Forbidden Blood

by R. L. Kenderson

  “It’s time to go,” Sawyer said, his nostrils flaring.

  As if.

  This guy had some nerve. Sexy or not, she’d just met him, and he was already assuming he could boss her around.

  Well, he picked the wrong girl if he thought that would ever happen.

  She met his angry stare as his eyes bore into hers. He leaned into her, but she didn’t waver. She wasn’t going to let him tell her what to do.

  When she was sure he knew that she wasn’t going to stand down, she opened her mouth to tell him off, but B-Something tried to get in between the two of them. She’d forgotten he was even there.

  “She was with me first.”

  Kenzie was about to agree when Sawyer turned his head and glared at her. Yikes. If looks could kill and all that. She swore he’d growled too, but that had to have been part of the music.

  She realized that if the two men got into it, B-Something wouldn’t stand a chance. While he wasn’t anyone special to her, she didn’t want him to get hurt.

  “It’s okay. Let’s call it a night. I’m sorry. Maybe I’ll see you again sometime,” she said to B-Something.

  B-Something looked from her to Sawyer. “Yeah, whatever. Not worth it.”

  He turned and stomped away, leaving Kenzie irritated and a tad embarrassed.

  What a jerk. I am so worth it.

  Afraid Sawyer would be amused by this new development, she refused to look at him. If he was wearing any kind of satisfied expression, she would smack it right off his smug face.

  Then who would take me home? Kenzie twisted and marched toward the door before he could even say a word.

  They exited the building, and she let Sawyer walk past her, showing her to his car, a classic ’68 Corvette Stingray.

  He’s good-looking and drives a cool car. If only he came with an attitude to match.

  He shocked her by opening the door for her and then he got in on his side without a word.

  They still hadn’t made any eye contact or spoken since leaving the club, but she realized that would have to change if she wanted to get away from this guy. “I live—”

  “I already know where you live. Naya told me.”

  She curled her lip at him but managed to keep her mouth shut.

  They drove in silence for a few minutes.

  Then, he stunned her by asking, “Why do you objectify yourself?”

  Her head snapped back, his question insulting and annoying her. “What?” She and her actions were none of his business.

  “You were planning to sleep with him, right? Why would you lower yourself to that?”

  Did he not realize the irony of his question? His friend had just taken her friend home to sleep with her. And after she’d met Sawyer, there was no way she would have gone home with that other guy, but she would have to be tortured with hot pokers before she’d ever admit that out loud.

  Irritated by him and his double standards, she should have told him to fuck off. Instead, she answered him, “So, I like sex. Big deal. If I were a guy, would you ask me these questions? No. I’m sure you sleep around.” She sighed. “Why do you care anyway?”

  He scoffed. “You’re right. I don’t.”

  She gave him the finger, but he either didn’t see it, or he chose to ignore her.

  When they arrived at her apartment, she directed Sawyer to guest parking, noting the absence of Naya’s car. Kenzie opened the door and moved to get out. She paused and turned to him. She had calmed down some during the last few minutes of the drive, so she attempted to be a mature adult since she didn’t know the guy, and her mother had raised her to be polite. “Thank you for the ride.”

  He turned off the engine. “I’ll walk you to your door.”

  “You really don’t have to,” she said, trying to stop him.

  He was already halfway out of the vehicle.

  “I can manage fine from here.”

  “Trust me, I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for me. If I don’t make sure you get into your apartment safely, Vaughn will have my ass.” He shut the door gently. The car was obviously his baby.

  Kenzie gritted her teeth, and then she released a deep breath before exiting. All attempts to be nice were now gone, and she made sure to shut her door a little too hard. “Oops,” she said, hiding her smile.

  Sawyer clenched his jaw. He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he huffed and stalked to the door. Once his back was turned, she smirked behind him.

  They walked up the stairs to the second floor and made their way to her door. Sawyer yanked the keys from her hand, and before she could protest, he opened the door and strode in like he owned the place.

  Kenzie exhaled with a grunt and followed him. Turning on the lights, she watched him as he checked all the empty rooms. She should have told him not to bother. No one would waste time breaking and entering into her meager apartment. When he was finished, he walked past her, tossed her keys at her, and headed for the exit. She turned to thank him, but the only thing she saw was the door swinging past her face before slamming shut.

  He hadn’t even said good-bye.

  “Asshole.”

  THE HUMIDITY IN the hot July air felt like a wet blanket on Naya as she walked out of the nightclub with Vaughn. She paused to take a deep breath and put her hand between her breasts. She thought her heart might beat out of her chest. Contrary to popular folklore, vampires were not turned humans, and they were not the living dead. She was very much alive. As she stood there, she questioned her so-unlike-her actions, her pulse racing.

  What am I doing?

  She didn’t have one-night stands. In fact, she'd only ever slept with one person. She was completely out of her element. But, as she peeked at Vaughn, she also couldn’t remember feeling as good as she had when she was in his arms. This, after all, could be exactly what she needed.

  Could she throw restraint out the window and just let herself go for a night? Let herself enjoy this male and everything he might give her?

  Naya’s car was sitting near the corner of the large parking lot, and the sight of it made the reality of the situation even more apparent. When they neared it, Naya hesitated. Am I really going to do this? Naya looked down at the pavement and considered her actions.

  She sighed, disgruntled. Why do I always have to be so responsible?

  Vaughn stepped in front of her, and she tilted her head until she was looking into his eyes. He smoothed his thumb over her cheekbone. She wondered how someone so large and fearsome could also be affectionate.

  “If you've changed your mind about this, it’s okay.”

  His words made her pause, and she was surprised to find herself a little hurt that he had seemed to change his mind. She stared down at her keys in her hand, feeling like a ridiculous child. First, she hadn’t been sure about her decision, and now, she was upset that he was giving her an out.

  “Naya? Hey.”

  She met his eyes.

  “Baby, don’t get me wrong. I want this.” He groaned. “More than you know. I said, it’s okay, not that I wouldn’t be disappointed. I just don’t want you to feel pressured. If you're not comfortable, we can just say good night here.”

  Her instinctive reaction to his words confirmed that she was making the right decision, but she knew one more thing would help. Naya closed her eyes and raised her chin. “Kiss me.”

  Since he’d acted sweet and tender with her, she thought he would start slow and kiss her gently, so she was unprepared for his response. He pulled her flush against his body and took her mouth. Flooded with his unique taste, she dropped her keys to grab on to him.

  He pressed her up against the car, and any remaining doubts she had faded away. His tongue pushed past her lips, the same way she imagined his body would into hers. His lips felt soft but firm, and his kisses, slick and feverish, made her core burn.

  She moved her leg over his hip and tried to use the car as leverage to boost herself up. If only she could get him to hit her center
. All she needed was a little friction, and she knew she would explode. This male definitely had an effect on her. She had gone from modest to wanton, practically forgetting their surroundings and uncaring if anyone saw them.

  Vaughn pulled away, breaking their kiss. “No,” he said, breathing hard.

  Dazed, she barely heard him. “No what?”

  She looked down at his chest. It was so hard and defined. She could only imagine what he’d look like without his shirt. She licked her lips just thinking about it.

  “Naya. Look at me.”

  What? She’d forgotten they were having a conversation. She looked up at him

  His eyes were blazing with urgency, but they were also hard with conviction. “We’re not doing this here. You’re not doing this here.”

  “Doing what?” What is he talking about? “Kissing you?”

  “No, you are not going to rub yourself against me until you have an orgasm here.” He pulled her close and leaned in next to her ear. “When you come, we’re both going to be naked. I’ll be so deep inside you that you won’t know where you end or I begin. And I’ll be the one getting you there.” A rumble sounded deep in his chest. “It’ll be so good that I’m betting I’ll forget every lover I’ve ever had.”

  She sucked in a breath. Holy crap. His words made her head spin.

  He picked her keys up off the ground and walked around to the passenger side. “I’ll drive.”

  Naya didn’t move. Wait. “What about every other lover I’ve had?” He didn’t know how low her number was.

  “What other lovers? You’ve already forgotten them.” He turned and opened the car door for her to get in.

  A half hour away in North Oaks, a suburb of St. Paul, Arianna Kensington was preparing for the first dinner of the night. Tonight Arianna was waiting with her uncle and aunt—Marek and Celeste Kensington, the King and Queen of the vampire species, for their dinner guest. The absence of their daughter, Naya, was a glaring flaw in the evening’s festivities. Instead of being home, honoring her father and mother, Naya was spending time with humans.

  This was something Arianna did not understand. What made Naya desire to be with humans rather than other vampires? It was not as if Arianna disliked humans. Their household staff was human. However, there was a reason vampires were stronger, possessed increased senses, and lived longer. In addition to their inferiority, humans could never comprehend Naya’s importance in the world.

  As the royal couple’s only child, the vampire species’ future was counting on Naya to find a mate and produce children. While her uncle and aunt had accepted Arianna like a second daughter after her parents’ deaths, the fact remained she was not. Officially, Arianna was a princess, but she held no right to the throne. Naya had been born with everything that Arianna would be grateful for.

  Including Emerson Vanderbilt.

  The doorbell rang, and the butler, Hans, brought in Emerson, the guest for the night. His wonderful hazelnut smell filled the room. Emerson was the King and Queen’s number one prospect for their daughter’s future mate. He was also the Vampire Council’s first choice for future king. When he walked into the sitting room with an air of sophistication, it took everything in Arianna not to stare at him.

  His hazel eyes glanced around the room, and his brown hair reflected the overhead lights. She considered him to be the most beautiful male she had the privilege of knowing. Perhaps there were better-looking males out there, but they did not matter. In her eyes, he was the finest specimen of vampire out there, and the reason Arianna knew this was because, unfortunately, she was in love with him.

  And he could barely manage to spare her the time of day.

  “How is everyone this evening?” Emerson stepped forward with a smile and shook King Marek’s hand. Then, he kissed Queen Celeste’s cheeks and offered her a hand-carved wooden box, which looked to be antique in nature, as a gift for inviting him. “Thank you for welcoming me to your home.” His lips tightened to a straight line as he then turned to her with a simple, “Arianna,” and a nod.

  What she would not give to see some interest toward her in his eyes. Earlier in the night, she had combed through her wavy, copper locks and put on her rarely used eye shadow to accent her classic Kensington amethyst eyes, knowing she would see him. It seemed her effort meant nothing for Emerson could only greet her with polite indifference. She understood he was here for Naya, but the truth was, she could not even be bothered to attend the important dinner. Naya would never really love him while Arianna would proudly be his mate.

  “We are wonderful, Emerson. We’re absolutely delighted you could join us,” Aunt Celeste said. “Why don’t we head to the dining room? I believe the cooks have finished preparing our meal.”

  After everyone took their seats, Emerson asked, “Will Anaya be joining us tonight?”

  Uncle Marek and Aunt Celeste shared a glance.

  “We thought it would be best to invite you to dinner with us first. We want to make sure we agree to proceed before involving Anaya,” Uncle Marek said.

  Arianna immediately put her head down in shame for thinking badly of Naya. It now made sense. Clearly, the King and Queen had invited a potential mate to meet with them first before he met with Naya. Deep down, she knew Naya would not disrespect her parents, and she recognized her cruel thoughts had actually stemmed from envy. Naya might lack the desire to be the future queen, and she would rather choose her own mate, but she would not intentionally miss first dinner when her presence had been requested.

  From this point forward, Arianna promised herself that she would be a better cousin and friend. Naya would require her support in the upcoming months, not the actions of a greedy, petulant child.

  “I understand,” Emerson said. “What would you like to discuss?”

  “First, how are your parents and your family?” Aunt Celeste asked him. “How is business?”

  “Mother and Father are well. They opened two more hotels.” Emerson came from a prestigious family who owned a hotel chain that catered to the rich. His family tree could also be traced beyond the sixteenth century. Those were two significant reasons he was the prime choice to be the future king.

  If the King and Queen had been gifted with a son, he would not need to be mated before taking the throne, and the background of his mate would not be as significant. Unfortunately, there were no male Kensington heirs, and sometimes Naya worried her gender disappointed her parents, despite Arianna’s reassurances.

  “This is pleasant news,” Aunt Celeste said. “It is always nice to know that vampires are thriving in this human world.”

  Aunt Celeste ceased speaking when the cooks came through the door with dinner. Food was an important part of their diet, and they could not live on blood alone. They still required the vitamins and minerals found in food to fully nourish them. Tonight, because of their important guest, the first dinner consisted of at least four courses. Once the cooks set the plates before them, they stepped away and departed back to the kitchen. Everyone knew their place in the home, and the Kensingtons did not mingle with servants.

  The King immediately took a bite, signaling to the table they could eat as well.

  Uncle Marek said, “You know the main reason we asked you here, Emerson. We are looking for a suitable male to fill the roles as Anaya’s mate and future king. The Council, your mother most specifically, thinks you are an excellent candidate.”

  While Emerson’s father traditionally took care of the family business, Emerson’s mother was a member of the Vampire Council.

  Emerson smiled humbly. “Yes, Mother has mentioned it once or twice.”

  “How do you feel about a betrothal between you and our daughter along with the responsibility of being our future king?”

  “Honestly, sir, I don’t know Anaya well nor does she know me. I would really like an opportunity for us to get to know one another better. As for being king, I would be more than willing to accept the huge responsibility. I do hope that I would do right and
make the proper decisions regarding the vampire species. I wouldn’t want to fail our people.”

  Arianna admired Emerson for being an honorable male. He would make a wonderful mate and be an excellent future king. She glanced away before anyone noticed her staring at their guest.

  “First, we shall set up times for you and Anaya to get better acquainted,” Uncle Marek said. “We are leaving the country soon for our yearly trip, so Arianna will chaperone.”

  Arianna dropped her fork. All eyes turned to her. She snatched up the utensil and gave them a reassuring smile. When they looked away, she felt her expression fall.

  Why would her uncle require this of her? While Arianna agreed a female should be pure when entering the mating bed, it was not the Victorian era. Females were no longer required to have escorts while in the presence of males. Also, she knew Uncle Marek and Aunt Celeste were not mindful of what Naya did when she was away from home, but it was illogical to think Naya did not spend time around other males without a chaperone.

  Now, Arianna would have to watch the male she adored fall in love right before her eyes with the cousin she loved like a sister. She was trapped, and there was not a thing she could do about it.

  AFTER FOLLOWING NAYA’S directions, Vaughn pulled up to an apartment building. He exited the car and walked around to let Naya out. He shut her door, and she turned to face him, holding her hand out for the keys. Ignoring her request, he stalked toward her as if she was his prey, which was true in a sense, and he licked his bottom lip.

  Eyes wide and lips parted, she dropped her hand and dreamily walked backward toward the building, her gaze locked on him.

  He looked her up and down, appreciating her little black dress and the curves it revealed, not bothering to hide his desire. He grunted. “Damn, I can’t wait to get inside.”

  She ogled his mouth, her eyes going half-mast, as her tongue darted out in an unconscious response. “The apartment?” she asked dazedly.

  “No.” He shook his head. “You.”