“Killing one isn’t easy and every minute I spend on him he’s draining you.” He scooped her up and ran towards the house. He only wants one thing—your essence, he feeds off of it.”
“He’s killing me, I can feel him.”
“Not tonight, Sunshine.”
Cal kicked the front door closed knowing no one would enter the house who wasn’t invited. He took the stairs two at a time.
Chapter Six
He entered her room quickly stripping her down to her bra and panties. Already the color drained from her face as her skin cooled downed.
Carefully he took his hands and placed them on her abdomen, fingers splayed open for maximum coverage. He murmured a soft chant as light emerged from his hands entering her body. He felt his way around the coils of the Sudir encircling her. Using his essence as a knife he began to cut those cords while creating barbs around himself to keep the Sudir from sucking his essence into itself.
He could feel the Sudir retreating.
“Too easy,” his Matra said. “Sudir’s never retreat without a fight.”
“I know, I’m looking for it.”
The shock of what he found combined with the deadly strike of the Sudir pushed him from her body. The Sudir had coiled a venom snake around her heart, he could end her life when the snake was full grown. Until then he could make her suffer.
Pushing himself up from the floor where he had been thrown, he went to the window to find the Sudir floating outside the barrier. It gave him a small bow before disappearing once again.
“Victor.” He gave a mental call before leaving the room.
He walked up to the next floor where he stayed. The public believed they had several floors they kept for guest. Most of the house was kept for family, the guests were always potential mates. The layout of his room was closely resembled the one Paige occupied. The décor was different; he chose a more masculine palette of black and silver. Those colors represented both earth and his home planet. He wondered if she would like them, or if she would want to redecorate.
One day, twenty-four hours, that was all he had with her. Now there was a possibility she wouldn’t be alive in forty-eight hours. She would be gone as if she was unwanted, unloved, some unfortunate victim of a creature that should never have existed.
He didn’t know her yet not really, but even now he knew he couldn’t lose her.
“Calix.”
Victor walked in the room looking slightly disheveled.
“It’s Paige.”
“I assumed, why else would I leave Selma.”
“The Sudir is wrapped around her heart. He’s not feeding off of her, instead he has a venom snake waiting to strike. At any moment he could command her to have unbearable pain. In forty eight hours he will have the power to kill her. Why hasn’t he made her suffer yet?”
“He wants something, and he believes you can give it to him.”
“So I have to give into his demands or lose my mate to him. Neither are acceptable. If I choose to defy him then I watch as he kills her.”
“We have options, Calix.”
“What options? The only person who can fight a venom snake is the host. She can’t fight the snake unless she develops her talents. Her talents won’t be fully developed until she becomes one with me. In order to become one with me I have to tap into her heart, Victor. Her essence must combine with mine. If that happens and he kills her we both die.”
Calix began to pace. He was starting to understand the fondness some seemed to have for the habit.
“I’m listening, brother. Tell me our choices,” his voice raised on the last word.
“There’s only one choice little brother, in order to carry it through you must be willing to face death if your mate isn’t strong enough to win. Call me when you have made your decision. Calix, you don’t have long.”
Victor left the room never giving his brother another look.
Cal felt the wind leave his body as he walked out the room and descended the steps. He had a decision to make that would not only affect the rest of his life, but the safety of his people. What would happen if he made the wrong choice?
Paige twisted on the bed writhing in pain. The venom snake was now very apparent to him; it undulated beneath her skin tormenting him with the knowledge of its presence.
“Cal,” her weakened voice called out to him.
“Paige, how are you feeling?”
“Tired. You saved me from the Sudir. Sorry I didn’t listen to you. So used to going it alone.” She managed a weak smile and stretched her hand out to him.
He sat next to her taking her hand in his.
“Paige, tell me about the first time you saw the Sudir.”
“Tonight was the first time.”