Home For The Holidays (Dirt Track Dogs #6)

by P. Jameson

  Annie was nearing her due date. December 23rd as far as the human mid-wife could tell. And Destiny, their pack’s Elder, seemed to agree. Before she’d joined DTD and mated Diz, she’d helped her own mother deliver countless litters of bobcat shifter kittens. And for her own pregnancy, she’d trained Ella and Punk to help with the delivery. The triplets came into the world without a hitch. And those females would be there for Annie when it was time.

  His mate was in good hands.

  So why did he feel like he was handing his angel over to a crocodile? Why this panic?

  It was December first. That left him three weeks with her.

  Three weeks until that wiggly little thing invaded their lives.

  But… tonight made him realize just how much he wanted a young. He’d always thought offspring was too far out of reach for him. Something he’d never have because even a mating seemed laughable. And after four years with her, it still felt like a dream. One he was living, but still, so good, it couldn’t be true.

  And now, their young pushed at her belly, responding to his voice as if it already knew him. As if the pup knew Blister was daddy.

  And that changed everything, because now his wolf’s protective instinct was expanding to cover this new addition to their lives. His heart was growing bigger to accommodate the love it would take to raise his young.

  Would Annie’s heart do the same? Could she love them both? And why was his guilt so heavy when he even entertained that thought?

  She smiled lazily as he knelt on the bed, his exposed cock going half hard again just from her nearness. “Whatcha got?”

  “Your favorite.”

  “Mmm. Peppermint.”

  He sat beside her, pulling the blanket up over them. The soft light from the candles he’d brought upstairs danced over her face making her look all warm and perfect and content. Dipping the spoon into the carton, he brought a bite to her lips and she opened, taking it in and sucking softly as he withdrew.

  Mate has a sexy mouth.

  “Tomorrow we should go get a Christmas tree.” Annie traced the pattern of burn scars on his arm with the tip of her finger. “We could decorate it together and make sure it’s all ready before the baby comes. It’ll be our first Christmas as a family. I want it to be perfect.”

  Every year she suggested getting a tree. Every year he came up with reasons for them not to. Every year one of those tiny table top trees ended up sitting on their dresser.

  He knew some day he’d have to get over it, having a tree in his house. But for now it was yet another fucked up thing about him for his mate to deal with.

  Shit.

  He stalled answering by dishing up another spoonful of ice cream for her.

  He could… well, maybe he could sleep on the couch while the tree was in their house. If he was right next to the damn thing standing guard, and it caught on fire, he could put it out before anyone got hurt. But sleeping away from Annie for the next few weeks sounded about as nice as eating nails for dinner.

  He eyed her, that damn hopeful glint in her expression. If it would make her, happy he’d do it.

  “Yeah, okay.”

  “Really?” she squealed excitedly, sitting up to meet him eye to eye. She was practically bouncing. Like Christmas had come early, and it was only a fucking tree.

  Blister chuckled. “Yeah, really.”

  She gripped his arm with both hands, squeezing, a little sound of delight breaching her throat. Leaning in, she kissed his mangled cheek with a smack of her full lips, and even though she’d kissed him a million times like that, he felt the tips of his ears turn red with a blush.

  Worth it. Nights on the couch were worth it for just a glimpse of that ear-to-ear grin his mate wore so well. Damn.

  “Oh, it’s going to be great. You’ll see. Our house will finally look like Christmas. And just in time for the best Christmas present ever.”

  Blister hid his eyes by looking into the container of ice cream. He stirred the melting sweet stuff. Maybe he could at least stall a few days. Just a few more nights to sleep in his bed with his angel before he went to standing watch over the bastard decorations.

  “But it can’t be tomorrow. The guys are coming over to help put all that baby shit together.”

  “Oh, yeah. I forgot.” She shook her head, exasperated. “Pregnancy brain. I’m so forgetful these days. Okay then, what about Saturday?”

  “Saturday’s the parade.” The dogs were all decorating their cars with lights as part of Cedar Valley’s Christmas celebration. For them, it signaled the end of racing season so it was a bit of a last hurrah.

  She blew out a breath and he could practically see her good mood deflating. He couldn’t let that happen.

  “Sunday morning,” he said. “We’ll go first thing Sunday morning, you and me. We’ll spend as much time as you want fixin’ it up, yeah?”

  Her smile bloomed again. “Yeah. Sunday sounds perfect.” She wound her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek to his. “I love you, Blister.”

  Aw, damn. He lived for those words off her lips. Every breath counted time until the moment she’d whisper them again, because they meant that much to him.

  Dropping the spoon into the carton, he curved his hand around the nape of her neck to press her closer. “I love you too, angel.”

  He needed his words to mean as much to her. And through their mating bond, he felt the thread of relief that mirrored his. It was sort of miraculous what those three little words could do for the soul when they were spoken from the lips of the one who mattered the most.

  Tonight, Blister was that person for Annie. The one who mattered most. Both wolf and mate were content, and the quarreling inside him was blissfully silent.

  Chapter Five

  Blister was pulled from the best sleep he’d had in weeks by a sound that raised the fine hairs on the back of his neck. His wolf went on alert. He couldn’t say what the noise was or even if it was real. It could have been the wind outside or even something he’d dreamed, but his instincts told him things in his house were off.

  Annie lay in his arms, asleep and oblivious to whatever had woken him. She slept heavier now that her body needed extra energy to support her pregnancy. He moved his hand to her bulging belly and felt the tiny wiggle of his young.

  A crash from downstairs lit up his insides all red alert, red alert. Someone was in his house. In his fucking house, near his pregnant mate. Near his growing baby.

  Protect them. Keep family safe. His wolf growled softly in his throat, already strategizing the best way to eliminate the threat.

  Careful not to jostle Annie, he slid his arm out from under her and stood. He closed his eyes letting his wolf focus on the details he couldn’t pick up on his own. There was heavy breathing and the faint rapid heartbeat that didn’t belong. Footsteps, perhaps boots, one set. He breathed deep, scenting for any minute change in the air. Something to give him a hint as to what he was up against.

  Not that it much fucking mattered. The invader was probably going to die by wolf.

  Inching toward the stairs, Blister let his wolf come forward some. He could see easily in the dark and he peered down over the banister. A large figure was bent toward the ground muttering under his breath. Seeing the bastard right here in Blister’s domain, in his and Annie’s safe haven, made him blind with rage.

  Kill, his wolf seethed. Protect mine.

  He skipped the stairs, and in a quick move, he leapt over the rail, landing heavily on his feet. The intruder’s head snapped around to land on Blister’s naked form. His eyes went wide in surprise before narrowing to slits.

  “What the fuck are you doing in my house?” But he didn’t wait for the stranger’s answer. He stalked forward, swinging at the man with his closed fist.

  But he ducked just in time, and only his hair was grazed by Blister’s punch. Rearing back for another, the next one made contact, right in the center of the intruder’s stomach. This was no lightweight though. This man was muscular a
nd thick. Not as rangy as Blister. It felt like punching a fucking brick wall.

  He was human though, and no match for the animal that lived inside Blister. The one who’d die before any harm came to his mate or young.

  This asshole human had picked the wrong damn house.

  The stranger delivered a kick to Blister’s side like he was straight outta the fucking UFC. But it only riled his animal more. Wolf wanted to toy with the fool now, see what the human could do. And before he could decide exactly how to go about it, the man rammed him with all the weight of his body. The impact was like being hit with a Cadillac, but he held his ground. Then the bastard set to pummeling Blister’s face.

  As if that would even slow him down.

  Fat chance, fucker.

  Blister’s ferocious growl ripped through the darkness of the living room. It was the only warning before his wolf roared forth, powerful and snarling.

  By all accounts this should have ended the fight. The asshole should’ve taken one look at the man-turned-wolf and tucked tail and ran. At which point, Blister would have chased him down and threatened him to within an inch of his useless, retched life that if he ever saw him in Cedar Valley again, he’d end him hard and fast.

  But that wasn’t how things went at all.

  The stranger’s eyes went wide, and he took on a whole new countenance. One of determination. His shoulders straightened and his jaw pulled tight. And the wolf in Blister recognized the hot flash of anger in his eyes. It was as if Blister had encroached on his territory instead of the other way around.

  So quick, Blister barely followed him with his gaze, the man reached in his pocket and came out with a switchblade, circling the wolf menacingly.

  “You bastard,” he grit out. “I will kill you just like I did the others. I’m not the inferior one.”

  Then he lunged forward, knife swiping for Blister’s throat.

  Mother. Fuck.

  Wolf darted out of the way, looking for an opening. The second he had an inch, the guy would be under him, regretting the day he was ever born.

  Blister snarled, snapping at the man’s wrist. One click of his fangy jaws and the knife would be obsolete.

  The two of them circled each other, taking turns testing the other. The stranger had skills. He seemed to know exactly what move Blister would make and then counter it. If he bit, the man jerked back in just enough time to escape his razor teeth. If he lunged for him, the man circled and ducked. He was stealthy, moving with the grace of a patient and skilled fighter. He was no ordinary thief, and that gave Blister chills of foreboding.

  Dangerous. This man was dangerous. There’d be no chasing him away with threats. Whatever he was here for, a warning wasn’t going to deter him. He’d have to die.

  And Blister could see the way.

  He inched closer, his shoulders bunching with what he was about to do. Take a hit to get nearer to his target. It was a tactic Drake had taught him on the racetrack. A little bump for a little jump. It worked on the dirt, it’d work here.

  As expected, the stranger took the bait. As soon as Blister was within arm’s reach, the man darted forward with a quick flick of his wrist. The knife went through the thick fur on Blister’s shoulder like soft butter. So clean, he almost didn’t feel it. And he’d endured much worse so the wound didn’t handicap him like it should have.

  The tangy metal scent of blood hung thick in the air, but Blister didn’t waste a second worrying about it.

  Rearing back, he jumped so his massive front paws hit squarely on the big guy’s shoulders. And the weight of Blister’s wolf was too much. He tackled him to the floor, his back hitting the polished hard wood with a thunderous boom.

  The knife clattered on the boards and skittered away out of reach, but the man wasn’t lying down easy. Tucking his long leg over Blister’s hip, he yanked his lower half to the side, throwing him off balance. Rearing up, he smashed his head into Blister’s snout.

  Enough. Fucking enough already.

  Before he had a chance to do anymore damage, Blister clamped his jaws over the man’s thick throat.

  Finally, he stilled. But Blister could taste the sweat on his skin, the defeat and desperation. The frantic heartbeat moving his vein, with every thump potentially the last.

  Blister was shaking with rage, his teeth already piercing the human’s skin.

  Must kill. Dangerous. Protect family.

  The living room lights kicked on temporarily blinding him, and then Annie’s scream. Shit. Were there more intruders? Why hadn’t he scouted the area first before engaging this bastard?

  He’d rip a hole in this one’s throat and then take care of the others. Mate would be okay. Mate would be safe.

  Make mate safe now.

  The intruder’s constricted throat eked out a strangled, “Annie,” and Blister saw red.

  He knows mate’s name. Kill him before he gets her.

  “Blister! God, Blister wait. Don’t. Don’t hurt him, please.”

  His mate’s desperate, tear-filled voice was enough to keep him from biting down harder. But barely.

  Growling, he looked for her, never taking his mouth from the stranger’s throat. She stood several feet away. Far enough to be safe from the intruder. Her hands were splayed in front of her, and her robe had been hastily thrown on. It was gaping at the top where she’d bunched it up to fit around her protruding belly. Her forehead was creased in worry, and tears streaked her round cheeks.

  “Baby, listen to me. This is my brother. This is Aaron.”

  Aaron. Mate’s brother.

  Blister stared at her, letting the information sink in. This was not a dangerous intruder. This was Annie’s brother who’d been gone from Cedar Valley for so many years. But his wolf could hardly reconcile the beloved Aaron with the man who’d just skillfully fought him and threatened to kill him. The man felt dangerous.

  “Blister, please. Calm down and I’ll explain. Let him go,” Annie pleaded.

  Mate’s brother.

  With a snarl, he released Aaron’s neck and leaped over to Annie. She reached a shaking hand out to him, and he nudged it with his nose, feeling her panic at seeing her brother under his teeth. A strangled whimper escaped him. Sorry for scaring you, mate. I thought there was danger.

  She pulled him closer, until he could nuzzle her belly. Quickly, he shifted, letting his wolf fall away so they could talk.

  “Damn it, Annie,” he breathed, shuddering at the close call. If she’d been one second later he might’ve killed her brother. The thought of how devastated she’d have been, how hurt. Goddamn it, he’d almost hurt his mate badly, and all because her dickhead brother had decided to sneak into their house unannounced.

  Excess adrenaline coursed through his body leaving his stomach cramping at the disaster they’d narrowly averted.

  “I’m sorry. I was trying to tell you earlier that he was coming home, but then we… got distracted.”

  Pregnant brain, she called it, this forgetfulness that plagued her recently. Damn inconvenient it was. But who would’ve thought it could be potentially deadly?

  He yanked her close, still reeling from what he’d almost done. Fuck. Really, really fuck.

  Pressing his head to hers, he murmured, “I’m so fucking sorry. I didn’t know.”

  Aaron scrambled to his feet, and Blister got a better look at him in the light. He should have recognized the guy. Maybe if he hadn’t been dragged from sleep and so damn sure he was a threat he would’ve noticed the burly man had pale hair like Annie’s, but only a little sandier. Or that his eyes were an identical color of blue. Or—

  Annie pushed away from him and rounded on her brother. “What the hell are you doing sneaking in here in the middle of the night? You almost got yourself killed.”

  Aaron scowled. “Nice to see you too, sis. And last time I checked, this house belonged to me too.”

  Annie crossed her arms over her belly and arched an angry eyebrow. “The last time you checked was nine years a
go. So.”

  His scathing glare went to Blister, and starting at his face, he looked him over in disgust.

  Shit. It’d been a long time since someone had made him feel that low with a simple look. He hated that it happened to be Annie’s brother. But hell if he’d cower under another judgmental gaze. He’d stopped that when his mate came along and busted through his physical insecurities. If the most beautiful fucking female he’d ever laid eyes on didn’t think he was repulsive, then why would he trust the haughty once over of a man who’d walked out of her life so many years ago?

  Blister straightened his spine to stand taller, even though he was buck-ass naked.

  “I told you I was coming home.”

  “Yes, Aaron. You did. But that’s all you said. No when, where, or how. And also, no way for me to reach you to let you know, hey, I’m married now, with a baby on the way, so maybe don’t sneak in like a phantom and scare my mate into a murderous rage.”

  “Mate,” he scoffed, his narrowed gaze scouring Blister once again. “Bullshit. He’s a fucking monster.” Annie’s brother shook with rage. Hatred, like Blister hadn’t felt in all his life.

  “He is not! You don’t even know him.”

  “He’s a changer.”

  “A what?”

  “A changer. Part human, part… abomination,” he spat.

  “A shifter,” Annie clarified. “Part human, part animal. He’s not an abomination, but I’m starting to think you might be.”

  Blister loved his woman for defending him, but he also hated that she had to. It was something he’d been worried about in the beginning of their relationship, that she’d find herself defending her love for the monster to anyone who learned about them. He’d thought they were past that hurdle.

  Annie sighed heavily, squeezing the bridge of her nose. “Look, why don’t I just make some coffee and Blister can get some uh, pants and we can talk about all this.”

  She turned to him, her eyes pleading. For what, he wasn’t sure. But he was raw on the inside. Guilt-ridden over almost harming her brother, and battling the shame that his scornful opinion brought.