Predator

Chapter 63

Alexandra woke the next morning feeling just as drained as she had the day before. Despite the fact that she had slept a majority of the day, she was under a constant assault of pain from the loss of Ian. Her misery deepened even further when Riddick; who she had merged with his animal, had exerted his will over her and forced her to release her mates.

She looked up at her mate as he slept with her wrapped tightly in his arms. She loved him. He was her world now. He took permanent residence in her life since the day she met him at the banquet. He was her destined mate. He was the only being in existence that could make her complete without any outside aid.

Her heart would flutter whenever he looked at her. Her body ached for him whenever he spoke or touched her. Her soul cried out for him whenever they were apart and rejoiced when she could feel his presence. ‘By the stars, how I hate him.’

She was so angry with him and Ian for keeping their plan a secret from her. Actually she was way beyond angry. She had ventured into full-blown fury. Ian decided to sacrifice his life to spare hers, shared this knowledge with Riddick, and they effectively kept it from her. To make matters worse, they pulled Ronon into their plan and now her child was scarred for life due to his part in Ian’s demise.

She took a deep breath and released a silent sigh. No matter how furious she was with him, she loved him and would never stop. Her eyes ran over his sleeping features and a smile formed on her face. He looked so peaceful as he slept and yet he still had her safety and comfort in the forefront of his mind. He had her completely encased within the warmth of his body and hadn’t moved the entire night.

She could feel his love for her permeate his entire being. The animal and the man loved her fiercely and it was rivaled by his possessiveness of her. A part of her deep down relished his need to keep her to himself. It would make her life more normal and far less hectic if she had just one mate.

She could see a life where they could be alone to enjoy each other and never leave each other’s side. Within her mind, she silently wished that she had met Riddick centuries ago. It would have solved so many problems. She would have the balance she needed for her power and the love she so desperately desired from one man.

She wouldn’t have turned a once lovely human, Tristan, into a monster. She would never have met Ares and killed his family. She wouldn’t have met Duncan and hurt his heart every time she was with one of her other mates. She wouldn’t have given birth to Dean and later become the Destroyer of Worlds while rescuing him.

She wouldn’t have created the Immortals at all and thousands of them would not have died competing for her. She would never have felt the pain of Ritchie’s death. Duncan would have never felt the pain of killing him. There would have been no Dark Quickening. She wouldn’t have been raped and assaulted by her mate and the vermin that preyed upon her after he left her behind. Connor wouldn’t have died at Duncan’s hands. ‘Connor…’

The Wielders would not have been needed. Logan and Scott could have lived out their lives on Earth instead of becoming her Immortal watchdogs. Scott would not have had to leave his beloved behind as he embarked on a mission for the greater good of mankind. Logan wouldn’t be overwhelmed with the guilt of knowing he might have to kill the woman he had grown to love someday.

The Nietzcheans would still have existed. Tyr and Telemachus would both be alive. She assumed Tyr would still be Alpha of a united Nietzchean race if they had never met. She would not have become the Angel of Death to his people if her rage had not been fueled by his infidelity. Telemachus would probably have found a mate amongst his people on Tarazed. He would not have gone through the agony of being separated from the woman he loved for so many years.

It would have been just her, Riddick, and…Ian. He would still be alive and by her side. She wouldn’t have devised the prophecy to pass on her power. There wouldn’t have been a need to. If she had met Riddick before the others, there would have been no danger of her losing control. She would have lived a long happy life with the man of her dreams and the man she was made for. Ian and Riddick.

Tears welled in her eyes when she thought of what could have been. All of the pain and agony she, her mates, and her children had endured weighed on her conscience. They had all been through so much out of love for her. A fleeting thought of going back in time and changing her history passed through her mind. She could undo all the mistakes of her past by simply rearranging her meeting with Riddick.

Ian would still be alive. There would be no Destroyer of Worlds or Angel of Death. But as a consequence, there would be no Ares or Duncan. She would never have met Tyr or Telemachus or Logan. There would be no Dean, Brandon, Brennan, Jesse, or Ronon. She would probably have given Ian and Riddick children but the rest of her boys would have never existed.

It was an awfully high price to pay to get her beloved back but, if Riddick still planned to cut the rest of her mates out of her life, it would be easier for all of them if she did it. She could spare them so much heartache but she would still remember everything. All of her memories would remain intact. Every touch, every kiss, every glance or loving word from her mates and her children would be forever branded in her mind.

‘The memories would kill me. I would be dooming myself to remember all of their love and know that I am responsible for them not being here.’

‘I know it would be hard, Alexandra, but the sacrifice would be worth it to spare them the pain of never being able to touch us again.’

‘I know. You are right. If Richard goes forward with his declaration of cutting the others out of my life, it would be mercy on my part to bear the pain and change the past.’

‘I am proud of you, whelp. You are really willing to carry the burden of those memories to spare them. You are a formidable woman, Alexandra, and I could not be happier with my choice of you as my shell.’

‘Thanks, I guess, Phoenix. It is a lot to contemplate right now and I need to get away for a while.’

‘Riddick has released his hold on us while he sleeps so I guess we are free to leave. Try not to wake him though. I don’t enjoy this aspect of his control over us much. I am the Phoenix and I still do not like to be told what to do.’

‘Neither do I, Phoenix. Do you feel like taking a walk? We can get our thoughts in order before we go see Ian.’

‘I would love to go for a walk. He has kept us prisoner in this bed for too long.’

Alex gazed at her sleeping mate’s face for a second before she teleported from the room. His eyes snapped open the second she left his arms.

~*~

She reappeared at the edge of the Palace grounds and began her trek into the surrounding woods. She walked the well-worn path that led to her private lake that she had traversed a billion times before. She was so engrossed in thought it took her a couple of minutes to notice that she was wading through ankle-high water.

‘What the hell is this? I’m only half way there and there is water everywhere.’ She controlled the weather on Ariana and she knew there had been no storms. She ran down the path towards the lake and panicked as the level of water rose. As she cleared the tree line, she stood in shock of the sight before her.

Her lake, the waterfall, and all of the surrounding area had been destroyed. What remained was a muddy wasteland that used to be her private sanctuary. She stumbled down the side of the crater and waded out into the middle of the mud-filled pit that used to bring her peace. Everything was gone…destroyed by her when she fought to protect her loved ones.

She fell to her knees and glanced around at the destruction that was created by her hands. The entire area was lost. Her temple was a crumbled ruin in the distance. All the beauty this place had held was another memory. A memory to file away in her mind as something she lost because of who she was.

She buried her face in her hands and cried for the paradise lost. She cried when she thought about losing her family. As merciful as it might be to erase their time together, they were her mates and children and she loved them all. ‘I am being selfish. I can’t help it. I love them too much.’

~*~

“My Lady?” Alex slowly lifted her head when she felt the gentle hands on her back and stared up into the concerned eyes of Vaako. “Are you alright, Mistress?”

“No.” She said in a small voice. “Where is Athena?”

“She is returning your young ones to their cribs.” He saw a flash of fear etch across her features and gave her a small smile of reassurance. “She will not wake Lord Riddick, my Lady. Do not worry.”

“You have gotten extremely adept at reading me, Vaako. I just needed to be alone for a while.”

“Do you wish me to leave you in peace, my Lady?” He asked as he pulled his hands away from her.

“No I don’t and peace is not something that comes to me easily, young one.” She raised her hand to pat his cheek and noticed the mud that covered her palm. She pulled it back before she touched him and looked at both of her hands before her face. “I am a mess. By my stars, look at me.”

“I am looking at you, my Lady.” He reached up a hand and wiped some of the mud off of her face with his fingertips. “You are a beautiful creature that is capable of such wonder.”

“I am a complete fuck up, Vaako. I asked you to come here so I could show you the wonder of humanity. I hoped you would want me to reverse your conversion so that you could live again.” Her eyes filled with tears as she stared at his curious face. “What have I taught you? What have I shown you?”

“I am a flawed being. I have shown you that the unconverted can be as ruthless and destructive as the Necromongers.” She shook her head with a humorless laugh and gestured around her. “Look at what I did to the only place that offered me solitude. I think all of this constitutes a prime example of how flawed I am.”

“You did what you had to do to protect your loved ones, my Lady. How is that flawed?”

“I don’t know anything anymore. I am so confused. I am struggling with a difficult decision right now, Vaako.” She glanced up into his eyes and regarded his childlike curiosity. “May I confide in you?” He bowed his head in response. “Lord Riddick has gone through a change that I helped to facilitate. He is far more formidable than he used to be and that is impressive considering how powerful he was before.”

“Is this a bad thing, my Lady?”

“No but his possession of me is complete and he has decreed that I belong solely to him. He is forcing me to give up my other mates and I cannot bear it.” Her shiny tears flowed down her face as she gazed imploringly into his eyes. “They are my husbands and I do not want to be without them.”

“Why would Lord Riddick make you leave them?” He asked with a furrowed brow. “He knows what these men mean to you. Some of them have been with you for centuries or more.”

“I merged him with his primal side…his dark side and his animal will not allow me to be touched by another man. I have 6…5 other mates that I love with all of my heart. It will crush them if our bond is broken.” She hung her head low and sobbed silently. “If he makes me let them go, I have only one option left open to me that will spare them their pain but it will break my heart.”

“I know you will not share this option of yours with me since I am at Lord Riddick’s command and you do not want your plan discovered.” He lifted her chin with his forefinger and thumb and stared into her saddened eyes. “But I feel like I need to share some information with you. I think I might have determined the underlying reason for my Lord’s actions.”

“What is it, Vaako?”

“I was in the temple during the battle, my Lady. I saw the carnage that was committed against your children. It was a horrible sight and it affected your mates painfully.” Her sobs picked up in volume and he brushed her hair away from her eyes. “When the decision was made to transfer your mate’s power to your daughter, Lord Riddick was the strongest voice of opposition.”

“Your mate, Ian, did not listen to reason. He was determined to save your life and those of your children that were mortally wounded. He said that your daughter was their only hope.” He gazed into her tear-filled eyes and cupped her mud-stained cheek in his palm. “My Lord pleaded with him to change his mind. He said that Ian’s loss would drive you mad with grief and your First said he was counting on it.”

“It appeared to me that your First knew that his death would spur you on to win your battle with the Abyss. There wasn’t a single dry eye amongst your mates or children but Lord Riddick and your son, Ronon, broke down into hysterics. His loss affected my Lord deeply. I think next to you and Ioan, the impact of Ian’s death hurt Lord Riddick horribly to the very depths of his soul.”

“What are you trying to tell me, Vaako?” She asked with a shaky voice.

“I believe in my heart that the driving motivation for Lord Riddick’s decree was not to alienate your mates out of jealousy.” He took her face gently between both of his palms and smiled sadly. “I believe he did it because he cannot bear to see you endure such agony again. I also believe he did it because he cannot bear to lose any more of his friends either.”

“Oh my stars…” She whispered as she broke down into hysterics. Vaako took her shaking form in his arms and settled her on his lap. She buried her face in his shoulder and cried. “He…doesn’t…want to…see anymore of…them die.”

“Shhh.” Vaako hushed her as he rocked her in his arms. “It will be alright, my Lady.” His eyes clenched when he heard her sobs and felt his eyes begin to mist over. “I have made a decision about the reversal of my conversion, my Lady. I know it is a small matter to you right now but I thought I would tell you anyways.”

“What…did…you…decide, Vaako?”

“I must respectfully decline your offer to reverse the conversion.”

“I don’t…blame…you. I have…not shown…you…any…good…reason to…want your humanity…returned. It…is…highly…overrated.”

“You misunderstand me, Mistress. I have observed you closely since I arrived here. I have read the archives that chronicle your entire life. You are an amazing woman.” He kissed her hesitantly on top of her head and held her tight. “You have inspired me to fight for my humanity as you did. I will learn from your example to be a better man and I could not ask for a better teacher.”

“Oh Vaako…” Her voice gave out to her sobs. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burrowed her face into his chest, and cried uncontrollably. Vaako glanced up the incline of the crater that they sat in, spied his beloved’s beaming face, and returned Athena’s smile.

~*~

Athena stood at the edge of the crater that used to be her Creator’s safe haven. It was the exact place that her first volley of cosmic fire struck when she destroyed the creatures that attacked her family. The devastation of her sanctuary was as complete as the devastation of the woman who did it.

The Goddess sighed deeply as she watched the young man give comfort to her maker. She knew her Mistress was hurting so deeply that it could not be measured. It comforted her to see Vaako express such care as he held the grieving Phoenix in his arms. Athena had received the same gentle treatment from him when she took him to her bed last night.

The battle had disturbed her greatly and she was upset that it was outside of her scope to help. The injuries that her nephew and the other boys had incurred shook her to the depths of her soul. She was the Goddess of War and she had never seen the likes of the carnage that she witnessed yesterday.

She found herself terribly affected by her brother and nephew’s distress over Brandon’s near death experience. Tyr wept hysterically for his injured son, Jesse. She had grown a fondness for the young Lord Ronon and it tore her heart out to see his pain when he cradled Dorian’s lifeless form in his lap.

It only got worse from there.

When Riddick broke down over his son, Athena felt her long suppressed emotions threaten to break free. She finally could not hold back her tears any longer when she saw the terror in Ronon’s eyes as he fulfilled his destiny. The young Lord held a special place in her heart and it killed her to see him beg his mother for forgiveness. The loss of Ian and the agony it brought her Creator was the final break in her resolve.

Vaako had held her throughout the night as she struggled to overcome the sadness that filled her. She was surprised that he was capable of such tenderness when he had been deprived of it his whole life. He had comforted her while she cried for her brother, nephews, Ronon, and her maker.

It had been so long since a man had shown interest in the Goddess of Ice; a nickname her brother had given her long ago; that she had found herself overwhelmed by his presence. He was gentle with his touch, loving with his kisses, and tender with his lovemaking. He had healed her troubled spirit and made her feel alive again after several millennia.

She smiled at him as he cared for their grief-stricken Empress. He had come a very long way since he arrived on Ariana just days ago and Athena knew it had everything to do with the woman he held in his arms. He had told her his intention to decline the reversal of the conversion as they cuddled in bed. He said he wanted to gain his humanity the way Alexandra had…with hard work and perseverance.

“Athena…”

“Yes, my Lady.” She said as she was broken from her reverie.

“It appears that I have destroyed your home.” Alexandra said as she wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand. “I apologize, Goddess. The temple has stood since the day I brought you and your brethren to my world and in a matter of seconds I destroyed it.”

“The temple endures, my Lady. It is just the walls and the ceiling of the main hall that is in need of repair.” She smiled at her Lady as Vaako helped her to her feet. “I am sure when everyone is feeling better, we will rebuild and it will be as good as before.”

“Nonsense. I will at least restore your home to you…and Vaako.” She gave the young Necro a slight smile and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for your words. You have given me a lot to consider as I travel to visit my former First mate.” As she spoke to him, he glanced over her shoulder and watched as the temple was instantly rebuilt before his eyes. “You really are a good listener, Vaako.”

“It was my honor, my Lady.” He bowed his head at her. “I hope your journey helps alleviate some of your pain.”

“I do too, Vaako.” She glanced down at her mud-covered body and a disgusted look crossed her face. “I definitely need a bath before I go.”

“Why don’t you reconstruct the lake, my Lady?”

“No, Athena. This place will remain as it is until I know I am capable of feeling peace again.” She said sadly before she raised her hands to the sky and produced a small rain cloud above her head. “I don’t know how long it will be before the pain in my heart lessens but I cannot just resume my life like nothing happened.”

“In the meantime, I think I am capable of cleansing at least my skin.” Her companions looked on as their Lady used her power over the elements and drew a mini storm from the cloud. The water ran over her form and she washed the dirt from her body. “By the way, I took the liberty of moving your belongings into the temple. I hope you don’t mind, Vaako.”

“Not at all, my Lady.” He blushed as he glanced over at Athena. “I do believe I have found my place here on your home world.” He turned back to his Mistress and watched in awe as she showered with the small storm cloud above her. “Of course, I don’t want to impose. I mean if your offer to stay here is still open then I would like to.”

“I am very happy to hear it and of course you may remain on Ariana as long as you wish. I hope the 2 of you will find all the happiness you deserve.” She flipped her hair back away from her face and dispersed the rainstorm. “I do appreciate everything the both of you did yesterday.” Her mood sobered considerably and she bowed to them curtly. She cloaked her form in a white silk tank that stopped below her breasts and a matching mid-thigh sarong. She sighed dramatically when the Phoenix brand burned through her top. “If you will excuse me, I must collect my son and be on my way.”

They both nodded at her as she hovered above them for a moment before she took to the sky.

“I worry about her, Goddess.” Vaako said as he went to her side and took her hand gently in his. “Do you think she will be alright?”

“I do not know, Vaako.” Athena replied as they watched Alexandra’s form speed off towards the palace. “She has never known defeat before and it is something she does not know how to process. To make matters worse, it was her 2 favored mates that facilitated this loss.” She turned her emerald eyes on Vaako’s brown and smiled. “If I was Lord Ian or Lord Riddick, I would be very worried right now.”

~*~

“Ioan.” She said quietly as she sat on the edge of his bed.

“Mom…” He replied groggily as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. “What time is it?”

“It is time to go, my precious.” His eyes widened and he was instantly alert by her meaning. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah.” He took a deep breath and released it slowly. “I am.”

~*~

They appeared in the gardens hand in hand and Ioan felt his mother tighten her grip. He glanced up and saw Riddick waiting for them. “Hey baby, I missed you this morning.” He said as he walked towards them. “I woke up and you were gone.” As he got closer, Ioan felt his mother pull him as she backed up. “I told you I didn’t want you out of my sight ever again.”

“Mom, is everything alright?” Ioan asked as her grip on his hand tightened.

“I’m fine, baby.” She answered nervously as she kept her eyes on her mate.

“Why did you run, Alex?” Riddick asked as he continued to stalk towards her.

“Richard, you are being unreasonable. I just needed to be alone for a while so I took a walk.” She kept a distance between them. Every step he took forward, she would take one back. “It is theoretically impossible for us to be together every second of every day.”

“That is not true and quit walking away from me.” He took another step forward and his brow creased when she stepped away. She ignored his command. “Alex, I said stay still.”

“Richard…bite me.” Her eyes flared with her inner fire as her anger spiked. “I am your mate! I am not your fucking slave!” She released Ioan’s hand and moved to stand before her mate. “I gave you this power over me in case I ever lost control! I did not give it to you so you could transform me into the perfect little wife!”

“Alex…”

“Shut up, Richard! You need to get something through your head real fucking quick! I am the Phoenix!” She poked her finger in his chest and pushed him back step by step with each jab. “I will not be ordered about like some mere mortal! You will not incapacitate me to suit your own standards! I am a supreme being and I will not be dictated to like some dog! Am I clear?”

His liquid silver eyes bore into her fiery red ones for a moment before he nodded his head curtly. His animal submitted to his mate’s will but scowled his disapproval.

“While we are on the subject of you ordering me around, I want to address the subject of my other mates.” He growled and opened his mouth to object but did not get the chance. She stiff-armed him in the chest until he stumbled backwards and followed his descent. She straddled his waist as he lay on the ground and leaned forward to glare in his eyes. “I don’t want to hear anymore of your shit. Now you be quiet and listen to me.”

“I will not allow you to force me to release them. They are my husbands and I love them. I bore them children and I will not expect them to sit around waiting for you to decide if they get to be with me.” She growled at him. “This ridiculous jealousy of yours will not sway me to let them go. I had a little talk with Vaako earlier and he has given me some insight on your actions. Do you want to know what he told me?”

“Is there any way I could stop you?” He growled.

“No. He has led me to believe that the driving force behind your decision to keep me to yourself is that you don’t want to see anymore of them die…like Ian.” He quieted beneath her but maintained his glare. “He said that you don’t want to see me suffer like this again. He said that you consider them friends and that Ian’s death brought you to your knees. Is there any truth in Vaako’s assumptions?”

“He assumes too much.” He said in his deep monotone voice. “I have already made up my mind about the others.”

“I do not care if you’ve made up your mind. It is not your decision to make.” She sat upright and had a far away look in her eyes. “The events of yesterday and your demand have made me think about a few things though. I have a difficult decision to make and normally I would discuss it with Ian but…he isn’t here.”

“I know he isn’t.” He said sadly. “I’m sorry that you feel like you can’t discuss it with me.”

“I love you, Richard, but the two of us have undergone a major change lately. It will take us some time to adjust to our new situations. I will be able to talk with you about these things soon but you need to get your animal under control before I can. We are ruled by our instincts right now. I need the man in balance with the beast before I give you open access to my heart.”

“Didn’t I have your heart?” He asked with a saddened look on his face.

“Yes and you still do but I closed it off when he died. I could not handle the pain and I still can’t. He has given you his responsibilities to our house and me. I think you are afraid of that position and it is another reason for your selfish decree. I am going to see my husband now. Are you coming with me?” He nodded his head solemnly. She rose up, took his hand, and pulled him to his feet. “Let’s go.”

~*~

Her mate and son stood slightly behind her as she raised her hand and gestured at the air before her. The area around them seemed to electrify before a bright tear ripped through the empty space and began to widen. The portal opened up into a door-like shape and as they peered into it, they could see paradise beyond.

Riddick and Ioan followed a visibly tense Alexandra through the glowing doorway and glanced at each other when they saw her fists clench. She was looking around at the surrounding foliage like she was expecting an ambush to leap out at her. She was fidgety and clearly scared of what she was about to face.

They followed her aimlessly through the plush landscape and became curious when she suddenly seemed to know her destination. There were no paths like she had leading to her lake and yet she veered her way around trees and traversed hills as she headed towards her goal. As the wind shifted, Riddick could scent her tears in the air and knew they were close.

She stopped suddenly in her tracks as they neared the edge of the tree line and Riddick could see a clearing up ahead. His eyes settled on his mate’s back and he could tell she was on the verge of hyperventilation. Her whole body was stiff, her hands were balled into fists, and her chest was heaving to draw in breath. “Alex…”

She did not respond.

“Mom…” Ioan said quietly. “Are you alright?”

Her hand went up with her index finger extended and her other hand went to her chest. “Just give me a second.” She gasped as she struggled for breath. It actually took her a few minutes to gather her courage. Her fists dropped to her sides and she stood tall. “I’m ready.”

She stepped through the trees into the clearing and Riddick and Ioan were somewhat shocked to see the area looked just like her lake but larger. Their eyes all settled on the man that was walking out of the water to the shore. “Ian…” Alex gasped behind the hand that covered her mouth.

“My love…” He stood about 10 feet from her with water cascading down his tanned flesh and dripping from his shorts. He beamed at her and held his arms out. “Come here, my Lady.”

She stared into his amber eyes with tears streaming from her own and walked shakily towards him. When she was within reach of his arms, the smile left his face when her fury entered hers and she caught him under the chin with a hard right uppercut. He flew up into the air and soared 30 feet back before he splashed down into the lake.

“You son of a bitch!” She screamed at him as he broke the surface of the water.

“Alex!” Riddick yelled at her as he grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Fuck you too!” She threw a punch to his solar plexus that knocked the air from his lungs. He doubled over struggling for breath and she threw a left to his chin that dumped him in the lake next to Ian. “The both of you ruined my life!” Her power flared from her fists as she screamed at the top of her lungs. “You made decisions concerning my future that you had no right to make!”

“Alexandra, love, please let me explain.” Ian said as he made his way towards her with Riddick in tow.

“Please do, Ian! Explain to me how you decided to sacrifice the life that I gave you and destroy the plan I had for my life! Explain to me how you lied when you said we would be together forever!” She appeared before the 2 of them, grabbed them by their throats, and threw them over her head. She turned to see them crash to the ground at Ioan’s feet. “Tell me how you decided to leave our son without his father! Tell me how you kept this from me intentionally because you knew I wouldn’t allow it!”

“Alex, stop this!” Riddick yelled as they got to their feet. “We did it because we wanted you to live! Is that so bad of us to want our mate to live?”

“It wasn’t your decision to make! I decide my future! My mates do not go behind my back, make up schemes, and keep it a secret from me!” She fired concussive blasts at their chests, which knocked them to the ground once again. “They don’t pull my son into it and use his love for me as a tactic to sway him to their cause!”

“You don’t wait until I am preoccupied in a battle to bring your plan into action!” She threw a right at Riddick’s cheek as she continued to yell. “You do not transfer your power to my infant daughter before she was destined to inherit her birthright!” A left struck Ian’s cheek as tears of flame poured from her eyes. “You do not scar my son for life by making him your executioner!”

“Your children were dying!” Ian yelled as he tried to fend off the blows that rained down on him and Riddick. “You were dying! What did you expect me to do?”

“I expected you to let me do what I do best! I may be the Protector of Life but I kill to achieve that goal and sometimes I die! If I died during the battle, my power would have transferred to my boys and it would have saved them! I did not expect you to interfere in my destiny!” Her anger dimmed somewhat as she gazed at her 2 loved ones. They had their hands up to protect their faces from her fists. “I did not expect you to leave me alone. I did not expect you…to die…and to feel such…agony…knowing that…you will never…be by my…side again.”

“I did…not…expect…to never…see…your face…again…or to…feel…your touch.” Her pain overwhelmed her and she sank to her knees in the sand. “I’ve never…been…without you. I don’t…know…what I will…do…without…your…love. I do not…know…how to deal…with this…loneliness.”

“You are not alone, my love.” Ian crawled to her side and fought his urge to try to comfort her. “Riddick is your destined mate. You have everything you need in him.”

“Ian…” She laughed humorlessly. “You are…kind of…a tough act…to follow. I love Richard…with every…fiber…of my being…but…that idiot…is forcing me…to let go of…the others.”

“He’s what?” Ian took his crying mate into his arms and turned to glare at Riddick. “Is this true? Did you order her to release the others?” Riddick closed his eyes and nodded his head guiltily. “What did I tell you about the others? I told you if you did this it would hurt her deeply! Don’t you think my…passing caused her enough pain? How could you make it worse by taking the others away from her? That is just cruel, Riddick! I left my most precious possession in your care and you hurt her even worse!”

“Damn it, Ian! I couldn’t stand it!” He yelled out at his predecessor as he rocked their devastated mate in his lap. “I watched you die! I helped you leave her life and watched her wish for death because you were gone! I never want to see her that way again.” His anger subsided as he heard his only love’s sobs. “I figured if I sent them away I would be protecting her from feeling that torment again.”

“M-my t-torment will n-never…end until…y-you are w-with me a-again.” She sobbed into his chest. “A-and I am t-the o-only one w-who can e-end it.”

“What are you talking about, my love?” Ian asked as he stroked her back.

“I would let them go if it meant getting you back.” She whispered in a small voice and gazed up into his curious eyes.

“You cannot rebuild me, my love. Even if you reconstruct my body, my power is still gone and cannot animate the shell.” He kissed her forehead and gave her a sad smile. “You cannot fix this, Alexandra. It is done.”

“You’re wrong.” She whispered with a little more conviction and a serious look came over her face. “I can traverse time and undo all of this.”

“Alexandra, even if you go back in time, the circumstances will not change. Destiny will play out just as it did and we will be right back here again.”

“No. I’m not talking about going back to before you sacrificed yourself for me. I’m talking about going back to the beginning. Everything will change if I bring him back and meet him before Ares.” Ian glanced at Riddick as she pointed at him before returning his gaze to her. “If I meet Richard at the beginning, I won’t have to create the Olympians or the Immortals.”

“My love…no…”

“Ian, if I do this I wouldn’t need the prophecy, the Wielders, or the others to balance out my power. I would be whole from the start with you and Richard by my side.” She cupped his bearded cheek in her palm and he instantly melted into her touch. “If he is going to make me let them go, I might as well spare them from the pain of our separation and get you back at the same time.”

“Baby…no…please…” Ian’s voice hitched as she nuzzled his neck.

“It would just be the three of us. You would be alive and neither of us would have to pass on our power.” She kissed him gently on his lips before she gazed imploringly into his glistening eyes. “I would still give you and Richard your children. We can all be happy together.”

“What about your other children, Alexandra?” He asked as his tears flowed from his eyes. “They would never exist.”

“No…they won’t and they wouldn’t be alive to see their fathers in pain without me. They will never feel the pain of the transference. They wouldn’t need to become the Guardians because I will remain the Protector. Ian…” She begged him with all of her love and heartache in her eyes. “Just think about it, my love. We will have what passes as a somewhat normal life for beings like us. I will have the man of my dreams – you – and the man I was destined to mate – Richard.”

“No.” He said as he shook his head back and forth.

“What do you mean – no?”

“I said no!” He rose to his feet and drug her up by her arms. “I cannot let you do this to the others or to your children. They all have a place in your life!” He glared at Riddick; who nodded his head as he stared at the ground; before he turned back to his crying mate. “He is the one you were meant for all along. The only person who doesn’t belong here anymore is me.”

“You will always belong with me…”

“No. I was something you created when you needed a companion. I followed you through the stars and then into humanity. You chose your life when you decided to live with mortals and love beings unlike us. Your destiny lies with him now. He is everything you need in a man. You are just hurting now because you are accustomed to me always being there. It will lessen over time, Alexandra.”

“Ian…no…I can fix this…” She tried to reach for him but he grabbed both of her wrists and held them in one hand. “My love…please…”

“No. I will not let you erase the existence of the others just to bring me back! How will you feel knowing that they are gone?” He yelled as he shook her in anger. “Don’t you think the pain will be as bad, if not worse, when you know Ares, Duncan, and all of your children will cease to exist because of you?”

“If I get you back, I don’t care…” She wept uncontrollably.

“Don’t lie to me, Alexandra, and more so do not lie to yourself. It would be like you killed them with your own hands.” The energy drained from her body and she fell limp against him. He pulled her into his chest and whispered into her ear. “If you do this, you will end up hating yourself. Right now, you just hate me for leaving you and I can live with that. But I would never be able to live with the knowledge that you hate yourself for saving me and I know your guilt will eat you alive.”

“Ian…please…” She sobbed into his chest. “I cannot…live…without…you.”

“Yes you can. Do you want to know why, my love?” He held her to him with his left arm wrapped around her back and lifted her chin to gaze lovingly into her eyes. “Because I want you to. You will go on with your new First by your side as well as your other mates and all of your children. You are going through the 5 stages of grief, my Lady. I am sure you already went through denial and depression and now you are going through anger and bargaining. Now you just need to accept it and go on. It was meant to be, love.”

“It is only meant to be because I made it this way and I can change it! I don’t need to accept anything!”

“Alexandra, I know you are angry with me right now but, if you ever loved me, you will leave it alone.” His voice was sad and dejected as his soulful eyes bore into hers. “Do not make me a party to killing men that I’ve grown to care about or children that I love as my own. Please…I am begging you…”

“Ian…I…love…you…so…much…”

“Hush, my love. Show me you love me by doing as I ask and live.” She stared into his tear-filled eyes and nodded her head before she burrowed into his chest. He held her tight to his body and blinked the tears from his eyes. “I want you to leave here, Alexandra, and never come back until we are destined to live out our lives here together.”

“Ian…no…”

“I am not asking, my love. I expected your stubbornness in this matter and retained enough power to close off this dimension until it is time. You will not be able to enter here for quite a while. I will know when you are done and only then will I bring you to me.” He pulled back, kissed her passionately, and whispered in her ear. “I will be waiting for you and remember that I love you always.”

“I love you too…” She mumbled before she slumped forward and he realized she had passed out.

“Riddick…” Ian said with a choked voice as he picked up his mate and carried her limp body to her new First. “Would you mind holding your wife for a moment so that I may speak to my son?”

“No, Ian. I’ll take care of her.” He took her into his arms, sat on the sand, and settled her across his lap. He held her tight to his chest, clenched his eyes, and kissed her lovingly on her forehead. “I’ve got you, baby.”

“Richard…” She mumbled as she began to come to. Her hands ran up his chest and wrapped around the back of his neck. “Please…save me…”

“I’m right here and I’m never letting you go…ever.” He glanced up at Ian and they exchanged a nod of their heads before Ian went to his son. “Alex, I love you.” He whispered into her ear. “Please forgive me…” His eyes welled with tears and he buried his face in her shoulder. “I didn’t want to lose the only woman I’ve ever loved. You are everything to me. I’ve never had that before…”

“I forgive you, love.” She kissed his cheek and tightened her hold on him. “I understand why you did it, Richard.” She whispered. “I’m sorry that I put you in the position of losing me so soon after we found each other. I’m not going anywhere, my love.”

Ian turned away from the couple after listening to the heartfelt exchange and looked into his son’s eyes. “You need to keep an eye on those two for me. They both have a lot of healing to do and they are going to need the help of you and all the others.” He placed his hands on Ioan’s shoulders and pulled him into an embrace. “I know this is hard on you too but you need to be strong for your mother.”

“I will, father.” Ioan said quietly. “Dad…when you bring mom back here to live with you…can I come with her?”

“Ioan, I would prefer for you to stay with your sister but I would not deny you the right to be with your parents.” He kissed his son on his temple and leaned his forehead against his to look in his eyes. “I need you to do me a favor, Ioan.”

“Name it, father.”

“I need you to go to Ronon and make him understand this was not his fault. Tell him not to blame himself and try to ease his guilt.” He chuckled and smiled at his son. “He hasn’t been with us long enough to know how headstrong his mother and I are. Tell him that we are stubborn supreme beings and once we make up our minds about something it is impossible to change it. I don’t want to be a scar on his conscience.”

“I’ll tell him, Dad.” He hugged his father fiercely and his tears finally fell. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Ioan.” He held his son for several minutes before he pulled back and kissed him gently on his forehead. “It is time for you all to go home now.” He wrapped his arm around Ioan’s shoulders and turned back to his mate and Riddick. “You have a family waiting for you.”

“No.” Alex shook her head as Riddick rose to his feet with her cradled in his arms. “I want more time.”

“We will have plenty of it when it is time for you to come to me but you have to go now.” Ian glanced at Riddick with tears flowing freely from his eyes. “Take her home, my friend, and love her the way she needs to be loved.” The Furyan nodded his head stiffly and followed Ian and his son to the portal. “I guess this is it for now.”

He hugged and kissed his son one last time before he turned to his mate. “I love you, my Lady.” He leaned forward and took her lips in a passionate kiss while Riddick held her. He heard a growl from the man and glanced up at him with a smirk on his face. “You need to get that shit under control, my friend, or you are in for a worse beating than she gave you today.”

“I’m trying but she just merged my animal with me yesterday.” He grumbled. “It is taking some getting used to.”

“I’m sure it is.” He laughed and grabbed Riddick by the back of his neck. “You both have undergone some changes that make you more alike but you can’t let your primal side dominate you. She won’t let you control her that way again.” He leaned closer and whispered in his ear. “If you try and end up hurting her again, I will find a way back and I will make you pay dearly. Are we understood?”

“Yeah.” He responded in a dejected voice.

“I am glad to hear it.” He moved his hand down to wrap around Riddick’s shoulders and pulled him into a hug. “Take care of my wife and my family. I’ll be watching.”

He released his embrace and Riddick took a step towards the portal. He nodded his head at the former Phoenix and glanced down at his mate. Tears were streaming from her eyes and she mouthed the words ‘I love you’ to Ian. Riddick looked back up at her mate and saw him repeat the endearment.

He turned to follow Ioan through the portal and Alex gazed at her lost love over Riddick’s shoulder until he was no longer visible. When they emerged on the other side, the door sealed up and disappeared from sight. The 3 of them stared at the empty place that it used to occupy for a few minutes before Riddick turned towards the palace.

“Wait…” Alex whispered in a voice tight with emotion. “There is something I need to do first.” She jumped from Riddick’s arms and took off at a dead run through the woods. He exchanged a curious glance with Ioan before they both raced off after her. Her supernatural speed had her at the edge of her destroyed sanctuary a full minute before they caught up.

“Alex…” Riddick said cautiously as she stood in silent shock on the once beautiful shore of her lake. “What are you doing here, baby?”

She did not respond.

Her eyes swept over the demolished landscape for several minutes before her power burst from her body. Riddick and Ioan stepped back as she was quickly encased in her cosmic flame. She closed her eyes, threw her head back, and let the flames flow out until the entire area was blanketed in a fiery light. A few minutes later, she drew her power back into her flesh and collapsed in Riddick’s waiting arms.

“By the Gods…” He heard Ioan’s startled whisper as he picked his mate up and held her unconscious form against his chest. “She fixed the lake.”

“Why did she have to do this now?” Riddick asked no one in particular as he glanced around at the restored landscape, waterfall, and lake.

“I believe I can answer that, my Lord.” They looked up to see a beaming Athena with Vaako at her side. “I asked her earlier why she didn’t restore the lake after she repaired the temple. She said that this place would remain as it was until she knew she was capable of feeling peace again. I will assume that the journey went well and she feels like she is on the road of accepting what has passed.”

“It wasn’t easy, Athena, but I think she will heal in time.” He glanced at the Necromonger beside her and smirked. “She told me about your little talk earlier.”

“She did, my Lord?”

“Yeah. I think you played a large part in helping the both of us understand our new situations.” Riddick stammered through his words trying to say what was on his mind. It wasn’t coming out right and he shook his head in frustration. “What I’m trying to say is thank you. You have been there for her when she needs a friend and…I can’t thank you enough.”

“You are welcome, my Lord, but she is my Mistress and I only do what I think is expected of me.” Vaako said somewhat shocked by his Lord’s words.

“No you don’t, Vaako. You think you do because of that fucked up programming of yours but what you’ve done isn’t under the guise of a Necro. You saved her life and the life of my unborn child. You fought to save her. That is not the Necromonger way. You keep what you kill, remember?” He gazed at the quiet young man before he continued. “You helped us during the transfer of the Phoenix force to her body. You helped during the battle with the Abyss. You helped us both today and I will never forget it. She considers you a friend…and I am beginning to. Thanks.”

The Goddess and her lover stood with smiles on their faces as Riddick teleported himself, his unconscious wife, and her son to the palace. The 3 of them appeared in the hall in front of Riddick and Alex’s chambers. “Ioan, I just want to say I’m sorry for everything that happened.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Riddick. My father reminded me earlier just how stubborn he and my mother can be. There is no way you could have changed his mind.” He patted his mother’s mate on the shoulder and a familiar smirk appeared on his face. “I do know 5 other men that you owe an apology to and I don’t feel sorry for you one bit. Good night.” He disappeared with a smile on his face.

“Shit.”

~*~