WOO HOO! ANOTHER CHAPTER!
Y'ALL KNOW I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!
So I am a dork and I didn't read the intro to the last chapter. This originally was part of chapter 13. Sorry! This is actually the chapter that you have been waiting for.
Riddick's POV
After I left Imam's house and family I made my way back to the fortress. As I ran something caught my eye. It was a clothing booth on the merchant streets below. It was geared towards tradesmen and carried sturdy work clothes. Clothes like gray cargo pants that Jack loved. I dropped down off of the roof and made my way over to the shop. There was an aging man propped up in one of the chairs and a young boy in the next one.
I looked around without making a sound. No need to wake them. It is late into the night anyway. I found the stack of men's cargo pants. I grabbed two pairs of the smallest size they in gray and turned around to see if there were any others. I saw a dark green and grabbed a few pairs of those too. I walked over to the counter where a middle aged women set. I handed her the pants. "Do you have any boots?"
"Of course, but we have to keep them in the back. What style, color, and size do you need?" She asked as she got up off of her stool.
"Combat, if you have them. If not then any mid-calf work boot. Black in the smallest men's size that you have." I spoke as I dug around in my pocket for some money.
"Of course. I'll be right back." She made her way to a door disappeared through it.
A few minutes later she reemerged with a black canvas bag. She sat it on the counter and pulled out a pair of black combat boots. Perfect for Jack. "How much for all of this?"
"For you and all you have done for us, it is the least I can do. You saved us all. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here and neither would my grandson nor my husband. We lost many that we knew but I still have them. I know a few pairs of pants and a pair of boots will never repay you but thank you." She never looked at me as she spoke. The whole time she kept herself busy by putting the boots back in the bag and putting the pants in with them. I took the bag from her and laid a couple hundred dollars down on the counter. More than twice what the clothes were worth. I never looked at her. I just left. I disappeared into the darkness.
When I finally made my way back to the fortress it was almost dawn. That run was exactly what I needed. It did what I had hoped it would do. It wore my body out just enough that I will be able to sleep for a few hours. I don't know why but I've never needed much sleep. I don't know if it has to do with being Furyan or with the fact that I am wanted by so many people I can't afford sleep, but whatever the reason it has worked out on my side. I need sleep and this is one of the few times that I have craved it. Tomorrow or actually later today, we are going to leave the fortress for the UnderVerse. If I am lucky in a week's time I will have her back where she belongs.
The lower levels of the ship were mostly empty save for the normal guards at their posts and some servants running around do work for their masters. The guards were used to seeing me up and around at night. I usually stalked through the ship at night looking for someone to fight. It's a perk being the Lord Marshall, no one challenges you or your authority. If they do you get to kill them. The servants don't bother me, they still run away at the sight of me. They are all afraid of me. Many of the servants are still fairly new to the religion. They were taken as new converts from the last few planets that the Fallen Lord Marshall destroyed.
I made my way in silence to my rooms. I left my goggles off of my face so that everyone could see my eyes. I got a kick out of the way that the Necros ran when they saw that I caught them staring at me or my eyes. Jack would love this. Maybe someday I'll track down that doctor and let him shine her eyes. I passed the guard that stood at my door. I smirked at him as I walked past. He bowed and resumed his place. He seemed like he was loyal. Maybe I should ask Vaako who the fuck he was.
I entered my room and went to my bed. I laid the bag of Jack's clothes on the floor beside it. I threw my sweat soaked shirt on the floor and made quick work of my boots and pants before flopping down on the bed. Maybe now I can finally get some sleep.
_Another Dream_
Once again I open my eyes to find that I am back on that desert planet. Again in the boneyard. Kack was there. She was leaned up against one of the giant ribs of the skeleton we were hiding in. She was still dressed in the black robe that she died in. I stood and stared at her. She smiled and walked over to me.
"Hi Riddick." She leaned up and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips.
"Hello Jack." She looked kind of deflated when she heard me speak.
"I told you my name is Kyra now. Jack is dead. She was weak." She spun around and walked away from me.
That was defiantly the wrong thing to say to me. I lunged and grabbed her arm. "Don't walk away from me!" I spun her around to face me and I backed her up against the side of the skeleton. "Jack was stronger than Kyra. Jack could keep up with me. Jack did what I told her too and she trusted me. Jack managed to keep herself alive from the monster that was her stepfather and she managed to run from the law for over a year before she met me. Jack was able to keep up with me. Kyra was weak. She got herself caught and thrown in prison. She thought she could run with me and keep up. Guess what, it got her killed. I don't want anything to do with Kyra. I want my Jack back." I finished by growling the last part in her ear. I don't care if she is afraid of me. She of all people needs to be.
She just stared at me for a moment before she opened her mouth to speak. "You didn't have to bring him up. You could have made your point without using that." She looked defeated.
"I'm a monster, kid. You got to get used to me if you want to stick around with me." I let her go and turned away from her.
I managed a few steps when I heard "Are you going to leave me like you did last time? You saved me and then you left." Her voice broke on the last few words. I turned around to see her on the ground. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes.
"I am not going to leave you anywhere. I wouldn't be coming to get you if I was going to do that. You see I am a very possessive person. If I want something I will do whatever I have to do to make sure that it is mine. Because I want your ass so bad I am traveling across the galaxy to the place where supposedly very few living have ever gone to get your ass." The whole time I spoke I stalked closer to her. I watched her eyes as she watched me get closer and closer. I stopped a few feet away from her and crouched down so that we were on the same level. "You are mine Jack. There is no one else who gets you. There is no leaving me. Once I want something I never let it go."
I grabbed her leg and pulled her closer to me. I crawled over her before she had the chance to move. I sat on the upper part of her legs and held her hands with one of mine, so she couldn't move. "What do you say to this Jack?" I hovered over her and growled lowly as she tried to stare me down.
"Let me have one of my hands Riddick." She asked innocently.
I obliged and I gave her only one of them. She grinned and grabbed the back of my head and before I could stop her she was kissing me. She stopped and pushed me off of her and straddled my lap. "Come and get me Riddick and I will give you exactly what you want. Did you know that I have never let another man touch me? I guess I was saving myself for you. You said that Kyra was weak but she protected this for you." As she spoke she ground her hips into mine and laughed at the groan I gave.
"DEAL!" I leaned up and grabbed her waist. I kissed her hard and she kissed back. She put her hands on face and gave me a long deep kiss before she pulled back. She smiled. "It's time to wake up Riddick."
"What?" I could hear voices and before I knew it she was off of my lap.
"I'll see you soon. Furyan…" I tried to watch her walk away but the desert planet disappeared and was replaced with the black stone of my room.
I was pulled back to reality by the sound of a voice. Vaako's voice. "What the hell do you want?" I asked knowing that he was already in my room.
"Well I would like for you to either start covering up with the blankets of wearing pant to bed. Preferably both. No one should have to see that this early in the morning." He walked over and started pulling out clothes for me to put on. "Coffee is on the table beside you."
"Careful, Vaako, I think your wife may want to see me like this early in the morning." I smirked as I drank down the coffee. The guard that stood outside my door every day was off in the shadows of the corner couldn't hold back his laughter as low chuckle escaped. Vaako spun around and glared at him.
"I came here this morning to tell you that the ships are ready. We can leave in just a few hours or whenever you are ready. The crews are prepared. He will show you where the ships are located. As far as my wife is concerned you can have her if you want. Everyone knows she is only out for power." He shot me a smirk. "Besides I don't think it would bode well if we went to the UnderVerse to get your woman and you showed up with Essa on your arm." With that he spun and walked out of the room.
I quickly pulled on my clothes. I walked over to the dresser and opened each one to see if there was anything that I could use. The first one was full of decorative armor. Useless. The second had pants in it. I grabbed a couple of pairs out and through them on the bed. The third drawer was empty as well as the fourth. I walked over to the wardrobe in the wall and opened it. I grabbed out a couple of tank tops for me. I retch back in and grabbed out a couple more for Jack. That is all I am going to let her wear.
I walked back over to the bed and grabbed the bag off of the floor. I opened it and put my pants and the shirts in there. I closed the bag and turned around to the guard. I sized him up for a moment then decided that I shouldn't kill the guy that was supposed to take me to my ships.
"So you wanna show me where the fuck I am supposed to go?" I smirked as he only bowed and turned to lead me out of the room.
He led me up higher and higher into the fortress. I don't think I have ever been this high up before. After what seemed like an hour of walking we came to a large set of doors. In front of them stood a handful of heavily armed guards. When they all saw me they bowed and moved aside. One of them pushed open a small door to the side to let me in. I walked through it with the other guard right behind me. Before me was a loading dock and two ships.
I watched from the shadows as Vaako ordered a handful of soldiers aboard one of the ships. Vaako had ordered a second ship to follow the first. I guess that is standard procedure for the Necromgers when the Lord Marshall leaves the fortress. Vaako was overseeing as the men loaded up the ships with supplies. Down the line towards the second ship I could see that Nace was giving orders to some servants.
From my hiding place I could see that Dame Vaako was standing at her place behind Vaako. I watched her as she studied something across the floor. I followed her gaze to the girl that Nace had married. She was walking behind the scholar and his wife and was helping them to carry and load their things aboard the ship. It looked like maps and charts. Perhaps they really could get me to the UnderVerse.
Dame Vaako glared at the girl with such venom that I had to smile. If I didn't know better I would say that Dame Vaako was planning to kill the girl but I knew that she wouldn't dare to defy Vaako yet. But a part of me hoped that she would try though. I watched as she slowly back towards the edge of the room.
Slowly I snaked my way through the darkness at the edge of the large room until I came up behind Dame Vaako. I bent down and whispered "You better learn to keep your anger in check. In swirls through this room like water in a pool." I smiled inwardly when she jerked and spun around. Her eyes narrowed briefly before she remembered her place and she composed herself again.
"My Lord!" She gasped out. I continued my stone faced glare. I was truly enjoying screwing with this woman. A little game of cat and mouse or more approximately, Furyan butcher and Necromonger cow.
Vaako spun around and smirked. "My Lord, the ships are almost ready. The maps and charts are loaded on this one. Which will be your ship. I will accompany you on it as well as your personal guard and the scholar and his wife and of course Aereon. The second ship is a smaller transport vessel and will hold a small number of soldiers as well as extra supplies that we might need. Of course my wife will be accompanying me on board for this voyage as well. I hope that is not going to be a problem." He continued his smirk as he finished speaking. He only looked up from his paperwork as he spoke the last part.
I chuckled and nodded. "Of course it won't be a problem." I looked Dame Vaako up and down and then said. "As long as you share her with me." I let out a low chuckle and gave an evil grin. I am sure that with my goggle covered eyes I was a terrifying site.
Her face went pale and her eyes widened instantly. She stuttered for a moment before she turned to Vaako. He gave her a look that instantly silenced her. "Of course, my Lord. Anything that I own you own. If you want me to share my wife with you than she will be yours as well as mine. As long as you don't break her completely." He smirked and turned to a nearby soldier and began giving orders for Dame Vaako to be taken to their quarters on board the ship.
I winked at Dame Vaako before walked over to where Vaako was. "Can I speak to you for a moment?" He looked up at me. "Of course, my Lord." I turned and led him into the shadows of the ship. "Where does Dame Vaako make her place?" I asked with a dead tone. I want him to fear for his life as well. I want him to know that if she makes one wrong move then he will die as well.
"My Lord, my wife makes her place alongside me. I have put a renewed fear into her and she is too afraid to stray from me just yet. I believe that I have bought us just enough time to journey to the UnderVerse. Besides I am going to put a new fear in her right before we leave the planet." He spoke in a solid voice and the entire time he stared into my eyes.
"Good. And for the record I wouldn't touch your wife with a ten foot pole. Besides the fact that she has seen more men than a mercenaries' gun I already got a woman and I am more scared of her than I am of anyone on board this ship." I smirked as I walked off. He may have thought that I was joking but I really think that Jack would kill me if I touch that bitch.
"Riddick." I heard Aereon from across the dock. I turned to see that she was standing beside Dame Vaako with all of the Furyan Hounds. Dame Vaako looked like she was going to come out of her skin, while Aereon just smiled and patted the head of one of them sitting next to her.
I heard Vaako come up next to me. "I told you that I was going to scare her again." He walked over to where Aereon was. All of their supplies are loaded. The Lord Marshall's room is big enough that it will accommodate all of them comfortably. If that doesn't work then one or two can sleep in our room with us." Vaako spoke in voice that told he had already made up his mind. Beside him Dame Vaako paled and staggered to keep her balance, but she never said anything.
After a long silence Aereon was the first to speak "They truly are beautiful creatures." As she spoke she bent and scooped up one of the pups. "Their hide is extremely tough, almost impenetrable, and their eyes allow them to see in the dark. But what is most unique about them is that can tell seconds after they meet someone whether or not they trust them." She turned to Dame Vaako and extended her arm as if to hand her the puppy. "Let's see if they trust you." The pup barked and tried to claw at her.
"GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!" She yelled and tried to step back, but Aereon's voice stopped her. "These animals have only confirmed what I already knew about you. This pup is less than a month old but yet he already knows that you cannot be trusted and he doesn't want to be near you. These animals usually pledge their loyalty to one person. On Furya they were domesticated and used to protect and guard. They have already pledged their loyalty to Riddick. Since he is the Alpha Furyan."
Aereon turned and handed me the pup. "I am going to take them on board and put them in your room. Make sure he gets on board." The pup turned back to Dame Vaako and growled.
"I think that I am going to go ahead and get on board." Dame Vaako quickly turned and boarded the vessel before anyone could say anything.
I looked over at Vaako who was smirking. "Told you so." He turned and boarded the ship behind her.
I looked down at the pup. "Well I think we need to get out asses on board before we get left behind." I looked back at the doors leading to the main ship and then turned around and headed inside the ship. I didn't get far before the Shala met me.
"My Lord, let me show you to your room. Would you like me to carry your bag?"
"No, I got it." I nodded for her to walk. She turned around and led me up a stair case. We walked through the heart of the ship before we got to another staircase that led to my private room. When she opened the door the pup jumped out of my arm and ran into the room. Perched on top of the bed two of the adult hounds as well as the two puppies and the puppies were making quick work of killing a pillow.
"No you are not sleeping on my bed. Get on the floor." The two adult dogs jumped down but the puppies growled and barked at me. I walked over and bent down. "I said get down." Both of the puppies tucked tails and dropped their head and jumped down.
I sat down on the edge of the bed and dropped the bag. I had forgotten about the girl until she spoke. "My Lord, when you are ready I can show you around the ship. But for right now Vaako wants to get this ship off of the ground. He is requiring your presence in the control room."
I stood up and followed her out of the room. I quickly shut the door but then I opened it and motioned for one of the male dogs to follow me. He quickly jumped up and walked behind me. I turned to the girl and let her lead me down to the control room.
Once we reached the control room I saw Vaako approach me. "My Lord, we have the course mapped out and we are ready to leave the planet. Say the word and we shall depart." He motioned towards the captain of the ship who walked over to a control panel.
I walked over to the throne/chair thing in the corner and perched myself upon it. The large hound at my side followed and took his place beside me. "Get us off planet." The captain turned around and started on the controls. I heard the ship come to life around me. I watched as two large doors opened and then we launched from the main ship. Within moments we were in space and nothing but the dark surrounded us. I relaxed as the feel of being in space surrounded me. It was like a lullaby. The void of space was my home. Out of my entire life I spent more time in space than I did on a planet.
I relaxed now that I was finally on my way to go get Jack.
Let me know what you think! I hope to update again in the next week or so. It will probably be after Christmas. Love Ya!