<b>CHAPTER 20</b>
Max gripped the wheel tightly in order to keep the vehicle on the road. There was an eerie silence in the car as they plowed through the heavy snow on the deserted streets. Living in the desert hadn't exactly prepared him for weather like this. Just keeping the car between the two snow banks was making sweat appear on his forehead. The snow banks were his only gauges, as he couldn't see any pavement let alone dotted or solid lines. If a car was coming in the opposite direction, he didn't think that he would have time to swerve and get out of the way.
He took a right turn onto a larger road, easing slowly around the corner. Suddenly, the dark shape of a snowplow loomed out of nowhere in front of him and he hit the brakes in a panic. Unfortunately, this only caused the car to skid and he found himself desperately trying to regain control as the rear end of the car began to slide. Keeping his eyes on the snowplow, he fought the wheel. Letting up on the brakes, he managed to get the back end in line again as the other members of the vehicle released a collective sigh.
"Good going, Maxwell." Michael released his grip on the dashboard and flexed his fingers.
"Hey, if you think you can do any better then-"
"Hold up. I just meant good job. It was a nice save." Michael shook his head in frustration. Max was wound so tight that every little thing set him off.
Max only pursed his lips tighter and focused on trying to get around the slow moving plow. Jerking to the left, Max risked the possibility of oncoming traffic and slowly passed the lumbering giant. Once in front, he got his bearings and realized they were only a few blocks from the ferry house.
The next task will be to convince the ferryman to take them across outside of the normal hours and in the middle of a raging blizzard. Max didn't know how they would do it but even if he had to physically intimidate the man, he would be setting his feet on the island before morning.
**********
Tess sat uncomfortably as she watched Lonnie shovel food. The Mexican restaurant had been about to close its doors for the night due to the storm but Lonnie had threatened them into changing their minds. Tess watched as the frightened waitress walked slowly to the table with a pitcher of water in order to refresh their glasses. The rest of the team sat in close groups around the small, square tables. They were loud and brawly, every inch a group certain of their upcoming success.
Tess tried to share in their confidence but she was failing miserably. She was about to walk into a big unknown with a group of people she couldn't trust an inch. Who knew how much power Zan really had? He had been unlocked but even Nasedo had never told her what this process truly meant. Try as she might, she couldn't pull up the memories from Antar about the exact powers Zan had possessed.
Also, he had spirited Liz away with him – without Max. Not even Lonnie knew what this move meant. Why had Zan put his protective arm around her? Why hadn't his arm included Max also? If Zan meant to harm Max, he would have hurt Liz by now. Apparently, however, they had been in frequent contact over the last week. Though the communication had seemed strained, they were still talking without open hatred.
Tess smiled inwardly to herself. Their scouts had found Max, Michael, Isabel and that worthless human, Maria, a few days ago. It was all it took for Lonnie to put two and two together to figure out where Zan was holed up. Tess even shuttered remembering the cold conversation shared with Lonnie about four days ago.
**********
<i>They had been camped outside of Phoenix for the past three months where their scouts had been reporting back to them on the moves of the royal three. Information lead them to believe that all was not well in the Max and Liz relationship. In fact, some of the Skins on patrol had even seen some possibility of surging powers in the female human.
A Skin came rushing into the nondescript motel room in which Lonnie had been living. He poured out the story about how they had traced a call received by the two humans, Kyle and Jesse. The call had originated in a little town called Copper Harbor, Michigan and they were sure it was Lonnie's dupe who had been on the line.
Tess watched as Lonnie opened up a battered atlas and frantically traced her fingers over the various roads throughout the lower part of the state. Getting frustrated, she threw the map against the wall with a loud yell. Tess slowly rose to her feet and picked the atlas back up.
"Lonnie, you were only looking at the lower half of Michigan. There's a whole 'nother part north of it."
"How you know so much, eh?" Lonnie sneered. "Oh, yeah. <i>Right</i>. You been havin' to live close wit 'em for so long. You even been to school 'n shit."
"Shut up, Lonnie. At least I can talk right." She watched as Lonnie's face began to turn red and then continued hurriedly on. "Besides. It worked in our favor now, right?" She pointed out the small town on the tip of the Keewenaw Peninsula.
She watched the flush that had stolen over Lonnie's face. It turned an even darker shade of red. Steeling herself, she slowly inched herself away waiting for Lonnie to explode. It never came, though. Lonnie merely closed the atlas slowly and then curled her fists around the edges. Her knuckles turned white and her hands began to shake. Suddenly, the atlas turned to dust on the table. Lonnie slowly stood up and turned her back on everyone on the room.
"Get out." Her voice was so low, Tess almost missed the words.
"Lonnie?" Tess was almost hesitant to ask, not wanting to provoke her into a mad frenzy. Lately, Lonnie had become more and more unstable. Tess had tried to convince her that they should go after the Royal Three before they attempted to take on Zan. It seemed logical as they were the most vulnerable but Lonnie had put her foot down. She wanted her brother dead and nothing was going to stop her. Tess had only shrugged. She wanted Zan dead also but more importantly, she wanted Liz.
"Leave me be. I got somethin' to take care of."
Confused, Tess didn't argue. They now had a destination and it was time to get packed.</i>
**********
Tess came back to the present. Lonnie had definitely taken care of something. She had 'visited' Zan. Tess had been furious with Lonnie for tipping their hand. They could have simply gone to Michigan and used the element of surprise to catch Zan and Liz unawares. As it stood now, they had to know they were coming. And who says that they were even still there? If Zan were smart, he would have hightailed it someplace else.
Apparently, Lonnie had known about the cabin for some time. Zan was notorious for disappearing for days or weeks at a time and once, Lonnie had followed him. She had apparently returned to New York, laughing about her backward brother, and shelved the information for later use.
As Tess picked at her rice, she looked outside. The lamplight was hardly visible behind the blowing waves of snow. It looked like they were stuck for a while and that added another layer of stress for Tess.
Lonnie would be furious. And that usually meant someone would get hurt.
**********
The SUV slid into the ferry parking lot and hit a large snowbank with a soft thud on the passenger side. Max hit the gas softly, trying maneuver away from the pile of snow. The tires simply spun as the back end rotated around slowly. Frustrated, he slammed the gear into park. Turning to Michael, Isabel, and Maria, he said, "OK. Michael and I are going to go into the ferry office and charter the boat. You two get the gear ready for when we come back."
Without waiting for an answer, he jumped out the driver's side door and started running towards the little office building.
"Well, you heard our fearless leader." Huffing indignation, Michael scooted across to the driver's seat and swore when he hit his knee on the steering wheel. Groaning, he almost fell from the vehicle and then started limping after Max.
Maria and Isabel stared at each other. Maria simply shook her head, opened her door and walked to the driver's side door. Shutting it with a bang, she jumped back into her seat and closed the door. Shivering violently, she muttered the only thing she could from between her chattering lips. "Men."
**********
"No ferries?"
"No, sir. Not in this weather. You're even lucky that you caught me. I just walked down from my house to get some paperwork. Figured since I was going to be snowbound for a couple of days, I might as well get caught up on the books." The old man behind the counter hardly looked up as he shuffled some papers into a manila folder.
"But you have to take us." Michael watched as a desperate light began to fill Max's eyes.
"I will do no such thing. I'm not going to risk my life to take a couple of crazy teenagers over for a party."
Michael tensed as he saw Max's teeth clench. He saw that Max was about to lose control and it scared him. Ever since they left the cabin, Michael had been uneasy. Max was usually the pillar and he was beginning to become unglued. Michael felt himself getting swept away on Max's emotions and he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. If Max couldn't be rational, then he had to be, otherwise this situation might turn ugly.
"Sir, this is an emergency. We have friends on Isle Royale that could be in danger."
For the first time since they had entered the little office, the old man looked up. "Well, that's a different story."
Both Max and Michael sighed in obvious relief.
"It's a different story but still one that I can't do nothing about. I'm beached by the Coast Guard. They won't let me out of the harbor for any reason."
Max reached across the counter and grabbed the old man by the scruff of his shirt. Fear sprang into the man's eyes and instantly, Michael intervened. He caught Max by the wrist and broke his grip on the man.
"Max! This is NOT the way." Max fought him and Michael was forced to back him up against the wall, struggling the entire way. Keeping his voice quiet so he couldn't be overheard, he whispered harshly. "You fool! Are you going to start hurting innocent people? How would Liz feel about that?"
Max's eyes seemed to refocus and he stopped trying to struggle against him. "I told you, Michael. I don't care what it takes, I'm going to get to that island."
"And do what? If Zan and Liz are being attacked, it will be all over by the time we get there. We can't do anything right now. You yourself said that you didn't actually see Lonnie and Tess. What if it wasn't them? It would be to their detriment as much as Zan's if they attacked during a storm like this."
Max shook his head and let it drop to his chest. "I have to help her, Michael. Don't you understand?" His voice was small and no longer contained the surging anger from before.
"I do and I'm going to help you, help her. But threatening old men is not the way, got it?" He let go of Max warily and when he was sure that Max wasn't going to make a move, turned and walked back to the sputtering man.
"I'm going to call the cops! How dare you two punks try and -"
Michael held up a staying hand and waved it in weary defeat. "We're sorry. We didn't mean to frighten you. We just have friends that are in a lot of trouble and need our help. We have to find a way to the island as quickly as possible."
Slightly mollified, the man straightened his collar and shrugged his shoulders, refitting his heavy parka to his body. He kept one eye on Max who remained slumped against the wall. "It's no way to treat someone if you're looking for help."
"I know. And we're both really sorry." Michael gave Max a quick glare before turning back to the ferryman. "You can see how important it is to the both of us."
"Even if my mother were dying on that island, I wouldn't be able get there. It's not physically possible and it won't be for another day, if the weather reports are right."
Michael heard the door open and he turned in time to see Max outlined by the snowy night before the door slammed behind him.
"Well, thanks anyway. We appreciate it." Michael stepped back from the counter and reached for the door.
"You know, your friend there. I remember him from before. He used to have all of these tattoos and piercings. His hair was all spiked too, if I recall."
Startled, Michael turned back to him.
"He sure was a right bit nicer when he looked like a punk, if you ask me."
Michael could only chuckle at the irony as he stepped back into the storm.
**********
Liz looked up from the table and watched as Zan prepared a very late dinner. She had woken up on the couch to a very concerned looking face.
"Don't </i>ever</i> do that again, got it?"
Liz only smiled and said, "You're welcome." Huffing, Zan got to his feet from his crouch on the floor and began to fume. He had paced and paced in front of the fire, spewing out curses and graphic ways he was going to hurt her, while she smiled the whole time from the comfort of the couch. She knew that he was blowing off steam for two different reasons. First, he wasn't the type of guy to say thanks and that he was uncomfortable being in her debt. Second, she had scared him by trying to give too much and therefore putting herself in jeopardy. He was concerned about her and she had given him a scare. She continued to smile and snuggled deeper under the covers until he spent his energy.
When he had finished, he had walked over and knelt next to her on the couch. He had tenderly brushed the hair back away from her eyes and cupped her cheek. He looked deep into her eyes, searching for something. She simply stared back at him, content that for the moment, all was well in the world. Placing both hands on either side of her head, he made a connection and she felt him probe throughout her body to see if there was any damage from the earlier healing. Satisfied, he'd leaned forward and startled her by giving her a quick kiss before lifting her off of the couch. He wrapped her in a blanket and then shuffled her to the kitchen.
"I believe we didn't get no dinner."
"Please, no flapjacks, whatever you do. I still have burnt smell of them in my nose."
He laughed a good hearty laugh. Liz smiled, feeling that everything was all right. She felt good. Refreshed. Looking at the clock, she realized that over two hours had passed since Zan had slumped through the door in a mess of blood. It was now one o'clock in the morning.
"Isn't it a bit late for dinner?"
"It's never too late to eat." Zan had his back to her has he rummaged through the cabinets, pulling out random items and setting them on the counter. He'd only bothered to put on a pair of jeans and his muscles rippled from straining upwards. As usual, his pants fell slightly on his hips and the tops of his underwear peaked over the top.
He turned so that she watched his profile as he searched through the freezer. She had to admire her work. His skin remained unblemished except for the old scar that had been there from before.
"Admiring again, eh?"
Instead of blushing and turning away, she simply laughed. It felt good to be sitting here in a warm kitchen being waited on. Having Zan back with his usual bantering made her feel lightheaded. Right now, there was nothing wrong in the world.
"Yeah, I have to say that I do good work."
Zan took his head from out of the freezer for a second and gave her a crooked grin. "Not bad for a newbie."
She watched him begin to prepare her meal, amazed all over again by his proficiency in a kitchen. She wrapped the blanket closer to her, stood up and walked over to the door.
"Where are you goin'?" came an indignant voice from over her shoulder.
She turned around startled and realizing she was only inches away from Zan's concerned face. "Nature calls."
"Let me go with you."
His gaze bore down on her and there was a fierceness to it that made her catch her breath. She could see stubble on his chin and could feel his warm breath against her cheek. Looking into his eyes, they sucked her in and she felt instant desire. Forcing herself to look away and not get caught in his spell, she looked down and stared at his soft, full lips. Realizing this was trouble too, she looked down at her feet. Then, however, she could see his six pack abs and taut skin across his ripped stomach. Again she noticed the trail of hair that lingered above the belt line and trailed mysteriously downward. Startled by her body's reaction to his, she snapped her head upward.
She tried to regain control of the situation by saying, "I think I can manage by myself." She tried, unsuccessfully she knew, to put a sarcastic edge to the words.
"I know you can," he said softy, his breath gently caressing her skin. She inhaled sharply as he leaned slowly forward. Her mind went blank as his lips touched hers. They gently brushed and lingered with expectation. She responded automatically by tilting her head slightly and parting her lips to his invitation. He bore down more firmly, forcing her lips open wider as he stroked the inside of her mouth with his tongue. He wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to his bare chest, sifting her hair with one hand while the other cupped the side of her head and cheek. He lifted her so that he could access her mouth deeper and pushed her against the door.
Liz's arms were wrapped inside the blanked so she was unable to clutch to his smoldering body. He pinned her tighter against the door and ravished her mouth. Then he nipped and suckled down her cheekbone and then sucked gently at the base of her collarbone. Liz moaned at the tingling sensation that shot through her body from the intimate caress. He traced his way up the other side of her neck and nipped lightly at her ear.
She was completely at his mercy, unable to stop him or return in kind the ministrations he was bestowing upon her. All she could do is receive and that drove her crazy. She turned her head to the side, straining the muscles in her neck so that it would expose more skin for him to tantalize. He went for the hollow where her neck joined her shoulder. She shivered from the sensations he was creating and moaned louder. Suddenly he pulled his lips from her skin and she groaned from the loss. A heartbeat passed and she turned her gaze back, worried that something had happened to make him stop. Instantly, she was satisfied as his lips covered hers again in a lover's embrace. She responded by opening to him and then dueling her tongue with his. She sucked on his bottom lip pulling on it gently, releasing it and then attacking his lips with hers. She felt rather than heard him groan deep in his throat.
Then he pressed against her in a different way. His hips pushed into her, grinding against her pubic bone rhythmically. She gasped at the sensation which he quickly cut off with a searing kiss. Frustrated by her lack of mobility, she began to wriggle in his grasp. It only forced him close in even tighter and she could feel his hardness through the many folds of the blankets. A hot wave shot through her and she threw her head back against the door with a small thud.
In response, Zan stopped his grinding and simply nipped at her chin and the delicate skin beneath. Liz heaved great breaths of air, trying to calm her body and regain her senses. Zan, feeling the slight shift of mood, cupped her head and tilted it down to him so that he could kiss her in a long, smoldering fashion. Then, releasing her lips, he gasped and pressed his cheek against hers. His heaving breathing roared in her ear and she was thrilled at the sound. She felt her heart beating wildly and willed it to slow down.
After a long minute, Zan pulled back slightly and slowly lowered her to the ground. His body was still pressed firmly against her and Liz was glad as her knees were shaking quite violently. His hands wandered to her face and cupped her head. He stroked both of her cheeks with his thumbs. Liz closed her eyes at the tender caress. He lowered his lips once more and kissed her gently, not probing this time but only caressing her mouth. Liz opened her eyes and sighed as she noticed that his eyes were closed. His lips gently released hers and he pulled back.
His golden eyes gazed at her and Liz noticed that for the first time since she had met him, the tension lines had left his face. He seemed almost boyish but for the smoldering, flickering glints of light dancing in his eyes. He smiled slowly.
<i>I didn't let you go. </i>
She merely smiled back and shook her head.
<i>I should let you go. </i>
Liz nodded her head slowly.
He stopped smiling and looked at her intently. A seeming sadness spread across his face as he continued to gaze down at her.
<i>What if I don't want to let you go? </i>
Liz stopped smiling, realizing there was more behind Zan's words than simply letting her out the door. Not knowing exactly what he meant, she didn't respond except by looking at him questioningly.
He stepped backwards and one of his hands released her cheek. She heard a rustling next to her and then he was holding up her jacket.
"You don't want to forget this. Not tonight." He helped her shrug into the coat after unwrapping the blanket from her body. He kissed her softly and then turned away and walked back to the kitchen. Not quite sure about what happened but knowing that the tender moment had not been lost, Liz went out into the snowy night.
**********
After a long ride back home, long due to snow not distance, Max, Michael, Isabel, and Maria dejectedly walked into the cold cabin. If it was even possible, the weather had gotten worse. Max was severely strained just from the drive itself not including the emotional rollercoaster he was riding. Everyone else was also drained from both the situation and the tenseness of the drive. Coming from the desert, weather like this seemed like a fairyland.
Stomping off the snow, all four were startled when they heard a voice say, "You all look like snowmen."
There was Liz standing in the middle of the room with a playful smirk on her face. Max rushed over and picked her up, hugging her closely to him. The other three heaved a deep sigh of relief. Obviously, Liz was safe and not dying a horrible death.
Max set her on the ground and asked if she was okay. Liz assured him that she was. Maria walked over and pushing Max out of the way, gave her friend a big bear hug. "Good to see all is well, girlfriend."
Michael and Isabel gave small waves from the other side of the room and Liz sent a warm smile their way. Looking up at Max, Liz said, "I thought you might be worried so I decided I should visit and let you know that all is well."
Max looked down at her carefully as if trying to validate that she was telling the truth. "Are you sure? What about Zan?"
Liz frowned slightly and said, "Well, he was attacked by a bear." At the collective sharp intake of breath in the room, she raised her hand and continued. "He's okay though. I was able to heal him so there's no lasting damage."
Isabel stepped forward and said, "You <i>healed</i> him?"
Liz nodded her head with a grin. "Yeah, pretty amazing, huh? I wasn't sure that I would be able to do it but once I started, it just came naturally."
Everyone started congratulating her while Max stood to side quietly. He seemed preoccupied but Liz didn't notice as she explained in brief detail what had happened.
"Afterwards, I thought that you might be worried. All you saw, Max, was Zan covered in blood and I knew that that would probably send you in a blind panic."
Giving a look to the rest of the group and raising a quick hand to an opened mouth Maria, Max quickly answered, "We were worried but I think panic would be the wrong word."
Liz couldn't help but catch Maria's and Michael's rolling eyes and guessed that something very different had happened. Content, though, that they were all safe, Liz smiled at Max and simply said, "I'm glad."
The other three quickly murmured good-byes and left the two of them alone. Max walked over to Liz and gave her a gentle hug. Liz could feel his relief wash over her in waves. She pulled slowly back and smiled up at him. Then she stepped away.
"Max, you can't worry so much about me."
"You know that I will no matter what you say."
"I know, but from the looks on everyone's faces here, I think that maybe you worry too much." She chuckled slightly.
Max merely nodded his head.
"Where were you coming back from, anyway?"
"We were on our way to find you. After seeing Zan all torn up, the only think I could think of was that Lonnie and Tess had attacked. So we were trying to get to you. Only, the weather is so bad, that we can't get any ferries over to the island."
"Really? It's snowing really bad where…" Liz trailed off as Max's words sunk in. "You know where we're staying." It was a statement of fact – not a question.
Max answered calmly. "Yes."
Liz shook her head and sighed heavily. "Maria."
"I had to!" came a muffled shout from one of the doors followed by loud shushing sounds.
Liz couldn't even manage a smile. "Max, I told you that I wasn't ready to let you know where we were."
"But, Liz…"
"No buts, Max. I specifically said that I wanted to talk to Zan first."
"I won't say that I'm sorry. I thought you were in trouble. I reacted the only way that I could and the same goes for Maria."
"That's right! I only did-" The muffled shout was cut off from a covered hand. A short yelp sounded a second later with Michael's booming "Ow! That hurt!" floating through the door.
Liz didn't know whether to be mad or grateful for Max's and Maria's obvious concern so she decided to move on.
"Max, I don't want you to come until I tell you."
He took a step towards her, his face a mask of confusion. "I don't understand. Why don't you want me there?"
Liz could only look up into his eyes with a small frown. She knew this was going to be difficult but she said it anyway. "I'm not ready yet."
The words seemed to reverberate around the room. Max reacted as if it had been a physical slap. He took a step back and shook his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes tightly. Not wanting to ask but having to anyway, he said quietly "And what does that mean?"
"It means that I'm really confused right now."
Max's courage failed him and he couldn't pursue it further. It didn't need to be said anyway. It was written on her face. She was confused between him and Zan. What had happened when she had healed Zan? Did they make a connection like he and Liz did at the Crashdown?
The only thing he could do was let her go. And no matter how he felt he couldn't punish her for her decision. He walked slowly over to her and gave her a loving hug. Burying his face into her hair, he murmured, "I hope you figure it out."
"I will, Max," came a muffled cry in his chest. She gave him one last squeeze and then he was holding on to empty air.
**********
Isabel came out a few minutes later. Max was still standing in the middle room with his arms hanging loosely at his sides.
"I'm sorry, Max."
"I know."
Isabel walked over to her brother and gave him a fierce hug. "She'll be back."
Max simply shrugged in her embrace. He pulled away first and then turned his back as he dried his tears. Maria and Michael came quietly into the room.
"Well, there's one thing we know," Max said as he came to face them. "She's strong."
"What do you mean?" asked Michael when nobody volunteered anything else.
"She has strength we can't even imagine. You didn't see how torn up Zan was. That he was still even able to move is a mystery."
"But, Max. You said that she was learning new powers. What's so special about this that makes you think she's so strong?"
"Remember when I healed those cancer children?" Michael nodded. "Remember how I couldn't use my powers at all right after? It took hours, most of a whole day, before I could even draw on a little bit."
Max looked up and stared everyone in the face. "Liz brought someone back from the dead on her first try and was still able to visit me within two hours afterwards. She didn't even look strained and 'visiting' is one of the hardest and most draining things next to healing that I've ever done."
Both aliens and the pixie human could only stare at him open-mouthed.
**********
Liz returned back to the sauna room. After using the outhouse, she had sneaked into the relatively warm area so that she could visit Max. She had known that he would be worried and she felt that he deserved her to visit without Zan being in the same room.
She knew now that she was separating the two of them in her mind and wanting to keep them physically apart. In her heart she knew why.
Zan's kiss had changed things. He was waiting for her in the cabin and she needed to take this all of the way. For once and for all, she was going to discover how Zan felt about her.
And in the process, she was going to find out how she really felt about him.
A Dupe's Responsibilty (UC,Z/L/M,MATURE) Ch 21 - 02/18 {WIP}
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Bordersinsanity
- Obsessed Roswellian
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This was originally posted by the AweInspired on a different thread. I thought everything should be on the same thread. I in no way am the author of this part. It's all AweInspired. Please enjoy.
thanks
Jen
<b>CHAPTER 21</b>
She sat silently on the sauna bench and listened to the wind roar around the small building. “When will this storm ever end?” she thought to herself. “And when will the storm that’s coming arrive?” She shook her head of these dreary thoughts and focused on the present. Zan was waiting for her in the cabin and she had to make a decision.
How far was she willing to take it with him? He was a never-ending rollercoaster that dipped and took unexpected turns at breakneck speed. If she allowed herself to continue on this ride, where would she, or rather, where would they end up? It was difficult to imagine a house with a white picket fence but then again, she had finally given up on that dream with Max Evans.
These thoughts always brought her back full circle to the same question.
What were Zan’s intentions?
**********
Everyone had retreated to their respective bedrooms. Max, lying fully clothed, lay sprawled out on his bed with his hands clasped behind his head. It was quiet except for the creaking of the walls that were still being buffeted by the storm outside. Never in his life had he seen so much snow.
It was two o’clock in the morning but he was far from sleep. He’d been accused once of being a control freak and he had to admit that it was partly true. Before Liz, his life had been made up of routine. Routine dictated a normal life and therefore made it easier to blend in. In that one moment, when he had healed Liz in the Crashdown, that normal, safe life disappeared. Ever since, he had essentially been running from one crisis to the next and hadn’t been allowed to slow down or take control.
Perhaps it was time to change that. He was tired of waiting, waiting for his enemies to attack, waiting for Liz to come back to him. There wasn’t anything he could do about the second but he could turn the tables on the first. They had heard on the radio that the storm should be over by early morning. This would give him and the gang some space to move.
Feeling better, he curled up on his side and pulled a thin blanket over his body. Tomorrow they would take the offensive and cut their enemies off before they would get anywhere near Liz. Max would choose the time and battlefield which would surely give them the advantage they needed.
More content than he had been in several days, he allowed himself to slowly drift into sleep.
**********
Liz found Zan setting the table. She shook off the snow from her clothing and stomped her feet good before removing her snow gear. The warmth of the cabin made her skin tingle and she sucked in the warm air gratefully.
Zan gave her a lopsided grin and then continued to prepare their dinner. While she had been outside, he had changed into a pair of clean black jeans, which surprisingly weren’t ripped at the knees. He also wore a tight, black long sleeve mesh shirt that clung to every inch of his form. It wasn’t sheer but hints of skin tone peeked through whenever he stretched or torqued his upper body. She watched as he lit up a cigarette and then proceeded to stir one of the pots on the stove.
“You know, I don’t think that I’ve cooked any major meals since we’ve been here,” she remarked.
“Yeah, well, I don’t like diner food much.”
She arched her eyebrows and laughed. “I can cook more than diner fare.”
He took a long drag on his cigarette and grinned. “Then you kin cook tomorrow night.” He put the top on one of the saucepans and stepped back from the stove. “I don’t mind much. I usually cooked in the crib ‘cause I got tired of mac and cheese and hotdogs. Ya gotta have chow that isn’t artificially dyed once in a while.”
She laughed and then walked over to flip some potatoes that were browning nicely in a skillet.
“Whatcha doin’?”
“Just trying to help,” she exclaimed.
“Well, get yer ass out of my kitchen. Yer turn’s tomorrow.”
She threw up her hands in mock exasperation. Zan was leaning against one of the countertops and looking at her with mirth in his eyes. “Alright, my king, the kitchen is yours.” She gave a half hearted bow. Zan’s expression changed, the laughter leaving his face. Her breath hitched at his expression. He slowly took the two steps over to her and moved a wisp of hair away from her cheek. She looked up at him and his eyes took on the brooding, dark depths that she recognized as the beginning of one of his moods.
His thumb brushed her cheek gently and then he cupped her chin, forcing her to look straight in his eyes. When he spoke, his voice was low and raspy. “Do me a favor, k?” He paused and she nodded her head. “Don’t ever call me yer king. I ain’t yer king. I ain’t nobody’s king. Got it?”
She nodded again and watched as he slowly leaned toward her and then wilted beneath his tender kiss. After a few seconds, he gently released her lips; she licked them in appreciation. Zan gave her his best lopsided grin and then winked. “Now get yer ass cleaned up. I gotta finish this or else yer be eatin’ blackened taters.”
She saluted with a smile and said, “Yes, sir, your chefness, sir.”
“You got it, sweets.”
She decided to mimic his clothing choice for the night and put on her best jeans and her only black blouse. Goodwill wasn’t the best place to shop for fashion so she altered it slightly with a couple waves of her hand. It turned in a gauzy peasant shirt that fell off both shoulders. Like his, the material hinted at the skin beneath without being obvious.
When she returned to the table, everything was prepared. Two steaks, stalks of asparagus and the potatoes were steaming on the table. She sat down just as Zan retrieved the last serving spoon. Before sitting himself, he systematically turned off all of the kerosene lamps except the one illuminating the eating area. This one he turned down low so that they had enough light to eat by but causing a pleasant eating atmosphere. Then he sat across from her.
Suddenly remembering, Liz blurted out, “You fixed the table!”
“Wasn’t hard.”
“Yeah, well thanks.”
He lifted his beer bottle and raised it up. She reached for hers and held it aloft.
“Here’s to good food,” he said.
“Here, here,” Liz chimed in and went to clink her bottle against his. He held his back.
“And…to all kitchen furniture. May they be safe from the wrath of Elizabeth Parker.”
“Very funny.” He just smirked and clinked his bottle against hers. They both lifted the bottles to their mouths and took a long drink.
Instantly, Liz’s mind clouded over and the world began to waver. She’d never drunk much in her life but she’d been able to take small sips of a beer here and there without this effect. Concerned, she narrowed her eyebrows and tried to focus on her plate. It swam in and out of her view.
“What’s da matter, sweets?
“Don’t know,” she slurred. “I feel sorta funny.”
Zan looked at her closely and then began to laugh hard. “Shit. I altered my bottle but didn’t yers. Didn’t think I’d have to.”
Through the fog in her mind, Liz could only look at him dumbly which made him laugh even harder.
“I donna tink this is very…” Liz hiccupped. “…funny.”
“Well from over here, it’s bitchin’.” Zan continued laughing until his stomach ached and he had to wipe tears from his eyes. When he could talk again, he said, “Sorry, princess. If I’d known, I woulda changed yers too.”
“Yeah, well, it ain’t too bad, I guess.” She slowly picked up her fork and made a stab for an asparagus stem. Missing, she tried again. No success. Tucking her lower lip in concentration, she finally hit the mark and brought it to her lips. The stem was too long and no matter what she tried, it kept hitting her on the cheeks and nose. Frustrated, she grabbed it with her fingers and with Zan’s laughter ringing in her ears, she managed to put it in her mouth after two tries. She beamed with satisfaction and went to stab at another piece.
Seeing her troubles and realizing this would be a very long dinner indeed if it continued, Zan moved his plate next to hers and pulled his chair close. He cut off a small piece of meat and held it in front of her mouth. “I think the only way we’re gonna to get through this before next Christmas is if I help.” She opened her mouth wide and he placed the piece of meat inside. As she slowly chewed, nodding her head the whole time, he managed to get in three or four bites before she was ready for the next piece. Zan managed to eat three times as much as she did and when they were done, he removed the dirty dishes while Liz weaved drunkenly in his way, attempting to help. He stacked them in the sink and when Liz made an erratic move to start cleaning them, he gripped her arm and steered her towards the couch.
“I think we’re done for the night, beautiful.” He sat her on the couch while she immediately tried to stand up again. “Nah, I think you done ‘nough to help. You just stay there while I get some coffee.” Liz just smiled contentedly and then lay down with her head on the pillow.
When he came back, he carried a platter with coffee, a bowl of strawberries and melted chocolate. Liz sat up slowly and smiled. “Strawberries. I love strawberries.”
“Yeah, I figured.” He beat off her attempt to reach for one. “You just sit back and let me do the work, k?”
“’K.”
“Man, I hope I never got this shit-faced.”
She looked at him with a stupid grin on her face. “I’m not shit…faced. I’m <i>beeaauutiful</i>.”
He gaped. In the short time he’d known her, she had never shown a conceited bone in her body.
“Yep.” She nodded her head with exaggerated seriousness. “You said so.”
He leaned back a bit. “Oh, I did, eh?”
“Yep.” Her head was nodding furiously now. “Just now. You said so. You can’t take it back.”
Understanding, he relaxed and then chuckled. “Yeah, I did say so. And it’s true. Here.” He put a cup of coffee to her lips which she slurped noisily. He then fed her a chocolate covered strawberry. She munched happily and then reached for one of her own. She managed to dunk it in the chocolate and bring it to her mouth but got chocolate all over her fingers in the process. She started to lick them when Zan reached over and said huskily, “Let me do that.”
He took one of her fingers in his mouth and slowly sucked it clean. He did it for each finger, slowly tantalizing her. Her eyes widened as she watched every swirl of his tongue and the way in which his lips closed tightly over her knuckles. She groaned loudly at the intense suction and closed her eyes, giving herself up to the sensation.
Zan felt himself heat up over the simple but erotic maneuvers. As he licked the last finger clean, he kissed the palm of her hand. She opened her eyes and his body immediately tensed at the husky look in her eyes. In the dim light, they seemed to have changed from dark brown to black and the flush in her cheeks excited him. He willed himself to keep still and not push the situation.
“My turn.” Her words were tinged with passion. Unable to move, he watched as she unsteadily dipped another strawberry and then slowly brought to his lips. He opened his mouth to accept it but wasn’t quick enough to stop a large drip that landed on his chin. He smiled as he chewed and reached to wipe the chocolate away but with precision that belied her state of mind, Liz caught his hand in hers and said, “I got it.”
He watched as she got on her knees and leaned seductively toward him. Her tongue snaked out and tentatively licked at the bead of chocolate on his chin. His blood heated even more when she began to suck gently and then slowly, moved upward until she got his lower lip in her mouth. She tugged eagerly with her lips and he swallowed the remaining strawberry in one big gulp. She giggled and then let go. She wrapped her legs around his waist and his arms automatically snaked around to steady her.
She kissed him tentatively on the lips, pulled back and then pouted. “You got no chocolate there.” She reached for the bowl and dipped her fingers.
“Liz,” he moaned, trying futilely to stop her. She turned back to him and then daintily smeared chocolate across his lips and placed dots of it under his chin and on his earlobes. Hungrily, she attacked his lips, intermittedly sucking and kissing. Her tongue boldly searched the caverns of his mouth, taking instead of giving. Unable to resist any longer, he groaned into her mouth and kissed her fervently back. She tightened her hold around his neck and pressed her body closer. His hands searched out the bare skin on her back above the shirt and caressed her fiercely. She left his lips and roamed her way to each earlobe, kissing and biting. She found the spots under his chin and licked them clean.
Zan wanted to feel more of her bare skin so he pulled the stretchy material down until he was running his fingers between her shoulder blades. She arched her back to his touch and suddenly her breasts were eyesight level. Unable to stop himself, he caught one of her nipples with his mouth through her shirt. She gasped. He rolled the tender knob between his lips and he felt her shudder in his arms. He reached up from behind and grasped her shoulders with each hand. He forcefully applied pressure so that her back arched even further and he closed his mouth over her breast. He suckled and played his tongue over her sensitive spot. She began rocking in his lap and he gasped against her. His warm breath on the moist area caused her nipple to contract even more. Small pants began to escape her lips, fueling him even further.
Losing control, he snuck his hands up the back of her shirt and then cupped her underneath her armpits, guiding her motions. Her head came forward, her swollen lips inviting. He ravished her as he rocked, matching her tempo. Long, brown hair fell against his cheeks. Her breasts swayed against his chest, tantalizing him. His hands wandered from under her arms to the front where he cupped her breasts. He rubbed his thumbs over her nipples and her pace quickened. He matched her, movement for movement.
<i>Oh, god,</i> he moaned. <i>I can’t stop.</i>
<i>I don’t want to stop.</i> Her breathy voice in his head almost sent him over the edge right then and there.
<i>I wanna get inside you.</i>
<i>You are inside me.</i> The thought seeped through his mind and a flush of warmth made him lightheaded. <i>You’re everywhere.</i>
He grasped her butt, rammed her tight against him and held her there. He felt himself throb against her and she squirmed in his lap. Putting one arm around her shoulders and the other around her bottom, he deftly maneuvered to a lying position on the couch. He straddled the top of her and sucked on the sensitive area at the base of her neck. He quickly lifted her shirt above her shoulders and threw it to the floor. He then undid the buttons on her jeans and slid them down her hips, all the while, his lips seeking sensitive areas.
She now lay naked beneath him and he couldn’t get enough. He traced every part of her body with his tongue, lingering over her breasts and dipping into her navel. Her hands kneaded his hair and every once in a while tugged when he hit a receptive area. He used this as a guide to discovering the more sensitive places on her body.
He nosed the curls on top of her pubic bone and could smell the scent of her, so close and so inviting. He traced another trail up to her mouth and took a taste of her glorious mouth. He tasted the strawberries and chocolate and the hint of alcohol.
Alcohol.
Shit. He took in a ragged breath and looked down on her panting face. Her eyes were closed and small, mewling sounds gurgled from her throat. She was ready for him and even told him she wanted him. He hesitated, trying to clear his head. She began to writhe beneath him, trying to continue the contact he had suddenly halted. He moaned and shook his head. He slowly tried to get control of himself.
<i>Zan?</i> The plea raced through his mind. He almost broke again but he willed himself to slow down. When he felt himself retreat from the edge, he sighed and leaned down for a lingering kiss. He felt her hands trail down his sides, massaging and alternating light scratches sending his skin on fire. She tugged at his shirt and he allowed her to pull it over his head. Her hands went directly for his nipple rings and he gasped when she ran her nails over them. Then her finger skipped down to the top of his jeans and he felt her pull on the top button. Before he could stop her, she had the first two undone. As he reached down to stay her hand, she cupped him and the heat from her hand made him throb. Her eyes opened in wonder and she gave him a small smile. His hand covered her with all intentions of making her stop but instead, found him helping her find his rhythm, stroking firmly through the jeans.
He let his forehead rest against hers. <i>God, princess. Can you feel what yer doin’ to me?</i>
<i>Oh, yes. You think I’m beautiful. I think you’re beautiful too.</i>
Her words snapped him back to the present and he managed to find enough control to remove her hand from its stroking. He took a deep breath and then kissed the back of her hand.
<i>Keep doin’ that and we’ll never get started.</i>
<i>I’m so close, Zan. Please. I need you.</i>
He nodded and went for her mouth again. He stroked her breasts, teasing the nipples to peaks. She began to squirm again. He let his hand fall down along her side until it rested against her hip. He lifted from her and reaching lower, cupped her bottom from behind, his fingers very close to her center. He watched as her eyes closed once more.
He shifted down, kissing a trail down between her breasts. He took one of her legs and lifted it over his shoulder. He reached the curly hair and hesitated. With his free hand, he traced the inside of her thigh in circles, slowly coming lower and lower. He felt her tighten and as she began to relax again, he surprised her by tracing a finger along her outer folds. Her hips bucked but he held her in place, forcing her to feel his touches. He stroked her, feeling her wetness and almost lost control again. He changed up his rhythm, building her up but keeping her away from her release. After a couple of deep strokes, he entered her with one finger and felt her clench around him.
<i>Zan. Zan, oh, please, Zan.</i>
He took his first taste. She pushed against him and he felt her heel grind into his back. He ignored it and tasted her again, this time keeping the pressure on her center. He began with slow circular strokes that quickened with each rotation. He increased the pressure and the rhythm until she was bucking uncontrollably beneath him.
<i>I can’t hold on much longer. I need you inside me.</i>
<i>I am, sweets, I am.</i>
She moaned and her body began to tense.
<i>But, what… about… you?</i>
<i>Don’t worry about me. I want to see you explode. Do you understand, princess? I want to see you come apart in my arms.</i> With that, he brought his mouth fully down on her. Her back arched and uncontrollable spasms racked her body. She clenched down on his finger as her body shuddered and he tasted a new wetness.
Unable to control himself, he unexpectedly fell over the edge with her. Keeping one hand working her, he cupped himself and felt the spasms rack his body an instant after hers. He nearly screamed with the intensity of it, his mind unable to process anything except the throbbing jolts running through his body.
They both came down off the high together; he slowly lifted his head so as not to irritate her now extra-sensitive center. Panting, he realized he was still cupping himself. So as not to embarrass her, he used his powers to clean the mess and then slowly crawled up her body until he was face to face with her. She was breathing heavily, her head turned slightly to the side. Her hair had gotten tangled all over her face so he pushed the tendrils to the side. He enjoyed this moment the most, knowing that she had this experience because of him.
She finally turned her head towards him and she cupped his face gently. She smiled and kissed him softly. He kissed each eyelid and then settled down next to her. He pulled a blanket over them and tucked his nose against the inside of her neck. She curled her body against him. They both sighed contentedly, neither wanting to speak. Then, both exhausted, they fell into a deep sleep.
**********
The storm abated and that morning, they all looked outside to a blindingly white world. Tree branches lay heavy with snow and drifts reached as high as eight feet. Snowplows were out to clear the roads though traffic was still light. Over fifty inches had fallen in the last five days making it the biggest blizzard to hit that area since the late seventies.
Max, Michael, Isabel, and Maria sat around the kitchen table and discussed their plan. Max had easily convinced the others that an offensive strike was better than allowing the enemy to come to them. Michael especially was tired of waiting. All they had to do was devise a good plan.
“I say that we wait for them at the ferry. They won’t be able to get to the island otherwise.”
“But, Michael, that means attacking them in a populated area. I don’t want to risk anyone getting hurt.”
“Max, I don’t see any other way. We don’t know where they are. They could be anywhere at this point. That’s the only place we know they’ll be with certainty.”
Looking at a map, Isabel pointed to the Upper Peninsula. “They’re only two roads that would bring them here. There’s no way we could cover both of them. Even if we could, how would we know it was them that were driving by?”
“Since driving is the only way to get here, they have to be on one of them. That’s our best chance.” Max scrutinized the map.
“But we really don’t know what we’re looking for.”
Maria kicked Isabel under the table. “That’s why we have you. Why don’t you just dreamwalk them or something?”
Isabel gave her a cool look across the table. “I need a picture of one of them. Got a picture of Lonnie in your back pocket?”
Maria stuck out her tongue. Isabel tried to maintain her stoic face but a small smile began at the corner of her mouth anyway.
Max hid his smile. “Well, it’d be nice if one of us had a picture of Tess.”
“I got one.” Michael reached into his back pocket, opened his wallet, and put a tattered prom picture on the table. The other three gawked. “What?”
“You have one on your fridge <i>and</i> in your wallet?”
“Maxwell, don’t push it man.”
“It’s just not like you. It’s so <i>human</i> to carry pictures in your wallet.” Maria said.
“Yeah, well. It’s the only picture I have of Alex, OK? Let’s just drop it.”
Maria threw her hands up in the air in mock defeat. “OK, OK. Whatever you say.”
Max slid the picture over to Isabel. “Do your magic, sis. Look for vehicle types, location, intentions, numbers, etcetera.”
“On my way.” Isabel left the room clutching the picture.
Maria watched her retreating back and then turned back to the two men. “Do you think she’ll catch Tess asleep? It’s 9:00 in the morning.”
“Lonnie and Rath slept late everyday when I was in New York. Let’s hope that she’s got everyone on the same timetable.”
**********
Twenty minutes later, Isabel returned and related the news. She had caught Tess asleep and managed to discover she was traveling in a late model blue van. Also, that they were stuck in whatever town they were in until mid-afternoon. Apparently, the blizzard had hit hard and the state police still had the roads closed.
“I couldn’t discover their exact location. I tried to blend into her dream but I think she got wise to what I was doing. She woke up which kicked me out. I may have tipped our hand.”
Michael disagreed. “I don’t think so. She has to know that we know they are coming. She probably just thinks that we are trying to find out how much time we have left until they hit.”
“Well, either way, they won’t be expecting us to attack,” Max interjected. “If they are stuck because of the blizzard, they must be within seventy miles south of us. That’s the area the weather service mentioned on the radio.” Looking at the map, he pointed to several towns. “There’s only one major town but we can’t assume they’re there. We need to find out which ones have closed their roads. That should narrow our search.”
“I’m on it,” Michael said as he left the room to make the calls.
“Isabel, we need to find good spots to make an ambush along the two roads. Somewhere sparsely populated. Hopefully, we’ll catch them tonight since I don’t want to have an alien war in the middle of the day.”
“Got it.” Isabel left the room with map in hand.
“I’ll start packing our supplies in the car.”
Maria frowned. “What about Liz? Are you going to tell her what we’re going to do?”
“No way. If I do, then Zan will know. I can’t risk that.”
“OK, girlfriend, but just for record, I think that’s a bad mistake.” She looked around the room. “Well, what do you want me to do?”
Max paused and then gave her a wink. “Cook some breakfast.”
“Oh, yeah. Give the mundane, domestic tasks to the human. You know, aliens are prejudice, sexist, and-“
Max cut her off. “Maria, just cook some breakfast, OK? You’re the best cook here.”
Flustered, she put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. She threw a stern stare directly at him.
Mac couldn’t help himself. “Oh and Maria?” She raised an eyebrow. “Please quit calling me girlfriend. It’s rather, well… sexist.” With that, he left the building with a duffel bag thrown over his shoulder.
**********
Tess scowled at Lonnie. “I think you’re wrong. Isabel dreamwalked me last night. I’m sure of it.”
Lonnie was lounging in a chair in the corner of the room with one leg thrown up over the arm.
“So what if she did. It got nothin’ to do with us. We got them scared ‘n shit, makin’ them think we was goin’ after them. They fell fer the bait.”
“They’re not stupid, Lonnie. Naïve, yes, but not stupid. Don’t you think that your little visit to your brother and Liz will give them a clue?”
Lonnie shook her head. “No way. My bro is gonna take this personal like. He’s not gonna pull Maxie in on it. He wants to face me head on ‘n alone.”
Tess closed her eyes in frustration and tried to calm her breathing. “And what if Max and the rest of the pod squad decide to take things into their own hands? You have no idea how strong he feels about that bitch Liz. He will do anything to protect her.”
“And just what’s he gonna do? Take on my army? How’re they gonna defeat twenty five of us? Take a chill pill. Maxie ain’t that stupid. Anyway, he ain’t the one wit the real power. That all belongs to my lyin’ bastard of a brother.”
“But-“
“Where do ya get off, eh? Leave it. I’m the one makin’ the calls. We go aftah my bro as soon as the roads open.” Lonnie stood up and leaned toward Tess. Unconsciously, Tess took a step backward. “That’s final.”
**********
It was midday. The sun was shining brightly through the windows and Liz’s eyes squinted against the unaccustomed light. She put her face close to the window trying to soak up as many of the rays as possible.
Arms encircled her waist and she sighed. She curled her fingers among his and leaned back against the strong, hot body. His heart beat strongly against her shoulders and she felt safe.
Since they had woken up this morning, there had been tenderness. Unfortunately, the night before was hazy for her; she remembered most parts but it held a dreamlike quality which she had been unable to shake. Zan was in one of his quiet moods but this only added to the dream-state. He’d been touching her in small ways ever since they had risen from the couch an hour before.
Something had changed between the two of them. There was a new link that hadn’t existed before and she found herself clutching strongly to it. She shelved the thoughts of what the future would bring and simply hung on to the present.
Last night, she had experienced the strongest sexual encounter she’d ever had in her life. Her and Max had never gone so far and she felt an awakening in her body. It was an unfolding of emotions that spilled across her in warm waves. She was surprised at her boldness last night and her willingness to lose her virginity to the man behind her. This morning had tempered that feeling and made her more cautious but it didn’t diminish the memory of the intensity of it last night. She was thankful that Zan hadn’t taken it further. Most of her actions and decisions last night were due to the drunkenness and not rational.
She’d asked him, when they were still lying on the sofa about why he had stopped. He had replied that she had been drunk and he knew that it would have been her first time. He offered nothing more and she gratefully accepted his simple explanation.
She turned in his arms and leaned against his bare chest. She gave him a slight squeeze and kissed his collarbone lightly. He rested his chin on the top of her head.
<i>We gotta do some more training today.</i>
<i>Can’t we take a day off and just relax?</i>
Zan’s arms wrapped her tighter to his body. <i>Nope. We gotta get you to full strength. You need to be able to defend yourself, when the time comes.</i>
It seemed so far away from the moment they were sharing, that she could only murmur against his chest. <i>When is that?</i>
<i>Not today -- either tomorrow or the day after. She’s close.</i>
Liz frowned. <i>What about Max? And Michael, Isabel, and Maria? Shouldn’t we tell them? Shouldn’t they come here or we go there so that we are one group?</i>
<i>I’ll get together wit Max. I’ll have ‘em come out tomorrow.</i> He leaned down and smelled her hair. <i>’Sides. There’s no reason to rush things. Kinda like the quiet of the cabin right now.</i>
<i>Me too.</i> Liz felt her heart drop a bit. Max. What was she going to do about him? Last night, a decision had been made. It wasn’t a complete commitment to Zan but it had gone far enough that her relationship with Max was now officially on hold. How would she tell him? How could she explain how the man holding her right now excited and frightened her at the same time?
<i>What’s the matter, sweets?</i>
“Max,” she replied out loud, startling both of them. She felt Zan stiffen and his arms beginning to drop away. She clutched him even harder to her. <i>No! It’s not what you think. I have to find a way to tell him that we aren’t… ‘together’… anymore.</i> She stumbled over the word. It sounded so final.
Slowly, his arms returned to their original positions and he semi-relaxed against her. <i>You do whatchya gotta do, princess.</i>
Instead of smiling, however, Zan frowned into her hair and then squeezed his eyes shut.
Responsibility. He hated that word.
thanks
Jen
<b>WARNING - NC-17ish</b>AweInspired wrote:Thanks for the well wishes. Things are much better now so no worries!
<b>CHAPTER 21</b>
She sat silently on the sauna bench and listened to the wind roar around the small building. “When will this storm ever end?” she thought to herself. “And when will the storm that’s coming arrive?” She shook her head of these dreary thoughts and focused on the present. Zan was waiting for her in the cabin and she had to make a decision.
How far was she willing to take it with him? He was a never-ending rollercoaster that dipped and took unexpected turns at breakneck speed. If she allowed herself to continue on this ride, where would she, or rather, where would they end up? It was difficult to imagine a house with a white picket fence but then again, she had finally given up on that dream with Max Evans.
These thoughts always brought her back full circle to the same question.
What were Zan’s intentions?
**********
Everyone had retreated to their respective bedrooms. Max, lying fully clothed, lay sprawled out on his bed with his hands clasped behind his head. It was quiet except for the creaking of the walls that were still being buffeted by the storm outside. Never in his life had he seen so much snow.
It was two o’clock in the morning but he was far from sleep. He’d been accused once of being a control freak and he had to admit that it was partly true. Before Liz, his life had been made up of routine. Routine dictated a normal life and therefore made it easier to blend in. In that one moment, when he had healed Liz in the Crashdown, that normal, safe life disappeared. Ever since, he had essentially been running from one crisis to the next and hadn’t been allowed to slow down or take control.
Perhaps it was time to change that. He was tired of waiting, waiting for his enemies to attack, waiting for Liz to come back to him. There wasn’t anything he could do about the second but he could turn the tables on the first. They had heard on the radio that the storm should be over by early morning. This would give him and the gang some space to move.
Feeling better, he curled up on his side and pulled a thin blanket over his body. Tomorrow they would take the offensive and cut their enemies off before they would get anywhere near Liz. Max would choose the time and battlefield which would surely give them the advantage they needed.
More content than he had been in several days, he allowed himself to slowly drift into sleep.
**********
Liz found Zan setting the table. She shook off the snow from her clothing and stomped her feet good before removing her snow gear. The warmth of the cabin made her skin tingle and she sucked in the warm air gratefully.
Zan gave her a lopsided grin and then continued to prepare their dinner. While she had been outside, he had changed into a pair of clean black jeans, which surprisingly weren’t ripped at the knees. He also wore a tight, black long sleeve mesh shirt that clung to every inch of his form. It wasn’t sheer but hints of skin tone peeked through whenever he stretched or torqued his upper body. She watched as he lit up a cigarette and then proceeded to stir one of the pots on the stove.
“You know, I don’t think that I’ve cooked any major meals since we’ve been here,” she remarked.
“Yeah, well, I don’t like diner food much.”
She arched her eyebrows and laughed. “I can cook more than diner fare.”
He took a long drag on his cigarette and grinned. “Then you kin cook tomorrow night.” He put the top on one of the saucepans and stepped back from the stove. “I don’t mind much. I usually cooked in the crib ‘cause I got tired of mac and cheese and hotdogs. Ya gotta have chow that isn’t artificially dyed once in a while.”
She laughed and then walked over to flip some potatoes that were browning nicely in a skillet.
“Whatcha doin’?”
“Just trying to help,” she exclaimed.
“Well, get yer ass out of my kitchen. Yer turn’s tomorrow.”
She threw up her hands in mock exasperation. Zan was leaning against one of the countertops and looking at her with mirth in his eyes. “Alright, my king, the kitchen is yours.” She gave a half hearted bow. Zan’s expression changed, the laughter leaving his face. Her breath hitched at his expression. He slowly took the two steps over to her and moved a wisp of hair away from her cheek. She looked up at him and his eyes took on the brooding, dark depths that she recognized as the beginning of one of his moods.
His thumb brushed her cheek gently and then he cupped her chin, forcing her to look straight in his eyes. When he spoke, his voice was low and raspy. “Do me a favor, k?” He paused and she nodded her head. “Don’t ever call me yer king. I ain’t yer king. I ain’t nobody’s king. Got it?”
She nodded again and watched as he slowly leaned toward her and then wilted beneath his tender kiss. After a few seconds, he gently released her lips; she licked them in appreciation. Zan gave her his best lopsided grin and then winked. “Now get yer ass cleaned up. I gotta finish this or else yer be eatin’ blackened taters.”
She saluted with a smile and said, “Yes, sir, your chefness, sir.”
“You got it, sweets.”
She decided to mimic his clothing choice for the night and put on her best jeans and her only black blouse. Goodwill wasn’t the best place to shop for fashion so she altered it slightly with a couple waves of her hand. It turned in a gauzy peasant shirt that fell off both shoulders. Like his, the material hinted at the skin beneath without being obvious.
When she returned to the table, everything was prepared. Two steaks, stalks of asparagus and the potatoes were steaming on the table. She sat down just as Zan retrieved the last serving spoon. Before sitting himself, he systematically turned off all of the kerosene lamps except the one illuminating the eating area. This one he turned down low so that they had enough light to eat by but causing a pleasant eating atmosphere. Then he sat across from her.
Suddenly remembering, Liz blurted out, “You fixed the table!”
“Wasn’t hard.”
“Yeah, well thanks.”
He lifted his beer bottle and raised it up. She reached for hers and held it aloft.
“Here’s to good food,” he said.
“Here, here,” Liz chimed in and went to clink her bottle against his. He held his back.
“And…to all kitchen furniture. May they be safe from the wrath of Elizabeth Parker.”
“Very funny.” He just smirked and clinked his bottle against hers. They both lifted the bottles to their mouths and took a long drink.
Instantly, Liz’s mind clouded over and the world began to waver. She’d never drunk much in her life but she’d been able to take small sips of a beer here and there without this effect. Concerned, she narrowed her eyebrows and tried to focus on her plate. It swam in and out of her view.
“What’s da matter, sweets?
“Don’t know,” she slurred. “I feel sorta funny.”
Zan looked at her closely and then began to laugh hard. “Shit. I altered my bottle but didn’t yers. Didn’t think I’d have to.”
Through the fog in her mind, Liz could only look at him dumbly which made him laugh even harder.
“I donna tink this is very…” Liz hiccupped. “…funny.”
“Well from over here, it’s bitchin’.” Zan continued laughing until his stomach ached and he had to wipe tears from his eyes. When he could talk again, he said, “Sorry, princess. If I’d known, I woulda changed yers too.”
“Yeah, well, it ain’t too bad, I guess.” She slowly picked up her fork and made a stab for an asparagus stem. Missing, she tried again. No success. Tucking her lower lip in concentration, she finally hit the mark and brought it to her lips. The stem was too long and no matter what she tried, it kept hitting her on the cheeks and nose. Frustrated, she grabbed it with her fingers and with Zan’s laughter ringing in her ears, she managed to put it in her mouth after two tries. She beamed with satisfaction and went to stab at another piece.
Seeing her troubles and realizing this would be a very long dinner indeed if it continued, Zan moved his plate next to hers and pulled his chair close. He cut off a small piece of meat and held it in front of her mouth. “I think the only way we’re gonna to get through this before next Christmas is if I help.” She opened her mouth wide and he placed the piece of meat inside. As she slowly chewed, nodding her head the whole time, he managed to get in three or four bites before she was ready for the next piece. Zan managed to eat three times as much as she did and when they were done, he removed the dirty dishes while Liz weaved drunkenly in his way, attempting to help. He stacked them in the sink and when Liz made an erratic move to start cleaning them, he gripped her arm and steered her towards the couch.
“I think we’re done for the night, beautiful.” He sat her on the couch while she immediately tried to stand up again. “Nah, I think you done ‘nough to help. You just stay there while I get some coffee.” Liz just smiled contentedly and then lay down with her head on the pillow.
When he came back, he carried a platter with coffee, a bowl of strawberries and melted chocolate. Liz sat up slowly and smiled. “Strawberries. I love strawberries.”
“Yeah, I figured.” He beat off her attempt to reach for one. “You just sit back and let me do the work, k?”
“’K.”
“Man, I hope I never got this shit-faced.”
She looked at him with a stupid grin on her face. “I’m not shit…faced. I’m <i>beeaauutiful</i>.”
He gaped. In the short time he’d known her, she had never shown a conceited bone in her body.
“Yep.” She nodded her head with exaggerated seriousness. “You said so.”
He leaned back a bit. “Oh, I did, eh?”
“Yep.” Her head was nodding furiously now. “Just now. You said so. You can’t take it back.”
Understanding, he relaxed and then chuckled. “Yeah, I did say so. And it’s true. Here.” He put a cup of coffee to her lips which she slurped noisily. He then fed her a chocolate covered strawberry. She munched happily and then reached for one of her own. She managed to dunk it in the chocolate and bring it to her mouth but got chocolate all over her fingers in the process. She started to lick them when Zan reached over and said huskily, “Let me do that.”
He took one of her fingers in his mouth and slowly sucked it clean. He did it for each finger, slowly tantalizing her. Her eyes widened as she watched every swirl of his tongue and the way in which his lips closed tightly over her knuckles. She groaned loudly at the intense suction and closed her eyes, giving herself up to the sensation.
Zan felt himself heat up over the simple but erotic maneuvers. As he licked the last finger clean, he kissed the palm of her hand. She opened her eyes and his body immediately tensed at the husky look in her eyes. In the dim light, they seemed to have changed from dark brown to black and the flush in her cheeks excited him. He willed himself to keep still and not push the situation.
“My turn.” Her words were tinged with passion. Unable to move, he watched as she unsteadily dipped another strawberry and then slowly brought to his lips. He opened his mouth to accept it but wasn’t quick enough to stop a large drip that landed on his chin. He smiled as he chewed and reached to wipe the chocolate away but with precision that belied her state of mind, Liz caught his hand in hers and said, “I got it.”
He watched as she got on her knees and leaned seductively toward him. Her tongue snaked out and tentatively licked at the bead of chocolate on his chin. His blood heated even more when she began to suck gently and then slowly, moved upward until she got his lower lip in her mouth. She tugged eagerly with her lips and he swallowed the remaining strawberry in one big gulp. She giggled and then let go. She wrapped her legs around his waist and his arms automatically snaked around to steady her.
She kissed him tentatively on the lips, pulled back and then pouted. “You got no chocolate there.” She reached for the bowl and dipped her fingers.
“Liz,” he moaned, trying futilely to stop her. She turned back to him and then daintily smeared chocolate across his lips and placed dots of it under his chin and on his earlobes. Hungrily, she attacked his lips, intermittedly sucking and kissing. Her tongue boldly searched the caverns of his mouth, taking instead of giving. Unable to resist any longer, he groaned into her mouth and kissed her fervently back. She tightened her hold around his neck and pressed her body closer. His hands searched out the bare skin on her back above the shirt and caressed her fiercely. She left his lips and roamed her way to each earlobe, kissing and biting. She found the spots under his chin and licked them clean.
Zan wanted to feel more of her bare skin so he pulled the stretchy material down until he was running his fingers between her shoulder blades. She arched her back to his touch and suddenly her breasts were eyesight level. Unable to stop himself, he caught one of her nipples with his mouth through her shirt. She gasped. He rolled the tender knob between his lips and he felt her shudder in his arms. He reached up from behind and grasped her shoulders with each hand. He forcefully applied pressure so that her back arched even further and he closed his mouth over her breast. He suckled and played his tongue over her sensitive spot. She began rocking in his lap and he gasped against her. His warm breath on the moist area caused her nipple to contract even more. Small pants began to escape her lips, fueling him even further.
Losing control, he snuck his hands up the back of her shirt and then cupped her underneath her armpits, guiding her motions. Her head came forward, her swollen lips inviting. He ravished her as he rocked, matching her tempo. Long, brown hair fell against his cheeks. Her breasts swayed against his chest, tantalizing him. His hands wandered from under her arms to the front where he cupped her breasts. He rubbed his thumbs over her nipples and her pace quickened. He matched her, movement for movement.
<i>Oh, god,</i> he moaned. <i>I can’t stop.</i>
<i>I don’t want to stop.</i> Her breathy voice in his head almost sent him over the edge right then and there.
<i>I wanna get inside you.</i>
<i>You are inside me.</i> The thought seeped through his mind and a flush of warmth made him lightheaded. <i>You’re everywhere.</i>
He grasped her butt, rammed her tight against him and held her there. He felt himself throb against her and she squirmed in his lap. Putting one arm around her shoulders and the other around her bottom, he deftly maneuvered to a lying position on the couch. He straddled the top of her and sucked on the sensitive area at the base of her neck. He quickly lifted her shirt above her shoulders and threw it to the floor. He then undid the buttons on her jeans and slid them down her hips, all the while, his lips seeking sensitive areas.
She now lay naked beneath him and he couldn’t get enough. He traced every part of her body with his tongue, lingering over her breasts and dipping into her navel. Her hands kneaded his hair and every once in a while tugged when he hit a receptive area. He used this as a guide to discovering the more sensitive places on her body.
He nosed the curls on top of her pubic bone and could smell the scent of her, so close and so inviting. He traced another trail up to her mouth and took a taste of her glorious mouth. He tasted the strawberries and chocolate and the hint of alcohol.
Alcohol.
Shit. He took in a ragged breath and looked down on her panting face. Her eyes were closed and small, mewling sounds gurgled from her throat. She was ready for him and even told him she wanted him. He hesitated, trying to clear his head. She began to writhe beneath him, trying to continue the contact he had suddenly halted. He moaned and shook his head. He slowly tried to get control of himself.
<i>Zan?</i> The plea raced through his mind. He almost broke again but he willed himself to slow down. When he felt himself retreat from the edge, he sighed and leaned down for a lingering kiss. He felt her hands trail down his sides, massaging and alternating light scratches sending his skin on fire. She tugged at his shirt and he allowed her to pull it over his head. Her hands went directly for his nipple rings and he gasped when she ran her nails over them. Then her finger skipped down to the top of his jeans and he felt her pull on the top button. Before he could stop her, she had the first two undone. As he reached down to stay her hand, she cupped him and the heat from her hand made him throb. Her eyes opened in wonder and she gave him a small smile. His hand covered her with all intentions of making her stop but instead, found him helping her find his rhythm, stroking firmly through the jeans.
He let his forehead rest against hers. <i>God, princess. Can you feel what yer doin’ to me?</i>
<i>Oh, yes. You think I’m beautiful. I think you’re beautiful too.</i>
Her words snapped him back to the present and he managed to find enough control to remove her hand from its stroking. He took a deep breath and then kissed the back of her hand.
<i>Keep doin’ that and we’ll never get started.</i>
<i>I’m so close, Zan. Please. I need you.</i>
He nodded and went for her mouth again. He stroked her breasts, teasing the nipples to peaks. She began to squirm again. He let his hand fall down along her side until it rested against her hip. He lifted from her and reaching lower, cupped her bottom from behind, his fingers very close to her center. He watched as her eyes closed once more.
He shifted down, kissing a trail down between her breasts. He took one of her legs and lifted it over his shoulder. He reached the curly hair and hesitated. With his free hand, he traced the inside of her thigh in circles, slowly coming lower and lower. He felt her tighten and as she began to relax again, he surprised her by tracing a finger along her outer folds. Her hips bucked but he held her in place, forcing her to feel his touches. He stroked her, feeling her wetness and almost lost control again. He changed up his rhythm, building her up but keeping her away from her release. After a couple of deep strokes, he entered her with one finger and felt her clench around him.
<i>Zan. Zan, oh, please, Zan.</i>
He took his first taste. She pushed against him and he felt her heel grind into his back. He ignored it and tasted her again, this time keeping the pressure on her center. He began with slow circular strokes that quickened with each rotation. He increased the pressure and the rhythm until she was bucking uncontrollably beneath him.
<i>I can’t hold on much longer. I need you inside me.</i>
<i>I am, sweets, I am.</i>
She moaned and her body began to tense.
<i>But, what… about… you?</i>
<i>Don’t worry about me. I want to see you explode. Do you understand, princess? I want to see you come apart in my arms.</i> With that, he brought his mouth fully down on her. Her back arched and uncontrollable spasms racked her body. She clenched down on his finger as her body shuddered and he tasted a new wetness.
Unable to control himself, he unexpectedly fell over the edge with her. Keeping one hand working her, he cupped himself and felt the spasms rack his body an instant after hers. He nearly screamed with the intensity of it, his mind unable to process anything except the throbbing jolts running through his body.
They both came down off the high together; he slowly lifted his head so as not to irritate her now extra-sensitive center. Panting, he realized he was still cupping himself. So as not to embarrass her, he used his powers to clean the mess and then slowly crawled up her body until he was face to face with her. She was breathing heavily, her head turned slightly to the side. Her hair had gotten tangled all over her face so he pushed the tendrils to the side. He enjoyed this moment the most, knowing that she had this experience because of him.
She finally turned her head towards him and she cupped his face gently. She smiled and kissed him softly. He kissed each eyelid and then settled down next to her. He pulled a blanket over them and tucked his nose against the inside of her neck. She curled her body against him. They both sighed contentedly, neither wanting to speak. Then, both exhausted, they fell into a deep sleep.
**********
The storm abated and that morning, they all looked outside to a blindingly white world. Tree branches lay heavy with snow and drifts reached as high as eight feet. Snowplows were out to clear the roads though traffic was still light. Over fifty inches had fallen in the last five days making it the biggest blizzard to hit that area since the late seventies.
Max, Michael, Isabel, and Maria sat around the kitchen table and discussed their plan. Max had easily convinced the others that an offensive strike was better than allowing the enemy to come to them. Michael especially was tired of waiting. All they had to do was devise a good plan.
“I say that we wait for them at the ferry. They won’t be able to get to the island otherwise.”
“But, Michael, that means attacking them in a populated area. I don’t want to risk anyone getting hurt.”
“Max, I don’t see any other way. We don’t know where they are. They could be anywhere at this point. That’s the only place we know they’ll be with certainty.”
Looking at a map, Isabel pointed to the Upper Peninsula. “They’re only two roads that would bring them here. There’s no way we could cover both of them. Even if we could, how would we know it was them that were driving by?”
“Since driving is the only way to get here, they have to be on one of them. That’s our best chance.” Max scrutinized the map.
“But we really don’t know what we’re looking for.”
Maria kicked Isabel under the table. “That’s why we have you. Why don’t you just dreamwalk them or something?”
Isabel gave her a cool look across the table. “I need a picture of one of them. Got a picture of Lonnie in your back pocket?”
Maria stuck out her tongue. Isabel tried to maintain her stoic face but a small smile began at the corner of her mouth anyway.
Max hid his smile. “Well, it’d be nice if one of us had a picture of Tess.”
“I got one.” Michael reached into his back pocket, opened his wallet, and put a tattered prom picture on the table. The other three gawked. “What?”
“You have one on your fridge <i>and</i> in your wallet?”
“Maxwell, don’t push it man.”
“It’s just not like you. It’s so <i>human</i> to carry pictures in your wallet.” Maria said.
“Yeah, well. It’s the only picture I have of Alex, OK? Let’s just drop it.”
Maria threw her hands up in the air in mock defeat. “OK, OK. Whatever you say.”
Max slid the picture over to Isabel. “Do your magic, sis. Look for vehicle types, location, intentions, numbers, etcetera.”
“On my way.” Isabel left the room clutching the picture.
Maria watched her retreating back and then turned back to the two men. “Do you think she’ll catch Tess asleep? It’s 9:00 in the morning.”
“Lonnie and Rath slept late everyday when I was in New York. Let’s hope that she’s got everyone on the same timetable.”
**********
Twenty minutes later, Isabel returned and related the news. She had caught Tess asleep and managed to discover she was traveling in a late model blue van. Also, that they were stuck in whatever town they were in until mid-afternoon. Apparently, the blizzard had hit hard and the state police still had the roads closed.
“I couldn’t discover their exact location. I tried to blend into her dream but I think she got wise to what I was doing. She woke up which kicked me out. I may have tipped our hand.”
Michael disagreed. “I don’t think so. She has to know that we know they are coming. She probably just thinks that we are trying to find out how much time we have left until they hit.”
“Well, either way, they won’t be expecting us to attack,” Max interjected. “If they are stuck because of the blizzard, they must be within seventy miles south of us. That’s the area the weather service mentioned on the radio.” Looking at the map, he pointed to several towns. “There’s only one major town but we can’t assume they’re there. We need to find out which ones have closed their roads. That should narrow our search.”
“I’m on it,” Michael said as he left the room to make the calls.
“Isabel, we need to find good spots to make an ambush along the two roads. Somewhere sparsely populated. Hopefully, we’ll catch them tonight since I don’t want to have an alien war in the middle of the day.”
“Got it.” Isabel left the room with map in hand.
“I’ll start packing our supplies in the car.”
Maria frowned. “What about Liz? Are you going to tell her what we’re going to do?”
“No way. If I do, then Zan will know. I can’t risk that.”
“OK, girlfriend, but just for record, I think that’s a bad mistake.” She looked around the room. “Well, what do you want me to do?”
Max paused and then gave her a wink. “Cook some breakfast.”
“Oh, yeah. Give the mundane, domestic tasks to the human. You know, aliens are prejudice, sexist, and-“
Max cut her off. “Maria, just cook some breakfast, OK? You’re the best cook here.”
Flustered, she put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. She threw a stern stare directly at him.
Mac couldn’t help himself. “Oh and Maria?” She raised an eyebrow. “Please quit calling me girlfriend. It’s rather, well… sexist.” With that, he left the building with a duffel bag thrown over his shoulder.
**********
Tess scowled at Lonnie. “I think you’re wrong. Isabel dreamwalked me last night. I’m sure of it.”
Lonnie was lounging in a chair in the corner of the room with one leg thrown up over the arm.
“So what if she did. It got nothin’ to do with us. We got them scared ‘n shit, makin’ them think we was goin’ after them. They fell fer the bait.”
“They’re not stupid, Lonnie. Naïve, yes, but not stupid. Don’t you think that your little visit to your brother and Liz will give them a clue?”
Lonnie shook her head. “No way. My bro is gonna take this personal like. He’s not gonna pull Maxie in on it. He wants to face me head on ‘n alone.”
Tess closed her eyes in frustration and tried to calm her breathing. “And what if Max and the rest of the pod squad decide to take things into their own hands? You have no idea how strong he feels about that bitch Liz. He will do anything to protect her.”
“And just what’s he gonna do? Take on my army? How’re they gonna defeat twenty five of us? Take a chill pill. Maxie ain’t that stupid. Anyway, he ain’t the one wit the real power. That all belongs to my lyin’ bastard of a brother.”
“But-“
“Where do ya get off, eh? Leave it. I’m the one makin’ the calls. We go aftah my bro as soon as the roads open.” Lonnie stood up and leaned toward Tess. Unconsciously, Tess took a step backward. “That’s final.”
**********
It was midday. The sun was shining brightly through the windows and Liz’s eyes squinted against the unaccustomed light. She put her face close to the window trying to soak up as many of the rays as possible.
Arms encircled her waist and she sighed. She curled her fingers among his and leaned back against the strong, hot body. His heart beat strongly against her shoulders and she felt safe.
Since they had woken up this morning, there had been tenderness. Unfortunately, the night before was hazy for her; she remembered most parts but it held a dreamlike quality which she had been unable to shake. Zan was in one of his quiet moods but this only added to the dream-state. He’d been touching her in small ways ever since they had risen from the couch an hour before.
Something had changed between the two of them. There was a new link that hadn’t existed before and she found herself clutching strongly to it. She shelved the thoughts of what the future would bring and simply hung on to the present.
Last night, she had experienced the strongest sexual encounter she’d ever had in her life. Her and Max had never gone so far and she felt an awakening in her body. It was an unfolding of emotions that spilled across her in warm waves. She was surprised at her boldness last night and her willingness to lose her virginity to the man behind her. This morning had tempered that feeling and made her more cautious but it didn’t diminish the memory of the intensity of it last night. She was thankful that Zan hadn’t taken it further. Most of her actions and decisions last night were due to the drunkenness and not rational.
She’d asked him, when they were still lying on the sofa about why he had stopped. He had replied that she had been drunk and he knew that it would have been her first time. He offered nothing more and she gratefully accepted his simple explanation.
She turned in his arms and leaned against his bare chest. She gave him a slight squeeze and kissed his collarbone lightly. He rested his chin on the top of her head.
<i>We gotta do some more training today.</i>
<i>Can’t we take a day off and just relax?</i>
Zan’s arms wrapped her tighter to his body. <i>Nope. We gotta get you to full strength. You need to be able to defend yourself, when the time comes.</i>
It seemed so far away from the moment they were sharing, that she could only murmur against his chest. <i>When is that?</i>
<i>Not today -- either tomorrow or the day after. She’s close.</i>
Liz frowned. <i>What about Max? And Michael, Isabel, and Maria? Shouldn’t we tell them? Shouldn’t they come here or we go there so that we are one group?</i>
<i>I’ll get together wit Max. I’ll have ‘em come out tomorrow.</i> He leaned down and smelled her hair. <i>’Sides. There’s no reason to rush things. Kinda like the quiet of the cabin right now.</i>
<i>Me too.</i> Liz felt her heart drop a bit. Max. What was she going to do about him? Last night, a decision had been made. It wasn’t a complete commitment to Zan but it had gone far enough that her relationship with Max was now officially on hold. How would she tell him? How could she explain how the man holding her right now excited and frightened her at the same time?
<i>What’s the matter, sweets?</i>
“Max,” she replied out loud, startling both of them. She felt Zan stiffen and his arms beginning to drop away. She clutched him even harder to her. <i>No! It’s not what you think. I have to find a way to tell him that we aren’t… ‘together’… anymore.</i> She stumbled over the word. It sounded so final.
Slowly, his arms returned to their original positions and he semi-relaxed against her. <i>You do whatchya gotta do, princess.</i>
Instead of smiling, however, Zan frowned into her hair and then squeezed his eyes shut.
Responsibility. He hated that word.
Last edited by Bordersinsanity on Wed Feb 18, 2004 3:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.