by P. Jameson
Every. Damn. Minute. Or less. She wasn’t sure anymore. Time had no meaning. Only thing she was sure of was she knew what the Virgin Mary felt like. And she couldn’t imagine doing this in a stable with cows mooing at her.
God, help. I’m a good person, please help.
A downstairs bedroom had been turned into a birthing area. But only the pack mates and Blister were there. Annie had seen a mid-wife throughout the pregnancy, but of course she couldn’t be there for the birth. Couldn’t take a chance that someone would slip and she’d learn what they were. And as an extra measure of safety, Doc Davis from the Ouachita cat clan was on call in case of an emergency.
Another contraction gripped Annie’s body, and she let out a pained groan that sounded like scraping ice off a frozen windshield.
“Shit.” Blister’s voice trembled, concern making his brow crease like one of those wrinkly puppies. “Can’t I just use my bond a little?” he pleaded to Destiny.
Punk answered for her. “No, damn it. It’ll stop the progression. All it will do is prolong the delivery.”
“No,” Annie blurted. “No, no, no. No pro…” She grunted through another squeeze. “…longing it. Please.”
“We’re getting close,” Destiny told Blister, her voice a touch calmer than Punk’s. “She’s strong. Everything is good.”
Annie reached blindly for his hand as the contraction eased away. She might have a few seconds of relief. He gripped it tight and brought a cool washrag to her forehead. She met his worried eyes and tried to look okay, but she knew it was an epic failure.
“So sorry,” he murmured. “So sorry, angel.”
She shook her head, feeling another contraction starting. “No. Our baby’s almost here. Don’t say that to me.”
“Wh-what should I say?”
A scream ripped from her throat. This one was worse than the others. Fuck. Fuck? God, she hoped that hadn’t slipped from her mouth. She’d never live it down.
“Tell her encouraging things,” Destiny coached. “Cheer her on. Now isn’t the time for regrets.”
“Encouraging. Okay. Yeah. Got it.”
The contraction faded, but this time there was no period of relief before the next one started.
“Go baby, go,” Blister blurted. “Get on it. Ride hard. You’ve got this one in the bag. No way you’re not winning this thing. The finish line’s right there, baby.”
The odd words were almost enough to make her laugh through the pain. Punk and Destiny stopped everything they were doing and just stared at him, mouth agape.
“What?” he snapped.
“This isn’t a fucking race,” Punk said, but Annie could see she was about to crack up.
“You said to cheer her on!”
Annie laughed but it came out more like a wail.
“Okay, okay.” Destiny put her hands in the air to stop them. “How about this, just hold her hand and tell her how much you love her. Think you can do that?”
“Yes, of course.”
Another contraction, and it was starting to become so constant it was numbing. Or maybe her body was just adapting to the agony.
“I love you, Annie. So damn much. God, I love you.”
“Love… you…” she breathed. “Need to stand.”
Destiny nodded. “Okay, that’s a good sign. Let’s help her up.”
The three of them propped her up in a squatting position and the pain in her back eased a notch.
“Time to push,” Destiny announced, and that sounded right. Felt right. It felt like a boulder was stuck between her legs.
Get it out, get it out.
On the next wave, Annie pushed and felt the baby squeeze into position.
“I see the head,” Punk squealed. “Blister, do you see the head? It’s your baby! Hold your hand like this, and just support it while she pushes. Wait… are you okay? Can you do this?”
Annie couldn’t see her mate. Or anything but the backs of her eyelids because they were squeezed so tight in concentration.
“Yes,” he said, his voice shredded. “I got this. I can do it.”
The next push was easier and with a rush, she felt the pressure release and exhaustion take over. It was so intense, she could barely feel her limbs to keep upright.
“Ohhhh shit,” Blister breathed. “Oh shit, shit, shit.”
“What is it?” Annie cried.
Punk helped her lie down while Blister kept uttering profanities.
“Tell me!”
Her eyes went everywhere, looking for her young. Where was he?
Finally, she found him, bloody and tiny and cradled in Blister’s giant hands. Destiny hovered over him, wiping and sucking junk from his mouth with a syringe so he could breathe.
And then he screamed. A loud, ear-blistering sound that gave Annie such relief tears flooded her eyes.
Blister stared at her, his eyes peeled so wide they must hurt. “Annie… baby, look.”
“I know,” she whispered, barely able to speak through the emotions strangling her.
“Ours,” he growled, and she nodded emphatically, finally able to get a laugh out. A happy, watery laugh.
“Congratulations.” Destiny grinned wide. “You have a healthy baby girl.”
Ever so carefully, Blister set the baby on Annie’s still puffy stomach and Punk wrapped a blanket around them while Destiny worked with the cord.
Annie stared down at the sweet little bundle, so happy and full, she didn’t know how anything could ever top this.
“Hi there, sweet girl,” she murmured, brushing the tips of her fingers over the mop of blond hair already covering her head.
Blister dropped to his knees next to the bed, inching his shaking hand closer to their young’s head. “My god,” he murmured. “She’s… she’s… perfect.” His voice broke, and Annie looked over to see a tear slide down his scarred cheek.
He kissed Annie’s head. Once, twice. And again.
“Look what we did,” he gasped.
She beamed at him. “Merry Christmas to us.”
“You were right.” His expression was so fierce, if she didn’t know him inside and out she might think he was angry. “This is the best damn Christmas present ever.”
Chapter Eleven
It was Christmas Eve and Blister was mixing the tree-sitting with his new favorite job: daddy duty. His little angelbaby was exactly twenty-four hours old, and they were getting to know each other while mommy recovered from the delivery that Blister would give his left nut to forget.
God, what his Annie had endured birthing their young…
Was it like that for all females? He thought it must be since Punk and Destiny hadn’t been afraid.
A soft cry came from the bassinet he’d pulled into the living room, and he jumped up from the couch to check his new little angel. Everly, they’d named her. Annie’s idea, and he loved it. She said it sounded like a regal shifter name, and it was unique.
Blister carefully lifted the baby from the bassinet.
So careful, and his hands were sure. He was positive he could do this now. His wolf helped by giving him a dose of instinct he didn’t know existed. For example, he knew that if he held his angelbaby tight against his chest, just under his chin, she’d settle.
And he was right. The crying stopped and the little bundle went limp. Blister paced with her in front of the tree, humming the tune of Silent Night.
When he was sure she was done, he cradled her lower so he could watch her.
Everly. She stared up at him with the biggest dark eyes, observing.
“Hey there, angelbaby. Sweet Everly. I’m your daddy.” Blister’s gruff voice made her eyes go wide. “I want to be honest with ya. I wasn’t so sure about all this at first. But having you here now feels… right.” He took a few steps, bouncing the swaddled sweet smelling thing as he went. “Now, I might make a few mistakes along the way, but your mama says if you love somebody, you keep trying. And if that person loves you back, they forgive you. And I know
I love you, so I’ll always keep trying to do good by you.”
Boy, did he love his young. The bond he felt for his daughter was nearly as powerful as the one he had with Annie.
But not quite.
It was a relief to not wonder anymore how they could fit another person into their hearts. He’d been a fool to worry about it. But then, he was new to this. He had to believe he wasn’t the only would-be father who’d been concerned.
He turned to pace another round with his daughter when his eyes caught on Annie. She was propped against the doorway of her temporary room, staring at them with so much love, her eyes were practically laser-beaming it across the room.
“Hi, baby,” he whispered. Everly’s eyes were drifting closed and he didn’t want to keep her awake.
Annie padded forward. He’d healed her with their mating bond, but she still needed lots of rest. Growing a baby was hard work according to Destiny, and Blister was pretty sure that was right.
“I heard you singing.” Her voice was soft and reverent and her eyes never left the baby in his arms.
“You were right. She likes to hear it.”
Annie smiled. “She’s asleep. Can I hold her?”
Blister nodded and gently transferred his precious cargo to her mother. Everly’s eyes peeked open once and then closed, as if checking her surroundings and then finding them acceptable.
Blister helped Annie get comfortable on the couch and then settled in next to her to watch their young sleep. It was peaceful. This must have been what the writer felt when he penned that Christmas carol Blister had just hummed to Everly.
Silent night. Holy night. All is calm, all is bright.
It said exactly everything he was feeling in this one special moment in time. Every Christmas he’d sing it, and remember when the world gave him Everly, and his life was complete. It would forever be the song of his heart.
Annie rested her head on his shoulder and let out a happy sigh. “No Christmas will ever top this one. You know that, right?”
Blister chuckled. “Pretty darn sure about that, mate.”
“Thank you for giving me your young, Blister.”
He kissed the top of her head, letting his lips linger while he waited to be sure his voice would be steady. “Thank you for giving me everything.” Her love, her body, her hopes and dreams, her failures and needs, her past, her present. And now… her future, through the eyes of a little blond haired angel that he’d never expected to love so much.
His heart was never his. It was forever and completely theirs.
And always would be.
“You gonna sleep out here every Christmas?” Annie asked, eyeing the twinkling tree.
“Probably.”
“I don’t like it.”
“It’s safer this way.”
She was silent for several breaths. “You know,” she mused. “We could just… unplug it while we sleep.”
Blister went still. To be honest, he hadn’t thought of that. But hell if he’d admit it.
“It’s still dangerous,” he huffed. “It’s a dry, dead tree. Inside our house. And you like to light those candles and shit. All it takes is one flame.”
Annie gave him a humoring look. “I don’t light candles when we’re sleeping.”
“Still,” he said stubbornly.
“An artificial tree then?”
He shook his head. “No better. Those can short out. Cause an electrical fire.”
She frowned, a small crease forming in between her eyebrows. “I don’t think that’s true.”
“Google it.”
She let out a small laugh. “Last time someone told me that, I found out the name for these things.” She lifted one swollen foot, wiggled her toes, and then sighed. “We’ll climb this mountain, mate. I’ll get you back in bed and have my Christmas tree. You’ll see.”
Blister crooked his eyebrow. “Sounds like a challenge.”
Annie’s grin widened her sweet cheeks. “You might be used to winning on the track, but I’m really good at winning when it comes to you.”
Blister pressed his lips together to hide his smile. Tempty little mate. Her confidence turned him on. He’d helped give her that too, and when she showed it, it melted his resolve like butter on a hot plate.
“We’ll see, angel,” he murmured, pressing her head to his shoulder. “We’ll see.”
***
Drake’s home was located on the property owned by the Dirt Track Dogs. It was where they usually met for holiday dinners since he had a dining table large enough for the Last Supper.
Annie sat on the plush leather couch, cradling Everly close as Gracie and Artie ripped into their presents. The smiles on their innocent faces made hers grow even bigger, and she looked around the room to see the same happiness echoed in the expressions of her family.
Drake and Ella, as they helped Manny tear into his first Christmas present ever.
Beast and Punk, as they watched Artie try to keep up with Gracie.
Surge and Tana, looking satisfied that their little one was winning the present opening race.
Diz and Destiny, piled up with their tiny tots who were still too young to know what Christmas even was.
And Blister, standing at the edge of the room looking on, with the most content expression she’d ever seen him wear.
There was only one person missing.
She sighed, looking at the door as if her brother might walk through any second. She knew Drake had invited him. Things had been going so well between Aaron and the dogs. And to be honest, she’d expected to hear from him today of all days. It was Christmas after all. The first one he’d been around for in years.
When all the beautifully wrapped gifts had been transformed into a pile of shredded paper and the night was growing late, it was time to go. A round of hugs and Merry Christmases later, and she and Blister were driving toward home.
“He didn’t come.” Her voice was quiet in the silence of the car.
“No. He didn’t.”
“I thought he would. Don’t know why he’d rather spend Christmas alone when he has a family right here.”
Blister was silent as they drove through Cedar Valley. In a smooth move, he guided Annie’s car around the bend that would take them to their street.
“Your brother is battling demons,” he said finally. “We have no idea what he’s been through, but whatever it is, he needs time.”
“Time. Yeah, I guess. I’d hoped nine years would be enough time.”
Blister put his hand on her thigh and squeezed. “Sometimes a lifetime isn’t enough, Annie.”
She sighed, knowing he was right. If her brother still had issues to work through, she’d be patient. Because she loved him, and she knew in her heart one day he’d be back for good.
Blister parked the car and helped Annie out. Most of her soreness was gone thanks to being mated to a shifter, but she was still regaining her strength. He carried the car seat holding their young while Annie grabbed the bags from the trunk.
Climbing the porch, she saw an envelope sticking out from the crack of the door and her chest went cold. Annie, it said on the front.
Blister pulled it loose and handed it to her. “Let’s get inside first. It’s too cold out here for you.”
She followed him in, the envelope burning her fingers in warning. Sinking down on the couch while Blister settled Everly, she ripped into the letter like it was another Christmas present. Or maybe an anti-present since she was pretty darn sure she didn’t want whatever was inside.
Dear Annie,
By the time you read this, I will be gone. Hmm. Doesn’t every sad letter start that way? But this one isn’t going to be sad. Not really. Not when it’s all said and done.
I came home for one reason, and one reason only. To kill your pack. I’m a shifter hunter, Annie. A vigilante. I won’t go into all the reasons why or how I became one, because right now, none of that matters. What matters is, I’ve had a change of heart. In the words of a
tiny bobcat shifter, you and your ragtag pack have “un-Scrooged” me. Before coming back to Cedar Valley, I only knew one kind of changer. The evil kind. Monsters, like I said about your mate. But he’s no monster and neither are the other Dirt Track Dogs. They’re kind and they’ve made you happy and that’s more than a brother could ever ask for.
I thought I was coming home to protect you from the enemy, when really you protected me from myself. And now I’m leaving. But it’s only for a while this time. I promise. I’ve got some shit to take care of. Some loose ends to tie up. And then I’m coming home for good. So this isn’t goodbye. I still haven’t met my niece after all. It’s Merry Christmas, and tell Blister not to eat me if I show up in the middle of the night again.
I love you sis,
Aaron
Annie’s hands shook as she read the letter again, Blister hovering over her shoulder. She glanced up to see him frowning.
“A hunter?” she asked, her voice wobbly.
“We need to tell Drake.”
Annie nodded. “I didn’t know there were hunters.”
“I didn’t either. It sounds like your brother has been in more trouble than we realized. Demons, you see. They come in all shapes and sizes.”
In this light, Annie was more thankful than ever for her fun-loving Dirt Track family. And more scared than ever for her brother. But the hopeful tone of his letter eased her fears a touch, and nine years of trusting him to keep himself safe kicked in.
“He’s tough shit, Annie,” Blister murmured, as if he could hear her thoughts. “He’ll figure this out.”
She nodded. “Yeah. And he’s coming back. He said he was. All we have to do is be patient.”
“And you’re very, very good at being patient.”
She sat back on the couch, staring at the pretty Christmas tree. “We un-Scrooged him. I guess that’s what Christmas is all about, huh? Reaching out to someone who’s hurting and helping them see things in a different light.”
Blister sat next to her, Everly tucked in his arms. “Yeah,” he said, staring down at her. “I think it is.”
