I woke in a fog, my head throbbing and my body aching. I felt like I had gotten hit by a car, and I groaned weakly. Dust was in my mouth and I coughed, shifting my weight where I was lying. I was still in my pod, and it was completely dark. I opened my eyes and felt fear tickling the edges of my spine. I hardly ever felt fear. I was too tough, too calloused to feel fear. I had witnessed the murder of my entire family, the burning of the orphanage I had been sent to, the rape of my friends, and the beatings from drunken men. I had seen enough shit in my life to not feel fear. I could handle myself in a fight, though I preferred to keep my distance. And unfortunately for me, life took an unexpected turn when I bartered welding and repairs on a commercial carrier for a way out of a bad situation. But life was never fair to me, and now I was trapped in my cryo sleep pod with no idea as to what happened or how I even got in this situation. I unbuckled my restraints and coughed again, clearing out my lungs. I placed my hands on the glass of the door, leaning closer to see if there was a way out. Through some debris I could see daylight, lots of it. And I relaxed. I pulled the emergency lever and the doors to my pod flew outward, knocking most of the debris away. I groaned as I sat up, placing a hand to my head, and glanced around. My lavender colored eyes scanned the wreckage before me and I didn't even bat an eyelash. I knew something horrible had to of happened. I could faintly hear someone rummaging through the wreckage, not too far from me, but out of sight and I remained where I was. I looked over myself for injuries and found only bruises and a dislocated shoulder. Not too bad for the crash in front of me. I looked up when the person in the wreckage not far from me came into view and I froze in place. I had seen him when we were boarding. It was Riddick, and I was in some serious shit.
He stopped what he had been doing and just stared at me, I stared at him while holding my dislocated shoulder in place. Though I couldn't see his eyes due to a battered blindfold, I knew he could see mine. Most people were afraid of me because of the lack of emotion my eyes portrayed. They were dull with hardly any shine, and the color had no shimmer to them. It was like staring at an old painting that had sat in the sun for too long, its lack luster faded to nothing. Riddick glanced around, listening for anyone else, and when he found no one he slowly approached. I stayed in my pod, ready to face death if needed, and clutched my somewhat useless arm to my side.
"You hurt?" he asked, his deep voice rumbling like an animal growl, deep in his chest.
I nodded slowly, glancing down at my shoulder.
"How bad?" he asked, leaning a bit towards me.
"Dislocated shoulder," I said softly, shifting in my pod.
"Need help?" he asked, taking a few steps closer.
"Why would you help? I know who you are, Mr. Riddick," I asked, frowning slightly.
"I have a code of conduct. I don't harm women unless they intend to harm me," he growled, seemingly offended that I insinuated he was nothing but a cold blooded killer.
"Oh. Not all convicts are like you I suppose," I grumbled, rubbing at my shoulder that had started to throb.
"Obviously. Come on out and I'll help get that back in," he chuckled, holding out a hand for me to take.
I hesitated, unsure if he was playing with me like a cat plays with a mouse it has caught. But when he took a step closer, body relaxed and a small grin on his face, I knew he wasn't going to kill me. At least not yet. I slowly placed my good hand in his, the meaty paw closing around my much smaller one with ease, and he carefully helped me out of my pod. Once I was on my feet I stumbled from a dizzy spell, leaning away from him, but he caught my good arm and steadied me.
"Be best to sit while I pop it back in," he growled, keeping a hand on my arm while kicking over a bin for me to sit on.
I sat on the bin, eyes watching him closely, and he came around behind me. He braced a knee between my shoulder blades, placing one hand just above the shoulder socket and his other arm was wrapped around mine. I took a few deep breaths and gave him a nod, and he shoved my arm back into the place, the sickening pop echoing through the wreckage space. I let my mouth gape open, but no sound came out, and I doubled over in pain. Once I could breathe again I looked over at him since he still had me in his hold, and he gave me a nod.
"It'll be sore for a while. Try to not over use it," he said, coming around to my front.
"Thanks. I'm used to doing it myself," I grumbled, rubbing at the strained muscles to ease the tension in them.
"You crash a lot?" he chuckled, leaning against the cargo ships battered frame.
"No. I fight a lot. Hate doing it though. Always gets messy," I said, coming to my feet and rolling my shoulder to get the blood pumping in it again.
"Messy comes with the job. Have you seen any others?" he asked, straightening his body as he began to pace the floor.
"No. I just woke up before you came in," I answered, looking around.
"There doesn't seem to be anyone else in this part of the wreckage. Nice and quiet here," he stated, as if this was a mere walk in the park.
"Yeah. Nice and dark too," I whispered, letting my eyes close for a second as my head started to throb again.
"You already know my name, care to introduce yourself?" Riddick asked, pausing his pacing to stand directly in front of me.
"Alexandria, but I prefer Alex," I said, holding out a hand for him to shake.
He took it and shook it carefully, aware that he was stronger than me and I was still hurt.
"And what is your trade, Alex? You smell like grease and metal," he practically purred.
"I am a mechanic by society's standards. But I can build just about anything if I have a junkyard full of scrap parts," I said, smiling a little.
"Weld too?" he asked, his head cocking to the side with his question.
"Of course. I even do a bit of blacksmith," I said, letting go of his hand and just standing there for a lack of what to do.
"Make any blades?" he asked, leaning a bit closer.
"A few. Not many people can pay for the blades I make," I said, smiling up at him.
"You know, for a woman, you're handling my presence fairly well," he stated suddenly.
"Well, you haven't killed me yet. I'm not afraid to die. And you helped me. Until you give me a reason to fear you or hate you, you're just another man to me," I countered, my smile fading.
"You don't have to worry about me hurting you. I'm intrigued by a woman that is tough. Makes me wonder what she's seen or done to make her that way," Riddick chuckled, smiling at me.
"I've seen more than my fair share of shit. Anyways, shouldn't you be out and killing any survivors?" I asked, just watching him wander around.
"Usually I would, but I have no reason to. They'll die soon enough," he growled, a flash of silver reaching my eyes as he turned to look at me.
"Including me," I grumbled, shifting on my feet to try and ease the ache in my legs.
"Not if I can help it," Riddick snapped, stalking over to me, making me tense.
"Why?" I asked, frowning up at him.
He wasn't making any sense. He was a killer, an animal, a loner. Why would he go out of his way to keep me alive? I wouldn't be of any use with my arm the way it was.
"Because you aren't like the others. You're more like me. Not to mention incredibly beautiful," he purred, slowly closing the space between us until he was just an inch away.
"So you just want sex," I growled, giving him a glare.
"Not just sex. Female company," he growled back, his deep voice making his whole frame vibrate.
"I see. So what would be required of me as female company?" I asked, shifting on my feet again.
"Nothing much. Just sticking close and letting me keep a hand on you," he rumbled, one hand slowly raising to let the tips of his fingers ghost over my side.
"Never would have thought you to be a handsy man," I whispered, shivering as his hand slowly went higher until his fingers came to rest just below my breast.
"No? I'm a bit possessive of what is mine, and as of right now, you're mine," he purred, bending at the waist to whisper it in my ear.
My good hand came to his chest when he pushed himself closer and his lips grazed the skin just below my earlobe, and I trembled from excitement. He was so dominant and claimed the space he occupied. His other hand came to my hip, holding me in place, and when he gently nipped the skin where his lips had been I jumped in surprise. My breath left me in a rush and he suddenly pulled me into his chest, so that my breasts were crushed against his solid muscle. I was not a small woman by any means. I had rounded hips with thick thighs, heavy breasts with a flat stomach. I wasn't weak and dainty. He let out a soft groan of maculine pleasure and I gasped when his hands slide down my back to my round ass and squeezed the cheeks roughly. His lips and teeth were teasing my throat and under my jaw, making me whine and become a trembling mess of feminine pleasure.
"You smell addicting. And you taste even better," he purred, giving me a long lick up my throat.
I couldn't say anything, just tremble and whimper at his attentions. He suddenly pulled back, head whipping to the left and let out a soft growl. I blinked rapidly and when I spotted a far off shadow of someone approaching our hiding place I knew what had made him tense. Riddick grabbed my good arm and pulled me along behind him, into the darkness. He pushed me down into a cubby like area and I watched as he sank down above me, his body forming a cage around me. He was just so big. I stood at five feet six inches, with a muscular frame, yet he had to stand at six and a half feet with at least two hundred and seventy-five pounds of solid muscle. I winced when he pushed down a little too far and my injured shoulder was pressed the wrong way, and he pulled off the blindfold to look down at me. I gave him a nod that I was okay then he looked back up to watch the intruders. I just laid there on the ground, eyes closed and feeling exhausted. Being around a man like Riddick was tiring, always watching his moves, always keeping up my guard. I could hear the intruders, a woman and man, a bit of an accent. They sounded like prospectors, digging through the wreckage. Riddick slowly shifted his weight, placing a hand on my back and I didn't move. Eventually the intruders left, and Riddick came to his feet. I just laid there, too tired to do anything else.
"Alex," Riddick growled, tapping my shoulder.
"Yeah?" I grumbled, glancing up at him over my shoulder.
"Time to move," he said, heading out into the wreckage.
"I'm coming," I grumbled, shakily coming to my feet and stumbling after him.
"Tired?" he asked, glancing at me through his blindfold that was now back in place.
"Yeah. You're exhausting," I laughed, rubbing at my eyes.
"I'll find you a place to sleep," he chuckled, gently taking my hand and tugging me along after him.
I stumbled after him in a daze, barely registering where we were going, and when he came to a stop I blinked at the place he brought me to. It was small and very dark, a perfect place for Riddick to hide. I noticed a few maintenance bins and left his side to go to them. I opened up a welding bin and found a bunch of goggles.
"Riddick, over here," I called out softly, holding up a few pairs of goggles for him.
"These will do," he stated, sounding pleased as he took the first pair that I held out to him and tearing off his blindfold to put them on.
They suited him, but he had them on a little crooked.
"Let me straighten these," I said softly, reaching up to his face.
He didn't move as I readjusted them just slightly and frowned. They were still crooked.
"Close your eyes. These aren't going to work," I said, waiting for him to give me a nod when he was ready.
Once he did give me the nod I pulled the goggles off and tossed them aside. I bent and grabbed a handful of the goggles and sorted through them. Once I found a pair that I liked I held it up against his face and grinned. I set the other goggles aside and carefully put on the new goggles.
"There, that's much better," I said once I had the goggles in place.
Riddick reached up and adjusted them just a bit and then looked around.
"These are much better. Good eye, Alex," he purred, his goggled gaze coming to my face.
I gave him a bright smile and his arms snaked around my waist.
"You're all tense. Do I make you nervous?" he asked, bending a bit to sniff at my long red-blonde hair.
"A bit. But it is just because you are so big," I whispered, leaning into him a bit.
I was just so tired. He rubbed his hands up and down my back, adding a little bit of pressure at my shoulders. I moaned softly at how good it felt and I felt myself slowly easing into sleep even though I was still standing. I felt him scoop me into his arms and carry me a few feet. He gently set me down in a pile of cloth and insulation and I looked up at him.
"Why don't you stay with me?" I asked quietly, watching as he looked around.
"I won't be far. I'll be back in a bit to check on you," he rumbled, picking through the piles of wreckage.
"Alright," I mumbled as sleep took hold.
