Page 170 of Cosmic Husband
This was what sent Kal to me. This was what changed my life. And I was beyond grateful.
A tall woman who had white hair and jagged gray scales stepped forward, her elaborate white and gold robes flowing about her frame. She stretched out her arms. “PrinceKalvoxrencol and Seth Harris, step forward and place your palms on the Crystal. Reaffirm your bond, tying you for eternity.”
Kal immediately placed his hands on the Crystal. I swallowed, sweat gathering on my palms. Kal breathed steadily, completely at ease, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt me. Besides, he would never let anything injure me. Lifting my fingers, I touched it. The Crystal was as smooth as glass and warm to the touch. Unable to stop it, my eyes fluttered closed.
The Crystal vibrated under my palms, and something brushed my thoughts. A wave rushed over me, making my breath speed up.
Seth Harris, a voice said, sounding like hundreds of people speaking at once.
I swallowed.
Seth, the Crystal said again.Welcome. Chosen. Beloved. Warrior. We have been waiting for you.
My pulse skittered.
Seth, it whispered,You are known. You are wanted. You are home. The presence enveloped my thoughts and tugged. I winced as it tightened, wrenching harder and harder, stealing my breath.
As suddenly as the force appeared, it disappeared. In the place of the odd awareness was another.Kal, I thought, not knowing how I knew it was him.
A tidal wave of love and happiness rushed through my thoughts that didn’t belong to me.
Kal, you can hear me?
I felt the return of his all-consuming emotions while snaps and snarls sounded in my mind as well as my name. Drakconese. I didn’t speak it, and he didn’t speak English. Still, we were connected. Urgg had said mind-speak was possible, though unlikely. Yet here we were.
I smiled, oddly happy with the thought of never being alone again. His thoughts brushed mine before receding. I tried to hold onto him, not wanting him to leave. I liked his thoughts mixing with mine. Kal laughed in my mind, surrounding me in heat before leaving again. I was completely alone in my mind, but the bond was in the back of my thoughts.
The old woman stepped forward. “You are bound in life and death. May your love be the warmth in your veins, the wind in your wings, and the beat of your soul.”
Kal tugged me into his embrace, and I stared at him.
The image of Kal pressing a chaste kiss to my lips filled my thoughts as well as his spicy scent, making me know it was from him. Not bothering to reply, I pressed a gentle kiss on his lips.
Never would I have guessed that being abducted by aliens would end this way. I’d always wanted this—someone who made me feel loved for who I was and completely safe. Kal gave that to me, and I gave it right back to him.
As he drew away, smiling at me, family all around us, I knew, without a doubt in my mind, that I was home.
I stepped out of the shuttle, following the harried scientist, Wyn, not that he could see me. Iwasdead, after all. He scuttled across the launch pad to the massive spire-like palace.
This hadn’t been the plan. I’d planned to go to Earth and stay, but they hadn’t landed, only kidnapped Seth. Now, I was back to where I was a year ago.
With nothing else to do, I figured I could keep an eye on Seth—brotherhood and all that.
I wandered around the palace, no destination in mind, exploring, until I came to a building forged in glass and full of flowers and plants of the like I’d never seen. A drakcol man stepped out. He was tall like pretty much every other drakcol I’d seen. Long white hair hung around his lean yet muscular frame, and his black scales had a sheen to them, with white and silver peeking around them.
Man, he was lovely. What I wouldn’t give to shoot my shot with him, then of course be brutally rejected. Ah, such was life, or well, death in my case.
Undeterred, I bounced up to him because he couldn’t see me. “You’re a pretty one.”
He froze, looking directly at me. “Little human, what are you doing here?”
My mouth fell open. He could see me. Someone saw me. Suddenly, I wondered exactly how my afterlife was going to change.
