A Month Of Sundays (AU,M/L,MATURE) [COMPLETE]

[cherie]

Winner - Round 14



Winner - Round 7



Title: A Month Of Sundays
Author: Cherie
Category: A/U Past Lives Fic
Rating: ADULT
Disclaimer: I own nothing. But I do like to borrow these characters on occasion.
Summary: Just my take on how the Granolith came to be on Earth, who brought it, and the chance meeting of two strangers.





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I am starlight and moonbeams and whispers of wind
I am a ghost in your dreams, the touch on your skin
I am fire in the rain that falls on the grass
I am slivers of wood and shards of glass

I am roses and thorns, blood red and white
I am Autumn and Summer, high noon and midnight
I am the one moment you'll never forget
I am pain and passion, and tears that are wet

I am alien and earthbound, I am remnants of stars
I am hurt and wounded, I am bruises and scars
I am thunder and lightning born of the storm
I am kisses on lips, and arms that are warm

I am rings for your fingers,and ribbons of lace
I am silk for your hair, and the smile on your face
I am sorrow and laughter, I am lies and regret
I am dust from a sun that will never set

I am lost, and lonely and the prayer to be whole
I am the beat of your heart, part of your soul
I am dance, I am music, I am generous and greed
I am words and language, hunger and need

I am life, I am death, consumed with desire
I am ashes of love on a funeral pyre
I am a piece of the past that should have been
I am journey unending until I find you again

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A Month Of Sundays

Chapter one


JULY, 1944

Her eyes flew open at the sound, the awareness of where she was not coming to her immediately. Somewhere between darkness and light, she reasoned, squinting her eyes to adjust to the quiet dim grey that surrounded her.

She shivered. She was in a cave, she knew that much. Lying on the cold hard ground. Staring straight ahead, the pits and cracks in the wall that loomed before her were lit up sporadically with tiny bursts of light that skittered across the granite. The sound sharpened. It wasn't an unpleasant sound. It was almost musical. Like wind chimes dancing with the breeze.

She struggled to rise, but her head ached. No, it more than ached. The dull throb beating against her temples was pure agony. With a great deal of effort, she shifted slightly to see where the sound and the flickering light was coming from.

The man had his back to her, bending over a small cone like device. Sparks illuminated the cave momentarily casting a silver arc across the high ceiling. She imagined it must be a welding machine. She lifted herself using her arms and feet to propell herself backwards until her body rested in a sitting position against the cold stone wall.

"Are you feeling better now?" the man asked, never turning his head. She was surprised at the softness of his voice as it echoed across the cave. And she knew..no.. she felt that the man was genuinely concerned about her.

"I'm alright, I guess, but my head hurts." she told him, brushing her hand across her forehead feeling the clump of blood that had dried there.

She couldn't explain it, but she wasn't exactly afraid of the man. And she didn't think he had caused her injuries. But she was curious. She sighed. That was her biggest problem. She was just too damn curious. Somehow, her penchant for flirting with danger and defying all the rules had put her in a precarious situation. She couldn't remember how she had ended up in this cave with a soldier who was welding, or how she had been hurt.

A memory flittered across her mind. Something her Father had warned her about.

*Never pick up hitch hikers.*

*But why, Daddy?*

*Because they sprinkle wanderer's dust in your heart. They make you dream of places you'll never be able to go--and sights you're not meant to see.*

Maybe she should have listened to her Father, she thought. Not that it mattered anymore, he was long dead and buried. How odd that she could remember that conversation from years ago, but not the events of tonight that had placed her here.

"Where am I?' she asked the man, barely recognizing the sound of her own voice.

Turning, the man walked toward her with a catlike movement that was fluid and graceful. He knelt beside her and she tried in vain to back further against the wall. His face was hidden by shadows, but she could tell he was examining her wound.

"Don't be afraid." he whispered, placing his hands on her forehead, She felt the warmth as he pressed ever so gently while rubbing her temples with his fingers. There was a sudden rush of --what? Electricity, pin-pricks, tingling? She couldn't describe the feeling, but it was almost like a caress from the inside. When he took his hands away, the headache was gone. And her memory returned with sudden clarity.

The rain. That's what she remembered. One of those warm summer desert rains that came without warning. Leaving behind cleansed air and the sweet smell of sagebrush and wildflowers.

She had always been a dreamer. And after her shift on the Base as a volunteer for the USO, she always drove to her special spot in the desert to watch the stars. To wonder about life out there. Again, her Father's words came back to haunt her.

*You shouldn't go out there alone. In the dark. You shouldn't be wandering around so late at night.*

*But, Daddy, that's when all the stars are the brightest. When the Milky Way is in all it's glory. Maybe the people who live up there are watching us, too, and wondering who we are.*

She loved the stars. And the tales of other wordly creatures. She pondered the mysteries of the Universe, and the meaning of life. And always, she felt empty and left wanting for more. It was almost like a piece of her was missing. That she didn't truly belong here on Earth. Somewhere out there, she had often thought, was a part of her soul, her spirit.

When the rain had begun, she had gathered her telescope up and ran for the car to begin the drive back to Roswell. Good old Roswell. Population: next to nothing. Opportunities: even less. Only the Army Base kept this little town from shriveling up and dying.

As she watched the wipers scoot back and forth across the windshield, she had been trying not to think of the news that she had recieved that afternoon. So when the man appeared on the side of the road in the glare of the headlights, she had almost hit him. She had jerked the wheel, hit the brake and skidded to a sudden stop, the old Ford shuddering as the engine died.

While her knees shook, she waited as he approached the passenger side of the car. He was dressed in the clean crisp khaki that identified him as a soldier. She sighed in relief. One of the boys from the Base. Probably stationed with the 509th. The soldiers always hitch hiked around here, and she often gave them rides.

But it struck her as strange for a soldier to be out on the road this time of night. And he wasn't heading for the Base, but away from it. Towards Pholman Ranch and Vasquez Rocks. Towards Roswell.

Still..he looked so cold and the rain was coming down really hard.

"Need a lift?" she said, rolling down the window just a fraction.

"Sure," he replied. "if you wouldn't mind."


TBC

[cherie]

Ok! just wanted to thank you for the feedback.

RAIN Thank you, I'm so glad you liked the part about the wanderer's dust.

ROSWELLLOVER Thank you , as always. It amazes me how you manage to keep track of all the stories.

ALIENMOM I'm glad you liked the beginning. I so hope you like the rest.

561270 Thank you.

SIXTEENSTONE Thanks for pointing out some of my weaknesses. I do tend to get a little cryptic sometimes. Glad you liked it.

SCOTTIE Yes, I wrote the poem. Got kinda carried away with it.

LTL I hope you enjoy coming along for the ride on this one.

ELLEN Thank you for reading.

FUNQUEJUNQUE Glad you liked the poem.

MARELI OK OK I'm posting. Hope you like it.


A Month Of Sundays

Chapter Two

It surprised her a little when he opened the rear door and slid into the back seat, placing the silver briefcase he was carrying next to him. From the darkness of the rear she could see his uniform was wet and the shiny black patent leather of his hat was pulled down just enough to cover his eyes. She wondered briefly if he was a Sergeant or even a Major. Ordinary GI's didn't carry that kind of baggage around. They liked to have their hands free to drink beer and fondle the girls while they were dancing.
And most GI's she gave rides to had only been too happy to claim the front seat next to her. She shrugged the thought off. Commisioned officers would never hitchhike. Maybe he was just trying not to scare her since it was so late and she was all alone.

"Going into Roswell?" she asked with a smile. She could actually feel the the heat from his breath on the back of her neck.

"No, you can just drop me off about five miles up the road..by Vasquez Rocks." he said quietly. "I missed my ride."

"Late night guard duty?" she questioned, her curiosity rising.

"Perimeter patrol." he answered.

When he offered no further explanation, she drove a mile or so before speaking again.

"Been stationed here long?" she asked, wanting to get him to talk a little more.

"Just a few days." he said.

There it was again, she thought. Short and to the point. She decided to change tactics.

"Is there a gun in there?" she asked, referring to the silver briefcase.

"No." he answered carefully. "Just some specs I have to study."

"Ah," she said with a giggle. "secret stuff."

He chuckled a little turning his head to gaze out the window, as she watched through the rear view mirror.

"Why are you out in the desert so late?" he asked, catching her off guard after a long silence.

"Just looking at the stars, thinking about life's mysteries. Wondereing what's up there." she told him. "Actually, I was just trying out my new telescope."

"Do you study the stars often?" he questioned. she couldn't help but notice how soft his voice was. It almost seemed to slide across the space that seperated them and caress her ears like warm velvet.

"More often than I should, I guess." she said with a nervous little laugh. "There's a rumor going around that I'm just a little bit daft."

Through the mirror she observed him as he took his hat off, slapping it against his knee to shake the water off.

"So you think there's life up there?" he asked, turning his head back to the window as he continued to gaze outside. The rain was no longer falling, and she turned off the wipers and rolled her window down.

"Don't you?" she answered, slightly ruffled. "I mean..do you really believe there's just us..just this little insignificant planet floating in space with no purpose..do you really think we're all alone?"

He watched her arms as they became animated, flying off the wheel and waving in the air.

"C'mon," she said, "surely you must have some questions about the existence of other life forms? Don't you think it's at least a possibility?"

"Perhaps." he replied, and she could feel the smile in his voice. "Perhaps it is a possibility."

"See." she told him, as she slapped her hand on the dashboard for emphasis. "I knew I could get you to say that."

"How so?" he asked, slightly amused at how pleased she was with herself. He couldn't help but notice the way her long brown hair swayed with every movement she made.

"Because after a while, everybody I talk to, explain my theories to, gives in to my whims." she laughed. "They placate me, because they think I'm crazy.. the crazy girl who believes in aliens."

He studied her back and the movement of her hair quietly for a moment, wanting to touch the dark strands as the wind from the open window blew it across the back of the seat. "I don't think you're crazy." he told her gently.

"Sure you do." she laughed. "You just don't want to hurt my feelings."

She sighed as she pulled the car to a stop.

"Vasquez Rocks, as you requested, soldier." she said, giving him a mock salute as he exited the car.

"Thank you for the ride, ma'am," he replied, returning her salute. "and the interesting conversation."

"Hey," she called as she watched him walk into the dark and up the path to the rocks, "will I see you again? You know, around town..when you get a pass from the Base?"

"I think not," she heard him call back across the desert air. "I won't be in this area that long."

"Alright." she said softly to herself as both he and that velvet voice disappeared behind the bluff. She wondered why she felt so disappointed. She loved to flirt, and dance with the boys but she rarely dated, and this soldier interested her.

Putting the car in reverse, she glanced back and spied his hat. If the rain came up again, he would need it. Turning the car off, she retrieved it from the back seat and started up the path.

"Hey, soldier boy, you forgot your..." The rest of the sentence froze on her tongue.

When she turned the corner, what she saw was unbelievable. His hand was glowing as he placed it on the stone wall. A silver handprint appeared and part of the mountain rolled back revealing a cave.

He took a step forward as she backed away, losing her footing. The last thing she remembered was the fall and the ground as it rose up to meet her head, then darkness.

Now she was here in this cave with a man who clearly was not an American soldier on perimeter patrol.

"Are you a spy?" she asked. Are you here to sabotage something from the Base?"

Her mind was reeling. My God, she thought, in her ignorance she had given a spy a ride. Her country was at war and she had just aided the enemy..trying to be cute and flirt with this young man she had probably just betrayed her country.

"Please," he said, his voice calm and reassuring,"you must believe that I am not a spy."

He extended his hand and she grasped it as he pulled her to a standing position slowly, urging her towards the back of the cave where he had been working. The dim yellow light from the cone like device flared to life as he ran his hand across it's surface. He watched her carefully as her brown eyes widened in wonder.

He was tall and she had to tilt her head back some to look into his face. Beautiful. If she had been asked to describe him, that was the word she would have used. Not rugged, not just good looking, or even handsome. He was just..beautiful.

His hair was the color of midnight and fell across his brow with an almost casual irrelivance. The slope of his jaw was well defined and his lips were full, resting between a sculptered chin and a perfectly shaped nose.

She had to catch her breath as she met his eyes. They were darkly lashed, and the color was almost unnatural. Less than brown, more than gold. They seemed to flicker with an iridescent flame, reminding her of a pool reflecting the last burning edges of sunset. For just a moment they turned black as night and she could have sworn they were liquid.

He blinked suddenly and the moment was broken. But the fire was back when their gazes locked again. They were ablaze with compassion and wonder, and every fear she had of this man was washed away as he graced her with a sudden smile that made those strange and wonderful eyes crinkle slightly at the corners.

She shuffled a little as she realized he was scrutinizing her. She tucked the strands of her long brown hair behind her ears as she tried to straighten the folds of her yellow sundress with her free hand. The strap on her white sandal was broken and it made a plopping sound as she took a step back from him, carefully removing her hand from his tight grip. She pulled the white cardigan sweater closed and fastened the top button.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice small. "Better yet, what are you?"

"Well, let's just say that I'm not from around here." he replied.


TBC

[cherie]

A Month Of Sundays

Chapter 3


He agonized over his mistake as he watched her. She was very still except for the flutter of her hands as they fumbled with her clothing. Her eyes were wide, her lips parted as she moistened them with her tongue. Her steady gaze never veered from it's target. Unfortunately, he was that target.

He had made a grevious error. The plans that had been years in the making with such unerring accuracy had already begun to unravel and he was responsible for the damage that was now done. On his first foray, he had already broken his own cardianal rule.

He had been aware of the risks, of course. He was merely inhabiting this body, but it was that of a man, and she was a woman. He remembered clearly human sexuality had been discussed when the mission had been in the early stages. The phisiology was really not all that different between their races. The same ancestors that had seeded his planet had also seeded the Earth. But he had been confident and single minded in his purpose and had dismissed the possibility of any sexual encounter with humans.

There could be no intervention with humans except on a basic level. Hello. how are you? Offer no information, answer questions with a simple yes or no. This body was a vessel-one he could only use for a few hours at a time so no permanent damage would result to it.

But the man's vehicle had been broken, so he had had no choice but, to put it simply in earth terms, hitch a ride. Getting to the cave had been
imperative. He had chosen Earth because there was such a diversity of terrain. And this desert had been deemed to be the perfect place to hide the artifact that his enemies hungered after.

He hadn't meant for the woman to be hurt. He could have healed her,
wiped her memory and taken her back to her car and simply let her go on her way, none the wiser. But there was something--something in her deep brown eyes that he had seen when she was observing him through the mirror. A moment, swifter than time, when her hair had been full of the wind. The almost magnetic pull to her, to her soft voice, her laughter and the gentle aureloa that shimmered on her skin.

"Well," he heard her say through the tumble of his thoughts,"where are you from?"

The urgency of his mission forgotten, he decided to tell her the truth. Once he wiped her memory she wouldn't remember this chance encounter anyway. He felt a sudden pang of confusion..like he wanted her to remember..so she could understand and know she wasn't crazy after all, and her beliefs were true. He pushed it aside. He could not afford to be so reckless. And even though she didn't know it, she could destroy his plan and not even be aware of the destruction if he continued to veer away from his duty and his mission.

Her prescence pulled at him and he moved closer. The aura surrounding her flickered like a mirage floating away on a sudden ripple of sunlight. He shook his head and squared his shoulders. The time had come to be kind and let her go. He could not risk the chance of discovery.

"I think you know." he told her quietly, his hand reaching out to finally touch her hair. His fingers tingled at the softness, he breathed in the scent of her. "You saw what I did."

She did know, deep in her heart. His eyes alone gave him away. She knew instinctively he was not of this earth. His demeanor was regal, almost majestic. She had the sudden revelation that she was in the presence of great power. She had an almost irresitable urge to curtsy to him. Instead, she placed her hand on his as he ran his fingers through her hair and settled her cheek in his palm.

That small gesture was his undoing. "You're not afraid?" he asked her, his voice tinged with wonder. "I don't frighten you?"

"No." she whispered. "I'm not afraid of you."

And she wasn't. There was nothing to fear.The warmth of his hand cradling her cheek was making her knees weak and the flutter of butterflies in her stomach flew up to her mouth with a sweet taste of amazement.

Slowly, he moved his hand to her shoulder, and then to the button on her sweater. He pushed the tiny mother-of-pearl circle through the buttonhole and slid the soft material down her arms until it rested in the crook of her elbows. He traced the small smattering of freckles that were scattered on her neck up to her hairline with his thumb, then ran his eyes completely down the length of her body.

She no longer cared what he was. Or how she had ended up in this cave. She was suspended in time, hypnotized by his eyes. He was all that mattered in this moment. She wasn't even sure if she was breathing. There was no sound as he moved closer, surrounding her with his essence as his smoldering gaze prowled over her body like a predator sizing up it's prey. She felt the rise of desire and the quickening of her pulse as he spun his spell around her with fragile silken threads. Time stood still as she fell into the fabric he was weaving.

He couldn't stop the descent of his mouth to her lips. Her lips were giving orders to his heart. He felt a strange delight as she pushed herself upwards on her toes to accept his kiss. He thought of petals opening on blooming flowers. And the deeper he tasted, the more she blossomed.

The touch of her lips pierced his heart with a myriad of colors. The glowing spirit that was uniquely her surged inside and spilled throughout his being. Her pulse and the beat of her heart invaded his senses, seeping through his skin. Burning, scalding, until he thought the body he was inhabiting would surely combust.

Everything he had been told and believed in was shattered with that kiss. Only his betrothed should have the power to open the connection. It was not possible that a human could breach the barriers of his soul.

He tried desperately to release her, but she only leaned into him more, her small body molding itself against his. Her hand that was touching his shoulder was also clutching at his heart. He was lost in the sensation.

He felt the mental blending, the cosmic connection of lives lived long ago. The awakening. The embracing of yesterdays, and lost love stained with tears. He caressed the memories, and the body he had stolen responded to the tide of passion. He knew this woman.

This could not be happening. With a sharp intake of breath, he pushed her away, clearing his mind of the mists she had pulled him into. He was here for a purpose. His world was at war and he couldn't waste time dallying with humans.

"I"m sorry." he told her, his voice ragged. "But you have to go. You can't stay here."

She reached out to touch him, but he pulled away. She forced herself to hold back the tears. She would not allow him to see her cry. She didn't even know why she wanted to cry. But the tenderness of his kiss and the loss of his embrace had shaken her. Whatever was happening between them wasn't possible.

"Look at me." he whispered as he cupped her face in his hands. "I'm going to erase your memory of me now. You won't remember any of this."

She felt the note of sadness in his voice as she raised her eyes to his and bent herself to his will.

With much regret, but knowing it had to be done, he began the process that would erase any knowledge of their meeting. The ride in the car, the kiss. He wiped every memory of their brief contact from her mind. Her body slumped forward and he lifted her in his arms to carry her from the cave and return her to her car outside the cave.

Halfway down the path he felt her stir. And was stunned when her arms circled his neck and her lips brushed against his throat.

"I remember you" she said, her voice trembling against his skin.

He stopped mid stride, his heart thundering in his chest as he tried to comprehend what was happening. Why the cleansing of the mind had not succeeded. There was only one explanation. His betrothed was not his soulmate. He stared at the human woman he held in his arms. How could this be?

TBC

[cherie]

AN: Thanks for the feedback everyone. I really appreciate it.

A Month Of Sundays

Chapter 4


She felt his body tense, the biceps in his strong arms growing taut as he set her gently on the ground. Overhead the moonlight was clinging to guazy clouds with ribbon like tendrils. His eyes, glowing softly were reflecting the gleam from that light and full of wonder as he traced the edge of her jaw with his fingers.

"What do you remember of me?" he murmured, his voice hushed, his lips half parted in a questioning smile.

"Everything. From picking you up in the rain, to the cave.." she hesitated.
"And that you kissed me."

She laughed. A nervous little laugh. "But even more than that, I feel like I've known you before, like this is not the first time we've met." She waited, her heart thudding against her chest not sure how he would react to her words.

He was caught up in the magnitude of the situation now. This mission was paramount. The very fate of his planet depended on the concealment of the granolith. He should just simply dispose of her. Quickly. He had but to touch her, send the bolt of fire that would still her heart..or he could keep her prisoner. Seal her in the cave with enough food and water to sustain her until he returned the following week. Perhaps he could get more instruction on the mind cleansing, a different technique that would make her forget. Or he could simply trust her. There were humans who had held the secret of their existence. But only a chosen few. Could he count her among the chosen?

He carefully considered the three choices. End her life, hold her captive until a remedy for her resistance to the mind cleansing could be found, or reveal the reason he had come to her planet and trust her not to betray him.

In the end he made the decision to follow his heart. She did not have it in her to be faithless or treacherous. She had touched his soul, and he wanted to know why. It was more than curiosity. It was imperative that he find the reason she affected him in such a way. The intensity and brilliance of her aura called to him--reverberated in every atom and molecule and fibre of his being. There would be many questions for the ancient crone who wrote the book of destiny upon his return to Antar.

Leaning down he touched her forehead with his own, clasped her hand and placed it over his heart.

"If I let you go, will you promise to speak to no one of what transpired here tonight?" he whispered gently.

He felt her small hand reach out for his, raising it upward and resting it on the swell of her breast, mimicking his own action.

"I promise." she whispered back, not a trace of fear in her voice. "On one condition."

"You're hardly in a position to demand conditions." he told her, a slight chuckle leaving his mouth.

"I realize that." she said, a radiant smile crossing her face. "But I know you want to see me again. I can sense it, feel it. Besides, I think we both have questions that require answers."

He nodded. "In a week, on Sunday. I'll wait for you at the same spot I met you tonight."

Reaching out, he tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear.

"My life..this body's life rests in your hands. Remember that." he said, turning to retrace his steps up the path to the cave.

Halfway up, he heard her voice call out to him. He turned to look at her.

"Your name," she said, "you forgot to tell me your name."

She watched him as his manner changed before her eyes. Standing tall, he looked down on her, his expression unreadable, his posture suddenly stately.

"Zander. But you may call me Zan." he answered formally. "And yours?"

"Elizabeth. But YOU may call me Liz." she replied, mocking his imperial tone. The sound of her laughter followed him up the hill.

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The week crawled by. Even the hours she spent working as a switchboard operater which usually flew by were slow. And the nights were longer and filled with dreams of him. She wondered if she looked different. Had her smile changed? Would her eyes betray her? She became guarded in her conversations with co-workers and friends, afraid a slip of the tongue might reveal her secret.

She knew Dr. Andrews could feel her anxiety. But he attributed it to the news he had given her. And it was not good news. The good doctor gave her pills for the pain, pills to help her sleep and more pills to calm her nerves. But there was no medication for her heart or the longing to be in Zan's arms again. Her body ached, but it was not from the illness. It ached for Zan's touch, his kiss.

On Sunday she worked her shift as a volunteer at the USO, searching the crowds for his face among the soldiers who came to dance with the local girls. She popped the tops from the beer as she served the soldiers, the music from the jukebox blaring through the smoke filled room. She left a little early, driving to the spot where she had first seen him.

She waited. Watched the flush of the sun as it set, wished upon the evening star, and marvelled at the rising of the moon. Dreaming. Hoping. Praying. Counting the minutes until he would appear. She could almost hear the desert sand singing as his feet brought him closer to where she stood. There was so much she wanted to know, and there was so little time.

He watched her steadily as she stood in the moonlight. The silver shimmer of light through night's shadows making patterns on the luminous silk of her hair. Even from this distance he could see her eyes. Eyes that were searching for him. Eyes full of questions. He sucked in his breath sharply, a rush of joy sweeping across his skin. She was beautiful.

This woman, this human, was part of his soul. The old crone had confirmed it, once he had revealed to her his experience on his first day on earth. How could he tell her all he had learned, and expect her to understand? And how could he let her go, now that he knew?

The sudden force of her small body propelling itself into his arms startled him, causing him to stumble backwards.

"You're here." she cried in a voice filled with delight. "You came back."

"As I said I would." he replied, surprised at her unbridled display of emotion.

"Well, c'mon then." she laughed, grabbing his hand and tugging him toward the car. "Let's go for a ride."

He followed her, entranced as the wind reached out to play with the errant strands of her hair. No desert breeze could cool the fire that was rising in his loins. He sank into the seat next to her, a willing prisoner captured by her smile. He wondered if she was even aware of the power she wielded over him. That a kiss from her lips could bring a King to his knees. He had so much to tell her, and there was so little time.



TBC

[cherie]

AN: Thanks for the feedback guys. Some of your questions will be answered in this part, but not all.

A Month Of Sundays

Chapter 5


Once on the road she turned to look at him waiting patiently for him to speak. But he remained silent and she sensed his turmoil. His eyes were as dark as the night that had fallen around them. Cautiously she released her hand from the wheel and placed it over his, brushing her fingers lightly across his skin. The tremor that ran through her body at the innocent contact made her shudder involuntary.

"If you feel afraid, perhaps you should just drop me at the rocks and leave." he murmered.

He felt her fingers tighten around his hand.

"I couldn't do that." she said. "And even if I could, I wouldn't."

"You know," he said in a solemn voice, "it would be better for both of us if you did."

"Maybe it would." she replied calmly. "Look, I'm just a small town girl. My life up until last week has been very ordinary and boring, to say the least.
I"d like to think someone like you was meant to happen to me."

"Someone like me?" he asked quietly.

Removing her hand to shift gears, she hit the brake bringing the car to a stop below the rocks. "Yes, a tall, dark mysterious man from an exotic place." she said, turning to face him with a smile on her lips.

His continued silence frustrated her so she tapped him on the shoulder until he turned to look at her.

"Help me out here, Zan." she sighed. "I've had strange feelings all my life. I've always felt different, out of place in this world. Like..." she hesitated. "Like I'm lost, wandering, walking somewhere between many lives. I'm not sure if those lives belong to me or to someone else. And my dreams--they're all about someone calling to me, waiting for me. Before last week, the face in my dreams was just a shadow."

She stopped for a moment to breathe in the sweet air of the warm summer night and gathered her courage. "Now that face belongs to you. And it is your arms that make me feel safe, your voice that calls to me . It's as though my journey through this life has only been a quest to find you."

It was obvious from the look that moved across his face that her words had touched him. A glimmer of sad surprise swept over his eyes. He stepped out of the car and came to the drivers side, opening the door. And when he spoke his voice was full of anguish.

"They're not dreams, Elizabeth, they're your memories." he said, reaching for her with eager arms and pulling her into his embrace. "Come with me to the cave and I'll try to explain as best I can what's happening to you." he whispered raising his eyes to the stars, torn between cursing them or thanking them. His heart ached with the fullness of the old knowledge and the new grief the ancient crone had revealed to him.

Once inside the cave, she noticed the yellow flickering light was a little brighter. And against the far wall two small piles of hexagon shaped metal were stacked neatly side by side. The cone like device was still emitting the steady humming sound, soft and low.

There was what appeared to be a small divan and an end table in the center of the cave. She complied when he motioned for her to sit down, wondering vaguely how the pieces of furniture had come to be here. She pushed the thought aside as he settled his body next to hers.

He realized all he had to tell her could not be conveyed by words alone. He had to let her see. There was simply no other choice. Ever so gently, he sent a surge of memory that nudged against her heart.

"Do you trust me?" he asked, lifting her face upward in his hand.

"Without a doubt." she replied as she felt herself being pulled into the golden beacons that his eyes had become. She was drifting in a place where there was no longer time or meaning as the world she inhabited faded away. Through the connection he had created images began to flow-fragments of the lives she had lived with him through eternity. They had shared dreams, hopes, children. They had loved and suffered death countless times over, only to reach out and find each other again along the fragile strand of infinity that harboured the true oneness of the soul.

When she had been lost, he had found her. When her loneliness threatened to consume her, he had comforted her. He was the one constant in all the moments she had drawn the breath of life. His love was the one true thing she remembered. She knew for certain now that he was the missing part of her soul.

He heard her gasp for air when he released her from the connection. She clutched at the collar of the uniform he wore, pulling him closer as her body trembled against his chest. He could feel her heart beating furiously, so he quickly sent her a wave of reassurance to calm her. He rubbed his hands along the sides of her small arms until she finally relaxed and her breathing had returned to normal. Her eyes were wide and he could tell she was visibly shaken by the flashes she had seen. But he also sensed serenity and acceptance. He readied himself for the onslaught of questions he knew were coming.

She stood up and walked behind the divan, leaning against the back of it for support as she faced the grey granite of the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. He made no move to follow her, but he could see her shoulders shake from the quiet sobs she was trying to muffle. Her voice broke a little as she spoke.

"I just want you to tell me why." she said. "If we were meant to be together--if our souls truly belong to one another--if all I've seen is true, then why am I on Earth in human form and destined to die while you are a King on another planet destined to marry someone else?"

He stared at his hands-the hands that belonged to the human form he had borrowed as his eyes welled up with tears and his voice was barely audible when he spoke.

"Because, Elizabeth..in the universe, there is a certain order, a grand scheme to all things. And you made a choice, a great sacrifice in our last bonding to come to Earth and prepare the way for me to become part human in our next life. And that sacrifice will span this lifetime as well, because I know that you are ill." he said.

"So this lifetime doesn't count then?" she retorted. "We're not meant to be together at all?"

"We have been granted a small stretch of time." he answered. "A special dispensation from the Ancients. I am to be allowed one day a week for six hours to use this body. I've chosen Sundays because they are the quietest of your days, Earth's holy day. But this body cannot withstand more than thirty visits."

He paused, and almost broke as he delivered his next words. "There is a price I was required to pay for the time I am allowed to be with you. I have been forbidden to heal you."

He watched her as she bit her lower lip, mentally calculating the Sundays she had left.

"Six months my time. A month of Sundays your time." she whispered as she circled his neck with her arms. "I suppose we'll have to make a lifetime of it then."



TBC

[cherie]

AN: Just wanted to thank you all for the feedback, and answer a few of the questions that have been raised.

KITTENS: Yes, Zan did heal her, but it was just a cut and a headache. A simple thing for him. And fate is very fickle when it comes to reuniting souls despite the span of time involved.

BEGONIA: Yes, Zan was on earth before the crash. There is a back story to this that I will be getting to shortly.

MARELI, MAMADEE,SCOTTIE,LTL,ALIENMOM,SNOW. What would I do without your wonderful feedback? I'd cry, that's what. I just love to hear from you.

FUNQUEJUNQUE (love your name, btw), 561270, STARGRL678, and of course ROSWELLLUVER. Thank you for reading.

And to all you lurkers, I appreciate your lurkiness.


A Month Of Sundays

Chapter Six


He smiled sadly into the fragrance of her hair as he pulled her closer into his arms, amazed at the serenity with which she had accepted his words. Amazed at the wonder that was simply her. Would it be enough, he wondered. The small drift of hours. The ghosts of a few treasured days. Would it sustain him through the life that lay ahead without her?

"We have now." she whispered as if reading his thoughts. "Only now matters." The tone of her voice said more than her words. His was the face in her dreams, only this time he wasn't going to disappear. With slow deliberation she pulled his head down.

"Kiss me." she said in a soft voice that flew across his ears like the flutter of a small bird's wings.

His response was an uneven sigh that hurried across her mouth as he touched her lips, his breath heavy with the message of desire. The kiss was slow at first, the current building as she demanded more,exploring his mouth with her tongue. No longer able to resist , his lips clashed against hers screaming a soundless vow of love as the sudden quickening of desire surged through his body.

Every thought she had ever had of remaining a good girl died as the slow undulation of her hips moving against his growing erection sent her blood boiling through her veins, pooling in the very place that she needed him most.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice raspy between the small spaces of breath as his lips skimmed over her neck, her chin, her face, aching for new places to kiss.

"Absolutely." she replied breathlessly.

He pulled away momentarily, catching the question swimming in the depths of her dark brown eyes. With a wave of his hand the small divan became larger.

He watched in fascination as she unstrapped her sandals stepping from them. She raised her arms, reaching behind her neck to to untie the straps that held the dress she wore. The garment floated to the floor, a burst of red flowers and green leaves that billowed softly downward almost as if an unseen wind had swept it away from her body. With a quick movement of her hands, her undergarments joined the bouquet of colors at her feet.

She watched him through the screen of her lashes as he removed the uniform, admiring his powerful arms and the golden glow from his supple skin in the yellow light that flickered across the expanse of his broad chest.

When he had laid her gently on the divan she let her fingers trace a line from his collarbone..then across his shoulder and down the length of his arm. She could feel his skin shiver at her touch. And it was glowing, a silver trail that pulsed and followed the progress of her fingers.

A force surged through her, a force so powerful, she was sure it had come from him. She was glowing on the inside. When his hand cupped her breast and the tip of his thumb feathered across her nipple she inhaled sharply with the sensation. And when he touched the peak with his tongue and finally drew her breast into his mouth and suckled it she moaned with pleasure.

His eyes had become wells of unutterable darkness, revealing golden flecks that burned like fire against black agate underneath his half shut lids as he ran his smoldering gaze across her nudity. There was no question that she was a beautiful woman. Her skin was soft and summer loved, tanned lightly as if kissed by the sun. Her lovely face peered out from the frame of her lustrous hair as she watched him with sultry glances that danced just beneath the cover of her silken lashes.

She blushed a little from his steady perusal of her body, a pale glow of pink highlighting her cheeks. He was lost, utterly lost in a desert of devotion for her.

She explored him, her hands hot and questing as she ran them over his chest, his muscled back and strong arms. When his body reached a fever pitch she pressed into him and rubbed her aching nipples against his chest,her hand sliding downward to grasp his rigid shaft.

Without hesitation, he cupped the mound of her feminine heat, his fingers spreading the folds of her hot slick flesh discovering that she was wet and ready for him. He trembled, straining to hold back and forced himself to stroke and fondle her further.

Her head began to thash wildly as she shifted underneath him. "Please, Zan, please. I need you now." she pleaded.

With a low groan he thrust into her, his vastness filling her with a sudden onslaught of pleasure and pain. She cried out as he drove into her, taking her innocence and replacing it with ecstacy as they began the journey to mystic oneness. Over and over he plunged into the warmth of her velvet sheath, burning in the heat that was like the fires of heaven.

Her nails dug sharply into his back and he cried out her name. "Liz, Liz." It echoed back to him from the hard rock walls of the cavern as his hands lost themselves in the tangle of her hair. Her control was gone. He had taken over, pulling her to the edge of fullfillment. He moved inside her, then withdrew, then filled her again. Her entire frame shook with the rhythm of his strokes--on the brink--building--the demand for release his only goal.

She clamped down when her climax flooded over her moaning in pleasure as he drove into her. His breath rasped from his lungs as his own climax exploded and collided with the intense force of their joining. The sheer pleasure of the beautiful affirmation of his love took her breath away.

The minutes drifted away in the afterflow, and they rested, both thinking about the strange set of circumstances that had brought them to this exquisite moment.

"Am I reincarnated?" she asked, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"We were always meant to be together." he answered. "I suppose reincarnation would be one way to describe it."

"How much time do we have left of today?" she questioned as she laced her fingers though his.

"I'll have to leave soon." he told her. "When I return next week, I'll know more about why we have come to find ourselves in this odd situation. But for now, I only wish to think about you. And how very much I love you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His thoughts were heavy and troubled when she dropped him at their spot in the desert and he watched the taillights of her car fade into the distance.

He knew they had shared more than the physical act of love this night. Other nights would hold them, but nothing would compare to this first moment of rapture that had bonded them together in this lifetime.

It was a sliver of moonlight, a dream of desire. Shimmering like the web of a spider in sunlight, delicate, yet strong. And he had captured her essence from the memory of this first time. He would cocoon it in the softest whispers of silk. And in the dark where none could see him falter,or the quiet when none would hear him weep he would tread among the ruins of his life and press his heart against the fragile interludes that were his alone to cherish.

Because he knew it could not last. He was honor bound to wed another. In the back of his mind he thought of war and death, and the salvation of his planet. Even love itself could not dispense of the enemies that waited for him to fail. They were cold and menacing and would stop at nothing to ensure the destruction of his world.

As he waited for the power surge that would release him from the body of the human man and return him to his home, his beautiful eyes were firm and sad. Two solemn orbs shadowed with the lines that Destiny had written upon their lives. They were bound forever by the golden links of time that chained their souls for eternity. A part of him could not concieve of letting her die.

Perhaps his mother could give him answers, he thought. She was wise and schooled in the ways of the Ancients.

TBC

[cherie]

AN: Hangs head in shame. I so apologize for not updating sooner, but since returning from the BAT, I've had some serious RLS to conquer.
I just wanted to thank everyone for all the votes for my stories on the last awards. And for making me runner-up as best newcomer. Thank you.

And thank you for all the feedback and the bumps. You guys are awesome.


A Month of Sundays

Chapter Seven


Antar, 1944



Stepping into the courtyard through the splendor of the evening suns as they set golden and still, the Queen Mother regarded the Ancient who sat beneath the arched bowers made beautiful by the shadows slipping across the floating leaves. Were the situation not so serious the scene would have filled her with wonder. Instead, her mind was filled with seething agitation.

"Your Grace." the old woman said, shifting sideways to make room for the Queen. "Be seated if you will and let us speak of what troubles you."

The Queen sat, eyes locked with stark candor at the old woman.

"You have counseled my son." she stated, a twinge of bitterness in her voice. "Without my knowledge."

"I have Majesty, at his request." the Ancient replied bowing her head slightly. "He came to me after his first journey to Earth."

"And he came to me tonight after his second journey." the Queen retorted sharply. "I had no choice but to tell him the truth. Even now he paces in his quarters seeking answers for a way to save her."

The Ancient sighed. "Their bond is strong. Stronger than most. But he must be made to understand that her sacrifice in the last cycle was her choice. When her essence was sent to Earth it was for a great purpose. She chose to release him from the bond for a cycle so the warring factions could be reunited and an alliance could be sealed with Khivar."

She met the Queen's gaze, her dark eyes somber. "If there is no marriage with Ava, no heir, then there will be no peace."

"I am well aware of what has been written, you do not need to refresh my memory about destiny." the Queen admonished. "I know her soul must guard the granolith until Zan's death and they can be reunited."

"And you suspect he may not be strong enough to let her go? To allow the release of her soul?" the old woman questioned. "That he will save her and bring our planet to the edge of chaos?"

There was a pause before the Queen spoke again. "Even with the treaty, our enemies still conspire against us. The decision to secret the granolith from the Skins will not hold should my son die before his time. And I truly fear for his life."

The Ancient nodded, caution rising in her voice as she asked her next question. "Who else knows of Zan's journeys to Earth to assemble the granolith?"

"Only you and I, my daughter Vilondra, and Rath, the King's Second." the
Queen replied. "And the four shapeshifters who serve me."

"Are you sure there are no others, My Lady? Because.." the old woman paused .."should it be discovered Zan has sent the granolith off world, chaos does not even describe what will happen."

The Queen eyed the Ancient warily. "And were that to happen, would the future be changed? Would destiny be rewritten?"

"I am your humble servant, Your Grace." the Ancient replied. "But you would be wise to have an alternate plan in place should Zan's removal of the granolith from our world come to light. Khivar would stop at nothing to destroy him. To take his Kingdom and all he holds dear."

"But you promised me Zan would live a full life, that this contract of a marriage to Khivar's sister Ava would reunite our worlds." the Queen cried angrily as she rose from the bench. "You gave your word that in the next cycle of his rebirth he would be reunited with the one who is now a daughter of Earth."

The old woman dropped her eyes, her heart aching for the Queen. "And I will keep my promise, though it may have to be altered. There are others that suspect. Keep a watchful eye upon your daughter. Even as we speak, she is being drawn to the camp of our enemy."

"That is not possible." the Queen spoke, her voice strangled. "She is to be betrothed to Rath. She would never betray her family--her people."

The ancient studied the Queen with narrowed eyes. "I did not mean to imply she would betray anyone. But she is enamored of Khivar. Let us
hope it is a passing fancy for the Princess."

"But I would speak to you of other things," she continued. There may be another way, should the monarchy fall before it's time. You must instruct your son to bring me human DNA samples, both male and female, at least two each. A strand of hair, a flake of skin."

She leaned closer to the Queen's ear, her voice a whisper. "Do you know of cloning? Genetic engineering?"

"I've heard rumours." the Queen answered. "Is it truly possible that you can recreate the human body and fill it with Antarian essence? And still retain the soul?"

"All things are possible, My Lady." the Ancient replied, her voice a whisper as well. "But we must begin preparation now. In the event there is a coup, we would be wise to be ready."

"You mean if my son should meet an early death?" the Queen asked.

"Seek out your most trusted servants," she answered. "And grant me access to a ship and any materials that I might need."

Realization suddenly hit the Queen. "The future has already been changed. That's why you are telling me these things. Zan's destiny has been changed."

"It has, Your Grace. But not by my hand." the Ancient acknowledged. I will do what I can to modify what has been changed. You must go now and speak to your son. Bring me the DNA once he brings it to you. And no one else must know of this conversation. No one."

The Queen left the courtyard, her thoughts as thick and heavy as the water that stretched as far as the eye could see from her balcony. She descended the stairs, entered her chamber and sent for her son.








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She rested in the sanctuary of his arms. Held safe in the depths of a desert night filled with the scent of mesquite and the dusky shadows that drifted across her lovers face as she traced the line of his jaw with her finger.

She thought of her sister and how concerned she would be again when she came home late for the third Sunday in a row. Maybe she'd ease Claudia's mind and just explain there was a young man--a soldier from the base. That would be the best thing to do. No secrets needed to be divulged and maybe Claudia would stop preaching to her about wandering the desert so late at night in her fragile condition.

And in a small way she would be able to share her happiness with someone. That she, Eliazbeth Miller, smallest of small town girls, had finally found her true love.

He was content only to breathe. He drew her tighter into his embrace, cloaking her with his body. The glow of their lovemaking still glistening on his skin, the steady beat of her heart gently strumming his soul.

So this was love. Pure and beautiful. He understood now why the Ancient had given them these few precious days.

It had been his intention to take Liz directly to the cave and tell her of the meeting with his mother. To give her answers and to help her understand what they both faced.

Instead, they'd ended up on this blanket from the car thrown hastily on the ground when the desire to bond became so great neither of them could deny it.

On his return to Earth, he couldn't get to her fast enough. He had practically ran from the barracks once inside the human body. It had taken every ounce of control just to check out at the gate for his guard duty. To chatter idly with the sentry about the newest group of airmen to arrive at the base, girls from town and something called Lucky Lager Beer.
Obstacles of no importance that chipped away at their alloted time and stole fleeting moments that could not be replaced.

When he finally reached the spot where she waited, he was fascinated by what she was doing. On the hood of the car was a small square box and he watched as she lowered a flat black disk onto the circular pad inside. She moved a metal arm and placed it on the disk, folded her hand around a small crank jutting from the side of the box and rotated it several times.

The night was filled with music that drifted into the air and hung on the heat of the sand. A soft sweet sound that hovered around her, engulfed her, and suddenly became her. In his eyes they were one. The music and the woman.

She gathered a small section of fabric from each side of her dress and fanned the material out until it matched the length of her arms. Then she began to move with the melody. To dance.

He was entranced by her movements. The fluid grace with which she whirled--throwing her head back--her hair cascading across her shoulders and flowing down the small of her back. Whispering against her waist, silk brushing her arms, her face. All the places that he longed to touch.

Her voice was in his mind, calling him to come closer. His heart led the way and his feet followed. She needed him, and he answered.


*Love me. Give me now. Sunday. Always. Forever.*

She slipped the sentrys of his heart with the cunning of a soldier. And he couldn't have defended himself if he had tried. He surrenderd, utterly defeated by frantic kisses, tangled limbs and discarded clothing. The bond had flared. It was raw and desperate as it wrapped itself around their bodies and minds. It consumed them.

Knowing he couldn't put it off any longer, he rose reluctantly from the desert floor.

"We need to go to the chamber now, Liz." he told her. I have much to tell you."

TBC

[cherie]

A Month of Sundays

Chapter Eight


A smile. Such a small thing. He followed it's path as it fluttered across her lips, crinkling the bridge of her nose coaxing the small freckles there to dance as it crept into her eyes and lit up the beauty of her face.

She stood in the pulsing glow that emanated from the back of the cave. The yellow fingers of light skipping across her skin like drops of moonlight. Her shadow swayed softly on the cold granite of the wall behind her. The image was so breathtaking that he was sure that she was breathing for both of them.

He could feel her heart beat, the gentle brush of her mind against his. He was dazzled by colors. So bright, so brilliant that he had to tear his gaze away from the rush of love she sent him through their connection. When he finally realized he was breathing once again, he gave her a small smile of his own. But she could see that his eyes were full of sorrow.

"Don't look so sad, Zan." she admonished, motioning for him to join her on the small couch. The cave was cool and she shivered just a little as he settled beside her. She wasn't quite sure if it was the temprature or the look of uncertainty on his face.

"Don't you have things to tell me?" she whispered against his cheek as he pulled her close. The heat from his body seeped into her skin. It felt as though he had willed the warmth of the sun to share with her.

"It's complicated." he began, his eyes deepening to that liquid state she was beoming accustomed to when his mood was intense.

She laughed." "That's an understatement."

"Yes, I suppose it is, considering the circumstances." he replied, taking her small hands into his raising them up to kiss her palms. She closed her eyes as his lips traveled to her fingertips and she felt the dampness of the tears that followed the kisses.

He told her then of his life. His planet, like hers was embroiled in a war, but on a much larger scale. It was not one planet's population fighting amongst themselves, but five planets battling for control of an entire solar system and possession of the artifact that now lay within the confines of this very cave. It had been torn away from the Holy Ground of Antar and transported to Earth for safekeeping. Small ships had been bringing the artifact in increments for months now.

"So that's why there's been so many UFO sightings the last few months." she mused.

"UFO's?" he asked.

"Unidentified Flying Objects." she told him. "That's what we call them here. Unexplained lights in the sky, flying saucers." He looked at her cocking his head sideways, his hand reaching up to scratch behind his ear with a puzzled look on his face. Such a human thing to do, she thought fleetingly. It was something she knew instinctivly she should remember.

"It's just a name for things that our Government can't fully explain to it's citizens, or when our scientists can't put a name to wierd phenomenom." she explained further.

"Then they would never understand the Granolith." he laughed. "It's power would be beyond their comprehension. Even I don't understand it's purpose. Only the Guardians are enlightened with that information."

"Then why are you here?" she questioned. "Why are you going to reassemble it? Why not one of the Guardians?"

He shifted slightly as he cradled her face in the expanse of his large hands. She watched his eyes as they bore into hers. Swimming with emotion, pleading for her to understand. "No one would suspect the King to go off world." he whispered with a tremor. "And there is a Gaurdian already here to help me." He touched his forehead to hers--opening the connection--showing him what his Mother had told him.


The sudden wave of images sent her reeling. She saw herself and the Ancient arguing heatedly beneath the base of a cone like structure that could only be the Granolith.

"He is my betrothed. He cannot marry another." she cried. "Not her...not Ava. She is the sister of our greatest enemy."

"And you are the Guardian." the Ancient reminded her. "Your duty to your people must come before any other."

"Allow me a moment to consider what you ask of me, Ancient One." she replied angrily. "You are saying that I must die now so my soul may be reborn and dwell inside a human. Then when the Granolith has been hidden away safely on Earth the human who harbours my soul must also die?"

"I am sorry, my daughter, but that is your destiny." the old woman countered. "Your soul must be set free to guard the symbol of our people. I cannot change that."

"And what of my love? What of Zan? I can't just leave him without a word of goodbye. Please..." she pleaded. "..I must speak to him, he needs to know why...."

"That is not possible, My Lady." the old crone told her, a touch of sympathy in her voice as she cast her eyes downward. "Were the King to know he would never allow it. His mind will be cleansed--he will be made to believe Ava is his bethrothed. He will have no memory of you."

"And how shall I die then?" she asked, shrugging her shoulders with a sigh of defeat. "By your hand or by my own?"

"you will drink this poison." the Ancient told her, revealing the small vial she held in her palm. "It will be swift and painless."

She took the vial from the Ancient, studying the silver fluid inside. She regained her posture, pulling herself up to face the old woman. "In exchange for my sacrifice, I would ask for a bargain." she said, her voice like ice.

"You have but to ask, My Lady. If it is within my power, your request will be honored." the Ancient replied softly.





TBC

[cherie]

Thanks, guys, for all the feedback...It's great to be back and writing again.

A Month of Sundays

Chapter 9


She placed her hand directly on the old crone's chest..barely able to hold back the energy she wanted to release. It wasn't fair. To die once as a duty to her people was an honor, but twice? And to lose her beloved as well was too great a sacrifice. She would not do it without recompense.

"Swear to me..on your own life..that when Zan has drawn his last breath he will be returned to me." Her voice filled with venom, her fingertips inches away from the Ancient's heart, crackling green and silver as she backed the old woman against the wall. "Swear to me that you will send his soul to Earth to find me."

"I swear, My Lady." the Ancient vowed, feeling her own death mere seconds away as the Guardian's hand began to glow. "I will do everything in my power to reunite you with Zan." The old woman sighed in relief as the energy directed toward her began to dissapate.

"Very well." she replied, knowing it had too be done quickly. Before the image of Zan's face could flicker across her mind. She steeled herself against the impulse to bolt through the chamber doors. To find her King and bury herself in the warmth and safety of his love. Uncapping the vial, she placed it to her lips, swallowed, and fell into the arms of the Ancient who lowered her body to the floor.

The ritual of prayer was said , a ceremony time honored among the Antarians. The soul was removed from the body with reverance and placed in a small receptacle. Within days, all that once was the essence of the Guardian was transported and reborn inside the baby girl who would become Elizabeth Miller.
The child of Jeff and Louise, sister to Claudia, daughter of Earth.


He held her tightly as the revelations swept over her. As she assimilated the realization of who and what she had once been in her previous life. He could feel her blood flowing, the rise and fall of her chest as she pressed against him. And something. Something else. Distant. The tinkling of the golden chains that linked them. A small faint warning rustled across the Universe and pierced his heart. He knew it was an omen. That his own life would be forfiet. He pressed it to the back of his mind, choosing only to concentrate on the woman he held in his arms.

This was the moment he had been dreading. The moment of truth. He wanted to shield her and give her hope, but there was none to give. Her eyes grew sad, but she smiled..that small sweet smile again. In that quiet moment he realized just how brave she was. Not only in her previous life, but in this one as well. He released her and backed away slowly.

She stood before him unafraid. A woman who had come face to face with destiny and lost. Not once, but twice for the preservation of the Granolith. He marvelled at the fact that she seemed almost relaxed and happy with the knowledge of her unhappiness, with her hair tumbling around her shoulders, her arms folded across her breasts. Her face was serene, her breathing normal and peaceful.

"Elizabeth." he whispered, reaching out to pull her back to him, his fingers biting into her shoulders. His eyes became moist as she cradled his cheek with her hand. "When your soul has left this body it shall be my responsibility to place your essence inside the Granolith."

"I know." she whispered back, placing her head in the crook of his shoulder as her small arms circled his neck. She was safe and warm again in the arms of her King. "I know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time passed too quickly for them. July slipped into August, September faded away into October. November greeted December with winds and rain that kissed the passing days with wild abandon. Twenty eight Sundays had come and gone. The Granolith had been reassembled. Both she and Zan were weak. She from the illness that was stealing her life away. The body Zan used each week was tiring from the time that he had stolen.

She hated arguing with Claudia every Sunday. As she drove toward the spot she knew he would be waiting, her thoughts flew back to the morning.

"Liz, this is crazy. You can't be alone. What if...?" Claudia had cried.

"What if I die out there?" she had replied. "What does it matter? I'd rather die in the desert underneath the stars than in some hospital bed hooked up to tubes and watching you cry."

"It's that young man." Claudia said angrily. "The one you meet every Sunday. He's putting these foolish ideas inside your head."

"Claudia, I've always had foolish ideas in my head. You know that." she had laughed. "These last few months have been the happiest I've ever known."

"But, Liz, you're in no condition to be driving out there." Claudia had pleaded. " To stay all night. Please, I'm begging you, don't go. If that soldier really loved you he'd have enough sense to come see you here at your home. Christ, you won't even tell me his name."

She had put her arms around Claudia. No small feat since her sister was eight months pregnant. "I've told you before. What he does is top secret.. He's not allowed to leave the base. Why do you think we sneak around every week?"

Claudia had been seething but her anger quickly abated when she realized she wouldn't win the arguement. Liz had a stubborn streak a mile wide.

"Well, how am I supposed to contact this young man when..when..you know. When you're gone? Claudia had asked, her voice muffled as she had lowered her head.

"He'll know, Claudia." she had whispered. "Trust me, he'll know."


TBC

[cherie]

A Month of Sundays

Chapter 10


Antar, 1945

He stood rigid against the wall as he observed the ancient crone shuffle from pod to pod. The DNA he had provided at his Mother's request had been delivered to the old woman and her work was almost finished. He knew she was eagerly awaiting for his command to transfer the tiny bodies to the artificial wombs. The next to the last step to complete the process. Still, he could not do it just yet. He detached himself from the wall to look at the lifeless forms of the genetically engineered clones. They were perfect replicas of human children. There had been a slight problem with the blood, but the Ancient had assured him it would not interfere with their growth and development. The clones would thrive and with the nurturing and care of the assigned protectors they would grow into mirror images of their adult donors.

For Vilondra, he had chosen the statuesque beautiful blonde nurse who worked in the infirmary. For his most trusted friend and second in command, Rath, he had decided on the sentry at the gate who he had befriended. A man by the name of Charles Dupree. For Ava, should it become necessary, the small girl with piercing blue eyes who worked in the stenographer's pool. And for himself, of course, he had chosen the DNA of the man who he knew only she would recognize.

The old woman sensed his hesitation. Gathering her courage she looked directly into his eyes to gain his attention.

"Let us speak of trust, Your Highness." she said quietly. "The days are dwindling as we speak and clouds gather darkly on the horizon. If you wish to be with Guardian as it was meant to be you must act quickly."

"Tell me," he asked, his voice tired and low, "is this really possible? Can you assure me that your plan will work? That she will recognize me, and love me again as she does now?"

"I do not know all, My Lord. Love is but a part of the journey." the old woman replied, her eyes softening as she touched his arm. "Even though you do not yet understand and your path seems obscured by shadows there will come a time when the mists will be lifted. Even after the betrayals and broken trusts from this life and the life to come. You will be reunited."

He would not have believed, would not have placed his trust in her had it not been for the honesty in her voice and the pleading in her eyes or the calming power of her hand placed gently on his arm.

"Do it." he commanded, his own eyes filling with hope as he stepped away from her. He knew when he left this chamber where the clones lay in stasis that the next time he entered this room his body would be lifeless. Only then could the final step be completed. The transferring of his Antarian essence into the body of the cloned human.

But even as his heart constricted with that knowledge, there was a deeper calm beneath. There would be a rebirth. Many steps had been taken to assure his destiny. Some of these steps had been fashioned with love. By his Mother, the Ancient and his beloved. Some with treachery, lies and deceit. By his sister, by Khivar. The brother of his betrothed. His path had been set and even the power he held as a King could not alter the course that destiny had written for him. Or for Elizabeth. His step was hurried as he made his way to the device that would transport him to Earth. Back to her. Her heart was his home, her soul the beacon that called to him.




Inside the old ford she waited for him. The cold January night seeped through the windows brushing against her skin, crawling inside to settle deep in her bones. She shivered, pulling the blanket tighter around herself. He would bring the warmth of the sun in his hands. His touch would help bring forth the little life she had left in her.

For just a moment she closed her eyes. She was so tired. Beneath the blanket she ran her fingers across the silk of her dress, anticipating his reaction. She had spent days making it from the material of an old parachute that could no longer be used. Silk was very hard to come by in times of war and it felt rich and luxurious to her touch.

Claudia's reaction had been less than stellar, although she had helped her dress and had brushed her hair lovingly before she had finally assisted her to the car.

"I love you, Liz." Claudia had said as she helped her inside the car. "Even though I don't understand why you put yourself through this torture for...him. I'll respect your wishes...but.."

"Don't, Claudia." she had replied. "He needs me, he needs what little strength I have left to give him."

Claudia had frowned, then shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "I'll wait up for you, then." she had said, touching her lips to Liz's cheek. "Until you come home."

Her eyes flew open at the sound of the car door being opened from the passenger side as he slid inside. Finally, he was here. She regretted having missed his arrival. The sight of him as he made his way toward her had always been one of her greatest joys.

He watched her as she moved toward him, his face erupting in a smile to welcome her as her lips moved across his face--soft and moist. He felt the shaking in her frail body as he pulled her close, his own hand trembling as he stroked the silky texture of her hair. They parted reluctantly as she started the car, both of them locked in the silence inside. Outside flew past them as she pushed the gas. A blur of sand rose behind them from the desert floor as she sped quickly toward Vasquez rocks.

He lifted her carefully from the car wrapping the blanket tightly around her as he climbed the slope toward the entrance of the cave. His heart ached as she buried her face into his neck, the warmth of her breath skipping softly across his throat. She seemed to weigh almost nothing in his arms now and he pulled her tighter as the yellow pulsing light inside the chamber welcomed them.

"You can set me down now, Zan." she said, her eyes darting towards the Granolith. They had finished the reconstruction the Sunday before and he was thankful that this day would be just for them. He set her to the ground, his eyes following the path of her hand as she removed the blanket and reached out to touch the artifact.

Never in his life had he experienced such an exquisite moment. Tiny sparks of silver light shot through the air creating patterns across the curtain of night that was her hair. The white dress she wore was made from the sheerest silk that accentuated every curve, every contour of her body. It shimmered against her skin as she moved toward him, the sand shifting beneath her feet kissing the hem of the gown.

He could barely breathe-nor did he dare move. As much as he wanted to propel himself into her arms, he held himself in check. Some deep part of him knew she was offering him a gift. He could sense it, see it in the dusky smoke that danced in her eyes. She was giving him a glance into the past and a memory for the future. He stood silent as she approached, waiting for her to speak.

"Death is a thief, you know." she whispered, placing her hand on his cheek. "But I won't let him steal this night away from us. This place...this moment in time. The memory of this moment will stretch across the years and bring you back to me again."

In a moment of sheer panic he pulled her close, his mind rebelling against the inevitable. He couldn't do it. He couldn't let her die. She meant everything to him. More than his planet, his people,more than his responsibilities as a King.

"Elizabeth, please..." he pleaded. "Let me fix this. Let me heal you. I'll find a way for us to be together...I'll find other bodies..I don't care how many I have to use." Tears filled his eyes. He knew it was wrong, but if she would only say yes he would gladly give up everything for her.

For an instant she considered it, then quickly pushed the errant thought aside. And then she kissed him. His mouth, his cheeks, his nose. She could taste the tears that hung from his lashes as she kissed his eyelids. She felt it when he surrendered. When the knot of fear inside him subsided as she opened the connection and he plummeted into the sanctuary of her soul.

He could feel the erratic beating of her heart, the deadly liquid fever that coursed through her veins like poison. Without thinking, he placed two fingers on the throbbing pulse of her neck. They began to glow as he sent a tiny burst of healing enery into her body.

He felt her tense, her small hands pushing him away as she tore herself from his embrace. "Don't do this.." she told him, her voice shaking. "Don't take this moment away from me."

"I'm sorry." he told her, his voiced laced with shame at his impulsive action. "It's just...just too much to bear sometimes." He met her eyes as he spoke, and could see his image reflected back at him through her tears. "You look so beautiful..and your dress is so lovely.... and I love you so much."

"You like the dress?" she asked, her eyes sparkling . "I made it especially for you." she twirled in a small circle, delighted with the look he gave her when she came to a stop. His eyes, just moments ago filled with tears were liquid and dark, flashing with tiny flames of gold.

"Do you know what a hope chest is?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, tell me." he answered.

"It's a tradition here on Earth for young women." she explained. "It's a box that holds her wedding dress and small things in preperation for the future. To furnish a home, to plan for her children once she finds the love of her life."

Her voice grew softer as she moved toward him. "I never had a hope chest, because I knew there wouldn't be time. So I fashioned this dress from Sunday afternoons, from sunsets and stardust. I stiched it with love, tears, dreams, magic and all the wishes I've ever made. It's my wedding dress, Zan---the one that I wore a thousand years ago, and the one that I'll wear in another life with you by my side."

He couldn't answer her. He wanted to rail against the injustice of the universe. To howl against the night for the utter irony of it all. Instead, he reached for her, covering her mouth with a kiss of fire that fused them together. Her body undulated against him and the flame he had started on her lips ran down his spine igniting him with desire.

He moved both of them towards the small bed where they had made love so many times before. With gentle hands he removed the dress from her..folding it carefully, marvelling at the texture of the material. Soft and fragile, like her body. Yet strong as steel, like her spirit. "Wear this again for me next week." He whispered as he removed his uniform and lay down beside her.

He buried his head between the valley of her breasts, his hands roamed the delicious expanse of creamy skin, his tongue circling her nipples then sliding up her neck until he found her mouth. He opened the connection with such force and brilliance that it stunned them both. He needed to remember. He willed her to never forget. He walked the precipice between two worlds painting pictures on her mind, his fingers feathering her skin like bushes as he stroked her body, his love blending into her with colors and hues so beautiful it took her breath away. She became the canvas beneath him as he lay the flat of his palm against her heated core. His fingers rested lightly on her folds before he parted them and pushed inside and felt her walls engulf him.

She flew upward with every thrust. Like a wounded bird that somehow finds the strength to fly one last time, she spread her wings. He splashed against her like a rainbow..urging her on...his breath the wind, his love the force urging her skyward. He was etching her memory into his skin, his eyes stormy, jaw set. He moved inside her, sheathed by her moist heat. Their bodies began to move with no concious thought..no control..each unwilling to break the connection that fused body and soul.

She soared, her body vibrating with his love. He set her free and she took full flight until the blue of the sky darkened as she quivered beneath him. The stars blinked out like candles, the rainbow became a slipstream of sunsets and amethyst hills. His passion intensified at her release. He moved faster..harder..until he burst inside her, following her down as she fell back to earth.


They lay silent at last, covered only by the pulsing yellow light and the knowledge that these few precious moments could very well be their last.
They stayed wrapped in each other until it was time to go.

He tried in vain to look beyond the darkness as the headlights of her car sliced the night.

"We still have Sunday." she had said as she kissed him goodbye.

"It's not enough." he had replied as he helped her into the car, his fingers tracing the faint glow that pulsed on her neck. He had wanted too much..demanded too much of her.

"Leave it." she had said when he tried to take the mark away. Where his fingers had sent the small healing burst.

He waited until the car vanished, swallowed up by the desert before he began the walk back to the base. He knew. He could feel the shadows settling in his heart. He would have to pay for his transgression--for trying to heal her. Either in this life or the next.


TBC