“How do we do that?”
“Simple. You learn to use the talent to freeze.”
“As in make things cold?”
“As in stop things in their tracks, like this.” He threw a pillow up in the air, it hung over their heads while he got up and walked around the room.
“Now the trick is not freezing it, but keeping it frozen no matter where you go.”
He went over to the passage in the wall and left the room. She sat watching the pillow, eventually there was a knock on the door. She answered to find Cal standing there. She let him in and followed him back to the bedroom where the pillow was still floating in the air.
“When you freeze the snake in your heart you will have to keep it frozen even while you’re sleeping.”
“How am I supposed to learn that in two days?”
“You will. You also have to learn to teleport with your eyes open.”
“I have to concentrate in order to teleport.”
“Paige, you have to learn to do it like breathing, something you don’t think about. This talent is inside of you. You were born with it, but it’s locked up. Much like learning to walk, you take one step at a time. The more you do it the more natural it will become until you’re running.
She nodded her head humming the tune to put one foot in front of the other. She made the choice to live and now Cal’s life was joined with hers. The more she watched him, the clearer the black strands flowing from her to him became. They scared her more than anything she’d ever experienced. She would trade her life to the Sudir to keep him safe and that scared her the most. That she could care about someone this much in a day, but she did.
“Cal, how long were we out? Is it the same day?”
“No, we were out for almost twenty four hours. You still have enough time to learn what is needed.”
“Exactly how do you expect to teach me all of this in a day?”
“You’ll see. Get your cold weather gear on and meet me at the front door.”
Men, human, alien or Voyager. It didn’t matter who they were, they never made any sense. She grabbed her coat, lamenting on the male species as she got dressed and trudged down the stairs.
Paige, it’s alright. You can do it. Who saved him from the blades? She did, that’s who. Who saved him from the huge bird with the poison? Yep, she saved him again. Why must she trudge in the snow? She liked trudging in the snow, but not while she had some hideous snake wrapped around her heart. Paige, you have to go outside to learn how to stay alive. Why couldn’t he simply say here’s the formula, do this?
“Paige, why are you glaring at me?”
“Why Cal, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Uh huh, I get the feeling I’m in hot water and I have no idea why.”
She gave him a sweet smile. “I’m ready to go outside. What are we going to do?”
“Throw snowballs, of course.”
“What!”
He threw her a look and raced out of the house with her on his heels. When she reached the yard, a snowball smacked her in the chest. She picked up snow, packing it tight and threw it. It hung in the air never reaching Cal.
“That’s no fair.”
“That’s how this game is played. The one who can stop the snowballs doesn’t get hit.” He pelted her with another and yet another in her legs.
“It’s faster if you just command the snow to you instead of stopping to make the snowball,” he said helpfully.
There were at least ten snowballs hanging in the air taunting her. His snowballs were beginning to sting. Then she saw it. He was sending a huge ball of snow her way and it would soak her. There was no way he was going to hit her with that thing.
Suddenly she as looking at his back that’s when she made her first hit.
“Congratulations, Paige, you teleported without closing your eyes.”
“I did it.” She hopped up and down whooping. “I’m not sure how I did. All I knew was there was no way you were hitting me with that ball of snow.”
“Now find me, Paige.”
He disappeared leaving her staring at the spot where he stood just a moment ago. Where was he? The minute she began looking she could feel him. It felt like the pull of a magnet. Without thought she transported landing at his side.
“That was great. I could feel you. I knew exactly where you were.”
“Did you feel anything else?”
“I felt like I wasn’t alone. It’s such a different feeling. Loneliness is a feeling I have come to embrace, now it feels far away.”
“That’s part of the soul bond. I will always be there for you, Paige. At times you may think we are too close.”
“Cal, why are you on earth?”
“Are you regretting our union already?”
“No, I’m curious.”
“I told you about the war. When it was over everything changed our way of life. It was chaos. Monarchies came and went, and as they did my people became more and more aware of the talents they possessed. Some chose to use them for good and some for evil. Slowly it became possible to see a glimmer of what a child’s talents would be. That happened to Victor and me; our parents sent us away with a large group of our people to save our lives. We would have been controlled and used for our talents. If we couldn’t be controlled then we would have been killed.”
“Will you ever go back?”
“There’s nothing to go back to. If we ever leave earth we will colonize a planet that is uninhabited by higher life forms.”
“Your parents?”
“They died a long time ago.”
“The women?”
“My parents only sent males to protect us. Each male must find his soul bond here, if he is to mate.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Centuries.”
Instead of mourning for him, she commanded a snowball to hit him in the face, hiding the glimmer of sadness in his eyes.
“It’s like that, is it?” His voice rang with laughter, but his head bowed just a little in thanks to her.
She hid behind a snow bank missing his incoming volley of snowballs. He threw snowballs while she hid and tried to freeze them in midair. The harder she tried the more frustrated she became.
“Why won’t it work for me?”
“You just need to relax and take your time.”
“We don’t have time, Cal. Our lives depends on me being able to stop this thing inside of me.
“Mom says it’s almost dinner time,” Vick yelled and then waved enthusiastically before disappearing back into the house.
“That’s our cue.”
“Cal.”
“Stop, Paige. Worrying won’t help. You will learn it, try to have some faith in me.”
“Ok, let’s go. Wouldn’t want to miss dinner.”
Dinner turned out to be a family affair. The table was set beautifully and Selma was taking credit for dinner. She made spaghetti with meatballs, a salad, and garlic toast.
Paige’s stomach gurgled in appreciation as she sat. The food smelled wonderful.
Vick was squirming in his chair as he looked from his Uncle Cal to Paige.
“Can I call you Aunt Paige now?” Vick threw her a look before looking at his parents for their approval.
Paige looked up at Cal who nodded his head slightly.
“I would love for you to call me Aunt Paige.”
There were smiles all around the table.
“Aunt Paige, I told you Uncle Cal liked you. I told you so,” Vick repeated over again making them laugh.
“You were right, Vick, he does like me and I like him too.”
“Things are definitely looking up here, you’ve gone from thinking you like me to knowing you like me.”
“You’re growing on me.” She gave him a wicked smile.
“Wipe that smug smile off your face,” Victor said picking up a breadstick and throwing it at Cal.
“Hey, no one hits my man, except me,” Paige sai
d.
The breadstick hovered in the air not moving.
“Paige!”
“What?” She stopped glaring at Victor long enough to look at Cal.
“Look at the breadstick.”
She turned to look at Cal. “You’re the one who stopped it from hitting you.”
“I didn’t do that, Paige.”
“Then who did?” She looked around the table to see everyone including Vick staring at her.
“I did that?”
“You did that!”
“But how?”
“Instinct,” Victor smiled at her. “Your instinct was to protect your mate, you took charge of your talent stopping the incoming threat.”
She turned to stare at the breadstick hanging in the air. It was such a little thing, but for her it was the grandest of victories.
“Cal, I did it!”
He came to her, picking her up out of her chair he kissed her, claiming her in front of his family.
The sweet kiss turned hot and he turned his back towards Vick as his tongue invaded her mouth dueling for supremacy. His kiss was like a drug making her body soft and compliant against his. Her nipples hardened needing to be touched and her sex began to throb.
“I want you,” she whispered in his ear.
“Soon, Paige.”
He helped her sit down before walking back to his chair ignoring the knowing grin on his brother’s face.
“Can I stop the venom snake now?” she asked, looking for something to distract her from the way Cal tasted.
You can’t stop it until it begins to move.”
“How will I know when that happens?”
“You’ll know, we’ll know. It will be a physical ache in your body.”
“What if I’m asleep when it happens?”
“You’ll wake up, Paige, neither of us will be able to ignore it. You’ll be in pain and because we are one I will be in pain too.”
“What if this was a fluke, and I can’t do it again?”
“We’ll practice later.”
While everyone was enjoying the delicious meal, a spoon came at her ready to launch sauce at her. It stopped midair.
“Not a fluke,” Victor said, pushing his empty plate away.
“Thanks, Victor. That makes me feel better.” Paige stood to help Selma who was starting to clear the table.
Selma shook her head. “You two should retire for the night. Paige you’re going to need your rest.”
Once they disappeared out the door, the spoon turned and flung its contents at Victor. His laughter followed them up the stairs.
Chapter Twelve
They retired to her room after dinner laughing at her antics and speculating what Victor looked like covered in sauce. Cal waited until she was done being proud of herself before telling her what to expect.
“Paige, when the venom snake is at full power you will know it. It will feel like its crushing your heart, because it will be crushing your heart.”
“I’ll know it too, because I will be experiencing the same sensations just not as intense as yours.”
“What am I…” Cal threw a knife at her. She stopped it in midair as another knife came her way.
He threw twenty knives before he stopped, they were all hanging in midair.
“Paige, if you lose control of even one knife it will cut you.”
She stared at him in stunned silence for a moment, incapable of speech. He’s trying to kill me for the money. His laughter ringing through her head reminded her not only did she not have any money, but if she died he died.
“Does our being connected mean I will never have a private thought again?” She hadn’t considered that when she agreed to go through with the soul bond.
“You can have private thoughts. We all need them. You’re simply projecting, allowing me to know what you’re thinking. Look deep inside of yourself; you will see a path that leads to me. Any thoughts you wish to share or if you simply wish to talk to me, that is the path to take. Any other thoughts simply keep to yourself.”
“Does that mean we can lie to each other or do things without the other’s knowledge?”
“Sunshine, if I wanted to surprise you I could, although it would be hard. You would pick up on my joy and excitement. Still you may be expecting the surprise, but you wouldn’t know what it was. There are things I wouldn’t be able to hide. If I wanted to hurt you or do anything to hurt those you love. If I were planning on doing something evil. I don’t know why, but the soul bond reveals anything evil. I have never known a soul bonded pair to want to hurt the other, but our history says it has happened at least twice. That is how I know what happens if it occurs.”
She nodded her head and looked at those knives again. She knew he threw them to prove to her she was ready, but having the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with throw knives at her made her nervous.
She peeked at him, he didn’t look like he wanted to argue with her. He also didn’t look like he was picking up on what she was thinking. Those things went a long way towards making her feel better, that’s why he was able to throw the knives, because he never intended to let them touch her.
“Are you done?” Cal asked her.
“Done?”
“Uh huh, done thinking your private thoughts. If I had to guess you’re probably thinking about running because how could I throw a knife at you.”
He was missing the intimate connection with her when she shut the door to think on her own. That realization brought a smile to her face. She would have to work on this problem later because she missed being connected to him also. The connection she felt since that moment of merging was dampened now that she retreated.
“I’m new at this.”
“I know. It still amazes me at how right it feels to have you in my mind.”
“I love the way it feels too.”
She glanced up at the knives, “I’m doing it without thinking about it.”
“I’m not surprised, I have faith in you.”
“What happens after the venom snake tries to crush my heart?”
“We fight, but this time you will have to pull me in, Paige. Pull on the soul bond, I will come to wherever you are. You may have to fight with talents you haven’t used yet. Don’t become discouraged, you are equipped to handle the fight.”
He stopped and looked at her. Reaching over he pulled her to him. His lips covered her mouth, kissing gently until she opened. He darted his tongue inside, kissing her with all the passion he felt.
She felt her legs shake a little as she wrapped her arms around his back. She loved the taste of him. He was intoxicating, she wanted to strip him and taste him all over.
Easing her mouth away she kissed his jawline. “I love your jaw, it’s so strong. Shows the character of the male you are. I’m surprised how scared of you I was in the beginning.”
“Well, I did take a life, something I regret, but it had to be done.” He stopped her wandering hands and placed her on the bed.
“Paige, when you fight the venom snake the Sudir will be there. Not inside of you,” he spoke quickly as shock took over her body. “He can’t invade your body physically, but he can speak to you through his snake. He will do anything, say anything to make you concede defeat. You will have to do whatever it takes not to fall for what he says.”
She nodded her head and retreated to the bathroom. It felt like she had gone without sleep for years. She stood there looking into the mirror. Her clothes were in a neat bundle where she had placed them after stripping, now she stood in her bra and panties trying to decide if she should put her shirt on.
Running her hand over her breast and belly she felt uncomfortable. He said he liked what he saw, but maybe he didn’t get a good look. Sighing, she left the bathroom it was too late now for him to request a different model.
He groaned when she walked out. Her steps hesitated at the door for a moment before she walked to the bed. Sliding in, she reached for the covers.
&nb
sp; “Don’t,” his hand closed over hers stopping her. “Let me look for a moment. You’re so beautiful, Paige. I want kiss you all over, worship your beautiful curves. I know I have to wait until we deal with the venom snake, but after that, if you will let me, I want to love you.”
A knot formed in her throat. She wanted to touch him too. She needed to feel his hands on her. The more she slipped in and out of his mind, thoughts and emotions, the closer she came to his heart, the more she desired him. It was more than desire at this point. In the alley she would have broken every rule she set for herself to have a chance to touch him before his Matra came out. She was still hot for his body, but the desire to become one with him had nothing to do with lust. Shying away from any other thoughts, she gave him a shy nod of the head.
“I want to feel your hands on me.”
“Then you will, sweet Paige.”
As he pulled her closer, she noted he’d retrieved a pair of night pants for sleeping. When she rolled into him the bulge that met her told the story. She fell asleep thinking everything would be ok.
The sudden pain in Paige’s chest had her snuggling closer to Cal. Pressing her chest against him brought a whisper and a sigh of relief from her sleeping lips. She snuggled into his warm arms like she was used to sleeping with him. Her eyelids fluttered as she fell deeper into sleep, enjoying the new sensation of being cared for.
A smile danced over her lips before a scream echoed throughout the room.
Paige woke, clutching her chest, tears of pain rolling down her face. Cal woke gasping for breath.
“Cal!”
“Breathe, Paige. We knew this was going to happen.”
“I’m not ready!”
“You’re ready, Sunshine.”
Clutching at her chest she tried to slow her breathing the way they talked about earlier in the night.
Searing pain speared through her heart. She was an idiot, everything would not be ok. There was no way she was going to breathe through this pain. There was a reason people didn’t survive having their hearts crushed. The snake moved around her heart causing her more pain.
“Cal, help me!” she writhed on the bed looking for relief.
Where was he, why wasn’t he answering her? He left her, of course he left her, everyone left her. Why would he stay when her own parents left her? They left her with a sitter that night to celebrate the new baby they were going to have. It didn’t matter that they died, she reminded herself, they were going to replace her anyway. Probably give her up when the new baby was born. Emotion-filled thoughts that haunted her since childhood came back to torture her.
Soul-Bonded to the Alien Page 8
