Collin was always the first to know when Angela was returning from a hunt. She always came back covered with nightcrawler blood, and his nose would be the first to twitch at the scent. He waved to Henri and pointed in the hunting party's direction, the common signal for "She's back."

Henri waved back and returned to his position of staring at Shazza.

Everyone had packed their essentials and stored them on board the skiff. Only the barest traveling necessities were allowed. Everything else was stored in the fortified barracks, so it could be picked up at some future date.

Henri had packed a couple of books, besides the one Johns had taken, and that was pretty much it for him. Henri passed the time now by studying Shazza. She had come back long before the others. Her eyes were red, and she sniffled from unshed tears. Henri wondered what could have affected her so strongly. She didn't seem the type that cried easily.

Shazza was sitting in a chair, leaned back against the torn wall of another building. Her eyes were closed, and her head was tilted back, exposing her neck to the suns. The light reflecting from that glowing skin was like a beacon to Henri.

He strode to her and noticed her twisting a silver ring on her finger. He was certain it hadn't been there when she left. When he was standing next to her, she didn't acknowledge his presence. He gently placed his open palm against her throat.

Shazza lurched upright, inadvertently forcing her neck into his grip. She'd been so preoccupied with thoughts of Zeke, she hadn't noticed Henri's approach. Henri's fingers massaged her neck before releasing her.

"You shouldn't leave yourself vulnerable like that, ma cher. For those who haven't had a real meal in over two decades, the temptation may become too great to ignore."

Shazza got up and brushed past him. "I'll keep that in mind."

Henri let her go a few paces, but stopped her cold with his next question. "What was he to you, this Zeke?"

She said nothing.

"Friend?...Confidant?...Lover?..."

She whirled angrily on him. "What bloody fucking business is it of yours!"

He held up his hands in supplication. "I meant nothing by the question, cherie. I am only curious."

She clenched her teeth around her decision. She didn't know this Henri, didn't like him, didn't trust him...but she desperately wanted to talk to someone about her feelings. Zeke was the only person she could ever hold an intimate conversation with, but he was gone, and no one else was asking.

He approached her slowly, allowing her time to leave if she wanted to go. She didn't move.

He took her hands in his. "Do you think I've never had human friends? Never been close to someone who knew what I was? I've had friends, lovers, wives who knew exactly what I was. I loved and cared for them as any man would care for his loved ones." He gently cupped her face. "And I have wept hot tears as they died in my arms, the victims of violence, disease, or simply old age. I know what you are going through, ma cher. You can talk to me." He released her and stepped back. "If you don't want to talk to me, then I am not offended, but you should talk to someone, cherie, perhaps the holy one."

Shazza hugged herself tightly and closed her eyes. "We've been together fer twenty years now. We were better than friends, better than lovers. We were soul mates. I gave up the bloody aristocracy I was born to, so we could be together. I loved him more than anything, and now..."

She disintegrated into choked sobs. Henri held her close. "The pain never goes away, ma cher, but it gets better with time." He kissed her forehead and let her cry into his shoulder. "With time..."

* * * * *

Johns raised an eyebrow at the returning trio. Inigo's hands and arms were covered in blue alien blood. Angela was entirely coated with it. Riddick had a spattering of the blue blood on his front, but also had a deep red stain and a hole in his shirt. Johns wondered how he'd gotten hurt.

Angela was all business as she started barking orders. "Alright, Inigo start a fire. We need to cook this meat if it's going to last any length of time. If anyone here happens to be a decent cook, speak up 'cause I know for a fact that Inigo is a lousy chef."

Inigo gave an indignant snort at the insult, even though it was perfectly true.

"I want the rest of the vampires to come with me for one last meal before we take off." She looked at the setting blue sun and rising red suns. "We haven't much time. Is the ship ready?"

"Aye, yer ladyship. The wings is all patched, the 'lectronics is all hooked up, an' ever'one's packed te go." Collin clapped his hands together to punctuate his words and his enthusiasm.

"Okay then, last meals, cook and pack the meat, pack the vegetables, and it's probably a good idea for everyone to take a trip to the bathroom too. Everyone clear on what they need to do?" Heads nodded all around. "Alright, everyone with fangs, follow me."

Everyone but Henri obeyed. He'd taken Shazza to an alley where she could cry with some privacy. He couldn't see the others, but he'd heard everything said. He sensed Inigo's presence and looked up.

He was perched atop the wall of the alley. He lifted his hand and gestured towards the hunting grounds, a question on his face.

Henri mouthed the word "Later." Inigo shrugged and left. Henri knew he would return when it was his turn to go eat, but for now, Henri was reluctant to leave Shazza alone. Her sobs had reduced to silent tears, but she still clung to him like a life preserver.

He pressed soft kisses into her hairline while whispering assurances to her. "It's alright, cherie. We're getting off of this planet soon. A few hours at most, then everything will be fine. Don't worry."

He tried to kiss her cheek, but Shazza turned her head and met his kiss on the lips. Surprised by the move, Henri lifted his head away, but she put her arms around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss. Their lips met softly at first, then she began teasing the corners of his mouth with her tongue. He opened up to her, and their mouths met fully in a passionate play of tongues.

Henri was rather at a loss for what to do. He was usually the seducer in a situation, but this was different. She was grieving, seeking comfort any way she knew how. Henri was too much of a gentleman to take advantage of her.

Damned scruples, he thought as he ended the kiss. If it were any other circumstance, he would gladly give her what she wanted. He looked at her passion-glazed eyes and kiss-swollen lips. Gladly.

"What's wrong?" she asked breathlessly.

"The hurt is too new, mon cher. To continue this, would be to take advantage of you, I only take advantage of those I plan to eat," he joked. "And I do not plan to eat you." He pulled her into another searing kiss that left her gasping for air. "However, if you wish to continue this when we reach civilization, let me know, and I will be most happy to accommodate you."

Henri wiped away the last of her tears, and led her back out to the skiff and the others. If anyone noticed her well-kissed, tear-streaked face, they were tactful enough not to say so.

Shazza saw Inigo burning the meat, so she took over the cooking for him. He readily relinquished the task and kept the fire blazing for her.

A few hours later, all of the vampires had returned quite sated from their meal, and Shazza had packed away the last of the food on board the skiff.

"Is that it then?" Paris asked. "Have we gotten everything?"

"Just let me change out of this," Angela said, motioning to her stained clothing. The old jumpsuit was so tattered it was threadbare, and so soaked with blood it was practically dripping. She went into the barracks and changed into one of Collin's spare suits. He was the closest to her size, but the suit was still baggy and ill-fitting.

"Well," Paris was almost giddy with their escape so near at hand. "Shall we be off then?"

Angela hesitated. "Not yet."

"What's the problem?" Fry asked.

Angela looked up at the red suns. The blue one has already set. "I want to see the eclipse...one last time."

Johns huffed in frustration. "You've fucking seen it for the past three hundred years. Let's go!"

She glared at him. "It's precisely for that reason that I'm going to stay. It's less than an hour away, and besides it's quite a spectacular sight. You might want to see it for yourselves. Nonetheless, I am not leaving yet."

No one argued the point, though Johns was less than pleased. The only reason he didn't argue was because his withdrawal had begun again. By the time he found his red shells, he was in the dry-heaving stage. He found a quiet corner in which to shoot up. When he came out of the initial haze of the injection, he heard awed shouts from the Arab's. He rejoined the others to see what was so damned incredible.

Everyone was looking towards the horizon. Twin black rainbows rose ominously to the suns overhead.

"Fuck me," Johns whispered. He stood a moment, just as enraptured as the rest, then made a hasty retreat to the skiff.

More awed words heralded the arrival of the dark orb of the planet as it made its way up in the sky. Then everyone hushed, simply watched as the planet and its rings inched up to the suns.

One ring blotted out a sun, and a shadow crossed over the planet. The nightcrawlers began yowling in anticipation of release from their underground prison. The other ring cover the remaining sun, and all hell broke loose in the nightcrawlers' lair. The spires that marked their territory belched forth screaming masses of hatchling creatures. They twisted up into the sky like a volcanic eruption.

"Let's go, people!" Johns yelled from the skiff. "What the fuck are you waiting for, an invitation to dinner? Let's go!"

Everyone jumped into a run to the small craft. Riddick stopped and turned back when he realized Angela wasn't moving at all.

She was oblivious to everything but the swirling cloud of death before her. Her mind drifted back over the past centuries she'd spent here. The sights, the sounds, the smells of every horrific day and night she had lived here were permanently ingrained in her memory. She silently wept for all the life that had been lost because of that black swirling mass, including the three centuries of her own life she would never get back.

Riddick broke her from her reverie. He grabbed her arm and dragged her to the skiff, yelling "We have to go, now!"

She snapped back to the present in time to see a hoard of nightcrawlers break from the mass and fly straight to her.