A/N: I wanted to focus more on Kyra's confusion with finding herself, and who she is outside of slam and off the planet of crematoria. Hopefully I've accomplished this. Also, near the end is a depiction of dead man (I had to put him in to move the story along); it's ever so slightly gruesome, so if you're squeamish just a little, skim real fast.

Chapter 24

Riddick's POV

"She's not Jack anymore." She's not Kyra either, she's…

Years of experience and primal instinct tells me that you're moving in for a kill shot. It times such as these that I realize just how perfectly fitted you and I are. You sensed the right time to kill and have made your move. No hesitation. No premeditated thinking. Just blind anger and…a sense of superiority over another human's lower, and most certainly weaker, position. Blaze's attention was on me and our fucked up conversation, so he was an easy target, but, you forgot that I know you better than anyone. I feel your hand cut through my peripheral vision, reaching slightly past me to strike at Blaze. My reaction time is still superior to you woman, and my hand stops you before you finish your deadly blow to Blaze's neck. My grip is firm…not yet Kyra. Just wait. I don't even look in your direction. I can't. Experience has taught me to ignore what can be ignored and look ahead to what can hurt you. My eyes scope over our surrounding area again, looking for those shooters. They're there. I can feel their eyes honing in on us. I release your hand only when I know you're not going to kill Blaze…I'm not going to let you kill him yet anyway.

Kyra's POV

What the fuck Riddick. Why'd you stop me? First you tell me to kill him, and now you stop it. Make up your damn mind and let my fucking arm go. Blaze deserves what he gets from me. One blow to the neck, and snap, he's dead. I don't even look in your direction. I keep my eyes narrowed and glaring at Blaze. I want to rip his head off for speaking to me like that.

Curiosity gets the better of me and I risk a glance at you, Riddick, only to find that you're not even looking at either Blaze or me. You've got your goggles on, but even with them on I still know where you're looking. I don't know why I didn't speak when you stopped me from killing the bugger. I don't even know why I don't speak up right now. Part of me knows that killing him right now will cause all hell to break loose with Blaze's men. The other part of me just doesn't care. Jack and Kyra, forever fighting over for complete control. I've got to deal with them…sort them out. It's killing me cuz I bury all my thoughts on both personas so deep where I don't have to think about them…and then bam! Each comes to the surface, ready to play.

Fuck. I'm thinking about shit when I need to think about Blaze and Riddick. I resume glaring at Blaze. He's my friend and he slapped me. He actually slapped me for swearing. Who goes around slapping people for swearing? Fuck you! And where does he get off calling me child. I was actually protecting him from Riddick. Protecting him from the Big Bad when he was the bad. Blaze ain't Big, he just bad. Not like Riddick bad, just…fuck. Blaze was never my friend, I understand that now. He's not the man I remember. He's not the man who saved me and protected me from harm. Perception is a real bitch sometimes, especially when you realize that your perception of someone is so far off its mark. How I perceived Blaze to be was no where close to being who he truly was. Riddick smelt fresh blood on him…I wonder who he killed?

Of course, so have I done that. Changed that is. I'm no longer the scared little girl I was when Blaze found me crouched, hidden and hungry. I'm…Fuck, what am I? Who am I? I hate having all these names. Jack. Kyra. Aislin. I want so much more than all this. I want to be left alone. With Riddick. Nothing but the Big Bad Baldy and I.

"It seems you have changed, child."

I growl to indicate my dislike of the nickname child.

"Alright. Aislin dear, is that name more acceptable to your new nature?"

"Aislin will do just peachy, Blaze. I want my shit. Now."

Nothing like a repeat in words to make a man cringe at what's he's heard just moments before.

"All of it? Even the…"

His voice fades as if I hadn't thought things all the way through when demanding that I wanted my shit. Yeah old man, I want it all.

"Even that."

"It will be done. But first, we shall eat, no?"

I risk a glance at you, Riddick. I already know what's going through your mind. Yeah Baldy, I didn't tell you everything. I kept you in the dark and now you're standing real still, wanting to kill Blaze yourself. I fucked up, again it would seem, but still, I got this handled. I answer for the both of us.

"No food. Just my shit."

I watch as Blaze cringes again.

"He'll have to stay here."

Attempting to split us up only fuels my anger towards him. Not good. I can hear Riddick's low, deep growl. Not good at all.

Riddick's POV

I watch with ease at the banter that's going on between you and the old man. Fucking old man. He's waiting for a reaction from me. One that he can justify killing me for. Keep waiting old man. You'll be dead long before I'll be. It's not by your hands that I'll die.

So now you want to split us up?

"No." One word answers are my specialty.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Riddick, but I am addressing Aislin now."

"She belongs to me." I rotate my neck a little till I hear the crack, then stop. It feels good, but it also makes more of a statement when talking to little shits like Blaze.

"Belong is such a domineering word. Are you sure this man is right for you Aislin?"

"This man belongs to me, and is me."

Confusing answer woman, but I understand. Marking your territory with words when animals usually do it with urine. Interesting.

I let my shivs glide out of their spot from where they laid flat against my arms. I run them against each other just quick enough to let out that eerie sound that they make when doing just that. I listen with interest as the sound ricochets off the walls and carries throughout the buildings in the boxed in area we stand it. Interesting. The buildings are hollow, but they're bouncing off of something else. Something human. Something small.

"Time to play or time to leave, woman."

"Would you like us to play Blaze. We've been cooped up a long time. Playtime is always…bloody. But it would seem that you've got no problem with blood. It looks good on you."

I allow the corner of my lips to curve up at the mention of blood. Warm and sticky. Blood is always so fascinating. There's been a kill as of late. I can hear the insects buzzing around and rats running over the ground. Interesting. The blood off of Blaze smells fresh…but the animals around would only be here after many hours of a human being dead. Something's off.

"Just don't run." I say this to Blaze in my voice that demands attention. Fear has been radiating off of this fucker for some time now.

"Stop. Enough. I'll let you go, but first I'll…I'll have your belongings brought to you, Aislin. You just keep this Mr. Riddick off of me. Think you can do that little girl?"

I hate that I've been reduced to some kind of pet Kyra's keeps, but I'll let that insult slide. First thing is to get out. Second thing is to kill Blaze before I leave. Almost time.

"Bring them now." I turn towards you and run my shiv along your smooth neck. You don't even flinch. You're so trusting Kyra. You know what I'm doing don't you? The shivs are so close to your body, touching you, caressing you, tracing you, it's all for a reason. I notice the slight nod that indicates to me you understand my closeness to your body. One move and you'll take the shivs from me to use against our enemies…that and to protect yourself. I smile as I angle my head to look back at Blaze.

"My wife wants her toys back."

"Toys?"

"What she plays with when hunting. Surely you're aware of all that happens to your children?"

I watch as recognition takes place in your eyes.

"The sharp knives. Of course you can have them back. They're not…appropriate for my children. Although I must warn you, Riddick, I watch my children carefully. Nothing escapes my notice. My children are always protected, Riddick. Always. They need nothing from you, or from her."

So you've dropped the "Mr" act and now you've acknowledged the true me. Stupid really, calling me mister, but calling my woman "Her", fucking mistake. Only I call her that. Me. Mine.

Your little speech makes it sound as if Kyra's some foreign disease you can't fight. Truth is always a mind fucker. You talk big, Old Man, but at the end of the day, those kids mean nothing to you but a way to move around your money, and mouths that you have to feed.

"Give the order."

I remove my shiv from your neck. It seems bare now. You turn your head and smack together your lips. I lean in close enough for you to hear, but not close enough so that others think I'm talking to you. "Cute, woman. Real cute."

I'll watch for now. I'll play later.

Kyra's POV

I love you, but I hate you for making me see this. I hate you Riddick…fuck…I hate you…sort of. You've made me realize what a dumb child I was back then. Blaze never could protect me. He was only protecting his investment. I counted money for that dumb shit. Counted it illegally I might add. Why couldn't I have seen through Blaze back then? Why did it take Riddick and his fucking presence, for me to realize how naïve I was. How stupid I was. How trusting I was…again. I thought he'd protect me when my Uncle came for me. Blaze wouldn't. He'd probably just hand me over.

I fall into line behind Blaze as we approach the nearest building. I start counting my steps for no reason. I can hear your footsteps behind me. Calm. Even. Heavy. Something's wrong.

I've smelt this before. On Crematoria. Blood. Fresh blood and rotting flesh. Two very distinct smells that one will never forget. Ever.

"Your toys, as Riddick puts it, are very unusual. Black and very sharp. Would you like to see what happened to the messenger you talked to today?"

I stop myself from a gag reflex as I take in the scene. Andy is tied to a chair and beside him, touching him, is an older man, head removed, rotting. He must be a couple days extra ripe. The blood has stopped pouring out of his body, but now he's the main attraction for fleas and rats, all of which are crawling over the headless man and Andy. He's very still. He's also cut. There's a large cut running from his wrist up to the inside of his elbow. He's bleeding, not badly, but enough. Double Shit. The child is scared shitless, even I can smell his fear. Andy's wrists and legsare bound by cloth, but it's my shivs that have all of my attention. They're poised at either side of his neck on a spring loaded device. I notice the wire traps placed around Andy. One step across them and the shivs will embed themselves into the side of his neck, killing him instantly.

I'm beyond pissed. It's time to play...it's time for both of us to play.

"I had an interesting visitor the other day, Riddick. It seems between the two of you, I could stand to make quite a sum of money. Do you think I should cash in on my findings, or, let you just up and leave?"

A/N: while I like this cliffy, I have to spoil my story a little. I will absolutely not have the child Andy, harmed (any further) or killed in my story. He's there to show how human Riddick and Kyra really are, so yeah, he'll be saved in the next chapter…I just kinda have to write that part cuz it's so drastic. Hurt an adult and Kyra and Riddick are not likely to care as much. But hurt a child they've recently come into contact with and…sorry all of you will just have to wait a little longer.