Chapter 23

Principal’s Office, Moonvale School, 18:30

“There has to be something you can do?” Maria asked. “You must have some idea where our parents are?”

“I wish I did Ms Deluca. There is a Hunter pack in Roswell now, looking over everything, and there are two more packs on their way. There are simply no better trackers on Earth,” the principal said.

“Is there anything that they’ve reported?” Max asked.

“Nothing much. From what I’ve been told there was a trace of a strange odour, possibly a scent from something alive but it’s unlike anything they’ve encountered before. They will do everything they can,” he said.

“We need to go back ... we need to be the ones looking,” Alex said.

“He’s right,” Michael said.

“Damned straight,” Kyle said.

“No,” the principal said. “You probably won’t be able to do anything and would more than likely be a hindrance to the packs already looking. Besides, the last thing your parents would want is for you to leave the school. Being here, it’s something that they would consider non negotiable no matter the situation.”

“He’s right. My mom and dad would want me to stay here,” Liz said. “They’d want us all to stay.”

“I’m with Liz. And if the past has taught us anything ... it’s a safe bet that we’ll be finding out what’s going on soon enough,” Max said.

“How can you guys say that? These are our parents,” Maria said frantically.

“Yes and ... look I just have a feeling. They’re okay,” Liz said.

“Well ... Liz’s intuition has never failed yet,” Isabel said. “I’ll go with that.”

“Easy for you to say, your parents are already dead,” Kyle snapped but instantly regretted it. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.”

Isabel let it slide, even though is caused a deep prang of pain deep inside her that was felt by Alex, Liz and Max. Alex held her hand and mentally soothed her but he still had the desire to force Kyle’s foot into his mouth in any painful way he could think of.

“Isabel, really, I am sorry.” Kyle said, “Listen ... we have to do something.”

“We are,” Alex said. “Trust that when Liz said they’re okay, they are and trust the professionals to do their jobs. These guys are really good?” he asked the principal.

“It’s never taken them more than forty eight hours to find someone,” he answered.

“Find them ... alive or dead?” Tess asked.

“They are the best,” he said, deliberately not answering that question.

“Sir?” Liz asked. “We need to know.”

“Sometimes fatalities happen. They have a ninety nine percent success rate,” the principal said.

“And the other one percent?” Max asked.

“Things happen. Not the best answer, I know, but it’s true. You just have to have faith,” he said.

“So we just go to our rooms and wait?” Maria asked.

“For the time being. I’ve made sure that the packs have a direct line to me. The second I learn anything I’ll tell you,” the principal said.

Everyone nodded, they didn’t have much of a choice in the matter and Maria knew that her mother would not be in the best of moods if she found out she left Moonvale, they all knew it of their parents. They just had to wait and see.

Antarctica, 22:00

In the vast wastelands of the planet’s southern pole, blizzards blew violently over the mile thick ice. It was insanity to traverse the frozen continent but that was the way it was. Serpents may hate the cold but they had no choice, the leader of their tribe commanded the expedition of twelve serpents to follow the course laid out by their ancestors.

Centuries ago another expedition crossed Antarctica after their ship ran went off course and ran aground. They had no choice either, they wrapped themselves up with as many animal hides as they could cover their bodies with and set out. They needed to find any means to get off the continent before the cold killed them. In that journey they found something else, a miraculous discovery that had rested there since long before the ice covered the land, and a discovery that they understood the significance of. The understood it and knew that that most others wouldn’t, so as they found their way off and back to the rest of their people, they locked the way back to what they found behind riddles, encryptions and myths.

Now, the Tribe’s shaman had unlocked those secrets and the leader sent twelve of his best south. They were wrapped up, heading inland, through the mountains that spouted up through the ice near the middle of the continent. They followed the path, traced the map of clues all the way from where the serpents originally crashed to where they found their way underground. Just like back then, much of the entrance was frozen over. Only a tiny crack remained but the rock next to it had been marked with a serpent sigil, it told the current serpents that they had reached their goal. It took them days to get there.

As soon as the mark was confirmed, out came the pickaxes. They smashed into the ice, chiselling away at it and breaking chunks off the barricade. They went at it with every ounce of their strength until the opening was big enough. Once on the other side, they set up a tent on the inside of the cave and it prevented much of the cold from getting in. It also let them set up a fire and regain their own body heat before progressing further into the cave. The light from the fire let them see the steps carved from the rock leading down into the mass of ice that was perfectly smoothed over.

As soon as they were warmed up the contingent snakes went down those stairs. They carefully took each step down, desperate not to slip off the cold stone and end up breaking their necks. It went down, seemingly forever, into the blackness until they reached the bottom, nearly half a mile down. They found a single stone arch, marked with more Lycanthropic symbols, and they went through it. They stood in awe at what was before them, the secret their ancestors discovered and took to their grave.

The cavern itself was impressive, a perfect sphere formed from the ice and rock that was enormous with a black ball hovering in the middle. Shafts of light beamed everywhere within the cave. It was the same as Liz’s vision when she first held the Eye of the Gods in her hands the day she united all the Gifts given from the gods to the tribes.

The serpents walked down the final flight of steps, right down to the bottom of the sphere where there was a beam of light pointing straight down from the black ball to the ground. According to the texts all they had to do was step into it and they would be taken inside, just as their ancestors had done when they first came here. So with a tentative step, they moved into the light.

It didn’t happen the way they thought. There was a sound that echoed off the wall, deafening the serpents and caused them to double over in pain, grasping at their ears to try and prevent the sound in. They looked out to see a woman approaching them, her lower half was that of a snake and everything above her waist was naked human. She was just like how she was depicted in their texts, it was their goddess, the mother of their tribe – Wadjet.

“You have become unworthy of the power that lies within that. Your leaders have corrupted your great tribe; the family has become power hungry, decadent, arrogant ... only his son and his sect are different despite how they have been raised. It his time to ascend to the throne of your tribe, Diego can restore you all and give you redemption in my eyes. You know what you must do,” Wadjet said. Then the snakes were engulfed in a bright flash of light.

Serpent Caverns, South America, Immediately Following

In the main chamber of the cavern, where Diego’s father sat and presided over his tribe, the light pulsed through the caverns and the twelve serpents appeared. They were on their knees, in awe of having being spoken to by their goddess and in what they had been told. They had been called unworthy and they knew what their goddess had wanted.

“What? What happened? How did you get back here?” their leader asked as he stood up and stepped away from his throne.

“The Great One, Wadjet, our mother returned us,” the leader of the expedition said as he stood up.

“You ... you saw her?” Raul asked.

“Yes. She came to us when we tried to gain access. She gave us a message,” he said as he felt the knife in his hand. He didn’t have it when he entered that cave but he had it now.

Every snake moved closer, each wanting to hear what their beloved goddess had told them. In the shadows, Wadjet watched and waited, she wanted someone worthy of the power being in control of her children, someone who wasn’t going to isolate their tribe from the others and in this generation, the first in a great many, only one person fitted the bill.

“Well, tell us, give us this message,” Raul said.

The serpent moved closer and in a split second he plunged the blade into his leader’s neck. “We are unworthy of them. Your family has corrupted us and Wadjet desires your son to take your place. He is worthy,” he said as he pulled out the blade.

Every snake in the room rushed at him to attack but a barrier of strong wind blew them all back. Then it appeared and all saw it, there was an image of Diego in the throne and the statue of Wadjet above the throne glowed. Then it all stopped, every single last snake fell to their knees as their leader’s body bled out.

Living Room, Prides Rooms, Moonvale, Same Time

Isabel and Alex were sitting in their room trying to pluck up the courage to come out. Eventually they did, they couldn’t put it off and they stepped out of their room to find Max, Michael and Kyle playing games on their consol while the women were talking about Liz’s new body. She was changing her hand back and forth into different animan forms that were now available to her. It took practice but she was eventually able to distinguish the various forms and was soon able to enter her pure chimeran body without the emotional stress that triggered it the last time. It was all they could do to get their minds off the worry of their parents.

“Guys ... could we talk?” Isabel asked.

“Eh ... two seconds,” Michael said as his fingers flashed over buttons.

“It’s important,” Alex said.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Kyle said.

“Guys, two of our family have something to say,” Liz said. “Pause the bloody game.”

And Max did much to the disappointment of the other two. “Oh this better be good,” Michael said.

“Oh it is. Could you all sit on the sofa?” Isabel requested. Tess, Maria and Liz moved over next to their mates and became comfortable.

“So what’s up?” Liz asked.

“Well. Just so you know ... this is as unexpected to us as it is probably going to be to you,” Alex said nervously.

“And believe me ... I still can’t believe it,” Isabel said.

“Are they beginning to blabber?” Kyle asked Tess.

“I think so. This should be good,” Tess answered, and crossed her arms.

“Are you guys okay?” Max asked.

“Yeah ... it’s just...” Alex stammered.

“I’m pregnant,” Isabel said.

There wasn’t even the sound of a cricket. Everything stopped in the room and no one said anything, they couldn’t even blink.

“Guys?” Isabel said. “Guys, Alex didn’t take this long to say anything.”

“You...” Michael said.

“ ... Are...” Kyle said.

“Pregnant?” Maria asked.

“But ... I ... condoms, in the bathroom ... hello,” Tess said.

“We weren’t in big spike, it didn’t feel like a mating cycle so we didn’t use one,” Alex said.

“You’re sure ... I mean ... you’ve had it checked?” Michael asked.

“Yes. That’s what I was feeling all day. The doctor is pretty sure,” Isabel said.

“Are you guys going to say anything?” Alex asked as he looked at Max and Liz.

The two of them looked at each other and then looked up at Alex and Isabel, “Yeah, yeah we most certainly have something to say,” Liz said.

Max stood up and moved over to them, “Congratulations Iz,” Max said as he wrapped his arms around her.

“You too Alex, or should I say Daddy Alex,” Liz said as she hugged her friend.

“So you’re okay with this?” Isabel asked.

“Why wouldn’t we be?” Liz asked. “My dad told me a while ago...”

“There’s nothing more important to a family than the birth of the next generation,” Isabel said. “That’s what the doctor said.”

“But the question is, do you want this?” Max asked.

Alex and Isabel looked at each other, “Yes,” they said together and held each other’s hands.

Just then the elevator doors and the Dupes came pouring out. As they approached Lonnie stared at Isabel and then stopped, “Hey, you’re knocked up. That was fast,” she said.

“How did she know that?” Maria asked.

“Oh please. We’re a part of each other,” Lonnie said as she ran her hand over Isabel’s abdomen. “Hmmm.”

“Hmm what?” Isabel asked.

“Nothing,” Lonnie said with a smile.

“No, there’s something,” Alex said.

“It’s not important. Just enjoying some skin,” Lonnie said.

“Hey, how does mating work for you guys?” Tess asked. “Are any of you mated?”

“Oh you betcha. All four of us,” Zan said as he kissed Lonnie and then Ava.

“Yeah. We mate together, all four of us screwin’ until we can’t go anymore,” Rath said.

“Puttin’ it simply, Zan screws me or Lonnie and then Rath does,” Ava said. “Then they both do the other girl and then Lonnie and me grind against each other. Any kids will be from all four of us. But we don’t do that. Last thing we want is kids running around a subway tunnel.”

“Yeah ... then how’d you know what to do?” Michael asked.

“We just do ... that and it’s in the book,” Rath said.

“Should be an incredible night when you do get around to it,” Liz said.

Just then, as the serpents were being transported back to their home in South America from Antarctica, the Eye that had been rested securely on the mantelpiece started to glow. It was a pale, ice blue colour that shone brightly before it died out.

“Uh ... what was that?” Zan asked.

Everyone looked to Liz. It was hers after all but she shrugged her shoulders before walking up to it. Liz reached out and touched it, she was expecting a vision but nothing happened, not even a tingle in her fingers. She picked up the device and held it in her hands as she looked over the alien device. It was as if it was waiting for her, like holding it provided sufficient connection and power to the device but at any rate there was a bolt of lightning that shot out to the wall.

The wall rippled and distorted as a vortex formed. The temperature in the room dropped to arctic temperatures, ice even started to form in areas immediately adjacent to the portal. As the distortion cleared, everyone could see the black mass and ice cave that Liz described from her vision. She put the Eye down, practically dropping it to get it away from her. She was more than a little startled at the event that had blown papers all over their suite but as she put it back on the mantel, the vortex sealed. Max immediately used his powers to return the temperature to normal and melt the ice that had formed.

“What the fu...” Kyle said.

“Anyone want to explain that?” Rath asked.

“Just First Born Daughter stuff,” Liz said. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s what it was.”

“Well, where ever that was ... it was cold,” Max said.

“Then aren’t we glad we all have bodies that grow fur,” Maria said.

“Yeah, well that’s something. Let’s hope we don’t have to go there soon,” Michael said. “I don’t like hot, and I seriously doubt I’ll like cold.”

Later...

Max returned to his room to find Zan still there. He was sitting on the armrest of the chair while making things float around the room. “Don’t you have a room you can do that in?” Max asked.

“Maxie ... still pissed about our little fight?” Zan asked.

“Well let’s just say I don’t like people saying that they’re better off being mated to Liz than me,” Max said.

“She’s your girl, course you feel like that. But I still would like a piece of that ass. Damn, she’s fine,” Zan said.

Max balled his hand into a fist and squeezed tightly. Zan knew what he was doing, he wanted to challenge Max, he wanted him angry to see how far he would go to keep his bond in place with Liz. He already knew that answer but he needed to see it.

“I mean, tell me, what does it feel like to have those legs wrapped around you?” Zan asked. “Betcha she’s really tight too.”

“Shut up,” Max said calmly.

“Betcha I can turn her into a really wild whore that could put Lonnie to shame. Hell I’ll use my powers and make her tits bigger, she’ll love that ... you know what ... I’m gonna have her now,” Zan said and turned toward the bedroom that he knew Liz was in.

Max instantly grabbed for Zan, span him around and punched him square in the jaw.

“So you got a spine in there,” Zan said. “You wanna stay boss ... let’s see what ya got?”

Zan swung for Max and connected with his gut, Max then picked Zan up and threw him down. Zan jumped up and pushed Max to the ground. The two young men started rolling around, each grabbing for the other. They used their legs for leverage, each fighting for dominance with equal fever but then Zan knew that Max wouldn’t stop, not until he was sure Liz was safe and Zan couldn’t win. At best it would be a stalemate for him, besides he didn’t want Liz, beside’s he just wanted to know if Max could or would step up. So he decided to end it, he did so by grabbing Max’s face and kissing him hard.

“What the fuck?” Max asked when he was released.

“You’re boss. What’s it called? Alpha Male? I can’t beat you,” Zan said.

“So you kiss me?” Max asked.

“It’s our way. Besides, you know you want me,” Zan said as he started pulling off his clothes. “And I want you. Maybe it’s because we’re alike, maybe it’s our energies bouncing off each other ... I don’t know. I just want to fuck you and I want you to fuck me.”

Max couldn’t help but look over his Dupes chest. Everything looked so similar, aside from the tattoos, yet they couldn’t be any more different. It was undeniable; Max couldn’t help himself and moved closer. He kissed Zan hard and fast before ripping off his clothes, it was the only ones he had other that the robes given to them when they were told they could stay and now they were shredded. Off came Max’s robe and they stood naked before each other. They were both hard, their cocks sprouting out proudly before them and Max wanted it as Zan did.

They kissed again, Max asserted his dominance over his Dupe. He wanted to make sure that Zan knew that Liz was his mate, he was alpha male of the family and that there wouldn’t be any changes to that situation any time soon. Zan didn’t care, he had his own family and technically it was a new tribe to the planet. Zan wanted the pleasure and to know that Max knew his role. When the kiss ended, Zan pushed Max back, trying to get him to move down but Max resisted. Instead Max put his hands on Zan’s shoulders and pushed him down to his knees.

He didn’t have to be told what to do. Zan looked at the throbbing dick in front of him and took it into his mouth. Max groaned as Zan started to bob his head up and down while his hands stroked his member slowly. One hand went to Zan’s head, where he ran it over the soft hair of his Dupe’s head.

“Zan ... that feels so good. Yeah, suck me harder ... do it harder Zan! Yeah that’s it ... yeah ... Hmmmmmughhh ... guhhh that’s good ... oh fuck!” Max moaned. Doing it with his own Dupe/clone ... whatever the hell he was had to be the most out there thing he’d ever done.

Zan let his tongue move over Max’s member. He let allowed himself to give into what he was doing. Even their dicks were identical and Zan knew what do to do it, all he had to do was remember what his lovers did to him. Max loved it, gently pushing his hips forward and thrusting into Zan’s mouth and he knew how to use it. His mouth was all warm and wet as Zan relaxed and started to deep throat the king.

Max was in bliss as his duplicate worked his magic on his dick. He was in a state of delirious pleasure that cause his cum to churn in his balls. Zan caressed them, feeling the heavy sack in his hand and rolling his balls around a little in an attempt to coax the seed out. Max’s cock was slick thanks to Zan’s mouth, it was sliding in and out with such ease that Max knew he wasn’t the first dick to be taken into this aliens throat. It did make sense that Zan and Rath, despite their roughness, would have screwed each other senseless and probably more than once – a lot more.

“Ughnnn ... Zan ... so close ... keep going ... oh ... FUCCCCCCCCCCCCK!” Max groaned as his seed spurted out.

Zan licked Max’s length like a cat lapping at milk. The juices flowed from Max were eagerly sucked up and swallowed until Zan finally let go to raise his head. He pulled back and they stared at one another before Max roughly pushed Zan to the sofa and reached for his cock. Max ran his fingers over the slick head of Zan’s pulsing penis, he loved the feel of it. It was so much like his own and he always loved the feel of it when he jerked himself off; that was before he had seven lovers to choose from. Zan sighed as Max eagerly sucked on him, Max cupped Zan’s sacs and licked them, sucking them in his mouth and then releasing them before he went for the cock again.

“Ohnnn ... Max ... ffffffffffffffffff ... soooo ... goooooddd,” Zan moaned over and over again. In that instant he longed to watch Isabel and Lonnie get it on, for that matter Tess and Ava, Rath and Michael, he wouldn’t say ‘no’ to them. He wanted to see it all as identical bodies fucked each other.

Max slurped away. He ran the head over his lips, he was rewarded with a coating of cum and Zan’s moans that filled the room. The moans echoed their way to Liz in her bedroom who was getting off on the sounds and imagery of the two of them together. Men weren’t the only ones who had a fantasy of being with twins and at the very least the two men looked alike and that was enough to suffice.

Then Zan was thrusting up at Max’s open mouth, his hands holding Max’s head while he pumped and called out his name. Just then Max pulled back before Zan could cum, he knew it was seconds away from being spurted out but Max didn’t want him to cum in his mouth, not for challenging him in the first place. Still, Zan was too far gone and came, some landing on Max’s feet.

Max leaned forward between Zan’s spread legs and kissed Zan before lifting his ass up. He plunged him back down onto his cock and slowly entered him. He was tight, despite being fucked in the ass at least two hundred times by Rath and a dildo that their girls had fashioned themselves for their own use. Zan grimaced at the pressure but soon Max was in and closed his eyes at the sensations. Max swung one of his feet around, the one Zan came on, and held it near Zan’s head.

“Remember who’s in charge,” Max said, “Now lick it up.”

Zan did as he was ordered and moved forward and licked his own seed from Max’s skin until he was clean. Then Max couldn’t resist and leaned down to lick the sweat from Zan’s chest, enjoying his Dupe’s flavour before he kissed him hard and tasted the new arrival’s cum on his lips.

“Yeah ... you’re in charge,” Zan gasped before he and Max kissed hard.

“Don’t forget that,” Max said. He stood, extended his hand and helped Zan up. “Try this again and it won’t be feeling this good.”

“Fine,” Zan said as they both stood up and dressed.

“You know ... about what you said before. You guys aren’t in the sewers anymore. Maybe you should consider kids,” Max said.

“Maybe,” Zan said before he walked out of the room and headed down to his own. He smirked as he headed down to find his own family.

Max and Liz’s Bedroom, Following

“Well, that’s sorted,” Max said as he walked into his bedroom and say Liz already under the covers.

“It sounded like you enjoyed yourself,” Liz said with a sly smile.

“I think we both did. At least he knows who’s boss,” Max said.

“I bet he does. It wasn’t too long ago that you would have been fine with letting him be in charge. Must have been weird ... screwing yourself?” Liz said.

Max kissed her, “At least I know what I look like when I cum now. Besides, all four of us have this synergy with the Dupes. I wanted him and he wanted me. As for him being in charge, not if it means I have to give up you,” he said.

“Well ... just make sure I get to see the next time. Now, you and I need to talk ... about Isabel,” Liz said.

“I know. I can’t believe she’s actually going to be a mother,” Max said.

“Yeah, but no. Not that,” Liz said.

“Oh?” Max asked, looking at his mate.

“Max. I know how you feel about her,” Liz said.

“Oh course you do, she’s been one of my best friends since ... forever. We lived next door to each other. Our windows looked out into each other’s rooms...” Max said.

“Max, you’re in love with her,” Liz said.

“Liz, it’s you I’m in love with. I love Iz like a friend,” Max said.

“Oh I know you’re in love with me but you’re also in love with her. Max, I know the signs, we all watched you two together in Sex Ed the other day. Everyone sees it, even Michael,” Liz said.

“Liz ... uh ... I really...” Max shook his head.

“Max, it’s okay. Besides, Michael has a thing for Tess and I’m pretty sure Maria and Kyle wouldn’t mind spending more time together,” Liz said.

“Liz, I can’t be ... I mean we’ve were friends ... we are friends ... we’ve always been friends, I can’t be...” Now he was getting nervous, the possibility of it was running through his mind but all Liz could do was smile.

She sighed and shook her head with a smile, “Boys,” Liz said.

“She’s my friend ... she’s ... she’s...” Max said.

Liz put her finger over his lips and pushed him onto his back as she straddled his waist. “Max, this is our family. I’m not angry or upset about this; I want this if it makes us happier. I am your mate, the woman who is going to have your love and mother your kids but I know Isabel is in your heart along with me. Besides, you and Isabel were together on Antar, it makes sense.”

“Liz...” Max said while shaking his head.

“Tell me Max. Say it, I want to hear it,” Liz said with a husky whisper in his ear.

Max looked up into her eyes, he could lose himself for an eternity in their depths but he knew he’d always find love there. He could share everything and anything with her and with the link between their minds they could do so on a level never done before. She knew him and he knew her, and with what she was probing into he was beginning to understand just what his feelings were telling him. “I am in love with her. I am in love with Isabel.”

“Good. Now comes the next step,” Liz said.

“And that would be?” he asked.

“Telling her that,” Liz said. “She’s in love with you as well. I guess it’s only natural given the situation and the fact you were together for over a year. Secret or not, you were still closer to each other than anyone else.”

“Uh ... no. I’m not telling her. She has enough on her plate right now,” Max said.

“Max, you’re telling her and that’s that. It’s an order from your queen,” Liz said with a smile.

“Oh, from my queen? Last time I checked I was king,” Max said.

“Well ... yeah, but I’m First Born Daughter. You’re just descended from one, besides ... I usually have your balls in the palm of my hand, literally,” Liz said.

“That ... yeah, that wins,” Max said.

“See. Now, you don’t have to do it just now, or even this week. Just so long as you do,” Liz said.

“I will. Now, what’s this about Michael and Tess?” Max asked.

“You never noticed how they are together? There’s definitely something going on, and Tess probably wants him just as badly,” Liz said before she yawned.

“Sleepy? I know you didn’t sleep much last night,” Max said.

“Yeah, too worried about mom and dad,” Liz said.

“Me too. But you need to rest. They can take care of themselves, they’re strong and your dad...” Max said as he cupped the side of her face.

“Scares the hell out of you is what he does,” Liz said.

“Hell yes,” Max said.

Liz smiled.

“They’ll be okay Liz, I know it,” Max said.

“So do I,” Liz said. “I just wish I knew they were okay now instead of having to wait.”

“Yeah,” Max said. “We just have to wait.”

Throne Chamber, Vampire Temple, Under New York City, 09:00 the Next Morning

In the main chamber of the temple, Andrei was overseeing a fairly important event for his little group. On the floor before him, the last of his pet females had entered their most fertile period of the month. Now he was watching as his two male pets had sex with them, the other girls were off to the side and enjoying themselves with the exception of Stacey. She could never get enough of watching her lover’s together but she preferred it more when she was the one he was with. At any rate she was watching and running her hand over her naked belly, it was still early in her own pregnancy but she could swear she felt the child growing in her.