"So, just to be clear, you don't need my help. I stayed behind as an extra hand and y'all don't even need it?" I lifted an eyebrow at Shazza.
"You're free to look around. Act as scout. Lord knows, Paris won't be of any help." Shazza offered. I chuckled, eyeing the cozy looking man with his cigar.
"Probably right. And Zeke's on grave duty?" I watched him start to drag bodies on a makeshift sled.
"Yeah. Maybe he could use the help." Shazza offered.
"I'm afraid, with my nose, I'm more hindrance than help." I admitted. The scent of decay around here was strong.
"Scout you are, then." Shazza gave a wry grin. I sighed.
"The jig is up, the news is out! They've finally found me. The renegade who had it made, retrieved for a bounty. Nevermore to go astray. This'll be the end today, of the wanted man." I continued walking at a leisurely pace toward nowhere with no destination in mind.
"Got a lovely singing voice, sweetheart." The sound of his voice right behind me caused me to pause for a second before continuing my stride.
"Hello, Richard. You having fun scaring everyone?" I teased in an amused voice. Riddick caught up with my strides, walking alongside me. I had heard the few shots earlier, signalling a survivors death only a few minutes ago.
"Not everyone." He said with such a nonchalant air, but we both heard the question behind it. Why aren't you scared of me?
"Yes, well. I've dealt with many a monster in man's skin." My tone stayed light and teasing, but anyone could feel the weight on my shoulders at the admission. "If I can withstand true monsters, a man isn't all that scary."
"You act like I'm not a monster myself." He commented. I felt my face become severe at the very thought of him being a monster.
"You've killed. I know that. But, Richard. Have you ever killed a defenseless child or woman or elderly person?" I tilted my head to look at him and stopped moving. He turned to me, his eyes feeling like they scorched me through his goggles. "Have you ever raped them, and laughed when they plead for death?"
"No." It rang quietly with so much conviction.
"How about kidnapped a couple of teenage girls and tortured them just for the sick gratification of it? Ever done that? The thought ever cross your mind?"
"No." The growl didn't startle me like it should have. I felt my expression soften.
"Then you are no monster. Just a man who knows how to kill to survive the life dealt you. And I can't fear you for that." I sighed and turned to head back.
"Where you going, sweetheart?" His rumbling voice washed over me and i felt a bit of pressure from his chest at my back.
"I should probably go see what the shots were about earlier. I am supposed to be scouting. Though, here soon, I'm going to need to find myself a blade, if John's is anything to go by." I continued to walk without pause.
"He do something to you?" He asked, moving to my side once again.
"Tried to kiss me. Near had me losing my last meal. Man smells like a hospital." I chuckled. "That man is a menace." A rumble of a growl sounded beside me.
"He do anything to ya, you tell me. Got it, sweetheart?" He growled. I eyed him in confusion.
"Sure, I guess. Though I don't see what you can do to him that I won't, if he tries something." That earned me a rumble of laughter.
"Yeah? You gonna gut him?" He sounded amused by the thought.
"Wouldn't be the first time I've had to dirty my hands. Wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't the last." I admitted. His steps ceased as he realized I wasn't joking.
"You sure are something, baby girl." The new nickname had me turning around to find he was already out of sight.
"Fast and soundless and deadly." I muttered. I knew how this was supposed to go, and I hadn't wanted to keep him from his second capture. As I made it back to the crash site, I found Shazza looking around for something.
"What were those shots? Somebody find him?" I asked nonchalantly. Shazza eyed me.
"No. It was another survivor. Kind of looked like him. Zeke killed him by mistake." Shazza offered.
"You've got blood on you. You okay?" I looked her up and down.
"I was near the guy when he was shot." She admitted.
"That's unfortunate. But at least physically, you're okay." I looked out toward the spires. The harbingers of death.
"Yeah..." She frowned.
It looked like she was going to say more, but she was interrupted by shots in Zekes' direction. She took off toward her husband, and I took off after her. Shots continued to ring out as we ran. Then, they stopped. I already knew Zeke was gone, but I kept running alongside her. She got to the grave site and yanked the tarp up to find so much blood at the bottom. But no Zeke.
"Zeke!" Her voice was a terrified wail. It was then she saw him. Riddick must have realized what it looked like, because he ran. I followed after Shazza as she gave chase.
In her grieving mind, there was no question who had killed him. I finally realized as I ran, that I was walking with people who would die. There was no reason to believe otherwise. I started to slow as the full realization hit me that I was walking among the dead. What reason did I have to believe that I wouldn't be one of them? Through all the bullshit, only Riddick survived. Was I capable of keeping up? Shouting broke me out of my reverie and I noted that they were making their way back to me, dragging an unconscious convict behind them.
"He did it?" I asked after taking a hit off of my breather. They looked at me as if I grew a second head.
"A guy is dead with a murderer free, and you ask if he did it?" Johns drawled at me.
"Innocent of the crime until proven guilty." I shrugged. I followed after them. "Doesn't look like he did it, though." I finally spoke as the crash site came back into view.
"What?" Shazza stopped right in front of me. "What do you mean it doesn't look like he did it?" She began to shout. "He killed Zeke!"
"I think she just doesn't want us to lock him up again. Probably has a thing for convicts." Johns tried to brush off my observation.
"Where's the weapon?" I asked. "That much blood, he wouldn't have had the chance to clean it before we found him. And there's no blood on him. With the weapons he probably made, there wouldn't be enough distance to avoid splatter. He doesn't even smell-" I was cut off from the slap to my face. It didn't come as a shock that Shazza had lots of power behind that hit.
"Shut the hell up." She hissed at me. Nodding silently, I moved to rest against the outside of the hull. I watched as everyone eyed me warily with differing degrees of caution and mistrust. I could hear voices on the inside, Johns' annoying twang, and Riddicks deep rumble. Then Johns exited the wreckage, giving me a threatening grin. I ignored him.
It was when Fry went in that I followed behind her silently with one last glance flicked at Shazza, who was glaring at me.
"Where's the body?" Fry asked. I found a spot to watch the whole show. Riddick didn't seem interested in answering. "Want to tell me about the sounds?" Still, he didn't answer her. "You told Johns you heard something." She tried to pry. Still he didn't respond. I noticed, though, that he had taken a breath as if to scent the air. Probably knows I'm here.
"Look, if you don't wanna tell, me fine." She made to leave. "But just so you know..." She looked back at him. "There's a debate on whether or not we should leave you here to die." She made to retreat to the sunlight, but only got a few steps in.
"You mean the whispers?" His voice was quiet, but just loud enough for Fry to hear. She paused and turned back to the convict.
"What whispers?" Her curiosity got the better of her as she moved back to her original spot. I couldn't help but grin to myself as I let my eyes pass between them a few times.
Wish I had popcorn. Seriously.
"The ones telling me to go for the sweet spot. Just left of the spine, fourth lumbar down. The abdominal aorta." I continued to watch them each in turn as he continued as if speaking about his favorite food. "Has a kind of metallic taste, human blood. Copperish. Cut it with peppermint schnappes that goes away-"
"Wanna shock me with the truth now?" Fry cut in boldly. Riddicks head rolled and if his ungoggled eyes weren't closed, I would have assumed he was looking at her.
"All you people are so scared of me. Most days I'd take that as a compliment." He leaned back.
"Sam isn't scared of you." Fry corrected.
"Sweetheart isn't scared of anything, I'd wager. And if she is scared of something, it'll probably end up dead. Which is good for all of you. Cuz it ain't me you gotta be scared of now."
"Show me your eyes, Riddick." Ballsy for someone sweating fear. I eyed the convict. Some part of me felt such disquiet at hearing her demand. Not my place to get territorial over a man like that. He probably has no interest in me unless it's for a lay.
"Gonna have to come a lot closer for that." His voice rumbled, breaking me from my thoughts with a shiver. Fry took a few hesitant steps forward, but it seemed it wasn't enough for him. "Closer." She took another few steps while wiping her hands on her pants. He stood so suddenly, she jumped back in surprise at seeing him strain from chains. I couldn't help but feel a sort of hunger at the sight of him.
"Where the hell can I get eyes like that?" Jack, the 'boy' stow away was staring at the convict in complete awe. Riddick gave an amused smirk.
"Gotta kill a few people." He informed.
"Kay, I can do it." Jack was enthusiastic in answering.
"Then you gotta get sent to a slam, where they tell you you'll never see daylight again. Ya dig up a doctor and pay him twenty menthol kools to do a surgical shine job on your eyeballs." That's a load of crap.
"So you can see what's sneaking up on you in the dark?" Jack was enthralled at the thought.
"Exactly." His amused smirk grew.
"Leave!" Everyone's eyes were on Fry. Don't like sharing his attention, Fry? No need to be so harsh. "Leave." Her voice was softer this time. Jack ran back up the steps grumbling the whole way.
"Did I kill a few people? Sure." Riddick sat back down and leaned back a bit. "Did I kill Zeke? No. You got the wrong killer."
"He's not in the hole. We already looked." Fry sounded so frustrated.
"Look deeper." It sounded so much like a dare. She frowned and stormed off, pausing when she saw me.
"You gonna come with us?" She asked.
"Shazza still isn't happy with me. I'd best stay here." A rueful grin on my swollen face. I was thankful that my forming bruise was facing away from him. I could see her hesitance. "Don't worry. I won't free your prisoner. It'd do him little good without his goggles I imagine, anyway." She seemed to be alright with that thought as she took off back to the others to get a party together to check the hole.
I stayed in silence, not sure what to say. He waited for Fry to be out of hearing distance before speaking.
"Sure you don't wanna join the party?" He teased. I stayed silent at first, not sure how to progress from there. "How'd you know I didn't do it." I glanced at him from the corner of my eye before checking the stairs again. Finally, I stood to move toward him, my face still facing the stairs. "Look at me." The demand was something I couldn't deny him. My face turned slowly and I heard an intake of breath before a growl rumbled threateningly in his chest. "Who?"
"Doesn't matter." I shrugged.
"It matters." He raised his voice over mine and I raised an eyebrow at him. He paused for a beat before speaking lowly again. "I ain't asking again. So who was it?"
"A hysterical grieving widow, who doesn't deserve any recompense." I sighed. "Just let it be. Are they gone?"
"Yeah." His answer was all I cared to hear at that point.
"Good. Now we can focus on you." I moved closer to him and I checked him over to find the bruise where Shazza kicked him in the head. I frowned, not completely aware of his eyes on me. "I'm going to need to breach your personal space again so I can care for your injuries." I looked him in the eyes, forcing myself not to get lost in the beauty in them. "I hope that's alright?"
"Whatever you want, baby girl." His answer rumbled from his chest like thunder as he smirked. I nodded and dropped my bag beside his right foot to my left before allowing myself to straddle him. I dug in my bag for a moment, aware of his eyes on me the entire time. I pulled out my med kit and rifled through it for the bruise cream. "Not the way I intended for you to end up in this position with me, but I can't complain." He commented. I couldn't help the snort of laughter from the thought.
"Didn't think you'd have those sorts of thoughts about me at all." I commented while I dabbed the cream on his bruises.
"Baby girl, you're built like any hot blooded man's dream. You didn't think I'd want you?" He tilted his head as I packed away my med supplies, still in his lap.
"If I wear baggy clothes, men look away. They think I'm overweight. Or I look like I belong in school thanks to my height, being five foot two and all. That's not attractive. With the fact that I'm pretty sure you can't see colors the way everyone else can, you don't know what eye color or hair color I have." I looked him in the eye. "Or do you not care about looks?"
"I can't see color." He admitted. "But your eyes are light, so I'd wager either grey or green. Blue has a different hue of violet with my eyes. I like their shape. Reminds me of one of the great cats of Earth. Your hair, kind of dark looking, but brown seems too dull on you. A deep auburn probably. You're small, sure, but you got curves in all the right places... you're as sexy as they come, baggy clothes be damned. But looks aren't that important. You smell drop dead gorgeous, very fuckable." His words were a purring rumble as he spoke. For a moment I had a hard time speaking as my brain processed the feel of his breath blowing against my lips.
"Grey." I broke the silence. "My eyes are grey right now. They change colors frequently between grey, green, and blue and everything in between." I quickly reached for the last can of tea in my bag.
"Sexy." He purred. I snorted. "And your hair?"
"You got it right. I'm a red head." I sighed as I cracked open the tab. Riddick looked down at the can with a raised eyebrow. "Aside from alcohol, you haven't gotten any liquids in you and that stuff dehydrates you even more. I've got tea. Will you let me help you drink?" He smirked at me.
"You gonna take care of me, precious?" He teased. "I'll drink." I chuckled as he tilted his head back and I carefully poured the tea into his mouth slowly until he lifted his head upright slowly as a signal for me to stop.
"Why do you do that?" I asked after I took a gulp of my half empty can.
"Do what?" He tilted his head as I rummaged around my bag and pulled up some breakfast bars.
"You like to call me by all these different pet names. Why?" I began trying to figure out which one I should open first.
"What's wrong, beautiful? Don't like it?" He smirked as he watched me take a small bite of one before offering the rest to him. I swallowed quickly.
"Mostly, no. But..." I trailed off.
"But?" He frowned through the cereal bar in his mouth.
"Precious has an extremely creepy connotation for me." I grinned as I elicited a roar of laughter from him. "Here, take a hit if you like. Everyone's been feeling one lung short, so they rigged these oxygen tanks up." I held the mouthpiece up to his lips. He drew it into his lips. "Bite down and take a breath... yeah, like that. Feeling better?"
"Yeah, baby girl. Feels good. It'd feel even better without clothes." He gave a suggestive smirk.
"Not to put a damper on your thoughts, but barring the fact that there is no contraceptive here and the women in my family are extremely fertile... I'd never take advantage of you when you're bound. Maybe later, when there aren't any chains holding you down." I chuckled and slid off his lap and readjusted my purse across my body again.
"You sure know the way to a man's heart, baby girl. But you're right. It'll have to wait for later." He drawled before starting up the beating of his chains. Like in a prison hall, the beats echoed through the small space and I leaned back, watching his muscles work. I finished off my tea and crushed the can against the side of my head and tossing the disc to the side.
It didn't take them long before they showed back up, Johns thundering down the stairs. "Scram, dollface. Gotta speak to our resident con for a bit." I rolled my eyes as I hopped to my feet.
As I slowly made my way up to daylight, I heard Riddick chuckle. "So. You've finally found something worse than me."