Chapter 25: Breaking Away

Oh shit.

"Did I say something in my sleep?"

He snorted. "Somethin' like that."

"Nothing's going on, I swear."

"I know. I'd know if it was."

Bitterness welled up. "Why do you care? You practically ordered him to rape me yesterday."

He snorted again. "That's what you think was goin' on?"

Was that just about marking territory? She shuddered. Be sweet. Delay. The Taurians could still come through. "I didn't tell you something."

"You don't tell me a lot of things," he grumbled.

"That second day. Those two guys who roughed me up." She hesitated. He seemed to be listening. "They – Dame Vaako asked them the same thing you asked Nin. If they'd rape me if ordered to. They said they would. I said you wouldn't like it. They didn't believe me."

She shuddered again. Didn't have to fake it at all. He was still stroking her hair with stinking fingers. "One of them tried. Had me down. I was begging, telling them you wouldn't like it. Then one realized Nin wouldn't like it, and they stopped. He saved me, even when he wasn't there. Because he told people something you won't. That he cares about me. I should beg you to send him away, I know I should, but I'm so fucking scared of what might happen to me."

He stayed quiet a long time. Finally. "Why didn't you tell me that?"

"I was afraid."

"Of what?"

"You."

"Why are you afraid of me?"

"Jesus, Riddick, you've locked me up without shoes, you've threatened to send me through conversion and now I'm bleeding out my ass. You really have to ask me that question?"

"Yeah. I think I do." His voice was soft, but there was something sharp underneath it.

"Okay. First, you're a killer. Second, you're a kidnapper. Third, you're in charge of millions of killers. Fourth, you've locked me up. Fifth, you control just about every aspect of my life. Sixth, you know things about me I don't understand. Seventh, you do things like fuck me in the ass while I'm begging you not to."

He chuckled. "I feel bad about that last one. Anything else?"

"Yeah. You think you own me."

He snorted. "I wanted mate. You didn't like that. I'm bein' accommodating. Relieving you from moral accountability and all that shit. Not like I can let you go without signing your death warrant. And then you go back to Zhylaw." His voice got louder. "What the fuck do you want me to do?"

I really did hurt his feelings. "I never said I didn't want to be your – your mate."

"Yeah. You never said shit. Just acted like I'd handed you a warm turd. I went to prison for you. I killed the Lord Marshal of the Necromongers for you. I stormed the gates of hell for you. For you, Sunshine. Doesn't that give me some rights?"

You think it does. And that's really fucking scary.

Make him feel safe. "Of course it does. I love you. I owe you everything. But it's still pretty scary."

"What does any of this have to do with Nin and not telling me those guys tried to rape you?"

"Only – only one did." She swallowed. "Look, I thought if I told you why they'd stopped, you'd get jealous and do something to him. And – and I was terrified whoever you saddled me with would be – would be worse."

"You thought I'd kill the guy who saved you?"

Her voice was very small. "Yeah."

He chuckled. "You really think I want him dyin' for you? I know what that does to a person. If he dies for you, it won't be because of me."

Oh thank god. "Thank you."

Abruptly, he sat up. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up. See if we gotta wake up your doctor."

He was gentleness itself for the rest of the night.

oOo

Riddick let Jack sleep. Poor kid had a rough night. He felt a little washed out himself. Dressed silently, closed the door, greeted Ninshubar in the hall.

"Sire." Nin's voice had a hint of warmth in it for the first time. Riddick found himself smiling.

"It's Riddick. Look." He ran a hand over his head. "Look. I was an asshole to Jack last night."

Nin's face betrayed nothing.

"I think she's okay, but if she wants to see the doctor . . ." his voice trailed off.

"You are getting more brutal with her." It wasn't a question.

"I'm tryin' not to. But this whole thing with the Taurians. . . "

Nin's voice was dry. "Are they a particularly formidable opponent?"

Riddick snorted. "Not that. I'm just . . . I just have this suspicion Jack did somethin' stupid. Told that Thessaly bitch something she shouldn't have."

"You think she betrayed you?"

"Dunno. Not me. But the mission . . ."

"Treason is punished by death by torture."

Riddick stared at him. "You looked that up?"

"Hey," Jack was coming down the hall, looking sleepy. "I'm sorry I didn't get up with you."

"I was gonna let you sleep. Rough night."

"Yeah." She came close. He wrapped an arm around her. She leaned into him. "Rough night." Her voice was soft.

"Sorry, kid." Strangely, he meant it. "It won't happen again, I promise." Nin was completely still. Riddick sighed, met his eyes. "You're right. Just take care of her, okay?"

Nin nodded without speaking. Only later did Riddick think about that.

oOo

By the time he got to the control room, he knew something was very wrong. Vaako dragged him into his own office, face white. "What's up?"

"The Lesser Threshold. It's gone."

"Whatdyamean, gone?"

"Gone. Closed. Gone."

Huh. "And the garrison?"

"We don't know. No communication. We suspect it was destroyed."

"How do you know this? Some helpful passerby phone in a tip?"

Vaako grimaced. "The Quasi-Dead are screaming about it. Jason is trying to calm them down. I ordered a fast striker unit prepped."

Riddick stared at him. "Any word from Eris?"

"No."

"Huh."

"Riddick," Vaako said, intently. "This is a problem. This is the biggest blow since the Omphalos. This is a blow to our connection to the Underverse itself."

He grunted. "You still got me."

Vaako snorted. "For how long? Be careful today. I – suspect – someone will challenge your kingship."

"Let 'em. Feel good to kill someone. I've been too fuckin' well behaved since I got here."

They spent a great deal of time unsuccessfully trying to figure out who did it. Finally, Riddick decided to work out with the commandos. Rally the troops and all that shit. He liked the dojo.

It was full of men blowing off steam. He had fun at first. Then, from across the room, a man called imperiously. "Riddick!"

Riddick searched him out with his eyes. The room fell dead silent.

Mr. Crimson. Kelmis. Little twerp. Might be a good time to try this "true death" shit. "What?"

"I challenge you!" Someone tittered. Kelmis's head snaked around, eyes narrowing. The floor between them cleared fast.

Riddick snorted. "Give it your best shot, son."

"Let us hie to the throne room."

"I'm not hie-ing anywhere with you. If we're doin' this, we're doing it right here, right now. I'm busy." Someone tittered again. Riddick smiled, showing some teeth.

Kelmis tried again. "You're no Lord Marshal. You lost the lesser Threshold. You mock our ways. You sue for peace with breeders. You dote on a breeder! I challenge you!"

"I've accepted. Now you're stalling, boy."

Kelmis pulled a wicked looking knife from his belt, got a running start. Riddick just watched. Blinked, and the man was, again, jagged black and crimson; so intense it almost hurt. Two moves. Got it.

He blocked Kelmis's thrust with his left hand easily. With his right, he grasped the beating heart of the crimson soul. Kelmis gurgled. Riddick yanked the soul back and it separated abruptly from the body. The body dropped hard. He glared hard at the soul, squeezed, and it frizzled into nothingness.

That was . . . fast. The room got even more silent. Into the silence there was a whisper. "Soul taker."

"Yeah. Soul Taker. That's me. Anyone else think I'm not the Lord Marshal? Step right up."

There was silence. Then they started chanting his name. It was wonderful, it was terrible. He drank in their adulation like blood. It made him gag. He managed to get away, headed back to his rooms fast. He needed Jack. He needed to lose himself in that soft living innocent green. He needed to be sure –

He shoved the thought away, as best he could. She's innocent. No way she had anything to do with this. She doesn't even know where the Lesser Threshold is.

He was at his rooms before he knew it. She was with Ninshubar, standing behind him, hand on his shoulder, watching a view screen. They were both too transfixed to notice him, to his growing irritation. They were watching him fight Kelmis. And she was all olive, all Kyra, hardly anything of Jack there at all.

"You spyin' on me?"

His voice was low and dangerous even to his own ears. She looked up at him with Kyra's eyes, smiled at him with Kyra's smile, edged and sharp. "That was amazing. Thank god you're okay."

Riddick ignored her, turned to Ninshubar. "I don't let her watch that sort of thing. She's not old enough." Kyra snorted. Riddick slotted his eyes towards her. She met his eyes unafraid, almost exultant. Sharing in his triumph? Thinking she was entitled? Something else?

Something else?

The thought he'd been trying to shove aside reared up. Did she do this? Did she give the Taurians something to use against me? She happy about us getting hit?

It iced down his back. She had time. She was with that bitch Thessaly for a long time. Coulda told her all sorta things.

"My apologies, Lord Marshal," Ninshubar said, formally.

He stared at him blankly. "Fine. Don't do it again. Take a break. But don't go far. This won't take long." Ninshubar moved slowly. Too slowly. Riddick shoved past him. Jack would have taken a step back. She didn't. Maybe a good thing. It was Kyra he wanted to interrogate.

"You seem . . . on edge," she said.

"Yeah." He pushed her against the wall. "Someone blew up the Lesser Threshold. Kinda wondering if it was the Taurians." Started kissing her hungrily, scraping his tongue past her sharp teeth, the pain invigorating. Especially since she kissed him back, aggressively, joyously. All olive and brown. All Kyra. Distracting him from the coming interrogation. It'll keep. He groaned, slid his hands inside her clothes. Why is she so fucking happy?

His thoughts were running fast. Her soft hips were under his fingers. She groaned.

This isn't what I want. I want the little girl.

His body thought it was just fine. It was ready fuck her against the wall, who ever she was. Maybe this'll do after all. Fuck her, then yank the info out of her brain. He hoisted her up over his shoulder, spun around and took the three steps to the couch. He could see through the open door that Ninshubar was still down the hall. Irritating.

Not just irritating. Infuriating. She spends all her fucking time with him. She fucks him in her dreams. I did all this for her, and she wants him. Something snapped and fury was cascading through his defenses. All his fury at her for dying, all his fury at her for running from New Mecca, all his fury at Kyra for taking his Jack from him was right there, maddening. He shoved her down onto her knees in front of the couch. "Lights out."

He pulled her underwear down, used them to pin her legs in place. Pushed her face down onto the cushions, positioned himself and shoved in hard. He was almost disappointed that she was wet and ready for him. He pinned her hard enough that she was gasping for breath. He hesitated for half an instant, then thrust in again. "You don't like that . . . Kyra?"

She shuddered, shook her head. Kept her mouth shut. But it was all Kyra; all bitter olive under him, her ridiculous joy turning into fury. He closed his eyes but it didn't help. She was bright enough to burn through his eyelids.

"Kinda wondering if you had anything to do with the whole Lesser Threshold thing," he growled into her ear. "Kinda wondering if you might have told that bitch something you shouldn't have."

A shock of fear. Confirming fear. She did. She did. He wanted to squeeze her throat until she went limp underneath him. He wanted that sweet green again. Can't have both. He groaned. He eased some of his weight off of her and she gasped in relief.

He pulled out, but kept pinning her down. The colors of her soul, or whatever the fuck they were, were swirling, sweet green threading through the military olive. "I love you," he whispered, and the olive subsided slightly. He nuzzled the back of her neck softly. She relaxed involuntarily. She said nothing. "But I'm still pissed about this Threshold thing. Someone tried to kill me today because of you."

Her fear spiked. It smelled so damn good. He started kissing the back of her neck with studied languidness, caressing her pinned body gently. Smelling her involuntary arousal. Seeing the sweet green surge. After a moment, he repositioned himself to ease back into her. She made a small noise but didn't fight.

Hm . . . I wonder. What the fuck do the Quasies really know anyway? Sure looks like two different people. If I could just get rid of one of them, might solve all our problems. Let Zhylaw have Kyra. Especially if that bitch really did betray me. I'll keep the kid. She couldn't do that. He raised himself slightly on his left hip, curved his left arm around her, close enough to feel her breath on his arm. Caressed her back with his right hand gently, gently. Felt the sweet green involuntarily rising to meet him. Stroked it, focused hard. Underneath, woven through, was the olive. He flexed his fingers and eased his hand into the undulating colors.

He knew he was hurting her. With her awake and undrugged, it hurt him too; a feeling of electronic repulsion. This time he pushed through the pain, the way he had with Keegan. Been too fast to notice with Kelmis. Like Keegan, she made an unearthly sound. Her body clamped down on him, not in pleasure. Felt pretty good anyway. "No," she managed, gasping.

"Just relax, Jack," he whispered. "I just wanna try something." He flexed his fingers, catching at the olive threads.

"No," she said, louder, in Kyra's voice. "What the fuck are you doing?" The olive blossomed underneath him and the soft green drained away. He grinned against the dark. Closed his fist and started to pull the olive threads out of her. Thinking about Zhylaw. It was like he was in the room.

She screamed, started to fight, impotently. It's working, he thought dizzily. I can see them separate.

"Stop it you bastard!"

He shook his head, entranced. Right up to the point she buried her still-new sharp teeth into his left arm. He tried to jerk away and the flesh tore. The pain was more than he could bear. He pulled back, fist still closed, but the olive threads dissolved back into her. She made another unearthly noise, tried to scramble away over the couch, but they were all tangled up and fell to the floor together. Her on top.

She turned her head blindly and bit again, this time his chest, protected by cloth. He grabbed her head and pulled it away, heart hammering. The smell of his own blood was infuriating. He shoved her off him, rolled over on top, pinning her again, fighting the urge to snap her neck. She was on her stomach, convulsing underneath him on the hard floor.

"God damn it, Riddick, what the fuck did you just do to me?"

I have no idea. He forced himself to relax. Pressed his bleeding arm against her back to try to staunch the blood. Gotta get that cleaned. Shit. She bit deep. "Sorry, kid. Didn't think that would happen."

"The fuck you didn't. You just did that to Kelmis."

No. Yes. Sorta. "No. I killed Kelmis. I wasn't trying to kill you. Calm down, Jack. I made a mistake. It won't happen again." Next time, you'll be sedated and restrained. Gagged so you can't bite me. Shit, my arm hurts.

"God damn you." She started crying. Managed to turn her head so she could look up at him in the dark. "You must really hate me."

Oh, shit. She was looking up at him with shined silver eyes. She blinked and those eyes were green again. He forced perspectives and it was horrifying. Her body was a battlefield, not just of greens and reds, but black and silver ripping through both. The colors of his soul, seeded through her. That's me. She got some of me.

Revelation was like ice. What do you think turned her from that sweet kid into the bitter killer anyway? You. You put something of yourself inside her and it infected her. Quasies filtered most of it out. Now you just dumped it back.

Could just kill her again . . . may have to anyway. Bring her back and wrap her up and never let anything bad happen to her ever again. Make a whole fake world for her. She'll never remember being tortured to death. . .

He felt sick. I can't bear that. He rolled onto his back, still holding her. She was sobbing bitter tears in the darkness. He sat up, arranged her into his lap. Wrapped his arms around her, even though one was bleeding heavily. "No, baby. I don't hate you. I don't hate – I don't hate anything about you."

She shook her head, still crying. "You hate Kyra. You think we're separate people, but we're not."

I want you to be. He stroked her hair. "No. I'm sorry. That was fucking stupid of me. I didn't mean to hurt you. I never mean to hurt you." Except last night. And maybe just now. He pressed his bleeding arm against her. "I'm sorry kid. The Taurians hit us hard, and I thought maybe you had something to do with it." She shuddered in his arms. You did have something to do with it. I know you did. I just can't deal with that right now. The black and silver in her were slipping down. Fading or entrenching themselves? It was a grim thought. He cuddled her close. "I love you. All of you. Remember, I stormed the gates of hell for Kyra twice after I knew what I was getting myself into. Risked death and everything."

Saying he loved her was usually the magic bullet that tore through Kyra and brought back Jack. Not this time. Jack was there, but submerged, like the black was pulling her down and suffocating her. He cuddled her closer.

The room was abruptly illuminated. Ninshubar was there, shining a light on them so bright it hurt. Riddick closed his eyes, but he could still see the man's colors, the green sickly; the gold almost urine colored. He's crying too, Riddick realized abruptly. Fuck, is he gonna challenge me? Fuck, all we need right now; me to kill her only friend in front of her. What did he think I was doing?

Exactly what I was doing. Hurting her. He's right to be freaked out. "It's okay, soldier. We're okay. She's – she's okay."

Jack snorted through her tears. "Speak for yourself. I fucking hurt."

"He raped you?" Ninshubar said, softly.

She laughed hysterically. "I'm used to that. This was something entirely and excruciatingly new."

He stood up, a little unsteadily, with Jack – Kyra – who ever the fuck she was – in his arms. "Lights, dim."

Ninshubar clicked his own light off. Put it away. Riddick half thought he was going to pull a weapon. A little late, Mr. Goldy, he thought grimly. Took three steps and thrust the girl at him. "Take care of her." The solder took her, carefully. He was trembling in fury. "Unless you're not up to it."

She laughed, hollowly. "Just – just go away, Riddick. Don't you have innocent victims to slaughter?"

He grunted. "Plenty of those." He looked down at his arm. Do I need stitches? He was beginning to feel light headed. Stumbled away to find a med tech.

oOo

Ninshubar carried her to Riddick's bathroom, set her down on the high counter. Got her a glass of water. She rinsed her mouth and spat into the sink. Stared at the red fluid in the basin. He damped a cloth and started dabbing at her face, cleaning off the blood. She realized abruptly that he was crying. She touched his face, gently.

He pulled back. "Is it true? Did you – did you tell the Taurians Ambassador about the Lesser Threshold? Did you betray the Necroverse?"

She took a deep shuddering breath. "You really want to know?"

"Yes."

"Yes. I gave information to the Taurians they can use against the Necros. I betrayed the Necromongers. I betrayed Riddick."

He nodded. "We have to leave. Now."