Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Black!

And here it is my friends, the final chapter of Whispers from the Soul. The first chapter was done completely in Rain's view, so it is only fitting that the last be in Riddick's. We've had a long journey to get to this point, and I hope I've managed to please you in one way or another. Please review at least one more time! :D

Italics = Inner most thoughts

Bold Italics =Thoughts of the 'Beast'

Chapter 19

Riddick watches various emotions flit across Rain's face as she sits on his lap; confusion, amazement, dismay. Her hand slapping to her neck draws his attention from the play of emotions. He reaches one hand up, to pull hers away and see what she's hiding. Well isn't that interesting.

"It's the same mark." His eyes dart to the mark on his bicep, then back to the one on her neck. They almost match.

The mark on her neck is a deep metallic silver, matching the shade of his eyes. No bigger than his thumb, the tiny twisting symbols form a small crescent moon where her neck meets her shoulder. He rubs his thumb over the mark, but it's under the skin, permanent, like a tattoo.

The matching mark on his arm is a darker color, almost black, with small script spiraling away from the same moon shape, stretching half around his bicep on either side. It's writing, isn't it? The symbols look like no language he's ever seen, sharp and cutting, blade-like, but somehow he knows that they must be words. Yes. A warning to others. A claiming.

Each mark is positioned where they first tasted the others blood. His bite to her neck and her taste from the scratches she had given his arms; both marks of passion in places most visible to others. At least mine's not on the neck. A place of submission. Riddick's beast rumbles in agreement.

"So we've branded each other, eh?" Riddick grasps Rain's chin, turning her face to catch her eyes. "Like animals." Like mates. This time it's Riddick's turn to agree.

"She says it's permanent, that a bond is forming…whatever that means." Rain blinks at him slowly.

"She?"

Rain doesn't seem to know how to answer, choosing to raise one hand and tap her temple with one finger instead. "The voice inside my head, the one that appeared when we got to the skiff that first time. She's like a growling in my head; animalistic, dangerous, violent."

"Is that why your eyes changed back then? Your inner beast decided to finally wake up?" He had felt something different about Rain from the first moment he'd met her, scented her. His beast had known instinctively what it was all along, why she'd smelled so good, why they had needed to claim her. It had taken him quite a while longer to figure it out. We are the same inside.

Rain's beast rises briefly to the surface at his mention of her, flashing that special ring of silver in her eyes. "Yes. How did you know?" Her reply comes out shaky.

He copies her earlier movement, tapping his temple in the same way. "I have my own beast, struggling for control…wanting to get out…whispering things in my head."

"How do you manage it? How do you stay in control? She's so strong, and wild. I don't even remember you chasing me to the warehouse earlier; she had pushed me down so far and wouldn't let me come back up."

"So you don't remember me takin' you?" He frowns at the thought of that.

Rain blushes. "Ah, well, she finally let me have control about half way through. I remember from then on."

He grins. "I'm glad. I wouldn't want you to have missed it." It was fuckin' glorious.

She takes a moment to calm her burning face. "Yeah." She shifts in his lap, pulling one knee up to settle it on the other side of the seat. "So what do we do now? Permanently branded, a mysterious bond supposedly forming, feisty inner beasts struggling for dominance, and stuck on a tiny skiff drifting into space? We still have no idea how I got on the Hunter Grazner, or even where we're headed next. What do we do now?"

It's quiet for several minutes while Riddick contemplates how best to answer. "Well, how about I start by callin' in that favor you owe me?"

She twitches in surprise, and then eyes him suspiciously. Ha, she knows me well. "And what is it you want?"

"Lots of things, kitten." He winks. "But right now I'm thinkin' long term." His expression turns serious. "This inner beast of mine is real possessive, he seems to think these marks mean we're mates now; that you're mine…and I agree. We want you close, safe, to stick with us for whatever the future has planned." He tilts his head. "I can't promise I ain't gonna fuck things up, sayin' or doin' the wrong thing or being stubborn as hell, but I'll protect you, keep you safe and taken care of, and in exchange, you be mine and only mine. A deal of sorts. My beast says you've already agreed to this, that that is what the mark means, but I wanna ask the woman in you, to make sure all of you knows what we want."

"Ah." Rain struggles to respond. "You want that? Me? Long term?"

He nods, quick and decisive, never breaking eye face goes back to that slideshow of thoughts and emotions before eventually speaking again.

"Mmm." She shifts in his lap. "Well, I'm still mad at you about letting Carolyn sacrifice herself. I definitely wanna lay into you thick sometime for that…but, right now, all I can think is yes…that I want the same thing. Long term." She shoots him a shy look from beneath long, dark eyelashes.

Fuck yeah!

Riddick surges one arm around her, jerking her in for a hug. He buries his other hand in her hair, canting her head for a deep kiss. She makes a small noise in the back of her throat, and he gives a pleased growl at the sound. Perfect. Everything is perfect. Never had things work out for me quite like this. A low purr rumbles from his chest.

The two are lost in the taste of each other, until Jack's voice suddenly interjects from the rear of the skiff. "Hey! Yuck! We're still in here you know. Have some fuckin' tact."

Riddick jerks away from Rain long enough to grunt a quick, "shut the fuck up, kid" before sinking back into the kiss. Perfect.

Riddick lounges in the pilot's seat with Rain snuggled in his lap. Imam and Jack are finally asleep, snoring away in the tail of the skiff. Rain is halfway there herself. Hmm, let's mess with her a little.

"So, about that favor." Riddick murmurs in her ear, causing her to jerk in surprise and turn around to face him.

"Wha?" She frowns at him in confusion. "What about it? Me agreeing to be your mate was us calling it even, right?"

"Nah, now that I think about it, that was kinda already a done deal. Even if you'd said no, the marks were already in place. The way I figure, you still owe me. I'm allowed to ask for something else."

"Oh no, no, no, no, you can't keep changing the rules. You already picked something, and I already agreed. There's no taking it back just because you picked something that was going to happen anyway."

"Aww, come on. You don't even wanna hear me out? You might like what I'm gonna pick."

"Hell no! It's gonna be something like," she drops her voice in imitation of his, "'give me head, bitch'," then her voice turns incredulous. "I'm actually kinda surprised you didn't ask me for that the first time."

He puts on a pained expression. "Ow, that really hurts, that you think I'd say that."

"So it's not true?" She raises her eyebrows.

"I'd never call you a bitch."

She gets suspicious again. "And what about the rest?"

"Well I'd be stupid to turn down a free blowjob."

"Riddick!"

"So does that mean no head?"

"What! I don't even…"

The two freeze at the sound of Jack rolling over in her sleep at the rear of the skiff.

Rain tries again at a quieter volume. "Yes. That's exactly what that means. Now is not the time for that; or to even be having this discussion."

"What about five minutes from now?" Riddick gives a pained sigh at the glare she shoots him. "Well, I guess I'll just have to think of another way for you to repay your debt."

"This isn't even fair. There is no debt. Damnit, Riddick."

Riddick is still stuck on the mention of blowjobs, "what about half a blowjob? Then I'll finish with my hand?"

"DEAR GOD, Riddick, would you let it go?" She growls through her teeth. "I wouldn't even know what to do! I've never done it before." She fights another blush.

"Oh, so you're just shy. You should have said that sooner. I can coach ya, baby. No worries."

"It's like you're not even listening, seriously, in one ear and out the other."

"But, I teach best during, so…" He shoves her off his lap to the floor in front of him. "let's get to it baby."

The look of astonishment on Rain's face is worth a million creds, Riddick can't keep a straight face any longer. He breaks out in a roar of laughter that has Jack and Imam startling awake at the tail end of the skiff, and Rain blushing so red he's afraid she might pass out. Now that was fucking priceless.

"I'm gonna get you back for that Richard B Riddick. Just you wait." Rain is alternating between growling and gritting her teeth in anger. If looks could kill, he'd have keeled over by now.

"Come on, kitten, I was just havin' a little fun." He helps her stand, then pulls her in his lap again. "I promise when I finally call in my favor, that is won't be for a blowjob."

"RIDDICK! I don't even owe you anymore!" She struggles as he wraps her in his arms and settles her against him.

"Just keep tellin' yourself that, darlin'. Just keep tellin' yourself that."

From the rear of the skiff, Jack rolls her eyes at the antics of the lovers, "Seriously, no fuckin' tact."

END/FIN/OWARI

A/N: There is going to be a full author's note in the next posting. It shall detail a few things about 'Whispers from the Soul', as well as give insight to what the future may hold next for Riddick and Rain. In the meantime, please, please, review!