Soul-Bonded to the Alien

by Serena Simpson

  She stepped into the water letting her thoughts drown. She luxuriated in the spray pouring over her knowing that soon she would have to face the world known as Cal’s family.

  Turning off the water she stepped out. She left the bathroom so Cal could take a shower. Getting ready didn’t take long. She gave a deep groan of remorse when she realized there was nothing else to do.

  “Ready?” he asked looking over at her.

  She stood; she was as ready as she was ever going to be.

  He took her hand and they walked out together. “Where is everybody?”

  “Mckayla and her mother are in your old suite. Rylan is in one of the suites across from her, his brother is in the other one. Joaquin is in the suite across from us.”

  “Why didn’t you want him to stay here? I think I know enough to know it wasn’t a money issue.”

  “The Arbrin have always kept a distance from those of his kind.”

  “Why? It is because he can shapeshift into different forms?”

  “That’s part of it. We had run-ins with them when we first came to earth. The high council at the time decided it was in our best interest to keep our distance and solitude. It’s now ingrained in us to stay away.”

  “I like him. He protected me when I needed him, besides I think it’s kind of cool that he can change forms. He’s like you.”

  “Sweet Paige, I love how you challenge my prejudices. He was very concerned about you and wouldn’t relax until I was able to let him see you. He doesn’t seem very friendly but he does care about your well-being.”

  “You’re not sure if you like his concern.”

  “You’re starting to get to know me.”

  They walked into the dining room to find everyone waiting for them.

  “Paige!” Vick screamed her name with joy before throwing himself into her arms. “I knew you would be ok.”

  He hugged her tight while planting a kiss on her cheek. Paige held him and closed her eyes. Family. She blinked fast to contain her tears.

  “We’re going to get a Christmas tree after breakfast, we were waiting for you. Are you going to come?”

  She turned her head to look at Cal.

  “We go every year, all of us. Whoever is sitting at this table goes to help pick out the best tree and get it back.”

  “Of course I’m going, Vick. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”

  She seated herself at the table and savored the smell of the French toast and bacon. “I was craving this.”

  She reached over placing several pieces on her plate along with everything else they had on the table. She ate until her stomach was full.

  “I can’t believe I ate that much.” She took a look at Mckayla’s mother whose name she still didn’t know.

  “Wait until you get pregnant,” Selma threw her a smile, “you’ll be amazed at how much you eat.”

  “The deeper our bond becomes tied with how your talents develop will cause you to eat more to keep up your energy. The working of your talents will require several thousand more calories than you’re used to consuming on a daily basis. Then keeping your soft womanly form will require extra calories. No worries, I’ll feed you to keep you looking so beautiful.”

  The man was obviously delusional, but who was she to tell him. If he liked the way she looked she would simply revel in it.

  She turned her attention back to the woman sitting at the table. She was beautiful, thick like herself with a caramel complexion.

  “I’m glad you’re here and safe. I’m Paige.”

  “How remiss of me, I’m Aviana, so pleased to meet you.” She smiled at Paige.

  Paige looked around the room; Rylan was doing his best not to look at Aviana as she pretended he didn’t exist. Gabe was looking at his brother, then back at Aviana with a half-cocked smile on his face like he was enjoying a private joke. Joaquin sat in between Vick and Mckayla, looking like he was somehow the outsider.

  Mckayla was trading glances with Vick as they both were quietly working to get a smile out of Joaquin. Paige laughed to herself; getting this tree was going to be interesting.

  Chapter Twenty One

  The forest covered several acres of land. She had never before gone tromping through the snow and trees for the perfect Christmas tree. She never bought a tree when she lived on her own either, of course they had one in the orphanage. It was a time of gathering, she and the others would decorate the tree with whatever was available and sing songs. Her lips quivered in remembered joy. It was a good time, one of the times of the year she looked forward to. So the gifts weren’t great, but the staff seemed a lot nicer around the holidays.

  Victor held up his hand motioning for everyone to stop.

  “What do you think of this tree?”

  All eyes turned to the tree he indicated, it was huge. Nine feet maybe more, Paige judged the height by the males standing next to it.

  “I like the tree.” Vick’s eyes were wide open as he craned his head upward.

  “How would we trim the top and do you have enough decorations?” Paige never saw a tree this big in the orphanage and the thought of getting it caused her toes to curl.

  Selma threw her a smile. “We have plenty of decorations. Do you like the tree?”

  Paige nodded her head. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Aviana and Mckayla?” They both chimed in loving the tree.

  “Victor?” Selma turned to look expectantly at him.

  Paige looked around for an axe; not seeing any she looked at Cal who was staring at Victor. How would they cut the tree down without an axe?

  Victor slipped his glove off before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a long rectangular black box. He walked around the tree aiming the box at the ground.

  She took a step wanting a closer look, Cal reached for her arm stopping her.

  “Stay back, that can kill you.”

  “What can kill me? It’s just a box doing nothing.”

  “It’s a wave manipulator. Everything has motion or waves even if it appears not to be moving. If it was aimed at you, your particles would accelerate and begin to move further away. Watch.”

  Victor placed the box back in his pocket bringing out a white cylinder which he aimed at the tree. There was a loud noise before the tree began to rise. The roots rose with the tree, not all of them but enough to know he didn’t cut it off at the trunk.

  “How did Victor do that and why are the roots still attached?”

  “We have a method that will keep the tree alive through the holiday so it can be replanted for the next year.”

  “Why? Don’t get me wrong I think that’s marvelous, it’s just we cut them down every year, lots of times never wondering if we will have trees next year.”

  “You’re talking about the customs of a lifetime although we know many of your people use artificial trees for the reason you just said,” Gabe replied drawing her eyes away from Cal.

  Paige looked around seeing a fleeting emotion in the eyes of the males around her. Turning, she looked at Cal.

  “When your planet no longer exists you take better care of the second one you’re given.”

  She nodded and looked at the women. Each one held a look of pride in the males around them. Her eyes shone with the same pride. A woman could do worse than ending up with one of them. Well Cal was off the market, no woman better be looking at him.

  The thought of someone thinking they could have him set her teeth on edge. The grinding sound she thought she heard in the air was actually her. Relaxing her jaw, she followed them back to their SUV’s as the tree was placed on the roof of one.

  She pondered her possessive thoughts on the way back to the house. She wanted to blame them on the soul bond. Of course she was possessive, they were bound together for life, however long that might be. If one dies, the other dies. Although there was no reason to doubt this, she still wasn’t sold on that reality.

  Yet in the end she knew it wasn’t any of those things that made her w
ant to turn bloody at the thought of Cal with someone else. It was the secret part of her again, the part she buried so long ago. Like a rose it was opening one petal at a time, for the first time she became concerned that her heart may be in danger.

  The scene at the house could only be described as beautiful exhilarating chaos, the kind families enjoyed at Christmas time. Vick and Mckayla ran ahead with Vick promising to show her where the best ornaments were kept. Rylan and Gabe ran after them shouting, “Wait you don’t want anything to break.” Victor and Cal were setting up the tree. Selma went to the kitchen because what was decorating the tree without hot chocolate, cookies and of course milk. Joaquin stood in the corner blending in with the shadows, even his lips were upturned. They were one loving but unlikely family. Paige loved it.

  This was how she thought Christmas should be.

  “What do you think, Paige?” Cal asked as both he and Victor turned to look at her.

  “It’s amazing, I love how tall and full it is. I can’t wait to see it all decorated.”

  “Well you won’t have to wait long,” Rylan replied as he and Gabe walked into the room carry several boxes apiece. Vick and Mckayla trailed behind them carrying one child size box each.

  “I could have carried a bigger box,” he said looking at his father, “But Uncle Ry and Uncle Gabe wouldn’t let me.”

  “They know your strong, Vick,” his father said, placing a huge box in his hands before lowering himself to his knees whispering, “They also know if they made you do all the work I would have to get after them.”

  Rylan and Gabe gave an exaggerated shudder of mock fear that caused both Vick and Mckayla to laugh.

  Selma came out of the kitchen holding a serving tray full of food.

  “Allow me to help you.” Joaquin took the tray from her hands placing it on the table before following her into the kitchen for the drinks.

  They had a lively debate of what went on first the lights or the decorations. Lights won and soon the tree was covered in them with Vick and Mckayla showing off the decorations they placed on the tree. With hot chocolate in one hand, Paige helped to decorate the middle of the tree while the males took the top. The laughter and sheer joy of tree trimming had the word home slowly seeping into her pores.

  *~*~*~*

  “Dinner…but what did I do to deserve this?”

  Cal shook his head before answering. “You don’t have to do anything to deserve it. I just wanted to take you out on a date.”

  “A date?”

  He nodded his head yes looking at her in the passenger seat.

  “Everything happened so quickly. You met me and realized you had a ticking time bomb in your chest. Then you made the decision to soul bond with me allowing me to touch, kiss, and love your beautiful body and still we haven’t gone out.”

  “Sounds like a lot,” she answered, her voice soft and low.

  “Are you regretting soul bonding with me?”

  She shook her head. “Not at all, it is one of the best decisions I ever made, even if I die.”

  “You’re not going to die.”

  “How do you know?”

  He opened his mouth then closed it, opened it again and then snapped it shut rattling his teeth. He didn’t know.

  “No matter what happens, Paige, we will be together.”

  “Why should I have to die because I gave myself away to the Sudir?”

  “That’s like asking why the kettle is blue.”

  She found herself chuckling because the kettle at the house was blue.

  “You know what I mean, Cal. I think maybe there’s a way for you to survive.”

  “Maybe, Paige, it’s never been researched, but you’re missing something. I don’t want to live without you.”

  His response hit her in her solar plexus; it wasn’t the response she was expecting.

  “We do it together.”

  “Ok, together.” There was suspicious moisture in the corners of her eyes, “Where are you taking me?”

  “Depends on what you like to eat.”

  “Steak.”

  “Then I am taking you to the best steak place in town.”

  “I love steak although I rarely cook it.”

  “Why?”

  “You ever get into the habit of not doing as much for yourself as you could? It’s a left over from the orphanage. Mostly I ate out at fast food places even when I wanted to dine in a fancy restaurant.”

  “Time to bring that to an end,” he said as he pulled into a parking space. “It’s not a big city restaurant, but the food is excellent and the company is great.”

  He looked over at her smiling.

  “Use your talent to open the door, Paige.”

  “How?”

  “You not only stopped knives, but held them in the air. I entered your old suite via the secret door to collect them before Aviana and Mckayla made it to the room. Then you flung a spoon of sauce at Victor, you can figure out how to open a car door. See you inside.”

  He left the car with her sitting there staring at him with an open mouth. He left us, her inner voice chimed in. Not really. She could picture her inner voice’s eyebrow arching, yeah he really left her in the car with a locked, closed door.

  How to open a door? The question vibrated through her brain. She knew the think light thought didn’t work. She imagined herself popping the lock open with her hand and peeked out of one eye at it. Nope, it was still locked. She should be better at this by now. If she took into account that she lost a week sleeping maybe she was exactly where she should be.

  There was a vibration in her chest; fearing the venom snake she tried to look inside. Instead of looking she fell into herself. There was a rocky downward path leading to the inside of a cave. The darkness of the wall repelled her as the rattle called to her. Shoving the fear into her rolling stomach, she kept walking. How could this place be inside of her? Maybe she left her body like she and Cal did when they entered the soul bonding tests.

  Vines hung down reminding her of Cal being wrapped in them. The desire to turn around snapped at her heels while the rattle became clearer, maybe that of chains.

  She walked on, accepting the simple truth that life as she once knew it was over. She kept walking as the rattling got louder. Eventually it was so loud she couldn’t think straight, she also couldn’t find the source. After examining the section of the cave where she was standing, she took a seat on the floor. It had to be here somewhere. Leaning back in exhaustion her eyes caught a white glow above her head. It was wrapped in what looked like super thin chains, not that she was under the misguided impression she could break them.

  Standing, she lifted her arms trying to touch the bright light. Nothing. She went to her tip toes, nothing. Finally she began jumping feeling foolish, but she jumped anyway. Eventually her fingertip grazed the white light. She was jerked back into the front seat of the car. The door was unlocked and opened. She got out knowing she would have to puzzle this event later.

  Right now Cal was waiting for her with dinner and his sexy smile. How could she ask for anything more?

  Chapter Twenty Two

  The interior of the place was homey. It had the kind of family feel that made her want to come again. There was soft Christmas music in the background, the kind both parents and children would know. The light was high enough not to suggest extreme intimacy while being low enough not to be garish or in her face.

  There was a Christmas tree decorated in one corner. The tables were a nice size giving the occupants not only space but a place to put all of the dishes.

  Cal stood and waved her over. Paige by passed the waitress standing in the foyer, walking directly to him.

  “I see you managed to get out.” He gave her a well done smile before they both sat.

  “I did, I’m still not sure how I did it,” she sighed, a restlessness moved within her. If she didn’t figure it all out soon…

  “You’re learning, Paige. You can’t ask yourself to do more.”
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  “I can, it doesn’t mean I am up to the challenge.”

  Their waiter approached the table. “Good evening, can I get either of you something to drink?”

  He was handsome, standing around five foot seven. Silky blond hair with a friendly smile. He was lean, but attractive. Paige glanced at him enjoying his looks until she met his eyes. Her body tensed as she fought to breathe normally. His eyes were slit reminding her of an animal.

  “I’ll take a ginger ale as well as a cup of hot cider.” She gave her order with a smile.

  “I’ll have the same.”

  The waiter nodded. “I will be back for your orders.” He walked away heading towards another table.

  “I like the way you handled coming face to face with an unknown entity. I barely picked up on your distress.”

  “What is he?”

  “He’s a shifter, his kind are more animal than anything else. They seem to prefer the wilderness or areas like this that are not densely populated.”

  “How many aliens are there in Newburg?”

  “More than you can count. This region seems to draw the alien population. The humans living here are aware of us to a certain extent. As long as we cause them no problems, they leave us alone and pretend we don’t exist. Just the way most of us like it.”

  She could understand that, it was live and let live. It was the way she spent most of her life until she met Cal.

  “How do they ignore the waiter’s eyes?”

  “They can’t see them. You saw them because glamour is no longer working on you. This is also a sign of your talents pushing to the forefront.”

  “So I will see all the creepy things I used to be unaware of?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  This was definitely a double edged sword. On the one hand, she would know who she was dealing with and if they presented a threat to her, On the other hand, walking through life with blinders on had a certain appeal to it.

  Cal reached out to place his hand over hers sending little shock waves through her fingers and up her arms. His smile made her heart flutter.