A/N I had a lot of help with that chapter; Honey76, thank you for being my sister in crime …

XXVIII.

Aereon's home planet was a paradigm for balance. A little bit boring Riddick thought but in fact he couldn't care less; he didn't have to live there.

After a short discussion he and Hope had decided that it wouldn't hurt to have a look at the relicts from Furya. Hope wasn't only curious; since she knew of her twin brother she was eager to learn more about Taylor. Riddick didn't care in the least about the other Furyans but if it made her happy to look for her brother he would help her. He knew she would try it on her own if he wasn't willing to go with her.

With warp 4 it took just two days to reach Aereon's home planet. Two days Hope either spent in the cockpit doing some research or staring out in space. Riddick didn't know how to cope with a brooding, taciturn Hope and most of the time he ignored her sitting there alone. To his surprise he was a bit disappointed that she didn't share her thoughts with him, after all their relationship had gotten much closer recently and he had thought she would.

They had to walk for a while to reach the building where everything Aereon wanted to show them was stored. There was no possibility to use a vehicle but he didn't mind. He appreciated the exercise and he had to admit that the air on that planet had a certain quality.

Hope loved the planet; after all she was raised on an agricultural planet and she still appreciated a planet with an intact ecosystem. The landscape looked like painted. Everything was green, flowers everywhere and the buildings were designed to blend in the surrounding nature. She could see that balance and harmony were the moving spirit; even the fauna seemed to be subject to that.

And she'd been what seemed like an eternity on the ship without fresh air and only their workout as exercise. She enjoyed to be able to run and roam around and couldn't see enough of everything. Aereon went too slow for her taste and so she constantly was in front of them.

Riddick lost sight of her when they reached a little forest and he picked up the pace. In her enthusiasm she probably would break her neck if he didn't watch over her. He found her standing at the end of a meadow ending in a gorge that was more or less gently falling down to a valley, totally smitten with the view. He didn't like how close she stood to the gap. He wanted her to step back for at least a meter.

She turned around when she heard him approach and beamed at him. How he loved that smile on her face.

She beckoned him over. "Riddick, you have to see that valley. It's absolutely beautiful!"

He wasn't interested in nature but to humor her he went across the grass. He hadn't yet reached her when he saw the edge starting to crumble away. She still stood with her back to it watching him approach and couldn't see what was happening. He sprinted the last meters to her. He reached her and grabbed her waist, tried to yank her back. But it was too late. With his added weight the whole ledge broke away. All he could do was hold her close and absorb most of the shock while rolling down.

They coasted down the whole way to the bottom of the valley. The impact took the air out of their lungs. Riddick came to rest on Hope; they still clung together and tried to get some air back into their lungs and let their heartbeat calm down. Neither of the two was hurt but both of them needed time to compose.

They didn't move for a while. Hope was shocked because she nearly got them killed with her carelessness and Riddick … he simply was relieved that they had survived that stunt unharmed. He knew he should lecture her, tell her that she was nuts but he couldn't bring himself to do it. When his heart slowed down a bit he began to realize the way her body felt under his, the way her arms still were wrapped around his chest and how her hands gripped his shirt in her fists. Her face was so close to his he could feel her warm and panting breath and he couldn't resist taking a deep breath, inhaling her scent.

Her body underneath him felt just too good. He couldn't remember for how long he had envisioned that. No, he could; he wanted her as long as he knew her. Since his first wake moment in her apartment on Sinus he knew she was special. And now here she was, pressed against him and obviously she wasn't immune to the situation. She didn't release him, in the contrary, she pulled him even closer. He could smell the arousal in her scent and he knew she wanted him as bad as he wanted her.

He buried his face in her neck. Her whole body was calling his and he wasn't able to resist any longer, he had to give in his craving for her. No more running away. No more denial. His lips touched her pulse point, gently caressing it with his tongue. He could feel her ragged breaths on his cheek, her heartbeat accelerate, could hear her silent moan.

The shock from their fall faded and Hope suddenly got aware that her hands still were fisted on Riddick's back, her legs still wrapped around his. She could feel each of his muscles pressing into her body, his breath on her neck and it wasn't adrenaline that was starting to wash through her veins. It wasn't fear that let her heartbeat accelerate again when she felt his lips caressing her neck. And she knew he had realized it too.

He lifted his head enough to look into her eyes. Their lips nearly touched. "Hope?" he whispered, his voice hoarse with desire.

Instead of an answer she framed his face with her hands, feeling the growing stubble of his hair teasing her fingertips and pulled him closer, slowly, although her hunger for him chased through every cell of her trembling body. She felt her eyes close, unwilling to let anything else into her mind than his closeness, his scent, his heat.

Finally their lips met. Softly at first. But he had contained himself way too long. He couldn't wait any longer to taste her, really taste her. His tongue traced the outline of her perfect cut mouth, traced her lips, seeking for entrance she was only too willing to grant. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth, wanted to explore it, ravish it. Involuntarily he deepened the kiss and sank his teeth into her full bottom lip.

He felt how her fingers started to knead the tensed muscles on his back. As if she had lost complete control over her body it nestled to his, his muscles fitting perfectly into her female curves. He relished the moment, teasing her, pushing her before he pulled back a bit just to hear her whimper his name soundlessly. Her lips were swollen and he let his tongue follow the curve of her lips just to have her arch against him.

That was his undoing. His lips crushed on hers and he moaned deeply as her taste flooded over him.

His hand caressed her waist, pulled the shirt out of her cargos; he had to feel her. Her moan when she felt his hand on her bare skin nearly let him lose control. He deepened the kiss even more, took possession of her mouth; his hand roamed her body and she kissed him back with the same hunger he felt.

Hope pressed her whole body into his. Wanted to get as close to him as possible. His hand seemed to set her skin on fire. She lost each coherent thought. All she could … and wanted … to think of was Riddick kissing her, touching her.

She tasted so damned good. Even better than he'd imagined…

When he heard Aereon approach he was tempted to ignore her. Fuck that Elemental and her bad timing. He didn't want to stop kissing Hope, exploring her but he knew she would be embarrassed if he didn't stop with Aereon watching them. And although he wasn't shy he didn't want to share those moments with anybody.

He would have to wait. But he knew it would be worth each minute he had to keep his hands off her. She would match him, his passion and hunger for her. And he just knew that their bodies would match too. He would have his way with her back on the ship when nobody could disturb them, when he could ease his alertness and just concentrate on her.

Hope didn't like it at all when Riddick withdraw from her and tried to hold him back. She didn't want him to stop and moaned at the loss. "Riddick, please."

He felt her thundering heart against his chest. Their lips still touched slightly. "Please what?" He loved her reaction to him.

She felt his smile against her lips. "Please don't stop."

He kissed her softly before answering. "I would love to. But we've got company. Aereon."

"Aereon?"

His smile broadened. "Yeah, the old lady, remember?" He chuckled silently. "Guess this time I can't blame you for not being aware of your surroundings."

That got him a glare but she smiled and her voice was anything but angry when she called him a jerk this time.

After another gentle kiss he got to his feet and scooped her up with him. "Aereon is an old woman. It would give her a heart attack if I'd let her watch me having my way with you. I promise back on the ship I'll make up for it" he whispered in her ear, nearly touching it. His breath on her skin and that announcement let her mouth get dry. A shiver crept down her spine and a big wolfish grin played on Riddick's lips. Yes, he definitely loved how she responded to him.