Chapter 18

Max settled softly on the edge of Liz’s bed, and pulled her toward him, gently easing her onto his lap. She was so tiny and delicate, and fit against him just perfectly. He could feel her heart thundering as he pulled her close, nestling her near to him. He slipped his other hand around her waist, letting his fingers linger against her side, and slowly he eased her shirt up until his palm met her bare skin. She drew in a quick breath, and he smiled at her reaction. Such a simple gesture, yet it affected her so strongly.

You affect me so strongly, Max…

"And you me," he whispered. But I think you know that by now.

He stared up into her deep chocolate colored eyes, his hands softly caressing the area underneath her shirt, trailing around to her back. Her body was so warm, so soft. She wrapped her arm around him, brushing her fingertips tenderly through the hair along the nape of his neck. She slipped her other hand underneath the front of his tee-shirt, stroking his stomach…upward to his chest. He closed his eyes because every place she touched left a trail of fire. She was setting him quietly ablaze.

Quietly, because everything had become amazingly still and silent between them, as this physical intimacy had begun to intensify. A hush had fallen over them, and there was only the sound of their breathing, their hearts.

And the feel of their hands on one another…leaving tiny blazes of fire in their wake.

Even the connection was changing, no longer roaring wildly between them, but instead becoming still like the surface of a quiet lake--yet absolutely golden…shimmering with warm sunlight.

Yes, their bond remained electric, mesmerizing-- and was still very much alive between them, just more… reverential. That’s what Max felt in his heart. The two of them were entering some place sacred together.

And they were entering as one…their souls knit together, thread into a single bond.

He closed his eyes and savored this moment. No other time would be their first, no other moment exactly like this one. This was what he’d wanted for so long…had barely dared to hope for. That someone could be with him, be this intimate with him-- connected to him--and not be afraid of who he really was. Until Liz that had only seemed an elusive dream.

Oh…until Liz. Then she’d changed him forever.

And he knew Liz wasn’t afraid, because he could feel her utter trust in him. She was laying herself in his hands—she was so small, so precious… like a tiny bird. He who had such energy thrumming all through his body, and alien hands capable of so much power, was gently stroking this beautiful, delicate creature who was his Liz.

Only in his dreams had this seemed possible.

He opened his eyes and saw her gazing down at him, adoration shining through those dark eyes.

I trust you completely, Max…you know that.

She cupped his face gently in her hands, turning it upward toward her.

You are the love of my life… that’s what you will always be, she whispered across the connection.

He felt his hands begin to tremble as the connection flared a bit between them. How could their bond be such a volatile thing? Have such a life of its own?

She pressed a gentle kiss against his forehead, brushing his bangs lightly out of the way. Her hands were trembling softly, too.

I love you, Liz. With all my heart…

And then without warning, the connection exploded wildly again, and she was all inside of him, all over him…little trails of electricity on his skin, within his body. He drew in a desperate breath. This was driving him to the brink and they hadn’t even begun kissing again…hadn’t removed one item of clothing. But every time the connection created this sensation of being inside of her, of her inside him…. Oh, God what it did to him.

His breathing was erratic, unsteady now. And Liz’s wasn’t much better. He stared up into her eyes and realized he was utterly powerless. She wasn’t in his hands… he was in hers. Desperate and hungry, he begged her with his gaze. Her hands stroked his cheek, and he felt his stubble bristle against her soft fingers as she began kissing his jaw, trailing the kiss to his mouth.

Helpless…utterly helpless.

Me, too, she sighed across their connection.

He smiled lightly, meeting her lips with his own.

You weren’t supposed to hear that, he laughed softly.

There’s nothing you can hide from me now, Max. I’ve heard everything in your heart…

He pulled away slightly, staring up into her eyes in surprise. But of course she had.

I love that you’re different from me… that you have so much power within your hands, and yet you use them to touch me…so gently.

He drew in a sharp breath. He’d known this all before, for so long…but hearing it from her now, while they were connected in this deepest place of intimacy, healed something in his heart. It soothed some hidden chamber that needed to know she loved him without regret. Without fear. That even as he was completely exposed to her now, she could gaze at him with the pure adoration he saw reflected in her eyes.

Oh, Liz. It was all he could think, all he could even say across the connection. He could only breathe her name like a prayer.

I am yours, Max. Know that… nothing can take me from you. No one.

He smiled softly, savoring what he saw in her eyes. Raw, undisguised need… for him. She cupped his face tenderly in her small hands again, turning it upward to her.

"I love you, Max. I have always loved you."

He kissed her warm lips, teasing her mouth very softly. He wanted her to feel everything she did to him. Not just the fevered passion of earlier, but also how she gentled his soul. This kiss was slow, deliberate, as he drew it out delicately. And she kissed him back just as tenderly…and slowly. A low moan escaped from the back of his throat, and then suddenly their kiss exploded into something wilder, hotter, as their lips parted. He explored her warm mouth with his tongue, and she responded in kind…a simple dance…a dangerous one.

His skin was growing hotter by the moment.

And their connection was changing, growing moodier, more dangerous. His breathing was so heavy, he had to get it under control. He closed his eyes and just felt her against him…and breathed in their bond.

Oh, she was in him…he in her. Did they even need more than this? Maybe this was how his race made love. Maybe it transcended the physical dimension. Because if he actually made love to her with his body, would they lose some of this--the feeling that their twin souls had been sealed one to another?

More heavy breathing… and Liz’s was just as erratic.

Too erratic.

His eyes flew open, meeting hers, just as she cried out. Max?

"What’s wrong?" he asked huskily.

And he noticed she was shaking, not just her hands now…her whole body.

Liz? He asked urgently. She was becoming frightened—he felt it, as it began to pass between them.

Max…The tremors in her body grew more pronounced. He felt panic rising within him. What if this connection between them—the way they’d joined--was starting to hurt her? God, what had he been thinking, just allowing this to happen? He was an alien and she wasn’t…maybe she couldn’t handle whatever this was.

He eased her slowly off of his lap onto the bed beside him, rubbing her arm soothingly.

"No, Max…that’s not it," she answered unsteadily. "It’s okay…but I just feel something happening inside of me. Don’t you feel it?"

He shook his head slowly. "What do you mean, you feel something happening inside of you?" he pressed her urgently. "What kind of thing?"

"I don’t know Max…just hold me." She shook her head, tears springing to her eyes. "Hold me please."

He folded her within his arms, crushing her tightly against him.

Let’s break the connection right now, he whispered fervently.

No! No…don’t leave me, Max. She held onto him tightly, pressing her face into his chest.

He stroked her hair and was alarmed to realize how incredibly hot she had become--her forehead was burning up. He cursed himself for this. They’d never really known whether it was safe for them to be together this intimately. How could he have been so cavalier about something so foreign to both of them? Maybe this had been a form of alien sex, and maybe they weren’t compatible.

Max, would you please stop it? She cried out, pulling back to meet his gaze. Stop blaming yourself. This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced. I want this more than anything…want you more than anything. I just think it might…be overwhelming my body a bit…maybe we should slow down for a moment.

She took his hand within her own, squeezing it tightly. He nodded slowly, burying his face against the top of her head.

Just rest here in my arms a minute, Liz.

He rubbed her back soothingly, feeling the tiny tremors in her body. They seemed to be subsiding now. He kissed her forehead and the connection rolled within him. He felt a little shiver ripple across his skin. This was unlike anything he’d ever dreamed of experiencing in his life—he didn’t want it to end if it didn’t have to.

Oh, and he wasn’t ready to disentangle from Liz’s soul… not yet.

Her soul was absolutely the most beautiful thing he’d ever glimpsed in his life. He actually saw it in his mind…rich colors, several of them, intertwining… dancing. He knew it was only his imagination…but he swore he really did see her soul.

But he realized that he didn’t just see Liz’s soul—he saw both of their souls, the way they were intertwined now, joined…mating.

Mating.

The word resounded in his head like a familiar echo. And he knew instantly, as the word shot through his mind that they had mated. That was it, what had been passing between them during these incredible moments. Even without the love making, without the added physical intimacy, they had just become life mates…. Alien style. The deep joining, the threading of their souls… it all felt strangely familiar.

And he knew in his heart that it was true.

Oh, God…how was he going to explain this to Liz, he thought with a shudder.

But no sooner than the realization had hit him, did he glance sideways at her and see her mouth open slightly.

He chewed on his lip, staring down for a moment, then met her wondrous gaze again. He felt hot tears spring to his eyes. He couldn’t stop them, not if he tried—and he never cried. But this was the most amazing thing… they hadn’t even meant to do it, and yet they had. Their souls had joined permanently, mating them—he was absolutely certain-- for life.

He felt the warm tears begin to spill across his face. Liz continued to shiver and he pulled her close against him.

There were no words…nothing either could say. They could only hold each other, and allow the radiant glow of the connection to electrify their bodies even more. Liz was definitely burning up, and while it concerned him, he’d felt peace ever since his realization.

"Max," she whispered against his chest. "There’s something I need to tell you."

Hmm…was all he could answer, he was so mesmerized by the moment.

You’re right. I know it for a fact, she murmured to him.


Cemented.... Future Max had said they had "cemented" their relationship the night of Gomez. Liz had thought he meant the amazing connection that he’d transferred to her--but now she realized that he had meant this other thing, this deeper place. A sort of inner sanctuary within the connection…something sacred and hidden.

It was supposed to have happened when they made love—but it had all occurred backwards because of Future Max transferring the connection to her that night. The connection was only a by-product of the lovemaking between their other selves on the other time line…this mating had happened the first time they made love.

The night of Gomez.

That was the night that things between them had been cemented. His words chased her now, their true meaning more than evident.

God, no wonder we wanted to get married so young. We were more than married already…. And she realized that despite Future Max’s efforts, what had just happened between the two of them was their destiny. It was simply meant to be, and even though this joining had occurred in a backwards fashion, it had still happened because it was the only fate they could walk out.

They were called to one another, and no amount of trying to avert that fact could change it.

She wanted Max to know, to understand before they made love—before this final giving of themselves to one another. She wanted him to know that he really was right…

That they now belonged to one another exclusively, irrevocably… for life.