Shadowed: Brides of the Kindred book 8 (25 page)

But Nina seemed immune to his desperate need, other than to notice the fact that he’d tensed up again.

“Relax,” she ordered, clearly in professional mode now. “It won’t do any good to massage you if you tighten up all over again.”

“I’ll try,” he ground out, teeth gritted, hands clenched into fists. He could feel her silky thighs on either side of his rib cage, and when she bent over him, he swore he could feel the light brush of her breasts against his back. His cock was so hard he felt like he could fuck a hole right through the mattress. Couldn’t she see what she was doing to him for the Goddess’s sake?

Apparently not for she continued to massage him, rubbing all over his back, touching him in ways he hadn’t been touched in years. It was rapidly becoming too much. All Reddix could think about was taking her. Rolling over and pulling her to him, taking her mouth in a savage, punishing kiss…rolling her plump nipples between his fingers and then spreading her legs, claiming her entirely…

“You’re so
tense,”
Nina complained, leaning over him to work harder. Her breasts brushed him again, her nipples tight through the thin fur dress. “I think you’re in worse shape now than when I started!”

“Sorry,” Reddix growled hoarsely.

“Just try to relax,” she said again. She shifted to get a better angle to work and then…Gods, was that her soft little pussy he could feel pressing into the small of his back? The heat and dampness told him it must be. Did she even have panties on or was she completely naked under the dress? He could imagine her pink folds opening, showing her warm, wet interior. Her pussy spread for his tongue as she pulled his hair and called his name. She was rubbing against him, pressing the part of her he most longed to taste right against the small of his back…

Suddenly, he snapped.

With a low, possessive growl he flipped over, grabbed her wrists and rolled her under him in one swift move.

“Reddix?” Nina’s gold-flecked eyes grew wide. “What…what are you doing?”

“This.” And then he was kissing her—taking her—tasting her sweet mouth as he’d been longing to do from the moment he first set eyes on her. It was wrong, and he knew it, but he couldn’t stop himself, couldn’t quench the fire that burned inside him or satisfy the desperate hunger that had been building up for ten long years.

He wanted her, and he would be damned if he didn’t have her.

* * * * *

“Reddix? Oh my God, Reddix!” Nina gasped when he finally let her get some air. Not that she didn’t like the kiss—it was desperate and hungry and more than a little scary but also incredibly possessive and hot. His big body on hers was heavy and hard and insistent.

Can’t do this,
she told herself desperately.
Oh God, I really can’t do this! He’s my kidnapper—I can’t trust him. I can’t…can’t…

“Mine.” His silver eyes glowed in the dim room, and his harsh voice was a deep, guttural growl of pure possession. “You’re mine now, Nina.
Mine.
”

The words sent a thrill through her—part fear and part desire. But the fear won out.

“Just because you kidnapped me doesn’t mean you own me!” She pushed against his broad shoulders, but it was like pushing against a tank—he wasn’t moving. In fact, he was coming in for another one of those searing, frighteningly hot kisses.

“That’s
exactly
what it means,” he muttered, his eyes blazing with lust. “Never gonna let you go.”

“No!” Nina jerked her head to one side, avoiding his mouth. This was rapidly moving from scary but hot territory into just plain scary. She groped for the small wooden table beside the bed, reaching for something to fend him off with. Her fingers encountered a smooth keychain shaped object, and she grabbed it, squeezing it tight.

Reddix growled in frustration and came in for another kiss. When Nina avoided his mouth again, he went for her neck, licking and sucking mercilessly at the tender skin at the hollow of her throat, doubtless marking her with his possessive kisses. His dark, spicy scent filled her senses, making her feel dizzy and helpless with unwanted lust.

No, have to fight it. Have to…fight it!

Nina bit back a groan. This was getting out of hand—
way
out of hand. She couldn’t help noticing that lights on his collar were blinking like crazy—just as they had been during their first encounter with the Feeling People. Red, green, blue, red-green-blue, redgreenblue…they were almost a blur. The sight made her realize the small thing she held in her hand was the controller to the collar. She gripped it tightly. Could she really use it on him again? Should she?

The big Kindred moved farther down. Big, warm hands cupped her breasts roughly through the thin fur-like material of her dress, rolling her nipples until she moaned out loud. A warm, wet tongue licked a searing furrow right between her breasts. Nina moaned and felt her back arching involuntarily. God, she had to stop this…stop it now.

“Reddix,” she tried to warn him breathlessly. “Don’t—I don’t…don’t want to hurt you. Please stop. I don’t…you can’t…”

Her only answer was an inarticulate, lust filled growl that sounded more animal than human. Nina didn’t want to do it, but when one of his big warm hands left her breasts and started traveling sound of her belly button to slip under her dress, she knew she had no choice.

But not the kill switch again,
she thought deliriously.
Don’t want to knock him out for another three days. Just need to…to get him off me.

Carefully she slid the little plastic shield across the green button to one side and pressed it briefly.

The effect was instantaneous. Reddix stiffened on top of her and then threw himself backward, writhing in agony.

“Oh my God!” Nina fumbled with the controller, her fingers suddenly numb. Quickly she slid aside the shield over the blue button and jammed down on it hard.

The big Kindred relaxed at once, panting hoarsely. His hands, which had been clawing at the collar, dropped to his sides, and he heaved, his muscular chest rising and falling like bellows.

“I’m so sorry!” Nina gasped, leaning over him. “Are you all right? I didn’t want to press the button—I swear I didn’t. But you…you wouldn’t stop.”

Reddix choked and shook his head.

“You did…did the right thing.” His deep voice was scarcely more than a harsh whisper. Slowly, stiffly, he sat up and settled on the side of the bed, elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

“I just…” Nina began helplessly.

“Don’t fucking apologize. I’m the one who ought to be begging your forgiveness.” He sounded angry—but with himself, Nina realized—not with her. “It’s just…” He shook his head. “It’s been so long since I’ve been able to touch a female—or tolerate the touch of one in return.” He gave her a sidelong glance. “And you’re so Goddess damned beautiful—so perfect. I just…I lost myself.”

“I’m sorry,” Nina said softly. “I should have realized…I just wanted to ease some of your tension.”

He barked a laugh. “I’m afraid you failed. I’ve never felt more tense in my life. Well, until you shocked me. That took care of the problem nicely.” He glanced down between his legs as though to confirm he didn’t have an erection.

“I’m sorry—” she started again.

“Don’t be,” he said harshly. “
I
kidnapped
you
, remember? Then I dragged you through a wormhole to a strange planet where I tried to
rape
you.” He shook his head. “Gods, what’s wrong with me?”

“You never…” Nina’s mouth was suddenly dry. “You wouldn’t have. Not really. You just…lost control a little. That’s all.”

“Stop making excuses for me. You don’t know what I’m capable of.” He sat up and stared her straight in the face. “You want to know how this happened?” he asked, stroking his fingers along the cruel white scars marring his otherwise perfect jaw.
“Do
you?”

“I—”

“I did it myself with a knife,” he said bluntly. “Back when the RTS first got really bad. I was going to do my whole face but my little sister, Minda, came in and caught me. She…” He shook his head for a moment and swallowed hard. “There was blood everywhere…my hands, my face. It scared her. I think for a moment she thought I’d cut my own fucking throat.” He looked away. “And at that moment, I wished I had.”

“Oh, Reddix…” Nina didn’t know what to say. Her heart ached for him, bled for his pain. She put a hand on his arm tentatively, but he shook it off.

“She cried for me…begged me to stop,” he went on in a flat, emotionless voice. “She couldn’t understand why I would do such a thing. How could I explain to her that being ugly was better?”

Realization flashed over Nina. “What you were saying earlier—about feeling someone’s lust or jealousy every time they saw you…”

“They’re some of the worst emotions to deal with.” He looked down at his hands. “I wasn’t trying to kill myself—just scar myself. But Minda cried so hard and her grief and fear was so hard to deal with…” He shook his head. “I promised her I’d never do it again. That was why I started wearing the hood instead, growing my hair, hiding my face.”

“I don’t…don’t know what to say,” Nina whispered. Her eyes stung with unshed tears, but she tried not to cry. Reddix had enough emotion to deal with—even if he wouldn’t admit it.

“Don’t say anything.” He stood up abruptly and turned for the door.

“Where are you going?” she asked, immediately worried.

“To the ship. I’m going to activate the emergency beacon.” Reddix gave her a look. “It may take them awhile to detect it, but eventually my Kindred brothers
will
come. They’ll come and take you back to Earth, Nina. Where you belong.”

Before she could say another thing he was gone.

Chapter Twenty

Reddix stalked around the edges of the Feeling People’s village, carefully avoiding the natives though he more than halfway felt he deserved a blast of debilitating emotion right now. He was angry with himself…sickened by what he had almost done. How could he treat Nina that way? How could he hold her down and try to force himself on her?

Thank Goddess for the collar.
One hand stole up to his neck and he caressed the black wire around his neck with his fingertips.
If she hadn’t had it to stop me…
But he didn’t want to think of what he might have done, how far he might have gone.

He sniffed the chilly wind and followed the scent of metal and oil to the abandoned ship. It was completely disabled at the moment, but he might have been able to fix it in time. He wouldn’t now, though. He was simply going to activate the beacon and wait for his fellow Kindred to come collect him and Nina. They could deport him back to Tarsia and take Nina safely back to Earth to be with her kin.

And what about the swamp witch? What about the price of blood?
whispered a little voice in his head.
Xandra will exact the payment whether you want her to or not.

“Too fucking bad,” Reddix growled aloud. He would pay the price himself. And as for his RTS…well, he didn’t know what he would do about that or the fact that he was supposed to somehow father a child on the brainless, shallow Tilla, who his parents had picked to be his female. He would just have to do the best that he could.

If worst came to worst, he supposed they could go back to the Mother Ship—if the other Kindred would have him—and try artificial insemination. Of course if word of that ever got out, the Touch Kindred would never accept any child of his as leader of the Clans. Their laws were very clear about how a ruling child was to be conceived, and any deviation was not looked kindly upon.

“Just have to manage,” Reddix muttered to himself as he let himself into the cockpit. He found the emergency beacon at once, and then, before he could talk himself out of it, he pressed his palm to the flat black surface and pushed down hard three times.

The beacon lit up at once, outlining his hand and then flashing from red to yellow to green. When it stayed a steady, unblinking green for five seconds in a row, Reddix slowly removed his hand.

It was done. There was no way he could ever make up to Nina what he had put her through, but at least he had insured she could get home safely and go back to her normal life on Earth.

“You’ll never have her,” he muttered, staring at the blood red
lthss
curling around the bottom half of his wrist. “I’m setting her free. Your price is too high, witch. Even for freedom from my damn RTS, your price is too high.”

* * * * *

Nina paced the small bedroom worriedly, passing back and forth before the tiny fireplace and its gold and blue flames. She was cold, but she didn’t want to get into the bed where she and Reddix had so lately fought.

What if he runs into one of the Feeling People while he’s out there? What if he runs into one of their kids—their emotions are so
loud.
I should have gone with him. Should have…

Stop it, eecho!
the voice of Mehoo-Jimmy commanded.
Stop worrying about that bear and worry about yourself. What if he didn’t really set off the beacon at all? What if he just said that to trick you? In fact—what if he got in that ship and took off? What if he left you here all alone with no hope of ever getting home?

No,
Nina thought uneasily.
No, he wouldn’t do that. No matter what else he is, Reddix is an honorable man. He’s just been hurt so much, been in pain so long that he’s twisted. He can’t help himself…

She knew she ought to stop making excuses for him, but she couldn’t seem to help it. The idea that he’d cut his own face to make himself less noticeable tore at her heart. His life had been hell for ten years. And even though he’d kidnapped her and torn her away from her entire life, she couldn’t help feeling for him. Any more than she’d been able to help reacting when he kissed her and touched her.

God, the way he’d touched her… Nina’s body still throbbed with the memory of his big, hot hands cupping her breasts and rolling her nipples…the feel of his mouth on hers and then moving lower, kissing her throat and licking between her breasts. Just thinking about it made her nipples tight as the tender vee between her thighs got swollen and wet…