Hi, Everyone:
I'm baaack! You've all been asking some really great questions. So I hope this next part answers at least some of them. If it doesn't, I look forward to hearing from you again.
Now, here goes. Hope you like it.
Part 16
“I know you have a lot of questions. I will try to answer them as well as I can.”
Just as she finished her sentence, Michael came rushing into the house, afraid of what he would find, only to see a stranger calmly speaking to his sister.
“It’s okay, Michael. Serena took care of things.”
Before Michael could say a word, the woman said, “Let me explain everything to you both.”
For the next hour or so, Serena explained as much as she could, beginning with how she seemed to know Liz was in danger. She began by telling the story of the little girl who had been abducted all those years ago by aliens. Of course, this story in itself was news to Michael, since neither Isabel nor Max had had a chance to tell him anything about Liz yet.
“I tried to protect her childlike mind from the trauma she’d undergone, but I didn’t have any experience to know to what degree I’d need to do that. So I wasn’t sure whether or not it would be enough for her. For years since then, though, the transmitter had never been activated. So I was certain she was all right. Only recently, however, the transmitter has been sending out signals. I knew it would only be a matter of time before Khivar and Nicholas became aware of the transmitter’s activation and found the girl. For that matter, I couldn’t be sure if it was they who had somehow activated it. I’ve been tracking it ever since the signals began, finally narrowing it down to here. Which means, if I’ve located her, Khivar and Nicholas won’t be far behind.”
When Serena paused, Isabel spoke up. “But what would make the transmitter not start giving off signals until now?”
“I don’t know how to answer that. Maybe if you could fill me in on how you met this young woman, that might help.”
So Isabel went on to explain everything she and Max had learned about Liz, starting with how they had learned she was abducted, and then how Max had been her first contact after being returned to Earth. Again, this was all news to Michael. He could only sit in stunned silence, listening to the two women.
Suddenly, everything became clear to Serena. She now understood why Max was experiencing the heightened need to mate with Liz, and went on to explain.
“When Max healed Liz, he marked her as his own.”
“What does that mean exactly?”
“It means he’ll do whatever it takes to mate with her.”
“But how was it possible for him to mark her? Max was only a child when he did that,” Isabel said.
“When our people mark each other, it is for life, regardless of their ages. Of course, since Max was so young and was not reared on Antar, he had no way of knowing the implications of what he’d done. Just as human children don’t develop all the emotional and physical attributes related to procreation until they are older, it is the same for Antarian children. That imprint for procreation remained dormant in him until – well, in his case, it remained dormant until Liz came back into his life. As soon as they made the initial physical contact, though, even something as simple as shaking hands, the imprint became active.”
“How long will that imprint rule him, as it did tonight?” Isabel asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
“I’m afraid there is no cure for it, if that’s what you’re asking. The only cure, if you can call it that, is for him to mate. Now he’ll stop at nothing to accomplish that goal. That’s why it’s imperative that you get Liz out of here tonight. She’s no longer safe around Max. Even though, based on what I know of you and your family, he comes from one of the most honorable families on Antar, he cannot control that imprint. It is a part of him.”
Before either Isabel or Michael had a chance to ask any questions, they heard another voice. “And what will happen to Max if he does not mate?” It was Liz’s voice. Unknown to the three, she had been conscious enough to hear the entire discussion, and now understood more about what had been happening to her as well.
“Liz, how much have you heard?” Serena asked.
“Everything.”
“I’m sorry you had to find out about Max and the others this way.”
Liz would not be deterred. “Answer my question. What will happen to Max?”
Knowing they’d have to find out sooner or later, she simply said, “He’ll die.”
“What?!!!” Isabel gasped.
“Isn’t there anything that can be done?” Michael finally asked.
Before Serena could respond, though, Liz again spoke. “Yes, there is. I’ll mate with him.”
“Liz, you don’t know what you’re saying. We have no way of knowing if there will be any side effects that may result from such a union.”
“You mean with humans?” Liz asked.
Serena could only nod affirmatively.
“Well, perhaps there’s something you don’t seem to understand. If we don’t mate, I think I may die as well.”
“Why would you think that?” Serena asked.
“Because I’ve been feeling ill myself recently. It’s only when I’m in contact with Max that I don’t feel ill.”
As she spoke, Isabel was remembering how she’d seen Liz earlier in a fetal position, with beads of sweat on her brow. Remembering that, she spoke up and related what she’d seen.
“But, Liz, there’s so much more connected with such a union besides the physical aspects of it. You can’t possibly comprehend the complications involved,” Serena said, half hopeful, half fearful of the possible consequences.
“I know you’re right about that. But at this point, if we don’t, Max and I will both die. That’s a certainty.”
Knowing it would be useless to try dissuading her, Serena said, “There’s nothing else to be said, then.”
“Actually, I do have one request. Since we are on Earth, I’d like to feel some semblance of ‘normalcy’ in all this chaos. So I’d want us to at least be married.”
“But Max is in no condition for that,” Isabel said.
“All I’m asking is for us to be married by a justice of the peace. That should not take long to arrange.”
“As a matter of fact, I have a contact who can fill in for that, and take care of all the necessary paperwork,” Serena offered.
“Then we need to do it immediately, for both our sakes,” Liz said.
Michael and Isabel felt helpless. There was nothing they could do for their friend and brother but to do what was asked. They only hoped Max would forgive them for not discussing it with him first.
Just as Liz had thought, she too was failing fast. She knew she would not be able to hold on much longer without Max. Fortunately, Serena was true to her word. Within a matter of hours, the ceremony had taken place. She and Max both looked like death warmed over. So Liz was grateful that it was over within a matter of minutes. No one understood why it was that Liz at this point in time seemed to be the stronger of the two, but no one questioned it. As soon as they’d said their ‘I do’s’, Liz mustered up what energy she could and shooed everyone out of the house. Even Isabel felt it would be better if she spent the next several days at Michael’s, knowing Max and Liz would have a lot they’d have to come to terms with on their own.
*****
The next morning, Max awoke to find himself lying snuggled up to a nice warm body, and all he wanted to do was go back to sleep. But suddenly it dawned on him he had no clothes on, and neither did the body lying so perfectly fitted next to him. Startled by this realization, he immediately began trying to untangle his body from the one next to him so he could figure out what was going on. Needless to say, he was completely startled to hear Liz’s voice whispering into his ear.
“It’s okay, Max. It’s only me,” she softly said.
“Liz, what’s going on? What happened last night?” he asked, afraid he’d done something he shouldn’t have.
“You don’t remember?”
“No, not a thing.”
“We got married.”
“We what?!!! But why would we do that?”
“I guess I need to fill you in, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess so,” he said, as he tried to be as discreet as possible in putting some space between him and Liz.
“You and I almost died last night.”
“What?”
So Liz went on to reveal to him all the events of the preceding night, all the while missing the gentle caress Max had held her in when he was sleeping.
When she finished, she asked, “Do you have any questions?”
“Only one,” he said, as he gently caressed her cheek. “Did I hurt you in any way?”
She gently raised her hand to his wrist and, holding it, said, “No, Max. Nothing happened between us last night.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. I’ve been awake the entire time.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to make sure you made it through the night,” she responded, as she gently moved the hair that was hiding Max’s amber eyes.
Max was so deeply affected by this young woman, especially after learning she’d been awake all night, watching over him. “Liz, you need to get some rest now. Let me watch over you this time.”
“Do you feel well enough?”
“Oh, yeah,” he said, as he gently pulled her closer to him, so he could once again feel the warmth of her nearness. Within a minute or so, Liz was fast asleep, with her head resting in the curve of his arm. Max gently kissed the top of her head and lay there patiently for the next several hours, until Liz awoke, watching her and holding her tenderly as she slept.
*****
Liz awoke five or six hours later from the most peaceful sleep she could ever remember having, with no dreams. When she opened her eyes, it was to see a pair of beautiful amber eyes staring down at her.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Max said, as she opened her eyes.
“Do you really think that? You’re not just saying that because….?”
“I’ve thought that since the first time I laid eyes on you.”
Liz became uncomfortable at hearing his flattery. She’d never thought of herself as beautiful, and she was having a really hard time believing Max’s words. She couldn’t help but wonder if it was just his way of beginning his seduction, with only one goal in mind, especially after having already been told by Serena how powerful Max’s imprint was.
Liz didn’t respond to his words. Instead, the expression on her face was that of uneasiness. It dawned on Max that Liz didn’t believe his words, that perhaps he was just feeding her a line.
“You don’t believe that I really feel that way about you, do you?” he quietly said.
Tears of sadness began trickling down her face as she quietly shook her head in the negative.
“Will you allow me to show you?” he pleaded.
“But how…”
Before Liz could finish her question, Max lowered his lips to hers and ever so slowly began kissing her, all the while hoping he’d be able to reverse the connection so that she could experience all the love he’d felt for her in the last few weeks. When he’d finished thoroughly kissing her, he pulled slightly away to try gauging her reaction. “Did it work?” he asked
“I saw things, Max! I saw the very first time you found me in the woods. I saw when you were in school and the girls would try to get you to go out with them. But you wouldn’t. You’ve only ever thought of one girl all these years, that little girl in the woods – me. And then, when we first met, you felt a connection with me, but you didn’t understand why.”
As Liz was recounting just some of the flashes Max had shared with her, she became so overwhelmed by the affection he’d revealed to her that tears once again began streaming down her face.
“Please don’t cry, Liz. I didn’t share those things with you to make you cry,” Max said, as he tenderly began trying to wipe away her tears.
“I’m sorry, Max,” she said, in broken sobs. “It’s just that I never imagined anyone could ever feel the affection for me that you just shared. I never thought it was possible,” she finished, lowering her head toward her chest.
Max once again raised his hand to her cheek, continuing to wipe away her tears. “Liz, there’s something else I want you to know that you didn’t see in the flashes.”
Max’s words were broken up and in halting phrases as he spoke.
“What is it, Max?” Liz asked, feeling uneasy about what else she didn’t know.
“I’m not sure how you’re going to feel about it,” he quietly said.
“It can’t be that bad.”
He looked directly into her eyes and said, “Oh, it’s not bad – that is, I don’t think so.”
“Well, then, what is it?”
“I’m in love with you, Liz. I have been for quite some time now.”
“You – you’re not just saying that to” –
“To what, Liz?”
“Max, I didn’t tell you everything either. The things that were said last night, there was something I left out.”
“What is it, Liz?” he asked.
Liz tearfully continued, “Serena said something about the imprint, Max. She said I was in danger because you’d stop at nothing to mate with me. That was why Isabel found us in the compromising position she did.”
Although Max was stunned to learn what Serena had said, he was completely embarrassed to learn that Isabel had observed him at a time when he was not in control of himself. But at this point, he tried to focus back to Liz’s emotions and what her concerns were.
“Are you afraid I’m going to force you to make love to me?” he chokingly asked.
Liz tearfully looked directly at Max. “No, Max, it’s not that. The truth is, I guess I’m afraid that it’s not really me you want but” –
Before she could finish, Max again kissed her, this time sharing with her the thoughts he’d had just days earlier….
‘I love you so much it hurts. I wish I could tell you that, but it’s too soon. Please hang on. Please hang on.’
Max lingered in the kiss after sharing that flash with her, wanting so desperately to give her the love he knew she needed. But now, knowing what her fears and concerns were, he was afraid he’d push her further away if he tried to initiate anything further than a kiss. Moments later, he reluctantly pulled away from her, hoping she wouldn’t be angry with him for even just kissing her. After he’d pulled away, he watched her for several seconds, waiting to see how she’d respond.
Liz lay there momentarily after the kiss, with her eyes closed. Suddenly she jerked, almost as if she’d just come out of a daze. When she opened her eyes, she immediately searched out Max’s eyes. Touching her hand to his cheek, she said, “Oh, Max, I love you too, so much. I think I have ever since we met on the plane.” And before Max could respond, she pulled Max toward her and kissed him deeply.
When they broke apart out of necessity, Max held both his hands to her face, saying, “I think somewhere deep inside me I felt it when you slept with your head on my shoulder during that flight.” Then he pulled her face toward him and returned the deep, scorching kiss. Within moments, even as they continued kissing, their hands began to wander, exploring one another’s bodies, and things progressed naturally from that point on.
TBC
