Shadowed(129)

“B-because.” She took a step back. “It’s just…not a good time. I need…need to be alone.”

“From the way you smell, that’s the last thing you need, sweetheart.” Reddix took another step in her direction, drawn by her hot scent like a magnet. His shaft was so hard it hurt—she looked fucking delicious in that thin little robe.

“What…what are you talking about?” Nina demanded, backing up again. “What do you mean I smell? I just took a shower not too long ago.”

“Got nothing to do with that,” Reddix told her, coming forward again. His fingers were itching to touch her, he flexed his hands into fists at his sides, trying to ignore the carnal urges her scent brought out in him.

“What does it have to do with then?” Her voice was high and breathless. She had backed up until the backs of her knees were against the side of the couch. The animalistic lust her scent unleashed inside him roared. She had no place else to go—he had her cornered.

“It has to do with how hot you smell right now, sweetheart,” he growled. “Your scent says you’re going into fucking heat or something.”

“I…no. I don’t know…” She looked down, away from him. Reddix felt like he was going crazy. He needed to know what was happening here. Needed to understand why her scent was so hot before he lost control completely and just took her.

“Yes, you do know. I can tell you know something.” He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Tell me, Nina. What the hell is going on with you?”

“I…I ate a piece of bonding fruit cake by mistake, all right?” she flared, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. “It was Maggie’s fault—she mixed up the signs on the cake layers. It was supposed to be for married couples only because apparently bonding fruit makes you really…uh…” She shook her head, her cheeks getting even pinker. “Anyway, I came back to my suite to try and wait it out. They say the effects should pass in about twenty-four hours.”

“Bonding fruit?” Reddix raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I’ve heard of that—the Twin Kindred use it. Isn’t it supposed to be dangerous if you eat too much of it?” He narrowed his eyes at Nina. “How much did you eat?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. Lauren said it was really concentrated after she cooked the fruit down to make the filling for the cake. I ate a whole piece of the cake so…a lot, I guess.”

He frowned. “And you thought you could just wait it out? Too much of that stuff can be dangerous if you don’t have a way to get it out of your system, Nina.”

“Well, what else was I supposed to do?” she demanded. “It’s not like I have anyone to help me take the edge off. I’m all alone up here—unless I want to go find some strange Kindred I’ve never even seen before and ask for help.”

The very thought that she would go to another male made him see red with rage.

“You stay away from other males,” he growled, pulling her close. “You’re fucking mine. You hear me, Nina? Mine.”

“The hell I am!” She pushed away from him and nearly lost her balance. Only grabbing the arm of the couch saved her. “I don’t belong to you,” she snapped. “Not after the way you treated me. I…you…” Her eyes got wide. “Oh…I feel so…so strange.”

“Nina? Are you all right?” Concern cut through the red haze of lust and rage that surrounded him. Her cheeks were flushed, and her chest was heaving. She looked close to having some kind of a meltdown.

“No, all right?” She put a hand to her chest. “My heart is racing, and I can’t seem to catch…catch my breath. I feel like…like I’m going into…into overload somehow.” She looked up at him, her eyes wide with fright. “What’s happening to me?”

He took her by the shoulders and looked into her face anxiously, noting her dilated pupils and rapid breathing.

“That damn bonding fruit. You need to take the edge off—now.”

“I tried,” Nina moaned. “What do you think I’ve been doing ever since I got up here? Until you knocked on the door I was…was touching myself nonstop.” Her cheeks were red with embarrassment, but she went on anyway. “I must have come fifteen times, but it didn’t help—nothing helps.”

“That’s because you need a male to help you—only a male’s essence can ease the pain.” Reddix made a sudden decision. Nina might hate him for it later, but he had to do it—had to help her. He could stand here and watch her have some kind of attack when he could keep her from it. “Lay down,” he commanded, pushing her closer to the couch.