“It’s trying to mesmerize you, Paige. Don’t look at it directly.”
How was she going to fight it without looking at it?
“That’s right Paige, don’t look at it. You won’t survive anyway. Right now my snake is preparing your heart for its venom. Soon you will die a painful death, I can make it fast or slow and tedious, it’s really up to you.” The Sudir’s voice tried to caress her ears.
Ignoring the Sudir, she began to walk around her heart until she spotted the black coil she needed to freeze. It was now covered in a metal shell; she would have to find a way to get through it if she wanted to live.
“Did you think you could actually beat me? The Arbrin and the Matra live only because I need them to find the right humans to live off. Which will it be?”
“Why, I wonder, do you want to kill me?”
She watched as Cal moved around to the opposite side, across from her. He was looking for a way to peel the protective barrier from the coil they needed.
“If I can’t have you, Paige, neither can he.”
“You’ll let me live if I agree to go with you?”
“Maybe?”
“So you’re playing games? You’re going to kill me no matter what I do.”
“If you really want to live there’s something you can bargain with.”
“What’s that?”
“Your soul bond.”
“Cal?”
“I will take him and spare your life.”
“If he dies I will die.”
“Then it’s good I have no plans to kill him. He has something I need, it will guarantee his life forever, thus guaranteeing your life forever. It’s a win win. You save his life as well as your own.”
“No.”
“Give him to me!”
The snake crushed her heart slowing the beats. She fell to her knees dizzy as she watched Cal fall also.
“It won’t take much to get rid of you, Paige. Then he will be all mine. It would be much simpler if you turned your soul bond over to me. It can be done, simply betray him. He’ll never know.”
He would know; it was the one thing that couldn’t be hidden in a soul bond. Did a Sudir convince the other two to betray their soul bond? What happened to those who choose to betray the ones they swore to be with forever?
“I’ve made my decision.”
The Sudir smiled. He wasn’t physically there, but she could feel him through the snake. Right now she felt his satisfaction. Whatever Cal represented he wanted it desperately.
“Tell me.”
“I was thinking of giving you Cal.” She hoped Cal would be able to forgive the white lie. “What do I really need him for if I can live forever? Then I remembered something. Cal and I have plans after we kick you back to wherever you came from. So I am going to have to say no. Maybe if it was a different day.”
She shrugged her shoulders refusing to look at Cal.
The Sudir roared his anger, allowing the venom snake to lash out at Cal. She never saw the attack on Cal as she stared at the Sudir, who manifested. He stood there with his face covered with multiple eyes reminding her of an insect. His four arms and legs made her think of an evolutionary mistake. She shivered in disgust as she looked at him.
“He knows you were willing to betray him. Do you think he will want you back now? Look at him! I have him clutched by my venom snake, give him to me or you will both die.”
“What do you want with him? Why are you willing to kill for him? I thought I was the important one!”
“You are just food. I could live forever on your talents, but your mate. He’s the key to everything. Give him to me!” The Sudir roared his demand.
“No!” She wouldn’t give Cal up. They would both die before that happened.
“Die. His death will serve my needs just as well.”
She stared into the eyes of the Sudir as the venom snake began to slowly crush her heart. She refused to fall; she would die on her feet if possible.
“What happened to filling my heart with venom?”
“Watching you suffer this way meets my needs.”
The snake contracted around her heart slowly making her breathing come in pants as her legs shook under the need to keep her upright. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead as she fought. Slowly she built a white light around her hands.
“What do you think you are going to do with that? I’m just a manifestation.”
She continued to build the light until it was glowing brightly, red hot to the touch.
“Now, Paige.”
She shot the light at Cal who was being covered in the material that used to cover the main coil. She never turned as she froze the coil, stopping the contractions of the snake. With the snake immobilized they were able to make it release her heart enough that it found its normal rhythm after several false starts.