Predator

Chapter 41

Ronon and Kyra materialized on his father’s command carrier in the corridor outside of his quarters. He smiled at the awe that was etched across her face and he cocked his head at her. “Well what do you think?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Her green eyes were sparkling with delight and she threw herself into his arms. “That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever felt!”

“I thought you’d like it.” He ran his hands over her back and closed his eyes feeling pure joy in her presence. “Kyra…I’m starting to experience…deep feelings for you and I don’t know how you feel about that. I know you’ve been through a lot in your past and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable by displaying for you.”

“Displaying for me?” She pulled back slightly to look up into his captivating eyes. “What do you mean displaying for me? What is that?”

They were both startled by the door to his parents’ quarters sliding open and separated from each other when Rhade stepped out. His ears took in his son’s accelerated heartbeat and turned to look at the reason for Ronon’s current condition. “To answer your question, young lady, Nietzchean males display their finer points to a female who interests them. We compete against other males who show interest in the same female in acts of physical strength, mental prowess, and visual appearance to prove to her that we would make a suitable mate and father of your children. The female chooses between the displaying males and they become mates.”

Kyra looked at Rhade with a smirk on her face. “Is that how you ended up with Alex? Did you display for her?”

“I didn’t have to and neither did Tyr for that matter. She chose us the moment she saw us.” He looked past the couple in the corridor and returned his questioning gaze to Ronon. “Where is your mother?”

“Riddick kept her at the palace.” He responded but his father cut off the rest of his words.

“What do mean he kept her?” Rhade bellowed with concern. “You were supposed to keep her safe!”

“It was not against her will, Sir.” Kyra fixed the angry Nietzchean with a glare and grabbed a hold of Ronon’s hand to lend her support. “She has decided to return home and we have more news if you can refrain from yelling at your son long enough for him to tell you.”

Rhade raised his eyebrow at the young woman and turned back to his son with a smirk. “You have chosen a very spirited woman to display to, Ronon. I hope she doesn’t break you like your mother did me. Now what is this news that you have to relay to me?”

“Riddick, as the ruling Lord of Ariana, has instructed me to retrieve you and bring you home.”

“What?” Rhade asked in shock.

“He said that he would not allow Mother to have two homes. He has declared your status as mate and mine as her son and he wants us to come home to live in the palace.” He took in his father’s disbelieving expression and placed his hand on his shoulder to draw his attention. “I believe him, Father.”

“You should too, Sir.” Kyra spoke up. “Riddick has accepted your place in Alex’s life and wants the two of you to join the Royal Family. So…pack your shit and let’s go home. I’m dying to try that teleporting thing again.”

“Ronon, I do believe she will tame you within days and you won’t have a chance of displaying against any competition you might have for her.” Rhade laughed at his son’s embarrassed expression and backed into his quarters. “I suggest you go pack up your belongings as well. Before we leave I will contact Vaako and inform him of our plans.”

“Vaako?” Kyra’s brow furrowed at the mention of the Necromonger’s name. “What is he doing here?”

“Ronon, deal with this while I pack and send the transmission. I want to get to Alexandra’s side as soon as possible.” His door slid shut and Ronon ushered Kyra down the corridor to his quarters.

“Vaako has been assisting Alex with reversing the conversions of the Necros and arranging transport for those who still have a home to return to.” They entered his room and he teleported all his possessions into bags to carry to his new home. “He has been very helpful in the process and Alex has been trying to talk him into letting her return him to normal as well.”

“Interesting. Is he going to allow her to reverse it?”

“He was converted at a very young age and doesn’t remember what his life was like before he became a Necromonger. I think he is frightened of the unknown and that is why he is hesitant.”

“Whatever.” She said with disinterest. When Ronon turned to face her, she smiled and gave him a sultry look. “So you are displaying for me?”

“If you are interested in me then yes I am definitely displaying for you.” He looked at her seriously waiting for her response.

Kyra sauntered up to him until they were pressed chest to chest and met his piercing hazel eyes. “I am definitely interested in you. I have never met anyone like you and I want to know everything about you.”

He let his hands settle on her hips and pulled her flush to his body. “I am looking forward to letting you know everything about me.”

~*~

Riddick laid on his side propping his head up on his left hand and kept a silent vigil over his sleeping wife. When Alex began to stretch her tired body, he knew she would soon open her eyes after she finished her waking ritual. The last thing she did before she woke up was stretch her arms over her head and arch her back, which made her breasts rise up invitingly.

“Did you have a nice nap, beautiful?” His voice washed over her like a warm blanket and he smiled when she nodded her head dreamily. “You plan on opening up those pretty eyes of yours anytime soon?”

“Do I have to?” She mock pouted.

“It wouldn’t bother me in the least if we stayed in bed all day but I know the others are looking forward to seeing you.” Her eyes popped open and she began to chew on her bottom lip. “Don’t give me that look. You cannot avoid them forever. If I remember correctly you didn’t even have an altercation with Duncan and Ares.”

“No I didn’t but what if that changes because of Rhade moving into the palace?”

“I already spoke to Ian and Ares. They know that I have sent for Rhade and that he and Ronon are moving in here.” She began to open her mouth and he touched his fingers to her lips to quiet her. “I am the ruling Lord of the Shi’ar Empire and the new Lord of the Necromongers. I will not have my wife running away to be with her other lover in a distant system just because your other mates have a problem with it.”

“You are carrying my child and you will be by my side at all times.” One of her eyebrows arched and he brought down his bravado a notch. “Except when you are with one of the others of course.” He thought about something for a moment and turned an inquisitive look to his quiet mate. “Is there any chance that we can change the way you spend time with us?”

“What do you mean? It has been this way for hundreds of years and I don’t know if the others will want it to change.”

“You didn’t have 7 mates hundreds of years ago, Alex. There are more of us for you to juggle around now.” He reached out his right hand and placed it on her hip tracing circles on her smooth skin with his fingertips. “I think you should spend a week with each of us instead of one a day.” His hand slid up her waist and he palmed her left breast. “If we each get a week then you won’t be in such a hurry to wash our scent off of your skin before you run off to the next.”

“When you say it that way I sound like a whore moving on to my next trick.” His loud bass laugh roared out in their chambers and her entire body blushed red. “It’s not funny, Richard. I have 7 men in my life that I have sex with on a daily basis. That sounds horrible. If this was Old Earth I would be charged with a crime.”

“You are a unique being and the rules of society do not apply to you. I was jealous at the beginning but I accept the place these other men have in your life and in your heart.”

“Even Rhade?” She whispered and looked up at him through her thick eyelashes. “Do you accept Rhade too?”

“I do.” He leaned forward to kiss her lightly on her parted lips and rested his forehead against hers. “Alex, you chose Rhade as a mate whether you bonded with him or not. You had Ronon together and you gave him part of your power. They belong here with you and I think you should bond with Telemachus. He deserves it.”

“When do you expect an answer from me on the issues we were discussing earlier?” She asked quietly.

“As it stands right now, the Wielders have control over your power if you were ever to get out of control. I have the power to take your life and Ronon was given the ability to strip your power to pass it on to your heir. I don’t think you have a legitimate excuse for leaving here anymore and if you wanted to you could find a way to stay after you hand the mantle of power over to the kids.”

“Richard…”

“I still don’t expect an answer right now. I just want you to know how I feel and what I expect of you.” Riddick was interrupted by the sound of yelling out in hall and felt Alex withdraw from him. “It’s okay. I will handle this and then we are going to have a little meeting to set the rules around here. Please call Logan here while I deal with this shit out in the hall.”

He got out of bed, pulled on a pair of sweats, and headed for the outer door. ‘Logan.’

‘Baby, you’re home!’

‘I am. Will you please come to my quarters now? I need you here.’

‘I’m on my way, darlin.’ The Wolverine sensed his mate’s unease and ran from his cabin desperate to get to her side.

~*~

Tyr found Tamerlane had been returned to his crib and knew his mate was back home. He gathered his child in his arms and hurried out of his quarters to see Alexandra. As he rounded the corner that led to his mate’s suites, he saw Rhade, Ronon, and Kyra materialize outside her door. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Telemachus turned to Tyr and rolled his eyes. He knew this was coming but hoped it wouldn’t be this soon. “I was invited. My son and I live here now, Kodiak. Get use to it!”

“You are not welcome here!” Tyr yelled at Rhade and the child in his arms began to cry from the loud voices. “You are not mated to her and you never will be!”

“You’re wrong, Tyr.” Everyone in the hall turned to Riddick as he stepped out of the door into the hall. He looked at the screaming child in Tyr’s arms and took him into his own. “Everyone inside now.” Rhade walked in the room and Tyr followed him after fixing Riddick with a glare. He stopped Ronon and Kyra with an arm. “Only mates are allowed right now. We will talk to you all at dinner.”

“Okay, Riddick.” Kyra linked her arm through Ronan’s and smiled at the irritated look Riddick cast her. “We’ll go occupy our time until then.”

As he watched them walk off, Ares, Duncan, Ian, and Logan approached from the other direction. “Inside all of you. We need to talk.” They all filed into the sitting room to find two Nietzcheans glaring at each other from opposite sides of the room before they all took a seat. “I’ll be right back. I’m taking Tamerlane to his mother so she can calm him down.”

“Are they all in there?” Alex whispered as Riddick brought her son to the bed and carefully placed him in her arms.

“Yes.” He leaned down and kissed her softly before he ran his hand through her hair. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. I will straighten it all out before they come in here.”

“Come in here?” She held her child close to her chest and anxiety seeped from every pore of her body. “Why are they coming in here?”

“I told you I want to set the ground rules here.” He said as he started towards the sitting room. “Don’t worry, Baby. I’ve got it covered.”

When he walked into the other room, Tyr and Rhade were starting to yell at each other again. “Shut up both of you.” The tone of his voice left no room for misunderstanding. They quieted down immediately. He sat down and rubbed his hands over his face before he glanced over the faces in the room. “You are all here because you are mates to Alexandra.”

“Some of us are.” Tyr mumbled under his breath.

“No, Tyr, all of us are…even Logan.” He looked over at the Wielder who seemed to relax a little more. “Rhade and Ronon are moving into the palace and taking their place in her life. I have even gone as far as to instruct Alex to bond with him and make him an equal amongst us.”

“What?” Tyr shot out of his seat with outrage.

“Tyr, sit down and shut up!” Pure anger etched across Riddick’s face forced his friend back into his chair. “Let me make this real clear for the simple minded. She is bonding with Rhade and that is all there is to it. I will not lose my wife and child by trying to keep them apart. All you have to do is look at them to know they love each other and I’m not standing in the way of that. Are we clear?”

“I understand, Riddick, and I am fine with it.” Ian said quietly.

“I will not stand in the way either.” Ares sounded in confidently.

“I will not lose my wife over this.” Duncan said and turned to Rhade. “Welcome to the family.”

“Thank you.” Rhade responded in kind and glanced at Riddick. “I thank you as well for giving me back my life.”

“You’re welcome.” Riddick turned to Logan and looked at him expectantly. “Do you have anything to say, Logan?”

“I am a Wielder. I am not one of you.” The mutant stated plainly. “Why should what I think about this matter?”

“Because you and Alex have claimed each other as mates. We all know it and accept it. I know you can’t bond with her, Logan, but you are a mate and you have your rights as one.” Riddick told him with a smile. “You will get to hear about those privileges in a minute but I want to know if this is okay with you.”

“I’m fine with it.”

“Good.” He turned to the fuming Nietzchean and understood his friend’s anger. “Tyr, I know I’m not gonna get the answer I want out of you yet so we will talk privately later but remember this either works or she’s gone. Now everyone into the bedroom so we can lay some ground rules around here. Oh yeah, if anyone here needs to have a private conversation with Alex it can wait until later when she is rested. Now come on.”

They got up and walked into the bedroom to find Alex nursing her child and singing to him softly until he had fallen asleep. When she noticed she had an audience, she tensed up and seemed to shrink into the bed. “Everybody take a seat.” Riddick indicated the edges of the bed and a couple of chairs that were beside it. He sat next to Alex and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Is he asleep?” She nodded. “Why don’t you send him to his room so we can talk?”

“Okay.” She whispered and teleported the boy to his crib. When he was gone from her arms, she felt uncomfortable bared to the eyes of her men that surrounded her so she pulled the sheet up to cover her breasts.

“It’s okay, Baby.” He kissed her temple and turned to focus his attention on the men. “Alex, I’ve already informed the others that you will bond with Rhade. I would prefer that you do that as soon as possible so that the emergence of the Phoenix will not disturb our child when she is older within you. It seems she is immune to large releases of your power while she is still under developed.”

“If you wish, my love.” She whispered as she met Rhade’s gaze and blushed when he smiled.

“Gentlemen, I also intend to change the schedule that we are currently using to spend time with our wife. Right now she is running around from one day with one of us to the next day with another. That is a stupid time table especially since we all get enraged when we smell another scent on her. We obviously all have high sex drives and between servicing our needs and taking baths she is exhausted.”

“What are you proposing, Riddick?” Ares asked in genuine curiosity.

“I think all of us should have a full week with her. Seven days to have sex, go for walks, take a swim, or whatever you want but she is all yours with no interruptions unless it is an emergency or if one of the kids need her for something. What do you think?”

“I would love the chance to have my mate all to myself for a week.” Ian spoke quietly with his head lowered. He knew Alex was still angry and they still had to talk but Riddick expected an answer and as the first mate he would be expected to respond. “I like the idea.”

“Hmm. Alex all to myself for 7 days…” Ares said dreamily. His eyes landed on her flushed face and heaving chest and he practically purred. “The things I could do to you in a week. I love it.”

“I’m in.” Duncan said quickly. “I have always hated it when she had to run off to be with one of you. I want my week.”

“I am just getting use to the idea of being with her again.” Rhade said with a smile and a tear in his eye. “The thought that I get to have her at all and all to myself for a week is a dream come true.”

“I am personally honored that I get to have the privileges of your mate, Alexandra.” Logan’s eyes bore into hers. “We don’t have to sneak off anymore to be together and I get to love you for a whole week. I couldn’t be happier.”

All eyes turned to Tyr and waited for him to look up from his lap or respond in any way at all. “Tyr, what do you think?” Riddick prodded him for an answer and did not receive one. The silence in the room was deafening.

“Tyr…” Alex’s tiny voice broke the silence and her mate looked up from his lap to stare at her tear stained face. “Don’t you want to have me all to yourself for a week? Do you even still want me or love me anymore?” Her voice broke on the last question with a sob that broke all of their hearts.

“Alex, my problem has always been that I loved you too much.” He moved to sit by her side and pulled her shaking body into his arms. “Of course I still love you and want you. I’d love for you to be in my arms every morning when I wake up during that week. You are my mate.”

“Thank you, Tyr.” She cried into his chest as he held her shuddering form close to him. “I love you.”

He looked up at Rhade with tear-filled eyes and turned to Riddick. He nodded his head at his friend and comforted his mate. “I love you too, baby.”

Riddick let them sit for a while and give each other a release of the pain that filled them before he decided Alex had had enough. “Okay, guys, now that this is all settled I think she needs some rest. I think it would be nice if we all had dinner together tonight to welcome Rhade and Ronon into the fold and give Kyra a chance to get to know you when you aren’t all grouchy.” Tyr kissed her head gently and moved past his friend. Riddick stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for giving us our mate back, Tyr.”

“You are welcome, my friend.” He said tightly. “You know it’s going to take me a while to get use to this, don’t you?”

“The fact that you are willing to get use to this is enough for me, Tyr.” He slapped his shoulder and pushed him towards the door. “We’ll see you later at dinner.” Tyr walked out and Rhade stopped when Riddick held up his hand. “Ian has arranged suites for you and Ronon down the hall. Welcome to the family.”

“Thank you.” He held out his hand and Riddick shook it.

“You’re welcome. I get her tonight and you can start your week tomorrow. At some point Ian is going to work up the nerve to apologize to her and I hope for your sake that it is tonight after dinner but be prepared. That is one interruption whoever is with her is going to have to allow.”

“I understand. I’ll see you both at dinner.”

As soon as everyone had cleared out, Riddick returned to his mate’s side and slipped into bed. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. “I told you everything would work out. Are you okay?”

“I am now thanks to you.”

He rolled her on to her back and settled over her. “That is what I’m here for.” He drew her into a deep kiss that turned hungry. Their tongues dueled and glided over each other’s for several minutes before they pulled apart gasping for breath. “Oh I’m here for something else too.” He laughed as he rubbed his erection against her mound. “Take off my pants.”

“As you wish.” In an instant he was lying naked on top of her probing her entrance with the head of his cock. “Richard…”

“I will always love that power of yours.” He said with a smirk before he plunged his shaft into her wet pussy. Her cries of ecstasy resounded through the halls for over an hour before their screams of release heralded the end of the torture her other mates were experiencing while listening to the pleasure Riddick was bringing Alex.

Alex’s sated body was sprawled out across Riddick’s while she recovered from the explosive climax that he brought out of her. One of his hands was buried in her long wavy hair while the other was casually stroking her upper back. “Are you okay, love? I wasn’t too hard on you was I?”

She brought one hand up to caress his cheek and purred in his ear. “Mmm. Richard, if you ask me one more time if I’m okay I am going to kick your sorry ass all over this palace and just for the record you were perfectly hard.” She giggled when he started to tickle her side and squirmed around to escape his large hands.

“You are a naughty girl. I’ll have to make you pay for that one.” His hands kept prodding and poking her sides until she could barely breathe from laughing so hard. “Who would’ve ever guessed the most powerful being in existence is fucking ticklish?”

~*~