PART 27
When Liz woke on Thursday morning, her whole body ached. She had apparently overdone it a bit with the painting and gardening the previous day, not to mention baking for the weekend. Max had only come home late, after she had fallen asleep on the couch waiting up for him. She vaguely remember him carrying her to their room and kissing the tip of her nose and her lips before she had fallen asleep again.
Max was holding her against him, his arm slung around her waist and his hand splayed over her stomach. She could feel his breath on her bare shoulder and smiled contentedly to herself. She would never get used to waking up in Max’s arms. From that very first time in their sophomore year out in the desert near the old radio tower, she had remembered to be thankful for every time she could experience this pleasure. Of feeling his body pressed along her back and relishing the protective and possessive way he held her even in sleep. She loved this man more every day!
Glancing at the bedside clock, she saw that it was still early enough for her to make Max his favorite breakfast before he had to go to work. Moving slowly, so she wouldn’t wake him, Liz slipped from Max’s hold. He mumbled her name and she turned around to kiss him softly: “I’ll be right back.”
She skipped downstairs wearing one of Max’s old T-shirts that reached her thighs. She had learnt not to run around the house without clothes since their elderly neighbors had the habit of popping in at the most inopportune times. She and Max loved Mr. and Mrs. Kellerman and they had them over for tea occasionally, but there had been some near misses when they had come over unexpectedly. Of course, the Kellermans thought it was “cute” that their young neighbors were so in love, but it created for some panic in the Evans household! Liz prepared the blueberry pancakes quickly so they would have time to sit and chat while they have breakfast, then she doused Max’s stack in Tabasco sauce and hers in maple syrup before taking it back to the bedroom together with a coffee for each of them.
Placing the tray next to the bed, she crawled over Max quietly, but she could see from the twitching at the corners of his mouth that he wasn’t sleeping anymore. She straddled his waist and leaned over him until her face was mere inches from his. Liz kissed his eyelids, his forehead, his cheekbones, his nose and by the time she kissed his mouth, he was kissing her back and running his hands down her back to cup her bottom. “Hmmm,” she murmured against his lips, “I’m not breakfast.”
He made a disappointed sound and pulled away. “You’re not?”
“No!” she laughed one of her wonderful laughs, warming Max to his toes. “Your other favorite is.” She located the tray next to the bed and made him sit up so she could place it between them. The way his eyes lighted up was enough payment for her efforts. Men were so easy to please, feed their appetites, and they were happy!
“I heard that!” Max mock glared at her. “I’ll have you know that it takes more than just food and sex to make me happy.”
Liz popped a piece of her pancake into her mouth, making a whole show of licking the syrup from her fingers. His attention was arrested immediately. “Like what?” she asked innocently.
He looked completely befuddled for a moment and Liz burst out laughing again. “Eat your breakfast, honey!”
Later, as she was putting the dishes into the washer, Max came breezing into the kitchen, wearing his lecturer’s outfit: khaki chino’s, a crisp white shirt and a tie. He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up against him to kiss her. “I love you, sweetie! Thanks for breakfast.” He put her down again and kissed her forehead. “What are you up to today?”
“I have to go into town to get some stuff for the spare bedroom, like a crib!”
They looked at each other quietly after the mention of a crib. It had been their decision to wait with having kids until they had completed their studies and had settled down. Max traced her cheek with his fingers tenderly. “I love you,” he repeated seriously before kissing her hard.
Liz watched him leave, he seemed reluctant to go and kept looking back at her. “Bye, Max,” Liz said when he finally turned to go. A feeling of melancholy had suddenly overtaken her. She always hated saying good-bye to Max. Normally they were rushing to work and she didn’t notice it so much, but with him leaving her here in the quiet house that smelled like him was depressing her. She moved to the bathroom quickly to take a shower so she could get everything done that she needed to today. Maybe she would go by Max’s class and sit in, that would help her get through the day until she could see him again…
~*~*~*~*~*~
It was the period before lunch when she made it into the building where Max taught his class. She had managed to buy a little crib that still needed assembling, something Max could help her with tonight and everything else was now set for Nick and his family to come visit.
The class hadn’t started yet and Max was writing something on the board while the students were still talking to each other. Liz slipped into a seat at the back of the lecture hall and looked around her. She had come to some of his classes before, just to listen to his voice and watch him work. He didn’t mind and she got to see him during the day.
“I hear he has a really pretty wife.” The voice came from one of the girls sitting to her left. Their eyes were on Max, so Liz assumed they were talking about him. Her own eyes drifted to his butt and she breathed in deeply, starting to feel all tingly. Max’s writing faltered. Damn, he knew she was here, that puts an end to her surprise.
“That would explain why he doesn’t ever look at any of the girls in his classes. It’s a shame, though, I had contemplated failing my labs so I could get tutoring from him.” By this time, Liz was grinning and she caught the eye of the girl talking. She was cute and she frowned when she looked at Liz.
Max had turned around by now and his eyes searched the class until he found her. He quirked an eyebrow at her and she gave him an innocent smile, batting her eyelids. The girls next to her turned to her, obviously intrigued that their teacher was showing some interest in someone in the class.
“Are you new?” It was the chatty girl again.
Liz kept her eyes on Max while answering: “No, just here for the view.”
They giggled. “Yeah, he is pretty gorgeous, isn’t he?”
Liz was tempted to say ‘you should see him naked’, but didn’t think Max would appreciate her putting ideas into the heads of his students. So she just smiled serenely and sat back in the chair, observing him work. The class hung onto his every word and so did she. Eventually, it was time for questions and she listened to him explaining a few concepts to the students. She had to forcibly reign in her reactions to hearing his voice as this would surely reach Max through their connection and distract him.
After class, the students filed out and she remained in her seat and raised her hand. “Ah, Sir? I have a question?”
Max came over, climbing the stairs slowly to reach her. He stopped in front of her desk and leaned over, bracing himself on his hands. “Yes Miss?”
His voice had turned smoky and slid over her nerve endings like silk, causing her to shiver. “Can I get some special tutoring? I think I’m having trouble concentrating in your classes…”
“As long as you can come to my house, I guess it can be arranged,” he whispered against her lips, finally kissing her. “But, you’ll have to come at night, I don’t want my other students to think you’re getting special treatment.” The last part was mumbled into her mouth.
“Oooh, I like being the teacher’s pet!” She smiled at him and he lifted her out of the chair to kiss her more deeply.
“Can you have lunch with me?” she asked breathlessly as they broke apart.
“Yeah,” he laced his fingers through hers and they stared into each other’s eyes.
“Uh, Mr. Evans?” It was the girl that had sat next to Liz and her eyes widened when she saw Max holding hands with Liz. “Oh, sorry, I just wanted… I could come back later.”
Max smiled at her. “No, it’s okay, Julie. Meet my wife, Liz.”
“We’ve met, sort of,” Liz informed him and had to stifle a laugh when the poor girl turned all shades of red. It must be a bit embarrassing knowing you had drooled about your teacher in front of his wife.
Max, as usual, was completely clueless and wondered what had transpired that he missed. Liz just kissed him again and said ‘I’ll wait outside’ before leaving him and his very uncomfortable student to themselves. She could just imagine what the girl was going to tell her friends after this!
Liz went back home after lunch. She felt restless, though, and wandered from room to room in the house, touching things idly. A feeling of worry had settled in her stomach and she couldn’t shake it off. What was going on? Maybe she was just starting to feel the effects of wanting a baby. Staring at the little crib that still needed assembling, Liz sank to the floor in the spare room and admitted it for the first time. She wanted to have Max’s baby. Not at some undetermined future date, right now! But Max seemed so happy with the way things were at the moment, what if he told her he didn’t want to have kids so soon? Tears slipped from her eyes as Liz grabbed a pillow from the bed and curled up on the floor. She was starting to shake and her mind sorted through all her reactions to try and find a reason for her emotional state. She knew this was not really about a baby, she had only felt like this once before in her life, that time in the camp just before Max was abducted.
This was how Max found her when he got home later that afternoon. He had had a disconcerted feeling the whole time since Liz had left him and, while he knew some of it was coming from her, he also recognized that a large part of it was originating from deep within himself. He tried to concentrate on work, but eventually gave up and went home a little early. He had panicked stupidly when he found the house silent and their bedroom empty. He knew she was in there somewhere, but reason always seemed to flee him when it came to Liz.
His heart contracted when he saw her curled up on the floor in the spare room, tear-tracks still visible on her face. He knelt on the floor next to her and scooped her up into his arms tenderly. She pressed herself to him immediately, wrapping her arms around his neck in a death-grip.
“Liz?”
Her eyes had flown open at the sound of her name. “Make love to me, Max! Please! Now.”
He carried her to their room knowing he needed it as much as she did. Maybe even more. For close to seven years they had lived their normal happy lives, but both of them knew that something was going to happen to them soon and they had no idea what it was or how to stop it…
PART 28
He stood her in front of him in their room and tenderly undressed her, trying to ignore the shaking of his own hands. He kissed each inch of skin that he bared, loving her with every breath that he took. Silent tears still coursed down her cheeks, but as he caressed her, they started to dwindle. When he was finished and she stood before him, naked and vulnerable, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. “Whatever it is, love, we’ll face it together.” He didn’t need to voice the fears that were coursing through them both, their connection made it unnecessary.
She reached up to cup her hands over his cheeks and pulled his face down to her. “I love you, Max Evans. So much.”
Then he kissed her.
It was a long, slow kiss that seemed intended to arouse as much as reassure. Max’s mouth moved against hers with erotic expertise. His left hand trailed down her back and settled at the base of her spine, urging her closer with a splayed-finger caress. She arched into the embrace, headily conscious of the hardening thrust of his lower body. Their tongues met and mated. The kiss deepened, became more demanding. Desire flooded her, but Liz knew she was not the only one trembling when Max finally lifted his mouth from hers.
“Let this be only about us right now,” he urged in a deep, dark, velvet tone.
Lifting her right hand, Liz lightly caressed the side of Max’s face. A hint of new beard growth abraded her fingertips as she traced a line from cheekbone to chin. “Yes,” she said in a throaty whisper. “Just us.” And she pushed the horrible fears to the far corner of her mind.
He charted the swell of her breasts with his hands like he has done so many times before, but it never failed to electrify her. She arched into his caressing, claiming palms, shifting in an effort to increase the intimacy of the contact. His hands tightened against her flesh and something deep inside her spasmed in response.
They kissed again. Deeply. Deliberately. Not noticing that Max’s hands had begun to glow against her skin. Liz communicated the depth of her love for him through that kiss. That no matter what, she would always be by his side, supporting him.
Max’s shirt came off. Liz kissed along the hard edge of his collarbone then licked against the hollow at the base of his throat. The salty tang of his skin lingered on her tongue. His pulse, when she found it, was rapid and intense.
He lay her down on their bed gently, his hands gliding upwards between her legs.
“Please,” Liz begged softly.
Max took off the last of his clothes and stretched out beside her on the bed, his hand finding the curve of her breasts. Liz was staring up at him. Her cheeks flushed with passion, her lips parted and moist. Her eyes locked with his in a long moment of wordless communication. Max whispered her name, then used his right hand to trace the arch of her brow and the slim elegance of her nose. He followed the outline of her mouth with his fingertips, a sensual thrill spearing through him when her tongue stole out to lick at him.
Their kiss was hungry and urgent. Max felt Liz’s arms encircle his neck and her fingers sliding into the dark disorder of his hair. He devoured her responses like a starving man, all thoughts of anything but Liz have fled his mind. Right now all he could concentrate on was her. Only her.
Shifting his position slightly, he kissed downward from her face. He lingered for a few seconds at the pulse point at the base of her throat. The pounding of her blood was intensely, unbearably exiting to him. His mouth found her breasts, his tongue laving and shaping their beautiful contours making her sigh.
His hand left a glowing trail as it slid down to the apex of her thighs, finding her wet heat. Those soft, intoxicating sounds that he loved were escaping Liz’s throat again, increasing his desire and feeding his possessiveness.
Liz moved her hips against his touch, slowly and inexorably edging closer to that final release. His hand was doing magic things to her, creating little explosions just underneath her skin that was more intense than usual, but she was too intent on experiencing them to wonder why that was.
Drawing on everything he knew about making love to Liz, Max held her trembling on the edge for several fevered moments, then tenderly urged her over the brink. She came apart against his hand, crying his name into the stillness of the room.
Only then did he shift himself, parting her thighs as he moved up and over her. Their gazes locked as he joined them with a single, gliding stroke.
Her hands were clutching at him and he gripped her hips, holding her still for a few seconds as he tried to stem the tidal wave of passion building within him. Every nerve in his body was clamoring for release, but he refused to give in to it.
The flashes were unexpected and nearly blinded him. He saw how much Liz wanted him during class today. He felt her desperate need for him from this afternoon, the one that had called him home. And he experienced her sadness about a baby. A pregnant Liz. The thought rocked him to his toes. “Oh God, Liz!” It was torn from him as the image of his wife being pregnant formed in his mind.
Liz was beyond hearing anything. She was shaken to the core by the feeling of coming alive everywhere his hands touched. She saw herself from this morning, wearing his shirt and smiling and experienced the rush of warmth and love he had felt watching her. The awareness of her during class and the urgency to come home, knowing she needed him.
He dimly realized that something was different this time. Their feelings were more… intense. He finally started moving inside her, slowly at first but more urgently when he felt, heard her response. Finally!
Max felt her body clench around his as she found fulfillment. He moved one last time, driving her to a keening cry that dissolved the final shred of his control. He gave himself over to the woman in his arms and in turn received the most perfect pleasure a man could experience.
It was more than a sexual climax.
It was utter and absolute completion.
Afterwards, when his heartbeat had slowed and his breathing pattern smoothed, Max gathered Liz’s sated, seemingly boneless body into his arms and held her close to his heart. “I love you,” he whispered into her hair.
His hands had not stopped glowing yet…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick was staring at his new baby girl as his wife packed for their visit to Max and Liz. They were driving up to Albuquerque early tomorrow morning and would meet Liz at the house since Max was still working. He hadn’t seen them in the last few months due to his wife’s pregnancy and his unwillingness to leave her alone during that time. Madelaine. That was her name. The name of the newest little alien on planet earth. He took a deep breath and said a silent prayer that her life would be less complicated than his had been. Maybe one day she would also find a human that would love her as much as the ones that were involved with their royal family.
The rumblings that all was not well on Dendar had begun a few months ago. They had only received ad hoc reports since Nick was still trying to keep the fact that a last outpost of survivors from Antar was on earth a secret. His mouth thinned. They have had seven years of peace and tranquility during which he had almost stopped worrying about his King and his future. Almost.
During the times he had visited Max and Liz in Boston, he had had trouble reconciling the happy couple with the two young people who had been through so much while still at school. And he had silently continued to marvel at the depth of their love for each other.
In seven years, not one of their group had gotten close to a human. They had friends, yes, but no one has gotten involved with anyone that he knew of. It was weird. Maybe it was the genetic programming that still influenced them. Maybe it was just plain old fear. After all, it had taken Max the best part of eight years before he got together with Liz and then only after a near fatal incident.
He glanced at his sleeping daughter again. Maybe the next generation…
How would Max react to the news he would carry with him to Albuquerque this weekend? How would Liz? Nick still vividly remembered the two weeks they spent apart when Liz went to a course in Boston. And this would be so much worse. At least they didn’t have children yet.
And at least he had spent the last seven years teaching Max Evans about his history. Not a lot at a time, but he knew enough about what it entailed to be the King to be able to fulfill that role. As for the rest, Nick was surer than ever now that Max was older that he had the makings of a fine leader.
He would need all of that now.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The sun was setting and finally the earth started cooling down a bit in the New Mexican desert. Liz was still sprawled on top of Max, dozing while he kept her protectively close. She could feel from the even way his chest moved under her cheek that he was fast asleep, but she didn’t want to open her eyes yet. If she did, Max’s embrace would not stop that dark feeling that crouched at the edge of her consciousness from haunting her anymore.
She felt tears well up in her eyes and this made her roll off Max, afraid that the moisture would touch his skin and wake him up. She curled into a little ball on her side next to Max. She wanted to scream and rant, do anything to make this impending sense of doom go away. But she didn’t, because nothing would help. All she could do was pray that, when the time came, she and Max would handle what was coming well.
Max’s heat suddenly enveloped her from behind. Even in sleep, he had missed her and searched her out. He pulled her back against him so that she lay spooned against his body. Pressing his face into her hair, he muttered: “Love you, Liz...”
She squeezed her eyes shut, love for Max overwhelming her. Now that she knew what it felt like to be loved so completely, how would she ever live without it?
His arm slipped around her waist, his fingers splaying over her stomach tenderly as he kept her close to him.
And again, neither of them noticed the faint glow of the hand he had flattened over her womb.
tbc
The Experiment Series (ML, CC / Mautre) (Complete)
Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators
29+30
PART 29
Leaving Liz on Friday morning was one of the hardest things Max had ever had to do. He had held her against him until the very last minute, not knowing what to say, but knowing he needed her near. She had walked him to the Jeep, clutching his arm and Max had kissed her desperately and lingeringly, crushing her tiny body against his before he finally left. She had looked so small and vulnerable standing in front of their little house when he looked back at her in the rearview mirror.
He had told her over breakfast that they needed to talk. Them having a baby was such an important topic that he didn’t want to rush it. And it worried him that Liz seemed so scared about his reactions. Had he somehow given her the idea that he didn’t want a baby? The thought of Liz pregnant with his children made him dizzy and the possibility that he might someday have a child of his own was just magical to Max.
Yes, he and Liz really needed to talk. Right now would have been the perfect time to start their family, but instead this feeling that something was about to happen to them just won’t go away, and sadly that would have to take precedence right now…
A shiver of apprehension ran down Max’s spine as he worked in the lab. He knew it was from Liz again. For some reason, their connection has spiked to previously unknown levels and it literally felt like he was inside her body, experiencing everything with her. And all she wanted from him now, was to come home…
~*~*~*~*~*~
It was lunchtime when Nick, Grace and little Madelaine finally arrived at the Evans house in Albuquerque. They had stopped often for Grace to feed the baby and for them to stretch their legs.
Liz came out to meet them when she heard the car arrive and Nick hugged her impulsively. He could see sadness lingering in her eyes and wondered if somehow, she knew that he has come to turn her life upside down once again. But Liz said nothing and played the perfect hostess.
Grace showed Liz her daughter proudly. Liz was their Queen after all and, in spite of years living on earth, that was still a big thing to Nick’s wife. While the women cooed over little Maddie, Nick carried their luggage inside and settled things in their room. He noticed a lot of changes in the little house, it was clear that Max and Liz had worked hard on it since he had last been here. The place looked like a real home, cozy and filled with loving reminders of the life shared by its owners.
They had lunch outside in the garden in the shade of a big old tree and Nick and Liz caught up with each other’s lives. They had a soft spot for one another and it showed. Maddie slept right through her parents’ lunch and only woke up when they went back into the house.
“Why don’t you guys go rest until Max comes home? I’ll look after Maddie,” Liz offered. She could see that both Nick and Grace were tired after the long drive and probably also from the pajama drill of the night before. Their grateful acceptance confirmed her suspicions.
While the tired parents napped, Liz lay on the living room carpet with Maddie propped on her little mattress next to her. She was really tiny and really perfect to Liz. The thought brought fresh tears to Liz’s eyes. Would she and Max ever have a little perfect person like this in their lives? A tiny version of them both rolled into one?
When Max got home a little later, he found Liz still in the same position, watching Madelaine sleep. The sight nearly took his breath away and he had to lean against the doorframe to steady himself. For a brief moment, he could picture his own little family together like that.
After he recovered, he walked over to Liz quietly and knelt down next to her to kiss her cheek. She turned her face to him and he whispered: “Hi.” Placing his hand on her hip, he rained light, soft kisses on her lips, making her smile.
In between all this, Maddie woke up and started to whimper. This got Max and Liz’s attention immediately and Max helped Liz upright so she could pick the baby up. He sat with his back against the couch and watched as Liz gave Maddie a bottle. Another kick of raw emotion in Max’s gut caused him to sit up straighter and gently brush Liz’s hair back from her bent head. She gave him a watery smile and he knew he needed to hold her again. So he pulled her back until she could rest between his legs, lying back against his chest while she fed the baby. Max put his arms around both of them, just staring down at the beautiful scene in awe.
Grace arrived in the room in a rush a few minutes later, clearly concerned that she had left her baby alone too long and imposed on Liz in the process. She faltered when she saw the scene in front of her.
“Hi Max,” she said softly and bowed her head at him without thinking.
Max smiled at her. “Sorry, that I’m not getting up. It’s good to see you again!”
Grace hurried forward and lifted Maddie from Liz’s arms. “I’m sorry! You should’ve woken us!” She looked embarrassed. “I guess we were more tired than we realized.”
Max had felt the tiny shiver that went through Liz when Grace took the baby and he hugged her tighter against him fleetingly before getting up. Nick had also arrived and the two men greeted each other warmly.
“Congratulations with Maddie. She is beautiful,” Max told Nick.
“Yeah, it’s hard to believe she is mine, right?” His comment made everyone smile.
“Okay,” Liz announced brightly, “I have a lot of people coming over for a barbecue tonight, so I have to get started on the preparations.” She was holding on to Max’s hand tightly while she spoke. “So you guys have to go do the men stuff outside.”
“I’m on it,” Max informed her, “just let me get out of these work clothes. Would you all excuse me?” He gave Liz another quick kiss and left.
Liz and Grace went to the kitchen to start with the salads and Nick watched some TV while he waited for Max to finish showering. Max had sort of hoped Liz would come to their bedroom, because he suspected she needed a hug, but when she didn’t he sought her out in the kitchen.
He smiled at Grace who was sitting at the counter and put his arms around Liz from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. Liz stopped working and leaned back against him with a sigh. They stood like that for a few moments, no words were needed between them. Then Max kissed Liz’s cheek and went outside with Nick.
Not long after that, Michael and Maria arrived with Alex and Maria immediately took to playing with Maddie instead of helping with dinner. “What can I say, Space Boy is not with me for my cooking!”
“Lizzie, looking good!” Alex yelled when he came in, resulting in a startled whimper from Maddie.
“Alex! Do you mind!” Maria hissed at him. “Baby in the kitchen here!”
Holding up conciliatory hands, Alex made a show of tiptoeing over to Liz to kiss her cheek. “Hi Alex.”
Michael preferred looked at Maddie from a distance. She seemed real cute, but he had no experience with babies and felt uncomfortable around them. “Nice baby,” he told Grace before hightailing it outside with Alex.
Isabel arrived later and the group was complete. They ate outside in the garden at a huge old wooden table that Liz had found in some thrift shop. And for a little while it seemed that everything was just as it has always been. Isabel and Alex continuing their weird friendship/relationship, Michael and Maria bickering and Max and Liz holding hands.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that night, when everyone had finally left or gone to bed, Max took Liz’s hands in his. “Sweetie, I know we have to talk about some things. About-about us starting a family for one, and—” He saw her pale and hastened to add. “I want a family with you, Liz. Please don’t think otherwise. We just have to discuss a few things first, okay?”
She nodded, feeling more relieved than she hoped she let on.
“So, let’s make a date to talk on Sunday night after everyone has left.” He brushed his fingers over her jaw line before pulling her flush with his body. “We’ll be alright, I promise.”
Liz so desperately wanted to believe him, but some things were too big even for a King to fix.
Max lay awake for a long time, wondering what Nick wanted to discuss with him. Nick had cornered him just after the others had left and Liz was still outside saying good-bye to tell Max that he needed to talk to him about something urgent. And that it was better that he and Max talk alone first. He unconsciously held Liz tighter to him. He had a horrible feeling about this…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Although Max had been very reluctant to let her go, Liz and Grace left for the city early on Saturday morning to do some shopping. Grace claimed the shops in Roswell seriously lacked when it came to baby stuff.
Max didn’t really want Liz to go because he could feel the sadness and worry come off her in waves. It was very strange to him, because on the other hand, she seemed to be glowing. Not literally, but something inside her just shined.
Nick watched as Max practically hung onto Liz’s hand until they were in the car. Max kissed Liz through the open driver’s window and made her promise that she would drive safely. Even Liz looked a little amused by his anxiety attack. It made Nick feel even worse, because just like they did so many years ago, Max and Liz were aware of something brewing on the horizon.
Max was wary as he sat outside with Nick in the garden and Nick’s jittery actions just confirmed his suspicions that something was up. “Right, what do you need to tell me?”
Staring at his feet, Nick wondered where to begin. “A war is brewing between the four planets. Peace talks are starting soon.”
All the blood was draining from Max’s face. No, no, no, no…
“The Tresarians specifically asked that our planet be represented before they would come to the talks. Max, Tess is going to represent our planet during those talks.” Nick paused. “Unless you go…”
It was all he could do not to say ‘no’ immediately and hope that the whole mess will just go away. Instead, he took a calming breath and asked: “Why do we even need to be there? It’s not like we have a planet left.” Please don’t make me go to another planet without Liz…
“Eric’s planet is by far the strongest in the group. If Tresar does not agree to peace, there will be war. Alliances are being formed, Max, and we need to end this once and for all. We cannot hide here forever. Would you really want your children to grow up like you did? Forever hiding from something? Because the possibility would always exist that the Tresarians could find out where you are. That you are still alive. And that you have kids.”
The vice around his chest was tightening. “When would I have to go?” His voice was soft, strained.
“As soon as possible, there have already been skirmishes and lives lost,” Nick sounded very serious. “Max, I know this might look like it’s not your problem, but your father used to dream of uniting the five planets in a federation. Many people up there still believe in what he stood for. And you could save millions of lives. I don’t think we should leave our heritage and the future of four planets on the shoulders of Tess…”
Max was staring at the tabletop. Silent. Thinking.
“I would propose that you take Michael and Isabel too. So that the whole Royal family is there. Strength in numbers as they say…”
When Max still didn’t say anything, Nick prompted him. “What do you say, Max? Will you do it?”
There really was only one answer, Max could give his friend. “Yes…”
PART 30
Relief flooded Nick as he heard Max’s firm answer. “You will?” It had been easier than he had thought it would be.
“But…” Max met Nick’s gaze steadily. “Liz is coming with me.”
Opening his mouth to protest, Nick realized he should’ve seen this coming. Max wouldn’t go anywhere without Liz. But this was not a good idea. “I don’t think—”
Max interrupted him. “No, Nick. I’m not asking you, I’m telling you. She’s coming with me.”
Nick was quiet for a long time. “I know how you feel about this… about her, but we don’t know what the reaction of the other groups will be to her. We don’t know what to expect on the other side at all. There might be danger.”
A determined light was shining in Max’s eyes by now. “If there’s danger, I’d rather have her with me. They are bound to find out about her anyway. They could get to her here too.” He rubbed his face tiredly. “We promised each other we would listen to our premonitions after… after last time. And this time I feel she needs to go with me or something will happen to us.” He pinned Nick with another steady stare. “I promised her, Nick. And I will keep that promise. Those people need to recognize that Liz is my wife. Not Tess.”
Nick decided to try one last time. “You probably won’t see her very much over there. You will be so busy—”
“I don’t care. She is really upset and there is no way I’m leaving her here. Even if I only get to see her for half-an-hour every day, it’s better than not seeing her at all.” He was silent for a few moments. “In fact, I think all six of us should go.”
Nick blanched at that. “All six of you! Max, with all due respect—”
Max silenced him by holding up his hand. “You’ve taught me a lot about being a good leader, but there is one thing I learnt all by myself. Our group is stronger when we are together. Liz and I are stronger when we are together… I will have to discuss it with them all first, but if they want to go, we’ll take them.” Max didn’t know how to explain this feeling that he shouldn’t let Liz out of his sight right now. This sense of something happening to Liz was overpowering and threatened to drive him crazy with worry. No, there was no way he was going anywhere without her…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shopping for baby clothes with Grace was really hard for Liz. Firstly, she couldn’t help wondering if she would ever be doing this for her own child, and secondly, because she could feel Max’s increasing agitation. They were both really upset about this “premonition” of theirs and Max’s worry seems to be getting worse.
And why was their connection so strong? Instead of the vague sensing of his feelings when they weren’t physically close, it felt as clear as when he was inside her. As when they were making love. It both scared and exited her. It exited her because she never feels this close to Max unless he was making love to her and it scared her because she feared it meant something bad was going on.
And it was.
When they got home, she could see on Max’s face that something had happened. He looked at her with an intensity that threatened to steal her breath away. And he crushed her to him as soon as she was out of the car. Liz felt her throat close up with fear, but she put up a brave face until they were alone.
Grace and Nick had gone to their room to put baby Maddie to sleep and Max took the chance to take Liz to their bedroom. Just inside the door, he jerked her against him and kissed her passionately. Desperately. Possessively. His movements lacked their usual grace and instead were laced with urgency. Max Evans was completely off balance.
Liz gave herself up to his caresses with wild abandon in the hope that it would chase away her fears. She knew she should be asking questions, but right now she just wanted to bask in being with Max. In his love and in his embrace, which still was the only place in the universe where she felt truly complete.
He couldn’t stop kissing her. He needed to tell her what was going on, but he was afraid to let her out of his arms. Afraid that, for all his bravado with Nick, his world really was coming crashing down on him. Instead, he let his mind talk to hers.
Liz, I need you. So much. Now more than ever. Please go with me.
The emotions and words rushing at her from Max were threatening to drown Liz. There was so much to take in, but most of all, she was shocked by the panicked need she felt from Max. For her. She tore her mouth from his, gasping for breath and grasping at Max’s shirt in desperation. “Max, you’re scaring me! Please tell me what is going on?”
He wanted to, but suddenly a lot of what Nick had said made sense. What if taking Liz to Dendar would put her in danger? He didn’t know anything about the planet other than that Tess had apparently survived there with her human body. But what if there was something different about him, Michael, Isabel and Tess that he didn’t know about? Something that could make a life and death difference to Liz?
Again, Liz could feel and hear everything as if he was inside her mind. She slowly sank onto the bed, with Max still clinging to her hands. “You have to go to Dendar?”
“Yeah,” Max looked tortured. “But I want… need you to go with me. Will you?”
Opening her mouth to speak, it promptly felt like Liz was being sucked into a tunnel. A black void. Dizziness overtook her and she only managed to whisper ‘Max’ before she lost consciousness.
“Liz!” Max cried as he caught her. He lay her down on the bed gently and stretched out next to her, touching her with shaking hands. He ascertained very quickly that she had just passed out and that everything else seemed to be fine. His heart was pounding with reaction to seeing her slump to the floor like that. Of course Liz had gotten the flu a few times since their marriage, it was not like Max wasn’t used to her getting sick. But he still freaked out every time it happened. She was his Liz, damn it, and he hated that things happened to her that he couldn’t fix.
She had never passed out before, though. He tenderly caressed her face with one hand as he whispered in her ear: “Please wake up, Liz. I love you…” He kept murmuring soft things until he could feel her stir against him.
“Max?” Liz’s voiced was husky, confused.
“I’m here, love.”
“I’ll go, Max. Of course I’ll go.” Her voice was gaining strength.
Max stared at her in amazement. Here he was, still trying to recover from her fainting spell, and she was already talking sense. But when he looked in her eyes, he could see she was dazed and he realized that her answer had nothing to do with recovering, but everything with her anxiety about him leaving. “Shhh, sweetie, let me get you some water, then we’ll talk, okay?”
She watched the door of the bathroom until he returned. Liz wasn’t sure exactly what had happened, but she knew she was worried about not seeing Max again. She relaxed only when she saw him striding towards her with a glass of water and a wet cloth in his hands. His eyes were haunted, making Liz tearful. She had done something cause that look. “I’m sorry, Max…”
He was beside her immediately. “For what? No! I just—I just panicked when I saw you like that, Liz. I—I never want to face being without you.”
Liz grabbed the hand he was using to wipe her face with the cloth. “Never. Where you go, I go.”
Max inhaled sharply at her words. They were everything he needed to hear at this moment. “Liz, it may be dangerous. And your job… I don’t know how long we will be gone. And there’s a war brewing—”
“I don’t care,” she said promptly, making Max’s heart soar. “I only know that I want to be wherever you are.”
He kissed her softly, rubbing their lips over each other while cupping her face. “‘I love you’ seems so insufficient to explain how I feel about you.”
She put her hands on his face too. “Max, you made me me. How much more do you need to say?”
Closing his eyes, Max breathed deeply as emotion threatened to choke him. He didn’t know how to answer, so he hugged her to him again, praying his embrace would speak for him.
When they had both calmed down a bit, he got back to the reason for his earlier panic: “What happened just now? Are you ill? Did you eat? Are you—”
Liz kissed him to stop the barrage of questions. “I don’t know, love. I just… I think it was because I was so worried about you. And I’m tired. I haven’t been sleeping all that much lately.”
They looked at each other with comprehension. It was the same reason why Max had tired bruises under his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Liz.” She looked at him with alarm, so he hastened to finish. “For making your life so uncertain.”
“I told you before. I have the only certainty I will ever need – your love. The rest are mere details.” She cuddled into Max’s warm body and sighed. That horrible feeling that has been plaguing her for days seemed to have lifted somewhat. Maybe because they now knew what they had to face.
Max was rubbing her back soothingly. “I’ll get everyone here tomorrow and we can decide on a plan of action.”
She nodded, that sounded like a good plan. “So, why are we going to Dendar?”
And Max realized she had said she would go without even knowing why… He lifted her higher up against the pillows and kissed her breathless. “You are so amazing!”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick paced in the spare room later that night. He had talked to Max and Liz for a long time and Liz seemed even more determined to go than ever. On the one hand, he knew that letting her go would make Max more productive. If she were left behind on earth, the majority of Max’s attention would go into worrying about her and missing her. But if she went, who knew what could happen? Nick was sure Tess wouldn’t appreciate having her exalted position taken from her again. By none other than Liz. Not to mention that he worried that the Tresarian request to have the Antar Royal Family represented during the talks may be a trap.
But what alternative did he have? His spies on Dendar were relaying the imminence of war and it seemed like Max was the only one that could make a difference. Not to mention that Max could be fulfilling one of his father Aaron’s dreams – uniting all the planets in their system.
He worried about Liz. She was the glue that kept the aliens and humans together and they have put so much faith in her link with Max. What if something happened to her on Dendar? He had no idea what awaited them there. He sat down heavily on the bed. He will discuss the final plans for their departure with Max tomorrow. He needed to get transport for them, which meant contacting Dendar officially. And that meant that the fact that the King of Antar was alive and well and living on earth would not be a secret anymore…
~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz lay in the circle of Max’s arms and felt more peace than she had in a few days. She could see the stars through their window and she wondered at the fact that she might be among them soon. How weird was that? Humans have been trying to travel in space for decades and were very proud of themselves for reaching the moon. Well, here she was, a girl from a small town in New Mexico, about to travel to another galaxy.
She turned on her back and Max shifted automatically to accommodate her changed position with the ease of years of practice. He lay on his side, his face pressed into the crook of her neck, his even breathing caressing her skin. Liz tangled her fingers with his that were splayed over her stomach. That’s when she saw it.
His hand was glowing. Not brightly, but definitely glowing.
Her gasp woke Max up and he looked at her, blinking sleep from his eyes. “Is something wrong?” he asked with concern.
Liz brought his hand up from her stomach to press her lips in his palm. The glow died out immediately after his hand left her body. “No! Everything is fine.”
He kissed her softly. “Are you sure?”
Nodding, Liz prayed that he wouldn’t force the issue and most importantly that he wouldn’t learn anything from their connection. She gave him another quick kiss and rolled onto her side with her back to him. “Just hold me, that’s all I need.”
He pulled her flush against him and Liz waited until she could hear him drift off to sleep before she carefully splayed his fingers over her womb again. The faint glow started almost immediately.
Breathing deeply, Liz cautioned herself to remain calm. She was really afraid that she knew what was causing this. And with that knowledge came the decision that Max should not find out about this before they left for Dendar, or he would never let her accompany him…
tbc
Leaving Liz on Friday morning was one of the hardest things Max had ever had to do. He had held her against him until the very last minute, not knowing what to say, but knowing he needed her near. She had walked him to the Jeep, clutching his arm and Max had kissed her desperately and lingeringly, crushing her tiny body against his before he finally left. She had looked so small and vulnerable standing in front of their little house when he looked back at her in the rearview mirror.
He had told her over breakfast that they needed to talk. Them having a baby was such an important topic that he didn’t want to rush it. And it worried him that Liz seemed so scared about his reactions. Had he somehow given her the idea that he didn’t want a baby? The thought of Liz pregnant with his children made him dizzy and the possibility that he might someday have a child of his own was just magical to Max.
Yes, he and Liz really needed to talk. Right now would have been the perfect time to start their family, but instead this feeling that something was about to happen to them just won’t go away, and sadly that would have to take precedence right now…
A shiver of apprehension ran down Max’s spine as he worked in the lab. He knew it was from Liz again. For some reason, their connection has spiked to previously unknown levels and it literally felt like he was inside her body, experiencing everything with her. And all she wanted from him now, was to come home…
~*~*~*~*~*~
It was lunchtime when Nick, Grace and little Madelaine finally arrived at the Evans house in Albuquerque. They had stopped often for Grace to feed the baby and for them to stretch their legs.
Liz came out to meet them when she heard the car arrive and Nick hugged her impulsively. He could see sadness lingering in her eyes and wondered if somehow, she knew that he has come to turn her life upside down once again. But Liz said nothing and played the perfect hostess.
Grace showed Liz her daughter proudly. Liz was their Queen after all and, in spite of years living on earth, that was still a big thing to Nick’s wife. While the women cooed over little Maddie, Nick carried their luggage inside and settled things in their room. He noticed a lot of changes in the little house, it was clear that Max and Liz had worked hard on it since he had last been here. The place looked like a real home, cozy and filled with loving reminders of the life shared by its owners.
They had lunch outside in the garden in the shade of a big old tree and Nick and Liz caught up with each other’s lives. They had a soft spot for one another and it showed. Maddie slept right through her parents’ lunch and only woke up when they went back into the house.
“Why don’t you guys go rest until Max comes home? I’ll look after Maddie,” Liz offered. She could see that both Nick and Grace were tired after the long drive and probably also from the pajama drill of the night before. Their grateful acceptance confirmed her suspicions.
While the tired parents napped, Liz lay on the living room carpet with Maddie propped on her little mattress next to her. She was really tiny and really perfect to Liz. The thought brought fresh tears to Liz’s eyes. Would she and Max ever have a little perfect person like this in their lives? A tiny version of them both rolled into one?
When Max got home a little later, he found Liz still in the same position, watching Madelaine sleep. The sight nearly took his breath away and he had to lean against the doorframe to steady himself. For a brief moment, he could picture his own little family together like that.
After he recovered, he walked over to Liz quietly and knelt down next to her to kiss her cheek. She turned her face to him and he whispered: “Hi.” Placing his hand on her hip, he rained light, soft kisses on her lips, making her smile.
In between all this, Maddie woke up and started to whimper. This got Max and Liz’s attention immediately and Max helped Liz upright so she could pick the baby up. He sat with his back against the couch and watched as Liz gave Maddie a bottle. Another kick of raw emotion in Max’s gut caused him to sit up straighter and gently brush Liz’s hair back from her bent head. She gave him a watery smile and he knew he needed to hold her again. So he pulled her back until she could rest between his legs, lying back against his chest while she fed the baby. Max put his arms around both of them, just staring down at the beautiful scene in awe.
Grace arrived in the room in a rush a few minutes later, clearly concerned that she had left her baby alone too long and imposed on Liz in the process. She faltered when she saw the scene in front of her.
“Hi Max,” she said softly and bowed her head at him without thinking.
Max smiled at her. “Sorry, that I’m not getting up. It’s good to see you again!”
Grace hurried forward and lifted Maddie from Liz’s arms. “I’m sorry! You should’ve woken us!” She looked embarrassed. “I guess we were more tired than we realized.”
Max had felt the tiny shiver that went through Liz when Grace took the baby and he hugged her tighter against him fleetingly before getting up. Nick had also arrived and the two men greeted each other warmly.
“Congratulations with Maddie. She is beautiful,” Max told Nick.
“Yeah, it’s hard to believe she is mine, right?” His comment made everyone smile.
“Okay,” Liz announced brightly, “I have a lot of people coming over for a barbecue tonight, so I have to get started on the preparations.” She was holding on to Max’s hand tightly while she spoke. “So you guys have to go do the men stuff outside.”
“I’m on it,” Max informed her, “just let me get out of these work clothes. Would you all excuse me?” He gave Liz another quick kiss and left.
Liz and Grace went to the kitchen to start with the salads and Nick watched some TV while he waited for Max to finish showering. Max had sort of hoped Liz would come to their bedroom, because he suspected she needed a hug, but when she didn’t he sought her out in the kitchen.
He smiled at Grace who was sitting at the counter and put his arms around Liz from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. Liz stopped working and leaned back against him with a sigh. They stood like that for a few moments, no words were needed between them. Then Max kissed Liz’s cheek and went outside with Nick.
Not long after that, Michael and Maria arrived with Alex and Maria immediately took to playing with Maddie instead of helping with dinner. “What can I say, Space Boy is not with me for my cooking!”
“Lizzie, looking good!” Alex yelled when he came in, resulting in a startled whimper from Maddie.
“Alex! Do you mind!” Maria hissed at him. “Baby in the kitchen here!”
Holding up conciliatory hands, Alex made a show of tiptoeing over to Liz to kiss her cheek. “Hi Alex.”
Michael preferred looked at Maddie from a distance. She seemed real cute, but he had no experience with babies and felt uncomfortable around them. “Nice baby,” he told Grace before hightailing it outside with Alex.
Isabel arrived later and the group was complete. They ate outside in the garden at a huge old wooden table that Liz had found in some thrift shop. And for a little while it seemed that everything was just as it has always been. Isabel and Alex continuing their weird friendship/relationship, Michael and Maria bickering and Max and Liz holding hands.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that night, when everyone had finally left or gone to bed, Max took Liz’s hands in his. “Sweetie, I know we have to talk about some things. About-about us starting a family for one, and—” He saw her pale and hastened to add. “I want a family with you, Liz. Please don’t think otherwise. We just have to discuss a few things first, okay?”
She nodded, feeling more relieved than she hoped she let on.
“So, let’s make a date to talk on Sunday night after everyone has left.” He brushed his fingers over her jaw line before pulling her flush with his body. “We’ll be alright, I promise.”
Liz so desperately wanted to believe him, but some things were too big even for a King to fix.
Max lay awake for a long time, wondering what Nick wanted to discuss with him. Nick had cornered him just after the others had left and Liz was still outside saying good-bye to tell Max that he needed to talk to him about something urgent. And that it was better that he and Max talk alone first. He unconsciously held Liz tighter to him. He had a horrible feeling about this…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Although Max had been very reluctant to let her go, Liz and Grace left for the city early on Saturday morning to do some shopping. Grace claimed the shops in Roswell seriously lacked when it came to baby stuff.
Max didn’t really want Liz to go because he could feel the sadness and worry come off her in waves. It was very strange to him, because on the other hand, she seemed to be glowing. Not literally, but something inside her just shined.
Nick watched as Max practically hung onto Liz’s hand until they were in the car. Max kissed Liz through the open driver’s window and made her promise that she would drive safely. Even Liz looked a little amused by his anxiety attack. It made Nick feel even worse, because just like they did so many years ago, Max and Liz were aware of something brewing on the horizon.
Max was wary as he sat outside with Nick in the garden and Nick’s jittery actions just confirmed his suspicions that something was up. “Right, what do you need to tell me?”
Staring at his feet, Nick wondered where to begin. “A war is brewing between the four planets. Peace talks are starting soon.”
All the blood was draining from Max’s face. No, no, no, no…
“The Tresarians specifically asked that our planet be represented before they would come to the talks. Max, Tess is going to represent our planet during those talks.” Nick paused. “Unless you go…”
It was all he could do not to say ‘no’ immediately and hope that the whole mess will just go away. Instead, he took a calming breath and asked: “Why do we even need to be there? It’s not like we have a planet left.” Please don’t make me go to another planet without Liz…
“Eric’s planet is by far the strongest in the group. If Tresar does not agree to peace, there will be war. Alliances are being formed, Max, and we need to end this once and for all. We cannot hide here forever. Would you really want your children to grow up like you did? Forever hiding from something? Because the possibility would always exist that the Tresarians could find out where you are. That you are still alive. And that you have kids.”
The vice around his chest was tightening. “When would I have to go?” His voice was soft, strained.
“As soon as possible, there have already been skirmishes and lives lost,” Nick sounded very serious. “Max, I know this might look like it’s not your problem, but your father used to dream of uniting the five planets in a federation. Many people up there still believe in what he stood for. And you could save millions of lives. I don’t think we should leave our heritage and the future of four planets on the shoulders of Tess…”
Max was staring at the tabletop. Silent. Thinking.
“I would propose that you take Michael and Isabel too. So that the whole Royal family is there. Strength in numbers as they say…”
When Max still didn’t say anything, Nick prompted him. “What do you say, Max? Will you do it?”
There really was only one answer, Max could give his friend. “Yes…”
PART 30
Relief flooded Nick as he heard Max’s firm answer. “You will?” It had been easier than he had thought it would be.
“But…” Max met Nick’s gaze steadily. “Liz is coming with me.”
Opening his mouth to protest, Nick realized he should’ve seen this coming. Max wouldn’t go anywhere without Liz. But this was not a good idea. “I don’t think—”
Max interrupted him. “No, Nick. I’m not asking you, I’m telling you. She’s coming with me.”
Nick was quiet for a long time. “I know how you feel about this… about her, but we don’t know what the reaction of the other groups will be to her. We don’t know what to expect on the other side at all. There might be danger.”
A determined light was shining in Max’s eyes by now. “If there’s danger, I’d rather have her with me. They are bound to find out about her anyway. They could get to her here too.” He rubbed his face tiredly. “We promised each other we would listen to our premonitions after… after last time. And this time I feel she needs to go with me or something will happen to us.” He pinned Nick with another steady stare. “I promised her, Nick. And I will keep that promise. Those people need to recognize that Liz is my wife. Not Tess.”
Nick decided to try one last time. “You probably won’t see her very much over there. You will be so busy—”
“I don’t care. She is really upset and there is no way I’m leaving her here. Even if I only get to see her for half-an-hour every day, it’s better than not seeing her at all.” He was silent for a few moments. “In fact, I think all six of us should go.”
Nick blanched at that. “All six of you! Max, with all due respect—”
Max silenced him by holding up his hand. “You’ve taught me a lot about being a good leader, but there is one thing I learnt all by myself. Our group is stronger when we are together. Liz and I are stronger when we are together… I will have to discuss it with them all first, but if they want to go, we’ll take them.” Max didn’t know how to explain this feeling that he shouldn’t let Liz out of his sight right now. This sense of something happening to Liz was overpowering and threatened to drive him crazy with worry. No, there was no way he was going anywhere without her…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shopping for baby clothes with Grace was really hard for Liz. Firstly, she couldn’t help wondering if she would ever be doing this for her own child, and secondly, because she could feel Max’s increasing agitation. They were both really upset about this “premonition” of theirs and Max’s worry seems to be getting worse.
And why was their connection so strong? Instead of the vague sensing of his feelings when they weren’t physically close, it felt as clear as when he was inside her. As when they were making love. It both scared and exited her. It exited her because she never feels this close to Max unless he was making love to her and it scared her because she feared it meant something bad was going on.
And it was.
When they got home, she could see on Max’s face that something had happened. He looked at her with an intensity that threatened to steal her breath away. And he crushed her to him as soon as she was out of the car. Liz felt her throat close up with fear, but she put up a brave face until they were alone.
Grace and Nick had gone to their room to put baby Maddie to sleep and Max took the chance to take Liz to their bedroom. Just inside the door, he jerked her against him and kissed her passionately. Desperately. Possessively. His movements lacked their usual grace and instead were laced with urgency. Max Evans was completely off balance.
Liz gave herself up to his caresses with wild abandon in the hope that it would chase away her fears. She knew she should be asking questions, but right now she just wanted to bask in being with Max. In his love and in his embrace, which still was the only place in the universe where she felt truly complete.
He couldn’t stop kissing her. He needed to tell her what was going on, but he was afraid to let her out of his arms. Afraid that, for all his bravado with Nick, his world really was coming crashing down on him. Instead, he let his mind talk to hers.
Liz, I need you. So much. Now more than ever. Please go with me.
The emotions and words rushing at her from Max were threatening to drown Liz. There was so much to take in, but most of all, she was shocked by the panicked need she felt from Max. For her. She tore her mouth from his, gasping for breath and grasping at Max’s shirt in desperation. “Max, you’re scaring me! Please tell me what is going on?”
He wanted to, but suddenly a lot of what Nick had said made sense. What if taking Liz to Dendar would put her in danger? He didn’t know anything about the planet other than that Tess had apparently survived there with her human body. But what if there was something different about him, Michael, Isabel and Tess that he didn’t know about? Something that could make a life and death difference to Liz?
Again, Liz could feel and hear everything as if he was inside her mind. She slowly sank onto the bed, with Max still clinging to her hands. “You have to go to Dendar?”
“Yeah,” Max looked tortured. “But I want… need you to go with me. Will you?”
Opening her mouth to speak, it promptly felt like Liz was being sucked into a tunnel. A black void. Dizziness overtook her and she only managed to whisper ‘Max’ before she lost consciousness.
“Liz!” Max cried as he caught her. He lay her down on the bed gently and stretched out next to her, touching her with shaking hands. He ascertained very quickly that she had just passed out and that everything else seemed to be fine. His heart was pounding with reaction to seeing her slump to the floor like that. Of course Liz had gotten the flu a few times since their marriage, it was not like Max wasn’t used to her getting sick. But he still freaked out every time it happened. She was his Liz, damn it, and he hated that things happened to her that he couldn’t fix.
She had never passed out before, though. He tenderly caressed her face with one hand as he whispered in her ear: “Please wake up, Liz. I love you…” He kept murmuring soft things until he could feel her stir against him.
“Max?” Liz’s voiced was husky, confused.
“I’m here, love.”
“I’ll go, Max. Of course I’ll go.” Her voice was gaining strength.
Max stared at her in amazement. Here he was, still trying to recover from her fainting spell, and she was already talking sense. But when he looked in her eyes, he could see she was dazed and he realized that her answer had nothing to do with recovering, but everything with her anxiety about him leaving. “Shhh, sweetie, let me get you some water, then we’ll talk, okay?”
She watched the door of the bathroom until he returned. Liz wasn’t sure exactly what had happened, but she knew she was worried about not seeing Max again. She relaxed only when she saw him striding towards her with a glass of water and a wet cloth in his hands. His eyes were haunted, making Liz tearful. She had done something cause that look. “I’m sorry, Max…”
He was beside her immediately. “For what? No! I just—I just panicked when I saw you like that, Liz. I—I never want to face being without you.”
Liz grabbed the hand he was using to wipe her face with the cloth. “Never. Where you go, I go.”
Max inhaled sharply at her words. They were everything he needed to hear at this moment. “Liz, it may be dangerous. And your job… I don’t know how long we will be gone. And there’s a war brewing—”
“I don’t care,” she said promptly, making Max’s heart soar. “I only know that I want to be wherever you are.”
He kissed her softly, rubbing their lips over each other while cupping her face. “‘I love you’ seems so insufficient to explain how I feel about you.”
She put her hands on his face too. “Max, you made me me. How much more do you need to say?”
Closing his eyes, Max breathed deeply as emotion threatened to choke him. He didn’t know how to answer, so he hugged her to him again, praying his embrace would speak for him.
When they had both calmed down a bit, he got back to the reason for his earlier panic: “What happened just now? Are you ill? Did you eat? Are you—”
Liz kissed him to stop the barrage of questions. “I don’t know, love. I just… I think it was because I was so worried about you. And I’m tired. I haven’t been sleeping all that much lately.”
They looked at each other with comprehension. It was the same reason why Max had tired bruises under his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Liz.” She looked at him with alarm, so he hastened to finish. “For making your life so uncertain.”
“I told you before. I have the only certainty I will ever need – your love. The rest are mere details.” She cuddled into Max’s warm body and sighed. That horrible feeling that has been plaguing her for days seemed to have lifted somewhat. Maybe because they now knew what they had to face.
Max was rubbing her back soothingly. “I’ll get everyone here tomorrow and we can decide on a plan of action.”
She nodded, that sounded like a good plan. “So, why are we going to Dendar?”
And Max realized she had said she would go without even knowing why… He lifted her higher up against the pillows and kissed her breathless. “You are so amazing!”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick paced in the spare room later that night. He had talked to Max and Liz for a long time and Liz seemed even more determined to go than ever. On the one hand, he knew that letting her go would make Max more productive. If she were left behind on earth, the majority of Max’s attention would go into worrying about her and missing her. But if she went, who knew what could happen? Nick was sure Tess wouldn’t appreciate having her exalted position taken from her again. By none other than Liz. Not to mention that he worried that the Tresarian request to have the Antar Royal Family represented during the talks may be a trap.
But what alternative did he have? His spies on Dendar were relaying the imminence of war and it seemed like Max was the only one that could make a difference. Not to mention that Max could be fulfilling one of his father Aaron’s dreams – uniting all the planets in their system.
He worried about Liz. She was the glue that kept the aliens and humans together and they have put so much faith in her link with Max. What if something happened to her on Dendar? He had no idea what awaited them there. He sat down heavily on the bed. He will discuss the final plans for their departure with Max tomorrow. He needed to get transport for them, which meant contacting Dendar officially. And that meant that the fact that the King of Antar was alive and well and living on earth would not be a secret anymore…
~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz lay in the circle of Max’s arms and felt more peace than she had in a few days. She could see the stars through their window and she wondered at the fact that she might be among them soon. How weird was that? Humans have been trying to travel in space for decades and were very proud of themselves for reaching the moon. Well, here she was, a girl from a small town in New Mexico, about to travel to another galaxy.
She turned on her back and Max shifted automatically to accommodate her changed position with the ease of years of practice. He lay on his side, his face pressed into the crook of her neck, his even breathing caressing her skin. Liz tangled her fingers with his that were splayed over her stomach. That’s when she saw it.
His hand was glowing. Not brightly, but definitely glowing.
Her gasp woke Max up and he looked at her, blinking sleep from his eyes. “Is something wrong?” he asked with concern.
Liz brought his hand up from her stomach to press her lips in his palm. The glow died out immediately after his hand left her body. “No! Everything is fine.”
He kissed her softly. “Are you sure?”
Nodding, Liz prayed that he wouldn’t force the issue and most importantly that he wouldn’t learn anything from their connection. She gave him another quick kiss and rolled onto her side with her back to him. “Just hold me, that’s all I need.”
He pulled her flush against him and Liz waited until she could hear him drift off to sleep before she carefully splayed his fingers over her womb again. The faint glow started almost immediately.
Breathing deeply, Liz cautioned herself to remain calm. She was really afraid that she knew what was causing this. And with that knowledge came the decision that Max should not find out about this before they left for Dendar, or he would never let her accompany him…
tbc
31+32
PART 31
Complete and utter hell. That was what Liz experienced during the next few days. Keeping a secret from Max was hard at the best of times, but keeping from him that she suspected she was pregnant was almost intolerable. She was scared, exited, worried and elated all at the same time and not having Max as a safety net during these emotional times was putting a lot of strain on her. For one thing, she still wasn’t sure that she really was pregnant and she desperately wanted to keep the info from Max until there was no way they could be separated again.
But worst of all was not sharing with Max that his child was probably growing inside her. This was one of those times that a couple should be experiencing everything together. She swung from being at the heights of ecstasy about her possible pregnancy, to the depths of despair about Max not knowing. Under normal circumstances, Max would have been ecstatic, but with the threat of them going into a war zone, Liz knew he would worry. She still dreamed of being able to share this agonizing and exiting time with him. She wanted to see his face when she told him, she wanted to experience every one of his feelings when he found out, but most of all, she just wanted to be close to Max again.
She had purposely kept herself away from him as much as she could without raising too much suspicion. Luckily, there had been a million things to do and Max was too tired to do anything but hold her late at night. And her fainting spell was still vivid in his memory, making her efforts to look too tired for anything physical look plausible. He had given her a few worried looks, but mostly he treated her like she was made of fine porcelain. He touched her gently, held her hand and kissed her softly, but nothing beyond that. He seemed to sense her need for a bit of distance and Liz knew that any other time, he would have confronted her with her actions by now. She was relieved, but it was also horrible. She needed him. She needed him to make love to her and be close to her. Her body needed his with a vengeance, but she couldn’t risk him seeing too much via their connection. And it was slowly killing her…
~*~*~*~*~*~
On Sunday, everybody had been there for lunch and Liz had watched as their eyes grew bigger while Max explained the situation on Dendar and the need for him to go there. Sympathetic glances had been sent her way until Max made it clear that Liz was going with him. Those same eyes grew even wider when Max had announced that Michael and Isabel should go to Dendar too and had asked Maria and Alex to join them in going.
The discussion had been short. Michael and Isabel would never let Max go alone and Maria and Alex did not want to miss out on traveling to another galaxy, let alone have their significant other’s go off without them. Liz could feel Max relaxing next to her as they all agreed to go. He gave her one of his crooked smiles and squeezed her hand to tell her how happy this made him.
“I’m only going to kick the scrawny butt of one Tess Harding to the curb when we get there,” Maria had announced to them. “I just know this is all her fault.”
“Just so long as you do it from behind Mr. Shoots-Energy-Bolts-from-his-Hands over there,” Alex had countered, pointing at Michael. “Otherwise your single-handed attempt at saving the universe will be very short-lived.”
Nick had hovered on the periphery of the meeting, his agitation clear to everyone. He still wasn’t convinced that it was a good idea for all of them to go, but Max had spoken and it was up to him to make sure everything went according to plan. Their plan.
Nick was of the opinion that their transport would arrive the next weekend at the earliest, so they would all meet on Friday night in Frazier Woods to wait for the ship. He also hoped they wouldn’t lynch him for the adjustments he had made to their travel arrangements. But he was doing it because he had to… He told them all to pack light just before he left with Grace and Maddie for Roswell on Sunday afternoon.
Everyone had agreed to organize unpaid leave from their jobs and congregate in Roswell again as soon as they have their affairs settled. Members of the alien colony would mind their houses and pay their bills and everyone was too afraid to ask how they would accomplish that. Max and Liz had to work until Friday and in between, Liz talked to their elderly neighbors to look after their garden. Max worked very late most nights since he had been in the middle of a big project when all this came down and he wanted to finish as much of it as possible before he left.
This gave Liz more breathing space, but by Thursday she was ready to climb the walls. It was not that she and Max couldn’t go a few days without physical intimacy, they have been together for close to 10 years, after all, but not being allowed to be with him was a completely different kettle of fish. It made her fixate on the absence of sex all the more.
She was feeling fine so far. She had some intermittent dizzy spells, but as luck would have it, Max had not been around for any of them and they weren’t too bad. Only a few more days, she promised herself. As soon as they were on that ship and there was no way he could send her back, she was telling him everything. She hoped these other aliens had a way of confirming pregnancy, because if the conception happened when she thought it did, it was way too soon to go to a human doctor yet. There were some tests that could tell if you’re pregnant as early as seven days after conception, but they were not all that conclusive. And there was no way she would be able to hide a visit to the doctor from Max. He would go into orbit about it, would want to go with her and know exactly what is going on and she would cave. No, she would have to wait.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max was exhausted when he finally got home close to midnight on Thursday night. There had just been so many things to concentrate on that he felt like he had been through the wringer. Things were intense at work. His boss had not been too thrilled about him going away unexpectedly for an indeterminate time so he was working his butt off to finish a few things before he left. Added to that he had been in contact with Nick all the time, trying to find out as much as he can about what was going on up on Dendar to prepare himself.
Nick had informed him that the ship was on the way that would pick them up and also that the news about his existence caused quite a stir on the four planets. Max hadn’t asked, but he knew Nick would be monitoring the reactions of Tess and Nacedo to their imminent arrival. Seeing them again was not something he was looking forward to.
And then there was Liz. She had become distant and quiet and if he didn’t know better, he would swear that she was trying to block him from reading too much of her emotions. He didn’t know what to think about her actions. Sometimes when he was at work, he would experience such intense emotions from her that he would have to stop what he was doing and take calming breaths. The problem was that those emotions were so jumbled and wide-ranging that he couldn’t figure them out. And every time he asked her how she was, she told him ‘fine’ with a smile. It was starting to drive him crazy.
He wanted to give Liz the space she so obviously needed, but he also wanted to fix whatever it was that had her so emotional. The main thing stopping him was his fear that she was panicking about going to Dendar with him. He really didn’t want to know that, because it might indicate a deeper fear within her that they haven’t had to face for many years. His alien side. What if, after all these years, him being “not normal” was finally starting to bother her? He stopped himself from thinking about that possibility too much. Along that road lay madness. Because in spite of the threats of hordes of aliens trying to kill him and the uncertainty of venturing into an unknown galaxy, the one thing that frightened Max Evans above all else, was the possibility of losing Liz.
The house was quiet when he entered it and he felt a pang of sadness when he realized it would be their last night in their little home for a long time. He found Liz already in bed, the sheets tangled around her hips as she slept on her side, her arm clutching his pillow to her chest. She was wearing silk pajamas with spaghetti straps that he had given her on a whim a few years ago. One of the straps had fallen off her shoulder and her smooth thigh was thrown over the sheet. Her pj’s had ridden up to her hips and the sight of all that golden skin reminded Max that he hadn’t made love to his beautiful wife in a week. He walked closer to the bed and tenderly stroked her hair back from her face. How he loved this woman! She was the air that he breathed and was imprinted on every cell of his body.
Liz rolled towards him when she dimly sensed his hands touching her. “Oh Max…” It was barely audible. She didn’t want to wake up and face the reality of another night lying next to him without getting too close.
Max froze. Her instinctive movements and soft sigh had shot straight to his loins. He wanted her so much he could taste it. But he fought down his impulse to just wake her up in the most primitive of ways and instead he leant down and kissed her cheek tenderly. She was so small and fragile, and he still had trouble getting that image of her fainting out of his mind. So he forced himself away from her, going to the bathroom to shower.
Waiting until he disappeared into the bathroom, Liz slowly let out the breath she had been holding and rolled onto her side again. She had come fully awake at his kiss and had prayed that he wouldn’t do more than kiss her. She could feel his need for her and tonight she had very little fight left. Her body craved his hands and his mouth. And her mind craved its deep connection with Max’s. She lay listening to the water running in the bathroom and her mind created the visuals involuntarily. There wasn’t an inch of that body that she didn’t know intimately by now. How she longed to just give up her efforts to stay away from him and walk into that bathroom. Then she remembered why she was doing this. Curving her hand over her belly, she reminded herself that the alternative was Max leaving her here and going off to another planet for who knows how long. No, she had to stay strong. Only a few more days…
By the time Max dropped heavily into bed, Liz had herself more or less under control again. She stayed on her side, facing away from him and listened to him shift around to get settled. He lay quietly next to her for a long time, his breathing telling her that he wasn’t sleeping. She desperately thought of things like their garden and her work to make sure that nothing about her situation escapes into his mind.
Max was still trying to get the humming of his body under control, so he lay with his hands under his head and stared up at the dark ceiling. He wondered what tomorrow would bring. He couldn’t even imagine what a space ship looks like, let alone what it would feel like to travel to another galaxy. They were truly venturing into the unknown.
Sighing softly, he admitted it. He missed Liz. He missed knowing what was going on in her head and her mind. He missed kissing her breathless and hearing her moans.
Moving onto his side slowly, his eyes traced the indentation of her spine and the way her glorious hair spilled over her shoulder and the pillow. Reaching out a hand, he touched the silky tendrils gently, rubbing them between his fingers and the thought of how she sometimes drove him crazy with that hair came unbidden into his mind. He clenched his jaw against the riot of lust streaking through his body at the memories. He shifted closer to her, reveling in her scent and her heat.
He needed to touch her. He would do it softly so he didn’t wake her up, but he needed to run his hands over her skin just for a few blissful moments. Liz was used to having him all over her in her sleep, so he didn’t think she would notice. He started with her hip, gently rubbing the silk material of her pajamas underneath the palm of his hand. The friction was delicious, but he needed to feel her bare skin, so he moved to her arm. He trailed his fingers up to her shoulder lightly, vaguely registering the goosebumps that followed his touch. How could skin be this soft?
Sliding closer without even noticing it, he finally found himself pressed against her back, their naked thighs touching. He knew he was driving himself insane, but he couldn’t stop.
It was all she could do not to throw back her head and beg him to take her. Liz was starting to shiver under his hand and she bit her lip to make sure that her breathing didn’t give her away. She had been in trouble as soon as his hand had touched her hair.
Max pressed his lips against her shoulder, lightly tasting her skin with his tongue before pulling back. Getting carried away was not a good idea. Instead, he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her more tightly into him. It was excruciating inhaling her intoxicating scent and feeling her fit so perfectly against his body. “Liz,” he whispered her name against her hair. So much was locked up in that one little word. His love, his desire, his possession and his awe.
As his hand brushed the silk out of the way to cup her breast, Liz gripped the sheet and spoke to the maybe baby inside her: ‘You better be in there, because I am giving up your daddy’s loving for you! And you can’t even imagine how hard that is for me.’ As his hand continued to slowly graze her breast, Liz decided that she needed to do something for Max too. “I love you, Max,” she whispered softly, hoping he would think she was talking in her sleep.
Hugging her closer, Max tried to stop his suddenly racing heart. All his suspicions were confirmed. Liz was awake, but didn’t want him to know because she didn’t want him to make love to her. What was going on?
PART 32
By breakfast, Max felt ready to have a nervous breakdown. Liz was avoiding his gaze this morning and he wondered again if he shouldn’t just come right out and ask her what was wrong. Somewhere during the night, Liz had turned to him in her sleep and had clung to him with such desperation that he had contemplated waking her up to find out what is going on. It was clear that she was distraught about something and Max didn’t have a clue what it was about. He had decided somewhere during the dark hours that he would talk to her before they left for Roswell late this afternoon, but now he wondered if he would make it until then.
He watched her getting ready for work with dark eyes, and Liz chewed her lip incessantly trying to stop herself from falling apart completely. He knew, she told herself. Of course he knew she was silently freaking out! How could he not know when she was acting so strange? Max was so in tune with her that there was no way she could hide her distress from him for any length of time. She was putting on some eyeliner when she realized that her eyes were wet with tears.
“Liz?” Max was suddenly standing behind her, looking at her in the mirror with such love and anguish on his face that she crumbled. She heard her own sobs echo through the room and the next instant he had scooped her up from the chair and was cradling her against him. She gripped his shirt and pressed her face into his neck, crying as if her heart was breaking.
Max sat down on their bed and settled her in his lap, stroking her hair with one hand as the other arm crushed her against him. Her sobs were tearing into his heart like sharp claws, each one hurting more than the next. “Please—please tell me what is wrong?” He could barely speak around the pain in his chest.
In response, Liz just cried harder and increased her grip on him. He concentrated on her feelings through their connection, deciphering fear, loneliness, uncertainty and heartache so severe it stopped his breath. His own fear that this was about him increased tenfold. “Liz… please, I—I just… please!” he begged incoherently.
His warmth was all around her and Liz slowly calmed down somewhat. She was still afraid that he would find out too much, but at least she was back in his arms for a few precious seconds.
He was shaking.
Against her, Max was shaking in reaction to her inconsolable tears and Liz’s guilt about lying to him and being distant from him spiked. Would he ever forgive her for doing this to them? Would he ever forgive her for not telling him?
“Not telling me what? Forgive you for what?” he asked frantically.
She jerked away from him in a panic, realizing belatedly that he had heard her thoughts. The hurt in his eyes when she did that nearly caused another breakdown. “I—I really want to tell you, Max, but… I can’t. Not right now… Please!”
She was starting to cry again and Max alternated between wanting to force whatever it was out of her and trying not to upset her more. “Please let me help you,” he ended up whispering painfully, hoping against hope that she would give in and tell him. Her words had created a vice around his chest. ‘Forgive… doing this to them… not telling him…’ His mind was making up the most horrible scenarios of what all this could mean and he lowered his eyes from hers when she didn’t respond right away.
Wiping away the moisture from her cheeks, Liz looked down on his bent head and felt the full force of his torment slam into her. Oh God, how selfish was she being? “Max…” She ran her hand over his cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck to lean into him. He trembled against her again. “I love you,” she whispered against his skin. “More than ever. More every day.”
She felt him nod above her, but he didn’t say anything. “I will tell you. I promise. Just give me some time. Please…”
“Okay,” he didn’t sound sure he was doing the right thing.
He had no experience with Liz not telling him things. Usually he was the first person to know everything she did and felt. An ache settled in his heart and it took him a few moments to identify it as loneliness, something he had never felt since he got together with Liz. He only remembered it from all those years he was watching her from afar. Seeing her experience things that he wasn’t a part of had been terrible. Knowing she was experiencing things now that he wasn’t a part of after being in her mind and body for 10 years was excruciating. Suspecting that this was happening because of him was even worse.
He drove them to work in silence. Liz had felt him starting to shut down his emotions as soon as they had gotten up from the bed after their “talk” and she was worried. She finally took his hand when he wasn’t changing gears and was silently relieved when he didn’t pull away from her physically too. When he parked in front of her lab, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back desperately before kissing her good-bye softly.
Liz turned around when she reached the front door of the building and saw him still sitting in the same place, his head bent, his eyes closed and his hands gripping the steering wheel. It hit her again: she was hurting him. She was hurting the most important person in her life.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick had organized a place for them to camp in Frazier Woods that was far away from prying eyes. He brought a few of the other men from the camp with him and they had set up tents and other essentials for the group that was coming later that afternoon.
It had been hard for him to choose, but he had to take some people from the colony with him on the trip and leave others behind. Max and his family will need protection and advice while on Dendar and needless to say, all Max’s people wanted to share in the honor of going with him. In the end, he had decided on 20 men. Enough to keep an eye on all the members of the Royal Family as well as impress the leaderships of the other planets.
He was worried about Max, though. Every time they had spoken on the phone, Max sounded more tired. And this morning was even worse. Nick was of the opinion that something was seriously wrong with Max. And that could only mean one thing. Liz. He would have to keep an eye on them tonight to see what was going on. Nick had trouble believing that after all this time and after all they’ve been through, a trip to another planet could cause problems between Max and Liz.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael, Maria, Isabel and Alex were all driving down in Isabel’s car. They had invited their parents to meet them in the woods to say good-bye since no one really knew when they were coming back. None of them were looking forward to the farewell scene.
The bickering had started even before they were in the car.
“Isabel, what the hell do you have in this bag?” Michael exclaimed as they loaded up the car.
“Shut up, Michael. Everything is weightless in space,” Isabel had countered.
“Oooh! In that case, I expect to be carried around a lot, Space Boy,” Maria said. She was grinning from ear-to-ear at Michael’s ‘I’m in hell’ look.
He got in the car and mumbled: “I wonder if maybe sound doesn’t carry in space either.”
“I heard that!” Maria yelled from outside the car.
“I wonder if they have electricity so I can power up my lap top and take notes?” Alex was leaning against the car with a far-away look in his eyes.
Maria burst out laughing. “You’re kidding me, right? Electricity? These people heat stuff with their hands, why would they need electricity?” She fell unexpectedly quiet before suddenly screaming: “Oh. My. God. I’m going into space!” She jumped into the car and grabbed Michael’s arm. “What if we don’t come back? I’m too young to be floating around in the stars for years! And you haven’t even married me, you bastard! I’ve been living in sin for years and it’s all your fault. I can’t die now. Michael—”
“Would you quit yelling in my ear? Everything will be fine. Tess lived through this, so why won’t you?”
This halted Maria for a few seconds before she gathered steam again. “Because her hair color is fake? Because she is shorter than I am and have bigger boobs? Pick your reason!” She took a deep breath. “If something happens to me up there, I’m kicking your ass, Michael Guerin! If you hadn’t abducted me in high school, I wouldn’t be in this—”
Michael eventually shut her up the only way he knew how. He kissed her.
“Finally,” Alex muttered to Isabel. “Step on that pedal and let’s get there before she comes out of her daze.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max finished a little early with his project and decided to go see if Liz could go home early too. He parked outside her lab and went in, the receptionist knew him well by now and she just waved him to the back with a smile.
His heart slammed to a halt when he found Liz being hugged by one of her co-workers. His mind was screaming at him to calm down, that this was nothing, but his heart urged him to go over there and rip the guy away from Liz. Instead he just clenched his hands into fists and hovered in the door. Liz saw him and for a fleeting moment, her face lit up like it always did when she saw him. But then that horrible distant look that he was starting to hate with every fiber of his being slipped into place again. He felt like she had kicked him in the gut.
Liz felt the dark emotions coming off him and she moved away from her colleague. She was so happy to see him, but then she remembered that she couldn’t get too close right now. She walked over to him meekly and hugged him lightly. His arms were around her immediately and he said ‘Liz’ in her ear. The tone of his voice clearly said ‘You are mine’ and Liz allowed herself to bask in his possessiveness for a few moments.
“Can we go?” His voice sounded strained.
She nodded and grabbed her stuff and Max took her hand as they walked out. This normally would’ve been a sweet gesture, but at the moment it felt more like he was trying to keep her from running off without him.
When they got home, Liz started gathering their bags in the bedroom, trying to ignore the fact that Max was watching her intently again. This was killing her.
He spoke unexpectedly, causing Liz to flinch. “Do you… Would you rather stay behind?”
Terror flew through Liz. No. No, no, no, no. “No!” She rushed over to him, grabbing his upper arms in desperation. “No, Max, please! You can’t… you can’t leave me behind. Please…”
Tears were shimmering in her eyes and Max was taken aback momentarily by the desperation in her voice before sweet relief flooded through his body. She did want to go with him. He touched her face gently, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Liz, you’re scaring me. Something is happening to you… to us, and I don’t know what it is or how to fix it.” He pressed his forehead against hers, squeezing his eyes shut. “I really need you right now. All of you, not just the little bits you’ve been giving me this past—”
Her strangled sob interrupted him.
Liz put her arms around her husband, pushing closer until it felt like she would climb into his body. She wanted to tell him, she really did. This was too hard. Maybe he would still let her go and if he didn’t she could stow away or something.
“Liz?”
She continued to cling to him. “Max, I… I’m… I think I’m…”
tbc
Complete and utter hell. That was what Liz experienced during the next few days. Keeping a secret from Max was hard at the best of times, but keeping from him that she suspected she was pregnant was almost intolerable. She was scared, exited, worried and elated all at the same time and not having Max as a safety net during these emotional times was putting a lot of strain on her. For one thing, she still wasn’t sure that she really was pregnant and she desperately wanted to keep the info from Max until there was no way they could be separated again.
But worst of all was not sharing with Max that his child was probably growing inside her. This was one of those times that a couple should be experiencing everything together. She swung from being at the heights of ecstasy about her possible pregnancy, to the depths of despair about Max not knowing. Under normal circumstances, Max would have been ecstatic, but with the threat of them going into a war zone, Liz knew he would worry. She still dreamed of being able to share this agonizing and exiting time with him. She wanted to see his face when she told him, she wanted to experience every one of his feelings when he found out, but most of all, she just wanted to be close to Max again.
She had purposely kept herself away from him as much as she could without raising too much suspicion. Luckily, there had been a million things to do and Max was too tired to do anything but hold her late at night. And her fainting spell was still vivid in his memory, making her efforts to look too tired for anything physical look plausible. He had given her a few worried looks, but mostly he treated her like she was made of fine porcelain. He touched her gently, held her hand and kissed her softly, but nothing beyond that. He seemed to sense her need for a bit of distance and Liz knew that any other time, he would have confronted her with her actions by now. She was relieved, but it was also horrible. She needed him. She needed him to make love to her and be close to her. Her body needed his with a vengeance, but she couldn’t risk him seeing too much via their connection. And it was slowly killing her…
~*~*~*~*~*~
On Sunday, everybody had been there for lunch and Liz had watched as their eyes grew bigger while Max explained the situation on Dendar and the need for him to go there. Sympathetic glances had been sent her way until Max made it clear that Liz was going with him. Those same eyes grew even wider when Max had announced that Michael and Isabel should go to Dendar too and had asked Maria and Alex to join them in going.
The discussion had been short. Michael and Isabel would never let Max go alone and Maria and Alex did not want to miss out on traveling to another galaxy, let alone have their significant other’s go off without them. Liz could feel Max relaxing next to her as they all agreed to go. He gave her one of his crooked smiles and squeezed her hand to tell her how happy this made him.
“I’m only going to kick the scrawny butt of one Tess Harding to the curb when we get there,” Maria had announced to them. “I just know this is all her fault.”
“Just so long as you do it from behind Mr. Shoots-Energy-Bolts-from-his-Hands over there,” Alex had countered, pointing at Michael. “Otherwise your single-handed attempt at saving the universe will be very short-lived.”
Nick had hovered on the periphery of the meeting, his agitation clear to everyone. He still wasn’t convinced that it was a good idea for all of them to go, but Max had spoken and it was up to him to make sure everything went according to plan. Their plan.
Nick was of the opinion that their transport would arrive the next weekend at the earliest, so they would all meet on Friday night in Frazier Woods to wait for the ship. He also hoped they wouldn’t lynch him for the adjustments he had made to their travel arrangements. But he was doing it because he had to… He told them all to pack light just before he left with Grace and Maddie for Roswell on Sunday afternoon.
Everyone had agreed to organize unpaid leave from their jobs and congregate in Roswell again as soon as they have their affairs settled. Members of the alien colony would mind their houses and pay their bills and everyone was too afraid to ask how they would accomplish that. Max and Liz had to work until Friday and in between, Liz talked to their elderly neighbors to look after their garden. Max worked very late most nights since he had been in the middle of a big project when all this came down and he wanted to finish as much of it as possible before he left.
This gave Liz more breathing space, but by Thursday she was ready to climb the walls. It was not that she and Max couldn’t go a few days without physical intimacy, they have been together for close to 10 years, after all, but not being allowed to be with him was a completely different kettle of fish. It made her fixate on the absence of sex all the more.
She was feeling fine so far. She had some intermittent dizzy spells, but as luck would have it, Max had not been around for any of them and they weren’t too bad. Only a few more days, she promised herself. As soon as they were on that ship and there was no way he could send her back, she was telling him everything. She hoped these other aliens had a way of confirming pregnancy, because if the conception happened when she thought it did, it was way too soon to go to a human doctor yet. There were some tests that could tell if you’re pregnant as early as seven days after conception, but they were not all that conclusive. And there was no way she would be able to hide a visit to the doctor from Max. He would go into orbit about it, would want to go with her and know exactly what is going on and she would cave. No, she would have to wait.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max was exhausted when he finally got home close to midnight on Thursday night. There had just been so many things to concentrate on that he felt like he had been through the wringer. Things were intense at work. His boss had not been too thrilled about him going away unexpectedly for an indeterminate time so he was working his butt off to finish a few things before he left. Added to that he had been in contact with Nick all the time, trying to find out as much as he can about what was going on up on Dendar to prepare himself.
Nick had informed him that the ship was on the way that would pick them up and also that the news about his existence caused quite a stir on the four planets. Max hadn’t asked, but he knew Nick would be monitoring the reactions of Tess and Nacedo to their imminent arrival. Seeing them again was not something he was looking forward to.
And then there was Liz. She had become distant and quiet and if he didn’t know better, he would swear that she was trying to block him from reading too much of her emotions. He didn’t know what to think about her actions. Sometimes when he was at work, he would experience such intense emotions from her that he would have to stop what he was doing and take calming breaths. The problem was that those emotions were so jumbled and wide-ranging that he couldn’t figure them out. And every time he asked her how she was, she told him ‘fine’ with a smile. It was starting to drive him crazy.
He wanted to give Liz the space she so obviously needed, but he also wanted to fix whatever it was that had her so emotional. The main thing stopping him was his fear that she was panicking about going to Dendar with him. He really didn’t want to know that, because it might indicate a deeper fear within her that they haven’t had to face for many years. His alien side. What if, after all these years, him being “not normal” was finally starting to bother her? He stopped himself from thinking about that possibility too much. Along that road lay madness. Because in spite of the threats of hordes of aliens trying to kill him and the uncertainty of venturing into an unknown galaxy, the one thing that frightened Max Evans above all else, was the possibility of losing Liz.
The house was quiet when he entered it and he felt a pang of sadness when he realized it would be their last night in their little home for a long time. He found Liz already in bed, the sheets tangled around her hips as she slept on her side, her arm clutching his pillow to her chest. She was wearing silk pajamas with spaghetti straps that he had given her on a whim a few years ago. One of the straps had fallen off her shoulder and her smooth thigh was thrown over the sheet. Her pj’s had ridden up to her hips and the sight of all that golden skin reminded Max that he hadn’t made love to his beautiful wife in a week. He walked closer to the bed and tenderly stroked her hair back from her face. How he loved this woman! She was the air that he breathed and was imprinted on every cell of his body.
Liz rolled towards him when she dimly sensed his hands touching her. “Oh Max…” It was barely audible. She didn’t want to wake up and face the reality of another night lying next to him without getting too close.
Max froze. Her instinctive movements and soft sigh had shot straight to his loins. He wanted her so much he could taste it. But he fought down his impulse to just wake her up in the most primitive of ways and instead he leant down and kissed her cheek tenderly. She was so small and fragile, and he still had trouble getting that image of her fainting out of his mind. So he forced himself away from her, going to the bathroom to shower.
Waiting until he disappeared into the bathroom, Liz slowly let out the breath she had been holding and rolled onto her side again. She had come fully awake at his kiss and had prayed that he wouldn’t do more than kiss her. She could feel his need for her and tonight she had very little fight left. Her body craved his hands and his mouth. And her mind craved its deep connection with Max’s. She lay listening to the water running in the bathroom and her mind created the visuals involuntarily. There wasn’t an inch of that body that she didn’t know intimately by now. How she longed to just give up her efforts to stay away from him and walk into that bathroom. Then she remembered why she was doing this. Curving her hand over her belly, she reminded herself that the alternative was Max leaving her here and going off to another planet for who knows how long. No, she had to stay strong. Only a few more days…
By the time Max dropped heavily into bed, Liz had herself more or less under control again. She stayed on her side, facing away from him and listened to him shift around to get settled. He lay quietly next to her for a long time, his breathing telling her that he wasn’t sleeping. She desperately thought of things like their garden and her work to make sure that nothing about her situation escapes into his mind.
Max was still trying to get the humming of his body under control, so he lay with his hands under his head and stared up at the dark ceiling. He wondered what tomorrow would bring. He couldn’t even imagine what a space ship looks like, let alone what it would feel like to travel to another galaxy. They were truly venturing into the unknown.
Sighing softly, he admitted it. He missed Liz. He missed knowing what was going on in her head and her mind. He missed kissing her breathless and hearing her moans.
Moving onto his side slowly, his eyes traced the indentation of her spine and the way her glorious hair spilled over her shoulder and the pillow. Reaching out a hand, he touched the silky tendrils gently, rubbing them between his fingers and the thought of how she sometimes drove him crazy with that hair came unbidden into his mind. He clenched his jaw against the riot of lust streaking through his body at the memories. He shifted closer to her, reveling in her scent and her heat.
He needed to touch her. He would do it softly so he didn’t wake her up, but he needed to run his hands over her skin just for a few blissful moments. Liz was used to having him all over her in her sleep, so he didn’t think she would notice. He started with her hip, gently rubbing the silk material of her pajamas underneath the palm of his hand. The friction was delicious, but he needed to feel her bare skin, so he moved to her arm. He trailed his fingers up to her shoulder lightly, vaguely registering the goosebumps that followed his touch. How could skin be this soft?
Sliding closer without even noticing it, he finally found himself pressed against her back, their naked thighs touching. He knew he was driving himself insane, but he couldn’t stop.
It was all she could do not to throw back her head and beg him to take her. Liz was starting to shiver under his hand and she bit her lip to make sure that her breathing didn’t give her away. She had been in trouble as soon as his hand had touched her hair.
Max pressed his lips against her shoulder, lightly tasting her skin with his tongue before pulling back. Getting carried away was not a good idea. Instead, he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her more tightly into him. It was excruciating inhaling her intoxicating scent and feeling her fit so perfectly against his body. “Liz,” he whispered her name against her hair. So much was locked up in that one little word. His love, his desire, his possession and his awe.
As his hand brushed the silk out of the way to cup her breast, Liz gripped the sheet and spoke to the maybe baby inside her: ‘You better be in there, because I am giving up your daddy’s loving for you! And you can’t even imagine how hard that is for me.’ As his hand continued to slowly graze her breast, Liz decided that she needed to do something for Max too. “I love you, Max,” she whispered softly, hoping he would think she was talking in her sleep.
Hugging her closer, Max tried to stop his suddenly racing heart. All his suspicions were confirmed. Liz was awake, but didn’t want him to know because she didn’t want him to make love to her. What was going on?
PART 32
By breakfast, Max felt ready to have a nervous breakdown. Liz was avoiding his gaze this morning and he wondered again if he shouldn’t just come right out and ask her what was wrong. Somewhere during the night, Liz had turned to him in her sleep and had clung to him with such desperation that he had contemplated waking her up to find out what is going on. It was clear that she was distraught about something and Max didn’t have a clue what it was about. He had decided somewhere during the dark hours that he would talk to her before they left for Roswell late this afternoon, but now he wondered if he would make it until then.
He watched her getting ready for work with dark eyes, and Liz chewed her lip incessantly trying to stop herself from falling apart completely. He knew, she told herself. Of course he knew she was silently freaking out! How could he not know when she was acting so strange? Max was so in tune with her that there was no way she could hide her distress from him for any length of time. She was putting on some eyeliner when she realized that her eyes were wet with tears.
“Liz?” Max was suddenly standing behind her, looking at her in the mirror with such love and anguish on his face that she crumbled. She heard her own sobs echo through the room and the next instant he had scooped her up from the chair and was cradling her against him. She gripped his shirt and pressed her face into his neck, crying as if her heart was breaking.
Max sat down on their bed and settled her in his lap, stroking her hair with one hand as the other arm crushed her against him. Her sobs were tearing into his heart like sharp claws, each one hurting more than the next. “Please—please tell me what is wrong?” He could barely speak around the pain in his chest.
In response, Liz just cried harder and increased her grip on him. He concentrated on her feelings through their connection, deciphering fear, loneliness, uncertainty and heartache so severe it stopped his breath. His own fear that this was about him increased tenfold. “Liz… please, I—I just… please!” he begged incoherently.
His warmth was all around her and Liz slowly calmed down somewhat. She was still afraid that he would find out too much, but at least she was back in his arms for a few precious seconds.
He was shaking.
Against her, Max was shaking in reaction to her inconsolable tears and Liz’s guilt about lying to him and being distant from him spiked. Would he ever forgive her for doing this to them? Would he ever forgive her for not telling him?
“Not telling me what? Forgive you for what?” he asked frantically.
She jerked away from him in a panic, realizing belatedly that he had heard her thoughts. The hurt in his eyes when she did that nearly caused another breakdown. “I—I really want to tell you, Max, but… I can’t. Not right now… Please!”
She was starting to cry again and Max alternated between wanting to force whatever it was out of her and trying not to upset her more. “Please let me help you,” he ended up whispering painfully, hoping against hope that she would give in and tell him. Her words had created a vice around his chest. ‘Forgive… doing this to them… not telling him…’ His mind was making up the most horrible scenarios of what all this could mean and he lowered his eyes from hers when she didn’t respond right away.
Wiping away the moisture from her cheeks, Liz looked down on his bent head and felt the full force of his torment slam into her. Oh God, how selfish was she being? “Max…” She ran her hand over his cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck to lean into him. He trembled against her again. “I love you,” she whispered against his skin. “More than ever. More every day.”
She felt him nod above her, but he didn’t say anything. “I will tell you. I promise. Just give me some time. Please…”
“Okay,” he didn’t sound sure he was doing the right thing.
He had no experience with Liz not telling him things. Usually he was the first person to know everything she did and felt. An ache settled in his heart and it took him a few moments to identify it as loneliness, something he had never felt since he got together with Liz. He only remembered it from all those years he was watching her from afar. Seeing her experience things that he wasn’t a part of had been terrible. Knowing she was experiencing things now that he wasn’t a part of after being in her mind and body for 10 years was excruciating. Suspecting that this was happening because of him was even worse.
He drove them to work in silence. Liz had felt him starting to shut down his emotions as soon as they had gotten up from the bed after their “talk” and she was worried. She finally took his hand when he wasn’t changing gears and was silently relieved when he didn’t pull away from her physically too. When he parked in front of her lab, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back desperately before kissing her good-bye softly.
Liz turned around when she reached the front door of the building and saw him still sitting in the same place, his head bent, his eyes closed and his hands gripping the steering wheel. It hit her again: she was hurting him. She was hurting the most important person in her life.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick had organized a place for them to camp in Frazier Woods that was far away from prying eyes. He brought a few of the other men from the camp with him and they had set up tents and other essentials for the group that was coming later that afternoon.
It had been hard for him to choose, but he had to take some people from the colony with him on the trip and leave others behind. Max and his family will need protection and advice while on Dendar and needless to say, all Max’s people wanted to share in the honor of going with him. In the end, he had decided on 20 men. Enough to keep an eye on all the members of the Royal Family as well as impress the leaderships of the other planets.
He was worried about Max, though. Every time they had spoken on the phone, Max sounded more tired. And this morning was even worse. Nick was of the opinion that something was seriously wrong with Max. And that could only mean one thing. Liz. He would have to keep an eye on them tonight to see what was going on. Nick had trouble believing that after all this time and after all they’ve been through, a trip to another planet could cause problems between Max and Liz.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael, Maria, Isabel and Alex were all driving down in Isabel’s car. They had invited their parents to meet them in the woods to say good-bye since no one really knew when they were coming back. None of them were looking forward to the farewell scene.
The bickering had started even before they were in the car.
“Isabel, what the hell do you have in this bag?” Michael exclaimed as they loaded up the car.
“Shut up, Michael. Everything is weightless in space,” Isabel had countered.
“Oooh! In that case, I expect to be carried around a lot, Space Boy,” Maria said. She was grinning from ear-to-ear at Michael’s ‘I’m in hell’ look.
He got in the car and mumbled: “I wonder if maybe sound doesn’t carry in space either.”
“I heard that!” Maria yelled from outside the car.
“I wonder if they have electricity so I can power up my lap top and take notes?” Alex was leaning against the car with a far-away look in his eyes.
Maria burst out laughing. “You’re kidding me, right? Electricity? These people heat stuff with their hands, why would they need electricity?” She fell unexpectedly quiet before suddenly screaming: “Oh. My. God. I’m going into space!” She jumped into the car and grabbed Michael’s arm. “What if we don’t come back? I’m too young to be floating around in the stars for years! And you haven’t even married me, you bastard! I’ve been living in sin for years and it’s all your fault. I can’t die now. Michael—”
“Would you quit yelling in my ear? Everything will be fine. Tess lived through this, so why won’t you?”
This halted Maria for a few seconds before she gathered steam again. “Because her hair color is fake? Because she is shorter than I am and have bigger boobs? Pick your reason!” She took a deep breath. “If something happens to me up there, I’m kicking your ass, Michael Guerin! If you hadn’t abducted me in high school, I wouldn’t be in this—”
Michael eventually shut her up the only way he knew how. He kissed her.
“Finally,” Alex muttered to Isabel. “Step on that pedal and let’s get there before she comes out of her daze.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max finished a little early with his project and decided to go see if Liz could go home early too. He parked outside her lab and went in, the receptionist knew him well by now and she just waved him to the back with a smile.
His heart slammed to a halt when he found Liz being hugged by one of her co-workers. His mind was screaming at him to calm down, that this was nothing, but his heart urged him to go over there and rip the guy away from Liz. Instead he just clenched his hands into fists and hovered in the door. Liz saw him and for a fleeting moment, her face lit up like it always did when she saw him. But then that horrible distant look that he was starting to hate with every fiber of his being slipped into place again. He felt like she had kicked him in the gut.
Liz felt the dark emotions coming off him and she moved away from her colleague. She was so happy to see him, but then she remembered that she couldn’t get too close right now. She walked over to him meekly and hugged him lightly. His arms were around her immediately and he said ‘Liz’ in her ear. The tone of his voice clearly said ‘You are mine’ and Liz allowed herself to bask in his possessiveness for a few moments.
“Can we go?” His voice sounded strained.
She nodded and grabbed her stuff and Max took her hand as they walked out. This normally would’ve been a sweet gesture, but at the moment it felt more like he was trying to keep her from running off without him.
When they got home, Liz started gathering their bags in the bedroom, trying to ignore the fact that Max was watching her intently again. This was killing her.
He spoke unexpectedly, causing Liz to flinch. “Do you… Would you rather stay behind?”
Terror flew through Liz. No. No, no, no, no. “No!” She rushed over to him, grabbing his upper arms in desperation. “No, Max, please! You can’t… you can’t leave me behind. Please…”
Tears were shimmering in her eyes and Max was taken aback momentarily by the desperation in her voice before sweet relief flooded through his body. She did want to go with him. He touched her face gently, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Liz, you’re scaring me. Something is happening to you… to us, and I don’t know what it is or how to fix it.” He pressed his forehead against hers, squeezing his eyes shut. “I really need you right now. All of you, not just the little bits you’ve been giving me this past—”
Her strangled sob interrupted him.
Liz put her arms around her husband, pushing closer until it felt like she would climb into his body. She wanted to tell him, she really did. This was too hard. Maybe he would still let her go and if he didn’t she could stow away or something.
“Liz?”
She continued to cling to him. “Max, I… I’m… I think I’m…”
tbc
33+34
PART 33
She couldn’t finish the sentence. Not even the intense concern on Max’s face could get her throat to work. She literally froze in his arms.
His mind was racing. “Liz, love if you’re sick or… or something, please tell me now and I’ll stay here with you.”
“No. No, I’m not sick,” she said in a small voice. “And you have to go, it’s important.”
“Cause if you’re sick, we should rather be here on earth with human doctors for you. What if they don’t know anything about human physiology on Dendar?”
All her resolve not to tell him came roaring back at his last statement. He would panic about them not being able to look after her up there and now it seemed he wouldn’t only not let her go, he would stay behind himself. She couldn’t allow that. “Max, I’m not sick, I promise. Besides, you studied medicine, you could help me well enough.” She tried to get the courage to leave his embrace. “And we have to go, those people need you.”
He didn’t want to let her out of his arms. Lifting her chin with his fingers, he pleaded with her again: “Let me in, Liz. Please...”
She squeezed her eyes shut and drew in a tortured breath. How much more of this could she take? “I will, just not right now. Please understand.” She had to keep him from finding out before they left at all costs. This was Max. Overprotective, slightly obsessive with her Max Evans. While he normally was a rational, thinking person, all that flew out the window when it came to her. He would make her stay here, but she now realized that that wasn’t the only thing she had to worry about. He would also stay with her and never let her out of his sight, because he was still worrying about the effects of his alienness on their relationship and on her. She could just imagine how paranoid he was going to be about her situation and what will happen to her as a result of it. “I love you, Max. Always. Please, you have to go to Dendar and take me with you.”
The hurt in his chest had subsided somewhat after her pleas to go with him and his realization that whatever was happening was not due to doubt about him. He sighed and hugged her harder before letting her go. “Maybe we should get a move on then?”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick watched as Grace fed their baby. He was completely baffled as to why Liz had called him on Thursday to specifically ask that Grace go with them to Dendar. He had asked her, but all she would say is to just do it for her. Grace had been surprised to say the least. Why would their Queen want her along? Now he was even more glad that he changed the travel arrangements, the group was getting bigger by the minute.
Glancing at his watch, he noticed that the first four would be arriving soon if they had left Albuquerque when they planned to. He’d better go check how dinner was getting along. Everyone was bound to be hungry when they got here.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Michael, I don’t mean to upset you since you can probably squash me with one hand and all, but are you sure this is where we are supposed to meet our guide?” Alex was peering into the darkness around them nervously.
“Yes. I’m sure,” Michael said irritably. If one more person says anything…
“It would just be really ironic if we missed our ride into space, you know.” Michael turned around from the front seat to glare at Alex, who wasn’t fazed by it at all. “It would be like, sorry, we would’ve loved to help you sort out your intergalactic problems, but we got lost in the woods on earth.”
“Alex!” Isabel hissed. Things in the car had gotten tense a few hours back while they were still on the road and Alex’s jokes weren’t helping any.
A light suddenly glowed a little way in front of the car and they all sighed in relief.
“So, what’s the magic password?”
“Alex!” the other three cried in unison.
~*~*~*~*~*~
When they arrived in the makeshift camp, Sheriff Valenti and their parents were there already. The Parker’s stood to the side, observing the reunion between Isabel and Maria and their parents. Jim Valenti and Amy got married a couple of years ago and she had finally been let into the secret of the spikey-haired boy that loved her daughter.
Nancy was clinging to Jeff’s hand, trying to cope with yet another huge unexpected development in her daughter’s life. She knew that Liz and Max would be arriving much later and she was scared that she wouldn’t have enough time to properly say good-bye to Liz. Heck, what was she thinking? A week wouldn’t be long enough to say good-bye.
A few tables were set in the middle of the tents and everyone gathered around them for dinner. Talk was subdued as everyone was aware of the imminent departure of a large part of the group.
The men that were accompanying them went to bed early, conscious of the important task they would have to perform from now on, while Nick went to man the communicator, waiting for the signal that their ride has arrived. He didn’t think it would be here before Saturday night, but still.
The four friends remained around the table with their parents, drinking coffee and waiting for the two most important guests to arrive. The six of them were all sharing one big tent tonight and Nick apologized profusely when he told them that it had been easier to organize a few large tents than around 15 small ones. Michael was about to grumble about it when Maria had hit him in the arm with a threatening look.
So far, so good.
~*~*~*~*~*~
She had driven the first half of the route to Roswell, but now Liz was sleeping in the passenger seat, leaning against the window. Max had stared at her intermittently while driving, marveling again at the inner glow that she seemed to have. The moonlight shone on her pale skin and he felt an incredible need to just kiss her again.
What was going on in her beautiful head? And why would she still not want him to know? Her words clearly told him that she loved him as much as ever and that there was no way she would allow him to leave her here on earth, but her actions were saying something else. She had avoided physical contact from him for a while now and that made him worry. Had he done anything to make her scared of him? He couldn’t remember being rough with her the last time they made love. In fact, that Thursday afternoon had been one of their most beautiful moments together, he had never felt closer to her and that said a lot.
He cursed his baser instincts silently. All this enforced abstinence was beginning to play havoc with his body. He craved Liz. He craved her kisses and touch. He wanted to lose himself again in that blissful oblivion only she could give him. What kind of a person did that make him? They have been together for so long, surely he should be able to keep his hands off her for a while if she needed him to? He glanced at her again. Her lips were slightly parted and looked so inviting. Maybe just one kiss…
Liz was jerked awake when the Jeep came to a halt next to the highway and she looked at Max in sleepy confusion. “Is something wrong? Are you tired? Should I—”
Her next words were lost against Max’s lips as he cupped her face and tilted it up for his kiss. Liz was caught completely unaware by his move and she went under without a second thought. It had been too long to go without the magic of Max’s kisses…
He kissed the corners of her mouth before running his tongue over her bottom lip. Her small gasp went unheard but was definitely felt against his moist lips. “Liz,” he breathed against her, not willing to break the contact to form the word.
The kiss deepened, became more urgent as Liz wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands finding the soft hair at the base of his skull. Max made a helpless sound against her lips as she opened her mouth for him instinctively. Kissing him was like breathing. And she hadn’t done enough of that lately.
Max was pulling her onto his lap when the flashes hit her. Max watching her being distant these last few days, seeing her being hugged by her colleague, feeling his distress, loneliness and fear when he thought she was having second thoughts about going with him to Dendar. She suddenly knew she had to stop this kiss, before he saw too much. Pulling away from him gently, she trembled at the distressed sound he made. She pressed her forehead against his. “We have to go, Max.” They were both breathing hard, reminding Liz a little of how he sounded when he made love with her. She searched his eyes frantically, trying to see if there was any sign of him having seen what she was so desperately trying to hide. Nothing. Just his warm gaze regarding her hungrily. “We have to go,” she repeated.
“Yeah,” he replied in a husky voice.
Liz breathed a silent prayer of thanks for her narrow escape. Her secret was apparently still safe.
Max pulled the Jeep back onto the road, still trying to calm down his overheated body. He smiled slightly when Liz arranged herself across the seat so she could lie with her head on his thigh. The move brought back such memories that he had to swallow down the lump in his throat. He stroked her hair tenderly like he always did and for a moment, he fooled himself into thinking that everything was the same as it always was.
But it wasn’t. Liz had pulled away from him once again. And the only flashes he got while kissing her, was from earlier this morning and how sad she had been. He really didn’t want to relive her inconsolable crying. He had also felt her desperate fear that he would leave her behind. Why would she even think that? There was no way he was going far away from her ever again. He looked down at her face and noticed the circles under her eyes. Unless she was sick, then he would have to reconsider everything.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They finally arrived at the camp at around eleven at night. Everyone swarmed around them in excitement. Max allowed Liz some time alone with her parents, but he could see she was exhausted, so he dragged her off to bed with a firm statement that everyone could talk to everyone else tomorrow morning.
Six cots adorned the tent and Max grimaced when he realized that he would be sleeping without Liz glued to his side for the first time in many years. He bullied her into bed and kissed her forehead, forcefully having to ignore the sad look in her eyes when he got up to leave. She wanted space and time and he would give it to her. Or die trying.
Outside, only Michael was still sitting at one of the tables. “What’s up with you and the princess?”
By now, Max knew Michael cared a lot about Liz, so he didn’t take offence to the “princess” reference. “She’s very tired. We had a rough week.” That was the understatement of the year. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he looked up at the stars and continued to try and ignore the niggling little thought that had been terrorizing him ever since he kissed Liz earlier.
There was another presence in their connection. A faint, but definite other presence had shared the link between him and Liz during that kiss.
PART 34
Liz didn’t sleep well at all. Although she didn’t have to worry about getting too close to Max during the night for the first time in a week, she missed his comforting warmth next to her. She woke up several times during the night and turned to look over at Max in his bed every time. He seemed to be sleeping deeply so she would breathe a relieved sigh.
All this awake-time gave her the space to think about a few things. What was going to happen to her body if she were pregnant? This was the first human-alien pregnancy she knew of and, even though they had seen those flashes of two beautiful and healthy kids during the bonding ceremonies, they didn’t really know what sort of things went on during the pregnancies. Maybe she should have talked more with Max about this before getting herself into this situation. No, she couldn’t have. She had planned to talk to him about it so that they could decide together on when they wanted to have a baby. But then that Thursday afternoon happened and she had gone completely off the rails worrying about what was going to happen to them, so it was Saturday by the time she realized that she had forgotten to take her birth control pills since Thursday morning.
What if Max is going to be really angry with her? What if he hated her for getting them pregnant and lying to him about it so he wouldn’t leave her behind? What if he sends her home after finding out? Her mind whirled with thoughts of things that could still go wrong. She fully intended telling Max the first moment they had alone on that ship, there was no way she would last much longer with the way things are between them. And she had to know what his reaction to the possible pregnancy would be.
She closed her eyes and pressed her hands over her womb, wondering if she really was carrying a little part of Max inside her. The thought made her completely giddy and she tried to sense if something felt different. It was silent inside her for a few moments before she became aware of a slight vibration underneath her fingers and a soft echo of something in her mind. Her eyes flew open and she saw a faint amber glow leaking through her fingers. She had to hold onto the sides of the cot when the certainty slammed through her. She was pregnant with Max Evans’s child!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was barely light out when she awoke again, this time with the most brilliant smile on her face… and a feeling of complete nausea. She risked a quick glance at Max and, seeing that he was still sleeping, she stumbled out of the tent with her hand over her mouth. She prayed that no one would be around to see her being sick.
Luck was on her side and she managed to make it away from the camp into the woods without an audience before retching her guts out. As she rested her forehead against a tree afterwards, she thought grimly that it would be just like Max’s child to wait until she was sure she was pregnant before starting to make her sick. She splayed her hands over her womb again and felt a wave of intense emotion wash over her. “Hello, baby, this is mommy. I love you so much already and… your daddy will love you too once I tell him about you.” She rubbed her hand tenderly over her stomach that had started glowing slightly. “Your daddy is the most wonderful person in the world. You will see that once you’re here. He is gentle and kind and so protective. He will make sure that you have a wonderful life. He gives the best hugs when you’re sad and he always listens to everything you tell him. He will be so happy about you. You have always been one of his dreams. A dream I had prayed I could make real for him.”
Starting to walk, she found a small stream nearby and cleaned herself up as best she could. Then she sat down on a soft patch of grass and talked to her baby some more. “Me and your daddy love each other very much.” She grinned a little. “You will have to learn to leave us alone if our door is closed, but I’ll tell you about it when the time comes. For now, just know that we really want you.” She leant back against a tree trunk. “He is a very special person, your daddy. A King. A very important man to our people. And he is a great researcher. I know it sounds like I’m gushing, but it’s all true. He gets a little annoying with the protective thing every now and again and I’m guessing you’re going to have the same problem with him, but you will just have to forgive him for it. It is all because he loves you so much and cannot stand terrible things to happen to you.” Tears welled into her eyes. “That’s why I cannot tell him about you yet. He will make me stay behind and I cannot bear to be away from him for too long. Or he will stay behind with me, and he has all this responsibility on his shoulders. I would feel horrible if I kept him from them. He needs to go stop a war. I know it looks like I’m taking you into a very dangerous situation, but my heart tells me we have to be with your dad while you are still inside me. I don’t know why, but being his child, you will soon learn to trust that instinct that comes from being an Antarian. How do I know this, you ask? Because your dad healed me a very long time ago… and in the process, he changed me to be his. So him and I are linked. Have you felt that? My link to him? If you have, I’m sorry that you must experience how sad we both are at the moment. It’s because I can’t tell him about you yet and he misses me.”
The tears were flowing down her cheeks now. “I miss him too. But I guess I don’t have to tell you that. Hopefully it won’t be much longer. We are going on a long trip later today. And then I will tell him everything. He will want to be introduced to you, so you must stay awake for that, okay?” She wiped the moisture from her face with a watery smile. “After that you should probably sleep, I need to be alone with your daddy for a while to make up for all this lost time.”
She had no idea how long she sat there, just immersing herself in the feeling of the little life growing inside her and her reminiscing about Max. Suddenly, she felt a wave of panic through her connection with Max and jumped up, knowing he has found her missing. Concentrating on letting him know she was alright, she turned so she could go back to the camp, only to realize she had no idea how she got here. She had been feeling so horrible that she hadn’t paid attention to her route. Damn! Okay, she would just have to keep concentrating on Max and see if she could locate him. That worked, so she started walking back to camp. She had only gone a few steps when he crashed through the bushes in front of her.
“Liz!” He grabbed her against him. “You scared the crap out of me! Why are you here?”
He was looking at her searchingly and Liz bowed her head. “Sorry, I woke up early and decided to go for a walk. I guess I got a little lost.”
Max lifted her chin and saw the faint remnants of her tears on her face. He cupped her face tenderly and rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks. “Oh God, Liz… I don’t think I can do this much longer. I need for you to tell me…” He watched as she bit her lip and her eyes flickered away from his. Gritting his teeth against the desire to force her to tell him, he pressed her face into his shoulder. “It’s okay… I’ll wait a little longer,” he promised above her.
They walked back to the camp hand-in-hand and Liz found almost everyone there waiting to see if Max had found her. She felt like a real idiot and apologized profusely for causing such unnecessary worry.
Breakfast was organized at the tables again and Liz prayed that she wouldn’t get sick from the smell of the food.
Nick reported at breakfast that he had received a notice from their transport very early that morning. “The first ship will be here around 8h30 tonight.”
Max looked at him sharply. “What do you mean ‘the first ship’?”
Nick looked nervous. “I had to order us two ships to get us to Dendar, because… because you can’t all go on one ship. It’s too dangerous. It’s the same reason the President and Vice-President of the USA never travel in the same plane. If the plane goes down, they’re both gone.”
Liz groped for Max’s hand. Nick couldn’t be thinking of not putting her and Max on the same ship, could he?
“What exactly are your plans?” Max asked.
“I’m thinking that you go in one ship and Michael and Isabel in the other. That way, there will always be one of the members of the Royal Family around.”
“What if they take out both ships at the same time? I don’t like this, I should be with Max,” Michael said unhappily.
“We’ve thought of that. The ships are not taking the same route.” Nick sounded surer of himself after no one had shouted at him yet.
“What about us?” Maria asked, looking death rays at Nick. Liz silently thanked her best friend for asking what she so desperately wanted to.
“You all go with your partners.” He looked at Liz. “But maybe the Queen should—”
“No,” Max said immediately. “She goes with me.”
Nick just shrugged. He hadn’t really thought he would get that one past Max.
Liz felt herself relax. If they had put her on a different ship as Max, she would’ve gone over the edge right here at the breakfast table!
“Okay, so Max and Liz will go first. Does everyone agree?” Nick looked around the group and monitored all the nodding heads. Michael still looked like he wanted to object, but he let it go once Max agreed to the arrangements.
~*~*~*~*~*~
They spent the rest of the day with their respective parents, saying good-bye and promising to come back. They were all planning to come back, they just didn’t know when that would happen.
Max talked with Jim Valenti for a while too. Jim was just blown away by the fact that the group was going to another planet. He wished he could tell his father about all this, it would give the old man back his faith in himself. That he had been right about aliens being on earth all this time.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz was dying to tell her parents that they were going to have a grandchild, but the fact that Max doesn’t know yet held her back. It would be so wrong for her to talk about this with anyone else before him. So she kept her hands carefully away from her stomach and pretended that everything is as it always was.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sun was setting slowly in the west and the group had gathered around the tables again to wait out their last hours on earth. The communication said that the second group would be picked up closer to dawn as it takes a few hours for the shuttle of the ships to make the return journey from the dark side of the moon.
Max had watched Liz closely the whole day. That faint new presence in their connection was now discernable even when they weren’t touching. He had wondered at first if someone had gotten to Liz and that that was why she acted so strangely the last few days. But in the end, he had discarded that theory in light of her inner glow and the fact that she seemed fine other than about the physical contact with him. The only other possibility was one he didn’t even want to think about right now. It was too scary and wonderful at the same time…
~*~*~*~*~*~
The arrival of the shuttle was anti-climactic. No really bright lights flashing and laser beams coming from the hull. Just a sudden whisper of wind in the air and then it was there, right in front of them.
Nick was taking 10 men with him, Grace, Liz and Max on the first ship, and they all stood waiting as the door quietly slid open. Max and Liz stood slightly in front of the group so that there could be no mistake about the identity of the leader of the group. Liz had tried to step away from Max a little, but he had taken her hand firmly and gave her a look to say she shouldn’t be silly about not being at his side.
Maria had to clap her hand over her mouth to stop herself from giggling hysterically when she saw the two new aliens step out of the ship. Maybe they should’ve asked what these beings would look like, she though wildly. They were really… short! They didn’t have three eyes or pasty gray bodies, in fact, they looked more or less like humans, apart from being really short. She estimated that they were about 5 feet tall, about the length of her and Liz. Michael, Alex and Max looked like giants against them.
The two aliens moved until they stood in front of Max and bowed deeply.
Maria had another hysterical thought. How were they going to communicate? She had seen Mars Attacks! one too many times to be comfortable about this.
The one alien handed Max a small rectangular piece of steel that started glowing as soon as Max touched it.
“We are honored,” the being said, making the group gasp when they could all understand him. “That is a translator, we had it programmed for your language too, that is why you can understand us. We have to go soon, we don’t want to be here too long.”
There was a final flurry of good-byes that left Nancy and Diane in tears and then the group was led into the smallish shuttle. Everything inside was made of a metalish material that shone dully in the light inside the ship. They shown to seats and before long they experienced that falling feeling in their stomachs during take-off. Max and Liz watched through a window as the earth quickly became smaller below them. It was the weirdest experience of their lives.
Max held Liz against him and ignored the strange looks he got from the aliens on board. They would just have to get used to him having her at his side.
Liz leaned her head on his shoulder and wondered how long it would take to reach the other ship so she could talk to Max. In spite of the strangeness of the whole experience, her need to speak to Max was still uppermost in her mind. When had she gotten this blasé about being around aliens?
~*~*~*~*~*~
They arrived at the huge ship that hung silently behind the moon about three hours later to a huge welcoming party by another group of small aliens. They told Max that everyone in their galaxy had feared that Aaron and Kyla’s children would never return and how honored they were that he was gracing them with his presence.
He would have to get used to being called all sorts of exalted names, Max guessed, but for now it was still a new thing. He thanked them for their hospitality and introduced Liz to them as his wife. The group turned to her and bowed again, but Max and Liz could see they were baffled about her.
They were all taken to another floor on the ship where the sleeping quarters were and shown to some rooms, which were more like cells, very small and cold-looking. Liz could just imagine Alex’s reaction to all this: ‘I feel like I’m on Star Trek’.
And then they were finally left alone.
“Max?” Her voice sounded strained and shaky.
He turned so that he stood facing her. Everything he could read from their connection (and there was that new presence again) shouted that she was in a complete panic about whatever she wanted to say.
”I—I… need to… to tell you something now,” her lips were trembling so much that she could hardly talk.
Max took her hand in an effort to calm her down. “Sweetie, it’s okay. I think—” He faltered when he saw that Liz had put her hand on her stomach… and it was glowing.
“Oh my God, Liz…” he whispered just before she flattened his hand over her stomach too. The glow appeared again, only in a different color and the new presence in their connection became stronger. His earlier suspicion had been right, his wife, his mate, was pregnant!
He kept staring at his glowing hand on her womb and her soft ‘I’m pregnant, Max’ barely penetrated his haze. My baby is in there!
“God, Liz!” was all he could think to say.
tbc
She couldn’t finish the sentence. Not even the intense concern on Max’s face could get her throat to work. She literally froze in his arms.
His mind was racing. “Liz, love if you’re sick or… or something, please tell me now and I’ll stay here with you.”
“No. No, I’m not sick,” she said in a small voice. “And you have to go, it’s important.”
“Cause if you’re sick, we should rather be here on earth with human doctors for you. What if they don’t know anything about human physiology on Dendar?”
All her resolve not to tell him came roaring back at his last statement. He would panic about them not being able to look after her up there and now it seemed he wouldn’t only not let her go, he would stay behind himself. She couldn’t allow that. “Max, I’m not sick, I promise. Besides, you studied medicine, you could help me well enough.” She tried to get the courage to leave his embrace. “And we have to go, those people need you.”
He didn’t want to let her out of his arms. Lifting her chin with his fingers, he pleaded with her again: “Let me in, Liz. Please...”
She squeezed her eyes shut and drew in a tortured breath. How much more of this could she take? “I will, just not right now. Please understand.” She had to keep him from finding out before they left at all costs. This was Max. Overprotective, slightly obsessive with her Max Evans. While he normally was a rational, thinking person, all that flew out the window when it came to her. He would make her stay here, but she now realized that that wasn’t the only thing she had to worry about. He would also stay with her and never let her out of his sight, because he was still worrying about the effects of his alienness on their relationship and on her. She could just imagine how paranoid he was going to be about her situation and what will happen to her as a result of it. “I love you, Max. Always. Please, you have to go to Dendar and take me with you.”
The hurt in his chest had subsided somewhat after her pleas to go with him and his realization that whatever was happening was not due to doubt about him. He sighed and hugged her harder before letting her go. “Maybe we should get a move on then?”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick watched as Grace fed their baby. He was completely baffled as to why Liz had called him on Thursday to specifically ask that Grace go with them to Dendar. He had asked her, but all she would say is to just do it for her. Grace had been surprised to say the least. Why would their Queen want her along? Now he was even more glad that he changed the travel arrangements, the group was getting bigger by the minute.
Glancing at his watch, he noticed that the first four would be arriving soon if they had left Albuquerque when they planned to. He’d better go check how dinner was getting along. Everyone was bound to be hungry when they got here.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Michael, I don’t mean to upset you since you can probably squash me with one hand and all, but are you sure this is where we are supposed to meet our guide?” Alex was peering into the darkness around them nervously.
“Yes. I’m sure,” Michael said irritably. If one more person says anything…
“It would just be really ironic if we missed our ride into space, you know.” Michael turned around from the front seat to glare at Alex, who wasn’t fazed by it at all. “It would be like, sorry, we would’ve loved to help you sort out your intergalactic problems, but we got lost in the woods on earth.”
“Alex!” Isabel hissed. Things in the car had gotten tense a few hours back while they were still on the road and Alex’s jokes weren’t helping any.
A light suddenly glowed a little way in front of the car and they all sighed in relief.
“So, what’s the magic password?”
“Alex!” the other three cried in unison.
~*~*~*~*~*~
When they arrived in the makeshift camp, Sheriff Valenti and their parents were there already. The Parker’s stood to the side, observing the reunion between Isabel and Maria and their parents. Jim Valenti and Amy got married a couple of years ago and she had finally been let into the secret of the spikey-haired boy that loved her daughter.
Nancy was clinging to Jeff’s hand, trying to cope with yet another huge unexpected development in her daughter’s life. She knew that Liz and Max would be arriving much later and she was scared that she wouldn’t have enough time to properly say good-bye to Liz. Heck, what was she thinking? A week wouldn’t be long enough to say good-bye.
A few tables were set in the middle of the tents and everyone gathered around them for dinner. Talk was subdued as everyone was aware of the imminent departure of a large part of the group.
The men that were accompanying them went to bed early, conscious of the important task they would have to perform from now on, while Nick went to man the communicator, waiting for the signal that their ride has arrived. He didn’t think it would be here before Saturday night, but still.
The four friends remained around the table with their parents, drinking coffee and waiting for the two most important guests to arrive. The six of them were all sharing one big tent tonight and Nick apologized profusely when he told them that it had been easier to organize a few large tents than around 15 small ones. Michael was about to grumble about it when Maria had hit him in the arm with a threatening look.
So far, so good.
~*~*~*~*~*~
She had driven the first half of the route to Roswell, but now Liz was sleeping in the passenger seat, leaning against the window. Max had stared at her intermittently while driving, marveling again at the inner glow that she seemed to have. The moonlight shone on her pale skin and he felt an incredible need to just kiss her again.
What was going on in her beautiful head? And why would she still not want him to know? Her words clearly told him that she loved him as much as ever and that there was no way she would allow him to leave her here on earth, but her actions were saying something else. She had avoided physical contact from him for a while now and that made him worry. Had he done anything to make her scared of him? He couldn’t remember being rough with her the last time they made love. In fact, that Thursday afternoon had been one of their most beautiful moments together, he had never felt closer to her and that said a lot.
He cursed his baser instincts silently. All this enforced abstinence was beginning to play havoc with his body. He craved Liz. He craved her kisses and touch. He wanted to lose himself again in that blissful oblivion only she could give him. What kind of a person did that make him? They have been together for so long, surely he should be able to keep his hands off her for a while if she needed him to? He glanced at her again. Her lips were slightly parted and looked so inviting. Maybe just one kiss…
Liz was jerked awake when the Jeep came to a halt next to the highway and she looked at Max in sleepy confusion. “Is something wrong? Are you tired? Should I—”
Her next words were lost against Max’s lips as he cupped her face and tilted it up for his kiss. Liz was caught completely unaware by his move and she went under without a second thought. It had been too long to go without the magic of Max’s kisses…
He kissed the corners of her mouth before running his tongue over her bottom lip. Her small gasp went unheard but was definitely felt against his moist lips. “Liz,” he breathed against her, not willing to break the contact to form the word.
The kiss deepened, became more urgent as Liz wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands finding the soft hair at the base of his skull. Max made a helpless sound against her lips as she opened her mouth for him instinctively. Kissing him was like breathing. And she hadn’t done enough of that lately.
Max was pulling her onto his lap when the flashes hit her. Max watching her being distant these last few days, seeing her being hugged by her colleague, feeling his distress, loneliness and fear when he thought she was having second thoughts about going with him to Dendar. She suddenly knew she had to stop this kiss, before he saw too much. Pulling away from him gently, she trembled at the distressed sound he made. She pressed her forehead against his. “We have to go, Max.” They were both breathing hard, reminding Liz a little of how he sounded when he made love with her. She searched his eyes frantically, trying to see if there was any sign of him having seen what she was so desperately trying to hide. Nothing. Just his warm gaze regarding her hungrily. “We have to go,” she repeated.
“Yeah,” he replied in a husky voice.
Liz breathed a silent prayer of thanks for her narrow escape. Her secret was apparently still safe.
Max pulled the Jeep back onto the road, still trying to calm down his overheated body. He smiled slightly when Liz arranged herself across the seat so she could lie with her head on his thigh. The move brought back such memories that he had to swallow down the lump in his throat. He stroked her hair tenderly like he always did and for a moment, he fooled himself into thinking that everything was the same as it always was.
But it wasn’t. Liz had pulled away from him once again. And the only flashes he got while kissing her, was from earlier this morning and how sad she had been. He really didn’t want to relive her inconsolable crying. He had also felt her desperate fear that he would leave her behind. Why would she even think that? There was no way he was going far away from her ever again. He looked down at her face and noticed the circles under her eyes. Unless she was sick, then he would have to reconsider everything.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They finally arrived at the camp at around eleven at night. Everyone swarmed around them in excitement. Max allowed Liz some time alone with her parents, but he could see she was exhausted, so he dragged her off to bed with a firm statement that everyone could talk to everyone else tomorrow morning.
Six cots adorned the tent and Max grimaced when he realized that he would be sleeping without Liz glued to his side for the first time in many years. He bullied her into bed and kissed her forehead, forcefully having to ignore the sad look in her eyes when he got up to leave. She wanted space and time and he would give it to her. Or die trying.
Outside, only Michael was still sitting at one of the tables. “What’s up with you and the princess?”
By now, Max knew Michael cared a lot about Liz, so he didn’t take offence to the “princess” reference. “She’s very tired. We had a rough week.” That was the understatement of the year. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he looked up at the stars and continued to try and ignore the niggling little thought that had been terrorizing him ever since he kissed Liz earlier.
There was another presence in their connection. A faint, but definite other presence had shared the link between him and Liz during that kiss.
PART 34
Liz didn’t sleep well at all. Although she didn’t have to worry about getting too close to Max during the night for the first time in a week, she missed his comforting warmth next to her. She woke up several times during the night and turned to look over at Max in his bed every time. He seemed to be sleeping deeply so she would breathe a relieved sigh.
All this awake-time gave her the space to think about a few things. What was going to happen to her body if she were pregnant? This was the first human-alien pregnancy she knew of and, even though they had seen those flashes of two beautiful and healthy kids during the bonding ceremonies, they didn’t really know what sort of things went on during the pregnancies. Maybe she should have talked more with Max about this before getting herself into this situation. No, she couldn’t have. She had planned to talk to him about it so that they could decide together on when they wanted to have a baby. But then that Thursday afternoon happened and she had gone completely off the rails worrying about what was going to happen to them, so it was Saturday by the time she realized that she had forgotten to take her birth control pills since Thursday morning.
What if Max is going to be really angry with her? What if he hated her for getting them pregnant and lying to him about it so he wouldn’t leave her behind? What if he sends her home after finding out? Her mind whirled with thoughts of things that could still go wrong. She fully intended telling Max the first moment they had alone on that ship, there was no way she would last much longer with the way things are between them. And she had to know what his reaction to the possible pregnancy would be.
She closed her eyes and pressed her hands over her womb, wondering if she really was carrying a little part of Max inside her. The thought made her completely giddy and she tried to sense if something felt different. It was silent inside her for a few moments before she became aware of a slight vibration underneath her fingers and a soft echo of something in her mind. Her eyes flew open and she saw a faint amber glow leaking through her fingers. She had to hold onto the sides of the cot when the certainty slammed through her. She was pregnant with Max Evans’s child!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was barely light out when she awoke again, this time with the most brilliant smile on her face… and a feeling of complete nausea. She risked a quick glance at Max and, seeing that he was still sleeping, she stumbled out of the tent with her hand over her mouth. She prayed that no one would be around to see her being sick.
Luck was on her side and she managed to make it away from the camp into the woods without an audience before retching her guts out. As she rested her forehead against a tree afterwards, she thought grimly that it would be just like Max’s child to wait until she was sure she was pregnant before starting to make her sick. She splayed her hands over her womb again and felt a wave of intense emotion wash over her. “Hello, baby, this is mommy. I love you so much already and… your daddy will love you too once I tell him about you.” She rubbed her hand tenderly over her stomach that had started glowing slightly. “Your daddy is the most wonderful person in the world. You will see that once you’re here. He is gentle and kind and so protective. He will make sure that you have a wonderful life. He gives the best hugs when you’re sad and he always listens to everything you tell him. He will be so happy about you. You have always been one of his dreams. A dream I had prayed I could make real for him.”
Starting to walk, she found a small stream nearby and cleaned herself up as best she could. Then she sat down on a soft patch of grass and talked to her baby some more. “Me and your daddy love each other very much.” She grinned a little. “You will have to learn to leave us alone if our door is closed, but I’ll tell you about it when the time comes. For now, just know that we really want you.” She leant back against a tree trunk. “He is a very special person, your daddy. A King. A very important man to our people. And he is a great researcher. I know it sounds like I’m gushing, but it’s all true. He gets a little annoying with the protective thing every now and again and I’m guessing you’re going to have the same problem with him, but you will just have to forgive him for it. It is all because he loves you so much and cannot stand terrible things to happen to you.” Tears welled into her eyes. “That’s why I cannot tell him about you yet. He will make me stay behind and I cannot bear to be away from him for too long. Or he will stay behind with me, and he has all this responsibility on his shoulders. I would feel horrible if I kept him from them. He needs to go stop a war. I know it looks like I’m taking you into a very dangerous situation, but my heart tells me we have to be with your dad while you are still inside me. I don’t know why, but being his child, you will soon learn to trust that instinct that comes from being an Antarian. How do I know this, you ask? Because your dad healed me a very long time ago… and in the process, he changed me to be his. So him and I are linked. Have you felt that? My link to him? If you have, I’m sorry that you must experience how sad we both are at the moment. It’s because I can’t tell him about you yet and he misses me.”
The tears were flowing down her cheeks now. “I miss him too. But I guess I don’t have to tell you that. Hopefully it won’t be much longer. We are going on a long trip later today. And then I will tell him everything. He will want to be introduced to you, so you must stay awake for that, okay?” She wiped the moisture from her face with a watery smile. “After that you should probably sleep, I need to be alone with your daddy for a while to make up for all this lost time.”
She had no idea how long she sat there, just immersing herself in the feeling of the little life growing inside her and her reminiscing about Max. Suddenly, she felt a wave of panic through her connection with Max and jumped up, knowing he has found her missing. Concentrating on letting him know she was alright, she turned so she could go back to the camp, only to realize she had no idea how she got here. She had been feeling so horrible that she hadn’t paid attention to her route. Damn! Okay, she would just have to keep concentrating on Max and see if she could locate him. That worked, so she started walking back to camp. She had only gone a few steps when he crashed through the bushes in front of her.
“Liz!” He grabbed her against him. “You scared the crap out of me! Why are you here?”
He was looking at her searchingly and Liz bowed her head. “Sorry, I woke up early and decided to go for a walk. I guess I got a little lost.”
Max lifted her chin and saw the faint remnants of her tears on her face. He cupped her face tenderly and rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks. “Oh God, Liz… I don’t think I can do this much longer. I need for you to tell me…” He watched as she bit her lip and her eyes flickered away from his. Gritting his teeth against the desire to force her to tell him, he pressed her face into his shoulder. “It’s okay… I’ll wait a little longer,” he promised above her.
They walked back to the camp hand-in-hand and Liz found almost everyone there waiting to see if Max had found her. She felt like a real idiot and apologized profusely for causing such unnecessary worry.
Breakfast was organized at the tables again and Liz prayed that she wouldn’t get sick from the smell of the food.
Nick reported at breakfast that he had received a notice from their transport very early that morning. “The first ship will be here around 8h30 tonight.”
Max looked at him sharply. “What do you mean ‘the first ship’?”
Nick looked nervous. “I had to order us two ships to get us to Dendar, because… because you can’t all go on one ship. It’s too dangerous. It’s the same reason the President and Vice-President of the USA never travel in the same plane. If the plane goes down, they’re both gone.”
Liz groped for Max’s hand. Nick couldn’t be thinking of not putting her and Max on the same ship, could he?
“What exactly are your plans?” Max asked.
“I’m thinking that you go in one ship and Michael and Isabel in the other. That way, there will always be one of the members of the Royal Family around.”
“What if they take out both ships at the same time? I don’t like this, I should be with Max,” Michael said unhappily.
“We’ve thought of that. The ships are not taking the same route.” Nick sounded surer of himself after no one had shouted at him yet.
“What about us?” Maria asked, looking death rays at Nick. Liz silently thanked her best friend for asking what she so desperately wanted to.
“You all go with your partners.” He looked at Liz. “But maybe the Queen should—”
“No,” Max said immediately. “She goes with me.”
Nick just shrugged. He hadn’t really thought he would get that one past Max.
Liz felt herself relax. If they had put her on a different ship as Max, she would’ve gone over the edge right here at the breakfast table!
“Okay, so Max and Liz will go first. Does everyone agree?” Nick looked around the group and monitored all the nodding heads. Michael still looked like he wanted to object, but he let it go once Max agreed to the arrangements.
~*~*~*~*~*~
They spent the rest of the day with their respective parents, saying good-bye and promising to come back. They were all planning to come back, they just didn’t know when that would happen.
Max talked with Jim Valenti for a while too. Jim was just blown away by the fact that the group was going to another planet. He wished he could tell his father about all this, it would give the old man back his faith in himself. That he had been right about aliens being on earth all this time.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz was dying to tell her parents that they were going to have a grandchild, but the fact that Max doesn’t know yet held her back. It would be so wrong for her to talk about this with anyone else before him. So she kept her hands carefully away from her stomach and pretended that everything is as it always was.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sun was setting slowly in the west and the group had gathered around the tables again to wait out their last hours on earth. The communication said that the second group would be picked up closer to dawn as it takes a few hours for the shuttle of the ships to make the return journey from the dark side of the moon.
Max had watched Liz closely the whole day. That faint new presence in their connection was now discernable even when they weren’t touching. He had wondered at first if someone had gotten to Liz and that that was why she acted so strangely the last few days. But in the end, he had discarded that theory in light of her inner glow and the fact that she seemed fine other than about the physical contact with him. The only other possibility was one he didn’t even want to think about right now. It was too scary and wonderful at the same time…
~*~*~*~*~*~
The arrival of the shuttle was anti-climactic. No really bright lights flashing and laser beams coming from the hull. Just a sudden whisper of wind in the air and then it was there, right in front of them.
Nick was taking 10 men with him, Grace, Liz and Max on the first ship, and they all stood waiting as the door quietly slid open. Max and Liz stood slightly in front of the group so that there could be no mistake about the identity of the leader of the group. Liz had tried to step away from Max a little, but he had taken her hand firmly and gave her a look to say she shouldn’t be silly about not being at his side.
Maria had to clap her hand over her mouth to stop herself from giggling hysterically when she saw the two new aliens step out of the ship. Maybe they should’ve asked what these beings would look like, she though wildly. They were really… short! They didn’t have three eyes or pasty gray bodies, in fact, they looked more or less like humans, apart from being really short. She estimated that they were about 5 feet tall, about the length of her and Liz. Michael, Alex and Max looked like giants against them.
The two aliens moved until they stood in front of Max and bowed deeply.
Maria had another hysterical thought. How were they going to communicate? She had seen Mars Attacks! one too many times to be comfortable about this.
The one alien handed Max a small rectangular piece of steel that started glowing as soon as Max touched it.
“We are honored,” the being said, making the group gasp when they could all understand him. “That is a translator, we had it programmed for your language too, that is why you can understand us. We have to go soon, we don’t want to be here too long.”
There was a final flurry of good-byes that left Nancy and Diane in tears and then the group was led into the smallish shuttle. Everything inside was made of a metalish material that shone dully in the light inside the ship. They shown to seats and before long they experienced that falling feeling in their stomachs during take-off. Max and Liz watched through a window as the earth quickly became smaller below them. It was the weirdest experience of their lives.
Max held Liz against him and ignored the strange looks he got from the aliens on board. They would just have to get used to him having her at his side.
Liz leaned her head on his shoulder and wondered how long it would take to reach the other ship so she could talk to Max. In spite of the strangeness of the whole experience, her need to speak to Max was still uppermost in her mind. When had she gotten this blasé about being around aliens?
~*~*~*~*~*~
They arrived at the huge ship that hung silently behind the moon about three hours later to a huge welcoming party by another group of small aliens. They told Max that everyone in their galaxy had feared that Aaron and Kyla’s children would never return and how honored they were that he was gracing them with his presence.
He would have to get used to being called all sorts of exalted names, Max guessed, but for now it was still a new thing. He thanked them for their hospitality and introduced Liz to them as his wife. The group turned to her and bowed again, but Max and Liz could see they were baffled about her.
They were all taken to another floor on the ship where the sleeping quarters were and shown to some rooms, which were more like cells, very small and cold-looking. Liz could just imagine Alex’s reaction to all this: ‘I feel like I’m on Star Trek’.
And then they were finally left alone.
“Max?” Her voice sounded strained and shaky.
He turned so that he stood facing her. Everything he could read from their connection (and there was that new presence again) shouted that she was in a complete panic about whatever she wanted to say.
”I—I… need to… to tell you something now,” her lips were trembling so much that she could hardly talk.
Max took her hand in an effort to calm her down. “Sweetie, it’s okay. I think—” He faltered when he saw that Liz had put her hand on her stomach… and it was glowing.
“Oh my God, Liz…” he whispered just before she flattened his hand over her stomach too. The glow appeared again, only in a different color and the new presence in their connection became stronger. His earlier suspicion had been right, his wife, his mate, was pregnant!
He kept staring at his glowing hand on her womb and her soft ‘I’m pregnant, Max’ barely penetrated his haze. My baby is in there!
“God, Liz!” was all he could think to say.
tbc
35+36
PART 35
There was a roaring in his ears and his world shrank until all it consisted of was his glowing hand over his unborn child. A wave of joy and humbleness crashed over him, forcing him to his knees in front of his silently watching wife. He forgot to breathe as the reality sank in. He was going to be a father. This was incredible, wonderful and scary all at once. He ran his hand over Liz’s flat tummy again, smiling a beautiful smile as the red glow followed his hand.
He didn’t even realize that he had tears in his eyes as he looked up at Liz, his gorgeous, amazing wife. “We’re pregnant?” As if he still didn’t really believe it. Max felt the lump in his throat get bigger as he lifted Liz’s shirt to look at the bare skin of her stomach. She was so small and flat, how can there be a baby in there?
Liz watched his actions in awe. For a moment, they were just Max and Liz Evans, newly expectant parents sharing in a profound moment. She could feel Max’s joy and wonder at this development as if it were her own.
“How… when…” Max was incapable of anything coherent yet as he traced the soft skin of her stomach with shaking fingers.
“I think last Thursday when you got home early…” She didn’t tease him about the ‘how’ question, the moment was too precious for that.
“Liz… you’re giving me a baby! I—I dreamt, but…” He brought her closer to him and unzipped her low-slung jeans. Peeling away the flaps from her body, he pressed his lips against her lower belly over and over again. “My baby,” he whispered against her skin. “I love you.” He pulled back a bit and put his hand back on her stomach, reveling in the immediate glow that resulted in his touch. Then he realized Liz was trembling. He kissed her stomach one last time, whispering ‘be good to mommy’ softly so Liz wouldn’t hear.
He climbed to his feet and caught Liz’s hands in his. Her head was bent and he could feel her worry about what he would say. And there was a lot that he wanted to say, but first he needed to kiss Liz again. In spite of the kiss from yesterday, it felt like he hadn’t had her in his arms for years. He lifted her chin gently and covered her mouth with his. It started out tenderly, him tracing her lips with his tongue and tasting her sweetness. Then she moaned quietly into his mouth and the hunger for her returned in full force. He kissed her urgently, penetrating her lips with his tongue deeply, drowning in her magic.
Liz wanted to cry with the relief of being able to kiss him back without worrying what he might see. She threw her arms around him, clutching at his hair to pull him down on her harder. The force of the kiss increased, their lips meshing together in desperate urgency.
This time, Max felt Liz let him into her mind and heart again. The relief that went with the full return of their link nearly made him dizzy. He felt her pain and confusion of the last week, her panic over being left behind by him and her tentative joy about her pregnancy. He felt how many times she had cried and saw her dizzy spells and this morning’s bout of nausea. That tore him from his haze very quickly. “Liz! Are you okay? Has anything strange happened? Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling sick? And—”
Liz pressed her fingers over his mouth. He was wearing the signs of their intense kissing session and she just wanted him to shut up and kiss her again. “Everything is fine. It’s just the glowing so far. The rest is normal.” She pressed herself closer to him. “I missed you so much, Max! I’m so sorry about not telling you sooner. I didn’t really know for sure until last night…”
This reminded Max of all the things they needed to talk about. Moving over to the bed, he pulled Liz down on his lap and brushed her hair behind her ear. “Tell me everything,” he asked seriously.
Glancing in his eyes, Liz saw only loving concern and took a deep breath to spill the beans about her actions and decisions of the last week. Please, Max, don’t hate me!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Maria was seriously grumpy when they were woken to wait for their shuttle a few hours before dawn on Sunday. And Michael’s unintelligible mumbling when she nudged him to get up was just making things worse. “Get up you big lug,” she finally yelled in his ear, eliciting a muffled curse from him. “Some soldier you would make,” she told him haughtily and breezed out of the tent. She found Isabel outside, staring up at the stars.
“I wonder if they made it okay? And where they are right now.” Isabel sounded uncharacteristically lost. In spite of all her bravado and iciness, she relied on Max a lot.
“I’m sure they would’ve communicated to us if something went wrong,” Maria tried to cheer up her friend.
This time, the group was not surprised at the sudden appearance of the shuttle and the second group was whisked into the ship quickly.
“So how long will it take for us to reach Dendar?” Alex asked as soon as he had a communicator.
“About six rotations of your planet,” their host answered. “The ship with the King will take one rotation longer.”
Maria looked baffled and Alex told her: “Six days, he means six days for us, seven for Their Royal Aliennesses.”
“That’s not a word, Alex!”
“Hey, we’re in a space ship on our way to some distant galaxy, I don’t think making up words is a big problem right now.”
Michael cornered David, one of Nick’s men. “Is there any way you can communicate with Nick? We need to know if Max and Liz are okay.”
“Yes, Sir,” the man answered respectfully. “I’ll do it right away.”
It took a few minutes, but they all sighed in relief when Nick’s voice came from the orb. He assured them everyone was fine, but Michael insisted on talking to Max directly. There was an awkward silence before Nick said: “Max and Liz are in their room right now, I don’t want to disturb them.”
Alex promptly burst out laughing. “I cannot believe those two, they’re at it in space already!”
Michael decided to let it go, but asked Nick to get Max to contact him as soon as he appeared.
Maria wasn’t laughing. “Am I the only one that thought there was something wrong between Max and Liz yesterday?”
This shut Alex up quickly. Reluctant nods could be seen all around the group.
“Lizzie was acting really strangely and they weren’t all over each other like they normally are.”
“It’s probably just an argument. They will get over it, they always do,” Isabel stated calmly, more calmly than she felt. Max had been upset about something, she had definitely seen that.
A silence descended on the small group. If things could go wrong between Max and Liz, could the world end too?
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max had listened quietly to Liz’s account of how she got pregnant, why she didn’t tell him and why she felt she had to keep away from him. He didn’t know how to react or what to think about it. On the one hand, he felt like she hadn’t trusted him enough to tell him about her situation. He hated knowing that she had been going through all that alone. Moreover, he couldn’t help worrying that he was taking his pregnant wife into a possible war zone. He didn’t even want to contemplate anything happening to them.
Liz had fallen silent after she told him everything and waited for his reaction with a bent head. She was unconsciously clinging to his hand with both of hers, her throat closing up with fear about what he would do and say now.
“Liz,” his voice was soft, “I want our baby, I really do. I cannot tell you how it makes me feel to know that there is a little part of me growing inside you.” He stopped briefly. “But I wish you would’ve told me. What we went through this week… I never want to feel like that again.”
Biting her lip, Liz swiped at the moisture on her cheeks. Had she broken something between her and Max that could never be mended again?
“But… I guess I can understand why you did what you did. You’re right, I would’ve made us stay home.” He pressed his forehead against her hair. “Somehow I have trouble finding a war in another galaxy as important as making sure that you and our baby are safe…”
“No Max,” Liz said worriedly.
“I—I don’t know what to do now, Liz. Tell me what to do, because everything inside me is screaming for me to make them turn this ship around and take us home. I can’t lose you!”
Liz turned her body in his lap so that she could rest her forehead against his. “I’ve asked Nick to bring Grace. She’s been through this and she will help me. And my heart tells me that I have to be with you while I’m pregnant and didn’t we say we would listen to our hearts from now on?” She felt him nod against her. “Please, Max, let me stay. I promise I’ll be careful and that from now on you will be the first to know exactly what is happening to me and our baby.”
He was torn, she could feel it so she pulled back and stripped her shirt from her body before placing his hand back on her womb. Both of them stared at the glow appearing under his touch. Liz realized for the first time that when Max touched their baby, both his hand and her stomach glowed. With her it was only her stomach. “He knows you,” she whispered to Max with happy tears in her eyes and heard Max’s sharp intake of breath at her statement.
Max sat like that for a long time before he gently lifted Liz from his lap. “I need to think,” he told her and felt his heart contract at the flash of hurt he could see in her eyes. He helped her take her jeans off before tucking her into bed and kissing her forehead. “Get some rest.”
She watched him walk to the door with more tears in her eyes. Was she ever going to stop crying? She held her breath as he hesitated and turned back to come kneel at the side of their bed. He pulled the covers off her and kissed her belly softly. “Bye, baby. Let mommy get some sleep, okay?”
“Max…” Liz pleaded.
“Just rest and I’ll be back later,” he said as he tucked the bedcovers back around her.
“I love you,” she called after him and saw him falter before he finally left the room. Turning on her side, she folded her arms around her stomach and cried, great, racking sobs that stemmed from the relief she felt at not having to hide from Max anymore and her anxiety that he would decide to send them back or something equally unacceptable. She could feel his fear and confusion through their connection and wished there were some way she could make this better for him. He had reacted so calmly to all this, it reminded her a little of when her diary got lost in their sophomore year. That was the time she realized fully what a gentle soul Max Evans had.
Somewhere through her tears she felt a warmth underneath her hands and the feeling chased away most of her sadness. When all was said and done, she was still carrying Max’s child inside her, nothing could take that away from her.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max stood at one of the big windows of the ship, staring at the stars and planets rushing past at a frightening speed but he didn’t really see them. His mind was whirling with all that he had learnt in the last few hours. He was so afraid that something might happen to Liz while they were on Dendar. But wasn’t it better for her to be pregnant among other aliens that wouldn’t be suspicious if anything weird happened to her in the process? He had never been as confused as he was right now. His heart was telling him to take Liz with him wherever he went and to never let her leave his side, but his mind was pointing out everything that could go wrong.
“Max?” Nick’s voice interrupted his musings.
He turned to Nick who was watching him anxiously and blurted out: “We’re going to have a baby!” A silly smile settled on his face and wouldn’t go away again. Whatever else happened, this what was mattered. His Liz was carrying his child.
Nick’s mouth fell open and it took him a while to recover enough to say: “Congratulations!”
“I have to go see Liz again,” Max informed him, suddenly in a hurry to go back to their room.
Nick watched him rush away and grinned broadly. Wait till he told the rest of Max’s people! Celebrations were in order, the heir to the throne was finally going to arrive!
PART 36
When he entered their room, Liz was sleeping on her side, her arms folded around her middle and with dried tear tracks on her face. Max felt horrible. She had kept all of this from him because she knew him so well. She had known that he would completely overreact if he found out she was pregnant. And he had proven her right.
He walked closer to the bed, his eyes never leaving her face. In spite of her recent bout of tears, she was breathtaking. Her inner glow was visible even in sleep and Max dragged what he presumed to be the Dendarian version of a chair closer to the bed so he could watch over her. He longed to get in bed with her and just hold her until the torture of this last week faded into a distant memory, but he was afraid that he could hurt her now. What if this was like when she has her period? He knew all too well about cramps and sensitive breasts. On the other hand, he had no knowledge whatsoever about pregnant women, let alone women pregnant with alien babies. He would really have to talk to Nick and Grace about this.
What would happen to Liz? They were both pretty much human, but what if the baby needed vitamins and nutrients that could only be provided by another alien? He had never felt so out of control in his life. Things were now happening to Liz that he could do nothing about and he just knew this pregnancy would be the death of him.
He leaned forward in the chair, softly brushing her hair from her face. “I love you, sweetheart,” he whispered. With every breath she took, Liz made his life more complete.
Jumping up, he knew there was at least something he could do to make things safer for Liz. He went to Nick and Grace’s room and knocked on the door softly. Nick opened the door and he could see in their shining eyes they had been talking about his baby. This thought brought another stupid grin to his face. Good lord, he was going to be a father!
“Congratulations, Max,” Grace said respectfully.
He smiled at her broadly, not seeing her eyes widen at the unexpected sight. “Thank you. I really need to ask you two a favor. Actually, two favors.”
Nick was already sighing. “I know. Don’t tell anyone else Liz is pregnant yet, right?”
Max gaped at him fleetingly, before recovering. “Yeah. It’s just, Tess and Nacedo— I really don’t want her to be in danger because of this. And if anything happened to my child… Anyway, I want you to post two guards to her round the clock.” Nick was nodding his ascent. There were only a few Antarian survivors left in the universe, making the pregnancy of their Queen a huge issue. “And those men should stick with her no matter what she says! No more slinking off because Liz had a privacy fit.”
“Yes, Sir.” Nick had trouble hiding his smile. Max was going to be hell to live with until that baby came. “What was the other favor?”
“I-I need you two to come talk to Liz and I about this pregnancy at some stage. I have no idea what to expect and Liz… she doesn’t have her mother or anybody else here that can give her advice. Grace…”
“I’ll be here for her, don’t worry.”
Max felt relieved. He felt like he had accomplished something useful for Liz. Wow, his Liz was pregnant!
“Okay… then… I’ll go back to her. She’s sleeping…”
“Pregnant women need their naps,” Nick informed him. “Excuse me for asking, but how far along is she?”
“We think about a week-and-a-half.” Max felt really uncomfortable discussing the conception stage of this joyous event. Everyone knew he had sex with his wife, but he preferred the exact dates and times to stay private. “Well… I’ll let you know when we can meet with you.”
“Wait, Max! Michael wanted to talk with you.”
Max gritted his teeth, he needed to be with Liz. He didn’t want to miss a second of his baby growing inside her. “Okay, fine.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael and the gang had arrived on their own transportation ship by the time Nick contacted them. The discussion was short and to the point. Yes Michael, everyone was fine and they were on their way. Yes Maria, we all have small rooms too.
“Geesh, did Max sound a bit hyper to you guys too?” Maria asked after the connection was broken.
Everyone looked at each other and said ‘something with Liz again’ all at once.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max retook his seat next to the bed, his eyes tracing Liz’s delicate features lovingly. He suddenly remembered a poem he had found for Liz on their first Valentine’s Day as a married couple.
“I love you, before long I die,
I have travel’d a long way merely to look on you to touch you,
For I could not die till I once look’d on you,
For I fear’d I might afterwards lose you.”
She had been his wife for close to eight years now, and sometimes he still felt like this poem. Like he had traveled the vast expanses of space just to behold her. Being with her was like holding a fleeting moment of perfection in his hands and sometimes he feared that it might all suddenly and inexplicably slip through his fingers. That the universe would get tired of their perfect happiness and take it away from them.
He was so deep in thought that he didn’t notice Liz had woken up until she spoke his name.
“Max?”
He was on his knees next to the bed instantly. “I’m so sorry, love! I needed to think, there is so much to consider. But please don’t ever think that I would send you away. I just want you to be safe. You and our baby.” His eyes begged her to forgive him for making her cry again. “I love you so much, Liz.”
She sat up and touched his face. “I’m sorry too, for keeping this from you. For making us both so miserable the last week…” Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead against his. “Max, we’re having a baby!”
The wonder in her voice echoed his own feelings. This was yet another wonderful chapter in their lives. “Yes,” he whispered back. “Thank you for giving me this gift.”
“I missed being close with you so much,” she added after a while.
“Me too.”
“Will you just hold me then? Please, I—I missed your touch…”
She was looking at him with her fathomless dark eyes and he fell headlong into her magic. “Yes.” He kicked off his shoes and climbed in behind her back, pulling her against him and wrapping his arm around her waist. Her head was cushioned on his other arm and he inhaled the sweet scent of her gorgeous hair with great relief. It was so good to have her back in his arms without any barriers between them.
He felt her tangle her fingers with his that were resting on her tummy and she languorously rubbed his hand over her skin. Max had to remind himself forcibly that his hand was covering his unborn child in an effort divert his concentration from the fact that her skin was soft and warm and that his fingers were drifting dangerously closer to the edge of her panties.
Liz was in heaven. After nearly a week-and-a-half of serious torture, she was free to do anything she liked with Max again. She could feel his conflict about how much he should allow himself with her, but she was determined to change his mind. So she pressed herself back against him, irritated by the fact that he was still wearing clothes.
Rolling over onto her back, she looked up at Max through her eyelashes and licked her lips before sighing: “Max…” She knew just which buttons to push and he inhaled sharply at the sultry huskiness of her voice.
One kiss won’t hurt, will it? Max couldn’t ignore that he had his wife wearing very little clothing in his arms again and, most importantly, willing after what felt like forever.
The kiss was gentle at first, gentle enough for Liz to wonder whether he would be able to resist her after all, but almost instantly they caught fire from each other, and by the time it was finished she was pressed fiercely against him, her hands hard across his back, offering him all he wanted.
“God Liz,” Max muttered as his mouth touched the long line of her neck, not just once but several times, the brief, fiery graze of his lips sending wild little shudders through her whole body. “I don’t want this to get out of hand—”
He didn’t try to pull away but she tightened her arms around him anyway.
“I’m staying,” he promised her. “You’re not getting away from me again.”
Liz smiled against his throat and slid her hands under his shirt, forcing him to lift himself up so she could take it off. “Liz…” he sounded strained but lay back down with her after his shirt went flying to the floor.
Still smiling, she ran a light finger across his chest, the skin felt smooth and flexible.
“Don’t do that,” he said, his beautiful voice husky with desire.
“Why?”
“Because I can’t give you anything more than just comfort right now. You are—”
“Not made of porcelain.” She lifted herself on to an elbow and smiled into his face, letting her hair fall around it like a curtain.
He looked at her with brilliant eyes, no longer trying to hide his hunger and passion. “Liz, we have to be careful, we don’t know what can—”
This time she stopped him by covering his mouth with hers.
Feeling her desire through their connection was his undoing and he resisted only a second. As her hand moved across his chest, spreading wide until she could feel the solid, rapidly speeding beat of his heart beneath her palm, the tip of her tongue traced his lips with delicate precision, outlining the top lip, then the more sweeping arc of the bottom.
He groaned deep in his throat and his arms came up and caught her, iron bands around her pliant, yielding body, pulling her over him so that she could feel his warm skin, the need and passion in him that more than matched hers. He touched her with such devouring yearning that she couldn’t help but respond.
Max’s breath hissed between his teeth when she curved her hand around his hip and pulled him close against her so that, mouth joined to mouth, their bodies were welded together by the fire leaping from one to the other.
The fire was threatening to consume him and steal his reason.
Max pulled away from her in a panic. “Liz! I’m sorry. Did I hurt you? We should be careful,” he repeated his previous statement.
Liz was confused by his sudden withdrawal before it dawned on her that Max apparently now thought he shouldn’t make love to her. She was too mad to get anything out and concentrated on making sure he felt each and every one of her feelings through their connection.
Holy crap. He was reeling from all the emotions Liz were sending him. Not least from her intense need for him to make love to her. “No, Liz,” he practically moaned. “We have to make sure everything is fine with you and our baby first. Please don’t make this impossible for me!” He was shamelessly begging. This was tearing him in two opposite directions. His mind had now placed her in a different category: mother of my child, while his heart and body was screaming at him that this was his lover and wife and he needed her just as much as she needed him.
“Liz, please,” he begged again, holding his breath as she watched him steadily. It would take very little to push him over the edge and she knew that. He wondered what she would do. Did he mention that this pregnancy was going to be the death of him?
tbc
There was a roaring in his ears and his world shrank until all it consisted of was his glowing hand over his unborn child. A wave of joy and humbleness crashed over him, forcing him to his knees in front of his silently watching wife. He forgot to breathe as the reality sank in. He was going to be a father. This was incredible, wonderful and scary all at once. He ran his hand over Liz’s flat tummy again, smiling a beautiful smile as the red glow followed his hand.
He didn’t even realize that he had tears in his eyes as he looked up at Liz, his gorgeous, amazing wife. “We’re pregnant?” As if he still didn’t really believe it. Max felt the lump in his throat get bigger as he lifted Liz’s shirt to look at the bare skin of her stomach. She was so small and flat, how can there be a baby in there?
Liz watched his actions in awe. For a moment, they were just Max and Liz Evans, newly expectant parents sharing in a profound moment. She could feel Max’s joy and wonder at this development as if it were her own.
“How… when…” Max was incapable of anything coherent yet as he traced the soft skin of her stomach with shaking fingers.
“I think last Thursday when you got home early…” She didn’t tease him about the ‘how’ question, the moment was too precious for that.
“Liz… you’re giving me a baby! I—I dreamt, but…” He brought her closer to him and unzipped her low-slung jeans. Peeling away the flaps from her body, he pressed his lips against her lower belly over and over again. “My baby,” he whispered against her skin. “I love you.” He pulled back a bit and put his hand back on her stomach, reveling in the immediate glow that resulted in his touch. Then he realized Liz was trembling. He kissed her stomach one last time, whispering ‘be good to mommy’ softly so Liz wouldn’t hear.
He climbed to his feet and caught Liz’s hands in his. Her head was bent and he could feel her worry about what he would say. And there was a lot that he wanted to say, but first he needed to kiss Liz again. In spite of the kiss from yesterday, it felt like he hadn’t had her in his arms for years. He lifted her chin gently and covered her mouth with his. It started out tenderly, him tracing her lips with his tongue and tasting her sweetness. Then she moaned quietly into his mouth and the hunger for her returned in full force. He kissed her urgently, penetrating her lips with his tongue deeply, drowning in her magic.
Liz wanted to cry with the relief of being able to kiss him back without worrying what he might see. She threw her arms around him, clutching at his hair to pull him down on her harder. The force of the kiss increased, their lips meshing together in desperate urgency.
This time, Max felt Liz let him into her mind and heart again. The relief that went with the full return of their link nearly made him dizzy. He felt her pain and confusion of the last week, her panic over being left behind by him and her tentative joy about her pregnancy. He felt how many times she had cried and saw her dizzy spells and this morning’s bout of nausea. That tore him from his haze very quickly. “Liz! Are you okay? Has anything strange happened? Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling sick? And—”
Liz pressed her fingers over his mouth. He was wearing the signs of their intense kissing session and she just wanted him to shut up and kiss her again. “Everything is fine. It’s just the glowing so far. The rest is normal.” She pressed herself closer to him. “I missed you so much, Max! I’m so sorry about not telling you sooner. I didn’t really know for sure until last night…”
This reminded Max of all the things they needed to talk about. Moving over to the bed, he pulled Liz down on his lap and brushed her hair behind her ear. “Tell me everything,” he asked seriously.
Glancing in his eyes, Liz saw only loving concern and took a deep breath to spill the beans about her actions and decisions of the last week. Please, Max, don’t hate me!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Maria was seriously grumpy when they were woken to wait for their shuttle a few hours before dawn on Sunday. And Michael’s unintelligible mumbling when she nudged him to get up was just making things worse. “Get up you big lug,” she finally yelled in his ear, eliciting a muffled curse from him. “Some soldier you would make,” she told him haughtily and breezed out of the tent. She found Isabel outside, staring up at the stars.
“I wonder if they made it okay? And where they are right now.” Isabel sounded uncharacteristically lost. In spite of all her bravado and iciness, she relied on Max a lot.
“I’m sure they would’ve communicated to us if something went wrong,” Maria tried to cheer up her friend.
This time, the group was not surprised at the sudden appearance of the shuttle and the second group was whisked into the ship quickly.
“So how long will it take for us to reach Dendar?” Alex asked as soon as he had a communicator.
“About six rotations of your planet,” their host answered. “The ship with the King will take one rotation longer.”
Maria looked baffled and Alex told her: “Six days, he means six days for us, seven for Their Royal Aliennesses.”
“That’s not a word, Alex!”
“Hey, we’re in a space ship on our way to some distant galaxy, I don’t think making up words is a big problem right now.”
Michael cornered David, one of Nick’s men. “Is there any way you can communicate with Nick? We need to know if Max and Liz are okay.”
“Yes, Sir,” the man answered respectfully. “I’ll do it right away.”
It took a few minutes, but they all sighed in relief when Nick’s voice came from the orb. He assured them everyone was fine, but Michael insisted on talking to Max directly. There was an awkward silence before Nick said: “Max and Liz are in their room right now, I don’t want to disturb them.”
Alex promptly burst out laughing. “I cannot believe those two, they’re at it in space already!”
Michael decided to let it go, but asked Nick to get Max to contact him as soon as he appeared.
Maria wasn’t laughing. “Am I the only one that thought there was something wrong between Max and Liz yesterday?”
This shut Alex up quickly. Reluctant nods could be seen all around the group.
“Lizzie was acting really strangely and they weren’t all over each other like they normally are.”
“It’s probably just an argument. They will get over it, they always do,” Isabel stated calmly, more calmly than she felt. Max had been upset about something, she had definitely seen that.
A silence descended on the small group. If things could go wrong between Max and Liz, could the world end too?
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max had listened quietly to Liz’s account of how she got pregnant, why she didn’t tell him and why she felt she had to keep away from him. He didn’t know how to react or what to think about it. On the one hand, he felt like she hadn’t trusted him enough to tell him about her situation. He hated knowing that she had been going through all that alone. Moreover, he couldn’t help worrying that he was taking his pregnant wife into a possible war zone. He didn’t even want to contemplate anything happening to them.
Liz had fallen silent after she told him everything and waited for his reaction with a bent head. She was unconsciously clinging to his hand with both of hers, her throat closing up with fear about what he would do and say now.
“Liz,” his voice was soft, “I want our baby, I really do. I cannot tell you how it makes me feel to know that there is a little part of me growing inside you.” He stopped briefly. “But I wish you would’ve told me. What we went through this week… I never want to feel like that again.”
Biting her lip, Liz swiped at the moisture on her cheeks. Had she broken something between her and Max that could never be mended again?
“But… I guess I can understand why you did what you did. You’re right, I would’ve made us stay home.” He pressed his forehead against her hair. “Somehow I have trouble finding a war in another galaxy as important as making sure that you and our baby are safe…”
“No Max,” Liz said worriedly.
“I—I don’t know what to do now, Liz. Tell me what to do, because everything inside me is screaming for me to make them turn this ship around and take us home. I can’t lose you!”
Liz turned her body in his lap so that she could rest her forehead against his. “I’ve asked Nick to bring Grace. She’s been through this and she will help me. And my heart tells me that I have to be with you while I’m pregnant and didn’t we say we would listen to our hearts from now on?” She felt him nod against her. “Please, Max, let me stay. I promise I’ll be careful and that from now on you will be the first to know exactly what is happening to me and our baby.”
He was torn, she could feel it so she pulled back and stripped her shirt from her body before placing his hand back on her womb. Both of them stared at the glow appearing under his touch. Liz realized for the first time that when Max touched their baby, both his hand and her stomach glowed. With her it was only her stomach. “He knows you,” she whispered to Max with happy tears in her eyes and heard Max’s sharp intake of breath at her statement.
Max sat like that for a long time before he gently lifted Liz from his lap. “I need to think,” he told her and felt his heart contract at the flash of hurt he could see in her eyes. He helped her take her jeans off before tucking her into bed and kissing her forehead. “Get some rest.”
She watched him walk to the door with more tears in her eyes. Was she ever going to stop crying? She held her breath as he hesitated and turned back to come kneel at the side of their bed. He pulled the covers off her and kissed her belly softly. “Bye, baby. Let mommy get some sleep, okay?”
“Max…” Liz pleaded.
“Just rest and I’ll be back later,” he said as he tucked the bedcovers back around her.
“I love you,” she called after him and saw him falter before he finally left the room. Turning on her side, she folded her arms around her stomach and cried, great, racking sobs that stemmed from the relief she felt at not having to hide from Max anymore and her anxiety that he would decide to send them back or something equally unacceptable. She could feel his fear and confusion through their connection and wished there were some way she could make this better for him. He had reacted so calmly to all this, it reminded her a little of when her diary got lost in their sophomore year. That was the time she realized fully what a gentle soul Max Evans had.
Somewhere through her tears she felt a warmth underneath her hands and the feeling chased away most of her sadness. When all was said and done, she was still carrying Max’s child inside her, nothing could take that away from her.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max stood at one of the big windows of the ship, staring at the stars and planets rushing past at a frightening speed but he didn’t really see them. His mind was whirling with all that he had learnt in the last few hours. He was so afraid that something might happen to Liz while they were on Dendar. But wasn’t it better for her to be pregnant among other aliens that wouldn’t be suspicious if anything weird happened to her in the process? He had never been as confused as he was right now. His heart was telling him to take Liz with him wherever he went and to never let her leave his side, but his mind was pointing out everything that could go wrong.
“Max?” Nick’s voice interrupted his musings.
He turned to Nick who was watching him anxiously and blurted out: “We’re going to have a baby!” A silly smile settled on his face and wouldn’t go away again. Whatever else happened, this what was mattered. His Liz was carrying his child.
Nick’s mouth fell open and it took him a while to recover enough to say: “Congratulations!”
“I have to go see Liz again,” Max informed him, suddenly in a hurry to go back to their room.
Nick watched him rush away and grinned broadly. Wait till he told the rest of Max’s people! Celebrations were in order, the heir to the throne was finally going to arrive!
PART 36
When he entered their room, Liz was sleeping on her side, her arms folded around her middle and with dried tear tracks on her face. Max felt horrible. She had kept all of this from him because she knew him so well. She had known that he would completely overreact if he found out she was pregnant. And he had proven her right.
He walked closer to the bed, his eyes never leaving her face. In spite of her recent bout of tears, she was breathtaking. Her inner glow was visible even in sleep and Max dragged what he presumed to be the Dendarian version of a chair closer to the bed so he could watch over her. He longed to get in bed with her and just hold her until the torture of this last week faded into a distant memory, but he was afraid that he could hurt her now. What if this was like when she has her period? He knew all too well about cramps and sensitive breasts. On the other hand, he had no knowledge whatsoever about pregnant women, let alone women pregnant with alien babies. He would really have to talk to Nick and Grace about this.
What would happen to Liz? They were both pretty much human, but what if the baby needed vitamins and nutrients that could only be provided by another alien? He had never felt so out of control in his life. Things were now happening to Liz that he could do nothing about and he just knew this pregnancy would be the death of him.
He leaned forward in the chair, softly brushing her hair from her face. “I love you, sweetheart,” he whispered. With every breath she took, Liz made his life more complete.
Jumping up, he knew there was at least something he could do to make things safer for Liz. He went to Nick and Grace’s room and knocked on the door softly. Nick opened the door and he could see in their shining eyes they had been talking about his baby. This thought brought another stupid grin to his face. Good lord, he was going to be a father!
“Congratulations, Max,” Grace said respectfully.
He smiled at her broadly, not seeing her eyes widen at the unexpected sight. “Thank you. I really need to ask you two a favor. Actually, two favors.”
Nick was already sighing. “I know. Don’t tell anyone else Liz is pregnant yet, right?”
Max gaped at him fleetingly, before recovering. “Yeah. It’s just, Tess and Nacedo— I really don’t want her to be in danger because of this. And if anything happened to my child… Anyway, I want you to post two guards to her round the clock.” Nick was nodding his ascent. There were only a few Antarian survivors left in the universe, making the pregnancy of their Queen a huge issue. “And those men should stick with her no matter what she says! No more slinking off because Liz had a privacy fit.”
“Yes, Sir.” Nick had trouble hiding his smile. Max was going to be hell to live with until that baby came. “What was the other favor?”
“I-I need you two to come talk to Liz and I about this pregnancy at some stage. I have no idea what to expect and Liz… she doesn’t have her mother or anybody else here that can give her advice. Grace…”
“I’ll be here for her, don’t worry.”
Max felt relieved. He felt like he had accomplished something useful for Liz. Wow, his Liz was pregnant!
“Okay… then… I’ll go back to her. She’s sleeping…”
“Pregnant women need their naps,” Nick informed him. “Excuse me for asking, but how far along is she?”
“We think about a week-and-a-half.” Max felt really uncomfortable discussing the conception stage of this joyous event. Everyone knew he had sex with his wife, but he preferred the exact dates and times to stay private. “Well… I’ll let you know when we can meet with you.”
“Wait, Max! Michael wanted to talk with you.”
Max gritted his teeth, he needed to be with Liz. He didn’t want to miss a second of his baby growing inside her. “Okay, fine.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael and the gang had arrived on their own transportation ship by the time Nick contacted them. The discussion was short and to the point. Yes Michael, everyone was fine and they were on their way. Yes Maria, we all have small rooms too.
“Geesh, did Max sound a bit hyper to you guys too?” Maria asked after the connection was broken.
Everyone looked at each other and said ‘something with Liz again’ all at once.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max retook his seat next to the bed, his eyes tracing Liz’s delicate features lovingly. He suddenly remembered a poem he had found for Liz on their first Valentine’s Day as a married couple.
“I love you, before long I die,
I have travel’d a long way merely to look on you to touch you,
For I could not die till I once look’d on you,
For I fear’d I might afterwards lose you.”
She had been his wife for close to eight years now, and sometimes he still felt like this poem. Like he had traveled the vast expanses of space just to behold her. Being with her was like holding a fleeting moment of perfection in his hands and sometimes he feared that it might all suddenly and inexplicably slip through his fingers. That the universe would get tired of their perfect happiness and take it away from them.
He was so deep in thought that he didn’t notice Liz had woken up until she spoke his name.
“Max?”
He was on his knees next to the bed instantly. “I’m so sorry, love! I needed to think, there is so much to consider. But please don’t ever think that I would send you away. I just want you to be safe. You and our baby.” His eyes begged her to forgive him for making her cry again. “I love you so much, Liz.”
She sat up and touched his face. “I’m sorry too, for keeping this from you. For making us both so miserable the last week…” Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead against his. “Max, we’re having a baby!”
The wonder in her voice echoed his own feelings. This was yet another wonderful chapter in their lives. “Yes,” he whispered back. “Thank you for giving me this gift.”
“I missed being close with you so much,” she added after a while.
“Me too.”
“Will you just hold me then? Please, I—I missed your touch…”
She was looking at him with her fathomless dark eyes and he fell headlong into her magic. “Yes.” He kicked off his shoes and climbed in behind her back, pulling her against him and wrapping his arm around her waist. Her head was cushioned on his other arm and he inhaled the sweet scent of her gorgeous hair with great relief. It was so good to have her back in his arms without any barriers between them.
He felt her tangle her fingers with his that were resting on her tummy and she languorously rubbed his hand over her skin. Max had to remind himself forcibly that his hand was covering his unborn child in an effort divert his concentration from the fact that her skin was soft and warm and that his fingers were drifting dangerously closer to the edge of her panties.
Liz was in heaven. After nearly a week-and-a-half of serious torture, she was free to do anything she liked with Max again. She could feel his conflict about how much he should allow himself with her, but she was determined to change his mind. So she pressed herself back against him, irritated by the fact that he was still wearing clothes.
Rolling over onto her back, she looked up at Max through her eyelashes and licked her lips before sighing: “Max…” She knew just which buttons to push and he inhaled sharply at the sultry huskiness of her voice.
One kiss won’t hurt, will it? Max couldn’t ignore that he had his wife wearing very little clothing in his arms again and, most importantly, willing after what felt like forever.
The kiss was gentle at first, gentle enough for Liz to wonder whether he would be able to resist her after all, but almost instantly they caught fire from each other, and by the time it was finished she was pressed fiercely against him, her hands hard across his back, offering him all he wanted.
“God Liz,” Max muttered as his mouth touched the long line of her neck, not just once but several times, the brief, fiery graze of his lips sending wild little shudders through her whole body. “I don’t want this to get out of hand—”
He didn’t try to pull away but she tightened her arms around him anyway.
“I’m staying,” he promised her. “You’re not getting away from me again.”
Liz smiled against his throat and slid her hands under his shirt, forcing him to lift himself up so she could take it off. “Liz…” he sounded strained but lay back down with her after his shirt went flying to the floor.
Still smiling, she ran a light finger across his chest, the skin felt smooth and flexible.
“Don’t do that,” he said, his beautiful voice husky with desire.
“Why?”
“Because I can’t give you anything more than just comfort right now. You are—”
“Not made of porcelain.” She lifted herself on to an elbow and smiled into his face, letting her hair fall around it like a curtain.
He looked at her with brilliant eyes, no longer trying to hide his hunger and passion. “Liz, we have to be careful, we don’t know what can—”
This time she stopped him by covering his mouth with hers.
Feeling her desire through their connection was his undoing and he resisted only a second. As her hand moved across his chest, spreading wide until she could feel the solid, rapidly speeding beat of his heart beneath her palm, the tip of her tongue traced his lips with delicate precision, outlining the top lip, then the more sweeping arc of the bottom.
He groaned deep in his throat and his arms came up and caught her, iron bands around her pliant, yielding body, pulling her over him so that she could feel his warm skin, the need and passion in him that more than matched hers. He touched her with such devouring yearning that she couldn’t help but respond.
Max’s breath hissed between his teeth when she curved her hand around his hip and pulled him close against her so that, mouth joined to mouth, their bodies were welded together by the fire leaping from one to the other.
The fire was threatening to consume him and steal his reason.
Max pulled away from her in a panic. “Liz! I’m sorry. Did I hurt you? We should be careful,” he repeated his previous statement.
Liz was confused by his sudden withdrawal before it dawned on her that Max apparently now thought he shouldn’t make love to her. She was too mad to get anything out and concentrated on making sure he felt each and every one of her feelings through their connection.
Holy crap. He was reeling from all the emotions Liz were sending him. Not least from her intense need for him to make love to her. “No, Liz,” he practically moaned. “We have to make sure everything is fine with you and our baby first. Please don’t make this impossible for me!” He was shamelessly begging. This was tearing him in two opposite directions. His mind had now placed her in a different category: mother of my child, while his heart and body was screaming at him that this was his lover and wife and he needed her just as much as she needed him.
“Liz, please,” he begged again, holding his breath as she watched him steadily. It would take very little to push him over the edge and she knew that. He wondered what she would do. Did he mention that this pregnancy was going to be the death of him?
tbc
37+38
PART 37
Liz felt an unreasonable urge to either scream or cry. Didn’t he want her anymore now that she was pregnant? No, that’s not it, their connection made it very easy to feel how wrong that assumption was. He definitely wanted her. So then, how could he do this to them both?
Horror tore through Max as he saw her eyes fill with tears and he sat up quickly to pull Liz back into his arms. He knew she needed him, but he was afraid of what making love with her would mean for their baby. And now there were no doctors that could tell them what would be harmful and what not. As he felt her tears against his neck, he castigated himself for making Liz cry again. That would make it two times in a few hours already. What sort of a husband was he?
After getting herself under control somewhat, Liz pulled back to look into Max’s concerned and tortured eyes. Sighing, she admitted that all her tears had accomplished was to make Max more certain that she should be coddled. Not really what she had in mind for the two of them! She wiped the moisture from her cheeks determinedly and pinned him with a gaze. “Max, I am pregnant, not ill. And what both our child and I need right now is for you to love me, not to try and keep us apart as much as possible.” She could see Max wasn’t being swayed so she tried a low blow. “The baby can feel when I’m upset, Max, and that is not a good thing.” His eyes grew large at her statement. “People have been making love while pregnant for centuries, so it’s not like we will be breaking any physical laws or anything,” she ended. She couldn’t believe she had to resort to emotional blackmail to get her own husband to make love to her. She was used to being loved in abundance and having had very little of that for a while was disconcerting and with her pregnant hormones going nuts, Max was in deep trouble.
“Uhm… Liz…” Max was at a loss. He had all sorts of horrible images flying through his mind of what could happen to Liz if he actually had sex with her and he no idea how to explain them to his obviously perturbed wife. Heck, some of them were silly even to him!
Liz suddenly climbed out of bed, standing in front of him wearing only a few delicious scraps of silk and lace. Max felt his temperature skyrocket. She was exquisite. His eyes clung to her curves, from the lush line of her lips to the sensual flare of her hips. Oh, how he wanted to bury himself inside her once again…
She made sure he had a good look before turning to the little bathroom type thing leading from their room. “So, how do the showers on this ship work?”
He decided it was a good thing she wasn’t looking at him, because his stupidly confused expression after her unexpected question would surely have had her in stitches. He buried his face in his hands, trying to ignore how uncomfortable he was sitting around in a pair of pants while being really aroused. When he eventually felt strong enough to face her again, he found she had disappeared into the bathroom.
Her shriek seconds later had him sprinting to the other room, nearly falling over his own feet in haste.
She was standing inside a little cubicle that emitted a low hissing sound, her hands covering her eyes as she was engulfed in what looked like a fine mist. Max panicked and slammed his hand into one of the buttons next to the door of the cubicle. The sound and the mist disappeared immediately and the door slid open moments later. “Liz!” he cried as he lifted her out and hugged her tightly.
Desperately blinking the moisture from her eyes while trying to get her hair out of her face, she mumbled: “I’m fine, just soaked.”
Max helped her with her hair, using his powers to dry out the moisture and leaving it lying down her back smoothly.
Still really upset with his stubborn refusal to make love with her, this irked Liz even more and she glared at him. Get your hands off me, you smug Alien idiot! Just because your hands glow you think you can do everything.
Max heard her thoughts clearly and backtracked warily. What on earth was wrong with Liz? He thought he had been helping her. They stared at each other from a few paces away. This was not at all what Max’s dreams about a possible Liz pregnancy had looked like. He had had visions of her glowing with health and enjoying every moment with him. Of being blissfully happy. Of them planning a nursery and picking out names. He definitely had not had visions of being on Liz’s bad side all the time. “What happened?” he asked cautiously.
Liz waved her hand at the cubicle. “The stupid thing went like a tornado suddenly and I couldn’t see to turn it off…” All of a sudden her mouth started twitching and she burst out laughing.
What the hell? He wasn’t sure if he would get lynched for joining in her mirth, so Max just smiled at her. “Maybe we should get someone to come show us how things work in this room,” he stated dryly.
“Maybe…” Liz’s voice had turned husky again and he noticed her eyes were trained on his damp chest. His body reacted helplessly. Her naked body glistened with moisture. She was gloriously, breathtakingly sexy. He watched as she came towards him, seemingly in slow motion, and trembled as her hand splayed over his chest.
Liz leaned forward and caught a few drops of moisture from his skin with her tongue. He was so beautiful. She felt the muscles jump in reaction to her touch and she stepped even closer, opening her mouth against him. His muffled groan barely reached her ears, she was too intent on enjoying every inch of him.
He couldn’t help himself. His hands found her waist and slid down to cup her behind, lifting her to her toes and arching her into his hardness. Her hands were digging into his upper arms as she moved her assault to his neck.
“Liz…” He had meant it to be a warning, but it sounded more like a plea. She was a witch, ensnaring him in her magic and making him lose his mind.
He tasted warm, male and incredibly arousing. She trailed her open mouth over his throat, her tongue tracing little shapes against his skin. She could feel his chest heave against her and hear his labored breathing and it made her deliriously happy. Nipping at him, she thought fiercely that his body was hers. It had always been. No one else had ever done what she was doing and no one else had ever made him respond this way. Her mouth reached the firm line of his jaw, but before she could explore further, he had turned his head so that their mouths met.
He plundered her mouth with open desire, long past the stage of even trying to hide his passion and Liz reveled in every minute of it. Her body rejoiced and her heart sang when she felt Max’s surrender. Felt him giving up on trying to keep things low key between them. Finally, they would be together again…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There had been some confusion on the other ship when it became clear to the Dendarian hosts that the two Antarian visitors intended to share their rooms with their companions. Their hosts didn’t say much, but Maria surmised that males and females did not normally stay in one room on Dendar. She wondered if King Max had had the same problem on his ship. Probably not, he would’ve just waved his hand and everyone would’ve been falling all over themselves to do his bidding. Wait a minute, that sounded a lot like Liz… Maybe she was from Dendar too, Maria thought amusedly.
The small rooms were clearly meant for one person, but Maria left Michael under no illusion that he could kiss any type of physical interaction good-bye if he let her stay somewhere else, alone between all these aliens.
Isabel had decided to test her royal status and had asked for two adjoining rooms, which they managed to find for her. Even though she and Alex were close, she needed her space. Sharing a bed not much larger than a single was not her idea of fun.
By unspoken agreement, the four of them met each other again in what looked like a lounge type area after settling in their rooms. The chamber had a huge window/porthole from which they could watch the stars fly by.
“This is, like, so surreal,” Maria said in a hushed voice. “I can’t believe I’m hurtling through space at a dizzying speed!”
“Yeah, it makes trying not to overspend on groceries at the end of the month look a little less important, doesn’t it?” Alex stated dryly.
For Isabel it was a different experience. It felt almost… familiar. Sharing a glance with Michael, she knew he felt the same. It was familiar not in the same sense as her home on earth was, but in the sense of having experienced this before. It was a little disconcerting and she scooted closer to Alex.
Maria was fiddling with buttons situated underneath the window, when suddenly a soft siren sounded from further down the hallway. Michael dragged her away and scowled at her. “Are you insane? You could open this window or launch a missile or something!”
Folding her arms across her chest, Maria stared at him irritably. “Well then get one of these very short little aliens to give us the guided tour and explain how I can get something to drink on this vessel. Or I will be opening this window!”
“Wuss,” Alex hissed under his breath when Michael held up his hands in surrender and took off to find someone that could help them. “Thanks Maria, I could eat any type of alien food right now, that’s how hungry I am!”
“I’m a waitress and let me just say, this race will not win any wars if it depended on their hospitality!” Maria huffed. But all this bravado was a show to hide her true feelings. Maria Deluca was terrified. She was in space, for crying out loud! What was she thinking coming here? Oh yeah right, she was thinking she couldn’t let Michael go off to some other planet to meet some new alien girlfriend. She glanced bitterly at Isabel. From what she had seen of alien women, in other words Isabel and Tess, they were all beautiful. There was no way that she would allow Michael Guerin to go live among such women alone.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max tamped down on his urgency. Under normal circumstances, he would’ve taken her quickly, but he felt that he needed to do this right this time. Liz was whimpering against his mouth, begging him silently to make them one soon, but he kept on kissing her. Sliding his tongue over hers and worshipping her with every movement of his mouth and hands.
“I love you,” he had pulled back just a fraction to whisper it against her lips. He felt the shudder that racked her slim body as his breath feathered over her moist and sensitive mouth. Finally letting go of her rear, he put both his arms around her waist, hoisting her up against him until her legs dangled against his, and walked back to the bed without breaking off the kiss. He couldn’t have, even if he wanted to. He was like someone that had found a spring in the desert after dying of thirst for days. He drank his fill from her mouth. He had been starved for her kisses, something he hadn’t really admitted to himself until yesterday. It probably was an understatement to say that they kissed a lot usually, and this past week they had barely kissed once. He was mystified that he had managed to live without Liz’s kisses for so long.
He let her slide to the floor beside the bed, gasping as he felt her bare skin move against his. Electrifying. It felt so electrifying to have her in his arms like this. He lifted her arms around his neck and gently trailed his hand down her sides until he reached her upper thighs before moving them around to the back and letting them glide upwards over her bottom, the curve of her lower back and up to her shoulders. Slowly letting himself rediscover the wonders of Liz’s body. They needed oxygen, so he ended the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.
Liz’s heart was overflowing. “My love,” she said softly. He had been the most wonderful husband any girl could ever wish for through all these years, and now he was going to be a wonderful father.
Max had one final moment of uncertainty. He wrapped his hands around her tiny waist, his thumbs meeting at her bellybutton. The soft glow was back immediately. “Liz, what about our baby, wouldn’t this be… weird for—”
“I told the baby to sleep so we could be alone for a while,” she said with a small smile. He looked so cute when he was flustered. “No seriously, Max, our baby is only a few cells big right now. I don’t think he’d mind.” She reached down to find his hands and moved them upward to her ribcage, letting them linger tantalizingly close to her breasts. Max’s gaze had dropped to follow the path of his hands. “Okay?” she asked him gently.
He swallowed and nodded solemnly, his eyes never leaving her curves. “Yeah.” And he moved his hands the final few inches.
PART 38
Michael returned with a small delegation of Dendarians who bowed formally in front of Isabel and then invited their guests for a tour of the ship. It was awesome for the four friends. Everything in the ship gleamed or was made of something that looked a lot like plastic. There were buttons for almost all the things you’d want in your room.
“Room service!” Alex whispered to Maria. Which it was, sort of. It was not like a tray of food magically appeared out of the wall like you sometimes see on sci-fi shows, but you could place an order and then go eat it in the dining room a few minutes later. This caused a tussle between Alex, Maria and Michael. Alex and Maria were starving and wanted to eat immediately, while Michael pointed out that he had basically forced their hosts to show them the workings of the ship and they should at least finish the tour first.
“Space boy!” Maria began threateningly until she saw that the four Dendarians that have been showing them around were watching her with expressions varying between alarm, shock and amusement. Damn, they could understand what she was saying! She had forgotten that. “Ah… sorry,” she finally managed with an apologetic smile while ignoring Michael’s glare. “Please, let’s continue.” Where was Liz when she needed her? Surely Liz would never cause such a scene in front of their hosts. On the other hand, Liz was now a Queen and no one would dare say anything if she did create a scene. Liz just had it all...
Alex asked endless questions of their tour guides. He was fascinated by the technology on the ship. How they communicated (mostly telepathically), how they navigated (they had trained “navigators” doing the steering, not computers or machines). It seemed that the Dendar nation depended a lot more on people than on technology, something that interested Alex to no end. They were shown how to operate all the gadgets in their rooms, from the showers (yes, they do have water on Dendar), to the Dendarian version of a toilet, to their food orders and how the chute type thing in the bathroom worked that cleaned clothes.
They were also shown how to expand a bed until it fit their bodies, making Alex exclaim, “nifty” with a sly look at Isabel who had to try and hide her smile.
Then finally, they could eat. They asked their hosts to order them something, since they had no clue what Dendarian food was like. And all went for a shower before what would essentially be brunch for them.
They sat around the table and stared at the strange stuff on their plates. Alex was hungry enough to try everything, so he relayed his findings about each new dish to his companions with relish. “This tastes like broccoli.” “A little bit like chicken.” “Oooh, bread!” After a while, all his comments got to the rest of them and they all started eating. Overall the stuff wasn’t bad!
“Oh!” Alex cried out suddenly, turning red and grabbing his chest.
“What?!” Isabel sounded frantic.
“Can’t breathe… Food may be poisoned… Help,” he ended pathetically, making gasping sounds and clutching at Isabel. All his antics brought a small group of Dendarians over.
“Quit it, Alex!” Maria said matter-of-factly, whacking him behind the head. He sat up straight immediately and looked fine.
“I can’t believe you did that!” Isabel hissed at him.
Michael just burst out laughing. “Good one, Whitman!”
When Maria and Isabel joined in the laughter a few moments later, Alex knew he had accomplished what he wanted to, to lighten the tense and uncertain mood that had been part of the group ever since they got on this ship.
And their Dendarian audience just stared at each other in wonder about this wacky group of people.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Surely she was made for this. For having Max’s hands on her body, his thoughts in her mind and his baby in her womb. His fingers lingered possessively on her sweet curves and Liz trembled with pleasure beneath his touch. She arched her back sensuously against the pressure of his hands as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Liz . . .” Max’s grip tightened, and he pulled her closer. She sank into his kiss, exited by the urgency of his touch that matched her own need. Locked in his arms, her breasts pressed against the strength of his chest and her body ignited by the sensation of skin against skin.
Their kisses became deeper and more demanding and, still kissing almost frantically, they fumbled with desperation to rid Max of the last of his clothes.
Liz’s senses were spinning with exhilaration and the pent-up desires of the last week-and-a-half. At last she could touch him and feel him again, at last his mouth was on hers and his hands were sure against her skin, at last his need was as great as her own.
Max lifted her onto the bed and followed her down. “Do you know what it’s been like, not being able to really be with you these last few days?” It was a moot question, she knew exactly how he felt. He was kissing her eyes and her ears and her throat and then her mouth again.
“I’m sorry,” she reiterated, running her hands greedily over his body. “It was hell for me too.”
He rolled her beneath him and took her face in his hands, smoothing back her tousled hair. He looked into her eyes and there was such warmth, love and desire in his expression that Liz felt herself dissolve with happiness.
“Tell me if something hurts you…” he asked tenderly.
He was still worried about her pregnant status. Pulling his head down to hers, she breathed, “Yes,” against his lips and invited more deep sweet kisses.
Max smoothed his hands over her slenderness, still amazed that she was so small and yet pregnant. His gaze lingered possessively on the soft curves of breast and hip, on the smooth, slender line of her thigh and the silken warmth of her skin. Liz tried to reach for him to pull him back to her mouth, but he only smiled and continued his devastating assault on her senses by kissing her all over, slow, tantalizing kisses that burned over her skin and left her shaking with desire. He spent a few extra moments with his lips pressed to her stomach and whispered, “I’m borrowing mommy for a while” into her bellybutton before moving lower.
Hearing her little moans was music to his starved ears. It felt like ages since he had heard them last. They spurred him into increasing the intimacy of his touches and he kept that up until Liz was quivering against him and begging him for release. But still he took his time, his mouth retracing its path back up over her belly, teasing her taut breasts and drifting lovingly up the pure line of her throat to recapture her lips.
Liz’s fingers dug into his back. She felt on fire and she urged him closer, demanding to be fulfilled until finally she could feel him enter her flooding warmth. They both groaned with a mixture of relief and pleasure while Liz wrapped herself around him and gave herself up to the glorious rhythm of their bodies moving together.
Max kissed her every time their movements allowed it. He literally worshipped her with each stroke of his body and his tongue, wanting to give her back some of what she had given him: herself and their baby. That’s why he didn’t rush this, how ever much his body demanded him to. This moment was incredibly special to him. He basked in the intensity of their connection, his mind ablaze with images of him and Liz together from that day they had conceived their baby. It stopped his breath.
Swept along by and irresistible force that grew ever stronger, faster and more urgent, they clung to each other with hot mouths and hungry hands.
Max buried his face in her hair and murmured her name in that sexy husky tone of voice he always had when they were making love. He would say her name with a little hitch that always increased her desire, because it was a tone he used uniquely for her. She arched her head back, beyond speaking, beyond thinking, beyond anything but feeling. He filled her, and it was as if every nerve down to the tips of her fingers thrilled with awareness of his hard, strong body that was taking her to the limits of sensation. She could feel his hands, insistent against her breasts, could taste his mouth and smell his hair and touch the sleekness of his skin, but as the rhythm grew even those senses dissolved beneath their shared excitement.
“Thank you,” they both whispered at the same time and their gazes locked as finally the explosion of release washed over them. It was said for so many things, for saving each other’s lives, for loving one another, for making sacrifices, for always being there, for making dreams come true. And most importantly, for completing each other. They lay staring at each other afterwards, eternally grateful that they could share this again.
Carefully rolling them over so Liz was lying on top of him, Max made sure he stayed inside her for a while longer. He had missed this so much, he had to make up for lost time. He stroked Liz’s hair and asked: “How did you know you were pregnant? You said you knew last night?”
Liz wriggled around until she could lay with her arms folded on Max’s chest, resting her chin on her hands.
“Lord, Liz!” Max gasped, stilling the movement of her hips. “I think I’ve done an admirable job of not mauling you in your delicate condition until now, don’t make it impossible for me to continue.”
Just smiling at him serenely, Liz knew she was going to get this nonsense out of his head soon. “I suspected when you put your hand on my belly one night and it started glowing, and I was sure when my stomach glowed when I touched it last night. And when I got nauseous this morning…” She trailed off, kicking herself for reminding Max of her morning sickness when she saw him pale.
He felt completely overwhelmed by everything this pregnancy entailed. He had no problem with going off into the wide expanses of space to stop an interplanetary war, but coping with Liz being sick, worrying about the safety of her and their baby, and trying to do things right for them was threatening to drown him.
“Max?” Liz’s soft voice called him back from his dark thoughts. “We have each other. Everything will be fine.”
Slowly trailing his forefinger from her forehead, down the slope of her nose, over her lips to her chin, he marveled again at how trusting Liz still was about the world. After all that has happened to her since got involved with him, she still believed that as long as they were together they would be able to face anything. And maybe she was right.
He moved her onto her back again and scooted down so he could lay his head on her belly. He felt Liz thread her fingers through his hair as he concentrated on the faint link he had with his baby through Liz. The link did not yield anything concrete yet, just a faint hum of life that hovered at the periphery of their connection. His baby was alive and safe and growing. And he would always be able to check on it himself. He smiled against Liz’s skin, kissing her stomach softly. It was starting to feel a little more real to him. “Daddy loves you, baby.” He kissed her again and looked up to meet Liz’s gaze. “And daddy loves mommy even more for giving you to me. And I promise to look after both of you.”
Liz drew him back to her and they kissed. A long, slow, deep kiss that spoke of love and commitment and promises for the future.
A kiss that was rudely interrupted by a commotion outside their door.
“No, you can’t go in!” That sounded like one of his men.
“I have to see him!” A female voice cried. “There has been a terrible mistake…”
tbc
Liz felt an unreasonable urge to either scream or cry. Didn’t he want her anymore now that she was pregnant? No, that’s not it, their connection made it very easy to feel how wrong that assumption was. He definitely wanted her. So then, how could he do this to them both?
Horror tore through Max as he saw her eyes fill with tears and he sat up quickly to pull Liz back into his arms. He knew she needed him, but he was afraid of what making love with her would mean for their baby. And now there were no doctors that could tell them what would be harmful and what not. As he felt her tears against his neck, he castigated himself for making Liz cry again. That would make it two times in a few hours already. What sort of a husband was he?
After getting herself under control somewhat, Liz pulled back to look into Max’s concerned and tortured eyes. Sighing, she admitted that all her tears had accomplished was to make Max more certain that she should be coddled. Not really what she had in mind for the two of them! She wiped the moisture from her cheeks determinedly and pinned him with a gaze. “Max, I am pregnant, not ill. And what both our child and I need right now is for you to love me, not to try and keep us apart as much as possible.” She could see Max wasn’t being swayed so she tried a low blow. “The baby can feel when I’m upset, Max, and that is not a good thing.” His eyes grew large at her statement. “People have been making love while pregnant for centuries, so it’s not like we will be breaking any physical laws or anything,” she ended. She couldn’t believe she had to resort to emotional blackmail to get her own husband to make love to her. She was used to being loved in abundance and having had very little of that for a while was disconcerting and with her pregnant hormones going nuts, Max was in deep trouble.
“Uhm… Liz…” Max was at a loss. He had all sorts of horrible images flying through his mind of what could happen to Liz if he actually had sex with her and he no idea how to explain them to his obviously perturbed wife. Heck, some of them were silly even to him!
Liz suddenly climbed out of bed, standing in front of him wearing only a few delicious scraps of silk and lace. Max felt his temperature skyrocket. She was exquisite. His eyes clung to her curves, from the lush line of her lips to the sensual flare of her hips. Oh, how he wanted to bury himself inside her once again…
She made sure he had a good look before turning to the little bathroom type thing leading from their room. “So, how do the showers on this ship work?”
He decided it was a good thing she wasn’t looking at him, because his stupidly confused expression after her unexpected question would surely have had her in stitches. He buried his face in his hands, trying to ignore how uncomfortable he was sitting around in a pair of pants while being really aroused. When he eventually felt strong enough to face her again, he found she had disappeared into the bathroom.
Her shriek seconds later had him sprinting to the other room, nearly falling over his own feet in haste.
She was standing inside a little cubicle that emitted a low hissing sound, her hands covering her eyes as she was engulfed in what looked like a fine mist. Max panicked and slammed his hand into one of the buttons next to the door of the cubicle. The sound and the mist disappeared immediately and the door slid open moments later. “Liz!” he cried as he lifted her out and hugged her tightly.
Desperately blinking the moisture from her eyes while trying to get her hair out of her face, she mumbled: “I’m fine, just soaked.”
Max helped her with her hair, using his powers to dry out the moisture and leaving it lying down her back smoothly.
Still really upset with his stubborn refusal to make love with her, this irked Liz even more and she glared at him. Get your hands off me, you smug Alien idiot! Just because your hands glow you think you can do everything.
Max heard her thoughts clearly and backtracked warily. What on earth was wrong with Liz? He thought he had been helping her. They stared at each other from a few paces away. This was not at all what Max’s dreams about a possible Liz pregnancy had looked like. He had had visions of her glowing with health and enjoying every moment with him. Of being blissfully happy. Of them planning a nursery and picking out names. He definitely had not had visions of being on Liz’s bad side all the time. “What happened?” he asked cautiously.
Liz waved her hand at the cubicle. “The stupid thing went like a tornado suddenly and I couldn’t see to turn it off…” All of a sudden her mouth started twitching and she burst out laughing.
What the hell? He wasn’t sure if he would get lynched for joining in her mirth, so Max just smiled at her. “Maybe we should get someone to come show us how things work in this room,” he stated dryly.
“Maybe…” Liz’s voice had turned husky again and he noticed her eyes were trained on his damp chest. His body reacted helplessly. Her naked body glistened with moisture. She was gloriously, breathtakingly sexy. He watched as she came towards him, seemingly in slow motion, and trembled as her hand splayed over his chest.
Liz leaned forward and caught a few drops of moisture from his skin with her tongue. He was so beautiful. She felt the muscles jump in reaction to her touch and she stepped even closer, opening her mouth against him. His muffled groan barely reached her ears, she was too intent on enjoying every inch of him.
He couldn’t help himself. His hands found her waist and slid down to cup her behind, lifting her to her toes and arching her into his hardness. Her hands were digging into his upper arms as she moved her assault to his neck.
“Liz…” He had meant it to be a warning, but it sounded more like a plea. She was a witch, ensnaring him in her magic and making him lose his mind.
He tasted warm, male and incredibly arousing. She trailed her open mouth over his throat, her tongue tracing little shapes against his skin. She could feel his chest heave against her and hear his labored breathing and it made her deliriously happy. Nipping at him, she thought fiercely that his body was hers. It had always been. No one else had ever done what she was doing and no one else had ever made him respond this way. Her mouth reached the firm line of his jaw, but before she could explore further, he had turned his head so that their mouths met.
He plundered her mouth with open desire, long past the stage of even trying to hide his passion and Liz reveled in every minute of it. Her body rejoiced and her heart sang when she felt Max’s surrender. Felt him giving up on trying to keep things low key between them. Finally, they would be together again…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There had been some confusion on the other ship when it became clear to the Dendarian hosts that the two Antarian visitors intended to share their rooms with their companions. Their hosts didn’t say much, but Maria surmised that males and females did not normally stay in one room on Dendar. She wondered if King Max had had the same problem on his ship. Probably not, he would’ve just waved his hand and everyone would’ve been falling all over themselves to do his bidding. Wait a minute, that sounded a lot like Liz… Maybe she was from Dendar too, Maria thought amusedly.
The small rooms were clearly meant for one person, but Maria left Michael under no illusion that he could kiss any type of physical interaction good-bye if he let her stay somewhere else, alone between all these aliens.
Isabel had decided to test her royal status and had asked for two adjoining rooms, which they managed to find for her. Even though she and Alex were close, she needed her space. Sharing a bed not much larger than a single was not her idea of fun.
By unspoken agreement, the four of them met each other again in what looked like a lounge type area after settling in their rooms. The chamber had a huge window/porthole from which they could watch the stars fly by.
“This is, like, so surreal,” Maria said in a hushed voice. “I can’t believe I’m hurtling through space at a dizzying speed!”
“Yeah, it makes trying not to overspend on groceries at the end of the month look a little less important, doesn’t it?” Alex stated dryly.
For Isabel it was a different experience. It felt almost… familiar. Sharing a glance with Michael, she knew he felt the same. It was familiar not in the same sense as her home on earth was, but in the sense of having experienced this before. It was a little disconcerting and she scooted closer to Alex.
Maria was fiddling with buttons situated underneath the window, when suddenly a soft siren sounded from further down the hallway. Michael dragged her away and scowled at her. “Are you insane? You could open this window or launch a missile or something!”
Folding her arms across her chest, Maria stared at him irritably. “Well then get one of these very short little aliens to give us the guided tour and explain how I can get something to drink on this vessel. Or I will be opening this window!”
“Wuss,” Alex hissed under his breath when Michael held up his hands in surrender and took off to find someone that could help them. “Thanks Maria, I could eat any type of alien food right now, that’s how hungry I am!”
“I’m a waitress and let me just say, this race will not win any wars if it depended on their hospitality!” Maria huffed. But all this bravado was a show to hide her true feelings. Maria Deluca was terrified. She was in space, for crying out loud! What was she thinking coming here? Oh yeah right, she was thinking she couldn’t let Michael go off to some other planet to meet some new alien girlfriend. She glanced bitterly at Isabel. From what she had seen of alien women, in other words Isabel and Tess, they were all beautiful. There was no way that she would allow Michael Guerin to go live among such women alone.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max tamped down on his urgency. Under normal circumstances, he would’ve taken her quickly, but he felt that he needed to do this right this time. Liz was whimpering against his mouth, begging him silently to make them one soon, but he kept on kissing her. Sliding his tongue over hers and worshipping her with every movement of his mouth and hands.
“I love you,” he had pulled back just a fraction to whisper it against her lips. He felt the shudder that racked her slim body as his breath feathered over her moist and sensitive mouth. Finally letting go of her rear, he put both his arms around her waist, hoisting her up against him until her legs dangled against his, and walked back to the bed without breaking off the kiss. He couldn’t have, even if he wanted to. He was like someone that had found a spring in the desert after dying of thirst for days. He drank his fill from her mouth. He had been starved for her kisses, something he hadn’t really admitted to himself until yesterday. It probably was an understatement to say that they kissed a lot usually, and this past week they had barely kissed once. He was mystified that he had managed to live without Liz’s kisses for so long.
He let her slide to the floor beside the bed, gasping as he felt her bare skin move against his. Electrifying. It felt so electrifying to have her in his arms like this. He lifted her arms around his neck and gently trailed his hand down her sides until he reached her upper thighs before moving them around to the back and letting them glide upwards over her bottom, the curve of her lower back and up to her shoulders. Slowly letting himself rediscover the wonders of Liz’s body. They needed oxygen, so he ended the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.
Liz’s heart was overflowing. “My love,” she said softly. He had been the most wonderful husband any girl could ever wish for through all these years, and now he was going to be a wonderful father.
Max had one final moment of uncertainty. He wrapped his hands around her tiny waist, his thumbs meeting at her bellybutton. The soft glow was back immediately. “Liz, what about our baby, wouldn’t this be… weird for—”
“I told the baby to sleep so we could be alone for a while,” she said with a small smile. He looked so cute when he was flustered. “No seriously, Max, our baby is only a few cells big right now. I don’t think he’d mind.” She reached down to find his hands and moved them upward to her ribcage, letting them linger tantalizingly close to her breasts. Max’s gaze had dropped to follow the path of his hands. “Okay?” she asked him gently.
He swallowed and nodded solemnly, his eyes never leaving her curves. “Yeah.” And he moved his hands the final few inches.
PART 38
Michael returned with a small delegation of Dendarians who bowed formally in front of Isabel and then invited their guests for a tour of the ship. It was awesome for the four friends. Everything in the ship gleamed or was made of something that looked a lot like plastic. There were buttons for almost all the things you’d want in your room.
“Room service!” Alex whispered to Maria. Which it was, sort of. It was not like a tray of food magically appeared out of the wall like you sometimes see on sci-fi shows, but you could place an order and then go eat it in the dining room a few minutes later. This caused a tussle between Alex, Maria and Michael. Alex and Maria were starving and wanted to eat immediately, while Michael pointed out that he had basically forced their hosts to show them the workings of the ship and they should at least finish the tour first.
“Space boy!” Maria began threateningly until she saw that the four Dendarians that have been showing them around were watching her with expressions varying between alarm, shock and amusement. Damn, they could understand what she was saying! She had forgotten that. “Ah… sorry,” she finally managed with an apologetic smile while ignoring Michael’s glare. “Please, let’s continue.” Where was Liz when she needed her? Surely Liz would never cause such a scene in front of their hosts. On the other hand, Liz was now a Queen and no one would dare say anything if she did create a scene. Liz just had it all...
Alex asked endless questions of their tour guides. He was fascinated by the technology on the ship. How they communicated (mostly telepathically), how they navigated (they had trained “navigators” doing the steering, not computers or machines). It seemed that the Dendar nation depended a lot more on people than on technology, something that interested Alex to no end. They were shown how to operate all the gadgets in their rooms, from the showers (yes, they do have water on Dendar), to the Dendarian version of a toilet, to their food orders and how the chute type thing in the bathroom worked that cleaned clothes.
They were also shown how to expand a bed until it fit their bodies, making Alex exclaim, “nifty” with a sly look at Isabel who had to try and hide her smile.
Then finally, they could eat. They asked their hosts to order them something, since they had no clue what Dendarian food was like. And all went for a shower before what would essentially be brunch for them.
They sat around the table and stared at the strange stuff on their plates. Alex was hungry enough to try everything, so he relayed his findings about each new dish to his companions with relish. “This tastes like broccoli.” “A little bit like chicken.” “Oooh, bread!” After a while, all his comments got to the rest of them and they all started eating. Overall the stuff wasn’t bad!
“Oh!” Alex cried out suddenly, turning red and grabbing his chest.
“What?!” Isabel sounded frantic.
“Can’t breathe… Food may be poisoned… Help,” he ended pathetically, making gasping sounds and clutching at Isabel. All his antics brought a small group of Dendarians over.
“Quit it, Alex!” Maria said matter-of-factly, whacking him behind the head. He sat up straight immediately and looked fine.
“I can’t believe you did that!” Isabel hissed at him.
Michael just burst out laughing. “Good one, Whitman!”
When Maria and Isabel joined in the laughter a few moments later, Alex knew he had accomplished what he wanted to, to lighten the tense and uncertain mood that had been part of the group ever since they got on this ship.
And their Dendarian audience just stared at each other in wonder about this wacky group of people.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Surely she was made for this. For having Max’s hands on her body, his thoughts in her mind and his baby in her womb. His fingers lingered possessively on her sweet curves and Liz trembled with pleasure beneath his touch. She arched her back sensuously against the pressure of his hands as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Liz . . .” Max’s grip tightened, and he pulled her closer. She sank into his kiss, exited by the urgency of his touch that matched her own need. Locked in his arms, her breasts pressed against the strength of his chest and her body ignited by the sensation of skin against skin.
Their kisses became deeper and more demanding and, still kissing almost frantically, they fumbled with desperation to rid Max of the last of his clothes.
Liz’s senses were spinning with exhilaration and the pent-up desires of the last week-and-a-half. At last she could touch him and feel him again, at last his mouth was on hers and his hands were sure against her skin, at last his need was as great as her own.
Max lifted her onto the bed and followed her down. “Do you know what it’s been like, not being able to really be with you these last few days?” It was a moot question, she knew exactly how he felt. He was kissing her eyes and her ears and her throat and then her mouth again.
“I’m sorry,” she reiterated, running her hands greedily over his body. “It was hell for me too.”
He rolled her beneath him and took her face in his hands, smoothing back her tousled hair. He looked into her eyes and there was such warmth, love and desire in his expression that Liz felt herself dissolve with happiness.
“Tell me if something hurts you…” he asked tenderly.
He was still worried about her pregnant status. Pulling his head down to hers, she breathed, “Yes,” against his lips and invited more deep sweet kisses.
Max smoothed his hands over her slenderness, still amazed that she was so small and yet pregnant. His gaze lingered possessively on the soft curves of breast and hip, on the smooth, slender line of her thigh and the silken warmth of her skin. Liz tried to reach for him to pull him back to her mouth, but he only smiled and continued his devastating assault on her senses by kissing her all over, slow, tantalizing kisses that burned over her skin and left her shaking with desire. He spent a few extra moments with his lips pressed to her stomach and whispered, “I’m borrowing mommy for a while” into her bellybutton before moving lower.
Hearing her little moans was music to his starved ears. It felt like ages since he had heard them last. They spurred him into increasing the intimacy of his touches and he kept that up until Liz was quivering against him and begging him for release. But still he took his time, his mouth retracing its path back up over her belly, teasing her taut breasts and drifting lovingly up the pure line of her throat to recapture her lips.
Liz’s fingers dug into his back. She felt on fire and she urged him closer, demanding to be fulfilled until finally she could feel him enter her flooding warmth. They both groaned with a mixture of relief and pleasure while Liz wrapped herself around him and gave herself up to the glorious rhythm of their bodies moving together.
Max kissed her every time their movements allowed it. He literally worshipped her with each stroke of his body and his tongue, wanting to give her back some of what she had given him: herself and their baby. That’s why he didn’t rush this, how ever much his body demanded him to. This moment was incredibly special to him. He basked in the intensity of their connection, his mind ablaze with images of him and Liz together from that day they had conceived their baby. It stopped his breath.
Swept along by and irresistible force that grew ever stronger, faster and more urgent, they clung to each other with hot mouths and hungry hands.
Max buried his face in her hair and murmured her name in that sexy husky tone of voice he always had when they were making love. He would say her name with a little hitch that always increased her desire, because it was a tone he used uniquely for her. She arched her head back, beyond speaking, beyond thinking, beyond anything but feeling. He filled her, and it was as if every nerve down to the tips of her fingers thrilled with awareness of his hard, strong body that was taking her to the limits of sensation. She could feel his hands, insistent against her breasts, could taste his mouth and smell his hair and touch the sleekness of his skin, but as the rhythm grew even those senses dissolved beneath their shared excitement.
“Thank you,” they both whispered at the same time and their gazes locked as finally the explosion of release washed over them. It was said for so many things, for saving each other’s lives, for loving one another, for making sacrifices, for always being there, for making dreams come true. And most importantly, for completing each other. They lay staring at each other afterwards, eternally grateful that they could share this again.
Carefully rolling them over so Liz was lying on top of him, Max made sure he stayed inside her for a while longer. He had missed this so much, he had to make up for lost time. He stroked Liz’s hair and asked: “How did you know you were pregnant? You said you knew last night?”
Liz wriggled around until she could lay with her arms folded on Max’s chest, resting her chin on her hands.
“Lord, Liz!” Max gasped, stilling the movement of her hips. “I think I’ve done an admirable job of not mauling you in your delicate condition until now, don’t make it impossible for me to continue.”
Just smiling at him serenely, Liz knew she was going to get this nonsense out of his head soon. “I suspected when you put your hand on my belly one night and it started glowing, and I was sure when my stomach glowed when I touched it last night. And when I got nauseous this morning…” She trailed off, kicking herself for reminding Max of her morning sickness when she saw him pale.
He felt completely overwhelmed by everything this pregnancy entailed. He had no problem with going off into the wide expanses of space to stop an interplanetary war, but coping with Liz being sick, worrying about the safety of her and their baby, and trying to do things right for them was threatening to drown him.
“Max?” Liz’s soft voice called him back from his dark thoughts. “We have each other. Everything will be fine.”
Slowly trailing his forefinger from her forehead, down the slope of her nose, over her lips to her chin, he marveled again at how trusting Liz still was about the world. After all that has happened to her since got involved with him, she still believed that as long as they were together they would be able to face anything. And maybe she was right.
He moved her onto her back again and scooted down so he could lay his head on her belly. He felt Liz thread her fingers through his hair as he concentrated on the faint link he had with his baby through Liz. The link did not yield anything concrete yet, just a faint hum of life that hovered at the periphery of their connection. His baby was alive and safe and growing. And he would always be able to check on it himself. He smiled against Liz’s skin, kissing her stomach softly. It was starting to feel a little more real to him. “Daddy loves you, baby.” He kissed her again and looked up to meet Liz’s gaze. “And daddy loves mommy even more for giving you to me. And I promise to look after both of you.”
Liz drew him back to her and they kissed. A long, slow, deep kiss that spoke of love and commitment and promises for the future.
A kiss that was rudely interrupted by a commotion outside their door.
“No, you can’t go in!” That sounded like one of his men.
“I have to see him!” A female voice cried. “There has been a terrible mistake…”
tbc
39+40
PART 39
Feeling like he would rather just ignore whoever was making a fuss at the door, Max pulled himself from Liz’s intoxicating embrace to get up and drag on his clothes. He gave Liz a hot look and leaned over to kiss her hard before whispering: “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.”
She hated that he had to go, but she was sleepy again, so Liz decided that this would be a good time for a nap. She concluded that she would have to train her body to nap whenever Max was busy with other things, that way they could make the most of their time together. But right now, the release of all the previous week’s stress, the adrenaline rush of making love and the fact that she finally felt whole again caught up with her, making her eyelids droop before Max had even opened the door. She rolled over onto her side and pressed her face into Max’s pillow, inhaling his scent that still lingered there. Her life was perfect…
Max opened the door to find David and James, the two guards he had instructed Nick to post to Liz, trying to bar a distraught-looking Dendarian girl from entering the room. “What is going on?” he asked, watching the girl’s eyes widen in shock at his appearance.
“Sorry, Max,” James said. “She was going on about some mistake and that she had to see you. We tried to keep her quiet until… until you could see her.”
“That’s okay. What is the problem?” Max turned to the girl, who looked positively frightened now.
She bowed low before stuttering. “There has been a big m-mistake with y-your room. You should not be in here. T—this is for a normal p—passenger. My Commander is furious. I—I humbly apologize for this!” She was looking at him as if she feared he would order her execution for this mishap. “We need t—to move you im—immediately.”
Max had trouble not grinning at the poor girl’s panic. “That’s okay, uh… what is your name?”
“Shilla,” the girl whispered fearfully.
“That’s okay, Shilla, we were not inconvenienced.” Max wondered what Liz would think of having to get up now. “Uhm… let me go check on my wife and I will tell you when we can move.”
Shilla just nodded mutely, apparently struck dumb by the fact that the King was not angry about the whole mess. And boy was he tall and good-looking!
“Don’t worry, he is not you run-of-the-mill royal,” James informed her kindly. In fact, he was probably the furthest you’ll get from one, he thought amusedly. Not that that made his people love him any less.
When he reappeared, Max told Shilla that Liz was sleeping, but that he would move her to wherever they needed to go.
It was a strange procession that trekked down the corridor. David and James, each carrying a bag, followed Shilla, who kept looking over her shoulder at Max and Liz in amazement.
Max had bundled Liz into one of his sweaters and wrapped her in a blanket, before picking her up and carrying her to their new room against his chest. She hadn’t even stirred, apart from mumbling his name and curling her one hand into his shirt.
The chamber they were shown to was huge in comparison to the one they had just vacated. It had a lounge (or audience room as the Dendarians called it), two big bedrooms each with their own bathroom, a kitchen and a dining area. Max took a quick glance at everything, but didn’t take much notice.
Shilla pointed at one bedroom. “That would be the Queen’s room and that one is yours…”
Max, James and David faltered at the statement. David and James stared at Shilla in mild shock and then looked at each other meaningfully. Max merely turned around towards “his” room.
Shilla hurried after him. “Ah… the Queen—”
“Stays in my room,” Max informed her firmly. “Always.”
James and David waited out in the lounge area for Max to put Liz to bed, but Shilla had never heard of such a thing so she followed Max into his room, not sure how to handle this. A man and woman sharing a room? It was not that Dendarians didn’t have sex or form a life partnership, but they didn’t share rooms for long periods. Or handle their mate like she was the most precious thing in the universe. They cared about each other, but it all took a backseat to intellectual undertakings.
Max put Liz on his bed gently, making sure that she is warmly snuggled into the blanket. He had to sit down by her side when she wouldn’t let go of his shirt. Smiling slightly, he rubbed the back of her hand until she eventually let go of his shirt and grabbed his hand instead.
Shilla felt awkward, like she was intruding on something. “Uh… Was—was there anything else you needed? I—I was assigned to be the your servant while you’re here.”
“You could get us something to eat in an hour or so, if that’s possible?” Max felt weird ordering someone around.
“Yes Sir,” Shilla said quickly, all too glad to be getting out of the room. After observing that tender moment, she realized that she better not be barging into this room unannounced in future.
David and James were grinning when Shilla came rushing out of the room. Lesson number one for the Dendarians, never try to separate the Antarian Royal Couple!
After taking their luggage from David and James, Max retired to their room as the two guards went back outside to stand at the outer door of the suite. He looked at his watch, seeing that it was late morning on earth. He had just joined Liz again when she reared upright with her hand to her mouth. Max, realizing she had no idea they were in a new room, jumped up and helped her to the bathroom.
Liz felt wretched, hanging over the sink until the nauseous feeling got better. Max was hovering behind her in concern, holding her hair out of her face with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. Somehow this all felt like his fault. If he hadn’t gotten her pregnant, she wouldn’t be this sick.
“Please stop, Max,” Liz managed weakly, still bent over the sink. “You are upsetting me with those thoughts.”
“No, Liz… honey please don’t get upset,” he sounded worried. Good, Liz thought, otherwise he was going to drive me crazy with all the guilt-trips. “Is there anything I can do?” he was clearly lost.
“Could I get some crackers…” then she remembered that she was on an unfamiliar space ship, “or whatever they have that is similar? I don’t think I can stomach anything else right now.”
“Sure,” his relief in finally having something concrete to do was evident in his voice. Liz was still clinging to the sides of the basin when she felt Max hug her tightly from behind. He kissed her ear and murmured: “I love you.” Then he was gone.
Wow, she felt like she had been put through a ringer. What happened to the woman who just about forced her husband to make love to her a few hours ago? After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she eyed the shower longingly and decided to try again.
The shower was in a different place! And much bigger than the one she got stuck in this morning. Liz wandered out of the bathroom in amazement. Wherever they were now, was huge. Apparently Max could not only do magic with his hands.
Walking around the suite in an effort to find Max, she rounded a corner into the lounge area and surprised a girl with short black hair that had just arrived from the outside.
It was Shilla’s first good look at the real Queen of Antar. They were about the same length, but the Queen’s hair was long and shiny and their eyes were a different color. Shilla thought Liz was beautiful, even in her disheveled and strangely clothed state. “Oh, you’re awake!” Shilla exclaimed and bowed deeply again. “I brought some food and bread like the King asked.”
Liz felt like a complete idiot, standing there in Max’s sweater (how did that happen?) and being honored for being a Queen. And why does the poor girl look so worried? “Thank you very much!” Liz could feel that her bout of morning sickness had left her hungry. “What is your name?”
“It’s Shilla. And I am your servant on the ship.”
Walking closer, Liz smiled at the girl. “Hi Shilla, I’m Liz. I hope Max wasn’t too hard on you about my food?”
Shilla was stunned. Who was this friendly woman? Shilla had heard a lot of stories about the Antarian Queen that found refuge on Dendar so long ago. And how sad it was that she was widowed so young. However, a lot of other things were whispered about the blonde Queen as well. How she was living it up and lording it over other people. Then they got the news that the King wasn’t really dead but was coming to the peace summit. And that he had another mate. And that the woman on Dendar wasn’t really the Queen! All this was really confusing to Shilla. Everything but the fact that this woman with the deep brown eyes was apparently completely different from the fake Queen. And that it was very clear that the King had no uncertainty about which one was his mate. Just wait till she told everyone!
“Where is Max?”
“He said that he had to go see Nick quickly and to make sure you had everything you needed.”
This made Liz’s smile broaden. “Since you are going to be around Max and I often, I should warn you that he tends to go slightly overboard about me. It’s best to humor him, that lessens the tension considerably.”
Shilla found herself grinning back at Liz instinctively.
“Do you think you can show me how to operate the shower? I desperately need to clean up even more than I need to eat.” She didn’t want to tell the girl that the sight of the food was causing her nausea to return.
“Oh, yes! Of course,” Shilla said eagerly. She rushed into the bathroom ahead of Liz and proceeded to give Liz a lesson in Dendarian technology.
“Tell Max I’m in here when he gets back,” Liz told Shilla as she shooed the girl from the room.
Max arrived a few minutes later with Nick and Grace on his heels to find the tray of food still untouched in the dining area and Shilla hovering outside their room. He frowned at Shilla. “Where’s Liz? Why hasn’t she eaten yet?” He was past Shilla and into their room before she could answer him.
He found Liz in what could only be described as the “drying cycle” of the shower. No dirty towels will be lying around on this ship! Max was amused when she eventually emerged dry from the cubicle. “That is handy,” he joked.
Not wasting time, Liz crossed the distance between them and pressed herself against him. Twining her arms around his neck, she told him: “And this one can take two of us at the same time…”
She had barely finished when he was kissing her. They had so much time to make up for…
Liz unbuttoned Max’s shirt and splayed her fingers over his warm chest, feeling his heart race under her hand.
“Liz…”
She ripped his shirt from his pants and stood to tiptoe so she could deepen the kiss. Hunger unfurled in the pit of his stomach, but…
“Liz… Nick is—”
She ran her tongue over his, rubbing her nakedness against his bare chest. Fire exploded between them. Fire fueled by intense need and desire.
“Oh god, Liz…” His hands fell to her hips, lifting her until she could wrap her legs around his waist. Both of them groaned at the contact.
Max put his arm around Liz’s back and the force of his kiss arched her backwards. Liz had her hands in his hair, holding his mouth to hers, drinking from his lips.
Sanity returned gradually to Max, reminding him that there were people waiting for them outside. He pulled away from her, but nearly gave in again when he saw how puffy and moist her mouth was from his assault.
“No, Max. More,” she tugged him back, “I need more.”
The plea made his gut clench with desire. “Nick and Grace are outside. I asked them to come and talk to us about the pregnancy,” he told her hoarsely while his eyes clung to her mouth.
Liz battled with herself. She was torn between her need for Max and her need to know about their baby.
In the end, Max made the decision for her. He gently extricated himself from her arms and legs and led her to their room. “Get dressed while I take a shower,” he ordered her softly. His dark eyes swept over her hotly one last time before he left her.
A tearful Grace rushed over to her when she emerged from the bedroom. “We are so happy!” she said as she hugged Liz impulsively.
“Yes we are,” Nick added with a smile. “This is a wonderful time for our people. One we never thought we’d have again. You and Max are giving our race a great gift.”
“Thank you,” Liz replied, touched by their intense interest in her baby. She put her hand on her stomach, causing the faint glow to start up again. “Now I need to know everything about an alien pregnancy!” She grinned suddenly. “And how to handle an overprotective alien husband and father-to-be.”
PART 40
A timid knock on the door stopped the baby talk before it even began. Nick went to open the door and found Shilla on the other side. “I brought some water and drinks for everyone,” she said breathlessly. She had thought she would hate catering to royalty who in general were notorious for their demanding personalities, but so far she liked the Antarian Royal Couple. And if being nice to them would gain their favor and some really great gossip for her, all the better.
Nick showed her where to put everything and told her that Max and Liz would call her if they needed anything else. Shilla exited the suite disappointed that she couldn’t stay and hear more about the royal couple. How did they meet? Where did the fake Queen fit into all this?
Max emerged from the room, his damp hair still clinging to his forehead. His searching gaze went to Liz immediately, ascertaining her position and her health in one long sweep.
Food! Liz attacked the spread of breads and other things, her hunger finally catching up with her. It was only after she had eaten two pieces of bread and returned with a plate laden with food she didn’t recognize, that she noticed the amused looks from Max, Nick and Grace.
“Yes, you’re definitely pregnant,” Nick laughed. “Grace made me crazy with her cravings for weird foods and her constant eating.”
Max ended up moving their whole discussion to the dining table, so that he could have brunch while Liz would be close to more food if she needed it. He cast a look at Liz, who was still happily tucking into her food, before asking Nick and Grace: “So tell us what to expect?”
It was Nick who answered. “We can tell you how it was for us, but…”
“But what?” Max was immediately alarmed.
“It might be different for you two, because…”
“Because we’re different?” Max sounded slightly bitter. Why could he not just have been a normal guy? What if something happened to Liz, the center of his universe? Or to his baby? He would just—
“Max!” Liz’s voice halted his thoughts. She scooted closer to him and put her arm around his neck to pull his head down to hers. Kissing him softly, she murmured, “Stop that!” against his mouth.
After getting him to nod, Liz turned to the other two people in the room again. “How long does an Antarian pregnancy last?”
“Six months,” Grace grinned. “A lot better than the human nine months…” She faltered a bit. “But…”
“Mine might take anything from six to nine months because I’m human?” Liz helped her out.
“Yeah.”
“What about the birth?” Max didn’t even want to think about Liz having to go through some weird alien birth thing.
“Just like the human one.” Max wasn’t sure if that was better either since it meant Liz would go through all that pain. “Only the father does not attend the birth, we have other women in the room. Our children are bonded closely with their mothers, not really with the fathers, but—”
“No way!” Max said immediately, not noticing Nick’s grin. “There’s no way I’m letting Liz do this alone.”
“But,” Nick continued as if Max had not interrupted, “we know it will be different with you two.” He was amused that Max still thought none of them knew how he got about Liz. That Max thought that any of them would have any illusions about him letting Liz out of his sight for more than a few seconds during the pregnancy, let alone the birth.
“What was that about weird cravings?” Liz asked when she saw that Max had calmed down.
“I wanted food at strange times at night,” Grace replied. “And I couldn’t eat anything sweet. But you might have different cravings. It differs from person to person.”
Sharing a glance with Max, Liz wondered how to approach the issue of sex. She desperately needed Nick and Grace to assure Max that everything was fine, but how do you ask someone that? Why didn’t she buy that book about pregnancy like she planned to just before they left? She felt Max’s hand closing around hers under the table in an effort to calm down her babbling thoughts.
“And I slept a lot,” Grace continued, unaware of the small interchange between her leader and his wife. “I was dead tired a lot of the time.”
Liz saw Max’s eyes widen and she sighed. Now he would bug her to sleep more. She threw him a sly grin and deliberately thought: I promise to take a nap every time you make love to me. His small gasp made Nick and Grace look at him strangely.
“What about morning sickness?” Liz asked Grace innocently, ignoring Max’s stunned glare.
“No, nothing like that for me. Why are you sick?”
“Yeah, I get nauseous late in the mornings. Nothing serious, though,” she added for Max’s benefit. “Could you-could you feel Maddie? Sense her? Before she was born I mean.”
This seemed to confuse Grace and Nick answered. “No. Grace only formed a link with her after she was born. She had to make a connection with her first.” He stared at Liz intently. “You mean you sense the baby?”
“I do too,” Max said after Liz had nodded silently. He squeezed Liz’s hand. “It’s like a third person has become part of our connection. I can feel… It’s like a small hum of life. Nothing more yet.”
“Wow!” Nick sounded awed. It seems that somehow this intense connection between Max and Liz that was there even when they hadn’t been bonded yet is going to exist between them and their children also. This reiterated Nick’s belief that his race had done the right thing by sending their young King across the galaxies, because in the end fate had decreed a different path from the one they had worked out for him. Fate had decreed that he had to meet a tiny dark-haired human girl with eyes like chocolate that would steal his young heart and keep it forever. And this one event meant that the Antarian people were slowly learning how to incorporate strong emotions into their bondings. Max and Liz had amazed him once more.
Staring into each other’s eyes, Max and Liz missed Nick picking up a bundle from next to his chair. He cleared his throat to get their attention and they turned to him after Max touched Liz’s cheek softly with his fingers. “I brought you some traditional Antarian clothes,” Nick announced. “If you like it you can have some more made on the ship.”
Liz clapped her hands in glee. “Antarian clothes? Can I go try it on?” She looked at Max expectantly.
“Since when do you ask my permission to wear anything?” he asked in amusement, only to kick himself when he saw a dark shadow flicker over her face.
“I’m just…” Liz sounded subdued and she got up to take the clothes Nick held out and left the room in a hurry.
“Liz…” Max jumped up in a panic. What happened just now? What had upset her? He glanced at Nick who also looked concerned and an amused Grace. “What just…? I have to go…”
“Her hormones are going crazy, Max. It’s nothing she has control over. You will just have to be patient about her being so emotional,” Grace informed him kindly.
“And give her whatever she wants!” Nick cried after him as Max dashed out of the room. “It’s the best way to ensure no tears.”
He found her sitting on the bed, staring at the heap of clothes next to her. Falling to his knees in front of her, Max looked at her anxiously. “What is wrong, love?”
“These are Antarian clothes, Max,” Liz said softly and Max cringed.
“I—I know, Liz. And I—I’m sorry that I’m not… human. This must be so—”
“No!” She looked at him with wide, moist eyes for a moment, touching his lips with her forefinger. “It’s not that. You are perfect for me.”
“Then what?” Max was both relieved and confused.
“I’m not…”
“Not what?” He grabbed her hands in his, urging her to meet his gaze. She wouldn’t.
“Not really Antarian,” she finally whispered, trying to pull her hands from his grasp. “I shouldn’t be wearing this.”
It dawned on him then. Liz would be as much of an outsider on Dendar as he had been on earth. And he remembered vividly how terrifying that had been. Fearing that you would be outcast for what you were. Wanting so desperately to be part of something, but never really achieving it. Not until Liz Parker had let him into her heart. He felt his chest constrict with emotion. “No, you’re right. You aren’t Antarian. You’re the Antarian Queen. And my wife. The person who makes my life perfect. That’s all that matters.”
Tears filled Liz’s eyes. She understood a little better about Max’s life on earth now. How he must’ve felt being one of a handful of very different beings on earth. She risked a tentative peek at him. “So, it would be okay for me to wear this?”
He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “I think Nick would be offended if you didn’t. And so would I. I want the universe to see you are mine.” He kissed the backs of her hands before saying with one of his crooked smiles: “And you better listen to me, I’m the King around here.”
She flung her arms around him, nearly toppling him over backwards. “I love you so much… King Max.”
He chuckled against her hair. “Groveling will get you everywhere!”
Pulling back, she gave him a sizzling look. “Will it get you inside me? Soon?”
His groan was heartfelt even as his hands brought her closer to his body. She was going to be the death of him! His head was spinning with all the emotional changes he had to cope with. First she wrings out his heart with her soft words and pain, and now she made him want her again. Disentangling himself from her hastily, he lifted her back onto the bed and stood back. “Why don’t you try on the clothes and I’ll go talk to Nick… I’ll send in Grace.” Lord, was that his voice that sounded so strained?
He literally fled the room.
Grace arrived a few seconds later, looking concerned. “Max was in a state! Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Liz said with a secret smile. “I’m fine now.”
Grace laid out the clothes while Liz got out of her jeans. It consisted of a long flowing robe, a tight-fitting top and a sheath skirt with two slits on the sides coming nearly to mid thigh. It was white with some dark-green trimmings at the seam of the skirt and around the edges of the robe. It had the symbol that was on Atherton’s pendant on the two flaps of the robe too.
“That’s the seal of the Antarian King,” Grace pointed out. “Your seal now.”
This made Liz inhale sharply and she touched the seal in awe. Who knew when she went to River Dog so long ago, she had been clutching the seal of her future in her hands? She dressed slowly with Grace fussing around her. Grace had tears in her eyes when Liz was finished.
“I never thought I’d see someone in this again,” Grace said softly. “My Queen.”
Liz hugged her spontaneously, ruining the solemn moment. “Thank you.”
“Let’s go show Max.” Grace was smiling. “He will be stunned.”
“Wait, Grace!” Liz urged her back into the room. “I—I needed to ask you something.”
Grace looked at her sympathetically. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of Max. I know you two… uhm… I needed to warn you, though. I didn’t want sex when I was pregnant. Poor Nick was…” she trailed off when she saw Liz look at her in total consternation. “What?”
“You didn’t?”
“No. I just wanted to be left alone. Why?”
The blush creeping over Liz’s face told her even before Liz started talking. “I—I don’t have that symptom. In fact, I feel the exact opposite!”
It was Grace’s turn to be speechless. “You mean you… Uhm, well… Don’t tell Nick, he will be disappointed that he doesn’t have a human mate after all!”
“Yeah, but Max treats my like I’m going to break!” Liz burst out. “And it’s driving me insane! I need to know for sure if it would be okay for us to, ahh, you know.”
“I’m sure it is,” Grace assured her. “Besides, you two would know if something went wrong with the baby through the connection.”
Liz bit her lip and nodded.
Out in the lounge area, Nick was looking at Max seriously. “You need to keep an eye on her for a while.” He met Max’s concerned gaze. “This is the first time a human is pregnant with an Antarian baby. We don’t know… I mean, her body might reject…” Nick felt awful when he saw the distress growing in Max’s eyes. “I’m sure everything will be fine. We must just make sure in the beginning. I didn’t want to alarm Liz.” He knew he was babbling now. “Just watch her carefully. The connection with the baby will help.” Max was staring at the floor now, his jaw clenched. “It’s just a precaution, Max. I’m so sorry to even say it. Your body is mostly human, so I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
But Max had heard only the first part. Liz could be in danger from his baby.
“Max?” Liz’s voice made his head snap up. She stood a few feet from him.
He stood up slowly and heard a roaring in his ears as he stared at her, looking so familiar in the Antarian royal garb. Dizziness was overtaking him as he kept staring at her in shock. A rush of images he knew, but didn’t know flew through his mind.
“Max!” Liz cried, rushing forward as she saw him stumble back into his chair, white as a sheet.
Still staring at her, he whispered: “Shani…”
tbc
Feeling like he would rather just ignore whoever was making a fuss at the door, Max pulled himself from Liz’s intoxicating embrace to get up and drag on his clothes. He gave Liz a hot look and leaned over to kiss her hard before whispering: “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.”
She hated that he had to go, but she was sleepy again, so Liz decided that this would be a good time for a nap. She concluded that she would have to train her body to nap whenever Max was busy with other things, that way they could make the most of their time together. But right now, the release of all the previous week’s stress, the adrenaline rush of making love and the fact that she finally felt whole again caught up with her, making her eyelids droop before Max had even opened the door. She rolled over onto her side and pressed her face into Max’s pillow, inhaling his scent that still lingered there. Her life was perfect…
Max opened the door to find David and James, the two guards he had instructed Nick to post to Liz, trying to bar a distraught-looking Dendarian girl from entering the room. “What is going on?” he asked, watching the girl’s eyes widen in shock at his appearance.
“Sorry, Max,” James said. “She was going on about some mistake and that she had to see you. We tried to keep her quiet until… until you could see her.”
“That’s okay. What is the problem?” Max turned to the girl, who looked positively frightened now.
She bowed low before stuttering. “There has been a big m-mistake with y-your room. You should not be in here. T—this is for a normal p—passenger. My Commander is furious. I—I humbly apologize for this!” She was looking at him as if she feared he would order her execution for this mishap. “We need t—to move you im—immediately.”
Max had trouble not grinning at the poor girl’s panic. “That’s okay, uh… what is your name?”
“Shilla,” the girl whispered fearfully.
“That’s okay, Shilla, we were not inconvenienced.” Max wondered what Liz would think of having to get up now. “Uhm… let me go check on my wife and I will tell you when we can move.”
Shilla just nodded mutely, apparently struck dumb by the fact that the King was not angry about the whole mess. And boy was he tall and good-looking!
“Don’t worry, he is not you run-of-the-mill royal,” James informed her kindly. In fact, he was probably the furthest you’ll get from one, he thought amusedly. Not that that made his people love him any less.
When he reappeared, Max told Shilla that Liz was sleeping, but that he would move her to wherever they needed to go.
It was a strange procession that trekked down the corridor. David and James, each carrying a bag, followed Shilla, who kept looking over her shoulder at Max and Liz in amazement.
Max had bundled Liz into one of his sweaters and wrapped her in a blanket, before picking her up and carrying her to their new room against his chest. She hadn’t even stirred, apart from mumbling his name and curling her one hand into his shirt.
The chamber they were shown to was huge in comparison to the one they had just vacated. It had a lounge (or audience room as the Dendarians called it), two big bedrooms each with their own bathroom, a kitchen and a dining area. Max took a quick glance at everything, but didn’t take much notice.
Shilla pointed at one bedroom. “That would be the Queen’s room and that one is yours…”
Max, James and David faltered at the statement. David and James stared at Shilla in mild shock and then looked at each other meaningfully. Max merely turned around towards “his” room.
Shilla hurried after him. “Ah… the Queen—”
“Stays in my room,” Max informed her firmly. “Always.”
James and David waited out in the lounge area for Max to put Liz to bed, but Shilla had never heard of such a thing so she followed Max into his room, not sure how to handle this. A man and woman sharing a room? It was not that Dendarians didn’t have sex or form a life partnership, but they didn’t share rooms for long periods. Or handle their mate like she was the most precious thing in the universe. They cared about each other, but it all took a backseat to intellectual undertakings.
Max put Liz on his bed gently, making sure that she is warmly snuggled into the blanket. He had to sit down by her side when she wouldn’t let go of his shirt. Smiling slightly, he rubbed the back of her hand until she eventually let go of his shirt and grabbed his hand instead.
Shilla felt awkward, like she was intruding on something. “Uh… Was—was there anything else you needed? I—I was assigned to be the your servant while you’re here.”
“You could get us something to eat in an hour or so, if that’s possible?” Max felt weird ordering someone around.
“Yes Sir,” Shilla said quickly, all too glad to be getting out of the room. After observing that tender moment, she realized that she better not be barging into this room unannounced in future.
David and James were grinning when Shilla came rushing out of the room. Lesson number one for the Dendarians, never try to separate the Antarian Royal Couple!
After taking their luggage from David and James, Max retired to their room as the two guards went back outside to stand at the outer door of the suite. He looked at his watch, seeing that it was late morning on earth. He had just joined Liz again when she reared upright with her hand to her mouth. Max, realizing she had no idea they were in a new room, jumped up and helped her to the bathroom.
Liz felt wretched, hanging over the sink until the nauseous feeling got better. Max was hovering behind her in concern, holding her hair out of her face with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. Somehow this all felt like his fault. If he hadn’t gotten her pregnant, she wouldn’t be this sick.
“Please stop, Max,” Liz managed weakly, still bent over the sink. “You are upsetting me with those thoughts.”
“No, Liz… honey please don’t get upset,” he sounded worried. Good, Liz thought, otherwise he was going to drive me crazy with all the guilt-trips. “Is there anything I can do?” he was clearly lost.
“Could I get some crackers…” then she remembered that she was on an unfamiliar space ship, “or whatever they have that is similar? I don’t think I can stomach anything else right now.”
“Sure,” his relief in finally having something concrete to do was evident in his voice. Liz was still clinging to the sides of the basin when she felt Max hug her tightly from behind. He kissed her ear and murmured: “I love you.” Then he was gone.
Wow, she felt like she had been put through a ringer. What happened to the woman who just about forced her husband to make love to her a few hours ago? After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she eyed the shower longingly and decided to try again.
The shower was in a different place! And much bigger than the one she got stuck in this morning. Liz wandered out of the bathroom in amazement. Wherever they were now, was huge. Apparently Max could not only do magic with his hands.
Walking around the suite in an effort to find Max, she rounded a corner into the lounge area and surprised a girl with short black hair that had just arrived from the outside.
It was Shilla’s first good look at the real Queen of Antar. They were about the same length, but the Queen’s hair was long and shiny and their eyes were a different color. Shilla thought Liz was beautiful, even in her disheveled and strangely clothed state. “Oh, you’re awake!” Shilla exclaimed and bowed deeply again. “I brought some food and bread like the King asked.”
Liz felt like a complete idiot, standing there in Max’s sweater (how did that happen?) and being honored for being a Queen. And why does the poor girl look so worried? “Thank you very much!” Liz could feel that her bout of morning sickness had left her hungry. “What is your name?”
“It’s Shilla. And I am your servant on the ship.”
Walking closer, Liz smiled at the girl. “Hi Shilla, I’m Liz. I hope Max wasn’t too hard on you about my food?”
Shilla was stunned. Who was this friendly woman? Shilla had heard a lot of stories about the Antarian Queen that found refuge on Dendar so long ago. And how sad it was that she was widowed so young. However, a lot of other things were whispered about the blonde Queen as well. How she was living it up and lording it over other people. Then they got the news that the King wasn’t really dead but was coming to the peace summit. And that he had another mate. And that the woman on Dendar wasn’t really the Queen! All this was really confusing to Shilla. Everything but the fact that this woman with the deep brown eyes was apparently completely different from the fake Queen. And that it was very clear that the King had no uncertainty about which one was his mate. Just wait till she told everyone!
“Where is Max?”
“He said that he had to go see Nick quickly and to make sure you had everything you needed.”
This made Liz’s smile broaden. “Since you are going to be around Max and I often, I should warn you that he tends to go slightly overboard about me. It’s best to humor him, that lessens the tension considerably.”
Shilla found herself grinning back at Liz instinctively.
“Do you think you can show me how to operate the shower? I desperately need to clean up even more than I need to eat.” She didn’t want to tell the girl that the sight of the food was causing her nausea to return.
“Oh, yes! Of course,” Shilla said eagerly. She rushed into the bathroom ahead of Liz and proceeded to give Liz a lesson in Dendarian technology.
“Tell Max I’m in here when he gets back,” Liz told Shilla as she shooed the girl from the room.
Max arrived a few minutes later with Nick and Grace on his heels to find the tray of food still untouched in the dining area and Shilla hovering outside their room. He frowned at Shilla. “Where’s Liz? Why hasn’t she eaten yet?” He was past Shilla and into their room before she could answer him.
He found Liz in what could only be described as the “drying cycle” of the shower. No dirty towels will be lying around on this ship! Max was amused when she eventually emerged dry from the cubicle. “That is handy,” he joked.
Not wasting time, Liz crossed the distance between them and pressed herself against him. Twining her arms around his neck, she told him: “And this one can take two of us at the same time…”
She had barely finished when he was kissing her. They had so much time to make up for…
Liz unbuttoned Max’s shirt and splayed her fingers over his warm chest, feeling his heart race under her hand.
“Liz…”
She ripped his shirt from his pants and stood to tiptoe so she could deepen the kiss. Hunger unfurled in the pit of his stomach, but…
“Liz… Nick is—”
She ran her tongue over his, rubbing her nakedness against his bare chest. Fire exploded between them. Fire fueled by intense need and desire.
“Oh god, Liz…” His hands fell to her hips, lifting her until she could wrap her legs around his waist. Both of them groaned at the contact.
Max put his arm around Liz’s back and the force of his kiss arched her backwards. Liz had her hands in his hair, holding his mouth to hers, drinking from his lips.
Sanity returned gradually to Max, reminding him that there were people waiting for them outside. He pulled away from her, but nearly gave in again when he saw how puffy and moist her mouth was from his assault.
“No, Max. More,” she tugged him back, “I need more.”
The plea made his gut clench with desire. “Nick and Grace are outside. I asked them to come and talk to us about the pregnancy,” he told her hoarsely while his eyes clung to her mouth.
Liz battled with herself. She was torn between her need for Max and her need to know about their baby.
In the end, Max made the decision for her. He gently extricated himself from her arms and legs and led her to their room. “Get dressed while I take a shower,” he ordered her softly. His dark eyes swept over her hotly one last time before he left her.
A tearful Grace rushed over to her when she emerged from the bedroom. “We are so happy!” she said as she hugged Liz impulsively.
“Yes we are,” Nick added with a smile. “This is a wonderful time for our people. One we never thought we’d have again. You and Max are giving our race a great gift.”
“Thank you,” Liz replied, touched by their intense interest in her baby. She put her hand on her stomach, causing the faint glow to start up again. “Now I need to know everything about an alien pregnancy!” She grinned suddenly. “And how to handle an overprotective alien husband and father-to-be.”
PART 40
A timid knock on the door stopped the baby talk before it even began. Nick went to open the door and found Shilla on the other side. “I brought some water and drinks for everyone,” she said breathlessly. She had thought she would hate catering to royalty who in general were notorious for their demanding personalities, but so far she liked the Antarian Royal Couple. And if being nice to them would gain their favor and some really great gossip for her, all the better.
Nick showed her where to put everything and told her that Max and Liz would call her if they needed anything else. Shilla exited the suite disappointed that she couldn’t stay and hear more about the royal couple. How did they meet? Where did the fake Queen fit into all this?
Max emerged from the room, his damp hair still clinging to his forehead. His searching gaze went to Liz immediately, ascertaining her position and her health in one long sweep.
Food! Liz attacked the spread of breads and other things, her hunger finally catching up with her. It was only after she had eaten two pieces of bread and returned with a plate laden with food she didn’t recognize, that she noticed the amused looks from Max, Nick and Grace.
“Yes, you’re definitely pregnant,” Nick laughed. “Grace made me crazy with her cravings for weird foods and her constant eating.”
Max ended up moving their whole discussion to the dining table, so that he could have brunch while Liz would be close to more food if she needed it. He cast a look at Liz, who was still happily tucking into her food, before asking Nick and Grace: “So tell us what to expect?”
It was Nick who answered. “We can tell you how it was for us, but…”
“But what?” Max was immediately alarmed.
“It might be different for you two, because…”
“Because we’re different?” Max sounded slightly bitter. Why could he not just have been a normal guy? What if something happened to Liz, the center of his universe? Or to his baby? He would just—
“Max!” Liz’s voice halted his thoughts. She scooted closer to him and put her arm around his neck to pull his head down to hers. Kissing him softly, she murmured, “Stop that!” against his mouth.
After getting him to nod, Liz turned to the other two people in the room again. “How long does an Antarian pregnancy last?”
“Six months,” Grace grinned. “A lot better than the human nine months…” She faltered a bit. “But…”
“Mine might take anything from six to nine months because I’m human?” Liz helped her out.
“Yeah.”
“What about the birth?” Max didn’t even want to think about Liz having to go through some weird alien birth thing.
“Just like the human one.” Max wasn’t sure if that was better either since it meant Liz would go through all that pain. “Only the father does not attend the birth, we have other women in the room. Our children are bonded closely with their mothers, not really with the fathers, but—”
“No way!” Max said immediately, not noticing Nick’s grin. “There’s no way I’m letting Liz do this alone.”
“But,” Nick continued as if Max had not interrupted, “we know it will be different with you two.” He was amused that Max still thought none of them knew how he got about Liz. That Max thought that any of them would have any illusions about him letting Liz out of his sight for more than a few seconds during the pregnancy, let alone the birth.
“What was that about weird cravings?” Liz asked when she saw that Max had calmed down.
“I wanted food at strange times at night,” Grace replied. “And I couldn’t eat anything sweet. But you might have different cravings. It differs from person to person.”
Sharing a glance with Max, Liz wondered how to approach the issue of sex. She desperately needed Nick and Grace to assure Max that everything was fine, but how do you ask someone that? Why didn’t she buy that book about pregnancy like she planned to just before they left? She felt Max’s hand closing around hers under the table in an effort to calm down her babbling thoughts.
“And I slept a lot,” Grace continued, unaware of the small interchange between her leader and his wife. “I was dead tired a lot of the time.”
Liz saw Max’s eyes widen and she sighed. Now he would bug her to sleep more. She threw him a sly grin and deliberately thought: I promise to take a nap every time you make love to me. His small gasp made Nick and Grace look at him strangely.
“What about morning sickness?” Liz asked Grace innocently, ignoring Max’s stunned glare.
“No, nothing like that for me. Why are you sick?”
“Yeah, I get nauseous late in the mornings. Nothing serious, though,” she added for Max’s benefit. “Could you-could you feel Maddie? Sense her? Before she was born I mean.”
This seemed to confuse Grace and Nick answered. “No. Grace only formed a link with her after she was born. She had to make a connection with her first.” He stared at Liz intently. “You mean you sense the baby?”
“I do too,” Max said after Liz had nodded silently. He squeezed Liz’s hand. “It’s like a third person has become part of our connection. I can feel… It’s like a small hum of life. Nothing more yet.”
“Wow!” Nick sounded awed. It seems that somehow this intense connection between Max and Liz that was there even when they hadn’t been bonded yet is going to exist between them and their children also. This reiterated Nick’s belief that his race had done the right thing by sending their young King across the galaxies, because in the end fate had decreed a different path from the one they had worked out for him. Fate had decreed that he had to meet a tiny dark-haired human girl with eyes like chocolate that would steal his young heart and keep it forever. And this one event meant that the Antarian people were slowly learning how to incorporate strong emotions into their bondings. Max and Liz had amazed him once more.
Staring into each other’s eyes, Max and Liz missed Nick picking up a bundle from next to his chair. He cleared his throat to get their attention and they turned to him after Max touched Liz’s cheek softly with his fingers. “I brought you some traditional Antarian clothes,” Nick announced. “If you like it you can have some more made on the ship.”
Liz clapped her hands in glee. “Antarian clothes? Can I go try it on?” She looked at Max expectantly.
“Since when do you ask my permission to wear anything?” he asked in amusement, only to kick himself when he saw a dark shadow flicker over her face.
“I’m just…” Liz sounded subdued and she got up to take the clothes Nick held out and left the room in a hurry.
“Liz…” Max jumped up in a panic. What happened just now? What had upset her? He glanced at Nick who also looked concerned and an amused Grace. “What just…? I have to go…”
“Her hormones are going crazy, Max. It’s nothing she has control over. You will just have to be patient about her being so emotional,” Grace informed him kindly.
“And give her whatever she wants!” Nick cried after him as Max dashed out of the room. “It’s the best way to ensure no tears.”
He found her sitting on the bed, staring at the heap of clothes next to her. Falling to his knees in front of her, Max looked at her anxiously. “What is wrong, love?”
“These are Antarian clothes, Max,” Liz said softly and Max cringed.
“I—I know, Liz. And I—I’m sorry that I’m not… human. This must be so—”
“No!” She looked at him with wide, moist eyes for a moment, touching his lips with her forefinger. “It’s not that. You are perfect for me.”
“Then what?” Max was both relieved and confused.
“I’m not…”
“Not what?” He grabbed her hands in his, urging her to meet his gaze. She wouldn’t.
“Not really Antarian,” she finally whispered, trying to pull her hands from his grasp. “I shouldn’t be wearing this.”
It dawned on him then. Liz would be as much of an outsider on Dendar as he had been on earth. And he remembered vividly how terrifying that had been. Fearing that you would be outcast for what you were. Wanting so desperately to be part of something, but never really achieving it. Not until Liz Parker had let him into her heart. He felt his chest constrict with emotion. “No, you’re right. You aren’t Antarian. You’re the Antarian Queen. And my wife. The person who makes my life perfect. That’s all that matters.”
Tears filled Liz’s eyes. She understood a little better about Max’s life on earth now. How he must’ve felt being one of a handful of very different beings on earth. She risked a tentative peek at him. “So, it would be okay for me to wear this?”
He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “I think Nick would be offended if you didn’t. And so would I. I want the universe to see you are mine.” He kissed the backs of her hands before saying with one of his crooked smiles: “And you better listen to me, I’m the King around here.”
She flung her arms around him, nearly toppling him over backwards. “I love you so much… King Max.”
He chuckled against her hair. “Groveling will get you everywhere!”
Pulling back, she gave him a sizzling look. “Will it get you inside me? Soon?”
His groan was heartfelt even as his hands brought her closer to his body. She was going to be the death of him! His head was spinning with all the emotional changes he had to cope with. First she wrings out his heart with her soft words and pain, and now she made him want her again. Disentangling himself from her hastily, he lifted her back onto the bed and stood back. “Why don’t you try on the clothes and I’ll go talk to Nick… I’ll send in Grace.” Lord, was that his voice that sounded so strained?
He literally fled the room.
Grace arrived a few seconds later, looking concerned. “Max was in a state! Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Liz said with a secret smile. “I’m fine now.”
Grace laid out the clothes while Liz got out of her jeans. It consisted of a long flowing robe, a tight-fitting top and a sheath skirt with two slits on the sides coming nearly to mid thigh. It was white with some dark-green trimmings at the seam of the skirt and around the edges of the robe. It had the symbol that was on Atherton’s pendant on the two flaps of the robe too.
“That’s the seal of the Antarian King,” Grace pointed out. “Your seal now.”
This made Liz inhale sharply and she touched the seal in awe. Who knew when she went to River Dog so long ago, she had been clutching the seal of her future in her hands? She dressed slowly with Grace fussing around her. Grace had tears in her eyes when Liz was finished.
“I never thought I’d see someone in this again,” Grace said softly. “My Queen.”
Liz hugged her spontaneously, ruining the solemn moment. “Thank you.”
“Let’s go show Max.” Grace was smiling. “He will be stunned.”
“Wait, Grace!” Liz urged her back into the room. “I—I needed to ask you something.”
Grace looked at her sympathetically. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of Max. I know you two… uhm… I needed to warn you, though. I didn’t want sex when I was pregnant. Poor Nick was…” she trailed off when she saw Liz look at her in total consternation. “What?”
“You didn’t?”
“No. I just wanted to be left alone. Why?”
The blush creeping over Liz’s face told her even before Liz started talking. “I—I don’t have that symptom. In fact, I feel the exact opposite!”
It was Grace’s turn to be speechless. “You mean you… Uhm, well… Don’t tell Nick, he will be disappointed that he doesn’t have a human mate after all!”
“Yeah, but Max treats my like I’m going to break!” Liz burst out. “And it’s driving me insane! I need to know for sure if it would be okay for us to, ahh, you know.”
“I’m sure it is,” Grace assured her. “Besides, you two would know if something went wrong with the baby through the connection.”
Liz bit her lip and nodded.
Out in the lounge area, Nick was looking at Max seriously. “You need to keep an eye on her for a while.” He met Max’s concerned gaze. “This is the first time a human is pregnant with an Antarian baby. We don’t know… I mean, her body might reject…” Nick felt awful when he saw the distress growing in Max’s eyes. “I’m sure everything will be fine. We must just make sure in the beginning. I didn’t want to alarm Liz.” He knew he was babbling now. “Just watch her carefully. The connection with the baby will help.” Max was staring at the floor now, his jaw clenched. “It’s just a precaution, Max. I’m so sorry to even say it. Your body is mostly human, so I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
But Max had heard only the first part. Liz could be in danger from his baby.
“Max?” Liz’s voice made his head snap up. She stood a few feet from him.
He stood up slowly and heard a roaring in his ears as he stared at her, looking so familiar in the Antarian royal garb. Dizziness was overtaking him as he kept staring at her in shock. A rush of images he knew, but didn’t know flew through his mind.
“Max!” Liz cried, rushing forward as she saw him stumble back into his chair, white as a sheet.
Still staring at her, he whispered: “Shani…”
tbc
41+42
PART 41
Pacing in their room, Michael fought the panic that was rising in his chest. Maria was sleeping soundly in their bed, having claimed that the ungodly hour she had to get up at this morning was finally catching up with her. He stopped next to the bed for the umpteenth time, staring down at the earth girl he tried so hard to keep at arms length. First, he hadn’t wanted to admit he was in love with her. He had cursed Max for his blind devotion to Liz and for the danger he had put them all in by saving her life. Then he had envied Max for having Liz, someone who loved him back in spite of what he was. Then he had cursed both Max and Liz for saddling him with this exasperating girl that just wouldn’t leave him alone, no matter how hard he tried to piss her off. She had broken him down, bit by bit until he ended up admitting he loved her and living with her in Albuquerque. He wasn’t even sure how that happened. It just did.
And now she was on this ship with him, going to who knows where. He had thought it was his dream, to see the other planets even if he couldn’t ever see his own. Now he was starting to doubt that. He still wanted to see the planets, but not if it meant that he could lose Maria. Grimacing, he remembered all the times he had scoffed at Max for worrying about Liz. Now here he was, doing the same thing. He might be dragging her into a war. Or to a place where he wasn’t the only amazing alien (apart from the very unavailable Max Evans) around her.
What if he lost her without ever making a real commitment? Her words from the car have been haunting him. You haven’t even married me, you bastard! I’ve been living in sin for years and it’s all your fault.
She was so right.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel was sitting in the lounge area of the ship, watching the comings and goings of the short Dendarians with an expressionless face. From the outside, she looked like the Ice Princess she always tried to emulate, but in the inside she was quaking. She hadn’t wanted to leave her quasi-normal life on earth for a planet unknown, but Max had needed her to come, so she came. And now she was really scared.
The Dendarians have been nice to them all and very deferential to her, but she missed Max. This is first time she had ever felt completely out of her depth, and her brother, with his broad shoulder, wasn’t there to make her feel better. For a fleeting moment, the resentment she had felt when Liz first became the most important person in Max’s life resurfaced. In spite of Liz saying that she wasn’t trying to take Max away from Isabel, she had. She had made Max hers so completely that the rest of them became an afterthought. And the worst was, she didn’t even have to do anything, she did it by just being her. By being Liz.
Sighing, Isabel shook herself. She was being unfair. This is the first time that she really needed Max that he wasn’t there for her. A few years ago, he had flown down from Boston to be with her when she had had trouble with her career. And apparently Liz had made him come. Not to mention all the times he had listened to her prattle on for hours on the phone about her strange relationship with Alex. Max loved her just as much as always, he just wasn’t with her as much as always.
“Do you need anything, Your Highness?” It was the girl who had been appointed her servant on the ship.
“No thanks,” Isabel said automatically, not really looking at the girl. She was too overwrought to bother about being nice right now. Maybe she could get Michael to contact Max again…
“Iz, are you okay?”
Or maybe she could just talk to Alex about everything.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Everyone was staring at him in shock and he still couldn’t take his eyes of Liz. Liz who was wearing his royal seal. Max’s vision was starting to blur and it felt like his head was being split open with pain. “Shani,” he said again, grabbing his head and squeezing his eyes shut. Who the hell was Shani? And why did he remember seeing Liz in the royal garb before? “Liz?” he pleaded, trying to get up and go to her, but the pain in his head forced him back in his chair with a groan. She would be upset, he knew that much even in his half-dazed state. He needed to get to her.
Liz had gone rigid when he called her “Shani”. It was the first time in his entire life that Max had mistaken her for someone else and it shook her to the core. She felt sick with fear that Max was starting to remember some great love for Tess or whoever this Shani was as a result of going back to his alien roots. Forcing herself to take a shuddering breath, she took a halting step forward.
“Oh God,” Max moaned, clutching his head in his hands. “What is happening to me?” It was a hoarse whisper. “Liz… Liz, please?” he begged again.
Not able to take his pain any longer, Liz pushed her panic to the back of her mind, rushing forward to drop to her knees in front of him. “I’m here!” she cried softly, running her hands through his hair and raining little kisses on his bent head, over his hair and his forehead.
Max was starting to shake, images of Liz wearing that white and green royal outfit and laughing gaily were still spinning through his head. He saw her in a garden, in a huge ballroom among many people wearing similar clothes, looking up at him with wide eyes and a moist mouth. He groaned again. And throughout the visions, he kept hearing himself say ‘Shani’ over and over again.
Nick was next to them in an instant. “Let me try to help,” he urged Liz, pulling her away from Max.
“No,” Liz pleaded just as Max moaned again, reaching out blindly towards her. Nick let go hastily and Liz fell back against Max. He wrapped one arm around her, pressing her against him and muttering hoarsely: “Don’t leave me again, please… my Shani…”
“Max,” Liz said urgently. “It’s not Shani, it’s Liz.” She hugged him closer. “Please let Nick help you.”
He held her more tightly before mumbling “okay” and letting her out of his embrace. “Don’t go.” Max felt sick and dizzy, but he knew he should not let Liz leave before he could clear up this Shani mess. Why did he keep on calling Liz Shani?
Nick gingerly put his hand on Max’s head, making a connection. He was hit with the images that have been haunting Max and with the blinding pain that went with them. He tried sending Max some calming thoughts and felt the pain recede after a while as the images stopped. When he stepped back, all he could do was stare at Max in amazement.
Max’s gaze found Liz immediately. She was sitting on her heels a few feet from him and looked ready to bolt. Her teeth were worrying her bottom-lip and her hands were clenched together in her lap. “Liz, come here,” he sounded like he had cotton wool in his mouth. “Please,” he added and held out his hand to her when she didn’t react. He still felt wobbly, but he wanted her back in his grasp before he asked Nick what the hell had happened to him just now. It was suddenly very important that he not let Liz leave this room. “Please,” he repeated.
His beautiful amber eyes were pleading with her and their connection told her that he didn’t understand what had transpired either. She shook off the paralyzing fear that had come back as soon as she saw that he was better and moved towards him cautiously. Everything inside her screamed for her to find out who this Shani was and to do it now, but she heard herself ask “Are you better now?” first.
She was still out of his reach and Max fought down his worry. Liz looked fragile and skittish, causing Max to talk to her in a soothing voice. “I’m fine now… love,” he added deliberately.
That galvanized Liz into action and into his arms. “I was so scared for you, Max! Are you sure you’re okay now?” They were both trembling and holding each other tightly.
“Yeah.”
Nick and Grace had been observing the whole scene from the sidelines. It was clear that Max had remembered something from his past, his previous life. The one in which he was married to Tess. And it was also clear that Liz had been really thrown by him calling her Shani, although that puzzled them both.
Max finally turned to Nick, still keeping a firm grip on Liz. “What was that?”
As soon as he spoke, Liz started wriggling in his arms. “I—I need to go,” she said.
“Why?” Max asked suspiciously. He was glad now that he had her firmly anchored to him before starting the discussion with Nick.
“I—I need to go to the bathroom.” She could see he didn’t believe her, so she added hastily. “I f—feel sick again.” That was a complete lie. “Please.” She just couldn’t sit here and listen to a tale of Max’s previous love.
“Liz—” He clearly didn’t believe her.
“Max!” she tried again.
“I’ll go with you then,” he floored her by saying. He didn’t make a move, though, just sat there watching her with hooded eyes.
“No, you need to talk to Nick and… and I’d rather not hear this if you don’t mind,” she finally admitted. His eyes darkened with pain and she felt like a heel. “Unless… you really want me to stay,” she whispered. Why was she acting so selfishly around him? Because you’re deathly afraid of losing the one thing you always counted on, his complete and total love. Something you’ve never had to share with anyone else before. Since he was eight years old, Max Evans had loved her with all of his heart and nothing had ever threatened that love. Even though she had sometimes feared that they would not end up together, she had never feared that anyone could take her place in his heart. She did now. She could fight any living threat to their love, but she could do nothing against an all-encompassing passion from a former life.
“Yes, I want you to stay,” Max stated firmly. He could sense her fear and he needed to clear up this whole thing before it got out of hand. “It’s about you too,” he told her. He turned back to Nick questioningly.
“I think you have remembered something from your past,” Nick said carefully. “Although I am not sure how what you’ve seen is possible.”
Max looked at Liz’s downcast head. “I saw you, my love,” he informed her huskily. “You wearing these clothes in places we have never been.”
Liz felt her breath hitch in her throat. “That can’t be.”
They stared at each other before looking at Nick, who seemed as lost as they were.
“Maybe you were remembering… Tess and your mind just put… m-me into the images somehow…” Liz stopped when Max shook his head with certainty.
“No.” He met her gaze, stating firmly. “It was you.”
The simple statement stopped her heart just like it did when she was sixteen. Her eyes glittered when stared up at him. “How do you know?”
“Because I know you. I’d know you anywhere.” He sounded so sure of himself.
“This is not possible, Max. Forgive me, but your parents showed me all there is to show about your previous life before they sent me to earth, and there was definitely no one there that looked like Liz. And…” he cast an apologetic look at Liz, “you were definitely married to Tess. Not for long, but you were.”
“What did Tess look like then?” Max had tightened his arms around Liz at Nick’s last statement.
“Exactly like she looks now. And besides, Liz is completely human.”
“Then who is Shani?” Max asked. He was even more confused now. He still did not remember Tess at all, yet these images of Liz wearing his royal seal was as clear as day.
Both Nick and Grace looked at him strangely. “There is no such person as Shani, Max.”
“He definitely called me Shani. Maybe she was someone his parents didn’t know about or show you?” Liz asked with her heart in her throat.
A light went up for Nick as he saw the anxious faces of his King and his mate. They both thought that Max had had a vision of some former love called Shani! “There definitely is no such person as Shani, unless someone on Antar had a very strange sense of humor…”
PART 42
In no mood for kidding around, Max gripped Liz even tighter to him and glared at Nick. “Would you mind explaining what you are talking about?” He risked a glance at Liz when he felt her tremble against him, but she was turned away from him.
Nick was staring at Liz too, seeing her pale face and shaking hands and kicked himself for making things worse. “Yeah, uhm… ‘Shani’ is an Antarian word. It’s an endearment. It means ‘love’ or ‘beloved’. Sorry, I—I thought you knew that…”
The air rushed out of Liz’s lungs, leaving her deflated. Here she was, all geared up to hear about the wonderful “Shani”, the love of Max’s previous life and all he had been doing was calling her “love” in his own language?
Max was starting to feel lightheaded. “How would I have known that, Nick?” He sounded tired. “I have never even heard Antarian.”
“I’m so sorry,” Nick apologized again. “I didn’t realize…”
Relieved tears were starting to gather in Liz’s eyes, alerting her to the fact that she was on the verge of a serious emotional meltdown. Her shoulder had been pressed against Max’s chest, but now she twisted her upper body until she could bury her face in his neck, breathing in his warm familiar scent. As she did this, she felt the small tremors traveling through Max’s body intermittently, rudely pulling her back from the edge of her own feelings. Jerking up, she hastily wiped at her cheeks and searched Max’s face. He was breathing raggedly, the aftereffects of his intense flash obviously still crashing through his body. Not looking away from him, she firmly told Nick and Grace: “We can talk about this more later. Could you please let Max get some rest?” Her voice wavered, indicating her own distress to the listeners.
Max didn’t object, confirming Liz’s suspicions that he was feeling worse than he let on. “Thank you for talking to us and-and helping Max.”
This was Nick and Grace’s signal to leave the Royal Suite and they did so hastily, glancing over their shoulders at the two young people clinging to each other on the chair.
Reaction was setting in for Max. That vision had been so vivid and the intense emotions going with it had shaken him. His head was spinning with all it could mean. Had he somehow known Liz in his past life? How was that even possible? Why did he call her Shani in the vision? No name, just… Shani. My Love. Was it a future vision? How could it be when she wasn’t pregnant? Did the vision take place on Dendar? Thank God it wasn’t the name of some other woman. Had he loved someone else in his previous life? Why was the vision so hard on his body?
“Max?” Liz’s voice broke into his thoughts. “You need to go rest, come on.” She had to tug herself out of his tight hold to drag him up from the chair. For a fleeting moment it amused Max that Liz probably thought she could manage moving his entire weight around with her slight frame and heaps of determination. But the amusement fled before his weakness. He felt like a truck had run him over.
Maneuvering Max to their bed, Liz let him sink down on the edge and began to take off his clothes. She unbuttoned his shirt with unsteady hands, while Max just sat quietly, still shaking. It reminded her so much of when they found him after Pierce had tortured him, that Liz couldn’t stop a hiccuping sob from escaping her throat. She bit her lip determinedly, now was not the time to come undone. She had to make sure Max was okay first.
Shoes next. She knelt in front of him, taking off his shoes and socks and fighting the urge to hug his legs and never let go again. She swiped at her eyes again before climbing to her feet. “Lie b—back so I c—can…”
He fell onto his back heavily, his eyes still on Liz. He could see how valiantly she was trying not to cry. “Liz…”
She ignored his weak plea, undoing his pants and tugging it off his hips and down his legs. When he was down to his boxers, she managed to drag the blanket from underneath him and cover him with it. Only then did she meet his gaze, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “Max Evans, no one will ever love you like I do,” she whispered. “Please don’t ever forget that.”
“Liz…” he tried again, cursing his weak body. She was backing away from him. “Liz!” panic laced his voice now.
“I—I’m just gonna…” she gestured over her shoulder at the bathroom vaguely.
Another short, sharp pain shot through his head when he saw her turn her back on him and start to leave. “No,” it was barely audible. “Don’t disappear again please, Sh… Liz.”
The utter desolation in his tone made Liz swing back towards him, the Antarian robe whirling around her feet. The dazed look in his eyes and the frantic expression on his face made her run back to the bed. What on earth was going on with Max? He looked like he thought she was leaving him forever!
“I was just going to take this off,” she assured him. And cry my eyes out in the other room where you can’t see it. “I’m not going far.”
“No,” he said again. “Stay here, where I can see you.”
Leaning in to kiss his forehead, Liz promised him she would. He grabbed her hand, holding onto her and refusing to let go even when she starting struggling out of the clothes. She ended up with the robe and the top bunched around her left wrist. “Max, honey, you have to let go for a minute.” She felt horrible for disturbing him, cause it looked like he had fallen asleep.
Max was standing in a clearing in a forest, his eyes hungrily drinking in the sight of the girl twirling in front of him. His heart ached from her beauty and grace and he felt a strange desperation that he needed to catch her in his hands and make her his. Then, in the blink of an eye, she was gone, leaving him with an ache tearing at his heart with sharp claws.
She had gently pulled her hand from his grasp and was in the process of stripping the long skirt down her legs when she heard the soft, distressed sound he made. Forgetting about the skirt, she tumbled onto the bed, heedless of crumpling the material and hugged him, cradling his head against her chest and whispering incoherent words of love.
He woke up abruptly, relaxing immediately when he felt Liz’s familiar warmth and shape next to him. He could hear the frantic beat of her heart under his ear and the sound calmed him down. Slowly, carefully, he lifted his hand to place it against her belly, watching as the soft amber glow appeared. He wistfully thought that he would be content if he could stay like this forever. Hearing the heartbeat of his beloved wife and seeing the gentle light that signified the life of his unborn baby. The terror of watching Liz disappear in the dream was finally receding in her presence.
Many conflicting emotions were crashing around in Liz, halting her from normalizing her breathing. Everything that had happened this morning indicated to her just how much she loved this man that was lying in her arms and caressing her stomach. The possibility of losing what they shared was frightening to her.
And she worried about Max. What was happening to him and will it harm him? A little bit of the fear she had felt when Michael got sick in their sophomore year had seeped back into her heart. What if something happened to Max that she couldn’t help him with? What if Nick couldn’t help him either?
But worst of all were Nick’s words that still rang in her ears. You were definitely married to Tess… She had known that, of course. But hearing it so bluntly from someone that would know beyond a shadow of a doubt made it real for the first time. Why did it feel like he had cheated on her by being married to someone else in his previous life? Her mind painted sickening pictures of Max being happy with Tess, touching her and kissing her… and most of all, making love to her. But he chose me this time, she told herself. It didn’t help. Before he had been hers, Max had belonged to someone else, and the realization made it hard to breathe.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Shilla shifted from one foot to the other, trying to ignore the stares of Max’s guards. She had no idea what was going on inside the suite, only that Max’s advisor and his wife had came out and told her to wait until she was called back in before going to get the dishes. The couple had looked worried and she wondered if the King had been harsh with them or something. On the other hand, Max had been nothing but polite with her so far and the Queen did not look like she lived in fear of her tyrant husband. In fact, she looked like she was very sure of the King’s affection and very much pampered.
Were all these Antarian’s so tall? Why then was the fake Queen so short? And Queen Liz? She was short too. There were whispers that she was not Antarian at all. She wondered if that was true. The King had lived on earth for most of his life, so it was possible in theory, but then what happened to the Antarian way of bonding mates genetically when they were young? There must be more to this story!
There were other whispers among the Dendarian servants. That a third ship was on its way to Dendar for the peace summit. One that carried another important visitor.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max had no idea how long he laid there, lost in his thoughts and the closeness of his little family. Liz was really quiet and he had assumed she had fallen asleep, so he continued to draw little shapes on Liz’s tummy, watching as the glow followed his finger and small goosebumps lifted on her skin. She was wearing a snow-white pair of bikini panties that rested low on her stomach and gave him access to a lot of space to play with his baby. He felt slightly envious that his child was getting to be inside Liz for so many months, sharing a physical bond with her that couldn’t be broken. And he wished their baby could stay inside her until they got back to earth safely, that way he would only have to keep an eye on Liz and not on some helpless little person that couldn’t fend for himself too.
Finally noticing that Liz still had the skirt wrapped around the lower part of her legs, he roused himself enough to remove it for her. Afterwards, he sat on his heels, letting his eyes travel over her cute little feet and her shapely legs, pausing briefly on the scrap of silk of her underwear to skip to the flatness of her stomach. Helplessly, he reached his hand out again, touching her skin reverently and marveling about the miracle that was taking place inside her right now.
Liz sucked in a tortured breath at his warm touch and squeezed her eyes shut. She had turned her head away from him while he undressed her, hoping he would think she was still sleeping. Her throat felt on fire from keeping in the tears that threatened to spill over at the images of Max with Tess that were still haunting her. How selfish was she being? He had had this whole other life before he even knew she existed, how could she hold it against him that he had fallen in love then too?
Of course Max had felt the gasp and his eyes flew to Liz. He had been so preoccupied with his own thoughts, that he had failed to notice she was awake. Awake and distressed. Lying down next to her, he ran his hand over her shoulder and up her neck, attempting to pull her face towards him.
She resisted.
Tess. She was thinking about him being married to Tess. His heart contracted.
“If you don’t look at me, how can I tell you how much I love you?” he asked softly.
Another gasp.
“And… that I know I have never loved like this before?” He let his hand drift to her throat, resting against the fluttering pulse there.
“And that I never will again?” He felt her swallow convulsively.
He was breaking down every fear she had until only little shards of them remained embedded in her heart.
“And that I love it when your eyes go that deep green color when you want me?”
A small chuckle. “My eyes are not green.” She finally turned her head towards him slowly and met his gaze.
He moved closer, rubbing their noses together. “Like I would ever really make such a mistake.” His hand brushed through her hair. “Liz—”
But she moved until she could kiss him, pressing her lips against his and wriggling closer until she was plastered to every inch of him. She wanted oblivion from her thoughts, she wanted his lips and hands to make her feel all the things he had just said. She wanted to drown in Max.
He slipped his arms around her, one hand cupping her rear and the other the back of her head and kissed her deeply. Her mouth opened underneath his with a small sigh and he eagerly swept his tongue inside, tasting her sweetness and her complete surrender. She threw her leg over his hip and the kiss became harder, more urgent.
Liz sucked on his tongue, hearing his small groan and tried to move even closer to him. He rolled them over so that she was sprawled on top of him, her hair falling around their faces like a curtain.
Max…
Liz, my love. My Shani…
As the last endearment echoed through her mind, the flash hit her. Max was standing at a big window overlooking a dark garden. Around him people in traditional Antarian clothes were milling about at what looked like a party. He seemed like the only stationary object in the whole scene. Liz was overcome by the extreme sadness that radiated off him. His head was bent as if he was under pressure from some great force and his hands were bunched at his sides. He looked hopeless and utterly dejected. Until a blonde head appeared next to his shoulder: “My husband…”
It was Tess. Wearing the Antarian Royal seal on her clothes.
tbc
Pacing in their room, Michael fought the panic that was rising in his chest. Maria was sleeping soundly in their bed, having claimed that the ungodly hour she had to get up at this morning was finally catching up with her. He stopped next to the bed for the umpteenth time, staring down at the earth girl he tried so hard to keep at arms length. First, he hadn’t wanted to admit he was in love with her. He had cursed Max for his blind devotion to Liz and for the danger he had put them all in by saving her life. Then he had envied Max for having Liz, someone who loved him back in spite of what he was. Then he had cursed both Max and Liz for saddling him with this exasperating girl that just wouldn’t leave him alone, no matter how hard he tried to piss her off. She had broken him down, bit by bit until he ended up admitting he loved her and living with her in Albuquerque. He wasn’t even sure how that happened. It just did.
And now she was on this ship with him, going to who knows where. He had thought it was his dream, to see the other planets even if he couldn’t ever see his own. Now he was starting to doubt that. He still wanted to see the planets, but not if it meant that he could lose Maria. Grimacing, he remembered all the times he had scoffed at Max for worrying about Liz. Now here he was, doing the same thing. He might be dragging her into a war. Or to a place where he wasn’t the only amazing alien (apart from the very unavailable Max Evans) around her.
What if he lost her without ever making a real commitment? Her words from the car have been haunting him. You haven’t even married me, you bastard! I’ve been living in sin for years and it’s all your fault.
She was so right.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel was sitting in the lounge area of the ship, watching the comings and goings of the short Dendarians with an expressionless face. From the outside, she looked like the Ice Princess she always tried to emulate, but in the inside she was quaking. She hadn’t wanted to leave her quasi-normal life on earth for a planet unknown, but Max had needed her to come, so she came. And now she was really scared.
The Dendarians have been nice to them all and very deferential to her, but she missed Max. This is first time she had ever felt completely out of her depth, and her brother, with his broad shoulder, wasn’t there to make her feel better. For a fleeting moment, the resentment she had felt when Liz first became the most important person in Max’s life resurfaced. In spite of Liz saying that she wasn’t trying to take Max away from Isabel, she had. She had made Max hers so completely that the rest of them became an afterthought. And the worst was, she didn’t even have to do anything, she did it by just being her. By being Liz.
Sighing, Isabel shook herself. She was being unfair. This is the first time that she really needed Max that he wasn’t there for her. A few years ago, he had flown down from Boston to be with her when she had had trouble with her career. And apparently Liz had made him come. Not to mention all the times he had listened to her prattle on for hours on the phone about her strange relationship with Alex. Max loved her just as much as always, he just wasn’t with her as much as always.
“Do you need anything, Your Highness?” It was the girl who had been appointed her servant on the ship.
“No thanks,” Isabel said automatically, not really looking at the girl. She was too overwrought to bother about being nice right now. Maybe she could get Michael to contact Max again…
“Iz, are you okay?”
Or maybe she could just talk to Alex about everything.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Everyone was staring at him in shock and he still couldn’t take his eyes of Liz. Liz who was wearing his royal seal. Max’s vision was starting to blur and it felt like his head was being split open with pain. “Shani,” he said again, grabbing his head and squeezing his eyes shut. Who the hell was Shani? And why did he remember seeing Liz in the royal garb before? “Liz?” he pleaded, trying to get up and go to her, but the pain in his head forced him back in his chair with a groan. She would be upset, he knew that much even in his half-dazed state. He needed to get to her.
Liz had gone rigid when he called her “Shani”. It was the first time in his entire life that Max had mistaken her for someone else and it shook her to the core. She felt sick with fear that Max was starting to remember some great love for Tess or whoever this Shani was as a result of going back to his alien roots. Forcing herself to take a shuddering breath, she took a halting step forward.
“Oh God,” Max moaned, clutching his head in his hands. “What is happening to me?” It was a hoarse whisper. “Liz… Liz, please?” he begged again.
Not able to take his pain any longer, Liz pushed her panic to the back of her mind, rushing forward to drop to her knees in front of him. “I’m here!” she cried softly, running her hands through his hair and raining little kisses on his bent head, over his hair and his forehead.
Max was starting to shake, images of Liz wearing that white and green royal outfit and laughing gaily were still spinning through his head. He saw her in a garden, in a huge ballroom among many people wearing similar clothes, looking up at him with wide eyes and a moist mouth. He groaned again. And throughout the visions, he kept hearing himself say ‘Shani’ over and over again.
Nick was next to them in an instant. “Let me try to help,” he urged Liz, pulling her away from Max.
“No,” Liz pleaded just as Max moaned again, reaching out blindly towards her. Nick let go hastily and Liz fell back against Max. He wrapped one arm around her, pressing her against him and muttering hoarsely: “Don’t leave me again, please… my Shani…”
“Max,” Liz said urgently. “It’s not Shani, it’s Liz.” She hugged him closer. “Please let Nick help you.”
He held her more tightly before mumbling “okay” and letting her out of his embrace. “Don’t go.” Max felt sick and dizzy, but he knew he should not let Liz leave before he could clear up this Shani mess. Why did he keep on calling Liz Shani?
Nick gingerly put his hand on Max’s head, making a connection. He was hit with the images that have been haunting Max and with the blinding pain that went with them. He tried sending Max some calming thoughts and felt the pain recede after a while as the images stopped. When he stepped back, all he could do was stare at Max in amazement.
Max’s gaze found Liz immediately. She was sitting on her heels a few feet from him and looked ready to bolt. Her teeth were worrying her bottom-lip and her hands were clenched together in her lap. “Liz, come here,” he sounded like he had cotton wool in his mouth. “Please,” he added and held out his hand to her when she didn’t react. He still felt wobbly, but he wanted her back in his grasp before he asked Nick what the hell had happened to him just now. It was suddenly very important that he not let Liz leave this room. “Please,” he repeated.
His beautiful amber eyes were pleading with her and their connection told her that he didn’t understand what had transpired either. She shook off the paralyzing fear that had come back as soon as she saw that he was better and moved towards him cautiously. Everything inside her screamed for her to find out who this Shani was and to do it now, but she heard herself ask “Are you better now?” first.
She was still out of his reach and Max fought down his worry. Liz looked fragile and skittish, causing Max to talk to her in a soothing voice. “I’m fine now… love,” he added deliberately.
That galvanized Liz into action and into his arms. “I was so scared for you, Max! Are you sure you’re okay now?” They were both trembling and holding each other tightly.
“Yeah.”
Nick and Grace had been observing the whole scene from the sidelines. It was clear that Max had remembered something from his past, his previous life. The one in which he was married to Tess. And it was also clear that Liz had been really thrown by him calling her Shani, although that puzzled them both.
Max finally turned to Nick, still keeping a firm grip on Liz. “What was that?”
As soon as he spoke, Liz started wriggling in his arms. “I—I need to go,” she said.
“Why?” Max asked suspiciously. He was glad now that he had her firmly anchored to him before starting the discussion with Nick.
“I—I need to go to the bathroom.” She could see he didn’t believe her, so she added hastily. “I f—feel sick again.” That was a complete lie. “Please.” She just couldn’t sit here and listen to a tale of Max’s previous love.
“Liz—” He clearly didn’t believe her.
“Max!” she tried again.
“I’ll go with you then,” he floored her by saying. He didn’t make a move, though, just sat there watching her with hooded eyes.
“No, you need to talk to Nick and… and I’d rather not hear this if you don’t mind,” she finally admitted. His eyes darkened with pain and she felt like a heel. “Unless… you really want me to stay,” she whispered. Why was she acting so selfishly around him? Because you’re deathly afraid of losing the one thing you always counted on, his complete and total love. Something you’ve never had to share with anyone else before. Since he was eight years old, Max Evans had loved her with all of his heart and nothing had ever threatened that love. Even though she had sometimes feared that they would not end up together, she had never feared that anyone could take her place in his heart. She did now. She could fight any living threat to their love, but she could do nothing against an all-encompassing passion from a former life.
“Yes, I want you to stay,” Max stated firmly. He could sense her fear and he needed to clear up this whole thing before it got out of hand. “It’s about you too,” he told her. He turned back to Nick questioningly.
“I think you have remembered something from your past,” Nick said carefully. “Although I am not sure how what you’ve seen is possible.”
Max looked at Liz’s downcast head. “I saw you, my love,” he informed her huskily. “You wearing these clothes in places we have never been.”
Liz felt her breath hitch in her throat. “That can’t be.”
They stared at each other before looking at Nick, who seemed as lost as they were.
“Maybe you were remembering… Tess and your mind just put… m-me into the images somehow…” Liz stopped when Max shook his head with certainty.
“No.” He met her gaze, stating firmly. “It was you.”
The simple statement stopped her heart just like it did when she was sixteen. Her eyes glittered when stared up at him. “How do you know?”
“Because I know you. I’d know you anywhere.” He sounded so sure of himself.
“This is not possible, Max. Forgive me, but your parents showed me all there is to show about your previous life before they sent me to earth, and there was definitely no one there that looked like Liz. And…” he cast an apologetic look at Liz, “you were definitely married to Tess. Not for long, but you were.”
“What did Tess look like then?” Max had tightened his arms around Liz at Nick’s last statement.
“Exactly like she looks now. And besides, Liz is completely human.”
“Then who is Shani?” Max asked. He was even more confused now. He still did not remember Tess at all, yet these images of Liz wearing his royal seal was as clear as day.
Both Nick and Grace looked at him strangely. “There is no such person as Shani, Max.”
“He definitely called me Shani. Maybe she was someone his parents didn’t know about or show you?” Liz asked with her heart in her throat.
A light went up for Nick as he saw the anxious faces of his King and his mate. They both thought that Max had had a vision of some former love called Shani! “There definitely is no such person as Shani, unless someone on Antar had a very strange sense of humor…”
PART 42
In no mood for kidding around, Max gripped Liz even tighter to him and glared at Nick. “Would you mind explaining what you are talking about?” He risked a glance at Liz when he felt her tremble against him, but she was turned away from him.
Nick was staring at Liz too, seeing her pale face and shaking hands and kicked himself for making things worse. “Yeah, uhm… ‘Shani’ is an Antarian word. It’s an endearment. It means ‘love’ or ‘beloved’. Sorry, I—I thought you knew that…”
The air rushed out of Liz’s lungs, leaving her deflated. Here she was, all geared up to hear about the wonderful “Shani”, the love of Max’s previous life and all he had been doing was calling her “love” in his own language?
Max was starting to feel lightheaded. “How would I have known that, Nick?” He sounded tired. “I have never even heard Antarian.”
“I’m so sorry,” Nick apologized again. “I didn’t realize…”
Relieved tears were starting to gather in Liz’s eyes, alerting her to the fact that she was on the verge of a serious emotional meltdown. Her shoulder had been pressed against Max’s chest, but now she twisted her upper body until she could bury her face in his neck, breathing in his warm familiar scent. As she did this, she felt the small tremors traveling through Max’s body intermittently, rudely pulling her back from the edge of her own feelings. Jerking up, she hastily wiped at her cheeks and searched Max’s face. He was breathing raggedly, the aftereffects of his intense flash obviously still crashing through his body. Not looking away from him, she firmly told Nick and Grace: “We can talk about this more later. Could you please let Max get some rest?” Her voice wavered, indicating her own distress to the listeners.
Max didn’t object, confirming Liz’s suspicions that he was feeling worse than he let on. “Thank you for talking to us and-and helping Max.”
This was Nick and Grace’s signal to leave the Royal Suite and they did so hastily, glancing over their shoulders at the two young people clinging to each other on the chair.
Reaction was setting in for Max. That vision had been so vivid and the intense emotions going with it had shaken him. His head was spinning with all it could mean. Had he somehow known Liz in his past life? How was that even possible? Why did he call her Shani in the vision? No name, just… Shani. My Love. Was it a future vision? How could it be when she wasn’t pregnant? Did the vision take place on Dendar? Thank God it wasn’t the name of some other woman. Had he loved someone else in his previous life? Why was the vision so hard on his body?
“Max?” Liz’s voice broke into his thoughts. “You need to go rest, come on.” She had to tug herself out of his tight hold to drag him up from the chair. For a fleeting moment it amused Max that Liz probably thought she could manage moving his entire weight around with her slight frame and heaps of determination. But the amusement fled before his weakness. He felt like a truck had run him over.
Maneuvering Max to their bed, Liz let him sink down on the edge and began to take off his clothes. She unbuttoned his shirt with unsteady hands, while Max just sat quietly, still shaking. It reminded her so much of when they found him after Pierce had tortured him, that Liz couldn’t stop a hiccuping sob from escaping her throat. She bit her lip determinedly, now was not the time to come undone. She had to make sure Max was okay first.
Shoes next. She knelt in front of him, taking off his shoes and socks and fighting the urge to hug his legs and never let go again. She swiped at her eyes again before climbing to her feet. “Lie b—back so I c—can…”
He fell onto his back heavily, his eyes still on Liz. He could see how valiantly she was trying not to cry. “Liz…”
She ignored his weak plea, undoing his pants and tugging it off his hips and down his legs. When he was down to his boxers, she managed to drag the blanket from underneath him and cover him with it. Only then did she meet his gaze, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “Max Evans, no one will ever love you like I do,” she whispered. “Please don’t ever forget that.”
“Liz…” he tried again, cursing his weak body. She was backing away from him. “Liz!” panic laced his voice now.
“I—I’m just gonna…” she gestured over her shoulder at the bathroom vaguely.
Another short, sharp pain shot through his head when he saw her turn her back on him and start to leave. “No,” it was barely audible. “Don’t disappear again please, Sh… Liz.”
The utter desolation in his tone made Liz swing back towards him, the Antarian robe whirling around her feet. The dazed look in his eyes and the frantic expression on his face made her run back to the bed. What on earth was going on with Max? He looked like he thought she was leaving him forever!
“I was just going to take this off,” she assured him. And cry my eyes out in the other room where you can’t see it. “I’m not going far.”
“No,” he said again. “Stay here, where I can see you.”
Leaning in to kiss his forehead, Liz promised him she would. He grabbed her hand, holding onto her and refusing to let go even when she starting struggling out of the clothes. She ended up with the robe and the top bunched around her left wrist. “Max, honey, you have to let go for a minute.” She felt horrible for disturbing him, cause it looked like he had fallen asleep.
Max was standing in a clearing in a forest, his eyes hungrily drinking in the sight of the girl twirling in front of him. His heart ached from her beauty and grace and he felt a strange desperation that he needed to catch her in his hands and make her his. Then, in the blink of an eye, she was gone, leaving him with an ache tearing at his heart with sharp claws.
She had gently pulled her hand from his grasp and was in the process of stripping the long skirt down her legs when she heard the soft, distressed sound he made. Forgetting about the skirt, she tumbled onto the bed, heedless of crumpling the material and hugged him, cradling his head against her chest and whispering incoherent words of love.
He woke up abruptly, relaxing immediately when he felt Liz’s familiar warmth and shape next to him. He could hear the frantic beat of her heart under his ear and the sound calmed him down. Slowly, carefully, he lifted his hand to place it against her belly, watching as the soft amber glow appeared. He wistfully thought that he would be content if he could stay like this forever. Hearing the heartbeat of his beloved wife and seeing the gentle light that signified the life of his unborn baby. The terror of watching Liz disappear in the dream was finally receding in her presence.
Many conflicting emotions were crashing around in Liz, halting her from normalizing her breathing. Everything that had happened this morning indicated to her just how much she loved this man that was lying in her arms and caressing her stomach. The possibility of losing what they shared was frightening to her.
And she worried about Max. What was happening to him and will it harm him? A little bit of the fear she had felt when Michael got sick in their sophomore year had seeped back into her heart. What if something happened to Max that she couldn’t help him with? What if Nick couldn’t help him either?
But worst of all were Nick’s words that still rang in her ears. You were definitely married to Tess… She had known that, of course. But hearing it so bluntly from someone that would know beyond a shadow of a doubt made it real for the first time. Why did it feel like he had cheated on her by being married to someone else in his previous life? Her mind painted sickening pictures of Max being happy with Tess, touching her and kissing her… and most of all, making love to her. But he chose me this time, she told herself. It didn’t help. Before he had been hers, Max had belonged to someone else, and the realization made it hard to breathe.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Shilla shifted from one foot to the other, trying to ignore the stares of Max’s guards. She had no idea what was going on inside the suite, only that Max’s advisor and his wife had came out and told her to wait until she was called back in before going to get the dishes. The couple had looked worried and she wondered if the King had been harsh with them or something. On the other hand, Max had been nothing but polite with her so far and the Queen did not look like she lived in fear of her tyrant husband. In fact, she looked like she was very sure of the King’s affection and very much pampered.
Were all these Antarian’s so tall? Why then was the fake Queen so short? And Queen Liz? She was short too. There were whispers that she was not Antarian at all. She wondered if that was true. The King had lived on earth for most of his life, so it was possible in theory, but then what happened to the Antarian way of bonding mates genetically when they were young? There must be more to this story!
There were other whispers among the Dendarian servants. That a third ship was on its way to Dendar for the peace summit. One that carried another important visitor.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Max had no idea how long he laid there, lost in his thoughts and the closeness of his little family. Liz was really quiet and he had assumed she had fallen asleep, so he continued to draw little shapes on Liz’s tummy, watching as the glow followed his finger and small goosebumps lifted on her skin. She was wearing a snow-white pair of bikini panties that rested low on her stomach and gave him access to a lot of space to play with his baby. He felt slightly envious that his child was getting to be inside Liz for so many months, sharing a physical bond with her that couldn’t be broken. And he wished their baby could stay inside her until they got back to earth safely, that way he would only have to keep an eye on Liz and not on some helpless little person that couldn’t fend for himself too.
Finally noticing that Liz still had the skirt wrapped around the lower part of her legs, he roused himself enough to remove it for her. Afterwards, he sat on his heels, letting his eyes travel over her cute little feet and her shapely legs, pausing briefly on the scrap of silk of her underwear to skip to the flatness of her stomach. Helplessly, he reached his hand out again, touching her skin reverently and marveling about the miracle that was taking place inside her right now.
Liz sucked in a tortured breath at his warm touch and squeezed her eyes shut. She had turned her head away from him while he undressed her, hoping he would think she was still sleeping. Her throat felt on fire from keeping in the tears that threatened to spill over at the images of Max with Tess that were still haunting her. How selfish was she being? He had had this whole other life before he even knew she existed, how could she hold it against him that he had fallen in love then too?
Of course Max had felt the gasp and his eyes flew to Liz. He had been so preoccupied with his own thoughts, that he had failed to notice she was awake. Awake and distressed. Lying down next to her, he ran his hand over her shoulder and up her neck, attempting to pull her face towards him.
She resisted.
Tess. She was thinking about him being married to Tess. His heart contracted.
“If you don’t look at me, how can I tell you how much I love you?” he asked softly.
Another gasp.
“And… that I know I have never loved like this before?” He let his hand drift to her throat, resting against the fluttering pulse there.
“And that I never will again?” He felt her swallow convulsively.
He was breaking down every fear she had until only little shards of them remained embedded in her heart.
“And that I love it when your eyes go that deep green color when you want me?”
A small chuckle. “My eyes are not green.” She finally turned her head towards him slowly and met his gaze.
He moved closer, rubbing their noses together. “Like I would ever really make such a mistake.” His hand brushed through her hair. “Liz—”
But she moved until she could kiss him, pressing her lips against his and wriggling closer until she was plastered to every inch of him. She wanted oblivion from her thoughts, she wanted his lips and hands to make her feel all the things he had just said. She wanted to drown in Max.
He slipped his arms around her, one hand cupping her rear and the other the back of her head and kissed her deeply. Her mouth opened underneath his with a small sigh and he eagerly swept his tongue inside, tasting her sweetness and her complete surrender. She threw her leg over his hip and the kiss became harder, more urgent.
Liz sucked on his tongue, hearing his small groan and tried to move even closer to him. He rolled them over so that she was sprawled on top of him, her hair falling around their faces like a curtain.
Max…
Liz, my love. My Shani…
As the last endearment echoed through her mind, the flash hit her. Max was standing at a big window overlooking a dark garden. Around him people in traditional Antarian clothes were milling about at what looked like a party. He seemed like the only stationary object in the whole scene. Liz was overcome by the extreme sadness that radiated off him. His head was bent as if he was under pressure from some great force and his hands were bunched at his sides. He looked hopeless and utterly dejected. Until a blonde head appeared next to his shoulder: “My husband…”
It was Tess. Wearing the Antarian Royal seal on her clothes.
tbc
46+47
PART 43
Liz broke away from Max’s kiss and stared down into his startled eyes. Her heart was beating double-time.
“What did you see?” he asked anxiously.
Too tired to try and pretend anymore, Liz simply said: “You and Tess.”
Max felt his heart plummet to his feet. “Liz, I’m—”
“No Max,” she stopped him. “You were married to her and I—I just have to deal with it. I’m acting so childish about all this.” She looked away from his penetrating gaze. “I just… I need a little time to adjust. I’m sorry.”
He nodded slowly. “But only if you promise not to shut me out as part of this dealing process. Please Liz, I don’t think I could take that.”
“I promise. And… I’m sorry about this. I’m sorry for ever dating Kyle too, because… because now I know what you must’ve felt like.”
That’s true, Max admitted grimly. He liked Kyle, he really did, but he would always remember seeing Kyle with his hands on Liz in high school and feeling like he wanted to die as a result of it. “So, we’ll work through this together then?” He had to make sure.
“Yes,” Liz nodded against his chest. “I’m sorry,” she repeated.
“We weren’t together then, Liz.” He was obviously talking about more than the Kyle-thing. “But I’m sorry too,” he added. He was sorry for so many things. For coming into Liz’s life with the baggage of a whole other life resting on his shoulders. For dragging her into all his alien messes. For the fact that they would have to watch her very carefully during her pregnancy to make sure his baby doesn’t hurt her.
So they just held each other tightly, hoping that this will pass too.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After an hour had passed, Shilla had politely asked the huge James to go see if maybe she couldn’t go sort out the remnants of the brunch Max and Liz had had. James had seemed reluctant, but did so anyway. She again wondered at the intense protectiveness these Antarians felt towards their royal couple. This went way beyond just making sure they were safe, it was a nearly obsessive effort to ensure their privacy too.
She was allowed into the dining area with strict instructions from James not to go anywhere else in the suite. This made her blush, because she realized that the guards were apparently under the impression that she would disturb their King and Queen having sex. This amazed her. On Dendar, men and women bonded and made children and from then on, sex was like exercise. You made a proper appointment with whomever you wanted it and left afterwards. It had no impact on your bonded mate and only depended on your physical needs. On Dendar, this level of physical closeness by two bonded people was unheard of.
Blushing even harder, she admitted to herself that she could definitely understand Liz’s willingness to remain close to Max. He was going to make waves among the women on Dendar. Just like his fake Queen had with the men.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael was in an awkward situation. He had just been approached by the ship’s second-in-command to tell him that there were women he could “schedule” to be with if he needed. He had to hastily explain that they did things differently on earth and that he would not be needing any entertainment.
But when he got back to his room, Maria was waiting for him, her foot tapping with impatience. Her stormy eyes informed him that the offering-of-women deal had become known to her somehow. He was going to kick Alex’s ass!
“So where’s your bit-on-the-side?” She asked as soon as she saw him.
“Right in front of me,” he retorted, taking the wind from her sails.
“Guerin!” she yelled at him in exasperation.
“Don’t yell, DeLuca,” he answered. “They don’t know… how things work with us.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he had made a mistake.
Maria narrowed her eyes at him. “And how do they work with us?”
Scratching his head, Max’s second-in-command was struck speechless once again by the only girl who had ever managed that feat.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Watching Liz out of the corners of her eyes, Shilla wondered again what was going on with the Antarian royal couple. The atmosphere in the suite has been subdued for the past two days, even when Max was not here.
The King was busy in meetings with his Advisor and the Dendarian elders on the ship for most of the day each day, but he came back to the suite often, apparently to check on Liz. Shilla always enjoyed the soft way he spoke to his mate, but she wondered why their eyes seemed to cling together so desperately while they were together. And why they suddenly touched each other so tentatively. She could see that James was worried about them too. Having made it her business to get to know as much as she could about the hunky Antarian royal guard, she quickly noticed the anxious glances he cast at them whenever Max or Liz wasn’t looking.
This couldn’t go on any longer. Liz was miserable and she needed Max. She loved him with every fiber of her being and he loved her back. Surely they would be able to handle the odd upsetting vision between the two of them?
Max left late in the mornings, staying with her as she retched her guts out in the bathroom. He was gentle with her as always and slept with his hand on her stomach at night, but they kept each other at an emotional arm’s length, afraid of a recurrence of the flashes that reminded them of Max’s past.
It had to stop.
During the days, Liz roamed the ship with James and David at her heels or sat in the suite talking about the progress of her baby with Grace. These talks always brought tears to her eyes and made her miss Max even more.
She needed Max’s kisses and love like she needed air to breathe. She craved him. And she had to make the first move to change things.
When Shilla arrived with the dinner stuff, she found Liz pacing the lounge nervously. “You look lovely, Your Highness!” she exclaimed spontaneously. Liz wore a short black skirt and a red sweater with little baby buttons down the front that was molded to her body.
“Thank you,” Liz smiled at her, but Shilla could see that the Queen’s attention was only half on her. The other half was watching the door. She was obviously waiting for Max. They saw each other a lot, in Shilla’s opinion. The King left late in the mornings and she was not allowed inside until he was gone. He had also been to see Liz earlier today and had only left her alone again just after lunch.
It amazed Shilla that these two have been bonded for so long and yet they still acted like this. On the other hand, maybe the Queen wasn’t waiting for the King. Maybe she had decided to avail herself of the male entertainment on the ship and was expecting her company any minute now. That would be strange to Shilla, because they had all heard about the huge fit the King’s Advisor had thrown when he was told to inform the King of the female “entertainment” that was available if he wanted it. The Advisor had reportedly told the informant in no uncertain terms to not even mention the idea to the King.
Shilla had just finished setting the table for dinner, still astonished by the Queen’s obviously jumpy attitude, when the door opened to reveal Max.
She was about to have her first lesson in ‘Max and Liz Passion 101’.
Stopping just inside the door, Max felt his heart slam to a halt when he saw Liz slowly rise from the chair she had been sitting in. It was clear that she had dressed for him. Wearing one of his favorite sweaters, the one with the seemingly millions of little buttons that drove him crazy when he wanted to get it off her, and a skirt that made his temperature skyrocket, she was a huge temptation.
Completely forgetting that she had wanted to ask Shilla to clear out once she had finished preparing the dinner, Liz could do nothing but melt in the heat of Max’s eyes. He was staring at her with questions in his eyes. Are you sure? What if…?
Taking a small step forward, she whispered: “I don’t care.”
Max felt his world tilt. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them again to trace the slim lines of her calves and thighs, the curve of her hips encased in that sinful skirt and the little piece of skin visible between the cropped sweater and the top of the skirt. His gaze clung hungrily to the swell of her breasts, taking note of the agitated state of her breathing. His body was acutely aware of the fact that they had only made love once in the past two weeks.
Shilla watched as Liz took another little step that turned into a run as she fairly flew at Max. He caught her against him as if he had done it millions of times before and lifted her up into his body with one arm. Their mouths crashed together and Shilla distinctly heard the Queen’s soft moan. She was completely speechless, vacillating between being utterly shocked at the abandon she was witnessing or hopelessly charmed that two people could be like this with each other. Excessive emotion was not common on Dendar.
She knew she should leave them to themselves, but she couldn’t. They were blocking the only exit.
Liz ran her hands through Max’s hair, mussing it completely in her attempts to pull his mouth down harder on hers. His hand gripped her hair as he angled her head to allow him maximum invasion space. His tongue caressed the inside of her mouth deeply and intimately, causing all the heat in her body to pool at the juncture of her thighs in a moist rush. She arched even closer to his arousal, rubbing herself against him in an age-old effort to both incite and relieve.
Tearing his mouth away from hers, Max kissed a trail from her jaw to her throat, his body trembling at the relief of doing something so familiar again. He found the pounding pulse point at the base of her neck and rested his sensitive lips against it fleetingly.
“M—Max,” Liz managed. “I love you. I missed—”
Another kiss ended her efforts to speak. He ate at her bottom-lip, causing sparks to ignite behind her closed eyelids. Sparks that made her realize she hadn’t had a flash yet. A harsh sound slipped from Max’s throat when she broke away and stared up at him with bright eyes. “Nothing,” she breathed.
“Oh god, Liz,” was all he could manage as his temperature spiked even higher. He forgot everything. He forgot that he was worried about what could happen to her if he made love to her too roughly. He forgot all his intentions to find out what had happened when he was married to Tess before subjecting her to more visions. He forgot about dinner and that they weren’t alone in the room.
Staring up at him, Liz saw his eyes darken and knew she had gotten through to him. “Max?”
She was asking him to make love to her. He swallowed before saying: “Yes!”
They left an open-mouthed Shilla gaping after them as Max carried Liz into the bedroom with long strides. She was starting to gain a new respect for the Antarian way of life!
PART 44
He was tearing at the buttons of her sweater when it hit him: she was pregnant! He shouldn’t be attacking her like some sex-starved maniac. But Liz was all over him, she had managed to open his shirt before they even entered the bedroom and she was nipping at his skin in that maddeningly arousing way she had perfected over their years together. They were just inside the bedroom door that had silently slid shut behind them and the bed suddenly looked a long way off to him. “Liz,” he begged, trying to pull her away from him and calm down somewhat before making love to her. If he did it now…
Determined not to let him slow them down, Liz wriggled in his arms until he let her slide down his hard body. She looked up and met his dark and hungry eyes, letting him see exactly how desperate she was for him. She felt light-headed and heavy at the same time, desire for this man in front of her making the blood rush through her veins at a dizzying pace. He was holding her by her shoulders with unsteady hands, inadvertently pulling the edges of her half-undone sweater apart. Liz licked her lips, tasting him in her mouth. And wanting so much more.
His eyes were drawn helplessly from her moist mouth to the swell of her breasts, still encased in a lacy bra, when she took a deep breath. She’s pregnant, he repeated to himself even while his fingers found the last buttons of her sweater and ripped them open. He kissed her again, a hard, bruising, deep and desperate kiss that forced her mouth open underneath his. Her tongue met his halfway and he heard his own groan echo in his ears. God, they’ve been married for nearly eight years, and she still drives him insane with lust. He urgently shrugged off his shirt before finding the fastening of her bra, ridding her of that too and bringing her against him. The rubbing together of their bare torsos inflamed him further.
Liz whimpered when her sensitive breasts came in contact with the hard muscles of his chest. Some sane part of her brain was stunned at her wild behavior. Yes, she always wanted Max, she even sometimes got a little out of control while making love with him, but this… She was practically clawing at his back to get him inside her. If she had not lost the ability to talk coherently, she would have begged him to make them one quickly. To do it before she exploded into tiny pieces. She had never felt so out of control in her life.
“You’re pregnant, sweet…” It was a slurred mumble as Max tried one last time to slow down the juggernaut of their passion. The only answer he got was a low moan and another nip at his chest.
He gave up. Let the consequences be on his head, but he couldn’t help himself anymore.
He wrapped Liz in his arms and kissed her with the pent-up hunger of their time apart. Her mouth was as urgent as his and he covered her face with kisses, breathed in the seductive scent of her hair and moved her back against the wall for support as they both trembled with the force of their release from the restriction they’d imposed on themselves.
With his hands free to revel in the soft curves of her femininity, his mouth sought hers again, loving it, caressing it. Her arms were around his neck now, her body arched against his, her fingers curling into his hair, holding him to her, wanting him.
He was painfully hard within the constriction of his pants, desperate for the release only his Liz could give him. And she was burrowing even closer to him, the quiver of her thighs revealing the same feverish desire that gripped him. Their connection consisted only of their desperate desire to consummate, leaving no place for shared visions or flashes.
His hands found the hem of her skirt and pulled it up. The silky scrap of her panties was moved aside easily to give him access to the intimacy he craved. She was wet with need for him and he gloried in the way she shuddered as he stroked her.
“Max, please.” It was a soft cry and a gasp all in one.
“Liz… I’m dying for you…”
Still keeping her pinned to the door, he got his own clothes out of the way and slid inside her, hearing her soft relieved sigh.
She lifted her leg, opening herself further, sensuously stroking his leg with it. Only a shallow penetration was possible and the teasing of it was driving him crazy with excitement. He shoved his pants further down his thighs, filled his hands with the soft roundness of her bottom and hoisted her up, the explosive tension inside him demanding the thrust that took him deep inside her, fast and strong and intensely fulfilling.
Liz moaned his name in his ear, his possession of her so incredibly needed and satisfying. She wound her legs around his hips, sinking him even further inside her.
Then there was a moment to die for, a moment of stillness, of exquisite appreciation of how it was to be together like this, so deeply co-joined, owning an inner-world that was uniquely theirs.
Her hands clutched at his shoulders, fingers digging into his flesh as though they, too, would claw inside. Her head was thrown back, exposing her long throat, and there, at the base of it her pulse visibly throbbed. Max kissed it, drew on it, loving the sense of her heart thrumming with his.
He felt her muscles start to spasm around him and abandoned the kiss to ride the gathering storm of sensation, pushing it until the waves of her release rolled through him and tilted him over into his own release. The intensity was blinding and he didn’t even hear himself call her name. Liz. Love. Shani.
She slumped over him, hugging his head and he buried his face in the heaving softness of her breasts. He wrapped her fiercely in his arms to prevent her from slipping away from him, holding onto their intimacy as long as he could. Her fingers stroked his neck as though gentling him and he felt a rush of tenderness for the woman she was, the mother she would be.
Only when she stirred did he become aware of his surroundings again; the bed not a few feet from them, the soft vibration of the ship underneath his feet, the fact that their guards and a very surprised servant girl were probably on the other side of the door.
“Max…” she whispered, her breath warm on his skin, alerting him to the shift that had to be made.
Liz leaned back against the wall. Max lifted his head. Her face was flushed, her eyes glittering, her mouth slightly parted as though her lips were too sensitized to close. She met his gaze intently. “I love you. That is more important than anything else.” Telling him indirectly that whatever his past held, she was his present and future.
“I’m sorry for…” He couldn’t even say it. He had taken his pregnant wife against a wall!
She smiled at him crookedly. “Yeah, I can’t believe we just did this.”
Alarm ripped through him, making him irrational. “But you wanted it?” he pressed.
“Yes,” she answered fiercely. “More than anything.”
His fear dissolved into a relieved and happy grin.
“Do you think you could let me stand on my own two feet again?” She sounded unbearably happy and his body reacted to that note in her voice that he had missed so much.
Nodding, he kissed her to make up for the more intimate disconnection. He clenched his jaw when he saw that Liz was still wearing her skirt and was walking unsteadily to the bed. Cursing himself, he kicked off his pants and caught up with her, swinging her into his arms and carrying her the final few paces before depositing her on the mattress. Sinking to his knees next to the bed, he helped her take off the skirt and her underwear, trying not to notice how languidly she stretched as soon as she was naked.
He had more pressing problems than his rapidly returning arousal. Pulling her closer to the edge, he let his hands run over her body, trying to ascertain if he did any damage with his wild behavior.
Liz shivered underneath his light touches, still needing more of him. She could see that he was back to ‘my pregnant wife is made of porcelain’ mode and she reached out to smooth the frown from between his beautiful eyes with her finger. “Max…” her voice was sultry and low. He had just managed to make her feel like the most desirable woman in the universe and she could also feel the vestiges of his desire for her still reverberating through their connection. She licked her lips. She wanted more.
Still valiantly trying to ignore Liz’s attempts at distraction, Max finally let his left hand rest on her belly, exhaling in relief when the glow appeared. Leaning forward, he rained tiny little kisses on her stomach. “Sorry, baby. I’m sorry I was so rough with you and mommy.”
Finally giving up on the subtle approach, Liz grabbed his head and pulled it up to her. “Well, mommy isn’t sorry that you loved her like that.” She kissed his warm mouth, running her tongue over his lips until he opened them with a small exclamation. The kiss was seductively sweet at first, before it turned fiercely passionate. “Love me some more, Max. Please…”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shilla had hurried out of the suite as soon as the entryway was clear and she fled past James with heated cheeks, not hearing his soft “Thank God”. She had never in her life witnessed such raw emotion and it made her feel funny inside. She couldn’t help but wonder if James would ever look at someone the way Max had looked at Liz. She had thought that Antarians were more or less the same than Dendarians. They mated, they had sex, but they never gave in to intense emotions. But watching that scene just now had made a tiny part of her wish that someone would be so intense about her one day.
James, on the other hand, felt like sending a rejoicing message to all the Antarians on the ship. Max and Liz were back to their old ways! They had all watched with trepidation as their royal couple struggled through this rough patch, all silently praying that this would pass. None of them wanted to see either Max or Liz looking as sad and unbalanced as they have for the past couple of days. It affected the group. But only the famed passionate encounters of Max and Liz could send poor Shilla running for cover like that. Emotion like Max and Liz’s were still a rare thing among Antarians, but they had gotten used to seeing it whenever the two visited the camp in the desert. It would be new to the Dendarians though. James grinned to himself, glad he would be there to witness all the shocks that would follow the arrival and stay of the King and Queen of Antar on Dendar!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“I can’t believe they have the nerve to come here!” Tess was furiously pacing her room in the Dendarian palace. “They are obviously intent on ruining my life at all costs.”
The man lying on her bed watched her progress with dark eyes. He was enjoying her passion. “I have to go soon, it will be light. Come back here.”
“Is sex all you care about?” she flung at him. “He will take away my position, I tell you!”
“We won’t let them. This is all part of my big plan.” He sounded sure of himself.
“It better be,” Tess pouted. “Your position would be in trouble too, you know.”
“If my plan works, no one would ever doubt my position again.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max and Liz were finally having the dinner that Shilla had left them hours before. She sat on his lap wearing one of his shirts and he was in a pair of sweatpants. They were trading kisses between eating, incredibly happy to be close like this again. They only had a few nights left on this ship before they would reach Dendar, and Max had an idea that he would be very busy once they were there. So, they had to make the most of their time left here.
He absently rubbed his hand over Liz’s stomach and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Tell me the truth, are you really feeling okay?”
Her tinkling laugh lifted his spirits. “Yes, Daddy, I’m fine.”
His breath hitched in his throat at the term. Daddy. Emotion suddenly choked him and he pressed his forehead against Liz’s. “If I haven’t told you before… You have made my life complete, Liz Evans.”
She hugged him back. “I only ever wanted you. Our baby is a bonus.”
They held each other tightly. Could their lives get any better?
tbc
Liz broke away from Max’s kiss and stared down into his startled eyes. Her heart was beating double-time.
“What did you see?” he asked anxiously.
Too tired to try and pretend anymore, Liz simply said: “You and Tess.”
Max felt his heart plummet to his feet. “Liz, I’m—”
“No Max,” she stopped him. “You were married to her and I—I just have to deal with it. I’m acting so childish about all this.” She looked away from his penetrating gaze. “I just… I need a little time to adjust. I’m sorry.”
He nodded slowly. “But only if you promise not to shut me out as part of this dealing process. Please Liz, I don’t think I could take that.”
“I promise. And… I’m sorry about this. I’m sorry for ever dating Kyle too, because… because now I know what you must’ve felt like.”
That’s true, Max admitted grimly. He liked Kyle, he really did, but he would always remember seeing Kyle with his hands on Liz in high school and feeling like he wanted to die as a result of it. “So, we’ll work through this together then?” He had to make sure.
“Yes,” Liz nodded against his chest. “I’m sorry,” she repeated.
“We weren’t together then, Liz.” He was obviously talking about more than the Kyle-thing. “But I’m sorry too,” he added. He was sorry for so many things. For coming into Liz’s life with the baggage of a whole other life resting on his shoulders. For dragging her into all his alien messes. For the fact that they would have to watch her very carefully during her pregnancy to make sure his baby doesn’t hurt her.
So they just held each other tightly, hoping that this will pass too.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After an hour had passed, Shilla had politely asked the huge James to go see if maybe she couldn’t go sort out the remnants of the brunch Max and Liz had had. James had seemed reluctant, but did so anyway. She again wondered at the intense protectiveness these Antarians felt towards their royal couple. This went way beyond just making sure they were safe, it was a nearly obsessive effort to ensure their privacy too.
She was allowed into the dining area with strict instructions from James not to go anywhere else in the suite. This made her blush, because she realized that the guards were apparently under the impression that she would disturb their King and Queen having sex. This amazed her. On Dendar, men and women bonded and made children and from then on, sex was like exercise. You made a proper appointment with whomever you wanted it and left afterwards. It had no impact on your bonded mate and only depended on your physical needs. On Dendar, this level of physical closeness by two bonded people was unheard of.
Blushing even harder, she admitted to herself that she could definitely understand Liz’s willingness to remain close to Max. He was going to make waves among the women on Dendar. Just like his fake Queen had with the men.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael was in an awkward situation. He had just been approached by the ship’s second-in-command to tell him that there were women he could “schedule” to be with if he needed. He had to hastily explain that they did things differently on earth and that he would not be needing any entertainment.
But when he got back to his room, Maria was waiting for him, her foot tapping with impatience. Her stormy eyes informed him that the offering-of-women deal had become known to her somehow. He was going to kick Alex’s ass!
“So where’s your bit-on-the-side?” She asked as soon as she saw him.
“Right in front of me,” he retorted, taking the wind from her sails.
“Guerin!” she yelled at him in exasperation.
“Don’t yell, DeLuca,” he answered. “They don’t know… how things work with us.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he had made a mistake.
Maria narrowed her eyes at him. “And how do they work with us?”
Scratching his head, Max’s second-in-command was struck speechless once again by the only girl who had ever managed that feat.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Watching Liz out of the corners of her eyes, Shilla wondered again what was going on with the Antarian royal couple. The atmosphere in the suite has been subdued for the past two days, even when Max was not here.
The King was busy in meetings with his Advisor and the Dendarian elders on the ship for most of the day each day, but he came back to the suite often, apparently to check on Liz. Shilla always enjoyed the soft way he spoke to his mate, but she wondered why their eyes seemed to cling together so desperately while they were together. And why they suddenly touched each other so tentatively. She could see that James was worried about them too. Having made it her business to get to know as much as she could about the hunky Antarian royal guard, she quickly noticed the anxious glances he cast at them whenever Max or Liz wasn’t looking.
This couldn’t go on any longer. Liz was miserable and she needed Max. She loved him with every fiber of her being and he loved her back. Surely they would be able to handle the odd upsetting vision between the two of them?
Max left late in the mornings, staying with her as she retched her guts out in the bathroom. He was gentle with her as always and slept with his hand on her stomach at night, but they kept each other at an emotional arm’s length, afraid of a recurrence of the flashes that reminded them of Max’s past.
It had to stop.
During the days, Liz roamed the ship with James and David at her heels or sat in the suite talking about the progress of her baby with Grace. These talks always brought tears to her eyes and made her miss Max even more.
She needed Max’s kisses and love like she needed air to breathe. She craved him. And she had to make the first move to change things.
When Shilla arrived with the dinner stuff, she found Liz pacing the lounge nervously. “You look lovely, Your Highness!” she exclaimed spontaneously. Liz wore a short black skirt and a red sweater with little baby buttons down the front that was molded to her body.
“Thank you,” Liz smiled at her, but Shilla could see that the Queen’s attention was only half on her. The other half was watching the door. She was obviously waiting for Max. They saw each other a lot, in Shilla’s opinion. The King left late in the mornings and she was not allowed inside until he was gone. He had also been to see Liz earlier today and had only left her alone again just after lunch.
It amazed Shilla that these two have been bonded for so long and yet they still acted like this. On the other hand, maybe the Queen wasn’t waiting for the King. Maybe she had decided to avail herself of the male entertainment on the ship and was expecting her company any minute now. That would be strange to Shilla, because they had all heard about the huge fit the King’s Advisor had thrown when he was told to inform the King of the female “entertainment” that was available if he wanted it. The Advisor had reportedly told the informant in no uncertain terms to not even mention the idea to the King.
Shilla had just finished setting the table for dinner, still astonished by the Queen’s obviously jumpy attitude, when the door opened to reveal Max.
She was about to have her first lesson in ‘Max and Liz Passion 101’.
Stopping just inside the door, Max felt his heart slam to a halt when he saw Liz slowly rise from the chair she had been sitting in. It was clear that she had dressed for him. Wearing one of his favorite sweaters, the one with the seemingly millions of little buttons that drove him crazy when he wanted to get it off her, and a skirt that made his temperature skyrocket, she was a huge temptation.
Completely forgetting that she had wanted to ask Shilla to clear out once she had finished preparing the dinner, Liz could do nothing but melt in the heat of Max’s eyes. He was staring at her with questions in his eyes. Are you sure? What if…?
Taking a small step forward, she whispered: “I don’t care.”
Max felt his world tilt. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them again to trace the slim lines of her calves and thighs, the curve of her hips encased in that sinful skirt and the little piece of skin visible between the cropped sweater and the top of the skirt. His gaze clung hungrily to the swell of her breasts, taking note of the agitated state of her breathing. His body was acutely aware of the fact that they had only made love once in the past two weeks.
Shilla watched as Liz took another little step that turned into a run as she fairly flew at Max. He caught her against him as if he had done it millions of times before and lifted her up into his body with one arm. Their mouths crashed together and Shilla distinctly heard the Queen’s soft moan. She was completely speechless, vacillating between being utterly shocked at the abandon she was witnessing or hopelessly charmed that two people could be like this with each other. Excessive emotion was not common on Dendar.
She knew she should leave them to themselves, but she couldn’t. They were blocking the only exit.
Liz ran her hands through Max’s hair, mussing it completely in her attempts to pull his mouth down harder on hers. His hand gripped her hair as he angled her head to allow him maximum invasion space. His tongue caressed the inside of her mouth deeply and intimately, causing all the heat in her body to pool at the juncture of her thighs in a moist rush. She arched even closer to his arousal, rubbing herself against him in an age-old effort to both incite and relieve.
Tearing his mouth away from hers, Max kissed a trail from her jaw to her throat, his body trembling at the relief of doing something so familiar again. He found the pounding pulse point at the base of her neck and rested his sensitive lips against it fleetingly.
“M—Max,” Liz managed. “I love you. I missed—”
Another kiss ended her efforts to speak. He ate at her bottom-lip, causing sparks to ignite behind her closed eyelids. Sparks that made her realize she hadn’t had a flash yet. A harsh sound slipped from Max’s throat when she broke away and stared up at him with bright eyes. “Nothing,” she breathed.
“Oh god, Liz,” was all he could manage as his temperature spiked even higher. He forgot everything. He forgot that he was worried about what could happen to her if he made love to her too roughly. He forgot all his intentions to find out what had happened when he was married to Tess before subjecting her to more visions. He forgot about dinner and that they weren’t alone in the room.
Staring up at him, Liz saw his eyes darken and knew she had gotten through to him. “Max?”
She was asking him to make love to her. He swallowed before saying: “Yes!”
They left an open-mouthed Shilla gaping after them as Max carried Liz into the bedroom with long strides. She was starting to gain a new respect for the Antarian way of life!
PART 44
He was tearing at the buttons of her sweater when it hit him: she was pregnant! He shouldn’t be attacking her like some sex-starved maniac. But Liz was all over him, she had managed to open his shirt before they even entered the bedroom and she was nipping at his skin in that maddeningly arousing way she had perfected over their years together. They were just inside the bedroom door that had silently slid shut behind them and the bed suddenly looked a long way off to him. “Liz,” he begged, trying to pull her away from him and calm down somewhat before making love to her. If he did it now…
Determined not to let him slow them down, Liz wriggled in his arms until he let her slide down his hard body. She looked up and met his dark and hungry eyes, letting him see exactly how desperate she was for him. She felt light-headed and heavy at the same time, desire for this man in front of her making the blood rush through her veins at a dizzying pace. He was holding her by her shoulders with unsteady hands, inadvertently pulling the edges of her half-undone sweater apart. Liz licked her lips, tasting him in her mouth. And wanting so much more.
His eyes were drawn helplessly from her moist mouth to the swell of her breasts, still encased in a lacy bra, when she took a deep breath. She’s pregnant, he repeated to himself even while his fingers found the last buttons of her sweater and ripped them open. He kissed her again, a hard, bruising, deep and desperate kiss that forced her mouth open underneath his. Her tongue met his halfway and he heard his own groan echo in his ears. God, they’ve been married for nearly eight years, and she still drives him insane with lust. He urgently shrugged off his shirt before finding the fastening of her bra, ridding her of that too and bringing her against him. The rubbing together of their bare torsos inflamed him further.
Liz whimpered when her sensitive breasts came in contact with the hard muscles of his chest. Some sane part of her brain was stunned at her wild behavior. Yes, she always wanted Max, she even sometimes got a little out of control while making love with him, but this… She was practically clawing at his back to get him inside her. If she had not lost the ability to talk coherently, she would have begged him to make them one quickly. To do it before she exploded into tiny pieces. She had never felt so out of control in her life.
“You’re pregnant, sweet…” It was a slurred mumble as Max tried one last time to slow down the juggernaut of their passion. The only answer he got was a low moan and another nip at his chest.
He gave up. Let the consequences be on his head, but he couldn’t help himself anymore.
He wrapped Liz in his arms and kissed her with the pent-up hunger of their time apart. Her mouth was as urgent as his and he covered her face with kisses, breathed in the seductive scent of her hair and moved her back against the wall for support as they both trembled with the force of their release from the restriction they’d imposed on themselves.
With his hands free to revel in the soft curves of her femininity, his mouth sought hers again, loving it, caressing it. Her arms were around his neck now, her body arched against his, her fingers curling into his hair, holding him to her, wanting him.
He was painfully hard within the constriction of his pants, desperate for the release only his Liz could give him. And she was burrowing even closer to him, the quiver of her thighs revealing the same feverish desire that gripped him. Their connection consisted only of their desperate desire to consummate, leaving no place for shared visions or flashes.
His hands found the hem of her skirt and pulled it up. The silky scrap of her panties was moved aside easily to give him access to the intimacy he craved. She was wet with need for him and he gloried in the way she shuddered as he stroked her.
“Max, please.” It was a soft cry and a gasp all in one.
“Liz… I’m dying for you…”
Still keeping her pinned to the door, he got his own clothes out of the way and slid inside her, hearing her soft relieved sigh.
She lifted her leg, opening herself further, sensuously stroking his leg with it. Only a shallow penetration was possible and the teasing of it was driving him crazy with excitement. He shoved his pants further down his thighs, filled his hands with the soft roundness of her bottom and hoisted her up, the explosive tension inside him demanding the thrust that took him deep inside her, fast and strong and intensely fulfilling.
Liz moaned his name in his ear, his possession of her so incredibly needed and satisfying. She wound her legs around his hips, sinking him even further inside her.
Then there was a moment to die for, a moment of stillness, of exquisite appreciation of how it was to be together like this, so deeply co-joined, owning an inner-world that was uniquely theirs.
Her hands clutched at his shoulders, fingers digging into his flesh as though they, too, would claw inside. Her head was thrown back, exposing her long throat, and there, at the base of it her pulse visibly throbbed. Max kissed it, drew on it, loving the sense of her heart thrumming with his.
He felt her muscles start to spasm around him and abandoned the kiss to ride the gathering storm of sensation, pushing it until the waves of her release rolled through him and tilted him over into his own release. The intensity was blinding and he didn’t even hear himself call her name. Liz. Love. Shani.
She slumped over him, hugging his head and he buried his face in the heaving softness of her breasts. He wrapped her fiercely in his arms to prevent her from slipping away from him, holding onto their intimacy as long as he could. Her fingers stroked his neck as though gentling him and he felt a rush of tenderness for the woman she was, the mother she would be.
Only when she stirred did he become aware of his surroundings again; the bed not a few feet from them, the soft vibration of the ship underneath his feet, the fact that their guards and a very surprised servant girl were probably on the other side of the door.
“Max…” she whispered, her breath warm on his skin, alerting him to the shift that had to be made.
Liz leaned back against the wall. Max lifted his head. Her face was flushed, her eyes glittering, her mouth slightly parted as though her lips were too sensitized to close. She met his gaze intently. “I love you. That is more important than anything else.” Telling him indirectly that whatever his past held, she was his present and future.
“I’m sorry for…” He couldn’t even say it. He had taken his pregnant wife against a wall!
She smiled at him crookedly. “Yeah, I can’t believe we just did this.”
Alarm ripped through him, making him irrational. “But you wanted it?” he pressed.
“Yes,” she answered fiercely. “More than anything.”
His fear dissolved into a relieved and happy grin.
“Do you think you could let me stand on my own two feet again?” She sounded unbearably happy and his body reacted to that note in her voice that he had missed so much.
Nodding, he kissed her to make up for the more intimate disconnection. He clenched his jaw when he saw that Liz was still wearing her skirt and was walking unsteadily to the bed. Cursing himself, he kicked off his pants and caught up with her, swinging her into his arms and carrying her the final few paces before depositing her on the mattress. Sinking to his knees next to the bed, he helped her take off the skirt and her underwear, trying not to notice how languidly she stretched as soon as she was naked.
He had more pressing problems than his rapidly returning arousal. Pulling her closer to the edge, he let his hands run over her body, trying to ascertain if he did any damage with his wild behavior.
Liz shivered underneath his light touches, still needing more of him. She could see that he was back to ‘my pregnant wife is made of porcelain’ mode and she reached out to smooth the frown from between his beautiful eyes with her finger. “Max…” her voice was sultry and low. He had just managed to make her feel like the most desirable woman in the universe and she could also feel the vestiges of his desire for her still reverberating through their connection. She licked her lips. She wanted more.
Still valiantly trying to ignore Liz’s attempts at distraction, Max finally let his left hand rest on her belly, exhaling in relief when the glow appeared. Leaning forward, he rained tiny little kisses on her stomach. “Sorry, baby. I’m sorry I was so rough with you and mommy.”
Finally giving up on the subtle approach, Liz grabbed his head and pulled it up to her. “Well, mommy isn’t sorry that you loved her like that.” She kissed his warm mouth, running her tongue over his lips until he opened them with a small exclamation. The kiss was seductively sweet at first, before it turned fiercely passionate. “Love me some more, Max. Please…”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shilla had hurried out of the suite as soon as the entryway was clear and she fled past James with heated cheeks, not hearing his soft “Thank God”. She had never in her life witnessed such raw emotion and it made her feel funny inside. She couldn’t help but wonder if James would ever look at someone the way Max had looked at Liz. She had thought that Antarians were more or less the same than Dendarians. They mated, they had sex, but they never gave in to intense emotions. But watching that scene just now had made a tiny part of her wish that someone would be so intense about her one day.
James, on the other hand, felt like sending a rejoicing message to all the Antarians on the ship. Max and Liz were back to their old ways! They had all watched with trepidation as their royal couple struggled through this rough patch, all silently praying that this would pass. None of them wanted to see either Max or Liz looking as sad and unbalanced as they have for the past couple of days. It affected the group. But only the famed passionate encounters of Max and Liz could send poor Shilla running for cover like that. Emotion like Max and Liz’s were still a rare thing among Antarians, but they had gotten used to seeing it whenever the two visited the camp in the desert. It would be new to the Dendarians though. James grinned to himself, glad he would be there to witness all the shocks that would follow the arrival and stay of the King and Queen of Antar on Dendar!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“I can’t believe they have the nerve to come here!” Tess was furiously pacing her room in the Dendarian palace. “They are obviously intent on ruining my life at all costs.”
The man lying on her bed watched her progress with dark eyes. He was enjoying her passion. “I have to go soon, it will be light. Come back here.”
“Is sex all you care about?” she flung at him. “He will take away my position, I tell you!”
“We won’t let them. This is all part of my big plan.” He sounded sure of himself.
“It better be,” Tess pouted. “Your position would be in trouble too, you know.”
“If my plan works, no one would ever doubt my position again.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max and Liz were finally having the dinner that Shilla had left them hours before. She sat on his lap wearing one of his shirts and he was in a pair of sweatpants. They were trading kisses between eating, incredibly happy to be close like this again. They only had a few nights left on this ship before they would reach Dendar, and Max had an idea that he would be very busy once they were there. So, they had to make the most of their time left here.
He absently rubbed his hand over Liz’s stomach and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Tell me the truth, are you really feeling okay?”
Her tinkling laugh lifted his spirits. “Yes, Daddy, I’m fine.”
His breath hitched in his throat at the term. Daddy. Emotion suddenly choked him and he pressed his forehead against Liz’s. “If I haven’t told you before… You have made my life complete, Liz Evans.”
She hugged him back. “I only ever wanted you. Our baby is a bonus.”
They held each other tightly. Could their lives get any better?
tbc
45+46
PART 45
Let it not be said that she was a slow learner, Shilla thought as she served lunch to Max and Liz a few days later. It was a ritual now, Max would arrive in the suite at various times throughout the day and she would leave. Unless she was asked to stay. Those were her favorite times since she got to see Max and Liz together and what an education she was getting! They always held hands when they were near each other, like they just had to touch in some way. And the looks that they shared just blew Shilla away.
Her second favorite was sitting with the Queen and just chatting. Liz liked to talk about her home on earth and her parents. And, of course, about how wonderful Max was. Shilla was slowly gaining an understanding for this most unusual couple. She now knew that Liz was not Antarian but human, and that the King had chosen her of his own free will. And that they had bonded twice and also “got married” according to the earth’s traditions a long time ago.
The only weird moment had been when Shilla had cautiously asked about the other Queen that was on Dendar and where she fit in. Liz’s eyes had fleetingly clouded over before she said simply that Tess was supposed to have been Max’s mate. Shilla had left it at that. Especially after she got a stern look from Max when he arrived for lunch that day and had spoken softly with Liz. She hadn’t been able to hear what they were saying, but she did take note of the soothing way in which Max stroked Liz’s hair. And the intense way he had kissed her before he left. Over and over until Liz finally pushed him out the door with a small giggle.
Shilla had still not figured out why the King left so late in the mornings. He was clearly up for a while by the time he went to his meetings and sometimes he was frowning fiercely as she passed him on her way in. On these occasions, she would find the Queen looking pale. She had also noticed that the Queen got dizzy on occasion. Shilla hoped the Queen wasn’t sick or something, because she didn’t think either of these two people would make it without the other!
And now it was the day before they would arrive on Dendar. The excitement on the ship was as palpable as the tension in the Antarian group. Even James, who normally was quite friendly with her, had become stern and quiet. Nick and Grace were having lunch with Max and Liz and they were talking about the big celebration that would be held on Dendar for Max’s arrival.
“So the other ship will get there today?” Liz asked. She couldn’t wait to tell Maria about her news. She would have to do it in some soundproof room, though.
“That’s what they tell me,” Nick answered. “I will speak to Michael again later today.”
“I think we should ask them to stay on the ship until we’re there too. I’d like for us all to arrive together,” Max said as he took Liz’s hand and kissed her knuckles. He could feel her excitement at seeing their friends again.
“I will contact him again later then you can talk to him,” Nick answered. They had been communicating with Michael and the others twice daily during the trip.
“Where are we going to stay when we’re there?”
Nick looked at Liz. “Well, there is some good news. Max’s parents had a suite in the Dendarian palace. It’s like a house within the palace. They are preparing it for you all.”
Max and Liz had the same thought immediately. “Where is Tess staying?”
“She apparently has her own rooms somewhere else in the palace. I have no idea why she isn’t staying in the royal suite.” Nick smiled at their obvious relief. He paused before saying: “We have to talk about money, Max.”
“Money?” It was the first time this ever came up.
“Yes, obviously your family had a substantial fortune before the war with Tresar. While some of it was very definitely lost when the planet was destroyed, Dendar served as a base for ‘banking’ if you like. A lot of it may still be available once we get there.”
“Money?” Max seemed unable to grasp the context.
“Well, not really money as you would know it from earth. But resources and jewels that are very valuable in our galaxy.” Nick didn’t mention that he hoped the family jewels were part of what was left. Better to leave that as a surprise for when they are found.
“Yeah, uhm… I think you’d better handle the finances,” Max told Nick dryly.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael and Maria had had one of their infamous fights and took to glaring at each other whenever they were in the same room. Michael had unfortunately made too big a deal of being happy to get off the “blasted ship” and for finally getting away from having Maria, Isabel and Alex “yapping” in his ears all the time. The truth was, he had cabin fever…. And he needed Max’s advice on how to get bonded to Maria. Commitment and romance was not his strong suit.
Isabel, on the other hand, had taken to her exalted position like a fish to water. She wore the Royal Antarian garb almost daily, liking the identity it gave her. They had talked to Max earlier and decided to wait for him and Liz to arrive before shuttling down to Dendar. As she stood in front of the large window in the lounge area and stared down at the silent planet that drifted just below them, she felt a stab of pain that they would never get to see their own planet. That Antar was gone and so were their families.
Hearing the voices of Alex and Maria behind her, a smile returned to her face. But she had Max and four wonderful friends.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cleaning the kitchen after lunch, Shilla dropped everything when she heard a soft gasp from the dining area. She found Liz sitting on her heels on the floor, clinging to one of the chairs and looking deathly pale. “Queen Liz!” she cried and rushed to her. “Are you okay?”
“Very dizzy,” Liz mumbled, raising a shaking hand to her face.
“Should I go get the King?” Shilla asked anxiously. Max and the others had left a few minutes ago and this was the only answer Shilla could come up with.
“No!” Liz yelled weakly. “No please… Just help me to bed. Need to lie down for a few minutes.”
Practically dragging an unsteady Liz to the bedroom, Shilla was close to panicking. If the King got upset when Liz was merely mildly distressed, she could just imagine how he would react if he knew about this. She helped Liz onto the bed and hurried off to get her something to drink. When she put that next to the bed, Liz asked her to go get Grace, but she ran into Max outside in the corridor instead and he looked at her with alarm.
“The Queen… nearly fainted,” Shilla blurted out breathlessly, seeing the shock register on Max’s face just before he sprinted back to the room.
Ignoring the nervous Shilla, who was hovering in their door and wringing her hands, Max dropped to his knees next to the bed where Liz lay with her eyes closed.
“She shouldn’t have told you,” Liz smiled weakly when he put his hand on her forehead.
“Lord, Liz! Don’t scare me like this! What happened? Is it our—?”
Nodding slightly, Liz finally managed to drag her eyes open. “It happens sometimes, love. It’s normal.” At least, Liz hoped it was. This was the worst dizzy spell she’d ever had. She felt such tenderness for Max as he knelt helplessly by her side. He hated this, that much she knew. He hated not being able to help her. “A kiss would make me feel better.”
He kissed her on her forehead, then on her eyelids, then on her cheeks, on her nose, on her chin, all the while murmuring soft words of love to the mother of his first child. By the time he reached her inviting mouth, she was smiling. The kiss was long and wet and sweet. They tasted each other gently, tongues caressing and exploring, lips brushing for endless moments.
When they finally broke apart, they smiled at each other lovingly before Liz finally noticed the anxious Shilla still standing at the door. “I’m fine now, Shilla,” Liz assured her too. “But could you still go find Grace, please?’
Shilla nodded, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat. She had been really scared that something terrible was happening to Liz. And then to witness that tender scene! She was starting to suspect that emotions were infectious.
Liz waited until Shilla had left before lifting her shirt and placing their linked hands on her stomach. They both stared at the glow that appeared. “See, our baby is fine.”
Max looked at her seriously. “Liz, I love our baby, but you have to know that you are my first priority right now. And…” His eyes skittered away from hers. “And that is an alien baby you’re carrying. We don’t know what… You have to promise to tell me if you feel something’s wrong, okay?” He met her gaze imploringly.
“Max—”
“I know you think I need to concentrate on other things right now, and that you should… rather keep some stuff from me, but… but I beg you not to.” He touched her face with his free hand. “Cause not knowing is just going to make me worry more.”
Biting her lip, Liz realized that what he was saying was true. From their connection, he would pick up that something was wrong, and if she denied it, he would just freak even worse.
“Promise me,” he stressed.
“Okay. I promise.” She watched him relax and put her hand on his cheek to pull him closer. She was starting to feel weepy and kissed him softly. “I love you so much! Don’t ever leave me!”
His first instinct was to panic about why she was suddenly feeling so vulnerable but when he looked into her moist eyes, he realized this was hormonal. She didn’t really believe he would leave her. So he just said, “I promise” quietly and tenderly wiped the moisture from her cheeks.
Max was ushered out when Grace arrived, much to his disgust. And Grace had barely returned from the lounge area when Liz burst into great racking sobs. Grace patted her back and waited to hear what this was all about.
“I’m so scared, Grace!” Liz was lying on her side, crying into Max’s pillow. “I don’t want to see Tess again. I don’t want to wear that damn Antarian outfit again. It hurts him.”
She sounded incoherent to Grace.
“What if all this familiar alien stuff makes him want to go back to Tess? What if something happens to my baby?”
“He would never stop loving you,” Grace tried to stop the avalanche of tears. “And Nick says he was very unhappy when he got married to her.”
“But what if she was better than me in bed?” Liz practically wailed. “What if he remembers that now? Oh God, he’s only going to stay with me for the baby!”
“It will never happen,” Grace tried again, only making Liz cry harder. She was starting to gain respect for the calm way in which Nick had handled her own outbursts when she was pregnant with Madelaine. Getting an idea, she quietly motioned Shilla closer and sent her off with instructions.
A few minutes later, Grace put a gurgling Maddie next to Liz on the bed. The little girl regarded the weeping lady curiously before reaching out her tiny hand and grabbing Liz’s nose. This caused a fit of laughter from Liz and Grace sighed in relief. Max was handling the next emotional outburst himself!
PART 46
Still feeling unsteady from her bout of morning sickness, Liz sat among their luggage and waited for Max and Nick to finish the preparations for their trip down to Dendar. She smiled as Shilla came in and gestured for the girl to come sit with her.
“I wanted to give you something for being so patient with me and Max during this week.” Liz handed Shilla a pendant with the Antarian royal seal that she had asked Max to make the night before. “I feel like you are the only Dendarian that I know and I want to thank you for being so nice to me. To us.”
Shilla smiled broadly. “No, thank you! I really enjoyed working for you. And…” She wondered how much she could say without giving offence. “And I’m really glad you two are happy again.”
“Yeah, we are,” Liz said, fighting off the flash of fear and hurt she felt at the prospect of seeing Max’s former bride again. He loves me so much, why can’t I get past these irrational feelings? Maybe because Tess had once turned Max into someone even he didn’t understand himself. What if she could do it again? Liz glanced at the bag carrying her new supply of Antarian royal clothes. It was in various designs, but all were either white with dark green markings or dark-green with white markings. She still hadn’t worn any of it again after that time that Max had the flashback to his past life. She had an awful feeling that it was seeing her in those clothes that brought all that on. Seeing Max in such pain had been horrible, not to mention that it included him having flashes about Tess. And you, the little voice reminded her.
“Shilla?” Liz’s voice stopped the girl from leaving the suite. “Would you be able to join us on Dendar? I mean come and help us… me, when we live in the Dendar palace?”
Shilla was nodding already, with shining eyes.
“I’m going to need help with the Dendarian customs and… and help with hiding my condition for as long as possible.” Liz watched Shilla anxiously. She was taking a big risk in telling her about the pregnancy, but she would need Shilla if she stayed with them.
“Your—your condition?” Shilla had paled at the statement. She rushed over to kneel at Liz’s feet. “Are you ill?”
“No!” Liz smiled down at her. “I’m pregnant.”
There was utter confusion on Shilla’s face for a few moments. “You mean you… you still have the baby inside you?”
Liz was frowning now. “What do you mean?”
“I mean… How far along are you?”
“About 3 weeks, why?”
“Oh! Well, then its not too late yet.”
Liz was starting to doubt whether she did the right thing by telling Shilla. “Too late for what?”
“For harvesting the cells and putting them in a breeding pod.” Shilla was looking at her strangely.
“You mean women on Dendar don’t carry their babies inside them until they are born?”
“No!” Shilla exclaimed. “It’s much safer in the…” Her voice faltered. “You carry the baby the whole time on earth?”
“Yes.” Liz put her hand on her stomach, seeing the faint glow moments before she heard Shilla gasp. Looking up at the girl, she said: “See, how can I not have this magic happening inside me? It’s a little part of Max and the feeling is incredible.”
“Can I—” Shilla reached out a hand and Liz allowed her to touch her tummy. The glow stopped as soon as Liz took her own hand away.
“It only glows for Max and I,” she clarified when Shilla looked at her questioningly. “So, will you help me? But you have to promise me that no one else will know about this baby until we feel its safe.”
“Of course!” A lot of things were starting to make sense to Shilla now. Carrying a baby inside you for such a long time! How strange was that? But if Liz and Max felt they wanted to do things this way as well as keep the baby a secret, she would honor their wishes.
~*~*~*~*~*~
When Max came back to the suite later, he found Liz in their bedroom, wearing the Antarian royal outfit of white with the dark green markings. She hadn’t seen him yet and he grabbed onto the door, holding himself steady as another flash of Liz, sitting and writing in a book, tore through him. She was always alone in the visions, but he could hear his own voice, calling her Shani. He concentrated on steadying his breathing, but Liz had felt him and turned around, rushing to him as she saw his pale face.
“Are you okay?” She sounded distressed. “I knew this was going to happen again! But Shilla told me—”
“Liz, sweetness, I’m fine.” He touched her face gently. “I just saw you again.”
They walked over to the bed together and sat down. “Max, what is going on? Why does this happen every time I wear these clothes? Shilla told me there would be an official welcoming committee and that I should dress like the Queen. I’m sorry! I don’t want to hurt you,” she babbled.
Max caught her hand. “Shhh, I’m fine. No piercing headaches this time.” He rubbed his thumb over her wrist soothingly. “I spoke to Nick and we still don’t know why I see flashes of you. There was no one like you in my life that anyone knows of.” He didn’t want to tell her too much of what Nick had said about his marriage to Tess, it was too confusing. “All I know is that my marriage to Tess was arranged, so don’t worry, okay?”
Nodding mutely, Liz leaned into Max’s shoulder. “Did—did you sleep with her when you were married?” The question was out before she could stop herself.
“I—I don’t know,” Max sounded defeated. “I’m sorry.”
Liz crawled onto his lap and nearly choked him with her embrace. “No, I’m sorry. It was an unreasonable question. I’m so sorry…”
They kissed each other desperately, trying to assuage some of the hurt and uncertainty they felt. “We’ll be fine,” Max whispered against her mouth, wishing he really were sure of that.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, Maria was driving everyone insane on the shuttle. She could hardly sit still and she was chattering incessantly about how she had missed Liz and “even Prince Charming” and WHEN were they getting to the other ship?
Michael was starting to feel like his head was going to explode. He was just about to yell at Maria when they felt the soft bump of the shuttle docking. “About damn time,” Michael muttered under his breath.
The doors opened to reveal a smiling Nick… and behind him, Max and Liz.
“Chicca!” Maria squealed, shoving everyone out of her way to fling her arms around Liz. The two friends hugged tightly, while Max went over to hug his sister.
“I missed you,” he told her quietly.
“Me too.”
Behind them, the luggage was being carried onto the shuttle as the Antarian Royal Family, their friends, Advisors and guards all filed onto the shuttle.
Maria, Alex and Liz sat together to catch up, as did Max, Michael and Isabel.
“You look like you belong in that outfit,” Maria told Liz enviously. Maria was wearing a similar outfit in dark blue, but without all the markings and seals. Liz glanced at Max and he smiled at her encouragingly. The guys all wore Antarian clothes too, snug-fitting pants and vests with a billowing robe over it. Max was wearing the dark-green of his family, while Alex and Michael’s outfits were various shades of blue.
“This is so bizarre!” Maria continued. “I cannot believe I am in some strange galaxy wearing a weird clothes. Hey, I’ve never even been out of the US until now.” She glared in Michael’s direction.
Liz was bursting with her news, but she couldn’t risk telling Maria while they were surrounded by strangers on the shuttle. Knowing Maria, her shriek would be heard in the neighboring galaxy. Shilla appeared at her elbow at some stage, bringing her a snack. Liz caught her arm when she turned to leave. “Everyone, this is Shilla. She will be working for us in the palace too. Shilla, these are my friends Maria and Alex.”
Shilla bowed her head to them respectfully. “I have heard so much about you.”
“Yep, the super humans from earth! That’s us,” Alex grinned at her.
Maria had been staring at Liz with narrowed eyes. “What’s with the snacking? And why are we not getting any food?”
“Oh sorry!” Shilla exclaimed, glancing nervously at Liz. “I’ll go get some more…”
“No, it’s okay.” Maria waved at her. “I just really want to know why Liz is apparently eating enough for two now…” Her eyes widened. “Oh. My. God! Liz Evans! You aren’t!”
“Maria!” Liz tried to catch her friend’s wildly flailing arms. “Shhh! Calm down would you.” She shook her head at Max who was on his feet and ready to come over.
“Okay, what the heck are you screaming about Deluca?” Alex was staring between Liz and Maria.
Max had ignored Liz’s indication that he should leave her to handle this and ordered the group of friends into a nearby little room. He grabbed Liz’s hand and followed a still hyperventilating Maria, a perplexed Alex and an irritated Michael and Isabel into the room. After the door closed behind them, Max pulled Liz to stand in front of him. “We have something to tell you all,” he stated.
Maria kept on muttering ‘oh my god’ over and over until Michael put his hand over her mouth. “What is up with you two?”
Not really knowing how to say it, Max brought his and Liz’s linked hands up and placed them over her stomach. He could see from the stunned expressions around the room that the glow had started up again.
“We are going to have a baby,” Liz said softly.
“Wow.” Alex was the first to say something.
“Lizzie!” Maria screamed again and launched herself at Max and Liz, only escaping knocking them over because Max braced himself against the door. She hugged them both tightly.
“I’m amazed that it took so long the way you two are normally at it!” Alex again.
Max was looking at Isabel. “That’s great, Max,” she finally said, sounding unsure.
Michael was another story altogether. “I’m sorry, but are you insane, Maxwell! I can’t believe you would do this when you knew we might be going into war?”
“Michael—”
“Whatever! You always do what you want anyway.” He stormed out.
Holding Max back, Liz told him quietly. “I’ll go talk to him.”
She found Michael standing in front of one of the windows. “It’s not his fault, you know. It’s mine.”
As loudly as Michael always yelled at Max, he never could quite manage it with Liz. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, this was not planned and is entirely my fault. I lied to Max so he wouldn’t find out and leave me behind.”
“Why would you do that?” Michael sounded agitated. “How are we supposed to protect both you and the baby?”
“I—I just couldn’t be without him, Michael. It’s selfish, but I’d rather be here with him when something goes wrong, than to be safely on earth and maybe never see him again.” She touched his arm tentatively. “Please don’t make this harder for him. You know Max, he is already freaking out as it is.”
He was silent for a long time before sighing: “Okay.”
They turned around to find Max watching them from the entrance to the room. Liz walked over to him immediately and snuggled into his embrace.
Michael walked past and just said: “Congratulations, Maxwell.”
Liz felt Max relax and press a kiss on her head. “That went well,” he said laconically.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The crowd awaiting them on Dendar was huge. They disembarked the shuttle in a large building, with Max and Liz leading the way. Max held Liz’s hand resolutely, not allowing her to slink away and blend into the rest of the group. The commander of their ship led them towards a group of formally dressed Dendarians that Max assumed was the King and his family.
There was clapping and singing and when they were a few steps away from the welcoming committee, a small blonde launched herself at Max crying: “My husband! You’re back!”
tbc
Let it not be said that she was a slow learner, Shilla thought as she served lunch to Max and Liz a few days later. It was a ritual now, Max would arrive in the suite at various times throughout the day and she would leave. Unless she was asked to stay. Those were her favorite times since she got to see Max and Liz together and what an education she was getting! They always held hands when they were near each other, like they just had to touch in some way. And the looks that they shared just blew Shilla away.
Her second favorite was sitting with the Queen and just chatting. Liz liked to talk about her home on earth and her parents. And, of course, about how wonderful Max was. Shilla was slowly gaining an understanding for this most unusual couple. She now knew that Liz was not Antarian but human, and that the King had chosen her of his own free will. And that they had bonded twice and also “got married” according to the earth’s traditions a long time ago.
The only weird moment had been when Shilla had cautiously asked about the other Queen that was on Dendar and where she fit in. Liz’s eyes had fleetingly clouded over before she said simply that Tess was supposed to have been Max’s mate. Shilla had left it at that. Especially after she got a stern look from Max when he arrived for lunch that day and had spoken softly with Liz. She hadn’t been able to hear what they were saying, but she did take note of the soothing way in which Max stroked Liz’s hair. And the intense way he had kissed her before he left. Over and over until Liz finally pushed him out the door with a small giggle.
Shilla had still not figured out why the King left so late in the mornings. He was clearly up for a while by the time he went to his meetings and sometimes he was frowning fiercely as she passed him on her way in. On these occasions, she would find the Queen looking pale. She had also noticed that the Queen got dizzy on occasion. Shilla hoped the Queen wasn’t sick or something, because she didn’t think either of these two people would make it without the other!
And now it was the day before they would arrive on Dendar. The excitement on the ship was as palpable as the tension in the Antarian group. Even James, who normally was quite friendly with her, had become stern and quiet. Nick and Grace were having lunch with Max and Liz and they were talking about the big celebration that would be held on Dendar for Max’s arrival.
“So the other ship will get there today?” Liz asked. She couldn’t wait to tell Maria about her news. She would have to do it in some soundproof room, though.
“That’s what they tell me,” Nick answered. “I will speak to Michael again later today.”
“I think we should ask them to stay on the ship until we’re there too. I’d like for us all to arrive together,” Max said as he took Liz’s hand and kissed her knuckles. He could feel her excitement at seeing their friends again.
“I will contact him again later then you can talk to him,” Nick answered. They had been communicating with Michael and the others twice daily during the trip.
“Where are we going to stay when we’re there?”
Nick looked at Liz. “Well, there is some good news. Max’s parents had a suite in the Dendarian palace. It’s like a house within the palace. They are preparing it for you all.”
Max and Liz had the same thought immediately. “Where is Tess staying?”
“She apparently has her own rooms somewhere else in the palace. I have no idea why she isn’t staying in the royal suite.” Nick smiled at their obvious relief. He paused before saying: “We have to talk about money, Max.”
“Money?” It was the first time this ever came up.
“Yes, obviously your family had a substantial fortune before the war with Tresar. While some of it was very definitely lost when the planet was destroyed, Dendar served as a base for ‘banking’ if you like. A lot of it may still be available once we get there.”
“Money?” Max seemed unable to grasp the context.
“Well, not really money as you would know it from earth. But resources and jewels that are very valuable in our galaxy.” Nick didn’t mention that he hoped the family jewels were part of what was left. Better to leave that as a surprise for when they are found.
“Yeah, uhm… I think you’d better handle the finances,” Max told Nick dryly.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael and Maria had had one of their infamous fights and took to glaring at each other whenever they were in the same room. Michael had unfortunately made too big a deal of being happy to get off the “blasted ship” and for finally getting away from having Maria, Isabel and Alex “yapping” in his ears all the time. The truth was, he had cabin fever…. And he needed Max’s advice on how to get bonded to Maria. Commitment and romance was not his strong suit.
Isabel, on the other hand, had taken to her exalted position like a fish to water. She wore the Royal Antarian garb almost daily, liking the identity it gave her. They had talked to Max earlier and decided to wait for him and Liz to arrive before shuttling down to Dendar. As she stood in front of the large window in the lounge area and stared down at the silent planet that drifted just below them, she felt a stab of pain that they would never get to see their own planet. That Antar was gone and so were their families.
Hearing the voices of Alex and Maria behind her, a smile returned to her face. But she had Max and four wonderful friends.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cleaning the kitchen after lunch, Shilla dropped everything when she heard a soft gasp from the dining area. She found Liz sitting on her heels on the floor, clinging to one of the chairs and looking deathly pale. “Queen Liz!” she cried and rushed to her. “Are you okay?”
“Very dizzy,” Liz mumbled, raising a shaking hand to her face.
“Should I go get the King?” Shilla asked anxiously. Max and the others had left a few minutes ago and this was the only answer Shilla could come up with.
“No!” Liz yelled weakly. “No please… Just help me to bed. Need to lie down for a few minutes.”
Practically dragging an unsteady Liz to the bedroom, Shilla was close to panicking. If the King got upset when Liz was merely mildly distressed, she could just imagine how he would react if he knew about this. She helped Liz onto the bed and hurried off to get her something to drink. When she put that next to the bed, Liz asked her to go get Grace, but she ran into Max outside in the corridor instead and he looked at her with alarm.
“The Queen… nearly fainted,” Shilla blurted out breathlessly, seeing the shock register on Max’s face just before he sprinted back to the room.
Ignoring the nervous Shilla, who was hovering in their door and wringing her hands, Max dropped to his knees next to the bed where Liz lay with her eyes closed.
“She shouldn’t have told you,” Liz smiled weakly when he put his hand on her forehead.
“Lord, Liz! Don’t scare me like this! What happened? Is it our—?”
Nodding slightly, Liz finally managed to drag her eyes open. “It happens sometimes, love. It’s normal.” At least, Liz hoped it was. This was the worst dizzy spell she’d ever had. She felt such tenderness for Max as he knelt helplessly by her side. He hated this, that much she knew. He hated not being able to help her. “A kiss would make me feel better.”
He kissed her on her forehead, then on her eyelids, then on her cheeks, on her nose, on her chin, all the while murmuring soft words of love to the mother of his first child. By the time he reached her inviting mouth, she was smiling. The kiss was long and wet and sweet. They tasted each other gently, tongues caressing and exploring, lips brushing for endless moments.
When they finally broke apart, they smiled at each other lovingly before Liz finally noticed the anxious Shilla still standing at the door. “I’m fine now, Shilla,” Liz assured her too. “But could you still go find Grace, please?’
Shilla nodded, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat. She had been really scared that something terrible was happening to Liz. And then to witness that tender scene! She was starting to suspect that emotions were infectious.
Liz waited until Shilla had left before lifting her shirt and placing their linked hands on her stomach. They both stared at the glow that appeared. “See, our baby is fine.”
Max looked at her seriously. “Liz, I love our baby, but you have to know that you are my first priority right now. And…” His eyes skittered away from hers. “And that is an alien baby you’re carrying. We don’t know what… You have to promise to tell me if you feel something’s wrong, okay?” He met her gaze imploringly.
“Max—”
“I know you think I need to concentrate on other things right now, and that you should… rather keep some stuff from me, but… but I beg you not to.” He touched her face with his free hand. “Cause not knowing is just going to make me worry more.”
Biting her lip, Liz realized that what he was saying was true. From their connection, he would pick up that something was wrong, and if she denied it, he would just freak even worse.
“Promise me,” he stressed.
“Okay. I promise.” She watched him relax and put her hand on his cheek to pull him closer. She was starting to feel weepy and kissed him softly. “I love you so much! Don’t ever leave me!”
His first instinct was to panic about why she was suddenly feeling so vulnerable but when he looked into her moist eyes, he realized this was hormonal. She didn’t really believe he would leave her. So he just said, “I promise” quietly and tenderly wiped the moisture from her cheeks.
Max was ushered out when Grace arrived, much to his disgust. And Grace had barely returned from the lounge area when Liz burst into great racking sobs. Grace patted her back and waited to hear what this was all about.
“I’m so scared, Grace!” Liz was lying on her side, crying into Max’s pillow. “I don’t want to see Tess again. I don’t want to wear that damn Antarian outfit again. It hurts him.”
She sounded incoherent to Grace.
“What if all this familiar alien stuff makes him want to go back to Tess? What if something happens to my baby?”
“He would never stop loving you,” Grace tried to stop the avalanche of tears. “And Nick says he was very unhappy when he got married to her.”
“But what if she was better than me in bed?” Liz practically wailed. “What if he remembers that now? Oh God, he’s only going to stay with me for the baby!”
“It will never happen,” Grace tried again, only making Liz cry harder. She was starting to gain respect for the calm way in which Nick had handled her own outbursts when she was pregnant with Madelaine. Getting an idea, she quietly motioned Shilla closer and sent her off with instructions.
A few minutes later, Grace put a gurgling Maddie next to Liz on the bed. The little girl regarded the weeping lady curiously before reaching out her tiny hand and grabbing Liz’s nose. This caused a fit of laughter from Liz and Grace sighed in relief. Max was handling the next emotional outburst himself!
PART 46
Still feeling unsteady from her bout of morning sickness, Liz sat among their luggage and waited for Max and Nick to finish the preparations for their trip down to Dendar. She smiled as Shilla came in and gestured for the girl to come sit with her.
“I wanted to give you something for being so patient with me and Max during this week.” Liz handed Shilla a pendant with the Antarian royal seal that she had asked Max to make the night before. “I feel like you are the only Dendarian that I know and I want to thank you for being so nice to me. To us.”
Shilla smiled broadly. “No, thank you! I really enjoyed working for you. And…” She wondered how much she could say without giving offence. “And I’m really glad you two are happy again.”
“Yeah, we are,” Liz said, fighting off the flash of fear and hurt she felt at the prospect of seeing Max’s former bride again. He loves me so much, why can’t I get past these irrational feelings? Maybe because Tess had once turned Max into someone even he didn’t understand himself. What if she could do it again? Liz glanced at the bag carrying her new supply of Antarian royal clothes. It was in various designs, but all were either white with dark green markings or dark-green with white markings. She still hadn’t worn any of it again after that time that Max had the flashback to his past life. She had an awful feeling that it was seeing her in those clothes that brought all that on. Seeing Max in such pain had been horrible, not to mention that it included him having flashes about Tess. And you, the little voice reminded her.
“Shilla?” Liz’s voice stopped the girl from leaving the suite. “Would you be able to join us on Dendar? I mean come and help us… me, when we live in the Dendar palace?”
Shilla was nodding already, with shining eyes.
“I’m going to need help with the Dendarian customs and… and help with hiding my condition for as long as possible.” Liz watched Shilla anxiously. She was taking a big risk in telling her about the pregnancy, but she would need Shilla if she stayed with them.
“Your—your condition?” Shilla had paled at the statement. She rushed over to kneel at Liz’s feet. “Are you ill?”
“No!” Liz smiled down at her. “I’m pregnant.”
There was utter confusion on Shilla’s face for a few moments. “You mean you… you still have the baby inside you?”
Liz was frowning now. “What do you mean?”
“I mean… How far along are you?”
“About 3 weeks, why?”
“Oh! Well, then its not too late yet.”
Liz was starting to doubt whether she did the right thing by telling Shilla. “Too late for what?”
“For harvesting the cells and putting them in a breeding pod.” Shilla was looking at her strangely.
“You mean women on Dendar don’t carry their babies inside them until they are born?”
“No!” Shilla exclaimed. “It’s much safer in the…” Her voice faltered. “You carry the baby the whole time on earth?”
“Yes.” Liz put her hand on her stomach, seeing the faint glow moments before she heard Shilla gasp. Looking up at the girl, she said: “See, how can I not have this magic happening inside me? It’s a little part of Max and the feeling is incredible.”
“Can I—” Shilla reached out a hand and Liz allowed her to touch her tummy. The glow stopped as soon as Liz took her own hand away.
“It only glows for Max and I,” she clarified when Shilla looked at her questioningly. “So, will you help me? But you have to promise me that no one else will know about this baby until we feel its safe.”
“Of course!” A lot of things were starting to make sense to Shilla now. Carrying a baby inside you for such a long time! How strange was that? But if Liz and Max felt they wanted to do things this way as well as keep the baby a secret, she would honor their wishes.
~*~*~*~*~*~
When Max came back to the suite later, he found Liz in their bedroom, wearing the Antarian royal outfit of white with the dark green markings. She hadn’t seen him yet and he grabbed onto the door, holding himself steady as another flash of Liz, sitting and writing in a book, tore through him. She was always alone in the visions, but he could hear his own voice, calling her Shani. He concentrated on steadying his breathing, but Liz had felt him and turned around, rushing to him as she saw his pale face.
“Are you okay?” She sounded distressed. “I knew this was going to happen again! But Shilla told me—”
“Liz, sweetness, I’m fine.” He touched her face gently. “I just saw you again.”
They walked over to the bed together and sat down. “Max, what is going on? Why does this happen every time I wear these clothes? Shilla told me there would be an official welcoming committee and that I should dress like the Queen. I’m sorry! I don’t want to hurt you,” she babbled.
Max caught her hand. “Shhh, I’m fine. No piercing headaches this time.” He rubbed his thumb over her wrist soothingly. “I spoke to Nick and we still don’t know why I see flashes of you. There was no one like you in my life that anyone knows of.” He didn’t want to tell her too much of what Nick had said about his marriage to Tess, it was too confusing. “All I know is that my marriage to Tess was arranged, so don’t worry, okay?”
Nodding mutely, Liz leaned into Max’s shoulder. “Did—did you sleep with her when you were married?” The question was out before she could stop herself.
“I—I don’t know,” Max sounded defeated. “I’m sorry.”
Liz crawled onto his lap and nearly choked him with her embrace. “No, I’m sorry. It was an unreasonable question. I’m so sorry…”
They kissed each other desperately, trying to assuage some of the hurt and uncertainty they felt. “We’ll be fine,” Max whispered against her mouth, wishing he really were sure of that.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, Maria was driving everyone insane on the shuttle. She could hardly sit still and she was chattering incessantly about how she had missed Liz and “even Prince Charming” and WHEN were they getting to the other ship?
Michael was starting to feel like his head was going to explode. He was just about to yell at Maria when they felt the soft bump of the shuttle docking. “About damn time,” Michael muttered under his breath.
The doors opened to reveal a smiling Nick… and behind him, Max and Liz.
“Chicca!” Maria squealed, shoving everyone out of her way to fling her arms around Liz. The two friends hugged tightly, while Max went over to hug his sister.
“I missed you,” he told her quietly.
“Me too.”
Behind them, the luggage was being carried onto the shuttle as the Antarian Royal Family, their friends, Advisors and guards all filed onto the shuttle.
Maria, Alex and Liz sat together to catch up, as did Max, Michael and Isabel.
“You look like you belong in that outfit,” Maria told Liz enviously. Maria was wearing a similar outfit in dark blue, but without all the markings and seals. Liz glanced at Max and he smiled at her encouragingly. The guys all wore Antarian clothes too, snug-fitting pants and vests with a billowing robe over it. Max was wearing the dark-green of his family, while Alex and Michael’s outfits were various shades of blue.
“This is so bizarre!” Maria continued. “I cannot believe I am in some strange galaxy wearing a weird clothes. Hey, I’ve never even been out of the US until now.” She glared in Michael’s direction.
Liz was bursting with her news, but she couldn’t risk telling Maria while they were surrounded by strangers on the shuttle. Knowing Maria, her shriek would be heard in the neighboring galaxy. Shilla appeared at her elbow at some stage, bringing her a snack. Liz caught her arm when she turned to leave. “Everyone, this is Shilla. She will be working for us in the palace too. Shilla, these are my friends Maria and Alex.”
Shilla bowed her head to them respectfully. “I have heard so much about you.”
“Yep, the super humans from earth! That’s us,” Alex grinned at her.
Maria had been staring at Liz with narrowed eyes. “What’s with the snacking? And why are we not getting any food?”
“Oh sorry!” Shilla exclaimed, glancing nervously at Liz. “I’ll go get some more…”
“No, it’s okay.” Maria waved at her. “I just really want to know why Liz is apparently eating enough for two now…” Her eyes widened. “Oh. My. God! Liz Evans! You aren’t!”
“Maria!” Liz tried to catch her friend’s wildly flailing arms. “Shhh! Calm down would you.” She shook her head at Max who was on his feet and ready to come over.
“Okay, what the heck are you screaming about Deluca?” Alex was staring between Liz and Maria.
Max had ignored Liz’s indication that he should leave her to handle this and ordered the group of friends into a nearby little room. He grabbed Liz’s hand and followed a still hyperventilating Maria, a perplexed Alex and an irritated Michael and Isabel into the room. After the door closed behind them, Max pulled Liz to stand in front of him. “We have something to tell you all,” he stated.
Maria kept on muttering ‘oh my god’ over and over until Michael put his hand over her mouth. “What is up with you two?”
Not really knowing how to say it, Max brought his and Liz’s linked hands up and placed them over her stomach. He could see from the stunned expressions around the room that the glow had started up again.
“We are going to have a baby,” Liz said softly.
“Wow.” Alex was the first to say something.
“Lizzie!” Maria screamed again and launched herself at Max and Liz, only escaping knocking them over because Max braced himself against the door. She hugged them both tightly.
“I’m amazed that it took so long the way you two are normally at it!” Alex again.
Max was looking at Isabel. “That’s great, Max,” she finally said, sounding unsure.
Michael was another story altogether. “I’m sorry, but are you insane, Maxwell! I can’t believe you would do this when you knew we might be going into war?”
“Michael—”
“Whatever! You always do what you want anyway.” He stormed out.
Holding Max back, Liz told him quietly. “I’ll go talk to him.”
She found Michael standing in front of one of the windows. “It’s not his fault, you know. It’s mine.”
As loudly as Michael always yelled at Max, he never could quite manage it with Liz. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, this was not planned and is entirely my fault. I lied to Max so he wouldn’t find out and leave me behind.”
“Why would you do that?” Michael sounded agitated. “How are we supposed to protect both you and the baby?”
“I—I just couldn’t be without him, Michael. It’s selfish, but I’d rather be here with him when something goes wrong, than to be safely on earth and maybe never see him again.” She touched his arm tentatively. “Please don’t make this harder for him. You know Max, he is already freaking out as it is.”
He was silent for a long time before sighing: “Okay.”
They turned around to find Max watching them from the entrance to the room. Liz walked over to him immediately and snuggled into his embrace.
Michael walked past and just said: “Congratulations, Maxwell.”
Liz felt Max relax and press a kiss on her head. “That went well,” he said laconically.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The crowd awaiting them on Dendar was huge. They disembarked the shuttle in a large building, with Max and Liz leading the way. Max held Liz’s hand resolutely, not allowing her to slink away and blend into the rest of the group. The commander of their ship led them towards a group of formally dressed Dendarians that Max assumed was the King and his family.
There was clapping and singing and when they were a few steps away from the welcoming committee, a small blonde launched herself at Max crying: “My husband! You’re back!”
tbc