him. Because maybe then, once he sees she needs to be listened to, Ben finally change his strategy in dealing with her in their relationship.

"But he shut it down?" she asked, glancing at me as she stopped pacing.

"He did," I said, hesitant now.

"What's the plan?" she asked.

I pressed my lips together for show, mocking concern. "I promised I wouldn't tell you."

Her eyes slowly closed, nostrils flaring as she took a few steady breaths, holding back the fire that began to burn inside her body again, threatening to explode out of her. "But you're going to?" she managed to get through clenched teeth as she showed me her emerald gaze once more.

But I just shrugged and tried to push her buttons that little bit further. "I get why he is reserved. It's risky." I mean... it is risky. Yet if Ollie was ever going to achieve her goal at being strong on her own, then I needed to have some faith in her ability to fend for herself. Her kind was designed to go against vampires.