Predator

Chapter 29

Tyr, Rhade, and Ian left the bedchambers to retrieve Jesse and fill him in on the current situation that the Nietzcheans were in. The animosity between Tyr and Rhade came off of them in waves and Ian made sure to keep them apart when they reached the Halls of War.

Riddick watched his mate pace their room in thought and sensed her unease. He moved up behind her and waited until she ran into him before he stopped her by grasping her shoulders. “I can tell you are worried about the coming battle.” He swept her up in his arms and carried her back to bed. “Do you want to tell me why?”

“Do you remember when I told you about what happened to your people?” She glanced nervously at his face as he nodded his head. “You were not the only Furyan male to be strangled by your umbilical cord but you were the only one to survive.”

He took a sharp breath and released it slowly while he processed this new information. His childhood trauma was the thing that shaped his destructive future and made him the wanted criminal that he was in the present. “What does this Lord Marshall have to do with anything that happened to me?”

“He is the man that tried to strangle you and killed all the other Furyans.” She felt his anger surge through his system and heard the barest growl erupt from his throat. “There was a prophecy that his rein of power would end at the hands of a Furyan and, to prevent that from coming to pass, he swept through your race eliminating everyone on sight.”

“All of that to prevent a fucking prophecy from coming true! Who the fuck even believes in prophecies?”

“You’d be surprised.” She thought about her own existence ceasing to be when the prophesied child was born that would become the new Protector of Life. “A lot of people believe in prophecies, legends, and lore. It makes real life more interesting.”

Riddick pulled her body on top of his and slid his erection along her wet folds as she straddled his waist. “You’re life is hardly boring.” He watched her eyes drift shut and heard a sigh escape her lips at his intimate caress. “You have us, Logan, the kids and countless people that rely on you for a multitude of things.” He grasped her hips and lifted her onto his straining shaft until he was buried within her tight channel. “Someone like you doesn’t need to believe in prophecies to have an interesting life.”

Her hands braced on the expanse of his chest to steady herself and she threw her head back when he lifted her up and slammed her back down repeatedly on his cock. He watched her writhe in ecstasy as her desire grew in intensity and she began to shimmer with her inner power. “Oh my God! Richard, you feel so good inside of me, baby!”

“Baby, your pussy feels so good wrapped around my cock! You’re always so tight and hot!” His eyes were clenched shut from the exquisite pressure her body was applying to his penetrating shaft. He was almost so far gone in his intense pleasure that he didn’t notice the Phoenix force encase their mating bodies. The glow of the flames permeated his eyelids and his eyes snapped open to fix her with his stare. “Baby, I’m not complaining but why is your avatar joining in?”

Alex was too overwhelmed with sensation to hear her mate’s question and immediately the Phoenix took Riddick beyond the point of reason as well. Their senses were heightened to the highest level of intensity by the avatar and all they could focus on was reaching the pinnacle of their oncoming release.

Riddick looked on in awe at his wife while she eagerly rode him and met each of his thrusts with a force to match. Her glowing eyes locked on his before she clenched them shut and threw her head back as her climax began to sweep through her. Riddick cried out when her inner muscles clamped down on him and they both screamed when their orgasms struck.

The glow of Alex’s avatar happily faded when it completed its objective and Alex collapsed on to Riddick’s chest in exhaustion. His arms wrapped around her back and held her tight while they slowly recovered from their mating. “Alex, honey, are you okay?” He could barely gasp out the question while he was still trying to calm his breathing.

“Mmhmm.” It took her several minutes to come to her senses and recall the emergence of her power during the most mind-blowing lovemaking she has had with Riddick since they bonded. “The Phoenix was here.”

“Yeah.” She sat up and stared at him. He saw her focus inward in concentration and then her hands flew to rest on her lower abdomen. “Baby, what is it?”

“Baby.” She whispered in wonder.

“Yeah?”

“No, Richard, I mean it is a baby.” She smiled as she ran her hands lightly over her stomach. “I guess the Phoenix decided to alter my genetic makeup to enable me to carry your child.”

“Now! You decided to carry our child now when we are about to go into another fucking battle?” Her eyes snapped to his when he shouted but his tirade ended there when he saw her wide panic stricken stare. “I’m sorry, baby.” He pulled her into a quick embrace before he held her at arms length and gave her an apologetic look. “I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. You know I want this. I begged you for it but I’m just concerned about the timing.”

She could see the worry in his silver orbs and understood instantly that he was petrified that something would happen to his child during this latest crisis. He almost lost Dorian when they were in Kortoth. He watched Tyr lose his son a few days ago. He just learned of the man that was single-handedly responsible for the genocide of his entire race and had left him to die in a dumpster with his cord wrapped around his neck. He was scared to death.

“It will be alright, love.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and her smile brought him a sense of peace. “I promise you that nothing will happen to this baby.”

“I know nothing is going to happen to him because you aren’t leaving this room until he’s born.”

“Richard, do not even start with me about sitting out of this war. I will not stay out of it just because I’m pregnant. I have a lot to lose if this goes badly and I will not allow you to order me to stay on the sidelines.” The entire time she was ranting his hands were gently tracing over her abdomen and his eyes focused on the home of his unborn child. “I will have to seriously limit the use of my cosmic power while I’m carrying this child but my strength is more than enough to handle any threat that comes my way. Richard, are you listening to me?”

“Yeah, baby.” He smiled and a single tear ran down his cheek. His face became stern and he glanced back up into her eyes. “I don’t know what your interest in the Majoram Pride is other than the fact that you are or were fucking Rhade but you better swear to me that nothing will happen to you or our baby!”

She sheepishly glanced away from his penetrating glare. “You picked up on the whole Rhade and me thing, huh?”

“Please! A man would have to be blind to not notice how your body reacts to his presence.” He cupped her chin and turned her face back to his. “Look I know men are drawn to you. All they have to do is look at you and they want to fuck you but when they look in your eyes and see the real you, they fall in love with you. No one wants to let you go after they get to see the real you. Does Rhade love you?”

“Yes.”

“Will he protect you, fight for you and give his life to save yours like Tyr would?”

“Yes.”

“That is good to hear because that is the only way I will allow you out of my sight for an instant.” He kissed her gently on her lips and leant his forehead against hers. “Do we really have to separate? I’d feel better if you were by my side so I can protect my family.”

“Yes, we have to separate but I will transport back and forth from your location to Nietzchean space as often as possible.”

“My location? Are you saying we aren’t going to be in the same system?”

“I’ll explain everything when we meet the others in the Halls of War and we really need to get going.”

~*~

By the time Riddick and Alex walked hand in hand into the Halls of War, Ian had already gathered the rest of her mates, children, the Wielders, Rhade, and the Commanders of her fleet. The couple drew the attention of the mates, Logan and Rhade the instant they entered the room.

Ian walked behind them and whispered. “You neglected to bathe before you came here. Do you have any idea how difficult it is going to be to concentrate on this meeting while we can scent sex on you?” He moved to take his seat on her left while Riddick held out her chair and took the seat on her right. ‘I sense something else is different in you, love.’ He spoke in her mind.

‘Not now, Ian.’ She gave him a look that said the topic was closed and turned to the others. “Most of you have been brought up to speed on what is going on and what I intend to do about it, am I right?” She received nods from everyone around the table. “Let me lay this out for you so everyone knows what he will be doing and please don’t interrupt me until I’m finished.”

“Tyr, Jesse, Rhade and I will gather the Alphas of each Pride and try to get them to agree to put aside their bullshit war and band together to fight against the invading Necromongers. If they agree to this truce, the four of us will lead the Nietzchean fleet into battle. If they don’t agree, I will give them no choice but to follow me or die.”

“Ian, Ioan, Dorian, and Dean will be responsible for moving Rhade’s Pride into my space. Find them a planet that is satisfactory to their needs and relocate them. I want it close enough to Ariana that any starship can reach it in record time if they need it. The Majoram Pride will be your primary responsibility. When you’re done relocating every person from that Pride, you will remain there and ensure their safety.”

“Ares, Brandon, Brennan, and Duncan will find several smaller Prides hiding along the borders of my space. Move them on to one of the smaller worlds on the edge of my system. Yes I did say move all of them on to one planet. It is about time these fucking people learned how to share. If they want my protection they will have to abide by my rules. I am not giving each of these Prides their own planets. Keep an eye on them until this thing is over. I don’t want any surprises creeping up on me from behind.”

“Commanders, I want you to take your ships and place the fleet along the edge of our territory. Hopefully I will contact you with coordinates to meet up and join a cooperative Nietzchean alliance. If I don’t I will pull you in to fight the Necromongers after I’ve sacrificed the uncooperative Nietzchean fleet to the battle.”

“Currently the Necromongers are strewn across 2 systems. They are primarily occupying the Helion system and a small fraction of their forces have begun to invade Nietzchean space. Their leader, the Lord Marshall, is still on Helion Prime and that is where Riddick is going to eradicate him. He is going alone but I will be joining him from time to time to ensure his survival.” She grinned at her mate on her right before she turned back to the others.

“Is everyone clear on my instructions?” She received nods from all around the table. “I’m impressed that there aren’t any arguments. Get together with whomever you are teamed with and go over your strategies. We don’t have any room for error especially with the Majoram Pride. Thank you.”

Ian grasped her hand as the others moved about the room to make plans. “Might I have a word, my Lady?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer before he pulled her from her seat and moved over to a corner for privacy.

Riddick took the opportunity to approach the Nietzcheans for a private word of his own. “Tyr, I know you are going to spearhead the fleet of your former Empire but do you think you can do me the favor of watching after my mate and child?”

“She’s pregnant?”

“Yeah. It just happened. I think it took her by surprise too because the Phoenix made it happen. We didn’t plan for it to be now especially with this war coming.”

“The Phoenix works in mysterious ways, my friend.” Tyr slapped him on the shoulder and grasped forearms. “Congratulations. You deserve this, Riddick, and I will do everything in power to keep her safe.”

“Speaking of power, Tyr, make sure she doesn’t overuse her cosmic abilities. It could be damaging to the child.” He glanced at Rhade over Tyr’s shoulder and stepped around his friend to face the newcomer. “She says you would die for her. Is this true?”

“Yes. I’d give my life for her without thought of consequence if need be. If your next question is going to be would I give my life to safeguard your child then the answer is yes. My beliefs are the same as his.” He indicated Tyr with a tilt of his head. “I would never want to see a man denied the right of fatherhood. She is carrying this child like a mortal, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“Then I know how important it is that she refrains from using her power. I will die before I let any harm come to her.”

“Good.” Riddick nodded and turned to Tyr and Jesse. “If anything happens to my mate and child while she defends your people from extinction, they won’t have to worry about the Necromongers because I’ll eradicate the entire Nietzchean race myself.” His face was deadly serious for a moment before a slight grin graced his lips. “Present company excluded of course.” He turned to walk off and threw over his shoulder. “Good luck and take care of our woman.”