Shadowed(119)
Reddix didn’t have an answer.
Lissa, who had been hanging back to give them some privacy, suddenly came forward. Before he could say a word, she slapped him—hard, across the face.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” she said, her green eyes flashing. “I know I am ashamed of you. I just stood up in front of all our clans and said how much the men of the Touch Kindred have grown. I spoke about how kind and brave and honorable they are. But you—you are none of those things.”
“You don’t have to tell me that,” Reddix growled. “I already fucking know it.”
“Then you should also know this.” Lissa poked a finger at him. “You just threw away the best thing to ever happen to you in your whole miserable existence. I hope you regret it every day for the rest of your life.”
“I will.” Reddix rubbed his cheek, which still stung from her slap. “Believe me, I already do.”
“Then why are you doing this?” Lissa looked at him with honest bewilderment. “I can tell you care for Nina—why are you pushing her away?”
He frowned at her. “That’s none of your Goddess damned business. Let’s just say it’s for her own good and leave it at that.”
Lissa shook her head. “I guess you have your reasons, but whatever they are, they’re not good enough for doing what you just did to Nina.” She gave him a last disgusted look. “Good-bye, Reddix.”
With that, she marched up the short gangplank and into the waiting shuttle. The plank drew up, and the door closed behind her with a metallic hiss-bang. The pilot—who had only been waiting for the signal to go—had the shuttle in the air in an instant.
Reddix stood and watched as it rose swiftly over the tops of the trees, moving up and up until it was nothing but a shimmering dot in the night sky. Then it blinked once and disappeared completely.
Nina was gone.
Chapter Thirty-three
“Are you sure you don’t mind helping?” Lissa asked anxiously for what had to be the tenth time.
Nina tried to smile. “I’m positive. I don’t feel ready to go home yet, and I don’t want to just hang around this big old ship doing nothing. Besides, your friend Kat seems like she could use the extra hands.”
“Poor Kat.” Lissa sighed. “She’s the one who usually plans everyone else’s events. I think it’s just about killing her to give in and let someone else plan her joining ceremony, but she’s been having a rough time with her pregnancy lately—nothing serious, just a lot of morning sickness and nausea.”
“She’s pregnant?” Nina was surprised. “I couldn’t tell—she’s certainly not showing.”
“And that’s how we want to keep it,” the red-headed Kat came bustling up with a smile on her face. “At least until I tie the knot with my guys officially. Then I can wait a week or two and tell my grandmother I’m ‘in the family way,’ as she so delicately puts it. Until then, I’m not preggers—or at least I’m not admitting to it.”
“Got it,” Nina said, smiling. “So we’ll keep the baby talk under wraps.”
“Yes, please.” Kat fanned herself with the wedding program she was holding. “It was bad enough explaining to her that I have three way nookie. If she finds out I’ve got a bun in the oven on top of it all…” She shook her head. “Well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be good.”
“I think we can keep things quiet,” Lissa said. “But you should go lie down, Kat. It’s only a few hours until the ceremony—you need to rest.”
“I can rest when I’m dead,” the red-head said grimly. “Right now, I need to make sure everything is perfect before we get started.”
“Well, let’s see,” Lissa ticked off points on her fingers. “The tables are all set for the reception. There’s a program in every chair. The sacred grove is decorated, and I’ve posted Baird to be sure everyone removes their shoes and boots before they go in to the ceremony—which I am fully ready to perform.”
Nina looked at her in surprise. “You’re the one doing the ceremony?”
Lissa nodded. “I’m still technically a priestess of the Goddess so I was happy to agree when Kat asked me.”
“Thank you, doll.” Kat smiled at her gratefully. “I can’t wait to hear you tell the guys they can kiss the bride.”
“It will be my pleasure,” Lissa assured her friend.
“We’re almost done with the favors and place settings too,” Nina offered, holding up a small lace baggie filled with sugar almonds and a tiny white wire picture frame with a name written in calligraphy in the center.