Forbidden Blood

by R. L. Kenderson

  He released her neck and began to thrust. He felt wonderful, moving inside her, and being this close to him triggered her need to feed again. He shifted his neck nearer to her, and he smelled incredible. She knew how perfect his blood tasted. Until Vaughn, she never understood how sex and feeding could go hand in hand. Along with the bond it created, this was probably why unmated vampires fed from the wrist of someone of the same gender. Even during her previous relationship, Naya and her lover hadn’t fed from one another.

  Yes, Vaughn was special.

  He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. His neck was within her mouth’s reach. His artery pulsed, and she couldn’t control herself. She bit him in the vein. She put one hand on his hip, feeling him pump inside her, and the other hand in his hair as she pierced him with her fangs. The first time she had fed from him was good, the second time had been better, but now, his blood had become an addiction, and she had to have it. No one else’s blood would do.

  This time, she prepared herself for his reaction when she bit him. He drove hard into her and let himself go with a loud growl. Feeling his hot release deep inside her and knowing her feeding from him had sent him over the edge pushed her along with him. She withdrew her fangs and barely licked his wounds closed before she came so hard that she almost blacked out.

  AFTER NAYA LEFT her at the door, Kenzie wasn’t sure what to do with herself. She’d stayed late at work, and she would probably still be there if Naya hadn’t called. Kenzie had already had a long day, and now, she was exhausted. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep.

  She headed to the bar for a pop, hoping the caffeine would energize her. She got her drink, paid the bartender, and looked for a table, so she could sit down and relax. She searched off to the side, not watching where she was walking, when she ran into someone. She turned to apologize and realized it was Saxon, Vaughn’s and Sawyer’s friend.

  “Hey, beautiful.”

  Saxon made her smile despite her fatigue.

  She’d met Saxon a few weeks ago, and she could already tell he was a great guy. He was handsome with blond stripes streaked though his brown hair and a soul patch somewhere in between the two colors. He was huge with broad shoulders, a muscular chest, and slender hips, making her feel tiny. He also had piercing green eyes that sometimes made her feel like he could look into her soul and see all her secrets.

  “Hey, Saxon. How are you?”

  “Good. You?”

  “Tired. I feel like I’m going to fall over.”

  “You here with Naya?”

  “Yeah. She went to find Vaughn.”

  “I saw her meet up with him.” Saxon scanned over her shoulder before looking back at her. “I’m not sure where they went, but they’ll turn up eventually.” He put his arm around her and let her lean against him. “Until then, come back to the bar with me while I get a refill. Then, you can sit with us.”

  She immediately wondered if one of those us included Sawyer. In the eight weeks since she’d met him, Sawyer hadn’t changed. Or, more accurately, his attitude toward her hadn’t changed. He still treated her like she’d kicked his dog or something, and she couldn’t figure out why. She had even gone out of her way to be nice to him. She’d laid on the sweetness extra thick, like she would do with a difficult customer at work.

  Normally, she wouldn’t care if one guy disliked her—or in this case, hated her. Plenty of other men were out there, many just as good-looking and probably nicer. For some reason though, when he was around, her body responded to him. Apparently, it wasn’t getting the message that nothing would happen between them. She blamed her attraction on the fact that she hadn’t gotten laid in five months. She should really do something about that, but when she thought of sex, she would think of Sawyer.

  As Saxon guided her toward the bar, she asked him, “Who are you here with?”

  “Vaughn, Sawyer, and Camden.”

  She didn’t recognize the last person, but she’d met other coworkers, Zane, Phoenix, Reid and Tegan before.

  “Camden?”

  “He doesn’t come out with us a lot. He’s the baby of the group.” Saxon tilted his head to the side. “He’s kind of reserved and quite possibly a virgin. Hmm…maybe you could bring him out of his shell,” he teased.

  Her wantonness in the past was not exactly a secret.

  “Ha-ha. Jerk,” she said playfully.

  Saxon got his drink while she threw her empty cup away, and then they walked to his table. He put his arm around her again, and with the crowded nightclub, they were pushed together. She never considered Saxon as more than a friend, but now, she noticed he smelled good. While her body might not want him the same way it wanted Sawyer, Saxon was very attractive, and she bet he knew his way around the bedroom.

  She wasn’t sure what inspired her next actions. Maybe because she was stupid tired, stuck at the club while waiting for Naya, or thinking about her sexual drought, but she figured she had nothing to lose by hitting on Saxon. She knew he wasn’t looking for anything serious, which was perfect since all she craved was a little orgasmic relief. It had been almost half a year since she’d had sex, and her body would have to accept the fact that it wasn’t going to get who it wanted. Also, a small part of her—although she’d never admit it out loud—hoped Sawyer might notice if she went home with Saxon.

  Sometimes it sucked being a girl.

  Saxon pointed to a booth about twenty feet away. “We’re sitting there. The blond guy is Camden.”

  Kenzie put her hand on the arm he had around her shoulders, and she stopped them before they got too close to the table. It was now or never. She turned to face him completely. She trailed her hand up his wrist to his chest and placed her other hand on his lower back. He furrowed his brow, simply watching her, as he started to raise his glass to his lips to take a sip.

  “Saxon, as soon as I find Naya, would you like to get out of here?” she asked.

  His eyes widened slightly, and his hand paused midair. She leaned up and placed a light kiss on his lips. He blinked and then brought the glass to his mouth. He threw his head back and swallowed the contents of his glass. He lowered his cup, moved his arm from her shoulders to her waist, and pulled her close. She was now near enough to feel his arousal. He rubbed himself back and forth against her to make sure she was aware of its presence, not that she could miss it. She could feel how large he was, and her anticipation grew.

  “Kenzie, just so there is no confusion, I think you should know that I like you. You’re hot and fun.” He leaned over, so they were face-to-face. “I’d love to take you home and fuck you.”

  He straightened and stepped back, forcing her arms to drop as his arm fell from her waist.

  “But are you kidding?” He threw his head back and laughed. “Sawyer would put my balls in a vise. Sorry, babe, but no woman is worth that.” He kissed her on the forehead and then walked toward his table. He shook his head, still laughing, as if the whole situation was the funniest thing he’d heard all night.

  Kenzie stood there, frustrated and completely confused. Saxon had said he liked her, and his erection had told her that he wanted her. But then, he’d just walked away.

  And why the hell would Sawyer care? He hated her.

  Oh no. Am I losing my touch?

  Lost in thought, she didn’t see Sawyer approaching until he was practically standing on top of her. Anger blazed in his eyes. They looked different than his normal amber color. He appeared almost scarier. She wouldn’t allow him to intimidate her though, and she lifted her chin in defiance. After all, who knew what his problem was this time? She stepped back and took all of him in. She sighed, disgusted with herself. Did he have to look so damn good?

  Before arriving at the club, Kenzie had only stopped at home to drop off her car in order to ride with Naya. Kenzie might have looked cute and professional this morning, but now, her work clothes were wrinkled, and she felt frumpy. Plus, her makeup had pretty much worn off, and her hair was lying flat agains
t her shoulders.

  Sawyer, of course, looked remarkable as usual. His black T-shirt and dark jeans were simple but emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow hips. His golden brown hair hit the top of his neck in a perfect line, and every strand was in place.

  Why did she let him do this to her? She hadn’t cared about her appearance a minute ago when she hit on Saxon. So, why should she care now? It made her mad. This, on top of her very recent rejection, wasn’t helping her mood any. She was worn-out, lonely, pissed off, and in no mood for bullshit.

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “What the hell do you want?”

  “What the fuck were you doing with Saxon?”

  Was she such a bad person that not only would he purposely stay away from her, but she also wasn’t good enough for his friends either? Hurt flashed in her mind, but she refused to submit to self-pity, and she instead focused on staying angry. He was a jerk, and her feelings were wounded, so she embellished the truth a little.

  “Well, after Saxon and I kissed, we talked about going home and screwing each other blind, but we decided we’d rather be friends.” She unfolded her arms and arched up to get in his face. “Not that it’s any of your business anyway.”

  She landed back on her heels and turned to walk away from him. She was stopped short when he grabbed her wrist and jerked her back with enough force that her chest hit his.

  “You stay away from him. In fact, stay away from all my friends.”

  Sawyer smelled like alcohol, which was unusual. She hadn’t seen him drunk before. He’d always appeared completely in control of himself. Even his clothes and hair were usually perfectly in place. She couldn’t tell for sure if he was drunk tonight, but either way, he didn’t have the right to speak to her like that.

  Kenzie squared her shoulders and chanted in her head, Don’t cry, stay mad. Don’t cry, stay mad.

  She poked him in the chest. “Well, Sawyer, you are not the boss of me. I can fuck whomever I like.”

  She thought he’d looked pissed before, but now, his eyes expanded, and his jaw was clenched hard. She feared he would injure himself. Knowing she had the ability to somewhat anger him soothed her wounded feelings.

  “I’m actually thinking of sleeping with all your friends—except Vaughn, of course. I would never do that to Naya.” She paused and tilted her head as if she were truly considering her next statement. “You’re more than welcome to watch.”

  He sucked in a breath.

  Perfect. She wanted to rub her hands together in satisfaction, but she refrained.

  She grabbed his T-shirt and pulled him down to her level. “I guess my point is, who the hell do you think you are to tell me what to do? And what makes you think you can do anything to stop me?” She released him with a smirk.

  Kenzie spun to march away from him again, but she’d forgotten that he was still holding her wrist, so she didn’t get far. She swung around, ready to yell at him, but he turned and dragged her in the opposite direction.

  Shit. Maybe she’d pushed him too far.

  Sawyer pulled her toward the back of the club and then stopped in the middle of the hallway they’d turned down. He opened the door to a staff-only restroom, hauled her inside, and locked the door. She opened her mouth to protest, but he pushed her against the wall and kissed her. She was momentarily stunned. She knew she should be strong and push him away, but she couldn’t. He tasted good, and she’d had many fantasies about what would happen if he actually did kiss her. So, she wrapped her arms around his neck and prayed he wouldn’t stop.

  He kissed her, and soon she was moaning against his lips. She braced her leg over his hip and could feel his arousal. He yanked her leg up higher, lifted her skirt, and then pushed her underwear aside. He didn’t waste any time in preparing her, and he immediately inserted two fingers inside her. She was horny and wet, and her body tightened around the invasion. She heard him groan, and she was happy that she wasn’t the only one turned on.

  She used her raised leg for support as she rubbed herself against his hand. His fingers curved and headed straight toward her G-spot as he stroked her inside. Like he knew exactly where to touch her, he was already bringing her close to orgasm. Plus, it had been a long time since she’d had sex with anyone besides herself, and she’d wanted Sawyer since she met him.

  When he broke their kiss, she opened her eyes to find him staring at her as he caressed her. He added his thumb and rubbed her clit with the perfect amount of pressure. Then, in a surprise move, he drew the shoulder of her shirt away from her neck and bit down.

  She came, bucking against his hand so hard that she had to hold on to him to remain upright.

  His hand rubbed her until she dropped back against the wall, tilting her head forward to rest on his neck. Only then did he release her shoulder from his bite. He removed his hand from her underwear and let her leg drop as he took a step back. He licked the palm of his hand, and then he stuck his fingers into his mouth and sucked her cream off.

  Her pussy clenched just from watching him, and it was left feeling achy and empty.

  When he was clean, he pulled her forward, threaded his hand in her hair, and cupped her head. He kissed her again, his mouth far from tender. He swept his tongue into her mouth, almost angrily, and she tasted herself on him.

  He held on to her as he ended their kiss. When she focused on him, she saw him glaring at her again.

  With his tawny hair messed up from where she must have run her fingers through his locks, he smirked. “What was your question again?” He paused. “Oh, yeah. ‘Who the hell do you think you are to tell me what to do? And what makes you think you can do anything to stop me?’ Well, Kenzie, I’m the guy who made you come and marked you as mine. Now, everyone believes you belong to me, and no one’s going to touch you.” He lost his sneer, and his face grew serious. “Don’t challenge me, Kenzie. I always win.”

  Sawyer released his hold on her, letting go so fast that she was forced to use the wall for balance. Then, he turned, unlocked the door, and walked out.

  She leaned her head back and took a deep breath in an attempt to compose herself. The only thing she could think was, Marked her? What in the hell just happened?

  VAUGHN RESTED HIS forehead against Naya’s, trying to catch his breath, while he waited to withdraw from her body.

  They had broken into the laundry room at the nightclub to talk and ended up having sex.

  He leaned back, so he could look at her, but she made a sound of protest as she tightened her arms and wrapped her legs around him. Her internal muscles were clamping around his cock, making him groan. He wished they were somewhere else, considering he wanted to take her again. She was so tight and wet, and she felt incredible around him. She was absolutely amazing, and he couldn’t get enough of her.

  Vaughn had a very healthy sexual appetite, and he usually didn’t go more than a couple of weeks without sex. He had a few females he could call for sex, all of them knowing that was the extent of the relationship. Otherwise, he would pick up a random female for the night—again, with no expectations of anything more than enjoying a short time together. Despite the fact that these encounters were for sexual gratification only, he always made sure his partner had a good time. He considered himself an unselfish lover, and he wanted the female he was with to reach orgasm, too.

  But with Naya, he barely had to try to make her come. It was as though her body had been made for his. Her slick channel was like a glove created especially to fit him. Sometimes, all he had to do was enter her, and she would come. Not only was it hot, but also having the ability to make her orgasm with a single thrust made him feel powerful. He, and he alone, could do that. She would never forget him, no matter how many lovers she slept with.

  And that thought only pissed him off. He didn’t want to think about another male being anywhere near her. A part of him already considered Naya as his, which is how she’d ended up with a bite mark where her neck met her shoulder. He’d been unable to control himse
lf.

  To top it off, it had been eight weeks since the last time they were together like this and three weeks since he last saw her, and he hadn’t been with anyone else that entire time. It wasn’t as if his need for sex had diminished, but the idea of being with anyone besides Naya held no appeal. He wasn’t sure how that made him feel. They never discussed being in an exclusive relationship. While he was sure she could handle all of him, the question was, would she want to? He knew she was into him, but he also knew something was holding her back. He wasn’t sure what it was, and he didn’t know if he even had the right to ask.

  This was uncharted territory for him.

  Vaughn pulled back again, so he could see Naya’s face, and this time, she let him. He immediately noticed the sad look had returned to her beautiful violet eyes. It was the same one he had seen when she first came to the club tonight. He pulled her bra straps back up to cover her breasts. He ran his hands up her neck, threaded his fingers through her hair, and rubbed his thumbs over her cheekbones, wanting her to know she meant more to him than some cheap lay in a nightclub back room.

  “Hey.” He gave her a smile.

  “Hey, yourself.” She attempted to return the expression, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

  “We should probably go before we get caught—or at least put our clothes back on just in case.”

  “Yeah,” she said.

  He had barely heard her because she’d spoken softly.

  She didn’t attempt to move, and neither did he. It was as if they knew this would be the last time.

  He leaned in and kissed her. It wasn’t a sexual kiss. It was a kiss to let her know that he thought she was wonderful. He kept it tender and slow, not heated and rushed like their lovemaking.

  He kissed Naya and realized he was still deep inside her. He felt her starting to clench around him, and her breathing changed. He broke their kiss to look at her. She squeezed her eyes closed and pressed her lips together.