"Hot damn woman. You know, if you don't knock that shit off, we gonna get caught with our pants down... literally."

She slowly turned her head to face me, a picture perfect look of incredibility on her face. Her mouth went lax and she blinked before she cocked her head to the side. Her voice was slow and a little confused, "I'm putting on my boots." I cocked a brow at her and she blinked again before she squeaked, shooting to a standing position and whirling around, covering her glorious ass with her little hands. "Peter, you fucking pervert!"

I crossed my arms and smirked at her, "tell me how I'm the pervert when you're the one that bent over like that in a skirt that hardly covers you standing."

"You're the one that said it was too long when I bought it and tore the fuck out of it."

I was still waiting for her to explain how that shit made me anything besides a man. The girl had a spectacular ass, of which I was extremely fond of, and wanting to see it didn't make me a pervert, it made me a male vampire.

Instead of explaining that to her, again, I simply shook my head and crooked a finger at her as I picked up a hairbrush and ponytail holder. She was getting better at getting dressed but she still snapped the rubber band every single time. After putting her hair up, I ran my fingers through mine, deciding to put it up as well. Shit gets in my eyes and I like my hair to much to ever consider cutting it off. Yeah, it'll grow back in like fifty years but that was beside the point. I keep flesh out of my teeth and my nails filed, that was just about the extent of my personal hygiene.

After I finished helping Izzy get dressed, we left our room and headed to the kitchen. I needed to feed my girl but with the sun still up for a few more hours, and not having that much time until the fun started, I figured that she could just deal with a few bags and I would take care of the need to hunt later.

After digging around in the 'fridge for a few minutes, I slid the glass across the counter to her and leaned against it as she took a drink, smirking a little as she wrinkled her nose a bit. She smacked her lips a few times, running her tongue across the roof of her mouth to get the taste off it before she looked at me, "what the fuck is this?"

"A bloody Mary."

She snorted a little, "oh Jesus."

I winked at her and pushed off the counter and made to hunt down Jasper, "drunk up, Sugar. Blood and vodka does a vampire body good. I gotta go talk to Jasper right quick, then we need to have a little sit down with the pound puppies."

She looked at me over the brim of the glass a second, swallowing the drink before giving me a serious look, "can we do it outside? They fucking stink and it will take literally forever to get the smell out of here."

I smirked a little, "it will snow in hell before the dogs come in this house. I plan on just burning the guest house after they leave."

She raised her glass with a nod of approval and I left her to eat and headed off to the downstairs west wing where Jasper and Garrett claimed as theirs for the stay and knocked on Jasper's door. Without waiting for him to give permission to enter, I went on in and blinked a little at the sight, cocking my head a little as it registered just what I was seeing.

Leaning on the door frame, I smirked, "Little distracted there, you two?"

Jasper froze and his head whipped around while the chick he was with turned her face away from the door, like if I couldn't see her face, I wouldn't know who it was. The fact that I took an empath off guard was enough to tell me it had been just a LITTLE too long since Jasper had gotten laid.

Running my thumb nail across my eyebrow, I chuckled and pointed at Jasper, "Demetri is going to kick your ass. However, for now, we have bigger issues that you fucking someone else's girl. Get some pants on and meet me by the pool." As I turned to leave the two, I glanced over my shoulder again, "Heidi, be a doll and keep Izzy company for a few minutes. She's in the kitchen."

Ten minutes later, I tossed a beer over my shoulder as Jasper walked up behind me. I heard him catch it and pop the top as I took another hit off my cigarette.

"When did you start smoking again?"

I shrugged, "Mexico. It also has the added benefit of masking the stench of dog coming from the guest house. Plus, Iz doesn't seem to mind so, whatever's whatever. Not like it's gonna kill me." I turned around and leaned back against the railing and cocked a brow at him, "really?"

He glared at me, "the choices were limited and the lust and shit right above my head was little much." I snickered and he took a drink of his beer before crossing his arms, "so what's up?"

I nodded behind me, "hurricane is making landfall, that's what up."

He looked out behind me and cocked his head to the side, "how long?"

"An hour, maybe less. I'll give credit where it's due; they got some balls. And they have numbers."

Looking back at me, he cocked a brow, "odds?"

Taking a long drink of my beer, I shrugged, "four to one or so. We got two choices at the moment. We can let them make it all the way here and have home field advantage or we can meet them head on in a valley about a twenty minute run from here. If we let them come here, my house gets fucked up. If we meet them there, we run the risk of humans hearing shit they shouldn't."

Jasper gave me a look that told me he knew why I was having a really hard time coming to grips with this house falling to a vampire war. It was the very first one that I ever built and I was a little attached to it. However, the perks of this being my own territory, I knew every square inch of it giving us an edge against the coming bullshit.

Heaving a sigh, I glared over my shoulder a little. There wasn't really a choice to be made here. In the valley there is a nature trail that humans were very fond of and I can always rebuild my house.

"So, Captain; how we gonna play this?"

Finishing my beer and crushing the can in my hand, I looked at him through my lashes, "cat and mouse?"

Jasper smirked a little and finished his beer as well, tossing the empty can into the trash bin, "here kitty, kitty."

*X*

Kicking in the front door to the guest house, I whistled high and loud, smirking at the following crashes throughout the house. I never was one to let a sleeping dog lie.

"Rise and shine, Pups. It's adoption day and there's a lot of perspective owners acomin'."

The first one to make an appearance was the alpha and he looked a little irritated with me. The others followed in quick order, the last one being the one I really wanted to see go home with Satan; Jacob.

Rolling my eyes, I jerked my head, "take a dip in the pool out back and wake the fuck up. Debriefing in ten minutes."

I turned on my heel and left them to do whatever it is that semi-humans do when they get the shit scared out of them when woken up and headed back to the main house.

The dogs joined us promptly ten minutes later, everyone soaking fucking wet and smelling to high fucking heaven. Izzy was the only one that didn't care enough to not be rude; she gagged out loud before covering her nose and sneezing out a hard puff of air from her lungs before cutting off her breathing altogether.

Paul, I think, gave her a hard look, "you smell too, Leach."

She didn't even look the slightest bit bothered by the name, just cocked a brow, "We smell like candy and cleaning products. You smell like a wet dog that rolled in vomit before going dumpster diving. Tell the fucking truth, which is worse?"

He went to open his mouth but paused a minute before closing it again. When you have your stench listed out like that, it takes away any argument over who smells worse apparently. He just crossed his arms and leaned against the side of the house and said nothing else to her.

Sighing and shaking my head, I turned to the mutts, "I need two volunteers."

The alpha cocked a brow at me, "for what?"

I shook my head, "top secret. Only the bravest ones need apply."

"I will not allow you to endanger anyone in my pack."

I snorted and cocked a brow at him, "news flash, dipshit. You did that by bringing them here and the others already know of your presence. You either do this shit my way, or you die. Which one is it going to be? Are you ready to knock on doors and tell the parents of the little ones here that you ignored your role as protector and allowed the kidlets to die all because you didn't listen to someone that knows just a little more about vampires than you do? I have been one for a long ass time, I know how we work, what makes us tick. You have been a doggie for what, seven years or so and only really had any dealing with a coven of rejects and a couple of nomads. This isn't a game, this is real and if you don't learn to heel a little, you're gonna get hurt."

He glared at me a little, "that's not the point..."

I cut him off, "that is the exact point. And I have no problem beating that into your skull with a rolled up newspaper. Now, are you gonna be a good boy and heel or are we gonna have a training session?" When he said nothing else, I looked at the rest on them, "Now, about those volunteers?"

The mutts looked at each other for a minute before Paul and another one raised his hand. I wasn't not even slightly surprised that Paul raised his hand but the other one was a little shocking.

I cocked my head to the side, "and you are?"

"Jared."

I nodded, "Alright then. You two sure you wanna do this?" When they both nodded, I held out a hand to my mate and when she took it, I pulled her to stand in front of me, "Then listen up really good now cause I am only gonna explain this once."

IPOV

I looked up at Peter, leaning into his palm as he cupped my cheek, "you be careful, Sugar, and follow your instincts."

I nodded at him and smiled, "This is gonna be so much fun."

He snorted and kissed my forehead. Pulling back with a smirk, "g'on now. I'll see ya soon."

I smiled at him again as I pulled away and, just because it was funny, I tapped my calf and whistled, "come on guys, let's go."

The looks in their eyes made me giggle, but they got up and after shaking out their fur, took off after me as I tore off in the direction of the brewing storm. The orders were simple enough; get them to follow us to where we wanted them. In all accounts, this was probably the easiest thing I have had to do to date. The vampires wanted me either dead or on their side and in order to make that happen, they would have to give chase and catch me. That was what the wolves were for, added protection against capture.

Personally, other than the smell, the dogs weren't really all that bad. The one that called me a whore aside of course; he really sucked, but Paul seemed pretty cool to me. I like the no bullshit attitude and he certainly had that shit in spades.

I lept over logs and swung from branches as the silver and brown wolves bobbed and weaved like they were made of water and not flesh and bone as they navigated the thick forest that we were running through. Cutting a hard right, I base slid under the fallen tree as the wolves used it as a springboard, landing in front of me and taking the lead for a minute before I launched myself over them, flipping in the air and once again leading the way to where we were going.

It was about a half hour run and the doggies were tiring out a bit. They would have a chance to rest for a few minutes as long as we made it to a certain point before the opposing forces. If we didn't, well, things could get a little hairy, easily dealt with, but a little hairy nonetheless.

When we reached the point of no return, I began to slow a little, not wanting them to hear us just yet. A little recon was needed before I fucked up their day.

Holding up my hand, I had the wolves back off a bit as I continued to the edge of the cliff. Leaping up into a tree to use the leaves as added coverage, I went as far out as I dared before crouching down and looking into canyon, eyes narrowing as I took in the forces coming our way. Well, would you look at that. Aro is gonna be pissed.

Smirking a little, I strained my hearing a bit so I could hear what was being said, barely swallowing the bark of laughter when I heard them arguing about which way to go. Seems they only knew the general area of Peter's compound, not its exact location.

Fucking morons.

Standing up on the branch I was on when I figured out the reason for this little mission, I backed off the branch and dropped to the ground, landing lightly and noiselessly. Slipping back to where the wolves could see me, I silently asked if they were ready to go. Once they were one their feet and crouched down, I nodded and went back to the cliff's edge.

Bringing both pinkies to my lips and curling my tongue behind my teeth, I blew a loud and high pitched whistle, wiggling my fingers a little at them when every set of eyes looked to the sound. "Run, run, run as fast as you can. Can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man."

Blowing them all a kiss before giving the Cullens the finger, I twisted on my toes and darted towards the wolves, "let's go boys. Time for the real fun to start." I think they laughed, or chuckled, or something, not really sure but I knew they were going to enjoy this. As we got back into the forest, I took to the trees and called down to them, "Remember, we have to get back before you get to kill anyone." I heard a distinct whine that I knew was a sad noise so I sighed, "Fine, ya big baby. Feel free to maim but we don't have the extra time for the kill, got it?"

There was an answering happy sounding yip and I rolled my eyes; dogs.

PPOV

While my mate was playing with the little bitches, Jasper and I were working with the other doggies on how to properly deal with a vampire. They were quick enough studies for us to feel alright when the tingles hit my neck and Jasper turned to the forest where my mate and the two dogs were going to be coming out of.

I cocked a brow when I heard her laughter bounce off the trees and the sounds of howls and barks. I glanced at Jasper when the sounds of tearing vampire flesh reached our ears before my mate called out, "Catch!"

Out of nowhere, a head comes flying out of the trees right before the silver wolf broke the tree line, leaping into the air and catching the flying body part in his mouth, my mate's giggles following right after with a 'good boy, Fido."

When Izzy and the brown wolf broke the line, I blinked at them. They had dirt and sticks and leaves stuck in their hair. Izzy was absolutely filthy but her face was elated and eyes bright.

She looked at me and her face lit the rest of the way up before she took the arm that was in her hand and threw it over hand with another fetch command, this time the brown wolf taking off after it and catching it mid air as my mate ran over to, then past me, saying, "You're up slugger." Before turning and whistling to the wolves that she had apparently decided she wanted as pets.

Mother fucker.

I glanced over my shoulder as she led the bastards into the main house followed shortly thereafter by glass shattering and a screech of, 'sweet Jesus. Cover yourselves for Christ's sake."

The fuck?

Giving my head a shake, I turned back to the tree line where I could now sense the stupid bastards that apparently thought they had a chance in hell.

Well kiddies, let the games begin.