Page 64 of Alien Healer's Touch

Elder Shyla moved between us, dropping fragrant oils into the basin. The water clouded, then cleared, taking on a faint luminescence.

"Place your hands in the water," she instructed. "Let your minds open to one another."

I dipped my hands into the basin, Selene's fingers meeting mine beneath the surface. The water felt unexpectedly warm, almost alive against my skin.

Elder Shyla began to speak in the ancient dialect, words flowing like water, rising and falling in rhythm with her movements as she circled us. From hidden pockets in her robes, she scattered powdered crystals over the basin. They dissolved on contact with the water, sending spirals of color swirling around our submerged hands.

"Breathe together," Elder Shyla instructed. "Let your heartbeats synchronize."

I focused on Selene's breathing, the rise and fall of her chest, until our breaths matched perfectly. Heat spread from my hands up my arms, my lifelines beginning to pulse with golden light that reflected in the water.

Selene gasped softly. Her markings responded, shimmering brighter, reaching toward mine like vines seeking the sun.

Elder Shyla continued her chant, her voice dropping lower as she placed her hands upon our shoulders. Energy surged through me—not painful, but intense, as if something long dormant awoke beneath my skin.

The water in the basin began to swirl without any physical movement, coalescing into spiraling patterns that matched the convergence of our markings. I looked up from the water to Selene's face and found her eyes dilated, lips parted, her expression mirroring the desire building within me.

"Your minds now touch," Elder Shyla said softly. "But they can join more deeply still. What do you see of each other?"

"Everything," Selene whispered.

And she spoke truth. I saw through her eyes—felt her wonder at Arenix's alien beauty, her passion for healing, her fears of losing herself in this transformation. More intimate still, I experienced her desire for me, the heat that had built between us since our first meeting.

In return, I knew she saw my struggle between healer and warrior, my loneliness before finding her, and the primal need that grew stronger with each passing moment.

Around us, Elder Shyla's chanting intensified. The water between our hands began to emit light so brightly that it illuminated the entire chamber. My lifelines surged with golden fire that raced through my veins, heightening every sensation.

Selene's silver markings pulsed in perfect counterpoint, and when our eyes met again, I knew she felt what I felt—the overwhelming need to complete what this ritual had begun.

Elder Shyla spoke one final phrase, then stepped back. The water in the basin stilled, though the light remained. "The bond is strengthened," she announced. "If you wish to test its limits, you must do so in private."

I barely heard the observing Elders' reactions or Mirelle's surprised intake of breath. All I saw was Selene—her skin flushed, her markings shimmering, her eyes dark with need that matched my own.

Without conscious thought, I rose to my feet and rounded the basin. I lifted Selene into my arms in a single fluid motion. Her damp hands clutched my shoulders, her body pressed against the bare skin of my chest. The contact sent another surge of heat through my lifelines.

"My dwelling," was all I managed to say, my voice rough with restraint.

No one attempted to stop us as I carried her from the chamber, my strides long and purposeful. Selene pressed her face against my neck, her breath hot against my skin. Each exhale sent shivers down my spine and made my tail twitch with anticipation.

My dwelling stood apart from the others, built into a living copse of trees at the settlement's edge. I pushed through the door with my shoulder, kicking it closed behind us. The interior lay dark except for the glow of our markings, illuminating our path to the sleeping platform.

I set Selene on her feet, and she immediately reached for me, her fingers tracing the golden lifelines across my chest. The sensation shot straight through me, hardening my ridges beneath my clothing.

"I can feel what you feel," she whispered, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's... overwhelming."

I caught her hands, bringing them to my mouth to kiss her palms. "Tell me to stop and I will."

Her laugh came out breathless. "If you stop now, I might actually die."

That was all I needed. I claimed her mouth with mine, tasting her deeply as my hands roamed down her back. The thin band covering her breasts presented no challenge—I hooked a finger beneath it and tore the fabric with a single sharp tug.

Selene gasped against my mouth, the sound turning to a moan as I cupped her breasts, feeling their weight in my palms. Her nipples hardened at my touch, and through our shared connection, I felt her pleasure as if it were my own.

"Too many clothes," she muttered, reaching for the fastenings of my lower garments. Her hands trembled with urgency, fumbling with the unfamiliar closures.

I solved the problem by simply ripping them open, the material giving way beneath my strength. Selene's eyes widened at the sight of my fully aroused length, the dual ridges along its sides pulsing with the same golden glow as my lifelines.

"I'm never going to get used to that," she said, her voice catching. "I'm not sure that I want to."

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