Shadowed: Brides of the Kindred book 8 (34 page)

“You did, but I didn’t think it would be
this
slow.”

“We’re making progress,” he assured her. “Speaking of that, how about letting me see the rest of you?”

“The…the rest?”

“You know what I mean,” he growled. “I want to take off your panties and spread your pussy completely. Want to see all of you up close before I taste you. All right, Nina?”

Nina bit her lip again, but she knew there was no real choice. She was aching for him—throbbing to have more of his mouth on her. Slowly, she nodded.

“All right—take them all the way off.”

“Good girl,” he murmured again.

Taking his time, he slid the damp lace all the way down her legs and threw the lacy panties the floor. Then he put his big, warm hands on Nina’s inner thighs, spreading and caressing her at the same time.

“Such a pretty little pussy,” he murmured, running his hands up and down her thighs. “So open and wet. Look at all the sweet honey you’re making for me.” Gently he stroked over her open pussy with two fingertips and brought them away glistening with her juices.

“I…can’t help it,” Nina moaned as his fingers slid over her clit. “Can’t help getting wet when you…you touch me like that.”

“What about when I touch you like this?” He stroked over her open folds again, but this time he didn’t stop. Two thick fingers breached her entrance and slid deep into her pussy, making Nina moan again.

“God, Reddix…”

“This is how I’m going to make you come,” he murmured, looking into her eyes as his thick fingers began to pump into her. “I’m going to fuck you very deep and slow with my fingers while I lick your sweet little cunt. I’m going to suck your clit and stroke it slowly with my tongue until I feel you squeezing all around me…” His fingers continued to move.

“God…” she whispered again.

“Then, when I feel you coming, I’m going to pull my fingers out and fuck you with my tongue instead,” he murmured, his eyes blazing with lust. “Going to tonguefuck you and lap up every drop of that sweet honey you’ll make for me. Understand?”

“Yes…” Nina was beyond protesting, beyond denying him anything. She spread her legs wider, offering herself to him completely. “Yes,” she whispered again. “Please…please do it.”

* * * * *

Reddix didn’t have to be asked twice. The sweet feminine scent of her open pussy was intoxicating, and the brief taste of her honey he’d gotten earlier while kissing her clit wasn’t nearly enough. He wanted more—wanted to bury his face between her thighs and lick and suck and taste until he’d memorized her flavor, until the memory of her sweetness was burned into his soul forever.

Gods, how he needed this—needed
her.
He hadn’t been lying to Nina when he called his desire to taste her a hunger. She was so beautiful—so ripe and ready and open. He wanted to ravish her with his tongue, wanted to make her come harder than she ever had in her life and hear her call his name while she did it.

With a low groan, he lowered his head once more and sucked the ripe little bud of her clit between his lips.

Nina moaned and bucked her hips up, her inner channel tightening around his fingers in response to the new pleasure. Reddix’s shaft surged hard against the inner confines of his trousers, but this wasn’t about him—it was about pleasuring the woman he loved, probably for the last time. It was about giving Nina something to remember him by—something she would never forget. Pressing his fingers deeper and harder into her pussy, he redoubled his efforts on her throbbing clit.

Her flavor made him even harder than her scent. Sweet and salty, she tasted perfect—a flavor he’d been craving all his life and had finally found. Groaning low in his throat, he lapped her harder, dragging his tongue over her slippery folds, bathing his face in her sweet sex as he thrust his fingers deeply into her, urging her to make even more honey.

Her soft little fingers found their way down into his hair and shoulders, and he felt the sharp bite of her nails as she pressed her hips up, offering herself, trying to get more of his touch, his tongue.

“Reddix…oh God, Reddix!” she moaned, and he felt his cock surge again. Gods, how he loved to hear his name on her lips, loved to hear her call for him as he brought her to the edge! He licked harder, concentrating again on her tight little clit, bathing it with the tip of his tongue before sucking it between his lips and lashing the sensitive bundle of nerves mercilessly, causing her to claw at his shoulders and cry his name breathlessly once more.

She was close—incredibly close, and he knew it. Pressing forward he licked even harder, thrusting deep, urging her wordlessly to let go, to give in to the pleasure he was providing.

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 joining 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.