Pride Before the Fall (4 page)

He chuckled. "No, I really don't. Threatening off human perverts doesn't do it for me."

Vivian, feeling rebellious, said, "I think we should all go out." Four sets of stunned eyes looked her way. "What?"

"You want to go dancing... at a club... with human men making body contact?" Amilynn asked, her brows nearly reaching her hairline.

"Yeah." Vivian nodded. "Look, for the first time in a long time, I think we're in a safe place. I don't think anyone from Nevada could pass into Kasey's territory without him knowing it. Why not let our hair down a little?"

"She has a point," said Ty. "Unlike the other territories we've been in, the Blackburn Pack has meshed with society. Kasey has people everywhere. They don't live on a reservation secluded from humans. If any other cats were to come around, the wolves and bears would know it."

"Even I've been more at ease here." Melissa leaned into Ty's arm. "I haven't felt the need to stay cat since we've moved in."

That was rare. Melissa was most comfortable in her cat form. Her senses were more acute, and since Melissa's snow leopard was small, she could easily hide.

"Then why not let loose and have some fun?" Ami hopped up and grabbed her wallet, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Vivian laughed. "We can't go dancing at five in the morning!"

"I'm going to get a magazine. I want some new clothing ideas. I plan on looking extremely hot when I let loose. Wanna come?"

Vivian realized she was nowhere near sleepy even though she'd been up all night. "Hell, why not?"

CHAPTER SIX

Kasey paced his bedroom for hours that night. He couldn't possibly sleep after what happened with Vivian. The cat had made him as hard as a rock when she danced. It didn't help things when he'd scented her. He'd felt her cat, smelled the Needing coming upon her. The wolf inside him howled and clawed at his chest to get free.
Mate
. The word burned in his brain, straight from the heart of his wolf. The bastard had chosen a cat. Of all the women in his Pack or even of his sub-species, why did the wolf want a
cat
?

On a human level, Kasey couldn't complain. Vivian was the finest of temptations wrapped in eroticism and dipped in untold pleasures. She was fire and passion and strong enough that his wolf didn't dismiss her like all the other women he'd taken to bed.

Kasey had been forced to meet every single woman in his Pack and in the bear Clan. Mothers would send their daughters to him the minute they became of age to see if the alpha would connect. The few who made it past a first date rarely intrigued the man and never intrigued the wolf. At least not until the exotic feline sat in his office and asked to reside in his territory. Now the wolf was standing at attention, waiting for the man to catch up. The wolf had known all along. It took jealousy for the man to get the hint.

The problem was that the wolf didn't have to deal with the political ramifications of mating a cat. Kasey remembered when the bears had merged with his Pack. It was tense, but tolerable until a young male bear started dating a young female wolf. Kasey had to step in before both families went for blood.

Of course
, argued the wolf,
that same young couple has now been married for fifteen years and has both wolf and bear offspring. Their families couldn't be happier. Your family will understand too.

Kasey sat on the edge of his bed and put his head in his hands. A cat. A damned cat.

No
, said his wolf,
not just a cat: a tigress, a goddess of the wild. She's strong. Vivian is the only type of woman who would ever hold our attention. We could never mate with a submissive woman. We need the challenge, the fight. Just think of how great the sex will be.

Kasey popped to his feet and began pacing again. His wolf needed a muzzle.

Kasey also thought about what Vivian did for rent money. The performing he could handle. The Pack could handle it. The Pride was talented beyond measure, and Vivian had a vocal gift he would never deny the world. But if they thought for a minute that Vivian and Amilynn were going to continue their illicit activities once Vivian stood at his side as alpha's mate, they had another thing coming. Kasey wouldn't be mated to a woman one step above a stripper. He was well enough off to provide for the entire Pride, no problems. This would stop and he would see to it.

There was only one way to settle this. He took out his phone and fired a text to Vivian.

We need 2 talk.

* * * * *

They had been right under his nose. Vivian and her traitorous band of scum had sent his best trackers on a while goose chase for years. Once in Chicago, Trace's tracker had nearly caught up to them. He'd been close. So fucking close.

Now he sat behind his desk and stared down one of his senior officers and trackers. The man was supposed to be watching the local territory in Nevada. He wasn't surprised that Vivian had snuck back into the state under the radar. It was a bold move; the kind of thing he would do. What better place to hide than in Trace's back yard, the one place he
should've
had complete control over.

But clearly didn't. That pissed him off.

Trace motioned for the young woman standing beside his desk to pour him some water. The chains around her wrists jingled as she filled his glass, handed him the cup, and stood with her head down awaiting his next command. He tucked a wild strand of her blonde hair behind her ear and she flinched. Trace sneered and pushed her to the floor. The girl scrambled to get to her feet and take her place once more behind him. At least she knew where she belonged. Maybe he wouldn't have to whip her after all.

After taking a purposefully long sip of his water, his eyes trained on the tracker, Trace stood, arranged his shirt and silently prowled to the man reporting in. The bastard had the nerve to shake, his eyes glued to the floor.

"Are you sure you have nothing of use?" asked Trace's number two man, Rod.

"The club owner merely said they had left as fast as they came. They were here about three months, worked the strip joint, played a few songs for the crowds, then one day took off. He said they didn't even collect their last week's pay."

"So you were close to them." Rod concluded. "How long ago did they leave?"

"He said it couldn't have been more than a week at best." The tracker spoke to Trace, "I nearly found them and if you let me pursue, I can find out what happened to make them leave so fast. I promise, Trace. Just give me another chance and I'll deliver the bitch."

No doubt, if given another chance he would chase Vivian and her crew like the bulldog he was.

Trace reached up and touched his cheek. The man whimpered. With a sigh, Trace stroked his head. This sniveling rat couldn't help that he was incompetent. He also couldn't help that Vivian had spent months living in the same state after moving around the country for years.

Problem was, something made Vivian leave the state and it wasn't the man Trace had sent after her. Which meant this tracker wasn't as hot on her heels as he claimed.

And Trace didn't believe in second chances.

He twisted the tracker's neck before the man could blink.

The body dropped to the floor at his feet. Ignoring the gasp from the young woman behind his desk, he stepped over the body and went to find something to fuck. Rod would clean up the mess.

CHAPTER SEVEN

As soon as their show was over Saturday night, the Pride dressed up and went out on the town. There was an air of excitement—even the guys were frisky and loose. They found a club called Vibe that was featuring Latin music that night, their favorite.

The moment they walked into the nightclub, they began dancing. Vivian didn't fail to register the wolf at the door, nor the bouncer watching the crowd from the edge of the stage where a live band was playing.

Amilynn, who had never met a stranger on the dance floor, had a partner as soon as she stepped out. That girl was a born dancer. If she were human, Ami would be something of a prodigy. Latin, hip-hop, break dancing, ballet, it didn't matter. She picked up on dance choreography like Vivian picked up on lyrics. It made her a great fighter. Ami could detect body cues with lightning speed.

Of course, she was exceptionally beautiful too. Her blonde hair, generous boobs, and flirtatious smile had men waiting in line to dance with her. She would audition them all, but always ended tearing up the floor with the one most skilled.

Vivian didn't have the breasts Amilynn had, but she had long legs that received just as much attention. While Ami wore low cut dresses that showed off her assets, Vivian wore a tight, short dress and heels that accentuated the length of her legs. The men didn't find her height intimidating on the dance floor, and she easily paired with a guy who swung her around like a professional.

Even Conall had hit it off with a woman at the bar. They were laughing and flirting for a while before she dragged him to dance. Vivian smiled as he 'attempted to learn'. It was his play. Conall lived in a house with three dancers; the boy knew how to move.

The three girls had even taught Ty enough to make him proficient. Of course, the only woman he would dance with was Melissa. The two of them had learned each other so well they were like one person when they moved. Vivian thought how perfect they were together as Melissa shed her usual shyness and danced against Ty. Dancing made Melissa go from a submissive to a sexy, confident woman. She and her mate were practically having sex on the dance floor.

Two hours later, Vivian knew this was just what she needed. Over a series of failures, she'd finally found an attractive guy whose scent didn't repulse her when the lead singer of the Latin band had sought her out after they finished their set. Dance tunes blared from the speakers as their bodies rubbed against each other. She knew all too well what was coming in the next couple of days. Her breeding cycle had come full circle and she was about to go into heat. The sensual contact with a male, human or not, was exactly what her body called for. When his hands went low on her back or lips touched her neck, she closed her eyes and pretended he was a wolf with gray-blue eyes.

* * * * *

Kasey was getting antsy, pacing the floor when he finally decided to go to the nightclub. It was one of the Pack's many businesses around the town and he had every right to go see what was going on. His man had called him the minute he smelled the Pride walk through the doors. He called again when two of them left but the others remained. After a description, he figured it had been Ty and Melissa who'd departed.

"They looked ready to get behind closed doors, if you catch my drift. But the blonde, she's got Martin drooling and he usually doesn't act crazy for anyone." Kasey remembered how his senior officer lost his composure the first time he'd seen Amilynn. Martin would have been called the minute the cats entered a Pack-owned business. "The big guy has had a few and he's laughing it up with some bimbo in a booth. Can't see his hands, but she looks happy." The informant laughed.

"And the brunette, the tall one?"
 

Kasey heard him clear his throat. "Well, sir, she's enjoying herself all over the guy who sings for the house band. And he's on cloud nine."

Kasey didn't mean to growl into the phone, but he did, right before he crushed it in his hand. The plastic gave way like a feather.

And that was how he found himself standing in the midst of hundreds of sweaty humans gyrating to the thumping of bass. It took him two seconds to spot Conall still pleasuring a woman under the table. His massive body shielded them from everyone, but the woman's face didn't hide a thing.

Next, he found Amilynn. No surprise she was dancing on a platform above the crowd. At the base of that platform was Martin, smiling and pleased with his view. He was going to deal with Martin later. But he couldn't find Vivian, and Amilynn would know where she was.

It took Martin half a second to recognize Kasey after he tapped the soldier's shoulder. Martin paled. "Sir."

"Enjoying the show?"

"Yes sir. I mean, no sir. Well, she is very, uh—"

"Costly. Get lost." Kasey looked up at the blonde who was now laughing at Martin. "Where is she?"

Amilynn jumped down with feline grace, landing lightly in her heeled boots. "Why do you want to know? Looking for another show?" Amilynn wiggled her brows.

"Sure. You seem to be working for free tonight," Kasey spewed with contempt.

Amilynn's playful demeanor faded. "Fuck you. Don't pretend like you know me."

She turned to walk away and he grabbed her arm, pulling her small body right to him. He leaned down and spoke in her ear. "I know you better than you think and you deserve much more than to be some bastard's plaything. You're too good for this kind of rebellious behavior."

Amilynn's eyes locked with his and for a moment she was so shocked he saw the intelligent and vulnerable woman inside. Years of being used and mistreated by men had made her turn the game around. Now she was the user.
 

She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, her poker face back in play. "Save your psycho babble, pooch. It's bullshit. If you're stupid enough to interrupt her, you deserve the ass kicking she'll give you. Vivian went out the back with some guy. Good luck, asshole."

Amilynn walked off and disappeared into the crowd. She wouldn't go far, he knew. Not with him hunting a tigress.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Vivian leaned up against the guy from the band. She didn't bother with a name. He was braced against the brick wall of the club, his hands on her ass, his tongue in her mouth. Humans had a different taste than shifters, and Vivian tried hard to act like it didn't bother her. It wasn't that he had bad breath; he was simply human and her kind was not created to tangle with his.

"Lift that skirt for me, sweetheart." The guy reached between them to his belt.

Vivian was about to let him take her in a back alley when she came to her senses. She backed up and looked at the guy. "Shit. I don't want to do this. Sorry." She allowed the guy to pull her back.