Pride Before the Fall

by JoAnna Grace

  Amilynn turned towards him and their eyes met. Sexy freaking cat didn't miss a beat as she locked her gaze on him. Her hips rolled and she shoved one hand in her hair, the hand skimming down her neck and over her breast. The smug look she gave him made it clear she knew exactly what her body was doing to him.

  She is messing with your head, nephew mine. Kasey's voice in his head snapped him out of what would have been a dangerous frame of mind. Pick a pretty girl, focus on her and don't let Ami know she's getting to you. There was laughter in his voice. That little minx is playing you and she knows it.

  She's about to find herself at the mercy of my wolf in a minute.

  Kasey's all knowing laughter rumbled in his head and the two men met gazes. He nodded and shrugged. She's playing games, Z. Let her know she has an opponent.

  Ezekiel nodded and didn't look at Ami again for the rest of the song. It was hard as hell, but he kept his focus on someone else. A cute brunette was standing by the edge of their makeshift stage and she kept eyeing him as she moved to the music. He knew her—Julie or Janie, something like that. She wasn't near the woman Amilynn was and the term 'lacking in rhythm' was putting it mildly. But she was a distraction in a tight mini skirt. He didn't go for brunettes really, but she would do.

  * * * * *

  When the music ended and Vivian looked over at Kasey his eyes were alight with pride—and lust. Such a male—shake your ass and they get all riled up.

  You bet, baby. You can shake your ass at me any day of the week. Kasey laughed in her head. By the way, you really need to control Ami. Ezekiel is about to combust.

  There might have been laughter in his voice, but the threat was real. Males who claim their mates and get rejected can turn volatile quick. Vivian tried to be polite to all the people wanting to praise her while keeping an eye on her Pride.

  People find you approachable. They're bonding.

  Yes, I'm sure Alias would love me infecting all the local girls with my temptress ways.

  Not funny. The look on his face let her know she had stirred up his anger again. She would have to watch her smartass comments.

  "Hey, Vivian?" the bandleader asked. He was a cute guy with blond hair that hung over his eyes. "You ladies sing, right?"

  Now they were talking Vivian's language.

  "Yeah, she sings, we just hum." Amilynn laughed.

  "What do you gentleman have in your repertoire?" Vivian went to talk to Todd, the unofficial leader of the band. Turns out the guys knew a lot of songs that the sisters could sing to.

  Then Amilynn and Melissa bailed saying that Vivian could do a solo.

  "I want to dance with Ty to this song. You know how much I love it," Melissa said, patting her back.

  "Yeah, V. This song is really a guy-girl duet." Amilynn gave her a wink.

  Todd was more than happy to volunteer. He had a good voice, Vivian had to admit. Vivian crooned the slow, romantic love song, her eyes locked on Kasey. He sat there with a sexy grin on his face like they were the only two people in the world.

  Vivian was happy that Amilynn danced with Conall instead of Martin. So was Ezekiel. Melissa and Ty were cheek to cheek and she was singing in his ear. The teenagers had coupled off and even some of the older adults who had just been spectators before were now dancing to the melody.

  She nearly forgot what she was doing when a girl about thirteen came up to Kasey and asked him to dance. She pushed her hair behind her ears shyly. He touched the girl's face then brought her on to the dance floor. His capacity for tenderness amazed her. Here he was, the alpha of a mixed-breed Pack, a successful businessman who managed a number of enterprises. He kept the peace politically, led with a firm hand, and was respectfully feared by the members of his community. Yet he stood on a dance floor with a young girl, dancing and smiling like she held his heart in the palm of his hand.

  Her voice quivered as she held the last note of the song. After thanking Todd for his beautiful harmony, she stepped off the stage and took Kasey into her arms.

  Take me to bed, she telepathed to him. I need to be in your arms.

  "Yes ma'am." Kasey gave her a grin that knocked the wind right out of her chest.

  "Let me tell the others. I think they had planned on going home."

  "They can stay, you know. They can sleep in their own rooms. Might as well."

  The Pride seemed glad that Kasey extended the offer. It was a thirty-minute drive back into town to their apartment. Conall and Amilynn were not anywhere near ready to sleep. Melissa and Tyrone seemed ready for some alone time. They all agreed to meet up at about nine the next morning so that they could go to the apartment together and get their things. They had the next day off, but then it was back to performances Thursday through Sunday nights.

  The two couples went inside. No doubt Tyrone and her sister were going to start the baby making process the minute the doors were shut. She smiled. It was sweet—and mildly disturbing.

  She studied Kasey when they got back to their suite. Here in his lair, he was comfortable and relaxed. He took off his watch and laid it by the bed. Kicked off his shoes and tossed them in the closet. Casually, he walked over to the windows that overlooked the party. He pulled down the shades and then closed the curtains. In this blue and gray colored room, he was at peace. He turned, almost as if he had forgotten her there.

  "What's the matter, kitty cat?"

  "I'm just watching you in your natural habitat."

  He put his arms around her and pulled her body close. She began to unbutton his shirt, her hands needing to touch his skin. "Can you do something for me tonight?" The look he gave her was priceless, like a mischievous child being let in on a big secret. "Let me lead," she whispered against his skin.

  A low moan escaped from his throat. "I'm at your disposal."

  Her cat liked to hear that. She took it as submission and it made her purr as she kissed his neck and bare chest.

  "You've got to quit that." Kasey took her shoulders firmly in his hands.

  "What?" Vivian was completely confused. All she was doing was kissing him.

  "The purring. You've got to quit the purring," he said with desperation. Her brows dipped in question. "That's the sexiest fucking thing I've ever heard and if you want me to last more than five seconds, you've got to stop."

  Vivian smiled and moved her body closer, putting her lips back on the curve of his neck. She let the taste of his skin linger on her tongue. And just because she was in charge tonight, she purred.

  "Oh, God." He moaned like he was in physical pain. "You're going to kill me, woman."

  Vivian smiled against his chest and finished taking off his shirt. "I'm in control tonight, punk. Right now, I'm the alpha." His chest was a thing of beauty. Muscles etched in stone and polished to smooth silk. She ran her hands through the curled hair, touching him as she pleased.

  "Can't I at least take your shirt off?" he asked.

  Vivian growled as a response. He nodded.

  So that's how it's going to be?

  She growled again.

  Freaking hot.

  Please shut up.

  Vivian explored his chest at her leisure while he stood there, her pawn to move as she willed. When her hands moved to his belt, he shivered. She kept her lips on his as she fumbled with the belt and buttons of his pants before they slid to the floor.

  He sucked in a breath when her hand traveled beneath the waistband of his briefs to caress his erection. Kasey grasped the abundance of her hair and let his tongue learn every luscious taste of her mouth.

  Until she removed his hands and put them down at his side.

  "You're kidding me, right?" he said in utter shock, his voice an octave too high. "I can't even touch you?"

  "No."

  Kasey cursed, but didn't move. He couldn't decide whether he was in heaven or hell. Vivian's lips were teasing him as they traveled down his stomach and he couldn't touch her. His kitty wanted to be in control and it was killing him. The wolf prowled under the
surface, wanting to dominate, to make her bend to his will. But if he was going to be mated to a dominant female, an alpha in her own right, and make her happy, he was going to have to suck it up.

  It was going to take every trick in the book to keep his wits when Vivian went to her knees in front of him. His legs were soon going weak from the talents of her mouth. Brownish-red hair danced across his thighs and he ached to run his hands through it. His body begged to thrust into the hot cavern of her mouth, but he stood still, fists clenched, letting her sweet lips work their magic.

  When her hands gripped his thighs and wrapped around his buttocks, his willpower nearly went to shit. He stumbled and had to lean on her shoulders before he fell. Only then did Vivian release him. He was breathing hard and thought he was going to faint. God, she was relentless.

  "Get on the bed." That command was low and husky, the cat glowing in her eyes. He didn't dare argue with a female who was that close to the animal, nor did he argue with his sexy woman taking off her clothes.

  Scooting to the middle, he shivered as Vivian crawled onto the bed, a tiger stalking her prey. Every nerve in his body came alive when she put a hand on his chest and made him lie down. Her body settled on top of him, his hardness meeting her soft delicate skin. His mouth watered as his chest rubbed against the peaked tips of her breasts.

  "What do you want, Kasey?" she whispered in his ear before she bit.

  "Your breasts."

  "Say please," she purred. He didn't think it was possible to get any harder until she said those words.

  "Please let me have your breasts," he ground out. Her laugh drove him one more step closer to insanity.

  Vivian took his hand and placed it on her breast, urging him to cup her. He brought the pink nipple to his mouth and licked at it. His kitty cat moaned and pressed closer to him. Teeth grazed his neck and he knew that he was not the only one about to lose control. She whispered a demand in his ear and he happily obeyed. His free hand traveled to the triangle of curls between her legs and found her wet and ready. Swirling his finger over her pearl made her arch and cry out. She was ripe, ready to be taken and more than anything he had ever wanted in his life, he wanted to throw her on the bed and plunge inside of her. He wanted to hear her cries of pleasure.

  But this wasn't his show. So he bit into her breast and pressed his fingers inside of her. When her hips began to move with him, he knew she wasn't going to last long. She cried out as her body shook and racked her with delicious spasms.

  "I need to be inside you, Vivian. Please. I have to have you now," he begged.

  Vivian looked at him and her eyes held that wildness he loved so much. There was no warning at all before she straddled him and slid his erection into her body.

  "Oh, fuck!" Kasey came up off the bed. She sat still for a moment, no doubt letting her body adjust to the invasion of his thickness. And when she started moving, he knew it was hopeless. No man could win against this tiger. He was mush in her hands. His mate was not quiet tonight. She moaned at every deep thrust, the sounds filled his head with sweet music.

  "Come for me, baby," she pleaded, her body covering him in a tight, wet embrace he wished he could stay in forever. She bent her head to lick up his pulse, her hair falling in a sheet around him.

  She didn't have to ask twice. Kasey lifted her off and slid out from underneath her body. Keeping Vivian on her hands and knees on the bed, he stood behind her and gripped her hips. He took the control she was giving him. Kasey slammed into her and began a relentless pace, each stroke deeper and harder than the last. She was so wet, so tight on him. Control was gone. His legs struggled to hold his weight as his climax neared. Gripping her hips and increasing his thrusts, Kasey erupted into her, throwing his head back. A howl—half-man, half–wolf—ripped from his throat as he spilled into Vivian. Then he collapsed.

  Vivian didn't move—but she did purr.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Trace twirled the blonde hair around his fingers. So soft. So pretty. So much like her brother's.

  At that thought he flicked it away and the girl jerked. Her body was too thin and she refused to eat.

  Sigh.

  Oh well. Not his problem. He waved her back to the corner where she belonged. Stupid bitch.

  Rod came into the office, a satisfied expression on his face. "I have news. Our tracker did his job." He stood in front of Trace's desk with his hands folded behind his back, legs slightly spread in perfect military posture. "It seems Vivian and her cohorts have attached themselves to the Blackburn Pack. We have an informant inside that says she's claiming to be the alpha's mate. They want her gone."

  Well, well, well. It appears his little tramp is once again sleeping her way to the top. How clever of her. Aligning herself with a Pack like Blackburn is quite the achievement. Then again, she was always so good in bed.

  "Sir, if I may offer my opinion?" Rod asked.

  Trace nodded. Rod's was about the only opinion he gave a shit about. He had secluded his alpha after Vivian's attack and it was only thanks to him that Trace was alive at all.

  "This person is positive they can take care of her, send her packing. To go up against Blackburn," he shook his head and grimaced, "there's no need to be drastic. Once they run Vivian off, we can get her. I've got an informant now. And let's face it, there's no way in hell a respectable man like Kasey Blackburn will actually mate the slut." He took a step forward. "We know where she is now. She's as good as ours."

  The evil grin that stretched over Rod's face was supposed to assure Trace of his plan.

  But Trace knew better. Vivian was no idiot. She wouldn't have made this decision lightly.

  With a nod to his second in command, he wrote out his next course of action and gave it to Rod.

  It didn't matter if people in Blackburn's Pack wanted her gone or not. Trace had a score to settle and he wanted to see Vivian's cold, dead body for himself when it was all over. They needed someone close to the wolf territory, someone ready to pounce when Vivian retreated, someone with an axe to grind and a reason to succeed.

  He knew the perfect candidate.

  Rod smiled at him. "Nice touch, boss. Nothing like bringing the dead back to life."

  Trace felt his lips curl in a silent snarl. He wasn't the only one Vivian's bastards failed to kill.

  * * * * *

  Everyone was groggy the next morning. Vivian could hardly put one foot in front of the other. She hadn't wanted to take a shower because Kasey's scent was all over her body, but she needed something to wake her up. That jolt of energy came when he got into the shower with her. This time he was the one on his knees, his mouth buried between her thighs. And when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, he backed her up against the tiled wall, wrapped her legs around his waist and lost himself in her body. He was taking no prisoners this morning and, damn, was it heavenly.

  Sated and pleasurably sore, Vivian showered and conjured up some clothes.

  "What are your plans for today, kitten? I've got some business to attend to this morning, but I should be free by two." Kasey gave her rump a slap as he walked naked from the bathroom to his closet.

  She had noticed that Kasey didn't like to use his shifting magic to conjure clothing as she did. Of course, she didn't have much of a choice. He had clothing in his closet. She didn't.

  "We can take care of that, you know." he answered her thoughts. "And I don't conjure up clothing if I don't have to. For whatever reason, it makes my skin burn if I have to do it every day."

  "I didn't know that." Vivian pulled her mass of long brown hair into a ponytail. "I thought the gang and I would go back the apartments and get our things. We don't have much so it shouldn't take long."

  "Do you need a moving truck for the furniture?" All business, he walked out of the closet in dress pants and a shirt.

  Vivian stopped and stared. She had nearly forgotten that Kasey was more than just an alpha of a Pack. He was also the Pack's best business mind and had many operations t
hat he managed on a daily basis. And, God, did he ever look good in a suit.

  "Vivian, kitty cat, if you keep looking at me like that we will never get past the bedroom door today." Kasey gave her a pleased smile and winked.

  "Sorry." She shook her head and turned around. "Uh, um, well no, I don't think we need a moving truck. The junky furniture we have does not belong in your house. Most of it is stuff we found at garage sales. There's nothing of real value. I think we should donate it all to charity, but I'll have to ask the others."

  Kasey came up behind her and put his hands on her hips. "If you have things you want to keep, we will find a place for it. This is your home too, baby."

  "I don't have anything valuable. We learned a long time ago not to buy too many things that we might have to suddenly leave."

  "Well, then the first thing I want you to do is invest in something permanent." He kissed her cheek. "You're going to settle here, baby. No more moving. Make this place yours."

  "I hope you don't regret that later," Vivian mumbled.

  Kasey bit down on her shoulder. "Mine," he growled. "Regardless of what happens when your past catches up. I'll fight for the right to be with you for the rest of our lives."

  Vivian turned around in his arms and kissed him. She couldn't describe what she felt for Kasey. It was uncharted territory. They were practically engaged as far as shifter customs went, but they hadn't even expressed that they loved one another. As she rested her head on Kasey's shoulder, she allowed him a mental glimpse of why she didn't know if she could say those three words just yet.

  Trace had her strapped to the table again. This time she was in heat, tormented by the needs of her body, and fighting the situation she was in. Kneeling over her was a man who could ease her suffering if he didn't enjoy it so much.

  "Say it, Vivian. Tell me how you really feel and I'll let you orgasm."

  "No," the woman bit out even as the cat begged for her to say the words. She didn't have to mean them, just utter them so Trace would relieve her.