“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.