Vall's Will

by Linda Mooney

  “There.” She stopped and pointed to the screen. “Look.”

  He squinted, hard. “Is that a person?” Leaning closer, he studied the vague outline in the middle of the anomaly. “That’s a person!”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Who…” Stunned, he faced the woman. “Vall?” It was difficult to believe what he was seeing, but everything inside him confirmed what he had suspected all along.

  “Sit down, Plymon.” Killjorn stood and patted her vacated seat. “There’s something I think you need to know.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Reunited

  Will took seven steps, off the bridge of Trinity, and into Vall’s open arms. The brightness faded the moment he gathered her against his chest, and the noise that had filled her ears became a low rumble.

  My Will.

  He sought her lips, urging her to lift her face where she’d buried it in the folds of his robe. Will obeyed as her need for him exploded outward like the birth of a new star. She threw her arms around his neck and clutched him tightly as his hands slipped inside her uniform to find her soft skin.

  My Will.

  My Vall.

  His mouth was hot and tasted faintly of sweetness, as if he’d had a confection not too long ago. His tongue was wet and rough as he ran it across her teeth, and she opened herself even further for him. Somehow, he had learned to kiss. He had taken what little he’d experienced and was now applying it to her. Tentatively, experimentally probing as they breathed in each other’s air. Taking his tongue between her lips, she lightly sucked on it, and Vall moaned in response. She could feel his erection prodding her at the juncture of her thighs, and she held him more tightly.

  Something boomed loudly in the distance. She felt the floor vibrated. Surprised, Will broke the kiss and pulled back.

  “What was that?”

  “They are hitting us,” he spoke simply.

  She glanced up to see him unconcerned. “You mean, the Ben Objure are firing on us? We’re at Regency Base?”

  A sense of urgency washed over her, temporarily buffering the intense emotions she had been feeling. Her new focus tore through the nebulous clouds in her mind, leaving her clear-headed.

  She peered at their surroundings. Having been on the base several times, she could tell they were not on the orbiting space station floating several miles above Surro Two. Instead, they were inside the planet, within the underground bunkers constructed in case of enemy attack.

  She and Vall were alone in one of the storage bays. The wide expanses of grayish-brown walls were sparsely lit with bare solar rods hanging from crude hooks. Several payloads of cargo were stacked at one end. The doorless entry was directly to her left.

  “Vall, how did I get here?”

  “I brought you.”

  She smiled at the sound of his voice. He knew she preferred to converse orally, and responded in kind.

  “You took me off my ship?”

  He rested his cheek against her scalp, sighing with relief or pleasure. “I found you.”

  He was so warm. The coldness that had nearly stopped her heart was almost gone, replaced by an insistent need pulsating in her lower belly. Closing her eyes, Will allowed him to envelope her again, rubbing along his hard body, soaking in his heat. She felt him tug at her, urging her down to the bare dirt floor. Will hesitated.

  This was wrong. This was crazy. Seconds ago she’d been aboard her ship, and now she was millions of miles away from it and reveling in the embrace of…

  A Resplendent.

  For the second time, she drew back and waited for Vall to make eye contact. In the dull glow from the solar lamp, his golden eyes were amber.

  “Vall, I have to get you away from here. The Ben Objure want you, and they will continue to bombard this planet until there is nothing left if we don’t surrender you to them.”

  “Will not go.”

  She was momentarily confused. Was he saying he would not allow himself to be prisoner again? Or that he wouldn’t leave the planet?

  “We must! You can’t stay here. If you do, everyone on this planet, everyone left up on that space station, will die!”

  He appeared confused before asking, “Go where?”

  It was a very good question. No matter where he went, the Ben Objure would track him. Or have other species well paid to track him. And Will could name at least six species of hunters who were extremely capable of doing it. Not to mention the mercenaries and other creatures for hire who would happily do it on the cheap simply because he was being protected by the Regency.

  There was another boom, and the room around them appeared to react. Vall’s arms tightened around her as he looked past her shoulder. A dark expression began to color his face. The sight of it rang little alarm bells in her head. On another man, she would think he was irritated, perhaps even becoming angry. On Vall, it seemed to signal a change in him she didn’t want to see.

  She shook him to draw his attention back to her. “Vall.”

  “Uli.” He gave her a warm smile.

  Before she could respond, he kissed her again, sending her thoughts into a void. His energy infused her, giving strength to her tired muscles, and driving his need for her deep into her core. The dampened sexual spark she had tried to tame re-ignited, until she found herself grinding her mound into his thigh. Vall whispered something into her mouth that she didn’t understand. His hand went to her buttocks and squeezed them.

  “Vall.” It was difficult to think. It was harder to speak. “Vall, what if someone comes in? What if someone sees us?”

  Although a part of her didn’t care if they were caught making sweet love on the floor, her training insisted she needed to find a safer place for Vall.

  “Vall.”

  “Will not see. No one will see.”

  He drew her down, and this time she didn’t fight him. She couldn’t. He was peeling away her inhibitions along with her uniform. With her breasts finally exposed, he kissed her sternum and trailed his wet tongue down the middle, lingering finally on her belly. Lapping her, tasting her, nuzzling her. Breathing hotly around her lower abdomen, until she could almost feel it curling between her legs.

  Unable to resist, she ran her fingers through his hair and urged him to go there. To take his tongue and taste her. To dive between her thighs with his beautiful mouth and tongue, and destroy what was left of her sanity.

  If Vall had been an experienced lover, Will doubted she would find greater pleasure. It was his ineptitude, and his desire to please her, his stumbles and his eagerness, that sent her soaring among the stars when she reached her peak. She felt him jerk her uniform over her hips and down to her knees. His warm fingers reached down to spread her lower lips, and she raised her knees to give him better access.

  I can’t be doing this! I can’t allow this to happen! Not now! Not when so many lives are at stake!

  Control yourself, Captain Tayte! Control yourself! You are a Nion warrior! You pledged an oath to protect the lives of others! You swore to place their well being above your own!

  The voice screamed inside her head as Vall’s tongue plunged inside her tight channel. Will cried out, and at the same time, an overwhelming sense of guilt pressed its weight on top of her. Her hands took on a life of their own and pushed Vall away. The young man moved back and sat up, confusion and desire coloring his face.

  “I can’t,” she gasped, reaching for her uniform. “Not now, Vall. I have a job to do. I have to help those people. If you won’t help me—”

  Another blast shuddered through the storage bay. This time, bits of rock and dust sifted down from overhead, covering them both with a layer of grit. Either the Ben Objure’s aim was getting better, or the planet had taken too much of the pounding, and was starting to fall apart.

  The bombardment distracted him, and anger glittered in his eyes. Will grabbed his chin and turned his head back around to face her. “Vall, listen to me. Answer me. It was you who fired back at the Ben Objure, wasn
’t it?”

  “I will not go with them.” The flat statement hinted at his fear, at past memories.

  “You have to stop fighting them.”

  His reaction was swift. “No!”

  “Vall, you must leave. You can’t fight them all!”

  “No!” he replied, more emphatically.

  “Then you leave me no choice but to go up there and convince them to leave. Hopefully, I can get them to believe that you’ll destroy their entire fleet if they persist.”

  Vall remained as he watched her get dressed. “You have no shield,” he finally stated.

  Getting to her feet, Will sealed the uniform. “No, I don’t, but they don’t know that.”

  “I…need you.”

  “And I need you,” she reassured him in a loving tone. She held out a hand. He took it and got to his feet. When she kissed him, she could taste herself on his lips.

  Let me protect you, he begged.

  Everything inside her said no. If things got ugly, she wouldn’t be able to save him. She wouldn’t be able to stop the Ben Objure from taking him prisoner again. After all, they had managed to kill his father, and that creature had been mature, experienced, and powerful.

  My Will, let me protect you.

  She broke away from his mouth, lowering her head. “Vall, put me aboard the main ship. Put me there so I can reason with them. I have to convince them to stop coming after you. More importantly, I must get them to stop attacking the base.”

  “I am going with you.”

  She stared up at him and his determined gaze. “It’s too dangerous. What if they manage to capture you again? I can’t risk it. I can’t risk…losing you.”

  Pure love filled his golden eyes as he moved closer to her and clasped her upper arms. “They cannot take me. They cannot take you.”

  “You can’t say that. You can’t be sure. Remember what they did to your father.”

  He hesitated for only a split second. “You are my Will.”

  “Yes, I am. I’m also a Nion warrior, and Captain of the warship Trinity of Hope. I have taken an oath to help those in need. If you want to help me, stay here, but send me on board the main Objurian ship. And quickly, before it’s too late.”

  “I will go with you,” he stated again, more forcefully.

  “No, Vall.”

  She started to protest further, when he swooped down on her, throwing the edges of his gray robes around her. Before she could say anything, the supply bay faded away, to be replaced momentarily with a background of cold space and stars. The abrupt transition lasted only for a heartbeat before the bridge of the Ben Objurian ship solidified around her. Immediately, three creatures turned in shock to find her standing there. Will took a deep breath as she realized she had no translator on her, until an arm clad in a gray robe reached around her waist, and a warm figure pressed itself along her back.

  Speak, and I will tell them what you say.

  This was her chance. Her only chance. Even though she wished Vall had stayed behind as she’d requested, she knew having him there with her had been a wiser decision.

  She opened her mouth to introduce herself, when one of the creatures lifted a weapon, aimed it at her, and fired.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Snatched

  She acted instinctively, throwing up her hands and lifting her shields. But she wasn’t recovered enough, and her body reminded her of the fact when bolts of pain streaked underneath her skin, sending her into near paralysis. She spasmed, throwing her head back, which connected with the underside of Vall’s chin, clipping it. She heard him grunt as they both fell backwards.

  She realized he’d thrown out a hand, either to stave off the enemy’s fire, or to retaliate. Blistering hot light exploded in front of her, searing her new skin a bright pink.

  Vall fell sideways, taking her with him. With one arm holding her protectively against him, he threw open his other hand. There were screeches of shock and pain, and another bolt of energy sizzled so close beside them, she could smell fabric burning.

  “Vall! No!”

  She found the strength to break his hold and roll away. Disoriented, she lay on the deck as the Ben Objure continued to fire their weapons at Vall. Bursts of blinding light expanded off of his own shield as he managed to get to his feet, all the while firing back at them. Will knew he was looking for her. She also knew he was capable of totally destroying this ship. But the only thing preventing him from doing so was her. Until he found her, he would hold off letting the Ben Objure feel the full extent of his power.

  She had to stop him. She had to stop both the Ben Objure and Vall, but without her shield and her innate powers, she was completely helpless.

  Will got to her knees as she tried to formulate a plan. If she drew the Objurians’ fire away from Vall, chances were they’d fire on her, and Vall would destroy them. If she drew Vall’s attention, it might tilt the advantage in the enemy’s favor, and Vall might be overwhelmed.

  Oh, heavens, what I wouldn’t give for a weapon!

  She glanced around, hoping to find something she could use to defend herself, when she felt a familiar whirling sensation in the center of her chest. Someone had locked onto her and was about to transport her off the ship.

  “Vall!”

  Will threw herself toward him, praying she would connect with him. Vall saw her outstretched hand, her fingers clawing for the edge of his robe. He dove toward her to grab her arm, when a condensed spray of firepower suddenly immersed him, surrounding him with paralyzing pain.

  Will screamed, her hand inches away from his. She had to make contact, any physical contact, so that he would be transported with her, when the ship disappeared from sight, and she was whisked away from the deck of the Objurian vessel. There was another brief glimpse of black space and stars before the clean silver lines of the Nion warship dissolved into view.

  The moment she was fully reconstituted, strong hands grabbed her arms and helped her to her feet. Will turned to face Captain Alamet. “What happened?” Her voice cracked, and her face was streaked with dirt and tears, but she didn’t care.

  “The Trinity put out a distress call, saying you’d been kidnapped. We found your beacon coming from the Objurian craft, and grabbed you as soon as we knew you were clear.”

  “Vall’s on that ship! We have to get him off before the Ben Objure take him prisoner!”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there, Captain.” Alamet released her. “Why were you on that ship in the first place?”

  She tried to calm down enough to appear sane and focused. “Vall snatched me from my ship.”

  “The Trinity is already here?”

  “No. It’s still hours away.”

  “Then how—”

  “Just listen to me!” She glanced around the transport bay where four other men were paying attention to this new development. “Vall’s a Resplendent. Do any of you know what that is?” When no one replied, she pressed on. “A Resplendent is a creature long believed to be a myth, but they really exist. They have incredible powers, powers that can destroy at will. The Ben Objure managed to overtake Vall’s parent when Vall was only nine. They killed the parent and took Vall prisoner, hoping to shape him into a weapon that would help them become the dominating species in this galaxy. But my crew and I managed to rescue him, and Vall fell in love with me. I turned him away, hoping to save him. Hoping that, if I could have him returned to his own kind, the Ben Objure would cease their relentless search for him. They want him back, before they believe it’s too late to mold him into their own personal doomsday weapon.”

  Her knees felt wobbly. Her heart raced. Will took several calming breaths, then continued.

  “The Ben Objure hired mercenary ships to find Vall. One of those ships found the Trinity and tried to destroy us, but by that time you had left Vall at Regency Base. When the other ship found out, they notified the Ben Objure, who had already surrounded the base with every vessel at their command. They gave the base the
ultimatum to release Vall back to them, or they would decimate the base and Surro Two. When the Regents refused, the Ben Objure made good their threat and fired. The base was evacuated to the safety of the tunnels on the planet, including Vall.”

  “That doesn’t explain how you were on the Objurian ship,” Captain Alamet interjected.

  Will turned to face him directly. “I told you, Vall is a Resplendent. His powers are practically limitless. When the Ben Objure began firing on the planet, he feared they would take him back. He feared becoming their prisoner again, and being tortured. So he fired back.”

  Alamet jerked his head, stunned. “He fired back? With what?”

  “With his own power. A power that continues to develop, and grow, and strengthen. A power that also allowed him to sense or know the Trinity was on its way to the base, which is why he transported me off my own bridge, and down into the tunnels under Surro Two. He wanted me with him. He wanted to protect me.”

  Alamet pursed his lips, restraining himself from repeating the question he’d asked earlier. Will nodded. “I convinced him to stop firing. I told him I had to get the Ben Objure to cease firing, as well. Vall knew I’m still unable to erect my shields, or to protect myself, so he transported the both of us onto the Ben Objure queen’s ship, so I could try to negotiate.”

  “What happened? They refused?”

  She shook her head. “They never gave me the chance. They fired at us the moment we appeared. Vall tried to protect me. I tried to stop him. I tried to get him to understand he couldn’t kill the Ben Objure, even though they meant to kill me. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

  “You tried to negotiate. It’s Nion warrior protocol,” the Captain stated. “Vall’s intent was to protect you, until they fired. At that point, all bets were off.”

  “Yes. That’s why I have to get back on that ship.”

  Like a star going nova, a question she had long pondered was answered in a single flash. Will froze in place as clarity set in.

  “It was exactly the same way with his father.”