Wow, I'm on a roll again, getting my muse back having my endless dreams about Toh and Max and getting up at night just to write (don't tell me I'm possessed)
I'm really sorry for the almost endless delay but I have been in a period with writer block big time but enough of that, here you have it, the 12'th chapter of 'In a War Broken World :)
Disclaimer: Must I really? Well, I don't own any of the Preds or Zenos but all the characters are mine; don't touch ;)
Chapter 12 - Darkness and Revenge
The first thought was that she was surrounded by darkness and she couldn't remember why. Her brain searched her memory for information but nothing came. In fact couldn't she remember anything at all and that frightened her. Nothing came to her and doubt flushed over her as waves in the sea. Why was she there, in a place where everything was dark? No not only dark; completely black and lack of anything else? As she tried to move, first a leg, then her head, nothing; she couldn't move. She tried to say something; anything but she couldn't even open her mouth. Fear soaked her as she tried of all her might to remember; just a small hint would satisfy her or just a little light to guide her to her lost past.
With a soundless gasp Max opened her eyes to a room she knew as her own bedroom. Her body ached from being in the same position for too long and she welcomed it as she knew that she could move again. Her dream long forgotten as the happiness met her. Toh was lying beside her with both arms around her; shielding her from the rest of the world. His breathing told her that, though his eyes were closed, the yautja were still awake.
Max tilted her head upward to better see him, make out all his features trying to remember all the small things that she loved about him. From the loose black dreadlocks that spread out under him as a blanket for his oversized head; the gruff forehead with the small spike looking eyebrows on each side. Down to the now closed amber eyes that she could loose herself in if she wasn't careful. To the tusk pointed mandibles that rounded his sharp teethed mouth; to the molded skin that was smooth under her touch.
A small grunt escaped him and a smile formed on her sore face but still didn't say anything; not that she didn't think that she couldn't but that she was uncertain of what to say. His eyelids fluttered as if he had just awoken but she knew better and soon his eyes focused on hers.
"Hi." He whispered, his voice sounded a little hoarse probably from lack of use during the night.
"Hi." Max replied, letting herself fall into his stare.
"How are you?" His question held nothing than care and concern like the rest of his face and body.
Max shrugged not really knowing the answer to the question herself. How was she? She felt fine if you didn't count in her aching muscles. But her mind told her that that was not true. Her mind told her that she was far from fine.
"I'm sorry." She buried her head in his chest, trying to shield all her emotions from him. Her tears that were starting to form once more, her anger not only for the man who was responsible for her dismay but angry at herself that she was stupid enough to fall for his trick. That she wasn't smarter than the monster from her past; shame filled the rest of her and she tried to hide it all from the one man that she was most certain that she loved.
He didn't say anything, didn't do anything else than hold her in his arms. He had used many hours to think, not only on his female but about everything. How they were together, how he felt like nothing could faze him when he was with her. He had been so caught up in her and her family that he had almost forgot that it only were on a temporary basis; that his clan could be on their way to bring him with them home. Home. His mind had been buzzing with that word. Before he came to this planet he had thought of home as the planet of his ancestors; the place where you mated, acknowledged your children before leaving only to have the knowledge and honor of being their sire. The planet where he would trade for new weapons and visit his oldest kin; a place where he could show off his newest scars with pride and tell the tale along with them and find new mates to continue his bloodline.
But what about now? His mind must have been scrambled at some point as when he thought about home, it always held the face of his woman. He didn't care if he never came to visit his home planet again, or if he was never to mate with another female again, just she was there with him. He had been so scared the night before that he didn't even know what the feeling was before he started to think about it. He had never been scared, not like the way he had been the night before.
He heard her words but didn't really understand them; she was sorry, but for what? He was the one who was supposed to be there. He was supposed to protect her as any other male would for his mate.
A purr erupted deep down from his chest with the thought of Max as his mate. Even if she never would let him touch her, he would be proud to call her his mate. Was that love?
"I'm sorry." Max whispered once more, her voice strained from holding back a sob.
Toh caressed her back, stroke her hair with a hand, letting his purrs louder, knowing that she liked it when he did that. He traced her chin with a clawed but gentle finger until tilting her head upward so their eyes met.
"No I'm sorry Max." He whispered back, holding their eyes locked; making sure that she understood.
Max's mind was running in all directions as she tried to find a reason why he would apologize; why he didn't see that all this was her fault but she saw it in his eyes that he meant his words.
"But…"
"And when we find him, he will pay; he will wish that he never had seen you. I promise you that." He interrupted her, his eyes held her captured like they always could but the mere thought of the ooman hurting his female made the amber eyes darkened in anger.
Max could only nod as she couldn't trust her own voice at the moment. She could feel tears pressing behind her eyes but she tried with all her might to hold them back to show him that she was more than just a little cry baby.
Toh saw her tears, not yet shed, making her violet eyes shine but yet blurry. He wanted to tell her everything that he just had discovered, about his feeling for her, about his longing for her, not only her body, but her soul and mind but didn't say the words, as he was afraid of her state of mind at the moment. Another man had just tried to force himself on her; the same man that had made her so distant from the opposite sex by using her like nobody should be allowed. The man that she should have been able to trust as an adopted sire but had misused that trust and turned it into fear.
"I want to be the one who kills him." Max finally tore her eyes away from his, not able to look at them anymore, knowing that she loved this male and he probably would shy away when she finally told him about her dishonored childhood. But all that would wait until after her hunt.
"You will my woman and I will be there to see you gain back your honor." Toh tightened his grip on her, praying that she wouldn't shy away from his boldness, from his show of affection. It wasn't normal that a female was abused among his kind. They were larger and stronger than the males. The females were those who chose who they wanted to mate, not the other way around and if some foolish male tried to force himself upon a female he would be paying with his life.
Max just held on tight onto her man, her heart leaping from joy and knew that no matter what she would be able to go through this if she just had this man by her side, but the knot in her guts tightened as she thought about what he would do when he finally found out the truth.
-
She was hurt, yes. But not as much as Frank would be after she was done with him. She would make him pay; not only for this time, but for all bad he had done. She was clad in her armor, the same that her companion wore. The only different there were, was that his had been made by a stranger with all tools and materials available and hers made from his spare armor and random material that was found throughout the rubles of the two yautja ships and most important than all; he had been the one who had made it. He had thought of her and only her, when he had gone through the sparse remains from his world and used them without regards that he might need them later on.
She let the spear swirl in her hand a couple of times before stepping closer to the small house. The light told her that the Ford family was home and with that the anticipation for the hunt grew sweeter. The monster from her past and present was behind those walls and soon she would be rid of him once and for all.
"Are you ready?" Toh asked, standing slightly behind her. He was there only to watch her on her hunt, watch and share her honor.
"I am." She nodded, letting calm surround her before walking up to the door. She knew that it would be open; Frank didn't think anything could hurt him in his own home and in that believe didn't bother locking doors or windows. His mistake.
She opened the wooden door, making sure that it didn't creek as she walked inside the small hallway. The male's heavy weight however didn't agree with the floorboards and ever so softly did it protest. Neither did stop as they knew that the prey was inside the house and didn't have any means of escaping. Max had already shredded the tires on the dirty white car and there were about 15 minutes run to the next neighbor.
A man spoke form the living room, the TV. Max could already imagine how Karin sat in her chair with a magazine or some needle work, minding her own business while Frank watched TV. He had always loved being the one deciding what to be watched in the house.
Max walked silently but openly into the room and like she had imagine were the small woman sitting in the chair and the monster controlling the remote. He hadn't bother change from the day before and sweat was dripping down his forehead as if he had it hot but in reality was the house almost freezing. Both shot up in their seats as they saw the intruders and both pair of eyes rested on Toh.
"Maxine?" Karin asked in disbelief as if she had seen a ghost. She might have if the monster hadn't been interrupted but that kind of thoughts was not for now. Max stood in front of her partner, blocking some of the view, though due to his height she couldn't do that as effective as she had hoped.
"Karin, leave and don't come back do you understand?!" Max said in a calm voice, her eyes only on the monster. The fragile woman looked back and forth between Toh, Max and her husband.
"What are you playin' at Maxine, ready for another round of being Daddy's little good girl?" Frank asked mocking her. The yautja let out a deep growl as he warned the disgusting ooman, though Frank ignored him.
Max's grip on her spear tightened.
"Today you die Frank." She said in the same calm tone as she had before, not showing the anger, the hurt and wants to kill this man as soon as possible.
Karin gasped by the words and the monster's eyes started to shift a little with uncertainty. He looked from Max to the warrior then back to Max once more.
"You can't do that. You can't murder someone, and least of all your own family." He said, his voice broke at the last word. His eyes widened as the woman shifted the spear between her hands.
"Karin, get out now! You don't want to see this." Max gave Karin the last chance before doing what should have been done for more than 15 years ago. The older woman shifted her eyes from her husband to Toh who was currently blocking the only exit. "He won't hurt you if you leave now." Max added as she noticed Karin's hesitation.
Karin took one last look at Frank before ran out of the room like if a whole flock of Kainde Amedha was on her tale.
"Come back you bitch you can't just leave me like that. You will pay, do you hear me whore!" Frank screamed after his wife but the screams were more out of desperation than anger. He was scared, Max knew it by the look of his eyes and Toh could smell it.
"You can't do this." Frank repeated himself as he back father away from them. Max matched his every step while Toh stood still like a wall of flesh and muscles with arms crossed over his chest. His mask's eyes reflected the flicking light from the TV.
"Prepare Frank, defend yourself, do whatever you want, but it will be your final act." Max straightened her arm as she let the spear hover in front of her.
"You… you will let me defend myself? With what, the remote?" Frank asked in his normal mocking tone.
"Toh?" Max didn't need to say any more. They had already talked about it. That she wouldn't deny the monster a weapon if he asked for one. The male found a knife from his belt. The knife wasn't of his world from Max's request but that didn't mean that it was any less deadly if used right. He tossed the knife toward the filthy ooman as if he would to any other, not intending to hurt him, but didn't do anything to slow the weapon down either way. The knife landed with a clank as it met the floor, metal tip buried in the softer wood.
"Now you die ooman." Max said, not realizing her use of words. Frank stood almost paralyzed as he held the knife hard in his hand, holding it as a talisman but not doing anything to defend himself. Max almost felt disappointed when the man met the wall he started to tremble in fear. His dirty hair fell down his neck and plastered to his head like a helmet. His eyes stopped blinking at some point just staring at the woman in front of him. His grip on the blade tightened even more and at one point Max hoped that he would at least strike once before she would end his life but he didn't, he covered like a little child. He crept up against the wall as if it could swallow him whole and take him away from the doom that he had brought upon himself. Max hived the spear backward ready to strike and with the action the man started to whimper, looking even more pathetic than before, a strong smell of ammoniac filled her nose along with a starting wet spot in between his legs. She let the spear strike; with a gurgled sound of the dying man's last attempt to breathe he never dropped the knife before all life had left his body.
"It is done." She whispered as she removed the weapon from the former monster's dead body. She turned to the male behind her. His mask had left his face and was looking at her with puffed chest and his eyes told her he was proud of her. "Let us go home Toh." She touched his arm for him to follow and he did. His arm circled her waist as they stepped outside.
"You are my woman and I'm proud of what you have done. I'm proud of having you at my side female. Never doubt that Maxine." He purred into her ear as he drew her closer to his body. She could feel as well as hear the purr that emitted deep from his chest and she felt that he had meant every words.
-
The house was empty, dark and cold. Tanya, Terry and Ian had after a short talk with the bigger hunter decided to retire for some days, give the two some privacy.
Neither Maxine nor Toh'el'ach had spoken since their sign of affection toward each other at the Ford resident. Max couldn't decide if it were a comfortable silence or the little more awkward ones. At one time it seemed like the first and another times the other. Once inside the small bedroom she saw a small letter on the table. Toh didn't heed the paper more than a glance before making his way to the shower, though he hadn't been the one fighting did he feel disgustingly dirty just to be in the present of the dishonorable ooman.
Max read the neat written letter; the small feminine letters told her that it came from her sister's hand.
Dear Toh (is that spelled right?) and Max.
We thought that maybe you should have some time alone and will therefore not interrupt you until you say so. I really don't hope that you did something stupid dear sister and Toh, that you have her in a short leash.
Max couldn't hold a short snort back at that
Ian will probably come by your house tomorrow to tend to any wounds that you have gotten and Terry suggest that we have another meeting in a week. I hope that your mission went well and you didn't kill anyone else than that bastard.
Love
Tanya
Smiling Max let the letter fall back to the table. Tanya had always had a different way to write a letter but she liked it, it always made her smile. The sound of the water in the bathroom hit her ears and the thought of Frank's blood upon her made her wish that she was the one under the warm rays of water, cleaning off all the grimy off of her body and mind. Would Toh mind her joining him? Max blushed and willed the thought back into the deep of her brain not willing to accept that she just had imagine her friend naked in the shower, wet and hot by the steamy water. The water stopped and not seconds after the yautja stepped out, only clad in his loincloth; his chest and black dreads still trickled with water.
Max let a sigh of relief as she hurried around the big male and let the door shut tight behind her and in matter of seconds did the sad water hit her skin.
Once clean and red from the almost too hot water and the endless scrubbing on her skin to get away the feeling of Frank off of her she let her towel hang loose around her frame before entering the much colder room of her bedroom. Toh had his head over the small communicator she had seen him tinker with more than once.
"Any luck?" She asked as she settled under the cover to get some warmth into her body again.
Toh let out a frustrated sigh; he had for a brief moment thought there had been some kind of connection but the second it came it was gone again and he wasn't sure if they got his request. He had decided that it must have been one of the wires that weren't properly connected and made that as a prime priority when he had had some sleep.
Max heard the frustrated sigh and took that as a no and wouldn't press the issue any further. Letting out a sigh of herself she secured the towel around her body before lying down to sleep. Not long after she felt the familiar feeling of another body beside her, pressing itself lightly up against hers.
His hands circled her waist as the male drew her closer to him. Max let out a sigh of content as she snuggled further into the yautja's chest letting his heartbeat lull her to sleep.
-
Morning came but as Max opened her eyes she felt lonely by the lack of the extra heat that normally came from her friend. Looking around the bright lit room, still with sleep in her eyes, she found said man sitting at the table with the same device as he did the evening before.
"Repeat; the message of Toh'el'ah has been received and a ship is on its way for pickup. Nearest ship is approximately four txar from your position. Repeat…"
Max let out a gasp while sitting up, he did it, he got hold to his people and they were coming, she didn't understand the word txar but knew that one txar was about little over a week, that meant about a month; that was what she had left to spend with him. Her heart tightened into a small knot knowing that he was leaving. What would she do then? Her whole life had been changed ever since the big brute of a male came crushing into her life and at the beginning was her only concerning that he was big, ugly and a bit pushy. But now, she wasn't sure if she could imagine a life without her wonderful friend and companion.
Toh lifted his head to look at the stunned female. He knew that it would come one day and though he longed to see his kin again did it hurt to think that though they still had time did it now have a known end. They had a deadline and he didn't like that it was so short. Max's eyes had become big in surprise and for that he felt even worse. How would she feel about him leaving; selfishly he hoped that she was feeling the same sadness as he did but soon crushed the thought. He wouldn't hope for such a thing because that would just make their goodbye more painful for her and he would be even more regretful for contacting his people. But what was he to do? He couldn't stay where he was, he longed for the bigger hunts and the life from world to world, trying to bring more honor to himself and his family. He wanted to be accepted as an arbiter being the one that would hunt down badbloods and make them see how wrong they were to choose the path that they had.
She didn't know what to say and for a time their eyes held each other to a stare until Toh's eyes finally darted downwards and with it a deep thrill that made the woman raise an eyebrow before looking down to see what hold his interest for so long. Her eyes indeed found the cause and a crimson color decorated her cheeks instantly and in the same second found the loose towel that she had slept in crumple in one corner of the bed. She tried to cover her nude body with her arms and hands but found it more difficult that she first had thought it to be.
One final purr erupted from the male that had found his way over the bed; he took the towel and coved her with it before turning to give her some privacy. It had been hard to just walk away like that but he knew that if he wasn't careful he would just cause her more pain when he finally left Earth. He knew he loved her and was dying to tell her but what would he be able tell her? That he loved her, wanted to mate her and then leave her? That would be acceptable if she was Yautja. Yautja didn't mate for life they were seeking the best seed and bloodline that they could get. They mated for pleasure and honor; to get as many strong offspring as possible. But Max wasn't like that, he knew that and he wouldn't even try the yautja's way, he wasn't sure he would be able to leave her if he knew what kind of pleasure they could create together; Paya knew how good it had felt the one time they had been intimate.
Maxine let her embarrassment cool down a bit before she let the towel once again fall to the floor and in exchange put on some clothes. How in the world she hadn't noticed her nakedness she didn't know but was surprised but the way Toh had handled the situation. Making the final preparations she joined her friend in the kitchen where he clumsy tried to make them breakfast. Standing on her toes she gave him a small kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you." She said softly as she took the bowl with cracked eggs and started to pick up broken shells from the mass.
Breakfast was soon eaten and the two went back to normal as Max started to work on some hieroglyphs from the temple and Toh sat with another thing of his trying to repair the broken device. He stole glances of the woman from time to time, couldn't forget the image from the morning or how she had kissed him. He had been about to take her then and there not thinking clear for feelings that he didn't know how to react to.
"Honey I'm home!" Ian's voice rang throughout the small home and the two pecked their heads toward the door where the tall man stood with wide spread arms in a welcome gesture.
"Hi Ian, sorry but there's no wounds to be treated today." Max smiled, stepping into the welcome embrace of her brother. The dark haired man smiled even wider as his eyes found the males.
"Is that so, I'm glad that makes my life so much easier if." He grinned. "Good thing Toh is here to hold you at bay."
Max's smile became pained at the words; they reminded her of how Toh soon would leave and Ian had been right, after Toh came she had been more out and fight yes, but her number of wounds had surprisingly fallen to a minimum.
"Yeah that's right bro." She said trying to hold back the sadness that suddenly had enfolded her heart. Tears were stinging in her eyes but she dried them off as soon as she could in Ian's shirt hoping that neither of the two male would see them; her hug became more demanding and desperate without her knowing why.
Ian looked down at her worried but didn't say anything. They talked a bit before Tina called Ian; telling him to get his butt home and be a good husband and watch Josephine while she went out.
As he walked out he sent Max a worried glance before giving her one of his big hugs. He had noticed how his sister and her companion were acting as if something had happed between them and it worried him.
-
Well that was that, but don't worry kids the next chapter shouldn't be that long from being posted as I've already written some of it.
Please review pretty please. My engine needs new juice to run on and my tank is almost empty.