Taking It Off for the Coyote

by Serenity Snow

  “Smells like I’m interrupting something,” Mica said with a grin.

  “Don’t take so much pleasure in it, jerk,” Sydney muttered. “Lunch?”

  “Sure.” She grabbed a sandwich from the counter and took a bite. “Meeting’s over,” Mica told her. “Jericho says he has a witness that places you at Connie’s the morning of her murder.”

  “That’s absurd,” she muttered grabbing half a sandwich. “I was nowhere near her place. Sam can access the den logs. I didn’t leave until that afternoon.”

  “Coroner said she could have been killed between one and five,” Mica told her. “And the way you were going at her, I’d swear you wanted her dead, but you aren’t me. I’d have killed her for putting her claws in my woman.”

  “But he’s going to push for redress since both his witness and your system could be liars,” Cambrie said leaning against the counter next to Sydney.

  “Exactly,” Mica agreed and then took another bite of her meal. “Sam told him he’s full of it, and she isn’t bowing down to his shit.”

  “Mal?”

  “She deferred to Sam,” Mica said with a shrug.

  “So?” Cambrie lifted a crusty bit of sandwich to her lips.

  “In a case like this the opposing alpha will present his case to his top advisors. They’ll decide if action should be taken after reviewing the facts. They want to meet with you and Sydney. If they doubt you, then they call for sanctions. In this case, a life for a life.”

  “They’ll want to allow her family to attack me, but the bastards will die,” Sydney muttered.

  “Well, Sam could also refuse to agree to sanctions which will give the wolves all the ammo they need to break their alliance with Mal, but since we’re in Sam’s pack and have no alliance with them, then, that means shit.”

  “Except the family might decide to go after me if they catch me away from pack,” Sydney said.

  “We’ll be together some of those times,” Cambrie told her.

  “There’s a good chance they’ll attack you too and they won’t be using weapons,” Mica told her.

  “I guess this is my official welcome to shifter life,” Cambrie said with a bitter laugh.

  “Welcome or should I say welcome back?” Mica went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. “Want?” She held it up.

  “Thanks.” Sydney caught the bottle she threw to her.

  “No.” Cambrie shook her head. “We still haven’t been to the police station, Sydney. We should take care of that before the day gets any later.”

  “I’ll tag,” Mica said. “Sam said something about meeting a client.”

  They finished their lunch and headed off to the police station. Cambrie sat in back while Mica and Sydney sat up front talking about plans for tonight’s meeting with Cruise.

  When they arrived at the small station housed in a brick building downtown, they were shown into a spacious office flooded with sunlight chasing shadows.

  Jenner was an attractive man with brown eyes and dark gold skin. His short black hair was neatly combed into place and his suit jacket was open revealing his blue shirt and red tie.

  “’Bout time you showed up,” he grumbled. “I’ve gone over the coroner’s report, and he still can’t tell me how Mick Rummer died. All he said was brain trauma not consistent with a fall. Did you even know his name, Cambrie?”

  “No.” She’d never met him let alone seen him. A telepathic attack could turn a brain to mush if enough force was used.

  “So, the guy just randomly targets you for an attack?”

  “Is he connected to Connie’s family?” Sydney demanded. “Maybe they’re pissed that Connie didn’t kill her.”

  “I’m glad you brought that up,” Jenner said coolly. “My alpha wants an inquisition done on this. So far I’ve got shit, and I’ve got a couple of officers over at the club waiting to interview the dancers who were on the floor when the incident happened. I need the truth. You know where this can lead. Was there some kind of grudge between you two?”

  “Why would there be? I was doing my job,” Sydney snapped. “If we can’t keep our dancers safe from the shifters what the hell kind of club are we running?”

  “Connie didn’t just attack her,” he said. “She’s not like that.”

  “Exactly why it puzzled us,” Mica muttered.

  “And that’s why I didn’t kill her and you know I would have been within my rights,” Sydney snapped.

  He sighed. “Her family wants you dead. They also want your woman sanctioned.”

  “Why?” Cambrie demanded.

  “A witness says she and Connie had been seeing each other outside the club,” Jenner said.

  “I spoke to Connie in a store a few times, and she bought me lunch at the market deli, but she had to run so I ate mine alone.”

  “That’s not what the witness said,” he retorted. “She said you ate together in the deli and left together. She heard a mention of a motel room.”

  “Syd,” Mica said tightly when Sydney growled.

  “She’s lying, Sydney,” Cambrie told her quietly, and she turned in her chair to face her. “Melissa was the clerk that day. She knows I left alone. She commented that Connie could do better than a whore dancer. I told her to kiss my stockings and I haven’t been back since for fear she’d mess with my food.”

  “Christina, a packmate and bartender at the club, said she saw you two together at the club making out.”

  “That’s bull,” Sydney snarled. “Cameras would have caught that. Every inch of the club is wired to protect the girls and us.”

  “I want tapes of that night and the last two weeks,” Jenner told them. “Don’t leave town Cambrie although absence of any real evidence I can’t pursue a case against you for Rummer’s death.”

  “I—”

  “Silence,” Sydney said as she got to her feet. “I’ll get you those tapes within a few hours.”

  “Good. Tread lightly, Sydney,” he warned her. “Nothing less than irrefutable evidence is going to close this case and get the family to drop their calls for sanctions.”

  Sydney grunted and took Cambrie’s arm leading her out of the police station. “Connie has two brothers right?”

  “Yep,” Mica said. “You know they’ll want a piece of you along with her father and cousin.”

  “I won’t let you do it alone,” Cambrie said, the steel of her voice drawing Mica’s surprised gaze and Sydney’s. “You saved my life, and you’re my mate.”

  Sydney slipped her arm around Cambrie’s waist. “I’ll handle it Cam.”

  “Not without me,” she assured her as their gazes held. The emotion in Sydney’s eyes filled her heart a little fuller with love. “I’ll kill for you.” As any shadow-kiss would for her mate.

  “Good,” Mica said in a hard tone. “It will come down to that.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  That evening, Cambrie was surprised Adalyn had been left at the house with her and Mica. She’d proven how dangerous she could be, but Adalyn showed no fear at all as they lounged in the living area of the garage apartment. Mica was on the floor, back against the wall, dosing.

  Cambrie had no doubt the soldier would be on her feet in a second if anything happened. She had no plans to attack Adalyn, she liked her already.

  “It takes a lot to take down a shadow,” Adalyn commented, shifting position on the chair she occupied so she could see Cambrie. “And Sam said that guy who attacked you had his brain turned to mush.”

  “She got a copy of the report?”

  “Sam’s chief of pack security, so she demanded copies of all paperwork that might be used against the pack and Sydney,” Adalyn told her. “How’d you do it?”

  “Telepathic blast.”

  “Your ability is more projective then?”

  “I guess,” she said. “It’s like being an empath with the ability to kill instead of heal. That’s how it was explained to me. Empaths are like telepaths. They can send and receive informati
on.”

  “A killer empath,” Adalyn mused. “Curious.”

  “Anomaly,” Cambrie replied. “Your ability is different from mine, so you must be meant to be a healer, but you can train your mind for defensive purposes. Our mental shields are typically phenomenal. You can use yours to protect.”

  “How can I know if I can heal?”

  “It’s in your hands and your intent,” she said and got to her feet. “My grandmother was training me, but it wasn’t taking.” In fact, her ability to kill was only strengthened. “Rub your hands together and see what happens.”

  She did. “They’re hot.”

  Cambrie moved toward her and Mica’s eyes opened. She was on her feet and crossing the room slowly.

  “Here,” Cambrie said. “Touch me.” Adalyn took Cambrie’s hand. “Now focus on sending heat into me. See it cutting my skin.”

  “No.”

  “Yes. It’s a test of your strength. Besides, you should be able to heal it.”

  Adalyn focused and the heat intensified.

  “Ouch,” Cambrie said.

  “Oh my god,” Adalyn exclaimed. “I did it!”

  “Now, heal it,” Cambrie told her. “You held back didn’t you?”

  “A little. How can you tell?”

  “Look how deep it is. You’d have shattered bone if you hadn’t,” Cambrie said. Blood welled from the damaged area, and she wiped it away feeling some pain but she quickly shut down her pain receptors. “You didn’t know you could do this?”

  “No. I was trained a little in using my shield to protect and mantras to injure.”

  “You might have needed them before, but you’re mated now. Your power should be stronger. You draw strength from Sam and your bond with her. Remove your hand.”

  “I did it! Almost. I didn’t heal you completely.”

  “It’s fine,” Cambrie said with a shrug. “It’s a minor cut now. It’ll heal on its own. All you need to do is practice. Miranda or your pack’s healer should be able to help.”

  “I’ll talk to them.” She smiled. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.” She backed away knowing Mica was still watching her carefully.

  “We still should train together sometimes,” Adalyn exclaimed. “I think there’s a lot you can teach me about defensive use of my power.”

  “Maybe.”

  Adalyn smiled. “It’ll take time for trust to develop,” she said.

  “I realize that, Adalyn,” Cambrie replied. “It seems you guys expect me to automatically trust you when in essence, you can be as big a threat to me as you perceive me to be to you.”

  “Maybe,” Adalyn replied watching her.

  “No maybes about it. Anyway, time might change that.”

  “It will,” Adalyn assured her. “I already like you.”

  ****

  “I brought detailed plans of our den and where the party will be held,” Cruise told Sydney. “I heard a rumor that Patricia sent her lover and a few others back to Arizona. I don’t know if she’s planning an extended battle here of if she’s preparing for possible loss.”

  “Hyenas don’t think in terms of loss,” Sam said. “She’s probably sure she’ll win even if she loses your den.”

  “I can believe that,” Cruise replied. “Listen, I’ve been talking to our librarian. She’s a historian of sorts and a lot of our pack’s history has been written down. Some passed down through word of mouth.”

  “Where is this going?” Sam demanded.

  “We know you’re to take control of pack once this is over,” Cruise said. “The thing is, Summer’s family has had an honored place here since day one. Her great-great-grandfather is the original owner of the vast part of our land. He was the first alpha here. He was an Indian chief.”

  “Who’s Summer?”

  “Cambrie,” Sydney answered.

  And you expect me to give her an honored position in the pack as what?” Sam demanded.

  “I don’t know, but none of us will allow you to subjugate her as Oaklyn tried to do to her cousin. Hell we think Oaklyn killed our last alpha, Oak, so he could be alpha.”

  “I can’t do anything with that,” Sam told him. “Your people can do what you want with him. As for Cambrie, she’s already angled for a few rights that I fully intend to give her especially as she’s the mate of my right-hand.” She threw Sydney a look.

  “She’ll be well taken care of,” Sydney assured him holding Sam’s gaze. She wouldn’t allow Sam to relegate her to the background and use her land as she saw fit. “So, let’s talk about the battle.”

  Cruise studied her a moment and then unrolled a map on a round table that resembled a spool. “This is where some of the resisters will be.” He pointed out four spots. “This is where we know security will be. I’m expecting some changes since Oaklyn knows we’re aware of their locations.”

  “Where might they move?” Sam asked.

  “Here and here,” Cruise said. “I’m sure in fact that some of the hyenas will be here. This will allow them to have the upper hand in attacking those of us not at the party. The entrances to the den will also be covered by hyenas.”

  “And this corridor between our lands and yours,” Rick added and marked a spot with a red pen. “I don’t expect them to move on your people that night, just do some recon to test your people.”

  “We’ll deal with that with silence giving them the impression our patrol of the area is lax,” Sam answered.

  “I’m leaving that to you,” Cruise told her. “One of my guys said he saw explosives being kept here.” He made a dot on the map. “Can your people make sure they aren’t detonated?”

  “As long as they aren’t moved before the attack,” Sam replied.

  Fifteen minutes more of conversation and they had their plans set. Sydney knew she’d be busy tomorrow with the team she’d be leading in, including her mate. She wasn’t happy Cambrie would be in on the fighting, but she wouldn’t try to stop her.

  If she was going to build a partnership with her as well as a loving relationship, she’d have to trust Cambrie’s judgment. Besides, she’d proven she could defend herself, and she had skills Sydney was sure she didn’t know existed.

  “Your mate better not be tricking us,” Sam said.

  “She’s not.”

  “You’re certain of that?”

  “Positive.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Cambrie smiled as Sydney stepped into the bedroom lit by the candles she’d placed at four points. She’d taken a long bath before selecting the black stockings and black panties that screamed sex and the matching bra. Over them, she’d pulled on a simples dress with wide straps and left her hair to trail over her shoulders.

  She’d tamed her s-curls into submission, and they shone ebony in the light.

  Sydney stepped into the room and stopped short as her gaze slid slowly over Cambrie. She ran a hand through her hair and crossed to sit on the bench at the end of the bed. “You look like a hot fantasy.”

  Cambrie smiled and went to the dresser to turn her cell phone on. The music poured out of the speaker she’d connected it to. Then, she stepped back and closed her eyes as the beat flowed through her and strummed a cord in her blood. She began to move catching the beat.

  She opted for a routine with a Latin flavor that was smooth moves and provocative rolls of her hips as her hands caressed her body, toying with the helm of her dress skirt before shimmied into reach and Sydney groaned.

  “Baby, you’re getting me all turned on,” Sydney murmured.

  Cambrie gave her a smile and caressed her cheek before turning so her back was to her. She did a booty pump before dropping her rear end onto Sydney’s spread thighs. She leaned back, bracing her hands on the chair and moving her ass on Sydney’s lap before rubbing her back against Sydney’s front and then getting to her feet.

  Cambrie eased her dress up and undid the stocking clip and put her foot on the chair between Sydney’s legs. Then slowly rolled the sheer materi
al down and removed it before playing her fingers over her leanly muscled calf. Cambrie slanted a look at Sydney whose shoulders were rising and falling fast. She gave her a slow smile and lifted her foot so her toes stroked lightly against Sydney’s crotch.

  “Oh, fuck,” Sydney said on a harsh exhalation and Cambrie gave her a wink before removing her foot and kicking the stocking free and rolling the other one down. She let it drop to the floor and stepped on it as she rolled her hips before reaching behind her to find the zipper of her dress.

  She dragged it down and turned her back to Sydney as she pushed the straps off her shoulders and worked her body in a figure eight and then faced Sydney. She brushed the fabric with her hand and it slid down to reveal the swell of her breasts and her dark nipples in the bra that was more for decoration than function.

  “Where did you get that?” Sydney asked in a tone harsh with her mounting desire.

  “Mmm?” She put a finger to her jaw. “Then you’ll like these too.” She pushed the dress down and it pooled around her ankles.

  Cambrie looked up at Sydney from beneath her lashes as she let the skirt fall around her ankles. She turned so Sydney could appreciate the view of her thong from the back.

  “Girl, you have a beautiful ass,” Sydney murmured. “Come a little closer.”

  Cambrie laughed as she worked her hips to the beat, turning back to her. She drew her fingers over the side of her neck, detouring to travel over one exposed nipple. The touch sent pleasure rippling through her taut peak, but she didn’t stop until her fingers rested on the garter belt.

  Cambrie removed it and let it drop to the floor before stroking her hand over her hip and down between her thighs. She was damp, and aching. The barest hint of her finger tip over her clit made her moan.

  “Come here,” Sydney ordered.

  Cambrie went to her and eased down on her lap. Sydney’s lips captured hers, the kiss hard and demanding. Sydney’s hands drifted down to fill with the globes of her ass. She squeezed and then gave one cheek a hard tap.

  Cambrie moaned breaking the kiss. Her clit tingled, and her pussy clenched as it moistened a little more.