Shadow Warrior: Destiny of a Mutant (27 page)

She moaned even louder and began moving her hips in rhythm with his touch. She reached behind her, finding him through his pants. She turned around and kissed Will hard and he returned the impassioned gesture as well. Their tongues intertwined in and out of each other’s mouths; hungry and probing. They both trembled in anticipation.

Will picked her up, laid her gently on the bed, and continued kissing her mouth and her neck. His hot tongue then found her hard, little nipples and she moaned even louder as his fingers moved in and out of her. Will then slowly began licking and kissing her body until he found her wet opening. He teased and licked her gently until she arched her hips, moaned loudly, and came forcefully.

“I want you,” she said breathlessly.

Will took off his pants and gently entered her; she moaned even louder. They coupled like this for several intense minutes, and finally he released his seed inside of her. Both of them collapsed and were trying to catch their breath.

They made love twice more that night, but not as urgently as before.

As they lay together holding one another after their third coupling, Hanna, with her eyes closed, said, “I love you, Will Essex.”

Will was quiet for a moment, and then said, “I love you, too.”

***

Over the next couple of weeks, Will and Hanna spent a lot of time together. They talked and walked in the countryside near their homes often.

One late afternoon, they had a picnic a couple of miles from Ravenglass, near the area that Will had landed when he first returned to Earth. The sun sat low in the sky, and the moon could be seen as well. They lay back on a blanket as dusk faded to twilight looking at the stars.

Will was telling her the names of the stars and planets that could be seen, including Mars and Jupiter. He explained to her the phases of the moon, and how the moon controlled the tides. Hanna was fascinated by his knowledge of astronomy and science.

“Where did you learn all of this?” she asked.

“You pick up a lot of information when you travel.”

“I would love to travel again someday; somewhere far away from here.”

“Wouldn’t you miss your family?” he asked.

“Of course, but there comes a point when you have to grow up and make your own way in life. Just like you did,” she said. “Will, have you ever thought about getting married and having children?” she asked softly.

Will was caught off-guard at this question.

“Well, yes. I’ve thought about it. But, unfortunately, I can’t have children. There was an…accident several years ago which left me unable to sire a child.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. You must have been devastated to learn that you could never have a child.”

“Yes. I was. But, you learn to deal with it.”

“Tell me more about the heavens,” she said quickly changing the subject.

“Well, the moon is a little more than 250,000 miles from Earth. The Earth is around 93 million miles from the sun. The Earth revolves around the sun, not the other way around.”

“The Catholic Church says the world is flat. Do you believe that’s true?”

“Of course not. The Earth is actually more of an oval, and it’s definitely not flat.”

“If the bishop heard what you’ve been telling me, he would have you burned for heresy,” she said with a smile.

“I’m sure he would probably try anyway,” Will replied with a smile as well.

“Do you ever imagine that there is other life out among the stars?” she asked.

“I guarantee there’s other life out there,” he said.

“Guarantee? How can you do that?”

“Oh, I have my ways,” he said with a sly smile.

“Hmm. I’m sure you do.” With that she turned and kissed him tenderly on the mouth.

Return to Altrusia

A couple of weeks had passed since Will moved his family into their new home. Will had originally planned to spend only a month with his family, but that one month was coming close to becoming two.

After the first month had passed, Will had contacted Portak and asked for his permission to stay longer. Portak had agreed, as did Qon Jorg. Now as the end of the second month was fast approaching, Will hesitated asking for more time, but he felt he needed it.

His relationship with Hanna was something he had not wanted nor expected, but nevertheless he had fallen in love with her. He knew that soon he would have to tell her the truth about himself. He had considered for a moment staying on Earth to make a life with Hanna, but too many beings in his star sector were depending on him, and even with Hanna by his side, he could never be happy on Earth again. He wondered what Portak would say about him wanting to bring Hanna with him to Altrusia.

Will fell into a restless sleep that night, and sometime around 2:00 a.m., the invisible communication device he wore around his wrist activated. It was Portak trying to contact him. Will woke up immediately, actuated the invisible device and a small, holographic image of Portak appeared on the small platform of the communicator.

“Will, I hope the time you’ve spent with your family has been enjoyable.”

“Yes, sir. It has been most enjoyable. In fact I was going…”

Portak cut him off in mid-sentence.

“I’m afraid that you must cut your visit short. You are needed here as soon as you can make it back. There has been an uprising on Avtaehr V, and if we do not intercede soon, it will turn into a full scale war. The whole planet could be obliterated.”

“No one else can handle this situation?” Will asked hopefully.

“I’m afraid it may take someone with your powers of
persuasion
to squelch the rebellion. Also, there is a threat of severe seismic activity on Trebulon IV and your skills will be needed there very soon as well,” Portak said.

Will sighed. “Very well then. I shall leave the day after tomorrow, if that is permissible.” Will hesitated, and Portak sensed there was something else Will wanted to say.

“That is acceptable, but no longer. Was there something else you wanted to say?”

“Well, yes. Actually there is.” Will told Portak of his relationship with Hanna and his desire to bring her to Altrusia. Portak was silent for almost half a minute.

“Will, you knew when you agreed to become a Guardian that it was a solitary life due to the nature of your mission. Also, you are immortal and she is not. Have you thought about that?”

“I have, and I’m aware that there are ways to enhance her life to several hundred years.”

“This is true. However, have you thought of her reaction at finding out the truth about you and what you are? What if she doesn’t accept it? Do you think she would really want to leave Earth and live on Altrusia?”

Will was silent for a few moments. “I have thought about it. But, I believe she loves me enough that it wouldn’t matter to her.”

“It sounds to me as if you’ve made up your mind on this. I think that it is unwise, but I do not want to lose you as a friend or as a Guardian. Do what your heart tells you to do, and I will support you. But, no matter what, you still need to leave the day after tomorrow.”

“I understand. And I thank you.”

Portak ended the transmission and Will rendered the communicator invisible again.

Damn,
Will thought to himself. Will tried for a couple of hours to go back to sleep, but was unsuccessful. He eventually got up around 5:00 a.m., and walked around the estate to clear his head. At 6:00 a.m. he saddled one of the horses and took a long ride in the meadows that surrounded the estate.

When he returned home around 7:30 a.m., Elizabeth was up and in the kitchen helping one of the servants prepare breakfast.

“Good morning, Will. I still can‘t get used to having someone cook my breakfast for me,” Elizabeth said, looking at the cook. “I take it you’ve been up for awhile?”

“Yes. I couldn’t sleep last night, so I got up, took a walk, and then went for a ride in the meadow on one of the horses.”

“What was wrong that you couldn’t sleep?” Elizabeth asked.

“Nothing. It’s just that I. Well, I…”

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I’m afraid I am,” he said sighing deeply.

“When?”

“The day after tomorrow.”

Elizabeth nodded.

“We are all going to miss you very much. We can’t begin to thank you for all you’ve done for us since you returned.”

“That’s what families do for each other.”

Elizabeth nodded. Just then Edward walked in and said his good mornings and kissed his wife lovingly on the cheek. He noticed that Elizabeth looked sad and when he asked her what was wrong, she told him that Will would be leaving in the next couple of days.

“I wish you wouldn’t leave, my brother.”

“I know, but I’m afraid that I must. I‘ve been away from my businesses too long. My partners are capable of running them in the short term, but I‘m afraid that it is time for me to go.”

“Will you be coming back anytime soon?” Edward asked.

“I’m not sure, but I will do my best. But whatever happens, take care of your lovely family, and Mother, of course. I shall miss you all dearly. I’m going to speak with Mother for a few minutes. Please don’t wait for me to eat breakfast.”

As Will was leaving, his niece and nephew entered the kitchen and said their good mornings to Will, their parents and the cook.

As he started to walk out of the kitchen, Elizabeth said, “Will, what about Hanna?”

Will stopped and turned to face Elizabeth, “I will ask her to come with me of course,” he said with a smile and a wink.

Elizabeth smiled back broadly.

Will spent the next couple of hours with his mother, and then he took his niece and nephew outside to play with them.

***

That evening, Will went to Hanna’s house. She had made him dinner. Afterwards they made love a couple of times and lay in bed together; Hanna’s head lay across Will’s chest. She listened intently at the sound of his beating heart.

“I’m afraid that I must leave the day after tomorrow.”

Hanna was quiet for a few seconds. “I knew this day would come, I just hoped that it never would.” She turned away from him and started crying quietly.

“I know, but I was hoping that you would come with me.”

“Come with you? But you said…”

“I know what I said, but that was before I realized that I was in love with you and want you with me.” She turned to face him. Will wiped away her tears. “However, there are some things you need to know before giving me your answer. I…”

Hanna started kissing Will over and over. Before long they were making love again. Afterwards, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

It seems my revelation will have to wait until morning,
he thought smiling.

***

The next morning when Will awoke, Hanna was already out of bed and making breakfast. He walked into the kitchen, put his arms around her from behind and kissed her on the neck.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Good morning, my love.”

Hanna then served him breakfast and they ate in silence. After they finished, Will complimented the meal but was unusually quiet.

“Will, is something wrong? You normally aren’t this quiet. Are you having second thoughts about asking me to come with you?”

“No. It’s just that…”

“Don’t you want to know my answer?”

“I do, but we seriously need to talk first. There are some things you need to know before you give me your answer. And quite frankly, you will have a hard time believing what I have to tell you. Please, sit down,” Will said as he beckoned her to a chair.

Hanna came and sat down at the table with Will.

“Will, I know what going with you will mean. It will mean leaving England and living in Asia. I’m also aware that you travel frequently. Perhaps I could travel with you some. The main thing is I love you and I want to be with you. No matter what or where.” She smiled and kissed Will gently on the lips.

“Fine. Then let me be perfectly honest with you. I’m not a businessman nor do I live in Asia.”

Hanna gave him a look of disbelief. “What do you mean? If you’re not, then where did you get the stones you gave to your brother to buy that estate? If you don’t live in Asia, then where do you live?”

Will sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought. “The truth is I no longer call Earth my home. I live on a planet called Altrusia. I’ve lived there for seventeen years.”

“Funny, Will. Very funny,” she said smiling. However, she noticed that Will was not laughing or smiling.

“I’m not joking. I’m being truthful with you, and there is much more.” Will then told her a condensed version of what had happened to him all those years ago.

When he had finished, Hanna stood up and walked away from Will. She was crying softly.

“If you didn’t want to be with me, all you had to do was tell me. But, you come in here with that ridiculous story. What do you take me for, a fool? I want you to leave! Now!” She was furious, and started crying harder.

“Hanna, I know this is hard to believe, but every word of it is true. I want you to be a part of my life, but you must know the truth about me before this relationship can go any further.”

“If you really believe all of that, then you’re worse than a liar, you’re a bloody lunatic!”

“What if I can prove it to you?”

“Prove it to me? How? What are you going to do, take me to your spaceship?” she said sarcastically.

“Something like that. Yes.”

In front of Hanna, Will made his invisible Guardian uniform visible. Hanna stood in stunned silence; her eyes as large as saucers. She started backing away from him.

“Get away from me! You…you, sorcerer! You…demon!”

“Well, you wanted proof, so here’s part of it. This is simply the uniform I wear as a Guardian. Please don’t be afraid.” Will then made his facemask invisible and intangible so she could see it was him. Will then approached her and held out his hand. Hanna would not touch it at first, but she soon relented.

“What are you doing?”

Will didn’t answer her, but instead he produced a life support belt, similar to the one he had worn when he first traveled via the wormhole, placed it around her waist and activated it. He then stepped outside with her, made sure no one was around, picked her up, and flew into the air to where his starship cruiser waited. She gasped loudly at seeing they were flying, and she clung to Will’s neck fiercely.

Upon arriving on his ship, he made it visible; a look of shock and awe invaded her face. He then teleported her inside of the ship, and Hanna was hit with a mix of emotions: fear, anger, relief, sadness, happiness.

“Dear God! Everything you said was true!”

“Yes, it was,” was all he said.

“It’s so much to take in, Will. I’m so confused. I, I don’t know what to say.”

“Say that you love me and will travel with me to the planet I call my home now.”

“I need some time to think. It was one thing to believe I was going to Asia. But this. I mean. Oh God, I’m so confused.” She started crying and Will took her in his arms. After a few minutes she calmed down and stopped crying.

“What do we do now?” she asked.

“Have a seat in that chair,” he said, pointing to the co-pilots chair.

She sat down and the bio-magnet secured her to the chair.

“What are you doing?” she said, her eyes wide with fear.

“What say we take a little drive?”

Before she could answer, Will headed into outer space. Within minutes, he had cruised to the moon. Upon arriving there, he hovered ten miles above it.

“Dear Lord, this ship is fast! I can’t believe all of this. It’s too much to take in.” She then looked at the moon. “It’s so beautiful. I truly envy you for being able to do what you do. It must be amazing.”

“It has its moments,” Will said. “But it would be better if I had someone to share it with.”

Hanna turned to look at Will. Will saw the fear and trepidation in her eyes, but she didn’t say anything at first.

“Would it be possible to go a little further?” she asked.

“Where would you like to go?”

“How about…Mars?”

“Not a problem. Next stop, Mars.” Will engaged the hyper drive and headed to Mars.

***

After Will returned to Earth with Hanna several hours later, he took her home and they made love. Hanna promised that she would give him her answer in the morning. He could tell she was excited about what she had seen, but otherwise it was hard to tell what she was thinking.

As they awoke the next morning, she again made Will breakfast. During breakfast he could tell she had made her decision, but he didn’t push her to give him an answer.