Shadowed(76)

“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.