Taking It Off for the Coyote

by Serenity Snow

  “Don’t fear your heritage,” Skye told her. “Those like you are lucky. Your power is a gift that will aid you and your mate. You have to practice your healing, so you’ll be a boon to our pack.”

  “I’ll start again,” she assured Skye. She’d need a teacher first.

  Skye smiled. “You have the knowledge inside, just trust your intuition.” She nodded. “The pack is having some problems so I can’t work with you right now.”

  “What can I do?” Cambrie asked quickly. “I’ll do anything to help your pack.”

  “It’s your pack too, so I want you to promise me you’ll safeguard these.” She put her hand on the envelope next to the salt on the table.

  Warmth flooded her. Pack was family, it was safety, and Cambrie would love to have that again. “What are they?”

  “The original copies of some important documents.” Skye slid the envelope to her.

  “Skye, what’s going on?”

  “Someone is trying to force us into an alliance we don’t want and take our land. We’re not going to allow it to happen,” she said in a steely tone.

  “Who’s trying to? Another pack that lives here?” The lands had been a source of enjoyment for her as a child and the people like family.

  “They only want the land because it borders another pack’s,” Skye said, the words holding the distinct edge of a growl. “Our land would give them easy access to the other pack. Our alpha has betrayed us by allying with this outside pack and he’s trying to force us to comply. But we’re going to fight him.”

  “I should be there to help,” Cambrie insisted. “I can fight too.”

  “No.” Skye shook her head as she held up a hand. “You’ll be more useful to the family away from the conflict. I’m glad you came home. I had no idea how to find you, Cam.”

  “You were looking for me?”

  Skye nodded and reached across the table to cover Cambrie’s hand with her own. Warmth flooded her and so did the love and strength of familial ties. “When this is all over, I want you to move to the den and be part of the pack. It’s where you belong. ”

  Cambrie smiled, her chest tightening. It would be nice to have a family again. “Okay.”

  ****

  The office was sun-kissed providing plenty of natural light as Samarra Summerfield prepared for a morning meeting. She waved Sydney in and glanced at something on her desk.

  She’d known Sam most of their lives. Their friendship had survived petty squabbles, the loss of their families, and a couple of major hyena attacks.

  They were as close as sisters and would die for each other.

  “Was last night’s meeting profitable?” she asked.

  Sydney shrugged. She’d spent half the night running off the sexual tension she’d worked up on the dance floor with Cambrie. God but taking her bait had been stupid.

  “Sorrento isn’t working alone,” she said, forcibly wrenching her mind from the dance and the feel of Cambrie’s body against hers. She’d smelled so good. Her perfume hadn’t been her usual baby powder scent. She’d worn something intoxicating, vanilla with a hint of musk.

  Sydney had stayed wet all night and naked since the cold shower hadn’t helped.

  “I’d suspected that.” Sam frowned. Her pretty face was the mirror of concern. “And I like it even less now that I know it’s true.”

  Sam co-owned Coyote Closet, the only strip and social club for lesbians in the small town of Snowbury. They did more than their share of business with lesbians coming in from the nearby cities to enjoy the sexy bevy of beauties as well the freedom to socialize without scrutiny.

  “Leah isn’t working for Sorrento. She’s working with his pack’s ally Devil Dogs which was Joelle Reacher’s pack.” She already had some info on the pack and had already added to it this morning. “You already know they’re criminals and some of them are being prosecuted.”

  “Good,” Sam muttered coldly. “Good riddance, but how’d Leah get hooked up with them?”

  Sydney told her what her contact had said. “I’m supposing the ally’s thinking he’s going to get control of our lands once the fighting is over.”

  “Let him keep dreaming.”

  She shrugged in agreement. Sydney was certain they were heading for another life-changing hyena attack. This one would be the second Snow Fur would see in a decade and a half. The first one had decimated the pack leaving a young and inexperienced woman, their friend Mallory, to step in and take over.

  “He doesn’t know the real reason Sorrento is here, but he did tell me four of our workers are on Sorrento’s payroll. I’m willing to bet dancers.”

  “Not all dancers,” Sam said with a shake of her head. “Bartenders and security are more likely suspects.”

  “You think the wolves would betray us? I know pack wouldn’t,” Sydney told her. She’d handpicked the coyotes that worked security along with Sam. She trusted them with her life. They were pack.

  “Most of them are pack, but Shelia isn’t and neither is Jessa. Both of them are Gray Tail.”

  The leader, Oaklyn, was apparently allied with Midnight Howling now. He wouldn’t have any problems commanding his people to act as spies even though it might get them killed.

  “That’s right,” she said tightly.

  “We need more intel,” Sam muttered. “We can’t afford surprises with hyenas.”

  “I’ve been tapping every contact I have in town and out, but there’s just nothing more concrete there right now. We have to be patient.”

  Sam growled at her, the sound low and ferocious. “Do better.”

  “Damn, bitch, get off my back,” she snarled. “I told you what I do know. I’m doing the best I can.”

  “It’s not good enough.”

  “Then, get out there and get the intel yourself,” she snapped and got to her feet. “I’ll see you later. I have things to do in the den before going to the club.”

  “I want you present for the meeting with Sorrento tomorrow night,” Sam told her coolly. “Come heavy. I don’t trust him.”

  She snorted. “That’s the funny thing about you. If you get the chance to let trouble walk away, you’ll back it into a corner every time.”

  “Problem?” Sam demanded with her brows cocked. Her hands clenched on the desk telling Sydney she’d had enough and was fighting for restraint.

  “Hell no,” she said coolly. She’d had enough too, but she didn’t want to take Sam on. In a fair fight, she’d lose. Sam was an alpha which meant she was stronger and could out last Sydney any day of the week. “I wasn’t planning on going into any meeting with the damned hyena without my old Bowie.” She’d been given the knife as a teen by her grandfather and had it on her most of the time. However, she preferred to fight with her animal teeth and claws much like most shifters.

  They were coyotes. They didn’t back down from a fight and they generally didn’t take weapons to one. However, the hyenas had bone crushing strength in their animal form. In a group, they were often deadly though they’d back down from a fight when they didn’t have the numbers.

  Sam studied her making her feel small, which wasn’t easy. “In the meantime, get someone closer to Leah. I want to know about her pack leader.”

  “Right.” Leah had a few friends and one of which they’d allowed to come back to the club after the girl had attacked Sam’s mate. But she wasn’t an option. They needed someone clever enough not to draw suspicion.

  They’d probably have to settle for a watcher and she’d take a few shifts herself.

  “Make it happen, Sydney,” she said firmly. “No excuses. You’ve got the training and the skill of a PI. Use it.”

  She raked her fingers through her hair. “Right. She’d been a cop for two years and a PI for three before closing her business to devote most of her time to the pack, which now included being head of security at the club. She didn’t regret her choices, and she wouldn’t shirk her responsibilities.

  “You can handle this Syd,” Sam assured
her gently. “Use some of your newfound authority to delegate if necessary. How do you think I got things done?”

  Sam was going to take over Gray Tail once Sorrento made his move and the pack attacked.

  “I’ll see you later,” Sydney said and strode from the room, her feelings a little raw.

  ****

  A rap on the sitting room door was followed by a respectful, “Alpha?”

  Patty looked up from the gift she was putting together for the woman who shared her bed. She would be sending Tamari away soon because she was no fool. This war she’d conceived to start with the coyotes who’d destroyed her world would get nasty. She couldn’t lose the only other woman to ever truly love her.

  She didn’t want to lose her and the child she carried too.

  “What is it?” she asked coolly. Her plans seemed to be curtailed at every turn of late and it was starting to piss her off.

  “I have a meeting with them tomorrow night, and Oaklyn’s people aren’t all buying an alliance let alone his decision to stand down and sell the land. There are signs those of his people not allied with us will rise up in opposition.”

  “We’ll deal with them once we have the land,” Patty told him in a hard tone.

  “He can’t sell without the sentinel Red Oak’s wife’s approval. Her family owns all but the small parcel Oaklyn bought. “

  “We’ll buy his part at half price and take hers.”

  “Oaklyn’s great-grandfather agreed that the land would go Red Oak’s wife, should Oaklyn’s family wish to dissolve the pride or are conquered.”

  In simplest terms she could take over the pride, but she’d have to move it.

  “She’s refusing to sell and her husband is already in talks with the wolves for aid to oust Oaklyn and those loyal to him.”

  “What happens if the woman and her husband are dead?”

  “The land then goes to her heirs. She has a nine-year-old son, and a cousin.”

  “What about the cousin?” She stroked the box before her that was now neatly wrapped in pink paper and tied with a gray ribbon bow. She had come here a few months ago to see what the Snow Fur pack’s leadership was like now.

  She’d found a strong coyote bitch at the helm with the killers of her family at her back. Patty wanted them gone, but the only way to get setup for an attack was to own the land of the neighboring coyote pack. If she could gain an alliance with them, so much the better, but she’d never counted on it.

  “According to Oaklyn, the girl vanished when she was thirteen, but she’s never been listed or even considered as dead. So, she’s still the heir and will have thirty days to come forward before the land goes to you.”

  “Get the proper papers including wills and deeds,” Patty ordered. “I don’t want any disputes to my claim after her death.”

  “I’ll offer her her child’s life in exchange for signing over the property and then kill her.”

  “Exactly what I had in mind,” she replied coolly. “Make it happen tonight. Make plans to get rid of all resisters soon. I don’t have the patience for a war with them.” They couldn’t afford to allow it to happen. Snow Fur would back the resisters, and everything she’d done to get to this point would end up being all for nothing.

  “How would you like it done?” he asked patiently.

  She turned to look at the handsome Damien Sorrento who stood not far from the couch with sunlight falling over him. He was one of her strongest men, but his dominance still couldn’t stand against hers despite the way he held her gaze.

  “Give them a party and poison them,” she told him with a shrug. “I want the resisters dead in three days and I want to be moving onto that property then.”

  “It will be,” he assured her. “I was in Mystic last night meeting with Darden and I saw Sydney Spring with a woman.”

  “A lover?” She did want to crush Spring, Summerfield, and Blacklaw before she took their lives. She’d been too broken to fight once she’d lost everything, but she didn’t expect the same to be said of Summerfield or Spring.

  They’d run afoul of her pack before in Oklahoma when her mother had led a very successful campaign against those Indians. Part of Patty’s old pack had settled there, but without her mother, they’d been routed by the Indian survivors and their allies.

  “Kill her.”

  “I’d suggest proceeding with caution. Joelle thought to go after Summerfield’s woman and look what that cost her.”

  “Kill her tonight,” Patty snapped. “Make it look like an accident, but record it. I want to send her the footage as a gift.” She smiled diabolically. Patty wanted Spring to relive the pain as she did.

  “She works at the club, so Leah can arrange it,” he answered quietly.

  “Good. I want her killed on club grounds.”

  “That will be a blow to their business,” he said with a grin.

  And not the first.

  “Take Angelica as well as Faith and Rule to the meeting with you tomorrow,” Patty told him. “Don’t expect them to sell. Just let them know we aren’t leaving because I’m sure they’ll suggest it.” She was going to destroy Summerfield and her pals and Patty wanted them to see some part of it coming.

  Chapter Five

  That night, Baby Love strode slowly onto the stage in her signature white sneakers and pulled to a stop beneath the soft glow of light. Dressed in a sedate white blouse and little pink skirt, she began to move in time to the beat of a country tune.

  The name of the game was seduction she reminded herself as she raised her arms over her head and rocked her hips from side to side. She spun around, executed a few deft moves to ramp up the heat before turning to face the crowd again. Her gaze swept the crowd and landed on Sydney who was making her way around the floor.

  She worked her hips effortlessly in a graceful circle before she walked up to the edge of the stage, ripping her blouse open revealing a black bra as she went. She tossed the shirt to the floor and began moving sensually.

  The skirt came up as she caressed the firm globes of her ass, revealing the sleek black thong. She executed a graceful bootie pump before dancing to the side of the stage where women were clamoring for a chance to tuck a bill into her panties.

  A hand glided up her calf, and Baby Love blew the woman a kiss and moved out of reach as she turned, ripping away her skirt in the process.

  The skirt hit the ground and Baby Love reached for the pole in the middle of the stage and glided one hand down it before caressing it and gripping it while she caressed herself with the other. She looked out into the crowd, savoring the hungry looks on the faces she could see.

  She rubbed against the pole and whirled away from it as she released the catch of the lacy little bra. Baby Love tossed it into the crowd as she worked the other side of the stage giving the women there a chance to show their appreciation.

  A hard hand curled around her ankle and the wild animal energy slammed into her. The chill of it made her shudder as she quickly reached down to caress the woman’s jaw and got a bill in her panties.

  She lifted her head, and her gaze locked with Sydney’s as the bouncer took up residence in the crowd of cheering women. Baby Love saw the hunger in her eyes and it echoed in her making her pussy moisten. She gave her a wink as she executed a move that took her lower to the floor giving the women even greater opportunity to tuck bills into the band of her panties.

  A hand closed around her hair, the ponytail wound into a knot. Her eyes met a pair of glazed brown ones full of lust. The woman tugged, and Baby Love teetered toward her just as fingers closed around the back of the woman’s neck.

  “Let her go,” Sydney ordered coldly.

  The patron’s wine infused breath fanned her face as her fingers clenched tighter and Baby Love grimaced. “I just want a kiss.” The slurred words were followed by a harder tug and Baby Love squeaked as she tumbled from the stage.

  “Fuck.” Sydney’s curse was burlap over her skin and Baby Love braced herself mentally for
the fall.

  “Connie,” a hard voice chastised from the side of her and a firm grip anchored around Cambrie’s waist as the ground rushed up to meet her.

  Heat sizzled through her, and Baby Love’s temperature rocketed. Teeth flashed, the canines were longer, sharper than a human’s, and Baby Love gasped as she was tugged away from her savior.

  “Back off,” Connie said and growled as she jerked on Baby Love. Baby Love winced, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Tension seized her entire body as she looked up into Connie’s face.

  The surge of her energy was powerful with an edge of darkness. The carpet beneath her feet was abrasive as Baby Love attempted to pull free.

  “Come here.” Connie reached out and claws sliced through her bare shoulder.

  Baby Love let out a cry of pain as soft flesh was torn open. Claws retracted only to scrape down over the top of her breast, severing the strap of her bra. Pain burned through her and Baby Love lifted her hand as she bit the inside of her cheek against the ache licking through her.

  Fear combined with her power and rushed forward as her gaze met Connie’s glazed one. A hard growl rumbled on the air. The pressure on her head was gone, the hand having been stripped away.

  Baby Love was turned to face the stage as her savior’s body tensed with a surge of dark animal energy. She was released seconds before a wet sound met her ears over the music and was followed by a ferocious growl.

  Baby Love whipped around, fingers pressed to her chest as sticky red eased from between them, dampening her skin. Sydney’s fist connected with the other woman’s face and Connie’s head snapped to one side.

  Connie’s lip lifted in a silent snarl to reveal sharp canines. Her eyes flashed with pure retribution.

  “If she was mine she wouldn’t be dancing here for anyone to put their hands on,” Connie said. “I’ll take good care of her needs though right after she takes care of mine.”

  Sydney drew back to backhand her, but Connie caught her wrist and surged to her feet before driving her knee into Sydney’s stomach. Connie’s claws were unsheathed as she struck out for Sydney’s face.