Roswell Fanatics

Well guys, it has been a long, emotional ride. Thanks for hanging in there and the continual support, debate and feedback. It has been great, and even a bit surprising that this story was so well accepted. Thank you all for reading.

Timelord31
vampyrax
luvfanfic
Michelle in Yonkers
kissme4ever123
su-lyn
icequeen
begonia9508
behrstars
WomanofMystery
Bri+Jason2830
frenchkiss70
Erina
mlover25
desdimona
aurorasky
& of course my babe Ellie



I just wanted to make one further clarification before we begin.

In this story Max is not irredeemably evil. That is why Liz is bothering to go back and change things.

His past self and his ancestors were not genetically evil, they were driven to it by the influence of the Granolith. And Max was pushed in that direction not only by the Granolith but by the influence of his past self coming through.

Before any of that happened Max was a good man and Liz believed that he was meant to be good. That is why she killed him and that is why she has gone back to erase every trace of anything alien that could bring his past back to him.

No one starts out evil. They make choices based on events in their life. Liz is taking away the events that she knows pushed Max in that direction.

Max wasn't deliberately evil, he didn't set out to hurt anyone. He was simply overcome by outside influences that he couldn't fight against. And Liz is doing anything she has to do to save him. Remember she is also under the same influences that she received from Max through their bond.


And now, short and sweet, the final part.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


PART 20


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


(October 12th, 1999)

When Max awoke he went searching for Isabel and found her in the kitchen having breakfast with their parents. He was so excited that he could hardly keep still but he forced himself to take a seat at the table and concentrate on eating.

Not long afterward their parents rose from the table.

“We’re going shopping,” Diane said. “We’ll be gone for a few hours. Do either of you want to come?”

Max and Isabel both shook their heads.

Diane smiled and kissed them both. “Okay, have a good day.”

Philip opened the door to go outside and met Michael coming in.

“Hey,” Michael greeted them.

“See you later, Michael,” Diane and Philip said, closing the door behind them.

Max looked at Isabel and Michael and saw the same stunned expressions on their faces. “You both had the dream too.”

Isabel and Michael nodded.

The TV was on in the background but no one was paying attention to the news bulletin.


“Last night the small town of Copper Summit, Arizona, and all of its one-hundred and twenty residents, was completely destroyed in a freak explosion. Authorities say the first indications are that flammable gases built up in old mine tunnels that riddle the area…”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz watched Max, Isabel and Michael through the kitchen window. She wished that she could hear the conversation as they discussed the vision she had given them, but the incredulous look on Michael’s face spoke volumes.

Liz smiled, thinking of the vision she had placed in their minds. She had used the image that Max’s real mother had used in the message in orbs, a beautiful woman surrounded by shining, heavenly light, making her appear as an angel, and Liz had added the image of an equally ethereal man.

With a soft voice the woman told them of their past and their destiny.


“My children, you are not from this world. Our planet was destroyed in a millennium-long war with our enemies, and you are the last of our kind. We, your parents, placed this message in your minds to be activated when you came of age to understand. But unfortunately by the time you receive the message we will have been long dead, and will never have the opportunity to know you.”

“My sons and daughter, you have the powers of our people, and each of you have a different gift. My daughter you have the power to enter minds and alter dreams. My younger son, you have the power of destruction, and my elder son you have the power to heal. Learn how to use these gifts well, how to control them, so you can live among the humans undetected.”

“We brought you to Earth and gave you half-human bodies so that you might have a chance at life. Find human mates who you can trust, who are worthy of your love, and make a life, have children of your own, and be happy.”

“We love you very much, our children, and wish you joy for the future.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


An hour later Max headed for the Jeep.

Liz followed him, unsurprised when he drove straight to the Crashdown. He parked and glanced inside the restaurant, and when he didn’t see her younger self inside, he crossed to the ladder and climbed up.

Liz stood in the alley below and listened as Max knocked on the window.

She heard her younger self greet him. “Hey Max. What are you doing here?”

“It’s incredible Liz,” she heard Max say. “I had this dream last night. A vision.”

Her younger self sounded confused. “A vision?”

Max explained. “It was implanted into the three of us by our parents, our real parents, and activated when we got old enough to understand. We were sent here from a dead planet to make a life, to find love. It said we can be together Liz. That’s why I was sent here and was born at this time. To be with you. To love you. I believe with everything that’s in me that we were meant to be together. That’s why you were shot, so I could heal you and show you my true self. It’s destiny.”

In the alley below Liz smiled as she heard the unmistakable sounds of kissing from the balcony. There was nothing standing between Max and Liz now.

She remembered that this was the night she and her Max had gone to see River Dog, one of the key elements that had set the whole mess in motion. But that would never happen to this Max and Liz. She had seen to it.

Once she had believed that she couldn’t control everything, she couldn’t fix everything, but that was before. This time she had all the facts, all the power. Unlike Future Max, she hadn’t focused on one item, or one event. She had erased the path to the alien’s past, the path to Antar that had ruined everything. Granted she didn’t know exactly what would happen in the future but somehow she had a feeling that everything would turn out the way it should, and Max and Liz and everyone else would live happily ever after.

She only had one final task.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


(The Pod Chamber)

From her bag Liz emptied all of the alien artifacts she had gathered onto the floor of the Granolith chamber, the healing stones, Atherton’s necklace, the alien book, the chevron-shaped amplifier, and the orb, almost everything that had come from Antar. She knew there was another orb locked in the Special Unit’s vault but it didn’t matter. It would never see the light of day, and more importantly Max, Isabel and Michael would never know about it.

Liz passed her hand over the artifacts, using her powers to super-heat them, melting them into the rocky floor. Briefly she wondered what her fate would be and a shiver of fear passed through her, but she pushed it aside. She had done terrible things to save them all, but she would do them all again. She had done what was necessary.

Max, Michael and Isabel would never remember their real past without help, they would never take dangerous risks to discover the truth, and no one would ever hunt them. She had given them a past, a history and a destiny. They would be content and feel free to live their lives and find happiness. And most importantly Max would grow into the good man that Liz knew he was destined to be.

And it was destiny, Liz believed that wholeheartedly. Something had caused her visions of how to save Max and somehow she just knew her plan would work. Technically she should have disappeared when she had destroyed the photo and key in Valenti’s files. That single act would have majorly altered the future, but she had known she would be able to continue. Whether it was intuition, or her powers, or destiny, Liz had believed in it enough to know she would be successful. It had taken three lifetimes on two different planets and the alteration of two different timelines, it had cost the lives of millions, and quite probably her own soul, but finally everything was as it should be.

Taking a control crystal out of her pocket, Liz inserted it into the base of the Granolith. Sighing with relief, she sat down on the floor and waited as the machine whirred to life. She had set the Granolith to self-destruct, and with it the pod chamber, and herself, and any vestiges of the aliens’ past would be destroyed.

Liz could feel the power in the room building with every moment, and the glow from the Granolith increased in brightness until Liz was forced to close her eyes against it. The amount of power pressing against her was like a physical object and it was becoming hard for her to breath. It was only a matter of moments until it was all over.



Spend all your time waiting
for that second chance
for a break that would make it okay
there's always one reason
to feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day



Liz thought of her younger, more innocent self just a few miles away. Three years ago she would never even have considered doing half the things she had done. She knew Max’s past life and the Granolith had posioned her too, twisting her judgement. But she had to admit that the evil growing inside her had made it easier for her to do what was needed to save them all, to save Max.

She allowed herself to think about her Max for one of the first times since she had killed him.

Everything she had done, she had done for him.

Liz had vowed to Max again and again that she would do anything for him and she had proved it. She had done terrible things, killed innocent, good people, the Skin army, Ava and Zan. And it had all been for completely selfish reasons, but she didn’t care. It had all been for her love, for Max.

She had systematically destroyed everything and everyone who could possibly lead the aliens back to their past and into danger. And now she was destroying the source of all the evil.

Without the influence of the Granolith’s malignant energy, without the memories of his other life, Max would continue to be the wonderful, gentle man she had fallen in love with. He would never know the pain of betrayal, the sorrow of losing his friends and family, he would never have to go to war, and he would never have to make the decision to torture and kill to protect them.

None of them would.

And as if her thoughts had conjured him, suddenly Max was before her.



I need some distraction
oh beautiful release
memory seeps from my veins
let me be empty
and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight



Immediately their connection flared back to life as they stood looking at one another, and Liz felt his emotions flood through her. She thought he would be furious because she’d killed him, but all she felt was his overwhelming love burning brightly.



in the arms of the angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there



Max’s eyes met hers and he smiled as he reached his upturned hand out toward her.

Liz didn’t hesitate and placed her hand in his. At Max’s side was where she belonged, no matter where it led her.



so tired of the straight line
and everywhere you turn
there's vultures and thieves at your back
and the storm keeps on twisting
you keep on building the lie
that you make up for all that you lack
it don't make no difference
escaping one last time
it's easier to believe in this sweet madness
oh this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees



Max enfolded her in his strong arms and gently placed a kiss on her forehead. I love you Liz, he said through their connection.

Liz leaned into him, wrapping her arms around him and sighing in contentment, finally home. I love you too.

They would probably go to hell for all of the things they had done, she thought to herself, but at least they’d be together.

Forever.



in the arms of the angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here



The light from the Granolith flared to an impossible level and then everything went black.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


(Liz’s Balcony)

Max held Liz in his arms as they lay in her recliner, both of them just content to be together. He placed a soft kiss on her head and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. For the first time in his life he felt whole and perfectly content. He had never wanted anything more than to be with her, and the vision from his parents had made all of his dreams come true.

A sudden flash of light in the distance drew Max and Liz’s attention.

“What was that?” Liz asked.

Max shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said with a smile. “All of my attention was focused elsewhere.”

Liz smiled at him and Max felt his heart skip a beat. He smiled back, touching her face gently. “But I think it must have been a shooting star,” he said solemnly. “A sign from the heavens that were meant to be together.”

Liz touched his face. “So if you can read the stars Max Evans, tell me, what’s my destiny?”

Max sighed and leaned down, closing the distance between them. “I don’t know exactly what will happen. I can only tell you the parts I’m hoping for,” he whispered. “But no matter what, I’m sure the story ends with happily ever after,” he promised, and he sealed his words with a kiss.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


THE END? Or is it?


How about a do-over?

I love the fact that the same event could be interperted many different ways. That is what inspired to write this story in the first place. And like any good mystery I threw in a few red herrings to hopefully keep the reader off balance. But somewhere in the middle of writing this, my mind started to explore some of those other posibilities.

Have you ever read a story and wished it would go a different direction, or thought of a different ending? As a writer I often come up several different scenarios and endings even for my own stories, like a choose-your-own-adventure if you will. I mentioned this to my beta Ellie and she suggested I should write the other endings for this story.

So I did.

Starting next week I will post the first of the alt endings.

And don’t worry babes, in all of these alt endings Max is good.

Thanks for hanging in there with me guys! Glad I haven’t scared you away.

Timelord31
aurorasky
vampyrax
begonia9508
frenchkiss70
WomanofMystery
Erina
kissme4ever123
su-lyn
83 AlienAngel
janesdilemma
Michelle in Yonkers
Ellie


Here we go!


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Soaring With Angels
Alternate Ending #1

Author’s Note:

The end? Or is it?

How about a do-over?

I love the fact that the same event could be interpreted many different ways. That is what inspired to write this story in the first place. And like any good mystery I threw in a few red herrings to hopefully keep the reader off balance. But somewhere in the middle of writing this, my mind started to explore some of those other possibilities.

Have you ever read a story and wished it would go a different direction or thought of a different ending? As a writer I often come up several different scenarios and endings even for my own stories, like a-choose-your-own adventure if you will. I mentioned it to my beta Ellie and she suggested I should write the other endings for this story.

So here goes.

To quote the movie Clue - “That’s how it could have happened. But how about this…”



Summary: This ending starts after the gang has arrived on Antar, and Max, Michael and Liz have just caught Isabel sneaking away. I’m starting with that scene to help the reader get their bearings and to set the mood.

Everything in Soaring has happened up to this point. Max’s parents were killed, Max killed Lonni, Rath, Tess and the Skins, Isabel has been colluding with Khivar and they have lured Michael, Max and Liz to Antar. There is one change. During the fight with the Skins at the mall, Michael accidentally shot and killed Maria when she jumped in front of him.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Part 1


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


(Antar)
(The headquarters for Max’s followers)

For Isabel the dinner and the conversation seemed to last forever. She, Max and Michael told their mother and the others about their life on Earth, from the time they came out of the pods until they left in the ship. Their story was interrupted by many questions from their audience, drawing the dinner out even longer. It was late when the group finally broke for the night and Isabel was taken to a room, but she’d been planning to wait for dark to make her move anyway.

She had kept the small tracer that Khivar had given her in her pocket, fearful it might be discovered in her luggage. Many times during the long evening she had reached into her pocket to feel it’s reassuring presence and curb her increasing nervousness. She had wanted to simply lead the group into a trap when they landed, rigging the ship to take them to a place where they would be intercepted by Khivar’s troops, but she deferred to Khivar’s experience. Khivar had been worried that not only might Max or Michael figure a way to change the ships’ destination, or use the Granolith against them, but they might also suspect Isabel of collusion.

So Isabel waited in her room, pacing back and forth, until the house had been quiet a couple of hours. Every moment had seemed to last an eternity and her stomach was rumbling with nervous butterflies, but finally it was time.

She took a deep breath, pushed open the door and stepped out into the hall. Her instinct was to hide, and sneak stealthily through the house, but that would look suspicious. So Isabel squared her shoulders and strode quietly but confidently through the ornate hallway, down the main staircase and out the door. If anyone caught her, she could simply say she was taking a walk to clear her head, but luckily she saw no one.

Khivar had suggested she leave the house before activating the tracer, not only because it might be found if she activated too early, but also to make sure she was clear before his troops arrived. And Isabel followed his instructions, trusting him completely to do what was best for her. Once she was outside, she walked through the gardens toward the fountain and sat down on one of the benches.

Isabel felt a pang of guilt about what might happen to her mother, after they had just been reunited, but one of the things that Khivar had showed her about her other life was how her mother had always favored Zan. Her brother was Kasha’s golden boy, her pride and joy, and from the day he had been born, everyone, especially her mother had made Vilondra aware that she was second in importance to Zan.

Vilondra had always envied her brother because of it, and Isabel had seen it starting again in just the few hours they had been on Antar. Throughout dinner their mother had fawned over Max, asking him everything about his life in great detail, but Kasha had barely acknowledged Isabel’s presence other than their initial greeting. And when it was time to retire for the evening, her mother had said a brief good night to her, but eagerly accompanied Max and Liz to their room.

As Isabel contemplated the events of the evening she looked around to make sure she was alone and listened carefully for any alarms. When none sounded for a handful of minutes, she took the tracer from her pocket, activated it and pressed it to the underside of the bench.

Looking around one last time, Isabel moved slowly toward the large fence enclosing the property. She had to walk across open ground to reach it, and with each step she feared she would be discovered, but finally she arrived and released a deep shuddering, tension-filled breath. It was almost over and she and Khivar would finally be together and safe.

She had chosen an area where the fence was shaded by the nearby trees and used her powers to cut a hole in the fence’s links. The fence was extremely hard for her to manipulate and she wondered vaguely what it was made of. She was forced to use her powers like a blowtorch, super-heating each link of the metal and bending it aside, wasting precious minutes. Several times Isabel heard sounds and she looked around anxiously, fearing she would be discovered.

It had probably only been ten minutes, but it seemed like an eternity when she finally finished. She had made a hole in the fence just big enough for her to exit, and was about to duck though when a familiar voice surprised her.

“Where are you going, Isabel?” Max asked.

She whirled toward him, quickly pasting a smile on her face. “I’m just going for a walk.”

Max motioned behind her, “Through the fence?”

Michael and Liz emerged from the dark and stepped forward to stand next to Max.

“Or,” Max continued, “are you escaping to meet your lover while his troops come to capture us?”

Isabel shook her head. “Of course not Max. You can’t think that I’m with Khivar.” She turned to Michael and then Liz. “You don’t think that, do you?”

Liz shook her head as a tear escaped her eye. “How could you Isabel? How could you, of all people betray us, betray your family?”

“It’s not true,” Isabel said anxiously.

“How stupid do you think we are?” Max growled. “The missed practices, always being gone at just the right time, the Skins always knowing exactly where to find us, Liz’s vision about you and Khivar. And the so convenient dreams you had where Khivar offers us a ship, with the Granolith, just waiting to take us to Antar.” Max shook his head. “There were just too many coincidences.”

Isabel shook her head.

Michael stepped forward. “Max suspected you before we left Earth but I didn’t want to believe him.” He motioned around them. “So we set up this whole thing. This isn’t the resistance headquarters Isabel, it’s just a test to see what you’d do.” He held up the transmitter Khivar had given her. “I’ve been following you, Isabel. I saw you plant this.”

Isabel stood to her full height, knowing it was useless to deny the truth. She raised her chin stubbornly and met Max’s eyes. “You’re right. I led you into a trap. Khivar and his troops will be here any minute.”

Max shook his head. “Killing me is one thing,” he said angrily, “but you were going to kill Michael and Liz.”

Isabel turned her gaze to Liz and Michael. “I tried to get you both not to come, but you wouldn’t listen. Max has to die, but…”

“Shut up, you traitorous bitch!” Michael growled as he stretched out his hand toward her.

A voice came from Max’s communicator. “Your Majesty, we must leave now, Khivar’s ships are approaching.”

With a gasp Isabel saw a silent ship decloak behind them and land softly.

“What do you want to do with her?” Michael asked.

Max held Isabel’s eyes. “If you do this and leave now, you can never come back. I’ll never forgive you.”

For a moment Isabel seemed to hesitate and then she slowly backed toward the fence.

“Max?” Michael asked, waiting for his command.

A muscle twitched in Max’s jaw as his scowl deepened. “Let her go,” he growled.

Isabel turned, ducked through the fence and ran.

Max watched her until Liz’s hand on his arm drew his attention.

“We have to go, Max,” she said softly.

Turning his back decisively, Max put an arm around Liz and together they went into the ship. They walked to a window in the control room and stood silent as the ship lifted off.

Liz wrapped her arm around Max and leaned into him as she spoke to him through their connection. I’m so sorry Max.

Max tightened his arm around Liz and he placed his chin on her head. I knew it was true, he said in her mind, but I didn’t want to believe that Isabel would really turn us over to Khivar. He shook his head. But I planned this to work to our advantage even if Isabel did betray us. While Khivar is distracted sending his troops to kill us, we’ll use the Granolith to destroy them and hopefully Khivar too.

Max showed no outward sign of what he was feeling and Liz knew it was because he was trying to play the part of the King his people expected, but she could feel his heartache and anger through their bond. He held her for long moments and Liz let all of her love and strength flow through their connection.

With a sigh Max placed a kiss on her head. “My mother, Jaetus and Michael are waiting for us with the Granolith.”

Liz nodded and Max kept his arm around her holding her against him as they left the command center. When they were alone in the corridor Liz spoke softly. “I’m so sorry about everything, Max.”

His arm tightened around her as he shook with emotion.

“Why didn’t you tell me you suspected Isabel?” Liz asked. “I could have helped you.”

Max shook his head. “I know how close you’ve been to Isabel, and I didn’t want to involve you if it wasn’t true.”

“You don’t have to protect me Max,” Liz said, pulling back far enough to look into his eyes, “not from yourself. I want you to share everything with me, the good and the bad.”

Max met her eyes and flinched. “I wanted to kill her, Liz,” he growled. “I was so angry.” He shook his head. “I still am. I can’t believe Isabel would betray us to Khivar.”

“Max…” Liz soothed, touching his chest.

But he cut her off, his rage apparent even in his soft tone. “First my former wife betrays us, and then my sister.” He motioned around them. “Am I destined to have everyone I know turn away from me?”

Liz touched his face forcing him to look at her. “I’ll never turn away from you, Max,” she promised fiercely. “No matter what happens, I’ll be there for you. I’ll do anything for you, face any danger, give my life to protect you.”

Max’s face softened as he took her face in his hands. “I know, Liz. I didn’t mean you. I’d never doubt you.”

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

Max embraced her and placed a kiss on her head. After a moment he spoke softly, “Let’s go end this, once and for all.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Michael stood next to the Granolith but he barely even saw it because of all the thoughts running through his mind. He missed Maria terribly and wished she was there with him, wanting to lose himself in her even if it was just a temporary fix.

But when he thought about Maria the pleasure was always mixed with pain, the conflicting thoughts and emotions practically overwhelming him. During the fight with the Skins at the mall, Maria had thrown herself if front of him and right into the path of one of his energy blasts. It had happened so fast that he’d been unable to do anything but watch helplessly as his power hit her squarely in the chest.

Intellectually he knew her death wasn’t his fault. He hadn’t meant to hit her, but that still didn’t lessen his feelings of guilt. She was dead and he had killed her.

But along with his guilt he also felt frustration about her senseless death. He didn’t know why Maria had thrown herself in front of him, possibly to protect him. But that explanation also caused him pain. It made him swell with pride and admiration that Maria had loved him so much that she had given her life to save his, but he also hated her for it.

How many times had he warned her not to get involved in alien matters? How many times had he warned her it wasn’t safe to be around him? And in the end he had been right. It was his power, his lack of control that had killed her. And he had to admit, her death was also in part due to Maria’s own stubborn determination and denial of the truth.

She had insisted on being with him and continued to refuse to accept what he was, preferring to only focus on his human half and ignore the alien part. And she hadn’t trusted in his strength enough to believe that he could save them. She hadn’t even taken the Skins attack seriously, hadn’t really considered them a threat obviously. Because instead of staying down behind the relative safety of the cars, she had put herself in harm’s way and lost her life. If she had only done what he said…

But blaming her made him feel even more guilty, frustrated and sad. The same thoughts and emotions had circled through his mind in the weeks since Maria had died and there never seemed to be a resolution, never any relief from the pain.

Liz had come to him the day after Maria died and tried to reassure him that she didn’t blame him.

“Michael,” she had said, “you know this wasn’t your fault.”

He shook his head, “I killed her, Liz.”

“It was an accident Michael,” Liz had continued. “You know how much Maria loved you and how stubborn and impulsive she was. She wouldn’t even have given it a second thought if she thought you were in trouble. Maria thought she was saving you. She wanted you to live.”

But Liz’s words hadn’t brought him any comfort either. He had wanted to ask her about his feelings concerning Maria’s lack of confidence in him. He had wanted to ask about Maria’s continual denial of his alien side. In the weeks before Maria’s death he had wondered if her feelings for him were diminishing, if she was questioning being with him. How could she love him if she didn’t accept him for what he was, if she didn’t respect him?

He wanted to know if Maria had spoken to Liz about their relationship, confided in her. But he didn’t want to upset Liz more with his questions and insecurities.

With an effort he pushed thoughts of Maria aside. The only thing that had helped was focusing on saving what was left of his family. But now that subject was almost as painful.

Isabel’s betrayal had affected him almost as much as it had Max, and Michael’s mind was still reeling with the implications.

Michael hadn’t wanted to believe Max when he had confided in him about it yesterday. Max had given Liz and Isabel the assignment of getting the house ready as an excuse to get Michael alone with Larek. And then he had told the two of them of his suspicions about his sister.

Michael would have said he trusted Isabel with his life but as Max laid out one piece after another of his suspicions, Michael’s faith in Isabel had been shaken. He’d readily agreed with Max’s plan that they should set up a test for Isabel. That way if they were wrong neither Liz nor Isabel would know of their mistrust.

Isabel hadn’t been left alone once they arrived on Antar until she had been taken to her room for the night. Michael had hidden in the hallway outside Isabel’s room, waiting for her to make a move but praying that she wouldn’t. And when she’d emerged and gone out into the night his worst nightmare had come true. Michael had signaled the waiting soldiers to search her room for a transmitter, and he’d followed Isabel silently through the grounds.

With a hollow heart, he had watched as Isabel withdrew a small device from her pocket and hid it under the bench. He had called Max to inform him that his suspicions were correct, and while everyone else was evacuated out the back of the house, Michael had followed Isabel to the fence. It had only taken a small amount of his powers to hinder her exit by increasing the strength of the fences’ links, and he’d stalled her long enough to allow Max and Liz to join him.

When they had confronted her, she’d denied it at first, but when she knew she was caught she’d admitted the betrayal defiantly. Michael had been shaken by her attitude more than her actions. And when she’d said she’d tried to spare himself and Liz, Michael had been even further enraged. Not only was she betraying her King, but her brother and her family, himself and Liz. They had loved and supported her, sharing her loss of Alex, who was taken from them by betrayal. And Isabel had obviously been colluding with the Skins when Maria had been killed.

Memories flashed through his mind of himself and Isabel together; sending the signal to Nasedo at the library, Isabel getting a Christmas gift for Maria because she knew he was too stubborn to do it, Isabel taking care of him when he got sick because his balance had been upset, him comforting her when Max was taken by the special unit, the two of them making plans together when they thought she was pregnant.

He couldn’t understand how Isabel could have turned away from them, from him. He and Isabel had been so close, they had been everything to each other for years, friends, confidents, almost siblings. But she had thrown all of that aside. Isabel had known and understood him like no one else ever had, even Maria. And Michael would have said he understood Isabel better than anyone, but obviously he hadn’t really known her at all. It made him hate her even more and he wanted her to pay for everything she had done.

Isabel’s betrayal would probably always haunt him, but it had made several things very clear. Max and Liz’s safety were his only priority. Nothing else mattered, and it only reinforced his commitment to them. No longer would his attention be divided, protecting them was his purpose, and he would do anything to make sure they were safe.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Isabel hid deep in the woods until she saw a group of ships fly over and then she activated the personal locator Khivar had given her. Within moments a ship landed near her, but Isabel stayed hidden until she saw Khivar emerge. She ran to him, throwing herself into his arms. “Oh Khivar I was so scared.”

Khivar held her shivering form close. “When we flew over it appeared that the manor is empty. Obviously Max discovered your betrayal.”

Isabel nodded. “Max suspected me before we left Earth and set up this whole thing to test me. I thought he was going to kill me.”

Khivar stroked her face. “Why did he let you go?”

Isabel shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Khivar’s communicator sounded. “Your Majesty, the manor is completely empty…”

Suddenly several huge explosions sounded, sending a fireball into the air and shaking the ground where they stood.

Khivar pulled Isabel to the ground, shielding her with his body. “What the hell was that?” he bellowed.

A soldier rushed toward them, bowing low. “Your Majesty, the manor blew-up. The whole thing was rigged with explosives. We lost three squads of men inside and several more outside.”

“Max led us into a trap,” Isabel said incredulously. “He planned this the whole time.”

Khivar shook his head as he helped her to her feet. “I’ll bet he was planning to use the power of the Granolith to enhance the explosions, hoping to kill us all.”

“But you got the Granolith back, right?” Isabel asked anxiously.

Khivar shook his head. “I programmed the Granolith to return to me, but Max must have discovered it and over-ridden my commands.”

“We don’t have the Granolith?” Isabel gasped. “What are we going to do? With that kind of power Max could…”

Khivar shook his head again as he put his finger to her lips cutting her off. “It’s okay my love,” he said. “Everything will be alright.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Kasha and Jaetus joined Michael in the room with the Granolith, and a moment later Max and Liz came in.

“What’s your plan?” Kasha asked Max.

Max motioned to the control crystal Jaetus held in his hand. “We use the Granolith to enhance the explosions at the mansion and hopefully take out Khivar too,” Max said.

“And if that doesn’t work?” Michael asked. “Isabel and Khivar need to pay for what they’ve done.”

Max nodded and opened his mouth to speak.

Suddenly a whirring sound emitted from the Granolith and the cone illuminated with an image of Isabel.

“Max,” Isabel’s image spoke, “I programmed the Granolith to play this message when you approached. I know you think that I have betrayed you to Khivar, but I haven’t. Vilondra turned against Zan, but I would never betray you Max, you have to believe that. But it is my fault that we’re in this mess because I’m the one who betrayed you to Khivar in our other life, so I had to be the one to fix it.”

Max, Liz and Michael looked around at each other with shocked expressions before the message continued.

“I have been with Khivar,” Isabel continued, “pretending to help him, but it was only to figure out how to stop him. I knew I could get close to him, and at least try to find out what he was planning. I was hoping I could just kill him myself but he is too powerful. Max maybe you could have defeated Khivar with all the power you’ve gained recently, but I didn’t want to take the chance with your life.”

Isabel shook her head. “I know it seems like I put you in danger, leading the Skins to you, but I had to make Khivar think I was loyal to him. So I used information I got from Khivar about our other life to help you. I placed suggestions in your mind, warned you, reminded you about your powers. I was trying to stall for as long as possible, hoping that either I could get the Granolith back or at least convince Khivar to leave us alone. But everything has gone so wrong and I’m so sorry.”

“But I can prove I’m on your side.” She motioned around her. “Khivar programmed the Granolith to return to him after we arrived on Antar,” Isabel said. “I overrode his command so the Granolith would stay in your hands and you could use its power to destroy Khivar once and for all. I’ll contact you tonight after Khivar has gone to sleep and give you our exact position so you can use the Granolith’s power to cause a huge explosion that will kill him and end this.”

Isabel’s eyes shined with tears. “I’m sorry that it had to be like this,” she said, “but I didn’t think we could possibly win any other way. Please Max,” Isabel begged, “just trust me a little more.

Liz sighed with relief as the message ended. “I knew she couldn’t betray us.”

Michael rolled his eyes. “You don’t believe this crap Max?” he bellowed.

Max met his eyes. “Why would they leave the Granolith with us if it wasn’t true?”

“A trap,” Michael said. “Maybe they’ve set some kind of homing beacon on it, or they’ve programmed it to kill us.”

Max glanced at the control crystal in Jaetus’ hand.

“Your Majesty?” Jaetus asked, waiting for instructions.

“Can you tell if the Granolith has been programmed to do something like that?” Max asked Jaetus.

“I am not sure, your Majesty,” Jaetus admitted. “But with your power you could override any other commands.” He handed Max the crystal. “Just push your instructions into it. Tell the Granolith to abort any other commands.”

Max pushed his power into the crystal with a thought and handed it back to Jaetus. He inserted the crystal into the Granolith’s base, and it blinked once as if accepting the command and then went dark.

“And what about Isabel?” Michael demanded. “You’re not seriously considering that she was telling the truth? She’s been helping Khivar! She led us into one trap after another. She got Maria killed and nearly all of us too!” He gestured wildly. “We know Khivar is going to be at the mansion and that is the best chance to kill him. You’ve got to use the Granolith to enhance the explosion like you planned and end this once and for all.”

“We can’t,” Liz said. She turned to Max. “You thought I had betrayed you when I made you think I had slept with Kyle, and maybe this is the same type of circumstance.”

Michael snorted. “You’re being naïve Liz. This is exactly what Khivar and Isabel want us to think.”

Please Max, Liz said in his mind, at least give Isabel a chance to prove that she didn’t betray us.

Max glanced at Liz and then at Michael and nodded. “We’ll wait and see what Isabel has to say when she contacts us,“ Max said.

”Max,” Michael started to argue, but Max held up a hand cutting him off.

“What if it’s true Michael?” Max asked. “We can’t just condemn Isabel if she was trying to save us.”

“And if she’s lying?” Michael asked. “She betrayed us in our other life. Why would this one be any different?”

Max’s face hardened. “Then she will get what she deserves.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Isabel lay in Khivar’s arms listening to his deep breathing. Silently she disengaged herself from him and grabbed a robe to cover her naked body before padding into the adjoining sitting room.

Max must have believed her to a certain extent because he hadn’t used the Granolith to enhance the blast at the mansion. At least he was willing to give her a chance.

Taking a seat on sofa she closed her eyes. She had grown much more powerful under Khivar’s tutelage and she had tested contacting Max a couple of times on Earth so she was sure she could do it. And directing her mind toward Max’s, effortlessly she was in.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max sat around a table with Liz, Michael, Kasha, Jaetus and General Darius and they had been waiting for Isabel to contact them for a couple of hours. At first Michael had continued with his protests about Isabel, not willing to even consider her story. But Max successfully silenced him on the subject by suggesting that they come up with various contingency plans to cover as many situations as possible.

Michael suddenly interrupted the conversation again. “But everything is prepared so we can evacuate immediately if this does turn out to be a trap?” he asked for the third time.

Max motioned to General Darius who nodded. “Everything and everyone is ready to move at a moment’s notice. I assure you the safety of Max, Liz and the Granolith is our greatest priority.”

Michael gave a brief nod satisfied for the moment.

Max? Isabel’s voice suddenly sounded in Max’s mind.

I hear you, he answered. Wait and I’ll connect with everyone so we can all talk.

He looked around at the others. “Isabel is here.”

Everyone joined hands and they opened a connection between them.

Michael spoke first. “What the hell are you doing Isabel?”

“Hi to you too Michael,” Isabel said sarcastically.

“Michael,” Max said in a warning tone, and turned his attention back to his sister. “Isabel why don’t you tell us what is going on.”

“I really got freaked out when Liz told us about the future,” Isabel started. “What she said about the other timeline scared me so much, and I didn’t think we had a chance this time either, especially after Tess betrayed us and gave the Granolith to Khivar. Then Khivar started to contact me in my dreams and I realized that I was the only one who could change things. I knew I could get close to him and when I did I would kill him.”

“But you said you weren’t strong enough,” Liz prompted.

“No, I’m not,” Isabel agreed. “There was no way I could have killed him. Khivar has so much power it scares me, but I thought by staying close to him I could learn his plans and maybe even get the Granolith back.”

“But I couldn’t tell you what I was doing,” she continued, “I couldn’t even admit it to myself. I was afraid that Khivar would see the truth in my thoughts. I had to play the part even in my own mind.”

“Is that why you were acting like such a bitch,” Michael snorted. He turned to the others, “I’m still not convinced this isn’t a trick,” Michael said. “Maybe she’s just stalling us while Khivar’s troops move in.”

Isabel shook her head. “I’m not, I swear. I don’t even want to know where you are because if Khivar found out…” she trailed off.

“Yeah,” Michael said, “you are so worried about us now, but you led the Skins right to us and nearly got us all killed. And then you lured us to Antar.”

“It was the only way I could get the Granolith away from Khivar,” Isabel said exasperatedly. “He wouldn’t even tell me where it was.”

“Okay Isabel,” Max said, “why don’t you tell us the rest? You said you helped us against the Skins.”

“Yes,” she said. “I couldn’t tell Khivar to stop the attacks, he would have suspected my motives. So I found out as much as I could from Khivar about our other life, about our powers and how we used them, and I showed you and Michael in your minds. And I used Khivar’s help to make my powers stronger too.”

Isabel looked around at them. “Surely you can feel I’m telling the truth. You have to believe me. You have to use the Granolith to destroy Khivar now, before it’s too late. We are in the southwest corner of the palace, just use the Granolith to cause a huge explosion to destroy it now.”

“Isabel?”

They all heard the deep tones of a new voice speak her name.

“It’s Khivar,” Isabel said quickly, “I have to go.” She looked around, her eyes briefly landing on her mother, Liz, Michael, and finally Max. “I’m sorry for everything. I love you all. Goodbye.”

“Isabel wait,” Max said.

Instantly she broke the connection and was gone.

“Isabel?” Michael called out.

The six people in the room opened their eyes to look at one another.

Michael spoke first. “Max you could tell that she was telling the truth, right? You’re not going to do what she said, and sacrifice her to get Khivar.”

Max’s lips quirked in amusement at Michael’s abrupt about-face. “I believed her, and of course I’m not going to sacrifice her,” Max said. “But she broke off before we could tell her.”

“What are we going to do?” Michael asked. “None of us have the power to contact her.”

“It will be okay,” Max soothed. “We’ll figure out how to save her. Isabel will contact us again when she can and then we’ll tell her the plan.”

Michael grimaced. He felt so guilty about believing that she had betrayed them and if anything happened to her... He met Max’s eyes. “I hope you’re right.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Isabel turned toward Khivar as he entered the room.

“What is wrong, my love?” he asked, taking a seat beside her and enfolding her in his arms.

Isabel shook her head. “Nothing. I just couldn’t sleep.”

“Your worried about Max,” Khivar said. He placed a kiss on her forehead. “Worried that he will get the upper hand because he has the Granolith.”

“Won’t he?” Isabel asked.

Khivar met her eyes and held them. “No,” he said solemnly. “Max will never win.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max had kept a calm façade in place while they were with the others but now that they were alone he practically collapsed onto the bed in relief. He reached for Liz and held her to him tightly. “I’m so glad I was wrong about Isabel,” he breathed into her hair. “It almost destroyed me to think that she could turn against us again. It was almost as bad as when I saw you with Kyle.”

A shiver of reaction went through him and Liz tightened her arms around him. “I’m glad too,” she said softly, “for both your sakes.” She shook her head. “I could feel how much it was hurting you.”

“But we’ve got to figure out a way to save her,” Max insisted. “And we have to hurry. We’ve got to get her away from Khivar so she doesn’t do something else desperate, doesn’t sacrifice herself.” He shook his head. “If I hadn’t suspected her, if I would have told her the plan she would be safe with us now and Khivar would be dead. It’s all my fault for not believing in her.”

Liz stroked his cheek, feeling the tension running through him. “It’s okay Max,” she said soothingly. “We’ll figure it out. We’ll save her.”

“But…” Max started again, only to be cut off as Liz pressed her lips to his.

“We’ve been up for hours Max,” Liz said, breaking the kiss, “traveled to another planet, finally met your mother, had the heartache of thinking Isabel had betrayed us, and the joy of finding out we were wrong.” She smiled softly. “It has been a really long day and you need to get some rest. Things will look better in the morning, and we’ll figure out what to do.”

Max shook his head. “I don’t think I can sleep.”

Liz smiled. “I can help with that.” She smoothed her hands across his chest. Max liked to be in charge of everything, that was just his nature, and usually she let him take the lead even in their lovemaking. But she also knew there were times when he needed a break. “Just put yourself in my hands.”

Instantly the look in Max’s eyes changed from a haunted expression to one of desire, and he nodded silently.

Liz knelt before him and removed his shoes and socks. Max reached for the hem of his shirt but Liz stopped him with a shake of her head. “That’s my job,” she said. “Just sit back and let me do the work.”

Max’s eyes widened and she laughed. She stood and trailed her hands up his thighs as she stepped between his legs, pressing her body to his. Sliding her hands around him, she slipped under his shirt and caressed the solid plane of his back briefly before lifting his shirt up, pulling it off him. Next she went to the fastening on his pants and Max stood, allowing her to push them and his underwear down his legs.

She let her gaze to travel over his strong, muscular body. Never would she get used to how beautiful he was. He started to reach for her but she stepped back. “I’m in charge, sit back on the bed.”

With a smoldering look in his eyes he silently complied, settling back against the headboard, but his gaze never left her as she quickly divested herself of her clothes. When she was naked too she joined him on the bed, straddling his lap, bringing her lower lips into contact with his erection.

Max groaned with the contact and his hands cupped her head, drawing her to him for a demanding kiss. Liz placed her hands on his chest and let him kiss her, allowed his tongue inside her mouth when he asked for admittance, meeting each stroke of his tongue with her own. Through their bond she could feel that he wanted her badly and she could also feel his intention to skip the foreplay that she had in mind and simply take her.

One of his hands slid down her neck, cupping her breast, his thumb rapidly stroking her hardening nipple as he continued to devour her mouth. Electricity shot through Liz and she arched into his touch with a groan. Max started to move his hips, sliding his throbbing shaft against her wet lower lips and Liz moved with him. He held her head to him even tighter, kissing her hungrily, and his other hand trailed down to grasp her hip. And with the next thrust of his hips he held her steady and pushed up and into her.

Liz broke the kiss with a gasp. “I thought I was in charge.”

Max nodded as his other hand moved down to her hip. “You are,” he said with a smile, and grasping her tightly he withdrew a couple of inches and then surged back inside. “I’m just helping.”

Liz smiled and wrapped her arms around him as she leaned down to kiss his neck. Slowly she rocked her hips against him, letting him slide out and then taking him back inside, again and again. Max groaned and matched her rhythm, thrusting up to meet her. She kissed a line up to his chin as she continued to move, trying to concentrate on keeping the pace slow. But each stroke of Max’s cock in and out brushed her G-spot sending surge after surge of pleasurable energy through her.

Max could feel her rapidly increasing pleasure and her equally rapidly declining control. With a few more strokes her body started to quiver and jerk and her breath was coming in quick gasps. He smiled knowing she wouldn’t last much longer. Again he tightened his grasp on her hips, holding her in place as he set a quick pace thrusting up into her.

Liz moaned with the pleasure and let her head fall forward onto his shoulder as she struggled to control her muscles enough to match his rhythm.

Again and again Max surged into her, each stroke burying him to the hilt. The physical pleasure was practically overwhelming, but feeling Max’s pleasure through the bond overloaded her senses. Liz barely had time to register that she was on the edge before he pushed her over. “Max!” she cried out.

He followed her a moment later groaning his climax, his hips jerking a few more times as he released his seed into her. His hands wandered up and he caressed her back as they worked to catch their breath.

After a few long moments he cupped her face, tilting her head up to take her lips in a searing kiss. “Mmmm Liz, I love it when you take charge,” he growled, quickly kissing her again. And using a burst of his powers he suddenly reversed their positions, putting Liz onto her back with himself between her legs, still inside her.

Liz gasped in surprise and watched a satisfied smile curve his lips. He withdrew a couple of inches and pushed back in and Liz felt him start to grow within her. He brushed her lips with his as he reached down to stroke her breasts. “In fact,” he teased, “I’m going to let you take charge again right now.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Isabel had allowed Khivar to take her back into the bedroom where he had made love to her. Afterward she lay in his arms but she didn’t sleep.

She loved Khivar, she truly did, but she wasn’t going to let her love blind her again. She wasn’t going to let Khivar win.

Since she had left Max’s mind she had expected each minute to be their last, but it was more than an hour later and she and Khivar were both still alive. Again she disentangled herself from him and went into the adjoining bathroom, closing the door between herself and bedroom.

Shutting her eyes she reached out to Max. She touched his mind but saw immediately that he was making love to Liz. Isabel withdrew instantly with a shudder of revulsion, but it quickly turned to confusion. Max hadn’t used the Granolith to destroy them and he obviously had no intension of doing so if he and Liz were… She let the thought trail off not wanting to think about Max and Liz’s sex life.

But she had to find out what was going on and she turned her thoughts to Michael. She entered his mind easily and was somewhat surprised to find him dreaming.

He and Maria were in the backroom at the Crashdown in a heated argument.

“What is your problem Michael?” Maria sniped. “Why can’t you just talk to me like a normal person?”

Michael didn’t answer and Maria continued. “Oh, that’s right, you aren’t a normal person. You’re an alien, a freak.”

Suddenly the dream changed and they were in the parking lot at the mall.

Isabel watched horrified as Michael re-lived the whole thing. Maria and Liz were suddenly surrounded by the Skins, Liz pushed Maria behind a car and was sent flying by a shot to the shoulder. Michael surged forward with a roar, turning Skin soldiers to dust.

He ducked behind the car with Maria. “Stay down,” he ordered her.

“Why?” she demanded. “What happened to Liz?”

“I don’t know,” Michael said. “But we can’t help her until I take out all of the Skins.”

A burst of energy hit the car near them and Michael raised his hand returning fire. He ducked back down and raised his hand to fire again and suddenly Maria threw herself in front of him.

The power had already left his hand and Michael watched helplessly as it hit Maria squarely in the chest. The force of the shot spun her around and she fell toward him. Michael caught her before she hit the ground. He thought she must be dead but the battle still raged around them and he put her down, concentrating on destroying their enemies before they were all killed.

Then the dream shifted again and they were in his apartment in the midst of another argument. Isabel watched the escalating battle with a shake of her head, tuning out their words. It seemed like all they did was argue.

Then they were back at the Crashdown. An argument started in the dining room and Michael tried to escape into the back room but Maria followed him, refusing to let it go.

“What is your problem Michael?” Maria sniped. “Why can’t you just talk to me like a normal person?”

Isabel suddenly realized that the dream was repeating and she finally spoke up. “Does it make you feel better, remembering her like this?”

The scene froze around them and slowly disappeared as Michael acknowledged Isabel’s presence.

Michael met her eyes and shook his head. “I can’t seem to help it. Every night since she died I have the same dream over and over. I remember arguing with her and then I see her die. It makes me feel so guilty but so angry at the same time.” He shook his head again. “Maria never really did accept my alien side. She never trusted in my strength or believed that I was dangerous. It’s like she just wanted to pretend that part wasn’t real, and it got her killed. Sometimes I wake up crying and sometimes I wake up hating her.”

Isabel nodded. “I used to dream about Alex, that he was watching over me. At first it was comforting but then it just made me remember what I had lost and reminded me how alone I was.”

Michael nodded.

Isabel approached him. “Michael why didn’t Max use the Granolith to destroy us like I told him to? Khivar would be dead and this whole thing would be over.”

Michael shook his head. “There’s been too much sacrifice Isabel, too much death already. We’re not going to let you die too.”

Isabel looked away from him. “I don’t matter. I am nothing, and I deserve to die.” She raised her chin stubbornly and met his eyes. “Hasn’t strengthening your powers caused you to remember our other life?” she asked. “Don’t you remember what Vilondra did, what I did?”

Michael nodded. “I remember some of it.”

“Then you remember we were friends and lovers,” Isabel said. “Our engagement was real, it wasn’t just a political union like Zan’s was. But still I cheated on you with Khivar and eventually betrayed you all.”

“No,” Michael said taking a step nearer. “As Vilondra you were selfish and self-involved and you had a big chip on your shoulder that you would never be Queen. Khivar used you, seduced you, telling you exactly what you wanted to hear and then used your love for him.”

“You don’t understand,” Isabel said. “I loved you but I betrayed you with Khivar anyway. I was sleeping with him while I was engaged to you. What kind of person does that make me?”

“You aren’t Vilondra,” Michael said. “Just like I’m not Rath.”

“How can you say that, Michael?” Isabel asked. “You are getting his memories back, just like I have hers. How can you say that we’re not them?”

“Because you didn’t betray us Isabel,” he said simply. “You could have sold us out to Khivar and been his Queen, but you didn’t.”

Tears started in Isabel’s eyes. “What I did this time was worse. I know what Khivar is, I know about his evil. But I still love him Michael, I couldn’t seem to help it, and I have given myself to him body and soul. But while I was fucking him, and liking it, I also knew the whole time that it was to gain his trust and love so I could kill him.” She held Michael’s eyes. “After I talked with you tonight I went willing to his bed, knowing it was the last time I would be with him and I couldn’t wait to have him once more.” She shook her head. “I am dirty Michael, used goods, tainted, a back-stabbing traitorous bitch.”

Michael surged forward and grabbed her shoulders. “Don’t you say that,” he growled. “Don’t ever say that.”

“Why not?” Isabel asked, her tears falling more freely. “It’s true. In our last life and this one I am nothing but Khivar’s whore.”

Michael suddenly grasped her head and drew her to him, his lips crashing against hers. He kissed her hard, passionately like he remembered Rath kissing Vilondra.

Isabel was surprised at first but as Michael’s lips continued to move over hers, she started to respond. And when his tongue traced across her lips demanding entrance she opened to him allowing the kiss to deepen. Her hands went tentatively to his shoulders and then wrapped around his neck as his arm went to her waist, pulling her closer.

Eventually they broke apart needing air and Michael held her eyes.

“Are you trying to make me hate you?” he asked. “Are you trying to convince me that you deserve to die?” He shook his head decisively. “It’s not going to happen.”

“You were ready enough to write me off when you thought I betrayed you,” she pointed out.

“But you didn’t,” Michael said softly. “Isabel you haven’t done anything that you deserve to die for. You might be ashamed, you might even hate yourself, but I am not going to judge or condemn you, and I’m not going to help you commit suicide.” He stroked her cheek. “You are a good person, and a loyal friend, willing to sacrifice everything even your life to save us. I love you, we all do, and we are going to do everything in our power to save you.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Isabel brought her mind back into her body and opened her eyes, her hand going to her mouth. She wasn’t sure why Michael had kissed her but she could still feel a tingling sensation where his lips had touched hers.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


TBC

One small note about the story -

Perhaps I should have warned about the Cliffie parts, but it would have ruined the surprise, and I didn’t think anyone would object. Maria is gone and surely we don’t want poor Michael to be alone.

But just in case, I will warn that there are more Cliffie scenes coming up.



And without further ado –



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Alternate Ending #1
Part 2


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


When Liz awoke it was morning and she was alone in the bed. She knew that Max was still terribly upset about Isabel and she quickly pulled on her clothes to go look for him. She left the room, looking down the hallway in both directions, wondering where to go, when she heard voices coming from a room on the right. The door was slightly ajar and Liz could hear Max’s voice inside along with that of his mother and the priest Jaetus.

She reached out to open the door and join them, but their words stopped her.

“We all felt Liz’s power through the connection my son,” Kasha said. “We know that you changed her, but to get Isabel back and win this war we are going to need all the allies we can get. And your marriage to Liz doesn’t gain you anything.”

“Doesn’t gain me anything?” Max asked incredulously.

“Yes, your Majesty,” Jaetus agreed. “We may be able to secure a treaty with some of the more powerful families with a marriage…”

“I’m already married!” Max roared, cutting him off. “I’m not going to marry some simpering noble’s daughter to gain support. Am I the King or what? I have already made my decision. Liz is my first and only wife. We are bonded. I love her and I would never upset her or dishonor our vows by marrying anyone else for any reason. Being married to Liz gains me everything. She is my soul mate, my other half, the best part of me.”

“But Zan,” Kasha protested.

“My name is Max now,” he said cutting her off. “And Liz might be the best chance we have at saving Isabel.”

Jaetus’ brow creased in confusion. “What do you mean? How could she help?”

Suddenly Liz felt Max in her mind. Come to me, he said.

She was somewhat surprised that he knew she was there but she pushed the door open and entered the room. Without looking behind him, Max held out his hand to her and she automatically crossed to him and took it.

Max squeezed her hand and continued. “You know I changed Liz, but you don’t know what her special power is.”

He turned to meet Liz’s eyes, speaking in her mind. I’m sorry to ask you this. You know I don’t want to pressure you, but I thought we could use the Granolith.

Liz nodded, knowing exactly what he was asking. Max wanted to use the power of the Granolith to help her get a vision. Of course Max, she answered him the same way. I’d do anything to help you and Isabel.

Kasha spoke up. “So what is Liz’s special power?”

Max met his mother’s eyes. “Visions, mother. Liz gets visions of the future. They are usually pretty vague and she can’t always tell what is happening. But her visions are clearer when I push my power into her. I thought if we accessed the energy of the Granolith it would be so much more power than I could push into her...

“Wait,” Kasha said cutting him off. “You and Liz can share power?”

“I am not familiar with the expression,” Max said. “But this is what I’m talking about…”

Max trailed off and turned to meet Liz’s eyes, allowing a burst of power to flow into her. Liz held his gaze and pushed her power into him. They felt each other’s energy rush into them, joining with their own, mingling and building. And they turned as one, showing their eyes that burned with power to Max’s mother and the priest.

Kasha gasped and Jaetus dropped to the ground murmuring.

“I’m sorry Max, Liz,” Kasha apologized. “We didn’t realize you could share power. It is a rare thing among our people and requires great power. You are truly meant to be together.”

“I shouldn’t have questioned your judgment, your Majesty,” Jaetus said groveling on the floor. “It was arrogant of me, your Majesty. Liz is truly worthy of you and being Queen. Please forgive me.”

“Get up,” Max ordered Jaetus. “We have enough problems without all of this crap.”

“Of course,” Kasha said. “You and Liz visit the Granolith and I will call a meeting with all of the commanders.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max held Liz to him tightly as they stood before the Granolith. “I’m sorry Liz. I shouldn’t have just sprung that on you. I should have discussed it with you first, asked you in private.”

“It’s okay Max,” Liz soothed. “I would have suggested it anyway.”

He touched her face. “I just don’t want you to worry if you don’t see anything.”

Liz nodded.

Max kissed her forehead. “I don’t exactly know how we access the Granolith, if we need a control crystal or what.” He held out his hand toward the dark cone. “I can feel the power now. I never did before. I never felt anything from it before. I wonder why?”

“Maybe you had to have a certain amount of your own power to sense it,” Liz suggested. “Or maybe you just weren’t ready before.”

“Or maybe it’s us together,” Max said, holding her eyes. “The strength you give me, the courage. Maybe I didn’t want to face what the Granolith could mean for me without you.”

“Max,” she said softly, tears pricking her eyes.

Max smiled. “But when we’re together I not afraid of anything.”

Liz touched his face. “I’ll always be here for you Max. That’s a promise.”

After a moment she motioned to the Granolith. “If you can feel the power maybe we can just include it in our connection, let it join with our power like we do with each others’.”

Max nodded. “Let’s try it.” He sat on the floor, pulling Liz into his lap and wrapping her in his arms.

Liz leaned back against him and grasped his hand around her waist, opening their connection wide, the power automatically flowing between them.

Max reached out his other hand and touched the base of the Granolith, widening their connection. Instantly they both felt a surge of the Granolith’s power.

It’s working, Max said in her mind.

I can feel it too, Liz said.

I’m going to bring it into our connection, Max said, and channel it into you.

Liz nodded.

Max allowed a small amount of the Granolith’s power to join with their own, directing it all into Liz. Gradually he increased the amount, always aware of Liz through their bond, careful not to give her too much.

It’s incredible, Liz gasped in his mind. So much power.

Along with her awe Max also felt her arousal. It was inevitable really, sex and power had combined for them so many times that it was a conditioned response. And Liz’s sexual excitement instantly triggered his own. He tried to ignore it as he continued to channel more of the Granolith’s energy into her, but he was not only fighting his own body’s reactions.

Through their connection Max knew when moisture pooled between Liz’s legs, he felt her nipples harden. He felt the energy surging over every inch of her skin, and pushing inside her, arousing her even more. Her whole body hummed with the overwhelming power, jerking and spasming in his arms like he was making love to her. Max pushed even more energy into her, making her heart race and her breath come faster and faster until she was gasping for air.

She would climax soon and he had to put as much power into her as possible before that happened. He tried to control his need for her as he controlled the energy flowing into her, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself from touching her. His hand roamed over her stomach and up to cup her breast. “Liz,” he growled in her ear.

She arched into his touch and the rest of his control broke. He kissed her neck and quickly stroked the hard nub of her breast with his thumb as he thrust even more power into her. He felt the need to make her come and moved his hand down directing the power across her clit.

Suddenly she cried out and squeezed her eyes shut as the orgasm ripped through her body. “Max,” she gasped excitedly, “I can see. I can see.”

And somehow Max was pulled into the vision with her. They had been connected before when Liz experienced visions but Max had never witnessed what she saw. He wondered what was different this time but almost immediately answered his own question. Of course it must be the addition of the Granolith’s power.

The images and emotions filtered through Liz’s mind so quickly that he could barely grasp them. He saw Isabel and a man he assumed was Khivar, he felt a rush of surprise and fear, he saw Liz and the Granolith and felt a surge of tremendous power. And just as suddenly as he had been drawn into the vision he was cast out.

Max could still feel the continuing waves of pleasure washing through Liz and he held her tightly to him.

“Isabel,” Liz gasped.

“What do you see?” Max asked before he realized, and then immediately chastised himself. He was afraid that the interruption would bring Liz out of the vision.

“There’s so much,” Liz breathed. “I can’t focus on it all.”

“Tell me what you can see.” Max said.

“The Granolith,” Liz said in between gasps of breath, “I see you, touching the Granolith. Khivar’s troops, I think. Isabel and Michael. There’s so much power, Max,” Liz whispered. “She’ll be okay. I can feel it. We’ll save her.”

“How Liz?” Max asked. “How do we save her?”

Liz shook her head, her brow creasing in concentration. “It’s there, I just can’t…”

She trailed off as the combined pleasure of the orgasm and the power overwhelmed her. Max stroked her cheek. “It’s okay Liz. It will be okay. We’ll figure it out.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


That night Isabel visited Michael again in his dream. But this time he wasn’t dreaming about Maria, he was dreaming about her. It was the dream that Tess had planted in their minds when she had first come to town. The dream that had made Isabel think she was pregnant.

And for good reason. She and Michael were making out on the jutting, rocky structure that housed the pod chamber and it was just as passionate as she remembered. Of course now that she had Vilondra’s memories of being with Rath, Isabel knew that even though the vision had been fake, the passion wasn’t.

“Michael?” she said tentatively.

Again the dream dissolved around them as he acknowledged her. “Isabel.”

With determined strides he crossed to her taking her head in his hands and kissed her hard.

Immediately she responded, her lips clinging to his, but she quickly pulled back out of his arms. “What are we doing?” she asked. “You’re grieving for Maria and I’m with Khivar. We’re both on the rebound. This isn’t right. We’ve practically been brother and sister.”

Michael held her eyes. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Maria or Khivar. It’s just between you and me. I told you yesterday I loved you and I wasn’t talking about in a brotherly kind of way.”

Isabel shook her head. “You’re just remembering Rath’s feelings. This isn’t real. You don’t love me. None of it is real.”

He closed the distance between them and kissed her again hungrily but briefly, and then pulled back enough to see into her eyes. “Does that feel fake?” he asked. “Does it feel like it’s happening to someone else?” Michael shook his head. “This is us. Right here, right now and it is real.” He smiled. “And believe me there is nothing brotherly about the way I kissed you or the way I feel.”

“It’s too fast,” Isabel objected. “You are…”

Michael cut her off with a knowing smile. “Then tell me why you came here Isabel. Tell me why you kissed me back.”

“I don’t know,” she said breathily.

Michael shook his head as he enfolded her in his arms, drawing her closer. “I know,” he said arrogantly. “You came because you wanted this.”

Isabel didn’t answer him. “But what about Maria and Alex,” she objected. “We loved them.”

“Yes,” Michael agreed, holding her eyes, “we did. But they are gone and we’re still here.”

“But Michael,” Isabel objected again, “why now, just all of the sudden? The last few months you’ve acted like I didn’t exist.”

“I know,” Michael said, “and that was wrong. I thought you needed time to get over Alex, and I was involved with Maria. We both had our own lives. But after Maria died and Max started pushing power into me, I started to remember what it was like between Rath and Vilondra, and I want that again.”

He shook his head. “I didn’t say anything because it was so soon after Maria…” he trailed off. “But with what has happened the last few days I realized that our lives are so uncertain and I don’t want to wait any more. I nearly lost you yesterday. Hell, I would have killed you myself if Max had given me the order, that’s why I don’t want to waste any more time and risk losing what could be.”

“And Khivar?” Isabel asked.

Michael shrugged. “What about him? He’ll be dead soon and out of our lives for good.”

Isabel shook her head. “You know that’s not what I mean.”

Michael nodded. “You meant, do I think less of you for being with Khivar?” He held her eyes. “The answer is no. You love him Isabel, I know that, and he loves you. There is nothing wrong with that. Vilondra was wrong because she betrayed her family. But you were willing to sacrifice your love and your life to save us. You had to take on this burden alone, knowing every minute that if Khivar discovered your plan it could mean all of our deaths.” He reached out to stroke her cheek. “I have nothing but respect and admiration for you.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max, Liz and Michael had been on Antar for over a week and they had finally come up with a workable plan. The three of them sat with Max’s mother Kasha, the head priest Jaetus, and General Darius working out the final details.

Suddenly a messenger rushed in, dropping to one knee.

“Report,” Max said.

“Your Majesty, our informers have discovered that Khivar is carrying out a very thorough search of the capitol city looking for us. He has his most elite troops conducting the search with orders to keep the whole thing confidential.”

“So Khivar doesn’t want anyone to know that we’re here,” Michael said. “Especially since we got the Granolith back.”

“But why?” Max asked. “Is he afraid of the war escalating, or is the Granolith that important?”

“I think he is afraid of you Max,” Liz said softly, recalling images from her vision. “You, and Granolith, and what you could do with all that power.”

Max shook his head. “I don’t even know…”

The messenger spoke again, interrupting. “I’m sorry your Majesty, I was told to inform you that the search started near our present location, almost as if Khivar knew where to look.”

Michael jumped to his feet. “That’s it, we’ve got to get out of here!”

“It could just be coincidence that Khivar started his search so near us,” Kasha said. “From time to time he has scoured the city looking for us.”

Michael shook his head. “Someone must have betrayed us. Khivar could be here any minute.” He turned to Max, “We need to pack up and leave now.”

Max nodded. “I think you’re right.”

A shiver of foreboding raced through Liz and the words of those around her faded into the background as an image from her vision came into her mind. It was static for a moment, and then it came to life. She saw Max’s followers hurrying to vacate the residence, hastily packing belongings into waiting ships. The image was quickly followed by another, of Khivar’s troops surrounding the house, the flurry of activity having drawn their attention.

The whole room was alive with barked orders and activity and Liz gasped. “Wait!”

Max instantly grasped her hand, concerned. “What’s wrong?”

“We can’t leave,” she said.

Michael spoke up, “We have to leave before Khivar finds us.”

“No,” Liz said. “It will bring us to Khivar’s attention. We have to stay.”

Michael opened his mouth but hesitated before he spoke, having learned to respect Liz’s visions. “You’re sure? You’ve seen this?”

Liz nodded. “We may get away but many of our people won’t.” She looked at Michael and then Max. “We need to stay here all together. I think the Granolith’s power is,” she shook her head searching for the right words, “it’s cloaking us somehow.”

Max met her eyes and nodded.

The priest Jaetus spoke up. “How could she know that about the Granolith? We don’t even know…”

Max cut him off. “Liz is right. We stay put.” He looked around waiting for the others to acknowledge his command. Everyone nodded.

But Michael wasn’t satisfied. “Shouldn’t we be worried about how Khivar knew where to start looking for us?” he argued. “Someone must have betrayed us.”

Max shook his head. “No. If Khivar knew our location he would have simply come here. He wouldn’t be searching for us.”

Michael’s brow creased. “So him starting a search so close to us is just a coincidence?”

Max nodded. “Maybe.” He looked to Liz. “Can you tell how long we’re safe here?”

Liz shook her head.

“Okay,” Max said, “tell our people to keep an eye on Khivar’s troops. We’ll get a few people out at a time to a new location. If Khivar gets too close then we’ll make a run for it

“And what about Isabel?” Michael asked.

“We need to finish this plan to rescue her,” Max said, glancing at Liz, feeling her tension through their connection. “And we need to hurry.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Michael tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep because he was so worried about Isabel. Every day they delayed was one more day she was in danger.

He thought about the months she had spent with Khivar and the Skins on Earth pretending to be part of them. She must have been so scared and lonely, wondering every day if they would discover her treachery.

He still couldn’t believe that he had thought Isabel had betrayed them. He felt so much guilt about doubting her. Isabel had been so close to him for so long, he should have known she just wasn’t capable of it.

Liz had given away her true love, her future happiness, to save them, and he respected her for the sacrifice. But Isabel had not only been willing to give up her love, she had also risked her life in the process. She had been so brave and selfless and it made him love her even more.

Michael had loved Maria, but she was gone, and he knew she wouldn’t want him to be alone. She would want him to be happy, and he had a chance for happiness with Isabel.

He smiled. He wasn’t sure exactly when his feelings for Isabel had changed from friendship to love. It had come on gradually over the last few weeks as his feelings had merged with his recovered memories. And he probably wouldn’t have realized it so soon if Isabel’s life hadn’t been in danger. But he did recognize his feelings and he didn’t want to risk losing her before they even had a chance to begin.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Khivar led the search for Max and his followers himself. For days he and his troops had searched the area where Khivar believed they were hidden, but with no luck. There had no sign of them. Obviously the information Khivar had received about their location was wrong.

He slammed his fist against the console in his vehicle. None of this was going as planned. He had intended to kill Max and the others when they first arrived on Antar. Then he could have taken Isabel as his bride and easily ended the war. With her support and the Granolith at his side no one would question his claim to the throne. But Max had escaped him, and with the Granolith.

Khivar’s scowl deepened as he watched his troops continuing the search. He had underestimated Max again and again, but he wouldn’t make that mistake again. He couldn’t afford to slip up now that Max had the Granolith.

But he had been working on another plan. And the time was rapidly approaching to put it into motion.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Every night since they arrived on Antar, Max and Liz had gone to the Granolith and used its power to help Liz get visions. And every night a vision had come to her, but she was disappointed that it was the same vague images again and again. She had been able to see a few more details but she still didn’t know what the vision was trying to tell her.

Each time she saw Max and the Granolith, Isabel & Michael. Khivar and his troops were ever present and they seemed to occupy more of the vision each night. But despite that seemingly ominous portent Liz still felt like they were going to get Isabel back. And she got into bed that night with the images from the vision swirling through her mind, trying to extract anything she could from them.

Max felt her tension and held her to him tightly. He was worried about Isabel of course, but he was also worried about Liz. If they failed to save Isabel, Max was afraid that Liz would blame herself, and it would be his fault. He had encouraged her to use her abilities to help Isabel, thinking he didn’t have another choice. But Liz hadn’t seen anything useful and now he regretted getting her involved. But he also knew that Liz would have insisted on trying to get a vision to help Isabel herself.

He kissed the top of Liz’s head. Through their connection he whispered words of love and support, gently stroking her hair until she finally fell asleep.

Even more images flooded into Liz’s unconscious mind. She saw Khivar’s troops standing behind Michael with their hands raised toward him. Then the image changed and Liz saw Khivar holding Isabel by the throat.

More images crowded into her mind, flowing faster and faster, so many that she couldn’t focus on half of them; a room in the palace, Michael and Isabel kissing, Khivar sending out a tremendous burst of power, Max reaching toward the Granolith and being pulled inside. And through it all she was almost overwhelmed by feelings of terror, of betrayal, and terrible loss.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Over the last week Isabel had visited Michael every night in his dreams. Every night they talked and Isabel had tried to convince Michael to use the Granolith to destroy her and Khivar. Michael denied each of her requests, but every night he took her into his arms.

And Isabel had gone willingly, allowing the few stolen hours with Michael ease her guilty heart. But as the days passed she grew more and more anxious that Khivar would discover their plan.

After Isabel was sure Khivar was asleep she wrapped her naked body in a robe and went into the sitting room to be alone. When she entered Michael’s dreams she found him waiting for her. He reached for her, pulling her into a kiss, his tongue sliding across her lips demanding entrance. She opened to him and he devoured her mouth not able to get enough of her. And Isabel felt the same way but she put her hands to his chest and pushed him away.

Michael cupped her cheek. “What’s wrong?”

“Michael you have to convince Max…”

He cut her off. “I already told you it’s not going to happen. We’re working on a plan.”

“It’s taking too long,” Isabel objected. “Khivar isn’t stupid. He’s going to figure it out.”

“We are not sacrificing you to get to Khivar,” Michael said.

Isabel shook her head. “I don’t deserve to be saved,” she said softly.

Michael started to shake his head and she continued quickly. “Michael, I knew about what Tess did to Max months before he found out. I knew there was no baby, I knew he didn’t sleep with her but I didn’t say anything. I said nothing while he suffered with the belief that he had betrayed Liz, while he was tormented with the visions of his son.”

A scowl creased Michael’s brow. “Damn it Isabel…”

“And I never told you what really happened to Maria,” Isabel said cutting him off.

“What?” Michael demanded, grasping her shoulders. “What do you mean, what really happened?”

Isabel held his eyes. “I’ve known the truth the whole time but I never told you.”

Michael’s grip tightened almost painfully. “You’ve known what?”

“Maria’s death wasn’t really an accident,” Isabel said. “Tess always hated Maria, didn’t think Maria was good enough for you.”

A muscle in Michael’s jaw twitched as Isabel continued. “Tess knew that Maria never really accepted your alien side, never believed in your strength, and she played on Maria’s insecurities, enhanced them. She convinced Maria that you would die if she didn’t intervene. Tess made Maria think that you would die unless she intervened. Maria believed that she was saving your life by jumping in front of you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Michael roared, shaking her.

Isabel shrugged. “Because I’m a cast-iron bitch.”

Michael’s face hardened. “I know what you’re doing and I already told you Isabel, I’m not going to help you commit suicide.”

Tears came to her eyes and Isabel slapped him. “Damn you Michael.”

Michael slammed her back into the wall. “Damn us both,” he growled and crashed his lips against hers.

Isabel kissed him back but slipped her hand between them and used a burst of power intending to throw Michael into the wall behind him. But he held her so tightly that they both fell to the floor. They hit hard and Michael rolled trapping her underneath him.

“I hate you,” Isabel hissed, but she wrapped her arms around him pulling Michael down into a rough kiss.

He kissed her back hard, devouring her mouth. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, and hands started wandering, demanding, pulling at clothes. Isabel’s robe parted and Michael grasped her breast as she tugged his pants down. Michael ate at her mouth as he wiggled his hips attempting to discard his jeans. When they were about half way down he gave up and simply shoved her legs apart and moved between them. And with a powerful thrust he was finally inside.

They broke the kiss surprised, meeting each others’ eyes. Both had been so caught up in the moment that they hadn’t realized what they were doing.

For long moments they simply looked at each other.

The sensation was strange for both of them but at the same time familiar because of their recovered memories. Visions of Vilondra and Rath flashed through their minds, of bodies moving together to bring them both to ecstasy.

Isabel’s fingers flexed, her nails digging into the muscles of Michael’s back.

He groaned and his body tightened, pulling him out a couple of inches before he slid back in.

“Michael,” Isabel gasped as she gripped him tighter.

Still holding her eyes he started to move within her. The first few thrusts were slow, tentative but their bodies quickly caught fire as the pleasure started to build. Their motions rapidly became frenzied, hands grasping, attempting to pull each other closer as they strained together.

Michael slammed into her seemingly faster and harder with each stroke and Isabel welcomed him, thrusting her hips up to meet him. She couldn’t seem to get enough of him and grasped his ass urging him to even greater speeds.

They moved together for long moments, the only sounds moans of pleasure and gasps of breath. Michael grasped her shoulders to give himself more traction, holding her tightly, painfully as he surged inside.

The end came quickly for them both. Isabel’s eyes squeezed shut in ecstasy and her whole body arched as Michael thrust into her a final time, groaning his release.

They collapsed together gasping for breath, both silent for several minutes.

Isabel was the first to speak. “So what do you think now that you’ve fucked me?”

Michael pulled back enough to meet her eyes. “I think it is as good as it ever was between Rath and Vilondra, and now you’ll be looking to trade up from Khivar.”

Isabel held his eyes stubbornly. “This is just a dreamwalk. It isn’t real. It doesn’t change anything. And when I leave here I’ll be going back into Khivar’s bed willingly.”

She smiled. “Or was this just about getting back at Khivar? You just fucked me because I’m with him.”

Michael trailed his hand down her chest and across her breast, smiling when she shivered in reaction. “You can’t make me hate you Isabel. And I know you’re looking forward to the real thing as much as I am.”

Isabel opened her mouth but no words would come. She shook her head incredulously.

Michael kissed her. “Tomorrow night. We’ll have the last of the plan worked out tomorrow. We’ll all be waiting for you and we’ll fill you in on the whole thing.” He held her eyes. “We’re bringing you home Isabel, safe and sound.”

Isabel’s eyes filled with tears and Michael wrapped her in his arms, holding her tightly while she cried.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The next night Max, Liz, Michael, Kasha, Jaetus and Darius waited anxiously for Isabel to contact them.

Max addressed Michael. “You said Isabel was depressed when she contacted you last night.”

Michael nodded. “Yeah, this whole thing has been really hard on her. She feels like it was her fault.”

“She tried to save us,” Liz said.

“That’s what I told her,” Michael said.

“You don’t think she would do something desperate,” Max said.

Michael shook her head. “I hope not. I told her that we would have the plan worked out tonight…” he trailed off as he felt Isabel in his head. “She’s here.”

The group connected to hear her.

“Isabel,” Kasha greeted, “it’s so good to hear your voice again my daughter.”

“Yes Isabel,” Liz agreed, “we’re so glad you’re safe.”

“We’ve worked out the plan,” Max said, “and we’ll get you back.”

Isabel sighed. “I’m ready to come home. I’ve been so scared Khivar would find out...” she trailed off and a sort of gasping sound escaped her.

A new deeper voice joined their conversation. “But Khivar did find out,” Khivar said appearing behind Isabel in their connected minds, his hand tightly gripping her throat.

Michael and Max surged forward and Khivar laughed. “Do you think you can save Isabel here? In your linked minds?” He laughed again. “I have my hand around Isabel’s beautiful, white throat miles away from you.”

“Damn you Khivar,” Max started.

But Khivar cut him off. “The only thing that will save Isabel is for all of you to surrender yourselves to me immediately, with the Granolith of course. I expect to hear from you within the hour.”

Immedaitely Khivar and Isabel were pulled out of the connection and the others opened their eyes. All of them turned to look at Max.

Michael spoke first. “What do we do now?”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


TBC

Thank you everyone for reading and for the feedback.

Erina
begonia9508
kissme4ever123
vampyrax
su-lyn
sylvia37
Shiesty23
WomanofMystery
Timelord31
Ellie


And special thanks to
Smac
hazz
Earth2Mama
for joining the team and helping with beta duties.
Many have said that I need all the help I can get.




~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Part 3


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Khivar relaxed his grip on Isabel’s throat but held her close, meeting her eyes. “My beautiful Isabel, it’s too bad I couldn’t trust you. For a while I dared to hope that you had really come to join me and eliminate your brother. But when we arrived on Antar it was made painfully clear who’s side you are really on. It was just too much of a coincidence that Max figured out my plan for the Granolith. I knew it had to be you who reprogrammed it to stay in Max’s possession.

He tilted his head elegantly. But whether I can trust you or not really doesn’t change anything between us. I love you and you love me, no matter where your loyalties lie. I will get the Granolith back and kill your brother and you will still be my wife.”

Isabel shook her head. “Max won’t surrender to you.”

Khivar smiled. “It doesn’t matter if he does or not, my love.” He put his hand to her head. “I’ve been sorting through your memories at night to find your brother and learn his plans, and if he doesn’t surrender I will simply use you to get to him.”

“No,” Isabel said. “I don’t know where they are. I’ve been careful not to find them.”

Khivar stroked her hair. “But somewhere in there you do know, whether you wanted to or not.”

Isabel tried to pull away from him, but Khivar held her tightly. He leaned forward for a kiss and Isabel turned her head.

Khivar laughed as he touched her face. “So you little whore,” he growled, “I’m not good enough for you now that you’ve had a taste of Michael?”

Isabel gasped.

“Yes I’ve seen your nightly visits with him, and I witnessed your tryst,” Khivar acknowledged with a smile.

He leaned in placing kisses on her neck. “And you Princess, could never say no to a hot, illicit fuck, especially in your last life. I coaxed you into my bed so easily. You didn’t even care that you were betraying your finance because I gave it to you so good.”

Horrified Isabel shook her head.

Khivar stroked down her neck and parted her robe, brushing his hand across her breast. Despite herself she arched into his touch and he laughed again. “Don’t worry my love, I’ll fuck you good and hard a few times and erase all thoughts of Michael from your mind.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


“What do we do Max?” Michael asked again. “Our plan isn’t going to work now that Khivar knows we’re coming.”

Max nodded and looked down at the floor, his mind quickly sorting through the possibilities. He had to figure out something fast. Isabel was counting on them and every day they delayed they ran the risk that Khivar’s troops might find them.

Liz moved to him and wrapped her arm around his, rubbing his skin gently, sending him her silent support through their bond. He leaned into her letting her strength flow into him, and suddenly an image from Liz’s vision flashed into his head. He saw himself reaching out to the Granolith and being pulled inside.

Michael was growing more anxious by the moment. “Max,” he said again louder. “We can’t let anything happen to Isabel.”

Max looked up meeting his eyes. “We’re not going to let anything happen to her. I know what to do.” He looked to Liz. “You saw it in your vision, the way to save Isabel.”

Liz shook her head, “Max I don’t…”

Max touched her face. “The Granolith, that’s the answer. You saw me being pulled inside.”

Liz nodded. “Yes, I remember.”

Max continued. “Michael and I will use the Granolith to travel to the palace, to the room where Khivar is keeping Isabel, and we’ll grab her and bring her back the same way.”

More images of her vision flashed through Liz’s mind, of Khivar’s troops surrounding Michael, of Khivar fighting Max, and she wondered if these circumstances would lead to that outcome. It was so frustrating seeing snatches of the future and never knowing which path to follow to avoid what she had seen. Or maybe, a small voice inside her said, maybe no matter what choices they made it didn’t matter, because the events she had seen were already set.

A shiver of fear raced through her as she remembered the feelings of loss she had also felt in her vision. She was so sure that Isabel would be alright, but what about Michael and Max?

She shook her head again. “No way,” Liz spoke up. “If something goes wrong you’re handing yourselves and the Granolith over to Khivar.”

Max looked into her eyes. “It will be okay. You saw it remember? It’s the only way to save Isabel, we both know it.”

Liz released a deep breath. “Then I’m going with you.”

Max shook his head. “I don’t want you to come,” he said. “It’s too dangerous.”

“If it’s too dangerous for me,” Liz argued, “then it is too dangerous for you.”

“You know that’s not what I mean,” Max said. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“And I’m trying to protect you.” Liz said, holding his eyes.

What else have you seen? Max asked in her mind.

Liz showed him the images of Khivar and his troops.

And this will happen now? Max asked.

I don’t know, Liz admitted.

We’ll, Max said, if it does then you’ve warned us and we’re ready for it. It will be okay.

He could feel Liz’s tension. We have to do this, he said. We have to try and save her.

Liz nodded. Of course we do. She’s family, she risked her life for us. But you can’t leave me behind Max. I share your destiny, whatever that is. I belong at your side.

After a moment Max reached for her hand and squeezed it as he spoke aloud. “Okay.”

“Wait,” Kasha objected. “We’ll send troops through the Granolith to get Isabel and then pull them out the same way. But you can’t go yourselves. You can’t risk your lives like this or the Granolith. You can’t let Isabel’s sacrifice be for nothing.”

“Isabel isn’t dead!” Michael said angrily. “We can’t just leave her with Khivar.”

“She risked herself to save you,” Kasha reminded them. “Isabel is my daughter, and I don’t want to lose her, but I don’t want to risk the rest of you in a crazy attempt to save her either.”

“This is what we have to do,” Max told his mother softly. “Liz has seen it.”

Jaetus shook his head. “You can’t stake everything on Liz’s visions. If you die, the war for the planet, the deaths of our people, the plan to send you away and retake Antar, it will all be for nothing.”

Max rounded on him angrily. “Yeah, well the plan has been going great so far, hasn’t it?” he snarled. “We died, you’ve been at war for more than fifty years, our ship crashed, my wife betrayed us to Khivar.”

He wrapped his arm around Liz. “I think it’s about time we got some outside help. I trust Liz with my life, with all of our lives. This is what she has seen, and we need to be the ones to go.” He squeezed Liz’s hand and looked at Jaetus and then his mother. “It was bound to come down to this eventually. You sent us away to give us another chance to beat Khivar. We need to end this once and for all, and it’s up to us.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Isabel shoved Khivar’s hand away and pulled her robe together as she got up from the sofa, putting some distance between them.

Khivar laughed. “A little to late to get prudish, don’t you think? I’ve already tasted the goods.”

Isabel walked to his nearby desk, using her body to shield him from what she was doing. “I won’t let you use me to get to Max,” she said as she used her powers to change some papers into a large dagger.

Khivar laughed again. “And how do you think you can stop me? You have grown more powerful, but you are no match for me. I will take anything from you that I want.”

Isabel shook her head and stood to her full height, raising her chin stubbornly. “No you won’t.”

She brought the dagger up quickly, intending to cut her throat, but a tingling sensation of energy encased her and the dagger stopped short of her goal. She screamed with rage as she realized that Khivar had used his powers to paralyze her.

He came around where she could see him, and with a gesture the dagger dissolved before her.

Tears of frustration rolled down her cheeks and Khivar reached out to gently wipe them away.

“A noble gesture,” he said, “but even if you succeeded, nothing will stop me from killing Max.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Less than ten minutes later they had evacuated the few remaining unnecessary people from the house. When the Granolith started up Khivar’s men would surely track it back to the house and whether the mission succeeded or not, they couldn’t return.

Max, Michael, Liz, Kasha, Jaetus and General Darius stood around the Granolith. A transport was waiting to take Kasha, the two men and the few guards away when Max, Michael and Liz left. And Jaetus had programmed two control crystals, one with instructions to take them to Isabel and the other to return them to a new safe house.

Max reached out to Jaetus for the control crystals, but Jaetus shook his head. “Your Majesty, at least allow us to send a compliment of troops or priests with you.”

Meeting the priest’s eyes Max shook his head. “This is how it has to be.” He held out his hand waiting.

Jaetus reluctantly placed the crystals in Max’s hand, bowing. “Yes, your Majesty.”

Max met the eyes of Darius, Jaetus and finally his mother. “It will be over soon.”

Kasha came forward with his sword. “For luck,” she said. She strapped it around his waist and embraced him briefly, unsuccessfully trying to keep her tears at bay. “Come back safe, my son.”

Max nodded showing no emotion. He turned away from his mother and handed Liz one of the control crystals. The other he inserted in the base of the Granolith and it immediately whirred to life. And as he watched the swirling, pulsing lights, a sense of determination infused him.

This had started out as a rescue mission but when he had seen Khivar’s hands around Isabel’s throat Max’s anger had instantly reached boiling point and things had suddenly become very clear. He had realized that it was the perfect opportunity to end this whole thing. No longer was this just about getting Isabel back, Max intended to kill Khivar.

From his dreams of the past, and the memories he had recovered, Max knew he was more powerful than he had been in his other life. He also knew that he was more powerful than Khivar.

There was no need for a lengthy war that would waste thousands of lives. He had already killed Nicholas, Khivar’s second in command. And when he killed Khivar, the usurping army would no long have a leader or a reason to fight. So while Michael and Liz concentrated on the assignments he had given them, he would squeeze the life from Khivar’s body.

Perhaps the people of Antar deserved a trial for Khivar and a public execution, but Max was out of patience. He was tired of being hunted, tired of worrying about their safety, tired of wondering what might happen. He wanted this over. Now. His only regret was that Khivar wouldn’t suffer for all of the things he had done.

Max looked at Michael with a nod and turned to meet Liz’s eyes as he held out his hand to her. She placed her hand in his, and he and Michael reached up to touch the Granolith. A surge of power passed through him and into Liz and they were pulled into the machine. It was a strange sensation, but not entirely unfamiliar. It was similar to the feeling of floating that he and Liz achieved together when they overloaded each other with power.

He held Liz’s eyes and gently touched her face as he spoke through their connection. I’m glad you’re here Liz, you were right. No matter what happens our destiny is the same and we’ll face it together.

Liz put her hands on his shoulders. You are everything to me Max, my life, my heart and soul. I would go anywhere with you, do anything for you.

I love you so much, Max said. He lowered his head toward her, but they were interrupted by Michael clearing his throat.

“Remember guys,” he deadpanned, “this is a rescue mission not the eraser room.”

They met his eyes with a smile as the Granolith’s power built around them. The outer case enclosed them and they had a brief sensation of tremendous speed. A moment later a dull thud sounded and a tingling surge of energy passed through them as the Granolith released them.

Quickly the three of them looked around, getting their bearings. They were in the palace as expected and as the dust from their arrival started to clear a surprised Khivar and Isabel emerged from behind a sofa.

Max motioned to Michael and Liz and they went to their appointed tasks; Liz using her powers to quickly repair the wall damaged when they burst through it, and Michael to seal the doors.

“Max,” Isabel gasped.

Khivar smiled. “I expected you to try something, some hair-brained rescue attempt, but delivering the Granolith and yourselves right into my hands is more than hoped for. “

Max shook his head. “This is over Khivar. It all ends right here.” Briefly he focused on Isabel. “Go with Liz, Isabel.”

Isabel glanced at Khivar as she took a tentative step away and when it appeared that he wouldn’t stop her she did as Max said.

Liz embraced her briefly. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

Isabel nodded and looked back at Max and Khivar. “He’s going to kill Khivar, isn’t he?”

Liz nodded.

Isabel couldn’t seem to look away from Khivar and she watched his smile widen. Suddenly a feeling of foreboding raced through her. Khivar had been expecting this.

Khivar refocused on Max. “You’re correct Max. It all ends right here.”

He made a small, elegant movement with his hand, puling the Granolith crystal from Liz’s hand just before a burst of blue-white light arched through the room, knocking them all to the floor.

Khivar recovered almost immediately and stood up laughing. “You arrogant child. Do you really think I’m so stupid? Did you think you would come here and I wouldn’t be prepared?”

He motioned around them. “I have set hundreds of amplifiers throughout this room and all of them are now turned on and blocking your powers.”

Khivar smiled wider at the look of surprise on Max’s face and smashed the Granolith’s control crystal against the wall. “Now you have no escape route. And all I have to do is wait for my troops to gain access. Then there will be a nice public execution and this time I will make sure that you aren’t resurrected.”

Max was shocked. He was so sure that his plan would work. He was so sure that this was how things would finally be resolved. How could he have been so wrong?

And as if Khivar’s words had conjured them, there was a sudden pounding on the door behind them. Michael had fused the door with his powers but Khivar’s men were attempting to break through.

Anger surged through Max. They still had a chance. If he could kill Khivar before the soldiers broke through the door then they could still be victorious.

With a growl Max launched himself at Khivar. Their bodies crashed together and they fell and rolled across the floor.

Liz and Isabel cried out and Michael started forward but there was an audible crack in the doors behind him. He turned and was horrified to see them starting to sag. Automatically he rushed to a console next to the doors and pushed it in front, holding it in place with his body hoping to give them more time. “Help me!” he called to Isabel and Liz.

Isabel and Liz rushed to another large piece of furniture and pushed it toward the door and Michael.





Khivar was on top of him when they stopped rolling, but Max easily threw him aside and they both quickly got to their feet. Khivar reached for a weapon in his coat but Max grabbed for it, throwing a punch to Khivar’s head.





Michael, Isabel and Liz pushed their weight against the furniture in front of the door, but each of the powerful hits from the other side moved them a little.

“Shit!” Michael growled. Everything had happened so fast and he hadn’t had time to think until now. He’d been so sure that Max was right about this plan, but they were literally moments away from death.

He wasn’t sorry that he had believed in Max and Liz and he wasn’t sorry that he had followed them on the rescue attempt. But he was sorry that they were going down with barely a fight, and he was especially sorry that he had failed Max, Liz and Isabel.

His gaze went to Isabel. He did regret what might have been with her. Things between them had moved so fast because of the circumstances and their memories of their other life together. But he had looked forward to slowly discovering every new thing.





Khivar’s head snapped back as Max’s fist connected, but he kept his grip on the blaster. He used his free hand to block Max’s next punch, but Max turned at the last moment using his weight and momentum to throw his shoulder into Khivar’s chest.





Another louder crack sounded as the door was hit and they were moved more than a foot across the floor. Michael knew that this would end if Max succeeded in killing Khivar, and he prayed they could hold on that long.





Khivar stumbled back and Max pursued his advantage, using a football block to throw Khivar against the desk. Khivar hit hard and groaned in pain. Max kept one hand on the blaster as he held Khivar in place and pounded his face with his free hand.





Each hit against the door caused larger and larger cracks and finally the top half of the door collapsed inward. Michael, Liz and Isabel ducked down, trying to keep their traction as they fought to hold the barricade in place, but they were steadily pushed across the floor.

Michael focused his attention across the room, watching Max struggle with Khivar, silently urging him to hurry.





Khivar reached up with his free hand grasping at Max’s throat, but Max didn’t slow his assault against Khivar’s face. He hit Khivar over and over, his rage fueling his strength, and finally he was able to wrench the blaster out of Khivar’s hand.

Max gripped the weapon and turned it toward Khivar, but before he was able to aim, the blaster was shot out of his hand and skittered across the floor. Max turned to see Khivar’s men flowing into the room, weapons raised, pushing Michael, Isabel and Liz before them.

Khivar got slowly to his feet, his handsome face cut and bloody from Max’s blows. He stood to his full height and straightened his clothing. Suddenly he drew back and delivered a powerful blow to Max’s jaw that sent him to the floor.

Khivar laughed. “All of this effort for nothing. It’s just pathetic.”

Max rubbed at his jaw as he got to his feet. He couldn’t believe that they had failed, that this was how it was going to end. Khivar was right. All of their effort, the fighting, the deaths, it had all been for nothing.

How could he have been so wrong? Max asked himself. He had been so sure that Liz’s visions were showing them the way to rescue Isabel. He had believed in it so completely that he had refused to listen to anyone else, refused any help or suggestions. Maybe this was his destiny, his stubborn arrogance causing him to lose everyone who meant the most to him.

He glanced around and was surprised to see another image from Liz vision come to life, of Michael with Khivar troops spread out behind him weapons raised. Maybe Liz had been right all the time. She had warned him about Khivar’s troops and he’d been so sure that he could handle them. But he’d only believed the parts of Liz’s vision that he had wanted to be true, and ignored the rest. He’d ignored her bad feelings, her warnings and they were all paying the price. Michael, Isabel, Liz had believed in him and he had led them to their deaths.

A rage started building within Max as Khivar stood before them laughing.

“The great King Zan,” Khivar mocked, “the most powerful ruler Antar has ever seen, defeated in less than fifteen minutes and not even a life lost or a shot fired.”

He laughed again. “How does it feel to know you failed so pathetically again? To know that the hopes of thousands will be crushed, that fifty years of fighting and planning was for nothing?”

Khivar held Max’s eyes, enjoying his pain. “How does it feel to know that you’ve led your beloved wife to her death?”

Max gasped and Khivar chucked. “I think I’ll have her executed first, so you can watch.” His smile widened. “Maybe I’ll give her to my men first.”

Max surged forward, lunging for Khivar with a roar of rage. They fell to the floor but Max didn’t even get the chance to deliver one blow before Khivar’s men pulled him off, throwing him across the room. He landed near Liz and she helped him to his feet.

Khivar got to his feet. “Well as fun as this has been I need to have a press conference to announce your defeat and the return of the Granolith. Then I’ll execute the three of you publicly as a preface to my wedding to the beautiful Isabel.”

Max was filled with impotent rage. He had so much power but it was all for nothing. Isabel would be forced into marriage with that monster, Michael and Liz would be executed, and he was helpless to do anything about it.

His thoughts automatically turned to Liz. They’d wasted so much time, and the little time they’d had together had been filled with death and loss. All he had ever wanted was to give her a normal life and he hadn’t even been able to do that.

Khivar motioned to his men. “General, take them away, and put them in separate cells.”

Max automatically reached out to take Liz’s hand and instantly a tremendous sense of calm filled his body. Her strength and love rushed into him and he realized that even though their powers were being blocked, their connection was still active.

A thousand thoughts raced through their combined minds. First was love, and then loss and sorrow, but then other images started to come forward. Again they saw pictures from Liz’s vision and this time they were much more clear. Liz had foreseen everything, the loss of their powers, their capture, and the solution to save themselves. They just hadn’t understood before.

The Granolith was the answer, but not how Max had thought. Their connection was still active and that meant that they could access the power of the Granolith. And now that he realized it, he could feel the Granolith’s pulsing energy in his mind.

No longer did he doubt the outcome, no longer was he scared. Khivar and his men had defeated him in his last life, overwhelming him, taking him by surprise. But this time he knew with absolute certainty that they would be victorious. It was just like on Earth when he had wiped out the Skin army. He just knew. It was simply pure instinct.

Through their combined minds, Max and Liz watched as Khivar’s men approached, each movement around them seeming to slow down until time almost stopped. Max turned to Liz, meeting her eyes and cupped her cheek, and suddenly a barrier gave way in both their minds. No words were necessary, their thought flowed together with no censure, no obstructions between them.

Together they reached for the power of the Granolith and let it fill them until they felt like they couldn’t hold any more. It was incredible, like the sensation of being in the Granolith, floating on a sea of surging power. And as the energy rushed around them and through them so did sexual arousal. Their eyes held, burning with power.

Max felt his body tighten as he looked at Liz. She was flushed with power and need for him, and he thought she had never looked so beautiful. He could feel her body’s reaction to him, her increased breathing and heart rate, her nipples hardening, her lower lips slick with her arousal. And after the horror he had just experienced believing that he was going to lose her, Max wanted nothing more than to bury himself deep inside her welcoming body.

Max, she breathed in his mind.

He knew it was an invitation, but at the same time a frustrated reminder. They had work to do first and Max reluctantly tore himself away from thoughts of sex with a wicked smile and promise for later.

Together they focused and used a single thought to send the Granolith’s energy out around them, overloading and destroying the amplifiers before pulling the lives from Khivar’s men. It was over in a matter of seconds.

As the soldiers fell to the floor dead, Khivar drew back in horror. “How did you do that? It isn’t possible. Your powers were blocked.”

Max released Liz’s hand and stepped forward, his eyes burning blue with power. “It’s nothing you could understand Khivar,” Max said. “It’s the power of soul mates, of our connection, the power of our love.

Khivar laughed. “The power of your love,” he mocked. “There is no power in love. Power comes from anger and hate.” He threw out his hand sending a tremendous ball of energy at Max.

With a thought Max deflected the crackling blue-white light, dissipating it harmlessly. He smiled. “That’s true Khivar, power also comes from anger and hate.” He outstretched his hand and used a burst of energy that lifted Khivar off his feet and slammed him against the wall, holding him several inches off the floor.

Anger raced through Max as he saw the surprised expression on Khivar’s face. And he smiled as Khivar struggled uselessly against his power.

Khivar had been the cause of so much death, so much suffering and rage built within Max as he remembered. Ultimately everything bad that had happened in their lives was because of Khivar; his parents and Maria’s death, Tess torturing him with images of a son that never existed, the pain caused when Liz had left him and pretended to sleep with Kyle. All of it had been directly or indirectly because of Khivar, not to mention the suffering and deaths of thousands of people on Antar and the four other planets while under Khivar’s rule. And for everything he had done, Khivar deserved a long and painful death.

“And now Khivar,” Max growled, “you’ll see the true power of hate.”

Max loosened his tight control on the tremendous energy flowing through him from the Granolith and channeled it into Khivar.

Khivar cried out in pain and Max felt a gleeful satisfaction. He increased the amount of power and felt it rip through Khivar’s body, tearing muscles, breaking bones and charring flesh. But he carefully controlled it so Khivar wouldn’t die too quickly, causing him maximum suffering.

Suddenly Max felt Liz’s mind in his and he felt a pang of regret about what he was doing to Khivar. But almost instantly he felt that Liz understood his need for revenge.

Khivar screamed horribly as the pain intensified and Max shuddered at the sound. His hunger for revenge could never be truly sated. Nothing he did to Khivar would bring back the dead, or soothe the pain that had been caused. Nothing could make up for what Khivar had done, or the things that had been done in his name. And suddenly Max was very tired. He simply wanted it to end.

Max was surprised when Isabel touched his arm and he turned his attention to her. For a moment he thought she would ask for mercy for Khivar, but then he saw the determined look in her eyes.

“Let me,” she said.

Max understood her instantly and shook his head. “No Isabel. I’m the King. It’s my responsibility.”

“But all of this is my fault,” Isabel argued.

Max shook his head again. “I don’t want you to have to live with that,” he said softly. He turned and motioned for Michael to come and take Isabel away while he finished Khivar.

But Isabel used Max’s distraction to grab the sword at his waist, and with a single motion she plunged it through Khivar’s heart.

She thought everyone in the room must have gasped in surprise at her action, even Khivar himself, and she could see in his eyes that he hadn’t thought her capable of it. Isabel leaned into him, holding his eyes as she whispered, “Goodbye, my love.”

A sort of gurgling sound escaped him and he smiled as he released his last hissing breath. “Isssssabel.”

With hard eyes, she turned back to Max. “Burn him until nothing is left. We can’t risk him coming back.”

Max nodded, still surprised by her actions.

Michael came forward and pulled her into his arms and instantly she burst into tears.

A pain slashed through Max’s heart that his sister had lost another love, even thought it was Khivar.

Liz stepped to Max and wrapped her arm around his, reassuring him silently that Isabel would be all right. She showed him the images from her vision of Isabel and Michael together, two wounded souls healing one another. And Max released a sigh of relief.

He stretched out his hand and used his power on Khivar’s body, grimacing as the last part to burn was Khivar’s mocking smile.

Suddenly more men rushed into the room with weapons raised but they paused when they saw the other soldiers laying dead on the floor. And when they noticed the Granolith and the charred remains of Khivar’s body still in his perfect clothes, they all dropped to their knees.

The soldier in charge spoke up, “What is your order, your Majesty?”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max’s supporters had taken control of the palace, and messages had been sent to every corner of the five planets telling of Khivar’s death and Max’s return. Fighting through the system had stopped immediately and Khivar’s remaining troops surrendered.

For the first time in over fifty years there was peace.

Many long hours later Max and Liz were finally alone and he took her into his arms.

Max sighed, exhausted. They had been in meeting after meeting, discussing policy and restructure, and through it all Liz had been at his side, supporting him, advising him.

He didn’t know how they could have ever succeeded without her and he felt so lucky to have found her.

No, she said through their connection, I am the lucky one Max.

He smiled, having briefly forgotten about their new level of connection. Every emotion and thought was freely passed between them now unless they tried to censor it, and Liz had heard his words.

He hugged her even tighter. I was so afraid that I would lose you, and nothing else mattered to me.

But we’re all okay now Max, Liz said, thanks to you.

Max nodded. I was surprised when you showed me that Michael and Isabel would find each other, but it makes a lot of sense.

Liz smiled. And he has been so sweet with her. Did you see how he stayed near her all day, making sure that she was taken care of? She trusts him enough to let down her barriers and just be herself. They’ll be good together.

Max stroked her face gently as he held her eyes. And what about us?

Liz’s smile widened as his eyes smoldered into hers with need. We’re perfect together, she said, pressing her body into his and rubbing against his erection, but you already know that.

Max groaned as he took possession of her lips. I think that we should try it again right now, he said as he started to undress her, just to be sure.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Michael knocked on Isabel’s door with apprehension. He was eager to see her and make sure she was all right, but he didn’t want her to think that he had come with any expectation.

Isabel’s eyes widened when she saw who it was, but she stepped aside, silently inviting him in.

They both stood for an awkward moment, neither of them saying anything. It was the first time that they had been alone together.

Michael shifted nervously and cleared his throat. “I just wanted to make sure that you were okay.”

Isabel noted his body language and nodded. “It’s okay Michael,” she said softly. “I understand that you don’t want to be with anymore. I mean after you really saw Khivar, saw what he is like, what he is capable of, you’ve got to be wondering what kind of person I am. How could I be with someone like that? How could I love him?”

Michael crossed to her and took her by the shoulders. “That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Of course I still want you, Isabel. I love you. I just didn’t want you to think that I came here expecting to pick up where we left off in the dreamwalks.”

“I want to take things slow between us,” he said, “get to know each other again, go at a pace that’s right for us.”

Isabel looked up to meet his eyes with tears of relief shining in her own. “You do?”

He nodded and Isabel threw her arms around him whispering into his ear. “I was scared that you didn’t want me anymore after seeing…”

Michael cut her off. “I already told you that wasn’t going to happen.”

They held each other for long moments and finally broke apart.

He stroked her face gently as he smiled. “We do have one problem though,” Michael said.

Isabel’s brow creased with confusion. “What’s that?” she asked.

Michael grimaced. “What are we going to tell Max and Liz?”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The next day after the meetings Michael went in search of Liz, eager to get her alone.

“Liz,” he said motioning her to a relatively quiet corner. “Can I talk to you?”

She smiled a she approached him, already knowing what was on his mind. “You wanted to talk to me about Isabel.”

Michael was stunned. “How did you know?”

“I saw it in a vision,” Liz said.

Michael looked away, suddenly nervous. He’d wanted to explain to Liz how he could turn to Isabel so quickly after Maria’s death, but now that the moment was here he couldn’t find the words.

“It’s okay, Michael,” Liz reassured him. “I understand.”

“You do?” he asked incredulously.

Liz nodded, “And I think you and Isabel will be good for each other, you understand each other so well.”

“I thought maybe you’d be mad,” Michael said.

“You’re both adults, and make your own decisions,” Liz said. “You don’t need my permission or approval, and you’ve already talked to Max.”

Michael smiled faintly, unsurprised that Liz knew he had just come from Max. “But we are friends,” Michael said, “family, and I want you to be okay with this.”

Liz nodded. “I am really. Maria’s gone and we all miss her but you can’t mourn her and be alone for the rest of your life. You deserve to be happy. That’s what Maria would have wanted.”

Isabel approached them then and Liz hugged her tightly.

Michael laughed at the surprised expression on Isabel’s face. “Max and Liz already knew about us and they are okay with it,” he said. “Liz saw it in a vision.”

Liz touched Isabel’s arm reassuringly. “Alex would have wanted you to find love and happiness too.”

Tears spilled from Isabel’s eyes and she hugged Liz back. “Thank you.”

Max joined them and wrapped his arms around both Isabel and Liz.

Isabel kissed his cheek and she and Michael moved away.

Max smiled. “Michael asked me if it was okay for him to date Isabel.”

“He did?” Liz asked incredulously.

Max nodded. “I asked him, since when did either of you need my permission, or follow my orders to do anything?”

Liz laughed as mischief danced in his eyes, but suddenly he turned serious.

“I’ve been thinking, Liz. We’ll be needed here for a while to get things back under control, but when everything is settled I think we should go back to Earth and tell your parents the truth.”

He smiled at the surprised look on Liz’s face. “I never liked you being separated from them, and I hate the idea of them thinking I’m the Roswell drug lord.”

Liz threw her arms around him hugging him tightly. “Thank you Max.”

“After everything that has happened I’ve realized that family is more important than ever,” Max said. “I want to be able to be completely open with them and I want them to know their grandchildren, when we have them.”

Max pulled back to meet her eyes. “So what do you think your parents will say to an invitation to another planet?”

Liz smiled. “Well it would give my dad plenty of new ideas for the Crashdown.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


THE END

or is it?

Check back next week for alternate ending #2

This ending is a one-parter, short and sad.

I'm taking next week off, but after that I'll be back with alt end #3.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Soaring With Angels
Alternate Ending #2

Author’s Note: I love the fact that the same event could be interpreted many different ways. That is what inspired to write this story in the first place. And like any good mystery I threw in a few red herrings to hopefully keep the reader off balance. But somewhere in the middle my mind started to explore some of those other possibilities.

Have you ever read a story and wished it would go a different direction or thought of a different ending? As a writer I often come up several different scenarios and endings even for my own stories, like a choose your own adventure if you will. I mentioned it to my beta Ellie and she suggested I should write the other endings for this story.

So here goes.

To quote the movie Clue - “That’s how it could have happened. But how about this…”


Summary: Everything in Soaring has happened up to this point exactly as it did in the original; Isabel joined with Khivar, Max killed Tess, Isabel lured Michael, Max and Liz to Antar, the war, Khivar and Isabel were executed, Liz killed Max and went back in time destroying everything that led to Max’s downfall. This ending starts in the next to the last scene of Soaring when Liz is in the pod chamber destroying the alien artifacts and herself.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


(Earth)
(The Pod Chamber)

From her bag Liz emptied all of the alien artifacts she had gathered onto the floor of the Granolith chamber, the healing stones, Atherton’s necklace, the alien book, the chevron-shaped amplifier, and the orb, almost everything that had come from Antar. She knew there was another orb locked in the Special Unit’s vault but it didn’t matter. It would never see the light of day, and more importantly Max, Isabel and Michael would never know about it.

Liz passed her hand over the artifacts, using her powers to super-heat them, melting them into the floor. Briefly she wondered what her fate would be and a shiver of fear passed through her, but she pushed it aside. She had done terrible things to save them all, but she would do them all again. She had done what was necessary.

Max, Michael and Isabel would never remember their real past without help, they would never take dangerous risks to discover the truth, and no one would ever hunt them. She had given them a past, a history and a destiny. They would be content and feel free to live their lives and find happiness. And most importantly Max would grow into the good man that Liz knew he was destined to be.

And it was destiny, Liz believed that wholeheartedly. Something had caused her visions of how to save Max and somehow she just knew her plan would work. Technically she should have disappeared when she had destroyed the photo and key in Valenti’s files. That single act would have majorly altered the future, but she had known she would be able to continue. Whether it was intuition, or her powers, or destiny, Liz had believed in it enough to know she would be successful. It had taken three lifetimes on two different planets and the alteration of two different timelines, it had cost the lives of millions, and quite probably her own soul, but finally everything was as it should be.

Taking a control crystal out of her pocket, Liz inserted it into the base of the Granolith. Sighing with relief, she sat down on the floor and waited as the machine whirred to life. She had set the Granolith to self-destruct, and with it the pod chamber, herself, and any vestiges of the aliens’ past would be destroyed.

Liz could feel the power in the room building with every moment, and the glow from the Granolith increased in brightness until Liz was forced to close her eyes against it. The amount of power pressing against her was like a physical object and it was becoming hard for her to breath. It was only a matter of moments until it was all over.

There was a faint sound of pounding and Liz wondered what it was. Then she thought she could hear muffled voices, but of course that wasn’t possible. She opened her eyes briefly, and for just a split-second she could have sworn she was in the Granolith room in the palace on Antar. But then her vision cleared and she was on Earth in the pod chamber again.

Liz closed her eyes again and thought of her younger, more innocent self just a few miles away. Three years ago she would never even have considered doing half the things she had done. She knew Max’s past life and the Granolith had posioned her too, twisting her judgement. But she had to admit that the evil growing inside her had made it easier for her to do what was needed to save them all, to save Max.

She allowed herself to think about her Max for one of the first times since she had killed him.

Everything she had done, she had done for him.

Liz had vowed to Max again and again that she would do anything for him and she had proved it. She had done terrible things, killed innocent, good people, the Skin army, Ava and Zan. And it had all been for completely selfish reasons, but she didn’t care. It had all been for her love, for Max.

She had systematically destroyed everything and everyone who could possibly lead the aliens back to their past and into danger. And now she was destroying the source of all the evil.

Without the influence of the Granolith’s malignant energy, without the memories of his other life, Max would continue to be the wonderful, gentle man she had fallen in love with. He would never know the pain of betrayal, the sorrow of losing his friends and family, he would never have to go to war, and he would never have to make the decision to torture and kill to protect them.

None of them would.

And as if her thoughts had conjured him, suddenly Max was before her.

Immediately their connection flared back to life as they stood looking at one another, and Liz felt his emotions flood through her. She thought he would be furious because she’d killed him, but all she felt was his overwhelming love burning brightly.

Again the sound of pounding reached her ears. She could have sworn she heard someone call out “Your Majesty,” but she ignored it. It wasn’t real. It had to be just a memory and it didn’t matter. If she wasn’t dead already she would be in a matter of moments.

Max’s eyes met hers and he smiled as he reached his upturned hand out toward her.

Liz didn’t hesitate and placed her hand in his. At Max’s side was where she belonged, no matter where it led her.

There was the vague sound of a crash, the floor lurched beneath her and Liz knew the Granolith, the pod chamber and her body were being destroyed.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


(Antar)
(Royal Palace)

The guard pounded on the door to the Granolith chamber. “Your Majesty, are you in there? Are you okay?”

There was no answer and he pounded harder. “Your Majesty?”

He heard the sound of many running feet and turned toward them, his weapon drawn. A handful of guards he recognized came into view. “What’s the news?” he called out. “Why are the alarms sounding again?”

“They are saying the King is dead, assassinated,” the Lieutenant said, “but no one knows for sure.” He motioned to the Granolith room. “Is the Queen inside? We were sent to make sure she is safe.”

The guard shook his head. “The door is jammed. There is no answer, but the Queen was seen coming this way a few minutes ago.”

“We’ve got to get the door open and see if she’s still alive,” the Lieutenant said. He outstretched his hand and the other soldiers did the same. They aimed their powers at the door and it shook slightly but held tight.

“That won’t work,” the guard said. “The whole room is lined with metal that we can’t manipulate. Maybe I can override the door control.”

He entered a series of commands but nothing happened. “Damn I need higher access. We need a tech.”

Kasha, Jaetus and General Darius rushed down the hall with a large group of guards.

The men bowed low. “Your Highness.”

Kasha turned to the Lieutenant. “Is the Queen inside?”

He shook his head. “We don’t know your Highness. There is no answer and we can’t get through the door.”

The General stepped to the panel and entered a code but still nothing happened. “It’s been fused from the other side,” he said. He motioned to the door. “All of you build up your power and together we’ll aim for the middle of the door.”

They all outstretched their arms and General Darius counted down, “3, 2, 1.” Together they emitted an enormous burst of power that blew the door from the frame, sending it crashing to the floor. The guards surged forward into the room with weapons drawn but it was obvious at a glance that there was only one person inside.

The second thing that caught their attention was the whirring sound and the ever-brightening light emitting from the Granolith. General Darius surged forward and pressed his hand against several places on the base of the Granolith extinguishing the hum and the light as it powered down.

Kasha rushed into the room and fell to her knees where Liz lay on the floor her body completely limp. Liz’s eyes were open but stared straight ahead, unfocused, unseeing. Kasha reached out a tentative hand and pressed it to Liz’s throat, sagging in relief. “She’s alive. Liz is alive, but she’s in some kind of catatonic state. We need to get her to the healer.”

General Darius came forward and scooped Liz’s small body into his arms. He turned to the Lieutenant. “Get a squad down here to protect the Granolith and some men to fix this door.”

He and Kasha and the majority of the guards rushed down the hall toward the healer.

The Lieutenant stopped Jaetus. “Is it true the King is dead?”

Jaetus bowed his head. “The King has been assassinated by Khivar’s followers.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Kasha and Jaetus waited anxiously outside the infirmary where Liz was being examined.

General Darius entered the room and bowed low. “Your Highness we are still searching the palace but so far we’ve found no one, and no sign of the intruders.

Jaetus gasped. “Who could have done this? It had to be someone very powerful.”

Darius nodded agreeing. “We’re still not sure what really happened. Liz had a vision and Max ordered the palace locked down. The guards outside Max and Liz’s chamber said they were in their room for a couple of hours and then Liz left Max asleep inside. A few minutes later I went to report to Max about our search but I found him dead in bed, his throat slit. I sounded the alarm and we started searching for Liz. Some servants saw her going toward the Granolith room but that’s the last we know for certain. Perhaps Liz felt Max die through their bond and locked herself in with the Granolith, or perhaps she was attacked and chased into the room.”

Jaetus spoke up. “Or perhaps Max was murdered in front of her and that broke her mind. She escaped somehow and went to the only place she felt safe.”

“It’s possible,” Darius said. “The guards outside her room said she seemed odd when she left, wooden.”

The healer emerged from the examination room and all three of them rose to hear his news.

Kasha was the first to speak. “How is Liz?”

The healer Seris shook his head. “Physically she is well, but her mind is completely detached from reality.”

“But you can heal Liz,” Kasha said. “You specialize in healing minds.”

“I am not sure,” Seris said, “and it may be better if she doesn’t recover.”

Surprise crossed Kasha’s face. “What do you mean?”

Seris shook his head again. “Because of her condition Liz has no defenses in place and I was able to access her entire memory, see everything that happened to her, and experience her feelings and intensions.” He looked at Darius. “You have found no trace of intruders or assassins have you?” But he continued without waiting for an answer. “That’s because there were none. Assassins didn’t kill Max, Liz did.”

Kasha shook her head. “That’s not possible. Liz loves Max more than anything. She would have sacrificed her life to protect him.”

Seris sighed. “She thinks she did.”

“You mean this was all a mistake?” Jaetus asked. “Liz accidentally killed Max because she was trying to protect him, and that broke her mind?”

Seris frowned. “In my examination I discovered that Liz has been experiencing periodic mental breaks. Most of the time she is perfectly well, but circumstances have pushed her mind out of reality occasionally.”

“No,” Kasha said. “Max and Liz were bonded. He would have known and gotten her help.”

“I don’t think Max could tell,” Seris said. “Liz’s delusions were so real to her that she incorporated them into her memories, or hid them from Max entirely. Max probably believed her delusions were the truth too. Max’s healing power is more physical. I don’t know if he could have detected the fractures in her mind. It was difficult for me to separate her false memories and delusions. And I was only able to do so because my powers are more geared toward healing the mind and I’ve had years of training in that area.”

Kasha shook her head in denial but Seris continued. “Liz experienced her first break because of her love for Max. She was with Max when he activated a message you sent them your Highness, in the orb. The message told of Max’s destiny with his former wife, and Liz felt she had to leave him to allow him to move on and complete his mission. She left town to put distance between them, but she felt so guilty abandoning him at that time of crisis.”

“Max had been taken and tortured by the FBI and she’d helped him escape, and that was when they had first declared their love for one another. And the next day they saw the message that caused her to leave. The whole summer she was away from him her mind teetered on the brink.”

Seris took a deep breath. “When Liz returned Max pursued her relentlessly. She loved him desperately and felt so much guilt for leaving him. But she still believed they couldn’t be together, so her mind came up with a solution. That was when she had the first breakdown.”

“She thinks that Max used the Granolith to come back from the future to see her. In the delusion he told her that the Earth would fall to Khivar if she didn’t make her Max follow his destiny to be with Tess. So Liz did everything in her power to make sure that Max fell out of love with her.”

Tears started in Kasha’s eyes. “Poor Liz, she told me about her visitor from the future and how much it had hurt both she and Max, but none of that was real. Liz never said anything about the Granolith being used as a time machine though or I would have known it wasn’t true.”

“Why is that your Highness?” Jaetus asked.

Kasha shook her head. “The Granolith is pure power but it isn’t capable of time travel. If it was we could have simply gone back before Khivar staged his coop and stopped him then.”

She turned her attention back to Seris. “What else happened to Liz? You said there were several breaks.”

Seris nodded. “Liz’s mind fractured a little more each time tragedy struck their group; the deaths of her friends Alex and Maria, thinking Max slept with Tess, her parents continual disapproval of Max. Each one caused a little damage but Liz was mostly able to hold herself together with the help of Max’s love. He also had an instinct to push incredible amounts of power into her which healed her somewhat even though he wasn’t aware.”

“Isabel’s betrayal had a profound effect on Liz though and caused another small break. Liz blamed herself for not seeing it earlier, for not being able to fix the rend in the relationship between Max and Isabel. That’s also when she started having the visions of Max’s death.”

Seris started shaking his head. “I’m not even sure if those visions were real or not. Maybe even then Liz’s mind was looking for excuses, reasons why Isabel would betray her brother.”

“The war horrified Liz even if she wouldn’t let herself admit it. The killing, the torture, it prayed on her mind, and when Michael died she had another break. Only Max’s love and power kept her together that time or she might have lost her mind then.”

“The war was over soon after that and Liz might have been okay with Max’s help, with his power supporting her, but then she went to see Khivar. Khivar tried to use his powers to persuade her that Zan had been an evil dictator and Max was becoming just like him. Liz fought Khivar, she unknowingly held back his powers and wouldn’t give in to him. But she made the mistake of touching him and Khivar took advantage of the extra boost the skin-to-skin contact gave him. He pushed an enormous amount of power into her giving her a false vision of Zan to prove his story, and he also left a suggestion in her mind.”

Kasha gasped, “What kind of suggestion?”

Seris grimaced. “Khivar forced a kernel of doubt about Max into Liz’s mind, knowing it would grow. He made her mind create visions and delusions to show her Max was evil. Half of what Liz has seen in the last few days has been creations of her mind dictated by Khivar’s power.”

“At first Liz wouldn’t believe, but her delusions showed her ever increasing horrors. But she still needed further proof and she went to the archives. She thinks she found a book of Max’s family line that showed his evil and atrocities. Only then did she reluctantly accept Khivar’s story.”

Kasha shook her head. “There is no book of our family line.”

Seris nodded. “I know, but in Liz’s delusion she thinks there was. She also thinks that she had a vision of Max’s past and future atrocities including corrupting their son with his evil. By that time Liz was absolutely convinced Max was beyond saving. But she believed that Max was destined to be a good man, and would have been if he hadn’t gotten involved in the alien part of his life. She convinced herself she could save him if she could stop any of it from happening. So she killed Max, thinking she was saving him from becoming move evil.”

“But killing Max caused her mind to break completely, the guilt of murdering her beloved husband driving her instantly over the edge. Liz went to the Granolith room and thinks she used the Granolith to travel back in time to Earth. She thinks while on Earth she killed everyone who could lead Max to his alien heritage, and she killed everyone who had ever hurt him, including his protector and former wife. She also thinks she collected every alien artifact and took them to the pod chamber where she intended to destroyed them and herself by setting the Granolith to self-destruct.”

Tears ran down Kasha’s face. “Where does Liz think she is now?”

“She thinks she is dead,” Seris said, “in some kind of afterlife with Max, and she’s content knowing that she saved the younger Max from the horror that would have been his life.”

“The poor girl,” Jaetus said.

Darius nodded sadly. “Even though Khivar is dead he still won.”

“Maybe not,” Seris said, shaking his head. “Liz is pregnant.”

Kasha gasped. “Max and Liz never said anything. Does she know?”

“I think some part of her did,” Seris said, “but she couldn’t admit it to herself and still continue with her plan, because basically it would mean she was choosing her husband over her child.”

“How far along is she?” Kasha asked.

“Only four days,” Seris said. “It happened after Khivar placed the delusions in her mind. Liz had a vision of a son and she was right.”

“You can change Liz’s memories,” Kasha said. “Erase from her mind what she did to Max and make her think he was assassinated by Khivar’s followers.”

Seris shook his head. “I may be able to fix her mind, to replace her memories temporarily, but she is very powerful, she even held off Khivar himself for a time. Her power would eventually allow her to see the truth and I don’t think she would be able to live with what Khivar forced her to do.”

More tears spilled from Kasha’s eyes. “Liz would want to be with her son, Max’s son, but you’re right, knowing she killed Max for no reason would destroy her. We will leave her in the reality her mind has created.”

“We could clone Max again,” Jaetus suggested. “If he were alive…”

Kasha shook her head. “He has already given two lifetimes to Antar. Let him rest. Let them both rest.”

Kasha wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at the three men. “We are the only ones who know the truth and we will take the secret to grave. Max and Liz will be celebrated as heroes martyred by Khivar’s treachery, and their son will rule Antar.”

The men nodded silently agreeing.

Seris spoke up. “Liz has a strong will to die and may not survive the pregnancy.”

Kasha nodded. “We will keep her alive until the child is born. Afterward we will allow her to fulfill her desire to join my son. After all, at Max’s side is where Liz was always meant to be.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The strange noises Liz heard stopped when Max enfolded her in his strong arms and gently placed a kiss on her forehead. I love you Liz, he said through their connection.

Liz leaned into him sighing in contentment, finally home. I love you too.

They would probably go to hell for all of the things they had done, but at least they’d be together.

Forever.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


THE END

or is it?


I’m taking next week off, but in two weeks check back for alt end #3

I'm Dying Tonight
was voted Memories 2006 Awards Winner for
Best Short Fic

The Artist Series - Nude Studies
is Memories 2006 Awards Runner Up for
Best Zan Fic

The Hand of an Artist - Nude Studies #1
is Memories 2006 Awards Runner Up for
Best UC Fic

Soaring With Angels
is Memories 2006 Awards Runner Up for
Best Use of Alien Mythology


Thank you so much to everyone who nominated
and voted for my stories!


And BTW, the new Alt End starts tomorrow!

Soaring With Angels
Alternate Ending #3

Author’s Note: I love the fact that the same event could be interpreted many different ways. That is what inspired to write this story in the first place. And like any good mystery I threw in a few red herrings to hopefully keep the reader off balance. But somewhere in the middle my mind started to explore some of those other possibilities.

Have you ever read a story and wished it would go a different direction or thought of a different ending? As a writer I often come up several different scenarios and endings even for my own stories, like a choose your own adventure if you will. I mentioned it to my beta Ellie and she suggested I should write the other endings for this story.

So here goes.

To quote the movie Clue - “That’s how it could have happened. But how about this…”


Summary: Everything in Soaring has happened up to this point. Max killed Lonni, Rath, Tess and the Skins. Isabel and Khivar lured Michael, Max and Liz to Antar. Michael was killed. Max’s forces won the war and he had Khivar and Isabel executed. This ending starts in Part 18. Liz is convinced that Max is evil and is planning to kill him to save him from himself.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


(Antar date 06.14.71306)
(Royal Palace – Conference Room)

Max stood at the head of the table addressing his generals. All of his supporters were gathered in the palace for the conference that was scheduled to start tomorrow, but arrangements for the extra security hadn’t been followed as Max wanted. He slammed his fist down on the table. “This is unacceptable General,” he bellowed. “I order you to…”

Max trailed off as he felt a surge of fear through the connection. “Liz!” he gasped. He raced out of the room and down the hall, followed closely by several guards and the head priest Jaetus.

That morning he had left Liz in their room again to rest, and he could feel through their bond that she was still there. Max burst into their room and looked around for danger but the only thing he saw was Liz sobbing on the bed.

The guards and Jaetus came into the room too, but paused when they saw only Liz.

Instantly Max was beside her taking her face in his hands. “What’s wrong Liz? You’re shaking.”

Liz met his eyes. “I had another vision.”

“What was it?” Max asked.

Tears ran down Liz’s face. “I saw an assassin in our room killing you, killing us both. It happens during the conference.”

Jaetus dropped to the ground, bowing before them. “The Queen has had a vision that will save the King. She is Liz Zha’antet, oracle, goddess.”

Max ignored him, turning to the guards. “Lock down the palace, don’t let anyone in or out. I want everyone checked and rechecked.”

The guards bowed and hurried away. Max turned to Jaetus, who was still on the floor. “Leave us priest.”

Jaetus backed out the door bowing low, and with a wave of his hand Max slammed it behind him. He sat on the bed next to Liz and wrapped her in his arms, kissing the tears from her face tenderly as she trembled against him. “Nothing will happen to us,” he vowed. “I will make sure.”

Liz touched his face as she looked into his eyes, forcing a small smile. “I know, I’m just scared.” She leaned into him, closing her eyes and inhaling his familiar scent. “I’m so scared, Max,” she whispered.

He hugged her shivering form to him tightly. “Sssshhh. Everything will be okay.” Lightly rocking her, he placed a kiss on the top of her head. “It will all be okay.”

Liz looked up into his eyes as tears continued to roll down her face, her heart breaking. She knew killing him was her only choice, the only way to save him, but it didn’t make it any easier. Max loved her with all of his heart and soul just as she loved him and she wished things could have been any other way.

She had to be strong for them both, she was the only one who could save them. To save everyone. But she needed to touch him, be with him just one more time.

“Make love to me Max,” she said touching his face. “I need to feel you over me, inside me. I need to feel your passion and strength. I need to feel your love.”


Song Playing: One Caress by Depeche Mode


Max brushed the hair away from her face and cupped her head gently, holding her gaze. “You know I love you, but I will gladly say it a million more times just so you can hear it.”

Liz smiled and more tears ran down her face. “Max.”

He leaned in kissing her tenderly, putting all of his feelings for her into it.

Max’s kiss was so sweet it brought more tears to Liz’s eyes. She opened herself to him, getting lost in the kiss as she felt Max’s overwhelming love and passion through their connection. His love for her was unconditional, and so powerful and Liz basked in the feelings. Everything but the two of them faded into the background as the sensations rushed through her.

He released the fastening on her dress and let it pool around her waist leaving her chest bare.

Liz’s hands went to the buttons on Max’s shirt quickly unfastened them, and parting the material she pushed it down and off his arms. She leaned in embracing him, pressing their naked flesh together.

Max wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly and tracing light circles on her back.

Liz inhaled deeply Max’s familiar scent letting it fill her senses. She knew it would be their last time together and she wanted to remember everything about him. She placed soft, wet kisses across his pecs, laving her tongue over his nipples. Her hands roamed over his back and around his sides to his chest, caressing his hard muscles. She continued with her kisses, moving up to his shoulder and down his powerful arm to his hand. Liz gripped his hand and placed a kiss on his palm and then turned to nuzzle her cheek against it.

Max cupped her face in his hands and kissed her thoroughly, lingeringly before trailing kisses down her throat. He laid her back as he continued down her chest, taking her breast into his mouth.

Heat flashed through Liz as Max’s mouth touched her and she arched up into him. Her hands went to his head, tangling in his hair, pulling him closer.

His hands smoothed down across her stomach as he continued to suck and lave her hard nipples. When his hands reached the material of her dress he gripped it and her panties, pulling them down and off her body. He took the opportunity of divest himself of the rest of his clothes and joined her on the bed again.

Taking possession of her breasts with his hands, he used the pads of his thumbs to stroke her nubs as he placed moist kisses lower and lower down her stomach.

Liz opened her legs to him, inviting him lower for the most intimate kiss, and Max greedily accepted her invitation.

He didn’t tease at all, his mouth going directly to her already moist core. With a long stroke of his tongue he dipped inside her, lapping her smoky juices.

Liz moaned with the sensations that Max was causing within her. It felt like a live wire connected her breasts and feminine core, and her body writhed uncontrollably. It always amazed her that a few simple touches could drive her so totally wild.

Max continued to lick her lower lips, alternating between sliding his tongue between her folds and dipping it inside her. She was building quickly to orgasm and didn’t think the sensations could get any more intense until she felt Max’s fingers brush against her clit.

She arched into him and Max rubbed her clit quickly as he continued to plunge his tongue inside her. Max loved that he could make her crazy with desire and Liz’s pleasure increased his own. Through their connection he felt that she was on the precipice and a final stroke of his tongue sent her over the edge.

Her whole body tightened as she came and her inner walls pulsed powerfully around his tongue. Greedily he lapped up her juices as she rode out her orgasm.

The sensations rushing through Liz’s body gradually lessened and she reached down touching Max’s shoulder. “Max, make love to me. I need you so much.”

Max’s smoldering gaze held hers as he climbed up the bed and settled over her. She was practically desperate for him and he wanted her just as badly. Reaching between them he led his rigid shaft to her damp slit, and his eyes never leaving hers, he so slowly inched himself inside.

He loved to watch the sensations that crossed her face as they made love. Liz’s reactions were so open and honest, her pleasure so evident that it increased his own to witness it.

A look of wonder, almost surprise was clear in her eyes as he continued to push into her. Liz was so sensitive and Max knew they both could feel every long inch of him sliding inside. And when he finally was sheathed completely within her, he saw her satisfaction and feeling of utter contentment.

Max stopped his motion when they were completely joined and Liz was glad. She held his eyes just wanting to savor the sensation and knew he wanted the same thing. Never did they feel closer to one another than when he was buried deep inside.

She continued to hold his gaze as she slid her arms around him. Max’s love and desire was all around her, flowing through her, and she would have been content to stay like that forever.

Instantly she heard his echoing thought through their connection.

Being with you, inside you, loving you, is surely what I was born to do, he said.

We were born to love each other, Liz answered. She wrapped her legs around Max, changing the angle of her hips and pulling him even deeper inside her. Max exhaled a shuddering breath and she knew that he was concentrating to maintain control. It drove him crazy to know that he was inside her as far as he could go.

Involuntarily his hips bucked slightly, withdrawing him a couple of inches before he surged back in. Liz gasped with pleasure and Max couldn’t wait any longer. Still holding her gaze, he pulled out of her so slowly, every inch causing delicious friction between their bodies. When the tip of his cock was the only thing that remained within her he stopped immediately reversing direction. He watched her eyes widen with pleasure as he pushed himself back inside all the way to the hilt, the angle of her hips causing every long inch of him to stroke against the sensitive spot inside her.

Again and again he slowly inched in and out of her tight passage, the pleasure almost excruciating for both of them. Liz whimpered and shuddered beneath him and a sheen of sweat covered his body. He was so close but he didn’t want it to end so quickly. He wanted Liz to feel every ounce of his love and passion to chase her fears away.

Still holding her eyes he reached between them stroking her clit and Liz immediately flew apart. He stilled within her, eager to see every emotion that crossed her beautiful face. Her velvety passageway squeezed his cock rhythmically and Max was forced to grit his teeth in the effort not to come. Instead he concentrated on Liz. As the spasms of her climax continued to wash through her, he stroked her smooth skin, his hand roaming over her chest and neck, caressing her with a feather’s touch.

Leaning down he placed wet open-mouth kisses on the same path his hands had just covered. He took his time, tasting the skin of her shoulders and chest, licking and grazing it with his teeth. Continuing, he kissed a line across her pale neck and throat devouring her delicate skin. He cupped her head and placed soft kisses on her chin, her cheeks, her forehead, her eyelids, her nose, worshipping every part of her. He was so caught up in his task that it surprised him when Liz took his face in her hands and led his lips to hers.

Liz tangled her hands in his hair and thrust her tongue into his mouth. The orgasm had been incredible but the feel of Max’s hands and mouth on her body had aroused her desire again.

The kiss caught Max by surprise but he quickly recovered and took over. He grasped Liz’s head holding her to him, his tongue dueling with hers. Again he started to slowly move within her and Liz’s body jerked in reaction.

She whimpered into his mouth and grazed his back with her short nails. Max broke their kiss as a hiss of overwhelming pleasure left him. The feel of Liz’s soft body under him, around him was driving him crazy. He arched his back as Liz dug her fingers into his skin and continued his slow pace.

Liz cried out, every languid deep stroke of Max’s hard length pushing her slowly closer to the edge. She started to writhe beneath him, the pleasure building to an impossible point. Her thighs involuntarily squeezed around him and she arched up instinctively wanting to be as close as possible. “Max,” she gasped. “Oh Max.”

Liz’s pleasure was his only concern and Max lifted her hips to bring their bodies even closer into alignment. He maintained his slow pace savoring every one of Liz’s reactions, her gasps and moans, the arching of her body, the grasp of her small hands on his back. With a few more strokes he felt the first sign of her orgasm as her tight passageway started to flutter around him. He groaned with the effort not to increase his speed, ignoring his instinct to plunge into her.

He inched out again and so slowly pushed back into her, and when the tip of his hard length hit the sensitive spot inside, Liz bucked beneath him as a powerful orgasm ripped through her body. Her inner walls clamped down on his cock and with a groan of pure masculine pleasure Max followed her over the edge.

His breath came in gasps as he collapsed against her, savoring the incredible feeling of pleasure that only Liz could give him, and reveling in her pleasure that he felt through their connection. They floated on an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction, peace and love for what seemed like hours. But gradually the sensations washing through their bodies lessened and their breathing returned to normal.

Max rose up to meet Liz’s eyes and smiled. He kissed her forehead and Liz smiled back at him. The lovemaking had been incredible for both of them and there was nothing Max enjoyed more than giving Liz pleasure, but he wanted to make sure that she felt his love. “I love you Liz,” he said softly, “and I’ll never let anything happen to you.”

Liz held his eyes and touched his face gently. “I know,” she whispered. “I love you so much Max. And even with everything that’s happened I wouldn’t trade a minute of the time we’ve had together.”

Max started to pull out of her, but Liz held him tight, unwilling to let him go yet. “Just stay a few more minutes,” she said.

Max nodded. “I’ll stay inside as long as you want. I just thought I might be getting too heavy.”

“No,” Liz assured him. “Never. I like feeling your weight on me, feeling you inside me. It makes me feel like everything will be all right.”

Max held her eyes. “Everything will be all right. I promise.”

Liz hugged him fiercely. Their time together was running out and she was scared.

Shivers started through her body again and Max felt her fear through their connection. He held her tightly as he spoke. “I’ll be at your side no matter what. You’ll always have my strength and love supporting you, and together we’ll face whatever is coming,” he vowed.

Liz nodded feeling strengthened by his words, knowing the time had come. She released her grip on him and Max pulled out of her. He passed a hand over their lower bodies cleaning them, and settled into bed next to her covering their spent bodies with a blanket. He laid back and wrapped his arms around Liz cradling her against his chest, and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

Liz curled into Max’s side, relaxing against his muscular chest, lazily caressing it with her hand.

Gently he stroked her hair. “So many terrible things have happened, but from now on it will only get better,” Max assured her.

Liz nodded and answered solemnly. “Yes, it will only get better.”


Song Playing: So Cold by Breaking Benjamin


Liz listened to Max’s heartbeat as he continued to stroke her hair. Gradually his movements stilled and his breathing slowed until she was sure he was asleep.

She was careful to keep completely still for an additional hour, then she slowly rose up and carefully slid her leg over his body, straddling him. Liz could feel his soft, velvety cock pressing against her lower lips, and for a moment she paused as shivers of desire raced through her. More than anything she wanted to feel him rock hard, surging inside her, taking her breath away with his anger-fueled passion. But she had work to do and tried to push her feelings aside.

She deliberately avoided looking at his face and with her powers she turned the sheets into shackles. And working quickly and silently she tightly strapped his wrists and upper arms to the bed.

When she was sure he was secured, Liz used a swipe of her hand to turn her pillow into a large dagger. And before she could change her mind, she plunged the dagger toward Max’s throat.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


For the last few days Max had been experiencing a nagging feeling of wrongness. He couldn’t have said what it was or why he was feeling it, the sensation just seemed to be there all the time. Even in sleep Max felt that something was wrong.

In his dream he walked the halls of the palace looking for Liz. At first he wasn’t concerned, simply asking the servants and guards if they knew where she was. But as more and more people told him they hadn’t seen Liz the more worried he became. Anything could have happened to her. Khivar’s men could have taken her or worse.

Max continued, stopping every person he saw inquiring about Liz, but no one had seen her. He grew more worried and hurried onward, searching every hall, every room, every nook where she could have been concealed. But he found no trace of her and the farther he traveled the fewer people he encountered.

Eventually he realized he was in a part of the palace he didn’t recognize. The hallways went off at strange angles and seemed to twist and turn back on themselves and soon Max didn’t even know which way he was going. He pushed on faster hoping to see someone who could help him find his way but everyone had disappeared. The corridors started to grow dark and Max picked up his pace, worried that Liz had become lost in the confusing maze. He called out. “Liz! Liz where are you!”

Suddenly he could feel her overwhelming fear and sorrow through their connection. The emotions were so powerful that he stopped in his tracks convinced that she was nearby. “Liz?”

Her essence seemed to be next to him, surrounding him but he couldn’t see her. He looked back the way he had come. “Liz!” he called again, but there was still no answer.

Max turned to look down the hall the way he had been traveling. He realized that it was different than it had been a moment ago, and now he recognized where he was. He was standing near the entrance to the dungeon.

A cold shiver of fear raced down Max’s spine. Surely Liz hadn’t gone back down there to see Khivar. But maybe Khivar had used his powers to lure her to him somehow. And suddenly Max was panicked. There was no telling what Khivar was doing to Liz. Max raced toward the stairs but before he reached them he felt a pick of pain at his neck.

Instantly his shield lashed out as he came awake. His thoughts were muddled but he was aware that someone was on top of him and he grabbed for his attacker’s arms as he lunged forward.

As his eyes snapped open Max’s confused gaze took in several things instantaneously. He was pinning Liz to the bed and she was angry, thrashing furiously. His shield encased the two of them completely, except for Liz’s right hand which was holding a deadly-looking dagger. He noted the blood on the tip of the dagger and felt the pain at his neck and realized that Liz had tried to kill him.

Shock paralyzed him for long moments as his mind worked furiously to process what had happened. Liz had just tried to kill him!?!? It couldn’t be true, but he had caught her in the act, and with wide eyes he looked back at her. She was wriggling beneath him, trying to get away.

“No!” she screamed, “Let me go!”

“Liz?” he gasped.

She twisted her body and bucked her hips. “I have to kill you! It’s the only way!”

“Liz,” he said again. She didn’t respond and he spoke louder, “Liz!” but she didn’t even meet his eyes. Max used just a fraction of his power to pin her body to the bed, holding her completely immobile. With both hands he gripped her head, attempting to make eye contact. “Liz! Liz, can you hear me?”

As she attempted unsuccessfully to move she screamed with rage and helplessness. Her eyes were wild and tears of frustration streamed down her face. Max had never seen her look like that before and he knew something was horribly wrong. Liz would never do anything like that, she loved him, she would never try to kill him. His first thought was that Khivar had done something to her that he had missed when he had examined her.

“Liz, Khivar has used his powers on you. Liz, you have to fight it.”

Her eyes burned with determination as they finally met his. “Khivar showed me what my visions were trying to tell me. He showed me the truth. You’re evil and I have to kill you to save you.”

Max was incredulous. He shook his head hardly believing what she was saying. He was hurt by her words, and devastated that she could believe that he was evil. Tears pricked at his eyes. “Liz I…”

But he trailed off realizing it was Khivar’s powers and not Liz talking. He glanced again at the dagger in her hand and with a thought dissolved it. Pressing his hand to her head, he used his powers to gently lull Liz into a deep sleep before lowering his shield. Then he climbed off her and noticed the broken shackles Liz had obviously made to tie him down. His powers had burst through them freeing him, but another cold shiver raced down his spine as he realized how close Khivar had come to succeeding in killing him.

He had been so busy looking for enemies from the outside that he hadn’t stopped to consider he could be in danger from anyone close to him. He berated himself for the oversight. After Isabel’s betrayal he couldn’t afford to trust anyone completely, except Liz. And no matter what he never would have suspected Liz. Of course he wasn’t really in danger from Liz. Khivar had done something to her, caused her to act this way.

With a gentle brush of his hand Max smoothed Liz’s hair off her face as he opened their connection. Now that she was unable to block him from her thoughts Max could see everything in her mind that she had been carefully hiding from him. Liz absolutely believed he was evil, and she also believed she could save him by killing him and then use the Granolith to go back and fix everything. He felt more tears prick his eyes as he witnessed the things that had convinced her; the horrifying visions of his past and present life, her memories of terrible things he had done, as well as images of things that had never happened.

He had done terrible things to keep them alive and safe, things that he never thought he would do, and he knew Liz understood that. She had always supported him and never questioned his actions. He had often wondered if he would ever get over the guilt he felt about having Isabel executed, or the thousands of Khivar’s troops he had slaughtered, the men he had tortured, or how he’d killed Lonni, Rath and especially Tess. But now he knew that his actions had taken a toll on Liz too.

Liz felt terribly guilty for all of the things he had been forced to do. She also felt guilt for not realizing earlier that Isabel was in terrible trouble, for their friends and family who had died, for all of the pain and suffering. She saw everything as her fault because she hadn’t told Max immediately about the visit from his future self.

And because Liz thought it was her fault she thought she had to be the one to fix it. In her mind Max watched her agonizing thought process of what to do, and finally her decision to kill him. She was desperately sad and scared but she didn’t think there was another solution.

And Max wondered if her guilt had made her susceptible to Khivar’s powers.

Carefully he searched through her mind, trying to figure out what exactly Khivar had done to her, but he still couldn’t find anything wrong. Problems of the mind weren’t his specialty, he needed help.

Max used two swipes of his hand to clothe them both and turn the shackles back into bedding. With another thought he pushed open the door to their room and called out to the guard. “Get a mind healer here immediately! The Queen is ill!”

One guard spoke into his communicator and the other rushed into the room. “Your Majesty, your neck is bleeding!”

Max reached to his neck and healed it with a small push of power. “It’s nothing,” he said dismissingly, focusing his attention back on Liz.

The guard stepped closer. “What happened, your Majesty? What is wrong with the Queen?”

Max shook his head. “More of Khivar’s treachery.”

The guard gasped. “But Khivar is dead.”

Max’s head snapped up with sudden realization. Could Khivar have done something to Liz that would continue to influence her so strongly after he was gone? It didn’t seem possible that Khivar’s powers would still be so potent even after he was dead. Max met the guard’s eyes. “Is he?”

The guard shifted uncomfortably. Your Majesty, I was standing at your side when it happened. The whole planet watched as Khivar was executed.”

“Did we?” Max asked as he turned introspective. All he had really seen was someone who looked like Khivar being executed. No, he corrected himself immediately, someone who looked like Khivar was apparently executed. But it would have been easy enough to fake if Khivar had inside help. Khivar could have substituted someone for himself before the execution, or perhaps the executioner had only pretended to kill him.

Max looked back at the guard. “Get General Darius!”

The guard snapped to attention. “Immediately, your Majesty.” He bowed and stepped away as he spoke into his communicator.

Max turned to Liz. Her brow was creased, her mind tormented even in sleep. He cupped her cheek and pushed his love for her into their connection. “Liz this is all my fault,” he said softly. “I should have had your mind checked more thoroughly, made sure that Khivar hadn’t done anything to you.” He shook his head, “And I should have made sure the bastard was dead. I should have killed him myself and burned the body until it was nothing but a pile of dust.”

He stroked the velvety skin of her cheek. “None of this is your fault. You’ve only tried to do what was right.”

Their whole time on Antar had been like a nightmare. Going to another planet to test Isabel’s loyalty and discovering she was truly a traitor had been horrible. But they had hardly had time to even think about it because they were thrust immediately into a bloody interplanetary war.

There was no way they could have imagined how different their lives would be. The new planet, culture and language were minor considerations but only added to their stress. But neither he nor Liz had grasped what his people expected him to be. They looked to him with such expectation, with such awe and he had struggled to live up to that. He knew it had been stressful for Liz too. The whole future of the planet, of five planets rested on their shoulders.

They had pushed each other for more and more power. Perhaps they had pushed too hard and too fast but at the time it was the only option. Max grimaced. They had done a lot of things that they both felt were wrong, but there had been no other choice. The war had to be won, no matter what the cost.

And just as it looked like they were finally winning the war they had lost Michael. Each death in their lives had been horrible, but Michael’s loss had been devastating. Max knew it had hit Liz particularly hard because Michael had sacrificed himself for her.

Max felt a tear in his eye as he looked at Liz’s beautiful face. They had been under so much stress for so long, even before they had gotten to Antar, and Max wondered if that had helped to convince Liz that he was evil. She was exhausted physically and mentally, they both were, but maybe her tired mind had allowed in doubts about him.

Jaetus, Kasha and the healer Seris rushed into the room and over to the bed where Max was sitting next to Liz.

“What happened?” Seris asked Max.

Max glanced at the guard, who bowed and moved out of the room. Max waited until he was gone to answer Seris. “The day before the execution Liz went to visit Khivar,” Max said shaking his head.

“I remember,” Jaetus said. “She seemed very unsteady after the encounter.”

Max nodded. “I was convinced Khivar had done something to her and checked her but I didn’t find anything. But obviously I was wrong because she tired to kill me tonight.”

“What?” they asked in unison.

Max nodded grimly. “Liz waited until I was asleep and bound me to the bed and tried to cut my throat. But it wasn’t Liz. She would never do that. I connected with her and found out that Khivar has convinced her that I’m evil. She was trying to kill me to save me from myself. But she remembers things that are different than how they really happened, and she had visions of things that never happened. Khivar must have done something to her to make her mind create or re-create reality.”

Seris specialized in healing the mind and he nodded agreeing. “Khivar could have done any number of things to her, but I should be able to figure it out.” He reached out to place his hands on Liz’s head, forming a connection.

As he examined her General Darius rushed into the room, noting Liz on the bed.

“What happened Your Majesty?” Darius asked.

“Khivar has done something to Liz,” Max answered without taking his eyes off Liz, “messed with her mind.”

“When she went to see him?” Darius asked.

Max nodded and finally met his eyes. “I know this is going to sound crazy but I think Khivar is still manipulating her. Could he still be alive? What if Khivar had an ally on our staff who helped him escape before the execution, or helped him fake his death?”

Darius nodded. “I would like to say it was impossible but it could have happened.”

“Start an investigation immediately,” Max ordered. “I want Khivar’s remains exhumed to verify that he is dead.”

“That won’t be necessarily,” Seris said, bringing their attention back to where he sat with Liz. “Khivar is still alive and so is Isabel,” Seris said. “In Liz’s mind I found a small thread of a connection and it looks like Khivar and Isabel have been working to influence her for quite some time.”

“What have they done to her?” Max asked horrified.

“I was able to catch hints of their intensions when I examined her,” Seris said. “Isabel and Khivar sent Liz dreams and visions over the last year trying to sway her to believe that you were evil, but it wasn’t working. Liz was subconsciously fighting them and she wouldn’t believe anything bad about you. But when Liz went to visit Khivar he used the skin-to-skin contact to strengthen the connection, and in the last few days Khivar has convinced Liz that you are evil and that she had no choice but to kill you.”

Tears gathered in Max’s eyes as he looked at Liz. “They were doing it for a year? Too much mind manipulation killed Alex.” He touched Liz’s face. “Will she be alright?”

“Liz is powerful,” Seris said. “She was mostly able to keep them out of her mind until she visited Khivar, then his power just overwhelmed her. But we’ve caught it early and there is only a little damage. I can repair her mind and she’ll be fine.”

Max sighed with relief and sagged against the bed unable to his weight any longer.

Jaetus and Kasha were instantly at his side.

Max waved them away. “How could they have been contacting Liz and I didn’t know?”

“They were smart,” Seris said. “Khivar used Isabel to contact Liz because your sister’s essence in Liz’s mind wouldn’t seem out of place to either of you.”

“We have to find Khivar and Isabel now,” Max said looking to Seris. “Can you tell through the connection in Liz’s mind where they are?”

Seris shook his head. “No, but Liz might be able to reverse the connection and…”

“NO!” Max growled cutting him off. “She’s been through too much already. We are not using her like that.”

As the others discussed how they would find Khivar, Kasha took Max aside. “Max I’m certainly not blaming you, but I told you that keeping things from Liz was a bad idea. You should have told her the whole truth about your other life, everything you’ve remembered. She must have picked up on some of your memories and feelings through the connection and that probably helped convince her Khivar was telling the truth.”

Max shook his head, his eyes never leaving Liz. “I was afraid that she wouldn’t love me anymore if she knew the whole truth, and now the lies have put her in danger. I don’t know if Liz will forgive me.”

Kasha stroked his hair. “Liz loves you Max. She loves you, and you are not Zan anymore. She’ll understand.”

Max nodded. “Whether she understands or not I owe her the whole truth.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Isabel came out of her dream walk with a scowl on her face and Khivar knew instantly that they had failed.

“What happened?” he asked her.

Isabel shook her head. “Max woke up and stopped Liz before she could finish. Then he forced her into a deep sleep and I was pushed out of her mind.” She met Khivar’s eyes with a smile. “Do you think he’ll have Liz executed for trying to kill him?”

Khivar smiled back but raised an elegant eyebrow. “I though you loved Liz?”

Isabel frowned briefly. “I do love Liz, but I hate Max even more. I tried to save Liz, to get her to stay out of this, to stay on Earth but she wouldn’t listen. She has chosen her side, just like I have chosen mine.” She looked up to meet Khivar’s eyes. “If Liz has to be sacrificed to bring Max down, then so be it.”

Isabel smiled. “And I like the idea of Max being forced to kill the one person he loves more than anyone. It would tear him apart.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


TBC

Hey everyone,

icequeen - you always make me laugh - me? evil? well, okay, maybe I am ocassionally
Emz80m - yeah Isabel is easy to hate in this one
Earth2Mama - you were right
begonia9508
Ellie
hazz
Erina
kissme4ever123
- Thanks for sticking with me! Hope you enjoy



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Part 2


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Seris broke his connection with Liz wearily, his whole body shaking with fatigue and the effort he had expended to heal her mind. “It’s done,” he said with relief. “I severed the connection Isabel and Khivar formed in her mind and I healed the damage they caused. Liz will be fine.”

Max rushed back to the bed and sat beside Liz. Gently he smoothed her hair as he studied her beautiful face, so relieved that she was going to be okay. He released a deep breath glad that he had the opportunity to be completely honest with her. Still he was worried about how she would react, but that seemed so unimportant compared with what almost happened.

Stroking her soft cheek with his thumb, Max considered everything he needed to confess. He had remembered a lot more about his past life than he had told her.

Khivar had certainly exaggerated and twisted the truth, and showed Liz outright lies, but some of what he’d told Liz was true. And for months Max had been terribly afraid of what Liz’s reaction would be if she learned everything. He had carefully kept the memories hidden from her in his mind, only discussing the circumstances with his mother and Jaetus to verify if what he remembered was the truth. But he couldn’t hide it any longer. It was time to confess everything to her, no matter what the consequences were.

Max looked around the room at the few people and waited until they left before turning back to Liz. Then taking Liz’s head in his hands Max opened their bond wide so that nothing stood between their two minds. He showed her everything that had happened, her false visions and memories, the connection that had allowed Khivar and Isabel to manipulate her, but most of all he concentrated on sending her his overwhelming love.

He wanted her to know with absolute certainty that he didn’t blame her and he trusted and loved her more than ever. Then slowly he woke her from the deep sleep. Through the connection he felt her come awake by degrees, her mind reeling to process the new information.

Suddenly Liz opened her eyes and focused on him and instantly she broke into tears as shame and horror washed through her. “Oh Max I’m so sorry,” she cried. “I never should have believed that about you, even with the evidence and the visions. You could never be like that.”

Max pulled her into his arms, cradling her head against his chest as he stroked her hair. “It’s okay Liz. It wasn’t you.”

“But I almost killed you,” she sobbed. “I let Khivar and Isabel manipulate me so much that I nearly murdered the one person who means more to me than my own life.”

Max held her tightly. “Liz, I’m fine. And none of this is your fault. You didn’t let anything happen. Khivar is more powerful than you are and there was no way you could have stopped him. But we severed the connection they put in your mind and they’ll never be able to get to you again.”

Liz shook her head. “But they’ll know they failed and they’ll come after you another way. Max you have to put the connection back. Maybe we can trick them or maybe through the connection we can figure out where they are.”

Max shook his head. “No Liz, it’s too dangerous. They damaged your mind.”

“But Max,” Liz argued, “I can’t lose you. We have to…”

“Liz,” Max said softly, cutting her off. “It will be alright. We’ll figure out another way and we’ll stop them. I won’t put you in danger again.”

“Okay,” Liz agreed, pulling back to meet his eyes. “We’ll find another way.”

He kissed her forehead. “I told you I wouldn’t survive without you and it is even more true now.”

Tears started in her eyes again remembering what she had intended to do. “Max…”

But he cut her off gently, pressing a finger to her lips. “I saw everything in your mind Liz. I know that it nearly destroyed you thinking you had to kill me. But it makes me love you even more to know that you were willing to do anything to save me, even from myself.”

He wiped at the tears that streamed down her face. “You never stopped loving me even when you thought I was evil, and you knew without a doubt that I loved you.” He smiled. “Nothing could make us stop loving each other. It just isn’t possible.”

More tears shown in her eyes. “I do love you Max. More than I even thought possible.”

“I know it,” Max said fiercely. “And I love you.”

He kissed her gently, pressing their lips together, savoring the moment and the closeness.

And Liz felt the same way. She leaned into him as she kissed him back, so happy and relieved to be proven wrong. But through their connection she could still feel that something was bothering him.

She pulled back to meet his eyes. “Max?”

He looked away briefly unable to stop the rush of guilt. “This isn’t your fault Liz, I want you to know that.” Again he met her eyes. “It is my fault.”

Liz shook her head, “Max no…”

But Max continued. “I should have had you checked after you saw Khivar. I should have known something was wrong with you. I should have felt it.” He shook his head. “I knew something was wrong…” he trailed off. “But it started way before that. I should have protected you from the war, from all the things I had to do. I shouldn’t have let you be involved in any of that.”

Liz touched his face. “Max, we’re partners, we share everything. The good and the bad.”

Max sighed. “But some of the things you saw me do in the war, no one should have to see Liz. And maybe it put doubts in you mind about me, and helped you believe Khivar.”

Liz was incredulous. “Max…”

“That’s not all Liz,” he admitted. “You were right to doubt me. I have been keeping things from you. I remembered a lot more from my other life than I told you.”

Liz’s brow creased. “But why?”

“You and Khivar were partially right,” Max admitted. “I wasn’t a good person in my other life. Some of the things in your visions were true.”

Liz shook her head, but Max quickly continued. “I wasn’t evil, not exactly, but I certainly wasn’t a good man. I was spoiled and petty and cruel and only concerned with my own pleasure. I neglected my duties and had multiple affairs that continued after I was married. I was quick to anger and negligent with my men, sometimes even abusive. I was concerned with the welfare of my people though and in war I was willing to do anything to win, maiming and torturing my enemies to get any information from them.”

He shook his head again. “In Antarian tradition men are the rulers, and even though Vilondra was older, I was the heir and my parents’ favorite. And Vilondra hated me for it her whole life. When we were small she was very cruel to me, teased me, played cruel jokes. But my powers developed quickly, and at a young age I became much stronger than she, and I started to pay her back.”

“I treated my sister horribly after that, doing everything she had done to me and much more.” He looked away. “And after my father died and I was made King it got worse. I controlled her life completely. I knew she was in love with Khivar but I forced her into an engagement she didn’t want.”

He smiled sadly. “I thought it was the perfect revenge for all of the things she had done to me. But in the end it drove her to hate me even more and ultimately is the reason we all died. She colluded with Khivar and they plotted to kill me and take my throne.”

Liz touched his hand. “And why didn’t you tell me this?”

“I didn’t want to believe it,” Max said. “I can’t even believe I did those things. I went to my mother and Jaetus hoping they would tell me it wasn’t true but they confirmed enough that I know it was.”

He looked up meeting her eyes. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to know. I thought you wouldn’t love me anymore if you knew the truth about who I used to be.”

“Max,” Liz said softly, “you are not Zan. You didn’t do any of those things.”

“But I am,” Max insisted. “I did the same kinds of things in the war. What if I…”

“No,” Liz said firmly. “You were never like that. You take care of your family, you are a loyal friend and a good man. You are not the person you used to be. Even when Isabel betrayed you, you let her go. You showed mercy.”

“I ordered her execution later,” Max said, “even though you begged me not to. And I killed Lonni, Rath, Tess.”

Liz nodded and tears gathered in her eyes. “I was wrong to ask you not to execute Isabel. She and Khivar have caused so many deaths over the years, and millions were killed in the war. I just couldn’t believe that she was really evil. But she tried to make me kill you.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m sorry Max, you were right.” She shook her head. “And you had to kill Lonni, Rath and Tess too. They would never have stopped until they killed us. You had no other choice.”

Max met her eyes, tears trailing down his own cheeks.

Liz smiled. “You are a good man Max. That’s why I love you and that’s why I though you were worth saving.”

Max gathered her into his arms holding her tightly to him. “Liz I love you so much and I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” He stroked her hair gently. “But I swear that I’ll spend the rest of my life regaining your trust.”

Liz hugged him back. “I do trust you.”

Max kissed the top of her head. “My lies about my past placed a sliver of doubt in your mind even if you didn’t realize it. If I would have told you the truth maybe…” he trailed off. “I promise I won’t keep anything from you.”

“I didn’t mean to doubt you,” Liz said. “I didn’t even know I did until I talked to Khivar. I believed his lies for just a moment.”

“And that’s all he needed to work his evil on you,” Max said softly.

Liz hugged him tighter, her tears starting again. “I’m so sorry Max.”

”No, this isn’t your fault,” he said adamantly. Gently he kissed the tears from her face and then met her eyes. “You’ve had to carry this terrible burden alone. You’re just tired, exhausted. You need to get some rest.”

“No,” Liz said. “We have to figure out how to find Khivar and Isabel. How to save your life.”

“And we’ll do that,” Max promised. “But you’ve been through an ordeal and had your mind healed.”

“I don’t want to be away from you,” Liz said.

Max smiled gently. “I’ll just be in the next room. I won’t go anywhere else and I’ll watch over you while you are sleeping. I can feel how tired you are. Please Liz, just rest for a while.”

Liz was exhausted. All the stress she had been under had completely overwhelmed her and she nodded. “Okay.”

She allowed him to help her into bed and he pulled the blanket up to cover her. Max sat on the edge of the bed next to her and stroked her cheek. “Everything will be alright now,” he said softly. “I promise.”

Liz nodded, sighing in relief.

Max leaned down, kissing her softly and used his powers to lull her into a deep sleep.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max went into the adjoining sitting room with the others, but he left open the connecting door and took a seat where he could see Liz in the bed.

“Is Liz okay?” asked Kasha.

Max nodded. “She’s very upset but I convinced her to get some rest.”

He looked around at the room’s occupants, his mother, the priest Jaetus, General Darius and the healer Seris. “I want the events of this afternoon kept quiet,” Max said. “No one outside this room needs to know what happened.”

Everyone nodded agreeing.

Max focused on Seris. “The visions Liz has been having of me being killed, were those real?”

Seris shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not sure, your Majesty. The Queen does get real visions but those could have been planted.”

“Or they could be real,” Max said. He turned to General Darius. “You locked down the palace. Did you find anyone or anything suspicious?”

“No, your Majesty,” Darius said. “We found nothing unusual.”

Max nodded and sighed wearily. “Let’s continue with the plans for the conference.”

“But your Majesty,” Darius objected, “now that we know Khivar is still alive it is too dangerous whether the Queen’s visions are true or not. Khivar and your sister will try again to kill you.”

Max turned to look at Liz. He would keep her safe at any cost, but he had responsibilities to his people too. And they couldn’t hide behind the walls of the palace and their guards forever. “We need this conference,” Max said, “and we can’t wait until Khivar is found. We’ll just have to put even more security in place.”

Darius bowed accepting Max’s decision. “As you wish.”

Max nodded. “Let’s discuss the security options and then I want to hear ideas about how we are going to find Khivar and Isabel.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Khivar smiled at Isabel. “You really are a bloodthirsty creature, my love. I had no idea you hated your brother so much.”

Isabel looked away, turning introspective. “I loved him on Earth, so much. For a long time we were everything to each other, our only connection to home. But as we got more powerful and started learning about the past, we grew apart. It just seemed to happen naturally. And then Max started to control my life on Earth just like he had done on Antar.”

She looked at Khivar. “But I didn’t know that until you showed me the past. Then I remembered everything, and as much as I loved Max on Earth, I hated him on Antar. I remembered the cruel things he did to me, the tricks, the hold he had on my life, the control he had over me. And I remembered how he was favored in everything, how my parents loved him best just because he was male and the heir.”

Isabel shook her head. “But Zan wasn’t fit to be a leader, a King. He was a spoiled, selfish child just like Max, only concerned with his own happiness. I was the strong one. I should have been the leader.”

She reached out to touch Khivar’s face. “But more clearly than anything I remember that Zan forbade me from seeing you and gave me to Rath like I was some possession. That is when I knew my brother had to die.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max and the others had talked for hours trying to figure out how to find Khivar and Isabel, but apart from a massive door-to-door search they hadn’t come up with any ideas.

It was now late in the evening and Max suggesting breaking for the night and regrouping early the next morning. The others agreed and moved to the door, his mother the only one remaining.

Kasha approached him and Max hugged her tightly. She stroked his hair as she spoke. “How did Liz react when you told her the truth?”

Max grimaced and pulled away from her. “Liz forgave me completely. She said that I didn’t do any of those things because I’m not Zan.”

Kasha nodded. “It is true Max. You are a different man.”

“But he is in me,” Max argued. “I can remember what it was like to be him and it makes me sick.”

Kasha touched his face. “A lot of it was our fault,” she said softly, “your father and mine. You were our only son, the heir to the throne and we indulged you so much. But I had no idea that Zan and Vilondra hated each other so much until it was too late.”

She shook her head. “But all of that is in the past, another life, other people. You are man of strong principle, a good man.”

Max’s brow creased. “That’s what Liz said too, but it really isn’t true. I reverted to Zan’s habits pretty quickly, using my healing powers to torture and kill.”

“It was a war,” Kasha said. “You were greatly outnumbered and forced to do things to keep your people and your wife safe. You did what you had to do in order to win.”

Max met her eyes. “And we won, and now Liz has seen this side of me that has put doubts about me in her mind.” He shook his head. “Yeah, we won the war, but was it worth the cost?”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Even in sleep Liz could feel Max through their connection and sometime during the night she was aware that he joined her in bed. He spooned her body with his own holding her tightly. His warmth encased her and his love passed through their bond, and Liz sank into an even deeper, more contented sleep.

Hours later she awoke in an empty bed feeling groggy, and was surprised to see Jaetus sitting in a nearby chair.

She sat up alarmed. “Max?”

Jaetus spoke softly. “He is in the next room, your Majesty. He asked me to stay here and watch over you.”

Liz instantly cast her mind out for Max and sighed with relief when she felt him exactly where Jaetus said. But she could tell that Max was busy and quickly withdrew.

Jaetus rose from his chair. “Shall I get the King for you, your Majesty?”

“No, I’m okay,” Liz assured him. She looked into his face and instead of the creepy, fanatical expression she was used to seeing, Liz saw kindness and concern.

“Jaetus,” she said.

Instantly he was next to the bed on one knee. “How may I serve you?”

“Please,” Liz said, “sit next to me.”

He did as she asked and Liz smiled at him sadly.

“Jaetus, I’m sorry.”

A look of confusion passed over his face. “Your Majesty?”

“I have been suspicious of you almost since we arrived on Antar. I thought you were trying to do something to Max or convince him to turn back to his old life. But I know none of that was real now and I’m sorry that I suspected you.”

Jaetus shook his head. “You have nothing to apologize for, your Majesty.”

Liz smiled. “Won’t you call me Liz since we’re alone?”

“That would not be proper, your Majesty. According to Antarian tradition…”

He continued but his words triggered a memory in Liz’s mind.

“Jaetus,” she interrupted. “You are the Order of the Angel.”

“Yes, your Majesty,” he answered.

“Khivar told me that Zha’an was originally two words that meant Angel of Death. And I remember looking it up to make sure it was true.” She shook her head, her brow creased. “I’m not sure if that was real or not but it was one of the things that helped convince me Max was evil.”

“Why?” Jaetus asked. “Why would that trouble you?”

“On Earth the Angel of Death is a mythological being who collects the souls of the dead and takes them to the afterlife,” Liz explained. “But somewhere in our lore it started being associated with an evil being who caused deaths. Now we give the name to some of the worst murderers throughout our history.”

She met Jaetus’ eyes. “So why was Zan called the Angel of Death?”

Jaetus nodded. “Now I understand your concern, your Majesty. But on Antar the phrase Angel of Death has an entirely different meaning. It refers to someone who can bring souls back from the brink of death, and is reserved for only the best healers. All the males in Zan’s family have possessed remarkable healing powers and their line became known as the Angels of Death because they could preserve life when no others could. And our order was founded to serve them and help them with their gift.”

Liz nodded. “And Khivar must have learned about the Earth meaning of the phrase and used it against us.” A shudder raced through her as she realized the most likely way Khivar would have gotten the information.

Jaetus noticed her reaction immediately. “Your Majesty, what is wrong?”

Tears started in Liz’s eyes as she met his. “Isabel told Khivar.”

Suddenly Max burst into the room, having felt Liz’s distress through their connection. “Liz?”

“I’m okay,” she assured him. “I’m just still realizing how much Isabel was working against us.”

Jaetus bowed low and silently exited the room closing the door behind him and leaving them alone.

Max sat beside her on the bed. “I’m sorry. I know how hard it is.”

“For you too,” Liz said.

Max nodded and took her hand. “Liz, the visions that you’ve been having almost since we arrived on Antar that I was going to die,” he paused and looked up to meet her eyes. “Are those real?”

Liz shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“But yesterday,” Max continued, “you said you had a vision of us both being killed.”

Liz squeezed her eyes tightly shut, her answer coming out in a whisper. “I’m so sorry Max. I made that up. I knew if you were concerned for my life that you would never leave me alone.”

“Oh,” Max said with realization. Liz had lured him to their room where they could be alone so she could kill him.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Isabel paced restlessly around the room. If Max blamed Liz for trying to kill him, he would have already announced her treachery and a date for her execution. Her brother was unswerving when he made a decision if nothing else.

So Max must have discovered that she and Khivar were behind the attempt on his life. Isabel smiled, knowing how incredulous he would have been when he realized she was still alive. And how he must be brooding overtime to try and figure out what she and Khivar were planning.

“But you won’t have to wonder for long, brother dear,” she said aloud. “We’re coming for you, and you’ll never even realize what happened.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max had scheduled meetings most of the day, but he hadn’t wanted Liz to be put through the stress of attending so soon after her mind was healed. So he had talked her into taking it easy for a few days and asked Jaetus to stay with her to protect her.

Currently Liz was walking through the domed atrium with Jaetus just behind her. She’d wanted to go outside and get some fresh air but Max had asked her not to unless he was with her so she’d settled for the greenhouse. It was almost like being outside. The sun streamed down warming her skin as she looked at the flowers and listened to the gurgling of the small stream. In the peaceful environment it was almost possible to forget all the troubles outside and she wished that Max was there to share it with her.

The sound of Jaetus’ voice made her jump. She had momentarily forgotten he was there and she turned quickly toward him and almost fell.

Jaetus automatically reached to steady her and Liz flinched away from him.

Immediately he apologized. “I am sorry, your Majesty. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He stayed carefully still. “Your Majesty, would you feel more comfortable with someone else protecting you?”

Liz shook her head. “No. And I’m the one who’s sorry. I trust you Jaetus. It’s just the last time you touched me I had a horrible vision, and it probably wasn’t real but that is why I reacted like I did. I’m sorry.”

Jaetus nodded but remained otherwise still.

Liz smiled at him. “What was it that you asked me a moment ago?”

“I asked if you were getting tired,” Jaetus said.

Liz nodded. “I am a little tired.”

Jaetus motioned to a nearby bench. “Would you like to rest for a few moments?”

Liz held out her arm to him and after a moment Jaetus moved slowly toward her and took it, walking with her to the bench. She sat down and looked up at him smiling. “Thank you.”

Jaetus bowed. “Thank you, your Majesty.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max sat in the meeting struggling to pay attention but his mind kept wandering to Liz. Even though they had discovered the connection that Khivar had forced on her and healed her mind he couldn’t stop worrying about her. As long as Khivar was alive she wasn’t safe. None of them were.

And the discussion in the meeting about security and safety wasn’t helping. It kept drawing Max’s mind back to the war and the terrible things he had done, and his reasons for doing them. Yes he had wanted to win the war for his people and to get rid of the tyrant Khivar, but even more importantly he had fought to win the war to keep Liz safe.

Everything he had done was for her and he knew without a doubt that he would do it all again. Briefly he wondered what kind of person that made him, but it really didn’t matter. Liz’s safety was the only thing that mattered. When it came to Liz he would do anything.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz’s sleep was troubled.

It was the first day of the conference and it had been a long day, packed with receptions where they were introduced to Max’s many supporters, and meetings geared toward reorganizing the government. There had been so much going on that Liz had barely had time to think. But as the afternoon progressed into evening she’d had a vague feeling of unrest that steadily grew.

Max had been worried about her but she had assured him she was okay, and they had made slow, sweet love which had chased her fears away. But now that she was finally asleep the feelings returned and followed her into her dreams.

Dark, menacing images flickered through her mind, Khivar, Isabel and countless others with no names and no faces. They were simply shadows with no form, hiding in the darkness, ready to pounce when they got an opportunity.

With a gasp Liz awoke, sitting in bed. For a moment she felt relief that it had only been a dream until she realized that something had woken her.

She glanced quickly around the dark room, looking into every corner, listening for any sign of trouble. But she heard only Max’s soft breathing and saw nothing but shadows, and she released a deep, shuddering breath. It had just been a bad dream, they weren’t in danger.

She lay back down and turned to Max, and even though he was soundly asleep he took her in his arms, cradling her against his chest. Liz breathed deeply letting his familiar scent fill her senses calming her instantly. She blinked sleepily, letting her eyes slide shut, but a small movement drew her attention.

A shadow on the wall wavered slightly, gently swaying back and forth. It was cast from a branch, was her first thought, moving in the wind. But as she continued to watch it the shadow started to twist and swirl. She couldn’t seem to look away as its movement quickened, and it seemed to fold back onto itself growing in size. The other shadows in the room started to move too and they gathered together, joining with the original to create a huge swirling mass.

Liz tried to cry out, tried to move but she was being held in place by a force she couldn’t see. The shadow detached itself from the wall and moved toward the bed. It twisted faster and faster and Liz was shocked to it see form into a person. She felt panic rise up within her as she recognized Khivar.

He stepped out of the shadow holding an enormous sword and swung it directly at Max.

And Liz screamed, sitting up as she finally came awake.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


TBC

Hey everyone,

Thanks for sticking in there.

Here's the new part!


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Part 3


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz screamed, sitting up as she finally came awake, her eyes darting around the room.

She recoiled in horror as she saw movement.

But relaxed when she saw it was simply Jaetus rising from a nearby chair, and she realized almost instantly that it was the next morning and she was safe. It had only been a really intense dream. No, not a dream she corrected herself, a vision.

“Max!” she gasped.

And as if she had conjured him, Max burst into the room. “Liz!” he said anxiously.

“I had a vision!” Liz exclaimed. “It was Khivar! And he was killing you!”

Max crossed to the bed and sat next to her and touched her face gently. “What did you see?”

“It was like Khivar just appeared out of the shadows in our room,” Liz said. “He had a sword and swung it right at you and I couldn’t move or speak.” She reached up a shaking hand to his face. “It was horrible. I was watching it happen but I couldn’t do anything to help you.”

Max took her in his arms. “It will be okay,” he promised. “We’ll stop Khivar before he has a chance to get that close.”

He stroked her hair as he softly spoke. “Are you sure it was really a vision, Liz? You’ve been under a lot of stress. Maybe it was just a bad dream.”

“No,” Liz insisted, “it was a vision. I know it was real.”

“Okay,” Max soothed, “but Khivar never had that kind of power before.”

Liz pulled back to meet his eyes. “I don’t know about that, but it was real. I’m sure of it.”

Max nodded. “Do you remember anything else?”

“It seemed so real, like it was happening,” Liz said shaking her head, and her eyes snapped to his as she suddenly remembered. “It was the first day of the conference. That’s when it happens.”

Max stroked her cheek. “Liz that’s when you said it happened last time, remember? When you made up the other vision. Maybe this was just a dream.”

“No,” Liz said, shaking her head. “I mean yes, I made that up before, but this was real Max.”

Max kissed her forehead. “Okay, but I want Seris to check you out.”

“I don’t need…”

“What if it was planted somehow by Khivar?” Max asked. “We have to make sure he didn’t do something to you again. Please Liz.”

She nodded and Max looked over her head motioning to Jaetus with a jut of his chin.

Jaetus bowed and quickly left the room to get the healer.

Liz knew it would make Max feel better to have her checked. But Khivar hadn’t sent the vision to her. She knew it with absolute certainty. And it was her one chance to save Max.

“Max you have to have Seris put back the connection with Isabel,” Liz said.

“What?” Max asked incredulously. “Absolutely not.”

“But Max we haven’t made any progress finding Khivar and Isabel,” Liz argued. “If we put the connection back…”

“No Liz,” Max said. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Max,” Liz started again, but she trailed off as Jaetus returned with Seris.

“Your Majesties,” Seris greeted them with a bow.

“Liz had another vision,” Max said. “And I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

Seris approached Liz with his hands outstretched. “May I, your Majesty?”

Liz nodded and Seris cupped her head, forming a connection easily. He searched her mind quickly but thoroughly and released her. “You are fine,” he said. “No one else is in your mind.”

Liz met Max’s eyes and spoke in his mind. Can we talk now?

Yes, Max answered the same way, and he continued to hold her eyes as he spoke aloud. “Thank you, Jaetus, Seris. Leave us now.”

Liz waited until they were alone. “Max, we both know that I get these visions for a reason. It’s so we have the chance to do something about them, to change what was going to happen. And this might be the only chance we have to save you.”

“And we will,” Max said.

“Max it’s only a few days until the conference,” Liz argued. “And we haven’t made any progress finding Khivar and Isabel. We need any help we can get.”

Max shook his head. “But using you to try and find them is not an option,” he said softly. “It is so dangerous and we don’t even know if it would work.” He stroked her cheek. “We have other alternatives that we are still working on. I have a meeting in half an hour to check on the progress.”

“I want to be in the meeting,” Liz said.

Max searched her face looking for signs of fatigue. He was still worried but he thought that it might put her mind at rest to be included. Liz always felt better when she was working to fix a problem. After a brief moment he nodded. “Okay.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Isabel entered the room where Khivar was checking the details of the plan. She stopped next to him. “Are you sure this is going to work?”

Khivar nodded. “It’s a good plan.”

“So were a lot of our other plans,” Isabel said angrily, “but somehow Max has escaped them all. He even survived the war, and every attempt we have made on his life.”

Khivar pulled her into his lap and kissed her hard. “Don’t you trust me, my love?”

Isabel frowned. “Of course I trust you, but this is taking too long. I want it over. I want Max dead.”

“Just a few more days,” Khivar promised.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz sat in the meeting with a growing sense of helplessness. They had made no progress in finding Khivar and Isabel, and none of the ideas discussed gave her much hope.

They had exhausted every lead, searched every one of Khivar’s known properties, interrogated every prisoner and every one of Khivar’s allies. They had searched and re-searched every inch of the palace, and cleared every person who worked there. They had consulted every psychic and seer, used anyone who might be capable of contacting or tracing Khivar and Isabel. Max had even tried contacting his sister, but none of it had done any good. Even worse they were running out of ideas.

Liz knew they were all trying but they were also quickly running out of time.

Her own brow was creased in concentration as she tried to think of anything new, anything they hadn’t already tried. Anything to save Max.

Max watched Liz throughout the meeting growing more and more worried about her. He could see how stressed and frustrated she was. It had been a mistake to include her, and when they took a short break Max pulled her aside.

“Liz I want you to get some rest this afternoon,” he said softly.

“No Max,” she said adamantly. “I want to help. Maybe I can think of something…”

“You aren’t completely well yet,” Max said. “You’re not back up to full strength and you’ll only make yourself weaker if you keep stressing yourself like this.”

“Please Liz,” he urged, “I can’t concentrate when I’m worried about you.”

Liz felt a rush of guilt and frustration. Max was worried about her health, but she was worried his life. She felt torn between the two emotions, but the concern she could see in Max’s eyes and feel through their connection made up her mind. She nodded. “I’ll get some rest.”

Max placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Thank you.”

He motioned for Jaetus who escorted Liz from the room. Max sank back down into his chair with a sigh of relief. He knew Liz was concerned for his life and he was too, but he was even more concerned with Liz’s safety.

Max wasn’t convinced that Liz’s dreams were visions of the future. He knew Liz believed in her visions absolutely and normally he trusted her judgment almost more than his own. But her mind had been under so much stress for so long, and she had been given so many visions by Khivar and Isabel that Max didn’t know if Liz could tell what was real and what was simply a nightmare. Liz had certainly seen enough horrible things to give her nightmares for years, not to mention the fact that she had nearly killed him herself.

That was one of the reasons that he wanted her to skip the meetings and take it easy. If her visions were real, Max knew that she would get more out of them if she was calm, relaxed and rested. But he hadn’t said anything to Liz because he didn’t want to add to her already enormous amount of stress.

But, Max reminded himself, even if Liz’s visions were real it didn’t change anything. They were doing everything they could to stop Khivar.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The next day Liz walked slowly through the palace with Jaetus at her side.

Max had once again convinced her to stay out of the meetings. She had argued with him briefly but reluctantly agreed to do what he said because she knew how worried he was about her. But she had so much nervous energy that she felt she had to get out of their room.

But even though she wasn’t in the meeting, she couldn’t shut off her worry for Max. She’d had the same vision last night too of Khivar killing Max and it had made her even more anxious. The conference was in two days and they were running out of time. Liz’s mind whirled with ideas as she walked, some they had already tried, some that were improbable, but at this point she was willing to try just about anything.

They walked in silence for a long time with Liz deep in thought and eventually they found themselves back in the domed atrium. Usually the atmosphere was so calming and soothing to her, but Liz was so worried that she barely noticed the beautiful surroundings.

Suddenly she turned to Jaetus as an idea occurred to her. “What about Khivar and Isabel’s things that were in the palace when we captured it,” Liz said excitedly. “We’ve searched them but maybe someone could get a flash off of them. Or what about the cells where Isabel and Khivar were held? It’s likely that one or both of them were thinking about their plans while they were there. Especially Khivar. He had to be thinking about what he was going to do to me.”

Jaetus nodded. “I am sorry, your Majesty, all of those things have already been attempted.”

Liz’s face fell and she suddenly looked exhausted. Jaetus noticed the change immediately and motioned to a nearby bench. “Perhaps you should sit for a while, your Majesty.”

She accepted his help and turned to him when he took a seat beside her. “Jaetus, I’ve never felt so helpless in my life. We won the war, wiped out Khivar’s army, but we still weren’t able to defeat him. Nothing we try works, all of our ideas are useless, and I don’t understand what my visions are trying to tell me. It’s like we’re all just sitting here waiting for Khivar to come in and kill Max.”

“How can Khivar have this kind of power?” Liz asked incredulously. “How can he be blocking us so effectively, hiding so well?”

She shook her head. “And the one thing that might help us Max won’t even try.” Tears started in her eyes. “I know he’s worried about me, but he’s going to die. Using me might be our only chance to save him and he’s so stubborn that he won’t even consider it.”

Jaetus spoke softly, attempting to calm her. “We are all concerned for the King, and we are all doing our best to protect him.”

Liz shook her head. “And what comfort will that give us if Khivar kills him anyway?”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Khivar let his eyes trace Isabel’s sleeping form next to him in bed. She was so beautiful and treacherous just like in her last life.

He smiled. He had wanted her from the moment he had seen her, and when he had discovered how much she hated her brother he had included her in his plan to take the throne.

And she had done everything in her power to help bring Zan down. She had told Khivar of her brother’s strengths and weaknesses, and kept him apprised of Zan’s activities and schedule. She had given him guard rotations, alarm passwords, door codes, anything she could to help. And with her assistance what could have dragged into a costly war had seemed to end with their surprise attack against the palace. They had easily captured the palace, slaughtered most of Zan’s men, brought Zan himself to his knees and executed him.

Everything seemed to be going their way.

But the Granolith couldn’t be located, and then Vilondra had been assassinated. Then the rumors started of the rebirth of the Royal Four, and a new war started that had continued in one form or another for more than fifty years.

Khivar didn’t mind wars, they were necessary. But he was tired of the endless irritation of Zan and his supporters, and now Max. Khivar had spent more of his life than he’d liked obsessing and plotting about how to rid himself of Zan. So he could understand Isabel’s frustration and desire for it to finally be over.

But she’d admitted to him how much she’d loved Max on Earth, how they had been everything to each other for so long. And even though he knew that she remembered hating him in her other life, Khivar wondered if she was truly committed to their course of action.

Perhaps she anxious for Max to die because she was afraid that if she had too much time to think about it she would change mind. And if Isabel did change her mind, Khivar knew she would turn on him in an instant.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max had been in meetings all day long, and then he’d had a late dinner with Liz, his mother, Jaetus and a few of his generals. Afterward he and Liz went to their room and he was so glad to finally be alone with her.

He reached for her but Liz backed away from him, avoiding his embrace. Max was momentarily stunned. Liz had never withdrawn from him, never denied him, not once, and immediately he opened their connection wide. He knew she had been upset earlier but through their bond he felt the full extent of her emotions.

Liz was terrified of losing him, terrified that he would die and there was nothing she could do about it.

He stayed where he was but held out his hand to her. “Liz,” he whispered.

Tears started in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks as she shook her head. “I’m so scared.”

He nodded and took a step closer. “I know.”

More tears rolled down her cheeks. “I don’t know how to help you, what to do.”

Max took another step toward her. “We’ll figure it out. It will be okay.”

Liz shook her head again.

He closed the distance between them and slowly reached up to touch her face. Liz tried to pull away but he gently cupped her head and forced her to meet his eyes. “It will be okay.”

A sob broke from her and she threw her arms around him as he took her in a tight embrace. He held her while she cried, sending his love through their bond as he caressed her hair and back.

As Max attempted to comfort Liz, anger built up inside him. They had suffered so much, sacrificed so much and still it wasn’t over. After the war, the deaths of their friends and family didn’t they deserve to live their lives in peace? Didn’t they deserve a happy ending? Instead every day they lived under the constant stress and fear that they could be murdered in their beds.

But as long as Khivar and Isabel were alive, Max thought angrily, they would never be safe.

He was aware that Liz’s tears had stopped and her small hands started to wander over his back. She placed a kiss on his neck, grazing his skin with her teeth.

“Max,” she gasped.

Immediately the anger he felt transformed into passion and he grasped her head in his hands, kissing her hard. Liz kissed him back hungrily, thrusting her tongue into his mouth and instantly fire rushed through them, consuming them both.

With a growl Max grasped her hips lifting her against him and Liz wrapped her legs around him. He held her with one hand and started on the buttons on her shirt with the other, while he walked them to the bed.

He laid her down without breaking the kiss and they pulled at each other’s clothing. Max threw Liz’s shirt and bra aside pausing briefly to palm her breasts and stroke her hardened nubs. Then he moved down to her pants deftly working the fasting.

While he was busy with Liz’s clothing she had unbuttoned his shirt and he stripped it off before reaching for her pants again. Liz lifted her hips and he pulled off her pants and underwear in one motion, tossing her shoes aside before quickly divesting himself of his remaining clothing.

His instinct was to take Liz hard and fast but he fought the urge because he wanted to show Liz how much he loved her. He settled over her pressing their naked flesh together, groaning with the sensation. But the way Liz was grasping at him he could tell that she was practically desperate for their joining.

She raised her knees aligning her already wet core with his hard length.

Max held her eyes as he reached down to hold her hips steady and thrust inside. Liz wrapped her legs around him pulling him even deeper and squeezed her inner muscles around him. The small amount of control that Max had left dissolved and he withdrew from her almost all the way before plunging back in.

Liz gasped with pleasure and the sound enflamed Max even more. There was nothing he liked more than giving Liz pleasure and he was greedy for the sounds of her ecstasy. Automatically his increased his pace pistoning into her again and again.

Their anger, fear and frustration merged together through their bond coming to the surface. Max growled as he increased his pace again slamming into her harder and faster.

Max felt their emotions building along with their orgasms as they had so many times before. He and Liz not only found physical satisfaction and release in one another but their strong emotions were also shared and at least temporarily assuaged.

Liz’s hands grasped his back attempting to pull him closer and she raised her hips to meet his every thrust. “Oh yes Max!” she gasped.

He could tell she was close and he reached between them rubbing her clit in quick circles. Soft whimpers escaped her and she arched into him, her whole body tightening. Max smiled and kissed her hard not decreasing his rhythm until he pushed her over the edge.

Liz cried out as she came, her short nails digging into the muscles of his back and Max groaned as he pumped into her two more times before achieving his own release. He buried his head in her neck, deeply inhaling the sweet scent of her hair.

For long moments they simply laid together basking in the sensations and the emotions shared through their bond.

Max cupped her cheek and kissed her neck near her ear. “I love you so much Liz.”

Liz’s arms tightened around him. “I love you too Max.”

She touched his face and Max immediately met her eyes. Liz didn’t want to spoil the moment but she was growing desperate. “Max, I want you to help me get a vision.”

He shook his head. “Liz I…”

“Please Max,” she cut him off.

“You know I don’t like you putting so much stress on yourself,” he said. “And the added pressure of trying to get a vision…”

“Max please,” she begged. “I need to feel like I’m doing something.”

Max could hear the desperation in her voice and he reluctantly nodded.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz couldn’t sleep.

No matter what she did she couldn’t get rid of the horrible foreboding feelings.

Making love with Max had briefly chased away all of her fears, but now that he was asleep it all came rushing back. Liz had hoped that the power Max pushed into her would trigger a new vision like it had so many times before, but this time nothing had happened. How was she supposed to save him when she didn’t know what to do?

She shifted restlessly and Max’s arm tightened around her. Even in sleep he was trying to protect her, but it just reminded her that she couldn’t protect him. After everything they had tried, all of their planning and precautions, her visions still showed Khivar killing Max.

Carefully Liz disengaged herself from Max’s embrace and slipped out of bed. She didn’t want to wake him with her restless ponderings. Silently she crossed to the nearby chair where Jaetus sat while he looked after her. She took a seat and let her eyes roam over Max’s sleeping form.

She loved him so much and she couldn’t believe that she had let Khivar convince her that Max was evil. Max wasn’t perfect, and he had done things that he regretted, they both had, but he was a good man. She knew Max felt he needed to make it up to her for keeping things from her, but Liz didn’t know how she would ever make up for the fact that she had believed he was evil and attempted to kill him.

Max had forgiven her instantly and even tried to take all the blame on himself, but for Liz it wasn’t that simple. It deeply disturbed her that Khivar had been able to turn her against Max so easily.

With her eyes she lovingly traced the strong lines of his handsome face. She might not ever get over her guilt about doubting Max, but the first step in her absolution was to save Max’s life.

Suddenly the room around her started to dim, and Liz watched in horror as the shadows along the wall began to come to life. They swirled and rolled, like clouds in a stormy sky, folding together and coalescing to create a huge dark mass in the corner of their room.

She gasped in horror and tried to cry out, but no sound came from her throat. Uselessly she tried to push herself out of the chair but her muscles wouldn’t obey. Just like before she was forced to watch helplessly as Khivar formed out of the inky substance and stepped forward with an enormous sword. He took the few steps to the bed and raised the sword over his head, but he paused and met Liz’s eyes, smiling evilly before he violently swung the sword down toward Max.

Liz jerked as she came out of the vision, nearly falling out of the chair. Even though she knew it hadn’t really happened her eyes automatically went to the bed and to Max, and a sigh of relief escaped her seeing that he was still safe. But her relief instantly turned to anger, frustration and a bone chilling fear.

A tear spilled over Liz’s eyelid and rolled down her face. She had been so desperate to get a vision and now she wished she hadn’t. It had held nothing useful, no miraculous solutions. Instead it seemed like the vision was mocking her, showing her that she powerless. Showing her that Max was going to die and there was nothing she could do about it.

No, she thought angrily, brushing away her tears, she wouldn’t just give up. Max was alive and she was going to do anything she had to do to keep him that way.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The next morning Liz didn’t argue with Max at all when he asked her not to attend the meetings. She had to be away from him to do what needed to be done. And she needed Jaetus’ help.

Now she only had to convince him to go against the direct order of his King.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max was glad that Liz hadn’t insisted on being with him this morning. He had a plan about how to find Isabel and Khivar but he didn’t want to get Liz’s hopes up incase it failed, especially because of how upset she had been last night.

Instead of the meeting he had told Liz he was attending he went to the Granolith room where General Darius was already waiting for him.

“Your Majesty,” Darius greeted him. “Are you ready?”

Darius was the closest thing he had to a friend besides Liz, but the General treated him with a reverential awe and refused to drop his formal manner even when they were in private. Max sighed wearily. “Darius I don’t know what we’re going to do if this doesn’t work. Liz had another dream of my death last night and we’ve tried everything else that we can think of.”

“Of course it will work, your Majesty,” Darius said confidently. “You are much more powerful than Khivar. It was only through trickery and deceit that he was able to overtake you in the first place.”

Max met his eyes. “And what makes you think that he won’t succeed the same way again?”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz walked with Jaetus through the palace. Outwardly she was sedate, but inside she was buzzing with nervous excitement and a touch of fear. She could probably execute her plan alone but it would be much easier with Jaetus’ help.

She waited until they were in a remote part of the palace and alone before she broached the subject. Taking a seat on a convenient bench, she motioned for Jaetus to sit next to her.

Liz met his eyes. “Jaetus, I had the same dream last night. The dream where Khivar kills Max in our room on the first night of the conference.”

Jaetus’ brow creased. “The dream has not changed?” he asked incredulously. “Even after all of the extra security precautions we have put in place.”

Liz shook her head. “Somehow Khivar still gets into the palace and kills Max. I’ve seen it, lived it every night. We’re running out of time. Unless we do something Max is going to die tomorrow night.”

“But what do you suggest, your Majesty?” Jaetus asked.

Liz gripped his hand. “I want you to help me connect with Isabel.”

A look of horror crossed Jaetus’ face as he furiously shook his head. “I cannot. The King has given orders, he has forbidden…”

Liz cut him off. “Max is in denial. He is more concerned for my life than his own. But Jaetus you know better than anyone that without Max your whole planet will fall. Khivar will take over again and this time there will be no one to save you. Max has no heirs. If he dies Khivar will make sure his line ends, he will make sure that Max doesn’t come back again, and your Order will have failed in its mission.”

Jaetus sat silent, obviously pondering what she had said, and Liz continued. “Isn’t it your duty to protect your King in any way possible?”

A tear escaped Jaetus’ eye and trailed down his cheek as he nodded. “You are right, your Majesty. We must do anything we can to save the King.”

He held her eyes. “You are not from Antar originally or even of royal lineage, but you deserve the title and the respect more than any other I have met. You would do anything for your husband, including sacrificing your life.” He knelt before her and kissed her hand. “In what way may I be of service, my Queen?”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Max sat down and closed his eyes concentrating, reaching for the power of the Granolith. He was going to attempt to contact Isabel again using the additional energy of the Granolith to hopefully enhance the connection.

Momentarily he let his thoughts wander to Liz. She was so sure that he was going to die by Khivar’s hand tomorrow. But he had tried not to think about it, instead trying to stay positive and concentrate on ways to defeat Khivar.

But Max had to admit that he grew more worried as each day passed and Liz’s visions didn’t change. What if Liz was right? he’d asked himself again and again. Her visions had never been wrong before.

And Max had no illusions about Khivar and Isabel. If they did win, if they did succeed in killing him, they would have Liz executed as well. Without him she had no protection.

Max had given orders that if he died Liz was to be protected at all costs, but he knew it was hopeless. Khivar was more powerful than Jaetus and all of his Generals. They wouldn’t be able to hold Khivar off for long. Even if Liz somehow managed to escape she would be alone on an alien planet, and hunted the rest of her life.

Stubbornly he pushed the thoughts from his mind. This plan would work. He would find Isabel and Khivar and stop them before it was too late.

It had to work, he said silently to himself. It was the only way to save himself, and more importantly it was the only way to save Liz.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz and Jaetus sat facing one another on the floor in her room. She had only attempted contacting someone in this manner one other time, and that had been Max when he was in New York. She’d been scared for his life, just as she was now and she knew that had helped her form the connection. But this was entirely different.

Ironically it was Isabel who had helped her contact Max and save his life. But this time Isabel was out to destroy her brother, and Liz was attempting to contact Isabel to get into her mind and discover where she and Khivar were so well hidden. But more importantly she didn’t want Isabel to know she was there.

Liz reached for Jaetus’ hands. She knew he could help guide her on the first few unsteady steps of contacting Isabel, but she also wanted him there in case she got into trouble. Jaetus was powerful, the most powerful of the Order, that was why he was the leader, and Liz hoped that if things went wrong he could help her.

He met her eyes. “You are ready?”

Liz nodded and closed her eyes as she opened her mind to him, easily forming a connection. It was odd seeing the rush of images from his mind, but somehow comforting.

Rapidly Liz turned to her memories of Isabel. They were never really close but there were times when Liz had felt that Isabel had let her in. And one of those times was when they had saved Max. Liz focused on that night, on their shared desperation to save Max, on how it felt to have Isabel’s guidance in locating him.

Then she felt a gentle tugging in her mind as Jaetus’ attempted to direct her.

Liz felt herself getting lighter, just as she had that night. She had the sensation that she was floating out of her body, flying, but she had no direction and felt as if she were simply stumbling around in the dark.

Again she felt the gentle guidance of Jaetus’ mind redirecting her to focus on her memories of Isabel.

Liz concentrated harder, bringing the good memories into the front of her mind while reaching out, searching for Isabel. Suddenly she felt the rush of connection of touching another mind and she knew she was in. She kept her mind still for long moments trying to determine if she had been discovered but when she felt no alarm or acknowledgement of her presence Liz carefully started to probe.

It shouldn’t have surprised Liz that there was so much anger and hate for Max in Isabel’s mind, but it did. She knew Zan and Vilondra had hated one anther. But they were different people now and Liz just couldn’t understand why Isabel had turned so completely against Max.

So carefully Liz searched for any clue, any impression that might give her Khivar’s and Isabel’s current location, but every time she thought she was on the right track, she ran into a dead end. Frustrated she started again only to have her mind suddenly gripped.

At first she didn’t understand what was happening but then she felt Isabel’s presence. My brother send you to do his dirty work? Isabel asked.

Liz was so surprised that she didn’t answer. Obviously Isabel had known she was there the whole time and had been playing with her.

It was pretty stupid of you Liz, to think you could get into my head and I wouldn’t realize. Isabel said angrily. You haven’t been using your powers long enough to master anything this subtle. Max must be getting pretty desperate.

Max doesn’t even know. Liz said.

She felt Isabel smile. Of course. You did it on your own again, to save him.

Liz felt Isabel’s anger directed at her. How many times have you saved my brother’s worthless ass? Maybe we’ve been doing this the wrong way. Without you around to save Max, over and over again, he would have been dead a long time ago.

Liz was suddenly scared and tried to disengage her mind from Isabel’s, but she was held tight.

You can’t leave yet, Isabel said. Someone is here who would like to say hello.

Suddenly Liz felt another presence join them and she knew instantly it was Khivar. A rush of terror filled her as she remembered that he had almost made her kill Max.

Khivar’s deep chuckle filled her mind. If you think you’re scared now Liz, he said smoothly, just wait until I’m finished with you.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


TBC

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Part 4


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz struggled against Khivar’s mind but he was too strong and he forcefully held the connection in place.

It’s no use trying to get away, Isabel said in Liz’s mind. Khivar has more power than you could possibly imagine.

Liz tried again to get away, attempting to disconnect her mind from Isabel and Khivar, but it was no use.

Don’t worry Liz, Isabel soothed. We aren’t going to hurt you.

Of course not, Khivar agreed. We need you unharmed so you can help us defeat Max.

No! Liz exclaimed. I won’t let you use me like that again.

Khivar’s deep chuckle echoed in her mind. How will you stop us?

Liz summoned all her strength, concentrating on keeping Khivar out of her mind. But she felt him pushing easily through her few remaining defenses delving further into her memories. What are you doing? she asked anxiously.

Taking all the information you have about Max’s defenses, Khivar said. We thought our last plan was perfect, using you to kill Max, but obviously we underestimated him. We won’t make that mistake again.

Memories flashed through Liz’s mind as Khivar sorted through them, and she was helpless to stop him. She tried to reach for Max, but Khivar was blocking their connection.

We can’t have you calling for help, now can we? Khivar mocked.

Liz was growing more desperate with each passing moment. Vaguely she felt Jaetus’ mind touching hers, trying to guide her and then it was gone. Khivar must have blocked him too, Liz thought, but at least Jaetus would tell Max that she was in danger.

Liz relaxed a bit, knowing Max would help her but then Khivar started to access her memories of Future Max and the Granolith. Instantly she panicked. If Khivar found out the truth about the Granolith they were all dead.












~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Even with the Granolith’s extra power Max hadn’t made any progress in contacting Isabel, and he was beginning to get frustrated. At one time he and Isabel had been so close and now he couldn’t even sense her at all.

Suddenly he felt Liz’s terror shoot through him. He had been blocking most of the connection with her so she wouldn’t know what he was doing, but immediately he opened their bond wide and redirected all of his attention on her.

But Liz wasn’t alone. Max felt Isabel and Khivar too and then the connection with Liz was abruptly severed.

Instantly he tried to connect with Liz again, but he couldn’t. Max could feel Liz, feel her fear, but he couldn’t communicate with her. He could tell that somehow Khivar was blocking him.

In the few seconds that he had connected with Liz he knew that she was in their room and he leapt to his feet and rushed from the Granolith room. Vaguely he heard Darius’ voice behind asking him what was wrong.

“Khivar is in Liz’s mind again,” Max called over his shoulder as he ran. “She is in our room, get Seris.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Khivar paused in his exploration of Liz’s mind when he stumbled across the information about Future Max. He had always wondered how Max had come back in time and if it could be duplicated. The ability to control time would give him an overwhelming advantage.

Liz struggled against Khivar with renewed strength. She couldn’t let him discover what they had learned about the Granolith.

The Granolith! she thought with relief, and automatically reached for it’s power.

She and Max had used it so many times to help them in the war, and its energy signature was always in her mind, almost like the connection she shared with Max.

With relief she felt its power and drew it into her. The energy flowed through her, filling her, and she felt Khivar’s surprise as he realized what was happening.

Liz effortlessly broke his hold on her mind and reversed it, holding him in place. She wanted to kill him and Isabel but she didn’t know how. Instead she had to settle for a few angry words. You almost made me kill Max, Liz raged through their connected minds, for that I will kill you both.

She easily pushed Khivar out of Isabel’s mind and focused on her sister in law. You won’t get any mercy from me this time Isabel. You know how much Max means to me. How could you?

This time it was Isabel who was struggling to escape, but Liz held her tight. Isabel screamed in frustration and turned her attention back to the conversation. Liz you always helped us, even though it was mainly because of Max. But you were always a good friend to us. And believe it or not I am sorry that we had to use you.

Liz’s voice rose angrily. You would have destroyed me if you’d succeeded in making me kill Max!

I want Max dead, Isabel snarled back, and I’ll do anything to make that happen.

Why? Liz asked. How can you hate him so much? You were so close…

Isabel cut her off. Max would have taken over my life! He was already starting to do it. And he would have kept me away from Khivar.

Liz was incredulous.

I was older, Isabel continued, I should have been Queen, but Max would always be favored, he would always be more important. Everything I ever wanted Max got handed to him on a silver platter. But I’m taking it back. When he’s dead I’ll get everything I’ve ever wanted.

Your family used to be the most important thing to you, Liz pointed out.

And I’ll have a family, Isabel said. I’ll have Khivar and we’ll have children, and I’ll be Queen as I was meant to be.

And your brother is only in your way of this great life? Liz asked. And what about Michael and Alex and me? We were in your way too?

Liz felt a rush of guilt from Isabel, but it was quickly pushed aside by anger and hate.

Sometimes, Isabel said, sacrifices are necessary.

You heartless bitch! Liz growled.

That’s why I’ll make a great Queen, Isabel said. I can do what needs to be done.

Well so can I, Liz said. So can I.

Once again Liz pried into Isabel’s mind and quickly sorted through her memories, looking for her current location. With the additional power of the Granolith it was easy to do, and Liz ignored the pain she knew she was causing Isabel. Soon it wouldn’t matter anyway.

And when Liz found the information she was after she directed one more comment at her sister-in-law before releasing her.

Goodbye Isabel.

Liz opened her eyes as she brought her consciousness back into her mind. Jaetus had her head in his hands and was calling her name.

“Are you all right?” Jaetus asked.

Liz nodded. “I’m fine.”

“I’m sorry,” Jaetus apologized quickly dropping his hands. “I wasn’t strong enough to help you and then I felt a tremendous rush of power. I sent for Seris and Max.”

“It’s okay,” Liz assured him. “I…”

Suddenly Max burst into the room, closely followed by General Darius.

Max rushed to Liz’s side, dropping to his knees next to her. “Liz what happened? Are you okay?” he asked anxiously.

“I’m fine Max,” she quickly assured him. “I connected with Isabel…”

Max cut her off, “You did what!?! What were you thinking!?!”

Liz shook her head. “No Max, listen to me…”

He cut her off again. “You promised me that you wouldn’t put yourself in danger!”

“Max!” Liz insisted. “You have to trust me now. This is important!”

Max knew Liz was worried that he didn’t trust her anymore, which couldn’t be further from the truth. He met her eyes. “Of course I trust you. I trust you more than anyone. Tell me what happened.

He saw the relief on her face as she continued.

“I found out where Isabel and Khivar are hiding,” Liz said. “The whole building is filled with their supporters. We have to use the Granolith right now to destroy them.”

Max nodded as he took her hand and opened their connection wide. “Show me where.”

Liz showed him the location and felt him reach for the power of the Granolith. She could feel the anger and hate rushing through him directed at Isabel and Khivar. They had been the cause of so much suffering and death and Max wanted them dead almost more than anything. He lashed out wildly using the additional energy to help focus and send his power across the city to the building where Isabel and Khivar and their followers were staying.

He had only meant to kill the building’s occupants but his rage made his power almost uncontrollable. With a thought he toppled the building, pulling it to the ground, immediately killing almost everyone within. Then he concentrated on the few remaining living individuals that he could sense inside and used his healing ability to suck the life force from every one of them. In seconds he had killed them all.

He looked to General Darius. “Take a legion to these coordinates,” Max ordered, passing his hand over the floor, creating a map of the building’s location. “I want everything there, and do a thorough investigation. And I want Khivar and Isabel’s bodies!”

Darius bowed and hurried from the room.

Max turned his attention back to Liz. “It’s over,” he said, releasing a deep breath and touching her face. “It’s finally over.”

Liz was stunned. After everything, all of the death and suffering, the war, the worry, it was all over just like that. Could it really be true? Could it really be that easy?

Suddenly Seris came into the room bowing before Max and Liz. “Your Majesty, you sent for me.”

“Liz was in contact with Khivar again,” Max said. “I want you to check her.”

“I’m fine,” Liz said distractedly. “They didn’t do anything to me.”

Max’s brow creased with worry at Liz’s seemingly detached state. He lifted her chin forcing her to meet his eyes, but he had to say her name twice before her eyes lost their faraway look and she really focused on him.

“I want you checked anyway,” Max insisted.

Liz agreed with a nod.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


“That bitch!” Khivar raged, looking out the back window of their transport as they sped away from the collapsing building. “I can’t believe Liz accessed so much power! It must have been the Granolith! She could have killed us both if she would have realized how! As it was we barely escaped with our lives before Max pulled the building down around us!”

Isabel was still stunned as well. “I knew she would hate me but I never knew she had it in her to actually kill us. She must have gone running to Max the second she released my mind.” She turned to Khivar and threw her arms around him. “We’re so lucky you got us out of there or we’d be dead.”

Khivar hugged her back tightly. “When Liz released my mind I ordered our senior staff out of the building. The others don’t matter and we needed someone in the building for Max to kill. It will take a while for him to figure out that we aren’t among the dead, perhaps even a few days, and by that time it won’t matter anyway. Max will be dead.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Song Playing: Damaged People by Depeche Mode


Max insisted that Seris check Liz’s mind, and he himself checked the rest of her body for injuries. And when he was satisfied that nothing had happened to her he dismissed everyone from the room, waiting until they were alone before he turned to her.

“What were you thinking Liz!?!” he asked angrily.

“We were running out of time!” Liz said heatedly, tears welling in her eyes. “You wouldn’t accept my help and nothing else was working! I couldn’t just stand back and let you die!”

“They could have killed you!” Max roared.

“Don’t you understand Max?” she asked softly as the tears spilled from her eyes. “I can’t lose you.”

More tears rolled down her cheeks. “You’re everything to me Max.”

“Just as you are to me,” he whispered, as he took a step closer.

“I wouldn’t want to go on without you,” she gasped. “I know what life is like without you, and wouldn’t have anything to live for if you were gone.”

“I know,” Max said gently. “I couldn’t live without you either.”

“I would rather die myself that have anything happen to you,” Liz said reaching out to him.

“No!” Max growled, pulling her into his arms. “Neither of us are going to die. I love you too much to let that happen. We’re safe now. We’re going to live, and love and grow old together.”

He kissed her hard and Liz returned his kisses, melting into his arms.

But Max’s heart was still racing with the thought that he had almost lost her again and he felt the need to show her and himself that she belonged to him and he had power over her and her body. His hands reached under her skirt, pushing it up as he gripped her hips, lifting her and carrying her to the bed. He laid her down without breaking the kiss and climbed on top of her.

With a single motion he tore off her panties and then quickly unfastened his pants, freeing his already hard length and surged inside her. He buried himself completely within her soft, welcoming depths and stilled his motion to look into her face.

Liz’s eyes burned with desire for him, her face flushed with passion, her lips parted as her breath came in short gasps. She was so beautiful, and she was his.

Liz attempted to lift her hips to start the rhythm between them but Max put all of his weight on her, holding her still. He wanted her to know that he controlled this situation completely. Liz’s eyes widened but she understood him instantly and he felt her body relax as she surrendered to him.

A smile lifted the corner of his lips and he continued to hold her eyes as he skimmed his hand down her body. With a feather’s touch he passed over both of her breasts causing Liz’s body to strain towards him, but he didn’t stop. He reached lower, tracing over the soft skin of her stomach and down to his final goal where they were already joined.

His practiced fingers stroked over her clit, softly at first, each motion causing her body to jerk. Then he increased his pace slightly, rubbing it in gentle circles, teasing it, grazing it with his short nails. And all the while he greedily watched Liz’s reactions.

No matter much they were together, no matter how many times they made love Max knew he would never get enough of her. He loved giving Liz pleasure and loved watching it reflected so honestly in her face.

As he continued to stroke her clit he started pushing power into her. Just a small amount at first but he rapidly increased it quickly sending Liz over the edge. But he didn’t stop. He kept increasing the amount of energy bringing her to climax again and again.

Her wet heat pulsed around his painfully hard cock and he could feel the power running through her. Liz’s whole body glowed with the energy and it passed from her, flowing back into him. He was already so aroused from watching Liz climax that the power broke the last of his control. With a groan he started to move inside her, thrusting hard and fast.

Liz was already so oversensitized from the multiple orgasms that every one of his movements in and out made her body jerk and writhe beneath him. It was as if a live wire was attached to her and he felt the sparks of energy passing through them both. Her breath came in quick pants and she wrapped her arms and legs around him, drawing him closer and causing him to sink even deeper within her.

Max growled, his own breath coming in harsh gasps. Neither of them would last much longer. He held Liz tightly to him, thrusting into her as hard and fast as he could. Again he pushed Liz over the edge and this time he allowed himself to follow her.

They both floated in a warm river of energy, completely content to simply be together. Their connection was open wide and thoughts and emotions passed freely between them.

It’s so nice to be able to do this again, Max said, to completely loose our control and not have to worry about anything.

Liz agreed with him silently. I love you so much Max. I never wanted anything except to be with you.

I love you too, Max said, kissing her forehead. And we have the rest of our long lives to look forward to.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


That night Liz slept deeply and contentedly, with no dreams plaguing her rest for the first time in a long time.

She awoke still wrapped in Max’s loving arms, the sun streaming through the window. The light illuminated his handsome face and Liz let her eyes roam over him, drinking in the sight of him. A dark sprinkling of beard outlined his strong jaw and surrounded his sensuous, full lips. The small lines around his mouth and eyes were softened and he looked so peaceful and relaxed.

The danger was past. It was truly over. Finally they could live in peace.

Liz reached out to touch his face.

Max felt her stir and sleepily turned to her with a smile. “Good morning.”

Liz smiled. It was the first morning of the conference and Max was safe. “Yes it is.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Khivar, Isabel and their small band of men watched the palace from a nearby building. Delegates from every region of the planet were arriving for Max’s conference to rebuild the Antarian society and restructure the government.

“What a waste of time,” Khivar said to Isabel. “We’ll just change it all back tomorrow when we have killed your brother and have taken back the palace.”

“Tonight,” Isabel said excitedly. “Finally tonight!”

Khivar smiled. He had been worried about Isabel’s true intensions for no reason. She wanted Max dead even more than he did, and after Liz’s visit yesterday Isabel was even more determined to see it through. In fact she had insisted on going into the palace to watch Max and Liz die.

They could have entered the palace at any time, but Khivar had learned of the conference and purposefully waited until all of the delegates were gathered. He would kill Max, end his line once and for all, and take possession of the Granolith with all the regional leaders as his witnesses. Khivar would show them all that fighting him was useless, that he had all the power. And after that no one would stand against him.

A messenger rushed in and handed Khivar a folded piece of paper.

Khivar read it quickly and summarized aloud. “Our man in the palace says that even though Max thinks we’re dead he hasn’t lessened the security.”

“But surely that won’t be a problem,” Isabel said.

Khivar shook his head as a smile curved his lips. “It wouldn’t matter if Max had every man in his army guarding the palace. This plan is foolproof and he will die tonight.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


It had been a long day and Liz was tired, but it was a good feeling. The news of Khivar’s death had spread rapidly and lightened the hearts and minds of the delegates attending the conference. A spirit of fellowship and hope infused everyone and a lot had been accomplished in the plan to restructure the government.

After the meetings there had been a reception and a large banquet that had lasted for hours. It was really late but finally Liz and Max were able to retire to bed.

When they reached their room, she and Max made slow, sweet love and he held her until he eventually drifted to sleep. But Liz found it more difficult to turn off her mind.

Sometime during the day she had become aware that there was a sort of nagging feeling in her mind, almost like she had forgotten something. She had tried to push it aside but as the day passed the feeling continued to grow. Even Max’s lovemaking hadn’t been able to extinguish it entirely and now as she laid in the dark, quiet room she finally allowed herself to consider what could be wrong.

Almost immediately the answer came to her. For so long she had been worried about Max’s safety, knowing that tonight was the night he would be killed. And even though he was safe now just the thought of the deadline approaching still had her tied in knots.

Liz forced herself to try and relax. They were safe, she reminded herself. Khivar and Isabel were dead and her vision wouldn’t come true.

She snuggled closer into Max’s side, laying her head on his chest. The soothing sound of his strong heartbeat reassured her that he was alive and safe, and after a few moments Liz drifted to sleep.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Khivar’s man within Max’s guard kept careful watch until the palace was mostly dark and quiet before sending the signal for Khivar to enter. Then he waited for his master to return to the palace.

When the war started Khivar had sent several hundred men to join Max’s side as spies, assassins and sleepers, and he was one of them.

And as far as he knew, all the others had been discovered. He was the only one left.

The man smiled. It had been ridiculously easy for him to join Max’s troops and work his way up through the ranks. He’d simply killed anyone in his way, knowing it would be blamed on the enemy. And when the war went against Khivar he had bided his time, waiting for his master to contact him.

While Khivar was in power he had added several secret exits from the palace in case he needed a quick escape. After the war he had sent instructions to his man inside to allow all of the secret tunnels to be found, except one. And it was through that one remaining tunnel that Khivar and his few troops would re-enter the palace.

Khivar had also riddled the palace with passages inside the walls that would take him from one part of the palace to another, and they also connected with the one remaining escape route. He’d had them constructed so they were almost impossible to discover. Even a thorough examination of the walls wouldn’t reveal them. And he had instructed his spy to make sure the passageway leading to Max’s bedroom stayed clear and undiscovered.

The guard snapped to attention as he heard the faint sounds of footsteps in the tunnel where he was waiting. He bowed deeply before Khivar and Isabel. “Your Majesties, welcome home.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz’s sleep was troubled.

She had vague dreams of their life on Earth when they were fighting the Skins, of the war on Antar, of the assassination attempts on Max’s life. Then her dreams turned to the time she had visited Isabel and Khivar in the goal before their execution.

Khivar’s smiling face hung before her taunting her with his sorrowful, concerned expression and soft, comforting words as he tried to spin his spell around her convincing her that Max was evil.

Then her dreams shifted again. Again she relived her experience yesterday when she had been in Isabel’s mind, but this time more of Isabel’s thoughts became clear.

Liz saw Khivar and Isabel in the building that Max had destroyed. They had lived there since their escape from the execution and she watched as they plotted to kill Max. They had used individuals with the talent that allowed them to mask the use of powers. And they had used others that possessed the talent to hide auroras. That was how they had been able to stay hidden so long and so well.

But the dream didn’t end there.

She could see that when she had forced Khivar from Isabel’s mind he had gone into immediate action. He had ordered his ‘important’ people from the building and carried Isabel to a transport while Liz had still been searching through her mind. The building had come down moments later as they were driving away.

As shiver raced through Liz. Khivar and Isabel were alive!

That was what the nagging feeling was trying to tell her all day. She’d been connected to Max when he pulled down the building, but she hadn’t sensed Isabel or Khivar inside.

Again her dream changed and she watched herself and Max in bed as the shadows around them began to move and sway, and finally coalesce into a dark mass in the corner of the room. Khivar appeared but this time he wasn’t alone. Isabel was at his side and together they stepped into the room and approached the bed with murderous intent.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Khivar stopped his small band of men at the secret door that led into Max and Liz’s bedroom. He signaled to everyone and then turned on the device that he had brought.

It would finally all be over in a matter of moments.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz’s eyes shot open as she came awake. Khivar and Isabel were alive and coming to kill them!

She tried to get up but her muscles felt heavy and sluggish and she only succeeded in moving her hand on Max’s chest. She tried to cry out but her voice only came as a low moan. Her efforts caused her head to swim and she blinked trying to clear it.

Just a moment ago she was sure that she had meant to do something important but now she couldn’t seem to remember. Maybe she was sick, she thought to herself.

Vaguely Liz was aware of a strange smell in the room and her eyes moved slowly around trying to determine the source.

Her gaze was drawn to a strangely shaped shadow on the wall that somehow seemed familiar. For some reason it seemed really important and she focused on it, trying to pull the information out of her fuzzy brain.

She watched curiously as the shadow on the wall started to move and panic raced through her as she remembered. It was just like in her dream! Khivar!

Then she realized it hadn’t been the shadows moving in her dreams at all. Khivar was pumping some kind of gas into the room and it was causing her to hallucinate. It must also be responsible for her fuzzy head and near paralyzation.

Liz focused her eyes on the corner of the room where Khivar had appeared in her dreams as she went into Max’s mind. She had to wake him up. But she couldn’t even gain access to his mind. Max was out cold.

The gas must have affected him faster, Liz reasoned, trying to keep her mind working. Perhaps it was because he was a hybrid and she was an altered human.

But that won’t save you! a voice inside her head shrieked.

With Max unconscious she couldn’t even use his powers to save them.

Again she tried to cry out, hoping to alert the guards outside their door, but again only the smallest sound left her lips.

It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to think and her vision was going fuzzy, but she had to do something quickly or they would both die.

The Granolith! she thought triumphantly. It had saved them so many times in the past and she could use its power to save them this time too. She reached for the connection in her mind, but it wasn’t there.

NO!!! she screamed frustratedly in her mind. How could her connection to the Granolith be gone? Had Khivar somehow been able to block it?

Her eyes widened with terror as she saw a wall panel in the corner of her room slide slowly aside, revealing an inky tunnel beyond. The simplicity of it almost made her laugh. It hadn’t been some kind of new power at all. Khivar had simply used an overlooked passage in the wall to get past all of their security.

She watched helplessly with a horrible sense of deja-vu as Khivar stepped into the room, closely followed by Isabel. Again Liz tried to get up, but it only resulted in a small jerky motion that brought Khivar and Isabel’s attention to her.

“Still awake Liz?” Khivar mocked. “I wasn’t really sure about your physiology but I thought the dose of gas I used would have rendered you unconscious too.” He shrugged. “This way you can watch Max die before we kill you.”

“NO!” Liz whispered fiercely.

Khivar smiled. “And how are you going to stop us? I’ve blocked your connection to the Granolith so you can’t access its power this time. And you can’t even move.”

Liz watched as Khivar withdrew a large sword from a sheath on his belt. Desperately Liz looked to Isabel. “You can’t let him kill Max!” Liz gasped. “Isabel you’ve got to help us.”

Isabel looked at her incredulously. “You’re out of help Liz, she sneered. “And out of luck, and now you’re going to die.”

Tears welled in Liz’s eyes as Khivar raised the sword above his head. How could she be so helpless? All of the power they had and still they couldn’t save themselves.

But she couldn’t just lay there and watch Max die. Again she struggled to move and she felt her body shift a little more but it wasn’t nearly enough.

Khivar laughed at her feeble attempts. “A fighter to the end. I see why Isabel loved you. You won’t give up even when you know you’ve been beaten. You must be the reason Max was able to elude us all this time. He certainly isn’t capable of doing it himself.”

Liz looked into Khivar’s smiling face. She hated him more than she’d ever hated anyone, even Tess. Khivar was the cause of all the pain in their lives, the deaths, the war, everything was because of him. And now he stood over Max’s helpless body mocking him.

Max, who had only ever tried to defend his family and his people. Max, who always tried to do the right thing, the best man she had ever known, her love, her soulmate. Max, the greatest and most powerful leader Antar ever had and Khivar was not only going to take his life but his dignity. After they were dead Khivar could make up anything about Max that he wanted and no one would dispute it.

As Khivar started the downward motion of his sword, anger and hatred boiled up in Liz like never before. She felt it flowing through her body filling every inch of her with power until it was almost painful. The feeling was incredible, like she was made of pure power, and it pushed all the fear from her. Something in Liz’s suddenly mind gave way and she gasped with the sensation.

Time around her seemed to go into extreme slow motion, the sword Khivar held almost stopped in place. But Liz ignored it completely, and instead she instinctively focused her newfound power on Khivar’s mind.

She entered it easily and forced all of her bad memories into him. All of her loss, all of her pain, every moment of hurt and sorrow that Khivar had somehow been a part of: Future Max’s visit that forced her to pretend to betray Max, Alex’s death and the resulting riff from the aliens, learning of Tess’ pregnancy, seeing Max’s parents die through his eyes, Rath almost killing them both, Maria’s and Michael’s deaths, her plan to kill Max because Khivar had convinced her he was evil. All of it was because of Khivar.

The memories flowed faster and faster through Liz’s thoughts and she stabbed each of them into Khivar’s mind like weapons, aware that she was tearing him apart.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


To Isabel it all happened in seconds.

Khivar swung the sword at Max and suddenly a pure, golden light burst from Liz. It had Liz’s face, almost as if it were her ghost, but Isabel only had a second to see it before it slammed into Khivar’s head.

He staggered, his sword stopping mid-swing and his eyes rolled back up into his head. Blood started to drip from his nose and a slow moan escaped him that grew louder and louder until he was screaming. His whole body shook and the sword fell from his grip as he collapsed to the floor.

With a scream Isabel dropped to her knees cradling him. Khivar’s body jerked with convulsions, blood pouring from his nose, eyes and mouth.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Liz’s power flushed the toxins out of her system almost instantly and she rose from the bed as the sword slipped from Khivar’s hand. She watched with no emotions as the blood rushed from his face, simply continuing to destroy his mind.

She was aware that her power also rushed into Max bringing him out of the drug’s influence. His power surged to meet hers joining with it, and through their connection she quickly showed him everything that had happened. He came to stand beside her as Isabel rushed to the fallen Khivar.

Max took Liz’s hand speaking to her through their bond. You don’t have to kill Khivar, he said gently. Let me do it so you don’t have to bear that burden.

Liz turned to look at him, and her glowing, golden, power-saturated eyes met his glowing blue ones. She knew that Max wanted to protect her, but she wanted to protect him too. And Khivar deserved to die, there was no doubt. Liz squeezed Max’s hand. Together, she said. We’ll do it together.

Max grimaced but nodded and used their combined power to pull the life force from Khivar, quickly ending his suffering and his life.

As Khivar released his last breath Isabel screamed. “NO!!!”

She gripped his body to her tightly and sobbed.

With her new level of power Liz could feel Isabel’s love for Khivar and feel her grief at losing him, and she was overcome with pity for her sister-in-law. Isabel had been a fool but everything she had done was for the man she loved. Liz had been willing to kill Max to save him. Was what Isabel had done so very much different?

Liz knew Max had heard her thoughts and his came to her, reminding her of the war, the deaths, the attempts on their lives, all at least partially orchestrated by Isabel.

She hurt and indirectly killed a lot of people, Max said.

Liz agreed. But I still pity her, she said.

Suddenly Isabel turned toward them with hate clearly outlined on her beautiful face. “You’ve killed him at last you bastard,” she raged at Max. “You’ve finally won.”

Max shook his head. “Isabel for me it was never about winning. It was about making sure that Antar, my people, and my family could live in safety and peace.”

But Isabel didn’t seem to hear him.

“I would kill you both with my bare hands if I could,” she screamed. “But since I can’t, I won’t give you the satisfaction of killing me.”

Isabel grabbed Khivar’s sword and with a single motion pulled it across her throat, cutting deep.

Liz started forward but Max held her back and they watched as Isabel collapsed on top of her lover, blood flowing from her body into a great pool beneath them.

It was over within moments and she released her final breath, an almost incomprehensible whispered word. “Khivar.”

Max and Liz embraced and wept together for a long time, sharing their relief and sorrow and loss, comforting and taking comfort in each other.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The rest of Khivar’s men, who had fled back into the tunnels when they saw him fall, were easily rounded up.

Max had all of the passages sealed and he ordered the few men who knew the truth to keep it silent. As far as everyone was concerned Isabel and Khivar died in the building collapse. The people would never know how close they came to losing their King again.

Max personally burned both Khivar’s and Isabel’s bodies until nothing but a handful of ash remained. He and Liz took it to seashore and used their powers to lift the ashes into the breeze, swirling them together as they floated away.

Then hand-in-hand they attended the second day of the conference. They were more subdued than the day before but happy that once again great strides were made toward bringing all of Antar back together in peace.

Finally after another long day they were alone together in their room and Liz automatically looked to the place on the wall where the tunnel had been.

Max embraced Liz from behind. “Are you sure you don’t want to change rooms,” he asked softly. “We do have a lot of them to choose from.”

Liz leaned back into him. “No, I think we should stay here, to remind us of everything that happened.”

Max kissed her head. “The conference went well. I think we’re on the right track. Of course it will be a few months or longer until everything is running smoothly, but when it is we have some decisions to make. Like whether we want to stay on Antar.”

Liz turned in his arms. “Max you are the King. These are your people, my people. I know you want to stay and I think we should stay too.” She smiled. “This is our destiny Max and helping the people rebuild their lives will help us heal too.”

Max smiled and pulled her to him for a quick kiss. “Well what do you think about taking a vacation to Earth to see your parents?”

Liz threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “Oh Max, I love you so much. You’re so good to me.”

Max hugged her back. “And while we’re there I think we should tell them the truth, and even invite them back with us.”

Liz pulled back to look into his eyes. “Really?” she asked incredulously.

Max nodded. “We’ve lost so many people we love and I think we should hold on to the one’s we have left.”

“Me too,” Liz agreed. “And I’m glad my parents won’t think you’re a criminal anymore.”

Max touched her face gently. “A lot of bad things have happened but we still have each other.” He held her eyes as he spoke solemnly. “I love you Liz and I promised you that I would spend the rest of my life making you happy, and this is just the first step.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


THE END

or is it?