The Darkness Calls

The Darkness Calls

Title: Deeper we go
Author: MoonKat
Fandom: BTVS/ Pitch Black
Summary: Xander feels guilty about Angel going to hell. So he tries to come clean with his friends . . . It goes bad. Now he’s changed. Inside and out. He’s in a new place and has a different life. Hell he not even human no more. Slash M/M/M
Archive: Slash. Male on Male. Maybe some het too!

I own nothing!

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Xander barely noticed the others crowd around him, he was too busy forcing his gift to work beyond his normal limit. Xander felt weak, like a flower would when not watered, he can feel his inner Xander starting to wilt and become so thirsty for what he was giving away willingly. Xander gritted his teeth as he started to feel pain, real physical pain and not his empathic ones he gets from healing. Blood started to drip from Xander’s nose. He started to shiver, feeling cold even though his surroundings are humid, everyone’s fearful emotions stabbing at him like an icy wind from the highest of snowy peeks.

After forcing just a thread more power into Ali’s hurt body Xander opened his eyes. He winced then sighed, his shoulders sagging with the weight of his own unhappiness. The boy was still covered from head to toe in shallow cuts, still bleeding, and his face . . . Xander’s gift stabilized Ali, healed and repaired his lips, neck, and chest, but Ali’s eyes . . . His left eye was gone, there’s nothing to heal there, and the other eye, Xander winced again, he can’t heal that one. He could feel a wrongness every time he tried to heal it, something in Xander told him Ali needed a ‘real’ healer, maybe even a milithre surgeon!

Pulling out the beat up first-aid-kit Xander started cleaning and wrapping clean gauze around Ali’s ravaged face. When he finished Xander could already see pink starting to stain through, but he could do nothing for that. Gently Xander picked up the unconscious boy and started heading back to where he had left Greg and little Oren. Imam and his boys followed, most of the others and Riddick stayed at the coring room to look around.

As carefully as possible Xander placed his burden on the bedding next to Owens, with Imam’s aid they started to wrap Ali’s other unhealed injuries. As he worked Imam gently whispered prayers and an occasional ‘thank you’ to his god and Xander for Ali’s life, Xander pretended not to notice that Imam hands shook

Xander patted Imam on the shoulder. “Stay with them Imam, I’m going back to the coring room.”
*****

Everyone was crowded around the hole, starring down into its dark depths fearfully, all except Riddick who squatted at the edge. “They ran here. Heaviest doors. Thought they would be safe inside . . . Only they forgot to lock the cellar.” Riddick smirked at the others.

Xander walked in just in time to hear Shezza apologize to Riddick for kicking him. She even gave him her breather. Which Xander thought was nice.

Walking up to stand by Riddick, Xander looked over the edge and into the pit of bleach white bones. The green light of the flare made the many skulls look demonic, like they were glaring up at Xander with hate filled jade eyes. Xander let his hand brush over the bare skin of Riddick’s arm getting the bigger man’s attention. “We need to really get off this dust ball. Ali needs more help then I can give him.”

Riddick just nodded.

Fry stepped forward hands on her hips. “You didn’t fix Ali? Don’t we have enough problems to worry about?”

Xander turned and looked the woman, he didn’t really like at all, in the eyes. “I can’t. Like I told good ol’ ‘cop’ Johns I’m not a magical healing fairy that prances around fixing every boo-boo and hurt. Wish I could heal all of Ali’s injuries, but there is too much for just one milithre, Ali needs a fucking group of them. Plus his eyes *wince* . . . eye needs a specialist. A milithre that can delicately fix the eye so he’ll be able to see again.”

Shezza stepped forward. “Why can’t you do it? Fix his eyes?”

Xander shrugged as he started walking out of the big building. “Never learned ‘how’ to heal . . . I’m just doing it. Instinct. That same instinct is telling me ‘not’ to heal the eye.”

Fry scuffed. “Considering your beastly nature I guess we should be lucky you can heal anything! You should try harder! Maybe you should act a bit more human, it might help!”

Xander shrugged, things that come from Fry’s mouth matter little to him. White noise.

Fry glared at Xander’s back her nostrils flaring and a pink little blush started showing on her sunburned cheeks. The milithre was ignoring her. “Fucking animal, should go back to the breeding farms along with the rest of your ‘kind’.” She mumbled under her breath.

The air in Xander’s lungs froze. Breeding farms . . . Xander had read about those places on his vid pad. They can only be found on back water planets where it’s hard to enforce galactic laws. Slave camps, the places where backwards rich people buy their incubators or whatever else they want a milithre for. Xander could just imagine how it must have been back before his grandfather rose up and took back Emfrine, the planet milithre come from. Being thought of as a thing instead of a person, put in a small pen with food and water like a gerbil or something, branded and collared like a dumb farm animal. Tail cut off and an explosive collar always around the neck. Children that were fed by the milithre’s own body taken the moment after birth, never to be held or loved by its mother. Family is one of the most important things to the milithre race and to have it taken away . . .

Xander tensed, stopped at the door and turned to face the blond. “Maybe, I am part cat and out of anyone here, besides Riddick and Johns, I can survive on this planet by my lonesome. Milithre can last longer without water, can heal faster then humans, and can eat meat raw, its’ a common delicacy on my home planet.” Xander let his fluffy black tail wave slightly behind him so Fry’s eyes would stray toward it. “Milithre also have built in weapons. You know claws, sharp teeth, and a kick ass tail. Yeah, I’m a beastly little kitty but I’m also apart of a subspecies from humans. Every planet considers milithre human . . . *raised brow* . . . and out of any sub-species Milithre are the only ones with the light to heal. I should kill you now for threatening me, Fry. But your not worthy.”

With that said and done Xander turned on his heals and left the coring room. Riddick tipped his head back and laughed at the gob-smacked look on Fry’s face, it was a mixture of impotent rage and utter embarrassment. But Riddick had to admire how quickly Fry gathered herself back together, it was like watching a marionette fall then get picked up again by its puppet master’s hand.

“Lets get moving. We need to fix the ship and get the fuck off this planet.” Fry said stiffly as she gathered her things to leave.

********

Xander sighed. He should have known everything would go to the crapper. Not only did they crash, they were on a desert planet with three suns and evil night dwelling creatures. The creatures wouldn’t be a problem since it was light out at all times . . . At least till the eclipse. Xander knew Fry was a smart woman and she proved she had brains in that racist head of her by finding the model of this system. Finding out the eclipse is going to started again, finding out why the digging company died.

Shifting Oren’s head into a better position to nurse Xander hummed. The baby was falling asleep. He wished he could do the same. But he had stuff to do, people to heal, a group to lead up the mountain. He needed to get everyone to his ship.

After placing Oren down for a nap and checking on Ali and Greg, Xander went to find the blond thorn in his side. She was waist deep in the bowels of the ship cursing as she tinkered with her toy. “Fry?”

The blond startled and hit her head. She cursed again. “What?! Oh it’s you. What do ‘you’ want? Want to tell me how much better your species is compared to mine?”

Xander sighed. “I consider us the same species Fry, and you wrinkling your nose at that just makes it better. My mother wasn’t milithre, I’m only half. I don’t understand way you act this way? It’s getting childish? Did your milithre slave make you cry when you were a kid or something? Did he wrinkle your sheets when he folded them?”

Fry stiffened and glared her emotions so strong it gave Xander images even with his crown upon his head. ~The first image was of a little girl, blond hair a mess of waves, blue eyes wide and sparkling. A slight black haired brown eyed milithre male sat behind the little girl braiding her hair in the style a milithre parent would their child’s. “Momma? When will I get a tail like yours?” The girl asked as she petted at the short furry limb.

The milithre frowned. “You shouldn’t call me that Carry? You have a mommy. Lady Romerta. And I’m sorry sweety humans don’t have tails.”

The girls eyes dimmed. “Never?”

“Never.”~

~ The girl is a little older, maybe eight or nine. She was wearing a lovely red dress and her hair was long and past her slight bony shoulders. “Mom? You here?” she said as she entered a dark room in the back of her fine house.

“I told you not to call me that Lady Carolyn.” Said the dark haired dark eyed milithre. He stepped into the light. His belly was swollen and heavy with child.

Carolyn sniffed. “I read at school that a mom gives birth to her babies. Lady Romerta didn’t. She’s not my mommy! And she’s not my new brother’s mom!” the blond said as she stomped her foot.

“Not all mother’s birth their children, my Lady.”

The blond glared. “Stop . . .calling . . .me . . .that!!” She pouted.

“Whatever you say Carry.” The milithre rolled his eyes as he hugged the little girl. Carolyn sighed her fingers brushing over the thick collar that her mom always wore.~

~Teenaged Carolyn skipped onto the villa’s deck a bright smile on her face, a smile that vanished at the sight of her milithre. “Masui! What happened?”

The dark milithre had two black eyes and a split lip, his cloths were torn and bruises could be seen on his shoulders. “It is noting, Lady Carolyn.”

“Nothing!? You’re bleeding! Tell me! I order you, Erin!” Carolyn hissed.

The dark milithre Erin sighed. “Your father overheard your baby brother call me mommy.”

Carolyn stiffened and immediately felt bad.~

~Carolyn walked into the office to find her dad throwing things around. “Father? What is wrong?”

The blond man glared at his daughter. “Your wonderful milithre Erin escaped!! The creature escaped and joined the milithre resistance! Our status has now decreased!!!”

Carolyn froze. Her Erin, her masui left her and her brother! She frowned and lines of rage formed on her face. How dare he leave her!~ Xander gasped and leaned against the hull of the shuttle for a moment. He looked at Fry with a different light. With just a bit of understanding.

“You were born of a milithre’s body. A milithre named Erin and I remind you of him!”

Fry’s eyes widened and looked vulnerable then hardened. “Never go in my head again cat!!” With that said she stormed away from Xander. Xander wiped a hand over his face, he should have kept his mouth shut.

***********

Slinging his bag over his shoulder Xander walked over to the building everyone was using as the base. He felt so completely silly. Everyone was hungry and wanted food and Xander had food all this time! Peeking in his bag Xander patted the containers. The three food holders Dora had packed for Xander. Placing one of the containers by Greg, Xander marched over to the other survivors. Xander tossed them without care onto the table in the middle of the room.

It hit the table with a loud thump making everyone jumped in fright then Jack yelled out. “Food!” She slid her hand over the side of the circular container and it popped open with a hiss. Paris gabbed the other one and opened it, he dug into the potatoes with his hands ignoring the little fork inside.

Fry brushed her fingers over the container Jack held while everyone pigged out, there is a lot of food within just those two containers. Dora had giving Xander enough to feed a family of five. With everyone gathered around the food and drink Xander decided to speak up. “I found a fully stocked working Firefly class K-thruster cargo ship inside a hanger up on a hill. It’s old but it can fly and doesn’t need repairs. There is a trail right before we entered the valley, it leads right to the ship. If any of you have any brains you’ll join me on my trek to the ship. I’ll be taking the injured with me.” Xander opened his mouth to say more when a loud crash and boom sounded. All the adults looked at each other then ran toward the commotion. What they found made them gasp in shock and made Xander nearly faint with emotional overload.

Metal boxes laid in piles some twisted and broken from the force of the explosion, under some boxes three bodies could be seen, burnt and blood covered. Xander knew at least one of them was dead.

***********

Xander hated the smell of burnt hair, it was just a scent that stuck. Covering the dead body up with a blanket Xander checked on the two who survived the explosion. With wariness making his limbs heavy Xander checked Hassan’s injuries. The boy had been crushed by crates and burned on one side of his body. His ribs on one side are either broken or cracked, he can hardly breath, face puffy and black with bruises, legs broken and spine . . . It wasn’t fair! Xander looked at the demon of a woman sitting on a rock in the sun, the worst injure she had was a bump on the head! Well that and the eye she lost because of shrapnel. Xander didn’t even attempt to aid her, she would be forever without her eye and would live with an ugly scar taking up half her face. The explosion was all her fault! Bess had found some old mining explosives and the stupid woman decided to lite one to see if it would work. Now Hassan might be paralyzed, and Ted is dead. Ted had saved the demented woman and Hassan from death by using his own body as their shield. Despite the man’s fear of cats he was very brave.

Xander gently brushed his hand over Hassan’s still form. He can already feel the boy starting to slip away since his burns were now infected. Forcing a sliver more of his gift out Xander hoped Hassan would live. Give Xander time to recharge.

Xander met Imam stare with tired eyes. “I’m sorry Imam . . . I’m out of my depth.” Xander winced as he looked at his patient.

“Will he live?” Imam asked.

Looking the older man in the eyes, Xander shrugged. “Would he want too?” Even if Xander managed to keep the boy alive he would be scarred and maybe crippled.

Storming up to Xander, Fry grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him toward the injured. “Heal him!! He’s in pain! You’re supposed to help people!!”

Xander pulled roughly away. “I’m not some magical creature that can wave his hand and make things right, Fry! I’m just a guy! I can’t fix everything! And I’m wiped!! I can’t even heal a paper cut now!” Xander hissed as he held up his hands, his beat up bloody hands. He couldn’t even force them to glow blue, not even faintly.

“So you’ll just leave them all this way? Hurt?” Fry said with frustration in her voice as she stomped away from the milithre, back to her shuttle.

Glaring at the back of Fry’s blond head Xander flipped her off. Collapsing by Oren and Greg, Xander curled around the baby and nuzzled Oren’s soft dark hair, comforting him more then the sleeping infant. Closing his dry eyes Xander took a well-deserved nap. He needed to get part of his energy back, at least enough to keep the others alive. “ I never even learned how to heal right . . . Doing this all by feel.” Xander mumbled to himself as he nodded off.

“And your doing a good job . . .” Greg said with a frown as he struggled to sit up, worry for the young prince laced his eyes and voice. Xander looked dead to the world, all pale with dark almost black bags under his eyes and breathing shallowly. Xander’s weakened to a dangerous level, if they were at home in Emfrine Xander would be abed with three or more healers replenishing his core. He didn’t need Fry pointing fingers at him, her sheets weren’t that white, her motives selfless. With a groan of pain Greg sat up and slowly got out of his makeshift bed. He needed to have a little talk with his docking pilot.

***********

“Fry!”

Jumping at the unexpected call of her name Fry turned around and gasped at the sight of Owens up and walking around. The sight of him alive and walking around brought tears to her eyes. She rushed to the man’s side worry on her face. “Owens you shouldn’t be up and walking around yet! You’re not well!”

Greg pushed her helping hands away. “What’re you doing?! Are you thinking about these people at all?” Greg swung around and pointed outside and around them at the people milling about.

Fry blinked surprised at Owens angered tone. “What’s wrong with you?! Why are you asking?! Of corse I’m thinking of the people here I’m taking care of them!!!”


“Are you? Are you really?” Greg raised a brow.

Fry let out a hiss of breath at the cold and condescending tone of voice. Why was Greg talking to her like she was a child?! She’s a smart, intelligent, capable woman!! She’s the reason everyone had been surviving so far! She narrowed her blue eyes, she’s the daughter of a lord, noone should be aloud to talk to her that way! “I think we should stop talking to each other for a little while before we say something we’ll regret.” She hissed.

“Regret? Like saying ‘You’re a selfish want-to-be princess who acts like she is constantly in heat?’ Or ‘You murdering blond ‘captain’ of a bitch, stop acting retarded and get your act together?!’ Or maybe, ‘You stupid snobby bitch! When were rescued you’re FIRED!!’ That kind of regret?” Greg left Fry standing by her shuttle stunned.

***********

An hour into his nap Xander awoke with a gasp, his chest felt tight, he couldn’t breath, and he literally felt himself slipping away. Xander sat up as he struggled to breath, pulling his hands through his hair he gritted his teeth. Xander let out a whine of distress unknowingly calling for his mate.

Suddenly strong arms incased Xander and held him, pulling him against a hard warm chest. “Easy. Easy there. Slow breaths.” Growled that deep voice Xander knows well. “What’s wrong?”

Xander whined and twisted around. “Don’t know!! Feel hurt!”

Riddick checked Xander’s body over but found only the injuries he had before. Nothing that would make him blue in the face and thrash for breath. Brushing soft hair out of Xander’s face Riddick notices that the stupid ragged hat was gone, without it Xander looked younger and prettier. Like some rich persons pet lover. Maybe Xander was just having a panic attack? If so then he needed to be distracted. “You . . .your hat is off. Looks nice.”

Xander stilled. Hat? Hat! Xander felt for his crown, the silver circlet that is always supposed to be on his head was gone. “I need my hat!” Xander yelped!

Riddick raised a brow then shrugged, if it helped. Grabbing the dirty rag Riddick frowned, it’s heavy and stiff. Pulling it apart Riddick looked over the bit of silver he got out of it. High quality pure silver with unknown stones set into it. “You need this?” Riddick asked as he placed the crown on Xander’s head.

Xander sucked in a breath of much needed air and immediately felt well. “Thank you, Riddick.”

“What’s it for and why do you hide it?”

“It-it’s for empathy/telepathy. Keeps the power in check.” Wrapping the rag around it Xander sighed. “It’s real valuable. Someone could buy an island, house, and a couple of first class ships with it.”

“Really now?”

“Yep! So don’t tell anyone I have it!”

“All milithre have one?”

Xander bit at his lip and nodded. All milithre had something of focus, a stone of control, but none had a crown. Only the royal family wore crowns, needed it. “Yeah. All milithre have Le`ritha stones to center themselves. It takes years to gain control and sometimes a milithre will never have the willpower to stay in control.”

Riddick hummed. “So what are you? An empy or tele?”

“Um . . . an empath with just a bit of telepathy. As I age both gifts will strengthen.”

“So who were you tapping?”

Xander blinked. Tapping? Whose emotions was it? Xander knew. Running to Hassan the milithre checked him over and was saddened to see him so close to death. Placing his hands on the boy Xander forced some of his gift into the damaged chest, he could hear the ribs snap into place and even Riddick winced at the sound. It was barely noticeable but Hassan looked a little better, at least Xander’s gift got rid of the infection that had started. Hassan would live . . . for the moment.

Standing Xander stumbled but Riddick caught him before him could land in the sand face first. Xander smiled. “Thanks. The only sandwich I want has tuna in it.”

“You should rest more.”

“Should but can’t. Need to get the injured to safety. No telling when the dark will come.”

************

Wrapping Hassan up like a mummy Xander rigged up a carrier with Greg’s help. Although Xander didn’t want the man up and running around he insisted. He had said that if Xander could endangering his health so could he. But Xander wasn’t the one at risk of heart failure. Xander had healed Greg’s injuries but it didn’t mean he wasn’t still hurt! Xander glared at the other man, stubborn as a dog with a bone. If the worst for Greg happened then Xander could do nothing for it, he was already spreading his gift thin between Ali and Hassan.

Tying the last knot on Hassan’s carrier Xander tapped Ali on the should to signal he was ready to go. Thanks to Xander’s healing gift the boy could walk on his own with little pain but Xander did nothing for his eyes. Xander would leave that for a healer. Making sure Ali had a good grip on Xander sleeve he slowly walked toward the shelter everyone else was at. Opening the door Xander slowly ushered the blind boy in, placing him in a seat Xander left him to rest for a moment.

Xander stilled when he came across Jack, he had to stifle a laugh. Should he call the kid Riddick jr. now? Jack had shaved her/his head and put on an old pair of busted goggles. Xander shook his head, maybe Riddick looked like that once?! A cute little punk of a kid, trying to look tough but only managing to make others amused. Nah! Riddick probably always looked dangerous . . . Maybe he was born with a shiv in his hand. The man always seemed to produce a shiv or two when needed.

Going over to where Shezza sat Xander smiled. The tough oil and dirt woman was making funny faces at Oren and talking baby-talk. It was funny and Oren looked adorable when he scrunched up his nose and cooed. Xander was a little worried about the infant, he was developing faster then a human baby. Then again Xander could smell a little difference in his boy. Rebecca was pure human but Xander could see and smell an extra strength in the baby. The baby had the scent of old forest and fire mixed in with his late mother’s sweet white ginger scent. When Oren spotted Xander he kicked and cooed. “Guess I know who he likes best.” Said Shezza gruffly as she handed the little bundle to Xander.

“Yeah. He goes where the food goes.” Said Xander with fondness and just a little bit of embarrassment. Tying his cloak around his shoulders Xander made a comfortable sling for Oren then settled the wriggling baby into it. “I need to get Ali and Hassan to the ship. There’s an infirmary inside it.”

“Then let us go my friend. I wish to be away from this land, my family has suffered enough!” Imam said as he helped Ali up.

“Fry said we’ll all leave in a few minutes. We’re going to use the sand-cat I fixed. She wants to see this ship of yours.” Shezza said as she hopped off the table and went straight to the clunky sand automobile.

“She better hurry. I have a bad feeling . . .” Sighed Xander as he hugged Oren to his body.

*********

No more then a minute had past since Xander mentioned his bad feeling, the worst started to happen. In the horizon darkness could be seen and Xander could feel the hunger and blood lust grow from the ground. Like a vile sickness.

At the most they had an hour . . .

Xander felt a panic so powerful it borderlines on the insane, his claws unsheathed, tail spiked popped out and he felt no pain from it, and his eyes glowed brightly. He hissed. Too soon! Xander looked to Imam and waved for him to follow, to help Xander get the injured into the sand-cat. Carefully Imam, Xander, and the oldest adopted son Suleiman put Hassan on the floor of the sand-cat and made sure the stretcher didn’t move more when the sand-cat did. “We need to get loaded up!” Xander growled at Fry who was standing near the car watching the sky change color.

“Come on we need to go! We need to go people!” Said Greg as he flagged the stragglers in, he looked tired and had sweat pouring down his brow.

Jack looked around wildly from her/his spot at the edge of the car near Hassan’s still form. “Where’s Riddick?!”

Paris scuffed. “Leave him! He wouldn’t wait for us!” From the roof of a building Riddick jumped onto the sand-cat. Paris stuttered and seemed to swallow whatever words he was going to add. John was the last to board and they were off across the sand and into the valley. Xander hung on tight as they blundered down the sandy path making sure Oren wasn’t bumped. When they got out of the cavern Xander looked around for the hidden cave. “Stop! Shezza! Stop!”

She did with a bone jarring slid and a plume of dust. “What?! We need to get back to the crash site!”

“We’re wasting time!!” Growled Fry, her eyes wide with fear and anger, cheeks still colored slightly red with embarrassment.

“The cave is right there!” Xander pointed at a large cluster of boulders. “We need to get the injured inside it!” Xander hopped out and started to help Ali get out of the back. Only to be stopped by Johns.

Fry got out of the sand-cat and stood in front of the rock formation. “Are you crazy?! There are probably dozens of monsters in that cave!! If it even is a cave!?”

“We should get the cells first and the rest of the supplies. Deal with whatever you found later. Keep everyone together and safe.” Said Johns with a fake trusting and reasonable tone.

“It’s not good for Hassan and Ali to run around like this! Not good for Greg either.” Said Xander as he pointed at the tired blond man.

Greg frowned. “I’m fine! Just a little winded. Give me an hour and I’ll be bright as a purple sky!”

Xander looked at everyone with wide disbelieving eyes. A way off the planet lay just up the hill and they wanted to go get their junk? Xander looked at Riddick who had gotten off the sand-cat and stood by Xander. Imam looked torn, he wanted safety for his children, but didn’t know who to trust more. Xander gave Imam an understanding look, even though Oren wasn’t his child and didn’t come from Xander’s blood, he wanted to protect the tiny thing from all harm. Imam had a lot to lose, three sons and now little Davi. The child was attached to the arab’s hip and looked to Imam with the trust and child would show a beloved parent. Xander sighed. Those willing to go into the cave were either too young or had no pull over the group . . . Not like Fry and Johns did.

“Then I’ll go alone and meet you when the ship is ready.”

Fry huffed. “Fine, but you’re NOT taking that innocent baby! He stays with us.” Fry held her arms out. Xander narrowed his eyes, he could feel Fry’s protectiveness toward Oren and also her anger that the baby preferred Xander over her. Xander had been told how Oren had screamed his lungs out when Fry had picked him up after his nap.

Xander smirked. “Do you really think you can take him from me, Lady Carolyn?”

Fry narrowed her blue eyes and her lip curled. She was about to out her mouth and spit out poisonous words when she was interrupted by Imam. “We are wasting precious time! Let us get light for the dark cave Xander, then we can journey through the cave?! As you said my children and sir Owens need rest! They can rest at the site while those uninjured get the ships ready!”

Everyone seemed to agree on that, even Xander reluctantly nodded. They had time, if they thought smart they could get everything done before it got dark.

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Review.
Moonkat: Sorry if there are a lot of mistakes! It's really late and I'm tired. Hope you all like the chap.