bakery always made him feel welcome and Kee would appreciate the treat. He didn’t have to tell Kee about his humiliation when he got home – someone had already called his mate and told him. At least Kee got a good laugh out of it too.
But it was the nights that were the worst. Because Kee was so big, Doc had told him he could not shift, so the only way Kee could sleep was on his back, propped up with pillows which was not a position Kee was used to. Usually he slept on his belly, his head on Dian’s chest, his legs sprawled out across the bed. Dian had been used to that too, but now he lay on the edge of the bed, holding Kee’s hand, trying not to jolt him when his mate was so uncomfortable. Kee tried not to keep him awake, but apparently one of the little ones was pressing down on his bladder, and he couldn’t get out of bed on his own.
Which was why, when Dian heard the sound of glass breaking in the middle of the night the Saturday before the impending birth, he was out of bed like a shot, his shift already on him. “That bloody Eagle,” he growled as he soothed Kee back onto his pillows. “I bet the damn fool’s drunk again and can’t find his keys. Stay here. I’ll get him to clean up his damn mess and give him a piece of my mind while I’m at it.”
“Don’t be too harsh on him,” Kee murmured, his eyes already closed again. “He doesn’t know about the little ones yet.”
That’s no fucking excuse. Dian flexed his wings as he made his way down the hallway, staying silent. Interfering with my poor mate’s sleep. Kee’s got bags under his eyes as deep as suitcases. I’ll make sure I give that bird a fucking good fright, so he treats this place with a bit more respect.
But as Dian reached the top of the stairs and looked down, it was not Eagle’s face making his way up the stairs. The face was pale, thin, washed out, surrounded by long dark hair. Dian heard a loud hiss, and the man’s fangs popped out. Vampire!
Dian roared, his wings flaring as he charged down the stairs. Vampires moved quickly, but either this particular vamp was very young, or he hadn’t fed in a while. He tripped over the rug at the bottom of the stairs, and Dian was on him before he had a chance to get up.
“What the fuck are you doing in my house?” Dian growled, grabbing the vamp around the throat and dragging him to his feet.
“Your house?” Dark eyes flashed red as the vampire looked Dian up and down. “Since when did a gothic reject own a modern house?”
“None of your fucking business.” Dian pressed his face close to the vampire and snarled, showing his huge fangs. “What are you doing here?”
“The foxy pixie,” the vampire snarled. “I’ve chased that cock-teasing slut across three states, and it’s taken me months before I could sneak into this fur-ridden town. He’s in this house. I can smell him. Gods, he always smells so fucking good. Give him to me, and I’ll get out of your hair.”
“You clearly didn’t get the memo about my fated mate!” Letting go of the vampire’s neck, Dian caught him again before he hit the ground, swinging him by his ankles so that his head smacked into the hallway wall.
“Kee is not a slut.” Smash – the vampire’s head went through the wall. Dian pulled him back out again.
“He’s my fated mate.” Smash – double holes in the wall. Dian didn’t care.
“He doesn’t want you.” Dian was making a point.
“He never wanted you.” Okay, a few points. Dian had a feeling the vampire wasn’t particularly clever.
“He’s mine!” Dian swung extra hard and let go that time, sending the vampire’s whole body into the wall. Gib and plaster fell, and a wooden beam cracked. “You do not touch him,” he sneered at the half-conscious intruder. “He never encouraged you, he never flirted with you. He was a man doing his job making deliveries for vamps like you who needed the services. He doesn’t even know your name!”
There was a loud banging on the front door.
“WHAT THE FUCK NOW!” Two steps, Dian had the door open ready to eviscerate the people on the other side.
It was Rocky, Mal and Cam. “Heard you had an intruder.” Rocky smirked. “Anything we