She twisted again looking for relief, but there was none. She stopped to listen, had she heard Cal’s voice? Nothing but silence and deadly pain greeted her. Turning, she felt herself go airborne. You’re descending into hell a voice whispered in her mind. Cal? She reached out remembering the link she had with him.
“Aren’t you dead yet?”
“What? Cal?”
“Grow up, Paige, no one wants you. All I wanted was your talents. Now that we have a soul bond when you die they will be mine. Do you think you could hurry the process?”
“But you said…” Her body doubled up as another wave of pain hit her, an insidious voice called to her, telling her to give up.
“I thought you might love me one day.”
“Love you? Really? Don’t you know when you’re being used? I followed you here, Paige. I set everything up to get you and I won.”
“No, I don’t believe you!” She tried to fight back to hold off the pain, but it was winning.
“Poor little deceived, Paige. Not even your parents wanted you, remember? They were going to trade you in for a new model.”
The past pulled on her, drawing her back. It had stormed that night, thunder and lightning, there was even a weather advisory, she looked it up. It had cautioned everyone to take their time on the slick roads and flash floods were occurring. Her parents were already out when the bad weather started. On their way home they had been hit by it. No one knew what happened, but the car went over an embankment killing both of them, and leaving her alone, scared, parentless.
Maybe it was time to give up. She should have been in the car with them, she was never meant to live. Yes, a voice that sounded like Cal’s whispered through her mind. If the male she was soul bonded to didn’t care, what hope did she have left? She would die and leave him to live a better life without her.
“I love you, Paige. If you die I will follow you wherever you go, but I will never leave you alone.”
She shook her head, he hated her. He told her so. Did he? Her inner voice spoke up after being quiet for so long. Did he really fool us, Paige? Are our talents really worth that much to him? She questioned herself seeking the truth.
Twisting her body she felt something soft under her. What happened to her long drop to hell?
“You better learn to walk on those feelings, Girly, or they will deceive you.” Voyager’s voice went through her head. The sound of his voice cut through her with the white hot pain of clarity. It lasted long enough for her to get a clear sound of the voice haunting her, before she fell back into the abyss of pain and fear.
She was lost in her feelings, her emotions were being used against her. The struggle to pull out of her own downward spiral was costing her energy she couldn’t afford to expend. She spent it anyway, if she didn’t break free Cal was doomed, she was doomed. With difficulty she opened her eyes to find Cal doubled over her in pain. Still he was caressing her forehead, trying to stop the shivering of her body.
“Come back to me, Paige,” were the words his lips mumbled as he tried to take care of her in the midst of his own pain.
“Cal,” her voice was threadbare.
“Paige, I thought I lost you.” The pain in his voice reached deep inside of her, giving her the extra push she needed to fight.
“I think you almost did, but now I’m ready to fight. He was right you know, I really did need to walk on my feelings. Let’s go stop this snake and show the Sudir we’re in control.”
Chapter Thirteen
Paige moved inside her body determined to make the Sudir suffer the way he made her suffer. Looking around she realized she was alone. It took a minute for the white hot rage she was feeling to dissipate. When it did she was able to reach out and pull Cal in.
“Paige, you need to remember your feelings - anger can be used against you just like sadness, disappointment, or any number of negative feelings.”
“Are you suggesting I be emotionless?”
“I’m suggesting you be in charge of how you feel, Sunshine. Don’t let anything, especially the Sudir, determine what’s happening to you.”
She agreed. She pulled them both into her abdominal cavity. Showing up in the heart without a plan wasn’t working for her.
“Do we have a plan?” she asked Cal, wanting to get it over with.
“Other than winning? No plan. I have no idea how strong the Sudir is, or what it will do.”
“Let’s hope for a weak one.” She sent him a picture of a newborn foal trying to find its legs.
He laughed when he saw the foals coat was the color of her eyes. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I will ever be.”
“Don’t get too close.”
They materialized in her heart. The venom snake was active, not only was it circling her heart, it was finding a way to move through the chambers causing her more pain. She struggled to stand as searing heat went through her. Her essence burned and cried as she stared at the venom snake fascinated as it undulated around and through her. She took a step towards it before Cal caught her, pulling her back.
“It’s trying to mesmerize you, Paige. Don’t look at it directly.”
How was she going to fight it without looking at it?
“That’s right Paige, don’t look at it. You won’t survive anyway. Right now my snake is preparing your heart for its venom. Soon you will die a painful death, I can make it fast or slow and tedious, it’s really up to you.” The Sudir’s voice tried to caress her ears.
Ignoring the Sudir, she began to walk around her heart until she spotted the black coil she needed to freeze. It was now covered in a metal shell; she would have to find a way to get through it if she wanted to live.
“Did you think you could actually beat me? The Arbrin and the Matra live only because I need them to find the right humans to live off. Which will it be?”
“Why, I wonder, do you want to kill me?”
She watched as Cal moved around to the opposite side, across from her. He was looking for a way to peel the protective barrier from the coil they needed.
“If I can’t have you, Paige, neither can he.”
“You’ll let me live if I agree to go with you?”
“Maybe?”
“So you’re playing games? You’re going to kill me no matter what I do.”
“If you really want to live there’s something you can bargain with.”
“What’s that?”
“Your soul bond.”
“Cal?”
“I will take him and spare your life.”
“If he dies I will die.”
“Then it’s good I have no plans to kill him. He has something I need, it will guarantee his life forever, thus guaranteeing your life forever. It’s a win win. You save his life as well as your own.”
“No.”
“Give him to me!”
The snake crushed her heart slowing the beats. She fell to her knees dizzy as she watched Cal fall also.
“It won’t take much to get rid of you, Paige. Then he will be all mine. It would be much simpler if you turned your soul bond over to me. It can be done, simply betray him. He’ll never know.”
He would know; it was the one thing that couldn’t be hidden in a soul bond. Did a Sudir convince the other two to betray their soul bond? What happened to those who choose to betray the ones they swore to be with forever?
“I’ve made my decision.”
The Sudir smiled. He wasn’t physically there, but she could feel him through the snake. Right now she felt his satisfaction. Whatever Cal represented he wanted it desperately.
“Tell me.”
“I was thinking of giving you Cal.” She hoped Cal would be able to forgive the white lie. “What do I really need him for if I can live forever? Then I remembered something. Cal and I have plans after we kick you back to wherever you came from. So I am going to have to say no. Maybe if it was a different day.”
She shrugged her shoulders refusing to look at Cal.
/> The Sudir roared his anger, allowing the venom snake to lash out at Cal. She never saw the attack on Cal as she stared at the Sudir, who manifested. He stood there with his face covered with multiple eyes reminding her of an insect. His four arms and legs made her think of an evolutionary mistake. She shivered in disgust as she looked at him.
“He knows you were willing to betray him. Do you think he will want you back now? Look at him! I have him clutched by my venom snake, give him to me or you will both die.”
“What do you want with him? Why are you willing to kill for him? I thought I was the important one!”
“You are just food. I could live forever on your talents, but your mate. He’s the key to everything. Give him to me!” The Sudir roared his demand.
“No!” She wouldn’t give Cal up. They would both die before that happened.
“Die. His death will serve my needs just as well.”
She stared into the eyes of the Sudir as the venom snake began to slowly crush her heart. She refused to fall; she would die on her feet if possible.
“What happened to filling my heart with venom?”
“Watching you suffer this way meets my needs.”
The snake contracted around her heart slowly making her breathing come in pants as her legs shook under the need to keep her upright. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead as she fought. Slowly she built a white light around her hands.
“What do you think you are going to do with that? I’m just a manifestation.”
She continued to build the light until it was glowing brightly, red hot to the touch.
“Now, Paige.”
She shot the light at Cal who was being covered in the material that used to cover the main coil. She never turned as she froze the coil, stopping the contractions of the snake. With the snake immobilized they were able to make it release her heart enough that it found its normal rhythm after several false starts.
The Sudir screamed his rage before disappearing.
She slumped back, “We did it, Cal. We did this together.”
The venom snake was temporarily defeated. Hopefully it would give her enough time to learn how to kill it once and for all. If not…
She took his hand as he appeared by her side together they left her body having bought themselves a little time.
His lips covered her celebrating their victory.
“Paige, you’re amazing. I almost fell for the guilty feelings you were projecting.”
“I kept thinking if my feelings are being used against me, how can I use them for me.”
He kissed the side of her face while he caressed her neck.
“If I remember we had plans?”
She smiled at him as her hands ran up and down his arms. “We did have plans.”
“But you’re exhausted.”
“No Cal, I want to, I need to…”
He placed a finger over her lips. “You lie back and rest. Let me take care of everything.”
His nose flared as her desire reached him ramping up the need he had for her. Victory was sweet, but being able to touch Paige’s body, to luxuriate in the softness of her skin and the cries of need coming from her was sweeter than that.
He kissed the side of her neck drawing her smell into himself. “I love the way you smell. I want to smell it first thing in the morning and the last thing at night before I fall asleep. Mmm apples and heat, makes me think all sorts of decadent things, like eating apple pie and ice cream off your delicious body.”
She giggled at the image until his hand rubbed over her hard nipple. A groan of need came out instead.
“Cal?”
“Relax, Paige. I have you.”
As if she could relax when he rolled her nipple between his fingers. She thrust her hips upward as her nipples hardened to the point of pain. She tried to take her bra off but he stopped her pulling it taunt against her breasts.
He wrapped his lips around a nipple and sucked as his hand rolled the other one. Pleasure shot through her making her keen with need. Hot desire slid through her. Then his desires hit her.
Slowly he peeled her bra down exposing her rosy nipples for the first time. They pointed upwards begging to be kissed. He ran the palm of his hand over one making her ache more as he teased her when all she wanted was his hot mouth on her.
Swooping down, he took a nipple in his mouth sucking her in deep. She squeezed her thighs together as pleasure pelted her.
She could feel his need which drove her higher. He loved the taste of her; she could feel herself flowing over his tastes bud. The desire to devour her was in his mind. He rocked himself against her as he hardened.
Switching to her other nipple he bit down, satisfaction flowing from him to her. She closed her eyes lost in the sensation of him burning against her.
She ran her hands down his back needing to touch him.
“Sunshine, this is all for you.”
“I want to touch you, Cal, to feel you burning me.”
“You say the sweetest things.”
‘“Not sweet, truth.”
The need to give back warred with her need to be greedy and accept all he was offering. She always kept part of herself locked away. This time she just wanted to experience being open with the male to whom she was committed for life.
He licked down the center of her chest making her feel cherished.
“Hey.”
“Stay with me, Sunshine.”
He licked down the center of her breasts again his eyes meeting hers. They were no longer warm brown, they held a red tint of the fire that raged within. She could feel her blood begin to heat as she looked at him.
He lowered his head and began to lick her belly taking his time to place love bites all over her. The slower he went the more she writhed wanting him to get to her wet center.
“Paige, I love your body. You’re so beautiful and hot. Touching you is like touching fire.” He whispered to her as he moved downward, worshiping every inch of her.
He kissed the space above her clit, rubbing his cheek against her as she trembled in need.
“I have to taste you.” He reached out and licked her clit taking her taste deep inside of him. “So good, Sunshine.”
He sucked her clit into his mouth. Her body quivered as shards of pleasure pinged through her. He sucked hard, making her cry out.
“Not yet, Baby,” he murmured. “I’m just getting started.”
Taking his tongue, he plunged it inside. A groan of pleasure escaped him as she spilled on his tongue. He went deeper lapping her up. He inserted a finger as his tongue licked her.
She made high pitched sounds as she writhed under him. He inserted a second finger as she felt the pressure begin to build within her.
“Please,” she begged needing to feel the release take over her body.
“Not yet,” his voice was deep, scraping over her nerve endings driving her need higher.
He worked hard against her dragging his fingers against the wall of her vagina. She was squeezing against him trying to milk his fingers. The thought of his cock deep inside of her was almost his undoing.
Paige rocked her hips against his fingers, trying to take him deeper.
“I need…I want.”
“Tell me, Paige. Tell me what you need.”
“I want to come all over your hands. I need to feel your lips on me. Please, Cal. I need it.”
Taking her clit back in his mouth he sucked on it as she worked her hips even faster over his questing fingers. He squeezed in an additional finger, her body went taunt before spams shook her and a scream of pleasure left her mouth.
He crawled up her body with a masculine smile of satisfaction.
“What about you?” She stroked his arm.
“Tomorrow, Paige.”
Chapter Fourteen
Paige woke up snuggled in Cal’s arms. A wicked smile crossed her face before she reached down and ran her hand over his nipple. He moved against her as she did it again. The feel of it ti
ckling the palm of her hand as it hardened made her ache. Everything about him made her ache. She shied away from the thought of his Matra as she stuck out her tongue to lick his hard nipple.
“You’re playing with fire, Sweetness.”
“Burn me.” She nipped at it with her teeth drawing a sharp intake of breath from him. Deciding he liked it, she did it again before licking his poor abused nipple with her tongue.
“What I’m going to do to you…” he growled.
“All I hear are words.”
He flipped her over on her back bringing his hands up to pinch her nipple that was already standing at attention.
His head lowered to catch it between his teeth when a knock came at the door.
“Uncle Cal, Aunt Paige, my mom said hurry or you will miss breakfast. My dad said payback.”
They could hear Vick running down the hallway.
“I don’t know who to blame more for this, Victor or Selma.”
“What does payback mean?” Paige sat up in the bed as Cal reluctantly pulled himself away.
“Could mean anything. When Selma and Victor first established their soul bond let’s just say my timing was awful. I seemed to know every time they wanted privacy. Although to be fair to me they seemed to want privacy all the time. Stop laughing.”
“Sorry, I could picture Victor thinking he was about to have a nice long umm rest with Selma only to have you barging in.”
He smiled. “That happened more than once. Of course he could also want payback for that sauce last night.”
Paige laughed harder. Family, the one thing she always wanted, was hers for the taking if she was strong enough.
“Well, let’s not keep them waiting in case it’s the sauce incident.”
He looked around the room then whispered in her ear, “We could always shower together. Who needs breakfast anyway?”
Soul-Bonded to the Alien Page 9