{"id":1232,"date":"2025-02-18T17:48:12","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T22:48:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/?p=1232"},"modified":"2025-02-18T17:48:27","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T22:48:27","slug":"the-slow-burn-chapter-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/the-slow-burn-chapter-12\/","title":{"rendered":"The Slow Burn, Chapter 12"},"content":{"rendered":"<style type=\"text\/css\">\np {\n  border-bottom: 0;\n  border-top: 0;\n  display: block;\n  padding-bottom: 0;\n  padding-top: 0;\n}\np.indented {\n  margin-bottom: 0;\n  margin-top: 0;\n  text-indent: 1em;\n}\np.indented-offset {\n  margin-bottom: 1em;\n  margin-top: 1em;\n  text-indent: 1em;\n}\np.block {\n  margin-bottom: 1em;\n  margin-top: 1em;\n  margin-left: 2em;\n  margin-right: 2em;\n}\np.center-block {\n  margin-bottom: 1em;\n  margin-top: 1em;\n  margin-left: 2em;\n  margin-right: 2em;\n  text-align: center;\n}\np.letter-block {\n  margin-bottom: 0;\n  margin-top: 1em;\n  margin-left: 2em;\n  margin-right: 2em;\n}\np.indent-block {\n  margin-bottom: 1em;\n  margin-top: 0;\n  margin-left: 2em;\n  margin-right: 2em;\n  text-indent: 1em;\n}\np.poetry {\n  margin-bottom: 1em;\n  margin-top: 1em;\n  margin-left: 3em;\n  margin-right: 2em;\n  text-indent: -2em;\n}\np.right {\n  margin-bottom: 1em;\n  margin-top: 1em;\n  text-align: right;\n}\np.excerpt {\n  margin-top: 1em;\n  margin-bottom: 0;\n  margin-left: 3em;\n  margin-right: 3em;\n}\np.excerpt-right {\n  margin-top: 0;\n  margin-bottom: 1em;\n  margin-left: 3em;\n  margin-right: 3em;\n  text-align: right;\n}\nhr {\n  align-content: center;\n  width: 50%;\n  background: linear-gradient(to right, #4474BE 0%, #243a68 100%);\n  height: 3px;\n  margin-bottom: 1em;\n  margin-top: 1em;\n}\ntt {\n  font: 0.857em menlo, monaco, consolas, monospace;\n  margin: auto;\n}\nh2 {\ntext-align: center;\n}\nh2.chapterhead {\nmargin-bottom: 2em;\ntext-align: center;\n}\nh3 {\n  text-align: center;\n}\nh3.afterword {\n  margin-bottom: 1em;\n  text-decoration: underline;\n}\nh3.headline {\n  margin-bottom: 0;\n}\nh4 {\n  text-align: center;\n}\nh4.headline {\n  margin-top: 0;\n  margin-bottom: 1em;\n}\n.nowrap {\n  text-indent: 0;\n  display: inline-block;\n}\nli {\n  list-style-type: number;\n  padding-left: 1em;\n  margin-left: 0;\n  margin-bottom: 10px;\n}\na {\n  text-decoration: none;\n}\n<\/style>\n<p><b>Title:<\/b> The Slow Burn<br \/>\n<b>Author:<\/b> Ardath Rekha<br \/>\n<b>Chapter:<\/b> 12\/?<br \/>\n<b>Fandom:<\/b> <i>Pitch Black<\/i> (2000)<br \/>\n<b>Rating:<\/b> X<br \/>\n<b>Warnings:<\/b> Adult Situations; Controversial Subject Matter; Alcohol \/ Drug Use; Harsh Language; Explicit Sexual Content<br \/>\n<b>Category:<\/b> Het (Plot)<br \/>\n<b>Pairing:<\/b> Riddick\/OFC<br \/>\n<b>Summary:<\/b> This is a reworked version of chapter 11 (formerly chapter 10) of <i>The Slow Burn<\/i>, which was my first attempt at fan fiction. It was semi-successful, but I stopped writing it after I found my real calling with <i>Apprentice<\/i>. Now I\u2019m revisiting it. The story adds an original character to the group of survivors, and this time around I\u2019m trying to strip away any and all Mary Sue qualities she possessed. In this heavily reworked chapter, for a grief-stricken young woman trying very hard not to think, waking up in the power of an escaped convict is a welcome distraction.<br \/>\n<b>Disclaimer:<\/b> The characters and events of <i>Pitch Black<\/i> are not mine, but belong to Universal Studios.  New characters and situations are, however, entirely my creation  No money is being made off of this.  I\u2019m writing strictly for love of the story.<br \/>\n<b>Feedback:<\/b> Absolutely, the more the better!  Shred me, whip me, beat me, make me feel grammatical! I post \u201crough,\u201d so I can always use the help. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<input type='hidden' bg_collapse_expand='6a8f3c13cf8e53041456000' value='6a8f3c13cf8e53041456000'><input type='hidden' id='bg-show-more-text-6a8f3c13cf8e53041456000' value='Long post is long. Click to read the story.'><input type='hidden' id='bg-show-less-text-6a8f3c13cf8e53041456000' value='Hide the story again.'><button id='bg-showmore-action-6a8f3c13cf8e53041456000' class='bg-showmore-plg-button bg-green-button  '   style=\" color:#D9ECFB;\">Long post is long. Click to read the story.<\/button><div id='bg-showmore-hidden-6a8f3c13cf8e53041456000' >  <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"chapterhead\"><b>12.<br \/><u>Fiona: Being Brave<\/u><\/b><\/h2>\n<p class=\"indented\">When she\u2019d first awakened after the crash, Fiona had had no idea at all where she was. She was even more disoriented now. She\u2019d never, ever in her life found herself waking to a man in her bed, much less waking up in a man\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">The hot, dry climate, nothing like her parents\u2019 home in New Belfast, was the clue she needed to remember where she was. The crash planet. The <i>Hunter-Gratzner<\/i> had crashed on a desolate world, obliterating all of her dreams and plans on impact. Her mind shied away from the full meaning of that, refusing to look behind the fragile veil between her and a world of pain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">But she knew who had to be holding her. And, somehow, that knowledge was both comforting and thrilling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">Distantly, she could hear the Imam singing morning\u2014or were those evening?\u2014prayers. She was lying face-down, on top of Riddick, her head resting on his bare chest. He had his arms around her, one hand on her shoulder and the other on the small of her back. His breath, when he exhaled, ruffled at the hair on the top of her head. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">She supposed she should be afraid, but she wasn\u2019t. In sleep, Riddick looked amazingly peaceful. The taut energy had left his body for the moment, taking with it the sense of danger about him. What was left was simply Riddick the man, and Fiona was captivated. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">A quick glance showed her that Riddick wasn\u2019t <i>completely<\/i> undressed, wearing a pair of boxers that she would never have guessed were his style. His shirt and pants were folded neatly on top of the dresser and his boots sat below them on the floor, one black sock draped across each. His goggles sat on the nightstand beside the bed, next to two makeshift blades, one a curved piece of metal and one that looked almost paleolithic, crafted out of what she suspected might be bone. Those were his only possessions, she realized. She wondered if he\u2019d been touching her while she slept. The thought made her oddly giddy. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">She turned her attention back to him. In the filtered light of the twin suns, his tanned skin looked almost golden. She was surprised to realize that he had no tattoos; the ex-cons who had sometimes worked on her father\u2019s crews had all sported at least a few. But Riddick\u2019s skin was smooth, unmarked, and unblemished. There was a patch of moisture on his chest. God, had she drooled on him? No, it was too high. Tears. She must have been crying in her sleep, but she didn\u2019t remember that and refused to think about why she would have been. She shifted her position slightly so that she could watch him sleep, watch him breathe, until his eyes slowly fluttered open. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cGood morning,\u201d she whispered, having thought up and discarded a dozen would-be witticisms. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">Riddick\u2019s mouth twitched into a hint of a smile as he lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the light. \u201cIs there such a thing as morning on this rock?\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d she said, wishing she could come up with a more clever answer. \u201cBut, since we just woke up, I declare this morning.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">Riddick\u2019s smile grew a little. \u201cWorks for me.\u201d His other hand began stroking her hair\u2026 again? Fiona suddenly had a powerful sense that he\u2019d done this before to her, sometime\u2026 but she couldn\u2019t remember exactly when. It felt incredibly familiar, though. After a moment she closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. Maybe, she thought, he\u2019d been doing that through the night? Perhaps while she had been crying? Her mind shuddered away from that train of thought.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cMmmm. I like that,\u201d she told him, trying to lose herself in the moment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cMe too,\u201d he rumbled. \u201cBut I\u2019d enjoy any excuse to touch you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">Fiona silently agreed. Being touched by him felt wonderful, not least because it kept her mind quiet and empty. After a while, she sat up and looked down at him. He was watching her through slitted eyes, still shielding them against the light with his free hand. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\"><i>He could have done anything he wanted to me, any time,<\/i> she reflected. They had been alone for hours, but all he had done was hold her and stroke her hair. She was sure of it. And she was suddenly sure that she wanted much, much more than just that. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\"><i>Be brave,<\/i> she told herself, and reached up to the window slats, pushing them almost all of the way shut. Most of the room vanished into gloom, but Riddick\u2019s astonishing eyes were still visible, gleaming like hematite in the darkness. She let them guide her as she leaned down and kissed him on the lips. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">The shock of it coursed through her body even as his arms circled her waist and pulled her closer to him. Then his hand was on the back of her head, pushing her even deeper into the kiss as his lips forced hers open. His other hand began exploring her body, molding the shapes of her breasts, stomach and thighs, before sliding under her nightgown and between her legs. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">She gasped as his touch sent a powerful jolt through her body. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cDo you like that?\u201d He whispered into her mouth. \u201cOh yeah, you do. You\u2019re all wet\u2026\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">Abruptly, he lifted her up and turned her over onto her back so that now he was above her. His hands pushed her nightgown up, over her head, baring her completely to him. For a moment it was tangled on her arms and then he pulled it away, tossing it in the direction of her backpack. In the darkness, she could barely see him above her, just the strange glow of his amazing eyes, and a small sliver of light tracking along his jaw. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cYou\u2019re shaking,\u201d he murmured. \u201cDon\u2019t tell me you\u2019re afraid of me now.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cIt\u2019s not you, I\u2019m not afraid of you, but\u2026 I\u2019ve never\u2026\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">He went completely still above her. \u201cYou\u2019ve never been with a man before.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">Fiona could only nod. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cHmmm.\u201d It almost sounded like a growl. Suddenly Riddick stood, and walked to the door. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cWhere are you\u2014\u201d Fiona started to sit up, but Riddick simply flipped the lock on the door and then turned back. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cIf that\u2019s the case, we\u2019re going to need some time. And no interruptions.\u201d He walked back over to her side. She could barely make out the smile touching his lips. \u201cLie down, Fee.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">She did, and he knelt beside the bed. Slowly, so slowly, he slid his hands over her body, as if memorizing her contours. Then he rose, just a little, and covered her mouth with his again. This time he was more forceful, his tongue probing past her lips, running along her teeth, then deeper, twining around her own. His hands continued to stroke her body, igniting her skin where they passed. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">His mouth left hers and moved to her throat, and she gasped again as one of his fingers slid deep inside her. He kept it there, sliding it back and forth slowly, while he used his mouth to explore her. His lips and tongue left a trail of fire on her skin. Then he was pushing her legs apart, coming around the bed, lowering his head between them. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">She couldn\u2019t suppress a cry when his lips and tongue touched her flesh, nor the tremors that began to wrack her body. It spurred him on, making him more aggressive, forceful, enthusiastic. She covered her mouth with her hands, trying to muffle her own cries as wave after wave of pure pleasure crashed over her. His arms encircled her waist and he held her until she shuddered and went limp. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">He slowly rose up, wiping the back of his hand across his glistening lips. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cNow,\u201d he murmured, \u201cHopefully that\u2019ll have helped get you ready some, but this is probably gonna hurt. I hope it won\u2019t hurt <i>too<\/i> much.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">Fiona\u2019s eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough that she could see all of Riddick now, not just his eyes. Standing at the foot of the bed, he untied the boxer shorts\u2014too large for him by at least one size, she realized as they dropped to the floor. She couldn\u2019t take her eyes off of him, fascinated\u2014and, she had to admit, a little intimidated\u2014by the sight of his erection. Then he climbed onto the bed, poised above her like a mountain lion over a deer. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cI want you to tell me if the pain gets too bad, Fee.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">She nodded, barely able to speak. Maggie had warned her that it would hurt, and had suggested that she should consider being a few sheets to the wind when it happened. Suddenly she wished that she\u2019d grabbed one of Paris\u2019s extra bottles before tottering off to bed. She could feel Riddick positioning himself against her and pushing in\u2014god it felt huge, it couldn\u2019t possibly <i>fit<\/i>\u2014<\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">Sudden pain speared through her and a whimper escaped her lips. Above her, Riddick froze. His hand cupped her face, his thumb caressing her lips. Slowly, the pain subsided and she remembered to breathe. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cAre you okay?\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cYes,\u201d she whispered, hoping that her voice would stay steady. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cDo you want me to stop?\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cNo.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cOkay,\u201d he murmured and pressed closer, stopping when pain sliced through her again and she whimpered. He held her, his arms loose around her as if giving her room to pull away, and kissed her forehead while she shook, waiting for her to tell him she was okay. Then it began again. Pain, a pause while the pain receded and he held her, murmuring softly, then more pain again as, bit by bit, he pushed deeper into her. <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">The pain was reaching an almost-unbearable crescendo. <i>This is never going to work, I\u2019m being torn apart,<\/i> Fiona thought, <i>Oh god\u2026<\/i> <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">Miraculously, with a small jolt that traveled along every jangled nerve of her body, the pain eased. She released a long, shuddering breath. For a moment, the room felt almost chilly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">\u201cIt\u2019s okay, Fee, it\u2019s okay,\u201d Riddick whispered into her ear. \u201cI\u2019m all the way in now.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">His fingers stroked her face again, surprisingly gentle, wiping away the tears that she hadn\u2019t even realized were pouring down her cheeks. Then he shifted his position slightly, lowering his upper body down onto hers, and began a slow, steady rhythm inside her. She could feel every inch of him, stroking against newly sore places inside her and\u2026 something else. The pain was rapidly being overwhelmed by that new feeling, something she had no words for.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">For the first time since Riddick had begun to enter her, Fiona became aware of her arms and legs, limp against him. He\u2019d hitched her legs around his body, knees bent at his hips, heels resting on the backs of his thighs. Her arms had been lying on the bed, hands gripping the sheets. Now she brought them around his back, suddenly aware of the sheen of sweat on his skin against her palms. How hard had he been restraining himself, for her sake? She clung to him, burying her face against his chest. The musky, spicy scent of his skin and sweat was intoxicating, and she knew that her memories would conjure it for her again whenever she thought of this moment. When she was an old woman and remembered him and her first time, this scent would come to her again. She nuzzled his skin, drinking the scent in, and felt more than heard his groan of pleasure. His arms slid under her and he pulled her close, even as his thrusts became stronger, more forceful.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indented\">Fiona felt herself slipping into a strange delirium, waves of pleasure almost obliterating the pain and crashing over her with each thrust of Riddick\u2019s body. He drew back, shifting his position again so that he could cover her mouth with his, and she realized that her cries\u2014<i>is that my voice? My god<\/i>\u2014had been rising in pitch and volume. Suddenly the world came apart in fire.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"center-block\">Posted on the 25<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary of the theatrical release of <i>Pitch Black<\/i>, February 18, 2025.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Title: The Slow Burn Author: Ardath Rekha Chapter: 12\/? Fandom: Pitch Black (2000) Rating: X Warnings: Adult Situations; Controversial Subject Matter; Alcohol \/ Drug Use; Harsh Language; Explicit S","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"bgseo_title":"\u201cThe Slow Burn\u201d 12: \u201cFiona: Being Brave\u201d","bgseo_description":"For a grief-stricken young woman trying very hard not to think, waking up in the power of an escaped convict is a welcome distraction.","bgseo_robots_index":"index","bgseo_robots_follow":"follow","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fan-fiction","category-the-slow-burn"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1232"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1233,"href":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232\/revisions\/1233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ardath-rekha.com\/wips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}