Predator

Chapter 15

While Riddick and Ian spoke of the dangers their wife would face in Kortoth, Tyr held her in his arms and kissed her sweat-beaded forehead. The thought of her entering that hell dimension terrified him to the core of his being. She was his world…even when they were separated and he couldn’t bear the thought of any harm befalling her. “I just got you back.” He whispered as he rested his chin on top of her head and stroked her hair. “I can’t lose you again.”

“You won’t lose me, Tyr.”

“Baby, you’re awake?”

“I hurt too much to stay unconscious.” She curled into his chest and silent tears rolled down her cheeks. “I still have to go, Tyr. I have to save him.”

“Alexandra, I have no doubts that you will survive your journey into Kortoth to save Ares but you are placing Riddick’s son in danger. You cannot do that to him and his child.”

Riddick overheard their whispered conversation and was shocked by Tyr’s concern for his son. His attention turned to Ian when he started to speak in his mind. ‘You seem surprised that Tyr cares about your son. Don’t be. To a Nietzchean male, nothing is more important than his mate and children.’

‘That explains his concern for Alex’s safety and him not wanting Jesse to lose his mother but why should he care about my son?’

‘As much of an…asshole we think Tyr is because of the way he treated us, he cared about all of our sons. He would never want you to be denied the privilege of becoming a father and he would protect your son with his life.’

Riddick glanced over his shoulder and observed the way Tyr comforted their grieving wife. He could see the man’s pain and anxiety etched across his face and his tension coiled in every muscle. ‘He loves her.’

‘Just as much as the rest of us.’ He slapped his shoulder and ushered Riddick towards the couple. ‘She’s awake and we need to discuss her intentions.’

“There is nothing to discuss, Ian.” Alex scooted up to lean against the headboard upon hearing the conclusion of their mental conversation. “I’m going and nothing you can say will change my mind.”

“Nothing I can say?” Anger surged through Ian’s being at her stubborn words. He grabbed her shoulders and drug her up on to her knees in fury. “Alexandra, how could you say that? Do you have any idea of the danger you’ll be in? Every one you’ve killed is in there and they’ll be on you the second you step through the portal!”

“I’m well aware of all of that, Ian, but…”

“And the portal! You made it so that it couldn’t be breached! We don’t even know if you can get in!”

“You do remember how our power works, don’t you? Anything we can think of comes to pass.”

“You thought of everything when you devised the barrier!”

Her eyes were still red from earlier and his turned white while he ranted his concerns. Her hand cupped his bearded cheek and her touch halted his words. “Ian, calm down.” He was on the verge of hyperventilating but her gentle caress on his face slowed his breath. “It’s okay, love.”

“No it isn’t. There are billions of your enemies there and they will all try to kill you.” His eyes returned to their normal amber and tears formed. “You’ll die and I won’t be there to care for you.”

She pulled him in to an embrace and gently rubbed his back. “Ian, can you feel the hole inside of me?” He hesitantly nodded his head. “My conscience is gone. I’m missing a vital part of myself and everything I’ve done up until now will be for nothing if I don’t get him back.”

“I know, love, but you know the odds of you dying are astronomical.” She took a deep breath and nodded her head. “Riddick’s son will die if you die. He’ll die if he is born there.”

Her eyes met Riddick’s and his pain was evident in his features. “I’ll hold on and I’ll get out in time.” The promise was in the conviction of her voice and the determination in her gaze. “I won’t let any harm befall our son.”

The father-to-be nodded his head in acknowledgment of her decision. “Alex, I think there’s something you need to know.”

“Someone stole part of the Phoenix force.”

“Yeah and I think it’s…”

“My ex-husband.” She continued for Riddick. “Who; as it turns out; is the man who contracted you to kill me.”

“Would you stay out of my head and let me finish?”

“I can’t. It was hard to keep your thoughts out of my head before but it’s damn near impossible now that we are mated. When I bond with a mate a portion of the Phoenix transfers to the male. It connects with you as an individual entity and then connects to me.”

Riddick looked shocked when he heard this information. “Are you saying that the Phoenix that now inhabits my body acts independently of the core?”

“Yes. I have a lot to deal with on a universal level and I can’t be with each of you constantly so; to ensure your safety; I enabled the Phoenix to act on your behalf.”

“How did your ex get out of Kortoth?”

“Tristan was the first mortal I mated.” Her eyes drifted to Ian’s before she sat on her legs and indicated with a pat of her hand for her 2 mates to sit. “I did not know that the human tolerance to the cosmic power would be so low. The portion I gave him was a fraction of what Tyr and Duncan possess.” She looked at Riddick. “You and Ares are supernatural beings and are capable of handling more. Ian is my equal and his power is his own.”

Tyr moved up to sit behind Alex and placed his hands on her waist. “So what happened to Tristan?”

“It drove him mad.” Riddick’s eyebrow rose and she felt Tyr tense up against her. “Don’t panic. You are both perfectly safe. It was trial and error back then.” Her emotions overcame her and the flames leaked from her burning eyes. “It was my fault. I turned him into a monster.”

“Alex.” Riddick ran his thumb across her cheeks to extinguish her tears and tilted up her chin. “What did he do?”

“The power corrupted him. He turned from a beautiful spirit to an obsessive, power-crazed butcher.” Her tears flowed anew and she drew in a shaky sob. “He killed a lot of people. I had to stop him.” Tyr pulled her back against his chest and held her gently in his arms. Riddick’s curiosity was piqued when Alex calmed down. “He kept professing his undying love when I…when I stripped my power from his body and…”

“Shh, Alex. It’s okay, baby.” Tyr whispered in her ear and nuzzled the side of her face with his own. “Calm down, my love.”

Riddick and Ian quietly watched the man they both despised comfort their wife and slowly bring her down from a dangerous level of hysterics. Emotions were still new to Riddick. He had only been with her for a few days but Alex opened him up to feelings and sensations that he was just getting accustomed to.

‘You will be able to give her that too.’

‘I don’t know, Ian. How does he do that? He isn’t even exerting his will over her and; with a word; he can ease her pain.’

‘Tyr is an emotional being and so is she. The two of them always acted as a single unit. He can feel everything she feels and acts on it. Whether it is to match her or defuse her, he always stands by her side. I think that is what confused me most when I discovered his betrayal.’

‘How am I supposed to know what she feels and needs?’

‘You already do. You just haven’t learned how to respond to it yet. When you become acclimated to the Phoenix entity within your being, you will know her as well as I do. The love you have for her will dictate your actions.’

‘I hope so.’ Her tears finally lessened off and Riddick gently laid his hand on her thigh. “Baby, how did he get out of Kortoth?”

“He didn’t. I never sent him there. He was banished to a planet in the farthest star system from the known galaxy.” She lowered her eyes and whispered. “I left him there to die.”

“How did he survive let alone get back here?”

“I think I know.” Riddick and Tyr looked at Ian waiting for an answer while his eyes met Alex’s. “The Phoenix did not want to abandon its mate. The part of you that you tore out of him went to reclaim what it was chosen to cherish and protect. Its power was diminished but; after a great deal of time passed; it finally reached a level where it could get him back here.”

“You’ve gotta be fucking with us, Ian!” Riddick turned to his wife; who appeared to be lost in thought; and asked. “How is that possible?” He received no response. “Alex!”

Her head snapped up and she addressed her three males in a hollow voice. “Come with me.” They quickly found they had no choice when she teleported all of them to the gardens.

Her mates’ attention was drawn immediately to a shimmering circle of space directly before them. Riddick focused on the blurred image within. “What the fuck is that?”

Alex answered while she stared at the ashes at her feet. “The portal to Kortoth.”

“Baby, are you doing this?” Tyr glanced between his distracted mate and the dimensional window. “Alexandra!”

“No.”

“The image is becoming clear, my love.” Ian watched the vision coalesce and his blood ran cold when it came into focus. “Ares.”

Alex drew in a deep breath to steady herself before she looked up and peered through the portal. Her immortal husband had been beaten badly and was under siege from a legion of the damned.

Riddick watched the horde of men close on the defenseless God of War. He could use his physical strength to fight his assailants but could not utilize his godly powers. His strength was enough to beat off a hundred or so men but not the thousands that were present.

“This is Tristan’s doing.” They all turned to Alex at the sound of her bitter voice. “He wishes to see me suffer like he was made to suffer.” She let a mask of indifference slip over her features as she looked at her three mates. “He will not get that pleasure from me.”

“My love?” Ian asked as she backed up a couple of feet. “What are you doing?”

She closed her eyes and focused her cosmic energy into her body. “I’m increasing my physical strength to its maximum level.” Her arms hung at her side, palms open, until she accomplished her goal and fisted her hands. “I can only use my strength there.” Her clothing transformed into a black leather sleeveless top, pants, and boots and she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and secured it with a strap of leather. Two swords in leather sheaths appeared crossed over her back and throwing knives fitted into a leather belt that draped her waist. “I think these might come in handy too.”

Tyr looked at her demeanor and surmised that the Angel of Death now stood before them. “You intend to do this now?”

“Time flows differently there.” She darted her eyes towards the portal and then back to her mates. “Ares has been gone for minutes here but to him it feels like he’s been there forever.”

“My love, let me go with you. I can help…”

“No, Ian. I need you here. You have to go to the temple and absorb the rest of the Phoenix to ensure its safety.” She cupped the back of his neck and drew his forehead to hers. “Do two more things for me, my beloved?”

“Anything.” He choked out with overwhelming emotion.

“Protect our family and reconstruct Ares’ body. I want it ready when his essence is returned.” He nodded his head. “I love you, Ian.”

“I love you, milady.”

She released him and turned to Riddick and Tyr. Their thoughts invaded her mind and she waved them off. “Don’t even think about it. I will not risk the two people in existence that can remove my rage and control my inner fire.”

“Baby, we can help you! We can cover your back!”

“Richard, you have no experience handling our combined power within you. One mistake…one slip and that place will cause you pain unlike any you’ve ever felt before or could possibly imagine.” Her eyes returned to their normal black when he held her shoulders. “You cannot force me to change my mind. I will not allow any harm to befall you or our son.”

“What about me?” She turned at the sound of Tyr’s pained voice. “The power you gave me increased my strength. It doesn’t manifest the way yours, Ian’s, and Riddick’s does. I can protect you and ensure the survival of Riddick’s child.”

“You two don’t get it, do you? I love you both too much to allow any of my enemies to even lay a hand on you!” A sharp stab of pain shot through her body stopping her rant and Alex stumbled back into Riddick’s arms. She quickly righted herself and rushed to stand before the portal. “No.” A group of men closed in on Ares as he came upon an incline that was a hundred yards from the portal.

He had been fighting and running for what seemed like years. When he woke up in this strange place his first instinct told him he was in Tartarus but he had visited Hades’ domain on several occasions and this was definitely not it. He tried to remember what happened before he arrived here and the only thing that came to mind was Alex screaming out to him in his head.

All of his combatants seemed to know who he was and were determined to kill him. ‘Ah shit. I’m in Kortoth and that means I’m dead.’ A flash of light in his dark surroundings beckoned him and he had been fighting for days to reach it. He had finally reached a hill that; once he ascended it; would allow him to reach his goal. ‘It’s a hole in space.’

Just as it came within sight, his pursuers caught up to him and; in his exhausted and weakened condition; pulled him down. Before he lost sight of the portal, he thought he saw his deepest desire and cried out. “Alex!”

Her eyes met his, the instant before he was torn from her sight. “Ares!” Anguish and rage surged through her and ignited her true nature. Her clenched fists erupted with the power of a sun and she released wave after wave of cosmic energy at the barrier.

The three men present backed away from the immediate vicinity and watched in awe as the woman they loved unleashed the full force of the power she currently possessed. She maintained the output of energy for over 30 minutes just to see it dispelled back at her.

“Damn it!” She reined in the Phoenix and glared at the portal as if it was mocking her. “I made this piece of shit and I will not allow it to stop me!” She stalked up to the sealed entrance and drew back her right fist. Her punch impacted at chest level with a left and another right to follow. Each blow was so powerful that the force of them reverberated through the air.

She began her assault again but only connected with the right and left before the portal redirected her kinetic energy back at her. She was thrown 30 feet through the air before she crashed to the ground. Regaining her feet, she screamed in frustration.

Chest heaving from the anger that coursed through her system, she walked 10 feet closer to the source of her fury. She glanced through the opening and caught a glimpse of her mate once again. He stared back at her with a look that said goodbye before he was dragged down the incline.

“No.” Her right fist was enveloped in cosmic energy again and her inner beast broke free. She ran towards the barrier at supernatural speed and; right before she would have slammed into it; she drove her fiery hand straight through. The portal’s barrier cracked and her momentum carried her through until she landed on solid ground and ran towards her mate. Her arm began to burn until she drew the force back within.

The barrier began to seal itself but; before it closed; Riddick and Tyr followed their wife through. They exchanged a glance before they looked for Alex. Her speed far exceeded theirs and she had already reached the hill.

Ares felt like he was drowning in a sea of bodies when he felt someone grab his hand and pull him from the oppressive weight. A vision of beauty appeared before his eyes and a familiar voice met his ears. “Hi there, handsome. Did you miss me?” She smiled brightly at him before she pulled him behind her and faced his attackers. “Now let’s see about getting you home.”