A/N: new chppie! yay! enjoy!


Chapter 3: Warning and Confession

Dame Vaako quickly shut the door behind her and turned into the room just in time for her husband to grip her wrist and pull her toward him. His mouth attacked hers but she struggled to push him away.

"What are you doing?!" she hissed, shoving him away. "This is no time for---!"

Vaako ignored her and pulled her back. This time she just melted into his savage attack on her mouth and slid her arms around her husband's neck. They pulled away after a few moments to breathe.

"We must find Riddick's weakness," Dame Vaako growled. "And when we do…"

"We kill him," Vaako finished. "But it will not be so easy. The man has no fear."

"Everyone has fear," Dame Vaako insisted, stroking Vaako's face with her hands. "Especially those who are seemingly without fear."

"Riddick is no man," Vaako reminded her. "He is Furyan."

Dame Vaako dug her nails into his scalp as she hissed, "It makes no difference what he is! He's flesh and blood! He'll die just the same."

"Have you learned nothing from what has happened?!" Vaako growled, shoving her away. "Riddick is undefeated! Even when I thought I had killed him, he still lived!" He stalked away from her to pace around the room but she stood still, thinking.

"He has made this woman, Deirdra, the Purifier," she thought aloud. "She seems to be everywhere he is."

Vaako stopped and turned to her with a slight frown of wonder as she slowly smirked, coming up with a theory.

"What are you saying?" he asked, walking toward her again.

"He would not have made her the Purifier if he were not somehow attached to her," Dame Vaako smirked, strutting toward him. "We will use her to our advantage."


Deirdra had to stifle her laughter as she hurried away from the door and back toward Riddick's chamber. Attached to her?! That was a joke. If anything, she pissed him off beyond words. Nevertheless, she had to warn Riddick. She knew those two wouldn't give up, and she had been right. She rushed down the hall as fast as she could without making too much noise. She didn't want to draw attention to her haste. She stopped at Riddick's door and looked around the hall as she knocked. When the door opened, she didn't hesitate to let herself in and she didn't say anything when she closed the door behind her and pressed her ear to the door.

"What the hell---?!"

"Shush!" Deirdra hissed, as Riddick glared at her. "The walls have ears."

"Why the hell would I worry about that?" he shot back. "And what the hell are you doing barging into my room like this?!"

"You're in danger," Deirdra replied, walking passed him and toward another wall to listen on the other side. "I just heard Lord and Dame Vaako talking."

"You're a bit of an eavesdropper, aren't you?" Riddick smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's a good thing, too," Deirdra replied walking to stand in front of him. "They're planning to kill you!"

"What else is new?" Riddick sighed, rolling his eyes and trying to walk away but Deirdra caught his arm, turning him back toward her and he glared at her.

"Here's something you'll find amusing," Deirdra smirked, letting go of his arm. "They think you're attached to me somehow because you made me the Purifier, and I'm always around you."

Riddick gave a snort but quickly drew it back and kept a serious face.

"You're not the only one that finds it hilarious," she assured him, referring to herself.

"So what do you want me to do?" Riddick wondered.

"Do what you want," Deirdra retorted. "I just thought I'd tell you to watch your back more so than you already do."

"Sounds to me like we need to watch your back," he replied, and Deirdra frowned at him in confusion.

"My back?" she echoed.

"Way I see it, they'll try to use you to get to me, right?" Riddick guessed and Deirdra sighed with a nod. "So, I guess I have to watch you now, right?"

"No," Deirdra shot back and walked toward the door. "Thank you Lord Marshal, but I can fight for myself if necessary."

"I'm sure," he murmured as she reached the door. She stopped just a moment then opened the door to walk out. She heard Riddick chuckle as she shut the door behind her and leaned back onto it with a sigh then shivered.

If he wasn't such a jack ass, I might just fall for him, she thought then shook her head and pushed off the door to walk down the hall. When she turned, she gave a shout of surprise when she ran into Vaako, standing to her right.

"C-Commander Vaako," she sputtered, taking a few steps back. "You startled me!"

As she backed up a bit more she spun quickly only to be blocked from her escape by Dame Vaako.

"Why in such a rush?" she asked as Deirdra took a step back again with a gasp. "Worried about something, Purifier?"

"N-Nothing," Deirdra replied. She suddenly felt very cornered and vulnerable. There was an easy way to get out of this, but her mind was completely blank at the moment.

"We have some questions for you," Dame Vaako said smoothly, walking around Deirdra to stand beside her husband and Deirdra turned around slowly to watch her. She started to relax slightly, knowing she had a more ready escape behind her.

"Questions?" she echoed, with a slight edge. "What kind of questions?"

"You will find out soon enough," Vaako replied and reached for her but she backed up and out of his reach.

"I'd rather find out now," she replied, totally confident now. "What is it you want to ask me? Whatever it is, you can ask me in public."

"I'm afraid not," Dame Vaako smirked stepping closer but Deirdra stepped back again.

"Then I won't go with you," she replied.

"So untrustworthy of your fellow Necromongers?" Dame Vaako wondered, coolly.

"Hell yes," Deirdra replied and Dame Vaako became enraged. She moved to grab her wrist but Deirdra smacked her hand away and Vaako stepped forward. As he moved to help his wife, he was stopped by a knife at his throat.

"Leave her alone, Dame Vaako," a man's voice warned from behind her husband and she turned to stare wide eyes filled with disbelief at a man as tall as Vaako but with black spiked hair and amber eyes glaring at her. "Leave her be, or your husband will die before his time."

Dame Vaako glared back at the man and stepped away from the other woman as Deirdra smirked at the man whom she knew. The man glanced at Vaako and released him with a slight shove as Deirdra moved out of the way for the couple to walk down the hall with their lives.

"Thank you, Valin," Deirdra smiled, walking closer to him. "But, I could have taken care of it myself."

"Really?" Valin scoffed, crossing his arms and smirking at her. "And just how were you going to do that?"

Deirdra looked around, trying to avoid eye contact with him, making him lift an eyebrow in amusement then she said, "Somehow."

Valin couldn't help but chuckle and Deirdra stuck her tongue out at him. Valin and Deirdra had been friends for years since they had both met Aereon, and they had stuck by each other, helping each other when needed. They saw each other as siblings, and though Valin had converted to the Necromonger way, he didn't force it on her.

"And how is our Lord Marshal?" Valin wondered, changing the subject.

"Oh, he's just fine," Deirdra smirked, as they began walking down the hall aimlessly. "Why wouldn't he be? He's The Riddick."

"You might want to consider staying on Lord and Dame Vaako's good sides," Valin whispered, leaning closer to do so then pulling out.

"I thought it was Commander Vaako?" Deirdra smirked again.

"I'm not joking, Deirdra," Valin warned, pulling her to a stop and pulling her to face him. "They will kill you before your due time."

Deirdra stared at him a moment, then gripped Valin's arm and dragged him to a secluded corner.

"You know I don't believe what you do, Valin," she replied in a hushed whisper. "And I'm grateful that you haven't killed me for it. But I'm not worried about them hurting me. I'm worried about them trying to kill Riddick."

Valin shot a wide eyed look of disbelief at her then looked around and dragged her into an empty room and shut the door behind them. He turned to her and dragged her deeper into the room then looked into her eyes.

"Do you know what you're saying?!" he hissed. "You're accusing two highly respected people of conspiracy!"

"I know, Valin!" Deirdra hissed back, yanking away from his grasp. "I know what I heard! And you saw what happened yesterday! Vaako was extremely close to killing the last Lord Marshal, and when he didn't, Dame Vaako nearly fell to the ground in despair! They were planning it before and they are planning it again. The only difference is they think I am his weakness, so they will use me to try to get to him."

"Why would they think you are his weakness?" Valin frowned in total confusion.

"Because Aereon told me to stick with him and because he made me the Purifier," Deirdra spat, frustrated at the whole situation. "They think he's attached to me!"

"Is he?"

"No! Of course not!"

"I'm sorry, but that's how it seems to me as well. He's never seen without you by his side."

"It's only because Aereon told me to look after him. Nothing more."

Valin nodded and Deirdra placed her hands on her hips with a huff. He wrung his hands as he looked at her, unable to tear his gaze away then he finally spoke.

"Deirdra?"

She met his gaze and said, "Yes?"

He lowered his gaze to his hands, wringing them nervously then mumbled, "Do you ever think of…us?"

"What do you mean?" she asked with a slight frown and he looked at her in slight panic.

"Do you ever think of us…in the future?" he elaborated slightly.

"You mean, where we will be?" Deirdra guessed, still frowning and Valin sighed with a hand on his forehead.

"No," he muttered and found a chair to sit in and stare at the floor. Deirdra was still confused but she walked toward him, pulled a chair up to sit next to him and he turned to her. "I mean, do you ever think of how we'll see each other in the future?"

"Oh, I see!" Deirdra smiled excitedly and Valin's face lit up. "You mean if we were ever separated in the future, how would we stay in contact, right?"

"No!" Valin yelled desperately as he stood, making Deirdra jump.

"Well, you don't have to shout!" Deirdra said in mild anger as he whirled around to face her again. "I'm right here!"

"Deirdra, I love you!" he blurted, gripping her arms and shaking her slightly as he spoke. "I've loved you for so long now, I just didn't know--- I didn't have the courage to tell you. I love you!"

Deirdra stared at him with wide eyes, taken aback. He…loved her?! How was that possible? She hadn't even noticed when it had happened, but apparently it had. She wished she could say she felt the same way, but she couldn't lie to him. In truth, she loved him, but only as an adopted brother, nothing more. She hated it, but she would have to break his heart. Sighing, she took one of his hands and looked into his eyes as he knelt down in front of her while she still sat.

"Valin," she began softly. "I love you as well---"

Her heart clenched when his face lit up.

"But, only as a brother," she continued quickly, and her heart clenched tighter when his happy expression dropped. "I've never thought of you as anything more than that. I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you I feel the same so as not to hurt you, but it would be a lie, and that would hurt you even more, I'm sure. I am so sorry."

Valin looked away from her and stood, but she kept holding his hand as she didn't move and looked up at him.

"Please, Valin," she breathed. "Do not be angry with me."

"How can I?" he mumbled. "Even your rejection of me isn't enough to anger me against you."

"I'm not rejecting you!" Deirdra cried, feeling his pain as he felt it. "I still care for you!" She stood and pulled him to look at her by his shoulders and the rattle of his armor echoed through the room. "Valin, do not leave my side as my friend. I could not bare this life without you with me."

"Of course I'll not leave you, Deirdra," he murmured. "No matter how many times you tell me you do not love me, I still love you."

Deirdra couldn't keep herself from crying and leaned her head against his chest. She hated hurting him that way, and she knew she had, even if he didn't say it. Valin pulled his arms around her reassuringly. He vowed then and there, that though she didn't love him, he would make her love him through what he did and said. And the first thing was to take care of Commander and Dame Vaako.

They'll not use you, Deirdra, he promised, silently. I swear they'll not lay a hand on you.


A/N: aw, poor Valin. reviews?