Midnight Predator (AU,M/L,ADULT) AN 5/26/05 [WIP]

[Strawberry Shortcake 17]

Part 10

Kivar and Larek began to search for Liz at first light, but they still hadn’t turned up anything. It was like she had vanished, and with her, the panther as well. Kivar couldn’t get the thought of that panther out of his mind. The animal had been absolutely magnificent. If Dr. Parker hadn’t stepped in and protected the panther, Kivar would have finished it off and started diagramming the animal’s mount. It would look amazing perched on a rock or maybe lounging on a tree limb. No, it needed to be posed in the attack position to see the full might of the creature. Maybe he would put it right next to his fireplace, like a guardian. Kivar was practically salivating at the thought. Oh well, this would give the animal a chance to heal and then he could mount it with out any blemishes.

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Liz woke up to find herself in the valley Max had brought her to, but there was no sign of Max. This place really was beautiful she thought to herself. She got up and walked over to the pool that collected off the waterfall and dipped her hands in the refreshing water. Liz heard a deep purr behind her and looked back, expecting to find Max. Instead she found Regan, who was slowly stalking toward her.

Liz tensed at the sight of the cat. Regan hadn’t been the friendliest toward her in the past and she was sure the only reason Regan hadn’t attacked her was because Max had kept her at bay. Now there was no Max to protect her. The animal moved closer to her and Liz shrank back in fear. The cat gave the distinct impression of smiling.

“Afraid of me Liz?” the cat asked in a deep feminine voice that purred at the end. Liz stared back at Regan in shock.

“Did you just talk?” Liz asked Regan.

“Yes, is that a problem?” Regan replied casually. That voice sounded like it could be truly evil and wholly good all at the same time.

“Good. You should fear me Liz, but you should fear Max much more,” Regan purred almost sinfully. Regan moved like water, her muscles just flowing and rippling under her shiny black fur. The panther had the ability to provoke fear and awe, but right now, Liz was feeling the fear overwhelmingly.

“Does Max know you can talk?” Liz asked her. Liz was sure Max would have mentioned Regan’s ability to talk if he had known about it. Max couldn’t talk to Liz without her touching him and here stood Regan, talking to her like she was as human as Liz.

“No, and you aren’t going to tell him,” Regan told her coolly with a trace of threat in her tone, “Look, we have some important things to talk about before Max comes back and the sun sets so listen up. Max is not what you think.”

“I know, Max told me,” Liz tried to tell her.

“No,” Regan shook her head, “He didn’t tell you everything. There are things at work here that even he doesn’t fully know about or understand. Trust me when I tell you this Liz, Max is not stable when he is in his animal form. Having been part animal for so long, he often overly embraces the beast side of himself. That is why he attacked Larek without taking in the familiar scents first. He is very close to become completely animal Liz. The curse was not supposed to have lasted this long. Ava never meant it to be like this.”

“You know Ava?” Liz gasped in shock. Ava was the name of the woman who had cursed Max over a century ago, “How is that possible, unless you are over 500 years old as well?” Liz was so confused because not an ounce of this was making sense.

“Trust me Liz; I’m much older than that. I knew Ava because I existed before her and I exist after her. Look, we haven’t got time for this. I need you to know that you are in danger and your associates in the jungle are making the situation worse. I am amazed Max has held on as long as he has. I think it is his hopes that maybe he will find his brothers one day that has held him to his human form these last 10 years. Max’s body cannot sustain the changes like it used to and every day that passes Max becomes more animal. If the curse is not broken soon there will be no stopping him.” Regan explained

“Is there any way to keep him from going completely over?” Liz asked the talking panther.

“He needs to embrace his human side. He has spent so much time as an animal and he remains that way because he feels like it is his punishment for all the wrongs he committed over his short life, but it was never meant to be that. Ava was trying to give him a second chance.” Regan said with a hint of regret in her voice.

“A second chance at what?” Liz asked. Then along the edge of the clearing they both heard a rustling of the bushes and Regan sniffed the air, and then tensed.

“He is coming back. You cannot tell Max anything I have told you no matter what. You need to watch your back and keep Max away from your associates. Remind him what it means to be human. All things will be reveled in good time Liz Parker, until then this is our little secret,” Regan told her in hushed tones. The only thing Liz could do was nod her head at the panther. Regan stalked off and passed Max as he came out of the clearing, dragging an antelope carcass I his mouth.

“I hope you and Liz were getting along,” Max asked her through their link.

“I didn’t eat her is that’s what your asking,” Regan replied coolly.

“Watch it Regan,” Max snarled at her. He didn’t like her attitude when it came to Liz and he wanted Regan to be sure that she understood that he would protect Liz no matter what.

“I promise I played nice,” Regan threw at him, “Oh, and I don’t think she’ll find you dragging home a dead animal that you so clearly killed all that attractive. You might try dropping it before you approach her.”

“Oh,” was all Max said as the antelope’s neck slipped from his mouth at the edge of the clearing. He wasn’t sure why that would upset Liz, considering he killed it for her and that was his role as a male, wasn’t it.

“I’d take a dip in the pond too,” Regan said as she walked off, “No woman likes her man to return home sweaty and covered in blood.” With that, Regan faded into the underbrush and left Max to face Liz.

-------------------------------------------

Liz watched the exchange between the 2 and wondered what if anything was being said. Liz had seen that Max had been dragging something, but it had dropped out of sight before she had gotten a good look at it. It looked like the 2 were conversing in silence making Liz doubt what Regan had told her that Max didn’t know Regan could talk. Maybe Regan had been lying to her the whole time or maybe there were other things at work here. Liz had no idea, but she was going to find out.

Max wadded into the pond and swam around for a few minutes, then climbed up out of the pond to shake the water off his thick coat. Liz looked up at him in awe. The sheer power he held in his animal form was breathtaking. Then again, Liz had thought the same thing about him in his human form. Nothing, man or beast rivaled Max Evans.

The last rays of the sun dipped below the horizon just as Max shook the last of the water from his pelt and the change over took him as he slipped back into his human form. Liz watched as his fur turned to tanned skin and his body reshaped into the man who now captivated her soul and ruled her dreams.

Max stood before her in the moonlight, gloriously naked and freshly washed from his dip in the pond. His body still glistened slightly, defining his already bulging muscles and drawing attention to his godlike physique. Liz drew in a sharp breath at the sight before, knowing she had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life.

Her eyes shamelessly flowed down his body, from his damp black hair to his strong and handsome face, then to his broad chest and flat, well toned stomach. He had thin hips and long, well muscled legs supported by large feet. Her eyes couldn’t help but stray to that part of his body that made him so irrevocably male and when she looked at his heavy erection, her eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets. The man was huge and under her perusal, it seemed like he was growing. Liz unconsciously licked her lips.

“I take it you like what you see?” Max asked her with a voice full of self assured arrogance. Max had always known he was a good looking man. Heck, when he had been a man full time, the women had fallen all over themselves just to tell him how handsome he was. Then again, it was that same attitude that had gotten him into trouble so long ago.

“I, umm…”Liz turned her head away, blushing beet red at his comment. She hadn’t meant to stare, but when you have a sight like that before you, there is no possible way for you to tear your gaze away. Liz heard his deep male chuckle and then heard him walk over the pile of clothes that were sitting near the entrance of the cave. She heard the distinct sound of jeans being zipped and thought it was safe to look up.

She was dead wrong. Max stood there with his jeans riding low on his hips without a shirt on and he looked more tempting in just that than his did before completely naked. The problem for Liz was that she desperately wanted to run over, rip his pants back off and get him naked again. If she died right then, she was content to know she had seen the most beautiful sight in the whole world, and that sight was a naked Max Evans.

“I was going to cook a little dinner. Care to join me?” Max asked as he started a fire along the shore of the pond. He looked over at Liz, who was still blushing profusely from his earlier nakedness and found it to be overwhelmingly sexy. The color made her look young and innocent and unbelievably tempting all that the same time. What he wouldn’t give to have Liz Parker, even if it was just for one night, because he knew that was all he would ever get.

Liz Parker could never truly be his. He could not condemn her to his half life, living out in the middle of no where. Liz Parker was a doctor who had done great things for mankind, or so he had gathered. She had told him all about her studies and the amazing discoveries she had made. The world needed Liz Parker and even if he needed her more, it wasn’t his right to keep her. He was cursed and needed to learn to live without her. He had survived 510 years here in the jungle without her and even though the thought hurt him more than anything else ever had, he would have to preserver after she left.

Liz moved over by him and sat down by the fire. His golden skin reflected the light that was steadily growing from the newly lit fire. He looked so primal and raw with no shirt on and his tight muscles. He was like her very own Tarzan, but with a new twist. Liz shook her head at that thought. No need to parallel this situation with another just as ludicrous tale.

“What are we having?” Liz asked, trying to focus on something as normal as food and eating dinner. At least that was slightly normal.

“I took down an antelope today. Looked tasty,” Max told her with a grin.

Liz’s only thought was that normal had totally just left the building.

TBC…

[Strawberry Shortcake 17]

Hello everyone,

I am so sorry for not posting anything in the fic for so long. College and life totally got the est of me these last few months. College is a pretencious time hog and should be put in it's place. I have a new part like minutes away from being finished, I just haven't finished it yet. Thank you so much for watching this fic and bumping it. It reminds me that there are people waiting for me to get my butt in gear. Thanks gang!

I'll be back soon. I promise!

Much love,

Katie