Free Trickster by Nicola Cameron Page A

me
explain—”
    “Hush.” Her speech cut off like a
switch had been thrown. “You’ve made enough trouble for yourself tonight, kit.
Don’t get yourself in any deeper.”
    With another nod to Scott, he
turned and headed back to the elevator. Caren rocked in place, trying to resist
the invisible pull. She glanced at Mark, eyes wide and pleading. “Please, you’ve
got to help me!” she begged. “You don’t know what they’ll do to me!”
    Mark stared at her coldly. “You
tried to kill my mate. Frankly, sweetie ,
I don’t give a shit what they do to you.”
    The bobcat Alpha turned, snapping
his fingers. “Come!”
    Even Mark could feel the whiplash
pull of an Alpha’s command. Caren lurched forward, still struggling, and
followed him into the elevator. The doors shut, and they were gone.
    Mark felt an electric tingle over
his skin as Delaney shifted back to human form. The shifter stood, glancing at
the twitching form of Boris. “What about him, boss?”
    “I’ll call 911 as soon as we clear
the area.” Scott walked over, toeing the thug’s leg. “Turns out this gentleman
has got quite the rap sheet, as does his partner. I’m sure Plano PD is going to
be thrilled to get both of them.”
    With a nod to Mark, the Alpha
turned and shifted back to coyote form. He trotted back down the parking ramp,
the pack falling into a loose group around him. Delaney stayed human, however, slinging
an arm around Mark’s shoulder.
    Mark leaned into his comforting
warmth. “Shouldn’t you be going with them?”
    “Nah. Scott can take it from here. He
doesn’t get paid the big bucks for nothing.” Delaney kissed his forehead. “You
okay?”
    “Yeah.” He grimaced. “Okay, so I’m
not that much of a hardass. What will they do to Caren?”
    “She didn’t break shifter law so
she can’t be executed or anything like that. Her Alpha will most likely keep
her on a tight leash and find something useful for her to do. Knowing bobcats,
I suspect a mate and kittens are in her very near future.”
    “Barefoot and pregnant?” Mark grimaced.
“That sounds really medieval.”
    “I know, but it also binds her
loyalty. Do you really want her out there on her own and causing more trouble?”
    “No. But if she stays local, that
could get ugly at some point.”
    “Don’t worry. Bobcats and coyotes
tend to stay out of each other’s way. I have no idea how Scott talked their
Alpha into coming here tonight, but I doubt we’ll ever see that happen again.”
Delaney gave him a squeeze. “So, ready to go home?”
    “Like you wouldn’t believe.”
    ****
    They drove back to Delaney’s place,
the shifter slipping into the jeans and t-shirt he’d left in Mark’s car. Neither
of them said anything as they went in, heading straight up to the master
bedroom.
    There, they stripped each other
slowly, safe in the soft darkness that forced even Delaney to rely more on
touch that sight. The only sounds in the room were their heated breathing and
the soft press of lips and tongue to exposed skin, two greedy hearts thrumming
together.
    Naked, Delaney urged Mark into the
bathroom, adjusting the taps in the huge shower until it was blood warm, then
pulling his mate into the streaming water. He grabbed a washcloth and dumped
body wash into it, carefully washing every inch of his mate. It was
instinctive, a ceremonial cleansing away of Caren’s poisonous touch.
    He turned Mark and pushed him
gently against the tile wall, then knelt. He kissed and bit his way along the
inrolling curve of Mark’s ass, pushing deeper until he could lick soft, musky
skin and the tiny iris there. Listening with pleasure to Mark’s soft pleading
and whimpers for more, he bit and sucked, pointing his tongue and spearing the
tight furled muscle.
    He reveled in the forbidden taste
of his mate, the ability to give him this frantic, illicit bliss. Holding Mark’s
cheeks open, he dove back in and lapped, licked, sucked with abandon. Fucked
the tight little hole