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  “Good—then go.” His deep voice went harsh again. “It’s better this way. Better for both of us. I’m no good for you, Nina.”

  She turned to face him once more. “It looks to me like you’re not good for anyone but yourself. Goodbye, Reddix. Have…have a nice life.”

  She wanted to leave without breaking down, didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. But on the last word, the tears burst forth, and she couldn’t stop a sob from escaping before she turned her back on him and ran into the shuttle.

  * * * * *

  Reddix stared after her, feeling like she’d ripped his heart out and was taking it with her. But what could he do? He was letting her go—giving her freedom for her own good. He could have let her down easier, tried to explain—but that would never work. He knew Nina, knew how persistent and tenacious she could be. She would never give up on them if she thought he still cared for her. That he still loved her. So he had to lie, had to send her away thinking he’d used her. And if she hated him for it, well, that was better than ruining her life—wasn’t it? Wasn’t it?

  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.

  “Is that your handwriting?” Kat looked at the tiny place setting in wonder. “Wow, that’s beautiful Nina. Thank you.”

  “You’re more than welcome.” Nina smiled at her. “I’m just grateful to have something to do.”

  “She means to take her mind off Reddix,” Lissa explained. She frowned. “When I think of how he acted…I’ve already told Saber he’s not invited to our joining ceremony, whenever we finally have one.”

  “Thanks, Lissa.” Nina lifted her chin. It had only been a few days, and her heart still felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces, but she was determined to move on. “But you don’t have to do that. I’m not going to let him bother me.”

  “Brave girl,” Kat said admiringly. “Well, if you can really get over him that easily, it wasn’t meant to be in the first place.”

  “Exactly what I’ve been telling her,” Lissa said. “I just—”

  “Oh, look out—disaster at five o clock,” Kat hissed, turning her back.

  “What?” Nina looked around uncertainly. “What are you talking about?”

  “It’s the new girl—Maggie Jordan. She’s up here on the ship because she’s going to participate on the first wholly integrated Human/Kindred exploration. Which basically means some of the warriors are checking out a new planet and letting some humans tag along.”

  “That sounds nice,” Nina was intrigued. “She must be really smart to be chosen for that.”

  “Oh, she is—smart as a whip,” Kat said earnestly. “She’s got a doctorate in xenobiology and xenobotany, and she’s only twenty-five. That’s like…amazing. Impossible.”

  “So what’s the problem? Why are you hiding from her?” Lissa asked.

  Kat frowned. “Well, you see, the thing is—she’s too smart. You know that old stereotype of the absent minded professor who has his head in the clouds all the time? Well, that’s Maggie. She’s so smart she has no common sense.”

  “She’s pretty, anyway,” Nina offered, staring at the girl over Kat’s shoulder. She had short, rather messy honey blonde hair that was a mass of curls around her heart-shaped face. Her eyes might have been brown, but it was hard to tell—they were hidden behind a pair of thick, round glasses. She had a good figure which was unfortunately hidden by the bulky lace dress in a rather horrible shade of puce she was wearing. “Pretty in an…academic nerd girl kind