Chapter Three
Kae felt small, insignificant and so very unimportant. Fritz followed her and moments later, after standing in front of a camera, they were admitted to the house.
The first sight she met was the grandeur and colourful splendour of the entrance hall; so many colours, thick marble columns and the fantastic painting of the warriors on the ceiling above. All the breath disappeared from her lungs and her head began to spin as she became totally overwhelmed by it all.
"Kae! You made it!"
A warm, friendly female voice penetrated the mist of her confusion and Kae focused on the tall, slim, dark haired figure approaching her.
Bella smiled as her gaze settled on Kae. For all intents and purposes, this girl was practically her niece and Bella felt a warm rush of love. She looked so lost and scared, it took all of Bella's strength to ignore her natural mothering instincts and not wrap her arms around the girl.
Instead she offered her hand, her eyes sparkling with warmth and welcome.
"I'm Bella, your mother's friend. Welcome to the mansion."
Kae took the hand that was offered to her and felt herself begin to smile. Bella was warm and kind and very beautiful.
"I'm sorry for being so dumbstruck…I just…this is just so…" she shook her head and laughed, "I've never seen a place like this, it's beautiful."
Bella smiled again while Fritz came in with her suitcase.
"Well let me show you around and then I'll take you to your room. Fritz will have the doggen take your things upstairs."
Kae looked around nervously as she shrugged out of her coat. Bella knew what must have been playing on her mind.
"The Brothers aren't here right now. They're out on patrol with some of the new recruits. But I'll introduce you to the other shellans who live here. I hope you'll be happy with us."
Kae cleared her throat, touched by the obvious concern for her comfort and welfare.
"Thank you Bella."
She was unsure of what else to say. She hardly knew these people and right now, all she felt like doing was standing under a hot shower and crawling into bed. Maybe a few hours of decent shut eye would be enough to brush off the jet lag she was obviously feeling.
As Fritz took her coat and suitcase, Bella began showing her around the house, including the extensive kitchens, the pool table, the beautifully appointed dining room and the in-house movie theatre.
"There are also underground tunnels and a training centre for the classes. You'll get to meet a couple of the males who train; they live with the brothers here."
Kae took in all the information in stony silence, utterly overwhelmed by what she saw, heard, felt; hell, even the smell of the place was unfamiliar and unsettling to her.
A sudden wave of homesickness swept over her and anxiety knotted her stomach.
"Uhh Bella, this is really great but I really think I'd like to go to my room now. I need to call my mum and let her know I'm here ok."
Bella nodded and smiled.
"Ok, I'll show you to your room now and get Fritz to bring you a little supper. Then you can rest up and we'll see you at First Meal tomorrow. How does that sound?"
Kae nodded, relieved. Bella was now leading her down a corridor filled with statues but Kae barely registered her surroundings. All she cared about was hearing her mother's voice.
Down the corridor, a door opened and Kae stopped dead in her tracks as a very large, very lethal looking male walked towards them.
She took in the skull trim of his hair, the jagged scar which curled in an S down his face but the most arresting feature was the brilliant citrine yellow of his eyes.
He might have seemed totally menacing except for the small bundle wrapped in a baby pink blanket in his arms. As the bundle squirmed, two tiny pudgy hands latched themselves around the male's neck and Kae realised it was a baby.
"Z, is she playing you up?" Bella mused, her whole body reacting to the male now stood next to them. It did not take a genius to figure out that he was Bella's mate; Kae has seen this reaction between her own parents. Even after years of being together, they still responded physically to each other.
The male dropped a kiss on either side of Bella's neck, over her veins and passed the pink blanket, which held an adorable baby girl, over to her. The male turned his gaze to Kae and she quickly dropped her eyes to the carpet.
"Is this her?" his voice was terse and deep.
Kae looked up and saw Bella give him a small frown as if she disapproved of his tone.
"Z, this is Kaelina, Darian's daughter. Kae, this is my mate Zsadist."
Kae swallowed her initial fear and bowed her head respectfully to the warrior.
Zsadist extended his hand and shook hers carefully.
"Good to meet you Kae, I hope you'll be comfortable here."
She smiled and looked to the now very much awake baby in Bella's arms.
"And who's this darling little creature?"
"Nalla."
Zsadist chest visibly swelled with pride at he looked down at his young and Kae could tell the 'father' element was very much at work in the warrior.
"Kae is going to her room for now and rest up. I've told her we'll let her have some space and catch up with her at First Meal tomorrow."
Zsadist touched Nalla's cheek softly and a smile briefly touched his lips. The effect made him seem much more handsome.
"Why don't you put Nalla to bed? I'll take Kae to her room and then get us some supper."
Bella smiled.
"Rest well Kae, I'll see you tomorrow."
Kae watched her walk off and felt a brief pang of panic. Zsadist's deep voice brought her back to where she was.
"Come, I'll show you to your room."
Kae followed him further down the corridor and stopped outside a door.
"This is your room; I hope it'll be comfortable enough for you."
Z opened the door and showed her where everything was and how to ring down to Fritz if she needed anything.
Just as he was leaving, he paused by the door, silhouetted against the glaring light of the corridor. He seemed momentarily uncomfortable and Kae could not imagine what the hell could make a male like him feel awkward.
"Just so you know Kae, Bella is thrilled to have you here and whatever makes my shellan happy makes me happy. So if there is ever anything you need, just come to us."
Kae seemed at a loss for words. Zsadist dragged a hand over his skull trim.
"Yeah well….shit, I'm no good at the whole touchy feely thing but, just so you know ok."
"Thank you sire, and please give my thanks to Bella as well. I don't know what she had to pull to allow me to be here but I am grateful."
Z smiled briefly and bid her goodnight, closing the door carefully on his way out.
Kae took in her sumptuous surroundings and staggered back towards the bed, ass planting herself on the soft mattress.
She was finally here, in the Brotherhood's mansion. And the first male she had met had been the scariest she had ever seen to be sure.
Falling back, her chestnut mane of hair splaying out behind her, she reached for her bedside phone and dialled an outside line. As the tone rang in her ear, she wondered how this first day was going to end for her.