The Darkness Calls

The Darkness Calls
Title: Listen to the monsters
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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As he made his way to the exit of the ship Xander hesitated. These people with the exception of the kids and Imam were grating on his last nerve. Swallowing Xander tried to put his emotions away into a small box, he needed to help these people and his anger would just make things difficult. Hard to handle. Uneasy. Positively and completely annoying.

Loitering outside the cargo holder was Paris and Ted. Ted was still shaken and jittery like someone would be when they get off a high. Paris seamed to think a little booze solved everything because he was willingly handing a bottle over to the frightened bloody man. And Ted snatched it and drank out of it with a desperation Xander hoped he would never reach. Besides Greg and the baby they were the only ones let at the site. Following his nose he found the scrappy crew heading for the spires, all of them marching with determination. Xander let out a tired sigh. Why do people always seek out the monsters? After-all most monsters come to you anyway.

Sprinting over to the others Xander started walking next to Imam, he seamed to like Xander’s company. Imam gave Xander a small smile and patted the young man on the shoulder. “How are the tiny one and our wounded? Are they well, my friend?”

Xander nodded. “Owens woke up. The baby’s doing good, but I would really like to get him off this planet. If something happens, he can’t run.”

“Do you really think that we will have to run from something?” Imam asked calmly. Imam’s children looked at Xander, their eyes wide and dark, waiting with abated breath for his answer.

“Most likely . . . but hopefully not.”

“I will pray for hopefully not.” The children nodded along with their guardian.

Johns and Fry were yapping and as per usual around this group the others were lapping it up. Well . . . maybe not Shezza. She had a possessed smoldering look in her eyes, and she was paying only her anger attention. She was also walking with a determined strut that reminded Xander of the determined zombies from movies and stuff. Shezza was out for the kill, she wanted blood of some kind. Xander stayed on the other side of the group, just in case she was still mad about him pulling her hair. Some women were prickly about that kind of thing.

“Let me tell you what I think happened. I think he went off on the guy, buried him in the hills, somewhere. Now he’s got you believing there’s something else out there.” Johns said in such a sure voice, it was almost believable . . . Well he would have been if he wasn’t twitching, so insistent that they go back, and the fact that ‘LIAR! BAD, BAD LIAR!!!’ flashed on Xander’s emotion-O-meter.

Fry glared. “Well lets just be sure.”

“Look, murders aside Riddick belongs in the asshole hall of fame. He loves to jaw-jack and loves to make you feel afraid, because that’s all he has. You’re playing right into it!!” Johns said as he started pointing his finger at Fry, like the finger itself would stop her from doing something stupid. Xander rolled his eyes, it sounded like Johns was kind of describing himself. Since the beginning he’s been trying to scare the others with stories of how wild Riddick is, a few more stories or off hand words and the others will be afraid to even breathe around the Riddick.

Fry shook her head and shifted her ropes for a better grip, she then looked at Johns with a determined glare. “I don’t even know why I’m trying to explain this to you?! You’re a cop! For God’s sake, we’ve got to find his body.”

The others nodded. Xander let out a little huff of breath, everyone was following Fry blindly and faithfully. But in this case if Xander didn’t know what he already knew he probably would have been nodding like a faithful little bobble-head too.

Jack skipped up to the front to stand by Johns and Fry, a big cocky smile on his/her face. “Hey, I’ll go!” Jack said eagerly.

“Stay here!” “No ones going but me!”

Xander wasn’t surprised when both Fry and Johns said no to Jack, they may suck but they were ok with the kids. Xander ignored the rest of their conversation, he was pretty sure Fry wouldn’t go in, she didn’t have a death wish. Looking at the stiff angry woman Xander glared, at least he didn’t think she did. Everyone gathered around the hole and seamed to just watch it for a moment . . . like it was going to go somewhere or something. Hefting her ropes Fry started buckling her harness. Xander blinked then raised a brow, not really believing the blond was so foolish. He watched for a moment as she tied off her last rope and handed the end to Johns.“Fry? What are you doing? Going to go spelunking, bottle blond?”

She didn’t answer to Xander’s baiting just kept tying her ropes. Xander shifted to stand by her side. “Fry, you can’t do this. You’ll get dead fast.”

This time she did answer Xander. “What do you know?! You weren’t there when Zeke was killed! Besides someone needs to confirm if Riddick is telling the truth or not. For all we know you could have helped him!”

Xander growled. “Why can’t you just believe me? Believe Ted?! Or Riddick?”

Xander wrinkled his nose, Fry was feeling really guilty again. She’s just trying to make herself feel better, she didn’t really care about the truth. She wanted to feel worthy of the leadership roll she had taken, to be forgiven for her mistakes. Xander understood that, it was a human thing. He just really wished she would choose a different way to make up for things.

Xander hissed when the blond calmly got into the ditch, Xander followed and forcefully grabbed her arm. “Why won’t you listen, you stupid girl?! There are monsters in the ground! Do you think you’re some sort of slayer or something? Do you think you can make things better by being dead? Cuz I can tell you the others won’t feel too good when they pull a bloody empty harness back out of the hole!”

Xander tried to pull the so called ‘Captain’ away from the hole only to have her lash out at him. Grabbing a handful of white sand Fry threw it into the milithre face momentarily blinding him, then she pushed him away from her and toward Imam. Roughly one might add. Imam frowned at Fry as he gathered his friend to him. “He fears for your life Carolyn. I think you should listen to young Xander, he can sense things we cannot.”

“I need to know myself.” The fact that she didn’t trust Xander at all could be clearly heard in her softly spoken words. Xander also heard the steel like resolve in her voice. It reminded him of another pigheaded bottle blond. Xander rubbed at his watering blurry eyes and gritted his teeth as he listened to the sounds of Fry crawling into the hole. He shrugged. Well he gave it his White Knight best, Fry made her bed . . . But at this very moment Xander felt liked at cat battered one too many times by a spoiled child. Sympathy was not something kitty cats carried for the annoying.

When he could see again Xander gently shrugged off Imam’s hand that was on his shoulder and went to sit by the children. Sitting by Jack and the mute child Xander waited for the screams, blood, pain, and terror. He expected to feel her death the second she was in the dark, since the creatures he had seen were so hungry, so needy for a feed. But one second went by and another and another.

Turning to the little boy by his side, he smiled. The mute kid was drawing pictures in the dirt, stick figures, and one stick figure had a tail and long hair. “That’s nice.”

The little boy looked at Xander shyly and smiled. “Hey, I don’t know your name! Can’t keep calling you boy or mute or anything? What’s your name? Can you say it softly to me or write it?”

The boy bit at his lip then looked from Xander to his crazed mother, who was currently picking at and nibbling on her nails, and back again. Bess was far too interested in the hole and the blood lining it to care what her son was doing. The little boy nodded and slowly started to draw unstable lines. Soon the odd line formed letters, first an A all alone, then an I with lots of space between it and the A, then a D and V were drawn in. Davi. Xander looked at the little boy before him, his dusty coco skin, black eyes so large and puppy like, so small and huggable. Xander smiled. “Nice to meet you Davi.”

He held out his hand and the little boy hesitantly shook his. Xander looked at Jack who had watched the whole thing quietly if not a bit jealously. “Jack meet Davi, Davi meet Jack.”

Xander left the two to bond, Davi needed a friend.

Cocking his head to the side Xander listened for sounds. Imam and Johns were manning the ropes and so far nothing weird or scary. But Xander can feel Fry’s fear, can feel hunger, can faintly hear keening high pitched cries. Then the rope went taut. Imam and Johns didn’t know what to do, should they hold it tight?!! Leave it slack? What?!!

Xander could feel Fry’s icy fear, he could almost taste it. Groping his person Xander looked for a light of some kind, pulling out his vid pad, it had an ok flashlight. Xander followed the soft sounds of Fry’s cries for help, trying to figure out where she is.

“Thought I heard something?” Said Imam as he tilts his head.

Jack stood up from his/her place at Davi’s side and walks in the same direction as Xander. Xander finds the spire she’s in almost immediately. Her emotions are practically spewing out of the spike like lava from a volcano. Using his mace like tail Xander starts making a hole in the spike. Flashing his light in Xander could see Fry’s grasping fingers flailing wildly about.

“We found her! She’s here!!” Yelled Jack as she points at the mound Xander was beating the shit out of. Johns, Imam, and Shezza joined in and started moving earth out of Xander’s way. Imam and Johns grabbed for Fry and pulled her out. She panted and her eyes were dark because they were dilated, she shook.

“I heard you Fry! I heard you first!” Said Jack as they gathered around Fry. “What happened? What’s down there? What is it?”

“Did you find Zeke?!!” Shezza asked as she hung off to the side. Painfully hopeful.

“Fry are you ok?” Jack asked eyes wide and worried.

“FUCK! That was so fuckin stupid!” Said Fry as she panted. Behind the others Xander snorted. Fry pointed at the hole she had been pulled out of. “I don’t know what the fuck is in there!!Whatever it is it got Zeke and it nearly got meeEEEE-” Screamed Fry as she was pulled back toward the hole. Xander blinked, for a fifth of a second he couldn’t help but think of Fry resembling a dog that didn’t want to follow its master. But even with the silly thought fluttering in his head Xander still gripped the dragging blond first. He held tight to her right ankle and planted his feet into the dirt. He was really surprised by the strength on the other side of the rope. It was dragging him toward the hole, slowly but surely. It felt like he was playing tug of war with a bunch of Riddick’s. The others grabbed on then Johns cut the hysterical blond woman free.

As the rope disappeared into the hole a shiver went down Xander’s spine. ~HUNGRY! FOOD! BLOOD!!~ Even with his silver crown tightly around his head and hidden from view Xander could feel the hammer headed creatures. It was frightening how powerful their hunger is. Xander wanted to get off this planet, he wanted off like yesterday.

Helping the shaky blond ‘captain’ up off the ground Xander gave her a smug look. “So believe me now?” He asked as he grazed her cheek with one of his clawed fingers, healing a scratch she must have gotten from the struggle. And raised a brow at the information that little touch gave him.

Fry gave Xander a withered glare. “Yeah, I believe Riddick now.” Fry shouldered past Xander and followed the others back to the ship.

“And I’m not believable?” Xander snorted. Fry’s rudeness was more then just not liking Xander, she didn’t like his race. Just looking at Xander made her feel guilty and angry. It would be funny if it wasn’t so annoying.

“Blonds . . .” Xander muttered it like a curse. Someday he would meet wonderful blond women, ones that wouldn’t try to kill, maim, or hiss at him in a demony way, hell maybe they might even be friendly!! Maybe their hair color might even be natural!!! Though if Xander really thought about it . . . he never really met Buffy or Willow or the others of Sunnydale . . . because it was a dream. And none of them were real. Xander frowned, why didn’t he believe himself when he said that?

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Marching back to the ship Xander got back before the others, he checked on his charges then went straight to Riddick. Xander jumped back onto the rafter above Riddick. “Some of them . . . stupid. I have a bad feeling . . . something’s going to happen.”

Riddick sneered. “You think . . .”

Xander frowned. He felt a tiny almost not there bit of anger pointed at Xander. “Are you mad at me? Mad that I couldn’t stop your girlfriend?” Xander hissed quietly. Xander was jealous, he knew. He shouldn’t care that Riddick thinks Fry is pretty, that every once in a while Riddick’s lustful emotions point toward the blond instead of him. He shouldn’t care because Riddick isn’t his. He has no claim on the wild, powerful, agile, sensual, mysterious man. Riddick could like whoever the hell he wanted too. Xander knew, but he didn’t like it, not at all.

Riddick snorted amusement on his face. “Girlfriend?”

Xander shifted, embarrassed. After all Riddick hasn’t made a move on her or she him. It was only Xander’s empathy giving him those clues to which he is jealous of. “Well you can smell it on her. She wants you.”

“Hmm . . . What’s the plan?” Riddick looked up above him and met those softly glowing cat eyes, beautiful.

Xander shrugged. “Don’t know. Left before the brilliant plans could be made.”

Snort. “Tell um about your ship?”

Node. “They think I was joking, Fry thinks the sun got to me.”

Silence then a dark chuckle. “Our blond little wolf among the sheep really doesn’t like you . . . probably kill you if she could get away with it.”

“Like I would ever give her the opportunity. Oh! I also learned something interesting about of fetching blond captain!” Xander uncurled his tail and brushed it against Riddick’s neck.

Riddick leaned into the soft touch. “And what is this something?”

Xander let a big grin cross his face. “She’s a spoiled little rich girl, that’s one of the reasons she doesn’t like me.” Riddick gestured with one of his bound hands for Xander to continue. “You know about the temples of healing that the milithre run, I’m heading to the one in Helion.”

“Yeah, the rich folk healers.”

Xander frowned. “They heal everyone. But any wounds they heal must be serious, if not they send you to a normal healer or mend you in the normal way. Well anyway Fry has been touched by the light of Emfri a lot!”

“So?” Riddick asked with a bit of impatience.

Xander looked down at Riddick and brushed his tail over his face. “Either Fry’s been a daredevil since the womb or she had a milithre slave. Milithre don’t heal clean breaks unless they are infected, don’t heal small cuts and bruises, it’s a waste. Milithre healers only repair thing that will impair survival or unless its part of a ritual. Like the Welcome Touch. Heal the reborn’s umbilical and boost the immune system.”

“And you don’t think blondy got that when she was born?”

Xander shook his head. “She’s not milithre or a child embraced like Oren. Any milithre can tell, whoever healed Fry in their life was forced, a slave. And only the super rich have milithre slaves. Plus rich people can buy the Welcome Touch, but all reborn’s that get it are put down on the records of healing. There also given a small three dote birthmark behind the ear.” Xander said as he looked over the list on his vid pad. “Carolyn Fry is not on it. In fact no woman of her description is on it.”

“Why tell me?” Riddick asked lazily.

Xander shrugged. “I don’t know . . . I like talking to you. *Smirk* Plus you’re all tied up and can’t run away if I’m boring you.” Xander frowned, and I was hoping to make Fry less appealing to you.

Riddick let out a dark but amused chuckle. He shifted in his seat, he felt uncomfortably good tingles shift around in his belly because of that tiny sentence. Riddick wanted to snort at the sentiment, why should he be pleased at the fact that Xander like to talk to him? Tilting his head to the side Riddick pressed his cheek against the soft silky fur, a little thrill went through him when he felt the very tip of that poisonous bone spike, knowing it could hurt him but wouldn’t.

“You, me, and your kid. We get in your ship and take off.”

Xander stilled his caressing tail and blinked, he was surprised how tempting that sounds. Him and Riddick, the others be damned. So tempting. But no. He couldn’t leave Greg, he’s family. Couldn’t leave the kids either. “How about you, me, the kids, Owens, and Imam? Let the others putter along in the tiny shuttle. We can travel to Helion in style, the ships so big everyone would have their own bunks.”

Riddick didn’t seam to like that much at all and was going to say something about that but the sound of someone coming their way silenced him. Johns. Curling up into the shadows Xander watched Riddick get into character as Johns strutted in gun bouncing at his side.

In the dark with his head down and eyes glowing brightly Riddick spoke. “Finally found something worse then me, huh?”

Johns shifted and leaned a hand against the wall. “So here’s the deal. You work without chains, without bit, and without shivs. You do what I say, when I say it.”

Xander silently rolled his eyes, not really believing Johns gull even though he heard him with his own ears. ‘He’s basically saying you be a good puppy and I’ll let you play without your leash! I wonder what he’ll give as doggie treats?’

Riddick tilted his head from one side to the other and gave a glare full of contempt. “For what?! The honor of going back to some asshole of a cell? Fuck you.”

Johns let out a wearied sigh. “Truth is . . . I’m tired of chasing you.”

“You saying you’ll cut me loose?”

Johns shifted under Riddick’s glare. “I’m thinking you could have died in the crash.”

Riddick looked at Johns straight in the eye. “My recommendation: Do me. Don’t take the chance that I’ll get shiv happy on your wanna-be ass. Ghost me, mother-fucker. That’s what I’d do to you.”

Xander’s lip twitched in amusement, Riddick has such a way with words.

“Ok.” Said Johns simply before he swiftly pulled out his gun and shot at Riddick. Xander’s eyes widened and he was sure he almost swallowed his tongue, he watched in almost slow motion as the bullet zoomed over Riddick’s head and hit the chains binding the man.

Riddick calmly let his arms drop, pissed that Johns tried to shake him, even more pissed that he scared his kitty.

“I want you to remember this moment. The way thing could have gone and didn’t. Here.” John held out Riddick’s goggles, leaning forward to give them to the man in the shadows. Riddick lean forward as if to take them but at the last second before his fingers could grasp his goggles he snatched the gun. Stood before Johns with it pointed at the man’s head.

“T-take it easy.” Said Johns as he slowly raised his hands into the air.

“Fuck you!”

Johns stared at Riddick with a spaced out calm look but Xander could tell the guy was scared shit-less. It was funny how wide his eyes are. “D-do we have a deal?”

They stare at each other for a moment. “I want you to remember this moment.” Riddick growled with his smokey voice. Xander smirked, he was pretty sure Johns would never forget how it feels to have his trusty weapon pointed at him. Riddick tossed the gun to the floor and walked away leaving Johns standing there feeling foolish.

Xander was about to get out of the rafter and taunt the aggravated cop but then he stilled and watched the man fumble for something in one of his packs. An injector? And what looked like bullets? But then the man popped them open and pulled out a tiny tube of clear liquid, he put it in the injector and lined the needle up with his tear duct. Xander watched as the man shoved the needle in and press the button, watched the man shift in bliss as the drugs took effect. Xander felt a blissful fuzziness touch his mind and he shivered at the numbing thrill it gave. He shook his head to get rid of the feeling then jumped off the rafter spooking Johns.

“What the hell!!!”

“Hey, Johns! Just passing through.” With that said Xander left the man to whatever the fuck he was doing.

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Smoothing back the baby’s silky hair Xander rocked Oren as he slept, he had to feed him again when he got back, thankfully naps always followed feedings. Wrapping the baby tightly in a blanket Xander settled the baby into his home made swaddle, the cloak Dora had giving him. Placing Oren’s tiny body against his chest Xander made sure the baby was as comfortable as possible.

Jack came running into Xander’s side of the ship the mute boy Davi in tow. “Hey, Xander! Are you getting ready to go? The other’s told me to ask. Oh and they let Riddick go!! I saw him helping Johns and Fry pack!!! Cool huh?!”

“Really. Hmm. Well since you two are here maybe you can help me make a carrier for Owens, he can’t walk to the ghost town Fry found.” Said Xander as he started gathering up blankets. Davi sat down by Xander and started folding all the cloths, he folded them perfectly and far smoother then Xander could. Xander smiled. “I think you have this well in hand, thanks Davi. I’ll start on that carrier.”

Taking his little outdoor canopy apart Xander laid the polls down on the ground, they would work well. All he needs is some strong fabric or something to tie the polls together. With Jack’s help Xander made a pretty decent person carrier. He was going to make one he could man by himself but then decided it would be to rough on Greg to be dragged through the desert.

“And what are you doing kitty?” Xander jumped at the sound of that dark smoky voice so close behind him.

“Fry the o so wonderful captain has decided we all need to go to her ghost town for safety, I need to get Owens ready to go. He can’t walk and I don’t want him dragged in that half assed sled they have. Made him a bed to go.” Xander said as he waved his hand in the direction of the hammock type carrier.

Riddick grunted. “You goin to drag it by yourself?”

“No . . . your going to help me.” Xander stated without even looking up from his packing.

Riddick raised a brow. “Really? Am I now.”

“You are.”

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Trudging.

And trudging.

Under the hot sun.

Hate it.

‘Lugging a man in a carrier that doesn’t make him lighter but heavier it seams. I’m going to sooooo pull something!’ Xander hated trudging in the heat, hated carrying heavy things . . . Xander wrinkled his nose as a large drop of sweat rolls down. He really hated this planet . . . Then he looked at the people he was with, the people who were hardly carrying a thing, he didn’t really like them either.

“So click your fingers and he’s one of us?” Asked Shezza.

Johns was scaring everyone, or at least trying too. Johns smiled. “Didn’t say that, but at least this way I don’t have to worry about y’all, uh, falling asleep and not waking up.”

Jack came running up to stand by them. “Can I talk to him now?” All wide eyed and hopeful.

“NO.” They said together.

Xander stumbled. “Rrrriddick! Slow down! I’m with child!” Xander said jokingly as he tilted his chin toward little Oren who was sleeping soundly. Getting a better grip on the carrier Xander shifted his bags that he was also carrying on his person.

Xander smiled at Suleiman and Hassan, Imam oldest boys, they were lugging the sled Johns wanted Riddick to take. The other boys, Ali and Davi were carrying the cell thing for the ship between them. Xander shook his head, not only were the others jerks they were lazy.

Xander nearly lost his hold on the carrier when Riddick leaned down to pick something up off the ground. A bottle of booze. He picked it up before Paris, Paris shifted then wiped his sweat covered hands on his clothes. He held his hand out to be shaken. “P-paris P. Ogilvie. Antiquities dealer, entrepreneur.”

Riddick smirked, pocketed the bottle, and shook Paris’ offered hand. “Richard B. Riddick. Escaped convict, murderer.”

Xander held back a giggle but felt kinda bad for Paris when Riddick gulped down the contents of the bottle in four large swallows. “What none for me?” asked Xander when Riddick tossed the bottle.

Riddick tilted his head to look at Xander out of the corner of his eyes. “No. Your with child, remember.” Smirk.

Xander snorted. “Probably didn’t taste good anyway.”

As they started heading into the canyon Xander tried to spot the cave entrance to his ship, but couldn’t spot or scent it out. Cursing Xander trudged on. After he drops off Owens he has to go look for it! When they arrived at the ghost town Xander had Owen set down in one of the large buildings, one of the more open and light ones. Checking Owens eyes and his temperature Xander smiled when the man stirred.

“Hey . . .”He croaked out.

“Greg. How do you feel?”

“Dizzy but good.” The blond said as he sat up.

Gently Xander took Oren out of his snugly swaddle, then placed the baby next to Owens. “Think you’re up to a little baby sitting? Don’t worry about doing much with him, he’s pretty low maintenance.”

“I guess. Need to learn how to take care to babies anyway.”

Xander smiled. “That’s right. Auntie’s going to have three of them!”

Owens nodded with a proud smile. “Can’t wait.” But his smile dimmed the next second. “Hopefully we’ll get home.”

A determined look crossed Xander’s face. “I’ll get us home. But you have to help me: watch your back, don’t trust the cop Johns, look out for the kids, and rest up. Take a nap I need you mobile.” Patting Greg on the shoulder Xander left.

Walking around the building Xander was going to go back and find the cave only to run into Johns. “Oh, hey Johns! What are you going to do now that you can’t chase Riddick around, going to do a walkabout?”

Johns glared and grabbed Xander by his arm. “I need to talk to you about what you saw!”

Xander blinked. “Sure . . . but later. I have things to do.”

Johns tightened his hand hold till it hurt. “Now!”

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I'm alive! sorry it took so long to update! I was holding onto the hope that my old computer could be fixed. Had to rewrite this chapter from memory. Hope you all like it.

Child embraced: Meaning a child adopted by a milithre or a godchild to one. Or one with the three dote mark behind the ear.