Getting Nawty With the Coyote

by Serenity Snow

  “Powell is no killer,” Jenner snapped. “You’re lying.”

  “Why? I don’t even know him. I’m sure my cheek bears the brunt of his handiwork because it still hurts like hell.”

  “He didn’t kill Isa,” Jenner said shaking his head. “I know he didn’t. He had to have said something more.”

  “Not to me,” Kamari told him.

  “Did he say anything to you before you hit him, Xena?” He gave Mica a scathing look.

  “Call Samarra, Kamari,” Mica muttered. “I don’t want to be in jail all night.”

  “Oh, you’re going to be, and I’m pressing charges and so is Tiny. You’re doing time.”

  “Maybe not,” Kamari said softly.

  “Don’t bet on it,” Jenner said in a hard tone. “And since I’m here, I’ll go ahead and search your place. With a dead body, I have probable cause.”

  “Do you?” Kamari asked softly.

  Jenner met her gaze, and Kamari focused. She’d learned a few telepathic tricks to lull the mind. The process was more or less hypnosis. She hit him with a telepathic blast that would only last a short time.

  Stay still. When you wake you’ll only remember saying that you didn’t want to file charges against Mica.

  She repeated the sentence three times and his lids drooped.

  “You’ll wake when I say three and remember only that you don’t want to file charges against Mica. And Tiny charged Mica for no reason and she was only defending herself.”

  “Okay,” he said.

  Kamari rushed into her bedroom.

  “What did you do to him?” Mica demanded from behind Kamari.

  “Hypnotized him. It won’t hold too long.” She grabbed her bag from beneath the bed, glad she’d left the items in it. Then, she shoved in a few more things, including clothes and tossed the bag onto her bed as the sound of tires in the driveway registered.

  “He’ll take me in, and Samarra will send someone. I want you to go with her,” Mica ordered.

  “Mica—”

  “Don’t argue with me,” Mica cut in coldly. “Just obey, and we’ll talk later.” She took Kamari’s arm and led her back out into the living area just as a knock sounded on the door.

  “Three,” she said softly and Jenner’s eyes slid open. “Come in,” Kamari called.

  Jenner frowned at her as the door opened.

  “Jenner,” a plainclothes policeman gave him a nod though his gaze swept the room before giving the dead man a dispassionate glance.

  Two blue clad officers rushed into the room. Both took in the dead man with horrified stares.

  “What the hell?” The female said while the man moved around her. “Is that Powell?”

  “Take Clawer into custody, but Agent Sang stays. I have a few questions for you.” Jenner met Kamari’s gaze. “If I don’t like the answers, you’ll be joining her.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “If she has a mark on her, Jen, your ass is grass,” Mica said and a now awakened Tiny was on his feet with a scowl, snapping the cuffs roughly into place before giving Mica a shove.

  “We can fuck her brains out if we want,” he said and laughed wickedly. “There’s nothing you can do about it from a jail cell, butch.”

  “Tiny,” Jenner snapped, but it was too late. “Rowel.”

  The plainclothesman moved toward them, but made no move to stop them as Mica smashed the heel of her boot into Tiny’s foot before spinning to backhand him, the metal cuffs catching him in the cheek.

  She executed a deft jump kick, toe connecting with Tiny’s crotch. He groaned and hunched over.

  “Fuck that,” Mica snarled in a low tone and would have kicked him again, but Rowel caught her thigh and gave her a pointed look.

  “Dumb-ass fuck,” Rowel said to Tiny. “When are you going to learn not to screw with a bitch in heat?” He shook his head. “Let’s go, Mica. You can call Samarra from the station unless your girl’s got you.”

  “She’s got it,” she said coldly as she met Kamari’s gaze briefly.

  The chill made Kamari shiver, and Mica lifted a brow in query before Rowel took her out the door.

  “I’ll pack a bag,” Kamari said. “I’m not staying here tonight.”

  “You’re damn right about that. Bates, go with her and make sure she doesn’t take anything but clothes,” Jenner ordered.

  “I need a toothbrush, dumbass,” Kamari muttered.

  “Whatever,” he said brusquely. “Be quick and don’t touch her.”

  “No plans to,” Bates muttered. “I’d hate to end up deep fried like ole Powell.”

  Kamari grunted and headed into her bedroom and proceeded into the bathroom with the woman on her heels. Kamari opened a drawer and removed a small bag filled with new toiletries.

  “Powell was a really good guy,” Bates said. “You’re not going to get away with killing him.”

  She threw the brunette a look. “He tried to kill me first, so if you’re CSI, you should take a picture of my face and my neck. He was choking me.”

  “He’d never hurt anyone.”

  “What did he do?” Kamari asked curiously. The man who’d attacked her had had the heart of a killer. “Was he a minister or something?”

  “He was a security guard at the bank, but before that he was a cop. He was all about fair play and kindness. Powell’s never raised a hand to anyone unless they attacked first.”

  “Well, someone stuck a key in his back and pointed him in my direction and Isa’s,” Kamari said bitterly. She didn’t care how kind he was. He’d gotten what he deserved considering what he was going to do to her.

  “Isa? You’re such a liar,” the cop muttered.

  “That’s what she thought, too, but surprise, surprise.”

  Kamari stuffed the items into her bag and grabbed a few things from the dresser, though she didn’t need them. Kamari pushed them into the bag and grabbed her Kindle from the bathroom. She zipped it into the bag and hefted it onto her shoulder before getting her phone from the dresser and heading from the room.

  “Jenner, I don’t know what else you expect me to tell you,” Kamari said as she opened her contacts. She had both of her bosses’ numbers in her phone.

  “Tell me again how Powell came to be on your floor burned to death,” Jenner ordered.

  Kamari glanced to the man who was being photographed. Her animal felt nothing as it lingered on the surface of her.

  She repeated what she’d already said.

  “I know you’re lying,” he said. “Did Samarra or Mallory put you up to this? What did he know that they wanted kept quiet?” Jenner demanded. “Ronnie get a picture of her face and her neck.”

  “I don’t know if you’re following the evidence,” she said as she unbuttoned her blouse giving him a better view of her neck. “Or if you’re just being protective of someone, but the person behind this is going to pay.” The officer shot pictures from both sides of her face and neck.

  “Hold up your arms,” Ronnie said. “Though honestly, these marks are so faint, they could be days old.”

  Kamari did, and he took pictures of her arms and hands. “But Jenner here, knows I didn’t have them earlier,” Kamari replied icily.

  “What did you burn him with?” Tiny demanded.

  “I didn’t burn him with anything.”

  “Then what did Mica use?” Jenner asked. “I’m sure once they realized Powell would be asking you question about Isa because he cared about her, that they had to shut him up before you revealed what you really saw.”

  “She didn’t have anything, and I have no idea what’s going on in your little town, but I’m going to find out, even if it gets your alpha fried.”

  “Don’t you threaten Jericho,” Tiny growled moving toward her. “Tell us what those damned coyotes are up to. Which one of them killed Connie and Powell?” His tone held a hard edge as he reached for her and gave her a shake.

  She barked and snarled at him, hands heating at the malice in his eyes. �
�If I’m not under arrest, I’m leaving,” Kamari said coolly.

  “Let her go, Tiny,” Jenner said. “Don’t leave town.”

  “I don’t plan to.” Kamari gave the tall blond a hard look, fire spinning in her mind, attempting to break through the mental shields she used to keep it contained.

  “Keep staring at me like that, and I’ll arrest your ass and toss it into a cell right next to your butch,” Tiny said.

  “You won’t live through the night if you touch me again,” Kamari told him acidly and strode from the room. “Bastard.” She exhaled and smoke came out of her nose.

  “Find the weapon,” Jenner ordered as the door closed. “Tear this fucking house apart if you have to.”

  Stepping off the front porch, Kamari put in a call to Samarra. A petite blonde carrying a metal case headed past her giving her a curious look.

  “Hello?” Samarra answered on the third ring.

  “Hi, Samarra, this is Kamari.”

  “What is it?” she asked coolly.

  “Mica told me to call you. She was arrested for knocking a cop on his ass—twice.”

  Samarra sighed. “Where are you?”

  “Home, but I’m leaving. I need to find a place to stay.”

  “Stay put, I’ll send someone to get you and Mica’s vehicle.”

  “Okay.” Kamari rounded Mica’s SUV to find a cop bent down searching the backseat. “What the hell are you doing? You have no right to search this vehicle without a warrant.”

  “I’m just doing my job,” he retorted. “Back off.”

  She sent out an arc of power.

  “Mica’s not—fuck!” He straightened, grabbing his butt as he did.

  “Move it or lose it,” she ordered icily. “And get that warrant next time. Remind your boss that anything found is tainted because he had no actual cause to search the SUV. The body was found inside the house and there’s no evidence to suggest he was transported here in it.”

  “Woman if you don’t get out of my way—”

  “Get lost,” she growled, hands heating and the center of her forehead prickling.

  He backed away, and she watched him, slamming the door of the SUV before climbing into the front seat to wait.

  It was only fifteen minutes before a truck arrived and a tall woman rapped on the window. Kamari opened the door and looked out, vaguely recognizing her from earlier tonight at the club.

  “I’m Delany,” she said. “I’m going to take you to a safe place. Mica will be along when Samarra gets this all worked out.”

  Kamari climbed out and Sydney gave her a curious stare.

  “If you’d just let Mica bring you home, then this wouldn’t be happening.”

  “No, she’d have killed him and you guys would be under even more scrutiny,” Kamari replied.

  Sydney frowned. “What does that mean? Surely, Jen isn’t trying to pin this on us?”

  “That’s exactly what he’s doing.”

  “That bastard,” Sydney said and Delany grabbed her as she started to back up.

  “Get out of here, Syd,” Delany told her coldly. “We don’t need you getting your ass in deeper.”

  Sydney climbed into the vehicle after giving her a look. She closed the door and started the engine, backing out.

  Delany took her bag before she could protest and led Kamari to a truck. She tossed the bag in back and pulled the passenger side door open for her.

  “Thanks.”

  Delany gave her a nod and rounded the truck to climb in on the other side.

  “What happened?” Delany asked after starting the truck and maneuvering it out into the street.

  Kamari repeated the story hoping this was the last time because it was starting to make her throat dry.

  “Ah. Isa’s killer thought you saw more than you said you did which means someone in the department is involved,” she commented.

  “More than likely,” Kamari agreed and leaned her head back against the headrest.

  “So, what did you find in the storage locker? Where’s the tablet?”

  “I don’t know,” Kamari said. “There was no tablet, and I already shared as much as I’m going to with Mica.”

  “Why? We can help each other.”

  “Maybe you can’t,” she said. “You live here. You’re concerned with the politics of packs. I’m concerned with the justice due me as a wolf even if that means killing an alpha.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “I don’t know which alpha you’re talking about, but an alpha is alpha for a reason,” Delaney said.

  “That is probably too true, but it changes nothing,” Kamari replied closing her eyes. “How long have you known Mica?”

  “A long time,” Delany replied. “That scene earlier—Mica has some control issues and I guess BDSM helps her to a degree. However, most of her partners aren’t into pain, domination, or obedience.”

  “I have no problem with it in the right context,” Kamari replied.

  Mica had both angered and intrigued her. She’d also awakened the energy of the wolf like no one before her.

  “If you want it over, be clear with her and us. No one’s going to allow her to impose her will on you, even if you are her mate,” Delany assured her.

  “I can handle her.”

  Mica’s animal could handle the dark elements of the mist wolf. The shadow coyote understood darkness, it understood psychic energy, or was supposed to.

  Mica hadn’t flinched from the dead man’s burns, but Kamari was sure she had questions. Even if they could bend to Mica’s will, could Mica accept the deadly weapon she was?

  “But do you want to?” Delany asked.

  Kamari threw her a look. “The question is does she still want to handle me?”

  ****

  Mica made bail within a few hours and was speeding down the street silent as a stone next to her alpha.

  Her coyote had gone crazy when Rowel had taken her out of that house leaving Kamari behind. She’d held the animal in check with a white-knuckled grip and claws lodged firmly in the buttery leather of the police cruiser.

  Even now she was eager to get to her, to lay hands on her. Mica needed to see for herself that Kamari was fine, that not a hair on her head had been touched.

  “Your animal’s off the leash,” Samarra said glancing at her.

  “It’s not,” Mica growled.

  “You’ve always been a bit of a wild one,” she said. “You didn’t come through the fight as Syd and I did.”

  “What are you talking about?” she demanded and massaged her temple. She knew she was different. She’d paid plenty of attention when the legends of their people were told around the campfire and in the classroom.

  The shadow coyote was a norm, but his darker self, the wild one or black one was the rare one. The form wasn’t one they were born into, but one they were forced into by adversity so great only the wolf could bear it.

  “When your family was attacked by those bastards, what happened?”

  Her family had been part of the same pack as Sam and Syd’s, but they hadn’t run with the same crowd. In fact, her family had been part of the pack that had been on the verge of breaking away from the major pack when the hyenas attacked.

  Mica had been more isolated, on the leading edges of the battle. The hyenas had come in full force, the men, the alpha bitches, the strong teens, all engaged with them, taking them out in quick order.

  “Mica, I don’t care that you’re a wild one. The only reason I’m even bringing it up now is because meeting your mate has ignited that side of you. If you don’t claim her, you’re only going to grow worse.”

  “I know this,” she said coldly. She would be in danger of going feral if her mate rejected her. The BDSM was a control mechanism to ensure she stayed disciplined and in control of as many facets of life as possible.

  The wolf, the wildness of the coyote would break free otherwise, causing her to kill with only the slightest provocation. She’d even start hunting and
eating humans or animals.

  “You know knocking out Tiny and kicking his balls in only indicated a strong level of aggression that signals a need to assuage the heat.”

  “Back off, okay,” Mica retorted. “I’m not a child. I can handle my business.”

  “The kill?”

  “Powell, but I didn’t kill him.”

  “Who did?” Samarra demanded.

  “Kamari’s like Cambrie,” Mica said. “She can do things with her mind.”

  “Why didn’t she get you out of this mess then? Is Syd right? She’s not into you, and your animal is trying to force her into a mating?”

  “She found out a little late that I wasn’t a tame coyote she could manipulate, so I took her to task.”

  Samarra shot her a curious look. “I hope you two came to terms.”

  “I’m not sure,” she murmured. She wasn’t sure of anything except they were going to resolve this one way or the other.

  “I had Delany take her to my place. I’m keeping Syd out of the city for the time being, and you’re going to be on security at the club and my place. Delany will be there with you. Cambrie and Brynn will continue to work the club during the evening along with me. But if you and the waitress can’t work this out, you’ll stay away from her.”

  “Don’t go there, Samarra,” Mica said in a warning tone.

  “Don’t make me do it, Mica,” Samarra replied coldly. “The more contact you have with an unwilling mate, the more dangerous you will become to her and everyone around her. I suggest you take her to bed, if she’s willing, to take the edge off. Otherwise, Delany will keep an eye on her.”

  “Samarra—”

  “I’m sending someone to Hartsland to check Amy’s out death and get more information on Sang’s sister. If you and the little tart can’t come to terms that’s going to be you, otherwise, it’s Cruise and Rick.”

  “I like them,” Mica said grabbing onto the semi-change in subject. “They’re willing to be loyal to you.”

  “I’m evicting a few families over the next few days. They seem to think the wolves have a claim. I’m not going to get into this with them.”