Chapter 1
“Hello?” Isabel answered breathlessly. “Max, is that you?”
“Hey Iz.” He remarked casually.
“Where the hell are you?” She snapped. “And don’t think for one second you can pull this righteous ‘king alien’ crap on me every time you think you find something of importance. You’re a total jack--”
“I found her, Isabel. The fourth alien.”
“Max, come off of this moral high ground you’ve put yourself upon. If there were a fourth, if she tapped in to at least a fourth of her so called powers, don’t you think she would have tried to contact us by now?” Isabel sighed.
“I don’t think she knows.” Max muttered into the phone.
“This is a twist.” Isabel chuckled inwardly. “You can’t just go looking at random girls and suddenly decide they’re the fourth, you know? You do have a girlfriend back here, and I don’t think she’d be overly happy to know you’re playing house with a girl who may not even be one of our kind.”
“Buffy’s different.”
“Buffy? What kind of a name is Buffy, anyway?” Isabel scoffed. “I assume you haven’t exactly made direct contact yet, no?”
“No, I was going to randomly introduce myself at the Bronze.” Max sighed.
“Be careful, little brother. You know what can happen if she’s not the so called fourth alien. She could leak our whole existence out into the open, and then who knows where the hell we’d be.”
“I’m not an imprudent school boy, Iz. I know what I’m getting myself into here.” Max defended.
“Max, you tend to think with your heart more than your actual brain.” Isabel admitted chillingly. “You’re lucky I trust you, and if you think this Buffy girl could be the one you’re so intent on searching for, then I support you. Just be careful, okay?”
“I will. Thanks, Iz.” Max smiled. “You won’t regret this.”
“For your sake, you better be right.” Isabel laughed briefly. “What do you want me to tell the others?”
“Don’t bring it up.”
“They’re going to ask me, Max. You know that. We’re siblings; we share a bond that a lot of people don’t.” Isabel exclaimed. “You know that Liz is not going to take the news well.”
“Don’t tell them, then. I mean, you can tell them that I was in contact with you, but be brief. Don’t be specific; just act evasive.” Max concluded. “Look, I have to go. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Goodbye, Max. Be careful.” Isabel replied, hanging up.
Quickening up his pursuit of the teenager, Max strode at a mild pace behind the two teens, mentally keeping track of their temperaments. He knew she felt the connection too, as she stiffened the closer he got towards her body.
What was it about her that attracted him so? And why did he feel this need to protect her with his dying breath?
“What is it?” Willow whispered as they continued walking. “You seem tense.”
“I think someone’s following us.” Buffy explained.
“Vampire?” Willow asked.
“No, this is a different vibe. Otherwordly, but not demon-like.” Buffy sighed. “Maybe I’m just overreacting.”
“Maybe.” Willow nodded. “Or maybe it’s because Giles has got you pulling double duty in between school and home.”
“He means well, Willow.” Buffy defended her mentor.
“He’s working you to the bone, and you’re letting him, Buffy.” Willow replied, annoyed. “You barely have time for your friends anymore, and if you hadn’t noticed, Angel is already starting to suspect something.”
“And you’re supposed to stop him from figuring it out, you know.” Buffy chided her. “It’s really going to be fine, Willow. I can do the school & Slayer thing, and still have time for some sort of social life in between.”
“Okay, if you say so.” Willow chuckled. “Look, there’s Xander and Amy. I’m going to go say hi. You coming?”
“No, I think I’m going to wait here.”
“For Angel, right?” Willow teased.
“You’ve made your point, Ms. Rosenberg.” Buffy said, raising her eyebrows in mock annoyance. “Now get out of here.”
Buffy stood in the middle of the room, waiting for Angel to make his usual untimely appearance. Feeling the prickling hairs on her back, she turned around, expecting her suitor.
Instead, she found herself looking into the most gorgeous pair of brown orbs she’d ever seen.
“Who is that?”
“That’s Zan, the king in waiting. You should go and say hello, Ava.”
“I couldn’t.”
“He’s staring over here. And I’m sure it’s not by looking at me.”
“He’s a future king, Vexa. I’m just a lowly peasant girl.”
“You are only if you perceive yourself to be. He’s walking this way, Ava. Just be polite and don’t scare this one off.”
“Hello.”
“Hi, your majesty.”
“I’m not a king yet. Just call me Zan.”
“I’m Ava.”
“I know exactly who you are.”
“Then you are being awfully presumptuous, kind sir. You know all my secrets, but I’ve yet to learn yours.”
“You will, Miss Ava. I can promise you that.”
“Yes, but will they match with your quick wit and charming integrity? Or will they just lead to the destruction of my race and the beating of my heart?”
“Does it have to be both?”
“See? He turns on the charm.”
“I promise to catch you when you fall, Miss Ava.”
“Who says I’ll be the one doing the falling, kind sir?”
“I’m sorry.” Buffy blushed, coming out of her blackout. “Have we met?”
“I don’t think so. I’m new here.” Max remarked. “I’m Max Evans.”
“Buffy Summers.”
“You’re awfully beautiful.” He smiled. “Are you new here too?”
“No, unfortunately. I’ve lived here for a few years now.” Buffy chuckled shyly. “I can show you around, though. We don’t have a whole lot of town around here, but there are a few local hotspots.”
“I look forward to it.”
“If you’re not busy now, we could…?” Buffy offered, all thoughts of Angel flying out the window.
“I’d like that.” Max agreed, taking her arm in his. “Are you sure I’m not interrupting anything?”
“Nah. Nothing important.” Buffy agreed, letting him escort her outside. “Besides, I’m very interested in you, Max Evans.”
“That makes two of us, Buffy Summers.”
***
“Hey, it’s me.” Isabel breathed into the phone. “I really need to see you tonight.”
“Do you want me to come over?” The voice on the other end asked. “I don’t have anything going on here.”
“No, no. Let’s meet somewhere. Local.” She replied.
“The Crashdown?”
“Are you nuts? Liz will be there, and I won’t be able to talk to you without her horning in on whether I’ve heard from Max or not. We’ll meet at Senor Chow’s.” Isabel deduced.
“Won’t she suspect?”
“No, only she and Max go there. No one will ever track us down there.”
“Are you sure we’re doing the right thing here, Isabel?”
“Of course, I am. Just meet me there in an hour, all right?” Isabel sighed. “I love you, Alex.”
“I love you too.”
To Be Continued…