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"Black Fire"	By : Sapphira Category: 1 through F > Earth: Final Conflict Views: 3592 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Earth: Final Conflict, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter Nineteen

The situation on the Command Deck was tense. Ra-jel was
trying to monitor what was happening within the Mothership, but with limited
computers up and running, it wasn�t as detailed as what would have been
preferred. Nonetheless, the ship had been tracking the progress being made by
the Jaridians as they scurried about the ship like ants. Searching out anything
that might be construed as a weak point, and use that to their advantage.

What they still didn�t understand, was that, on the Mothership,
those places didn�t exist. At least not the ones that they could
find.

Still, they couldn�t help but be relieved, when they saw
each and every one of those little tag lights blinking off over the last few
hours, till there was only one left.

Lighting was dark, as mostly just emergency systems were
running at the moment. Everyone was quiet. Each holding their breath as they
waited for the next shoe to drop. Liam looked over at where Yulyn was standing
by the barricaded entrance. Eyes dark and pensive as he slowly shook his head.
Not hearing anything on the outside.

Liam blinked. Odd how in that moment how much the adolescent
had looked more like one of the adults of his species, than his age.

Liam understood why Renee had bonded so with him. After all,
it was her destiny for her life to be forever entwined with the future of the
Atavus, whether she wanted it to be or not. Howlyn�s death would not have
affected that. She would have still been on board the Mothership, shooting off
towards the original Homeworld of the Atavus species. Destiny really didn�t
care who you came with, so long as you brought yourself. If that destiny
couldn�t have been fulfilled with her at Howlyn�s side, then she would have
been at Yulyn�s. It was really that simple.

And it had been no accident that it had been Renee that had
unknowingly released the Atavus from stasis. From that moment on, events had
been set in motion that no one could have changed.

But that still didn�t mean that he was happy with the
present circumstances with Howlyn on board. And the idea of him running around
the ship freely� that just brought up way too many bad case scenarios.

But, what it all boiled down to revealed that what he
thought didn�t really mean a damn thing in the end.

The facts of the matter at hand were this� One, Yulyn was
still too young to lead and control the Atavus successfully. Two, Howlyn was
strong enough to control them, and when he wasn�t being a fanatical idiot about
dominating another species, he appeared to be a halfway decent leader.

And three� Renee was carrying his child.

And that right there pretty much made any
arguments on his part null and void.

Liam turned to look back out the view screen. Muscle ticking
abruptly in the side of his shadowed cheek as he studied the large Jaridian
ship, and waited.

Liam knew about the obsession that Howlyn had had for Renee.
From her first moment with him in the submarine, and his first moment with her
over three million years ago. He understood what Renee had been through far
better than she realized.

This wasn�t going to be some cute little romance where they
rode off into the sunset. Howlyn wasn�t rubbing out his spots for her. He was
still the same ruthless alien leader he had always been, and that would never
change. You had to be that way in order to be the King of a species that was as
primal, instinctual, and temperamental as a pack of wild lions. And that was
what Renee was gong to have to live with for the rest of her life, because hell
would freeze over before Howlyn would ever let her go. He had fought for too
long and hard to let her slip away.

She was as successfully snared in his claws as his mate, as
she would have been if she were his latest meal. And there was never going to
be any turning back from that relationship, if she even wanted to.

And Liam saw that becoming a very big if, once Howlyn was
done with her. One of the advantages of having been connected to everything
the way he had been, meant that there weren�t really any aspects of the
Atavus abilities and mating rituals that he wasn�t aware of.

And he knew enough to know this� That what had already
occurred between them was just the tip of the iceberg.

And that Howlyn had only just begun to warm it up.

When the sound of static was suddenly heard from his portal
strapped to his hip, he couldn�t help but close his eyes in relief, as he
quickly fished it out, Renee�s familiar questioning voice filling the room.

Snapping it open, he was greeted by the sight of her welcome
face. Looking a little worse for wear.

�Renee, thank God.� He breathed out. �Are you okay?�

�I�m fine,� Renee replied tersely. Face covered in a sheen
of perspiration, and hair a tangled wild mess around her face. �Liam, I need
you to get in contact with that Jaridian ship.�

�I�ve been trying to do just that for the last few hours,
Renee. They refuse to accept our hails.�

�That�s because you�re using a Taelon signature. Try it
again, only this time, use one of the older Resistance variety.�

Liam frowned. �But why would that mean anything to � ?� His
question broke off abruptly, and his eyes widened slightly in dawning
comprehension. Breath hissing out between his lips.

�Lilli.�

Renee�s lips twisted as a small smile spread across them.
�Give the man a prize.�

******

Chapter Twenty

~~~

Renee snapped her global shut, and turned back to look at
the Jaridian hunched up against the wall. Howlyn standing a few feet away.

�Why are you so insistent that he remain alive, even after
you�ve extracted the information you required?� He growled out. Eyeing the
Jaridian�s neck like he wanted nothing more than to rip into it.

�Because I don�t make a habit out of killing those that are
already defeated.� Renee retorted. Clipping her global back to her belt.

It had taken some creative re-wiring on her part
in order to reach Liam through it. Because they were now so far away from
Earth, she wasn�t able to use the
satellites specially designed to relay the signals from one global to another.
So she had set it up to relay through the Mothership, using a portion of the
emergency back-up power systems in order to do so.
Grasping her phase pistol tightly in one hand, she walked
over to the Jaridian, beckoning at him to stand.

�Get up. I�m moving you to the Brig until we figure out what
to do with you next.�

Glaring up at her, the Jaridian slowly came to his feet.

Renee didn�t so much as blink as she tilted her chin down
the corridor, directing him to start moving in that direction.

The Jaridian hesitated, hands bunching into his fists at his
side, almost as if he was envisioning her throat under them. Eyes rebellious.

Renee heard an Atavus growl of warning emit from Howlyn, and
she quirked her brow at the Jaridian. A taunting smile lifting up the corners
of her mouth as she dared the Jaridian to do anything about it.

Lips rising in a snarl of aggression, the Jaridian
nonetheless turned and started to walk down the way that Renee had told him to.
Shoulders squared and back stiff with animosity as they escorted him to the
Brig.

******

Almost as soon as their captive was secured, the main power
on all decks came back online, and the Mothership hummed to life. The
brightened lights causing Renee to blink a little in order to refocus.

Turning to look a little uneasily at how calm and unruffled
Howlyn appeared, she cleared her throat a bit.

Now that the Jaridians had been taken care of, she didn�t
like the feeling of being so completely powerless in regards to not knowing
what might happen next between Howlyn and her. What he might do since he was no
longer locked up in the Medical
Bay, and something told
her that she wasn�t going to be able to entrap or trick him again. Because he�d
be waiting for it.

She cautiously
replaced her blaster.

�I guess we got the rest of them.�

Howlyn�s lips curved almost as if he had a secret. �Yes, I
believe we did.�

Renee swallowed. Catching the predatory glint in his eyes as
he looked her over. Taking notice of her torn clothing and the new bruises and
cuts marking her flesh. Gaze licking heatedly across her skin.

Renee licked her suddenly dry lips. Wincing slightly when
she tested the cut against her bottom lip from being struck by one of the now
dead Jaridians. Howlyn�s eyes caught the slight movement, and his smile
suddenly fell away. Leaving his face dark and serious as he now studied her
contemplatively.

Renee turned away, and leaned her back up against the wall.
Body tired and muscles sore. What she wouldn�t give for a shower right about
now.

Flexing one bruised shoulder, she pushed herself away from
the wall and walked over to a computer terminal.

�What are you doing?�

�I�m checking to see if I can tell if any damage has been
done to any of the ship�s primary systems.�

�You need to rest. And to� replenish yourself.�

Renee couldn�t help but shiver at the telling pause in his
sentence. Why didn�t she like the sound of that? Was that a warning?

�I�ll eat and sleep when we don�t have a Jaridian ship
breathing down our necks.�

Quickly running a diagnostic, Renee let out of breath of
relief, when she realized that everything appeared to be in working order.
Pulling away from the terminal, she turned down another corridor to the left,
and started to make her way to the Command Deck.

It didn�t occur with her at first that Howlyn wasn�t
following her. Suddenly sensing how empty the corridor behind her was, she
turned her head to glance over her shoulder, and abruptly pulled to a halt. Her
heart skipping a beat.

Quickly walking back the way she had come, she reentered the
corridor opposite the Brig � the one she had just lefonlyonly to find it devoid
of his presence as well.

Feeling a knot form in her stomach uneasily, she looked
around almost franticly, but she could sense that he wasn�t even in the nearby
vicinity of where she was standi/p> /p>

A small hiss escaped her lips, as she turned and traced back
her original route to the Command Deck. The fine hairs on the back of her bared
neck standing on end as she nervously made her way through the ship. Her body
tense as if she expected him to jump out at her at any moment. But he never
did. She never saw any sign of his presence at all. But that di mea mean that
she didn�t feel him close. Only a few solid walls and empty
spaces separating them.

Pressing a slightly trembling hand over her stomach
protectively, she quickened her pace when she saw the entrance to the Command
Deck up ahead.

Feeling about as calm as one could, knowing that they had a
wild and very unpredictable creature loose in their home � and one that had a
fairly interesting appetite for a particular human blonde Resistance fighter �
she quickly crossed over from the entrance and onto the Command Deck, turning
back once to look out in the corridor she had just exited. A corridor that was
empty.

And then the entrance panel slid shit, cutting off her view,
and sealing her away momentarily from the pair of black obsidian eyes that she knew
were watching her. Tracking her. Unspoken promises being made from the
shadows� Informing her, that while their shared hunt for the Jaridians may have
been over, a completely new hunt had just been initiated. One that he had kept
a secret until now.

And one where she was the prize.

**********

�Chapter Twenty-One�

Liam rubbed the back of his neck tiredly as he slowly paced
back and forth. His eyes rarely straying from the sliding door partition
leading to the outer docking hatch, only about ten feet away from him.

Renee stood a short distance away. Phase pistol drawn and
resting against her thigh. She was leaning up against the wall. Ready to duck
behind the corner for cover if need be.

He noticed how she had the weight off of her left leg. Had
seen her favoring it earlier when she had walked onto the Command Deck.

She had been pretty banged up. Small cuts and bruises were
visible on her face, and there were various wounds on her body. A particularly
nasty one on her right upper arm. Still oozing blood down the highly toned
skin.

But all that aside, she still looked like someone you really
didn�t want to tangle with. She may have been tired � no, exhausted � but her
eyes were still very much alert. Her body prepared for whatever might come.

She met his gaze and smiled slightly. Shifting her weight
slowly as she repositioned herself. Aware of him taking stock of her physical
capabilities. She looked back towards the door.

Turning back himself to look as he heard the pressure seal
suddenly release, Liam�s hand tightened subtly on his own weapon as he waited
for it to slide all the way open. Revealing the small group on the other side.

When he did, he was greeted with a sight that he had never
expected to see again. Relaxing noticeably, he grinned widely and held out his
arms in welcome to the woman currently striding towards him.

�Lilli.�

The dark headed woman grinned back at the sight of him.
Lines of tension and trauma easing around her face as she quickly closed the
distance between them.

�Liam, I can�t believe it�s you.� Wrapping her arms around
him in a quick hug, she pulled away almost immediately to look him over. The
smile still visible at the corners of her mouth and in her dark brown eyes.

�It�s been so long.� she continued. Liam chuckled. Hands
still wrapped around her shoulders.

�Yes. It has.�

~*~

Renee relaxed subtly as she watched Liam and Lilli becoming
reacquainted. Her gaze flitted over the two Jaridians that had come with her as
escorts, but they had yet to move an inch from their location, just on the
outside of the hatch doors. They ignored her and the reunited couple in front
of them entirely.

Brow quirking a little, she decided to turn back and watch
the show playing out in front of her. Making sure to keep those two in her
sights at all times.

Spotting her, Lilli turned and smiled warmly at the blonde
woman. But that smile faltered when she took in Renee�s battered appearance.

�Renee, right?� Her assessing gaze met Renee�s unflinching
one. She frowned gently. �I take it you had a rough time these last few hours.
I�m so sorry� I wasn�t even aware of the attack being made. They didn�t inform
me of it until just a little while ago, and that was when I received Liam�s
transmission.� She turned back to glance at Liam. �Smart move, that.�

Liam shook his head ruefully. A smile still tugging at the
corners of his lips. �Although I would like to take the credit for that idea,
it was purely Renee�s.�

�Not purely.� Renee inserted coolly from where she was
standing. Speaking for the first time. �I had a little �help� from one of your
Jaridian warriors who decided he didn�t want to wind up in pieces like the rest
of his assault team.�

Lilli bit her lower lip. Upset to hear that yet more of the
species had been killedt alt also knowing that Renee and Liam hadn�t had a
choice. She knew all too well how volatile the Jaridians could be. And how most
of them still strongly despised the Taelons, and wanted to wipe any traces of
them left in the universe.

Renee suddenly bowed her head. Uncomfortable with the
silence that had descended. �Liam, if you don�t mind, I�d like to run some
scans of the Mothership and check in with Yulyn. I�ll leave you two to catch
up.�

�Renee�� Lilli�s gentle inquire gave Renee pause.

�Thank you.�

Renee blinked in bemusement. �For what?�

�For remedying this situation before more people could be
killed. For putting me back in touch with Liam� and for not shooting me on
sight after the hell you�ve obviously been through these past few hours.�

Renee smiled in amusement at the other woman�s wry sense of
humor. Knowing that the ex-Resistance fighter was more serious than one would
have thought. Lilli recognized the warrior inee.nee. Knew what the other woman
was capable of doing if pressed to it. She knew it, because in that way, they
were the same.

And in that moment Renee realized just how much the two of
them were alike. They might have even been friends... If they had ever been
given a chance to truly know each other. Work together.

But destiny had pulled the two similar females in two
separate directions. Guided them down different paths. And those were paths
that they were still following. Despite the hardships they both had endured.
Despite what they had lost�

And the unique strengths they had gained in return.
Strengths that were, in a way, just as much a curse as a gift.

Turning around, Renee disappeared from view. Leaving the two
ex-partners to catch up.

~*~

�Chapter Twenty-Two�

~*~

�So let me get this straight� After almost a year of
struggling, battles, and destruction, with an alien species that made the
Taelons look tame in comparison, Renee has now become their savior, and you
both are taking them back to a planet that you don�t even know if it is still
in existence, capable of supporting life, and if it is, what kind of conditions
might be applied?� Lilli shook her head slightly. Looking up at Liam in
disbelief.

They had been speaking for over an hour, and in that time,
Liam had explained everything that had happened to Earth since her departure a
couple of years back.

Needless to say, it had been an very interesting
conversation.

Liam nodded seriously. �Yep. That about sums it up.�

Lilli let out a breath as she ran a slender hand through her
dark brown mass of hair. �Well, I guess it isn�t that much stranger than my
relationship with the remaining survivors of the Jaridian species.�

Liam snorted. �You have no idea.�

Lilli frowned. �What is that supposed to mean?�

Liam sighed. �Renee is pregnant. The baby she carries is
part Atavus.�

Lilli�s eyes widened slightly in surprise. �I see. Who is
the father?�

�Howlyn. Their leader.�

Something about that amused Lilli. �Why does that not surprise
me?�

It was Liam�s turn to look confused. Lilli smiled gently at
him as she explained.

�Even in the short amount of time that I have spent with
her, Renee strikes me as the type of woman that would appeal very strongly to
an alien male of such high standing� And vise versa.�

Liam shrugged. �She has a spirit that has been bruised so
many times, but she�s never quit. Never let herself give up. She has a fire
about her. Always has. Even when it has been far from easy for her, she has
stayed strong. Stayed true... Stayed the course.�

�That is the mark of a great Resistance fighter. A warrior.�
Lilli finished. Looking away as bittersweet memories from her past began to
resurface. Memories from a time before her exile to Jaridia.

Liam reached out a hand to bring her face back to look at
him. Fingers resting easily on the side of her jaw.

�You would know that better than anyone, Lilli. You have
that same spirit.�

Lilli�s lips curved up in a sad smile. �Do I? Sometimes I�m
not that sure. It has been so hard, Liam.� Lilli blinked hard, and swallowed
against the sudden crescendo of emotion that had formed a hard lump in her
throat, and her eyes burning with suppressed tears.

�I�m sorry.� Liam whispered regretfully. Feeling her pain
despite her attempt to hide it. �I�m sorry I wasn�t there to protect you from
the brunt of the last couple of years.�

Lilli shook her head. �Don�t blame yourself, Liam. You don�t
even know what I�ve been through. What makes you think you could have done
anything to ease the way?�

�I know more than you may think.� Liam countered.

Lilli studied him for a moment. Breath catching in her
throat as she weighed his words. Observed the difference in him. Something that
hadn�t been there before.

Those eyes� while they were the same, they were also so
incredibly different. Ageless. Tranquil. The entire universe was in those eyes,
and she was once again reminded of the circumstances of his birth. His
heritage. His birthright.

Lilli blinked suddenly. Pulling herself back from her
thoughts. �You are also saying that the last remaining survivors of the
Taelons, and a few of the last of the Jaridians, merged, in order
to revert back to Atavus form. The original species in which both specied
od
originated from� I thought that Howlyn and the Atavus had already been in
hibernation for over 3 million years. Having originally ruled Earth.�

Liam nodded. �Yes, that�s correct. Howlyn and a female
Atavus by the name of Juda were two of those Atavus� the other few, however,
that Renee released along with Howlyn and Juda, were the Atavus created he
merger of the Taelons and the Jaridians.�

Lilli nodded slowly. �Okay� I think I�ve got it now. What of
the hybrids on Earth? Will they all be reverted successfully?�

Liam shrugged. �They should be. The drug was being
mass-reproduced all over the globe in order to keep the Atavus from destroying
the antidote in its entirety.�

�And what about the remaining stasis chambers left on Earth?
The remaining Atavus?�

�If Street has anything to say about it, when I return to
Earth in a year or so, she will have found some way of locating them �
hopefully with some assistance from Augur � and I�ll be able to bring them all
back to their homeworld.�

Lilli quirked her brow. �And in the meantime?�

Liam grinned. �I will explore the universe for the curiosity
and future of Earth. Originally, I believed it was meant to be Renee�s destiny
to join me, but� it appears that her true destiny is going to lie elsewhere.�

Lilli scrutinized him closely. �And that bothers you, doesn�t
it? Her destiny not only being apart from you, but also with another.�

Liam looked away. Serious once again. �Renee has been one of
the closest friends and partners I ever could have asked for. It will be hard
not towithwith her. Just as it will be hard for her to be without me. Even
though she�s had more experience in that department than I have.�

Lilli cocked her head to the side. �Are you in love with
her?�

Liam was silent for a moment. Calculating his next words
carefully.

�Renee and I will always be close. I care for her deeply,
and consider her to be a part of my family. My life. And although I do
love her, it is not necessarily in the way you are implying. Although, I will
say, that early on, I would have wanted nothing more than to have been
romantically involved with her. But over time, our relationship became
something far more incredible, and that desire faded away, as the importance of
our partnership became paramount.�

Liam suddenly looked back at Lilli. �I just want to make
sure that she�s happy, that�s all. I will walk away gladly so long as I know
she�s safe. Satisfied with this life she has chosen for herself. A life among
the Atavus, and with Howlyn� I just hope she can handle making that decision,
and can live with it comfortably once its been made.�

She couldn�t stop the groan that exited her throat as the
heated water cascaded over her exhausted body. Washing away the sweat and blood
and grime of the last few hours. She had forgotten what time it was, and at
present, saw no reason to care to find out.

Renee�s long, pale lashes fluttered closed. The hot water
stung harshly when coming in contact her untreated cuts and scrapes, but at the
same time it flowed erotically over her skin with a sensual fire. Loosening her
tightened and strained muscles. Easing the knots and removing her aches� while
creating new ones that suddenly startled her with their unexpected intensity.

Eyes popping open as a cry of uneasiness parted her lips.
She pressed her palms into the shower wall in front of her to hold herself up
as her knees suddenly threatened to go out from underneath her, as the changes
in her body came on hard and strong. Her gaze settled unflinchingly � but also
unseeingly � upon the drain at her bare feet in a state of shock and panic.
Crimson tinted water caused by the blood now tricking steadily from the vicious
slash upon her shoulder, and one upon her lower back, swirled down through the
exit. Leaving only the faintest of pink tinged trails in its wake.

Swallowing reflexively, she closed her eyes once more and
leaned her forehead hopelessly against the interior wall. Helpless against the
overwhelming molten lava pooling in her body and racing through her veins at
the caress of the water. Unable to fully comprehend or believe what was
happening to her. What had been happening to her for so long.

What the hell had he done to her to turn her into this? Why
did she have to become almost mindless in her need of him? The harder she
fought him, the worse it became. The further she ran, the more determined it
chased her.

Turning her head up into the shower�s waterfall. Aware of
the way her body trembled more with each moment that ticked by. She hadn�t
expected this, that was for sure.

Unable to stop was she knew was inevitably going to happen.
Her body was no longer her own as she felt her mounting desire as it went from
an ache to an almost dream-like trance...

In her mind�s eye, it wasn�t the water running over her, but
his hands. His hands tracing the line of her spine, flowing down her stomach,
running between her legs, and invading her core with its subtle caress. His
warmth pressing into her back as he took her from behind in a similar fashion
to the way he had back at the spa several months ago.

Her lips parted almost hungrily as the droplets of water
filled her parched mouth, reminding her of his own unique taste. Similar
droplets racing down the curve of her throat and pooling in the hollows of her
collar-bone as she tossed her head back. Raising a trembling hand to push back
the sodden mass of hair trying to adhere stubbornly to her sensitized face and
shoulders.

The faded mark on her neck literally throbbed as the heat
from the water encountered it, and it was all she could do to keep from
collapsing into the interior wall of the shower in order to hold herself up and
against the bombardment of the sensations it created.

The illusion and fantasy of Howlyn with her was so strong,
she could feel his lips upon the mark. Swirling his tongue around and into the
tiny dents of the faint scar tissue, chasing away the beads of moisture. His
hands upon her aroused and heated skin. Kneading and stroking.

Renee let out a sigh. Caught up in the moment. If she
focused, she could even pick up the faint traces of his scent left on her body�

Renee�s eyes snapped open in sudden realization when she
recognized what she was doing. What she was allowing to occur.

She almost viciously attacked the knobs. Shutting off the
showerhead plunged the small room into almost complete silence instantaneously.
The only sound echoing within its tight confines being that of her heavy
breathing and the sound of the water sliding off her burning body in an almost
mocking farewell, as it then splashed into the tiles at her feet.

�Damn you, Howlyn.� she hissed out hoarsely. Not even
recognizing her own voice. Although she didn�t know why she should let that
surprise her� She didn�t recognize anything else about her, and hadn�t ever
since that night at the spa, when her world had been literally turned upside
down.

And she had even wanted it. Had hungered for it. Begged for
it. And Howlyn had been all too willing to comply.

And he had never tried to pretend to be anything else with
her than what he was, and she had always known that. Knowing that
his inherit and personal nature would never alter in the slightest for anyone.
Even her.

So the only one she could truthfully blame for her current
predicament was herself.

She had fallen to the enemy, and although his embrace was
glorious, it was also damning her sense of strength and independence of spirit.
It was reaching a point where she didn�t know where she began and he left off.
Despite her struggles, he was, bit by bit, taking control of her. Just as she
had known he always would if she had submitted to him, even for a moment

And now there was no way she could stop this, stop him, even
if she even wanted to.

Renee leaned her forehead against her arm still braced up
beside her head on the interior wall of the shower and closed her eyes. Just
trying to focus on slowing down the beat of her erratic heart-rate.

Just then, as the sound of alien yet masculine laughter
echoed tauntingly deep inside her mind, fading away on the warm steam entwining
around her sensitive, damp skin and filling up the entire room with its thick,
fogging mist. And she knew in the clarity of that moment that despite whatever
else she tried to tell herself, in the end, this simple fact remained�

He had won� and she was truly lost.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Twenty-Five

~*~

After drying off, Renee padded silently back into her room,
still unclothed, and slid beneath the blankets. One might think that her state
of undress was meant as a sensual response� Truth was, she couldn�t stand the
thought of clothing upon her sensitized skin. She knew the sensation would have
been far too unbearable with its confinement of her movements then she could
take at the current moment.

Sinking into the warmth of the plush bedclothes, she gave
the verbal command to turn off the lights. Plunging the room into unforgivable
pitch-blackness.

Swallowing nervously, she reached her hand under her pillow
to touch the reassurance of her energy knife with her fingertips, and let out a
breath.

She knew, better than most, that lights did not keep the
real-life monsters at bay. Besides, her resolve was stronger than any
nervousness on her part. Howlyn couldn�t get to her, and she wasn�t going to
let him win in any shape or form, by acting like a frightened child.

Rolling over onto her side, and sliding one underneath her
pillow to grasp the dormant blade � she hadn�t survived the last months by
taking chances � she closed her eyes and forced herself to relax. Determined to
sleep.

It wasn�t that much of a struggle. Her body and mind were
exhausted, and despite her concerns � and the lingering effect of the arousal
she still felt deep within her body � she rather quickly succumbed to the need
for sleep, and slipped easily and comfortably into unconsciousness. Fingers
unclenching from around the knife as she relaxed her hold upon it unknowing.
Slender hand still pressing limply over the heavy metal curves and contours of
the unique piece, which had become such an important part of her survival as of
late.

And her sleep was restful, peaceful� undisturbed. For about
minute. Maybe an hour� Strange thing about sleeping in space� Time lost all of
its meaning.

And then the dreams began. Slipping into the shadows of her
mind, as another shadow deepened and stretched stealthily from the ceiling,
descending into her room as silent and still as the air around it.

A shadow� in total darkness.

~*~

Chapter Twenty-Six

~*~

All she saw were flashes. Brief glimpses of her unfamiliar
surroundings, but those precious few seemed to be unimportant even as they
imprinted themselves forever upon her memory.

The black velvet sky above littered with alien stars,
framed by incredibly tall but strange trees� the play and layering of shadows
that could take no discernable shape that she could recognize... the glimpses of bare flesh glowing in the
moonlight� and black eyes burning with the desire that she knew all too well.

He was with her� as he always was.

And then, even that faded away, and she was aware of
nothing but the sensations assaulting her. The line of her bare back and hip
pressed into the moss-covered ground smelling of raw earth and spice� the feel
of the moist humidity and heat as it kissed her naked and incredibly warm skin�
his body pressing into hers, hands sliding down her sides and kneading firmly
upon her thighs. Lifting them up around his lean waist... His skin strangely
cool despite the heat surrounding them. The heat running through her own body.
He was made for this strange planet, where she was not.

Her fingers were buried in a thick black mane as his
mouth moved over the curve of her shoulder. Alternating between gentle laving,
and almost painful biting. His movements following that pattern. He shifted
constantly from gentle lover to aggressive and primal, dominating male. The
sound of cleaves releasing echoed in her ears as one hand grasped her thigh,
the other encircling the gentle curve of her hip. The glittering glow of their
dangerous length shining against her pale skin.

He was everywhere at once. Inside her, circling her,
pressing into her, and she was defenseless against him. Against this eroticism
attacking her body and her mind.

There was no room for thought. No room for games. Was she
the prey? The hunter? Or a strange combination of both? It didn�t matter. She
wanted him. All of him. She wanted him with everything she was. It was a desire
that went so far past what she was familiar with, but she couldn�t stop it from
sweeping all her defenses away. Didn�t want to. There was an unexpected freedom
in giving in. A sense of completeness.

And the desire� the desire was overpowering. Intensifying
with every moment.

She felt like she was burning up within his arms. Aching�
flying� falling� drowning... She couldn�t tell where one sensation left off and
the other began. Her body felt heavy under the press of his weight. Her nails
clenched tightly in his shoulder and nape as his growls reverberated against
her flesh.

Her body shifted restlessly, searchingly, beneath him,
her legs wrapped themselves more firmly around his waist. Urging him to enter
her. Taunting him with her closeness as much as he was with his.

Lips moved down the line of her throat, sharp teeth
rasping against the fast beat of her pulse. Tossing her head back and arching
up into him, her eyes finally seemed to focus for a brief moment on something
other then the undulating shadows around them.

Looking up into the black silk of the night above,
glittering with diamond chips for stars, her eyes acknowledged yet another
unfamiliar sight at the same time he suddenly buried himself deep within her
core, causing a cry of rapture and wanton need to escape her lips.

The sight of twin moons, bigger and brighter than Earth�s
single moon, surrounded by unfamiliar constellations, and the brilliance of an
alien galaxy.

And then everything exploded.

~*~

Jerking awake, Renee shot up into a sitting position in her
bed. Eyes glazed in shock and momentary disorientation. Ragged breaths that cut
through the complete stillness of the room like a knife. Echoing the intense
beat of her heart pounding hard enough in her chest to shake her entire body,
as it fought off the unwanted sensations of the dream.

Remembering where she was and what had happened, Renee let
out a groan and closed her eyes. Chest still heaving slightly as she tried to
center herself. Asserting whatever amount of control she might have left over
her raging hormones.

The sheets were twisted around her legs. Her skin was once
again soaked with perspiration despite the coolness of the room, and the
sensation of the damp fabric on her limbs was too much to bear.

Before she let herself think about it too much, she pushed
the sheet away forcefully from her limbs and hopped clear of the mattress.
Landing on bare feet as she stretched her body upright.

Her room was pitch black. Cautiously feeling her way over to
the side, her fingers sought a small control pad and she pressed a button.
Sending the shield covering the fairly decent sized viewing panel sliding back
with a gentle whirring of mechanics. Revealing the stars shooting past as a
testament to the Mothership still slipping its way through ID space.

She watched for a moment as she focused on just not
thinking at all. Uncaring of her undressed state. Trying to get her breaths and
her pulse back under control. To cool off the intense ravaging of the arousal
arching through her body to at least a point where she didn�t feel like she
would explode into a million pieces at the slightest pressure.

She wasn�t sure exactly how long it took before she felt
like she had established some of that control. Maybe a minute� maybe an hour.
Even then she didn�t move until the threat of vertigo became too much, and she
pressed the pad�s keys again. Sending the panel home, and plunging the room
back into complete darkness once more.

Only then did she begin to relax. Taking in deep breaths in
an effort to soothe and relax the hard tenseness of her sore muscles. Only then
did she quietly pad back to her bed, pulling the sheet back up into position,
and slipping underneath it.

The dreams were becoming more and more intense as each one
passed. She had just thought the first one she had had so many
long months ago had been bad. Her need for Howlyn was like a living thing.
Crawling insistently just beneath the surface of her skin. Growing stronger and
stronger each time she tried to deny it.

She was trying to stall an inevitable conclusion, she knew
that. She wanted Howlyn. Wanted to be with him. She no more had a choice in it
then she had the day so many months ago when she had been driven to the
locatof hof his stasis pod, and his resulting release upon her world.

And now that she was carrying his child, there was no doubt
in her mind that he would never let her escape him, even if she had wanted to.

She knew that her child � their child � needed to be raised
amongst her own kind. Deserved to know who her father was. Her older brother�
She didn�t deserve to be raised on Earth, despite the fact that she�s half
human, because Earth would always fear and revile her. And Renee knew all too
well what the people back home did to those they feared.

She wouldn�t let her daughter know that kind of life. And
while there was some concern as to what the
other Atavus� response would be to the mate of their King
and their half-breed daughter, Renee hoped that it wouldn�t be a problem. She
hoped that Howlyn could keep them under control� and that she would see any
attempts on her life coming long before they struck. Something told her that
the females of the Atavus race wouldn�t like her much, and may see killing her
as a way to declare themselves queen.

Of course, if that became a possible issue, Renee could
always explain to them what happened to Nahima, Juda, and Atavus female Zo�or.

Renee rubbed her palm over her tired face. It was also
useless for her to try and deny what she herself wanted. Because, heaven help
her, she wanted Howlyn. She could try to pretend that her daughter was the
reason why she would � eventually � be giving in to Howlyn, but she knew that
for the lie it was. It was just a beautiful excuse that she could tell herself
so she�d be able to look at herself in the mirror come dawn.

Despite the deaths and the hybrids created� despite the
constant hunts and battles� the dreams that nearly drove her mad and his
constant attempts to bend her to his will using whatever means possible� the
desire to conquer her entire planet, and enslave her species� she still wanted
him. And she had never stopped wanting.

So what was stopping her now? What was keeping her from just
walking over to her door, releasing the locks, and letting him in? She knew he
was close. Damn it, he knew that she knew it, and he was mocking
her with his nearness. Mocking her belief that just a simple wall would be able
to keep her safe from him for long. She knew he wouldn�t hurt her� no, take
that back� she knew he wouldn�t kill her. She still didn�t know
what his ins instinctual responses would be like. There was a dangerous core
to him that sent off a self-preservation instinct in her that rivaled any
other, and she knew it was only a matter of time before he revealed it to her.
No holds barred.

In a lot of ways, she felt like she had stepped into an
inferno� and had no idea how to handle the burn.

mal>Renee let out a breath and stretched slightly underneath the
sheets. Her naked skin sliding across fabric.

Whatever her remaining concerns were about Howlyn, she knew
she would have to work them out. But not tonight. Tonight she needed to
regroup. Get her walls back in place before she had to confront him again. was was too primal. Untamed. She needed the time by herself simply to catch her
breath before confronting him again. She needed to feel as if she still had
some control over her life when around him, and that didn�t include giving into
this sexual connection she had formed with him this evening during their shared
hunt. She didn�t know how she knew, but she knew that it had something to do
with what she was now going through. She figured it was some kind of mating
ritual for the Atavus.

Howlyn seemed to have no problem with using her ignorance of
his species� ways to his advantage.

Renee wasn�t too sure if she wanted to be
knowledgeable at this point.

Turning so she could curl up on her side, Renee situated
herself so she was comfortable and focused on going back to sleep. Her tired
and stressed body needed rest, and although she really didn�t care for the idea
of possibly having another dream like the one she just had, she knew she didn�t
have much choice. She needed the sleep.

As she began to drift off once more, her internal musings
turned towards the reason why she had been startled awake in the first place.
That dream was the most intense one she had had yet. It had felt so incredibly
real, that she imagined she could still feel the earth at her back, still
inhale the humidity of the air, and could still taste Howlyn�s skin upon her
tongue. She could even smell his scent�

Renee�s eyelids suddenly snapped open as her heart leapt
deep in her chest. Sending a jolt of adrenaline flooding through her body.
Kindling nerve ending with instant energy.

And that was the one and only warning she had.

Jerking up instinctively with an alarmed cry upon her lips,
Renee�s hand slid underneath her pillow to grasp the handle of the her energy
knife even as she the the air currents shifting suddenly in front of her.
Heralding the sudden movement of a large form, cloaked in complete darkness.
She couldn�t even see the paleness of his skin� but she could feel the heat
from his nearness just moments before he pounced.

She reflexively twisted out of the way as she felt her bed
dip suddenly and sharply as he seemed to drop down from the ceiling above her.
She would have been successful in getting away too, if the sheet hadn�t twisted
around her bare hips and thighs. Anchoring her to the mattress. She had a bad
feeling that the large square of fabric had had a little bit of assistance from
Howlyn.

Her struggles just caused her to become more and more
tangled up in her sheet. Making her collapse back down to the mattress in a
writhing heap.

And then she knew he was leaning over her.

She felt him easily capture one of her ankles when she tried
to lash out. His complete and utter silence more frightening to her than
anything else he could have done.

Renee tried to push herself up with her palms. Trying to
collect enough leverage to maybe push herself off the bed. She was running on
pure instinct at this moment. Trying to use whatever means she could to win a
battle she was quickly losing.

She had almost made it over the edge when Howlyn simply
dragged her back towards him until only her head was leaning over the edge of
the bed. His hand still shackling her ankle firmly. Renee hissed at him in anger,
and she could have sworn she heard him chuckle.

She felt him come over her. One hand still wrapped securely
around her ankle even as the other one encircled the wrist attached to the hand
that had just thumbed on the energy knife and was trying to strike at him with
it.

Pinning her arm ruthlessly to the mattress, the red glow
from the blade provided Renee with enough tinted light to see his features,
just a few inches away from her own. Framed by that mass of black hair that was
now loose and free-flowing. Ends of which brushed over her own shoulders and
neck.

The red light reflected in his black eyes� the sensual curve
of his mouth tempting even as it appeared to be almost cruel. The shadows that
caressed his face and skin like a lover�s embrace were accentuated by the
light.

Her suddenly dry lips parted in slowly awakening arousal,
even as she lashed out at him with her other fist.

Her blow didn�t even cause him to blink. If anything, she
watched warily as his lips curved mockingly down at her.

Becoming angry, she tried to buck his unmoving frame off of
her.

Unfortunately for her, she hadn�t counted on the
repercussions of such a movement.

Taking advantage of her actions while she was still
off-balance, the hand that had gripped her ankle so tightly quickly slid its
way up to her knee, fingers pressing intimately into the sensitive skin behind
it, as he quickly brought it up around his waist, and settled his weight
between her thighs. Only then did that hand leave her leg to grasp the sheet
still caught between them. Tossing it clear off the bed to where the rest of
the bedclothes laid on the floor. Her own movements to escape aiding his to
capture.

Renee punched him as hard as she could in the shoulder with
her free hand. Trying to unseat him. He quickly gathered up that loose hand and
pinned it forcefully to the mattress in a similar fashion as the other one was
held.

Renee continued to struggle. Trying to arch her body away
from his. He just settled more of his weight upon her to hold her down. A faint
growl echoing in his throat as more of his body purposely came in contact with
hers.

Renee suddenly froze as a few things finally occurred to
her. One, was he was completely naked. Just as she was. Two, there was nothing
between them anymore�

And three, she could feel his arousal pressed up hard
against her feminine core.

Howlyn�s bruising grip loosened slightly once he knew he
finally had her attention. Stroking up one wrist casually to take the energy
knife from her nerveless fingers, he deftly grasped it and brought it to the
front to lay threateningly just a few centimeters over her heart, the point
almost coming to rest in the hollow of her throat in contemplation.

Renee flinched slightly and met his gaze. Heart pounding
frantically. She felt his thumb suddenly begin stroking her wrist soothingly.
The one he still held captive beside her head. Her breaths were coming fast,
causing her chest to rise and fall rapidly, and she knew he was sensing her
blood pulsing just below the skin.

And she knew he could smell her intensifying arousal, as
well as feel the dampness between her thighs where he held himself completely
still. Poised as her entrance.

�How many times Renee, haveold old you that you could never
escape me?�

Renee closed her eyes shut against the sight of those
sensual features and his silken words. Waiting to feel the bite of her knife
against her skin. Hell knew she�d attacked him and his species enough times
with it.

Instead, she heard more than saw him flip the energy blade
off. The faint hissing and the smell of burning energy dying off as soon as the
weapon went dormant. Plunging the room back into complete darkness.

She heard the knife strike the far wall of the her room as
he tossed it out of reach. Heard it clatter to the floor.

�I would have thought that, given the present circumstances,
you have resigned yourself to that fact. Let�s see if I can change your
perspective.�

And then she felt the heat of his mouth come crashing down
upon hers.

~*~
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"Black Fire"

Chapter Twenty