Chapter 8

Same Place, Immediately Following

As the light surrounded Philip and the visitor, he remained looking down on one knee. An aura of brilliant yellow light radiated from him. The godlike being moved closer, he stood before Philip before placing his hand on his shoulder and Philip looked up.

“Arise, child,” the entity said.

Philip stood up, but his head remained looking down. “Father, I am honoured by your visit.”

“You do know, your family are the only ones who refer to me or the others as father. The rest of your people call us Elders or Creators. The other tribes, it’s always as gods. It’s ... nice, I like being talked to so simply for a change. Even though you still look on us like gods,” he said.

“Ho’rus...” Philip started.

“Ah you and your family know better Philip ... Ho’rus is my family name. My name is Larallen,” he said.

Philip looked in to the eagle eyes of Larallen before quickly looking down. “I don’t understand,” he said.

Larallen moved closer with a questioning look. He put his hand under Philip’s chin and raised his head so that he could look into the Chimera’s eyes. The being nodded, “Perhaps it has been lost over the years. Your family has been following this path for so long you’ve probably just forgotten.”

“Father...” Philip said.

“Philip, your destiny has always been to care for the boy who is now your son. My people knew they would arrive on Earth and that someone needed to be there for them. Unfortunately, Michael proved too stubborn, even for our plans. I took it upon myself to select your family, as well as Isabel’s parents, and trained them to be the best of the Chimera. It was the only that way you would be chosen to protect the children.”

“But why? Why not allow them to be raised by humans, from the way they’ve kept their secret...” Philip asked.

“Being raised by you allowed Max to open up enough to entrust his secret with Liz, and then for him to mate with her. I suppose in that respect I have been a father to your family. Now, the reason I have come. Philip, the Wild Pack that your son recently fought, you know they were being guided by another?” Larallen asked.

“Yes. We picked up signals but we were never able to determine who was backing them,” Philip said.

“Well that person is one of my people,” Larallen said.

“What?” Philip asked.

“Do not fear going against him, Philip, never fear that. He is powerful, but he can be stopped,” Larallen said.

“Liz,” Philip said.

“Not just her. Liz is the key but Max, Isabel, Alex ... all destined to be bound to her are just as important to stopping him. The other, his name is Quatral Anu’bis and has manipulated the blood of the Flanagan line for centuries. When mixed with the unique blood of Liz ... the result is a plague that would wipe out all those who are not Lycanthropes,” Larallen said.

“Flanagan has a son,” Philip said.

“And his blood is just as potent as his fathers. While Max is Liz’s mate, he can still make his own challenge, independent of his father’s attempt. The full pride must be there to prevent it and that means you. The fourth, the girl named Tess, her protector is betraying the purpose he was sent to Earth and aligned himself with your son’s enemies. They will move soon enough but Tess must be protected from her guardian when he discovers that she doesn’t plan on going along with his agreements,” Larallen said.

“I’ll take care of it,” Philip said.

Larallen smiled and nodded, “I am also to tell you, because of the discovery of your chronicle, if you need to, and only if there is no other choice, you can tell the Pride members that you are Chimera.”

“Okay. Thank you, Father,” Philip said.

“Call me Larallen, or Ho’rus,” he said as he started to walk off to the light, but at the last minute he stopped and turned to Philip, “Why’d you marry a human anyway?”

“I love her,” Philip answered, it may have been the only answer he could think of but it was the truth. Larallen turned back to the light and vanished inside it, “WAIT, how can I contact you?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be watching. I will be there when you need me,” Larallen’s voice echoed throughout the region.

Then, in seconds, the light vanished and Philip found himself back in the desert where he had been taken from. He had a sudden urge to be elsewhere and then he remembered Larallen’s warning concerning Tess. He finished what he started and changed into a raven before taking flight into the sky, while he knew that there wasn’t any immediate danger to her from Nacedo he was now as much her protector as he was Max’s.

Living Room, Harding Residence, 21:00

Nacedo stood in his living room watching television. His hand was raised and a stream of light flowed from it to the set. On it, images flowed of Max and the others. They were at school, the Crashdown, on the streets or in their homes. He watched their daily lives and scrutinised everything he could see. Even Tess’s interaction with them was watched but nothing peaked his interest more than when he watched several students gang up on Alex.

That caused him to replay the events over and over again, watching the way the human moved. He was surprised at the strength and agility displayed, while he knew it was possible for humans to accomplish what he had seen through training, he didn’t think Alex was one of them. Through his seventh run though of the fight, he spotted Tess in an upper window. There was something about the image that bothered him so Nacedo zoomed in tighter and tighter until he could clearly see Tess.

Nacedo watched over everything she did until to hit him – her eyes. While she looked down to the fight, she wasn’t looking at Max, Michael or Alex; she was looking at another human that he didn’t recognise. The alien tightened his fist before bringing up other images of Tess and found his ward’s eyes shift away from Max to the human more than a few times.

His eyes narrowed, he wasn’t going to have any of this. He had devoted years to the Royal family only to be exiled to a primitive rock in a backwater sector of the galaxy. Nacedo wanted to go home and Tess was a means to an end, he was not going to let an infatuation with some human impede his return home.

“Hey,” Tess said as she came into the living room and slumped in a chair.

Nacedo made the images disappear and turned to Tess, “Enjoy yourself upstairs?”

Tess blushed, she didn’t know that Nacedo knew what she was doing in her bedroom after she rushed home when she felt Michael and Maria, “I ... eh ... what it is ... you see...” she incoherently stammered out.

“Relax. You’re part human ... you have needs and I accept that. Once we’re back home and your genetics have been restored, you’ll be able to put these urges behind you,” Nacedo said. “Now, where are you with Max?”

“Oh ... eh ... Max. Well I haven’t been able to get into his head again, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get to him,” Tess said with a sly smile.

“Oh?” Nacedo asked.

“He was raised human right? Human guys always love a nice bod ... and a free roll in the hay. He won’t even be thinking of his girlfriend when I get working,” Tess said.

“Then you’ll move tomorrow. Start with Isabel. She’s been close to Max all their lives,” Nacedo said.

“Yeah a couple of those pictures you took of them together would sell like hotcakes on a porn web site,” Tess said. “Okay, no problem. Isabel it is.”

Nacedo turned to leave the room, “Tess, failure on this means punishment,” he said.

Tess lost her smile as he left the room; a cold shiver went down her spine as he said punishment. That shiver filled the room and could almost be felt by Philip, who was in the shape of a spider on a web in the corner of the room. He felt sorry for the girl and knew that he would have to act if that punishment ever started. Slowly, Philip dropped to the floor and left the house to return home.

Maria’s Bedroom, Deluca Residence, 07:30 The Next Morning

As the sun filtered through the crack between Maria’s curtains, she began to wake up. Unfortunately for her she wanted five more minutes but five more minutes wasn’t going to happen. Even as she pulled her pillow over her head to shield her eyes from the light, Maria heard her mother calling her to get up.

“Ghnnnnnnnnn...” Maria groaned and she kicked her feet under the duvet and pushed it off of her.

Maria slipped out of bed and grabbed her robe off the back of her chair. As she put it on, Maria walked to her bathroom with her eyes still practically closed. Maria stood before her mirror without looking into it as she turned on the taps to her sink. She cupped some water in her hands before splashing it into her face. That was when she felt something different and she looked up to the mirror.

“Mom ... mom ... MOM ... MOM! MOM!” she kept saying, getting louder and louder.

Amy came running into her daughter’s bathroom and stopped dead. There before her was Maria with long blonde hair that reached down to just below her shoulders, gone was her previous short hairstyle. Amy couldn’t help but smile.

“I guess I should say congratulations,” Amy said.

“Huh?” Maria asked.

“Spontaneous hair growth is pretty common for the women in our family when we take a mate. Michael?” Amy asked.

“He is not my mate. He’s there for spikes, nothing more,” Maria said.

Amy shook her head, “Honey, you need to accept this. You, at the very least, care for Michael. Besides, his scent is all over you. By the looks of it you really enjoyed yourselves,” she said as she felt her daughter’s hair and looked at the length of it, “Really, really enjoyed yourselves.”

“Mom,” Maria complained.

“Maria, you can’t keep denying what you feel for him...” Amy said.

“Yes I can. I don’t like him. Great body and good for when he’s needed, beyond that ... nothing ... notta ... zero ... zilch,” Maria said.

Amy looked at her.

“He’s a pain in the butt,” Maria said.

Amy then crossed her arms.

“He makes me want to rip his head off,” Maria said.

“Oh so if I was to forbid Michael from coming near you? Which, as your mother, I am allowed to do at least until Liz’s Pride is fully formed,” Amy said. “If I was to stop him from kissing you ... touching you ... what about even looking at you.”

There was a look in Maria’s eyes and Amy knew exactly what it was. Each time that Amy said what she’d prevent Michael doing that look became worse. Maria couldn’t deny she felt a pain in the pit of her stomach as she looked at her mother. Amy knew the pain of being separated from a mate all too well; preventing her daughter from feeling it because of her own stubbornness was the least to could do.

“Well? Would that be a problem?” Amy asked.

“N ... n ... yes,” Maria said.

Amy hugged her daughter briefly before leaning back and looking into Maria’s eyes. “I know you haven’t been together long, but for us mating ... the bonding of it, not the act, is primal, instinctual and consuming. We love with every fibre in our bodies. Sometimes that feeling, like with me and your father, doesn’t last long but for most of us it lasts a lifetime ... just like the bond. You’re my daughter Maria, I can feel you. Now say it with me ... I, Maria Deluca...”

“I, Maria Deluca...” Maria repeated

“ ... am completely in love with Michael Guerin...”

“ ... am completely ... in ... in lo...”

“The word is love Maria, you can say it,” Amy said.

Maria looked to the heavens, she sighed and nodded, “Am completely in ... love with Michael Guerin...”

“He is my mate, as I am his,” Amy said.

“He is my mate, as I am his,” Maria repeated.

“Good girl,” Amy said.

“Good girl,” Maria repeated.

“No, you can stop repeating...” Amy said.

“No, you can stop re...” Maria smiled, “Sorry. Couldn’t resist.”

Amy smiled, “Michael is going to have a very interesting time.”

“That’s an understatement. Now ... how the hell am I going to cover up a good six or seven months of hair growth?” Maria asked.

“Hat?” Amy suggested.

“Not allowed in class,” Maria said.

“Wig?” Amy said.

“No way. What about cutting it off and putting it the way it was ... even though I look damned good like this,” Maria said as she looked at her reflection.

“Won’t work. It’ll just grow back after an hour. These hormones ... damn,” Amy said.

“Extensions as an excuse?” Maria asked.

“Could work,” Amy said, “Come on, have your shower. I’ll have breakfast ready for you when you’re done.”

“Okay,” Maria said.

Amy left and closed the door behind her. Maria shrugged off her robe after she switched on the shower and as the water reached the right temperature, she stepped into the spray. Her fingers ran through her newly grown long hair as it became soaked. The feel of it was actually pleasing to her and she decided to keep it. Soon she grabbed her shampoo and continued on with her shower as the warm water cascaded over every inch of her body.

Maria relaxed under the water before she took hold of her soap. She ran the bar over her body and closed her eyes, before long she started to imagine that as her hands roamed her body they weren’t her hands.

“Hmmmm ... Michael,” she moaned before her eyes snapped open. “Bad girl,” she chastised herself before rinsing off the soap and the shampoo from her hair.

Quickly Maria dried herself off before putting her robe back on. She sat at her desk, switched on her hairdryer. When she was done, Maria dressed and headed out to get breakfast. She needed to speak to Liz before school started, so as soon as she was finished she was out the door.

Bathroom, Davidson Residence, Same Time

Michael had woken up with a raging hard-on. His dreams had been erotic but no more so than usual, images of Maria were constantly on his mind. The feel of her hands caressing her skin tingled through his senses and that caused him to rush to the bathroom.

He dropped his boxers to his ankles and grabbed his dick. Michael started to jerk himself off, his hand moving fast and faster as he groaned. His head was filled with images of last night, of Maria with her legs wrapped around his body.

“Oh you’re a bad man ... very bad ... ughnnnnn ... very bad...” he groaned over and over.

Liz’s Bedroom, Parker Residence, 08:00

Max entered Liz’s bedroom through the window, he moved quietly as he saw Liz still asleep. As she moved under the blankets, Max realised that she was naked just as he was ten minutes ago. It was the same for all their friends since they became Rakas, not one went to bed wearing anything anymore. Max sat on the side of the bed and reached out, brushing aside some of her hair.

Max smiled as he looked at her face and decided on how to wake his lover. Max pulled off his sweater, moved to the end of the bed and lifted up the blanket. Carefully and slowly and slipped into the bed and kissed her legs. Liz smiled in her sleep as Max moved higher and higher until he reached her thighs. Her caressed her flesh with his hands and kissed her skin with his lips.

Although he couldn’t see it, Liz smiled with his touch. Max moved and placed his hands on her inner thighs, he spread her legs and he moved between them. His head was not even an inch from her pussy as he kissed the highest point on her thigh, then the exact same spot on its opposite. He heard Liz groan and he leaned down to kiss her slit.

In her sleep Liz groaned deeper and Max ran his tongue over the length of her opening before sending one hand up her body. He massaged her breast in the palm of his hand and then played with her nipple. Then Max felt one of her hands move over his and then her other hand moved to his head. Max used his free hand and he tossed off the blanket so that he could look up toward Liz.

“Ughnnn ... now this is a way ... hnnnnn ... to wake up,” Liz said.

Max latched his mouth onto her slit.

“Yessss...” she hissed with bliss. Max’s tongue on her soft flesh felt like heaven. As the alien lapped at her pussy, his hand continued to play with her breasts. He moved between the two, squeezing and teasing her taut nipples. Liz’s hips rocked back and forth, she was desperately trying to press her pussy further against Max to create more pleasure. She could tell Max was trying very hard to take things slowly, but her mate was becoming caught up in her pleasure, letting Max dictate the pace.

He didn’t mind at all as her delight was his. More and more he could feel what she was feeling in his head.

“Arghggggggg ... god Max, don’t stop ... keep going ... ughnnnnnn ... eat me ... hard!” Liz begged.

Liz’s legs wrapped around Max’s head, even if he wanted to he couldn’t have pulled away. Max continued to lap at the swollen folds, occasionally he dipped his tongue into the depths of her slit. Max had to admit that making Liz writhe against him like this was one of his greatest pleasures. He enjoyed it greatly.

“Mhhhhmmmm ... ughhhhhhhh ... ughnnnnn ... ohmygod ... ughnnnnn ... god Max!” Liz groaned, her entire body undulated under her mate’s touch.

It wasn’t long before Max’s work brought about her climax. Liz felt the spark and grabbed her pillow, she placed it over her face to muffle her cried but Max still heard the resounding groan as every muscle in her body trembled. Max held her through it before moving up her body. Liz let go of the pillow and wrapped her arms around Max and he did likewise.

“That was really great,” Liz said.

“Glad you liked it,” Max said as he kissed her.

“I loved it,” Liz reached down and cupped his manhood in his pants. “You liked it too.”

Liz looked into Max’s eyes before she pushed him onto his back. The brunette ran her hands over his hard naked chest before she leaned over and kissed him. Liz then moved her hands to his pants and worked to unfasten them. In seconds she was pulling them down his legs. Max’s erection sprang free.

Max bit hard on his lip as she engulfed his cock as she quickly descended her head. He held back a groan as Liz began to move her mouth up and down his throbbing meat. Liz held his cock up by the base; she pulled it toward her and licked around the head and looked up into his eyes. Liz enjoyed feeling his length in her hand; she squeezed him and caressed him. Sometimes she wondered how he managed to take him inside her body.

Max fought with everything he had; his face was red and strained as Liz worked on him. He was desperate not to cum just yet. Liz took him deep into her mouth; soon she was bobbing up and down. Her hand went up and down his erection in time with her mouth. Max’s hips also moved in time with her movements, he was thrusting them up into her mouth. He was fucking her mouth as much as she was fucking him with her mouth.

“Hnnnn ... ughnnnnnnn ... Lizzzzzz ... ohhhhhhhhffffffffffffffff...” Max groaned.

Liz moaned over his flesh, the vibrations sent waves through Max’s body. Her other hand cupped Max’s balls; she could almost feel his seed churning in his sack. Her fingers teased the soft skin and her tongue snaked around him until he knew he was going to cum.

“Ughnnn ... ughnnnnnn ... ughnnnnn ... OH FU...” Max cried out.

Liz held her place as Max filled her mouth with his seed that she swallowed down eagerly. Max relaxed in Liz’s bed with a smile of pure contentment as Liz kissed and licked the tip of his cock. Liz then slipped up over Max and as their faces became inches apart, they kissed. Max wrapped his arms around her before sending his hands down to her ass and squeezed.

“Hmmmmm ... that was great,” Max said.

“Thank you,” Liz said with a smile.

“So have you thought about coming over for dinner?” Max asked.

“Uh huh, your mom’s right. We should get to know each other so ... yeah dinner would be great,” Liz said.

“Any day?” Max asked.

“Any day ... just make sure you tell me how formal it’s going to be. I don’t want to show up in cut offs and a tank top when it’s a dress situation,” Liz said.

Max smiled. “Would that be so bad?”

“Only if you want to get lucky that night,” Liz said before kissing him again. “Speaking of lucky, we should get together before hand. Cut off any spikes before they happen. Don’t want one in the middle of dinner and end up with the two of us going at it on the dining room table.”

“That would be bad,” Max said.

“You have that right,” Maria said. Both lovers looked over to see her poking her head in through the window.

“Hey Maria,” Liz said happily as she looked at her friends newly grown hair.

“What’s with the hair?” Max asked.

“Don’t ask ... family trait,” Maria said as she climbed inside the bedroom.

“Yeah I heard ... how’s Michael?” Liz asked.

Maria looked at her, “Like you don’t already know.”

“Yeah, but it’s just fun hearing you say it,” Liz said.

“Okay, we mated. God knows how or why but ... he’s my mate. We’ll be having lots and lots of sex and we’ll wear out my bed in a month,” Maria said.

Max looked up at Liz, “Remind me why that’s a bad thing?”

“It’s not,” Liz said. “Is it Maria?”

“It’s Michael,” Maria said.

“Ria, lots and lots of sex ... no need to wait for spikes,” Liz said.

Maria perked up, “Hey.”

“Besides, you love him,” Max said.

“I ... okay I do,” Maria said as she took notice of Max’s bare chest and licked her lips.

“Speaking of spikes,” Liz said with a smile, she knew one was starting in Maria despite her exhaustive antics in the stockroom last night. Liz grabbed the corner of the duvet and lifted it up; exposing the naked bodies of herself and her boyfriend, “Care to join us?”

Maria looked at their bodies; she couldn’t help but move closer to the bed. Liz bit her lower lip as she moved up onto her knees, Max slid up so that his back was resting on his girlfriend’s pillows and the headboard of her bed. Maria reached the bed and crawled on her knees to Max. With Liz’s guidance she straddled Max’s thighs and Liz moved behind her.

Maria looked over her shoulder as Liz played with the blonde’s new hair before she leaned down to kiss her shoulder. Liz’s hands, along with Max’s, ran over Maria who was becoming more excited. Liz took hold of the bottom Maria’s top and started sliding it up. Maria raised her hands to allow the garment to come off over her head and Liz tossed it off to the side.

Max smiled as he looked at the blue satin bra she was wearing and saw the bumps of her nipples sticking out. He reached up to grasp her breasts as Liz unclasped the bra behind Maria. Max pulled the fabric off and watched as Maria’s breasts came into view. The alien leaned up and took a tiny nipple into his mouth.

His tongue flicked the nubbin as Maria gasped and held his head to her bosom. Liz reached around Maria; pressing her body against her friend’s back, she turned Maria’s head and kissed her. Her tongue probed into Maria’s mouth as she her hand went further and joined Maria’s on the back of Max’s head, she pressed him even further into Maria’s tits.

Max flicked the nipple before biting down softly on it, he pulled back and let it go, letting the pliant flesh ripple as Maria moaned before he moved to its twin. His hands moved everywhere over Maria and then around her to caress his mate’s body. Then he brought his hands to Maria’s legs and slid them up her legs, under her denim skirt.

Liz broke her kiss and sent her hands down to Maria’s butt. She squeezed through the stiff fabric and elicited a smile from Maria that was pure seduction itself. Liz then undid the skirt, pulling the zip down the length of the garment that allowed it to be unwrapped from Maria’s waist. Max fell back onto the bed while his fingers felt across the fabric of her panties and then trailed the edge along her leg.

He wanted to tease the blonde but Liz wasn’t in the mood for that. The brunette moved her hands around and cupped Maria’s breasts before running them down her belly and delved into her panties. She cupped her friend’s sex and started to finger her pussy, causing the blonde to grid her hips against Liz’s hand. Then Maria looked down and saw Max’s dick swelling beneath her. He hadn’t lost his erection since Liz’s blowjob and was more that ready to be inside one of the girls, he didn’t care which right now.

Max wrapped his fingers around the waistband of her panties and looked up at Maria and Liz, both looked down at him and Liz nodded. Max a strong tug and with a little help with his powers, he ripped her underwear off. He watched as Liz dipped his fingers in and out of Maria and then Maria reached out and took hold of his cock. She moved further up so that she was directly above his dick.

Liz then moved back slightly and kissed her way down Maria’s back. She leaned down so that she could see between them; Maria raised Max’s cock and sank down on it. His dick slipped between her folds and disappeared inside Maria as her body lowered inch by inch.

“Ughnhhhhnnnnnnnn...” Maria groaned deeply.

Liz smiled as she watched it happen, she kissed Max’s thigh and then kissed Maria’s butt. Once he was fully sheathed in her wet core, Maria stopped for a moment just to revel in the feel of him inside her. Then she raised her body up, just far enough so that the head of his cock remained lodged inside her, before she came crashing down.

Liz moved back behind her, looking over Maria’s shoulder. There was no space for air to pass between the two girls and as Maria started to move up and down over Max, Liz followed her gyrations. Max caressed every inch of Maria’s body as she moved, her hips circled over his. She moved up and down, around and around and when he was deep inside her, her clit brushed against his pelvis.

“Ughnnn ... mmmmmm ... hhuuuuu ... so ... so good ... ughnnnnnn...” Maria moaned.

“He feels good, doesn’t he?” Liz whispered in her ear before nibbling on it.

“Uh hmmmm...” Maria agreed, never stopping her movements and nodding.

Liz caressed Maria’s tits and pinched her nipples, her body always moving in perfect time with Maria’s.

“Aghhhhhnnnnnn...” Maria gasped loudly, her hands running up the length of her body to her hair.

Sweat started to run down Maria’s spine and over her face. She started moving faster, her hips rocking back and forth and letting Max’s dick slid inside her. Maria reached behind her and sought out the gap between Liz’s legs. She found it quickly and despite the awkward angle, she managed to bury her fingers in her best friend.

“Guhhnnnnnnn ... yeah ... oh yeah ... ughnnnnnnn ... aghhhhhnnnnnnn,” the girls moaned.

Max held Maria’s sides gently, she moved and he moved, thrusting up into her as she crashed onto him. The fires were being stoked and soon all three were grinding wildly against each other. Each took part in pleasuring the others but Max’s cock never left Maria.

“Ughnnnn...”

“Yeah...”

“Aghnnn...”

“Aghnnnn ... Ughnnnn...”

“OHFFFFFFFFF ... UGHHNNNNN...”

“YEAH ... OH YESSS ... YESSS ... Ughnnnnn...”

“UGHNNN...

Wet skin slapped against wet skin, Max watched as the two girls closed their eyes tightly. “YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!” they cried out together and fell on top of Max.

With two final quick and deep thrusts Max held his cock in Maria. “Ghhhhhhhnnnnnnnn...” he groaned deeply as he came for the second time. His arms wrapped around them.

All three were breathing heavily. Max lost his erection this time and it slipped out of Maria’s pussy.

“Wow,” Maria said. “That was good ... not as good as last night but...”

“You mean when you and Michael mated?” Liz asked with a teasing smile.

“Oh yeah,” Maria said.

“Well, I’m glad you had fun. But we all have school to get ready for,” Max said.

The girls looked up and then to Liz’s bedside clock. They instantly lost their smiles when they saw the time. “Shower,” they said together.

The girls jumped off the bed but before they ran into Liz’s bathroom, they each grabbed Max’s hand and dragged them in with them. All three shared the shower, washing each other’s bodies eagerly but it was all too brief. When they came out, Max used his powers to repair Maria’s panties, it’s was Isabel’s talented fingers that repaired the damage Michael had done to her uniform last night and she was thankful for it. She couldn’t spend the entire shift in the backroom in her underwear.

Soon all three quickly dressed. They headed out to get to school as quickly as possible so they wouldn’t be late. On their way out Liz grabbed a couple of slices of toast, it was all she needed after the delicious meal she obtained from Max before Maria showed up.

Outside Tables, West Roswell High, 10:15

At school, Isabel had a free period and was sitting reading her math book. Everything was quiet and peaceful but she missed Alex who was suspended for the day thanks to nine others. At any rate his absence did give her the chance to study schoolwork, instead of studying his body in the eraser room, or the girl’s locker room, or the bleachers, or any of the other hundred or so spots that invaded her fantasies of late.