A Killer Among Friends (AU,M/L, ADULT) Pt 15 - 06/06 {WIP}

[short_up]

Title: A Killer Among Friends
Date: October 13, 2003
Rating: ADULT
Category: AU M/L
Disclaimer: Although it's been on my wish list for the past few years, Santa hasn't given me Roswell yet which means that Roswell belongs to Jason Katims and those other lucky people
Summary: Liz Parker and her group of closest friends have all received invitations to spend their summer vacation at Paradise Island, the exclusive, luxurious island owned by the reclusive James Pierce. It seems as if all of their dreams have come true, but the second they step onto the sandy beach, they know something’s wrong. Not only is the island completely empty of tourists, but not even their host is there! Then, things worsen as a deadly storm envelops the island, and in the midst of that storm, they find themselves face-to-face with a scary stranger: Max Evans. It seems as if their dream vacation has turned into a nightmare as one by one, the teenagers are murdered. It has to be the stranger Max, but Liz can’t seem to bring herself to believe that this man, one whose touch sends her spiraling off into ecstasy, whose eyes seem to stare into her very soul, could be a killer.


{{ PART ONE }}

“This is going to be the best summer ever!” Michael Guerin shouted as his long-time girlfriend, Maria Deluca, straddled him and kissed his neck.

“No shit, Sherlock,” Kyle Valenti joked, never removing his eyes from where they were glued to the football game on the wide-screen television, one of the many luxuries found on the private plane the seven teenagers were traveling to Paradise Island on.

“Kyle!” Tess Harding, Kyle’s girlfriend, admonished, slapping him playfully on the chest. “You know Liz and Isabel hate cursing!”

Smiling, Liz Parker threw Tess a grateful glance, but the blonde missed it as Kyle threw his arms around her and proceeded to get her forgiveness through a deep kiss. Sighing, Liz felt the loneliness threaten to edge its way into her happiness, but she quickly shook it off; she wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of her vacation. She turned, hoping to talk to her other close friends, Isabel Edens or Alex Whitman, but the couple was also locked in an embrace.

With nothing better to do, Liz once again reached into her purse and took out the elegant invitation. Opening the card, she reread the message from reclusive billionaire James Pierce:

Elizabeth,
I, James Pierce, cordially invite you and whomever you wish to bring as guests to spend your summer vacation at my exclusive Paradise Island.
I knew your parents extremely well, and I am extremely sorry to hear about their deaths. As your godfather, I would like to make sure of your well-being at this trying time in your life.
Please respond with the provided letter and envelope.
Your Godfather,
James Pierce

When Liz had received this invitation last month, she had been astonished. Aside from the fact that her parents had died years ago when she was a little girl, Liz hadn’t even known that the James Pierce, owner of the world-wide Pierce Computers Company, was her godfather. Her parents had been of the social elite class with hotel and restaurant chains all over the world and more money than most could ever dream of. Liz, as a little girl, had everything a girl could want until that fateful Christmas Eve night when her parents’ plane had blown-up moments before landing.

Years later, Liz, at the age of 17, was months away from inheriting her parents’ kingdom of hotels and restaurants, and most importantly, their bank accounts.

Knowing that this could very well be the last summer of freedom for her before she was to join the business, Liz eagerly took up James Pierce’s offer and invited all of her best friends to join her for the summer vacation they’d never forget.

Little did she know how true that would be.

[short_up]

Hey everyone!

Sorry I've taken so long to get this second part up, but I've been so busy! I've had production this past week, and it goes on until next week. Also, it was my best friend's sweet 16 yesterday so I spent forever getting ready for that.

But, after sleeping over at my friend's after the party and only getting about 5 hours of sleep, I still managed to finish part two and now, I can post it! yeah!

Thanks to all those who gave me feedback:
Crashdown2006
roswellluver
pandas2001
mad crazy
Gigo
M14
Dreamer_Dreaming
NorafanofMaxandLiz (thanks for fixing my mistake of 8 teenagers)
Lana
abbs007
Pegleg

{{ PART TWO }}

“Ummm, guys, I think we’ve got the wrong island,” Maria announced as everyone stared in awe.

Paradise Island, rumored to be, no matter the time of year, full of handsome men and beautiful men roaming the perfect beaches, was absolutely, completely empty. Not a single soul except for the seven teenagers who had just stepped foot on the island a few moments ago, was in sight. Eerie silence engulfed the island.

Gulping, Liz could feel the fear begin to edge its way into her mind. Where was everyone? “Something’s not right,” she said quietly.

“No shit, Liz. There’s no one here!” Kyle exclaimed as Tess burrowed in the safety of his arms. “What the fuck do we do now? The fucking plane just left and it’s not coming back for another two months!”

“At least our bags should already be here since we sent them ahead,” Alex remarked dryly.

“Alex, I’m scared,” Isabel muttered as she turned into Alex’s embrace.

Liz watched as Michael then gathered Maria into his arms. Knowing that there wasn’t anyone to love and protect her, Liz silently wrapped her arms around herself.

How could this have happened, Liz’s mind screamed in agony. This was supposed to be the best vacation of her life, her last bit of freedom before her imprisonment. Instead, it appeared as if she and her friends were stranded on some estranged galaxy where things weren’t the way they were supposed to be, and there was no way out. Who was going to save them?

Sensing that the panic was about to settle, Liz shook her head, reminding herself that she had never had anyone and she didn’t need anyone now. With newfound determination in her voice, she said, “Come on, you guys. We can’t just sit here and cry; we’ve got to do something. Look! There’s a building up there! That’s probably where the tourists stay. Let’s go!”

Without waiting for a reply, Liz began to run across the white sand, not stopping until she reached the dirt path which lead to the mansion-looking hotel. Pausing for a moment, Liz gathered her courage, and then quickly made her way to the huge white, gold-trimmed door which read “Paradise Island Hotel” in beautiful gold letters. Turning around, Liz pointed to the sign and shouted to her friends who were still clamoring their way up the path, “I think we have the right island! I’m going to go ahead in.”

No one offered any objections, much to Liz’s disappointment. Now, she really would have to go in. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the door handle and pulled. Nothing happened. Her eyebrows coming together in a frown, Liz tried again… to no avail.

“Let me do it, Liz,” Kyle said, a hint of arrogance evident in his voice. After moving Liz aside, he placed both his hands on the elegant door handle and, with all of his might, pulled. The door creaked, but still stubbornly refused to open. A blush staining his cheeks, Kyle stepped away from the door and just shrugged.

Frowning, Liz said, “That’s the strangest-“

Creak…., the door sounded moments before bursting open.

All four girls screamed, shrill, painful screams which echoed in the silence long after. Liz, in her terror, had jumped and fled from the door blindly to hide behind Alex and Isabel.

For a long moment, no one said anything; the only sound in the air was their harsh breathing and the furious pounding of their hearts.

“Holy shit,” Kyle muttered.

Liz’s sentiments exactly. Moving from behind Alex, she cautiously approached the door and was just about to peek through when Alex grabbed her arm.

“No, Liz,” he stated firmly, “I’m not going to let you go in there. It’s too dangerous.”

Touched, Liz smiled gently and nodded her consent.

“Be careful, Alex,” Isabel said desperately, clinging onto Liz’s hand as she watched her boyfriend step carefully beyond the door.

After looking around and confirming that the coast was clear, Alex turned around and motioned for everyone to follow him inside.

One by one, the teenagers made their way into the elegant building, their eyes widening in awe as they took in everything from the glimmering floor tiles to the marble staircase to the large chandelier hanging above their heads.

“Someone go turn on the lights,” Maria whispered as she stood entranced by the beauty of the lobby.

Liz, turning, realized that there was a light switch a few feet away from her. Quickly, she walked over and turned the light switch on. “There,” she stated as she turned back around.

It happened so quickly that Liz didn’t even know what happened. All her brain registered were the screams of her friends as the grand chandelier came crashing onto them.

[short_up]

Hey everyone!
Thanks so much for all of the feedback! It means a lot

Enthusiastic Roswellian
Dreamer_Dreaming
Mad Crazy
Itzstacie
Gigo
Pegleg
Hybrid-Angel
roswellluver
NorafanofMaxandLiz - calm down, Nora! I understand your impatience to see Max, but don't hyperventilate or anything! He'll be there to worship her soon.
frenchkiss70
strawberry_dreamer
LPorter
m14 - "I hope that Liz has fun... wait, all of her friends are going to die, how can she have fun?" Ouch.
RebeccaBehr - I'm sorry about the characters dying, but a writer's gotta do what a writer's gotta do! And I might just to that one favor of killing off Tess first, but how could I if she's the... oops, never mind But like I told Nora, there's a HUGE twist at the end and no one will ever guess who the killer is, so there's no point in even trying And who knows, just because Max and Liz are for sure going to end up together, does that necessarily mean that they're both good? Hmmmm.... I'll let you think about that one! But I can assure you that it's not Zan! Lol.

P.S. Does anyone have any nice, high quality Max and Liz pictures they could e-mail me? If you do, please e-mail me at short_up@hotmail.com. Thanks!


{{ PART THREE }}

“Oh, God,” Liz groaned as her eyes fluttered open. Her hand immediately went to her throbbing forehead, and she flinched when she felt the thick blood running across her skin. Groaning, she sat up slowly and let her eyes adjust to the darkness and to the noises of wind and heavy rain; it appeared as if a storm was occurring.

Where was she? Why did her head hurt and why was she bleeding?

In a flurry of painstaking speed, the memories of the paradise vacation, the stranded island, and the crashing chandelier came rushing back to Liz.

Oh, God, where was everyone? Frantic now, Liz forced her wan body to get up and, with each step sending stabs of pain coursing through her body, she removed the debris off of her and climbed slowly over the floorboards and glass.

“Isabel? Kyle? Maria?” she shouted over the angry wails of the winds outside. Fear threatened to overwhelm her, but Liz just shook it off. She was going to be strong; she had to. Glancing around, Liz’s eyes caught on a piece of clothing as lightning illuminated the building. Tess! Going as quickly as she could, Liz made her way over the rubble to Tess’s side. Kneeling down, she brushed the hair from her friend’s face and pleaded, “Tess, please wake up! Wake up!”

When Tess didn’t stir the slightest bit, the breath whooshed out of Liz’s throat. Oh, God. Shaking, Liz searched desperately for a pulse, but when she couldn’t find one, tears streamed down her face. Her mind screamed and shrieked that it was impossible for Tess to be dead, impossible. Nearing hysteria, she blindly made her way over to Kyle who lay a few feet away. Nothing. Fear swamped her as she realized that she was the only one who had made it, that her friends were now lost to her forever. Panic-stricken, she reacted without thinking and ran through the hotel’s grand doors, needing to get as far away as possible from the horrific reality inside the hotel. Liz felt like she was breaking down; her whole word was crumbling into a million pieces right before her eyes, and there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing.

Whether it was the pitch-black night or the rain obstructing her view, Liz didn’t know. But one moment, Liz was on the dirt path from earlier that afternoon and then suddenly, she was fighting her way through a forest of tropical trees. Everywhere she turned, she saw black; she was lost and didn’t know right from left in the darkness. Please, God, she prayed, let my prince in shining armor come now and save me!

Turning around, she found herself running into something large and solid. Looking up, she screamed as lightning flashed and her gaze caught onto the hard eyes of a stranger. His strong arms wrapped around her waist as his menacing eyes flashed. Without thinking, Liz pushed against the man with all of her might and brought her knee flying up to his groin.

“Shit!” the stranger cursed, hunching into a pained position. “Come back here you-“

Liz didn’t wait around to hear what he’d say next. Instead, she ran, ran as fast as her wobbly legs could carry her. But even that wasn’t fast enough, Liz realized as she heard the man’s pounding footsteps getting closer and closer to her.

“Leave me alone!” she screamed, frantically running through the vines and thick trees.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared, causing Liz to jump and close her eyes in fear. A mistake she realized too late when a branch connected with her and sent her sprawling backwards into the mud. Large arms scooped her up and a hand held her face to the stranger’s chest, protecting her from the rain and easing the throbbing of her head. Despite her weak protests, he continued to hold her close as he made this way through the dark forest. Liz had no idea where he was taking them, but there was nothing she could do about it. Squeezing her eyes shut, she prayed that everything would be alright.

“Shh, it’ll be fine,” the man whispered in Liz’s ear over the thunder and rain. “Trust me. I’ll have you safe in no time.”

Liz had no reason to believe him, no reason to trust him. For all she knew, he could be taking her to his fugitive hide away to rape and kill her.

But the strangest thing happened then. Listening to his soothing, masculine voice, Liz suddenly felt a sense of safety and security wrap itself around her, almost keeping her as warm as the man’s arms were.

[short_up]

Hey everyone!

Thanks so much for leaving feedback, and I hope you enjoy this next part!

Gigo
Pegleg
Amber Eyes - Is Max creepy?
NorafanofMaxandLiz - You want dreamer action, Nora? Well, this is for you then!
madcrazy
roswellluver
dreamer_dreaming
RebeccaBehr
frenchkiss70
strawberry_dreamer




{{ PART FOUR }}

“I promise I won’t hurt you,” the man said as he handed Liz a towel, his actions slow so that Liz could see he meant no harm. When Liz cautiously took the towel he offered, he said, “My name’s Max. Max Evans.”

Using the soft towel to wipe the rain droplets from her face, Liz silently watched Max as he got up and went to retrieve another towel from one of the suitcases lying around in the cave they were in, the cave this Max Evans guy was staying in. As he walked back towards her, he began to wipe the water droplets from his handsome, chiseled face, drawing Liz’s attention to the strength of his hands and his beauty. His eyes were a deep dark brown, sensual yet hard. His hair, wet now, appeared to be a dark brown, almost black in the dimness of the cave. Overall, he was an alluring man, a man Liz was sure could make a woman feel wanton and wanted. But there was also a seriousness to him, a strength to him that Liz admired and wished she, too, had. He was dark, and he was dangerous with bright flashing lights around him warning Liz to stay away. Yet, the longer Liz spent with him, the more she found herself drawn to him, as if there was an invisible, magnetic pull between them. Not wanting to ponder over that anymore, Liz said quietly, “I’m Liz Parker.”

Recognition lit in his dark eyes, eyes which reminded Liz of chocolate for some odd reason. “Parker? There’s a famous Parker Hotel and Parkers Restaurant chain here in the United-“

“-I know,” Liz interrupted him. “There’s no relation,” she lied, her eyes avoiding his intense ones.

A moment later, Max was right in front of her, her chin cupped in his calloused hands as he tipped her face up to his. Blatantly, he studied the brown-haired beauty in his arms. Her big, brown doe eyes stared back at him, surprise and a suppressed longing in them. She looked so innocent and so vulnerable that Max could feel his protective instincts taking over, despite his attempts to stop them. His eyes bore into hers as he asked, a hard edge to his voice, “Why are you lying?”

“I’m, I’m not,” Liz stammered, her nerves running rampant from fear and even a little excitement at being so close to such an attractive man.

“Yes, yes you are,” he answered back, his face inching closer to hers. “I can hear your heart pounding, and you won’t look me in the eye: sure signs that you’re lying. And besides, I’ve seen your pictures all over the newspapers and television.”

Wrenching herself away from his entrancing eyes, Liz shook her head and crawled away from him. Wrapping her arms around her bent legs, she sat huddled away from him. “What are you going to do with me now? Ask for a ransom?”

Seeing the vulnerability in her pulled at Max’s heart, a heart which was supposed to be made of stone. “Of course not. As soon as the storm ends and my people notice that I’m missing, they’ll come for me, and then we’ll send you back to your family.”

Her family. “I don’t have a family,” Liz whispered. “My parents died years ago.” An awkward silence followed, and when Liz couldn’t handle it anymore, she said, “What do you mean, ‘your people’?”

Max hesitated, and though it wasn’t a long pause, Liz still noticed it causing her trust to dissolve slightly. “I’m the owner of a family business in New York: Evans Enterprises. I came here looking for a good location for a summer vacation house, but got stranded because of a storm a couple of days ago. Someone was supposed to come back for me, but I guess they didn’t make it through the storm. My cabin, the one that I was staying in before I moved into this lovely cave, was destroyed during the storm. Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be getting ready to take over your parents’s business soon? The business world has been buzzing crazily about that.”

Liz didn’t really want to talk about her future imprisonment, but there was something about the man in front of her which made her want to open up and tell him everything. “I’m not taking over for another few months, at least not until I turn eighteen. That’s why I’m here. This is Paradise Island and my godfather, James Pierce, owns it. He invited my friends and me here for the summer. I just want to have some fun before, well just before.”

Max looked like he was going to say something, but stopped, his eyes searching Liz’s intently. After a few moments, he asked, “Friends? Where are they now?”

Tears welled up in Liz’s eyes before she could stop them. Her heart ached so badly; she wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball or cry, wanted something or someone to ease her pain. But she had no one.

Max told himself to look away, to fight the urge to protect her and wipe away her tears. But in Max’s mind, she was just so young, too young to be so lonely. He couldn’t help it; the need to hold her was just so strong. In less than a second, he had made his way over to Liz and had wrapped his strong arms around her trembling body. When she turned into his embrace, her small hands grabbing onto his shirt and her face burying against him, Max knew that he’d do anything in order to end her loneliness.

Liz knew it was crazy to be so close to such an alluring stranger, but she couldn’t help herself. He was so strong, so solid, so everything she needed right now. Whimpering, she told him, “My friends, they’re, they’re all gone.”

“Gone? What do you mean ‘gone’?”

Choking on a sob, Liz cried, “We were scared, so scared. No one at hotel, Alex, and then chandelier fell. Head, hurt and I woke up, but, but, no one else made it!”

Oh, shit. Max felt something inside of him ache with pain at the thought of how horrible it must have been for Liz to lose all of her close friends in one single moment like that. His head moved down and his warm lips brushed her cheek. “Shh, don’t worry; everything will be ok now.”

Turning her head, Liz gasped as she realized how close Max’s lips were to hers. If she turned just the slightest bit-

“Oh, God,” Max groaned as Liz’s sweet lips brushed tentatively with his. She was so soft, so innocent, the exact opposite of him. Afraid that he might startle her, he let her have her way with him, followed at the slow pace to wherever she wanted to take them to. Her mouth opened under his as she slowly inched her way closer to him, crawling into his lap.

Liz knew she was making a mistake. She barely knew the man, and already, she had gone further with him than she had ever gone before! She had to stop! But when Max’s tongue touched hers, she was lost. He tasted so sweet, yet so dark at the same time, a heady combination. Sensation swirled about her, enveloping her in its warmth and wonder. She wanted to get closer, yet didn’t think she could possibly get any closer. Max proved her wrong. Cupping her derriere in his large hands, Max maneuvered Liz so that she was straddling him, her breasts pressed flush against the hard contours of Max’s chest. Liz felt as if she was burning up and melting into a pool of passion. Sighing contentedly, she wrapped her arms around Max’s neck and allowed him to take her further into oblivion.

His tongue dueling fiercely with Liz’s, Max vaguely remembered his pledge to keep things slow and let Liz lead. But there was nothing Max could do now; Liz was all over him and he was all over her. The fire burning between them was hotter than anything Max had ever experienced before. The need to just take and take grew inside of him like a monster’s appetite.

Abruptly, Max pulled away, causing Liz to groan in protest. “No,” she whispered, her hands bringing Max’s face to hers once again.

Pulling back, Max shook his head and gently, but firmly pushed Liz off of him. Ignoring her weak protests, he walked away into the dark night, leaving her gasping for breath and hungering for more.

As she watched him walk away, Liz couldn’t help but feel rejected. Once more, she had opened herself up to someone, and once more, he had walked away. Would she never be loved? Lying down on the blanket bed Max had made for her earlier, Liz closed her eyes tightly, but that didn’t stop the tears from falling.

[short_up]

You guys are definitely the funniest people alive I love you all!

pegleg
strawberry_dreamer
elf3748
sweetbrowneyes - I'm sure Max'd want to kiss you
Dreamer_Dreaming
Gigo - "End Rant" That is the coolest thing someone's like ever said lol
NorafanofMaxandLiz - Nora, of course there are tons of questions still left to be unanswered! This is a mystery, isn't it? Lol, oh well, you'll just have to wait for the answers
moonlight
amber eyes

Here's part five for your enjoyment where many of your questions will be answered.

Enjoy


{{ PART FIVE }}

“Liz, wake up,” Max said as he leaned over her. A strand of loose silky hair splayed across her cheek, and Max wanted nothing more than to lightly brush it away. But he couldn’t; he had to stay away from her for both of their well-beings.

Liz’s eyes slowly fluttered open. “Oh!” she gasped as she found herself falling into Max’s beautiful brown eyes. But then she remembered his rejection from the night before and sat up quickly, forcing Max to back off. “What?” she asked awkwardly, knowing that Max hadn’t missed her evasive maneuver.

Max cleared his throat and said, “Well, I thought that it would be a good idea, if you feel up to it, to go back to the hotel and see if we can find a phone or something.”

“But, but,” Liz stammered, tears pricking at her eyes as she thought about what else besides a phone awaited them at the building. Could she really walk through those doors again knowing that her friends were lying there lifeless?

“Hey,” Max said, covering her hand lightly with his large one in a comforting gesture. “It’ll be ok, Liz. I’ll be there.”

It was then that Liz realized that somewhere in the last 24 hours or so, she had come to rely and depend heavily on Max and his strength. She craved his strength and his warmth, and if he was with her, then everything would be ok. Liz had never really needed anyone after her parents had died because she was always scared that if she needed someone, they’d leave her like her father and mother did. But now, just by carrying her to safety and offering her shelter, Max had somehow imprinted himself into her heart. When he left, and he would of course, Liz was sure that she would be left with a gaping hole in her already-wounded heart. It wasn’t that she loved him because she didn’t even know him enough to love him, but whatever this feeling of security and warmth was, it was nice.

“Liz,” there was a hint of warning in Max’s nearly unreadable eyes, “Don’t look at me that way.”

“What way?” she asked breathlessly.

“That way,” he stressed, removing his hand from hers. “I’m 26 years old, Liz, and I’ve been the hero to enough girls to know when one thinks she’s in love with me. It’s just hero-worship, Liz, and I’m just a regular guy. Stop whatever your heart’s telling you or else you’ll get hurt in the end.” And then he walked away, yelling behind him, “Come on. Let’s go to Paradise.”

Liz was fuming as she sat up and followed after him. Glaring at his back, she wished that somehow she’d be able to communicate her unflattering thoughts to him.

How dare he? What right did he think he had to assume that she was in love with him? That was the most absurd thing ever! He was such an arrogant, an arrogant… well whatever he was, he was arrogant. Incensed, Liz was so caught up in her rants that she didn’t even realized that they had reached the Paradise Hotel until she ran straight into Max’s back.

“Whoa! Careful there,” Max said as he turned around and placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her.

“Don’t touch me!” Liz shrieked before she had time to think. Oh, God, what would people think if they could see her now, hysterical and shouting and definitely not like the normal, quiet, polite Liz they were used to?

Stepping back, Max held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry.” When she just “humph”ed and started to stalk past him, he reached out and wrapped his long fingers around her small wrist. “Look, Liz, I’m sorry if I angered you back there, but everything I said was the truth, and you know it. I’m just trying to protect you. I’m sorry.”

Liz stared at him for so long that Max almost had to look away, but his pride wouldn’t let him. And then, all of a sudden, her lips turned upwards in a smile that nearly knocked Max backwards. “Ok. Apology accepted,” she said, all innocent and sweet again. “Come on. You go first,” she ordered, grabbing his hand and pushing him ahead of her.

Max took shaky steps up to the house. He blamed it on the rocky terrain with branches and leaves scattered everywhere, but in truth, he was still reeling from the impact of Liz’s smile. When they reached the door, he felt Liz’s hand tighten in tension. Knowing that she was scared to go back into the building where her friends were, he squeezed her hand assuredly. Pushing open the large door, Max was not expecting what came next. Instead of dead silence and the smell of decay, Max was knocked down by two built bodies and Liz was ripped from his grip by someone else. Angered, Max reacted on instinct and quickly got up, punching one of his attacker’s nose while causing the other to fall down and hit his head on the sharp splinters of the ripped up floor. Not even panting, Max quickly turned around, ready to do some more damage to whoever had Liz, but found that he had no idea what to do. Instead of fighting her attacker, Liz was hugging the tall, lanky teenager and kissing his cheeks.

“Oh, Alex,” she cried, “You’re not dead! Oh, God, I was so scared! I thought you were all gone forever!”

“We were scared, Liz!” the guy named Alex said, returning Liz’s hug fiercely. “We woke up, and you were gone, just like that! It was like you had vanished without a trace!”

Furious (and confused), Max stalked toward the two. When he reached them, he firmly grabbed Liz’s arm and pulled her away from Alex. “What’s going on?” he demanded.

Eyes shining with happiness and tears, Liz grabbed Max’s arms and said excitedly, “Oh, Max, everyone’s all right! They’re not dead, and everything’s going to be fine now!” Throwing her arms around him, she hugged him tightly as everyone watched, including Tess and Maria who were fussing and worrying as they helped their injured boyfriends get up.

“Liz!” a shocked Isabel gasped. “What are you doing? That man just beat up Michael and Kyle and you’re hugging him? Are you out of your mind?”

Shaking her head, Liz removed herself from Max’s grasp and instead, stood beside him. “Of course not! You guys, this is Max Evans. When I woke up after the chandelier crashed and the floor practically caved in, I thought you were all dead, so I ran outside and then ran into Max. And even though I kicked him and ran away from him, he still found me and brought me to this cave where he’s been staying because-“

“-Where did you learn moves like that, man?” Kyle asked Max with a hint of grudging admiration in his voice.

Max didn’t trust him; he didn’t trust any one of them, except for Liz. There was something odd going on here, and he just had to figure out what it was. “I studied karate as a kid; I’m a black belt,” Max answered with an edge of threat.

Liz could practically hear the tension crackling in the air between Max and her friends. Reaching out, she intertwined her hand with Max’s and indicating each introduction with a nod, said, “Max, this is Alex, Isabel, Maria, Michael, Kyle, and Tess. They’re the friends I was telling you about. Isn’t it wonderful that they’re all right?”

Her eyes were shining so brightly, her face so eager, Max didn’t have the heart to tell her that he had the gut feeling that she would have been better off if they had all died. Instead, he merely nodded, his cool, assessing gaze studying each and every one of her “friends.”

“Come on, Liz,” Isabel said, walking over and grabbing Liz’s hand, pulling her firmly away from Max. “Why don’t you go pick out a room to stay in? We already have.”

“A room? What about finding a phone and getting out of here?”

“We tried looking for a phone,” Michael clarified, the stiffness in his stance and voice softening as he spoke to Liz, “but it was dead; they were all dead. We think it was because of the storm. So, we decided that since we were here anyway, why not just relax and enjoy it until help comes?”

“Yeah,” Maria chipped in, her arms wrapping around Michael. “I mean, we have our bags and stuff, and we all found food earlier in the kitchen, so there’s no reason to worry.”

“Or at least there wasn’t,” Kyle remarked dryly, sending a not-so-subtle glance Max’s way.

“Max will be staying with us, too,” Liz announced, shocking everyone into a brief moment of silence… before they all erupted into objections.

“What are you talking about, Liz?” Tess demanded, her voice shrill and piercing.

“Are you out of your mind, chica?” Maria asked, her eyes wide in disbelief as she stared at her friend.

“Liz, he can’t be trusted!” Alex said gently. “I mean, look at him! He’s clearly dangerous since he nearly killed Michael and Kyle a moment ago!”

“Just because he gave you shelter doesn’t mean he’s a good guy,” Isabel admonished. “He might even be like a cold-blooded murderer who killed everyone on the island so that he could kill us and you and get your inherence money through ransom or something!”

At that thought, everyone seemed to quickly move in front of Liz as if attempting to protect her.

“You guys,” Liz shouldered her way through their “wall” to stand in front of them. “This is ridiculous; Max is a good guy, not some murderer. If he wanted my money, don’t you think he would have already killed me or us for that matter? He already said he’s a black belt. Do you really think he’d wait around when he could have already easily killed us? Besides, Max doesn’t even know about my inheritance clause so why would he have to know he’d have to kill you guys, too?”

“Liz!” they all shouted in unison.

It was a few moments later before Liz realized what she had let out. “I, I mean,” she stammered, at an obvious lost.

“What in your inheritance clause would call for the death of all of your friends?” Max asked in a low voice.

Gasping, Liz turned around, straight into Max’s arms. When had he snuck up on her like that? Looking into his hard eyes, Liz could suddenly easily see why her friends had come up with that ridiculous notion about Max being a killer. Although she knew him to protective and caring, Liz shivered nonetheless. Max’s eyes immediately clouded, with what Liz wasn’t sure, but she sensed that she had hurt his feelings. Quickly, she grabbed onto his arms and explained, “If I die before I get my inheritance, then two-thirds of the money will go to my parents’ business and the other third to whoever I designated it to: my friends. However, if any of my friends die in the process, no one will get the money. Instead, it’ll all go to the business.”

“Liz!” Maria hissed from behind the security of her large boyfriend. “Stop it! He can’t be trusted!”

Liz didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she stared into Max’s eyes, nearly drowning in their vast depths. Staring right back, Max felt his blood heating as her large doe eyes darkened, as if with passion. Her breath coming out in quick spurts, Liz stated firmly, “I trust you.”

“You’re making a mistake,” Max whispered so that only she could hear. “Don’t trust me with your heart; I’ll just end up hurting you.”

“It’s a risk I’ll gladly take.”

[short_up]

Hey everyone!

Oh migod! It's been like two weeks since I last posted. So sorry about that, but I was sick and it was also production week

But I got a new part done that I can now post up even though I had my SAT's this morning! Ahh!

frenchkiss70
sweetbrowneyes - "Muhahahaha!!!" You are way too funny!
Gigo
Pegleg
Norafanofmaxandliz - I, for one, am glad that you're honest about wanting Max and Liz to share a room, but honestly, do you think Liz's friends will let her?
strawberry_dreamer
roswellluver
abbs007
moonlight

{{ PART SIX }}

“What are you doing out here?” a deep voice growled behind Liz in the darkness.

Startled, Liz jumped and turned around, her hand immediately covering her furiously-beating heart. “Max! You scared me,” she exclaimed as she attempted to control her pulse which was starting to beat quickly not due to fright, but due to Max’s nearness.

“What,” Max repeated, anger evident in his tight voice as he stalked purposely towards her, “are you doing out here? It’s late and dangerous.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” she stated simply, turning away and staring at the vast, dark ocean in front of her.

Realizing he was too harsh, Max attempted to soften his voice and features. Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, he didn’t resist when she instinctively leaned into him. “If you wanted to come out here, you could have woken me; I would have gone with you.”

“I know,” and she did know. “But I didn’t think there was any need to. There’s no danger on this island, Max. Yes, some things are a little weird, but –“

“-A little weird?” Max asked, incredulous. “Liz, you could be in great danger; it was foolish of you to come out here alone and unprotected.”

“I can protect myself,” Liz said with stubbornness.

What had caused this beautiful woman to have to be so independent? Why didn’t she ever want to admit that she needed someone? What were those brief glimpses of pain Max would sometimes see in her eyes?

Max didn’t know, and he mentally kicked himself for caring enough to want to know. Shaking his head, Max applied soft pressure until Liz turned to face him, her doe eyes unreadable in the darkness of the night. “I’m sure you could protect yourself,” Max lied in assurance, “but now that you have me, there’s no need to. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

“I have no doubt you will,” Liz said softly. When Max didn’t answer, Liz tore her gaze from his and instead, let out a yawn.

“Come on, let’s go back inside. You’re tired,” Max suggested as Liz closed her eyes and nodded in agreement. When she wrapped an arm around him and rested her head on his shoulder, Max looked down in tender surprise at her. Her eyes were closed as if she was trusting him completely to lead the way, and Max felt his heart soften a little more. She was so fragile and so vulnerable that Max wanted nothing more than to bury the two of them into a deep hole and hold her in his arms for always. But it wasn’t ever going to happen. There were too many obstacles standing in their way; it would never work. Max hated how that realization left him feeling so empty.

When they had reached Liz’s room, she reluctantly removed herself from Max’s side. Turning towards him, she whispered awkwardly, “Good night.”

“Night,” Max said, though he didn’t make a move towards his own room next door. Instead, he stood there and stared freely at her as she stared back.

It should have been uncomfortable, but it wasn’t. The tension sizzling between them burned hotter and hotter until Liz, unable to stand anymore of it, took a bold step forward and placed her lips gently onto Max’s.

Max didn’t allow himself to think about the consequences of their actions, didn’t think about how this would affect them tomorrow. Instead, he focused on the sweetness of her lips, the firmness of her breasts pushed up against his hard chest, and the satisfaction of hearing her soft, breathy moans.

“Max.” It was a simple plea full of desire and longing, a plea Max couldn’t find the strength to resist.

Reaching behind her, Max turned the doorknob and pushed open the door. Wrapping his arms around her as he deepened the kiss, Max slowly backed them up into Liz’s room. Closing and locking the door behind them, Max gently scooped Liz up into his arms and placed her softly onto the large bed. As he looked down at her, spread out seductively on the silk sheets, her lips swollen and her eyes dark with passion, Max felt himself harden more. Urgently, he tore off his sleeping shirt and pants, revealing his hard body to Liz’s innocent eyes.

“Oh!” Liz gasped softly as Max stood in front of her in all of his naked glory. She had never seen a boy naked before, let alone a man as masculine as Max. It was a shock; it was a pleasure. Her breathing turned breathier as her gaze traveled boldly from his tousled hair to his incredible six-pack to, finally, the hard erection jutting forth only a few feet away from her. He was so big that Liz knew she should be scared, but she wasn’t. No, instead, her breasts felt more swollen, her nipples hardened, and the secret place between her thighs became even wetter. Needing to quell the ache between her legs, but unsure of how to, Liz’s legs unconsciously began to rub together causing her to close her eyes as the ache was assuaged for an ecstatic moment.

God, she was hot. She may be all sweet and innocent on the outside, but on the inside, Max knew she would prove to have a flaming passion. And he couldn’t wait to find it. Crawling on top of her, he rubbed himself slowly against her nightgown-covered stomach, letting her thrill in the feel of his thickness. Grabbing her soft thighs, he ran his hands up her legs, pushing her nightgown further up until he reached the alluring juncture between her legs. Sneaking a finger beneath her panties, he groaned when he felt her juices quickly covering him. She was so wet, her response to him so inhibited that Max couldn’t wait much longer. Growling with a fierce need, he not-so-gently pulled her panties and nightgown off, leaving her lying naked beneath him. Roughly, he kissed her breasts, sucking on her nipples and reveling in her encouraging “Yes, Max!”’s. Working his way down her body, he was surprised when he felt her hands stopping him from continuing.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice unfamiliarly husky.

“What are you going to do?” she asked in all innocence, her eyes wide and uncertain. “You can’t, not down there, Max.”

Max didn’t think it possible, but he hardened even more at her words. “Trust me,” he whispered as he removed her hands and gently combed his fingers through the hair above her legs. Sucking on her breast, Max quickly, but carefully thrust a long finger into Liz’s warmth.

“Oh, migod!” Liz screamed, her eyes squeezing shut in pleasure. The feel of his finger thrusting in and out of her was overwhelming, so overwhelming that she didn’t protest when he added two more fingers into her. Suddenly, Liz’s world erupted in hot white flashes of ecstasy as Max brought her to her first orgasm. Moaning and thrashing, Liz rode out her pleasure, her juices coating Max’s fingers.

Watching Liz fall over the edge was nearly the last straw for Max. Pulling his fingers out from her, he held her glazed gaze as he sensually stuck them into his mouth, licking and sucking off the sweet evidence of her pleasure. Crawling over her, Max claimed her mouth in a searing kiss as he positioned himself between her legs.

But just as he was about to drive into her, a loud scream pierced through the night.

“It’s Maria!” Liz exclaimed.

Another scream tore through the stillness of the island.

[short_up]

Hey everyone!

Oh migod, I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long but I've been so busy. Exams are coming up, ahh!

I'll try my hardest to write some parts before exams start

PART SIX
frenchkiss70
I love Orli - thanks for bumping
roswellluver
gigo
Pegleg
strawberry_dreamer
abbs007
sweetbrowneyes - "So the killing begins! Dun dun dun :plays dramatic music: It couldn't be Max because he was to busy with Liz Hummm. I say it was Michael in the study with the revolver. Is that right?" lol you'll just have to find out
moonlight
NorafanofMaxandLiz- "in their current state of... you know." Lol, do I know, Nora?
m14 - I'm sorry, but I can't tell you Max's secret... actually, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you ... or maybe Max would have to?
crashdown2006
strawberry_dreamer


{{ PART SEVEN }}

“What’s going on here?” Max demanded as he pushed his way through the group of teenagers, all huddled together around something at the bottom of one of the hotel’s back staircases.

Oh, fuck. Holy fuck.

Quickly bending down, Max pushed a sobbing Maria out of the way, prepared to look for a pulse.

There was no need to.

All Max had to do was look at the odd angle of Michael’s neck to know there would be no pulse.

Slowly, Max stood up. Looking at Maria’s pleading eyes didn’t make it any harder for him to tell her the truth, but when Liz burst through her friends and reached his side, her eyes wide with fear and filled with tears, that was when Max found himself at a loss for words. “I’m sorry,” he said, “Michael’s dead.”

A fierce sob was wrenched from Maria’s heart as she collapsed onto the floor beside her boyfriend. “No! You’re lying!” she cried, her tears drenching Michael’s shirt. “Michael, wake up. Please wake up,” she pleaded in blind desperation.

Unable to do anything but stare unseeingly, Liz’s breath came out in harsh, short spurts. Everything seemed frozen in time for the young woman as the dreadful truth about losing her friend echoed in her head. Oh, God; she didn’t think she could handle anymore. First her parents, now one of her closest friends.

Turning away from the sight of the heartbroken Maria, Max’s gaze landed instinctively on Liz. Her face pale, her body stiff, Max could tell she was struggling with her emotions. She looked so fragile, so vulnerable, Max couldn’t seem to stop himself from reaching out his arms to her. After what had happened back in her room, holding her would just be feeding the fire that would eventually burn the both of them. But how could he turn his back on her when, already in such a short period of time, she had already managed to get past the barriers guarding his heart and soul?

“Oh, Max,” Liz’s voice was hoarse against his bare chest, “Why did this have to happen? Why do I always lose those I love?”

His heart ached for her, surprising him. For so long now, he had believed that his heart was dead, devoid of feeling. Yet it had only taken one delicate teenager with innocent eyes to prove him wrong. It was frightening, more frightening than finding a dead man in the middle of the night during a fierce storm. Cupping the back of Liz’s head with one large hand, Max held her closer, watching as Isabel and Tess wrapped their arms around Maria, attempting in vain to comfort her. Then, as the two girls’ control snapped, Alex and Kyle were there to hold all of them.

After a few minutes, Max slowly released Liz. Instinctively, she grabbed onto him. “Liz,” Max said gently as he cupped her chin in his hand and brought her gaze up to his, “You have to let go, sweetheart, just for now. I need to ask Maria some questions, ok?”

No, it wasn’t ok. Liz didn’t want to do anything but stay in Max’s protective embrace where she could lose herself in a completely alter-universe. But as she watched, a distant, almost cold look came into Max’s eyes, and Liz knew she was already losing him… losing him to his control, his secrets.

Turning away from her probing eyes, Max kneeled down and grabbed Maria’s hand. “Come,” he ordered, leaving no room for objection.

Immediately, the four teenagers surrounding her dispersed and Maria cautiously allowed herself to be pulled up.

“What happened?” Max asked, his voice cold and his eyes even colder.

Maria couldn’t help but shudder. She was sure then that fate had placed him in the wrong occupation of business man. No, this man belonged to a field ten times more ruthless, more dangerous. Swallowing, she began in a shaky voice, “Michael and I were hungry. I was, was tired so he went. I waited, God, I waited for so long, but he didn’t come back! Finally, I, I went to look for him, and, and I came down the steps and… tripped! It was Michael! I, I had tripped over him! Michael…”

“Maria, calm down, and tell me, how long do you think you waited?”

“Forever. I, I don’t know! It could have been fifteen minutes or even an hour!”

Leaving her alone for a moment, Max made his way back to the body. The body was still slightly warm, only a small trace of paleness in the skin. “I’d say that it was closer to fifteen minutes. And he probably tripped, too. You can tell if you look at his neck.”

Liz stared at the stranger in front of her. How could a man who had been so loving and caring minutes ago be so devoid of feelings now? How could she have let him touch her and kiss her with those same hands which touched Michael’s dead body in a careless manner? She shivered as a cold chill swept across her bare shoulders.

No one noticed her state of undress but Max. Standing, he approached her and laid his hands on her shoulder, wanting to offer her some heat. But the moment his calloused skin made contact with her smooth skin, Liz leapt away, a look of pure revulsion on her face.

Her rejection hurt Max, but he would never admit it. In Max’s business, there was no point in getting involved with anyone due to the long hours and the danger lurking around the corners.

“Liz, I need to talk to you for a moment,” he said, not even bothering to wait for an answer as he strolled across the room to a secluded spot.

Reluctantly, Liz followed, but not before giving Maria a quick hug of reassurance.

“Liz,” Max said, looking directly into her eyes, “Michael didn’t trip.”

“What are you talking about?” Liz asked, her eyebrows bunched in confusion.

“There was a piece of cloth at the bottom of the stairs, think enough to muffle the shouts of a fully grown man.”

“What are you saying, Max?”

His eyes pierced through hers. “I’m saying that someone pushed Michael purposely in order to kill him…. And that someone is in this room right now.”

[short_up]

You all are going to be so frustrated with this next part..........

*evil laughter*

extingman
sweetbrowneyes - "Maybe they're all out to get Max because he is so sexy." Oh migod, how'd you figure it out! Noooooo, my story's ruined forever!
NorafanofMaxandLiz - safety in numbers... that's exactly what I was thinking
abs007
roswellluver
Julia_behr - "Couldn't she have waited like five more minutes before she tripped over Michael?" Lol, you're too funny!
Crashdown2006
Gigo
I Love Orli - "Duhn Duhn Duhn!" Lol, whoo! Suspense!
Pegleg
con angel - oh migod, I haven't talked to you in like forever! Ahhhh! How are you? If you don't remember me, you joined my Dreaming Fanlisting (the max/liz fanlisting) at http://www.short-up.com! Hi! lol
strawberry_dreamer - Is Max a secret agent? Hmmm... that's a new one. You'll just have to wait and find out
m14 - You're right lol, I won't tell you if you're right, but I'm glad you're having fun guessing!
frenchkiss70 - "occupied," that's a good way to put it
Amber Eyes


{{ PART EIGHT }}

Liz just stared at Max, her jaw hanging open and her eyes wide with astonishment. She snapped out of her daze quickly. “Max, you’re crazy!”

“Shh,” he hissed, stepping even closer to her, his arms reaching out to grasp her shoulders. He was thoroughly relieved when Liz allowed herself to be pulled closer to him. “I don’t think we should let your friends know.”

“Why not?” Liz asked, looking up at Max and studying his deep eyes. “They’re my friends, and if they’re in danger, I have to let them know!”

Seeing the solid determination and love in her eyes, Max wished he had been able to find friends like her. If he had, his life wouldn’t have been the empty existence it was. “Liz, if one of your friends is the killer-“

“-One isn’t!” Her eyes blazed with fury and Liz, unaware of Max’s suddenly-appreciative gaze, continued, “How dare you say those things about my friends? You haven’t spent more than thirty minutes with any of them, and you’re accusing them of being murderers?! Who do you think you are?”

“Liz! Keep your voice down!” Max hissed.

“No!” she yelled and then immediately quieted, a look of utter surprise on her face.

“Liz? Is everything all right?” Tess asked, appearing at Liz’s side, her eyes continuously darting from Liz to Max. Never in all of the years Tess had known Liz had she ever heard Liz raise her voice to a girl, let alone a man as formidable and large as Max.

“Everything’s fine,” Max grounded out through clenched teeth, his eyes boring into Liz.

Throwing him a glare, she turned and said loudly enough for everyone to hear, “No, everything isn’t all right. Max, here, thinks that one of you guys killed Michael!”

Several gasps from the girls and threatening curses from the guys were heard.

“Liz!” Max hissed, his eyes narrow slits. “God damnit!”

“How dare you say that, you jerk!” Maria screamed as she approached Max. “We were Michael’s best friends; we’ve known him for ever! We would never hurt him! You, on the other hand, would!” Furiously, not even fully aware of what she was doing, Maria raised a hand to Max’s cheek.

Swiftly, almost so quickly that no one caught it, Max’s hand flew out and grabbed the teenager’s hand before she slapped him. Burning her with his enraged gaze, Max’s fingers tightened painfully around Maria’s wrist. It wasn’t until another round of tears began to pour from her eyes did Max let go.

Liz stared in shock, speechless as she took in the red marks on her friend’s wrist, marks made by a strong, dangerous man. No one said anything; instead, they just continued to stare at one another.

Finally, Max broke the silence, “Liz, come with me. Now.”

The fright was obvious in Liz’s eyes and face. Her voice shook as she stated firmly, “No.”

“What the hell do you mean? You’re coming. You have no choice.” Max was aware that his actions were completely highlandish and wrong, but he couldn’t stop himself. Fury was churning in his gut, his adrenaline was high, and frustration ripped at his mind.

Seeing Liz’s terror, Alex and Kyle chivalrously stepped up in front of her as Isabel wrapped an arm around her and Tess went to Maria’s side. As bravely as a teenager could in the presence of a man as large and seemingly evil as Max, Kyle said, “She’s not going anywhere with you. And for that matter, you’re not going anywhere either.”

Max’s laugh was hard and cynical. “Do you really think you could stop me? Look at you and look at me; there’s no chance for you. Liz isn’t safe with you guys; she needs to be with me.”

“And you think she’s safe with you?” Isabel spoke out. “For all we know, you could be the killer!”

“Liz can vouch for me that I’m not. We were… occupied together during the time of Michael’s death.”

Liz’s eyes were wide with disbelief. Max had made it seem as if they were having a romp between the sheets! And even though it was mostly true, Liz didn’t want her friends knowing! How could he?! Her friends stared at her accusingly; there wasn’t anything to say so she just hung her head.

“Liz,” Max said, his voice compelling her gaze to meet him, “Please come with me. Please.”

It would have been so easy, so simple for Liz to say yes and to put her hand in Max’s outstretched one. But as she looked into the depths of Max’s eyes, she saw something other than the pure need of a man to protect a woman, saw something other than a man just doing what was right. There was a hunger in his eyes that reached into her chest and clamped tightly around her heart. He was asking so much of her: to leave her friends, to trust him completely, to turn her back on those she loved. He was offering, in return, to make all of her dreams come true, to end her loneliness and instead, replace it with a lifetime of happiness. He was offering her all that he was, even if it wasn’t enough.

All she had to do was take his hand.

She turned away.

[short_up]

Hey everyone!
I updated not so long ago, but I did manage to get a part in so I thought I'd update just for you all
This next part was written for purely one reason: I hate Tess. Ha! So here you are (after the feedback thanks, of course):

frenchkiss70
Vicki LVCM
Julia_Behr
roswellluver
Pegleg
Gigo - Yes, I do LOVE to tortue you
con angel - oh gosh.. if you didn't want me to kill Alex.. you might not like the next parts
sweetbrowneyes
Crashdown2006
m14
abbs007

{{ PART NINE }}

“Liz,” Tess comforted, “you did the right thing; you know that. We barely know him, and Max, well, he just seems so dark and dangerous. We couldn’t trust him.”

Sniffling into her pillow, Liz nodded, though the knowledge didn’t do much to assuage her breaking heart. After she had turned away from Max’s hand and offer, he had left, probably returning back to the cave where he’d be all alone while a killer was roaming free. Oh, God. What had she done? How had Liz let him go knowing that he could very well be killed? Sitting up, Liz wiped the tears away with the back of her hand.

“Where are you going?” Tess asked, her bright blue eyes watchful.

“I have to go find Max. I can’t let him be out there all alone while there’s a murderer loose and-“

“-Liz, stop it,” Tess ordered, grabbing her friend by the shoulders. “You can’t go after Max, and if he encounters any danger, I can promise you that he can handle it. If you go, I’d have to tell Michael and Alex, and they already have so much on their hands with trying to find a place for Michael’s body, and Isabel and Maria are with them, too, and if they found out you carelessly ran after Max, they’d be furious! Maria already lost her boyfriend, do you think she could handle losing her best friend?”

The desire to see Max clashed in a fierce battle with Liz’s love for her friends. After a few moments, Liz realized that Tess was right; it would be selfish of Liz to go see Max when her friends needed her. “Ok,” Liz sighed, sitting on the bed in defeat.

“I’m proud of you, Liz,” Tess said sweetly, throwing an arm around her good friend. “I know it must be hard for you; Max is awfully handsome and sexy. If I wasn’t so in love with Kyle, well, I would definitely try to run off and spend some time alone with him in a dark, secluded cave, too.”

“It’s not like that!” Liz protested, but the flush in her cheeks and the stars in her eyes gave her away.

Tess gasped, “Oh migod, Liz, you think you’re in love with him!”

Maybe it was the series of trying events that Liz had just been through or maybe it was because of the mockery in Tess’s voice, but whatever it was, it caused Liz’s tight grasp on her control to explode.

“What do you mean, I think I’m in love with him?” Liz asked, throwing a glare Tess’s way.

The blonde faltered for a moment, a look of pure surprise on her face. “Well, I just mean, that well, you know you’re not very good at judging your own feelings, and you probably feel as if you’re in love with him. But, Liz, you’ve never been in love before so you’re probably just mistaking lust, and it’s obvious that there’s tons of that, for love.”

“You, you,” Liz stuttered in astonishment and rage, “think that just because I want to get into his… his pants that I’ve confused love for it?”

Tess blinked. “Oh, Liz, I didn’t exactly say that! You just have no experience, honey. You think you love him, but of course, I know better since I’ve actually been in love before. And I’m telling you that you don’t love him; you can’t. You barely know him, and he’s not at all what you want.”

Standing up, Liz began to pace, a new habit she found herself suddenly adopting. “How would you know what I want, Tess? Maybe I want the big, manly, sexy, cock-as-big-as-a-horse kind of man!”

Tess’s eyes widened to the point of bursting. “What?! Oh migod, Liz! What is the matter with you? You, you just said… cock!”

“Oh,” Liz gasped, halting mid-pace. “I did.”

There was silence for a few moments as Tess stared in pure shock at her close friend. Since when had quiet, introverted Liz become so… real? The normal Liz would never have challenged Tess or said anything related to sex. God, Tess didn’t even think that Liz had ever said that small, three-letter word before!

Awkwardly, Liz collapsed onto the bed, causing it to bounce slightly. “Well, it is true; he does have a huge… err… anatomy down there.”

“Liz,” Tess began cautiously, “if there’s anything you need to tell me, or the others for that matter, you do know that we’re here for you? If you’re having, you know, troubles, we love you and we’ll stick by you no matter what.”

Liz could see it in Tess’s translucent blue eyes; her friend thought that she was crazy. After losing one of her best friends to the cruel hands of fate and having to turn away from the man she loved and could very well spend the rest of her life with, Liz’s sudden, newfound strength slowly dissolved into nothing. Instead, the old emotional wall she was so used to putting up in front of others reappeared, and she felt herself drowning in her own self-pity and loneliness once again.

Knock, knock.

Maria, Kyle, Alex, and Isabel all filed into the room, grim expressions on their young faces. Sitting down on the bed, Maria turned to Liz who automatically opened up her arms for her friend. Tess, happy to end her time with Liz, jumped up and wrapped herself in Kyle’s embrace. Alex simply held Isabel’s hand, his gaze locked with hers as they spoke with their eyes.

Liz thought back to Max’s accusations. At that point, she had been too blinded to believe him about Michael’s death being a murder, but now, she knew that she had believed him about the dreadful truth all along.

She couldn’t help but wonder who was going to be next.

[short_up]

Hey everyone! Thanks for leaving feedback... although I've seem to have lost some readers

But thanks to those who still love me:
Pegleg
roswellluver
Gigo
Crashdown2006
sweetbrowneyes
m14
strawberrydreamer

This next part is just for you guys (AND YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE IT):

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!


{{ PART TEN }}

Max was kissing her, his lips wonderfully rough and demanding as they parted hers, and he gained access into her mouth. Unable to hold back her moan, Liz allowed herself to drown in the sensual pleasure Max was creating for her. His kiss was so perfect, so hot, Liz couldn’t breathe.

Oh, God, she couldn’t breathe!

Struggling out of the wondrous world of dreams, Liz forced her mind back to consciousness. The blackness of the room quickly blended with the blackness invading her mind as she clawed at the large hands wrapped tightly around her throat.

Her attacker just squeezed harder.

Liz could feel herself sinking into the tempting realm of unconsciousness, could see the darkness reaching out to her with its long, clawing hands.

No! her mind screamed, shocking Liz back to reality. With newly-discovered strength, she fought, frantically kicking her legs and clawing at any part of her attacker that she could get her hands on. When her nail found his eye, he hollered and released Liz, covering his eye in agony.

Liz didn’t bother to wait around to see if he was ok. Instead, she fled blindly towards the bedroom door and made her way down the second staircase to the kitchen. Not fully aware of her actions, Liz ran out the door into the screaming storm and scrambled towards the dark forest, unaware of where she was going; but she knew that she just had to go somewhere.

Holding her breath, Liz braved a glance backwards, nearly crying tears of relief when she saw no one there. Turning back around, she caught a small glimpse of light ahead of her.

Max!

As she quickly approached the cave, Liz began to shout Max’s name, hoping he’d hear her. As she was about ten feet away from the entrance, Max suddenly appeared, his wide body blocking the light from inside.

“Max!” Liz cried, throwing herself into his arms, the rain and her tears soaking his clothes. “Oh, Max, it was scary, he tried, and then I kicked him, wasn’t thinking so I ran-“

“-Liz. Liz, stop it!” Max demanded, trying to extract himself from her clutching grasp. “Liz, look at me and calm down. Let’s go inside and get you changed, and then you can tell me what happened.”

Liz’s protest was muffled against Max’s shirt. Holding onto him tighter, Liz whispered, “Please, Max, just hold me a little, a little longer.”

And so they stood there, the storm hollering around them, the rain seeping into their clothes, but it didn’t matter. At that moment, Liz couldn’t have felt more safe or warm. As long as Max was with her, nothing could harm her.

Max wasn’t exactly feeling the same way. As he held her wet body in his arms, a whirlwind of emotions fled through him. What was he doing? It could never work out between them, yet here he was, holding her in his arms as if he could stay that way forever… maybe he could. Pulling away, Max said gently, “Come on, Liz, you’re soaking.”

Because she was so weary, Liz allowed Max to pull away and lead her deeper inside the cave.

“Sit,” Max commanded, leading her to the collection of blankets on the floor which she assumed was his substitute bed for the time being. “Here,” he said, handing her a pair of dark gray sweat pants and a large yellow T-shirt. Before he could comprehend what was happening, Liz had stood up and shrugged out of her skimpy tank top, her bare breasts glowing in the candlelight. Max stood, entranced, as she slowly lowered her muddy pajama bottoms.

Standing there, with nothing but a pair of silk panties on, Liz didn’t feel the least bit self-conscious. No, as she heard Max’s breathing increase and felt her own heartbeat pound, she felt beautiful. Liz held her breath as Max made his way to her, stopping just a few inches away from her. Reaching out, his finger traced a line from the sensitive area of the inside of her wrist up her arm and to the side of her neck. His gaze was so intense, so full of desire, Liz shivered in anticipation. Slowly, his gaze locked onto hers, Max’s finger slid down to the valley between her breasts. Taking the T-shirt from her hands, Max gently put it on Liz, his hands brushing sensually against the sides of her swollen breasts, lightly brushing her nipples.

“Max,” Liz whispered, her voice husky from desire. “Please.” Grabbing his hand, Liz placed it on her breast and squeezed, a groan escaping from her lips, wanting more, so much more.

Max’s body hardened further as he took in Liz. Her eyes were closed, a look of pure ecstasy on her flawless face. Her chest was heaving with her breaths, her breasts rising and falling in a spell-binding rhythm beneath the thin layer of his shirt. Closing his eyes, Max let his hand drop and stepped back.

Liz’s eyes immediately flew open as a groan of protest erupted from deep inside her throat. “No, Max. Touch me, I need you so much.” Stepping up to him, she grabbed his hand, struggling slightly as he resisted. Holding his gaze, her eyes dark with desire, she brought his hand between her legs and rested it there against her soaked panties in the wet warmth. “I’m so wet for you, Max.”

As his finger crooked slightly and found her silk-covered slit, Max’s control and reason cracked into tiny pieces of nothing. Roughly, he brought their bodies down to the blankets, his hands tracing every inch of her body as her small fingers worked furiously at the buttons of Max’s jeans. With a roar, Max ripped the shirt off of Liz, causing her breasts to bounce invitingly with the force. In the back of his mind, where reason and reality lurked, Max heard Liz’s gasp of delighted surprise. Not caring for anything but the feel of Liz’s bare flesh in his mouth, Max swooped down and captured her swollen breast in his mouth, his teeth tugging at her nipple.

As groan after moan escaped her, Liz was experiencing the most ecstatic, wonderful pain ever. She felt so empty, just aching to be filled by Max’s large body, to be claimed and taken. Her body was producing vast amounts of her creamy juice in preparation for Max’s entrance into her. Wrapping her bare legs around him, Liz gasped with pure sensual relief as the hard, cold metal of Max’s jeans’ button rubbed against her aching clit. As Max’s mouth sent her spiraling off into oblivion, their bodies thrust together, mimicking the sexual dance they were all-too-eager to begin.

Finally, Max couldn’t take it anymore; he had to be inside of her. Running a calloused hand down to the juncture between Liz’s legs, Max desperately thrust his fingers into her, her tightness wrapping around him like a sheath. In and out, he drove himself into her until, with a scream loud enough to be heard over the roaring of nature, Liz’s orgasm rushed out of her.

“Oh, Max,” she gasped as he pulled his fingers out of her and threw off his clothes. “More, Max, more.”

Fully naked, Max laid down on top of Liz’s hot, pliant body. Capturing her lips in a searing kiss, Max kept her distracted as he positioned himself. With a grunt, he thrust into her, ripping past her virginity, and taking her gasping and groaning into womanhood.

“Oh, yes, Max, yes!” Liz cried as she met him hurried thrust for hurried thrust. The brief pain she had felt was long gone as she tightened her inner-muscles around Max’s hard erection.

“Liz, come for me, baby. Let go,” Max urged, sweat drenching off of his body as he fought the temptation of release. Dragging a hand down between their bodies, Max took her hard nub between his fingers and, his lips locked with hers, pinched.

“Max!” Liz screamed, his name echoing off of the cave walls, vibrating against their sensitized skin. Wave after wave of indescribable pleasure ripped through Liz’s body as she spiraled out of control. Unable to do anything else, she just held on tightly to Max, her fingers digging into his arms, her teeth clamped onto the muscles in his shoulder.

“Yes, Liz, that’s it, baby. Oh, God, yes,” Max grunted with his final thrusts into her before collapsing onto her.

Their pants and the steady beating of rain outside were the only sounds they could hear as Max and Liz stayed joined together. Max’s face was buried into Liz’s neck, his hair tickling her face, but Liz didn’t mind. As she inhaled the manly scent of him and the mingled scent of their lovemaking, Liz couldn’t stop the swell of emotions coursing through her.

“I must be crushing you,” Max wheezed out, drained and spent, more satisfied than he had ever been in his whole life. Who would have thought that his match in bed would be an innocent virgin?

Just as he was about to pull out of her, Liz squeezed tightly and held him closer. “No, you feel good,” she whispered, her warm breath fanning Max’s neck.

Slowly, making sure not to pull out of her, Max raised himself up onto his elbows and looked at her. Liz’s face was of absolute peace, a charming blush running from her cheeks down her neck to her breasts. Her eyes, shining with emotion, were dark in the dim candlelight. “Liz,” Max paused, wanting, needing to tell her how much what had just happened had meant to him, “that was, that was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. It was… perfect.”

“Oh, Max,” Liz sighed, a tear escaping from the corner of her eye. “I love you.”

And just for that night, Max decided that he would let himself dream.