Dark Life, Dark Love

Chapter Two
Rya and the Necros Dilemma

When Riddick entered his new wife’s room to see the child, Ziza, he was surprised to find the young girl curled up in the arms of Rya. She had her head down, stroking the girl’s hair. Her expression was very maternally affectionate.

“Sryope Helicon, the Lord Marshall, Riddick, to see the child.” Daemon announced in a firm, resounding voice. Rya looked up at Riddick and smiled. Bowing her head briefly, she murmured, “My Lord.”

“Riddick.”

“What?”

“Call me Riddick.” She nodded, smiling. She seemed so docile. That wasn’t what he wanted in a woman. “And don’t look so happy.”

“Riddick, it is said that pregnant women are happy for absolutely no reason. Rya’s not quite pregnant, but the feelings are the same. She’s...” Daemon trailed off when Riddick went up to the bed the two girls were lying on, knelt down, and stroked Ziza’s cheek.

“Ziza, wake up.” He murmured. She stirred, and her eyes opened slowly. “Hey, it’s me.”

“Riddick. The monsters got Mama.”

“I know. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to save her, or your dad. Ziza, this is Sryope, my wife. She’s going to be taking care of you, okay? Now, I want you to go with Daemon here, and talk to...” He was unsure who to send her to.

“Marian and Kalush. They have children who’d like to meet you.” Rya murmured kindly.

“Yeah, go see them. You’re gonna have to stay with them for a while, because Sryope and I have some adult stuff to take care of. Okay? We’ll come get you in a while. Alright?”

Ziza nodded and hugged the hand that Riddick had been stroking her cheek with. She then slipped off the bed and followed Daemon out of the room and away.

“Adult stuff?” Rya inquired, arching an elegant eyebrow. She was sitting in the middle of the bed, and Riddick, at its foot, began crawling towards her.

“I figure, why waste time.”

He came closer, on all fours like an animal. Rya leaned back, propping herself up on her elbows. She’d changed into an emerald silk evening gown. Riddick realized that night had fallen when he glanced at the chronometer on the bedside table. Riddick straddled Rya’s waist, brushing himself against her. She caught her breath.

“I figure, why waste an opportunity. I have my wife, a beautiful goddess of a woman, lying on our bed, just waiting to be...” He trailed off as his mouth descended on hers, catching her in a passionate kiss.

When they broke apart, Rya whispered breathlessly, “But this... this is just sex, right?”

“Right. Is that a problem?”

“Nope, just checking,” she murmured before he kissed her once more, bringing her desire to life. He deftly untied the bodice of her gown, slipping the dress off easily. He removed his shirt, kicked off his boots, and kissed Rya again. He’d deal with his pants later. He looked into Rya’s eyes, saw a small amount of apprehension there. She was nervous, despite her seeming calm. He stroked her cheek with gentle fingers, then kissed her lips gently.

“If you want to wait, we can.”

“I...” She bit her lip. “I’d like to take a shower first, if my Lord has no objection.” Riddick rolled off of the red haired witch and sat at the edge of the bed. “My Lord-”

“Call me Riddick, Sryope. I hate being called anything else. Go on.” Gathering the dark green silk of her gown around her, she rose and walked towards the bathroom. She stopped at the door, glanced shyly over her shoulder at Riddick through the wild locks of copper hair hanging in her face.

“If it pleases you,” she murmured, catching his attention, “you may join me. And my name is Rya.” With that, she vanished through the doorway.

Riddick waited about ten to fifteen minutes, then followed after her. He came into the bathing area, seeing a huge, marble bathtub big enough to swim in, and a separate shower unit, with sliding doors of frosted glass. Both were huge. The sinks were large, about two or three feet in diameter, and at least two feet deep, made of marble as well. Was everything in this room made of marble? He saw Sryope- Rya, he reminded himself- was in the shower, washing her hair, singing. He stopped for a moment, mesmerized by her sweet voice. She was singing an old song, one he didn’t recognize, but it was very beautiful.

“Home is behind and the world ahead,
and there are many paths to tread:
into darkness, to the edge of night,
until the stars are all alight.
Mist and shadow, cloud and shade.
All shall fade, all shall fade.”

Riddick suddenly found himself intensely turned on by that gorgeous voice. Stripping quickly and procuring himself a towel for later, he slipped into the shower behind Rya. She drew in a shaky breath, and he knew that, no matter how long they waited, she would always be nervous.

Now, people didn’t know this, but Riddick had a soft spot for innocents. He could be a very tender lover, when he wanted to be.

“Is that all you know?” He asked quietly. She shook her head.
“I can recite a bit of poetry, and I know more songs than any other Black Widow among the Necromongers.” Her voice trembled as she spoke, for Riddick was coming up on her slowly, lazily, like a lion on the prowl.
“Recite me something.” He ordered. “Why?” “Just do it.” It would give him something to distract her with. She took a breath, closed her eyes, and began.

“‘There she weaves, by night and day, a magic web with colors gay.’ ” Riddick’s mouth came to rest just above her pulse, feeling it quicken under his soft lips.

“‘She has heard a whisper say,’ ” He sucked gently on the flesh at her neck, smiling inside as Rya leaned against him, eyes closed.

“‘A curse is on her, if she’d stray and look down on Camelot.’ ” His hands went around her to cup her full, soft breasts, his thumbs feathering lightly over her nipples. She couldn’t continue for a moment, but then she whispered, “‘She knows not what the curse may be, and so she weaves on, steadily, and little other care... hath... she...”

One of Riddick’s hands left her breast to glide lightly over her stomach, down, to the apex of her thighs, and dip between her legs. Oh, gods, if he touched her there...

He pressed a soft, sensitive spot, and she gasped. He stroked between her legs, making her gasp for breath as he pleasured her. His mouth was suckling her neck, one hand massaging her breast, the other testing her readiness for him. Rya shuddered as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her.

“Riddick...” She couldn’t continue, only whimper as her new Lord slipped two of his fingers inside of her. She moaned as he managed to touch every secret spot within her. There was a firestorm raging deep inside, brought on and fed by Riddick and his glorious touch. “Please... please...”

He had her pressed against the wall of the shower, her body pinned between the cool, wet wall and the hard, hot, wet wall of his chest. He looked down at her, fire in his shined eyes. Sliding her up the wall, he settled her legs on each of his hips, and slid her down onto his hard shaft.

When he first entered her, her eyes went wide and she moaned. Filling her, he heard her cry out as he hit a soft spot. For a moment, neither one of them moved, Riddick giving Rya time to adjust. Then, pulling back, he surged into her again, and again, she cried out. So much pleasure in such a simple thing as this... as he continued to thrust into her tight, wet body, she thrust her hips to meet him, giving him the best access.

As he felt her body start to grip him tighter, as her arms went around his neck, he thrust harder and faster. His mouth went to her breast, suckling her, making her throw her head back. Her arms went to cradle his head to her. When he felt her start to climax, he speared her one last time before allowing his own shattering release. She cried out his name and then went quiet and still.

“Rya?”

“Ooh... wow.”

“Dry off, and we’ll try the bed next. Maybe the bathroom counter. Or the bathtub.” She laughed, and he set her gently on her feet.

“I look forward to that.”

oo8oo8oo8oo

By the time Riddick and Rya went to check up on Ziza, it was nearly twelve hours later, and she was eating breakfast with three children Riddick discovered were called Arrianna, Daemonar, and Luthien. Marian, it seemed, was married to the younger Lord Vokko, Daemon’s brother.

“Ziza? How did you like spending the night here?” Rya asked the girl when they came in.

“Oh, I love it! Marian and Kalush are so cool, and Arri and Lulu are really neat! Daemonar is a cute baby.”

“I not baby!!” Shouted the three-year-old Necro. Seven-year-old Ziza nodded and said, “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

She smiled at Daemonar, who went back to eating his cereal. She and the other two girls all exchanged wry glances, rolling their eyes as if to say, Boys. Sigh.

Riddick glanced at Luthien and Arrianna, Kalush’s two daughters. Both had dark hair, though Luthien’s was dark brown and Arri’s was dark auburn. They both had sparkling blue-gray eyes, like Kalush herself. They had cute, chubby faces, both of them being only seven, like Ziza, but they had a strange, almost adult seriousness about them when they weren’t engaged in conversation with their new friend.

“My Lord Marshall, perhaps you know my husband, Lord Aaron?” Aaron was the dark skinned, black-haired man who was often seen with Daemon. The two of them, as well as the husbands of many of the other Black Widows, had grown up together. Aaron was a great fighter.

“I’ve met him. He’s... a good man.” Rya smiled, and Kalush blushed with pleasure at the praise for her husband.

“Dame Narkhava, Dame Yaslana! I... Lady Helicon... my Lord Marshall! Well, it’s a good thing the two of you are here, because there’s a fleet of ships, hostile intentions clear, they’ve fired at us, and we need-” A herald had just come through the door.

“The Black Widows, of course.” Rya murmured. “We set traps.” She explained when Riddick glanced at her in confusion. “And you’ll need the Queens, I assume.”

“Yes, uh... my Lord, do you wish to speak to these people?” The messenger turned to Riddick, who nodded, replying, “But I want you with me, Rya.” She looked surprised.

“Me?”

“You.” She was his key to understanding Necro protocol and custom. “You and Daemon.” She nodded, saying, “Alright. Give me ten minutes.”

“Why are you attacking us?” Rya asked as soon as communications were established with the flagship.

“Who are you, bitch?” Asked the man staring down at Riddick, Rya, Daemon, and Jaenelle (Dame Vokko) in the COM room.

Riddick bristled. Rya was an enemy of this upstart bastard on the screen, and Riddick didn’t love her enough to be angry, but she was polite enough for the situation, and she was his woman. There was no reason to speak to her in such a way, as Riddick’s rather contemptuous expression told the man.

“My name is Sryope Thalia Helicon, and I am the High Priestess of the Necromongers, and wife to the Lord Marshall.”

She drew up tall, looking suddenly very forbidding. Her red hair was pulled back in a tight braid, making her face look cold and stern when she set her mouth in a forbidding line. Her eyes were glacial emeralds, and contempt was written upon her face. Dressed in black leather pants and a green, silk tank top, wearing knee-high boots of black leather and a cloak of black leather lined with emerald satin, she was the image of a dark lady. Her favorite color had to be green, Riddick thought, or she wouldn’t wear it that much. And she looked pretty damn sexy in it, too.

“Well, Miss Helicon, the Necromongers are the enemies of our planet, Necreon, and our Sovereign has demanded the heads of both the Lord Marshall and his whore on silver plates before we return home. Wait, that’s the two of you, isn’t it? That makes our job a whole lot easier.”

The screen went blank right after Riddick murmured, as if to himself, “You guys don’t know who you’re fucking with.” As soon as they knew they weren’t being listened to, both women turned to their husbands.

“Riddick,” Daemon murmured, “Necreon is our home planet, but it’s been taken over by renegades from the Elemental world. We have to destroy them.”

“No. I don’t like running, but from what Rya told me, they outnumber us vessel wise ten to one. We should high tail it for now.”

“They’ll come after us.” Jaenelle protested.

“But when they find us, we’ll be on the surface of a planet, whichever planet that may be, and that will be to our advantage.”

“To yours maybe, but-” Daemon was cut off by Rya murmuring, almost unheard, “May I make a suggestion?”

Riddick looked at her questioningly.

“Riddick and I will go to their flagship. Alone. Or at least, seemingly alone. Some of the girls will come with us, unseen and unknown. We’ll take it down. After we make a deal. Is this plan acceptable?”

Daemon looked like he was about to protest, but then he got a calculating look in his eyes.

“What deal?”

“That, we send our ships away, and they send theirs away. Some of our girls can tell if they comply or not.” Jaenelle murmured, reading Rya’s mind. Riddick grinned at Daemon’s sigh of frustration.

“You don’t think our darlings can handle this plan of theirs?” Daemon groaned, murmuring, “I believe Rya’s feminine wiles have brainwashed you, Riddick.”

“I don’t know, what do you think, Rya?” The Black Widow merely rolled her eyes. “Exactly what I thought you’d say. Bring those fuckers back.” The screen came up.

“What the fuck, Necromonger? What do you want?”

“My wife and I,” at this, Rya came up and sat on Riddick’s lap, her arms around his neck, “wish to make you a deal. If you send all but this particular ship away, so that we know you won’t attack our fleet once Rya and I are with you, we’ll allow ourselves to be taken.”

“How do we know you won’t attack our ship with your fleet?”

“We’ll send all but our flagship away as well. Do we have a deal?”

“It had better be just you and your whore. Is there any last request we can offer you? It is our way, after all, much as we hate you.”

“I want... three hours.”

“Why?”

“Fuck, man, I’m married. If you had only three hours left and a gorgeous wife, what would you do?” The renegade elemental laughed long and hard. He had to admit, the Necro had a very good point: he did only have three hours to live, and his whore of a wife was indeed very lovely.

“Sure, why not?” The screen went blank. The clock started ticking.

oo8oo8oo8oo

“You know, the only fun I had like this with a woman before was Kyra.”

Riddick and Rya were setting out weapons, seeing what could be fit into which and which could be hidden by what. Rya’s weapons, the knives and such anyway, were all mostly made of metal, and that wouldn’t work. They’d be detected too easy. Rya sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

“Okay, metal wise, all either of us can take are my hair pins.” He stared at her, incredulous. “Among the Necromongers, a warrior woman is considered to have poor taste if she has no bauble of some lethal purpose.” Opening her bureau drawer, she withdrew six stilettos, with jade flowers for handles. Gathering up her hair and pinning it up on her head, she slipped the six daggers into her hair. They looked like normal hairpins. But damn...

“Nice.”

“Thank you.” She then knelt at the foot of the dresser, pulled out a drawer, and began pulling out weapons. There were knives made of diamond, there were twin swords of the same, and a diamond gun with glass darts. She was packing way more than that as she emptied the drawer.

But then, she opened one other drawer, pulled out what appeared to be a closed fan, and a short, wooden rod. Flicking her wrist, the rod elongated and became a staff. Out of the end of the staff came a curved blade of shining steel.

“This was a gift from my father. It belonged to my great-great- grandmother, a woman named Keladry of Mindelan. It is said it belonged actually to her mother, but we don’t know for certain. It’s called naginata, or the glaive.” She collapsed it in on itself, so that it looked like a harmless piece of wood once more.

“And this?” Riddick indicated the fan.

“Shukusen. Lady fan. A weapon for when a woman doesn’t wish to carry a weapon. It is extremely foolish to go into any situation without the means to defend oneself. However, those are all the weapons I have that can be sneaked onboard with us. The girls will all have their own.”

Rya sighed and set the two weapons on the top of the pile. When she rose from her kneeling position and turned towards Riddick, she found herself faced with the muscular wall of his chest.

“You’re a very dangerous woman.” He whispered, looking down at her with shined eyes.

“Thank you.”

“Let me undress you.”

“Why?”

“There’s something very erotic in the way a man takes off a woman’s clothes.” All this time, he’d been backing her up towards the bed, and she sank onto it gracefully. Riddick knelt and began unlacing her boots, slipping them off her elegantly shaped feet. He then rolled the black silk stockings down her calves and off. All the while, his eyes were on her, watching her watch him. He gripped the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. “Stand up.”

Standing, she shivered as Riddick, still on his knees, nuzzled her stomach. He pulled the zipper of her pants down, sliding the leather over her hips and down. She stepped out of her final piece of clothing, and Riddick scooped her up and laid her on the bed.

“Don’t any of you women wear underwear? Hold still, Rya.” He kissed her once on the lips, then traveled down. His mouth moved over her throat, down over her collarbone. He kissed his way past her breasts, down over her flat stomach, past the juncture of her legs. He spread her knees to blow hot, moist hair against her. She let out the shaky breath she’d been holding, ragged gasps and soft whimpers replacing it when Riddick’s tongue touched her intimately, tasted her. He held her still, his hands at her hips, and all she could do was clench the blanket tightly.

“Riddick!” Nipping with his sharp, white teeth, tasting her with his tongue, he felt her begin winding tighter and tighter, close to release. Her taste was sweet, almost spicy, and definitely addictive. She cried out as he pleasured her. How did he do it, she wondered? How did he learn to play a woman like... like a violin? When she felt herself start to climax, Rya decided she really didn’t care. “Riddick!” She shattered under the glorious feeling of his mouth on her, and sighed softly.

“I’m not finished, Rya.” Riddick was hovering over her, still fully clothed, just waiting. Rya’s gorgeous green eyes were bright with anticipation.

“Shirt.” He smirked at her imperial tone. “Off, now.” The black muscle shirt came off. “Boots.” The boots came off.

“Anything else, my lady?”

“Pants.” The pants came off as well. “Good boy.” His mouth slammed down on hers, kissing her passionately. His tongue slipped into her mouth, exploring her. She could tell he was hungrier, more... needy than last time. His passion kind of scared her, but it excited her as well. His mouth went to her throat, tasting her skin. His manhood brushed against her, making her gasp and tremble. “Riddick...”

“Shhh...” He continued sucking on her neck as her arms went around him, her fingers running up and down his back, caressing the hard muscles. But then, he went back to her mouth, kissing her ever so gently. The kiss deepened, becoming far more passionate as he surged into her, making her moan and press close to him. He pulled back and thrust into her again, burying himself within her. He felt her nails pierce the flesh of his back as he continued to love her.

He broke the kiss as he pressed his face against the hollow of her shoulder. He was still going strong, and she whispered, pleaded more like it, in his ear, “Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.” Her legs wrapped around his waist, loving it as he started to thrust faster and harder, feeling the release as it crashed down on both of them simultaneously.

“Rya!”

“Riddick!” They didn’t move for a moment, the two of them lost in the glow of being together. They weren’t even in love, and their sex was this good. Imagine, Rya thought deep in her heart, if we were in love, how wonderful it would be. She wished he wouldn’t move, ever, from being deep inside of her. She loved the feel of him moving within, pleasuring her. Hell, what woman wouldn’t? But, to her disappointment, he withdrew from what he considered the sanctuary of her body to lie beside her. She rolled over, putting one arm around his waist and resting her head on his chest.

“Rya, why don’t any of the women here have eyelashes?” That had been bugging him.

“They’re burned off. Karla, though, you met her, she’s still got hers. Her lashes are snow white, like her hair and her eyebrows. It’s so cool. But because she’s one of the Arctics, she’s allowed to keep her eyelashes. Don’t ask why, because I have no idea.”

“Why?” She sighed. “I mean, why just her? Why not the other women, too?”

“By Necromonger custom, hair belongs on the head, and in the instance of men, on the face, nowhere else.”

“Nowhere?”

“Nowhere.”

“I noticed.”

“I’m sure you did.” She put her leg over his hip, shifting to lie halfway on him. “Now for my question. Why are you so good to me, Riddick? I know you don’t love me, so...”

“Do you mean the sex?”

“Well, the sex is good, too.”

“Good? Just good?”

“Fine, Riddick, the sex is great. I mean, why do you... treat me like you like me?”

“Because I do like you. And, you’re pretty decent, as far as women go.”

She blushed at his praise. Kyra, whom she spoke to, soul to soul, had told her a lot about Riddick, and she said he rarely gave praise. When he did, it was well earned.

“I think... I think I could learn to love you. After a while. You’re not in love with me, are you?”

“Not yet, Riddick.” She replied.

“What, as good looking as I am?” She laughed at him and set the chronometer on the table for an hour.

“Sleep, Rya. You need it.”

She shook her head in protest even as her eyes drifted closed and she went limp, exhausted from the last, sleepless twenty-four hours. He kissed her forehead and let himself fall asleep.

oo8oo8oo8oo

“Rya, are you ready for this?” Riddick looked into her eyes, saw the anxiety. “We can back out and run, you realize that, right?”

She shook her head. She went to the dresser and pulled out five pieces of jewelry. There was a pendant, with a dark green jewel, so dark it was almost black. There was also a pair of earrings, a bracelet, and a belly button ring. All five pieces had the same dark green jewel, and all five pieces looked really good on her.

“I can do this.” She pinned up her hair with the stiletto hairpins, and slipped all of her blades into her clothes. She slipped on a gold ring, a snake with emerald eyes. She then laced up her boots, slipping three blades into each boot. “I can.”

“You’re a fucking walking arsenal.”

“You know you want me, Riddick.” She smirked at his scorching look. “Ah, you’re obviously nuts about me.”

“Obviously.” Riddick murmured against her lips as he kissed her. “Why the jewelry?”

“It holds my reservoir of Necro power. We transfer it into our Jewels, and we can draw on energy from the Underverse through the corresponding Monolith that stands at the gates of Underverse.”

“So, there actually is an Underverse.”

“Yes. I don’t know if it’s perfect, but I do know that it is one of the five pentacle points of the universe, and holds a great deal of power. The Jewel Monoliths stand behind the Gate, like guards, keeping out nonbelievers. But they also hold extreme power. Anyway, the Jewels are a weapon, but only I can use these. Don’t ask.” She said at his confused look.

“Wasn’t gonna. And the ring?”

“Poisonous barbs. Black Widows are immune to most poisons, because their bodies create the deadliest poison in the universe.”

“Are Black Widows born? Or are they, like, trained or something?”

“Both. The daughters of Black Widows, natural or not, tend to be natural Black Widows. The unnatural ones don’t have snake teethe. Lucky them.”

“Will Kyra be born a natural Black Widow?”

“We won’t know until she turns fourteen.” Riddick nodded, deciding that was enough information for the time being.

“Come on, babe.”

oo8oo8oo8oo

They started walking towards the main hangar. Halfway there, Daemon, Jaenelle, Karla, Raevyn, and a few others joined them. This was the Black Widow team that was assigned to them.

“Why is Daemon the only guy here besides me?”

“He’s the only male Black Widow among the Necromongers besides his son and his nephew. And they’re both too young. Alright, everyone, shields up. Riddick, it’s just you and me, okay?”

He nodded as the others immediately vanished. Stepping onto the transport, a T-48, both Riddick and Rya sat in the pilots’ seats, and left the flagship.


oo8oo8oo8oo

Hey, yeah, it’s me. This story is, I think, one of my best, though some of you may disagree and say, “This is a pile of shit!” However, I ask that, when you review, if you review (please!) if you flame, tell me what the problem is, not just “this story sucks huge balls.” Okay? And I’m sorry if you don’t like my chick. She’s not a mary-sue, though, because of the following reasons:

Though she is pretty, she is not the prettiest chick among them. Good looks are bred into Black Widow genes. And you gotta admit, all five women from “Chronicles” (Kyra, Aereon, Dame Vokko, Imam’s wife, and the Merk chick) are all pretty. Aereon’s old, but hey, she’s pretty. Reminds me of my Grandma, only my grandma’s prettier.

Though she is a good fighter, she’s not the best, and Riddick’s gonna have to rescue her at least a few times. As for being at least a decent fighter, look at the Necromongers, just look at them! Not only that, but weapon and hand-to-hand combat proficiency is what comes from being around Daemon Vokko since you were a kid.

She is not smarter than everyone else, it is just that Riddick, new to the Necro community, doesn’t want his “weakness” in that area broadcast all over the fucking world, and so asks her all of his questions, and no one else, usually.

She can’t (cannot) do everything, and she can’t do more than the other women like her can do. All women and most men of the Necromongers (in my fic) are taught what is called Craft. What we would call witchcraft. It just so happens that Rya and the other Black Widows specialize in a particular form of Craft. I don’t have a name for it yet. shrug

And this is a shout out to two of three of my favorite High School grads, Bryan Carillo and Christ Hallahan. Bryan, you still owe me a hug!

Anyway, R/R, please! Tell me what you think, what you like and don’t like, what you wanna see, what I should fix, etc. It won’t happen (most likely) unless someone somewhere tells me about it first.

So, how is this chapter? I mean, how was this chapter? As for why they want to go to the ship in the first place is, once they get on, they can take it over and add to their fleet. Greedy peoples, they are. Anyway, please R/R, please!! I love reviews, I do! They are always appreciated, flames or praise. Thankies to all who read, and extra thanks to reviewers!

In the words of JunoMagic:

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