Pride Before the Fall (11 page)

"You act surprised."

"I am. Pleasantly." Vivian smiled like she'd just had an epiphany.

"I've missed you too, kitty cat." Inhaling a deep breath of fresh air to help clear his mind, Kasey greeted each member of the Pride before turning to lead them to his immediate family. "Vivian, I would like for you to meet my sister Bianca and her mate, the bone head, Sampson."

Bianca took Vivian's hand and pulled her into a hug. The familiar embrace threw Vivian off guard for a second. "I'm so glad we finally meet! Talking to you on the phone is one thing, but to have you here now, and to see your family." A tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm sorry. I'm just so glad Kasey has found you!"

Feeling overwhelmed by the woman's attention, she pulled up a shield. "Bianca, I'd like for you to meet my baby sister—"

"Melissa!" Bianca embraced her as her own. Melissa, who wasn't used to such open affection outside her family, returned the hug with stiff arms. She quickly returned to Ty's safety.

Kasey locked his fingers with Vivian's once all the introductions were made and hands were shaken. Something about having her here, on his lands, in his den made him fiercely protective and proud. It didn't help that she looked so damn sexy. God, she was going to start a riot.

Amilynn already had admirers. It seemed Sampson's young boys were taken with the unmated female. Too bad they were about a decade too late. It was Z that Kasey kept his eyes on; he was studying over Amilynn and Conall, assessing the situation.
Interesting.

"I thought that we could start the day off with a tour of the house, let you guys see your rooms, get familiar with the place. Usually this house is teeming with people, but I've asked for privacy so we aren't tripping over them," Kasey explained while leading the group into the side foyer. Vivian was holding his hand and arm like she needed him to hold her up.

Never before had Kasey really cared enough about this house. It was a set of walls to him, nothing more than a place to rest his head, entertain and shelter his Pack members, and eat. Bianca had put her heart and soul into the decorations, the furniture, and the warmth of making it a home. Today he was grateful for all of her efforts. The moment he looked at Vivian's face as she took in the simple elegance of his home, there was a rush of pride. He never would have guessed that when his Pack built this house twenty years ago or when they had updated and renovated and added on throughout the last two decades, that one day he would be standing here with his mate, happy that he could give her such luxury.

"I love the floors." Vivian flashed a sexy smile just for him. "Great for claws. The slate doesn't shred as easily as carpet."

"This place is designed so that no matter what animal or form you want to be, you can be comfortable." Bianca took over some of the tour duties.

* * * * *

Vivian was in an odd state of shock. The Pride lands in Nevada were out in the middle of the desert because that was the only large plot of land that they could purchase. The homes were prefabricated and while they had to be well kept or the families would be punished, they were nothing this extravagant. Vivian was intimidated by the luxurious home and that was a feeling she did not deal well with.

It blew her mind that Kasey's Pack all lived in nice houses, drove respectable cars, and he lived in house that belonged to the whole Pack, not just him. It made her respect him more. She looked around and noticed that Bianca was correct; this house was made for two or four legged animals. All the decorations were higher up on the walls so that no tails accidentally knocked over a vase or picture frame. The foyer was furnished with a sturdy table bolted to the floor.

Bianca continued her tour. "To your right and left are the entrances to the garages. These closets lining the hall are for the people living in this household. There is a free closet for your things. Boots, camping gear, sports equipment or whatever you need to keep near your car. We have a fifteen-passenger van and an SUV, Sampson's truck, my Minivan, Kasey's car and one open stall for your vehicle. If you have another car, it can be kept in the garage behind the pool house. But our cars," she motioned to herself and her family, "are always open for Pack use. If someone needs a car and we can let them borrow it, we try to accommodate. I understand if you don't want people using your suburban and we will respect that."

"It's all we have, so it gets used a lot. It might never stay in that stall for too long—unless I'm working on it again." Conall rolled his eyes.

"You all five share one car?" Nate asked with disgust. "What happens if two people want to go two different places?" Sampson hit his son on the back of the head as a reminder to mind his manners.

Vivian smiled.

"We make do, my man," Conall shrugged. "We've learned to be considerate of the other people in our house so that one person doesn't leave another without a ride, you know?"

"A very wise thing indeed," Sampson commended them. "You an engine man?"

"That's his super power," Amilynn informed, giving Conall an affectionate nudge. "If it's got an engine, this lug will tinker with it."

"Oh no!" Bianca shook her head, "Not another one! I don't know if this house will survive all the men and their toys." The short jolly woman laughed, making her curly hair bounce. Vivian noticed she had the same happy expressions as her brother.

"Don't worry, Bianca," Melissa grinned. "The three of us gals have lots of our own toys. We should even things out a bit."

"Thank God! It's been rough being the only woman to corral these males."

Kasey separated Melissa and Bianca. "You two together are going to cause trouble. I can see that already." The women laughed.

Bianca shocked Melissa by taking her hand. "Go away, Kasey. Come on, why don't I show you and Tyrone to the suite that we've set aside for you? I just know you're going to love it. It's across the house from our family wing, but we'll be on the same floor."

"We really should have thought this out better," Kasey joked to Vivian. He was glad that his sister didn't show the slight fear she had of Ty. Not that he blamed her; the man was scary.

It was only then that they noticed Sampson and Conall had slipped off into the garage. Kasey made the boys' day. "Tom, Nate, Z, why don't you take Amilynn and show her to her room and then to the gym? Vivian and I will meet up with you there. I'm going to show her our suite."

"Cool!"

"Come on, Amilynn!"

The eldest boy was silent, but Vivian smelled the faintest hint of arousal coming off him. Isn't that something, she thought, the boy who isn't happy with the cat invasion is crushing on Ami.

Amilynn shot Vivian an all-knowing look and telepathed to her, a talent Ami had in human or leopard form.
If you come back smelling of sex while I'm trying not to kill his nephews, I'm going to be pissed.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Vivian almost laughed out loud before she caught herself. Amilynn slyly grinned and walked with the over-enthusiastic teenagers down the hall to the first suite. Kasey reached out and touched Ezekiel's shoulder, sending him a message of his own. The man, eye level with Kasey, pursed his lips and nodded slightly.

"Will Amilynn be okay?" Vivian wasn't too sure about the brooding, brawny young man who was now alone with her Pride-mate.

Kasey smiled. "It's not Amilynn I'm worried about. If Z started anything, it would be him getting his ass handed to him on a silver platter. I simply reminded him that she is a guest in our home and I'd kill him if he touched her." He said the words so easily it took Vivian a moment to realize he was joking. She was nervous as hell and he was cracking jokes. Typical.

"Right." She nodded, but couldn't help looking in the direction Ami had walked. Kasey took her hand and led her to the main part of the house. It was incredible. This home was used to entertaining many people at once. The first area they came to was a kitchen decked to the max with commercial appliances. There were multiple tables and booths for dining. Off to one side was a living area with a big screen television and fireplace. As she kept walking, Vivian discovered the whole place was packed with areas for people to sit and visit or eat. The elegant dining room was painted red and boasted a large heavy wooden table and sixteen chairs around it. Kasey led her through another open living area that overlooked the back patio and pool. To the right was a round staircase that reminded her of a fairytale castle turret.

"That leads downstairs to the second lower level and the basement. Over here is the office. As you can see, Bianca decorated this to suit her taste. I have to leave my man card at the door just to enter it." He opened the doors to the octagon-shaped office. The walls were a bright, cheerful pink and all the built-in shelves and cabinets around the back four walls were black. There were pictures, books, knickknacks and lighting to spotlight it all. In the middle of the room was a simple black wooden desk with a zebra print desk chair. In front of the desk were two more matching zebra print chairs. It was cute and had a great view of the back patio. "Bianca has made sure that there is plenty of room for your things in here too."

"She didn't have to do that—"

"Hush, kitty cat." He used his lips to stop her protest. "It was Bianca's idea to share the office. She doesn't use it that often and hates to see it go to waste. The juveniles are not allowed in here, so your things will be safe."

"Thank you." Vivian kissed him again, not knowing how else to show her appreciation. The lovey-dovey, petting, and touching was still new and fragile in her mind.

"Anything for you, baby. Come on, our room is back here." He opened double doors that led to a hallway with two doors on one side and one on the other. "To the right are the closets, you can see those in a minute." He opened the door to his left. "This passage leads to the office." Kasey stepped into the closet and thumped a wall at the back. "Behind there is a safe room. When you and the Pride move in, I want to key in all your prints to the safe room so that, in case of an emergency, you can get in and out. It's really for the pups. If the compound is ever attacked, the kids are trained to come to the safe house and lock themselves in. It's stocked to supply fifty people for a month."

"Wow. That's incredible."

"Our pups are the future of the Pack. Nothing is more sacred."

Not wanting to dredge up her own personal fears about being a mother, Vivian walked on down the hall to the master bedroom. It was something out of the pages of a magazine. The tall walls were almost the same shade of blue-gray as Kasey's eyes. A fireplace with gray slate faced a masculine king-sized bed covered in black linens. It was just as cool, inviting, and intimate as Kasey. In the corner sat one lone chair. It was obvious he spent a lot of time in it, staring at the fire. But it looked lonely. And it was that chair that made Vivian realize how this man had lived his life just as she had: alone in a sea of people.

"If, ah, if you don't dig the colors or the bedding or anything, we can change it. Up until now it's been a bachelor pad, you know?"

The vulnerability in his voice made Vivian melt right into the carpet. Need for her approval was all over his face. She walked over and put her arms around his neck.

"It's perfect. It reminds me of you." She kissed him softly. Kasey gripped her hips and the temperature in the room heated up. A gust of need hit her hard. Her gentle kiss turned into a passionate embrace when Kasey wrapped his hands around her bottom and squeezed.

"Have I told you how damn sexy you look in that skirt?" His lips moved to her neck.

"You should see how sexy I look out of it." Vivian's hands raked through his hair, holding his head to her chest as he lowered his lips down to the vee of her shirt. Kasey growled at the thought. She giggled, remembering what Amilynn had threatened.

"What is it?" Kasey took her mouth before she could answer. His hand moved to the hem of the skirt and under to the flesh of her thigh.

"Amilynn threatened me about having a quickie with you while leaving her to the teenagers."

Kasey laughed. "I wouldn't want to disappoint her."

"As much as I would like to torture Amilynn..." Knowing the anticipation would make it better later, Vivian stepped back and pushed down her skirt. "You're not done with your tour. Don't you know a girl is all about the bathroom?"

Kasey grinned and took her hand. "This way, my kitty cat." He opened a door and Vivian poked her head in. It was a spacious and luxurious bathroom with a tub large enough for them both. Perfect. He took her to the next door. It was a nice sized walk-in full of his clothes. "I thought you said you cleaned out half your closet?" she goaded.

"This is only half the closet space. Your closet or whatever you want it to be is over here." He opened another door into another huge room with floor-to-ceiling cabinets and hanging spaces. The corner had a window seat and a view over the lake that she could stare at all day. She was speechless.

"Now, I know that this is a rather touchy subject with you, but hear me out, baby." Kasey came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, put his lips to her ear, "I know that a woman with your magical capabilities doesn't really need a closet like this, but I thought that one day you might like to make it another bedroom... a nursery."

The mention of children had Vivian holding her breath. She went still in his arms.

"Don't freeze up on me, kitty cat. I don't mean any time soon. It's just a thought. No rush, just wanted to let you know it was an option." Kasey spoke slowly as if he were trying not to spook her.

Vivian had pushed the idea of cubs so far out of her mind it seemed only a memory of a dream or a scene in a book she once read. But, not her reality. Could she give Kasey children? Was she ready to take on the responsibilities of a mother? God help her, she didn't know if she could. Especially with Trace existing.

She blocked out her fears so it didn't ruin the moment. She simply turned in his arms and hugged him close. "Do you have any idea how thankful I am to have you in my life?"