As soon as Kyra was through the bedroom door it closed behind her and she was left in complete darkness. She knew Riddick could see her just fine, but she was searching the darkness for the shine of his eyes.

"Riddick?" She called out. He didn't answer, but she could hear the tell-tale sound of a blade being turned over and over in his hand. "Riddick, please." She felt like she was a kid again, asking him not to leave her behind on New Mecca.

"Riddick…Riddick Please." Jack called after the convict as he walked toward his ship. Iman was holding her back, barely. "I won't get in your way, I swear." Jack called desperately. But Riddick never turned to face her, his pace never slowed.

What she couldn't know what the thoughts running through his mind revolved around keeping her close. He had lost Carolyn, she had died for him and wasn't supposed to, no one was supposed to die for him. But at the same time, he felt like no one else would be able to keep Jack safe.

"You signed with Mercs." The disgust was evident.

"There was no one else." Her voice was soft, broken.

"You had Iman." Riddick spat at her. "I had mercs on my neck, I will always have mercs on my neck and you go and join the first crew that will have you!" Kyra flinched. He wasn't yelling, not yet but she could feel the heat of his anger from where she stood.

"How else was I supposed to find you?"

"You weren't supposed to find me." He said, and she could almost hear him shaking his head, the frustration was palpable. "You were supposed to grow up on New Mecca, leave that fucked up shit in the past. Leave me in the past!" Kyra jumped when she heard his knife imbed itself in something hard. As fear flooded her, anger came chasing after it, giving her a confidence she wouldn't have had otherwise.

"I was TWELVE!" She roared back at him. "TWELVE YEARS OLD! I had no one. You saved me from monsters, human and alien alike. I had a CRUSH on you. Some fucked up idea that you were some kind of white knight." She scoffed, laughing at herself. "So, I ran, I ran away to the only people who had ever been able to find you, MERCS." She had stalked into the room, toward where she had heard his voice coming from. "Once they had me safely off Helion Prime, they slaved me out Riddick. I was a kid; do you know what that does to you?" Riddick didn't answer, he moved around her stalking her. "After that, I racked up a body-count to make even you proud. But no one could shine my eyes like yours. I couldn't find you, and I couldn't go back to New Mecca. Then you show up, and act like you have some right to be pissed off because I didn't turn out how you wanted. Well guess what Riddick, if you wanted me to turn out better you should have been a man and hung around. Instead you took the cowards way and ran, you're still taking the cowards way."

They slaved her out, Jack… He kicked himself. She was supposed to…supposed to. He should his head. No, she was right, if he wanted to make sure of something, he should have been there to make sure that it happened, instead he walked away. He wasn't there to protect her.

"Fuck this shit." Jack said, turning on her heal and marching toward the door, silently praying she didn't run into anything and break her neck. Before she could open the door, she was slammed into it and whirled around, eyes of bright mercury searching her hazel ones.

"I was trying to protect you." Riddick growled out.

"From half the 'verse away. Gotta say you did a shitty job." She glared at him. But the heat of anger wasn't all that danced in her eyes. Just like on Crematoria something else rose, something she thought she had squashed in herself long before. His touch doesn't make your skin crawl. That voice said again. Mocking her. Riddick leaned close to her and sniffed the air around her. That alone should have made her skin crawl, but instead it sent tremors lower, and Riddick froze. If he hadn't been so close Kyra would have sworn he had just ceased to exist.

"Big Bad doesn't have anything to say?" She sneered. Hold on to anger Kyra, anger helps. She told herself, if she could stay angry, she could control everything else.

"You don't smell like anger Kyra." He said, his voice a low bass rumble against her ear.

"You should get that nose of yours checked then." Her voice came out strained as she tried to twist her body out of his grasp. She could feel him move, lowering his face to her throat, slowly taking in her scent.

"My nose is fine, what I am trying to figure out is why you smell like desire." He was teasing her now, trying to regain his own control. He could handle her angry, but he was supposed to be her protector, and now she was leaning on the edge of needing protection from him. Kyra didn't answer him. She wasn't sure what would come out of her mouth if anything.

"Back off." She forced out from behind clenched teeth and jaw. I will not give in to him. She told herself, but she wanted to. How long after she got away from the slavers before she dreamt of him? She dreamt of him while she was with them, every time someone put their hands on her she dreamt of him slipping out of the shadows, showering her in their blood, her avenging angel. She had made a mistake before, saying he was her knight in shining armor. He was never that. But the dreams didn't stay so innocent. How could they? Sometimes he was rescuing her from that rock, what had they named it…Tartarus? Other times he was her avenger, her blade. But then, something changed.

After a while, in the cold and the quiet of space she dreamt of something warmer. The spatter of blood turned to sweat, the screams of fear to moans, the hands that hurt her, became his hands and she wasn't afraid. Riddick hadn't backed away, as her mind recalled the past he was her present moment.

"Is that what you really want?" His lips moved against her neck, over the pulse and her breath hitched. She felt her mouth go dry. He moved, so fast she felt dizzy as her feet left the ground and were wrapped around his waist. Riddick's hands slid to her thighs, holding her effortlessly. If she wanted to get away this was the moment, slam her hands against his ears, or break his nose, then run for it. She could hear the logic churning but it was faint. Instead she closed her eyes, took his face in her hands and lowered her mouth to his.

"No." She felt him smile, predatory as he closed the distance between them.