The Darkness Calls

The Darkness Calls
Title: Real
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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Chapter 2
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Xander sat on the window sill watching it rain. He ignored the food Dora had given him and instead looked at the sky. The sky was purple! PURPLE!!! That if nothing else told Xander he wasn’t on Earth. From what Dora had told him Earth was more than ten galaxies away.

If he wished to go to Earth, he’d have to stay in cryogenic sleep for a little over three years straight!! And take a straight and unsafe rout to get there!! A good little portion of human life. Though that was good since he was a-a Milithre. A Milithre lived longer and fuller life then four humans put together!

From what Dora had told him Xander had never been even close to the Earth systems. ‘After-all young lord there is only 3 million people on Earth and only a small assortment of old fashion space stations. ‘ The planet Earth was way behind most things. Apparently it was now a pleasure planet for rich people. Like a big amusement park. Only the richest of the rich even owned an acer of Earth soil. But Dora said Xander’s grandfather did own part of Alaska and most of Hawaii. That was a lot of land. So that meant his family was loaded. Loaded in a holly shit is that mountain really money kind of way!!!

It had been two days since he woke up, the doctor had checked him out and said he was perfectly healthy. He just needed rest to regain lost strength. The doc had said the mind sometimes will make up illusion to protect itself, he had told Xander not to worry about them. That Sunnydale and the scoobies were just a bad dreams and nothing more.

He couldn’t believe he was a prince now! Or that he always was. Dora had told him he had been in a comatose state since he was eleven, she had told Xander how it happened. He families space ship was attacked by space pirates! Space pirates!! That sound so unreal! But when Dora told him it just sounded so real and so true. So true in a ‘I did that!’ kind of way.

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Past: The attack on the ship
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The boy giggled as he ran around storage boxes. A new ship had landed and he was going with his mother to meet it! Hiding behind a box the boy giggled some more as his mother walked right past him.

“AleaÌXandÌr wait for me! The docking bay is not a place for a child.” Said the beautiful tall woman with dark wild eyes. Her hair was black as pitch and in three braids right down to her hips, and swung lusciously against the soft black silk of her dress.

“Xander if you don’t come here you will not get any desert!”

Xander’s eyes widened. ‘No desert!’ Flicking his tail Xander jumped out from behind the crate and yelled out. “ GOT YA!!”

Only to have the slender well dress woman catch him. She didn’t look surprised at all. “Aah mom! You were supposed to scream! I’m the hunter!”

The brown eyed woman smiled. “I know sweetie. I guess you’ll have to work on your stalking skills. But not in the docking bay. This is not a place for children.” They walked together in silence for a moment till a thought started nagging Xander. “Mommy?”

“Yes sweetie?” She said in a patient calming voice like she was use to Xander asking questions.

“Why don’t you have a tail? Are you a half-breed that wasn’t fortunate enough to have one? Professor Tushma said some half-lings are born without um.”

“No my child I don’t and never did have a tail like you. I’m not a Milithre. I was from a planet that is now dead and my people didn’t have tails.” They stood outside the new crafted that had entered the large royal traveler’s vessel. The ship they were standing in-front of was nice. It was a speeder, top of the line and very spendy. It could hold up to fifty people and could be lived on for long spans of time. The outside was great too. It was black and had red fire across the hull.

“What was your people mom? Where are they? Am I one too?” He asked not really paying much attention. He was too busy watching the docking crew hook up the new ship to the energy grid. If he had been looking at his mother, he would have noticed the sad wistfulness on her face.

“My people are gone sweetie. Most likely all dead or traveling space far away. And yes you are. Your Milithre and Fur-” She didn’t finish speaking because the ramp of the new ship opened and Xander yelled out.

“DADDY!!” Walking out of the ship was a tall young man with a long red/brown tail and a silver circlet on his head. But what one would really notice about him besides the tail was his almost glowing blue/green eyes. Unlike the woman’s eyes that seamed to suck in light his shined it and glowed with magical radiants. He lifted the boy easily and walked over to the smiling dark garbed woman.

“Alea’Xandra . . . Did you miss me my love?” Asked the smiling man with reddish brown hair. Alea’Xandra frown and hit him on the arm.

“Why did you not tell me you were coming in Sanotio?!” She said as she enveloped him in a loving hug. The red-tailed man laughed and hugged his family tight before releasing them both. He put an arm around his wife’s waist and the other around his boy’s shoulders and turned them towards the new ship. “I would have ruined the surprise, Alea!”

Alea raised a brow. The ship was no different from the dozen others the family owned. “And what is this surprise my love?” He gave his wife a grin and wink before lifting his slender son into his arms.

“It’s my sons birthday present of course!!” He said like it was obvious. Xander squealed as he ran off to look at HIS ship.

Alea frowned. “Xander is far too young to own a ship of his own AND his birth if I remember right was on a hot June day. I believe it is only April 14th today.” She said with raised brows.

Sano smiled sheepishly. “I know. But I had ordered this ship months ago! It was just finished today! I couldn’t resist, you know me. I like seeing my youngest child smile.”

Alea was just about to say something about them spoiling their child when the whole cruiser shuddered. Suddenly the lights flickered and fire bloomed from the hallway. People started screaming.

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Present
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Xander gasped and got up from his sitting position. He was sweating and his black tail was slashing back and forth. Dora said he would have flashes. That his memories would return and every time one did Xander started thinking that maybe . . . just maybe his life in Sunnyhell was just a bad dream. That it never happened like Dora had said. That his shiny life was his.

Sitting on his bed Xander pulled out the data pad that a younger nurse had given him. She was a Milithre too. Xander was starting to think that the planet only had Milithre. He started reading. The little nurse had given it to him to play games on it, but he wouldn’t waste a resource like this. He was out of his depth. He didn’t know anything about the planets, his people, or what the worlds were like now that he was awake.

As he read about the different planets covering the verse Xander didn’t notice his black tail was dancing around behind him till it knocked over his water.

“Damn tail!” Yelled Xander as he grabbed the end of it in his hand only to yelp and pull his hand away. His palm had a small puncture in it. He cursed as blood got all over his robe.

“My lord, what happened?” Said Dora as she let her worried orange eyes roam for wounds. Finding none other then his hand, she grasped it in hers. Closing her eyes, she let out a calming breath. Xander watched confused till a warm yellow glow flashed from their joined hands. Taking his hand back Xander looked at Dora with wide eyes. She had healed it completely!

“H-how?” He asked.

She scoffed. “Don’t act so surprised my prince. Every Milithre can do a bit of healing. Each of us carries at least a little of the Light of Emfri.” She said as he patted him on the arm.

“The Light of Emfri? Can I do this too?” He asked as he blinked at the stout woman.

“Of course you can! You are titled the Light of the first Sah. You healed your mother from the womb. You’re a natural at healing love. That is one of the reasons you're the apple of your granddad's eye. Here, I’ll show you-” She was as she grabbed a knife and cut deeply into her own hand.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!!!” Yelled Xander as he grabbed her bleeding palm. Then he watched in shock as a bright blue light shined from his hand the moment he touched hers. He could feel AND see his power heal the flesh of her hand. He knew each and every blood vessel, each bone, past hurts, and weakness’ in Dora’s body. He could see with an inner eye thing, he knew things he just shouldn’t know about a body. He could kill or heal with such powerful knowledge. It was damn strange.

He pulled away from her perfectly healed hand in a daze. “See a natural healer. Now how did you get that cut? Did you fall?”

“No I grabbed that stupid tail of mine. I think it has a mouth and teeth.” He said as he laid it in his lap.

Dora snorted. “I’ve never met a Milithre, not even a half-ling that had a tail with teeth. But we all have a poison spike at the tip of our tails.” She said as she showed Xander her own needle sharp spike. “It can deploy any kind of venom from acid to a numbing agent to a paralyzes. They’re very handy little things. A good weapon.”

Xander looked at his own venom spike as Dora left. It was black and hallow, it seamed to be connected to the bone of his tail. It was like a mini scythe connected to his ass!! The whole tail was just a deadly pointy bone mace! Maybe the tail wasn’t so stupid after-all.

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Xander frowned as he kept reading from the data pad. ~ The Milithre till sixty five years ago used to be a slave race, They are a sub-human race and look less human then normally found in the verse, so it was easier for people to take the less human people as slaves. They were also made slave because they had many uses, they were the most popular in the slave trade business. They were used for a multiple things, a few that are listed: Concubine, Nursemaid, Breeding (Milithre are the most fertile creatures within the seven know galaxies), Healers, Assassins, entertainment (like song and or dance), and mining. Milithre like some other races have strong senses (especially hearing and seeing). Owning a Milithre was thought of as a status symbol and still is today. The only way to get one now is through the black market since Sanotus king of the milithre took back their home planet Emfrine. Today the milithre are a feared race of warriors that pride themselves in serving no one but themselves. Since their number had dwindled during their captive years most milithre are half-breeds.~ Xander stopped reading and just stared at the pad for a moment. He was tired, he would read more tomorrow.

He awoke the next day to a weird pink bird singing on his window sill. He didn’t remember opening it. A small red head was in his room. She was cleaning and probably the one that put the pancakes and eggs on his table.

“What kind of bird is that?” Asked Xander making the red haired grey tailed girl jump.

“Oh my lord did I wake you? I’m so sorry!” She said in a soft voice. He waved it off and asked his question again. “Well my prince it’s a Nuhnuh`kuh bird. They sing beautifully don’t they.” She said with a sigh. The bird made a sweet pitched call that sounded like they were calling their own name. “My name Leea, my lord.”

Xander nodded. “Nice to meet you. And it’s Xander. I’m not really comfortable with being called lord or prince or anything like that.”

Leea nodded. “Yes I know. The head nurse Dora told us. But she said you must get use to being called lord my prince. It is what you are after-all. Eat my lord, the cook made it special just for you.” Leea finished cleaning then left Xander to breakfast. Xander smiled as he looked at his food. Three large pancakes, with a circle of bacon around it, an egg smile, raspberry eyes and a pear slice nose. How old did they think he was five?

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In the bathroom Xander stared at himself. Really looked at himself and was relived he didn’t look too different. His skin was tanned and seamed to gleam a bit with golden glitter, his ears were slightly tipped, and he had fangs. Sorta. They were just slightly pointed, but enough to be noticed. His eyes were different too. They were a light brown but inside he could see chucks of hyena green. And that green glowed. It looked kinda freaky but at least the glare wasn’t too bright. Oh and he couldn’t forget about the hair. It hadn’t been truly cut in eight years so it was fucking long. It was wavy and around his head a solid silver circlet with tiny sliver sized black stones embedded in it.. Dora said the circlet was worn by all Milithre of royal blood. Especially powerful empathic ones. Dora said the small stones centered those with mental powers, without the ruddy crown Xander would be feeling everyone’s emotions. He had taken it off earlier . . He wasn’t going to do that again! Some people were freaks in their own minds, Xander’s doc included. The man had a tail fetish that Xander soooooo did not want to examine. Xander was a high level empath, and when he concentrated hard, he was a low level telepath. He didn’t care how useful the circlet was it made him look like a damn princess then a prince, all he needed was the damn ball gown!

*Guess I’ll have to avoid people offering apples and evil stepmothers.* Thought Xander as he tried to get all the hair out of his face.

Looking for scissors he cursed when he couldn’t find one. Leaving the bathroom with a frown he almost ran over Dora in his haste. “ My prince there you are! Come come your father sent a vid message.” She said happily.

“Why couldn’t he phone and talk to me himself?” Xander follow the energy bound little woman calmly.

“Oh, he is at war with the nasty Parth race. Those damn heat suckers won’t stay on their own planet! That is why he had to leave your bedside in the first place. He was needed. And as the crowned prince he had to go. And to answer your other question he did call but you were deep within sleep. So he made a record vid and asked me to give it to you when you awoke.” And in his room was a larger data pad, it was on and had a frozen picture of the tall red tailed man in it. He didn’t really look that different from his dream. A few lines here a strip of white in some hair, but other then that he looked no different.

Touching the screen he blinked as the man started to speak, he sounded so very familiar. The deep voice warmed him. He felt more kinship to that voice in this very moment then he ever did to Tony Harris in his whole life time. He watched the well dressed man on the screen give a watery smile. “Son . . . My sweet boy. How it lightens my heart to know your finally awake. You look like your mother.” Xander frowned and muttered about his long assed hair making him look all girly like.

The man frowned like he heard Xander. “And don’t say it’s because of the long hair! It’s not. You have her face, her smile, and the wildness that drew people. Your mother always said you were the perfect blend of us. That the gods took our best traits and placed them within you. She was right. I can’t wait to see you. I’m just sorry I wasn’t there when you woke. Be safe Xander. I lov-” He was interrupted by an explosion and men in uniform asking for guidance. He looked at the men with a death glare Xander hoped he had inherited, it was quite intimidating. “I’m sorry young one I will talk to you soon! Stay safe!” With that the screen went back the way it was before he turned it on.

Xander felt wetness in his eyes that he blinked away and ignored. He wasn’t an emotional person, not anymore at least! Whether Buffy and Willow were real or not they still kicked him to the curb. Buffy was so not hot enough to get humiliated and beat for just so he could be her punching bag and sometimes friend. No now Xander was a lord-prince-thing, that meant he was no ones butt-monkey.

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The next day he was awakened bright and early when the sky was a very light purple. Dora was skipping around with Leea like a damned pixie. They were just smiles and sunshine. It was really starting to creep Xander out.

“Um . . . not that I don’t mind people dancing around me but are you two ok? Do you to need a doctor cause I can go get one?” He said as he stood up. Hyper women could be pretty fear worthy if their in a mood. Xander remembered his mother Alea threw a table and a collection of chairs when she was in a topsy tirbsy mood. If they started scowling Xander would start the running.

“The doctors said you have perfect health!! That you are healing nicely. You are strong enough to make the journey home to planet Emfrine. Isn’t that wonderful!” Said Leea with a dreamy sigh. She had only been to the home planet a handful of times and each one was memorable. Suddenly both women got teary and lunged at Xander. He yelped as he was enveloped into a tight double hug.

“I’ve watched and cared for you for the past eight years! I’m so happy that your finally well! I hope you find happiness. And don’t cut that hair! I took good care of it, other people would kill for hair that healthy.” Dora said as she gave him another hug.

“We need to start packing for you my lord! Your flight to Asteroid Beta is tonight at midnight. Then you board The Hunter-Gratzner at four in the morning. Oh! And a package has arrived for you from King Sanotus! I’ll go get it!!!” Squealed Leea as she ran out of the room. Xander didn’t even get a word in. Huh. Sitting on the bed he watched Dora pack his things, things he barely even recognized as his clothes and stuff.

Leea enter again with a long brown wooden box. He held it for a moment like he didn’t know what to do with it. “Open it my Prince! Open it!” Said Leea as she bounced in her seat.

Dora rolled her eyes and sat by the two on the bed. “You better open it. She’s been hovering around it since it came in. If you don’t open it I swear she’ll fallow you onto your ship and sleep in your cryo tube. She will too.”

Opening it Xander gasped as he pulled out a lovely looking short sword and black leather harness from the box. It had etchings of warriors with spiked tails like Xander and curvy writing. Writing Xander could understand. ‘We fight for freedom. Bleed and poison all enemies. Kill for freedom. Milithre bow to no human.’

“Hmm.” Was all Xander could think of saying.

Dora looked at the sword and nodded. “That be your grandfather’s sword. It was forged for him out of the ore he used to bludgeon his master with. Some say his hate for being owned made this sword the sharpest and deadliest blade ever forged.”

“It’s beautiful . . .”Said Leea as she reaches up to touch it only to cut her finger deeply. “Ow!”

Dora chuckled as she healed the girls little wound. “It was also said it has a mind of its own and seeks blood . . . That is why the King named the blade Shurar Ithrue, which means blood drinker. Royal Milithre magic is in this pretty blade. Only a royal can touch it without gettin bit.”

Leea pouted. “Could aa told me ‘fore I touched it.”

Dora raised a brow. “Now why would I do that! Won’t learn nothing if I be telling you all the time. O’ course Prince Alae’Xand’r’s future mate could touch the sword, others, common folk like me would need Shurar Ithrue’s masters permission.”

Xander looked at his gift and fingered the hilt. It fit into his hand like it belonged. “ So I’ll be leaving tomorrow for the Hunter-Gratzner? In space . . . for home.”

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Review. It's a long chapter yeah . . . maybe I should shorten it. I'm going to look this one over again, I know I missed some errors. ^_^