Treacherous

“Satisfied?”

Bell grinned, watching the cargo bay doors close. Ramsay had stayed within after they finished loading their bounty and now it was just she and Riddick standing in the dirty hangar.

“Yes. Thank you.”

His lip twitched. Riddick didn’t like gratitude? Now why didn’t that surprise her?

“Don’t thank me yet. Johns has a bullet with your name on it. I’m just the stooge here.”

She snorted, “Oh, sure. My little servant boy. What an apt description.” She turned and moved to the trailer on her ATV. One tug on the pin and she was free of the caboose.

“What now?” Riddick asked behind her, sounding exasperated.

Bell smiled as she climbed on. “Don’t know about you, but I need a shower. The water on the ship is kinda reserved. If you wanna stink for the next two months stay here. Plus, my bag is back at that apartment.”

To Bell’s surprise Riddick climbed on behind her. Not straddling, but with both legs swinging on one side. “Good thinkin’. Let’s go.”

She took a moment to FEEL him. Not really touching her, but with the way he was sitting, one arm and part of his chest pressed against her back. Hard. Like when she’d bumped him earlier. He was made of firmer stuff than she was, but wasn’t that exactly what was so attractive about him? Or was it the air of danger? Danger? Riddick. Ha! Now that was a laugh. Half of the time she’d spent with him she’d wondered if, or more like WHEN he’d rid himself of her annoying presence. Drop her in some hole for the beasties. That would be just.

She shook her head clear. Shit! This heat had to be getting to her head. Had she just had a mental picture of Riddick shoving her down some dark hole with glistening teeth and sharp claws waiting at the bottom for her? Yikes.

“Moving?”

She hit the button, using the reserve energy to get the ATV running before the sun’s rays took over. “Sorry. Was thinking.”

The trip to the other end of the settlement only took a minute. On the way Bell remembered that Riddick had activated the apartment’s climate control. She kicked up the speed a bit to get there that much sooner. Off and trotting up the steps, she didn’t stop until she took a deep breath of artificially cool air. Damn, but she did hate Tangier 2.

“Welcome home, honey.”

Riddick’s blossoming humor around her was starting to weird her out. How did you best react to someone with such an impressive criminal history?

Bell chose to ignore him, instead heading for the bathroom. “Me first,” she said as she grabbed her bag on the way by.

Her hair was still damp where it had been tight in the braid against her head. Not even the hot wind of T2 could penetrate her thick hair it seemed.

Turning the water to a temperature that would have been shockingly cool normally, she stepped in and then just sighed at the simple luxury. If nothing else her adventures on Tangier would teach her the value of water. Not just to keep a person alive. The FEEL of it was necessary. To clean, to cool, to KNOW. Now just the sight of it soothed her, and the sound for that matter, and she’d include the smell if necessary.

Forever just wasn’t long enough. She could have stayed under the relaxing spray forever if she could. Unfortunately she didn’t have that long. The constant threat of some sort of darkness that would bring out nasty looking hungry beasts loomed in her conscience. Plus, she didn’t want to keep Riddick waiting. If he’d gone first she’d probably be banging on the door by now. And then there was the likelihood that he wouldn’t wait for too long. While this alternative didn’t send up the alarms it should have, it was still something she didn’t want to openly invite.

No towel. Shit! She’d forgotten there weren’t any clean towels or an acceptable alternative. Wipe and flick. Yeah, that worked GREAT!

Soaking wet, her clothes would barely go on at all. In the end she managed to get into a pair of shorts and a tee. Nothing fancy. She could change again on ship later after she’d dried better. That got her to thinking of clothes. Were there extra clothes on the ship? Surely Comate had had clothes for himself, but hadn’t Ramsay said there were clothes in the cargo bay? That would be worth looking into.

“Did you drown in there?”

Bell laughed. She could happily drown. “No, I’m washing my clothes.”

The door opened and she was once again privileged to see a half-naked Riddick. His shirt didn’t do much to cover, but without it his body rippled and gleamed in a way that went unnoticed before.

She was at the sink dunking her jeans, though the dunking part kind of stopped as she stared.

“I’m gettin’ in that shower. You can stay if you want.”

His shameless smile sent her out. She took her laundry with her, letting water run as she went. After all, what could a little water on the floor hurt? They were leaving in a matter of minutes anyway.

She heard Riddick chuckle before the door closed. Jerk.

The kitchen sink worked just as well for her laundry. Riddick’s shirt on the couch got washed too. Then she laid it all out with the hopes that it would dry some before they left.

She collected the last cans out of the cabinet, not knowing if they’d be needed or not. The thought of other people coming to Tangier, either in the same way they had or some other unknown way made her smile. They would just be shit outta luck. Water, but no food, and no ship. That was going too!

“What’re you grinnin’ at?”

His voice startled her, but she just kept smiling. “Was thinking what would happen if anyone ever crash lands here again. We’re taking everything.”

“You wanna leave behind a survival kit?”

She laughed, setting the bag on the counter, “No, they’ll just be shit outta luck.”

He’d put his dirty pants back on. Obviously he had nothing else.

“Comate might have clothes you can wear.”

He was before her now, that bare chest and the tiny droplets of water still drying in the hollows, drawing her gaze more than was proper. “Don’t matter.”

Silence.

Bell smiled. It was really the first uncomfortable silence between them that she could remember. It made her smile. In normal life, somewhere beyond this hellish planet, she’d been a lonely female. No dates, no men making passes at her. While she didn’t see herself as unattractive, she wasn’t a knockout either. Most of the time she did spend with men was either businesslike or uncomfortable. She just never knew what to say, and always felt that no matter what she’d say would be wrong.

With Riddick it had never occurred to her that she felt comfortable. Not share-your-secrets comfortable, but there was none of the pressure to be especially female.

“Thank you.”

He blinked. In surprise? Those opaque eyes gleamed at her for long seconds, “You’re thanking me for what?”

“Everything. All of it. Helping. Taking me along. Keeping me along. Just everything.”

He smiled as if he was actually pleased. “You didn’t give me much of a choice. I oughta be thankin’ you for keeping me along.”

She huffed, “You’ve never thanked anyone in your life.”

Narrowed eyes, body tensing. Had she gone too far?

“I thanked you.” His voice was deep, dangerous.

“I set you free,” she whispered.

“You did. At the cost of yours.”

Bell frowned. Is that how he saw it? It wasn’t the way she’d looked at it. Even now it didn’t seem so grave, but basically he was right. She’d helped an escaped convicted murderer escape the bounty hunter returning him to prison. It was a crime in the eyes of the law, and probably humanity.

“You would’ve died.” She couldn’t speak above a whisper and felt strangely close to tears.

When Riddick stepped forward, closing the space between them, she didn’t balk. It didn’t feel like an invasion so much as an affirmation. They weren’t necessarily safe, but for the moment they were free.

Her hands against his chest, just resting, not holding him back, seemed to encourage him. A nudge, a slight reposition and he was kissing her. Oh, god, it had never felt so right to be kissed.

His pace surprised her again. Still not the runaway train she expected. He was adamant, and that was all. She’d expect the same from any man, and expected much less from most. He wasn’t tender, but respectful, if of nothing more than their size difference.

Large hands covered her sides, literally covered, and he lifted her, setting her on the edge of the counter. Now she was the one leaning down. Her hands gripped his shoulders. Mmm, warm bare skin, still damp, scented like him, drawing her attention. Her legs naturally spread to accommodate him.

Now those hands were stroking, searching. Her shirt wasn’t much of a barrier. A thumb flicked a tight nipple and she moaned into his mouth. He repeated the motion causing her to offer herself even more.

His teeth pulled at her lip and then she was free of his consuming mouth. She panted for breath for a few moments. Slowly opening eyes stared up at her, willing her to respond.

“I won’t stop you this time.”

He growled roughly and she gasped as he pulled her forward off of the counter. Gripping his neck tightly, she had no choice but to hold on as he carried her through the small apartment.

***Britomartis: Just a little peril?