PART TWENTY FIVE

Max’s senses were taut and alert, his ears straining for any sound of the Suburban--or Marco’s motorcycle for that matter. Serena stood by the window, sipping coffee somberly, and Max ached upon seeing the expression on her face. Marco was like a son to her, and yet he was also part of her unit, making their bond even more complex. As she gazed into the night, he sensed how very worried she was about him—but there was something additional in her emotional terrain that Max couldn’t pinpoint; something about the way her expression had darkened when they’d explained how Marco had felt "crazy" earlier tonight. The line of her mouth had drawn tight at their words, and she’d almost visibly paled.

Max had wondered what the reason might be for her tense reaction, yet she’d remained silent, nodding as they’d continued. And he’d felt more than a little guilty, as he’d described ordering Marco to leave, especially at the way Serena had flinched, her eyebrows drawing sharply together. He knew she blamed him, and if Marco never returned, he wasn’t sure how he’d be able to live with knowing he was the cause of his departure from Serena’s unit…or from Tess’s life.

****

Tess had cried almost the entire way home from the bar, and even now she kept fighting back more tears. Marco had refused to leave with her, no matter how she’d pleaded with him—he’d stood by Max’s having ordered him to go. That, and the fact he was convinced that if he returned, so would his madness, and that it would only intensify.

Finally, after she’d refused to abandon him, Marco had declared that he would exit the bar, but by then he’d managed to wrangle the beer away from her again. She didn’t want him driving in his inebriated state, so she’d reluctantly acquiesced, and slowly risen from her seat beside him.

But then she’d turned back to face him for one last moment, and declared what she knew in her heart. That he would eventually return, and when he did, it would be for her.

He’d closed his black eyes at her words and she’d hurried away, not wanting him to glimpse the sobs that had begun wracking her body.

She just didn’t know how she could face the others now, her emotional state was that fragile. And she definitely didn’t know what she would say to Max. She felt utterly betrayed by him, even though there was so much he hadn’t known about Marco and the way he perceived their connection.

And about what Marco really was.

***

Tess entered the cabin slowly, shoulders slumped in quiet defeat and immediately found Serena, Max and Liz waiting for her. Their expressions were tense, yet hopeful, but instantly changed upon seeing her, and she couldn’t stop the tears from beginning anew.

"What happened?" Serena asked in a thick voice.

Tess could only shake her head, as she dropped the car keys on the counter. "He wouldn’t come back with me," she replied dully. "I found him, but he wouldn’t come back."

Max stepped toward her where she stood turned from them all, her palms flat on the tile kitchen counter. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders, and she tensed at his touch. "I’m so sorry, Tess," he began. "I was…well, so very wrong."

Her anger toward him instantly dissolved when she heard how broken his voice sounded-- Max never needed anyone to punish him because he was far too adept at the job himself. She turned slowly to face him and Liz stepped close, opening her arms to her, and that was her undoing. Tess began sobbing again as Liz folded her against herself, and just quietly held her like that for a long moment, stroking her hair lightly.

"He’ll come back," Liz assured her softly. "Max and I will make sure that he does."

Tess nodded mutely, willing the tears to subside, as she pulled away from Liz and turned to face Serena.

"He told me everything," she said hoarsely, and saw confusion flash in Serena’s strange eyes. "About what he is…his gift." The confusion was replaced with something darker, and suddenly Tess realized that Serena had already suspected the truth about tonight.

"What do you mean?" Liz questioned gently. "What did he tell you?"

Tess turned to face Liz, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "He’s been picking up your connection for months, fighting it."

Max shifted nervously on his feet, and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I don’t understand what you mean."

"He’s been feeling things between the two of you, and was afraid to tell you…was ashamed for you to know."

"I know he’s intuitive," Liz pressed. "But that doesn’t make any sense."

"It does when you understand what he is," Serena explained with a heavy sigh, gazing purposefully at Tess.

"What is he?" Max asked, his voice thick with emotion.

"He’s an Empath," Serena explained softly. "He senses…feels the emotions of those around him."

"And he said that the feelings he’d been intercepting between the two of you had become overpowering in the last week or so," Tess explained, glancing between them both. Liz’s eyes widened in sudden understanding, her mouth opening slightly as she looked meaningfully at Max.

Max groaned, rubbing a hand across his eyes. "Oh, God."

And suddenly Tess understood exactly what the recent problem had been…why the emotions had intensified so sharply for Marco. Max and Liz had entered their mating season again, and with it, the emotions had become quite extreme.

"Max and I were connected while I was cutting his hair," Liz confessed, tears brimming in her eyes. "Why didn’t he just come to us? We could have protected him."

We could have protected him. Her particular choice of words sent a shiver across Tess’s skin.

"He didn’t come to me either," Serena lamented quietly. "Except, well… once months ago, but never again. I assumed everything was fine, especially because the two of you were together," she explained, acknowledging Tess with a nod.

"What?" Tess demanded sharply, unable to disguise her shock at Serena’s words.

Serena coughed awkwardly. "Well, I knew that being with you would have provided a covering for him…with their bond."

"But we weren’t together," Tess cried, grasping at her hair frantically. "We’ve never been together!"

Serena shook her head in confusion. "But I saw you…in bed together. And later we all saw you come in from his patrol in the middle of the night."

"We’ve all thought you were together," Liz agreed.

"He wouldn’t allow a relationship between us because he…felt it would be a distraction to him," Tess admitted, her voice thick as she glanced at Liz. "As your protector."

"If I’d known, had any idea…." Serena breathed heavily. "I’d have told you both before now."

"Told us what?" Tess demanded tearfully.

Serena remained silent, her eyes darting quickly among all of them. Tess had the distinct impression that she was formulating a plan of sorts in that singular moment. Suddenly, she turned sharply toward Max and Liz. "Tess and I need to speak alone," she commanded forcefully. "Please."

They both nodded briskly, and Serena stepped ahead of Tess toward the front porch of the cabin. Tess filed after her, ignoring the strong rushing sound that had begun to fill her head, a sound so insistent, it was almost deafening.

Why did she feel that whatever Serena was about to tell her would spin her world on its very axis?

****

Serena moved ahead of her like a soldier, her every gesture definite and commanding. Tess knew she was observing a woman who planned to take charge of this situation, one that she’d evidently contributed in a way that Tess had yet to learn. Serena took a seat on a small wooden bench along the porch railing, and Tess settled firmly beside her. Serena bowed her head, blinking rapidly for a long, silent moment, obviously gathering her thoughts.

"What would you have told us?" Tess insisted, needing to know the truth.

"The story of Ayanna and Marek," Serena breathed, closing her eyes solemnly. "I’d have told you months ago, but I thought…you’d already joined."

"Ayanna," Tess cried, her eyes widening. "I heard that name tonight…earlier after he’d kissed Liz."

"I’m not surprised that you did."

"What do you mean?"

"That was your name, Tess," Serena explained, running her hand down the length of her ponytail. "In your other life. And Marco was Marek."

"We were together," Tess stated, her voice filled with amazement. No wonder they’d been so drawn to one another, so unable to resist their attraction.

"No," Serena disagreed gently, shaking her head in denial. "You were in love…but not together."

"Why not?" Tess managed to choke, feeling the tears sting her eyes again. She wished her emotions weren’t so thoroughly on edge, yet she couldn’t seem to rein them in tonight.

"Oh, well…" Serena began with a soft sigh, blinking rapidly. "It’s a complicated story at best."

"But you knew us?"

"Of course," Serena said. "You were Max’s second and Marek…well, he was a guard. Always very close to you."

"He was…a palace guard or something?" Tess asked, wrinkling her brow in confusion.

"No, Tess, it was far more significant than that," Serena explained quietly. "He was your protector."

"Wh-what?" Tess managed to stammer, wringing her hands frantically. "What exactly are you telling me, Serena?"

"He was your protector—yours alone…and the two of you fell deeply in love. He died trying to save you."

"No," Tess whispered vehemently, unable to believe the words she was hearing. She would never have been the cause of her beloved Marco’s death. Never.

"The day you died, he died as well…he gave his very life for you, not just as your protector, but as the man who loved you more than any other."

Tess was stunned, could only sit gasping softly at Serena’s revelation.

"I think its why he’s had such problems with Liz…on some latent level, he remembers loving the woman he was sworn to protect," Serena continued.

"But I was engaged to Michael."

"Yes, you were and that was part of the problem, but not all of it," Serena explained gently. "Your betrothal had been an arranged one from childhood, and Marco was just as he is now. Stubborn, noble…I’m sure you can imagine why you weren’t together."

Tess smiled softly, thinking that she’d have described Marco with exactly those same two words—and stubborn would have definitely come first. She nodded slowly.

"And of course, he felt the class distinction so profoundly."

"What do you mean?"

"You were from royal lineage, Tess…the highest order," Serena stated quietly, staring into the distance as she spoke. "Where as we were all part of this crazy, strange caste of protectors. It’s a deeply cultural thing on Antar."

"I’m not sure I’m following you."

"It’s an ancient calling, Tess. Marco’s family has been enmeshed in it for centuries, as has my own."

"He told me about his vow," she confessed reverentially.

"Ah," Serena acknowledged, raising her eyebrows markedly. "I’m surprised that he did. It’s a testimony to what he really feels for you, Tess. Our vows are sacred, deeply personal."

"And he explained that he wasn’t allowed to take a mate."

"What?" Serena nearly roared, turning toward her so sharply that Tess actually jumped slightly.

"Well, that it’s part of the vow."

"That is not true," Serena ground out. "Does he really believe that?"

Tess could only stare at her dumbfounded for an eternal moment. "Yes, I think so. He told me so last night."

"How could he possibly believe it?" Serena asked in desperate confusion. "I never told him that."

Tess rubbed her hands over her eyes and tried to center her thoughts. Had he ever actually said as much? Or had she merely interpreted his words that way? Her eyes fluttered closed and she determined to know what he’d really said…and felt.

"He knew differently, Serena," Tess whispered. "But for himself, he felt it to be true."

"He knew I once had a husband, a son," she cried. " I never taught that to any of them. Anna and Riley bonded…" Serena was frantic, and Tess sensed the toll her revelation had wrought within her. "I’d have given the two of you my blessing…instantly."

"I can see that."

"And you’re what he needs, Tess," Serena explained urgently. "The reason he’s so vulnerable to Max and Liz’s connection is because he’s fighting his feelings for you."

Tess fell silent a long moment, and knew there was something she had to ask--something she desperately needed to know. She cleared her throat, drawing herself more upright where she sat.

"Serena," she began tentatively. "Is it really the curse he says it is…what he is?"

***

Such a direct and simple question, and yet so hard for her to answer. The woman sitting beside her loved her son, and the battle within her heart was strong. To tell Tess the truth, would be in some way to betray him, and yet perhaps if she did proclaim reality to his beloved, it might mean his salvation. Serena rubbed her eyes wearily, and wondered why their path had always been fraught with so much pain—in two lifetimes now. They were more than worthy of the love they felt, and yet they seemed forever divided.

Serena would confess everything this night, because there wasn’t room for secrets anymore.

"Yes," she whispered in the darkness. "It almost always leads to insanity within our people."

"But he was engineered," Tess murmured softly. "Couldn’t it have been…"

"It was never meant to be part of who he is. Yet it surfaced from his genetic history…his people were always so very intuitive."

Serena glanced sideways at Tess and lamented the pain she saw mirrored in her blue eyes. She did love him, every bit as much as in her past life--perhaps more, she realized. Serena’s eyes drifted shut, as she was suddenly hit with a mournful memory.

She’d been watching Marco sleep, and her thoughts had drifted to her son Rasme, to a time long before, when he’d been small like Marco, so innocent and gentle—not the warrior he later became, taking such crazy, wild chances. The kind of chances that had eventually gotten him killed.

What other little boy, she’d asked, though she already knew exactly who Marco had perceived.

I feel three of us, he’d explained. So wise, so much older than his mere seven years old. I can feel me…and Riley. But there’s another little boy, and he makes you so sad, mommy.

She’d still let Marco call her mommy then--only later, had she forced the distinction and become his unit leader.

Serena shook her head, clearing it, and willed herself to formulate a plan to help her surrogate son. And it began with Tess understanding precisely what he was, what he wrestled with.

"Tess, it’s a beautiful gift…the most amazing our race is endowed with. But you have no idea how he’s suffered with it."

"But you said it leads to insanity," Tess prodded.

"Usually, but Marco has controlled his gifting for more than fifteen years now. He doesn’t even understand that he still operates in it…he considers what he senses to be only his intuition. If he bonds with you, it will seal the gift within him…protect him from being overly receptive in ways he shouldn’t be."

"Why if he bonds with me?"

"The two of you will join your powers…his own will find a center that it desperately needs," Serena explained patiently.

Tess fell silent for a moment, pressing her fingers against her lips.

"How do we get him back?" She whispered, her voice breaking painfully. "I need him, too…so much."

"I’m not sure, but we’ll find a way," Serena promised. "And when we do, you will tell him all that I’ve shared with you tonight. The two of you will bind your souls eternally…and Marco will be safe from the madness."