It began in darkness. It would end the same way. Blood would stain the earth, and linger in the air. And lives would be altered for eternity. Liz’s back hit the side of the house as Max leapt towards her, and shoved her behind him protectively. She leant there gasping in fear; her eyes wide as she watched the scene before her unfold.
Kyan and Jy took centre stage, their respective mates standing by their sides. Max and Michael stood just behind Kyan and Jy, also flanked by Isabel and Tess. Liz watched them silently, her fear chocking her as she watched the four shape shifters dropped their human shields, and became what they always hid: Pure alien.
Kyan and Jy’s blades gleamed dully in the darkness, Kyan baring his teeth slightly and omitting a warning hiss as the enemy stepped towards them, their own blades gleaming. Only Zima’s blades were dull. Dull with Zan’s blood. Kyan snarled softly in rage as Zima raised one blade and ran the flat edge over his tongue. Zima simply smirked, and spat on the ground.
“Hybrid blood…tastes like victory my Lord.”
Kivar smiled slightly, and extended his hand.
“Elizabeth. Come to me now, and I shall spare the lives of these pitiful beings who will die trying to protect you.”
Liz whimpered softly, Jy making a slashing movement with his hand when Max stepped forwards in anger. His blades hummed with the movement, his voice and laced with a mixture of anger and pain.
“Touch her ya ain’t gonna do Kivar. Ya killed my cousin and my king. Ya killed innocent people. Not only in this world, but in our world too. Ya over stepped ya mark, and now ya gonna go down.”
Kivar simply laughed softly, and rolled his eyes.
“You think you are strong enough to take me Jy? I’ve killed your precious Avaria twice now. I shall kill her a third time tonight. Being on earth has softened you. If Rathard…the real Rathard could see you now, he would have the skin taken off your back in strips to toughen you back up. You are worthless boy…and take her I shall. While her boy King watches.”
“They’ve bonded Kivar” Serena said softly.
Kivar shrugged. “So? She isn’t pure. Big deal Serena. She will still give me a child. She will still grace my palace and warm my bed.”
Max let out a small sound, and extended his hand in anger. The blast he sent out missed Kivar by inches, and set the fence on fire. Liz could only watch in growing horror as the night became distorted in flames, and as the fight for her very life began. Tears slid down her face as she slid down the wall she was leaning on, her soft weeping lost in the sounds of clashing blades and the smell of smoke.
Kyan leapt towards Zima, their blades clashing heavily, and sending sparks dancing as Kyan raised his elbow and caught Zima on the side of the head. Only a quick back bend saved those lethal blades sinking into his chest as Zima swung his free hand around, the two fighting within close quarters.
Kyan’s blades drew first blood, his blades sinking into the muscle on Zima’s back, his blood flowing quickly as he rounded on Kyan, and swung out weakly. His own blades hit Kyan’s leading arm, tearing muscle and tendons, leaving Kyan to fight with the one hand alone.
Lyra and Ricardo began their fight with a wild swing from Ricardo, and a graceful high kick from Lyra. That kick sent Ricardo spinning slightly, but he recovered his balance, and swung out at her once more with his blades, the razor sharp edges gliding through her hair as she spun away from him, sending blonde strands floating to the ground.
Lyra hissed at him in anger, only to yelp when Ricardo grabbed her flowing hair, and yanked her close. Blue eyes clashed with black, Ricardo pressing a moist kiss to her angry mouth, before kneeing her in the stomach, and forcing Lyra to drop to her knees and roll out of the way of his stomping foot. She leapt back to her feet, and swung out with her foot, the kick landing and sending Ricardo sprawling. But not for long.
Serena strolled towards Larenik casually, her small stature humming with power and anger as she beckoned to him with her fingers. He in turn also strolled towards her, the pair meeting and gazing at each other. It was Larenik who took the first swing, only to find his blades whistling through thin air, and a boot clad foot catching him mid chest. The kick sent him flying, Serena stalking after him.
Larenik jumped to his feet, and grabbed Serena by the front of her top. He lifted the smaller woman off of her feet, and threw her against the back fence, his chortling laughter taunting Serena as she dragged herself painfully to her feet, her shoulder dislocated, and her eyes clouded over with pain. But still she stepped back towards him.
Jy glanced over his shoulder briefly, his eyes searching out Max’s angry gaze. The two met eyes, one a king amongst his people, the other a king amongst his men. The look said it all: They both knew none of the shape shifters would survive, and that Max was all that stood between Kivar and Liz.
“Jy…”
“Go. Get her out of here.”
Max nodded, and took a step back towards Liz, only to stop still as an inhuman voice cried out in pain. As one, the whole group watched in a mixture of glee and growing horror as Kyan looked down at the blades that were pierced through his back, his gaze slowly rising to meet Lyra’s, who was also on her knees looking towards him.
“They’ve bonded my Lord…kill one, you kill the other” Zima cried out, dancing gleefully as he yanked his blades out of Kyan’s back, and shoved Kyan hard with his foot, pushing Kyan face first into the dirt. Jy cried out twice, once in pain, and the other to Max.
“I said fucken go!”
Max spun towards Liz and ran, his heart in his throat as he grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her non-to gently to her feet. Glancing over his shoulder he could only watch with tears in his eyes as Kyan and Lyra’s bodies simultaneously burst into flames, and disintegrated into dust, the heat of their deaths igniting Zan’s body as well.
Isabel and Tess were pulling at Michael who stared at the burnt patch of grass that was all that remained of his cousin, before the three of them turned and stumbled through the house. Max met Jy’s eyes once more, before Jy turned his back on him, and continued to fight. Max simply ran, knowing he would never forget the look in Jy’s eyes.
As they ran through the house after the others, Max could hear Liz gasping in tears, and chanced a glance back at her, only to immediately wish he hadn’t. The image of Kivar grasping Jy’s chin in one hand and the back of his head in the other as Jy knelt before him left no doubt what was about to happen, Max closing his eyes once more. Then they were bursting through the front door, and skidding to a stop in shock.
“Come on!”
Michael and Isabel were already pulling Tess into the back of the flat bed bronco truck, Pauly waving at them impatiently.
“Max! Come on man! You want to die? Coz I sure as hell don’t!”
Max bolted for the truck, Liz in tow, and leapt up onto the flat bed, before spinning back to face Liz, and yanking her into his arms with one swift move. As she stumbled into his arms, Zima burst through the front door after them, his arm raised and a large power blast shot off at them that missed her by inches. Max fell backwards and braced her body with his arms as Pauly pulled away with a squeal of tires.
“Max!”
Max rolled slightly, and was met with Isabel’s blank stare, her face paling before his eyes as he scrambled to his feet and rolled her prone form onto her back, his fingers automatically searching for a pulse, even as his eyes took in the ravaged mess of her chest. He was too late.
“Max?”
Max bit back a sob, and shook his head as he gathered his sister into his arms and pressed his face into her neck. Michael uttered an oath, and swung his tear filled eyes away, only to have them widen in horror in as he watched the other aliens gain on them, Zan’s Trans Am their mode of transport. Even as Michael opened his mouth to shout, Zima lent out the window, Michael raising his arm instead.
Never had his powers been as strong, or his aim more true. The single blast he sent out hit Zima’s shoulder, flipping the other alien out of the car, and under the wheels. Satisfaction and retribution flowed through him, blinding his eyes to Ricardo leaning out of another window.
The single shot caught Michael’s shoulder, sending him to his knees, his eyes startled and cloudy as Max scrambled to his feet. Familiar warmth flowed through Michael’s shoulder as Max sent a short, sharp burst of healing power to the ravaged muscle, Michael nodding his thanks as he knelt back up and took aim once more. He got another blast off, followed by another one, his darting gaze showing him that they were approaching the quarry.
Max’s shield flowed over the back over the truck, shielding them all as Ricardo and Larenik sent volley after volley of blasts at Max’s shield, slowly wearing it thin. Max’s breaths came in rapid gasps, and he chanced a look down at Liz, who was cowering at his feet. That look cost them all, Larenik sending a blast at the back tire, and blowing it out, just as Michael’s careful aim blew up the engine of the trans am, and sending it skidding into a large rock formation, where it burst into flames.
Pauly lost control of the truck, which tipped up dangerously onto two wheels, and flipping Isabel’s body out, before the truck flipped completely, and skidded to a screeching halt in a large swirl of dust. Silence followed momentarily, before a cough echoed, followed by a scrambling noise.
Max crawled out of the wreckage, coughing violently as blood ran down the side of his face from a large gash on his head. He knelt back down and dragged Liz out after him, his worried gaze finding Tess as she struggled to her feet on the other side of the truck. Max looked around frantically, only to moan lowly in deep pain. Michael’s dull eyes stared up at the sky from where he was pinned under the edge of the truck, his face slowly loosing colour as blood ran down the side of his throat.
Staggering away from the sight of his brother, Max was only confronted by Pauly’s limp frame hanging out the window of the truck, his neck broken. Tess joined them, Liz biting back another sob as she watched Ricardo and Kivar slowly approach them. Larenik had been killed on impact, leaving only the Lord and his brother.
Max pushed Liz behind him again as they backed away from Kivar, Liz’s nails biting hard into the palm of his hand. Kivar stopped when the threesome stumbled at the lip of the gorge, and once more held his hand out. Anger danced in his eyes, and he spat slightly to his side, his blood staining the ground as it bubbled and hissed.
“Elizabeth. I won’t ask again. Take my hand, or I will kill your boy King now.”
Liz shook her head as she wept, Kivar snorting softly as he continued to hold out his hand.
“Elizabeth. There is nowhere for you to run. Nowhere for you to hide. Is it too much to ask for you to love me? To stand at my side? Is all this death really necessary?”
“Max…oh god…”
Kivar dropped his hand, and simply shook his head sadly. Turning to Ricardo, he spoke quietly, his voice carrying on the wind.
“Kill him.”
“And Avaria my Lord?”
“Her you can have.”
Ricardo smiled, and stepped forwards, his hands flexing as his blades slowly slid out of his hands. Liz burst into tears, and tried to step around Max, only to have him turn his head and grip her neck in his hand. Pressing a rough kiss that spoke volumes to her trembling lips, he spoke softly.
“If I die today…I die loving you.”
“Liz…”
The he pushed her away, and strode forward, his powers humming as Tess joined him, leaving Liz by herself. Max and Tess stopped, and watched as Ricardo leapt into the air, and twisted mid jump, a careful blast from Max sending him thudding to the ground.
Ricardo shook his head and stood up, his eyes clearing as Kivar sighed. Ricardo knew that sigh, and promptly sent a volley of blasts at Max and Tess, who hovered together behind Max’s shield, which stretched out to cover them and Liz. The blasts hammered away at Max’s shield, before it started to flicker moments later, which is when Kivar raised his clawed hand, and sent out one single blast.
The blast broke through Max’s shield, and sent Max and Tess flying. Tess landed hard, her breath knocked out of her lungs, momentarily stunning the girl. Kivar turned towards Max who was in a similar state, and raised his hand once more. He paused however, when Liz’s voice cut through the dust.
“NO!”
Kivar looked at her, and once more held out his hand.
“Last chance Elizabeth.”
“Liz…”
Liz started to weep, and stumbled slowly to her feet. Max shook his head, his breath coming out in agonised gasps where some of his ribs were broken. He could only watch as Liz crossed slowly to Kivar, and let him take her hand. Kivar smiled slightly, and acknowledged her surrender with a slight tilt of his head. But then his eyes turned cold, and his sent a blast straight at Max’s chest.
“No! No…you promised…you killed him…why?”
Liz tore free of Kivar’s hold and dropped to her knees at Max’s side, as her sobs broke free. Cupping his face, she watched as the amber light in his eyes dimmed slowly, Kivar shaking his head and yanking her to her feet by the hair. Spinning her around to face him, he snarled softly.
“Because he touched what was mine.”
“Liz…”
Liz cried out in pain as he slapped her face in reprisal, before yanking her closer to him. Behind them, Tess staggered once more to her feet, Kivar turning only when she cried out in anger at seeing Max’s prone form, and sending a blast Ricardo’s way as he spun towards her, that sent the other alien up in flames.
Kivar spun Liz in front of him, and grasped her throat with his hand as he used her a human shield from Tess’s angry power. Tess lifted her hand, Kivar pulling Liz more firmly against him, and smirking at the blonde alien who had tears streaming down her face.
“What are you going to do now Avaria? Kill her to get to me? You can’t win. You must know this.”
Tess looked at Liz, and watched as a single trickle of blood ran down her throat from where Kivar’s claw had pierced her delicate skin. She raised her eyes to meet Liz’s tearful gaze, and saw the love and friendship in her gaze. The understanding.
“Redemption found Liz…I’m sorry…” Tess murmered softly, and let her powers hum to life. Her hair danced around her face as she began to pant, and raised eyes that flashed silver to Kivar’s.
“My name is Tess…not Avaria.”
Liz shut her eyes, but the image of Tess throwing her arms out wide and her head back burnt behind her closed lids. Tess’s powers burst forward in a wall of flames that sprung forwards as a raging inferno and engulfed them both. Liz heard Kivar scream behind her as he caught on fire, and opened her mouth to scream, when she felt a wrenching in her soul, that dropped her from a great height, and a single voice cut through the screams and noise surrounding her…
“LIZ!”
Liz wrenched her eyes open, her scream spilling forth as she started up at her father, who was shaking her by the shoulders. His eyes were wide with fear, and his face pale as he stared down at her. Liz blinked once, then again, as she slowly looked over her father’s shoulder and stared at her mother who was standing in her bedroom doorway, her hand pressed over her mouth and her face pale. Liz wrenched her eyes back to her father, who slowly smoothed her hair back, his voice low and gentle.
“It’s ok baby…it’s just a dream…it’s just a bad dream…”
Jeff and Nancy could only watch in surprise as Liz pushed herself up into a sitting position, her tangled hair swinging around her shoulders as she reached out and touched her father’s face hesitantly. Fear swam in her tear filled eyes, along with pain and misery.
“Daddy?”
Jeff smiled gently, and gathered Liz into his arms as she burst into uncontrollable sobs. He felt the bed shift beside him, and raised his eyes to his wife as she wrapped her arms around her daughter shaking form, her voice low and calm as she spoke.
“It’s ok Liz…it’s ok sweetie…shhhh…come on now…”
Liz only cried harder, her face pressed into her father’s neck as he stroked her hair back down over her shoulders, and pressed soft kisses to his daughter’s temples. Glancing out the window, he watched as dawn spilt over the horizon, and sighed softly as his heart rate slowly returned to normal.
His daughter’s screams had woken him, fear clogging his heart and weighing him down as both he and Nancy had leapt out of bed, and run for their daughter’s room. They had burst into her room, and had spent the next five minutes trying to shake her from the nightmare she was trapped in. now the storm had broken, and they came together as a unit to calm their only child, who was still caught within the recess of her fading dream.
Moments slipped by in the pale dawn light, Liz finally raising her eyes and scrubbing them with the back of her hands. She stared up at her father’s eyes before her brow crinkled slightly, and she blinked.
“Dream?” she whispered softly.
Nancy nodded, and turned her daughter into her arms, where she rested her head against Liz’s.
“Yeah baby. You woke Daddy and I up when you screamed the first time.”
“First time?”
“It took daddy a while to snap you out of it Liz…can you remember what it was about?”
Liz shook her head slightly, even as her mind began to race. Lifting her head, she stared into her mother’s eyes, and spoke softly.
“When are you leaving for Florida?”
Nancy smiled sadly. “Today…. I can stay if you want…” Nancy voiced that line, even though her eyes pleaded with Jeff. Jeff smiled slightly, and nodded his head, even as Liz slid out of bed, her mind still racing as she gestured towards her bathroom.
“I’m…uh…gonna get ready for school. I’ll be down for breakfast soon.”
Jeff and Nancy nodded, and started towards the bedroom door. Nancy paused in the doorway, and called back to Liz.
“Don’t forget you have to pick up the prom pictures tonight Liz...”
