Forbidden Blood (40 page)

T
HE NEXT NIGHT, Kenzie was standing outside Naya’s parents’ home with Vaughn. Tonight was the meeting between Vaughn, Naya, and their parents. From what she had heard from Naya, it was at her family’s house since her mother and father refused to go into the shifters’ territory again. Since Naya and Vaughn had wanted to talk to their parents at the same time, his parents had agreed to come, so here they were. However, Naya had arranged this meeting with her cousin, Arianna, without her parents’ knowledge. They were in for a big shock.

Kenzie was here for moral support. Naya needed as many people on her side as she could get. It was crazy to think
how close she was with Naya, yet Kenzie had never been to her house or met her parents and cousin. The Kensington home was huge, definitely in the mansion category, with a long, u-shaped driveway. It was a home someone like her had dreamed of having since she was a little girl.

The October night air was crisp
. She’d experienced colder ones, but she was still anxious to go inside and get warm. Naya had already gone into the house to speak with Arianna while Kenzie and Vaughn were waiting for his family to arrive.

Just then, a large SUV pulled up
, and Sawyer and Tegan got out. Naya had told Kenzie that they were sentinels, so they would be present to guard Vaughn’s father. An older gentleman followed the sentinels. “That’s my dad,” Vaughn told her. A beautiful older woman who looked a little younger than him and a young woman stepped out next. “My mom and sister.” Following them was another gentleman who had the same dark hair as Vaughn and his dad, but the man wasn’t as handsome. “That’s Gerald.” Lastly, a gangly teenager appeared. “And that would be Brent,” Vaughn said with coolness. Apparently, from what Naya told her, he was a bit of a troublemaker, and Vaughn didn’t care for him.

After
exiting the vehicle, Vaughn’s mother ran up to him and gave him a big hug. “Oh, son, I’ve missed you,” she said.

“
Mom, I was just at my apartment. It’s not like I left the country or even the state.”

She pulled back from their embrace but kept her hands on Vaughn
’s shoulders. “I know, but I still missed you.” She turned to Kenzie. “And who’s this?”

“
This is Kenzie, Naya’s best friend.”

“
Hello,” Kenzie said.

“
I’m Lilith.” She smiled, making her green eyes sparkle.

She held out her hand to Kenzie. After they shook, Lilith raised Kenzie
’s hand closer to her face and inhaled. She looked behind herself to Sawyer, who was glaring at Kenzie, and then she turned back to Kenzie. “Ah,” she said with a knowing smile on her face.

What
? What was “ah”
?

“
Mom, leave her alone.” Vaughn’s phone buzzed, and he looked down at it. “Naya is ready. Let’s go in.”

He headed for the door
, and everyone followed.

Kenzie waited toward the back, letting Vaughn
’s family enter first. Almost everyone had walked by, except for Sawyer, when Brent passed her.

He lifted his upper lip and said,
“Human,” as if it were a dirty word.

Kenzie paused in shock. She expected animosity from the vampires, but she hadn
’t really considered that shifters would think less of her, too, especially after Vaughn’s mother had been so nice to her.

Looking around, she wondered how many others
had heard Brent due to their shifter ears. Her gaze immediately went to Sawyer. He was still a few feet away, and she prayed he hadn’t heard. This Brent kid was a brat, but still, the thought of Sawyer witnessing this made her stomach clench. That made her angry. If Brent were some snot-nosed human who had made comments toward her, she would never have let him get away with it.

She
marched up to Brent, prepared to grasp his arm and chew him out. Before she could even reach him, Sawyer moved past her and grabbed the teen by the back of his neck, stopping him cold.

Sawyer hauled the kid around and said,
“Apologize to the lady.”

Brent curled his nose.
“No.”

The kid winced as Sawyer squeezed his neck.
“I said, apologize to the lady.”

Sawyer must have pressed harder because
Brent yelped.

T
hen, the kid said, “I’m sorry,” but it was without any real conviction. “I don’t know why you care anyway. You don’t even like humans.” He inhaled a deep breath and snickered. “Oh, I get it. She’s your piece of ass,” he said with a sneer.

Sawyer met her eyes.
“Go inside, Kenzie.”

Stunned
, Kenzie stood frozen at Brent’s accusations.

“
Kenzie.
”

She snapped to attention and looked at Sawyer.

“Go inside—
now
,” he said through clenched teeth.

She swallowed and nodded.
She walked slowly, hoping she could hear what Sawyer would say to the little shit. Sawyer waited until he thought she was out of earshot, but she could still just barely make out Sawyer’s words.

“
That’s right. She carries my scent, but she’s not some piece of ass. She belongs to me. So, if you
ever
speak to her that way again, I will make sure you are kicked out of the Pride. I don’t care whose kid you are.”

“
You can’t speak to me like this.”

“
The hell I can’t. I’m dominant and hold rank over you. The only privilege you have is that you were
born
to the alpha’s cousin. I’ve
earned
my place, so don’t fuck with me and what’s mine, including her, because I will make you regret it. Understand?”

She didn
’t hear Brent’s reply now that she was too far away. Her heart raced as she hurried through the front door. Once inside, she leaned against the wall, closed her eyes, and tried to calm her spinning head. Again, the man had completely confused her.

“
Kenzie.”

She jumped a mile at Naya
’s words. Kenzie stood up straight and managed a shaky smile. Then, she noticed a beautiful red-haired woman with the same violet eyes standing beside Naya.

“
Kenzie, this is Arianna. Arianna, Kenzie.”

They nodded in greeting at each other.

Naya looked at Kenzie and tilted her head. “Are you okay?”

“
Yeah, I’m fine.”

Naya had enough to worry about without adding her silly boy problems. Kenzie already knew
Naya was nervous.

“
Show me where you want me to go, and let’s do this.” Kenzie sent Naya a confident smile.

Kenzie followed Naya and Arianna into what looked to be a sitting room
with furniture that had been pushed against the walls with several chairs grouped in the center of the room. The only two people in the room Kenzie hadn’t met had to be Naya’s parents. There was an undeniably regal appearance to them. Naya’s father eyed Vaughn’s dad, who didn’t appear to be the least bit intimidated. Naya’s parents locked their eyes on the three girls as they approached.

“
Anaya, who is this…person?” Naya’s mother asked.

“
Mother, Father, this is my best friend, Kenzie.”

After what
had happened outside, Kenzie didn’t care to deal with any more bigotry from Naya’s parents, so she said a polite, “It’s nice to meet you,” and retreated to the back where she could observe and wouldn’t be in the way.

“
Father, Mother, please sit,” Naya said to her parents. She turned to Vaughn’s parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Llewelyn, please, you may have those two chairs there.” She pointed off to the side of the room.

Only after Vaughn
’s parents were seated did Naya’s parents also sit. Everyone else in the room stood, including Naya and Vaughn.

From the corner of her eye, Kenzie watched Sawyer and Brent enter. Brent went over to his father while Sawyer made his way in her direction. She thought he would walk past, but he surprised her again when he stood directly behind her. She caught herself standing stiff
ly, and she forced herself to take a few relaxing breaths as she concentrated on her reason for being here.

Vaughn grabbed Naya
’s hand and stepped forward. Naya’s mother’s eyes widened.

“
Mr. and Mrs. Kensington, Dad, Mom,” he said, “the first thing you should all know is that Naya and I are having and keeping the babies.”

In a rush, all the parents spoke at once
, so no one was able to understand anything.

Kenzie saw Brent glar
ing at her and Sawyer from his side of the room. Sawyer draped his arm around her waist and hauled her back against him. She closed her eyes. He felt and smelled great, and all she wanted to do was lean into his weight. Instead, she opened her eyes and focused her thoughts to the front of the room.

Vaughn put his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly, and
then everyone quieted.

“
We are never going to accomplish anything if you can’t wait your turn.” Vaughn looked at Naya’s mother. “Mrs. Kensington, what would you like to say?”

She pursed her lips in obvious disapproval.
“Do you know Anaya has to feed on your blood until she gives birth?”

“
Yes, I am fully aware.” He turned his head, looked at Naya, and gave her a special smile. “I’m more than happy to provide for her.”

Naya returned his grin.

“Where will you live?” Vaughn’s mother asked.

“
For now, we will stay at my apartment in Minneapolis. After, we will make more permanent arrangements,” Vaughn answered.

“
What about your job?” his father asked.

“
I don’t plan to quit, Dad. We can work out the formalities later.”

His father nodded and sat back in his chair,
seemingly relaxed, as if everything he needed to know had been answered.

Naya
’s father spoke next, “Do you realize there is no history of a vampire-shifter hybrid? We have no idea what these children will be like. Will they shift? Will they need blood? Will they be able to go outside in the sun? What if your DNA doesn’t go well together?” He swallowed. “What if there is something wrong with them? They could be”—his voice dropped—“abominations.”

Naya put her free hand over her belly and lifted her chin.
“I will love these babies no matter what.”

Vaughn put his hand over Naya
’s. “
We
will love these babies,” he corrected her.

“
You do know if you don’t feed from Vaughn, you will miscarry,” Mrs. Kensington said to Naya. “It will all happen naturally. No one would judge you for letting nature take its course.”

Kenzie was shocked
Naya’s mother would even say such a thing, and she heard Sawyer release a low growl as he pulled her tighter into his body.

Vaughn
’s growl was much louder, and Naya gasped as did Vaughn’s mother.

“
How dare you suggest my grandbabies be aborted?” Lilith shouted.

Naya said,
“
Mother!
How could you?”

At least Naya
’s mother had the decency to look a little guilty. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to feel trapped.”

Naya laughed, but it held no humor.
“That’s rich.
You
don’t want me to feel trapped?”

Kenzie was beginning to lose concentration on their conversation. Sawyer was wrapped around her
, acting like they did this all the time, but she was a ball of nerves.
What was he up to?

He moved her hair off her shoulder
and leaned in close to her ear. He hissed, “Would you relax?”

Was he nuts?
She wanted to turn around and smack him. At least she was no longer nervous.

Naya
’s father said, “You do realize, Anaya, the Council will not allow you to be the future queen in this condition. You are unmated and pregnant with hybrids.”

Naya lifted her chin higher and rubbed
her hand on her belly. “I don’t care. I already love them, and I’m not going to let anything happen to them.”

Mr. Kensington must have thought losing her status as future queen
would have been a bigger threat because he clenched his teeth together. “Then, you will have to do this on your own. You have your trust, but it won’t last forever. You will be cut off from all family money if you do this.”

Vaughn said,
“I will take care of her,” just as Naya said, “I have other options.”

Maybe Naya would accept the job offer at Second Chances. Kenzie was proud of her for standing on her own two feet. Plus, Kenzie knew Vaughn would never leave
Naya on the street to starve. Neither would Kenzie. Naya knew she could always stay with Kenzie.