Bill in Space 3: Bill and the Sprisi! (Erotic Fantasy) (3 page)

Ariella was worried.  She had no idea such a thing was even
possible for an ancient Dravii.  She snuck another look at Bill and just
couldn’t imagine him being a monster.  After all she knew he didn’t go around
controlled by his instincts, taking whatever he wanted.  She knew he had to
fight them, but that was a far cry to how his predecessors were, he hated that
part of himself.  She just worried about him gaining all that power.  It would
be a huge temptation.

It didn’t seem that they had a real choice about it though. 
They could hide for the rest of their lives, but she knew none of them,
including her, could live with turning their back on the universe.  Even
selecting another human seemed like a bad idea, she already had one of the best
ones.  She just had to hope even after being changed he still hated that part
of himself, enough to resist temptation anyway.

One thing was certain, they were done with their search, and
it was still morning, they had a whole day to kill and nothing to really do
except wait.  She had an idea for that, everyone needed a distraction to blow
off some steam.

She said, “Well, we don’t need to scan anymore, rather than
brood for another twenty four hours I have an idea.  Bill, come with me
please?  The rest of you find something comfortable to wear, we need about
thirty minutes.”

----------------

Bill already knew he would do it, he would risk his life, it
was worth it to him.  He too was worried about the next twenty four hours, all
his mates looked concerned about him, and none of them really had anything to
do.  He sighed with relief when Ariella had an idea and took her hand.

They teleported and appeared in front of something he was
not expecting at all.  One of those twenty four hour superstores.  He looked
down at Ariella and raised his eyebrows.

She grinned and said excitedly, “Party time, we need
alcohol, food, and everything for a beach barbeque.”

He got a picture of a bunch of humans on the beach staring
at his red, golden and blue colored skinned mates in his head.  Perhaps some
screaming, running, torches, and pitchforks included?  Then of course he
realized a tropical deserted island would take care of that issue easily.  A
grin slowly spread across his face.  It would be good to get off the ship and
relax a bit.  Saving the universe was just too much pressure and the last two
weeks of slowly fraying tempers backed up the thought.

They went inside, picked up some premade hamburgers at the
deli, hot dogs, buns, beer, wine, chips, lighter and fluid, a simple barbeque,
and some charcoal.  He hadn’t even considered how to pay for it but Ariella
pulled out a wad of folded bills and paid for it all.  They went outside and
waited until no one was looking their way and transported straight to a beach.

It was beautiful, he could smell the salt air, the water was
bright blue and it was in the high seventies with a warm breeze.  There was no
sign of any civilization anywhere.  He did see some beach chairs and a picnic
table, he figured she probably made them in the ship and sent them down
earlier.

He said smiling, “This is great, exactly what I needed.  What
we all needed.  Thank you for this.”

He pulled Ariella into a deep kiss and then held her for a
moment.  Just enjoying her in his arms as he soaked in the sun.  He felt
relaxed for the first time in two weeks, the worries for tomorrow melting away
as he lived in the moment.

He popped open a beer and started to put the barbeque
together and get a fire going while taking sips.  Finally, a real beer.  He
noticed Ariella transported Gwen, Larissa and Tiffani down.  He almost burned
his hand when he noticed they were all wearing bikinis.  He figured she
arranged that too, when he saw her changing into one as well.

He felt Gwen wrap her arms around him from behind, kissing
his back as he heard her giggle.  His heart melted at the sweet sound.

She said teasingly, “Distracting are we?”

He grinned, reached around and spanked her lightly, “You
know you are baby.”

They ate and had a good time, the sun felt so good to all of
them after being on ship so long and by the third drink they were all in a much
better mood.  Even he and Tiffani were talking and joking together, hardly any
awkwardness at all.  In the light of tomorrow’s risk their issue seemed very
unimportant at the time, when weighed against their feelings for each other, at
least to him.  They didn’t touch, but otherwise things felt almost normal.

They took a small swim, Bill having changed into the
swimming trunks Ariella provided.  There was laughing and squealing as they
played in the water.  All in all it was a wonderful day and he wished it
wouldn’t end.  There was some affection exchanged between them, soft touches
and brief kisses.  But mostly they just bonded as mates and enjoyed each
other’s company for the day.  None of them brought up what tomorrow would
bring, not wanting to break the mood and release of the day.

When it started to get dark, they all went back up to the
ship and went into the main bedroom with the huge bed.  No one wanted to sleep
separate tonight so without even discussing it there was no sex, just cuddling
close together and gentle caresses as they fell into a deep sleep.

--------------

The next morning Vino showed up with greasy diner food. 
They all dug into their eggs, hash browns and bacon.  They knew he would get to
it in his own time and no one mentioned why he was there.  They were all a
little afraid of what would happen and weren’t inclined to want to rush it
anyway.

Tiffani was on pins and needles.  They had such a good time
yesterday, she had wanted Bill last night when they turned in, but knew the day
was just a temporary reprieve.  She knew he still struggled with her being with
anyone else.  She was quite worried about him though, but knew if he couldn’t
maintain his civilized behavior after being advanced then she doubted any human
could.  Of course, she was probably biased in that way.

When breakfast was finished, she had really liked the bacon,
Vino cleared his throat.  She was on edge as she waited to see what would
happen.

Vino said, “I have decided to give it another chance, under
one condition.  I believe that humans are civilized mostly because of fear of
punishment, laws and rules.  When one gets power, it can corrupt, make the
person feel above all that.  However some humans, Bill included, fight those
thoughts and try to do what is right even without that threat above them.  I
don’t know if that will change or not so here is what I require to continue.

“Ariella, I need your oath that you will destroy Bill if he
becomes what I fear.”

Tiffani listened as Ariella started speaking a language her
translator did not work on, her voice was low, guttural and filled with
growling and roaring at different pitches.  Tiffani looked up at Vino when
Ariella finished and he just nodded, looking tired and conflicted with his
decision.

Vino said, “And have you decided?  I can see the answer in
your mind but I want to hear it spoken.”

Bill nodded firmly, “I am a little nervous after your story,
but I just can’t see myself being a monster, no matter what power you may give
me.”

Vino said, “I hope you are right.”

As Vino, Bill and Ariella disappeared in a blinding white
light Tiffani sighed.  All she could do now is wait, and hope.

----------------

Bill looked around trying to get his bearings.  He was in a
huge cavernous room.  The walls and floors were golden.  When he touched the
wall it was warm and soft.  He realized where he was and couldn’t help but
smile.  He was on Atlantis.

Vino nodded at him, “I can’t make the change through my
avatar.  You had to come here for it.”

He looked at Ariella and said, “You should be able to scan
me now, I dropped the energy concealing me.  When the change is done you will
need to teleport him and yourself out right away, before my body starts to
disintegrate.  At this pressure under the water it won’t take long for me to
implode when my protective energy wanes, so do not tarry.”

Bill felt sad for the old man for a moment.  He couldn’t
imagine spending a hundred thousand years with nothing but self recrimination,
regret, and a duty that constantly reminded him of it.

He saw Vino send him a sad smile and direct him to lie down
on the table in the center of the room.  He thought Ariella looked frightened
but she nodded at him in encouragement.  He lay down on the table and waited. 
He saw a white light surround him, then enter his body.  He felt a strange
tingling in his scalp and behind his eyes.  Slowly, something came into view. 
It was white and wispy at first, but slowly over time he realized he was seeing
the life essence of Vino.

It was beautiful.  He not only could see the life essence he
instinctively knew what represented what.  He could see the regret plain in the
essence, and the thin hope that Vino had carefully concealed from them.  He
knew he could reach out and touch it, but did not.  He was afraid of what might
happen.  This wasn’t the time or place to start experimenting after all.

He didn’t seem like he was going to go crazy, of course he
realized that if he did it would be a gradual thing.  As he learned to use his
powers he would need to be careful not to cross the line, or he would find it
easier and easier to keep doing it.  He looked over at Ariella and could see
her life essence.  He wasn’t an empath perhaps, but he could read the worry and
love in her essence even if he couldn’t feel it directly.  That was kind of
cool.  Things were still getting sharper and brighter and he started to hope he
could control it enough to turn it on and off, or it would be very distracting.

He returned his attention to Vino’s life signature, his
essence, and saw that it was dimming.  He selfishly wondered if Vino had enough
in him to finish this, then felt ashamed at the thought.  As Vino’s life
essence faded more, he felt the tingling stop.

Vino said, “My hopes go with you Bill, and I am sorry but my
responsibility goes with you Ariella, do not fail.  Do not give up until you
have found their home world and removed the Sprisi from existence.”

Just as he saw the ancient Dravii’s life force dissipate, he
saw something rise.  A golden wisp in the shape of a dragon was taking off. 
Did he just see a soul?  Maybe those mediums aren’t nutters after all.

As the white lights of teleportation surrounded him he heard
a dreadful crack as Atlantis started to implode, they appeared on the bridge of
Ariella.

He looked at his mates’ one at a time, surprised at what he
could read and know.

He studied Gwen, she looked worried for him and full of a
love for him that boggled his mind.  He had just never thought of himself as
being worthy of something like that.  She shone with it.  He could also see she
felt like she was missing something but she wasn’t sure what it was.  He really
needed to control this, if he was hit by all this information by everyone he
looked at he would no doubt lose it.  He could also see the tendrils of her
life force, spreading out to everyone’s head, no doubt her ability to read
emotions.

He changed his focus to Larissa.  She had her typical stone
warrior face on but her essence told a different story.  He could clearly see she
had been fraught with worry about him and Tiffani.  He had been hurting her
too.  He felt like he wanted to fix it and he saw golden tendrils leave his
mind and move toward Larissa.  He panicked and pulled them back.  What would
they have done to her?

He was awed when he focused on Ariella the ship.  Her life
force was so much more complicated.  He could make out her blinding love for
all of them, and her sad duty that she had been charged with by Vino.  But
there was so much more that his mind simply couldn’t grasp.  At least, not yet.

That is when he realized the truth of the horror of his
power.  If he could reach out and affect a life force to end someone’s life.  That
means he could manipulate it to other ends as well.  He realized that golden
tendril heading for Larissa may have simply choked off her ability to worry, at
all, ever.  He may not be able to control people like a Demonae, but he could
do much worse.

He shuddered.  He could change a beings nature.  Much like
the elder Dravii changed him but he could do it easily, instinctively.  They
were new instincts, given with the powers.  He was a danger to anyone that was
close to him, his range to do this wasn’t that large.  That is why he needed to
be teamed with a Dravii to hunt the Sprisi.  He would have to learn how to
control it, or he could accidentally change someone with a random thought, as
he almost just did with Larissa.

He had been putting it off, afraid of what he would see.  But
he looked over at Tiffani finally, seeing a look of concern on her face.  He
smiled as he saw her love, he was amazed again that all of these women loved
him as much as he loved them.  Then he saw the sorrow, worry and the evidence
of the suffering she had gone through.

He was struck briefly by guilt.

However, that quickly turned into jealous anger as he saw
her deep love, attraction, and lust for Gabe.  He heard himself growl, she was
his and his alone.  He saw golden tendrils race toward her, the intent clear,
choke off and kill the part of her that loves the interloper.  He heard Gwen
gasp as she registered his ugly emotion.  He almost screamed in frustration as
he brought the tendrils up short.

He focused on his rising hate and disgust for those jealous
emotions, trying again to beat them down.  He was so tired of fighting his
jealousy and instincts, why couldn’t he just win?  Why couldn’t he be happy for
his love?  Why couldn’t he take joy in her joy, even if some of it is not
because of him?  His mind spiraled as his anger grew, he hated it, the
jealousy, the misery he was causing, the animal within him that just wouldn’t
let go of what it considered his and his alone.