Soul-Bonded to the Alien(14)

“No it wasn’t, you have seen him before. It may have been when you were very young. Think, Paige, this is important.”

He ran his thumb over her smooth skin loving the way her pulse jumped from his touch.

“I was seven. I didn’t even remember it before you asked me.”

“Tell me what happened.”

“I wanted to find my parents. I couldn’t understand why they would give me up. I was a good girl, I followed all the rules. I just wanted them to know if they came and got me I wouldn’t be bad. Don’t ask me how I thought I would find them, I guess I never thought that far.”

“Did you ever find them?”

“Yeah, when I turned eighteen the person in charge told me where they were buried. I didn’t know they were dead until that moment.”

He lifted his hand to wipe the tears silently streaming down her face.

“I’m sorry, Paige.”

“I thought so many mean and nasty thoughts about them over the years, never understanding how they could send me away. Want to know what’s worse?”

He nodded his head.

“When I was told what happened, for a moment I wondered how they could die and do that to me. How could they die when I needed them so much? Selfish.”

“Not selfish at all. Tell me about when you were seven, Paige.”

“I slipped out of my bed and was making my way down the hall when this form approached me, I started screaming, going on about his arms and eyes. The night mother came to me, running from her room.

She said I was hysterical and sent me to the infirmary. He asked for permission to walk me down, he wanted to assure me he wasn’t a monster. The night mother gave her permission. I fought but he pulled me away and took me to a coat closet.” Her body began to shiver. “All I remember is feeling like something cold and deadly entered my body. When I made it to the infirmary the doctor said I was tired and traumatized. I would be ok soon. That was the last time I saw him before tonight, but I knew I was being watched.”

“He knew what you were, Paige, because you were able to see through his glamour.”

“What happens now? Will I die?”

“There’s a possibility you might die. That night he put a venom snake in your body; it attached to your heart. I believe it has grown as you have. It is almost full grown. You have maybe forty-eight hours, after that the Sudir will be able to command it to kill you if he chooses.

Coming across you at such a young age must have been a celebratory moment for him. You would become a future food supply he could tap once you came into your talents. That he put a venom snake around your heart meant he thought he may not be able to control you on his own. He must have seen something in you, Paige. Whatever it was scared him. Hopefully we can use that to our advantage.”

“You’re not making sense, Cal. I’m going to die. Isn’t there anything I can do? Anyway I can get this out of me? Don’t the Arbrin and the Matra’s have doctors? What about the light that came from your hands? I don’t want to die just because that disgusting Sudir feels he has a right to suck my soul out. It’s mine and he can’t have it.” She slumped into the pillow, her spurt of energy used up.

“You would be willing to fight for your life?”

“Of course I would, it’s my life.”

“What if it were our life?” He let his eyes bore into hers.

Her desire to fight resonated within him. Watching her fight the snake as she declared her desire to live fascinated him. The snake hadn’t been able to gain the upper hand until she was finished. It also wasn’t at full power yet.

She would have to be strong enough to prevent the snake from releasing its venom into her system in forty-eight hours. After that she would have maybe two weeks to learn how to defeat the snake or she would die and if he was connected to her so would he. He would have to make his decision tonight. Tomorrow they would have to put it into action.

“You have two chances at life. I say two chances but in reality only one will work and even then that one depends on you. First option...”

“Is this the one that won’t work?” her voice held wry amusement as she asked.

His lips twitched, “It’s the one that won’t work. I can teach you everything you need to know about fighting a venom snake in two days. After that all you have to do is keep it from releasing its venom into your heart.”

“How long does it normally take to teach someone what they need to know?”

“Two days to two weeks if they are mated to an Arbrin. It’s never been done on an unmated female. The prevailing thought is that it would take years, but it is possible.”