Shadowed

  That’s right, sweetheart, he thought, so hot he could barely articulate the words, even to himself. Go ahead and give it up for me. Come for me—come all over my face.

  Finally, he felt her inner muscles clamp down on his fingers, tightening rhythmically as she found her peak. At the same time she gasped his name and arched her back, crying for him, begging him not to stop.

  Immediately, he withdrew his fingers and replaced them with his tongue. The feel of her tight channel spasming around him as he pressed deeply into her wetness made his cock surge.

  “Reddix!” she wailed, bucking her hips up as though trying to pull him in deeper. Reddix was happy to oblige her. Hooking his arms around her thighs, he pressed his face between her legs, thrusting his tongue deep into her hot, wet pussy tonguefucking her, just as he had promised. Gods, he wanted her! Wanted to taste her every day for the rest of her life, wanted to never let her go.

  Feeling his tongue insider her seemed to drive Nina wild. With a low moan, she started to come again. Reddix tasted fresh wetness as he rode out her orgasm, loving every minute of it, reveling in his pleasure as she shook and shuddered against him. She was so beautiful, so perfect and right. If only she could be his forever instead of just this one last night.

  But even in the heat of the moment, he knew that could never be.

  * * * * *

  When the pleasure finally ebbed and Nina was able to relax, Reddix climbed back into bed with her and held her tight with her back to his front, as though he never wanted to let go.

  “Reddix?” She tried to turn to look at him, but he wouldn’t let her.

  “Just let me hold you.” His deep voice was harsh with emotion. “Let me hold you, at least for tonight.”

  “What is it?” she asked gently, stroking one muscular forearm which was wrapped around her waist.

  He was silent a long time, but then finally, he spoke.

  “You know. You said it yourself—this is our last night. And I don’t…don’t fucking want it to be.”

  “I don’t either.” She tried to turn to him again and this time he let her. The look in his eyes was one of such deep sadness Nina felt her heart twist. “Is it really so important?” she asked. “I mean, you becoming the next OverChief if your people won’t accept Saber?”

  He nodded. “If the line of succession is broken, they’ll go to war. It’s happened before—nearly wiped out the entire fucking race.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “Touch Kindred are hotheaded bastards.”

  “Just tell me one thing, then.” Nina snuggled against him, pressing her face to his chest, breathing in that warm, masculine spice that always made her feel dizzy with desire for him. “If all that was taken care of—if you didn’t have those responsibilities hanging over your head—would we be together?”

  He gave her a long look. “There’s more standing between us than you know, sweetheart. But yes, if I could be free of this place and these obligations, we’d find a way to be together.”

  Nina’s heart rose into her throat. “Then…if by some miracle the clans do accept Saber and Lissa as their leaders…”

  “I’ll kidnap you again and take you someplace far, far away with just the two of us,” he promised hoarsely. “I swear it.”

  “Oh, Reddix…” She lifted her chin and kissed him, tasting her own secret flavor on his mouth. The words I love you rose to her lips, but she swallowed them back down. Time enough to say them if things worked out for Saber and Lissa at the gathering tomorrow night. In the meantime, she just wanted to enjoy being with him…hopefully not for the last time, after all.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  A loud pounding on the bedroom door woke Reddix up. He blinked in the orangish sunlight flooding the room, wondering why he was sleeping in the guest bed. Then Nina stirred beside him. She had put back on her blue gown, but just seeing her reminded him of everything that had gone on the night before. They hadn’t made love, but Nina had insisted on sucking him—tasting him as he had tasted her—and then they had fallen asleep in each other’s arms. It had been the best and most bittersweet night of his life—knowing that she cared for him and wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her.

  But even if by some miracle the clans accept Saber and Lissa, how will you make love to her properly? How can you bond her to you without a working Touch Sense? whispered a pessimistic little voice in the back of his brain.

  Reddix shook his head. He would manage. If they were granted a miracle and he was freed of the onerous obligation of being the next OverChief, he would find a way to make things work with Nina. He had to.

  The pounding on the bedroom door was repeated, reminding him what had woken him up in the first place. Reddix frowned, who could that be?

  “Reddix?” screeched a high female voice. “I know you’re in there! I’ll give you one more chance to come out or I’m coming in.”

  Beside him, Nina sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. “What time is it? Who’s shouting?” she murmured.

  Reddix was beginning to get a very bad feeling. A feeling that something he had forgotten was going to come back to bite him in the ass. Speaking of things he had forgotten, the lthss on his wrist was itching and throbbing abominably. Sometime before the gathering of the Clan leaders and people tonight he would have to go and settle his account with Xandra.

  But it wasn’t the swamp witch who was pounding on his door now.

  “Reddix!” shouted the shrill, familiar voice again. He opened his mouth to answer when the door suddenly popped open, and Tilla appeared in the doorway with Lissa right behind her.

  “I’m sorry,” Lissa apologized. “I tried to keep her out. She just barged right past me.”

  “I have a right to enter my betrothed’s house if I want to.” Tilla crossed her arms over her chest, her many blue and green vivium bangles clashing against each other. “And what do I find when I get here? Another female in his bed.” She glared at Nina who stared blankly back at her and then turned to Reddix.

  “Reddix, who is this person?” she asked in a low, dangerous voice.

  He opened his mouth to answer but again Tilla spoke before he could.

  “I am his fiancée—the one his parents picked for him. The one he is promised to join with as soon as he ascends as OverChief. And who exactly are you?”

  Nina didn’t answer her. Instead, she looked at Reddix again.

  “Is this true?”

  “I…yes,” he said heavily. “But I never—”

  “Don’t say you never agreed to our arrangement because you did. You know you did,” Tilla accused shrilly.

  “I did,” Reddix acknowledged. “But things have changed. I’m with Nina now.”

  “Oh, no you’re not.” Nina moved away from him and suddenly Tilla’s anger and betrayal poured over his head like a box of hot coals.

  “Damn it!” Reddix jumped out of bed and turned to Nina. “I’m with you now, sweetheart. I swear I am!”

  “It doesn’t sound like you bothered to inform her of that.” Nina had gotten out of bed too and her arms were crossed over her chest. Even though Reddix couldn’t feel her emotions, her eyes were cold. Ice cold.

  “He most certainly didn’t,” Tilla said, putting her hands on her hips. “I didn’t even know he was back from the Mother Ship until I heard from some people this morning who said they saw him going into his house last night with a strange alien female. A strange alien female with an extremely large ass.” She cocked one skinny hip as though showing off her own boney, narrow behind and glared at Nina.

  “Now, just a minute.” Nina held up a hand. “I’m sorry Reddix cheated on you, but I didn’t know anything about you until just now so there’s no need to get nasty.”

  “I didn’t cheat on her,” Reddix roared, losing patience. “I’ve never been with her—never even kissed her, I swear.”

  “That’s right.” Tilla scowled at him. “You told me you couldn’t kiss me—even to seal our jo
ining agreement—because of your RTS. So how is it that I find you in bed with another female kissing and touching her?”

  “That would be because she doesn’t make my skin crawl like you do,” Reddix growled. “Because I don’t have to feel every single petty emotion every moment I’m with her.”

  “I…you…” Tilla seemed to be at a loss for words.

  Reddix turned to Lissa and Saber, who was now standing outside the door as well.

  “Could the two of you please get her out of here so I can explain things to Nina?” he asked.

  “Certainly.” Saber nodded at Lissa who put a hand on Tilla’s boney shoulder.

  “All right now,” she said soothingly. “Let’s give them a little time alone, and then I’m sure Reddix will come talk to you.”

  “He’d better.” Tilla shrugged off Lissa’s hand angrily and stalked out of the room. But before leaving, she turned to face him again. “You won’t get out of our agreement that easily, Reddix. You promised before my parents and yours to join with me as soon as you become OverChief. I will not be cheated of my due!”

  Her anger lashed out at him like a tongue of flame branding his cheek—as effective as any slap—and then she left, slamming the door behind her.

  * * * * *

  Nina glared at Reddix as he slowly turned back to face her. The bed was between them, but there was obviously a whole lot more dividing them.

  “Explain,” she said tightly. “But first, let me tell you something. I will and have put up with a lot. You kidnapped me, dragged me through a wormhole, stranded me on a strange alien planet where everyone had three eyes and tentacles, and there was nothing but purple mush to eat—okay, I could deal with all that. But this…this is a deal breaker. To find out you already have a fiancée and you’ve been lying to me this whole time? Uh-uh.” She shook her head. “No, no, and hell no. There are some things I will not tolerate.”

  “Nina…sweetheart…” Reddix shook his head, as though trying to think how to begin. “I know this looks bad—fucking terrible, in fact.”

  “You’re damn right it looks bad.” Nina still had her arms crossed over her chest protectively. Had Reddix been lying to her this entire time? Had he been playing her for a fool? “We talked and talked on the planet of the Feeling People,” she went on, trying to keep her voice from cracking. “I really felt like…like I got to know you. To care about you. Why didn’t you tell me about her? About…?”

  “Tilla. Her name is Tilla,” he said heavily, sinking down onto the side of the bed. “And the reason I didn’t tell you about her was, well, I guess because I was trying so hard not to think of her. She’s part of this whole mess—she’s my fate if I have to stay here and rule as OverChief.”

  “So you are engaged to her?” Nina demanded.

  Reddix nodded. “Yes, although as she pointed out, the agreement was never sealed.”

  “What does that even mean? Are you with her or not?”

  “I don’t want to be, Goddess damn it!” he growled. “I never did—this was my parents’ idea. Back when Saber first let them know he was with Lissa, his parents and mine were scrambling for a solution. They knew the clans would be reluctant to have a male with RTS as their next OverChief. They needed to put me with someone who would tolerate having a cripple as a mate.”

  “A cripple? You mean because of your RTS?” Nina asked.

  “Among other things.” He put his head in his hands. “I can’t even stand to touch her. To fucking be near her. She turns my stomach, and I turn hers—I can feel how much she hates me every minute she’s near me.”

  “Then why is she making such a big deal?” Nina demanded. “If she hates you so much?”

  “Because she wants the status of being the OverChief’s female.” Reddix looked up at her. “That’s all it is to her—a business deal. A chance to lord it over all the other females on Tarsia because she’ll have more status than any of them combined once we’re joined.” He sighed and looked down at his feet. “Goddess fucking damn it,” he muttered. “This is all such a fucked up mess.”

  Nina stared at him uncertainly. Was he telling the truth? Slowly she came around the bed and stood in front of him. Reddix just looked at her, making no move to touch her.

  “I want to believe you,” she said at last.

  “Then do,” he said hoarsely. “I swear I want nothing to do with Tilla. I let my parents and Saber’s push me into an agreement with her for the good of the clans, but I’m done with her now. It’s over. I don’t care if they like it or not. If they won’t have Saber as their OverChief, they’ll have to accept me as a single ruler.”

  Nina frowned. “But the line of succession…don’t you have to uh, produce an heir?”

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do about that.” He shook his head and scratched absently at the red snake marking on his wrist which seemed to have grown again. “I don’t know what I’m going to do about a lot of things—I made promises, accepted obligations—and I have no idea how I’ll fulfill them. But I do know I don’t want to spend a single minute of my life with Tilla.” He looked at Nina full in the face, holding her eyes with his own. “It’s you I want, Nina,” he said hoarsely. “And if I can’t have you, I don’t want anyone else. I swear it on my honor as a Kindred warrior. I swear it on my life.”

  “Reddix…” Nina wasn’t quite sure what to say.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “So fucking sorry I didn’t say anything about Tilla. I should have. I just…never thought you could care for me after what I did. I never thought I’d even have any kind of a chance with you, and I didn’t want to think about what was waiting for me here on Tarsia.”

  Nina shook her head. “I don’t even know what to believe anymore.”

  “Believe that I care for you, please, sweetheart.” He took her hand in his, and Nina let him hold it though she didn’t squeeze back when his fingers closed over hers. For a long time they stared into each other’s eyes, silver clashing with blue.

  Finally, Nina sighed. “If you really feel that way, you need to tell Tilla,” she said. “It’s not fair to her otherwise.”

  He nodded. “You’re right.”

  Nina withdrew her hand. “I’d offer to stay with you and damp her emotions, but I think that would only make things worse between the two of you.”

  Reddix nodded stoically. “I owe it to her to tell her face to face with no one between us. It won’t be very fucking pleasant, but I can manage.”

  “You’ll have to.” Turning, she left the room, brushing past the very angry Tilla as she did.

  “There she goes—there goes the alien whore,” the Tarsian girl spat as she walked past.

  Nina looked back at her. “I may be a whore in your eyes,” she said calmly. “But at least he can touch me. At least he wants to touch me. That’s more than you can say.”

  Tilla grew red in the face. “None of that matters because I have the right blood. Long after you’ve returned to your backwater planet, I’ll be the one standing by his side as wife of the OverChief—you’ll see.”

  “Keep telling yourself how important your blood is then,” Nina said. “And go ahead—talk to Reddix. Try to convince him he wants you when he doesn’t. Have fun with that.”

  Then she turned and walked away, leaving the Tarsian girl sputtering behind her.

  But her victory felt like a hollow one. Inside she was wondering what was really going on. And who would Reddix really choose?

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Nina wandered outside in a daze. The fight with Tilla, Reddix’s admission that he was in fact engaged to the skinny Tarsian girl, being on yet another a strange alien planet…it was all too much. She needed to get some fresh air…to breathe…to think.

  Also, though she didn’t want to admit it, she wanted to get away from the temptation to listen in on Reddix’s conversation with Tilla. She had heard low, angry voices coming from the guest bedroom where she had left him, and she was dying to know what they were saying
. But she refused to eavesdrop. Reddix could do what he wanted—he was a grown man, after all. If he truly intended to follow through on his word and end things with Tilla, he could come and tell her about it himself. In the meantime, Nina was determined to put the matter out of her mind as much as she could.

  Reddix had a large spherical house built out of the same shiny black Lego-looking bricks as the other Tarsian homes she had seen, but it was located on the very outskirts of town. Nina wasn’t surprised about that—of course someone with his affliction would want as much privacy as they could get. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d chosen to live in a cave like a hermit. It would have been nice to see more of the town, but actually, Nina rather liked the remote location. The forest across from his home was huge and beautiful and looked like a good place to take her mind off her problems.

  The trees on Tarsia were huge with thick, squat trunks. Their shapes reminded Nina of the time she had gone to visit a friend in California and had seen the giant redwoods. But the coloring was completely different. The trees all had green bark with dark orange and yellow leaves and some of them had purple and green flowers as well. The effect was of a forest in autumn back on Earth except there was no chill in the air. Nina wondered if the leaves were these colors all the time here on Tarsia or if they changed completely during the other seasons. If they had other seasons—did they? She really knew nothing at all about this world other than the fact that it was incredibly far from her own and it was Reddix’s home world.

  “I wish I had a guide,” she said, half to herself. “Someone to tell me about this place.” She couldn’t ask Lissa or Saber anything—they were too busy preparing for the gathering that night. And of course, Reddix was busy with Tilla…No, she wasn’t going to think about that. She was putting it out of her mind.

  “Well now, dearie…what is it exactly you want to know?”