Interrogation Techniques by Charlie Richards

Chapter Nine

Waking with Miggs in his arms should have felt awkward, but after three days, Del couldn’t imagine ever waking without his mate again. Curled around his sexy little shifter made each morning wonderful. He hoped that never changed.

The sex first thing in the morning might have had something to do with how much he enjoyed it, too.

Del pressed light kisses to the top of Miggs’s head as he rubbed his palms up and down his mate’s slender back. With the way his lover sprawled across his chest after riding him, it allowed his half-hard prick to continue resting in his lover’s channel. He relaxed in the afterglow of an epic orgasm while relishing the fact that he was still connected with Miggs.

After a few minutes of silence, Del wondered if Miggs had drifted back to sleep. It wouldn’t have been the first time. His mate had had several harrowing years and was still recovering.

While it was probably too soon, Del believed that he could see a difference in Miggs’s weight. His sweet shifter had an appetite, and Del loved indulging in it. He found great pleasure in all aspects of providing for him.

“I love lying on your chest,” Miggs mumbled sleepily, letting Del know he was still awake. He turned his head so he could peer at him through his lashes. A shy smile that shouldn’t be possible—considering Del still had his dick in his ass—curved Miggs’s lips as he added, “You’re always so warm, like you’re my own personal bed-heater.”

As Del traced over Miggs’s still too-prominent ribs, he found he wasn’t surprised that his shifter had trouble generating enough body heat. For the most part, his little shifter wore sweatshirts and warm pants. Del had even turned up the heat in their room, changing his own attire to lounge pants and a tank top.

“I love being your bed-heater,” Del told Miggs, smiling at him. He moved a hand to Miggs’s face, and he began tracing around his mate’s lips—the lips he loved sampling as often as possible. Of course, due to their height differences, he would have to shift Miggs off his prick to do it right then, so he resisted. “I’ll always be right here to keep you warm.”

Miggs beamed at him, causing Del’s heart—one so many people had called cold—to thud wildly in his chest. He knew it was too soon, but he recognized the feeling. After three days, Del already loved his sweet little mate.

And I’ll do anything to keep him right here by my side.

With that thought in mind, Del remembered the phone call he’d received from Investigator Ryzer the evening before. He’d intended to discuss it with Miggs, but then his sexy shifter had walked out of the bathroom... wearing only a pair of skimpy underwear. Speaking of, he wondered where his shifter had gotten them.

“I received some news from Investigator Ryzer last night,” Del told Miggs, running his fingers through his lover’s short, dark hair. He loved the way it flopped into his mate’s eyes when he didn’t use styling gel to hold it in place. “But your sexy underwear distracted me.” Upon recalling the sensual blue silk boy shorts, his fingers twitched with a renewed desire to touch. “Where did you get those, anyway?”

Miggs’s cheeks flushed pink, and he nibbled his bottom lip.

Del responded by using his thumb to free the abused flesh. “Miggs,” he rumbled, drawing out his mate’s name. “Tell me.” Scenting Miggs’s unease, Del rocked his hips, pulling free of his mate’s body. Then he immediately rolled them, moving Miggs to his back so he could blanket his little shifter. Sliding one hand into his mate’s hair, he tugged on the soft strands gently while pecking a kiss to his lover’s lips. “Nothing you say will upset me.” With a wink, Del added, “I’ll just want to know how I can get you some more. A lot more.”

Miggs still sported a blush, but he now scented of happiness. “Um, your brother,” he all but whispered. “Dane.”

Unable to help himself, Del’s jaw sagged open. “Dane?” he asked, flabbergasted. “I didn’t even know he knew about my...” Letting his voice trail off, he shook his head in wonder.

Nodding, Miggs told him, “At the Christmas party, he pulled me aside.” Miggs’s cheeks turned even darker. “Um, he had a magazine that he said he’d found you looking at.” His voice lowered to a whisper once more as he admitted, “Dane helped me pick out a few things, then ordered them for me.”

“And he dropped them off yesterday afternoon,” Del guessed, nodding. He’d seen a few pairs of sweatpants on top of the bag of clothes when his brother had dropped by, so he’d logically just assumed it was all standard clothes. “Sneaky bastard.” Then Del focused on something else Miggs had told him. Grinning widely, he pinned a hungry look on his mate as his prick began to thicken once more. “Soooo... a few things, hmmm?”

“Yes,” Miggs replied, smiling shyly at him.

“Oh, my little mate,” Del rumbled, knowing he would never get enough of claiming Miggs as his own. “Are you going to put on a fashion show every night for me?”

“I-If you want.”

“I very much want,” Del declared, lowering his head, intending to kiss Miggs. The sound of an alarm made him pause. Groaning, Del released Miggs so he could reach over and grab his phone from the nightstand. “Damn it.” Silencing the alarm, Del focused on Miggs again. “We have a meeting to get to. I got a little distracted last night and forgot to tell you.”

As Del spoke, he eased off the bed and held his hand out to Miggs. “Come on, little mate. I’ll tell you about it in the shower.”

Less than forty-five minutes later, walking to the meeting room, Del wished he hadn’t shared every detail with Miggs. His lover’s nerves flooded the corridor, and he gripped Del’s hand tightly. Still, Del would never lie to his mate, and in his book, withholding information was doing about the same thing.

Besides, Miggs needed to be prepared. After all, his father was waiting in the meeting room.

Del wasn’t certain how Beta Koin had learned that Miggs was there so that was definitely one of the questions he planned to ask. Per his request, Interrogator Malone would be joining them, but that was for looks alone. Del planned to be the one to question Miggs’s father.

I will get what I want from the shifter... by any means necessary.

Of course, Beta Koin thought he was there just to pick up his son.

Boy, will he be surprised.

Del mentally smirked.

Pausing at the door, Del turned and wrapped his arms around Miggs. He pulled his lover close and stared down at his little man. “Remember,” Del stated, pinning a serious gaze on his mate. “This is my job. What I do, but you will always be safe with me. You will not be leaving with that asshole who sired you.”

Miggs stared up at him for a few seconds, then nodded slowly. “I know I’m safe with you.”

Anxiety that Del hadn’t even been aware he carried eased from him. After nodding, he bent and pecked Miggs’s lips with a hard, possessive kiss. Then he straightened and gave his mate a tight smile.

“Let’s go deal with this asshole,” Del declared, narrowing his eyes. “I believe he’s going to have a lot to say.”

Once Miggs had nodded, Del eased one arm from his waist but kept the other securely around him. He grabbed the knob and opened the door. Pushing it open, he guided Miggs into the room. With a flick of his wrist, Del closed the door behind him.

Del swept his gaze over the room, and he spotted everyone Investigator Ryzer had told him would be there. Due to keeping his identity as discreet as possible, Ryzer himself was not there. Instead, Councilman Colearian sat at the head of the table, a couple of file folders resting in front of him. Standing a couple of feet behind the councilman’s left shoulder was Enforcer Dane.

A couple of seats down from the councilman and on his left sat a man Del didn’t recognize. From the shade of his brown eyes and facial features, he guessed him to be Miggs’s father—Beta Koin Suvergy. The hard lines of his expression twisted into smug satisfaction when his gaze fell upon Miggs.

Del couldn’t wait to wipe that expression off his face.

A dark-haired man stood behind Beta Koin’s chair, and Del guessed him to be the muddle enforcer Ryzer said would be allowed in the meeting—Enforcer Omar.

To the left of the door they’d just entered stood Enforcer Germaine. There was also a door behind Beta Koin, and that one was guarded by the black panther shifter, Enforcer Gierson. The final man in the room was Interrogator Malone, and he sat at the other end of the table.

“Ah, Enforcer Delanrue. Miggs,” Councilman Colearian greeted with a nod. “Thank you for joining us. Some questions have arisen that need clarification.”

“Of course, Councilman,” Del responded with a respectful dip of his chin. “We are always happy to help.”

“There’s nothing that needs clarification,” Beta Koin stated, the smile slipping from his features to be twisted into annoyance. “I’m here to pick up our rogue shifter. It’s as simple as that.” He pinned a narrow-eyed gaze on Miggs. “You should have known better than to hurt Kenny, Midget. If you had just fled, we may have let you go.” Shaking his head, Beta Koin put an aggrieved expression on his face. “But instead, you went and harmed an innocent.”

Miggs cringed as he pressed into Del’s side.

“Relax, Miggs,” Del rumbled. He kept his voice soothing even as he pinned a cold stare on Beta Koin. When Del spoke to the beta, his tone held that same coolness. “So, you’re my father-in-law. Can’t say I’m very impressed.”

Beta Koin looked confused for a few seconds. Then he must have registered the way Del was holding Miggs and how his lover pressed against him. Disgust carved deep grooves into his face as he sneered at them.

Then Beta Koin cleared his expression and turned his attention back to the councilman. “It aggrieves me to learn that Midget coerced one of your men into mating with him before his crimes came to light.” He shook his head, feigning sadness even as the room filled with the scent of his distaste. “As their mating must be new, I’m certain your enforcer will be just fine should we decide Midget must be put to death for his crimes.”

“You speak so very callously of your own son.” Councilman Colearian steepled his hands on the table, resting them on the folders. “Is that common in your muddle, Beta Koin?”

“Normally, no, Councilman,” Beta Koin replied without missing a beat. “But as Midget is a murderer, I no longer consider him my son.”

“I am not!” Miggs cried, clearly having had enough of his name being slandered. Pointing at his father, he declared, “I didn’t kill anyone, and you know it. And don’t worry. I haven’t considered you a father in decades. Ever since you banished mom!”

Del snapped his focus to Miggs. “He did what?” he asked tightly.

Miggs nodded, nibbling his bottom lip.

As was becoming a habit, Del immediately reached up and tugged it free. “Tell me, my mate.”

“There was a meeting, and then she never came back,” Miggs told him. “Beta Koin said that she chose to leave, but he smelled of deceit. When I started questioning him, he”—Miggs paused and touched his cheek, wincing—”well, I didn’t question things after that.” Lowering his voice, he finished, “But I know Mom wouldn’t have left on her own.”

“We’ll get to the bottom of that,” Del assured Miggs. He would discover what happened to his mate’s mother, since his speech radiated fondness and sadness for her in equal measure. Then Del focused on Beta Koin. “And Miggs and I are fated mates. As I am an enforcer for the Shifter Council, Miggs is now also under the council’s protection and judgment. He won’t be coming with you.” Smirking at the beta, Del continued... just because he liked the angry expression beginning to darken the shifter’s features. “Oh, and we know you’re lying... about a great many things.”

“That is preposterous,” Beta Koin claimed, starting to rise from his seat. “Two men can’t be fated mates.”

“Sit down, Beta Koin,” Councilman Colearian ordered, his tone holding a hard note.

The beta immediately obeyed.

“My own fated mate is a man... and human, so yes, Fate does sometimes pair those of the same sex,” the councilman declared. “And we have some questions for you.” Turning his attention to Enforcer Gierson, he stated, “Enforcer Gierson, if you would please escort Enforcer Omar to a waiting room. I would like to speak with Beta Koin alone, first.”

“Of course, Councilman,” Enforcer Gierson quickly stepped forward and grabbed Enforcer Omar’s upper arm. “This way, Enforcer Omar.”

“Just a minute, Councilman,” Beta Koin cried, rising to his feet. “This is outrageous. I came on good faith, and now you’re questioning me?”

Del curled his lip as he eased his hold on Miggs so he could take a step forward. “You came under false pretenses to kidnap and enslave my mate,” he stated bluntly. “And I will not let that happen.”

As Enforcer Gierson led an objecting Enforcer Omar from the room, Interrogator Malone stood and took up the enforcer’s vacated position. He left the briefcase by his chair. Del urged Miggs to stay with Germaine and headed toward it.

As Del lifted it and placed it on the table, he eyed Beta Koin coldly. “Now then, Beta.” He lifted a vial and a needle from the case. “Let’s see if we can make you a little more cooperative. Hmm?”

Beta Koin’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. Predictably, he lunged toward the door behind him, which was why Malone had moved. The beta’s response had been expected.

Malone grabbed Beta Koin’s arm, spun him around, and forced him back toward the table. Bending him at the waist, he pinned the man’s face against the solid piece of oak. Then, with one hand at Koin’s neck and the other holding one arm behind his back, Malone held him in place.

Del prepared a needle with the drug. It wouldn’t harm the shifter and would wear off damn fast, considering their metabolisms. Still, with a potent enough dose, it would last long enough for Del to get the answers he needed.

Namely, what the hell really happened to Kenny, and why did the alpha name Miggs rogue?