Tides of Fate
By StormyBear29…AKA Donna

SUMMARY: Zan is a man with a secret…a secret that he has been keeping from his wife…until it is too late. Now…years later…his past comes back to haunt him…will he be able to finish the job and forget about the past…or will the past become part of his present. Confused…read on and find out.
CATAGORY: Michael/ Maria Zan/Maria Liz/Kyle Max/Alex Michael/ Isabel Zan/Liz
RATING: R with maybe a bit of NC-17 and a little slash thrown in for fun.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter One

PRESENT DAY


This was his last job. A job that had been left unfinished for quite a long time, a job that had been the only loose end in his life, a job that he was not receiving a fee for, a job that was going to avenge the hurt and pain that perforated his heart.

He had been doing the job for to many years now and once this job was done he was retiring. He looked forward to the days of leisure that he had planned. No more traveling from country to country, no more shacking up in hotels, no more stalking his unsuspecting prey, and no more of the blood and gore that seemed to always appear after his prey had been captured. But most important, no more dealings with the scum that seemed to habituate every part of the country. It didn’t matter if he was state side or if he was overseas they seemed to be everywhere.

Retirement was something that he hadn’t thought about in years. After her murder he had no reason to retire, she was the only reason that he had even considered it. He loved her with all that he was and when a bullet killed her, a bullet that was meant for him, he chose to stay in the business. His reasons were simple, he had originally planned to continue the job long enough to avenge her death, but when unforeseen complications got in the way, he left town and continued with the life that he had become accustomed to.

For a short while it helped to alleviate his pain as he killed in cold blood the prey that he had been hired to kill. He did the things that he had wanted to do for so long to the one that had taken his true love from him, things that were painful and horrible, but there was just one thing that never quite healed him of his loss, the fact that this was not the man that had murdered his beloved wife in cold blood, they were just unsuspecting pawns in whatever game the highest bidder was playing.

This job was different, once he had taken care of this job, he would be able to move on with this life. He hoped that once he had disposed of his prey, that he would have some sort of normalcy in his life, something that he hadn’t had for quite a while, and something that seemed to only be present when she was still alive. He missed her, missed her so much that he sometimes had make a list of reasons that he should stay alive. It would be easy to just end his life, all it would take was one bullet through the head and it would be all over. He would practice holding the gun to the exact spot that would end all the suffering and pain that was seemed to be present.

Worse then the pain, were the nightmares that invaded his dreams nightly. Nightmares that replayed the whole horrifying scene over and over again. Nightmares that caused him to wake up screaming with anguished cries, as reality once again surfaced, taunting him with the knowledge that his Maria is dead.

He knew that those nightmares would be coming to an end, as he watched the last link to his past walk towards him. In just a few short hours, she would be dead and his beloved’s death would be avenged.


FLASHBACK

The air was thick with anxiety as they sat across from the man that was going to determine the fate of their lives. Hands clasped together in a death like grip, eyes focused on the manila folder that was held in the hands of the man. Afraid to take a breath or even a blink, because if they did, they may miss the words that they have been longing to hear.

“I know that you have been waiting a long time for this and I won’t prolong your agony any longer. It’s good new Maria, you’re pregnant. The two of you are going to be parents. Congratulations”

Neither said a word, they were both to stunned at the new that they had just received. Zan watched as the Doctor that had just delivered the news to him and his wife, extended his hand across the table towards the newly expecting parent. Slowly reality began to take focus as he grasped the extended hand and shook it.

“Congratulation Zan, I know that you and Maria have been trying to conceive for the last two years, but now the easy part is over. Now comes the hard part. The mood swings, craving at all hours of the night and lets not forget all the aches and pain” he laughed, winking at Maria.

“Thanks” was all that Zan could muster to say as he continued to shake the hand of the Fertility Specialist that they had been seeing religiously for the last two years. They had tried unsuccessfully for years to try and conceive a child normally but the fates, they had other ideas.

Fatherhood, both terrified and thrilled him to his very core. He didn’t know what kind of father we was going to be, but he was determined to do the job to the best of his abilities. Several changes would have to go into effect now that a baby was going to be entering their lives. Changes that included him getting out of the line of work that he was presently in.

He had starting working in the business to make some easy money as a street punk, roughing up the local establishments that were late on their protection costs. He had become a hit man for hire by pure accident, and had been doing it ever since. Now, however, all this was going to change. They were going to be a family; they were going to bring a child in the world, a child that he wanted to raise the right way, away from the corruption and death that had been his life for far to long.

It wasn’t like they were going to be living in poverty if Zan were to quit the business. Being a hit man for hire had its perks, and plenty of money was one of them. But, he had to get out of the business, had to do this for Maria and his unborn child.

Guilt pours over his heart as he looks at his beautiful wife sitting at his side. Guilt for the lie that he had kept from her the last six years that they had been together. A lie that has eaten at his heart time and time again. A lie that he has wanted to tell her from the first time that he met her. A lie that he knew he had to keep to himself. A lie that would destroy all that he had worked so hard to build. A lie that would destroy the most important thing in his life. A lie that would end his relationship with the love of his life, his Maria. Zan had always wanted to tell Maria, and had tried several times as their relationship had progressed over the years, but it seemed that each time that he tried, he would find himself rendered speechless and then spend the rest of the day trying to make up for the guilt that permeated his heart and soul.



Chapter Two

PRESENT DAY

Placing the new paper that he held in his lap, up towards his face, Zan watches out of the corner of his eye as she walks past him and heads towards the back of the plane. Anger courses though his body at the sight of her. He had a clue where she was going, there wasn’t much else at the back of a plane besides the restrooms. He took a look around the cabin of the plane, noticing the passengers that occupied it. He was grateful that the plane appeared to be quite empty. This would be easier then he had first anticipated. Slowly he rises from his seat and takes another look around, no seems to be aware that he even exists. Taking a step into the isle, he turns to make and makes his way back to end this nightmare that has become his life.

“Pardon me” she says to him, as she runs into his large muscled chest. Looking into the most beautiful hazel eyes, Liz Parker-Valenti looses her train of thought and her comprehension of speech. “I…I…um…I…sorry”

His anger is temporally replaced with cold hard fear as he realizes whom it is that he has run into. He finds that he is unable to move, awaiting the response that he had received from her the last time they had meet. His heart hammers in his chest and time seems to have frozen as he looks into the face that has been part of his past for so long now.

“I…I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going” she stammers, finally able to group words together and form a somewhat coherent sentence. She continues to stare into a pair of eyes that look so familiar and yet she could not place where she had seen them before. Not that this was a big surprise for Liz, since her accident not more then a year ago, she had not been able to recall several things from her past.

“No problem” the stranger grunts as he looks away from this woman standing in front of him and brushes his way past her and continues in the direction that he was heading.

Shrugging her shoulders, Liz makes her way back to her seat as frustration sets in. Her life had been nothing put a nightmare the last year. Her husband had been murdered in cold blood and his body thrown into the lake where he had been fishing. That same day, she had gotten into a horrible car accident, as she slammed into the back end of a Semi Truck. These incidents in them selves would horrible for anyone one to deal with, but the fact that she had absolutely no memory of either of these were cause for many sleepless nights for Liz.



FLASH BACK
New York City 2001

Two weeks after Graduation, Maria and her friends boarded a plane bound for the Big Apple. Isabel, Max, Liz, Kyle and Michael, friends almost since birth, knew that was going to be their last big hurray before they headed down the path that life had chosen for them. They knew that their time together was limited and they planned to enjoy all that New York had to offer them, before their childhood was yanked away and adulthood cruelly replaced. Sightseeing during the day, partying at the local clubs at night was how they spent their days and evenings. Sleep was something that they had little of, and if Maria had anything to do with it, the few hours that they did get a night were about to get even shorter. She wanted to experience each and every aspect of New York, wanted to enjoy this taste of life that was so unlike her life in Roswell New Mexico and if that meant that it required little or no sleep, then so be it.

“Come on Maria” Michael, her boyfriend of two years grumbled after the feisty redhead. “We have been here for four days already and we haven’t slowed down yet. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am exhausted. Can’t we just skip the club tonight”

“I am with Michael” Alex Whitman exclaimed as he leaned against the wall of the restaurant that they had just left. “I am wiped out. I think that we should just go back to the hotel and relax tonight. I don’t think that I can handle another night of clubbing. Plus, I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but I just don’t’ seem to have a knack with the ladies here”

“Here or anywhere, Whitman, Max Evan’s snickered, grinning evilly as he grabbed him in a head lock, pushing him to the ground and pinning him in a wrestling pose. Try as Alex might, he was unable to extricate himself from under the bulk of the much larger boys body. “Say it…say it Whitman and I will let you up”

“You wish Evan’s”

“Ok, you asked for it” Max retorted grabbing Alex’s legs and pulling them over his head, causing a slew of profanities to spew from the smaller boys mouth. “I said say it…say it and your suffering will end”

“Your such an ass” Alex grunted in pain as Max tightened the hold that he had on Alex’s legs.

“Just say it and all your problems will be over”

“Max Evan’s is the stud of the world. I, Alex Whitman can only wish that I could be like him. He is my idol, my god and I am in awe of him each and every day. Hail to king Max”

“Good boy, and don’t you ever forget it” Max chuckled, placing a small kiss on his lovers lips. Max and Alex had been together for almost four years. The first three years were spent in secret. So secret that not even their closest friends knew about their relationship. Liz and Maria were actually the one that brought them out of the closet, as they walked in on them in the throws of a heavy make out session. It was that very night that they decided to bring their relationship public.

“I really wish that you two would stop with the public displays of affection. You know how much it really freaks me out” Kyle Valenti growled, clearly disgusted with the scene that was playing out before him. He had never quite accepted the fact that Max and Alex were lovers. He could not understand how two men could be in love with each other, much less want to have sex with each other. If not for Liz, he would have cut all ties with the two long ago.

Liz and Kyle had been dating off and on since middle school. They had been through their share of ups and downs; they had separated time and time again and always seemed to find themselves back in each other’s arms. “Kyle, leave them alone. They are entitled to public displays of affection, and maybe if you’re nice you can talk me into a bit of PDA of our own” Liz giggled, wrapping her arms around his waist, pulling him in for a soul searching kiss.

“GET A ROOM” was the reply of the group of friends as Liz and Kyle continued to plunder each other’s mouths.

“Hotel room, NOW” Kyle moaned as Liz hands made their way down the small of his back, cupping his buttocks and rubbing her body over his rapidly swelling manhood. Without so much as a second glace at their friends, Kyle and Liz ran towards the hotel room.

“Well, we won’t be seeing them for the rest of the night” Maria laughed as she faced what was left of her rapidly decreasing group of friends. “I am only in New York for three more days and I want to taste all the night life that I can. I don’t care if any of you come with me or not, but I am going out tonight. So do I have any takers”

“I’m tired. I think that I will just go back to the hotel” Isabel said as she turns and heads in the direction of the hotel.

“I’m with Izzy. I am done for tonight. You go and have fun, but stay out of trouble” Michael says as he places a kiss on Maria’s cheek. “Hold up Izzy”



“I’m game” Max said, eyeing the man that he held beside him. “I know that you’re tired. Why don’t you go back to the hotel with Michael and Isabel. Maria and I can keep tabs on each other”

“The only person that is keeping tabs on you is me. I don’t want any good-looking men checking out that sexy body of yours when I am not around. I need to protect what is mine”

“Alex, you know that you have nothing to worry about. I am yours, always and forever” he says as he places his arm Alex, pulling him tightly against his body and into his loving embrace.

“Now why the hell can’t Michael say things like that to me” Maria whined, as she feels herself being pulled into the intimate embrace of her two best friends.



Chapter Three

PRESENT DAY

“@#%$” Zan mutters under his breath, as he slams the bathroom door closed. His heart continues to pound rapidly in his chest. “What the @#%$ is wrong with you” he growls at his reflection in the mirror above the bathroom sink. Taking a couple of deep breaths, Zan is finally able to get his heart rate under control. “Get a grip on yourself man. All you have to do it kill her and then it is all going to be over”

Turning on the facet, Zan grabs a handful of paper towels and wets them, washing his perspiring face. Frustration begins to set in as he throws the used paper towels in the trash container. He didn’t remember her being as beautiful the first time that he had met her and how was it that with just the slightest hint of her touch, she had caused a stirring in him that he hadn’t felt since before the death of his wife. A heavy sigh escapes his lips, as he tries to adjust his semi hard manhood. “Get a hold on yourself…NOW” he orders himself, opening to the restroom door and heading back to his seat.

Pulling out her journal, Liz begins to write about the mysterious stranger that not moments before she had literally run into. Slight tremors of pleasure run through her body as she recalls the way that his body felt against her own. “Get a hold of your self Valenti” she whispers to herself, slamming the journal closed in frustration. What was it about this man and his eyes that caused her to feel something that she had not felt for quite a few years. “I need a drink…Stewardess”

From what she could remember, life with Kyle Valenti had been like riding a roller coaster. One minute they were up and everything was wonderful, the next minute they were barreling downwards at an amazing rate of speed and everything was terrifying. She had been in love with Kyle from the moment that he had kissed at the end of their first date. They were only fourteen, and her father had insisted that her first date had to be chaperoned by none other then himself and her mother. Liz had been mortified at the thought and had even considered canceling the date, but Kyle had assured her that everything was going to be fine and they did in fact have a wonderful time as they watched an appropriate PG-13 movie picked out by her parents. He held her hand as they watched the movie, as her parents looked on a few rows behind them, and he didn’t let it go until they returned to the restaurant that her parents owned. Her parents allowed them a few minutes to say goodnight and it was there that Liz received her very first kiss. They began dating that very night, and continued to do so off and on throughout high school.

Memories were all that she had of Kyle and that part of her life now, but only memories before that horrible day when you life fell apart, the day that her world was shattered, the day that she lost the man that she had loved for almost half of her life.


FLASHBACK
New York City 2001

“I can’t wait until we get to the hotel…I need you now” Kyle rasped as he pulled Liz into a nearby alley, pushing her against the wall of an abandoned building. “God…baby…I need you now”

“I thought that you weren’t into public displays of affection” Liz teased as she ran her hand over the bulge that was plainly evident through the front of his pants.

“@#%$…don’t tease me baby” he hissed as he savagely attacked her mouth, thrusting his tongue roughly against her own. Back and fourth their tongues dueled with each other’s. Each kiss was more hungry then the next. With nimble hands, Kyle unbuttoned the blouse that Liz was wearing, running his hands over the thin material that covered the object of his desire. “Oh...Kyle” Liz moaned arching her body forward, feeling his ever hardening erection against her core, as he pinched a sensitive nipple between his fingers.

“I need to be inside you baby,” Kyle grunted as he assaulted her bra-covered breast with his warm mouth, running his hands down the length of her body until he reaches the waistband of her jeans. He grunts in frustration as he finds his hands fumbling with the zipper. Sensing his urgency as well as her own, Liz removes his hands and lowers the zipper. “Thanks babe” he growls as he tugs her jeans as well as her under garment off in one fell swoop, capturing her mouth with his once more.

Instinct kicks in as Liz grabs his penis and guides it to her already dripping core. “Please Kyle” she moans into his probing mouth. “I need you”

“OH GOD” she screams, as he begins to thrusts inside her.

“You like that baby…you like it when I do make love to you and the whole world can see”

“Yes”

“I want to her you scream for me…scream my name for me baby. I want you to let everyone know that it is me that is making you scream like that”

“OH GOD YES” she screams as Kyle, the love of her life, the man that she will marry, continues to slide in and out of her hot center. “OH KYLE…DON’T STOP…PLEASE DON’T STOP…KYYYLLLLE”

“LIIIIIZ…Oh baby. I love you Liz...”



“I love you too Kyle…always”



Chapter Four

PRESENT DAY

Sleep, it was something that Zan tried to avoid at all costs. Each time that he found himself within the realm of sleep, it was pain and despair that he found instead of the peace that sleep brought most people. But, Zan was not like most people. Sleep was a time to relive the past; a time to watch in slow motion, over and over again as the love of his life was shot down in cold blood.
Try as he might to fight it, the exhaustion was beginning to take its toll on Zan. At night as the world around him was sleeping, he could be found running the streets. Running as if his life depended on in, running as a means for escape. It made him forget about the past and all that he had lost. Running was a way for him to clear his muddied head; it helped him think more clearly. He would run until he felt that he could run no more and then he would push himself even harder, rendering himself so exhausted that dreams would allude him, for at least a short amount of time.

It also turned out that running had several other advantages. Not only did it allow him to rid some of the pent up frustration that seemed to permeate his life each and everyday. He found that his runnings had also defined and sharpen his already built legs and chest.
Zan had always worked very hard to maintain a well-sculptured body. It was his best asset, and deep down he know that it was one of the main reasons that Maria took to him that first night they had met many years ago.


FLASH BACK
New York City 2001

“Ok, so who is goin going to be the first to twirl me around the dance floor” Maria asked, looking from Max to Alex. It was apparent to her that neither one was paying her any attention, as she watched them play tonsil hockey with each other. “Forget this”

Glancing around the crowded dance floor, her eyes falling at the bar, as she finds that an amazingly beautiful man is watching her. “Oh my god” she whispers under her breath as she continues to stare at the man across the dance floor.

Maria felt as if she were in some short of strange dream, as the commotion around her begins to fade away and the mystery man begins to make his way towards her. She feels her breath catch in her throat as she surveys the whole package of this man. She had never been as instantly attracted to any man, as she felt herself attracted to this one. He was absolutely gorgeous, but it was more then that, he had an air about him that demanded attention, that demanded respect, that told anyone around him that he was going to get what he wanted, no matter what the cost. She knew that a man like this could be dangerous, but that was the main part of the attraction for her, and the fact that he looked like a Greek god didn’t hurt either.

Michael had never caused the sensations that were raging throughout her body. Sensations that were growing as her as he came closer and closer to where her feet had glued her. Try as she might, she could not command her legs to move. Closer and closer he came and with each step causing her heart to beat faster and faster in her chest. The air around her seemed to be disappearing, she felt as if she would faint, felt as if she should run from this dangerous man, and yet she could not move, she found that she was unable to take her eyes of this Adonis.

Zan had noticed her, almost as soon as she had walked into his favorite hang out. She was a beauty, and just the sight of her caused his breath to catch in his throat. She was beautiful that much was true, but so were half the other women in the club, there was just something different about this one. She walked as if she were stalking her prey, and once she found him then she would pounce. She had an air about her that said that she could be dangerous, one that said that she would get what she wanted, at whatever cost. Danger was something that Zan lived for, and he was looking forward to this challenge.

Her eyes never left his as he made his way towards her. Zan was a man of very few emotions; he had to be in the line of work that he was in, but without so much as a word spoken to this beauty, he found that his emotions were spiraling back and forth and up and down. It was as if he had no control over them, and staying in control was something that he prided himself on.

“Oh yes, this is going to be a challenge…and let the games begin” he whispered under his breath as he approached her.

“ZAN…baby!! There you are. I’ve been waiting for you,” a short blonde woman screeched, as she staggered her way over to him, pulling him from his destined course. “I’ve missed you. You’ve been a very naughty boy. You told me that you would call. But, don’t worry I forgive you. Come on…Lets dance” Before he could utter a word the blonde, whose name had completely escaped him, was gyrating her hips against his semi hard dick. “Oh baby…I see that someone missed me too,” she cooed into his ear, working her hands down the front of his leather pants. Once reaching her intended target, the blonde began to stroke him as she continued to gyrate to the music.

“It ain’t happening,” he roared above the music and the crowd, removing her hand from the front of his pants and taking a step back.

“Come on baby…I can make it worth your wild”

“I said that it ain’t happening. Now step the @#%$ off” he snarled at the blonde, whose name still eluded him.

“What the hell...I was good enough to @#%$ last week, but I ain’t good enough for you this week”

“You weren’t good enough to @#%$ last week either”

The look of complete shock that now covered the drunken blondes face was too hysterical and Zan couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“NO ONE…AND I MEAN NO ONE TALKS TO TESS HARDING LIKE THAT. ANY GUY IN THIS JOINT WOULD BE MORE THEN WILLING TO @#%$ THE @#%$ OUT OF ME. YOU….”

“Then have fun,” he laughed, as he watched the blonde lose her balance and fall backwards on her ass. Turning from the drunken woman, he begins to search the faces of the crowd, looking for the dangerous beautiful creature.

Maria had watched the whole scene as it played out. She could not make out the words that were spoken, but it was obvious to anyone that saw them that they were more then just good friends. Jealously ebbed its way into her heart, but she brushed it away. “Get a grip on yourself DeLuca”

“Or I can get it for you” she heard someone whisper against her ear.

“MAX…your such an ass”

“Hey...I’m not the one sitting here telling herself to get a grip in the middle of a crowded night club” says Max, as he grabs Maria by the waist and spins her onto the dance floor, pulling her tight against his body. “Just for the record why are you having to get a grip on yourself anyway”

“It’s nothing” she blushes, laying her head on his broad shoulder, as they continue to sway to the music.

“Come on Maria, this is Max, your best girl friend…remember…you know that you can tell me anything”

Lifting her head from his shoulder, Maria looks into the eyes of her best friend. She was close all her friends, but she was the closet to Max. She had given him the nickname best girlfriend one summer, and it had stuck every since. She still didn’t understand how it was that she did not know that Max was gay. The signs were there, and yet she never realized it until she walked in on him and Alex one night.

Not that is mattered, she loved them both as they were, but Max was her confidant, her partner in crime and if she could tell anyone, she knew that she could tell him. “Max, do you believe in love at first sight”

She continues to stare into her closest friends eyes, watching as confusion and then understanding fill them. “Where”

Glancing around the dance floor, she tries to spot the man that was causing all the havoc on her senses. Panic floods her heart, realizing that she is unable to find him. Pulling away from Max’s embrace, she begins to frantically search for him, she had to find him, had to meet him, had to feel what his body felt pressed up against hers. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of faces, but none of them was the face that she was looking for.

Sensing Max behind her, Maria throws herself into his arms. Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, fitting her body snugly against his body. “Oh Max…he’s gone” she whimpers into his neck as tears begin to mist at her eyes.

“I may not be Max, but I bet that I am the one that you’re looking for…Kitten”



Chapter 5

PRESENT DAY

Sipping on her drink, Liz tries to relax and work on her memory retrieval techniques. The Doctors had told her that with time and patience she would eventually get her memories back, but time to Liz had seemed to be at a constant standstill. She had seen them all, Doctors and Specialists, all promising that they could do the one thing that meant most to her in her life right now, getting her memory back and finding the bastard that had killed her husband. She had undergone treatment after treatment, some so painful that she had wish she had died that day of the accident. She had even gone so far as to even try a psychic

FLASHBACK
Madam Vivian’s

Liz had to stifle a laugh as she walked into the Psychic’s parlor. The place looked like something out of a bad sixties movie. She had forced Isabel to come with her and as much as she had complained on the trip up, she had now been having a session with the psychic for well over an hour now.

As Isabel spoke to Madam Vivian, Liz took the time to look around the room. Beads hung from every door way and the smell of incense burning was enough to make her sick to her stomach. Sadness filled her heart as she thought about Maria. Maria had been dead for almost two years now, and Liz missed her every single day.

Madam Vivian, according to Maria, was the best; she swore that she could tell you all about you’re past as well as your future. Liz didn’t care to hear about her future, it was too painful to think about her future when Kyle was not included in the equation. All Liz wanted to do was find out about the past, a past that her mind had decided to block out, a past that would hopefully give her the peace of mind that she had been denied for so long.

“Ok…she is ready to see you now” Isabel said as she walked up to her friend and led her to the table where the psychic sat.

“Give me you hand child”

Again, Liz had to suppress her giggles, as she laid her hand on top of the hand stretched out before her.

“I see that you have lived a hard life, more so lately then when you were younger. You have recently suffered a loss…a loss of someone very dear to you heart…someone that you have loved for many years now. The spirits are telling me that it was your husband…and yet you have no memory of his passing. Your body and mind are in turmoil…you have suffered not only for his passing…but physically as well.

“Right, and what else has do you know about me” Liz yells as she pulls her hand away from the woman sitting in front of her. “Everything that you are saying you could have read in the news paper, you could have heard it on the street. My husband’s death and my accident have been the talk of the town for months now. This is ridicules…and I can’t believe that I allowed myself to believe that you could help me” Jumping out of the chair, Liz runs for the front door.

“Wait child…you may be right about what you have said…but you are in danger. The spirits have not told me all…but you are in danger…and this danger is going to find you. It is in the eyes…beware of the eyes”

“Beware of the eyes…beware of the eyes. I pay you fifty dollars for you and your phony @#%$ sprits to tell me to beware of the eyes. You are a fraud and a fake and I could kick myself for even thinking that you were going to be able to help me. Isabel…I am leaving and if you don’t want to get left…I suggest that you get in the car”

“I will refund you money…just know that you are in danger. The spirits don’t know where or when, but he will come looking for you…you will know him by the evil in his eyes”

“Good day Madam Vivian”



PRESENT DAY

Closing her eyes, Liz allows the sounds around her to disappear. Her breath becomes shallow as she focuses on her last clear memory. Tears threaten her eyes as she allows the memory to enter her mind. It was the last time that she remembered seeing Kyle and it was not a happy memory, it was a memory that dredged up pain and regret each time that she tried to think about it. Regret, because the very last words that she spoke to Kyle, were words of anger.

FLASHBACK

“I am sick and tired of this coming between us Kyle. It’s like you are having an affair, but I don’t have to worry about their being a woman involved, because you won’t have time for her either”

“Look…you know how important this is to my career. If I crack this case, then I will get the promotion that I have been working so hard for. We have talked about this time and time again Liz…I need to solve this case. I would think that you would be ecstatic that I as trying to take down the man that killed one of your best friends in cold blood”

“You seem to forget that it wasn’t that man that took down one of my best friends in cold blood…it was you that took one of my best friends down in cold blood”


PRESENT DAY

“Miss…Miss…are you feeling alright”

“What…um…Yes…I am fine…thanks” Liz whispered as she wiped at the tears that had trickled down her cheeks. “Excuse me”

Rising from her seat, she moves past the stewardess and makes her way towards the back of the plane. As she is walking down the aisle, the plane hits a patch of rough turbulence and Liz finds that she is thrown of balance. A scream of fright escapes her lips as she finds herself falling sideways into the lap of an unsuspecting passenger.

“We really need to stop meeting like this,” the passenger says, causing her pulse to soar as she looks into the same pair of beautiful hazel eyes that she had looked into not long before.



PART 6

FLASHBACK

“I may not be Max, but I bet you that I am the one that you’re looking for…Kitten”

“Oh my god” Maria gasped as she pulls out of the gorgeous strangers arms, backing up into a body dancing behind her, causing her to lose her balance and fall flat onto her backside. “@#%$…this is just @#%$ great. Way to go DeLuca”

“Maria” Max yelled, running over to his fallen friend. “Are you ok”

“Sure…of course I’m ok….I mean why wouldn’t I be ok…I mean…hell I see this fine looking man across the dance floor…and then your gone and I end up in his arms thinking it’s you…and now I am flat on my ass on the floor….I mean isn’t this the story of my life…Why does this always happen to me….I swear…”

“How does she do that without taking a breath” Zan asked Max, as the two men tried to stifle their laughter, pulling a still ranting Maria off the dance floor.

“Actually this is nothing…usually she can rants much louder and longer then this” Max laughed, reaching his hand out to shake the hand of the man that stood in front of him, noticing that he has not released his hold on Maria since helping her off the floor. “I’m Max Evan’s…one of Maria’s best friends”

“Zan DaMan…nice to meet you”

“And this beautiful rantress is Maria DeLuca” Max chuckles, ducking as his head as Maria takes a swing at him.

“Nice to meet you both…so do you really think that I am a fine looking man” he asked, looking from Max to Maria, laughing as she begans blushing from her neck to her ears.

“DAMMIT…THERE YOU ARE. I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE TWO OF YOU EVERYWHERE. I GET UP TO GO RELIEVE MYSELF AND THEN I CAN’T FIND EITHER OF YOU” Alex shouted, pushing his way through the crowed dance floor, causing the three to turn and face the man that was causing such a ruckus. “OH MY GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY”

“Come on Alex…time to go” Max growls through clenched teeth, taking his clearly drunken lover by the arm, leading him away from Maria and Zan.

“GO…I CAN’T GO TILL I MEET YOUR LITTLE FRIEND HERE” he slurs, pulling his arm out of the grip that Max had on him and shoving it in front of Zan. “THE NAMES ALEX WHITMAN…AND YOU MY FRIEND ARE A VERY GOOD LOOKING MAN…DON’T YOU THINK THAT HE IS A VERY GOOD LOOKING MAN…MAX…I MEAN LOOK AT HIM. WOULD YOU CARE TO DANCE…MR GOOD LOOKING MAN…I MEAN IF THAT IS OK WITH YOU MAXIE”

“Alex…please”

“PLEASE WHAT…COME ON MAXIE…JUST ONE LITTLE DANCE. WHAT DO YOU SAY…WANNA DANCE WITH ME”

“Afraid that this dance is already taken…but maybe another time” Zan replies as he places his arm around an embarrassed Maria waist, leading her out onto the dance floor.

“Sorry…Maria…Zan” Max mutters, clearly embarrassed at the behavior that Alex has displayed.

“Oh my god…I could just die right now” Maria giggles, covering her face with her hand. “Not one of my finest moments and then Alex…I don’t know what that was all about…I hope…”

Pulling her into his embrace, Maria can feel the contours of his body pressed against her own, causing her to body to go into sensory overload. As if on instinct she lays her head against his shoulder, snuggling her face into the side of his neck. The feel of his arms as they wrapped themselves tighter around her waist, pulling her even tighter against his glorious body, causes her to lose her breath. Although. she felt as if she were home, as if he was put on this earth especially for her and her alone. She knew that as long as he held her in his arms that she would be safe from the cruel world and all the crap that life would throw in her direction. She felt as if she could never leave these arms again.

“Don’t worry kitten…I won’t hold it against you” he whispered agaist her ear, sending a shiver down her spine, causing her to momentary lose her self in the sensations of it, only to have her pulled back to reality as he continued with his musings. “now getting back to the part where you’re thinking I am a fine looking man”

“My…you’re just determined to get an answer about that aren’t you” Maria whispers, moving away from the body of the man that is wreaking havoc on her senses. “I…I just don’t think…..”

“I always get what I want…kitten”

Before she had a chance to respond, or even had a chance to react, Maria found herself once again being crushed against the body of Zan. Her mind screaming for her to pull away, reminding her that she did not know anything about this man, that he was dangerous and unpredictable, and that he would only hurt her in the end. However, her heart sang to her, telling her that she knew she would never have to be afraid, that he may be all of those things, but that he would never hurt her, that he would always love her, that she would always love him.

Confusion runs through her mind, as she tries to recall a moment in time where Michael had ever made her feel the way that she was feeling at this very moment. After two years of dating, being together, loving each other, she could not recall one instance where she felt the emotional level that she was experiencing. Her relationship with Michael had always been a rocky one, but she had just assumed that he was the one for her, the one that she was going to marry, the one that she was going to spend the rest of her life with and in just a few short hours all that had changed.

As she swayed to the music in his arms, Maria knew that she was home, knew that she could never go back to the way she lived her life before. She didn’t know how she knew, and she didn’t know why she knew, she just knew that he was the one, the great love of her life and in his arms was where she would stay for the rest of her life.

“Let’s get out of here” she whispered in his ear, running her hand along the rugged jaw line of her true love. “Lets go to your place”



Chapter Seven

PRESENT DAY

For once in a long time, Zan found that he longed for the peace that slumber brought. Since his run in with his past, his nerves were a buzz with activity, but now as he recalled the way that her beautiful chocolate eyes burned into his, he found a strange sense of serenity that he had not felt since Maria.

What she was doing to him, he could not understand, and he didn’t want to. He just wanted to enjoy the peace that surrounded his senses for once. He couldn’t remember the last time that he longed for the release of sleep and he was determined to not waste this opportunity that fate seemed to have thrown into his lap.

He knew that he still had a job to do. She was a danger to him and his existence as long as she was still alive. She was the last link to his past and he had to waster her, had to wrap up the final link in order to retire and live out the rest of his life in some sort of harmony. He knew that killing her would not bring his Maria back, but it would help to avenge her death and he hoped that it would allow him to put that part of his life behind him.

Closing his eyes, he allowed his muscles to relax, allowed the weariness that was always present in his bones to slowly ebb away. On the brink of slumber, a vision of his beauty appears before him, taking him to a place that he rarely visited, taking him to the plain of slumber.

FLASHBACK

“What the hell is your problem tonight” Max shouts over the roar of the cub. “Why are you acting like this”

“LIKE WHAT MAXIE BOY…I WAS JUST TRYING TO HAVE SOME FUN…ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS DANCE WITH MR. FINE MAN, AND DON’T TELL ME THAT YOU WEREN’T CHECKING HIM OUT EITHER…CAUSE YOU WERE. I SAW THE WAY THAT YOU WERE ALL OVER HIM”

“ALL OVER HIM…WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT…ALL I DID WAS SHAKE HIS HAND. IF YOU WOULD GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS FOR TWO SECONDS YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT HE WAS MORE INTERESTED IN MARIA THEN ME, AND BESIDES I LOVE….”

“AND THAT JUST BURNT YOU UP THAT HE WAS ALL OVER MARIA…. DIDN’T IT MAXIE”

Max had no idea what was causing Alex to behave like this, and the truth was he didn’t care, because there was absolutely no reason for this type of behavior. “JUST SHUT THE @#%$ UP AND LETS GO” he continued as he grabbed Alex by the arm and jerked him towards the entrance of the club.

“THAT’S THE BEST THING YOU HAVE SAID ALL NIGHT” Alex snarled, grabbing Max by the back of the neck and thrusting his tongue down his throat.

His first inclination was to push Alex away, push him away and leave, but when it came to Alex there was no denying him anything. Max loved Alex with everything that he was. It had been that way from the very first time that they had shared their first kiss.

The kiss, it had happened basically on a dare, and it was that dare that had changed their lives forever.

Kyle, Michael, Alex and Max had been hanging out at the park drinking. The evening had started out harmless enough. Macho talk could be heard by anyone nearby, talk that would have caused even the strongest men to blush. Mike and Maria were not yet a couple, but the group now knew in very precise detail Michael’s current adventure. Kyle and Liz were once again back together, and Kyle could not gloat enough about how rough Liz liked it in bed. Alex and Max were the only single ones of the group and it seemed to be something that was just accepted by the other two boys. As long as they had known Max and Kyle, they had never once shone any interest in having sex with the opposite sex, much less dating. As the night progressed, they turned from bragging to game playing and that was where it all began.

“Truth or Dare…” Kyle slurred…pointing between the three boys that were seated around him in a circle. “Max”

“Truth”

“Have you ever…eaten a woman’s @#%$”

“Dare”

“Just answer the question and stop being a wussy”

“I meant dare @#%$…if your drunk ass was listening you would have heard me say dare”

“Fine wussy…dare it is” Kyle says, rubbing his chin as he thinks of a dare for Max. “Oh yeah…this will be good. I dare you…I dare you to kiss Alex on the lips…WITH TONGUE”

“WHAT” Both boys shout simultaneously.

“You heard me…you have to kiss Alex…with tongue or have to deal with a severe beating from Michael and me if you don’t”

“Your @#%$ crazy” Max spat out, pulling himself unsteadily off the ground, he begins to walk away from the circle.

“MAX…WAIT” Alex screams as he stumbles his way over to Max. “Remember the last time that I refused to take their dare…and I ended up in the hospital with a broken arm. Um…and I think that kissing you will be so much less painful then going through that again”

Before Max had a chance to respond to the boy’s words, Alex grabbed him roughly by the sides of his face and planted his lips on his own, clumsily placing his tongue inside the shocked boys mouth. Shockwaves of pleasure poured throughout his body as Max tongue returns the favor and strokes Alex’s tongue with his.

“THAT IS TOO @#%$ GROSS…I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT YOU TWO DID THAT. I WASN’T REALLY GOING TO MAKE YOU KISS HIM…OMG I AM GOING TO THROW UP. LETS GET OUT OF HER MICHAEL AND LEAVE THE LITTLE SISSY BOYS TO THERE SUCK FACING”

“Alex…I am…I am so sorry about that” Max stammers once he knows that Kyle and Michael are out of ear and eye shot.

“Look Max, I am not going to lie to you. We all know that it is true…that Alex Whitman is gay…it has never been a big secret. I have always wondered about you…Max. I mean I hoped that I was right, and that you were, but I was always too afraid to ask…cause I didn’t want to ruin the friendship that we had. But…I have been attracted to you for a long time now. I just couldn’t pass up this opportunity tonight to find out. I hope that I am right in what I felt from you…that you might feel the same way about me. If you don’t then I will understand if you don’t want to hang out with me anymore”

Max watched as Alex, the boy that just professed his attraction to him, walked away, shoulders slumped as if defeated. He felt as if a sledgehammer of emotions had slammed him in the heart. Terror, for the un-known, respect, for Alex for proclaiming the way that he felt about him, fear of letting Alex walk away at this very moment and never knowing what could happen.

“Alex…wait” Max called out after him, causing Alex to turn and face him with hope in his eyes. “Look, Alex…I don’t know what to make of what happened tonight. I mean…I am shocked and a little weirded out by this whole kissing thing”

“Look Max…you don’t have to say anything…. I under”

“Let me finish…I may have been weirded out, but I also enjoyed it and that scares me. Can we just take it slow and see what happens from there. I just need time to get used to us…I mean if you want there to be an us”

“Hey…I can deal with that” Alex grinned; heading back towards the direction that he came. “Just don’t think that I will wait for you forever Max Evans” He didn’t have to wait long as it turned out. Max had shorn up at his house the very next day and they had been a couple ever since.


“Not here, Max mumbled against his lovers lips, as Alex continued to attack his lovers now swollen mouth. “where is the restroom”

Alex grinned against Max’s lips and pulled him into the hallway that lead to the men’s room, leading him into the closet stall. “I want you right here and now,” he whispered as he ground his ever-hardening @#%$ against Max’s equally hardening @#%$. “You like it that way…don’t you Maxie Boy…you like it when I do that to you. Your mine…do you hear me…mine and you belong to me. Don’t you ever forget that…GOT IT”

“I won’t…I won’t forget” Max sputtered as he watched Alex, the love of his life remove his now to tight jeans and go down on his painfully bulging erection. As his head continued to bob up and down, Max tries, but fails miserably to control the moans that escaped over his kiss-swollen lips. He could feel his release coming soon, as he bit down on his arm to try and control his urge to scream his lovers name for all to hear. Again failing miserably. Max looks into his lover’s eyes as he continues his ministrations, sucking in his breath as Alex’s teeth graze across the tip of his penis, sending him over the edge. “OMG…don’t stop…please don’t stop. I love you Alex…I will always love you”

“I love you too” Alex sobs as he pulls himself up Max’s body. “I’m sorry baby…I didn’t mean to act like that. But, I watched you with Maria and I couldn’t help but get jealous, and then I saw him and you were smiling at him and I just got scared that I could lose you. I don’t know why you stay with me, I mean look at you…and then me. I don’t know how I will live without you once you leave me. Please forgive me…I’m so sorry…I love you…you got to know that I love you with all my heart”

“Alex…I don’t know where this is coming from, your drunk and you don’t know what your saying, but I love you…I have always loved you. Yes...Maria and I are close, but she is not you, she can never be you. I won’t ever leave you. I promise that we will be together for the rest of our lives. Your acting like a drunken fool is not going to chase me away, you have to remember that I have seen you in worse predicaments” Max giggled as he pulled Alex tightly against his body, running his hand through Alex’s hair.

“That maybe true, but I am not the one that has his pants around his feet in a stall of a men’s room” he giggled back, pulling Max’s pants up his leg from where it was pooled at his feet on the floor.

“Lets get out of here and go back to the hotel”

“What about Maria” Alex asked as he followed Max out of the men’s room.

“Trust me…I think that Maria is in good hands”


ELSEWHERE IN THE CLUB

“Let’s get out of here,” she whispered in his ear, running her hand along the rugged jaw line of her true love. “Lets go to your place”

Uncertainty crosses Zan’s face as he looks at the woman before him. “Are you sure”

“I’m Maria DeLuca…and what I want…I always get”

“What ever the woman wants the woman gets,” he repeats, as a mischievous smile crosses his face.

“Why do have the feeling that I am not going to get what I want”

“Because kitten…I always get WHAT I WANT” he growls against her ear, as he takes her hand into his and begins to lead her off the crowded dance floor.

Excitement runs through Maria’s veins as they walk out into the chilly night air, causing her to shiver. She didn’t know if it was from the cold night air or the anticipation for the night ahead. She didn’t know what Zan had in store for her for the rest of the evening, but she was more then ready and willing to find out. Just the thought of spending the evening with Zan was causing a giddiness in her that she could not contain, and try as she might she couldn’t stop the giggles that erupted from her throat. Her giddiness contagious, Zan allowed himself to laugh right along with her.

She could not remember a time when she felt so alive and free, it was something new to her, something that she rarely felt during her humdrum life in Roswell New Mexico. “Where are we going” she continued to giggle as they ran through the parking lot of the club, stopping in front of a stele and chrome motorcycle. The beauty of it caused Maria’s breath to catch in her throat, she thought it odd that she found a motorcycle beautiful, but this one was different, this one screamed that the owner was proud of his bike, that it was well taken care of, this bike screamed out that it belonged to…Zan.

“It’s beautiful” she whispered as if afraid to break the silence of the moment

“Thanks, yeah kitten and me have been together for a long time now”

“Kitten” she questioned

“Jealous are you” he chuckled as he hopped onto his bike, pulling Maria against him. “don’t be, I only call the beautiful things in my life Kitten”

“Oh…and just how many beautiful things do you call kitten” she pouted as her giddiness disappeared and in its place jealously.

“Only two…you and my bike. Now lets go”

“Oh” she giggled as her excitement returned once again, only to be short lived as she heard a voice that made the blood in her veins run cold, caused her heart to beat furiously and caused her to momentarily stop breathing. It was a voice that she knew well, one filled with anger, outrage and it was one filled with danger.

“WHERE THE @#%$ DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR GOING” the voice screamed out into the night air, causing Maria to turn and face the man whose voice it was that caused such fear in her.

“Michael”

“WHO THE @#%$ ELSE WOULD IT BE LOOKING FOR YOU SORRY ASS ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE HELL TIME IT IS…IT’S AFTER TWO IN THE MORNING. WHEN THE FAIRY MEN GOT HOME AND YOU WERE’T THERE I GOT WORRIED. GUESS I SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN WORRIED SINCE YOU SEEM TO BE IN GOOD HANDS WHORING AROUND WITH THIS PUNK”

“Michael…please…we have to talk”

“SAVE IT”

Maria watched as if in slow motion as Michael raised his hand, bringing it across her cheek with such force that it knocked the wind out of her, causing her knees to buckle, as she fell to the hard cold ground below. “I’LL @#%$ KILL YOU” she heard another voice shriek behind her. Stunned, she could only watch as Zan propelled himself off his bike, towards Michael, knocking him to the ground.

Punches were thrown, connecting with skin. Words of anger and hate were penetrated though out the empty parking lot. Blood covered the street as the two men continued their dance of dominance, their dance of possession, their dance of power.

Anger like Zan had never known now flowed though out his body. He had dealt with a lot of anger in his life, but nothing prepared him for what he was dealing with now. Thoughts of how easy it would be to waste this scum bag ran through his mind, he had come up against men much meaner and stronger then this punk who had put his hands on his kitten. This man was no match for Zan, as he placed a final punch to his nose. Bone could be heard cracking as blood spurted everywhere. He realized how easy it would be to kill him, with just a snap of his neck he would be dead, never to lay a hand on her again.

Reality comes into focus with the sounds of sirens and chaos. “ZAN…WE HAVE TO LEAVE” he hears her scream.

Looking back to the punk that lay beneath him, Zan grabs him by the collar of his shirt and pulls him, till he is face to face with him. “I could @#%$ kill you…trust me it would be to @#%$ easy to just end your @#%$ life. You @#%$ listen to me and you listen to me good. Stay the @#%$ away from her…and if I ever see you anywhere near her…your life is over” With a flick of his hand, Michael is thrown back against the concrete street and rendered unconscious.

“ZAN….PLEASE”

Jumping off the unconscious mans body, Zan on instinct scans the perimeter of the parking lot. People are beginning to exit the club to see what action is going on outside. He begins to take mental pictures of their faces, but is pulled from his routine as Maria grabs him and throws him against his bike. “Please…Zan…we have to go now”

Jumping on his bike, Zan helps a shaken Maria climb onto his bike and throttles the engine. In a flash they are flying out of the parking lot into the New York City traffic, barely missing the police as they race into the now crowded parking lot.



Chapter Eight
PRESENT DAY

Closing his eyes, he allowed his muscles to relax, allowed the weariness that was always present in his bones to slowly ebb away. On the brink of slumber, a vision of his beauty appears before him, taking him to a place that he rarely visited, taking him to the plain of slumber. He should have known that the fates had other plans for him.

It happened so quickly, that he had no idea what was happening. One minute he was on the brink of peaceful sleep and the next a body landed across his lap. Instinct automatically kicks in, as he wraps his hands around his victim’s neck with a swiftness that comes from years of practice, from years of fighting for his life. It could be over so quickly; just one swift jerk of the neck and his attacker would be dead.


Reality begins to come into view as he quickly views his surroundings, realizing that it is her that he has pinned to his lap, eyes as wide as saucers, terror plainly evident in her eyes, and then as quickly as it was there it was gone. It was then that he saw something else in her eyes, something that he could not fathom, something that he would never understand, and yet he found that he couldn’t stop the goofy grin that he knew was now covering his face.

“We really need to stop meeting like this” he chuckled as he released the grasp that he held on her slender neck. “I hope that I didn’t hurt you…you just startled me”

Liz found that she was yet again unable to speak. She didn’t know what it was about this man that caused her to lose whatever coherent thoughts she would otherwise normally maintain. Granted she had technically run into him twice, but there was something so familiar about him, particularly his eyes, but as of yet it was something that she could not put her finger on. Yes, she found that there was definitely something about this man, something that both frightened her and excited her at the same time.

His eyes, they were the most beautiful pair that she had ever seen, and she found that she could not stop staring into them. They were the most beautiful shade of Hazel, and when the light hit them just right, they were glinted with specks of gold. Some where in her subconscious, Liz knew that she had seen these eyes before and she was determined that it was just going to be a matter of time before she recalled how it was that she seemed to know they so well.

“Are you ok” he asked, becoming nervous at the unrelenting lock that her eyes held with his.

“Um…sorr…sorry” she laughs nervously, breaking eye contact, as a blush began to creep into her cheeks. “I’m fine…really…just really embarrassed. I guess that I should be thankful that you were here to catch me” her giggles continued, as she pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

Zan could only stare at the woman that was still positioned on his lap, as she blatantly flirted with him. Confusion fills him as he tries to remember why it is that he has to eliminate this beautiful creature. Try as he might to do it, he can’t remove the goofy grin that continues to cover his face. What was it about this woman that made him forget about the past, forget all the hurt and pain that had been present in his life for so long, and made his body react to her with just the slightest touch.

He could not believe how beautiful she was, as he examined her facial features. Beautiful eyes, perky little nose and lips that were just screaming for him to taste them. As he continued to appraise her features, Zan noticed what appeared to be black smudge marks that ran down the length of her cheeks. Pain stabbed at his heart, which also caused more confusion in him, he knew what the black marks were from, but what confused him more then anything was why he cared that she had been crying.


Without thinking, Zan ran his thumb down the length of her mascara stained face. He marveled at just how wonderful her skin felt against his own. He found that he wanted to find out if her skin was as soft all over her body. Thoughts of exploring her body crowded his head as he continued to explore her face, causing a stirring in him that he hadn’t felt in such a long time. Trying to get himself under control before she noticed his erection, proved to be mute, as he heard her breath catch in her throat. Looking into her eyes, he expected to find a look of pure disgust, yet all he found was a look of understanding, a look wanting, a look of needing.

He watched in awe as she closed her eyes, allowing him to continue his exploration of her face. He could hear her heart beating wildly in her chest, and he found that it excited him even more. Slowly he made his way to her lips, running his finger over the their softness. Sensations were running through his body at an alarming rate, but he found that he liked the way that she was making him feel. For the second time that day, she had caused his jeans to shrink what felt like two sizes with just the slightest touch of her body. A small groans rolls over his lips as she shifts her weight , applying more pressure to his already swollen dick. “Keep that up and I will have to have my way with you right here” he growled, running his hand around to the nape of her neck, massaging it with the tips of his fingers.

“Keep that up” she whispered, licking her too dry lips in anticipation for what she hoped was coming next. "and I might let you"

As if reading her mind, she felt his lips brushing against hers. The kiss started out with the softest of intentions, as if he was hesitant, as if he was unsure, as if he was holding back. But she wanted more, she wanted to feel his lips as they attacked her own, wanted to know what his mouth tasted like, wanted to feel his tongue rub up against her own tongue. She groaned in frustration as he continued his flighty kisses, she wanted more, and although this was completely out of character for her, she was determined to get exactly what she wanted, what she needed. Placing both hands on his perfectly chiseled face, she licked at his top lip and once he opened his mouth she thrust her tongue into the deepest recess of his mouth.

Needing to feel her close, Zan wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her tighter against his body, as she continues her assault on his mouth.



Chapter Nine

FLASHBACK
New York City 2001

Fear blankets Maria, as she clings to Zan’s waist as they speed down the busy streets of New York. Her heart, beating in her chest so hard, that she just knew that any minute it was going to explode. She hoped that Michael was going to be ok, but she had to admit that she was secretly glad that Zan had beaten the @#%$ out of him. To many years had passed with Michael being the dominate one in the relationship, to many years of walking around on egg shells, hoping not to upset him and once she had, knowing what was to follow as a result.

She never told anyone, but the beatings, they were a regular occurrence in Maria’s life. Michael always walked around with a chip on his shoulder, he was pissed off at the world for not giving him, what he thought he deserved, the better things in life, and Maria always seemed to be the one that received the brunt of his anger. She had tried everything to make Michael happy, eventually coming to the conclusion that she could never make him happy, because he was incapable of happiness. Looking back now, she realizes that she never really loved Michael. She stayed out of fear, afraid of the loneliness that always seemed accompany being single, afraid of the repercussions of her leaving, but most of all just plain afraid of everything. She forced herself into believing that he would change, change because he loved her, even after each beating, she would make up an excuse for his behavior. She finally had to accept what she knew all along, but was never willing to admit, Michael, never loved her, he wasn’t capable of it, and she never loved him. No one could ever love him because he had built a stonewall around his heart and nothing, nor no one was ever going to smash through it.

“You ok…kitten” Zan asked concerned, pulling Maria out of her thoughts of the past. Reality sets in as she realizes that he has pulled off the busy streets, stopping under what appeared to be some sort of underpass.

“Where are we” she asked weakly, pulling herself off the motorcycle and walking away from him.

“This ain’t the first time that he hit you…is it”

“This view is amazing” she answered back, clearly avoiding his question, as she continued to widen the distance between Zan and his bike. The view was amazing, but she really didn’t care about the view, she didn’t want to admit to him that she had a weakness that she had been to weak to leave Michael when the beatings first started. “I can’t believe….”

“Don’t do that…don’t change the subject. This isn’t the first time…is it” he asked again, running up behind her and spinning her around till she was facing him.

“I’m fine…don’t worry about me” she utters, finding that she cannot look into the eyes that just an hour ago held her, mesmerized.

Placing his finger under her chin, Zan slowly lifts her chin, forcing her to meet his stare. “He won’t ever hurt you again…I promise you that. I am going to make sure that no one ever hurts you again. Your mine now…you got that…mine…and if anyone even attempts to misplace one hair on your head…they ain’t going to have to worry about living anymore”

His words amaze her as she gazes into his beautiful eyes, seeing that all he said was true. His eyes spoke volumes as to the extent of his love for her and she knew that he would be her protector, her lover, and her soul mate for the rest of her life. None of this made any sense and yet at the same time, it all made sense in the world. She had often read trashy romance novels that told of love at first sight, never really believing that it was possible to fall in love with anyone with just one look, and yet here she was, and she knew that he was the one, the one that she was meant to be with.

“Forever” she whispers, never breaking the lock that she now had with his eyes.

Zan couldn’t believe his luck, here was this beauty standing in front of him that he had only met hours before and yet, he knew that she was the one, that she was the one that was going to make an honest man out of him, or so to speak. He hadn’t even so much as kissed her yet, but he had every intention of making this kitten his wife. She was going to be his and his alone and if he had to make it official then that was the way that things were going to be.

“Kiss Me,” she whispered, needing to feel his lips, but also needing to feel the heat from his body to stop the uncontrollable trembling that seemed to have taken over her body.

Not needing a second invitation, Zan wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly against himself. He could feel her trembling, and that only fueled his desire to please her more. He loved the way that she felt agaist his body, they fit perfectly together, it was as if she were made just for him. He had never felt these types of feelings toward anyone, to say that he was scared was an understatement, but as always he was more then ready for the challenges to come.

Basking is the warmth of his body, her trembling halted momentarily, until she felt the slight brushing of his lips against her own, causing an involuntarily shudder to steal over her. Faint at first were his kisses as he continued to caress her ample lips, gradually increasing with intensity with each touch.

His lips were like heaven, she felt as if she had died and gone to heaven, but she wanted to feel more of his kisses, she was hungry and although his soft kisses were sending tingles of electricity up and down her spine, she needed more, and she was determined to get what she wanted.

Running her arms up his well-built arms, Maria wrapped her arms around his neck, licking at his bottom lip, causing a chuckle to escape over his lips. Surprised at the reaction that this received; she pulls back and glares at him, causing him to chuckle even more. “Slow down kitten, we have all the time in the world to work up to the heavy stuff”

“Oh really she teases “then you won’t mind if we wait a little while longer then” Removing her arms from his neck, she pulls his arms from around her waist and steps away from a now stunned Zan. Turning from him, she tries, but is unsuccessful in stopping the grin that has spread its way across her face.

“Don’t think so kitten”

“And just who do you think you are”

“I’m da Man” he retorted, grabbing her shoulders he spins her, and once facing him, he attacks her mouth with a fiery that even he didn’t existed. Zan couldn’t believe the sensations that were raining down on him, as he continued to kiss this vixen. A battle raged forth between the two, both longing to be the victor, neither willing to back down and so the war continued.

Mouths were plundered, tongues clashed, and air was in short supply on both sides as their fight for dominance continued. And when Zan finally broke the kiss, Maria felt as if she the world was spinning wildly out of control, causing her to grab onto his strong arms for support. “Wow”

“Guess that you won…kitten” he chuckled, please at the way that his kiss had affected her. It was there and then that he vowed that each time he kissed her, he was going to make sure that she felt just as she did at that very moment. “Come on…let’s get out of here”

“Right…out of here” she utters, still clearly dazed.

“Come on kitten…this way”

“What…where…oh…right” she blushes, realizing that she was walking in the wrong direction.

“Where are we going now”

“I am taking you back to my place….where”

“Where you will make mad passionate love to me…and make me the happiest I have been in my entire life” she giggles, pulling out of his grasp, throwing her arms in the air and spinning around. She didn’t care how silly she looked, she felt giddy and light hearted and she didn’t’ want the feeling to ever end.

“Where…you will proceed to sleep in my bed…while I sleep on the couch”

“The couch….alone”

“Alone…I would love to have my way with you and make you the happiest you have ever been in your life…and I will…that you can take to the bank…but not tonight…not this way. When the time is right…it will happen…and it will happen” he laughed, once again grabbing his spinning kitten and pulling her towards his bike.

“Alone…” she repeated, as she wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling against the warmth of his body, once she had climbed onto the cycle.

“Alone”

The next three days rushed by in a blur of sight seeing, and time spent together. Before they knew it, Maria was at the airport awaiting a flight back to Roswell New Mexico and out of him life. He knew that it was only temporally situation, but the thought of being without her for one day let alone the few months that they had planned on, was more torture then he thought he could bare.

“GIRLFRIEND” Max yelled, sweeping a shrieking Maria off her feet and spinning her in the air. “Man…I have missed you. You wouldn’t believe the @#%$ that has happened these last three days without you. Kyle and Liz are not together for this second and Michael never left the room after we brought him back from the hospital. I think that he was afraid that Zan was going to kick his ass again. Isabel threw one of her ice princess temper tantrums at Bloomingdale’s and almost got arrested by the cops. Alex has vowed to get over this jealous streak of his…but we all know that won’t be happening anytime soon”

“Well what can you expect when your this damn good looking…he is bound to be jealous” she laughed as she hugged her best friend tightly.

“Maria” Liz screamed, throwing herself into the hug that was being shared by Max and Maria, with a frowning Kyle in tow.

“Hey Maria”

“Hey Kyle” she giggled, pulling him into the embrace of friendship.

“Got room for one more” Alex blushed, standing in front of the group afraid to make a move.

“Alex…get your ass over here before I kick it” her giggles continued, as she smacked her friend, pulling him into the embrace with the rest.

Zan watched in fascination as the group of friends continued to hold each other. He was amazed at the amount of love that was radiating from them. Friendship was something that he neither had nor wanted before, but as he watched them, he couldn’t stop the tug of wanting that he felt in his heart. He wondered what it would have been like to have friends as Maria seemed to have, but he quickly dashed them as she made her way over to where he stood.

Placing her hand in his, she led him over to the group of friends. “Everyone…this is Zan DaMan”

“Hey…Zan” a chorus of voices greets him.

“Zan…this is everyone. You already met Max and Alex”

“Nice to see you again” Max states, extending his hand towards him.

“Um…yeah…sorry about the other night at the club. I was…um…drunk and I…anyway…sorry”

“No problem…Alex. It is very nice to meet you…and don’t forget that you owe me a dance” Zan replies, a grin on his face as she shakes the blushing man hand.

“This is Liz and Kyle”
“Hey man…good to meet you” Kyle replies shaking his hand

“Hi…um…nice to meet you…body…um…I mean Zan” Liz stutters as she checks out the body of Zan.

“Right…nice to meet you too”

“Liz…what the hell is that all about” Kyle demands, pulling her away from them, leading her to an empty corner.

“What…don’t start with me Kyle Valenti…you’re the one that had her hands all over that waitress at the club the other night”

“Man…you just won’t let me forget that will you”

“NEVER”

“My manly good looks and handsome face seem to be causing all sorts of problems with your friends and their love lives” Zan grins as he watches the two known as Liz and Kyle continue with their argument. Little did he know that he and he alone would cause more grief and misery between the two of them, then any of them would ever know.

“Pretty sure of yourself there” Maria says

“Always…sure of myself” he whispers against her ear, tracing it with his tongue.

“Oh…now you want to get fresh. I have been trying for the last three days and this is what it takes. I don’t know if I should be jealous to not”

“Kitten…you have no reason to be jealous. You’re the only one for me…you remember that” Pulling her into his embrace, Zan places a small kiss on her lips. Tears threaten to spill from his eyes as the realization of the situation sets in. She was leaving him, flying out of his life, and although it was for a short time, he hated the very of being without her.

“CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE. FLIGHT NUMBER 1586, DESTIONATION ROSWELL NEW MEXICO IS NOW BORADING AT GATE 12”

“Guess that’s you”

“I changed my mind. I don’t want to go back to Roswell. I wasn’t to stay here…I want to stay with you. I…I love you” Maria blurts out. “I mean…I…um….”

“I love you too…just wish that I had been the first to say it” he smiles, as the tears that threatened to escape his eyes, fall down his cheeks. “We talked about this. Your going back to Roswell and I am going to stay here and take care of my business. I will be with you in just a few short months and then we can start our life together”

“I know…but do you know how long a few months is…it already feels like an eternity”

“I know Kitten…I know”

ANNOUNCHING THE FINIAL BOARDING CALL FOR FLIGHT NUMBER 1586, DESTINATION ROSWELL NEW MEXICO

“Maria…come one” Max yells to his friends as he hands the stewardess his boarding pass. “Take care Zan…I am sure that I will see you soon”

“Right…take good care of her for me”

“You got it man”

“I love you Kitten…wait for me…ok”

“I’ll always wait for you…I love you too”

In desperation, Maria grabs the collar of the leather jacket that he is wearing and crushes her lips to his for one last mind smoldering kiss.

Emptiness fills his heart as he watches his loves plane take off down the runway…he continues to watch as it disappears into the air…and then she is gone and he once again is all alone.

Time seemed to stand still as he uprooted his life in New York, preparing for his new life in Roswell. He still didn’t quite understand how it was that she talked him into moving to Roswell. After lengthy discussions that usually ended up into heavy make out sessions she had come up with the plan for him to move to Roswell. There was no way that he could deny her anything when she was kissing him, touching him, when she was just loving him.

She had family in Roswell, where he had none. Zan had never met her mother, but he could tell by the way that Maria spoke of her, that they were extremely close. He didn’t want to be the one that took her away from her family and friends. Roswell seemed to have a few benefits also, Maria had her tight group of friends, who would be there for her when he was off taking care of business. It didn’t matter where they lived, as long as she was by his side that was all that mattered. Or so he forced himself to believe…


TWO TEARS LATER

“OH GOD…THAT’S IT…RIGHT THERE…DON”T STOP…ZAAAN” Maria screamed at the top of her lungs as he husband continued to thrust into her aching core. She was amazed at after two years of marriage that he still held many surprises when it came to their lovemaking.

“MAARRIIA” he screamed in rhythm to their climax.

Barely able to catch her breath, Maria snuggles against Zan chest, as he wraps his arms around her slim frame. “This was a pleasant surprise,” she murmurs into his still heaving chest. “You weren’t supposed to be home for another three days”

“Well…what can I say business didn’t take as long as I anticipated…and I couldn’t stand to be away from my kitten for another minute longer. Is that such a crime” Guilt pours over his heart as he places a small kiss on her lips. For what felt like the millionth time he contemplates telling Maria the truth about his line of work. He was tired of always lying to his wife, tired of the guilt that always seemed to eat as his heart each time that he did. On numerous occasions he had attempted to tell her, but it always came back to the one simple fact, he was afraid. Fear of the unknown, fear of her reaction to his words, fear of her leaving him, never to return.

But the lying had become out of control. Zan was now the top rated and highest paid hit man in the business, and he was widely sought after, stateside as well and overseas. He spent a vast majority of his time out of the country. Being away from Maria for more then a day was absolute agony, but the lies that he told her each time were beyond any torture that he could inflict on any of his prey.

Since this last trip, he had been contemplating telling her the truth, and yet, it was much more then that, for the first time since he had become this hit man for hire, he had thought about getting out of the business.

Maria had been talking about starting a family someday. It was just talk at first, which cause Zan get anxiety, he kept telling trying to convince himself that he wasn’t ready for the duties that fatherhood required, but the truth was that he was afraid. Zan DaMan, was petrified of the very idea of bringing a child into this world. But now, as he held the love of his life in his arms after another glorifying night of love making, he felt different. He felt he was ready, ready to take the next step in their marriage, ready to create a life out of the love that he felt for his wife. He knew what he had to do, and he had to do it quick before he changed his mind.

“Maria…I…I…need to tell you something”

“Yes…baby”

“I…I haven’t been telling you the truth…about….about…”

“What is it Zan” Maria asks, fear clearly evident in her eyes

And for the millionth time, Zan took the easy way out. “I haven’t been telling you the truth about…living in Roswell. I know that you love it here, but I really hate it here and I think that we should consider moving back to New York, or any where…just not Roswell New Mexico”

He could read the relief that now filled her eyes. There was a shred of truth to what he had just told her. He did hate living in Roswell New Mexico. They had been living her for the last year and a half and hated every minute of it, but he did it for her. He had a choice move to Roswell and be with the love of his life or stay in New York and live a miserable life without her, he knew that he had made the right decision, but now it was time for a change. He had a bad feeling about this place, he had never liked Roswell from the get go, but something was different, something was going to happen and the fact that he had no idea what that something was, chilled him to the core of his soul.



Chapter Ten

PRESENT DAY

Zan felt as if he were falling into blissful oblivion as he continued to kiss the woman that he still held in his lap. He had forgotten how wonderful it felt to kiss a woman, forgotten how it felt to feel the curves of a woman as you held her against your body and he had missed it more then even he had realized until now. Their kisses became more passionate and all the he could think about was taking this link to his past into the restroom and having his way with her.

“I know that this sounds like a pick up line, but don’t I know you from somewhere” Liz asked, as Zan attacked the side of her neck with his mouth. “I can’t place it, but I know that I know you from somewhere”

Once again reality slaps him in the face, once again he allowed himself to ignore what he was really here to do, once again he had to get control of the situation. “NO…you don’t know me” he gruffed, removing her roughly from his lap and throwing her in the seat besides him.

“I’m sorry” Liz whimpered, as she felt the loss of his arms around her. She found that she was also confused at his abrupt turn around. One minute he was kissing her and the next he was pushing her away as if her touch had burned him. It’s…just…just your eyes…they look so familiar to me. I was hoping that you did know me…I have no memory of the last few years and I was hoping that if you knew me that you could…could…maybe help me remember”

“I said that I don’t know you dammit” he roared, running his hands through his spiky hair.

“Oh…I guess it was just wishful thinking on my part. I’ve tried everything to get my memories back…Doctors, Specialists and even a psychic. My best friend Maria…” Liz giggled as she continued with her story. She didn’t know why she felt it necessary, but she felt that he should know her story, she felt that their was a reason that she had run into this man who was so obviously a part of her past, wither he chose to admit it or not, and so she continued. “she swore by this particular psychic, but she was no help to me. She was killed in an accident, actually her death is one of the last things that I remember before I lost my memory…except for Kyle…my husband”

His anger hit him with such a blow, Zan thought for sure that she had to feel the heat as it radiated from his body. Maria, she had mentioned Maria. How could he have been so stupid to let the situation get this far out of hand. He had a job to do, he had to rid himself of this woman, it was imperative to his survival and yet, something inside him screamed for him to ignore it, to listen to her story and hope that maybe they could bring closer into each others lives, grabbing the sides of the armrest, white knuckled, he listened to her story.



FLASHBACK

Kyle had been deputy of Roswell for a few years, he had moved his way up the ladder steadily since he had joined the academy, but now, his job was at a standstill. He had been deputy for only short time, but he wanted the brass ring, wanted to hold the position that his father and grand-father had held before him, the position of Sheriff of Roswell New Mexico.

His father had died almost six months ago and the man that they had replaced him with, had no idea what it meant to be a sheriff in a small town, namely Roswell. He was pulled from the neighboring town of Clovis, and made it blatantly obvious that he did not plan on staying in Roswell. Kyle knew that he had to prove to the towns people of Roswell that he was the man for the job, that he would do what ever it took to make sure that Roswellians would sleep sound at night, knowing that Sheriff Kyle Valenti was protecting them.

To say that Kyle was ambitious was an understatement. He made it a point to be the eyes and ears of Roswell, he knew every dirt bag and slim ball with in a five-town radius. Nothing went on in Roswell with out his knowledge and that turned out to be his biggest downfall. It was through one of his low lifes spies that he got the biggest tip of his career, the one that was going to prove to the towns folk that he was the only person experienced enough to run this town.

At first he refused to believe the tip that he received, it was impossible, there was no way that it could have been true, that someone that he knew very well was involved in some sort of shady dealings. But, his source was extremely adamant about it, and once Kyle began his investigation, he knew that he had just found the one thing that was going to give him the position that he desired most, even though it would hurt one of his dearest and closest friends in the process.

Kyle and Liz had gotten married just days after returning from New York. They were happy, but nothing much had changed in their relationship. Kyle loved Liz, there was no denying it, but she just did not have the drive that he had to be the best, to always be at the top of his field.

Liz was a teacher’s assistant at the local elementary school. It was a job that she loved, and she was great at it. Kyle had wanted her to go back to school and get her degree in teaching, but here was where she got the most satisfaction and it was here that she planned on staying. It was a cause of many arguments between the two, but Liz knew that if it wasn’t this it would be something else.

That evening started out like and other evening in the Valenti household. Liz cooking dinner and Kyle not showing up until hours later, after she had already gone to bed. Normally he would just slip quietly into bed, and fall asleep within minutes. But, tonight she could sense that something was wrong, he was agitated, pacing back and forth in front of the bed that they shared. “Kyle…what’s wrong” Liz asked, panic setting in, she couldn’t remember the last time that she had seen him this way.

“Liz…I have to tell you something, but you have to promise that you won’t repeat this to anyone. I shouldn’t even tell you, but I just don’t know what to feel about it. Promise me that you won’t repeat this to anyone”

“Kyle…you’re scaring me. I promise…just tell me”

Kyle continued to pace back and forth, each pass causing Liz’s nerves to become more frayed. “KYLE…PLEASE”

“Zan…is a hired killer…he kills people for money”

“What…your @#%$ crazy. Zan is not a hired killer…he…he runs his own business. I don’t believe you…this is absurd that we are evening talking about this. I’m going back to bed. Good night Kyle”

“Liz…would you listen to me for just a minute. I didn’t want to believe it either, but think about it. What do we really know about him, and what about this business of his. What do we really know about it. Can you honestly tell me what it is exactly that he does for a living.

“Of course I can. He does…he does…he…” terror fills her heart as she realizes that she had no clue as to what he did for a living. “OMG…Kyle we have to tell Maria”

“Liz…we can’t tell Maria. We have everything under control. She won’t be harmed as long as she doesn’t know the truth. We don’t know what he might do to Maria if he found out that she knew. We have to just pretend like everything is normal. My team has been working on this case for almost six months now and we have just about everything that we need to convict him”

“SIX MONTHS” she screamed, jumping out of bed, rushing to stand in front of a still pacing Kyle. “YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT YOU HAVE KNOWN THIS FOR SIX MONTHS AND YOUR JUST TELLING ME THIS NOW. I CAN’T BELIVE THIS. HE WAS JUST IN OUR HOME LAST NIGHT EATING DINNER. YOU WERE PLAYING BASKET BALL WITH HIM. HOW COULD YOU WAIT SIX MONTHS TO TELL ME THIS”

“I had to…everything had to be like normal” he whispered, pulling her into his arms. There is no way that you would have acted normal with him if you had known the truth.

“Kyle…do you think that Maria knows about him” she asked, clinging to Kyle as if his life depended on it.

“No…I don’t think that she has any clue. It will all be over soon. We are just waiting for the warrant to be approved and then we are going to take him down. Maria will not be harmed Liz…I promise you that”

Liz knew that Kyle’s words should have brought her comfort, but the opposite actually occurred. She didn’t know why, but she knew that something bad was going to happen, that someone that she held dear to her heart was going to get hurt, or worse.

Days later, Maria was dead, Zan was in jail and Kyle and Liz were no longer speaking to each other. He had failed to keep his promise to protect Maria, her friend since childhood, she was now dead and it was his bullet that had killed her.

Liz hadn’t spoken to, or even seen Kyle for weeks after the funeral. She was a bundle of frustrated nerves, and it was evident in the way that she nearly jumped out of her skin each time someone spoke to her, or she heard anything out of the ordinary. She was tired of being alone at night, tired of worrying about him, but most of all she was just angry about the fact that she felt helpless, helpless because she still had the same nagging feeling that she had before Maria had died.

Fed up and disgusted with the way life with Kyle had been at home, Liz trapped him in his office, where she knew that he wouldn’t be able to escape. “We need to talk Kyle…I am sick and tired of this coming between us Kyle. It’s like you are having an affair, but I don’t have to worry about their being a woman involved, because you won’t have time for her either”

“Look…you know how important this is to my career. If I crack this case, then I will get the promotion that I have been working so hard for. We have talked about this time and time again Liz…I need to solve this case. I would think that you would be ecstatic that I am trying to take down the man that killed one of your best friends in cold blood”

“You seem to forget that it wasn’t that man that took down one of my best friends in cold blood…it was you that took one of my best friends down in cold blood”

Liz regretted the words as soon as they flew out of her mouth, but she didn’t take them back. She was sick of the whole situation. Zan was in jail, and Kyle had promised that it was going to be an open and shut case, but now evidence had been tampered with, and it looked like Zan was going to get out of jail Scott free.

“You know what Liz…I don’t need this. I will have to deal with this for the rest of my life, knowing that it was me that killed Maria. I don’t need it from you too. I was only doing my job…it was an accident”

“Yeah…well it still won’t bring her back…now will it Kyle” she screamed, running from the room, slamming the door behind her. Guilt filled her entire body, but she would not allow herself to turn back now. She was hurt and angry, she had lost one of her best friends and now she felt as if she was losing Kyle. As she headed home, tears poured from her eyes, and she felt as if her heart and soul had been ripped out of her chest.

She didn’t know if her and Kyle were going to be able to survive this tragedy. So much had happened in the last month, too many hurtful words had been said, and one of their own was dead. It was exhausting to think about, and before she knew it, four hours had passed. She didn’t remember falling asleep, but she had to admit that now that she had actually gotten some rest, she did feel a bit better. She had been wrong to attack Kyle the way that she did, she knew that now that her mind was free of all the clutter and she was able to think clearly. Deep in her heart she knew that Maria’s death had been an accident, that Kyle hadn’t shot their friend in cold blood, and she also realized how much she still loved Kyle, how much she still needed Kyle in her life. She knew what she had to do. She had to talk to Kyle, try and make him understand her outburst, make him see that she did in fact still love him and that they could work through this, it would just take time.

“Hello…Roswell Sheriffs Department”

“Hello…this is Mrs. Valenti…can I speak with my husband please”

“Sorry Mrs. Valenti…you just missed him. He said something about needing time to think and going to his spot. Does that mean anything to you”

“Yes it does…thank you”

Clicking the cordless phone off, Liz throws it onto the bed and runs down to the bottom floor of their house. This was a perfect opportunity to begin the healing process with Kyle and she knew just what she had to do.

“Blanket…check Picnic Basket…check CD Player with romantic music…check. I think that is everything I need” she says closing the trunk of her car, now loaded with the supplies needed, she hoped to make this surprise memorably. “Thanks mom for the basket of food, I owe you one. Wish me luck” she says, placing a kiss on her mother’s cheek, before driving off to find Kyle.

Kyle was so deep in thought, that he didn’t even hear the car as it pulled up on the road behind him, didn’t hear the footsteps as they made their way to where he stood, and didn’t hear the voice that called out to him, once they reached him, all he felt was cold steel as it was placed against his neck.

“Stand up…” the voice ordered, grabbing Kyle by the back of his shirt and jerking him to his feet. “I bet your surprised to see me…aren’t you Deputy Valenti”

“Zan” Kyle whispers, eyes widening in fear as he turns to face the man with the gun at his throat. Kyle in the almost two years that he had known Zan, had never seen the look that occupied his face at that very moment. He was unshaven, his normally spiky hair was combed back and looked to be unwashed. But, his appearance wasn’t as unsettling then the look of pure craziness that fill his eyes. “What...how…what are you doing here. How did you know where I would be”

“What’s the matter…not happy to see your good friend Zan. I’m crushed…I mean you could at least me a little bit happy to see me. I mean…after all…you did kill my wife in cold blood and as for knowing where you where…come on Kyle…we have been friends for awhile now…of course I’d know where you were. Where you always come to do you thinking. What are you thinking about now…are you thinking about the day that you killed the only woman that I’ll ever love…or are you thinking about how to redecorate your new office”

“How did you get out…I don’t understand that”

“Come one Kyle…use your brain. Evidence was tampered with…there were only two people that were allowed into that evidence room…you and the Sheriff. One of you had to go in there and tamper with the evidence…and we all know that it wasn’t you”

“Sheriff Fleetwood”

“Give the man a prize…of course Sheriff Fleetwood. He was so easy to buy off…all it took was a couple of thousand dollars…personally I would have held out for a lot more…but the man is a moron…so go figure. I got out this morning…and I just had to find you…we have a lot of things to discuss”

“Zan…you have to believe me when I tell you that it was an accident. I never meant to kill her. I…”

“I know…you meant to kill me and just what was that all about anyway” he replied coldly, taking a step back from the man he held a gun on. “I mean just a few days ago we were shooting hoops and drinking brews and then the next thing I know you and your band of merry men are surrounding my home, and killing my wife”

“friends or not…you broke the law. You killed people for money…you…”

“I killed scum bags…low lifes…and people that were better off being dead. I never hurt anyone in Roswell. In fact Roswell profited greatly from quite a bit of my earnings”

“What about Maria…don’t you think that you hurt here with your lies”

“Don’t you @#%$ go there…Deputy. I loved Maria with everything that I am…and even you can’t deny that. No…this had nothing to do with the fact that I killed the assholes that I killed. No…this had to do with one thing and one thing only…getting that promotion to Sheriff. You murdered someone that you claimed to be your friend…in order to become a @#%$ Sheriff. But…it is too bad really that you won’t get to see that day. Because it is really kind of hard to be Sheriff when your dead”

“Zan…can we talk about this. I know that your angry with me…but killing me won’t bring Maria back…”

“No…your right Kyle. It won’t bring Maria back. Did you know that she was pregnant…Kyle…DID YOU” he sobbed, as he smacked the gun into the side of his head. “We had just found out a few weeks ago. We had it all planned out…we were going to have everyone over and make our announcement then. We were going to ask you and Liz to be the baby’s godparents. Maria…she wanted to ask Max and Alex…but I stood my ground and told her that I wanted you…my friend Kyle and his wife. GREAT @#%$ JOB…KYLE. I know that killing you won’t bring my baby or my Maria back…but I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I am the one that killed the @#%$ that took them away from me. Good bye Kyle…it was really nice knowing you”

BANG BANG BANG

“KYYYLLLE” Liz screamed, as she watched in horror as her husband was gunned down in cold blood and then his body rolled into the reservoir.

“NOW DAMMIT LIZ…WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DO THAT…WHY DID YOU HAVE TO COME DOWN HERE. I DIDN’T WANT TO HURT YOU…YOU HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS…BUT NOW…NOW I HAVE TO KILL YOU TOO. Zan shrieked crazily, waving his gun in the air as his tears continued to roll down his face. “NOW BE A GOOD KITTEN AND JUST STAY THERE”

“Zan” Liz whispered, unable to believe the sight before her eyes. She knew that this had to be some sort of horrible nightmare. There was no way that the man that had been married to one of her best friends, the man that she had befriended and the man that she held a secret crush on, had just murdered her husband in cold blood and tossed his dead body into the reservoir. But, as Zan quickly bridged the distancebetween them, she could see the crazed look in his eyes, then she knew that this was in fact not a dream, that this was very real, and if she didn’t get out of there, Zan was going to murder her also.

“NOW…LIZ…I TOLD YOU TO BE A GOOD KITTEN AND STAY THERE. DON’T MAKE ME CHASE AFTER YOU” Zan continued his deranged ranting, as he began to run after her retreating figure. “COME ON KITTEN…

Forgetting all about the things that she held in her hand, Liz dropped them and ran like the wind back to her car. “COME ON” she screamed as she tried to start her car, finding that she was unable to fit the key into the ignition. “COME ON…COME ON.COME ON”

“DON’T WORRY LIZZIE…IT WON’T HURT…I KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT QUICK AND PAINLESS”

“NOOOOO” she screamed, finally getting the correct key into the ignition and starting the car. Putting the car in drive, she rips out of the deserted reservoir and heads out onto the highway. “OMG…OMG…OMG…WHAT AM I GOING TO DO…OMG”

“DAMMIT” Zan screams as he jumps in the car and speeds after Liz.

Looking in the rear view mirror, Liz can see Zan’s car as it fastly approaches hers. Changing lanes, passing cars and hitting speeds were things that she would have never other wise done before, but today it was the only thing that would ensure her survival.

Tears streamed down her face, as her thoughts turn to Kyle. Kyle her husband was dead, dead and his body tossed into the reservoir. Her hearts breaks as she recalls the last words that she had spoken to him. Words that she said in spit and anger, words that she really didn’t mean, words that she could never take back, words that would haunt her for the rest of her life.

She had no idea where she was going, or what she was going to do once she got there, all she could think about was Zan as he tossed her husbands lifeless body in the reservoir. Her mind everywhere but on the road ahead of her, Liz didn’t even see the eighteen wheeler ahead of her as she smashed into the tail end of it.

Zan watched as Liz’s car slammed into the semi-truck, watched as her car flipped three or four times before landing upside down on the side of the road. A small grin crosses his face as pulls over to the side of the road, staying clear of the accident, but close enough were he got a view of everything. A small chuckle escapes his throat as tears continue to roll down his cheeks. His mad laughter continues as he pulls back onto the highway, sure in the knowledge that she was dead. He knew that there was no way that anyone could survive a wreck like that, there was basically nothing left to her car and as he drove past what was left of her automobile, he saw her lifeless body laying off to the side of the wreckage.



PRESENT DAY

“You don’t have any memories of what happened…nothing” Zan asked

“No the last thing I remember is saying those horrible words to Kyle…my husband before the accident…everything else is a complete blank”

“Maybe you shouldn’t worry so much about recovering your past…it seems that it would only serve to hurt you. Sometimes…things are better left in the past…trust me I know this”

“I know that I should…and you’re right. I shouldn’t want to remember it…but I feel like before I die…I have to remember everything that happened that day. I know that it sounds strange…but I just have to know”

“Liz…I have to tell you something…I” Zan whispers, as the plane begins to shake wildly.

“OMG…what is that” Liz asks, fear in her voice as she gets up from her seat and heads for the aisle of the plane. “I am going to go and find out what is going on”

LADIES AND GENTEL MEN…MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE. THE CAPTAIN HAS PUT ON THE FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS SIGNS ON. WE ARE EXPERIENCING A BIT OF TURBILANCE AND THIS IS JUST A PRECATION. THANK YOU.

“Liz…they told us to fasten our seatbelts. I am sure that it is nothing”

“I know…but I would feel safer if I knew for sure what was going on”

“Look…just be a good kitten and stay there” Zan says, irritation clearly evident in his voice. “I will find out what is going on”

“What did you just say” Liz asked, as his words echoed in her mind. But it was to late, Zan was already walking down the aisle towards the front of the plane. She watched as he conversed with the stewardess as she tried to recall where she had heard that phrase before. “Look…just be a good kitten and stay there… Look…just be a good kitten and stay there… Look…just be a good kitten and stay there… Look…just be a good kitten and stay there”

Over and over it played in her mind. She knew that it was of some importance to her past, if only she could remember. Think Liz think, she mentally screams to herself as she watches Zan approaching his seat. “Look…just be a good kitten and stay there… Look…just be a good kitten and stay there”

“We don’t have anything to worry about” Zan says, settling back into his seat, placing his lap belt back on and taking Liz’s hand into his own. “Its only turbulence. We should be over the worst of it pretty soon”

Liz gives the man a small smile, as he continues to hold her hand. Panic begins to fill her senses as his words continue to roll over in her head. “Look…just be a good kitten and stay there”

“Look…Liz…I need to talk to you once we land. Liz…Liz…Liz”

“How do you know that my name is Liz” she interupts, realizing that she never told him her name.

“You told me it was Liz earlier”

“No…No…I never told you my name. Just like you never told me your name. You know me…which means that I must know you…but I can’t remember who you are”

“I think that you’re just afraid of the turbulence and that is why you are acting like this” Zan replied, uneasiness setting in.

“What do you want to talk to me about and why can’t we talk about it right now. Why are you lying to me. Please…just tell me who you are”

“LOOK…IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU…YOU WILL JUST DROP THIS RIGHT NOW” Zan, growls, his eyes blazing with spit and hate. Removing his hand from her hand and grabbing her shoulders, he pulls her forwarded until she can’t help but stare deep into his eyes. “IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU…YOU WILL JUST LET IT GO”

Flashbacks of her first and only visit to Madame Vivian’s parlor come flooding back to her as she stares into his blazing eyes.

“Wait child…you may be right about what you have said…but you are in danger. The spirits have not told me all…but you are in danger…and this danger is going to find you. It is in the eyes…beware of the eyes”

Absolute terror fills her entire body as realization of whom exactly it is sitting in front of her sets in. “ZAN”

Suddenly the cabin of the plane is fill with a thunderous booming sound. Screams can be heard as a giant hole is ripped into the opposite side of the plane from where Zan and Liz are seated. They watch as people as well as their belongings are plucked from where they sat.

Screaming over the rush of air and the screams of the remaining passengers, Liz looks to Zan and speaks words that hurt him more then he ever thought possible. “GUESS THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT KILLING ME NOW”



Chapter Eleven

PRESENT DAY

Screaming over the rush of air and the screams of the remaining passengers, Liz looks to Zan and speaks words that hurt him more then he ever thought possible. “GUESS THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT KILLING ME NOW”

Screams continued, belongings flew around the cabin of the plane and yet all that Zan could think about where the words that she had just spoken to him, words that cut at his heart like a knife, words that would have killed him, if the planes crashing didn’t do it first.

Liz knew that she was about the meet her maker, and yet she felt little fear. The only emotion that she was experiencing was pure anger. She knew that he was going to kill her, she was after all a link to his past, and it was her and her alone that could convict him of murdering her husband, but she found that she was more angry that the fact that he had not been honest to her when she had asked about who he was.

Liz was beginning to remember everything about her past; it was all coming back to her in a barrage of images that now flooded her mind. She had loved Kyle, but she had always encompassed a soft spot for Zan. She knew that he was Maria’s husband and that it was wrong, but she couldn’t help it. She could never explain the feelings that he evoked in her whenever he was around her, feelings that several years later, and after all he had put her through, he somehow still evoked in her.

Glancing to her left, she took in what she knew to be her final look of this man sitting besides her. She had to admit to herself that he was absolutely breathtaking. Everything about him was perfect and well defined and he just screamed confidence to anyone that was near him and even as the plane plunged towards the waters below, and their immediate death was looming, he still held a look of complete calm and self-assurance.

She could see how Maria had grown to love Zan as quickly as she had. She understood because she had fallen on love with Zan the first time that she had meet him in that airport all those many years ago. Many nights she imagined that it was Zan that was having his way with her, as Kyle made love to her. Imagined what it was like to feel his hands as they roamed over her body, feel his lips as they pleasured her to orgasm, imagined what it would be like to taste his skin, his body, his everything.

Fear began to replace the anger she was feeling moments before as she watched a lap top computer rush past Zan, nicking him in the forehead and almost unconscious. She watches as he fights the unconscious, turning his head and locking eyes with her own.

Zan tried to fight the unconscious that was beckoning him into the darkness as the plane slammed into the water. Blood pours down his face and stings his eyes as he touches his forehead, finding a hugh gash from where some sort of flying debris had bashed him in the head. He knew that the end was near, that this was the day that he had been planning forever since her death that this was going to be the day that he reunited with his Maria. Everyday was a constant struggle for Zan, to live or not to live was a question that he asked himself several times daily. He had been waiting for this day, he thought that he would rejoice in the fact that in just a matter of moments he would be with her and yet he found that he was not yet ready for the death that he normally would have receive with open arms.

Confusion fills his heart, as he looks at the woman sitting besides him, who he finds also happens to be looking back at him. He can read the fear in her eyes and yet he could not tell if it was fear of her realization of whom he was, or fear of the plane crashing into the water below, both ending in her impending death. But, there was something more, something else that he couldn’t believe he could find, he finds love. Confusion turns to complete astonishment as he watches her mouth form words that he never thought that he would hear again, words that he never thought he would hear especially from her, words that brought tears to his eyes.

“I love you Zan,” she mouthed, as the plane crashed into it’s deep watery grave.



Chapter Twelve

“I love you too…” He roars over the rush of air that streamed into the cabin of the plane as it plummeted to the waters below, grabbing her hand and holding it over his heart. “And I am so…” he finds that he is unable to finish his declaration as blackness begins to engulf Zan as his head smashes into the seat in front of him. It could have been so easy to give up, to let the darkness take over and lead him to where his Maria would be waiting for him, but he found that he didn’t want to die anymore. In fact, he wanted to live more now then he had in the past few years and it was all because of her. He didn’t know how and he didn’t know why, but he knew that he was in love with her. He wasn’t just speaking simple words because of their current situation; he truly had fallen in love with Liz Parker, link to his past, the one person that could put him in jail for life, the one person who’s husband he had murdered in cold blood, the one and only person that could make him happy.

He had never in his life remembered fighting as hard for anything as he was now as the unconscience continued to envelop him. He had to fight, had to win, he had a reason to remain alive now and he silently vowed that once he got out of this that he would do what ever it took to make sure that she was always happy. He knew that there was absolutely nothing that he could do to make up for his mistakes in the past, and the truth was he didn’t even know if the words she spoke where real or if they were just spoken out of fear that she would die alone. Truth was he didn’t care, he felt alive again and it was because of the woman grasping onto his hand with a death like grip, and then it was gone.

Panic surged through Zan’s body as he felt her hand go limp in his own. “Li” he tried to scream, as water filled his open mouth, burning its way into his throat and then into his lungs. Assessing the situation, Zan recognizes the amount of danger they are in and that time is of the essence.

The water that is entering through the whole in the side of the plane continues to flood the cabin at an alarming rate. Already the blue liquid has taken the life of several of the passengers, including the stewardess that he had spoken to earlier. Zan watches as her body rushes down the aisle following the current of the gushing water. He knew what he had to do, he had to get them out of there, and he had to do it quickly. Struggling with his lap belt, Zan glances at his love and watches as her beautiful dark hair flows around her face as she continues to remain strapped in her seat.

Lungs burning as they fight for air, he begins to thrash about his seat fighting with the unwavering lap belt. Don’t panic, he tells himself as he evaluates his options. He had only two, one was to get them the hell out of that plane and hope like hell that he could find something, anything for them to cling to until help arrives or his last option, he could give up and just let the two of them die a slow and torturous death. It would solve all of his problems, he wouldn’t have to feel the guilt each and every time that he looks at her, knowing that it was him alone that caused her all the pain and suffering that she experienced the last few years, or he could be a man and take the responsibility of his past actions and fight for what he hoped would be a future with her.

He opted for that latter, remembering the pocketknife that he always kept in his specially made leather boot. Blindly reaching below his seat he lifts his foot, and removes the knife from the secret compartment that nestled in the heel. With a swift swipe the blade slices through the fabric, releasing him from the hold that the belt held on him. With another swipe of the knife, she was free and he was thrusting her over his shoulder and bounding into the aisle. Once again he surveyed the area looking for their best escape option.

He knew that there was not way to escape through the hole in the side of the plane. The water was still rushing in through it and trying to fight it would end up being a losing battle for both of them. Sunlight streamed through the cabin and reflected on the water, causing a slight smile to cross his face. He knew that the only way that sunlight was getting into the plane was through another hole of some sort, The water level was already just below his chin and he knew that moments were precious as he followed the rays of hope towards the back of the plane.

Zan couldn’t believe that the fates were smiling on him for once as he found that the tail end of the plane had broken off exposing the most beautiful blue sky that he had ever seen. “Hang on baby” he whispered to the still unconscience Liz, as a moan escaped from her lips. “Just hang on”

Avoiding the jagged edges and hanging wires, he cautiously made his way to the edge of the open space, glancing down at a drop that if it didn’t kill them, then it would surely hurt like hell as they landed in the water below. Zan knew that he had no other option as the plane shifted forward, causing him to lose his balance and his grip on Liz as he fell backwards, colliding with the open door of the rest room. Pain like he had never felt before shot throughout his arm as he struggled to keep his already weakening grip on his love. “@#%$” he cries as he hears an all to familiar sound of bone breaking. The pain proves to be too much as he continues his struggle, causing Liz to slip from his grasp and land at his feet with a dull thud.

“Liz…you have to wake up. Liz…please…I need you to wake up for me. I can’t carry you anymore…and we don’t have much time. Please…baby…wake up” he whispers, as he crouches beside her, he places his hand along the side of her face, placing a small kiss on her cold cheek. “Please…you have to…”

“Zan” she murmurs, as she hears his voice calling her out of the fog that surrounds her. “What happened…where are we…what…”

“Baby…we don’t have time to discuss this…we have to go and we have to go now”

“What…baby…who” Liz states confused as she surveys the area around her. Reality sets in as she looks back at the man from her past, the man that had killed Kyle, the man that was going to kill her because she was a link to his past. “You…you killed Kyle. You…you…you…Maria. Why…did you save me…I”

“LOOK” Zan growls, grabbing Liz by the front of her shirt, even in the state that his arm was in he was still able to overpower her, pulling her off the floor and into a standing position. “We can discuss this in bed after they rescue us…but we have to get off this plane…NOW”

“OFF THE PLANE…HOW” she clamors, trying to figure out how it was that he expected to get off the fallen plane as he removes two seat/floatation devices and hands one to her. “WHAT AM I SUPOSSED TO DO WITH THIS. HOW THE HELL DO YOU PLAN TO GET OFF THIS PLANE WITH THESE”

“Like this” he states plainly, distracting her by placing his lips over hers, grabbing her hand, and forcing them both over the edge and into the waters below.

“BAAAAASTAAAAARD” Liz screamed, as they plummeted into the murky depths. Water fills her lungs as she thrashes below the surface, panic begins to set in as she finds that she can’t reach the surface. Seconds feel like minutes as she forces herself to stop her struggling and looks around the dark liquid, noticing light above her head she swims with all her might towards it. “ZAN” she screams between gasps of breath as sweet air fills her burning lungs. “ZAN….WHERE ARE YOU” Panic, yet again fills her as she frantically searches for Zan. ZAN…ZAN…PLEASE…WHERE ARE…..OMG….ZAN”



Chapter Thirteen
ZAN…ZAN…PLEASE…WHERE ARE…OMG…ZAN”

Liz could not believe the sight that she was seeing before her, there was Zan the man that she loved floating face down, unmoving in the water just a mere inches before her. “Zan…please” she cries as she frantically makes her way to his lifeless body. “Oh god…please don’t be dead…please don’t be dead”

Pulling him against her body, she flips onto her back, supporting his weight as she struggles to keep them both afloat. Holding her breath, she checks to make sure that he is still breathing. It seems like ages before she hears a raspy breath escape over his pale lips. Relief slowly seeps into her body as she allows the breath she was holding to expel from her lungs, relief quickly turns to fear as she realizes the full extent of their situation. Zan was breathing, but unconscious and unable to swim for him self. Scanning the area around her she discovers only endless miles of dark liquid calm, until she catches something out of the corner of her eye, catches what appears to be land or an island of some sort. Land, that would be their salvation, land that she hopes to revive his almost comatose body, land that might as well have been five hundred miles away instead of the few miles that it seemed to be. Liz knew what she had to do and she knew that she had to do it soon, what she didn’t know was how she was going to manage to get them both to the safety without somehow drowning the two of them in the process. “Come on Liz…think” she cries as tears of fear fill her eyes. “THINK”

“@#%$” she shrieks startled, as something rubs against her arm. Laughter erupts from her lips as she recognizes the floatation device that he had given to her earlier. “Hang on baby…hang on”

FLASHBACK
ROSWELL NEW MEXICO

“I love you so much my little kitten witten…do you know how much I love my little kitten …do you…yes I do…yes I do…I love so much”

“You know…I think that he loves you more then he loves me,” Maria whined rubbing her stomach, pretending to pout as her husband placed butterfly kisses all over her slightly protruding tummy talking to his unborn child.

“I think that mommy is getting jealous kitten” Zan chuckled, as he placed on last kiss on Maria’s stomach, moving his way up her body until he came face to face with his beautifully glowing wife. In his eyes Maria had always been beautiful, but as she settled into her pregnancy, he found that she was absolutely breathtaking. “So what can I do to my beautiful wife to prove that I love her just as much as I love our baby girl”

“Flattery will get you everywhere” Maria giggled, as Zan commenced with his butterfly kisses all over her neck and jaw line.

“What time is you appointment this afternoon” he asked pulling her into his arms, which allowed her to snuggle her face into the crock of his neck. He loved spending time with her like this, time where it was just the three of them, time where he didn’t have to worry about the outside world and all the crap that was associated with it, here all he had to worry about was how to please the only woman that he had ever loved.

“In about thirty minutes” she grunted, as she withdrew from his arms and struggled to get off the bed. “I guess that I should get going…don’t want to be late for…”

“You know that we can accomplish a lot in thirty minutes” he grinned, as he pulled her back into his embrace placing a fevered kiss on her lips, which caused Maria to burst into a fit of giggles. “That isn’t exactly the reaction I was hoping for” he growled releasing her from the grip he held on her and rolling over on his back.

“Sorry…sweetie…but the baby is kicking me in the ribs and you know how ticklish I am there”

Zan jumped off the bed and dropped to his knees in front of his wife, placing his hands on her stomach. A grin a mile wide spread across his face as he felt the first movement of his daughter, a daughter whom they had already decided to name Kylie, after her future godfather and Zan’s best friend, Kyle.

“She packs quite a punch there…we may have a future Olympian on our hands”

“I don’t care…as long as she is healthy. Now…don’t just sit there…help get your whale of a wife off this bed so I can make sure that she stays healthy”

“You are the most absolutely breathtakingly beautiful woman that I have every seen” he said as he helped her off the bed and onto her feet, pulling her once again against his body and into his embrace. “I love you and I will always love you…don’t you every forget that. I would love to see you pregnant like this all the time…because you even more beautiful then is humanly possible”

“You just saying that because you trying to make me feel better about looking like a beached whale”

Kitten…I don’t have to say anything of the sort. Remember I am Zan DaMan…and I only speak the truth” he countered back to her, placing his hands along the sides of her face as tears misted at his eyes “I mean it Maria…I love you with all my heart and soul. You and Kylie are my everything…I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost you”

“Hey…baby…I am the one that is supposed to having the mood swings…not you” Maria giggled into Zan’s ear, wrapping her arms around his waist and placing her head on his should. “Thank you for loving me Zan. I don’t know how I was so lucky to have found you…but I thank god everyday for bringing you into my life. I love you baby…always. But…I have to go…or I am going to be late for my Doctor’s appointment and you need to get ready for that business meeting that you were telling me about last night. It sure came up suddenly…must be pretty important”

Zan didn’t know why but he was reluctant to let Maria go. He had a bad feeling, a feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him that something was wrong, that something bad was about to happen and he knew that if he just kept her wrapped tightly in his arms that nothing bad could ever happen to them. But she had other ideas, as she placed a warm kiss on his lips and removed herself from his embrace. “I think that I should cancel my business meeting and go to the Doctors with you”

“Come on…walk me to my car” she said, grabbing his hand as they walked out of the bedroom and towards the front of the house.

“I am…I’m going to cancel my business meeting. I think that I should go to the doctors with you" he repeated his self. "I just have a bad….”

“Nonsense…there will be plenty of appointments for you to go with me. Go do what you have to do and then we can take up where we left off tonight once you get back”

Still reluctant, as the gnawing in the pit of his stomach continued to increase, he let her go. Zan knew that once Maria set her mind to anything, there was no changing it afterwards. Hand and hand they made there way to the front door of their home. Once they reached it Maria turned to face her husband, tugging him forward as she ravaged his mouth with her own. “Just a taste of what is to come tonight. Love you baby”

“Love you too…Maria” Zan responded to her words of love, watching as she made her way to her car.

In a matter of seconds Zan and Maria’s lawn was littered with several police vehicles, some marked and others not. Confusion filled Maria as she watched the scene play out before her. She knew that this had to be some kind of mistake that they had raided the wrong house, or that this was just some kind of horrible dream that she would wake up from, finding that it all wasn’t real. Her heart was beating so fast in her chest that she found that she could not catch her breath and then she felt a jolt of pain that ripped through her abdomen causing her to double over.

“ROSWELL SHERIFF’S OFFICE….FREEZE…DON’T MOVE. ZAN…JUST COROPERATE WITH US AND THIS WILL BE OVER BEFORE YOU KNOW IT”

“ZAN” Maria screamed, dropping her keys and purse, pushing the pain away as she made her way to him, throwing her self into his arms. "What's going on...what do they want" she asked, looking into his eyes, only to find a look of absolute terror where usually there was complete confidence and assurance. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON…WHY ARE THEY HERE…WHY ARE THEY POINTING GUNS AT US…OMG…ZAN”

“MARIA” Zan screamed in terror, her scream pulling him out of his trance, as she doubled over in pain once again.

“I SAID DON’T MOVE…OR YOU WILL REGRET IT” Kyle screamed from where he hide behind the open door of his squad car, gun drawn and pointed at its intended target, Zan. “NOW…DON”T MOVE”

“ZAN...THE BABY” Maria screamed, as another jolt of pain flashed across her abdomen causing her to lose her balance and fall forward out of the grasp of Zan’