Part 3

"I don’t give a damn! You Bit…" Maria started toward Tess again only to be stopped by Michael putting his hand on her arm and holding her back. When Maria looked back at Michael to give him a dirty look, she noticed that Michael was frowning intently at Tess.

"Explain." He said harshly to the girl. He still didn’t like her or trust her, but if she was telling the truth, Nasedo could be trying to help them.

Tess saw all of them just staring at her, and even Max had stopped looking at her with hatred. Now he just looked suspicious and almost relieved. Maybe he was realizing that they did belong together she thought. She smiled at Max and reached out a hand to slide it down his chest.

Max backed up and frowned more. "This is not the place or the time to talk about this." Max said with a clenched jaw, and glanced around at the hall that was now starting to fill up with students leaving their classrooms as the bell rang.

"Max’s right." Isabel said still just staring at the new girl. She was torn. She knew Max didn’t trust Nasedo, and that this new girl could be dangerous to them if she was with Nasedo, but on the other hand, if Nasedo was here to help them…and this girl could give them the answers they needed…

Michael must have been thinking the same thing, Isabel thought, for he suggested they all meet at his place after school.

"What about Liz’s Journal!" Maria asked, furious with the three who seemed to have forgotten the whole reason they were confronting this viper.

Alex stepped forward. "Where is Liz’s Journal." He demanded since the others weren’t.

Tess smiled and looked Alex over. " I never took it. I just saw it in my head when I connected with her in a dream, and used it."

"I can’t believe you guys! She’s still a bitch! Look what she’s done to Liz!" Maria said and when no one answered her she stormed off. Alex looked Isabel over and saw that Isabel didn’t know what to think, but she too was taken in by the new girl. He frowned and followed Maria. They had to find Liz.

"My place after school." Michael said to the new girl and after she nodded he left. Isabel following.

"Max…I was going to tell you first." Tess smiled and leaned against Max putting her arms around him.

Max pushed her away. "Now it makes sense." He said and gave her a look of hatred again.

"Max?" Tess flinched at his look.

"It was your powers that made me have to kiss you. You manipulated me and hurt Liz. Why? What is Nasedo up to? What are you both up to?" Max asked with clenched fists and jaw.

"No Max…it’s not that…we are meant to be together…Nasedo told me we were…you are my destiny." Tess tried again, and fell back as Max pushed her away again.

"NO. Liz is my destiny. And if you don’t stay away from her…" Max warned and then he stalked off, knowing he had to find Liz.

He was halfway down the hall when he felt the pull. He turned back around and felt the feeling of passion starting to build up.

Max stared her down and the pull stopped. "Give it up Tess. You lose." Max said between clenched teeth and turned around and walked away.

He sighed. Now that he knew what had been causing that pull toward Tess, he could fight it. If he could only find Liz….

*****************

Tess swore and stamped her foot, then screeched in anger. This was all Liz’s fault! Nasedo had told her that Liz was trouble, that Liz would try to come between her and Max and their destiny. She was going to have to get Liz out of the way. Then Max would realize that he loved Tess, and that they were meant to be.

She knew just where to find Liz. Liz was so easy to home in on. Her pain was so easy to feel. Tess smiled. She loved knowing and feeling Liz’s pain. It made her feel a little better herself.

*****************

Liz had splashed cold water on her face and on the back of her neck, but it didn’t seem to help. She knew if she took a really hot relaxing shower, she might be able to stop shaking and get back to her classes.

Liz turned on the shower closest to her and adjusted the water. When it was more hot than cold, she undressed, put her clothes neatly on the bench by her locker and taking her towel, she went into the open stall.

Liz sighed as the hot water pounded down on her shoulders and back, loosening her tightness and easing the headache that was building. She closed her eyes and tried to let the hot water wash away all the pain of the day as well.

But suddenly the images of Max and the viper in the band room in a passionate kiss flashed in her mind. Then the flash of the viper telling her how good Max was in bed. Then another flash of Max pushing the viper against the lockers and attacking her.

Liz cried out at the pain the images caused and opened her eyes. She should have known that closing her eyes would only cause those images again. They had all last night, which was why Liz hadn’t been able to sleep.

Liz turned off the water, realizing she wasn’t going to relax anymore, and wrapping the towel around her, she stepped out of the open shower stall and went around the short corner to her locker. She stopped short when she saw that her clothes were not where she’d left them. Liz frowned and then rolled her eyes and went to her locker. She wasn’t surprised that she didn’t remember putting them in her locker, since her mind was filled with so many other things right now.

Liz opened her locker and just stood there when she saw that it too was empty. She felt a chill run up her spine and turned around to see the viper standing in the doorway smiling an evil smile.

"You can’t have him. He’s mine. We were meant to be. We are destiny. Stay away from him bitch, or I will have to get rid of you permanently!" Tess hissed and then she was gone.

Liz shivered and then hugged the towel closer to her. Now what was she going to do? Wait until someone came along and then she would get them to find Maria and have Maria run home and get her clothes? How long was she supposed to just wait in here?

Just as she thought that, the door to the locker room opened again.

Liz gasped when she saw Max standing in the doorway, and she felt the de-ja vous from the last time he had stood in that doorway. Only then, things had been different. Wonderful.

"What are you doing here?" Liz asked sharply and then winched as she realized that was the same question she had asked once before.

Max came slowly into the room and looked around. When he realized they were alone, he relaxed and came closer. "Liz…"

Liz held her hand out. "No. Just stay where you are Max. In fact, get out. I don’t want to see you." Liz turned away.

"Liz. I’m not leaving. I need to explain…I now know…"

Liz spun back around. "If you won’t leave, then will you at least find out what your girlfriend did with my clothes?" Liz spat out.

Max finally seemed to realize that Liz was only in a towel. "My…she’s not my girlfriend Liz. You are!" Max started to explain again.

"Save it! If this is how you treat your girlfriends, I’d rather not have that privilege. Just get me my clothes back so I can get out of here!"

Max swore when he realized Liz’s predicament and started unbuttoning his shirt as he came up to her.

"What do you think you are doing!?" Liz sputtered.

Max removed his shirt and she saw he had a t-shirt under it. "Here." He said gently, and was relieved when she let him come close enough to put it around her.

Then Liz backed up, hugging both the shirt closed over her, and the towel she refused to give up.

"Thank you. Now can you please leave?" she said stiffly.

Max looked Liz over and caught a whiff of her scent. Her strawberry shampoo and soap that she always used did things to his libido. Max took a deep breath to clear his mind but realized how useless that was when he just breathed more of her in.

Max’s body reacted to Liz as it always did. His jaw hardened as he fought back real passion. This was real. Not the mind control he had been under before. He wanted to hold Liz. To take the pain and anger out of her eyes.

"Liz…" Max said softly, stepping forward. His body drawn towards hers helplessly.

Liz swallowed as she met his eyes. His eyes were drawing her in again. She stepped closer to him as well.

Max sucked in his breath when their bodies came in contact, and his arms came around her.

Liz whimpered as she felt the heat of Max against her. She felt the familiar throbbing bulge against her almost bare body and bit her lip to keep from crying out with need. It was always like this between them.

Max felt Liz suck in and she unknowingly caressed his hardness, causing him to moan and pull her closer. Then he began to lower his head dying to capture her lips. He slipped a knee between her legs and let her heat cup him to her.

Liz’s head fell back and her lips parted waiting for Max’s mouth. She closed her eyes and then saw Max passionately kissing Tess only an hour ago. Liz’s eyes flew open and she cried out in anger and pushed Max away.

Max released her immediately, and stumbled back. His mind was fogged with an aching need for her. He shook his head to clear it and then saw her anger was back.

"Liz let me explain please… I…"

Again Liz interrupted him, now angry with herself as well as him. "Damn you! Is this some new Czechoslovakian ritual? You need more than one woman so you can mate every hour?" she gritted her teeth holding her towel and his shirt closer.

Max was tired of Liz not letting him finish what he’d come here to say. "Liz! Tess is one of us. She was using mind control on me." He said in a rush.

Liz stared at him as his words sunk in. "Wh…what?" she whispered.

"Liz, after you left us all in the hall she admitted she was one of us sent by Nasedo. That’s when I realized that the unusual pull I had toward her, the unnatural bursts of…passion, were all her doing. She was trying to control my thoughts." Max finally got it all out, and waited.

"Mind control?" she repeated, still trying to take in what he had said.

"Yes. Liz it makes sense. I love you. I’ve always loved you. Why would I suddenly feel a need to kiss her, and then feel sick right afterwards."

Liz smiled lightly. "You did?"

"Yeah." Max said softly again, coming up to her and taking her back into his arms.

"Max…I thought…" Liz bit her lip to keep from letting out a sob.

"Shhh… I know Liz, I’m sorry. So sorry. But now that I know what she’s trying to do, I can stop it. She tried again in the hall when I was walking away from her, and it didn’t work." He smiled pleased with himself.

"No wonder she came in here took my clothes and threatened to kill me." Liz said almost to herself.

Max swore and held her tighter. "Liz! My being in your life has caused you nothing but danger and pain." He started.

Liz covered his lips with one finger, and looked up at him with warmth in her eyes. "You being in my life is the only reason I’m alive today." She reminded him.

Then Liz’s eyes grew sad again and she looked down. Max still held her, but he felt her move away from him a little emotionally. "Liz?" he whispered feeling her pain again.

"I’m sorry, it’s stupid, I mean… You couldn’t help what you did. She was brainwashing you…but…she…you…she said you were a good lover." Liz was whispering now.

Max smiled and cupping her chin gently, he raised her head till he could meet her eyes.

"She also lied about that. I know she could never have gotten that far. I’ve waited all my life for you Liz. You are going to be the first, the only one." He admitted hoarsely.

Liz’s eyes filled and the tears spilled over as she realized that Max was telling the truth. Max started to wipe a tear away and leaned down to take her trembling lips.

Then they both heard the bell ring and Max looked around. "Come on, we’ve got to get you out of here." He said and looked down at how far his shirt covered her. At least it went down to her knees he thought with a sigh.

"Like this?"

"Lose the towel and let’s button you up." Max said quickly trying to get them out of there before a bunch of girls piled into the room. Max didn’t want to have to explain what was or rather wasn’t going on.

Liz dropped the towel and heard Max suck in his breath. She had his shirt over her, but she knew he knew she was completely naked under his shirt.

Liz buttoned the shirt and smiled as she smelled Max all around her. She snuggled into it and then smiled up at him.

Max grinned and then took her arm gently. "Come on. We’ll get you to some place where no one will come around, and then I’ll go get Maria to get you some clothes."

Liz nodded, and they left the locker room.

Max knew the only place to take her, and it was also right around the corner. He steered her toward the eraser room.