Summery: Explaining Lex's collapse and a heart to heart talk with Lajjun. Talking things out with Riddick and Discovering the Bond. Sleeping in Riddick's arms for the first time.
The First Furyan Chapter Two, Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.
Her whole head ached and she had never been more aware of her own eyes in her head as they throbbed with her heartbeats. She was lying back down in bed as she came around focusing on that feeling thinking to her self, weird. She could hear angry voices arguing in the room the situation feeling vary familiar. She registered she was back in the infirmary and recalled collapsing in the room with Riddick. Lovely habit I'm making, she thought to herself crossly listening more closely to the voices.
"The trait does not always produce itself in Furyan females it is far more common among Furyan males." Came Aereon's lecturing 'teacher' voice Lex was coming to know all too well.
"But you knew, she told you she was having migraines and you knew it was a symptom! You knew it was a sign her eyes could be shining themselves naturally like mine! Why didn't you say anything to me, fuck that, why didn't you say anything to her!" Riddick asked her and oh he was angry too by the sound of his voice.
"I would actually like to know the answer to that too." Lex said from her bed finally daring to open her eyes.
Colors were mostly gone and she frowned she could take in detail but no colors but red and purple it was rather disconcerting. Her eyes and head throbbed as she took in the room and Aereon, Riddick standing next to her looking at Lex in what looked like concern. She sat up slowly as she looked around despite the pain this caused in her head. "Fucking shit, aw man, that is so wrong." She complained.
"How are you feeling?" Riddick asked her.
"Well my head feels like it's been used like a punching bag and my eyes feel like they were ripped out scrubbed good and clean and then shoved back in." She complained making Riddick laugh, Lex glared over at Aereon. "You were saying?" She asked in a warning voice daring her not to answer.
Everywhere she looked things were in shades of gray black purple red and white it was very unbalancing.
"I am sorry, I did not believe telling you this might happen would help. There is nothing that can be done to stop or reverse the process." Aereon told her, I just bet you're sorry bitch, but one day I will make you, she thought to herself.
"So your telling me this is a Furyan thing?" She asked her Aereon nodded and she sighed. Well guess she could blame anyone for this one could she, she turned her aching eyes over at Riddick. "I thought you had a doctor shine your eyes in Butcher Bay for twenty menthol Kool's?" She asked him.
"Had to tell people something. Saying I just woke up that way one day in Butcher Bay was bound to raise questions." He explained. Lex sighed rubbing her forehead that was pounding and closing her achy eyes. "You should sleep more, it'll help the pain." He told her and she sighed nodding and wincing at the pain that caused before lying down. Aereon and Riddick left her there in the dark and she settled in slipping slowly into a troubled sleep.
She woke to breakfast and Kali hissing at a nervous necro nurse bringing her food in making Lex chuckle. She quieted Kali down and ate still adjusting to the new change her eyes still feeling slightly sore and achy. Tess came to visit her unable to stop staring at her eyes and she suddenly knew how Riddick felt. Something about the way shined eyes looked was very alluring to some people and threatening to the rest.
"Tell me how good does free air smell hum?" Lex asked Tess happily the day after she was finally released.
They were on horseback on their way towards Lajjun and Ziza's to visit and show off her new eyes to the little girl. She just knew the kid would get a kick out of it though it made her sad when she thought about Jack. Tess laughed beside her at her antic's shaking her head in disbelief at Lex.
"You would think you'd been in prison, Lex." Tess joked.
"No but probably a close third, close second would have to be, a mental hospital." She told her friend who laughed.
"Really and since when were you in either?" Tess asked her.
"Well I can happily say I never had the misfortune of having to endure such institutions. However I had friends who did and well, I hope I never have to." She explained then sighed at the thought of said friends who she'd never see again.
"I trust you're not talking about our Lord Marshal?" Tess asked her and Lex sighed.
"He and I don't really talk much. The first time we really talked…well you found us after the end result. The second time, I passed out and woke up with my new eyes." She explained, and just who saw that coming, other then Aereon of course, she thought to herself grumpily. "Not such a good track record."
"But I thought you said that fight between you two was a…fluke, if you will?" Tess asked her and she nodded.
"Something like that. Apparently it was our Furyan natures coming to the fore coupled with the fact that Riddick wasn't trying to restrain himself at the moment." She explained.
"That sounds, really complex. Could it happen again?" Tess asked and she shot her a look because that was a thought she had been trying to avoid fat chance girl that is a big hulking hunk of a man to try and avoid, she told herself.
"I guess so, but I really, really hope not." She told her.
"Yeah I can understand why after what happened last time." Tess told her.
"You mean us nearly killing each other or him nearly raping me?" She asked Tess.
"Well both really, huh?" Tess told her and she nodded.
They were close to Lajjun and Ziza's when they heard the little girls voice calling out into the afternoon sky. Kali's ears pricked up at the sound rising from Lex's shoulder where she'd been lazing at the sound of her name. Ziza had made a habit of calling Kali too her early to give her a special treat and she leaned back so Kali could jump down using her knee. The cat did so sprinting ahead for the house where Ziza would be waiting on the second story balcony with her treat.
By the time they knocked neither kid nor cat were anywhere to be seen Lajjun pausing when she caught sight of the goggles Lex wore, similar to Riddick's own. Lajjun motioned them inside the tea and food already out for their weekly visits. They could hear Ziza giggling upstairs probably playing with Kali in her room.
"I trust you weren't worried when you were told I couldn't make it down last week?" She asked Lajjun.
"I was concerned, they wouldn't tell me why." Lajjun told her and she nodded motioning to Tess who closed the windows shutters in the room. Once Tess had joined them again Lex lifted the goggles so Lajjun could see her eyes the woman gasping in surprise.
"Your eyes they are like Riddick's!" Lajjun exclaimed in shock.
"Yes, in fact exactly like his. It is a Furyan trait that we share. Something developed later in life if at all." She explained to her. "I was laid up for a while because mine came in."
"I trust you are well now?" Lajjun asked her in concern.
"Yes, the pain's completely gone." She assured her, pausing she looked over at Tess. "Tess, would you go keep Ziza, company? While I talk with Lajjun alone for a moment?" She asked Tess who nodded and stood leaving without a word. "I would like your opinion Lajjun as you are the only friend I have that might not be influenced by Riddick."
"I do not pretend to approve of Riddick." Lajjun told her with a nod. "Although if it were not for him, I would never have met my husband, Allah keep him, and I and Ziza would not be alive today." Lajjun told her.
"Yes, I guess I might just owe him for saving me from a painful death. On the other hand he took me from my home without so much as a word and brought me here. For the express purpose of mating with me so I can help him find the other Furyans in hiding. I don't know what to do Lajjun, I mean the day I found out what he wanted. He tried to rape me thinking that was how Furyans more or less mated and we nearly killed each other!" She told her shaking her head.
"I do recall some of what was learned from Aereon about Furyans. They mate for life and the first time is very animalistic." Lajjun told her and she nodded.
"Yeah, for life. Not sure I'm too keen on those words." She complained. "I mean the only reason he wants to do this is to find other Furyans. I don't even know if I like the guy and he expects me to form a life bond with him?" She complained.
"But Riddick has saved your life, you are in his debt. What do you fear, Lex?" Lajjun asked her.
"Okay first off, where I come from, saving my life doesn't give him the right to ask for something like that. As for what I'm afraid of? Being forced? Wanting to leave when this is all over and not being able to? Or of actually forming some kind of bond with Riddick while he wants nothing more to do with me once it's done!" She admitted to her.
"You believe he would try and force you again?" Lajjun asked her and she sighed.
"I hope not, he seemed to feel bad about it after words. Aereon explained to him that Furyans didn't normally mate like that. Doesn't make me any less afraid of it." Lex explained to her.
"Perhaps it would help if you talked with Riddick and explained some of this to him." Lajjun told her and she sighed, so not what I wanted you to tell me Lajjun I was so sure I could count on you to be disapproving of it all, she thought to herself with an inward sigh.
"Yeah, I know that, it's just. Last two times we talked haven't exactly gone to well." She explained.
"Give it a chance, Lex. I believe you two can only figure this out together." Lajjun advised her.
Lex nodded having already known that fact but unwilling to accept it until now. She went up and retrieved Tess Kali and Ziza for lunch downstairs. After visiting a bit more they headed back to the ship Lex soaking in a warm bath before getting ready for dinner. She was a little surprised and a tinge suspicious when she arrived for dinner to find only Riddick waiting for her.
"Aereon had some other arrangements for the night." Riddick told her with a shrug.
Nodding she joined him rather hungry after a light lunch so the two of them ate in silence. She pondered if Lajjun might've told them about their talk and that was why she was alone with Riddick tonight. She decided after a moment that it was much more likely that Aereon herself has just calculated it herself, then that Lajjun had spilled. Riddick probably didn't have any idea what he was in for tonight, but then again neither did she.
Just what exactly did she want to say to him? What did she want to ask him? She felt like she had been swept up into a storm that was starting to encompass every part of her life.
"Do you have any idea how much I want to hate you?" She asked him softly after he finished eating. He looked over at her eyes shinning and nodded in acknowledgment.
"I can imagine." He replied gruffly.
"I thought I'd had it with dominating controlling men in my life when I left Vincent. Look how that was apparently going to end? Somehow I can't seem to blame you though. You need to find the other Furyans and Aereon told you that I was your best chance. Just what do you intent to do when you find the other Furyans?" She asked him.
"Finish off the Necro's for good." Riddick told her and she nodded, noble goal though the reason was probably vengeance. Necromonger's were responsible for the death of millions of his people, his jacked life, and for the death of Jack/Kyra the greatest sin.
"And when I'm no longer of any use to you?" She asked him.
He looked at her in surprise seeming slightly hurt by her words but she hardened herself to it. This was the man who had told Fry to get on the skiff and leave Jack and Imam behind. He was a ruthless killer when he needed to be and she needed to remember that. He had hit her, beat her, and nearly raped her after all.
"That's not how it would work Lex." Riddick told her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked him.
"Furyans mate for life." He told her and she smirked.
"You seriously telling me you plan to stick with me 'till death do us part'? Cause I get the sense your shiv would soon be the death of me if that were the case. You don't even know me how can you know you'll want me around for life?" She asked him.
"The bond." Riddick explained and she rolled her eyes.
"Yes, this mysterious bond I keep hearing all about." She muttered sarcastically.
"Come here." Riddick told her and she narrowed her eyes at him.
"Excuse me?" She said in an angry voice.
"I want to show you something. Please, come here." Riddick replied.
She sighed really wanting to deny him, but she got the sense that he didn't say please often. Grumbling under her breath she pushed her chair back and stood Riddick pushing his own back from the table and she stepped around next to him. She stiffened when he pulled her into his lap an arm wrapped around her stomach to hold her in place.
"Riddick! Let me the fuck go! What the hell are you playing at?" She complained.
"Calm down. I just want you to sit here. The closeness is required for the point I'm trying to make." He told her calmly.
"What the shit, are you talking about?" She complained making Riddick chuckle.
"You have a hell of a way with words Lex." Riddick told her shaking his head. "I want you to close your eyes and concentrate. Stop thinking about me and your anger, focus on what you feel, Lex." Riddick instructed her.
"Right just, 'focus on what you feel, Lex'." She muttered mockingly.
Sighing she forced herself to relax back against him and closed her eyes as he'd asked. She knew he wouldn't let her got until she did as he'd requested. She really didn't want to try and fight him in this position the resulting friction could lead to unfortunate series of events on his part. So other then trying to keep in mind not to squirm she closed her eyes and she did as he'd instructed her to.
First it was warmth then a kind of tickly sensation under her skin, then a pull started at her heart painful but yet in a good way. She felt tears threaten in her closed eyes at the sudden sense of closeness and belonging that enveloped her. She gasped astonished at what she was sensing realizing it was emanating from the man under her. Oh my god this is so fucking intense, she thought to herself in awe.
"Yes, that's it, Lex. That's why you can't hate me. Were fated, we can only bond with each other. Did you know that? Only one mate fated for each Furyan." He told her the words blowing her away even more.
"Riddick, I don't know if I can do this. How do I know what happened before won't happen again? I don't just mean the rape thing I mean what started that whole scene. When you hit me when I brought up…" Her voice trailed off and she sighed.
She suddenly heard his voice in her mind telling her 'Don't ever say her name' and so she didn't, don't need to tell me twice, she told herself.
"Say it." Riddick told her in a stern voice and she sighed.
"When I brought up Jack." She replied in a small voice. "You hit me Riddick and we're not talking a light tap. I've had my fill of that shit." She told him sternly.
"I don't make the same mistake twice, Lex." Riddick assured her.
"This can't all be real." She said in a small shaky voice closing her eyes, no place like home, she thought to herself sadly.
She wished it was all some messed up dream and she would wake up any moment now. She would wake up and everything would be okay she would be at home helping her mother around the house or helping her father with dinner. She wouldn't be alone in a very large 'verse she knew next to nothing about with her life completely out of her control. It stirred up feelings of hopelessness inside of her along with a deep sadness and desperate longing for home family and familiar.
"Sh, hush now. Remember the feeling? Focus on it again, make it apart of your awareness." Riddick instructed her in a soothing voice.
She closed her eyes again doing as he instructed and trying to find the sensations from the forming bond again. It took a moment to find but it was there the warmth and tickling sensation under her skin. The pull at her heart full of pain that was life-affirming crossing that thin line into pleasure. Then the heady sense of closeness of togetherness and belonging the like of which she had never felt before in her life not even with anyone in her family.
"Riddick." She breathed in an awed voice.
Was this what it was going to be like, all these intense overwhelming emotions and sensations? She was so focused on the sensations it took her a moment to register he was turning her by her hips maneuvering her so she was straddling his thighs facing him. Her eyes opened slowly heavy lidded from the sensations coming from the bond she was submerged in. She blinked slowly as he brushed her hair back out of her face taking her in with a small smile on his face.
"It suits you Lex, the eyes." Riddick told her and she blushed looking down, feel like a fucking virginal schoolgirl, she complained to herself.
She felt a rumbled in his chest of laughter reaching up to cup the back of her neck she looked up just as he lowered his lips to hers. Her heartbeat instantly doubled and for a moment she almost lost contact with the bond but she held on. A pleasant almost vibrating sensation seemed to be running threw it as it thrummed to life between them. She felt his tongue tease the crack between her lips, which she parted without thought or hesitation.
There was another pleased rumble in his chest as his tongue delved into her mouth. Instantly stroking against her own urging a response from her. The kiss became heated her own arms wrapping around Riddick's neck and head as he held her to him. Finally she pulled away as much as she could in his arms panting for breath lips bruised and well kissed. Should it really feel this good this fast, this right and at home, she wondered to herself, should it?
"Riddick." She said afraid to finish what she wanted to say.
"Yes, not yet." He told her in a reassuring voice and she looked up at him in surprise. "Spend the night with me Lex."
"You just said!" She complained indignantly.
"Just sleeping, that's all. I want you safe in my arms where you belong." Riddick told her.
"You won't try anything?" She asked him. Your planning to find out anyways so why ask, she thought to herself snidely, why bother asking him at all?
"Nothing." He told her reassuringly.
"I mean it, Riddick. You push this and you will regret it." She told him.
"So, that's a yes?" Riddick stated more then asked with a cocky grin.
"On one condition, we sleep in my room. Remember that Kali sleeps with me too and you'd better not fuck with my cat. Not only is she fully clawed and capable of taking care of herself but I am fiercely protective of her." She warned him.
"Duly warned. Just give me about half an hour to shower and change then I'll join you in your room." Riddick assured her.
He pulled her forward by the back of the neck but instead of kissing her on the lips like she expected he kissed her on the forehead. Then she was picked up by the hips and placed gently and surely on the floor. She went to her room saying hello to Kali who stirred in the dark on her bed when she came in. She left the lights off and went to the bathroom cleaning up for bed before changing into pajamas.
She tried to do a little more searching on the computer for relatives but her mind just wasn't for it tonight. She sighed and sat down atop the bed petting Kali in her lap while she sat and thought. What would she do if she did find relatives, what could she say to them? Would they even believe the truth, could they?
Somehow she doubted that Riddick would take her to them either, but that was just a gut feeling. Right like he'd give you that kind of freedom, face it Lex he's the type of guy who likes to be needed, she thought to herself. Not that she was one to judge it wasn't like she didn't want to feel needed herself. Here she was now being needed, but it was not what she had in mind, that was for sure.
She looked up at the sound of her door to watch Riddick step inside dressed in a pair of soft looking black pants and a matching long sleeved black shirt. It was interesting sleepwear, she guessed she shouldn't be surprised it was all black. Always the dark angel or dark night Riddick he was the knight in tarnished armor.
Kali hissed and growled at Riddick when he started to climb onto the bed and he paused casting a glance Lex's way.
"Oh, no. Don't look at me. You and she will have to work that one out your self's." She informed Riddick. To make a point she slid under the covers of the bed watched as Riddick stared Kali down until she backed off. He slipped his shirt over his head tossing it to the floor before he slid under the covers in bed next to her.
After a brief moment of pause as if he was indecisive Riddick pulled her back into his arms. She could feel the bond thrumming again almost instantly this time when they touched and she sighed. It relaxed her almost instantly and she began to wonder about it while she lay there with him. "Do you know what causes this bond?" She asked Riddick curiously.
"Hm? Oh, it was something to do with the life energy us Furyans, have so much of. The stuff we control that connects us all? Aereon says it's a primal part of life, part of the life force of all living things. So it really connects everything living. Part of the reason we are able to tell our own tail of horror to our estranged people. Each person has their own frequency if you will, and each Furyan will only find one other Furyan mate they can bond with when the frequencies merge." Riddick explained to her.
"You get all this from Aereon?" She asked him, skeptically, we really need to get another source of information, she thought to herself sourly.
"Yeah pretty much, why?" Riddick asked her. "Don't trust her?" The last was more statement then question.
"That cold hearted calculating witch? No, thank you, I don't." She told him. "We need to have another talk about that some other time. Talk somewhere off this ship and away from here. I also want to talk about the Necro's then." She told him feeling laughter rumbling from him again.
"Took the words right out of my mouth, Lex. Only I planned to wait till morning." Riddick told her and she nodded.
"Yeah, we've still got a lot to discuss. Where do you think would be safe? And do not tell me you plan to have me running after your happy ass across rooftops." She told him tartly getting another chuckle, not that I wouldn't mind the view of your ass, she thought with a chuckle.
"No, we'll take to the city for the day. Find somewhere we're sure we're alone to talk." Riddick assured her.
"Good. It's nice to have that taken care of." She told him yawning.
"Yeah, now close your mouth and eyes and go to sleep, Lex." Riddick chided gently.
"Night Riddick." She told him tiredly.
"Good, night Lex." Riddick told her before they slipped away into dreamland.
tbc