The Darkness Calls

Title: Bad luck

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the craziness that spews out of my head. All characters belong to their respective owners. That means I own nothing and have zero money. . .
Author notes & Warnings: M/M fanfic. No Beta. Be afraid. My mood affects my writing

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Through the night Xander had looked into the darkness and watched the demon lizards growl, pick at each other, and feast on whatever they could get. He had watched the little lizards rip Shezza apart small bite by bite till her torso and legs separated in a spray of blood and a dying scream, he had watched the big ones gorge on Paris, dig into him like a pride of big cats, this new lizard is more frightening then both groups of lizards put together. The big lizard stood as tall as a grizzly bear, its mouth open showing off serrated knife like teeth. Xander could sense that the monster is female, in heat, and mating season for the beasts is underway. The female tossed back her wide head curved like a boomerang and snapped up a small male trying to climb up her trunk-like leg, her two thorned tails lashing around like whips. The group watched the small lizard go down the big ones throat in two bites squalling all the way like a frightened pig. Even though one of their brethren was eaten the other hammer headed lizards still cooed and rubbed up against the female. The big female thrashed its massive head back and forth and crooned in the throws of mating as a big male only half her size climbed up and balanced on her back.

Xander ducked down with the others and watched the lizards courtship/mating ritual like someone would a horrible car crash. After meeting Buffy and finding out about what goes bump in the night Xander wrote up a list of things he did not want to meet or see ever. Man-eating-lizard-thingies were among his top 20! Seeing monsters mate was in the top 5! Xander tightened the shields on his empathic powers when the groups fear spiked every time the large female lizard roared. The sound made the bones rattle. There was no way in hell Xander was going to let himself feel the backlash of those emotions. Lizard or human.

**

With his enhanced vision Riddick watched as a different types of lizard prowled a clearing between the ground spires. This beast fascinated Riddick because unlike the others this one wasn’t stalking them as food. This one glowed with heat in his vision like living walking fire, like a walking snarling volcano of death. The lizard’s body longer from head to tail, and the hammerhead curled, its bones showing though the paper thin skin.

“Big lizard.” Said Xander.

Riddick looked from the lizard to the kitty beside him and nodded. They both watched as other lizards started to gather around the big one, clicking and crooning invitingly, nudging against the big female even though she snapped at them with her much larger jaws.

Xander turned to the other survivors and looked them over one at a time. “We need to go around the lizards and these rocks, I’m not getting in the middle of that mess! Right now those lizards aren’t interested in us but soon they will be.”

Greg nods. “Right. So which way do we go?”

Riddick tilted his head to the left, slowly everyone followed him. Riddick looked everyone over and noticed how they shook, how wide the pupils looked, and how they huddled together like a herd of skittish deer. But unlike the deer who used their numbers against wolves nothing would work for them but the pathetic bits of light they coveted. Jumping down a pile of rock Riddick lead the group around the howling she-lizard and her little male suitors. As they walked Johns carefully maybe his way toward Riddick till they were walking side by side. The twitchy merc eyed Riddick out of the corner of his eye, his mouth pressed into a bloodless little line. ‘Knew old Johnny-boy was up to something . . . Always looking out for number one, always just a merc under that shiny badge.’ Riddick upped his pace and smirked when Johns lopped up to be at his side. “You know not all of us are going to survive this.”

Riddick could almost feel the grease in Johns’ voice slid over his skin. “You just realized that?”

“Eleven of us left, if we could make it to the ship with just one or two more deaths it would be quite a feet.”

Riddick narrowed his glowing eyes. “Not if me or mine are part of that ‘one or two’.”

Johns looked over at Fry then gave Riddick a knowing boyish grin. “What if you and ‘yours’ are one of ten that make it?”

Around them the creatures made sweeps, testing their limits and the groups. It is entirely too amusing watching Johnny-boy flinch at every new sound, Riddick almost laughed when the merc subtly scooted closer to him. Out of the corner of his eye Riddick watched a big lizard glide down towards Johns and come close to the light then dart away. At the loud whoosh noise Johns flinched and looked around presenting his unprotected back to Riddick. ‘Too easy.’ Riddick let the smirk on his face widen at the thought of that unguarded sweet spot just itching for his blade.

“I’m listening.” ‘Might as well humor the dip-shit.’

“Battle field doctors decide who lives and who dies, it’s called triage.” Johns smirked.

“Kept calling it murder when I did it.”

Johns smiled as if it was a joke. “Either way I figure it’s something you can grab onto.”

“A sacrifice play.” Riddick gave the group behind him a quick, unnoticed by Johns, look. ‘By the wet cat look Kitty must be listening in, good.’ “Hack up a body and leave it behind us like a bucket of bait.“

“We’ll trawl with it. We got extra cable in the sled. We’ll drag the body or bodies 40,50 feet behind us.” Johns said eagerly.

Then Riddick turned his body in a very exaggerated move and looked behind him almost turning all the way around. “So which one ya have your eye on?”

Johns waved his hand and gave Riddick an ‘Are you stupid’ look. “No, no, don’t look. Christ! What the hell’s wrong with you?” Riddick loved the fact that Johns was asking him what the hell’s wrong with him, at least he admitted he was a killer. Riddick was up front and proud of his faults. They made him him.

They walked in silence for a moment then Johns let out a grunt. “Alright enough of this shit. You gut the half dead arab brats I’ll keep the cat off your back, doubt he can save um anyway. No good animal.” Johns turned and leered at the milithre behind them. “I’d love to deal with him.”

Riddick stilled then let out a slight growl. ‘No one touches my pussycat.’

***

“What are they talking about u-up there?” Jack asked softly her eyes wide with fear and anxiety.

“There talking about how to get us out of here I suppose. How to get us through this struggle.” Imam said with a grunt as he got a better grip on Hassan’s carrier.

As Xander walked behind Riddick and Johns he let out an almost constant growl of dislike, it rumble through his throat like a small motor revving. ‘How dare Johns try to suggest to Riddick that they use one of the injured as BAIT!’ Xander wanted to snarl when Johns talked like it was no big deal to sacrifice one of them, one of the kids! Xander glared at Johns and bared his fangs when the merc leered at him. He could feel the merc’s interest like a oily film on the shin. Xander itched to take Johns on, show him who could take who.

Everyone looked ahead of them with suspicion and unconsciously everyone slowed down. “Maybe we should put a little distance between us and them.” Said Greg as he slowed the group down even more, putting darkness between the groups. Xander could feel the tension between Riddick and Johns build until it finally overflowed with Riddick’s rage. Xander wanted to purr when he felt Riddick’s protective emotions wrap around him like invisible possessive arms. The group gasped when Riddick and Johns started fighting, Xander made a note to himself to ask Riddick to teach him how to disarm someone. To disarm someone and make it look totally awesome. Riddick whirling around the merc with his shiv slashing and Johns fired one shot after another from his shot gun, only to have Riddick grab his gun and both of them twirl around firing it. Riddick fire one last shot emptying the gun when tossing it aside.

“Leave the sled lets run!” Fry yelled.

Xander stood in the dark for half a second before he realized he was all alone, just him, Oren, and two empty sleds(Imam ran away carrying Hassan bridal style). Greg had to follow the other since he was technically leader, someone had to bring the scared survivors more light. Xander immediately popped a flare from the sled and put his back to some rocks since creatures were crowding around him like flies on poop. Xander watched from a safe distance as Riddick and Johns danced around each other. He watched Johns break Riddick’s arm only to have Riddick calmly pop it back in. He didn’t even flinch. ‘Wow. Hotness.’

“One rule.” Riddick growled to Johns as they both pulled out a blade. Riddick with his handmade shiv and Johns with his pocket knife, they circled each other till Riddick knocked the blade out of Johns’ hand.

Xander wrinkled his nose at the sharp smell of fear coming from two directions, from the fleeing survivors and Johns. Johns pulled out his metal club and started swinging it wildly as Riddick calmly dodged it. Johns knew his number was up, Xander could see the whites of the man’s eyes and feel his fear like broken glass down his back. Xander watched as Riddick lost his weapon to Johns for a moment only to get it back in their struggle.

“Remember that moment.” Riddick smirked. Riddick and Johns wrestled in the dirt, the bald silver eyed man grinned ferally. Xander watched Riddick and Johns fight within a small arena of green flare light, watched as Johns steadily lost control of the battle. Xander didn’t even wince when Riddick cut the merc’s back wide open with his shiv the wound splitting open like a popped seam. Johns yelled out in pain and fell back into the dirt his body in shock. Johns crawled across the dirt arena till he reached his gun, he held it like a safety blanket as he started feeding it bullet shells.

Riddick stood on his side of their little arena and watched the merc squirm and struggle. He shook his head his silver eyes amused as the flare started to dim and go out. ‘No luck for Johns this time around.’ “Should never have taken the chains off, Johns.” Riddick calmly walked toward the prone man and stood over him, stood over him like the merc had in the many times he was captured. “You were one brave fuck before. You were real bad-ass. The chains. The gauge. The badge.” Riddick started stepping back into the shadows, he was done with his old enemy. Time to let nature do the rest.

Xander watched the creatures crowd around Johns and Riddick, almost going wild for the fresh blood. He watched Riddick step back into the dark, leaving Johns in the middle of the little clearing with his gun and the beasts. Riddick walked over to Xander and they watched together as the man was swiftly killed then eaten. Xander let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding when he could no longer see the body being devoured by the group of lizards. Xander bit at his lip as he spoke to Riddick, not taking his eyes off the monsters feeding. “I’ll wait here you go get the rabbits.” He whispered. “I shouldn’t be running all over the place with Oren, he might wake up and cry. The lizards go crazy for his cries.”

“Hn.” Riddick left without another word.

Xander had to wonder about his character, was it right that he didn’t care about Johns’ death?

***

It was easy for him to find them, they ran like confused fireflies. In circles. Riddick crouched above them for a moment and just watched them quiver, rattling like plucked harp strings. He needed a moment away from the cat to sort himself out, he didn’t like the emotions playing within him. Those emotions gave the pussycat power. That didn’t sit well with him. Riddick thought of himself as a simple animal with basic needs. The world gives him an enemy he kills it, gives him food he will eat it, gives him a strong, willing, and pretty thing to fuck he will fuck it good and hard, give him someone to care about . . . Well that was something else all together. What the hell did he need those emotions for? That was human shit and animals like him didn’t need it or want it. He was also no fool. He cared whether these people lived or died and hated that with every fiber in him. They were all slowing him down. Emotions would just get him killed.

Riddick jumped down in front of the little group startling them. (1)“Back to the ship, huh?”

“Get away from us.” Fry whispered as she held the fire in front of her like a shield.

Riddick let his disgust for himself and them echo in his voice. “Just huddle together till the light burns out. Till you can’t see what’s eating you. Is that the big plan?” Riddick looked over the group to make sure the ones the cat liked were still alive. All the brats and Imam were fine but the blond leader was clutching his chest in pain. That one would need the cat again.

“Where’s Xander?” Greg groaned as he tried to hide his pain by sounding angry.

“By the sled. Waiting.” Riddick tilted his head toward the way they had come.

Imam stepped forward and glared at Riddick, the burden in his arms held tightly to him. “Where’s Johns?”

Riddick smirked. “Which half?”

“Where gonna lose everybody out here.” Jack’s eyes started to water as she looked out into the darkness. “We should have stayed at the ship.” Her eyes wet with regret and fear.

“He died fast. If we have any choice about it that’s the way we should all go.”(1) Riddick walked through the group and headed into the night back to his pussycat. If the others followed good, if not . . . He did his part.

**

Xander smiled as the group rejoined him. They all looked spooked. Davi pulled Ali along behind him and went straight to Xander. Davi looked at Xander questioningly and pointed at the baby and then at the light. “Ok?” Davi said softly.

“He’s fine, sleeping like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Are you two ok?” Xander brushed his hands over the each boys head and used his gift to check on their health. No cuts, no new hurts.

Imam stepped up to Xander with a very still Hassan in his arms. “Can you check him my friend?”

Xander nodded and let his healing light wash over the still boy in Imam’s arms. What Xander found out saddened him. Hassan is dying and Xander could do little else for him. If the spirit no longer wanted to fight then what was Xander supposed to do? He could heal a body but the soul was a very different thing, Xander can feel Hassan slipping away like flour through a sifter. Xander started healing the hurts Hassan got from the run but he feared it would do little to stop Hassan from leaving them if it was time. Not even the healing light from a milithre could stop death. Xander looked at Imam and gave him a shaky smile. “He’s slipping away but he’s not in any pain. It’s up to him now.”

Imam closed his eyes and said a little prayer under his lips.

Feeling a tap on his arms Xander turned to Riddick with questioning eyes. Riddick just pointed at Greg. Xander gasped at the sight of the man almost bent over with pain, he ran to him and immediately started checking him over. “Greg I told you to take it easy on your heart.” Xander placed a glowing palm over the man’s fast beating heart and started soothing the overworked organ. “God damn it, do you know how close you are to fucking up your heart for good? It’s still damaged even after I repaired it. You overwork it again and I’ll be taking home a corpse!”

Greg shook his head and let out a wheezing breath as he waved Xander away. “I’ll take it easy on my heart when we are all safe and off this hell planet. ‘I’m responsible.’” He said the last two words with strength in his voice as he looked pointedly around him at the survivors.

Xander nods unhappily. It’s not like they could take a lot of time to rest what with their small pile of light dwindling fast to pathetic bottles, two flares, and three flash lights. Not likely anyone could rest anyway what with monsters about and all. Forcing just a bit more healing light into Greg’s weak heart Xander sat back and looked his aunt’s husband over. “You just be careful, ok? Auntie will skin me alive if you never come home. You can’t leave her to a litter to raise.”

Greg grinned. “Can’t do that.”

“Nope.” Xander leaned against a spire of dirt and grinned. “Can’t do that to a priestess that knows more about the living body then anyone in the know universe. She’d eviscerate everyone.”

“Yeah sh-“ Greg was just about to tell his nephew about the time his love knocked out a guy three times her size and weight with just one jab of her tiny hand when the spire Xander was leaning on crumbled. “Alea`xand`r!” Greg watched in horror as Xander fell backwards into the dark spire, stumbling to his feet he reached out and grasped the milithre’s long dark tail. Inwardly Greg winced at the roar of pain, milithre hate their tails pulled just like regular cats. Greg started to panic when the silky fur slid through his sweaty hands his grip weak from his ailment. He feared he would loose his grip when a muscled bulldozer pushed him aside and reached into the hole for Xander.

***

Riddick cursed everything as he ran to the kitty’s aid. He had been watching the cat, unable to look away for too long. He had to keep tabs on him. When the boy leaned against a land spire something in Riddick just went off, just kept telling him ‘Danger!’. He was already half way to the pussycat when the damn spike of dirt collapsed. Riddick was sure his tiny little black heart jumped into his throat and was trying to strangle him, he just couldn’t breathe properly.

Diving for the hole Riddick grabbed Xander’s foot with his right hand and was about to do the same with the other when a soft glowing bundle of warmth hit his chest. His left arm curled around it reflexively and he held the crying baby to him and blinked at the red scrunched up face. With care no one realized he had Riddick plopped the infant into Fry’s surprised arms and snatched her fire. He smashed the booze on the wall of the spire and lit it ablaze, nothing was taking the cat from him damn it!

***

Xander gasped when the world tilted out from under him. It was so unexpected and confusing. One minute he was talking lightly with Greg and next encroaching darkness and pain. Pain was lancing into his back and back side like hot knives. He could feel warm blood spread over his right shoulder from the scaled hand holding onto him and the painful pressure from his tail joints screaming from strain. Xander screamed out and kick, his body on fire from the twisted tug of war. Xander winced when hot rancid breath brushed over his neck and bit into the bulging knot of Oren’s baby carrier. The creature pulled, the tugs bashing poor little Oren against Xander’s chest. Xander could feel the infant slipping with each pull on the carrier. Desperate Xander grabbed Oren up and tossed the small child up out into the light. Xander moaned out in pain when the monster dug it’s claws in deeper it’s resistance matching that of the one trying to pull Xander back into the light. The hand now around his ankle like a band of steel almost crushing his bones with its strength. Suddenly burning light replaced the dark and scalded the lizard’s scale covered hand, it snarled and loosened it’s hold. That’s all whoever was tugging seemed to need because in the next instant Xander was out of the hole alive and in Riddick’s big arms.

“You stupid stupid cat. What the fuck were you thinking?” Riddick’s mumbled words music to Xander’s ears. He rested his head on Riddick's chest and closed his eyes for just a second, he’d thank the man in just a bit. As soon as the world stopped tilting.

***

Riddick held the stupid cat to him for a moment and just held the boy, just soaked in the relief of having the milithre breathing and drooling on him, his eyes closed in sleep and not death. After another second of that Riddick got up and gently placed the cat on the ground far away from the spires, the cat’s injuries need to be tended. Riddick felt the knot in his chest loosen when he looked over Xander’s injuries to find most of them just minor burns with the exception to the three gagged cuts on his shoulder. The bleeding was already slowing. Pouring a liberal amount of booze on the wound Riddick snarled at the others crowding around him and snatched the wrappings from Imam and wrapped the shoulder wound without help. He didn’t need anyone’s help to take care of the cat. The milithre is his. Riddick took care of his things. After getting the boy situated Riddick marched over to Fry and held his arms out for the catfish, it belonged to the pussycat so in turn made Riddick responsible for it.

Fry gave Riddick a confused smile. “I got him Riddick, I’ll get him to quiet down.” Oren thrashed as he waved his tiny fists in the air and let out little unhappy cries.

“Hand him over, he wants the kitty.”

Fry looked over at Xander a disgruntle frown on her pale face. “He’s out cold he can’t protect the baby right now.”

“The brat is use to the cat’s smell he won’t shut up till he’s back with him.” Snatching the infant from Fry’s hands Riddick placed the wiggling bundle on Xander’s chest, Oren stopped crying instantly. “I’ll watch them till the cat wakes up.”

Fry opened and closed her mouth. “We can’t wait here for the milithre to wake up. We need to go!”

“Tough.” Riddick said as he sat down by the downed cat’s side, watching over him like a guard on watch.

Greg plopped down close to Xander’s feet and held one foot in his shaken grasp as if to confirm that Xander was here. “Lets rest for a bit. We’ll just give him a moment.”

Everyone hunkered down and Imam started to say prayers. His gentle chanting filled the air with only the crooning of the creatures braking the moment of false calm that Imam’s prayers created.

***

Xander awoke to Riddick’s angry voice. Even though the man’s voice was graveled and cold Xander liked the thought of being awoken by it. It felt right.‘Imam you should know better then to ask Riddick to pray with you.’ Xander thought as he continued to fringe sleep.

(2)“It’s pointless.” Riddick said coldly.

Imam frowned a kind look in his eyes. “Because you do not believe in God does not mean God does not believe in you.”

Riddick stilled and look into the dark. “Think someone can spend half of their life in slam with a horse bit in their mouth and not believe? Think he could start out in some liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and not believe? You got it all wrong holy man. I absolutely believe in God. And I absolutely hate the fucker.” Xander could feel his heart twist at the painful echo of emotion Riddick’s little speech caused. How much the dark convict survived.

The look on Imam’s face soured a bit with pity. “He is with us none the less.”(2) Imam moved away from Riddick sensing their conversation over.

Riddick shifted and Xander could feel the brooding man stand over him. “I’m not going to sit here all night and die by your side cat.” Riddick growled as he sharpened his shiv to a paper thin edge, so sharp it looked like it could cut by just looking at it too long. “Get up off your ass.”

Xander opened his eyes and sat up gingerly. “I'll never ask you to die with me Riddick, it’s just not in you. To die.” Xander held Oren’s sleeping form with one arm and poked at his wounded shoulder with the other. “I let my guard down for a second, I should have been aware.”

Riddick glared, his silver eyes narrowed and cool. “Fuckin right. Next time I’ll just let you die.” Riddick got up stiffly and looked around at the survivors. “I’ll check out our surroundings. Be ready.”

Greg went and helped Xander up. Xander frowned at Riddick’s lit up back but couldn’t really feel upset with the man’s cold shoulder. One can not hide strong emotions from an empath, Riddick felt a lot for Xander and it confused the poor lug. “How long was I out?”

“Five, ten minutes. Not long.” Greg gave Xander a queer look then looked pointedly at Riddick’s shadowed form. “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you two are mated. He wouldn’t let anyone near you while you were out. He was worried about you.”

Xander could feel his cheeks flush with both pleasure and embarrassment. “Yeah.”

Greg shook his head and patted Xander’s shoulder as he stood up. “You are going to have your hands full. Just out of a coma and already have a blooming family.” To bring the point home Oren let out a hungry cry and started nuzzling against Xander’s chest.

“You think my family will mind?” Xander asked hopefully.

Greg shrugged. “Don’t know. You’re the baby and they just got you back.”

***

Imam squatted down next to Xander and watched the young man rock the fussy baby. “What do you want Imam? I could feel you’re curiosity like a woodpecker hammering at a tree. What do you want?”

Imam smiled. “I read about the wonderful milithre and learned about them since I was a boy. I know of only one in history named Alea`xand`r.”

Xander looked at Imam out of the corner of his eye. “It’s not a common name but I’m not the only milithre in the universe that has it.”

Imam grinned. “True.” Then his eyes drew up to Xander’s brow. “Not many have a crown made of silver imbedded with milithre sacred stones either.”

“Right.” Xander shrugged, no point in denying it.

“It’s an honor, my friend.” Imam patted Xander on the shoulder. “Shall we pray together now?”

“Any help we can get from the Powers would be of the good, Imam.”

Xander stepped closer to the children and wrapped a comforting arm around Davi’s bony shoulders and just soaked in the boy warmth to thaw the beastly emotions chilling him. He let Imam’s little prayer wash over him.

***

Xander watched Riddick look at the beast bones, watched him find the lizards weakness. Its blind spot. The thought of Riddick alone in the dark using that knowledge sent shivers down Xander’s spine. Xander walked up to the silent silver eyed convict and brushed his hand over the man’s well muscled back. “We’re almost there. The cave is just on the lip of the canyon.”

Riddick nods. “They’re circling us.”

“I know.” The lizards doubled in number, all around them, waiting for just a small mistake on the survivors part. Just like the mistake Xander had made earlier. Xander didn’t want to look into the dark anymore. Didn’t want to see so many rows of hungry mouths open and snarling for his flesh, knowing how he tasted.

“Soon they won’t give a fuck about the lights.” Riddick grunted.

“I know.” Boy did Xander know, he could feel it. Feel the hunger grows, grows into a wild dark malevolent beast in his mind. ‘We need to get off the planet soon or we never will.’ As that thought was going through his mind Xander felt the first fat drop of icy rain slither down his nose.

Everyone looked at the sky in dismay.

The rain beat down on them, the lizards bayed for their blood, and the fires and flares threatened to go out with each sizzling drop that fell on them. The survivors ran in a close nit group and moved like a herd of elephants would, the weak and young in the center and the strong at the ends. Fry wouldn’t leave the cells no matter what Greg said or ordered. She believed Xander was going to lead her to her death and wanted a back up plan for when that happened. So she was falling behind. Somehow Riddick ended up sharing Fry’s job of dragging cells through the mud. Maybe the man just felt sorry for the struggling spunky blond?

Xander glowered at the thought of it being anything else.

Xander could feel his heart thump in his chest, fear and excitement warring inside him. The cave was just ahead. Freedom was just ahead. Xander could see the fake rock, could almost smell the burnt rubber, but all around them their was danger, from the sky, the ground, and the very planet. The red planet lurched, the mud covered rocks shifted like an animal wishing to be sick. Some sense told Xander more danger was about then he was aware of but he ignored it as he shifted the mud covered fake bolder out of his way. They would all be safe, they just needed to get inside the cave, and get to Xander’s ship.

“I’m going to have a new appreciation for sunshine because of this.” Greg grumbled as he held a hand over his flare to keep it from going out. "What sucky luck we have!"

“I think everyone will. Hell I might even join a sun cult.” Xander grumbled as he wiped water and wet hair out of his eyes. "And are luck is more then sucky it's ass first fuck'd!"

"Yeah! Ass first fuck'd up luck!" Jack agreed as she to tried to keep her fire from going out. "We're so fuck'd."

Greg narrowed his eyes at Xander. "Potty mouth."

"Opps. Jack don't say fuck'd even though we seem to be."

Greg rolled his eyes. "You'll make a wonderful parent Xan, just wonderful."

***
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The story LIVES! Happy? My muse didn't die. ^_^
(1) (2) Favorite lines in the movie besides intro.