Miu Page 6
there,” he said in a sleepy voice. “You woke up before me. Do you feel better?”
“Yes,” she nodded.”Thank you. You must have been tired as well?”
After sitting up and trying unsuccessfully to smooth his ruffled hair he smiled. “I
was very tired. The past few days have been a bit exhausting.”
Zula suddenly came to her feet and faced the front door.
“What's wrong?” Maxwell stood up and looked out the bay window to view the
front of the house. The only thing he saw was a large shadow crouched low to the left
of the front stairs. “What the heck is that?” “It's Scotty. There must be something wrong with Cleopatra. Please let him in.”
Zula wrapped her arms around herself an shivered. The room suddenly felt very cold.
Maxwell unlocked the front door and stood aside as a large, stocky, silver haired
Miu carefully walked into the room and sat by Zula's side.
Blessings Zula. I have a message from the Matriarch. Scotty eyed Maxwell with
skepticism. To the male Miu, Maxwell looked like any average human and he could
not figure how this man was going to save them all. It smells so...human in here.
“Keep your comments to yourself Scotty. What is the message?” Zula snapped.
Maxwell stood in awe as the two Miu communicated. Zula spoke while the large
male animal stared intently at her with his black, beady eyes, changing position only
to look back at him from time to time.
Cleopatra is refusing to eat again. The matriarch wants to know if the Veterinarian
can give her something and she wants to know if the medication is ready. Scotty's fur
bristled as he watched Maxwell. He was making it very evident just with his posture
that he was not comfortable so close to humans.
“Am I able to bring any of the medication home for Cleo? Scotty Is telling me she
is refusing to eat again. The Matriarch is worried.” Zula glanced sideways at the male
Miu sitting at her side. She did not want Scotty in the room any longer than necessary.
“Yes, of course. Give me a few minutes and I'll organize what she needs. You can
let Tryphaenea know that Cleo is alright for a day or so after all the fluids she had
here but she does somehow have to convince her to eat. We also need to start organizing mass testing as well. I'll be right back.” Maxwell turned away from the two
and headed through the kitchen and out the back door to the clinic.
He knows the matriarch's true name? Why? Scotty was shaking with displeasure.
Zula raised he hands in frustration. “She trust's him! It's not for you to question. I
got your message now please go back and tell the Matriarch I will be returning soon.”
Scotty sniffed the air and shook his head. You are too close to his one Zula. I can
smell it.
“Leave Scotty!” Zula pointed to the door. Your opinion was not asked for. You did
your job. Go home.”
Scotty reared up and the bounded out the open front door. Being too close to
humans is what has caused all these problems Zula. Be careful.
Zula sank back down into the armchair and waited for Maxwell to return. The
darkness in the room made her feel more alone than ever before. “I'm a warrior
maiden and right now I feel like doing nothing more than curling up into a ball and
crying. Oh Goddess! What should I do?”
Her lament was greeted only with silence. Cleopatra was so obviously ill and Zula
felt guilty for only thinking of her own selfish needs. “Forgive me,” she whispered.
“I'm lost.”
“What's lost?” Maxwell asked as he walked in through the kitchen. He had a small
box in his hand that he placed on the coffee table.
“Nothing. Me. The Miu. I just don't know anymore.” Zula lowered her head into her hands and once again began to cry. Maxwell dropped to his knees in front of her.
“I can't bare to see you like this. How can I help you?”
Zula looked up and studied Maxwell's face. She saw only sincerity there. “You
can't help, at least not with this. You are helping my kind and for that I am grateful.
Anything else is my own doing.”
“What do you mean?” Maxwell sat back, cross legged on the floor.
Deciding to be honest, Zula wiped her tears and faced him. “When I first sought
you out it was strictly to save the Matriarch's daughter. Now that I have seen you for
who you are. The compassion you are capable of showing; the concern. I find myself
wanting to know more about you on a personal level. You are a fine specimen of
humanity.”
Thrilled with the compliment and touched by Zula's obvious attraction Maxwell
knew he had to think carefully before saying something he may regret or that may
chase her out of his life for good. “Thank you for that. I know how hard it must be to
trust humans, especially human men. I wouldn’t be honest if I didn't admit that I'm
attracted to you Zula. You are a fascinating woman and the fact that we are so
different makes that attraction even stronger.”
“Is it more than just morbid curiosity?” Zulas asked. She was afraid if Maxwell
really looked inward it would reveal that it was the animal he was enthralled with and
not the human. Does it matter? she asked herself.
“I'm a animal doctor but I'm not a twisted human being Zula.” Maxwell reached over and took her tiny hand in his. “If you were human only, I'd still want to know
you better. It's the differences in humans athat attract one to another. The part of you
that is Miu is just another side of you. We all have many sides”
“Yes, but my Miu side is more than just a domesticated pet. I'm a living, breathing
animal with animal instincts and human like intelligence. The animal part can be
dangerous at times. I don't know if I want too risk early death by shifting
permanently,” Zula replied. She left her hand in his and relished the warmth of the
contact.
“I would never ask you to do that. I know your loyalty and your duty is to the Miu.
I just want tot get to know you better.”
“I believe you,” Zula answered. “But, the danger in that is that I may end up
having too choose between my own kind and humankind.”
Maxwell brought Zula's hand up to his lips and placed a lingering kiss on her warm
flesh. He felt her tremble as he released her. “I'll leave it up to you then, but I do want
you to know that my life has been more interesting since meeting you.”
Quietly, Zula sat back in the chair. A slight smile played on her lips as she rubbed
her finger over the top of her hand. It felt as if the kiss had etched a mark there. She
sighed and then asked Maxwell to show her the medication he had placed in the box
for Cleopatra.
“Back to business,” Maxwell quipped. He explained in detail the protocol
including the immune-based therapy and nutritional recommendations. Zula remained silent until he was finished. “I've written everything up as well. It will be important
for me to test all the Miu so I can find out if anyone else has contracted this virus.”
Zula lifted the box into her hands and then looked back up at Maxwell. This may
be the last time I see you in human form.
The uncertainty that Maxwell saw in her eyes pierced his heart. He suddenly found
himself leaning forward and kissing Zula lightly on the lips. When she didn't move
away, Maxwell kissed her a
gain with more intensity. His heart was pounding and he
felt as if the breath was being squeezed out from his lungs.
Zula stood very still as if afraid too move. She didn't want the kiss to end but she
knew it had too. “Maxwell...”
He raised his finger to her lips. “No words. Allow us this one moment; one kiss. It's
all I ask right now Zula. Please don't deny me that.”
This time it was she that leaned forward and pressed her lips hard onto Maxwell's.
It was her teeth and tongue that nibbled and traced the outline of his mouth. Time
stood still. It was an intoxicating combination of breath and whispers and two hearts
beating as one. One kiss that they both knew may have to last them a lifetime.
* * *
It was later that evening, once Zula had gathered the box and left that Maxwell
realized he had not even said goodbye. He just stood and watched as she walked out
the door into the moonlight. Although he knew the next time they met it may be
awkward he also knew he could never erase the memory of the kiss they shared. Maxwell decided then and there that he didn't care what roadblocks may stop them
from being together. He had that kiss and all was right with his world.