The predictions were not forgotten, but like everything said in the darkness of night, it faded against the harsh realities of day to day life. Aiden, now almost 5, had a amulet bag necklace, just like his big sister, and he was content with that.

Jack turned 11. Nicola may have been surprised by Jack's sudden interest in her work, in the dinnertime discussions of translations and planetary myth, but children's attention to different subjects often waxes and wanes with the changing of the seasons, so it went unremarked upon. Nothing stifles a preteen's interest quicker than parental attention, especially if said parent is themselves passionate about the topic. Being like your parents at that age is not cool, that's a universal truth. Unless one's father happens to be Riddick. Then all bets were off.

Riddick had his past to think on, or not, as he chose. His steadfast theory that the past was done, so it was not worth remembering, had been challenged several times in the past decade, mostly in the creation of pleasant memories with his family. To realize that there could be a sense of well-being attached to history, things worth remembering, instead of just pain, loss and darkness, was a new sensation. He came late to any sort of emotional attachment, and it was unfamiliar territory still to have to consider wants and needs of others beyond the immediate present.

The animal still led by instinct, and he was damn lucky that his mate understood the feral side enough to interpret and even leash the base emotions he displayed. Loyalty, devotion, protection... these could be harnessed, and she had patience to wait out the rage, territoriality and aggression that had served him so well up until now. He didn't care for money, power or recognition; but he could handle them if he chose.

He let her run their home as she wished, and while he didn't do the dishes or offer to do the shopping, he was still disturbingly aware of her wants and needs. Not to say they didn't argue, just that she was perfectly comfortable expressing herself to a man whose myth continued to be the stuff of both fear and legend. It was still strange to her that he craved her good will, and would submit himself to her rules and requests, like being home for dinner at 18:00, or at least comming her if he wasn't coming home. To not throw bloody clothes in with the linens, and wait until his son was 5 before giving him his first knife. He knew enough to clean up first before attempting to claim her after a hunt, and was smart enough to arrange for the children to be entertained elsewhere if he wanted any extended alone time. The predator could adapt.

He still roamed at night. He'd never been much for sleep. Having his own place, and the freedom to prowl at leisure, was something he relished. The animal enjoyed being able to hunt unfettered, by both people and other survival concerns. That he hadn't had mercs on his neck in years, hadn't been prey himself in his own son's lifetime, was still worth more than the salary he got from the Helion military. They realized his gifts and respected him. For that he was willing to play the occasional political games and rein in the instinctive reaction to gut those that annoyed him. He could indulge in killing elsewhere, the animal had a whole planet to tame. And a family to provide for.

He was proud of his children; how Jack was coming up. She had learned to check her Furyan temper better than he ever could, and didn't seem to have the conflict he did with the animal side. She seemed to seamlessly blend some of the feral scope of her nature into her personality. Maybe because she was female, maybe because she naturally accepted what he'd had to fight down, what society deemed unacceptable in him, for all those years.

Aiden... still young, hard to say. Riddick didn't remember his own early years, so he couldn't say for certain that his son was like him. The boy was stoic, but he had his mother's smile, which was on display most often when he was playing with Puppy. He wasn't as aggressive as Jack had been at that age, but he got along fine with kids at school. He knew he was a bit different from the other children, but he seemed to take it in stride. He had parents, and a protective older sister, more than Riddick had as a child, so it was interesting to watch. The idea of being loved at that age, it would hone his temperament differently than from his father's. To be accepted and understood, not treated like a mutant feral thing - that was one thing Riddick vowed would not happen to his son. He'd seen the animal side surface in his daughter and found her constructive outlets. He was actually anticipating the emergence of that restless beast in his son, waiting for the age Nicola would allow him to take his son hunting with him. Nicola had made him wait till his daughter was nearly 8 before allowing him to give in to the little girl's unending pleading to accompany him out even in afternoon game hunts.

His daughter had been his whetting stone for fatherhood, and Aiden was bound to benefit. He smiled to himself. Take the metaphor a step further, and he had his mate to thank for being the concrete that somehow was both his bedrock and smoothing surface. Speaking of Nicola and bed rocking... he rolled over in bed and pulled her against him.

"Dammit, Richard, do you ever sleep?" Nicola mumbled groggily as he groped her. She was warm and soft and sleepy. He liked that.

"Already slept. 'sides, we haven't had sex today." He lifted her hair and kissed her behind the ear.

"We had sex three hours ago you beast!" She looked at the clock. "It's 1 o'clock!"

"Like I said, we haven't had sex today." He slid a hand under her nightgown, caressing her deftly as he pulled up the fabric.

"I need more than three hours sleep to function! Unless you're planning on getting your children up in the morning and letting me sleep till the last minute..." Riddick made a noise. Jack was pretty sulky when awakened these days, and it could be annoying, especially if she took it out on her little brother. Riddick was usually gone by then, but he got to hear about how antagonistic and beastly his children were in the mornings.

"Not my fault they have your temper in the morning," he teased, still trying to kiss her. She huffed. There were people in the universe with worse problems than an insatiable bedmate... who was very good at turning her on, Furyan bastard. He growled low and bit her neck, knowing he'd won as she relaxed under his hands. He flipped her over, pulling up on her nightgown again.

The cry was strangled, short and sharp, but Riddick was out of bed and grabbing his pants and knives before the sound cut off. He knew the sounds of his children, and that was distress, not a nightmare or stubbed toe on the way to the bathroom. He smelled the blood in the hallway a split second before he heard Puppy growl at the front door. A voice cursed the cat, then a scuffle and feline snarl as he approached the front room silently.

Jack stood in the open doorway, silhouetted by moonlight, clutching her brother by the hair. She had a blade to his throat, and was kicking at Puppy, who was blocking their exit. Whatever cursing was coming out of her mouth, Riddick didn't recognize the language. Nicola inhaled sharply as she came up behind him, still tying shut her robe. Jack's head lifted and she half turned, growling low in her throat. Riddick had half a second to think, so that's why everyone is so freaked out when I do that... while he whipped one of his knives past his daughter's head to embed in the doorframe by her ear. Warning shot, like his tone.

"Let go of my daughter."

"Riddick?!? What the hell?" Nicola was horrified, and very confused. Jack had Aiden. Puppy was snarling again. Jack just laughed, deep and mean. Aiden squeaked and Jack yanked his head hard.

"Shut up! And you, " she turned baneful eyes on Riddick. "I'm done with you, play king. Try to stop me and they'll both die." Nicola keened, that was not her daughter's voice. The girl's whole face was contorted, eyes burning hatefully as she wretched Aiden around with her to face them. The knife at the boy's throat glittered in the moonlight.

"What the hell is she saying?!? Jackie?!? Baby??! Aiden?!? Let your brother go!" Nicola's voice was shrill as she tried to push past Riddick's restraining arm. "Is she sleepwalking?!?"

"She's possessed." Riddick said evenly. "Shirah's got her." That nasty laughter echoed around the room.

"Yes, she's mine now. Only good thing to come of your ignorance of the past. She isn't Named. And she's not a child anymore." Jack... Shirah lifted the blade from Aiden's throat, sliding it under the amulet bag around her neck. She made a face as she shoved the boy down hard beside her, grabbed the necklace and cut the cord. She smiled triumphantly as she held it up, then tossed it across the room at Riddick. "Child's charm. No good anymore. You and that damn Elemental can't stop me anymore. I will have justice."

"Let my kids go, I'm not gonna ask again." Riddick's voice was very low, controlled. Jack's lip curled in a snarl as she grabbed Aiden by the shoulder and hoisted him up again.

"For all your exploits, I know you well enough to know you'd never hurt your own daughter. You're weak in that regard, never had a true Alpha soul. Last son. Dead son. I Called you too late. Should have let you die at delivery, I could see you were flawed, even then." She spit contemptuously. Riddick growled.

"Oh, I tried to guide you," she continued. "I awakened your power. But you'd never listen. Forsook the dead. Your own people wanted vengeance."

"And I cut the head off the Necro beast, you dumb undead bitch. Just like you wanted."

"You should have killed them all," she shrieked. "All of them! And then returned to Call your people home!" There was a definite madness shining in her eyes as she tried again to pull Aiden out the door. Puppy's hackles rose as he showed teeth and hissed. She turned and shoved the little boy between her and the cat, cursing again. "Stupid demon beast! Know your master!"

Riddick took advantage of the distraction, grabbing her from behind, knocking the blade from her hand. His arm closed viselike on her neck. She choked and let go of Aiden, who stumbled to his mother.

"Cat knows it ain't you, he can smell it like I can," Riddick said quietly.

"What? The blood?" She rasped mockingly. "You can't have her back. She's mine. If you'd only listened to me..."

"Get. The Fuck. Out. Of. My. Daughter." He squeezed a little on her windpipe. Still she laughed between wheezing gasps.

"Kill her. I'll find another way. I've waited 50 years, Riddick, you can't project your progeny forever. The past will not rest until the people are Called home. Your inaction is your Line's disgrace."

"I'm sick of listening to your shit, witch," he drawled. "Nicola, give me that bag." He held out his hand and Nicola quickly handed him the amulet bag from the floor. He opened it with a finger and dumped half the contents into her gasping mouth.

Riddick expected her to scream, to choke, even to fight, but not to start smoking like a damn chimney. His daughter's body convulsed in his arms, and a high pitched wail filled the room. For a moment a hundred angry voices hissed from everywhere at once, then Jack went limp in his arms. For a long moment there was silence.

Riddick lowered his daughter's body to the floor, checking to make sure she was breathing. Puppy leaned forward over her, sniffing her briefly and rubbed against her cheek. That was all the assurance Riddick needed. He lifted her over his shoulder, patting her back like a baby. Jack gagged and started retching up leaves and detritus. Nicola hit the floor beside her, pushing her hair out of the way. Aiden hovered behind his mother.

"Jack?"

"Mom? Dad?" She rasped. " Where am I? What was I... eating? And why do I feel like someone strangled me?" She tried to focus on her mother, but she felt so weak. Riddick stood and the quick motion made her nauseous and she vomited again. "Uck. Dad? Uh... sorry." She shut her eyes.

"S'okay kid. " He carried her back to her room, laying her in her bed.

"I... can't breathe too good," she muttered, staring up at him. She felt like shit. Talking hurt, and her mouth tasted like dirt. Nicola came in with a glass of water and put a cold compress on her neck. Aiden just stared from the hallway.

"Shh. I commed the doctor. Just rest baby." Jack nodded as she took a sip of the water, nearly choked again, and regurgitated more black ash. Nicola wiped her daughter's mouth with the sleeve of her robe. She looked from Riddick back to her son.

"I'm going to put Aiden back to bed. You got this?"

"Yeah." He didn't know if had it in hand or not, but he was pretty sure the witch wouldn't try again tonight. And as soon as the doctor was there, he was going to pay a visit to the old mage. He had a lot of explaining to do.

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