Chapter 8

"It'll be okay, Sevic." Sevic only shook her head, watching as what looked like thousands of ships descending on what was left of their city, turning her large, hazel eyes up to focus on his. Her lip trembled slightly, not from the fear caused by these ships invading their community, but from the fear grasping her heart with an icy cold hand that he would try to do something about these ships invading their community. "Sevic, doll, just listen to me." She inhaled deeply, trying to shut out the rolling feeling now taking over her stomach. "You remember what I told you?" Her eyes closed, and she nodded once, slowly. "If anything happens to me…" She felt him looking at her, waiting for her to finish his sentence.

"I survive however I have to," she obliged quietly, her voice betraying her as it cracked. He nodded, resting a warm palm on her cheek. She turned her face into his touch, squeezing her eyes shut tighter as his lips pressed to her forehead. "Please don't do this, Jason," she whispered, her voice muffling as he pulled her into his chest. Her hands went around his waist, fingers digging into his shoulder blades as he buried his face in her neck.

"I have to, doll," he whispered back. She shook her head, losing her battle against the tears threatening to break. "If someone has to die, I'd rather it be me than all of you." That clenched it. With a shuddering sob, she let it go, shaking arms clinging to him tightly as he rocked her back and forth. His hand cupped the back of her neck, thumb moving slowly back and forth just under her ear as she cried against him.

"I love you." He smiled against her skin before biting lightly and returning the whisper. It only made her cry harder, shaking both of them before a gurgling sound startled them apart. Sevic's eyebrow rose, and Jason's hand tightened around hers as something in what looked like a wetsuit – full of water? – stared back at them. A quick glance between them before turning back to the thing and lifting their hands slowly as two heavily armored guards stalked up behind whatever had discovered them.

Her eyes wandered throughout the entire Necromonger spiel – she'd not heard a word they said. She watched a thin, glamorous woman pace around the women gathered in the hall, sometimes reaching out to finger a strand of hair or caress the cheek of the cowering female, smirking as they recoiled from her. She approached Sevic, eyes flitting quickly up and down, and Sevic felt the anger rise, knowing it was reflecting in her eyes. The woman's brows furled as Sevic continued to hold her glare, outright scowling as Sevic pulled away from her touch. She hissed, and a man walked up behind her, glancing down at the woman, then back to Sevic before escorting the woman away from her. Sevic held the glare until the woman couldn't crane her neck enough to keep it, and stifled a satisfied snort.

"Convert now, or fall forever." The line snapped Sevic to attention, suddenly realizing her husband wasn't next to her anymore, and she glanced around the room frantically. "You are the leader of this planet, are you not?"

"I am." Sevic's stomach fell, and she pushed past the crowd of people to get closer. Her husband's brother Marcus grabbed her around the waist and restrained her, but she could still see what was going on. "I occupy a seat on the Governing Council," Jason continued, holding his chin high.

"So, then," the man circling Jason, his armor clinking, continued, "you have the authority to command your people to convert, yes?" Jason clicked his tongue, and Sevic mentally slapped him. He's taunting the motherfucker. Why is he doing that? He's only going to piss him off even more.

"I occupy a seat on the Governing Council," Jason repeated. "I cannot speak for the entire Council myself." The armored man nodded over Jason's shoulder, and Sevic stifled a gasp. A very large and similarly armored man stepped behind Jason, a knife handle sticking out of his armor. Sevic couldn't help but curl her lip and wrinkle her nose, but that expression was broken as the man lifted his arm and swung a large blade across Jason's body. Her mouth moved, but she couldn't push the scream out as he fell to the ground, his head nearly severed. Marcus' arms tightened around her as her knees buckled, and she fought against him, finally landing an elbow to his ribcage hard enough to stun him and break free. She shoved people out of the way, collapsing onto his body.

"No, no," she heard the leader say quickly. She glanced up and glared at the knife-in-the-back guy, who was holding the axe above his head ready to strike her.

"Do it," she dared him, glaring into his cold, expressionless eyes. "I've got nothing left to live for thanks to you, motherfucker, so go ahead and fucking kill me."

"Take her to the hallway," the leader commanded. The axe was dropped to the man's side, and he reached out, but her heel caught him in the nose. Too bad he didn't flinch, only grabbing for her again, hoisting her off the ground by the waist and walking out with her thrown over his shoulder. She fought, screaming every obscenity in every language she knew as the crowd remaining lowered to their knees, the leader of the Necros smiling victoriously.

Riddick glanced over his shoulder as she jolted up in bed with a yelp, her chest heaving as she panted. Her eyes darted around the room wildly, finally settling on him. His eyebrow rose as she stared at him as though she didn't know him, and turned toward her as the recognition flashed through her eyes. He took a step toward her and she held out her hand, stopping him with a shake of her head.

"Just a dream," she mumbled, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of a hand. She sniffed, and then sighed.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked quietly.

"No!" Her response was shaky and a little too quick, and he held both of his hands up, taking the step back to where he'd started. She flopped back onto the bed, scrunching her eyes shut, and he crossed his arms over his chest, just watching her. "I can feel your eyes boring into me," she snapped. "Do you mind?" His brows furled, but he only shrugged and left the room, making sure his boots moved heavily enough for her to hear his departure. She swallowed thickly and sat up, finally chucking a pillow across the room with a strangled growl.

"You break it, you buy it," she heard him call from the other room.

"Fuck you!" she yelled back, his light chuckle only serving to anger her more. Her eyes narrowed, and she shook her head, swearing in a foreign tongue before getting up and flouncing into the bathroom, slamming the door before twisting the knob on the shower. She flung off her clothes and stepped under the spray, letting the scalding water run down her head and over her face, masking the sensations of the hot tears clinging to her skin. A sob racked her body, followed by another, and another, and she finally gave in, sinking to the shower floor to roll up into a ball and rock back and forth as the memories washed over her. A light rapping at the door barely registered, and she shook her head. Her eyes closed and another sob broke loose as the door squeaked.

"Go away," she said weakly.

"Sevic?"

"Go away," she repeated, this time a whisper. She heard him sigh, and the quiet ruffling of his clothes falling to the floor. Her head turned away as the door to the shower slid open, another sob echoing off the tiles as he sighed again. He crouched in front of her, reaching out to run his hands over her hair gently, watching her ribs tremble as she cried silently. His hands grasped her shoulders and pulled her against him, and she fought him weakly. He shushed her, pulling her into his lap as he leaned back to sit, pressing his back against the wall as the shower sent a cascade of water over both of them. One of her feet was on either side of his hips, her knees cradled under his arms, her head resting on his chest just under his chin. "I hate you," she whispered, digging her fingers into his shoulders as his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"No you don't," he whispered back, running his fingers lightly up and down her spine. She pressed her forehead harder into the side of his neck, her tears mixing with the water beading up on his skin. He smoothed her wet curls away from her face and rested a hand on her cheek, his thumb trailing lazily back and forth as her sobs shook them both. After a while, she quieted, now only trembling against him despite the heat of the water. Her quick, ragged breath moved the steam in swirls, her fingers digging into his skin every now and then, as though she were making sure he was still there with her. "You okay now?" he asked gently. Her breathing paused, and she shook her head no quickly, fingers digging in again. "Okay, c'mon." He stood, somehow managing to wrap an arm under her knees and pick her up as a groom carrying his bride, kicking off the water as he stepped through the shower door. She shivered against him now, and he set her down gently, reaching over her shoulder to wrap a towel around her. She stared at her hands wound into the material, clutching it under her chin, as he wrapped his towel around his waist before picking her up again and carrying her back to the bed. He lowered her onto the soft mattress and pulled the sheets up over her, planting a kiss on her forehead before walking to the door and calling off the light.

"Riddick?" He paused, just a silhouette in the doorframe. She blinked at the urgency she felt, and swallowed quickly. "Stay with me?" More question than request. He turned, looking back at her.

"I have some things to take care of, but I'll be back soon," he said quietly. She sighed, nodding slowly. "Then I'll stay with you." He disappeared behind the door, and she was left in a dark room with only her hurried breaths to listen to.