Soul-Bonded to the Alien (23 page)

Cal drove deep one last time as he pumped his seed deep into her, joining her on her trip.

Cal rolled to his side never pulling out of her. He drew her closer into his embrace and held her as her heart still pounded and her breath still came in gasps. Her body continued to shudder around his. He lie there in the silence enjoying the time he had with her.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to walk again.”

“You have to. How else will you get food to keep up your energy so we can do this again?”

“I think I’ll be a queen and laze around the bed commanding you to bring me food.”

Your wish is my desire, Queen Paige.”

“That does sound good, the desire part as well as the queen part.” She gave a small laugh placing a kiss on his chest. “I can feel you hardening.”

“Do you have any desires?”

“Make slow sweet love to me.”

“Yes, my Queen.”

Chapter Twenty Eight

Paige opened her eyes wondering what woke her. She looked over to see Cal sleeping. She loved the way his face relaxed when he was asleep; he looked like he didn’t have a care in the world. The more she was connected with him in their soul bond, the more she knew that wasn’t the truth. There was a hole in his heart, he thought he should be doing more but he simply wasn’t sure what the more was.

She set a pillow against the head board so she could relax into it. It was Christmas Eve; she took a quick look at her hands to see if they were shaking. They were as steady as a surgeon’s hands. The shaking would come, she was positive of it. She looked again for what woke her. The room was cast in shadows with a beam of moonlight coming through the window to highlight Cal’s face.

There wasn’t a sound in the room, surprisingly Cal didn’t snore. That was a plus as far as she was concerned. She clutched the bed spread as she felt a quaking. Looking down at her chest, she bit her bottom lip. Soon it would be time. It was as unavoidable as the rise and the set of the sun. She grimaced. There was a good chance she wouldn’t see tomorrow’s sun rise; she better enjoy the one that would happen today.

The thought of Santa coming made her smile through misty eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time she received a Christmas gift. That wasn’t exactly true, they did a gift exchange at work, unfortunately no one who even half liked her ever got her name. Pausing for a minute, she gave a dramatic sigh bringing herself back to the present. She wanted to be alive tomorrow, to give out her gifts, and see the faces of everyone as she surprised them.

Maybe, just maybe, Cal would have a gift or two for her under the tree. She didn’t want to get greedy, but it would be nice. Her hand rose to rub at her chest; it was aching but it wasn’t time. She rubbed the ring on her finger, smiling as she remembered Cal giving it to her. Already he had given her so many thing. The most magnificent of them was his love.

She grinned as she thought about her conversation with Vick and Mckayla yesterday.

“Is everyone ready for a visit from Santa?” She was sitting on the floor with them playing a board game and sipping hot cider. That was the life.

“Santa doesn’t exist,” Mckayla said, using her most grown up voice to impart that bit of wisdom.

“Yes he does,” Vick replied in his manliest of voices, “but he doesn’t come to our house.”

“Then how do you know he’s real?” Mckayla’s chin jutted up in the air.

“Because I know him.” Vicks arms went across his chest to counter her move.

“No you don’t.”

“Yes I do.”

“Then why doesn’t he bring you presents?” Mckayla’s voice took on the high soprano note that only little girls seemed to be able to reach.

“He said mommy and daddy have way too much money and don’t need him to give me gifts.”

“Oh.” She was a little deflated by that news. “He never brought me gifts.”

Tears shimmered in her big brown eyes and she wiped them away with a shrug.

“Not that I need gifts from him anyway.”

Paige leaned over and picked her up, holding her tight in her arms.

“Everyone needs gifts, Mckayla. There will be lots under the tree for you.”

Mckayla nodded her head and sniffed before kissing Paige on her cheek.

“I like you, Miss Paige.”

“I like you too, Aunt Paige.” Vick hugged her around her neck and kissed her on her cheek.

“Is there really a Santa Claus?” Mckayla asked, her voice low with longing.

“There really is, but he goes to the houses of the kids who may never know love first. I don’t know where he goes after that.”

“Oh, my mom loves me.”

“Your blessed, Mckayla. To be loved by a parent is amazing.”

Mckayla beamed at them. “Your mom loves you too, Vick.”

“My dad love’s me, too.”

“I don’t have a dad.”

“That’s ok, maybe your mommy can get you a new dad and then you will have one too.”

Mckayla perked up. “That’s a perfect idea. I can help to pick him out.”

“Wait, Mckayla I think you should let your mom do the picking if she even wants a new man in her life.”

“We’ll talk about it later,” Vick’s voice was low when he said it. Mckayla nodded and they both cast Paige sideways looks. She pretended she didn’t hear them.

She chuckled, moving on the bed trying not to wake Cal. They both held special places in her heart. She would miss them. Shaking her head, she thought positively. They would win—end of story.

Cal’s body morphed; one moment the Arbrin laid there, now the Matra took over. He reached over and lifted her, placing her on his chest. She snuggled into him. There was nothing quite like lying on his huge chest listening to the beat of his heart.

“What’s wrong, Sunshine?” his deep voice rumbled low and soft.

She giggled because she couldn’t help it. Every time he tried to whisper in his Matra form she would dissolve into laughter. It simply amused her to try and listen to his deep voice come out softly and reassuring.

“I’m starting to feel a few twinges, they woke me up, but I’m ok. I was just thinking about Christmas day.”

“We’ll greet Christmas together, Paige, no matter where we are.”

Nodding her head, she closed her eyes. She would need whatever energy she had later. Steeped in the masculine smell of Cal with a smile on her face, sleep claimed her.

“Victor,” Cal reached out to his brother.

“It’s late, Calix.”

Cal smiled; his brother always resorted to his full name whenever he was concerned about him.

“Were you able to get it?”

“Yeah, now go to sleep, you will need your energy.”

“Night, big brother.”

“Night, little brother.”

Cal closed his eyes. The love in his brother’s voice made him feel a little less worried.

*~*~*~*

“Stop stalling or we’re going to miss breakfast.”

“Cal, it’s ok, I can cook a little. Believe me, I’ll feed you.”

He walked over and gave Paige a lingering kiss on the lips. “It’s not that, Sunshine, I just want to…”

Paige stood and dressed quickly, she didn’t want to face the day. Didn’t want the time to slip through her fingers when once again she would be fighting for her life. In her reluctance, dare she admit it, her selfishness was preventing Cal from spending time with his family.

“Ready.” She gave him a bright smile refusing to let the trembling inside show on her lips or hands.

“Paige.”

“No, Cal, we’re in this together and you’re right, this is the time for family, we’ll be alone soon enough.”

They waked down the stairs hand in hand, Cal’s thumb rubbed against her hand making her feel loved. There were two seats waiting for them along with a small box on one of the plates.

“Cal?” she turned to look at him.

He drew her over to the table pulling out the chair before she sat and pushing her back in. His strength always amazed her.

“Merry Christmas, Paige.”

“But it’s not Christmas.”

“Then Merry early Christmas, Sunshine. Open it.”

Paige blinked fast the tears wouldn’t be stopped this time. It didn’t matter to her what the gift was, what mattered was that it was a gift. She wanted to rip the paper off and open it. Instead she practiced self-control making the moment last. She slid her pinky finger under the taped edge gently opening it without ripping the paper. Once the tape was off, she slowly unwrapped the gift savoring the fact that it was wrapped specially for her.

The paper came away to reveal a beautiful velvet box. Her stomach churned hoping, wondering, and refusing to believe it could be what she hoped it was. She ran her hand over the top enjoying the feel of it against the palm of her hand. She looked up to see every eye patiently watching her. Taking a deep gulp of air she moved to the opening of the box and flipped it open.

The gasps in the room were barely heard over hers.

“Cal!” She jumped up and threw herself into his arms never letting the box go.

He set her on her feet and took the box before going down on one knee.

“Paige, in the hustle and bustle of soul bonding and falling madly in love with you, I never asked you the most important question. Will you marry me? Will you be my wife forever?”

“Yes! Yes!”

She slid down into his arms holding out her hand as he slipped the ring on her finger. She lifted her hand gazing at the pear cut diamond ring in awe.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it!”

“Are you sure? I wanted to get something bigger but Selma and Vincent said it was overkill. They assured me you’d like this one.”

“They were right, I do love it.”

Paige turned her head and mouthed a thank you to her brother and sister-in- law.

“Sneaky man, I never suspected.”

“It was hard hiding it from you, but you always allow me my privacy.” He kissed her before holding her chair for her to take a seat.

“We can eat now,” Joaquin’s dry tone brought laughter to everyone.

“Good thing too, I don’t want the food to get cold.” Victor took the children into the kitchen with him. They all came out bearing platters of food.

“Paige, aren’t you going to eat?”

She looked over at Victor and shook her head. “I don’t think I can eat anything. Maybe that’s a good thing; when we went through the…”

She stopped when she realized Aviana was watching her. Aviana didn’t know what was happening. She knew nothing about the soul bonding trials and Paige didn’t want to be the one to tell her.

“I’m not really hungry.”

“Eat a little bit, the rules are different this time and you will need the energy.” Victor got up and made a plate for her before making one for Cal. “Both of you eat it all.”

Family, it was still hard for her to really comprehend that she now had a family. There would be someone to grieve her passing. They would miss her. Once again her eyes misted, she really needed to stop with the crying. She took a bite of the food feeling an energy go through her. The food felt like it was lighting her up on the inside; she took another bit suddenly ravenous.

She ate, enjoying every bite. Vick and Mckayla were making plans about when to wake up on Christmas morning and who would be the first one down the stairs. The house was full of joy and she savored every word, smile, and laughter.

“Paige, why don’t we go for a walk?” Cal asked as they cleared the table.

She looked at him, one more walk—hand in hand. Another memory to add to her collection in case she didn’t make it. She wouldn’t think that way, she would just enjoy every moment she had.

“Can we come?” Vick questioned quickly standing next to Mckayla.

“If your Aunt Paige says it ok.”

“Aunt Paige?” Two pair of eyes stared up at her.

“Of course you can come, it will be fun.”

They shrieked and ran out the room to get ready.

Cal and Paige stood in the kitchen together; the lower floor was suspiciously deserted.

“What if we don’t make it? What if we die today or worse?”

“Paige, I don’t know. I never fought anything like this before. If you would have asked me if this was a possibility I might have laughed at you, now I know better. We’re in this together, live or die we do it as one. Who was it that said all we can do is fight the good fight?”

“It’s a Bible verse.”

“Then that’s what we will do. We’ll fight the good fight and see where we end up.”

“Alright, we better get ready before two little hurricanes knock us over,” she said, taking his hand as they left the kitchen.

They grabbed coats and gloves and were waiting when Vick and Mckayla came running down the stairs. Aviana trailed behind them.

“Are you sure you want to take these two out with you?”

“It’ll be fun, don’t worry we’ll bring her back in one piece.”

Aviana gave Paige a thankful smile before they left.

“Where are we walking to?” Mckayla asked, making a snowball to throw at Vick.

“Hey!” Vick returned fire as the two of them moved a little ahead playing.

“Do you want children, Paige?”

“I do. I always wanted a boy and a girl. One would look like me and the other like my husband.”

“I can picture a girl who looks like you, a boy who looks like me.”

“Hmm, sounds a little sexist to me. What if the boy looked like me?”

“Then he’d be extremely handsome, but I fear for a girl who looks like me.”

“Oh baby, with those eyes and those lips, you’d need to keep those claws sharpened. The boys would chase her like she was cat-nip.”

“She’s not allowed to date.”

“Oh, you’re so cute.”

Paige could see them walking with their children running ahead of them playing in the snow. She wanted that, she was determined to have a life with Cal, one that didn’t end today.

She stumbled when a searing hot pain burst through her breast. Cal caught her.

“It’s time to go back,” he called halting Vick and Mckayla.

They rushed back as he held Paige. In silence they returned to the house.

Chapter Twenty Nine

Cal gently placed Paige down on the bed, her body twisting in pain. He slowly removed her clothes not wanting to cause her anymore distress. He left her clad only in her underwear. Stripping quickly he joined her on the bed. The final battle or the first in many to come, he didn’t know which it would be; as long as she was with him he’d deal with whatever came their way.