Vall's Will (18 page)

Kill him.

Unless, by some
act of fate, she managed to do it first.

Plymon and
Captain Alamet had their orders. It was rare and almost unheard of to issue a
Directive Zero. In this case, there was no other choice if Vall turned evil.
They could not risk the lives of billions.

Until her death,
she had to continue begging him, hoping he would listen, praying he would obey.
And that she wouldn’t have to press the firing button.

“Don’t…kill.”

“My
Will.”

“Promise
me. Vall, promise me.”

It was almost
impossible to see his face. She tried to reach up and touch it, but her arms
weren’t working. She couldn’t even tell if her free hand was still entwined in
the robe.

“Will, no.
Do not go. Do not leave me.”

At least her
ears still functioned. Something warm landed on her cheek and ran down past her
jaw.

“Promise
me, Vall.”

One fingertip
rested lightly on the firing button. Timing was crucial.

Chapter Thirty

Others

The soft golden
aura that surrounded him began to brighten, growing steadily whiter and
all-encompassing. She heard him gasp. She was lifted horizontally, her head
lolling onto one bared shoulder.

Uli.

The white light
was everywhere now. Shadows moved within the intense glow. Will assumed they
were the Ben Objure. It was a good thing they’d stopped firing at Vall. She had
no idea why they’d ceased their attack once they’d hit her. Maybe they were
shocked at themselves for killing a Nion warrior. Or maybe they were stunned
because they’d managed to hit her. She’d told them they were being surrounded.
They knew she wouldn’t have lied about that fact. By now, the ships should be
in place.

Uli.

“My Will.
My Will.”

Vall continued
to repeat those two words. His voice broke, forcing him to retreat to calling
out to her mentally.

Uli.

My Will. My
Will. My Will.

Uli.

In the back of
her mind, something told her a third entity had invaded her mind. Something or
someone who continued to say
Uli.

The coldness
left her.

My Will.

Uli.

The pain left
her.

Her vision began
to clear.

Feeling came
back to her limbs, to her feet and her hands.

My Will.

His voice was no
longer filled with fear. It didn’t plead with her. It didn’t border on sorrow.

“My
Will.”

Will felt
herself being turned to a vertical position. Her feet touched the floor, and
although her legs felt wobbly and unsure, she found herself standing. Her one
hand, however, remained on her pistol.

The light
continued to surround them, but this time one of the shadowy figures approached
them, coming closer until it coalesced into a humanoid figure.

It was a
Resplendent. There was no mistaking the distinctive features. Through the
layers of diaphanous material wrapped around his body, she could see it was a
male, larger and older than Vall. The man smiled at her inquisitive stare.

“You are
Will.”

Her first
response was to turn and look up at the young man standing behind her. All
trace of the creature which had fought the Ben Objure was gone. Vall’s eyes
were clear of hatred. He also smiled at her, taking one of her hands in his and
pressing it to his chest.

“You are
Will,” the man repeated.

She nodded.
“Yes. I’m Captain Willis Tayte, of the Nion warship,
Trinity of Hope
.”
She moved her shoulders, but there was no twinge of pain. The agony was gone.
“You saved me.” She quietly dared the Resplendent to deny the
miracle. Instead, the man’s smile widened.

“We have
been watching. We have been waiting.”

“Watching
and waiting for what?”

“To find
Uli. For Uli to come into his own. For him to find his strength. For him to
decide his destiny and purpose.”

“For…Uli?”
Will widened her eyes up at the young man holding her hand. “Your real
name is Uli.” She felt like kicking herself. All this time, Vall had been
telling her who he really was. She hadn’t made the connection.

Will bowed her
head to the Resplendent. “Thank you for my life.”

“No. We
thank you. You brought him to us.”

“Brought
him to you? No. I mean, how?”

“You were
able to intercede. You stopped him from turning. You gave him purpose in life.
You became his Will.”

The comment
reminded her that they were surrounded by nearly a dozen armed Ben Objure. She
tried to spot them beyond the ring of light, without any luck.

“The Ben
Objure.”

“They are
unhurt. They are resting in time while we talk.”

“My
Will.” An arm went around her ribcage. A kiss was pressed to the back of
her head.

“What
happens now?” she asked the older man.

“That is a
decision you both make together.” He turned as if to leave, but Will
stopped him.

“Wait. You
said you’d been waiting. Why didn’t you save him yourself when he was a
prisoner?”

“We had no
idea where he was until you intervened.”

“Then why
didn’t you make yourselves known once you found him?” Righteous anger
heated her face. “How long have you floating around out there in space? How
long have you been watching?”

“It
is…our way. We are responsible for training our own offspring. To bring them
to that moment when they must decide whether to follow the path of good or
evil. When Uli’s father was killed, Uli was left with making that decision
without any interference from one of us.” The man made a motion to the
others behind him. The ones still enveloped in the purest of white light.
“Trust us, Will. We were careful to make sure Uli was not harmed or
injured to the point of death. But at the same time, we could not reveal
ourselves until he had made his own decision.”

“Oh, so
that’s why it was all right for
me
to step in and become his guardian
angel?” She made sure her comment was heavy with sarcasm. If the
Resplendent recognized it, he didn’t react.

“Yes.”

“What if he
had become evil? What if he had chosen the other path?”

A sadness
dropped over the man’s face like a transparent veil. “You already know the
answer.” His eyes went to the weapon belted to her leg. “We would
have tried to stop him, if your attempt failed.”

“You would
have
tried
? You mean there are evil Resplendents out there?”

“Regretfully,
yes. Be assured, though. We are always vigilant in our search for them.”

She had to ask
the question that had been gnawing at her ever since Vall’s true nature was
revealed to her. “Why do you remain in hiding? Why do you want people to
think you’re nothing more than a myth? Why not let others know you’re real?
That you’re not fictitious?”

“Again, you
already know that answer.” He opened his arms to mutely encompass the
whole room, the Ben Objure, themselves, and the ship. “With our powers, do
you think all species would leave us alone? That no one would try to go to war
with us? That no one would try to dominate us? Look at you. Your kind are known
on hundreds, thousands of planets, yet there are still those who would continue
to challenge you.”

The man had a
point. No matter how strong or invincible a species was, there would always be
another to test that strength.

Will acquiesced.
“What will you do now?”

“We will
resume our destined mission. To search for those of us who were lost, or who
have turned toward their anger and hate.” For the first time, the man
addressed Vall. “Young Uli, your powers will continue to grow. Before too
long, you will be able to save lives, the way we did for your Will. But you
must never forget you cannot undo what you have done. For her sake and yours,
you must remain pure.”

“With my
Will, that will not be a problem.” Will heard Vall’s promise. She glanced over
her shoulder at him.
Or should I start calling him Uli?

The Resplendent
gave her and Vall a final smile and retreated, disappearing into the white mist
of light. Within seconds, the all-encompassing glow faded. At the same time,
the Ben Objure started to awaken from their slumber.

Will removed her
hand from the stasis tube and placed it instead on the arm resting beneath her
breasts. Vall reached down to take her hand, then held it out in front of them.

“Close your
eyes.”

She did. In her
mind, she watched as the ship around them vanished, leaving them suspended in
space above the pale green planet rotating hundreds of kilometers below. The
six Nion warships were already in semi-circular formation, parked just above
the exosphere where they sparkled like exquisite jewels in a crown in the rays
of the Ben Fil Dera’s blue-white sun.

Surrounding the
warships, the Ben Objure hovered like an angry horde, almost swallowing the
Nion with sheer numbers. The stark black alien vessels were also larger,
massively so, but Will knew size was irrelevant in space.

Vall bent his
face until his breath tickled her ear. “Shall I make them go away?”

Lifting her lips
until they almost brushed his, Will replied, “Send the Nion back to
Regency Base. Leave the Ben Objure to ponder what happened.”

“What if
they come for me again?”

“I really
don’t think that will happen,” she promised.

Smiling, he
aimed down her arm. Peeling open her fingers, he placed his own palm behind
hers, matching fingertips to fingertips.

“With me.
Watch.”

Will watched.

One by one, the
Nion warships quickly winked out of sight. Will gasped, then laughed. A small
thread of worry started to wrap itself around her heart with the realization
that, regardless of what she was witnessing, Vall’s powers were nowhere near
what the mature male Resplendent had shown. She would have an enormous
responsibility in guiding Vall…Uli…in the years to come.

Once the last
Nion vessel vanished, Vall closed her hand. “Where do we go now?”

“Regency
Base, please.”

He chuckled as
Ben Fil Dera disappeared from beneath their feet.

Chapter Thirty-One

Diversion

She should have
known Vall would bring her back to the dingy underground storage bay, deep
within the bowels of Surro Two. This time, though, it didn’t matter when he
pulled off his soiled robe and laid it on the rock floor. As he stretched out
on his side, beckoning to her, Will slipped out of her uniform and joined him.

“This is
not where I asked to be taken.” She gave him a teasing smile as she
settled along his long, lanky form. Running a hand over his skin, she marveled
at the musculature beneath the surface. Give him a few more months on a steady
diet, and he would soon show the hard, cut male body of his species. Her
fingertips made him shiver.

“You said
Regency Base. You are here.”

“I meant
the space station.”

“Then, next
time, be more precise.”

They were
bantering back and forth. It was the first real honest conversation between
them, and it felt natural. Will placed a kiss near a heart-shaped nipple, then
lightly licked the hard little bud.

“Vall…or
do you want me to call you Uli?”

“Whatever
pleases you.”

Will snorted.
“Does this please you?” Rising over him, she ran the tip of her
tongue down his belly, down to the nearly pale and nearly invisible mat
circling the base of his manhood. For the first time, she realized he had no umbilical
remnant above his abdomen.

Vall noticed her
surprised expression and laughed, and rolled over to face her. Lifting her
chin, he guided her lips to his and softly kissed her once, twice, before
throwing his arm around her waist and rolling onto his back, lifting her onto
his belly. Will obliged by wriggling down his body until her cleft was firmly
atop his hardening length. Moving her hips, she let her cream cover him, until
they both were slick. The friction hardened her clit and filled her with a
growing need.

“Mmm.”
She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the slow build of excitement building
below her abdomen. As Vall placed his hands over her breasts and gently
squeezed them, she gasped. “Oh, that feels wonderful.”

“This feels
better,” he whispered. Before she could question him, he grabbed her
around the ribs and lifted her slightly. Will felt the head of his erection
ease inside her, sliding over nerve endings that sent a rush through her body.
She gave a low moan and let her body go slack. If he wanted to be in charge,
she wasn’t going to argue. It was time he dominated her, instead of the other
way around.

She clamped her
knees against his thighs as he seesawed her up and down. At first, the
movements were gentle, giving her time to accept his thickness. Looking down at
Vall’s face, Will could see his eyes were closed. His concentration was focused
on their lovemaking. Smiling, she squeeze her inner muscles. His reaction was
instantaneous.

His movements
were so quick, she had no idea he had placed her on her back, and was now
pushing himself deep within her with long, hard strokes. Will lifted her hips,
and was rewarded with Vall doubling his efforts. Grabbing her legs, he placed
them atop his shoulders and sat back on his heels. Will had nothing to hold on
to and no way to control him, other than to let him pound inside her, shoving
his full length into her with deeper and increasingly faster lunges.

A whirlwind of
passion began to swirl around them, sending minute bits of rock and sand through
the air. As their mutual frenzy increased, the wind swirled faster, until the
bits lashed against their skin. But instead of causing pain, the tiny biting
stings made her blood flow hotter. Will cried out, begging him to bring her.
Pleading with him to give her release.

She heard him
grunt, letting her know he was climaxing. A tiny cry of regret rose to her
throat when his hand dipped between them, and he manipulated her clit. The
added pressure was like adding fuel to the fire, and Will threw back her head
as her fingers dug into the rock floor.

Her orgasm was
explosive, tearing her flesh and making her scream her pleasure. But Vall
wasn’t finished with her. As he continued to press into her with sporadic
jerks, he rolled her clit with his thumb as his fingers joined his softening
erection in plunging within her convulsing channel.

He continued to
take her, wringing from her every last ounce of ecstasy. When it was finally
over, and their bodies were fully satiated, he laid down beside her and buried his
face in the crook of her neck.

The whirlwind
abated. The debris settled back down. The storage bay grew peacefully silent.
Will was on the verge of sleep when he stirred.

“I want to
see the universe.”

“Sounds
like a mission. I don’t blame you, after being cooped up for so long.”

“I have a
lot to see, and you will be by my side.”

“I
will.”

He raised up on
one elbow to gaze down at her. “But I thought—”

Will placed a
finger on his lips. “I’ve accepted the fact that I no longer can be a
warship captain. My future is with you.” She grinned. “Actually, it
won’t be that much different from what I’ve been doing.”

He smiled back,
clearly relieved. “Why not?”

“Defending
the galaxies. Keeping you from turning evil. Same job description, just a
different title.”

He kissed her
lightly, then snuggled beside her again. But all vestiges of sleep had
abandoned her. After another minute, she turned her face toward him.

“Uli?”

“What?”

“Those
women. The ones the Ben Objure brought to you. They taught you how to make
love, didn’t they?”

He remained
still, unmoving and not answering her for a minute. “They were meant to
bond with me,” he admitted in a low voice. “The Ben Objure wanted me
to remain subservient to them by having me bond with one of the women. That way
they could threaten her if I refused to obey their commands.”

“But you
didn’t bond with them. You bonded with me. How? I mean, when did you know we
were meant to be paired? When you first took me?”

His chuckle was
a puff of air on her collarbone. “No. I knew when you first entered my
cell, and removed your helmet.” His open hand slid over her stomach,
warming her skin. “Did the grit hurt you?

“It stung,
but I’m all right.”

The hand
continued to move over her, and Will realized he was checking her out, making
sure she wasn’t injured in spite of her assurance. Fingers played briefly with
her nipples, making her giggle. A thumb traced her lower lip. When he reached
her opposite temple, he paused as he brushed his fingertips over her ear.

“How long
will you have to wait for your hair to grow out?”

“I don’t
know. Weeks, I suppose. I’ll be glad when it does.”

She felt his
hand slide over her scalp. It was warm where his palm and fingers were spread.
And it tickled. Unconsciously, she reached up to scratch one particularly irritating
section when her finger encountered a thatch of silky strands. Surprised, she
pulled it over to where she could see the pale blonde curl.

Sitting up, she
patted her head with both hands, but it was not her imagination. She had hair
again. Will glanced down at her crotch. Well, at least she had it on her head.
She glanced over to see Vall trying to hide a mischievous smile.

“Thank
you.”

“Would you
like it longer?”

“No. This
is the length I prefer.”

He nodded.
“I remembered that’s how it looked when I first saw you.”

“Will it
stay this way, or will it continue to grow?”

“I only
gave it a boost.”

“I don’t
suppose you could give my armor a little boost, too.”

Vall appeared to
be puzzled, until he understood what she meant. “I think I can do
that.”

“Good.
Better to be prepared in case something happens, and we become separated during
our tour of eternity,” she teased.

Smiling back,
Vall started to reach for her, when she stopped his hand. “But first, I
have some unfinished business to tend to.” Slipping away from his embrace,
she grabbed her discarded uniform and started to dress.

Vall sat up.
“Your ship?” he guessed.

“Yes. My
ship. I can’t leave without saying good-bye. When you’re ready, please take me
where the others are gathered.”

“Can we
come back here later?”

“Duty
first, my love.”

Nodding, Vall
got to his feet and picked up the ragged and soiled robe. Will pointed to the
garment. “Oh, if you have the power, can you clean that? Or replace
it?”

He gave it a
vigorous shake, then slipped it over his head. The robe looked as pristine as
it did the first time he put it on.

“Better?”
he asked, taking her hand.

Before she could
respond, they were standing in the middle of Commander Oglet’s command center,
surrounded by nearly two dozen officials, including the captains of the six
Nion warships Vall had sent away from the Ben Fil Dera system.