Matched

Kylie & Lew

She loved him. For the second time in her life, she was in love. It had been scary witnessing him collapse like that, like a part of herself had also collapsed. But he was okay; the medics said so. He'd just pushed himself too hard. Pushed himself hard because of Kylie.

And then he'd stood up for her. He'd stood up for her in front of his brother, Rigna. She could still hear his voice; she could still hear the rage: are you scaring my mate? How dare you touch her.

It might be the second time she'd been in love but it was the first time someone had been in love with her. And she could tell he was in love with her; the way he looked at her, the way he touched her. But it's not real, she told herself. It's only biological because you drank his semen. It wasn't because of any soulful connection. But wasn't that what love truly was in the end? A chemical reaction, a primal need designed to continue the species?

Besides, Kylie wasn't sure she believed in the human soul. Why not just enjoy it? she told herself. Why think so hard about it? You can't change it.

But she could change it. She'd dropped the third glass. There was still every chance she could break it off with Lew. It was like someone was driving a knife into her guts. The very thought made her want to burst into tears. Her hands were shaking. Her heart was racing. She felt cold. Lew's face scrunched up. Even while he was dreaming he could feel Kylie's pain. And that only made the pain worse, which made Lew wince again. Kylie had to hold back the urge to break into crazy, tearful laughter.

It was all so absurd.

She sighed as she looked over at her mother. Halo was awake and they were speaking with each other. Though it wouldn't last long; he was still very weak. What would happen once the men were strong enough to leave the infirmary? Where would they go? What would happen to herself and her mother, not to mention the rest of these women? She looked around, knowing their faces but not their names. Nobody really spoke to each other, too consumed by the bonds they'd been forced into.

Lew was looking much better. The shadows were gone from beneath his eyes and now he could go to the toilet unaided. He was talking more, laughing more. He liked to touch her and she liked to touch him ...

Too much.

Kylie licked her lips. Even now she wanted to crawl in bed with him, to hide under the sheets with him, to touch him and play with him—and more.

So much more.

Kylie thought about it all the time—having sex with him—and the more time passed it was getting worse and worse until the point she had to go to the bathroom and relieve the tension. The ache in her hips was constant now. The burn in her skin wouldn't go away. And she knew Lew felt the same way. Even the "medics" were becoming concerned. His heart rate was higher than it should be and no amount of treatment could settle it.

Kylie knew why: they needed to complete their bond. A full bond might heal him quicker. Maybe his brother had been right after all.

Lew stirred and opened his yellow eyes. Immediately they latched onto Kylie. He raised his hand and Kylie gripped onto it.

'I don't want to stay here anymore. I can't stay here.' He winced. 'It hurts too much.' He tapped his chest. 'Right here.'

His monitor started to alarm.

A medic whisked over. 'Are you all right, Lew?'

'When can I get out of here? When can we get out of here?'

'When you're recovered.'

'I am recovered.'

'Your vitals suggest otherwise.'