In The Heat Of Battle

by Kat27

M/A. Takes place after FN. What happens when Max goes into heat during the siege?

1. Chapters 1 to 12

In the Heat of Battle

Rating: R for sexual situations, coarse language and some violence. I hope this meets an R rating now since I've gutted it as much as I can stand. It's certainly not any worse than any of the romance novels out there. The NC-17 version is still available at NWP.

Spoilers: Takes place after Freak Nation.

Plot line: Angst & Romance M/A.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Dark Angel. Retha, Dee, Dirk, Frankie, Stitch and Liv are mine however.

Chapter 1 – Prologue

The last hazy rays of sunlight slowly crept across Logan as he sat on the roof of the warehouse. He'd spent the better part of the day up here with binoculars, appearing for the most part to be on watch duty. If anyone had bothered to look further, however, they would have noticed that he was watching only one spot: a window in the dilapidated hotel across the street. He stared, mesmerized yet revolted at the same time, unable to take his eyes off the images before him. Hot, angry tears ran down his face as he remembered hearing her scream his name.

Incredibly frustrated, he wiped the tears from his face and then ran a trembling hand through his hair as darkness threatened to envelop him completely. Manic thoughts rushed through his head like a madman. How on earth had it come to this? Why couldn't anything in his life go right for once? How could he have stooped so low? He certainly hadn't planned on watching this, but he'd been unable to do anything else. He took a shaky breath and let it out slowly. Today had to be the worst day of his life. He shook his head. No, that wasn't quite right. It was tied with the day he got shot. This too would certainly haunt him for the rest of his life. As night finally fell around him obliterating his last glimpses of her, he thought back on the previous few days with distaste.

~~~~~

Max had spent the first day frenetically organizing the transgenic response to the siege. Defensive barriers had been erected at strategic sites. Mixed groups of X's and Nomalies were set up to patrol the boundaries of Terminal City, while others had been sent to scavenge for food and other supplies before they were completely cut off from the outside world. Not that it would be easy to cage them in. Growing up as soldiers had certainly helped them in that respect. They'd been well trained in evasive procedures, camouflage, sneak tactics, etc. Between that, and the maze of sewer tunnels below the city, getting in and out was difficult, but definitely not impossible for the right individuals.

Due to the toxic nature of the area, Max had asked around until she finally found two X's that were willing to escort Cindy, Sketchy and Logan back outside the gates. When it was time for them to leave, Logan had refused to go and they'd argued about it for almost an hour. After he brought up the point that both White and the Sector Cops had seen him at Jam Pony, she had reluctantly agreed that it was more dangerous for him on the outside. She gave Sketchy & Cindy a quick hug and told them that she'd see them again "as soon as this bitch was over." She'd barely managed to avoid tears, then had retreated behind her soldier's mask once more.

Max had spent most of the second and third day circulating through the sector, trying to get to know everyone as well as get their opinions and ideas. Logan had followed her around like a lovesick puppy, amazed at how well she was coping with becoming the leader of this motley crew. He wasn't even sure if she'd noticed him since she was in full Manticore soldier mode, concentrating on her self-imposed mission.

~~~~~

Logan leaned back against the mechanical shed on the roof, as he replayed the events from last night in his head. He'd been relieved when she finally started to relax with a group of X females, talking about the various things Manticore had done to them. He'd managed to slip into a nearby shadowy alcove undetected so he could listen to them. Eventually the conversation had turned to their heat cycles.

"We heard all about you guys when we were little, although they told us you were crazy. You must have been…what…nine when you escaped?" Retha, a willowy, blonde X-6, looked at Max with wonder and pity, "You missed out on all the sex-ed classes. How on earth did you manage when you went into heat for the first time?"

Max laughed bitterly, "It was tough. I think I was about 13." She hesitated, appearing lost in thought for a moment. "I didn't even know what hit me. One minute I was fine, and the next I couldn't get enough of men. Hell, any man! It didn't matter what they looked like. The scent of them…look of them…feel of them. God, I could almost taste them from a mile away." The other girls nodded knowingly when she paused and looked around at them. "I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Figured Manticore must have really screwed something up inside me."

"It wasn't just you." Dee smiled derisively, and waved a hand at her companions. "It affects all of us the same way. At least the ones with feline DNA." She was petite; maybe an X3 or X4, and she looked like a feather could knock her over. A twisted smile crossed her face. "We all have the same curse a couple times a year. They were so shocked when it happened the first time. You guys were all too little so you probably didn't hear about it."

Looking around the circle to make sure she had their complete attention, she leaned forward in her chair and continued. "We were out on a training mission. There were 12 of us, 8 guys and 4 girls. We were barely even teenagers." She paused for a moment as she thought about it. "It was so weird. The guys started acting funny first. They were sniffing around and looked very distracted. Pretty soon their eyes got all glassy and then they slowly surrounded X3-296. I'm not sure if she even knew what was happening. They started pushing and shoving, then all out fighting. All over one female in heat. We tried to stop them, but there were only 4 of us and 296 wasn't in any shape to help us." Her hands trembled as she reached up to push her hair out of her eyes. She looked haunted and her voice shook when she was finally able to speak again. "They all ended up having sex with her. Hell, it was damn near rape. The guards showed up with tazers what seemed like hours later and knocked us all out. The next thing I knew I was waking up in the barracks with everyone else, and we never saw 296 again. They probably took her apart in one of the labs to try and figure out what went wrong."

Retha finally broke the silence that had fallen over the shocked group. "So that's why they implemented the sex-ed classes and lock down procedures."

Max looked up questioningly at this, "Lock down procedures?"

Dee nodded, "They took all the guys away for testing and discovered that when we go into heat, it drives the males crazy with the need to mate. They become, well, like tomcats on the prowl, I guess." She smirked at this. "So after that, they tested us girls daily for hormonal output, and when they figured it was time, they'd put us in solitary confinement until our heat cycle was over." She looked over at Max, "At least until you blew up the genetics lab. Then they were glad we went into heat because it ensured the success of their breeding program. As it turns out, we're extremely fertile during our heat phase."

Max thought about that for a moment then suddenly looked very worried, "Did they ever find a way to control the men's reactions to us when we're in heat?"

Dee shook her head, "Not really, although the sex-ed classes seemed to help a bit. The guys learned to recognize some of the early warning signs that we apparently emit, and were under strict orders to return to barracks if they ever encountered them. The good news is that as they get older, they seem to be able to control themselves a bit better. The young ones still have a rough time with it though." She suddenly laughed. "I still remember the look on their faces when they were told about sleeping with normal women."

Max couldn't help it. She just had to ask after that comment. "What about normal women?"

"Well, since sex might be necessary during certain missions, we were all instructed about basic sexual functions and positions. After all, it wouldn't do for us to be conspicuous. And with us being revved up and all, it's very likely that the guys could seriously hurt a norm if they let themselves get too carried away during sex." Dee looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, I actually feel a bit sorry for them. Since we all got out, a lot of them haven't had the chance to be with another transgenic. And I imagine they got quite used to having sex frequently because of the whole 'breeding' thing. These past months can't have been easy on them. They must be really frustrated right about now."

Max groaned and then looked at the floor. "This is not good. I so don't need this right now."

Everyone looked at her closely and as awareness dawned among them, Retha finally confirmed it, "You're going in to heat, aren't you?"

Max nodded slowly. "I think so. I'm way overdue for a cycle and I've been really hot the last few hours. I kept hoping Manticore fixed me, that I wouldn't have to go through heat again."

Logan shook his head as he remembered the horror he'd felt then. She'd looked so lost and scared. They had talked for a while longer, all the girls trying to comfort her and give her advice. Eventually she appeared to come to a decision. She got up and headed to the command post to speak to Joshua.

Chapter 2 – Pow Wow

By the time Logan caught up to Max again, she was deep in conversation with Joshua and Mole at the base of the catwalk in the command post. They appeared to be arguing about something and they had the attention of everybody in the room. Logan was slightly amazed by the number of people present at 4 a.m. Don't any of them sleep? Then he noticed that quite a few of them were male X series. Crap! This could get ugly. How am I going to get Max out of here without bloodshed?

While he'd been lost in thought, Max finished talking to Joshua and climbed up on the catwalk to address those present. Her first words captured his attention. "Alright people, as some of you may have already guessed, I've got a bit of a…situation…happening right now, so I'm temporarily stepping down from command." She pointed down the stairs. "Joshua and Mole will be taking care of anything that comes up over the next 24 to 48 hours. If anybody on the outside wants to start negotiations, stall them until I'm myself again." She turned as if to leave then had another thought. "Oh, one last thing. Just to be safe, all the X males are temporarily relieved of watch duty for at least the next 24 hours. Send out some replacements immediately."

She slowly headed for the stairs. Hopefully Joshua would do as she asked, and keep Logan away from her until this was over. It was bad enough that she had to worry about killing him with this stupid virus. But the men would almost certainly kill him if he interfered with their chance at mating. That thought caught her attention. Hmmm. Mating. That sounds so good right about now. She could just feel what it would be like, having a hot, hard man with tons of stamina on top of her, flesh against flesh… She licked her suddenly dry lips and shivered just thinking about it, then shook her head slightly, Damn girl, stop that right now! You've got to get these guys away from the command post before all hell breaks loose.

That brought her head up sharply as she took a look around and noticed the crush of bodies at the bottom of the stairs. "Alright guys. Back Off! That's an order." She deliberately made her voice harsh, just like the CO's used to at Manticore. "Let's take this outside. I'm not moving until all of you clear out of here." It was hard to keep a stony glare on her face when there were so many hot guys around, each one staring at her like she was God's gift to mankind.

Despite herself, she found herself getting lost in thought again. Maybe it won't be so bad giving in this time. It's not like me and Logan are together now anyway, and he already thinks I cheated on him with Alec. So much for trust! Now she was starting to get angry. Why the hell shouldn't I enjoy myself for once? What had the girls told her earlier? Oh yeah. 'Once you've had transgenic, you'll never go back.'

~~~~~

He forced his way through the crowd to the bottom of the stairs, waiting impatiently for her little speech to be over. At least she was smart enough to relinquish command. Alec thought and then was amazed that any part of his brain was still functioning on a normal level. The rest of his head, no, make that both heads were completely focused on her.

Shifting his stance slightly, he tried to adjust himself without being too obvious. He couldn't believe her timing. Here they were, all trapped in one sector and she had to go into heat. At least most of the men were spread out on guard duty. Only the ones within a couple blocks radius had heeded the call to mate. He'd been minding his own business, walking back toward his room for a little shut eye when her smell had hit him with all the subtlety of a two by four to the head. All of his senses had gone on immediate alert and he'd started following her instinctively.

He knew he should probably back off while he still had a semblance of control. After all, Max loved Logan and nothing was going to change that. But then he'd noticed all the other guys following her and knew that none of them would have any qualms about sleeping with her…by force if necessary. So he was going to do this for her own good. The sane part of his brain laughed sarcastically. Her own good. Yeah, that's a good one Alec. Just keep telling yourself that. That's the only reason why you'd sleep with Max.

He shook his head rather desperately, trying to concentrate on anything but her smell. At that moment he clued back in to what she was saying. Taking a quick look around, he realized that Mole had been pushed back to the edge of the hungry mob. Joshua was nowhere to be seen. So Max was going to need some help to clear the area.

"Come on. You heard the lady. She said move out." A low growl escaped the back of his throat as he turned around and started shoving the other guys back. "We can't do this here. There are plenty of other, more secluded, places we can go." Since he was one of only two alpha males present, they actually started to listen to him, slowly shuffling toward the exit. None of them wanted to be the first to leave in case they missed out on any of the action.

~~~~~

Logan watched horrified as the men crept closer and closer to the catwalk during Max's speech. All of them appeared to be totally enraptured by his girl. There's got to be something I can do…Why can't I think? He jumped as someone put a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Come. Little fella asked me to watch you." Joshua started pulling him toward the back of the room. "Too dangerous to be close to her. They kill Logan to get Max."

Logan tried to struggle, but he was no match for Joshua's strength. Panicking, he yelled. "I don't care. I love her and I'd rather die that see her hurt. I just want to keep an eye on her and make sure she's okay."

Joshua sighed, "Logan can't watch. Joshua seen it, heard it, many times before when in basement. Not pretty."

He tugged at his arm again, "Alright, I swear I'll stay away from her. Okay?" His eyes barely held back tears at his complete and utter helplessness. This was his last chance and he knew it. Logan stared at him hard. "Please Joshua, let me go."

Joshua sighed in resignation. "Okay, but you can't go near her. Promise?"

"I promise." Logan turned back toward the catwalk in time to see Alec ushering everyone from the room. Max's eyes were glued to his backside, and she licked her lips slowly, with her head tilted to one side. She looked like she wanted to devour him whole, licking and sucking carefully at each morsel of his flesh to get every last bit of flavor. She sauntered down the steps after him, completely oblivious to everything and everyone else around her.

Chapter 3 – And so it begins…

The first rays of sunshine were just cresting the tops of the surrounding buildings when Max emerged from the command post. Temporarily blinded by the light, she blinked furiously and squinted her eyes. Thankfully, she was still in the early stages of heat so that was all it took to clear her head. At least for a second. Taking a quick look at the guys in front of her, she ran her hands through her hair and smiled seductively, stunning them all. "So how are we going to do this? I love all the attention guys, but I'm not sleeping with all of you. No matter how sexy you are." A devious smile crossed her face as she winked and said, "I know…you'll have to catch me first." And at that, she was off. It took them a second to clue in, then they were after her like a shot.

She laughed as she ran down the block, darting in and out of alleys and buildings with over a dozen men chasing after her. Her hair whipped around in the breeze, flashing red and gold in the early morning sun. Despite everything going on around her, somehow at this moment, she felt free. For what seemed the first time in her life. It was exhilarating. It didn't matter that they were surrounded. It didn't matter that life was getting harder and harder for her and her kind. That life had literally gone to hell in a handbag.

The feelings coursing through her right now were so foreign. Had it really been that long since she'd been happy? Really happy. She felt so alive. Everything seemed so much brighter, clearer…like she'd been sitting in the dark and someone turned on the light. And she could actually breathe again. The terrible weight that had been dragging her down for months seemed to have just disappeared. Maybe it was because she'd finally decided to stop running. From her past, from her future, from who she really was. Maybe it was because she now had a sense of family again and a feeling of purpose. Like maybe her life was actually worth something.

Or maybe it was because she had finally realized she had no future with Logan. There were just too many things between them to ever make it work. Whether it be the virus, the differences in their species and upbringing, or Logan's lack of faith in her. They had started growing apart the moment she was captured by Manticore, and she had to believe that if it had really been love, that wouldn't have happened. Fate had been conspiring against them for months, and she just couldn't fight it anymore. Yes he would always be one of her best friends, but that was all that could ever be between them.

Growing tired of the chase, she risked a glance behind her. Only 3 guys were still following her. Most of the younger ones had given up, perhaps sensing that the alphas wouldn't let them near her anyway. She only recognized two of them, Alec and Dirk, a member of his old unit. She'd met him over a week ago when Alec introduced them. They and Biggs had been buddies back in Manticore. The last guy was younger, probably an X-6. Now these odds she could handle. She gradually slowed to a halt in front of one of the old hotels that had recently been reoccupied.

~~~~~

Logan gasped for air as he continued to run after Max. He'd lost sight of her a few minutes ago and could only hope he was still heading in the right direction. His lungs felt like they were on fire and he knew he couldn't go much farther. The only reason he'd halfway been able to keep up was because of the exoskeleton. He groaned with relief as he caught a faint glimpse of Max up ahead. Thank God. She finally stopped running. He leaned against the nearest building, mopping the sweat from his brow with his shirtsleeve while he struggled to catch his breath. Looking up, he noticed a fire escape leading to the top of the tall warehouse that spanned almost the entire block. That should provide the perfect vantagepoint. Halfway up, he tripped over a pair of binoculars that someone had left behind. Picking them up, he quickly climbed the rest of the way up and then ran to the end of the building closest to Max.

Peering over the edge, he saw that the remaining men had squared off in front of her. It just figured that Alec was one of them. He'd been a thorn in his side from the very beginning, monopolizing Max's time and being a general pain in the ass. But he'd seemed to be mostly harmless, since Max couldn't spend two minutes in his presence without arguing with him or hitting him. Then she'd given up their best chance at curing the virus to save his life. He still couldn't believe that she had saved Alec's sorry ass instead of choosing to be with him. Max had been slowly distancing herself from him ever since. He couldn't help but wonder how long they'd been screwing around behind his back.

Life just wasn't fair. In the perfect world inside his head, there was no virus, no Alec, no breeding cult, and no anti-transgenic sentiment threatening to separate him and Max. Not to mention that he and Max would have been fucking like rabbits for months now. And he certainly wouldn't be competing with other men for Max's affection. "Real life sucks." He muttered under his breath.

He sighed, then settled in to watch the group below. None of them were breathing hard and they hadn't even broken into a sweat from the long run. The men circled each other, searching for any opportunity to take out their opponents. Max leaned against a nearby wall, avidly watching them. Suddenly, Alec slammed a roundhouse kick to the back of the youngest man's head. Dirk grabbed him as he started to fall down and landed several nasty upper cuts to his chest and head. Between the two of them, they knocked the teen out in less than a minute. Then they faced each other, both appearing evenly matched. They fought for several minutes, neither one able to get an advantage over the other.

~~~~~

Max couldn't take much more of this. Every attack was perfectly executed, and just as smoothly blocked. It was like an intricate dance, intensely sensual in nature. She was getting hornier and hornier by the second. How could fighting be such a turn on? It was stupid really. Besides, if they kept this up, neither one of them would be much good to her. Rubbing her hands on her thighs, she took a deep breath and then pushed away from the wall. "Stop! That's enough." She stepped in between them and shoved them back with a hand to their chests. "As much as I appreciate the fact that you're willing to kill each other over me, wouldn't you rather fuck than fight? Besides, I'd rather choose my own mate." That got their attention.

She walked right up to Alec, leaving barely an inch separating their bodies. Her fingers had a life of their own, smoothing back dark, silky locks to expose his dark flashing eyes, then slowly creeping down to tease his barcode. She nuzzled her face into the side of his neck breathing deeply of his scent, then reluctantly took a step back. His arms were next on her list, biceps and forearms tightening under her questing hands. Her eyes followed the trail of her fingers as she circled him, caressing his muscular chest, rippling abs and tense back. Needing to inspect every aspect of his physique, she reached down and squeezed his ass. She smiled wickedly as her hand came back around to the front of his jeans and found a telltale bulge. "Ummm." She licked her lips. "Very impressive."

Alec moaned and bit his lip. She was so sexy. He could feel the heat radiating off her and the fire in her eyes was igniting a passion he wasn't sure he could control anymore, even if he wanted to. She should be his mate, damn it. Manticore had even set them up as breeding partners. They must have known what they were doing. Wait a second…his mate? Where the hell had that come from? This was just about sex, wasn't it? A quick roll in the hay to scratch an itch. Nothing more.

Turning around, Max approached Dirk. With his blonde, spiky hair and pale blue eyes, he kinda reminded her of someone. He was very tall; maybe 6'4" she guessed, and looked extremely muscle-bound when compared to Alec's lean frame. Tufts of chest hair peeked out over the neck of his T-shirt to tickle her cheek as she leaned up on tiptoe to smell him. After she'd finished giving him the same treatment, she pulled his head down for a kiss.

Alec tried to hide his disappointment. This was it. She was going to choose Dirk over him. And why not? He looked sort of like Logan, so she could probably just pretend it was him if she wanted too. He was trying to will himself to turn away, when he heard her whisper, "Sorry Dirk, but you're just not my type. You remind me too much of my ex." Alec stopped breathing. He couldn't have heard her right. But he must have, because suddenly she was turning back toward him, a sultry smile adorning her face as she stepped into his arms.

"Are you just gonna stand there all day? Cause, I had a rather different activity in mind." Winding one leg around his hip, she plastered herself to him, dragging his head down for a hot, wet kiss.

Chapter 4 – A quick roll in the hay???

She actually chose me. The thought echoed wildly in his head as Alec pulled her even tighter against him, one hand reaching down to cup her ass while the other wound its way into her hair, holding her still for his kiss. Moist heat enveloped him as he thrust his tongue between her soft, full lips, and she immediately began sucking on it, driving him crazy with an intense need to possess her.

He was shaking with the effort to control himself as every sense went on full alert. She tasted like nothing he'd ever had before. Heady and sweet, everything he could possibly want. The little mewling cries he was eliciting from the back of her throat were testing his sanity, and her smell was intoxicating – her own special blend, vanilla and cherries mixed with the unmistakable musky scent of arousal. Two taut peaks pressed insistently against his chest as her heart pounded frantically against his chest.

Suddenly, his danger sense started screaming at him. It wasn't safe for them to be out here any longer – one of the other males could show up at any time to challenge him. Besides, he could swear someone was watching them. He groaned as he reluctantly pulled away from her lips, "Upstairs…my place." Untangling his hand from her hair, he cupped her buttocks in both hands, lifting her against him as she wrapped her legs around his hips. He could barely see straight as he stumbled into the hotel. She was nipping and licking her way along his neck. It was like she was starving and he was a full course meal. Her hunger became his. His skin was on fire and his body ached as her hips moved restlessly against him.

How they made it to his room, he couldn't remember. But suddenly they were there and he released her to fumble with the door. It didn't help that she continued to cling to him, sucking on the lobe of one ear. She finally grew impatient and helped him, dragging him inside and kicking the door shut. His last sane action was to lock the door behind them, dragging the security hinge that hotels always have across the door as well.

She shoved him against the wall, her mouth seeking his again. Growing increasingly frustrated as their clothing hindered her desire to feel him pressed up against her, flesh against flesh, she pushed his jacket down over his arms, letting it drop to the floor. Her own soon followed as Alec got in on the action. Shoes and socks were hastily kicked off as their hands began pulling at each other's clothing.

Max pulled his t-shirt from the waistband of his jeans and ripped it open, desperate to get it off of him. She tossed it behind her without a second thought. Immediately her palms slid over his bare chest, her fingers splayed wide to take in as much of his skin as she could. She traced every defined muscle, aching for him. Trembling fingers stroked down over his stomach to his jeans, searching for and finding first button and then zipper. She moaned as he sprung free into her hands, no underwear there to restrain him.

Unable to resist, her mouth started to follow the trail her fingers had left behind, sucking and nibbling down his chest until she was face to face with him. She settled down on her knees, pulling his jeans down to his ankles and removing them. As a growl escaped his lips, she smiled up at him. A predator's smile. Wicked. Sexy. Altogether too tempting. "Like that do you? I know I do."

The warmth of her mouth on him heightened his pulse, tightening his body to a painful ache. Alec clenched his teeth in response, his hands bunching in the thickness of her hair. His body was hard and aching, urgently demanding he claim what was rightfully his. She was his mate and he needed her desperately just to survive. He had to have her. His body raged for her, demanded her. No one else could quench the flames threatening to devour him completely. Desperately pushing away the demon inside of him, he forced himself to concentrate on her, otherwise he'd never last. Her name slipped from his lips, half groan, half sigh. "Max. No more."

Unable to bear her sweet torment for a second longer, he pulled her up and grabbed the hem of her shirt, swiftly lifting it up over her head. He gasped at the perfection he found waiting for him, her silky skin glistening in the morning light. Leaning down, he pressed his lips against her taut flesh, swirling his tongue around her then alternating between sucking and nibbling on one hard peak. His right hand found it's way to her other breast, kneading her soft flesh.

She reached for him desperately, her hands tunnelling in his hair, cradling him to her while his mouth drove every sane thought from her mind, until there was only him. Hot. Sexy. Addictive.

He backed her up against the nearby minibar, as the urge to taste her overtook him. His mouth was sensual, his eyes smoldering with passion as his lips grazed down over her flat stomach. His hands hooked into the waistband of her cargo pants, dragging them down past her hips along with her panties. As he pulled them the rest of the way off, his fingers tickled the backs of her legs. Full of confidence, Alec slid his hands up across the heated flesh of her inner thighs, parting them to make room for himself.

Max cried out at his first touch. "Oh God...Alec." She closed her eyes and gave herself up to the beauty of his hands and tongue doing wild, merciless things that only made the fire hotter. She was writhing now, unable to stay still beneath the assault on her senses. Overwhelmed with need, she grabbed his head, pulling him up to her lips. "Now. Please, Alec...I need you." She claimed his lips again, desperate for his touch.

He needed no further encouragement. Seizing her hips, he lifted her up, pressing her against the wall and taking her in one swift motion. He was power and coordination combined, so fluid he took her breath away. She grabbed frantically at his shoulders, fingernails digging deep as her legs wrapped around his waist. Her head slammed back into the wall, her hair brushing over both of them, the silken strands unbearably erotic on their sensitised skin. Her body going up in flames, as he made them one.

Max was stunned. Unable to comprehend that this was Alec making her body burn with such intensity. Ripple after ripple of pure sensual pleasure shattered her into fragments and made her lose control. It was like nothing she had ever experienced or imagined, his body moving with a commanding rhythm, leading hers ever closer to the edge of the highest peaks. She was drowning in it; her body not her own anymore. It never would be again.

Alec groaned, feeling like he was about to go up in flames. He set a steady pace, maddeningly slow, wanting to prolong this moment forever. She feels so good. He thought as he captured her lips in an intense kiss, tongue stroking, licking, and dancing with hers. She's mine. My mate. He trailed his lips down to her neck, sucking strongly against the tense flesh there and finally biting into her shoulder as they plunged over the edge. He shouted loudly as he lost control, "Max!"

She collapsed against him, her heart hammering loudly in her ears, her blood racing. For the first time in her life she felt truly satisfied. So that's what it's supposed to be like. It was hard to think right now, hell she couldn't think, unable to process anything except the raw pleasure coursing through her. She buried her head in his chest, relaxing in the strong arms that held her so tight.

Alec slowly came back to reality, cherishing the feel of the contented woman against him. She was damn near purring in his arms. He pushed them away from the wall and carried her over to the bed. Reaching out, he pulled a sheet over them then allowed himself to fall into a satiated slumber.

Chapter 5 – Boy am I itchy

A cool breeze wafted in to the room through the partially open window, gently stirring the faded, threadbare curtains. They were drawn open, allowing warm rays of sunshine to wash over the nearby queen-size bed where a couple laid still intimately entwined. Time seemed to have come to a standstill as their hearts slowly beat in time with one another.

Max drifted in a sensual haze, lost in the rhythmic rise and fall of the warm chest beneath her cheek. Her body appeased for the moment, she was content to let her thoughts drift. It was amazing. Incredible really. How could I have been so blind? I had my head buried so deep in the clouds that I was completely oblivious to the paradise right in front of my nose. She sighed and snuggled deeper into his chest.

Why had she spent so much time fighting him? She hated to admit it, but it was mainly guilt. The sparks that should have existed between her and Logan had instead manifested with Alec. So she'd attempted, rather futilely as it turned out, to push him away and defuse the tension that radiated between them. Unfortunately, she'd felt it all along, even as she'd clung to her love for Logan, needing badly to believe it was the real thing.

It had been a bitter betrayal when the chemistry she'd imagined between them for so long fizzled out under the harsh reality that was her life. Mind you, the virus had a lot to do with it, but it had only been a catalyst to the deeper problem. While there had certainly been some attraction between them, it was really more of a comfort thing, at least on her part. He knew about her past, and still wanted her around; he made her feel safe and protected. But now he seemed more like a brother than a lover.

She had to face facts. From the very beginning, Logan had viewed her as a tool, a possession really, something to be used in his war against evil. Sure he'd been attracted to her, and it's possible he truly did love her, but he certainly never treated her as an equal. She hadn't wanted to see it, downright refused to admit that he looked down on her, expecting her to drop everything to be at his beck and call. He needed to be the center of her universe, and that just wasn't going to happen. Even now, he couldn't see that she had a life of her own. First he'd refused to leave Terminal City. Then she'd noticed him following her around the past few days, and it was starting to get creepy. It was weird too because she still felt like he was watching her, though that was impossible. He's got to leave. I can't take much more of this. A sleepy sigh and a hint of movement beneath her captured her attention.

She slowly lifted her head to look at him, resting her chin on the back of one hand. The fingers of her other hand crept up to trace his features. He looked so innocent in slumber, like a little boy, with dark lashes resting on high cheekbones and his lips curved into a hint of a smile. It was hard to believe he could be such a devil, so self-involved and full of himself that it threatened to drive her crazy. At times she thought he intentionally tried to provoke her with his reckless actions, just to set off the sparks that always flew between them. Somewhere along the line, though she wasn't sure exactly when, those sparks had started to grow into something more.

Thinking back, she had to admit he wasn't the source of all evil in her life as much as she'd wanted to believe it at the time. There'd been that pivotal moment, when she had to choose between the cure for the virus and him. Funny thing that. It hadn't really seemed like a choice at the time. She'd reacted instinctively, something deep inside her rebelling at the thought of his death. He hadn't even asked her to save him from the bomb planted in his head. Instead he'd seemed resigned to die, not believing enough in his own self worth to ask, just staring at her with that lost look in his eyes.

His eyes. There was something about them that had always nagged at her. A look of confusion and desperation when he thought no one was looking. Manticore had been his whole life and he'd been an excellent soldier from everything she'd heard. It had to have been hard on him, trying to adapt and deal with the pressure of life on the outside. Especially with her jumping on his ass at the slightest provocation. She'd expected too much from him, too soon. It was hard to remember that she'd once been very much like him, scared and unsure. Lonely. Although he hid it remarkably well underneath all that bravado of his. But every now and then she caught glimpses of it when she least expected it. There was a hint of vulnerability about him that appealed to her. It was endearing. Sexy even.

Now after all this time, his true colors were finally starting to show through. He'd been so warm and understanding, comforting her when she'd told him about Ben's death and breaking up with Logan. Quietly supportive, he'd stood behind her during her latest troubles, letting her make her own decisions. Not smothering her like Logan was doing. And while he still liked to complain and could be very annoying in his own right, he also dropped everything to help her out whenever she needed him, putting his own ass on the line more and more often to save others. He'd become a very big shoulder for her to lean on, a partner, and she wasn't sure what she'd do if she ever lost him. As if feeling the weight of her thoughts, Alec started to stir beneath her. One of his hands slid from her hip to rest at the small of her back, fingers gently stroking the sensitive skin there.

Struck by a sudden wave of desire, Max let her fingers roam over him with a bit more urgency. Leaning over she nibbled at his chest and neck, then slowly made her way up to his lips to find his awake and now very alert eyes. She struggled to clear her throat, then whispered huskily, "Hi." A blush infused her cheeks as she blinked at him.

Alec stared back, unable to take his eyes off the beauty on top of him. This couldn't be the Max he knew. Sparkling eyes, full of passion, peeked out from under her partially closed lids. Her hair was tousled, framing her slender face and pouty lips, giving her the look of a woman who'd been thoroughly loved. His voice rumbled out of his chest as he answered her, "Morning. How you feeling?"

She smiled sexily as she appeared to think about it for a minute. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. "Words can't even begin to describe how good I'm feeling right now." She moved deliberately against him. A breathy purr escaped her lips as his body responded immediately. "In fact, I think I'd like to feel this way again, really soon. Any objections?"

His nostrils flared and a shit-eating grin covered his face as he realised her heat had come back full force. "Nope. Not from me." He shook his head and somehow managed to look completely innocent. "I wouldn't dream of arguing with you." He began drawing little circles on her back with just the tips of his fingers, biting back a groan as she shivered against his chest. She lifted herself up a bit, bracing her hands on his shoulders and rubbing against him. The sensation was incredible, the slide of his hard muscles against her soft, hot skin fuelling the fire.

He grabbed her hips as she slid up into a sitting position, the sheet slipping down her back to puddle at his knees. Max slowly began to move. Eyes locked with his, her hands slid up over her own body, cupping and fondling herself, then lightly stroking up the nape of her neck and into her hair. Showing him in no uncertain terms how much enjoyment she was getting from this, from him. She deliberately set out to entice him with her fluid movements and the little panting breaths that escaped her lips as she grew more and more excited.

Alec could barely breathe, captivated by the temptress above him. It was so erotic, watching the fire burning in her eyes as she maintained constant eye contact with him. The gentle push and pull of her body on his was conspiring to drive him out of his mind with desire. His palms slid urgently over her silky skin, tracing the delicate curve of her spine and cupping the soft weight of her breasts. Sitting up, he captured her lips, taking the bottom one between his and nipping it, then soothing the bite mark with his tongue. She moaned, her breath mingling with his as his tongue forced its way into her mouth, seeking and finding hers.

His hands locked around her slender hips as he tried to encourage her to pick up the pace. Her arms circled his neck as she got closer and closer to her peak, nails digging into his back as she loudly exclaimed her pleasure. Incoherent words left her lips, his name and God's coming through most clearly. "More…just like that…oh god, yes. Alec!" She screamed as she fell over the edge.

Not satisfied yet, Alec swiftly rolled her over on to her back. He stared into her eyes, continuing to move gently, until she started to respond again. She stared up into his eyes, showing him the raw passion contained in hers. "I need you, Alec. I think…I might…even love you." It was a lethal combination, the most intimate connection he'd ever had and it pushed him over the edge. With a ragged cry, he claimed her as his own, carrying her into heaven with him. He collapsed on top of her, harsh sobs wracking his body as he gave in to the emotions bombarding him.

Max ran her fingers gently through his hair and over his shoulders, pressing light kisses across his face in an attempt to calm the frantic man above her. Light murmurs of reassurance left her lips as she cradled his body in her arms. Eventually he gained enough coherence to realise he was probably crushing her. Gathering his strength, he rolled to his side. She instinctively spooned into him, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her protectively into his chest.

Chapter 6 – Scratch that, will you?

Logan lay on the roof propped up on his elbows, frosty blue eyes peering out over the top of the small ledge encircling the warehouse. He dared not move in case either of the languid X5s across the street noticed him. Not that they were paying too much attention to their surroundings right now, but it never hurt to be overly cautious. Especially since they were both facing him, sprawled out on the bed in a tangle of sated limbs, every move they made spotlighted by the adoring rays of the sun.

The events of the past few hours had imbedded themselves in his head like poison darts, driving him to the brink of insanity. He had resigned himself to seeing them fuck like animals. Told himself to expect it since she was in heat, but unfortunately, that hadn't happened. Instead they'd made wild, passionate love, every movement erotic, showing their obvious affection for each other. They looked like they belonged together, like they were made for each other, and who knows, with Manticore, maybe they had been. If he lived to be 100, he didn't think he'd ever be able to get rid of the images in his head. The last straw had come when he'd heard her screaming for Alec in the midst of their lovemaking. The sound still echoed in his ears.

It was driving him crazy watching him caress Max like he owned her. "Get your hands off her, she's MINE damn it. You have no right to touch her like that!" Not noticing or caring that he was actually muttering his thoughts aloud, he pounded his fists on the asphalt in frustration. His breath hissed out in a rush, when a smile danced across her lips at the feel of his hands on her. She moved her head to the side, making room for him as he snuggled into her neck. "You slut! How could you sleep with him?" Stunned by his own thoughts, he shook his head and immediately excused her behaviour. None of this could possibly be considered her fault. "I know, I know…You're in heat and you can't help yourself. You don't know what you're doing."

He was so far gone now, that he couldn't even see the contradictions in his own thoughts. Somehow in his head, he still believed that she loved and wanted to be with him, even though he knew she'd broken up with him for Alec. She had to have lied to him. Or maybe Alec was forcing her to be with him. Maybe he had some sort of blackmail on her. "Yeah. That has to be it. There's no way on earth she'd actually choose to be with someone so sickening. This is all his fault."

He clenched his fists, imagining them wrapped around Alec's neck. Eyes filled with intense hatred, he whispered, "He's a total bastard for using you like this. I swear I'll make him pay, love. If it's the last thing I do."

~~~~~

Alec sighed contentedly, pressing light kisses along Max's shoulder and neck as she moved her head to allow him better access. One of his arms was propped under her neck, lying along the length of hers as his fingers gently stroked the inside of her wrist. His other arm was wrapped around her holding her as close as he possibly could, his hand splayed out over her abdomen, drifting lazily in circles around her belly button. He still couldn't believe she was here, that she was his. He kept expecting to wake up and discover this was only an incredibly satisfying dream, but it hadn't happened yet. And she'd actually said that she'd loved him. Well, that she might love him and he could live with that. At least it meant she had positive feelings for him and that was a relief considering the history of their relationship.

From the first moment he'd seen her he'd been spellbound, wanting her with an intensity that had taken his breath away. She'd been so vibrant, so alive compared to everyone else at Manticore. Fire burned deeply in her eyes as fierce determination pushed her to escape. He'd had to pretend to be disgusted with her when she'd turned him down as a breeding partner, not wanting her to see how disappointed he'd been. It would have been too embarrassing.

Ever since then, they'd fought. Hard and often. Sometimes playful banter, but mainly battles of wit, that occasionally erupted into physical blows punctuating their intense need to dominate each other. The weird thing was that it seemed almost like foreplay, only serving to increase their tension. He'd even instigated many of their fights, trying to put some much-needed distance between them to protect himself. Strong feelings for her had swamped him during the past several months. That annoying voice in the back of his head popped up, Strong feelings my ass. Why can't you just admit it? You love her, you idiot. He did, but couldn't explain exactly how it had happened. He was a soldier, trained to keep his feelings at bay, so he should have been immune to her. That hadn't been the case however. At times, he thought he'd burn up from the sheer electricity that ran between them.

Lately everything had changed. He'd been pleasantly surprised and then increasing excited as she'd started to mellow toward him, actually allowing him to get close to her instead of pushing him away all the time. The intimacy they'd achieved over the past few weeks was startling, amazing him with its intensity. While he'd always dreamt of being with her, he'd never allowed himself to get his hopes up, believing her too wrapped up in Logan to ever really notice him. But somehow, something had changed that.

Ever since his arrest, he'd caught Max watching him out of the corner of his eye. She always looked away or made up some excuse for it if he caught her, but it was there nonetheless. If asked he couldn't even begin to describe what the look meant, he just knew it was different from before. But now that the thought had occurred to him, he couldn't let it go. "Max, did you mean what you said earlier? About loving me?" He hesitated, feeling too vulnerable to let it go at that, "I mean I'd understand if you didn't. Things have a way of getting out of hand during lo…well, sex. Things get said in the heat of the moment that you don't really mean. They just come out and…"

One of her fingers came up over her shoulder to brush against his lips, shushing him. "Alec, stop. You're babbling." A nervous giggle escaped her, before she continued. "To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel. For so long, I was sure that I loved Logan. He was the only thing that kept me going when I was recaptured by Manticore. I dreamt of him, relived every single conversation we'd ever had in an attempt to fight reindoctrination. Hell, he was the only guy I'd ever gotten involved with that wasn't heat related. But now I'm not sure if I ever really loved him, at least not in the way you're supposed to love someone."

Max pursed her lips thoughtfully, "I mean, let's face it, we were together for a whole year without doing anything and then we had that 12-hour window and still didn't do more than kiss. How pathetic is that? That's something you'd expect to happen between friends, not lovers. I hate to admit it, but I guess he was more of a safety net for me. I wanted so badly to be close to someone, and he was there. Someone I could flirt with, plus he gave me a good excuse not to get involved with anyone else." Her voice drifted off as she attempted to collect her thoughts.

She slowly turned in his arms to look directly at him. "I'm just so confused, especially with everything so crazy right now and I don't want to lead you on. After all, how can I be sure of my feelings for you, when I was so wrong about Logan? I'm not sure I even know what love is anymore."

He tried to look away at this, sure that she was going to take it back and prepared himself to hear bad news.

"Alec, please look at me." Putting one finger under his chin, she tipped his head up and sighed seeing the fear in his eyes, "I wish I knew for sure, cause I know this isn't fair to you. The only thing I do know is that I care about you and I need you beside me. I can't even imagine my life without you in it." A smirk crossed her lips as she continued, "Ever since I met you, you've been creeping in under my radar and stealing your way into my heart. There's been this…incredible friction between us that I fought tooth and nail." Her voice softened betraying her sadness. "I felt so guilty, like I was betraying Logan by feeling anything for you. Whether it's love or not, I'm not sure, but you are very important me. I feel like you complete me somehow. Does that make any sense?" She felt him completely relax, going almost boneless in her arms as he expelled all the air from his lungs.

"It makes perfect sense." He whispered, "Cause I feel the same way, have felt it for months now." He captured her lips in a gentle, chaste kiss and then reluctantly pulled away. "Only difference is…I know I love you." He met her stunned eyes with an amused smile, "What? Didn't think I'd say it, did you?"

She stared at him for a moment longer and then her face lit up with the biggest smile he'd ever seen. She was radiant, glowing even. Then she laughed. Loudly, happily. It was contagious. Pushing her over onto her back, he joined in, his fingers finding her ribcage and tickling her mercilessly. "You think I'm funny do you?" He sighed loudly, with an air of long suffering. "Here I am baring my soul to you, and you're laughing at me. Makes me wonder why I even bother."

She groaned, trying hard to catch her breath and his wandering hands at the same time. "Alec, please…Stop!" She bit back a scream as he found a particularly sensitive spot under her left arm. "Oh God! I'm so…sorry…I laughed…I'm just…so happy." Enjoying himself way too much to even consider stopping, he grabbed both of her hands in one of his, lifting them over her head to allow him better access. The movement made her back arch and her breasts lift right up into his face. And suddenly it was no laughing matter anymore. Their eyes locked as they took in the change of position. His breath warm against her skin, as he hovered above her, mesmerised by the silky skin scant inches away from his mouth.

Slowly releasing her hands, Alec braced himself up on one elbow, cupping her gently in the palm of his hand. His thumb stroked across her, making her moan in the back of her throat. Bending down, he kissed along her breastbone, leisurely nipping and licking. She arched up toward him, her fingers running through his hair and pulling him closer to her straining flesh. His name escaping her lips in a throaty purr as he worshipped her with his mouth and tongue, lavishing attention on her. Enjoying Max's uninhibited response to his caresses, he grew increasingly aroused as her hips began moving restlessly against his own.

He wanted to imprint the memory of himself in her skin, in her body, in her deepest soul. Moving ever lower, he pressed butterfly kisses on every inch of flesh he encountered, the intoxicating smell of her arousal enticing him to explore her further. His fingertips wandered down to caress her inner thighs.

Max gasped at the intimacy of his caresses, her head moving restlessly against his pillow. His fingers and lips working in concert to take her to the edge. The feelings he inspired were so intense that she found it hard to breathe. She was finally reduced to pleading with him for release. "Alec..." her breath caught on a sob as he lifted his head and met her gaze. "Please...I can't take any more." Tears were shining in her eyes. He smiled devilishly and returned his attention to her lower body.

Her fingers dug into the sheets beneath her as she arched up to meet his caress. Everything seemed to explode around her. Not giving her a chance to calm completely down, he licked his way back up over her body, gently wiping away the tears spilling down her cheeks as he kissed her tenderly. Her whole body trembled uncontrollably as she slowly opened her eyes and met his gaze. Seeing the hunger in his eyes, she licked her lips and smiled invitingly. He settled himself between her thighs, holding her gaze the entire time.

Bracing his elbows on either side of her body, his fingers meshed with hers beside her head. He moved slowly at first, giving her time to catch her breath. Her eyes glazed over again with passion as she pressed up hard against him. She knew every way to move to please him, her body adjusting to his rhythm almost before he knew. Moving faster and faster, they raced toward completion, both attaining it at the same time. He threw his head back and groaned as waves of pleasure swept over him.

Chapter 7 – Steam

Bands of red and gold slowly crawled along the wall as the sun began to set outside their brief haven from the insanity that had become their world. The day had passed by in a blur, interspersed with brief catnaps and long bouts of lovemaking. Neither one seemed to be able to get enough, bodies constantly touching, tender kisses and soft caresses blending in amongst frantic movement.

Alec smiled as he remembered. Once he'd found himself laughing on the floor, and neither of them had any idea how they'd got there. But as Max went to climb back into bed, he'd trapped her against the mattress, leaning over her, his body possessive, his hands strong as he took her yet again, until they both went up in flames. He'd lost track of exactly how many times and ways they'd made love. But it had to be over a dozen, in what? He shot a quick glance at his watch, only 14 hours? It seemed like forever.

Even now, he couldn't stop touching her. His fingers drifted over her, tracing the runes adorning her back. He couldn't help but wonder if Logan was right about the translation. That something biblically bad was going to happen. An apocalypse. And Max was the only one who could stop it. He shook his head slightly, remembering the look on her face when she'd heard that. Disbelief and a hint of stark terror had flashed in her eyes. He couldn't help but be afraid himself. Things like that almost never ended well. She'd seemed to put it behind her though, at least for the moment, but the pressure was obviously starting to get to her. He'd seen it over and over again in the past few days as she strove to become their leader. She was so unaware of her own power.

Suddenly she started to stir, and he struggled to put a carefree look upon his face. The last thing he needed to do right now was add to her stress. If he could do anything at all to help her through this, he'd do it, no matter the cost to himself. He just couldn't bear to lose her now, not when they'd finally found one another.

Max lay on her stomach, gradually drifting toward consciousness. Yawning and stretching as she became aware of the gentle brush of fingers up and down her spine. "Ummm…that feels good." Arching gracefully into his caress, she leisurely turned her head to see Alec propped up beside her, a look of wonder on his face. "What?" She craned her neck to try and see what he was looking at.

"It's nothing. Just the runes." He ran his fingers down the small of her back and traced the remaining marks. "They're almost gone now." Disappointment coloured his voice.

One eyebrow lifting in puzzlement, she asked, "And that would be bad because…"

Grinning sheepishly, he ducked his head and whispered against her ear. "They're kinda sexy, babe. It's amazing that they can just appear and disappear like that. And the way they contrast against your silky skin… Well, it's a shame to see them go."

She shivered as the heat of his breath crept across her skin, instantly raising goose bumps and turning her on. "God, how do you do that?"

"Do what?" Eyes brimming with mirth, he tried to paste an innocent look on his face.

A light swat at his chest was her initial response. "You know what! Is it…I mean you've…" She stopped abruptly and groaned, burying her head in her hands as she tried to get her thoughts in order. "You've…been…with others haven't you? Cause of the whole breeding thing and all." She peeked up at him through her fingers and continued when he nodded reluctantly. "Is it always like this? Between X's, I mean?" A becoming flush of pink covered her face and rose up into her hairline as she mumbled quietly, "It's just that, well, I've never experienced anything like this…Not that I haven't …well, you know." She waved her fingers expressively at the bed beneath them to make her point. "Just not with another transgenic. But it's never been like this, even when I was in heat."

"You don't have to be embarrassed Max, it a perfectly valid question. I guess I'd have to say yes and no." He turned her around to face him, pulling her close to him and running his fingers through her hair. "Yes, there is something different about being with one of our own kind; a different kind of connection or something. Because you don't have to hold back a part of yourself and pretend to be someone you're not. You can just be." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "And no, because it's never been like this for me either. What we have is special." He paused, looking a bit embarrassed himself now, "I'm kinda ashamed to say I've been around enough to know that. I was even with someone else in heat once and it was just crazy sex. Nothing at all like this."

She smiled, a bit relieved and encouraged by his comments. So much had changed in such a short time. She was struck anew by how sensitive and supportive he was now. Instead of making her feel uncomfortable about her questions, he'd just answered her easily, putting her mind at rest. But maybe it was time for a change in topic. She looked around at the small, cramped room. "So…this is your place. Have they got the water turned on yet? You could use a shower."

"Of course it's on, same with the electricity. That's one of the first things they did with the influx of new people. Ran a few lines out and tapped into some neighboring buildings." He grinned cheekily. "Somebody's utility bill is going to go through the roof. We've even got hot water." A look of indignation swiftly crossed his face as her last comment sunk in. "Wait a minute. Did you say I could use a shower? Are you trying to say that I smell or something?"

"Well, I didn't say it. But…now that you mention it..." She got up quickly to avoid his swatting hands and then raced toward the bathroom laughing, "Hurry up or I'll use up all the hot water."

He lay on the bed for a minute enjoying the ringing tones of her laughter. It was so nice to hear her really laugh for a change. He jumped up and slowly made his way into the bathroom, following the sound of running water. Stepping into the shower, he stopped suddenly, entranced by the vision before him. Max was standing with her back partially turned toward him; eyes closed and chin slanted up toward the hot spray. Her breasts tipped up enticingly as her hands languidly lifted over her head, brushing her hair back from her face. Steam enveloped her as her hands drifted lazily down over her body.

Feeling his eyes on her, she turned to face him and smiled seductively as she began the return journey. She took her time, tantalising fingers drawing leisurely circles on her abdomen. Eyes opening to mere slits, she enjoyed watching the slack-jawed expression on his face as she washed herself intimately. Every movement drawn out, meant to capture his undivided attention.

It was an incredible rush: performing for him like this and watching the growing evidence of his desire. Max licked her lips as she slowly grazed her fingertips up over her ribcage to her aching breasts. Cupping them lightly in the palms of her hands, she began teasing and playing with them. An expression of complete and utter ecstasy crossed her face as they rapidly tightened into hard buds under her careful attention. She moaned and slid one hand up to her shoulders, lifting her hair up and exposing the slender nape of her neck to the cascading water. It pooled in the valley between her breasts before joining the flood rushing between her thighs.

Alec stepped forward and turned her around, pulling her back against him. "You're trying to kill me, aren't you?" He grazed his teeth and tongue along her neck and up to her ears, nibbling and blowing on the extremely sensitive skin. Sliding his hands around her, he fondled her breasts and flat stomach.

She braced her hands against the wall of the shower stall, her voice husky with desire as she purred, "Maybe. But what a way to go." Rubbing against him, she looked over her shoulder and winked.

Nipping at her neck, Alec slowly joined their bodies. Neither one moved for several heartbeats, both content with the intimacy of the moment, enjoying the feeling of being close mentally, physically and emotionally. Soon however, the impulse to move became uncontrollable. Completely in tune, they urged each other on, their movements becoming frenzied as they found their release. Max trembled violently, sobs shaking her from head to toe.

They stood in the rapidly cooling spray for a while, both completely relaxed. Alec held her tightly, arms circling her waist to help support her weight. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and giggled, "We'd better get out of here soon…before we turn into prunes."

He laughed and pulled away to turn off the water and grab a towel. He dried himself off and then pulled Max from the shower, doing the same for her. She leaned against him drowsily, enjoying his rapt attention. Once they were both dry, he took her hand and led her back into the bedroom, lying down with her on the bed and kissing her tenderly before they both fell asleep.

Chapter 8 – Heat wave

Logan shuddered as he struggled to push the painful images from his mind, trying desperately to make sense of everything that had happened today. How could he have just watched him use Max like that? Why didn't he do something to stop it? He sighed. Fear for his life of course, and the fact that he'd be of no use to her dead. There was no doubt in his mind that Alec would have killed him. He'd had a look about him of carnal possession, and appeared quite happy taking advantage of her heat. And if he was blackmailing her, that just made it worse. It was damn near rape as far as he was concerned, since she was in no condition to stop him. He seriously doubted if she was even aware of what she was doing.

Of course, somewhere deep inside, a part of him knew that wasn't remotely true. It was obvious by the way she was acting that she cared for Alec, but he wasn't able to deal with the reality of that. The other part of him, the loudest, biggest part, didn't care. Bitterness, anguish, and rage all fought for supremacy in his head. It just wasn't fair. She belonged with him. He'd loved her, wanted her, had waited for her for almost two years now and if it hadn't been for Manticore and Alec's interference with the virus, they would have been together long ago.

Suddenly the thought of sitting up here any longer sickened him. Max needed him to be strong for her, and while he hated to leave her alone, there were things he needed to do to prepare for tomorrow. He attempted to stand up, hastily grabbing the side of the shed when his legs threatened to buckle beneath him. Not surprising really, considering how long he'd been sitting there cramped up in pretty much one position. He groaned as pins and needles ran through his legs, his muscles locking up in protest. After a few minutes the sensations eased, and he was able to walk stiffly toward the fire escape. Climbing down, he strode toward the command post, so self-involved he never noticed the glowing eyes watching him from the shadows.

~~~~~

Alec slowly woke up basking in the mid-morning sun and revelling in the sensation of hot, silky skin against him. Opening his eyes he found Max curled in to his left side, purring in her sleep as her hand skimmed across his chest. She was moving restlessly, her left leg sliding up over the length of both of his, rubbing up and down as her hips pressed against him. The rightness of the way she fit against him crawled inside his skin, warming him to his very core. Just then his name escaped her lips in a needy moan, causing an instantaneous reaction below his waist. A huge grin broke out across his face as he realised she was dreaming about him.

Unable to resist, he eased her over on to her back, careful not to wake her from the obviously sensual dream she was having. She stretched beneath him, sighing as his tongue stroked down the column of her throat, lingering briefly over her rapid pulse before drifting steadily downwards. He took his time, lips, tongue, teeth and hands working in concert as he played her body expertly, exploring every inch of satiny flesh he encountered. Everything about her appealed to him, her scent, the way she tasted, the way she moved. Thank God he'd been born a transgenic with amazing stamina, or she would have killed him already.

Max began breathing faster, her head shifting from side to side as her arousal grew. She awoke to insane need. Her erotic dream quickly fading in the face of intense reality. Every particle of her skin alive with fiery tongues of heat. Her body burned and ached, fierce longing and terrible, empty hunger forefront in her mind. "What… " She gasped as she realised what he was doing. "Ohh Alec…"

Stormy, green eyes looked up at her. She stared right back, eyes burning with hot, urgent desire. He had waited so long for her to look at him like that. "Do you have any idea how incredible you taste?" He asked the question softly, intimately, breathing it over her skin. The heat of his breath against her driving her crazy.

Her breath hitched in her throat as he continued his explorations. She struggled to find her voice. "Ahh…feels so good… " Inarticulate whimpers flew from her lips as she pressed against him, fingers weaving through his hair to pull him closer. She wanted this heat and fire, needed his hands and lips on her more than she needed air to breathe. Tension built in her until she couldn't breath, only able to gasp and moan wildly. "Ohhh yeeessss… " She was so close to the edge. She already felt like she was flying, unable to get her bearings in the whirlwind surrounding her. "More… "

He glanced up briefly, enchanted by the wildcat beneath him. "That's it babe." He returned happily to his task, not stopping until he pushed her over the edge and she screamed his name, fingers clenching in his hair and then gradually easing off as the last shudders claimed her. He slid up over her body, kissing her lips tenderly as her eyelids fluttered open. Her voice was husky as she smiled sexily up at him. "I could soooo get used to waking up like this."

Alec grinned cockily back at her, before rolling over on to his back and putting his arms up behind his head. "Well if you're really nice to me, I might be able to arrange that for you."

"Hmmm. Really nice, you say… " Her eyes wandered over the length of him as she sat up beside him. Her palms itched to feel the hard muscles of his body, to run over his chest, his belly. She ached to stroke and caress, to slide her mouth over him just to see his reaction. To hear him groan. She could think of nothing else. She wanted to drive him over the edge of control and wipe that smug smile off his face.

Leaning over, she kissed him, her tongue sliding leisurely along his bottom lip before slipping inside to taste him. Her lips wandered across his cheeks and then down to his chin, planting little nipping kisses along his jawbone. "How nice do I have to be exactly?" She whispered in his ear as her hands crept across his chest, exploring every inch of his skin, every shadow and hollow.

"Very, very nice." His arms went around her, trying to pull her down on top of him.

She just laughed and shook her head, swatting his chest lightly. "Now that's not fair. Stop trying to spoil my fun." Her eyes danced with mirth as she continued her journey, letting her body lightly graze his chest as she slid down over him, licking and sucking his skin. Her fingertips skimmed over the sensitive skin she found, teasing him unmercifully. A seductive grin lit up her features. "Is this nice enough?"

Wild groans of frustration escaped his lips as he moved uncontrollably, trying to find her hands. He growled up at her, "Max…Come on. Give me a break already."

Her smile was frankly sexy with a woman's knowledge of her own power. Taking pity on him, she pressed the palm of one hand firmly against his hot, smooth skin. All rational thought left him at the feel of her hands on him. Alec sighed in relief, arching in to her touch instinctively, a surge of pleasure overtaking him. Her fingers slowly slid over him, lingering over particularly receptive areas. He groaned, as she looked up at him and licked her lips. "Is this better?"

Unable to resist, she bent over and let her tongue join in, enjoying the slightly musky taste of his skin. Alec's moans were getting louder and louder and more incoherent. "God…yes. Oh yeah…just like that." His shaking fingers stroked through her hair and a harsh cry was torn from his chest as his world exploded around him. She licked her lips contentedly and rested her head against his thigh, a supremely satisfied grin covering her face.

Unbelievably, the sight set him off again, an insane urge to possess her completely taking him by storm. "Come here." His voice rumbled in his chest, deep, dark, and utterly sexy.

She looked at him in surprise for a moment, eyes darkening with erotic intent as she saw the renewed interest in his eyes. She licked her lips again deliberately, slowly crawling over him, staring ardently into his eyes, hair sliding over him, tickling his sensitive skin. "See something you like?" Her voice was husky, sexy, a blatant invitation.

"Hell yeah! You." He cupped her bottom, pulling her close to him, his hands and lips everywhere, arousing, memorizing, simply worshiping. His heart aching for her. It was not simply the physical demands of his body beating at him like a jackhammer, but something that went far deeper. It was exciting and arousing to know that she wanted him so badly, that she knew exactly what she wanted and would demand it of him. Tucking her into him, he rolled them over swiftly, resting between her thighs. "You were made for me. You're mine."

She arched beneath him, hands on his hips as she rubbed against him desperately. His hands, mouth, and body all driving her crazy with intense need. Her legs wrapped around his hips. "Alec! Now. I want you." Growling at him when he refused to comply, she stared deep into his eyes, touching him, trying to incite him to insanity. "Fuck me, damn it."

That was it. He grabbed both her hands and stretched them over her head, taking her with one swift movement. Capturing her mouth, his tongue dueled with hers mimicking the dance of their bodies. They were evenly matched, demented cries leaving their lips as they moved faster and faster, blurring with the speed of their movements. It was unlike anything either of them had ever experienced. Their bodies entangled so that neither could tell where one started and the other left off. A piercing scream and harsh shout finally filled the room as they climaxed together.

Chapter 9 – Out of the frying pan…

Alec rested his forehead against hers, muscles quivering in the last throes of release. The silence broken only by their ragged breathing until he eventually murmured, "That's it. I've decided."

"Huh?" Max opened her eyes, blinking rapidly as she tried to bring his face into focus. "Decided what?"

He stretched, then slowly brought their hands down by her head, fingers entwined just as intimately as their bodies. "I'm never moving again."

"Ummm." A contented smile passed over her face, but then she squirmed slightly, her legs slowly unwrapping from around his waist. "Well as much as I like that idea, it's just not going to work for me."

"Yeah. Why not?" He kissed her thoroughly and then lifted his head, grinning at the amused look on her face. One eyebrow lifted in a comical leer as he vowed, "I promise to make it worth your while."

A giggle escaped her lips. "Well, for one thing I'm starving. And while I have gotten some protein in the last day and a half," a smirk crossed her face with this remark. "I don't think it's enough to sustain me in the long run."

Alec groaned as the memory of just how she'd gotten it flashed through his head, then laughed when his stomach chose that moment to growl. "Okay, I might have to agree with you on that point, but I really don't want to move."

"Me neither, but I don't have a choice. Everybody's counting on me." She shook her head, "Besides, my heat's over now, so it's safe for me to go out again."

He leaned back to take a better look at her and sniffed the air. Reluctantly realising that the smell of her pheromones was indeed fading fast and that she was actually cool to the touch. "Oh well, couldn't last forever I suppose." He sighed dramatically. "It's probably a good thing too since you've completely worn me out having your wicked way with me 24/7."

"Whatever you say, Romeo." Max rolled her eyes. "Like you weren't involved too." Trying unsuccessfully to move out from beneath him, she pulled her hands free to push lightly at his chest. "Come on. Get up. I've got to get back to the command post and see if there's been any contact from the outside."

"Aww Max, just a few more minutes." Deliberately turning on his 'puppy dog' eyes, he cajoled, "Please? It can't hurt anything."

She laughed in spite of herself and pushed at him again. "Oh, stop it. It's not going to kill you to get up now. Besides, I've gotta pee and I wouldn't mind having a nice, hot bath before we go in. Not to mention stopping by the new mess hall for a quick bite. So move."

He laughed at that, swiftly rolling them over. "Well, in that case, I'm at your service."

She raised an eyebrow and spoke with a note of disbelief, "Really?"

His eyes darkened as he looked up at her, a bit hurt by her tone. "Max, I'm serious. I'd do anything for you. Haven't I proven that lately?"

"Yeah, you have. Sorry, old habits die hard." Smiling, she sat up and cupped his cheek in the palm of her hand. "Actually, there is something you could do for me…"

Immediately alert, he sat up beside her and asked, "What do you need?"

She spoke hesitantly, almost afraid to voice her thoughts aloud. "Would you please find Logan and make him leave Terminal City?"

The surprise on his face was evident. "If you really want me to, consider it done. But are you sure about this? If he wants to stay, despite the risks, who are we to tell him to go?" He paused and searched her face, trying to find the reason for her request. "You don't have to do this for me you know. I can live with him hanging around. Not that I necessarily want him to, but I know you're always going to be close to him."

"Actually, it has nothing to do with you. He's been acting a bit weird, following me around everywhere and it's beginning to bother me. I even asked Joshua to keep an eye on him during this in case he decided to try something." She shook her head and sighed. "I just think it'd be better for everyone if he left. I'd do it myself, but he won't listen to me and it's not like I can bodily haul him out of here." Utter sadness infused her voice, tears shimmering in her eyes. "I hate to force the issue, but things have got to change if he's ever going to let me go."

Alec pulled her close, rubbing her shoulders soothingly. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'll talk to him and have him out of here tonight. At least now, I won't be lying when I tell him we're together." A hint of uncertainty entered his voice. "Right?"

"Don't even think otherwise." Her voice was firm, eyes completely sincere as she met his stare. "I want to be with you, and only you."

Nodding approvingly, he decided it was time to lighten the mood a bit. "So, about that bath…how 'bout I run the water for you?"

Grinning mischievously, she winked at him. "Only if you agree to share it with me."

~~~~~

A little over an hour later, Alec mopped up the last puddle of water from the floor while Max got dressed. He smiled, now completely reassured that she wanted to be with him. Even though she wasn't in heat anymore, she'd instigated yet another round of lovemaking, in the tub no less. It had been slow and playful, full of gentle caresses, intimate whispers, and soft laughter. Standing up, he walked into the other room, grinning when he was the recipient of a loud wolf whistle. "Alright, the show's over, Missy Miss. Plenty of work to do. Bip! Bip!"

Her eyes narrowed in disbelief and she shuddered, "Ewwww! Don't say stuff like that. The last thing I want is to see you naked and think of Normal."

He grimaced at the thought. "Sorry, didn't even think about that." A hint of white in the corner caught his eye. Bending over, he picked it up and discovered the torn remnants of his shirt. "Guess I won't be wearing this again."

Max looked at it a bit sheepishly, a blush creeping up in to her cheeks. "Oops, maybe I got a bit carried away."

"Maybe?" Laughing and shaking his head slightly, he walked over to the chest of drawers, pulling out a spare change of clothes so he could get dressed too. "Don't worry about it. I'll run by our apartments later tonight and bring back the rest of our clothes. Let Cindy know that we're both okay while I'm at it."

"Thanks. Tell her I miss her, and give her a hug for me too." She leaned against the wall and watched him get dressed. His tight ass proudly displayed when he bent over to pull on jeans, chest and biceps rippling as he pulled a shirt over his head. Somehow she found herself right in front of him, her fingers smoothing it down over his chest for him, then winding around his waist for a hug. It'd been so long since she'd had any kind of prolonged contact with anyone, other than a few brief hugs from Cindy and Joshua. She'd forgotten how much she needed to touch and be touched, almost hedonistic in her desire for it. A contented sigh escaped her when his arms wrapped around her.

Alec certainly wasn't complaining, belatedly realising just how long she must have gone without even the simplest touch, and craving the contact with her himself. He held her tight, hands resting at the small of her back as he breathed in her scent, imprinting it in his head.

Reluctantly pulling back, she nodded toward the door, "Shall we?"

"I'm game if you are." He unlocked the door and opened it for her with a flourish, every inch the gentleman, offering her his arm and escorting her from the building.

They'd only taken a few steps outside before they were halted by one of the more normal looking Nomalies. Slightly built and mostly human looking, his eyes glowed slightly even in the bright light of day, and he was very soft spoken. "Max." He moved toward them out of the shadows of the nearby alley, making hardly a sound.

Max jumped, a bit startled and then turned toward him, her head cocked to the side. "Hey, It's Frankie, isn't it?"

He nodded and smiled, pleased that she knew his name even though she'd only met him once a few days ago. "Joshua asked me to keep an eye out for you while you were … indisposed. He was worried about the norm following you."

"Logan?"

"Yeah, I thought you'd want to know that he was up on the roof of that warehouse all day yesterday. Didn't leave until a bit after 20:00 hours last night."

Alec's eyes narrowed dangerously, glints of fury sparking in them. "Where exactly?"

He pointed across the street. "Right up there, by the mechanical shed, where that strap is hanging over the edge."

Max thanked him, rather distractedly. "Did you see where he went when he left?"

He shrugged, "Looked like he was heading toward the command post, and he hasn't come back since. I radioed it in to Josh, but I don't know if he had anybody else pick him up."

She just had to know for sure. It was hard for her to believe he could do anything this heinous. After exchanging a glance with Alec, she swiftly ran over to the building, climbing up and moving to the spot Frankie had indicated. All color draining from her face as she looked over the edge, easily picking out the window to their room, the bed displayed in all its mussed up glory. She turned to look at Alec, who had followed her up. "I thought I felt something yesterday, like I was being watched, but I pushed it aside, figured I was just imagining things."

He nodded tightly, furious with himself for not doing something about this earlier. "I know. I felt it too and just moved us inside. I figured it was one of the other Xs that was after you."

Her voice was shaky, breaking in distress. "He was watching us, the whole time. It's…sick, perverted. How could he do this to me? I trusted him." She buried her head in his chest, shuddering, instinctively seeking the comfort of his arms.

"Now I understand why you wanted me to get him out of here." He wrapped his arms around her, head resting atop hers, as he squeezed her tight. Every protective instinct he possessed, completely aroused and hungry for vengeance. "I'll take care of this. Believe me, after I get through talking to him, he's definitely going to understand his place. And it's not anywhere near you." His voice was cold, eyes hard as he stared across the street, already formulating a plan of action in his head.

She pulled back slightly to look him in the eyes. "Make sure you 'talk' to him for me too. Since I can't do it myself without actually killing him." Her voice made it plain, she expected and was quite willing for him to use a bit of violence to solve this problem.

By unspoken consensus, they turned and headed toward her room so she could change. Alec watching her covertly as they walked along the quiet streets hand in hand. She was heartstoppingly beautiful, moved so gracefully. He found himself wanting to run his fingers through her hair and smooth the lines of tension from her face. Her mouth was perfect, lips full, so irresistibly kissable. It was all he could do to keep from pulling her aside and making love to her again right here. Releasing her hand, he put his arm around her and tucked her into his side, sternly restricting himself to a light kiss on her cheek and a whispered, "I love you. Everything's going to be alright you know."

"I know." Max glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He was so intensely male, lean and muscular. His eyes sparkled when they looked at her, filled with a hint of mischief and desire, and his voice was soft, sexy, and intimate as sin. His legs and hips brushed against hers while they walked, the slightest of movements, yet it made her heart pound and sent tiny flames flicking over her skin. Her lips tingled, softened, aching to feel his. She couldn't believe she felt this way so soon. They'd made love not half an hour ago and she already wanted him again.

As they got closer to the command post, they were stopped occasionally by other transgenics, wanting to talk to them and fill them in on the latest news. She smiled through it all, taking it in with aplomb and trying to concentrate on what everyone was saying instead of the man beside her. Finally they reached her building, just across the street from the command post. She had wanted to be as close to it as possible, in case of an emergency.

As they entered her room, a cold voice called out, "Well, well, look what the cat dragged in."

Chapter 10 – Into the fire…

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in." The cold voice seemed to echo in the small square room, immediately capturing the attention of both transgenics.

Max froze in Alec's arms, the laugh she'd been about to utter dying on her lips, replaced by a strained whisper, "Logan?" She whipped around, searching the room and finding him sitting in an armchair by the large window at the back of the room, his crossed legs propped up on her bed. Her eyes widened slightly in shock at the sight of the .40 caliber Glock pointed in their direction. Trying to remain calm, she spoke casually as if nothing was amiss, "Hey! What are you doing here?"

The hair on the back of Alec's neck rose in dread as he focused on the gun clasped tightly in Logan's hand, but he tried to match Max's light tone. "Yeah, what a coincidence. We were just talking about you." He scanned the room quickly to get his bearings. Other than the bathroom immediately to his right, the floor plan of the room was completely open. There was a tiny makeshift kitchen, as well as a table and 2 chairs to his left; a large sofa, end table and TV to the far right; and a bed, dresser and chair filling the far left corner of the room. Unfortunately, most of the furniture was up against the outside walls, not providing much in the way of cover. The pieces that weren't, were directly in the way of getting to Logan with any speed. Deliberately suppressing his anger, he grabbed Max by the hand and attempted to pull her behind him, but she refused to go all the way, stopping instead by his side.

Logan completely ignored him and smiled reassuringly at Max, his eyes filled with concern. Inside he was seething at the apparent comfort she found in Alec's presence as she clutched his right hand in her left. "Just waiting for you, love. I wanted to talk to you and make sure you're okay. Did he hurt you?"

He sounded solicitous enough, but there was a slight edge to his tone that was hard for her to read. "No, of course not. I'm fine. Alec would never hurt me." What the hell does Logan think he's doing? There's no way he can hope to stop both of us. Even if his reflexes are still a little revved up from Joshua's blood transfusion. Only problem is, if he does shoot it probably won't be at me and with the size of this room and the velocity of that gun, he just might hit his target. Oh God, please don't let Alec get shot because of me. She struggled to smile back, her brain racing furiously to try and find a way to defuse the situation. "So…umm… What's with the gun? Why don't you do me a favor and put it away? You know how much I hate them."

He appeared to think about it for a moment, then answered, "No. I don't think so. Don't worry about it, Max. You'll find out what it's for soon enough." He waved the gun in the air, motioning her forward. "Why don't you come over here so we can talk?"

"Is that a suggestion or an order?" Alec spoke softly, belying the anger radiating through him as his left hand clenched repeatedly in a fist at his side. "Cause I'm sure she can hear you just fine from over here."

Logan glared at him, full of hostility. "I wasn't talking to you, Alec." His name sounded like a swear word leaving his lips. "So back off!"

"I'm not going anywhere, especially when you're holding a gun on us and won't tell us why." Alec glared right back at him, shifting his weight imperceptibly from side to side as he prepared to move at the slightest opportunity. "Give me the gun though and I might think about it."

Logan laughed harshly, "Not a chance. This is the only way I can level the playing field and actually get a chance to talk to Max without your interference. So I suggest you shut your yap, unless you'd rather I pull the trigger and shut you up that way."

"You've lost it, Logan." Alec began to inch his way forward, angling his body in front of Max's. "You really want to shoot me? Go ahead and try. I dare you."

Panic struck Max as she struggled to pull Alec back. She couldn't lose him. "Alright guys. Let's knock the testosterone down a notch, shall we? I'm right here and I can talk for myself." She lowered her voice, so only Alec could hear, "Stop provoking him and let me talk to him, I might be able to get him to back down." A very low growl was his only response. She could tell he wasn't happy with her suggestion, so she squeezed his hand gently and then released it. "I've got to at least try. I don't think he'll hurt me, but I can't guarantee the same for you."

Alec took a deep breath and nodded, trying to release the tension from his body as he forced himself to step aside and let her deal with Logan. If she needed to do this, then so be it. It's not like he'd ever been able to stop her from doing something she set her mind to anyway. He kept his eyes locked on Logan though, watching every move he made carefully in case he needed to intervene.

Inching her way around him, Max took a step forward, raising her voice again so Logan could hear her. "Alright, you want to talk? Well you've got a captive audience, so why don't you tell me what this is all about?"

"I need to know the truth." He stood up abruptly, his entire expression changing as he looked at her, pure misery seeping from his eyes. "He can't hurt you anymore. I'm here to make sure of that, so you can tell me the truth now. What's he got on you? What's he blackmailing you with?"

A look of utter confusion crossed both Max and Alec's faces. They turned their heads to look at one another blankly for a moment, completely stunned. Alec raised his eyebrows and shrugged before Max turned back and asked, "Blackmail? What the hell are you talking about Logan?"

"Come on, Max. I've seen the way you two fight. You hate him. There's no way you chose to be with him voluntarily, not even in heat." He looked at Alec with extreme distaste as if he were some particularly virulent strain of toxic waste, keeping the gun trained on him constantly as his finger slid back and forth over the trigger. "So what's he got on you that's forcing you to be with him? It can't be that bad. You can tell me what it is and I'll understand, whatever it is. I can fix it."

Max shook her head sadly, keeping her hands placatingly at her side. "There's nothing to fix Logan. He's not blackmailing me. None of this is Alec's fault. Even if he weren't around, it wouldn't change a thing between us, because there is no us." Her voice broke a bit as the pain in his eyes registered. "I'm sorry, but I don't love you. It took me a long time to realize it, but I never did, at least not in the way I should have."

A fire lit in Logan's eyes, his voice becoming more insistent with his denial, "No, Max. You're wrong. You do love me. I know you do. I've seen it in your eyes." His confusion about her words was obvious. "Why are you still lying to me? I've told you I'll take care of everything. You don't have to worry about him anymore."

"Oh, Logan." She sighed as she tried again to make him understand, starting to get really concerned about what he would do if she couldn't get through to him. "I'm not worried about Alec. I'd trust him with my life. You've got to face that it's over. Why can't you please just understand and leave me alone? Don't make me hurt you anymore than I already have."

"But Max, honestly…" He tried to interrupt her, but she held up a hand to stop him. "Save it. You want total honesty between us, Logan? Fine. How's this? Even if we somehow managed to find a cure for the virus, there could never be anything between us. You're like a brother or a friend to me, not a lover." She stopped and looked at him with suspicion and distaste, placing her hands on her hips. "As it is, I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to be your friend again after what you've pulled in the last few days. And since we're on that topic, why don't you explain to me what the hell you were doing watching us yesterday?" Her voice raised several notches as her anger at the situation returned full force. "Did you enjoy watching us and seeing me naked? Did you get off on it? I'd really like to know."

Logan actually had the good grace to look slightly ashamed. "I was doing it for your own good, Max. I had to make sure you were safe. That he didn't hurt you. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you."

Max snorted and took a step forward, her eyes blazing with fury. "That's a load of crap and you know it! You violated our privacy. Hell, you violated me! It was unforgivable. There's no excuse good enough to make up for what you did."

"Oh, that's a good one. I violated you?" Logan's voice rose dangerously, "What about Alec? He's certainly no model of virtue. I'll bet he's slept with almost every girl in Seattle and now he can add you to his list. That asshole took advantage of you during your heat cycle, and although you insist on denying it, I know he's blackmailing you somehow. If that isn't rape, I don't know what is."

Alec stood still in shock, disbelief written all over his face. How could a supposedly intelligent man like Logan, suddenly lose all sense of rationality? It just didn't make any sense. How could he believe the things he was saying? He started to edge closer to Max, trying to get between her and Logan, not trusting the slightly maniacal look that was starting to appear in his eyes.

Max stared at Logan in horror, pinning him with her eyes. "You need help, Logan, cause that's just sick. He didn't rape me. We made love. Get it through your head that I'm with Alec now and I mean that in every sense of the word." She reached behind her as she felt him get closer and grabbed his hand. "Alec and I are together. We're friends, lovers, maybe even soul mates. He loves me and I'm pretty sure I love him too. So why don't you get a life and keep your nose out of mine."

Incredulous eyes looked back at her, disgust shining through clearly. "Love? You can't be serious. He's slime, a male slut, completely unworthy of you. He would've told you anything to get in your pants."

Max shook her head furiously, "No! He's not and he wouldn't. If I ever hear anything like that coming from your mouth again, I'll slap you. So I'd strongly advise against it if you want to live." Her voice softened. "I count myself lucky that Alec still loves me after the terrible way I've treated him. He never did anything to deserve it. The only reason we fought so much was because I was trying to deny the way he makes me feel."

Logan's voice hardened, his expression turning to one of utter hatred, eyes ice cold. "The way he makes you feel? So, what are you trying to say? He's a good fuck so you're going to dump me like yesterday's trash? Lust doesn't equal love, Max. Or are you a slut who gets off on being treated like one?" Understanding suddenly lit his features as he nodded sharply, "That's it, isn't it? Is that what turns you on Max? Rough sex? I should have just taken what I wanted from you when we had the temporary cure instead of pussy footing around. You wanted me to throw you against a wall and fuck you like the two-bit whore you are. Didn't you?"

Max sucked in a deep breath and shook her head, taking a step back and colliding with Alec's chest. His hands came up to rest on her shoulders, but whether it was for comfort or restraint she couldn't be sure. Stunned, she stared at Logan; unable to grasp the hateful words thrown at her by a man she'd once thought she loved. The urge to step across the room and hit him, hurt him badly, kill him even, swept over her obliterating almost every other thought from her head. She barely held herself in check, shaking with rage and hurt, struggling to control herself, but starting to lose the battle. "How dare you?"

"Oh, believe me, I dare, Max. Quite easily. After all, I'm the one holding the gun." He stared at her and shook his head when she started to move toward him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. You don't want me to kill your lover, do you?" His finger tightened on the trigger as she took a small step. "I'll do it you know. Wouldn't bother me at all. Although it would be a waste of a perfectly good bullet." He looked closer at her and then smiled. "On second thought…Why don't you take another step? That way you'll be out of the way. I wouldn't want you to get hurt when I take him out."

She stopped, frustrated beyond belief as she was held back by both his words and Alec's hands. How the hell has it come to this? Logan isn't going to back down and if anything I've made things worse. At least Alec's still partially behind me. But how are we going to get out of this? She searched the room anxiously, looking for anything that might help.

Anger rose inside Alec like a snarling beast straining against its cage, desperate for freedom. He tried to calm himself down through the red haze surrounding him but it was impossible. Enough was enough. He couldn't listen to another word. Tracing a small pattern on Max's back, he pulled her forcefully back beside him, placing himself in the line of fire again.

Max tried to stop him, digging in her heels and grabbing frantically for his hand. Alec's nuts if he thinks I'm actually going to duck and hide in the bathroom while he tries to take Logan out single-handedly! This is all my fault. Maybe if I'd given in and spoke to Logan earlier, none of this would've happened.

But Alec refused to acknowledge her, committed to his own plan of attack. He deliberately put on a cocky grin, trying to get Logan's attention completely centered on him. If he could rile him up enough, he might be able to get an opening for attack. "She's not a whore, but she is a helluva lay. You should try sleeping with her sometime." He snapped his fingers suddenly, as if something had just occurred to him. "Oh wait, that's right, you can't, so I guess it's a good thing I'm around to keep her satisfied."

"You prick!" Logan's finger tightened on the trigger, "I think its time I put you out of your misery. Then you won't be in my way anymore." He glanced at Max, "Better say goodbye to your lover, dear, cause you're never gonna see him again."

Taking advantage of Logan's momentary distraction, Alec shoved Max toward the bathroom and hurled himself across the room, diving over the bed at Logan. He was betting on Logan's concern for Max slowing him down. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out the way he'd planned.

Max's back slammed into the doorframe as she turned around mid-shove, dashing back out into the middle of the room. As she did, a shot rang out, almost deafening her.

Chapter 11 – Is this the end…

The report from the gun was incredibly loud in the tiny room, momentarily overwhelming the extremely sensitive ears of both transgenics. Before the sound had a chance to fade, Alec slammed into Logan, the force of the impact knocking both men into the corner and then on to the floor behind the bed. Grabbing the gun, he quickly engaged the safety and slid it behind him blindly, trusting Max to pick it up when she came out of the bathroom, not realizing she wasn't there…

He shot me. He actually shot me! The shock of everything that had happened in the past few minutes was almost worse than the wound itself. Max stumbled back and collapsed on the couch along the bathroom wall, clutching her right shoulder in disbelief. A small gasp left her lips as she jarred it in the fall, dizzying pain shooting through her chest. Breathe. Just breathe damn it. It's not like you haven't been shot before and you've certainly seen and felt worse. You were trained to handle pain.

At the thought, a bad memory from her childhood surfaced. She remembered it like it was yesterday. Lydecker shouting at them when they were kids, taunting Krit when he'd been wounded in a training exercise. She could still hear his voice in her head. 'Pain is only a reaction of the brain to outside stimulus, easily controlled with the techniques I taught you. You're weak to let it affect you like this. Get up, soldier! On your feet.' Even though he was only seven and had been shot in the leg, he'd still been expected to walk the almost two miles back to base. They hadn't dared help him, at least not while Lydecker was watching. But behind his back, she'd helped shoulder his weight and kept him going until the base came into view. She'd often wondered if Lydecker would've been so tough if it'd been him that was shot. Yeah right! We were sure he ate bullets for breakfast back then.

Shaking her head at her thoughts, she tried to pull her shirt back to get a closer look at the wound, but there was too much blood and the slight movement immediately set off another wave of pain almost causing her to blackout. She'd abused her body too badly in the past week, pushing herself to the point of exhaustion due to the combination of extreme stress and intense physical output, not to mention the lack of food. Giving up for the moment, she tried to focus her gaze on the combatants across the room, barely able to follow Alec's frenzied movements.

Completely incensed, Alec picked Logan up by his throat, slamming him against the wall with incredible force. "What have you got to say for yourself now, you fuck! Not so tough anymore, are we?" Each statement was punctuated with a solid punch, first to the kidneys and then to the stomach.

Logan groaned, trying to spit out an answer, but it was no use. The blow to his stomach had winded him and he couldn't talk to save his life. Even in the midst of his insanity, the look of absolute fury in the X's eyes registered, causing him to blanch as he realized the danger to his life. He barely managed to whisper, "Max…"

He was swiftly silenced by an uppercut as the raging beast within Alec took hold. "Don't you dare speak her name. If you ever come near her again, I'll make you beg for death. And to make sure you don't forget, I'm gonna give you a strong reminder." Releasing his hold on Logan's throat, he began battering him senseless. His arms and legs blurring in a flurry of punches, jabs, uppercuts, and kicks, raining unrelenting violence down upon the threat to his mate. Growling out his fury, he threw him across the room, narrowly missing the TV in the opposite corner.

Spinning around to follow him, he stopped and sobered instantly as he caught sight of Max lying on the couch, her light blue shirt awash with a growing stain of red. Blood. God no! His heart almost stopped as fear overtook him. "Max!"

Alec raced to her side, forgetting everything else in his need to ensure her safety. Easing a hand beneath her, he carefully sat her up, trembling fingers ripping the top hem of her shirt so he could check how badly she'd been shot. The entrance wound was plain to see, a small hole about four inches below the top of her shoulder, oozing quite a bit of blood. Looking at her back, he groaned at the messy hole near the center of her back. He probed it gently, trying not to cause her any more pain and then sighed in relief. "You're lucky. It missed your spine. Looks like it probably hit the edge of your shoulder blade and deflected out."

"Really?" Pure sarcasm laced her voice. "I guess that would explain why I can feel bones grinding together." Max let out a small moan and grit her teeth when he laid her back down on the couch.

Alec quickly stripped off his shirt. "This is gonna hurt, but it's got to be done. Sorry." Tearing it in half, he covered both holes, applying firm pressure in an attempt to slow the bleeding.

She sucked in a deep breath and mentally counted to ten, then twenty. "That's okay." Searching for a distraction, she glanced at his bare chest and somehow managed a feeble smile, even looking a bit apologetic. "Looks like I'm gonna be hell on your clothes."

Confused for a moment, he looked at her then shook his head when he remembered the shirt she'd ripped a few days ago. "It's alright. I'm sure we'll manage somehow." Getting angry now that he knew she'd probably be all right, he muttered, "What were you thinking? You couldn't listen to me just this once? Why didn't you go into the bathroom like I told you?"

She tensed under his hands, "Alec, I couldn't let you face him alone." Her eyes shone up at him, wet with unshed tears. "This whole thing is all my fault. Maybe if I'd talked to him earlier, took the time to explain things to him…"

He didn't let her finish, her name leaving his lips in exasperation. "Max. You may think that the whole world revolves around you, but not everything's your fault. You can't blame yourself for this. He's messed up. I don't know how or why and I really don't care. All I know is that I'll kill him if he ever tries to hurt you again." He leaned over and smoothed her hair away from her face, kissing her forehead tenderly. "You're too important to me. Hell, to everyone. You can't be taking chances like this anymore."

"You're right." Nodding reluctantly, she briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the significance of his words registered. "It's just the thought of you getting hurt because of me…I couldn't think about anything else." Her eyes drifted past him and she gasped at what she saw. "Alec…"

Logan gradually drifted back toward consciousness. He tried to open his eyes, but only managed to open one, the other swollen completely shut. There was a bitter tangy taste in his mouth and he slowly realized it was blood. Probably from his nose, which felt broken. There was blood everywhere, running down his face to puddle on the floor beneath him. With a concerted effort, he tried to push himself up off the floor. He barely moved. His body felt like it was on fire and he found it difficult to breathe, his chest constricted with pain. Looking around, he focused on the gun in the middle of the room, determined to reach it before the transgenic's attention returned to him. Taking a few shaky breaths, he tried again and slowly began to pull himself across the floor, too shaken to actually get up or even find out why Alec wasn't still beating him.

Alec whipped around and spotted him instantly. Blurring across the room, he stepped on his right hand just before he reached the gun. Logan cried out as a loud cracking sound was heard. As he did so, the door to her room burst open, Joshua, Mole and Dirk entering with guns drawn taking in the situation with a quick glance. "We heard the gunshot. Thought you might need a bit of help."

Alec nodded slowly, trying to calm himself down. "Thanks. Get him out of here before I kill him." He bent over and picked up the gun, tucking it into the waistband of his pants before moving back over to sit beside Max.

As Mole and Dirk started to grab Logan, Max startled them all. "No, wait!"

Logan somehow managed to grin victoriously at them, sure that she'd finally come to her senses.

Alec just stared at her, unable to believe that she'd still want Logan around after everything that had happened. "You can't be serious."

"Don't worry, I still want him gone." She stared at Logan. "Bring him over here."

Dirk shrugged and helped Mole drag him across the floor. "Whatever you say."

She struggled to sit up and smiled at Alec when he helped her, then turned to face Logan. "I want to make myself perfectly clear, so there are no more misunderstandings." Waiting until his head came up enough to reluctantly meet her eyes, she continued, "You're going to leave Terminal City now and you're never coming back. Not without the express permission of either Alec or myself. Do you understand?"

Logan swallowed, unable to believe the utter coldness in her gaze. It has to be because of my impaired vision. She wouldn't really look at me like that. Would she? "But, I love you Max. You need me."

"No buts. I'm putting out orders as of now," she looked at Alec, Mole, and Joshua, "that you're to be shot on sight if found inside the perimeter after today." She locked eyes with Logan, speaking with grim determination. "I don't want to see you again. You will not come near me. You will not call me anymore. Have I made myself clear?"

Stunned, frustrated and in intense pain, he could only nod, tears running unchecked down his face.

Addressing Mole now, she added, "Have a couple of X's escort him home. Make sure one of them is a computer expert. We need all his files, both computer and hard copy, on White, Sandeman, Manticore, and anything else pertaining to transgenics." She paused for a moment, "On second thought, have them confiscate his computer and disks and bring them back here so we can go through it all with a fine toothed comb. I don't want him to have anything on us."

Logan protested at this. "But…I can't do anything without my computer. Please Max, you can't do this to me."

She stared at him, unrelentingly, "Oh yes I can, and I will. I don't want to hear another word from you. If you're lucky, I might consider returning your equipment. If you behave yourself. And that's a big if." Looking back at Mole, she continued, "Get him out of my sight." Letting out a sigh when he was dragged from the room, Max finally relaxed and leaned back into Alec's embrace, groaning as another wave of pain hit her.

Alec gently picked her up, muscles flexing as he adjusted his hold on her to take some pressure off of her shoulder. "Come on. Let's get one of the medics to take a look at you."

"I can walk, you know." Her voice was tough, but she ruined the effect by snuggling into him.

"Sure, you can." He snorted lightly and kept walking, "but I'd rather carry you. So humor me, okay?"

"'Kay." She was quiet for a moment, then looked up at him with a smirk. "So I'm a 'helluva lay', am I?"

Alec groaned and then smiled at her winningly. "Sorry 'bout that. But you can't blame a guy for telling the truth now, can you?"

Chapter 12 – Damn that hurts

Alec tread carefully down the stairs, cradling Max in his arms. Despite her rather pathetic attempts at levity, or perhaps because of them, he could tell she was in a lot of pain. The shock from the confrontation with Logan and subsequent blood loss were taking their toll and she was becoming paler and paler, obviously struggling to keep her features neutral with every step he took. "Just a little bit further, Love and then it's smooth sailing." He pressed his lips to the top of her head, wincing when he saw the two missing steps below. "Shit! I forgot about those." They'd jumped over them easily earlier, but now…

"What?" Max mumbled weakly, pulling her face away from his bare chest to look down. "Damn." She exhaled shakily and grimaced, then tried to tuck herself tighter into his warm embrace. "Just get it over with. It's gonna hurt no matter what you do."

"Maybe not. Hold on." He braced his back against the wall and rested on the railing, trying to slide down across the gap. It was impossible not to jostle her a bit as he landed, but it ended up being a moot point, since she'd already passed out. "Max?" Fear and panic laced his voice.

Not wasting any more time, he sped down the rest of the stairs and then down the street to the well established infirmary. Several months ago, the Oak Street & Mutant groups had managed to put aside their petty differences long enough to work together on this one, unfortunately necessary, project. Since it was pretty much a given that at some point they would all have a need for it. With a bit of work by everyone, it had eventually become decently equipped enough to handle almost any emergency. Alec had never been more thankful for anything in his entire life.

As he approached, it appeared someone must have called ahead, because two medics were waiting by the door. "Quick! Bring her over here." Directing him to place her on the bed closest to the door, they instantly set to work assessing her, removing the blood-soaked remnants of his shirt, then cutting off hers and probing the wound. "Alec, how long has she been out?" When he got no response from the intensely worried man, Stitch said his name louder trying to get his attention, "Alec!"

He looked up startled at the use of his name, then recognized the X-4 from five days ago when he'd been in to have his arm looked at. Shaking his head in an attempt to concentrate, he swiftly replayed the conversation in his head and answered, "Only a few minutes." Desperate to help, he added, "I took a peek at it earlier. Looked like the bullet went straight through, but chipped her shoulder blade on the way out. I tried to stop the bleeding."

Stitch nodded, then rolled his eyes at his partner. "Yes, I can see that." He spoke slowly, as if talking to a child, "Help me flip her over on to her stomach. We need to get the fragments out before I can sew her up." Looking over at the X-6, he continued, "Liv, she's going to need a transfusion. The bullet grazed the dorsal scapular artery so she's lost a lot of blood, I'd guess at least four pints."

Liv started prepping Max's arm for the transfusion, then looked up worried, "It's been pretty rough lately. I'm not sure we've got that much in the blood bank. Only two pints I think."

Alec offered his arm without hesitation, "Give her some of mine." Thoughts raced through his head like wildfire. Shit! How could I have underestimated the severity of her wound? I should have brought her straight here instead of letting her talk to Logan. Maybe Max was right about me all along. I really am a fuck up. I failed to protect her, right when she needed me the most.

Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Liv shake her head slightly and smile at him, but couldn't bring himself to care one way or the other. He didn't even notice when she put the needle in his arm, too concerned about Max to take his eyes off her completely. Her words barely registered, neither did the fact that he was trembling from head to toe. "Come on. You need to sit down before you fall down." He let her drag him toward the foot of the bed and then sit him down in a chair where he'd be out of their way. His voice shook a bit and he was forced to clear it before he managed to get out, "Is she gonna be alright?"

"She should be fine. I've certainly seen a lot worse." Working quickly, Stitch sewed up the tear in her artery, putting a stop to the bleeding. "I need some suction and more light over here, Liv." Picking up a pair of tweezers, he concentrated on pulling out the small bone fragments littering the wound. After what seemed like hours to Alec, but in reality was probably only 20 minutes, he sat back, finally satisfied that he'd gotten them all. "Alright, let's stitch her up. Angle that light down this way." Grabbing a fresh needle and thread from the tray at the side of the bed, he got back to work, small, neat stitches marking his progress.

As they worked, Alec began to feel fuzzy, eventually resting his head on the bed and closing his suddenly heavy eyelids. He'd just rest for a minute…

~~~~~

Max woke slowly, content for the moment to drift in the wonderfully blissful haze currently cushioning her entire body. She felt heavy, yet weightless at the same time and struggled to remember what could have possibly happened to make her feel like this. Gradually thoughts and images from the past several days came together in a semblance of order, causing her to smile and then groan. I should feel like hell considering everything that's happened, but amazingly I don't. Except for being starving, that is.

With a bit of effort, she managed to open her eyes, glancing around the large room. There were 16 beds lined up along two of the four walls. Several locked cabinets stood at the far end of the room, which she guessed contained various medications and tools. The wall closest to her housed a couple of sinks and a door. Obviously Alec got me to the infirmary, but it sure does remind me of Manticore. She shuddered at the thought. Eventually she focused on the clear IV above her head. Well, that explains the floaty feeling. They must have put some painkillers in there. Moving gingerly, she checked out her shoulder, feeling the thick gauze covering it underneath the hospital gown she was now wearing.

Alec was curled up at her feet; the upper half of his body slumped in a rather cramped position between her legs with one hand resting on her left knee. His chest and arms were coated with dried blood and she was shocked at how distressed he looked even in slumber. He twitched and mumbled, voice breaking as his words garbled together in an almost unrecognizable mass. She barely managed to make out her name and Logan's. Speaking softly, she tried to soothe him. "Alec. Relax. I'm fine." She kept crooning to him until he eventually settled down into a restful sleep. Her head darted toward the door as a young girl dressed in scrubs walked in and came over to her bed.

"Good. You're awake. I thought I heard some noise in here. I'm Liv by the way." Her voice was cheerful, but quiet out of consideration for the sleeping X5. Seeing the worry on Max's face, she continued, "Don't worry about him. He gave you a couple pints of blood and ended up passing out while we were working on you. The poor guy was worried sick and obviously exhausted, so we let him sleep. Looked like he'd been to hell and back." She paused in consideration and frowned, "Although I could say the same for you. How are you feeling?"

"Not bad, considering." Max looked back up at the IV. "What'd you give me?"

"Just a bit of Morphine and some Tryptophan. We didn't want you waking up prematurely or going into a seizure. Your body needed time to heal." She checked the monitor and then looked at Max appraisingly. "I'll take it out now that you're alert and your stats have returned to normal. You gave everyone quite a scare, you know. Mole and Joshua have been checking in every hour on the hour for updates on your condition."

Max carefully propped herself up with some help and looked around confused, finally noticing the moonlight streaming in the windows at the far end of the room. "How long have I been out?"

Liv checked her watch after pulling out the IV needle. "Almost 9 hours now. It's 22:30 hours."

Max's eyes opened wide. "No way. You're kidding."

"I'm afraid not. As a matter of fact, I'm under strict orders to call the command post and let them know the moment you wake up." Liv attempted to make her expression serious, but failed miserably. She snorted. "As if I'm at their beck and call. But I guess I really should let them know you're okay. Before I do, are you hungry?" Max's stomach growled in response. She laughed and shook her head. "I'll take that as a yes. It'll be a few minutes, but I'll have something sent over from the mess hall. For the both of you." Still laughing, she left the room.

Sitting up a bit more, Max reached down with her left hand and gently stroked the hair back from Alec's forehead. "Wake up, you." Running her fingers through his hair, she continued in a soft, singsong voice, "Allleeeccc. Waaakkkeee uuuppp."

He snuggled his face deeper into the sheets and groaned, "Don' wanna g'up…"

"We're going to have company soon. You don't want everyone to catch you sleeping, do you?" When that still didn't get a rise out of him, she made her voice go a bit husky, deliberating repeating his words from earlier that morning. "Come on, tiger. Wake up. I promise to make it worth your while."

He sat up immediately, looking at her and then around the room, utterly confused as to where they were. After a moment, the fuzziness receded from his eyes as realization set in. "Damn! I must have fallen asleep. Are you okay?"

She nodded and smiled. "I'm fine. Actually feel like I could kick everybody's ass with no problem. But that's probably the last of the drugs talking."

He got up and walked over to her left side, sitting down beside her on the bed. "You have no idea how much you scared me when you passed out." Leaning over, he kissed her tenderly on the lips, then rested his forehead against hers. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

"Don't worry, you won't." She reached up and stroked the back of his neck and shoulders with her good arm. "Besides, you'd get into too much trouble if I let you out of my sight."

Alec pulled back and laughed, gesturing at his chest, "Me? Get into trouble? You're one to talk. I'm not the one lying in a hospital bed right now."

"Alright, smart ass. That's enough lip out of you." She smirked and lowered her voice a bit, "At least of that kind. I've felt the wonderful things you can do with them when you're not talking."

"Max! I'm shocked. We're in the middle of an infirmary. There's no way in hell I'm gonna let you seduce me here." He quickly looked around and then leered at her, deciding to join in her playful mood. "Not unless we lock the door first."

Her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Seduce you? I don't think so. Besides, Liv's gonna be back soon with some food for us, so there's no time."

His face fell and he sighed heavily, pretending to be disappointed. "Not even for a quickie? How will you ever survive?"

She smacked him lightly on the chest and then laughed, groaning when that translated immediately into pain. "Ow! Okay, remind me not to laugh for a while."

Liv chose that moment to enter the room, carrying a bag in her arms. "Did I actually hear laughter in here? You must be feeling better."

"Yeah, well I won't be doing it again any time soon. Hurts too much." Max grimaced and rubbed her shoulder lightly.

Alec leaned over and tugged playfully at her gown, lips hovering by her ear. "I can kiss it better for you."

"Alec!" She blushed furiously and looked at Liv. "Men." The way she said it spoke volumes.

Liv smiled in agreement as she looked at Alec, then wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Ugh. Good thing one of your friends dropped some stuff off for you. You desperately need a shower and change of clothes." She tossed the bag at him and then shoved him toward the door. "Please feel free to use the shower down the hall. You've probably got at least five minutes until the food arrives, and by then Joshua and Mole should be here. They've been climbing the walls waiting to talk to you both."

Alec laughed as he left the room. "All right, ladies. I know when I'm not wanted. I'll be back in a few, Max."

Liv shook her head and rolled her eyes at his retreating figure. "I heard a lot about him back at Manticore. He was quite the character, trying to play every angle for all he was worth. Although he obviously loves you." She looked over at Max. "He must be hard to handle sometimes, what with all that ego getting in the way."

Max grinned, "I used to think so too. But once you get to know him, he's actually really sweet."

"Hmmm. Well, if you say so." She pulled back Max's gown to check her bandages. "Let me take a look at that shoulder before everyone gets here."

End Chapter 12…