“Probably not, but I’ve got her back even if she doesn’t know she needs me to have it.”
“I’m willing to listen and learn.” This was her home now, and Cordelia wanted to be instrumental in making it a safe and good place rather than a place of dissention.
“Good. I’ll let you accompany me to my meeting with the dominants and then you’ll take training before hooking up with the omegas.”
Cordelia hadn’t expected such a full day. By the time she headed back to her quarters she was tired and a little overwhelmed. Mallory wasn’t anywhere to be found, and Cordelia was a little irritated.
She took a long soak and curled up on the couch with a salad for dinner. She was dozing when her phone rang.
“Hello?” Cordelia answered groggily.
“Hi, angel.”
“Mal. Where are you?”
“I’m just with Sam,” Mallory said. “We’re talking a few things over. I’ll see you late tomorrow, okay?”
“I wish you were here, snuggled up with me on the couch.”
“Tomorrow night, I promise, sweetie,” she murmured. “Miss you so much.”
Cordelia smiled. “I miss you, too.”
“You aren’t mad about the lessons, are you? I think you need to learn a little self-defense instead of just using your abilities.”
“Fine, but just so you know, I’ve had training before, and I’m only going to combine my magick and psychic skills with the fighting.”
“Try not to,” Mallory insisted. “I want you to learn not to rely on that.”
“It’s like breathing, Mal,” Cordelia murmured. “So, the best thing for me to do is learn to use them together.”
“We’ll talk about it later,” Mallory said. “Sleep tight, my love.”
“You, too,” Cordelia murmured. Cordelia ended the call assuming Mallory would stay in Sam’s den, so she went to bed.
****
Mallory put her phone away and glanced around the club. The New Orleans night life was interesting, but not something she wanted to be a part of. She spied her target at a nearby table with two women.
Mallory scanned the room, assuming the table next to his was where the guards were seated. They both looked bored as they tried to look more interested in their meal than their boss. In a way, she wanted this to be messy and painful, but Mallory was a realist in the end.
She removed the dart she’d secured before her trip from its protective covering inside the wallet cell phone case she’d opted for to get the dart into the club.
Mallory carefully removed the cap covering the dart. Then, she took out the straw she’d been assured it would fit into and inserted it. She slid her chair around just slightly so she could have a better angle to avoid hitting one of the ladies.
Mallory was certain she wouldn’t get more than one shot at this.
Her waiter came to the table then. “Can I get you anything else?” he asked giving her a dazzling smile.
“Just the check, please,” Mallory said and feigned a yawn. “I’m a little tired.”
“Are you sure I can’t interest you in dessert? The pecan pie is very good tonight,” he said over the buzz of conversation.
She chuckled. “Bring me a piece to go.”
He grinned and made his way to another table.
Mallory discreetly lifted the straw to her lips and concentrated, not wanting to swallow the damned thing by accident. One of the women moved giving her a perfect shot, and she took it.
The dart hit Yamamoto in the side of the neck and lodged there.
He jerked it free while she casually lowered her head to get rid of the straw. A second later, she heard him snarl and then a woman screamed. Mallory watched as he struggled to his feet only to sink to the floor on his knees before falling face down moments later.
His guards were at the table within seconds, pushing the women aside. She remained seated, patiently looking on as the mob boss died quickly.
With him gone, she didn’t see any reason anyone would ever care about hunting Cordelia, including the feds.
Chapter Forty
Cordelia’s day was another long one, and the woman staring her down right now only annoyed her. She was tired and hungry. Cordelia was also a little sore from this morning’s training session.
“I’m sure you have Mallory’s ear now, but you’re not in charge of anything,” the brunette told her coldly. “Mallory will dump you like she does all the rest. So stop trying to act like you have some authority around here.”
Cordelia frowned. “I was merely attempting to find out what the problem is you’ve been having.” The room she was in was a spacious one, but it felt pretty small right now.
“Right. Like you care? You’re an outsider, so go back where you came from.” The woman stepped into her space just then.
“You need to back up,” Cordelia told her. “If you don’t want to talk to me, fine, but get out of my face.”
“I could crush you with a single blow,” she said with a sneer.
“I’m not a pup. I don’t break easily,” Cordelia informed her. “Now, get back.”
“Or what?” The woman shoved her, and Cordelia stumbled back into the wall.
The brunette took a swing at her, and Cordelia ducked to avoid the blow and punched the woman in her stomach. She just barely restrained herself from allowing her hand to become a fist of ice.
“Cara,” Mallory growled. “What do you think you’re doing going after my mate like that?”
The brunette’s eyes widened, though she was clearly in pain. “I—what? I thought—your mate?”
Mallory strode over and growled at the brunette. “You thought you could manhandle my woman or any woman without provocation? When have I given the impression that was acceptable?”
“Never.” Her tone was repentant, though her gaze sparked with ice before she lowered it.
“I’ll deal with you later,” Mallory said. “And you’ll treat Cordelia with proper respect from now on.”
“Yes, alpha,” Cara said and scurried away.
Mallory leaned toward her putting a hand on the wall next to Cordelia. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She rested her hands on Mallory’s hips. “I’m glad you came home early, but I didn’t need you to fight my battles.”
“I didn’t fight,” Mallory said pressing against Cordelia. “I made it clear assaulting the alpha bitch wasn’t acceptable.”
“Ah,” Cordelia murmured as she leaned closer to Mallory taking in the clean scent of cold, soap, and sugar. “Don’t call me that. I don’t like it.”
Mallory kissed her. “Cordi. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too, but you aren’t getting off that easy,” Cordelia chastised. “Where have you been?”
“Taking care of something,” Mallory responded. “Brynn said you haven’t complained about your training, but what else have you been doing and why are you here in the omega meeting room?”
“Meeting with them, talking?”
Mallory frowned. “What did Brynn say to you?”
“Just that I should familiarize myself with the den.” Cordelia shrugged.
“She talked to you about what she thought your role should be,” Mallory contradicted.
“Sort of. Don’t be angry with her. I’ve already started learning a lot.”
Mallory nodded approvingly. “Good.”
“I want to earn their respect, not have it handed to me because of you,” Cordelia said.
“I’m glad,” Mallory replied, approval glinting in her eyes. “I won’t interfere unless someone steps too far out of line. Where is Camden? That fight shouldn’t have even gotten started.”
“I dismissed her for a while. I need to be seen as a part of the pack, not as a visitor,” Cordelia replied and rubbed against Mallory. “You’ve been to New Orleans.”
“What?”
“You smell of beignets. Did you bring me some?”
“Mallory laughed. “I did, but
—”
“My sense of smell is acute, but after living there, I’d know the smell of them anywhere,” she said. “So why were you there?” Cordelia asked quietly.
Mallory’s gaze was steady as it held hers. “Taking care of something.” Her words were equally quiet.
“Yamamoto?”
“He won’t be a problem for you anymore,” Mallory answered softly. “That’s my mating gift to you.”
Cordelia’s heart sped up as bubbles of happiness fizzed in her blood. “You felt it?”
“Our bond is strong,” Mallory told her. “Keeping you from realizing I wasn’t that close meant not thinking about you at all.”
Cordelia stroked Mallory’s cheek, emotion swelling in her. “You could have been killed.”
“I knew what I was doing,” Mallory assured her with a hint of a smile. “Besides, I wasn’t going to allow him to steal any part of my heart or our happiness.”
Cordelia exhaled softly, relief washing over her. That part of her life was over and Mallory was here, safe and hers.
“Thank you.” She gave Mallory a tight hug and then looked up at her, so happy Mallory’s risk hadn’t ended their life together before it could even start.
“I wanted you free to live happily ever after with me.”
Cordelia laughed. “What about the Coalition? There could be sanctions over the other night.”
“Sam told me,” she said. “We’ll deal with it. All that matters is Bradley can’t hurt us, and his partner will meet the same fate if he presses this land deal.”
“Then, you’re right. He’s a problem for another day.”
Mallory kissed her again and lifted her onto the table. Cordelia closed her arms around Mallory’s neck to meet her kiss hungrily.
Mallory growled against her mouth a moment later, and Cordelia registered the ring of a phone.
“Someone has lousy timing,” Mallory muttered and jerked her cell phone from her pocket and glanced at the display. “What is it, Jenner?” she asked, not stepping back which allowed Cordelia to listen in on the conversation.
“You’ve been pretty hard to reach these last few days,” he said.
“You’ve got me now. What do you need?”
“I wanted to let you know we’re square, but I don’t want an alliance with you,” he said. “I heard about the stunt you and Sam pulled against the Coalition.”
“They tried to kill us,” she muttered.
“They tried to detain you and secure Sam,” he growled. “I’m taking Jericho’s seat on the Coalition, and we’ll want to meet with you to discuss action against Sam.”
“Do you want Sam there?”
“Yes, we want to give her a chance to face punishment rather than resigning.”
“You’re wrong, Jenner,” she said. “This is going to turn into a bloody fight.”
Cordelia sensed the rage building in Mallory and heard it in the controlled tone of Jenner’s voice.
This fight wasn’t over, no matter what happened with Bradley’s partner. The wolves were going to make further moves against the coyotes, her new family, and there would be no peace here.
“Not if Sam does the right thing,” he said.
“Which is?”
“Walk away from Gray Tail and allow the remaining Coalition members to decide what happens to it.”
“Do you hear yourself, Jenner?” Mallory demanded. “That land is private property. Even if Sam did walk away that land isn’t up for grabs.”
“Maybe it is. I think Sam falsified the claims as Bradley said. I have papers in my office that the real owner died as a child,” Jenner said.
Mallory laughed. “You’re a bastard, Jenner. A bitter bastard who’s going to allow someone else’s mess to—”
“Those coyotes were hired to attack us and probably by you and Sam. I’m not walking away from that.”
“What in the hell turned you around so fast?” she demanded.
“Information that came after our meeting,” he told her. “I understand what Jericho and Bradley were, but I also understand that you and Sam are becoming a menace that needs to be dealt with.”
“Right,” she said, resignation in her tone and her eyes. “When?”
“Monday night. We’re all recovering from that incident as well as the storm. We need time to think, to make sure we’re making the right decision.”
“You better, because I have a feeling this could be a moment of no return for us all.”
“It could be,” he agreed grimly. “You need to think as well. The D.A. might not want to vacate the murder charges against you, so I will have to investigate further.”
“Do what you have to,” she said, her tone chilly now. “Good night.” Mallory ended the call. “This is never going to end until either Sam or I are in jail, and they can get the land.”
Cordelia squeezed her tight. Mallory was her mate, Cordelia would do anything to keep her by her side no matter what that was.
“I’m not letting you go,” Cordelia said softly. “That will be a fight to the bitter end.”
Mallory’s eyes echoed her fierce determination, and Cordelia rested her forehead against Mallory’s, the coyote looking back at her.
“Yes, it will.”
The End
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BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER
BLOOD FOR HER
Serenity Snow
Copyright © 2019
Sample Chapter
Dealers weren’t off the streets, but three major organizations were no longer peddling their goods in the city. However, instead of getting thanks from the DEA or the FBI, Mojo was still under definite scrutiny.
They’d taken on domestic cases only, but that didn’t stop the government from trying to squeeze them. To make it worse a case with potential backlash had just come across her desk.
“A woman came into my office today, and I’m still checking her story out. I didn’t agree to do anything but look into it. She doesn’t think she’ll ever get any justice for her kid sister.”
“What’s she looking to make happen?” Darice McMasters asked quietly.
“She says her sister was raped by the police chief and the sheriff won’t investigate.”
“A case of drunk and morning-after regret?”
“The girl’s dead, Darice,” Ace said grimly. “Her sister said the girl was going to press charges that afternoon. She was found dead by the side of the road the night before partially nude.”
“Had she been raped?”
“No, but she’d been subjected to a beating and part of her tongue had been snipped out. The client said her sister wasn’t the first girl this happened to. So, I put someone on it. We’ve found four other cases that occurred this year alone.”
“Guys like that have a history of sexual offenses and or predatory behavior,” Darice murmured.
“Yeah. I’m sending a girl to do the undercover, but I want you to work with her. The mayor’s niece is looking for a photographer for an event she’s hosting. I want you to take the job. We’ll make sure she comes to you.”
“You want one of yours on the team?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I know you can deal. I want you to find out as much as you can about the mayor’s friendship with the sheriff. Sabrina will be able to wrangle a press pass into the event. She might even be able to get something herself, so check in with her.”
“I thought you guys were laying off stuff like this. And why not try to force the D.A. to take this case? It’d be so much easier to wage this war in court.”
“My client says she wants to sue for wrongful death. The body cam footage as well as the dash cam vid of two of the cops vanished. They claim
equipment failure, and no one’s disputing it. Chances of her getting this before a grand jury are slim to none in a criminal or civil case.”
“It’s certain the sister was stopped by a cop?”
“Yeah. The girl called her sister and put it on video chat when she was pulled over. She called one of the officers by name, but he claims he was nowhere near the vicinity when the girl was attacked and killed.”
Darice nodded slowly, and Ace knew she was assessing the risks as well as weighing the merits.
And she had every right to. Darice had walked away from the danger to live a safe life as a respected businesswoman. She was engaged to a nice—if slightly timid—woman.
“The client has the footage?”
“Yep, but she’s keeping that under her hat. I brought you a copy because I know you want some confirmation, and I don’t blame you. But I’d never set you up.”
“No. I know,” she mused. “It’s not that.”
“What then?”
“I know the feds have been on your asses. Are you sure this isn’t some kind of trap?”
“As sure as I can be, dude,” Ace said. “Fact is, we’ve considered that and if it turns out someone put one over on us, they’re going to rue the day.”
Darice shrugged, a speculative look in her eyes. “That’s why you came to me. You want deniability.”
“Problem?” They were old friends, but Ace would never ask Darice to take a risk she wasn’t comfortable with.
“Not really. Just promise me you’ll take care of Chloe if something happens,” she said. “I don’t want to drag her around the world if this thing goes to shit. I’ll fake my death and get a face job.”
“If she wants to go, we’ll pay the price,” Ace told her. “You know that.”
“I need the specs on the target. I’ll do some recon and see what else I can find out.”
“I’m only asking for your help because most of the local law’s familiar with Mojo’s name, thanks to the FBI. They even have pictures of our top operatives, so I can’t put Cat on this, and Dev won’t touch it because it might end badly for us.”
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