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_*Some more adventure time with Eric! I've been doing to much Eric POV recently so I think next chapter will maybe be all Xerah... Read and review please, it really does help me get better as well as inspires. Rate, fave, and watch. Watch most definitely if you want to keep up with new installments _

"Eric, what is the matter?" He heard in his head. His answer was not immediate as in his head he still tried to think of some explanation to the question that now plagued him; how could he be seeing perfectly clear in this entirely dark room? Leaning on his arm to lift himself as he lay on the bed, he looked around the room.

Bringing his other hand to his head he brought it over his eyes and rubbed them gently, suddenly feeling a little light head, probably from getting up and then suddenly putting his head on a swivel as he had examined the room. He finally brought himself to look at his patiently waiting lover as she lay on her side beside him. The intricacies of her exoskeleton as apparent to his eyes as ever, even as her black skin covered it in this room of total darkness. She had her arms brought up together, almost looking like she was sleeping, though she had no eyes to give such away.

"It's..." He started, then sighing he laid himself back down beside her on his side so that he looked at her smooth face. Taking her hands into his own, he told her. "It's nothing..." He said, "You're beautiful."

_ She took the compliment, though not without recognizing it as a diversion of her worry. "... Are you sure it is nothing, Mate?" She said to him as she looked into the deepness of his eyes, she could tell that he was thinking hard about something._

"Well... You probably haven't had the chance to come to this realization but... Humans can't see without light." He said to her.

"What... What do you mean?" She said unsurely.

"Without light, I can't see... I can't see without light." He said, not sure how else to explain.

"But Eric, we just... right now... you just said I was beautiful." She stuttered out, trying to understand, sitting up as she said so. How could one only see with the light? What would they see if there was no light? Would they just see nothing? That was a terrifying thought. She had no understanding of what it could be like to not see because of lights absence, she could always see.

"Well, I can see right now. But I shouldn't be able to, is what I'm trying to say. He told her, no longer laying but sitting up on the bed; Xerah did the same. "I didn't really notice, until now but it is always totally dark in here at night. I shouldn't be able to see my hand in front of my face I always don't, but right now I can; and it's kind of... unnerving me. "He finished, waving his hand in front of his face a couple times. His eyes felt kind of tingly, but he ignored it.

"So normally you would not be able to see right now without the bright things in the above us?" She asked him unsurely.

"Yes."

"I do not think I understand. Why can you see now, if you shouldn't?" She asked him

"I don't..." He started but didn't finish, losing himself in thought for a moment.

He sighed, and brought himself to let his legs rest of the side of the bed, putting his hands on his head as he remembered the fingers in his eyes and the words. "Piece by piece it will have to be." That thing... it had to have been real then... But, that couldn't be, it was impossible.

Without saying anything he got up onto his legs. Perhaps he did it too quickly, but neither the less as he got to his legs and took a step he realized then that his legs were working against him at the moment. His heart caught as his knees wiggled and he found himself to be surprisingly off balance. He managed a controlled fall onto his backside, though he missed the bed and met thankfully soft carpet; though it was still a shock. He put his arms up onto the top edges of the bed as he breathed out in relief as he realized that could have been worse if he had instead fell forward.

She was behind him the moment he started to lose balance, on her knees atop the bed, like a cat ready to catch a falling feather. He hadn't much needed her help though as he made his way onto the floor beside the bed. Her hands now resting on his shoulders, she nuzzled the back of his neck, purring. He hadn't answered her question of why he could see in the dark now but not before, but she knew he must be thinking about it.

"Are you okay, Eric?" She asked him.

"Yeah, my legs are just a little loose." He said in reply to her concern. He felt her mushing her face into the back of his neck lovingly. He chuckled at the tickling sensation of her breath on his neck, but almost regrettably he pushed up on the bed to help him get onto his feet once more. This time he stood for a few moments, trying to get his balance again.

As he rose again, so did she get up; crawling with graceful haste to the edge of the bed before getting onto her feet as she stood up. Getting closer to her mate, she stood near him in preparation should he lose balance again. She watched him carefully as he slowly knelt down, testing his legs this time before he tried walking again. He made a "Hm." Sound as he stood up straight, seeming more sure on his legs now; though she still was not sure. He began walking with sudden ease as he walked past her, though she trailed just behind him.

"I'm fine now." He said, nodding his head reassuringly.

"Okay, but what are you doing, my Mate?" She asked him as he reached the entrance way to the room.

"Just turning on the lights." He told her, bringing his hand up to the pad that lay in the wall next to the door. He had half of an idea in his head that maybe he should just try turning the lights on, perhaps it would shed some light on the seeing in the dark business.

The first thing he was certain of when he turned on the lights was the pain that suddenly shot into his eyes. Reminding him of those hell forsaken fingers as they had plunged deep into his eyes; burning them with the pain even as they disgorged them. He didn't scream right away, but not because he was even trying to be tough. He was just shocked, the pain so excruciating that he for a moment just tried not to pass out. But he did without consent of his conscious mind, yell in agony as he brought his hands to his eyes, pinching them shut as he covered them. His second reaction was to hit the lights with his elbow.

"Eric!" He heard in his head as he got a strangely familiar feeling of falling in his stomach while he attempted to turn off the lights. But he knew he must have hit the light switch as suddenly the brightness in his eyes was gone and the pain seemed to almost recede instantly with the lights absence. He stopped yelling and instead just let himself breath heavily, though still moaning. He fell to his knees hands still over his eyes, his eyes still twitching and pulsating with the pains remnants.

"You Idiot!" Was the first thing he heard, yelling inside his head, which could only be Xerah; though she had never called him an idiot before. It was strange to as her voice sounded quite off, though it had when she had said it she sounded like she was in pain. He felt her cool hands on his shoulders and in that he felt much calmer from the shocking experience that still reverberated through him.

He almost had to fight with the fear in his stomach that said it might not be safe to open your eyes yet, lest the light burn them again. But he knew he couldn't keep Xerah worried and he had to make sure she was okay, so he opened his eyes to look into the darkness that surrounded them by his covering hands.

Xerah hadn't said anything else to him so far; he figured she must be waiting for him to tell her what was up. Slowly he pulled his hands away from his eyes, "Are you okay?." He said worryingly as he tried to ignore his own pain, bringing his hands down onto his legs, as he still knelt on his knees. Looking ahead he saw the blurry version of what must be Xerah's lower abdomen, nearing to her pelvis, though he could only make out the blackness of it. His eyes must still be in shock, as Xerah was coming out blurry while they still pulsating with pain and they still twitched as he tried to focus.

Her hands were reaching down onto his shoulders and as he looked up to her she knelt down onto her knees so that they were looking each other face to face. Her knees making a sound as if she had knelt down onto something hard, which was strange since they should be on a carpet, he thought. It went with little notice to him though as he saw with disbelief that the blur that he assumed was Xerah, was not Xerah. The blurriness of the black form in front of him was horribly familiar.

He was stunned, his mouth open as he thought he was going to say something but wasn't sure what. It was definitely not Xerah; the head was human, as was the rest of the body, though it was just a shadow of a man and devoid of specific features. It was as he remembered it, in all of its solid shadowy terror.

"I turn my attention away for just a moment..." He heard inside his head as he stayed still in shock "and you go and screw up what I was just putting the final touches on." It said to him coldly. The voice sounding similar but this time the muffle he had heard before was not there. The voice also, sounded somewhat different this time, more clear and soft and... feminine. Strange, because remembering the voice as he had first heard it in the forest, it had sounded more masculine; though it was also more muffled then.

"What makes you think I have a gender?"

He heard the shadow chuckle for a moment, then without any chance of avoidance, he was suddenly felt a massive force hit him in the side of the face; sending him sprawling back. His head rang and his jaw felt nearly broke and with grunts of pain under his breath he looked up to the now standing shadow, noticing that now it seemed to have a tail though more slender then Xerah's.

"When you turned on that light, I wasn't ready for that you know, it hurt like hell."

Gritting his teeth he began to struggle to his feet, climbing to his hands and knees but before he could get up he felt again a powerful blow, this time as a kick to his middle; making him topple over onto his back, grunting in pain and shock as he tried to get his breath back, which had painfully been knocked out of him. The shadow looked down at him and began mocking him.

"So soft and weak, it's like you humans were meant to be beat on by higher beings." It said to him.

As his breath started coming back to him faster and faster he managed a weak "Fuck you." As he said it though he half regretted it as he saw the shadow creature raise its leg in obvious preparation to strike him once more; and it would hurt like hell if he didn't move, but he felt as if his every limb were stuck in a pudding of sorts, slowing his movements.

The leg tensed over his chest as it was about to fall like a sledge hammer over his chest, but then stopped suddenly as the shadow appeared to hear something. Turning his head away from Eric the shadow for a moment turned his attention from its prey. It was in that moment Eric felt that now was as good a time as could come to get away from this thing.

With sudden ease he rolled as fast as he could to get distance between them and with practiced ease he kicked his legs up and bringing his hands beside his face to push him off the ground he brought his torso up and his legs back down at the same time allowing him to stand up; performing a perfect back to feet kick up. He was admittedly a little dizzy from the roll and probably still from that hit to the side of the head, but he turned to the shadow and saw that it hadn't moved from the spot it was in. Eric took this moment to grasp at his side for just a moment as he groaned in pain at having stretched the sore area with his kick up. He didn't fold it long though as he put his hands up in case the shadow decided to try and put him to the ground again; all the while Eric tried his hardest not to wobble in both pain and dizziness.

"She is crying again." He heard from it as it turned its eyeless gaze towards him. "Well," It said chuckling "Crying as well as she can, given that all she can really do is give that pitiful whimpering."

His hands clenched as did his throat as he remembered the sound of Xerah's whimpering, the sound he hated to hear above all else. He thought about how responsible she felt for this bullshit that keeps happening when things should be so great. But it was not her fault, not even relatively. It was...that, thing that had admitted to nearly killing him. And it was still trying to tear apart him from her, though he didn't understand why. And as he remembered Xerah's cries for him to come back to her while he was in those woods, remembered the terrible things Xerah had been through... This creature was a monster for adding to Xerah's pain.

The creature still looked at him, as if waiting for something to happen that it knew would.

"Who are you?" He asked it plainly, trying to show no hint of discomfort in his voice, nor the anger he was feeling towards it.

He heard it laugh somewhat at the question and saw it start walking around him, as trying to make a circle.

"Who am I?" It said, it's raspy voice echoing through his head. "I suppose that I am many, but I am also only one."

"That's not" He started

"Stop talking." He heard, only a slip second before he felt pain in his side as he realized he had been punched from behind. It was curious though as he had sworn that he had been following the shadow as it circled him, always keeping himself face to face with it. He grunted but as he did he swung himself back, letting his elbow lead the way and he felt it hit something. For a moment he saw with satisfaction, the face of the shadow turned to the side as he had hit it. Though even so, without looking at him the creature punched him hard in his gut, making him begin to keel over as his innards felt like they had just been mushed into a mess. But before he could even recover or step away he felt a bony tentacle wrap itself around his neck. The tentacle was in fact though the shadows tail, which was apparently incredibly strong; as it slowly, raised him from the ground till his toes couldn't touch the ground. It didn't squeeze his neck so tight that he couldn't breathe, but it kept him up, and it was more than uncomfortable.

Eric wiggled around in the tail made neck vice but to no avail, even trying to dig his fingers into it and pry it off would not work. He wished he had a gun or a knife or something, just to get some sort of advantage. This thing was obviously stronger than him, and he had a strong feeling that here, wherever they were, this shadow was king.

"I'm glad you think so." He heard in his head, the shadow laughing openly at him. "Really glad actually because the two of us are, as always, in your mind."

His mind? Was this a dream then?

"It's something like that. Now it's time you shove off, time to wake up..." The shadow started, but before he could finish he suddenly had a knife cut into his muscular tail.

The knife cut into him like it would cut into a tender steak, and as it did it took barely a second for it to all but drop him as the shadow creature shriek in pain. But Eric was ready and as his feet once more touched the ground he took quick steps back, ready for a quick retaliation on the shadows part. He took steps back until he was at least 6 meters away from the creature. He had lost his knife but soon had another, it was the same knife he had had since a boy from his uncle. The one he had stabbed the shadow with had been a steak knife, and he watched now as the shadow brought the part of his tail with knife plunged into it to his face. He suddenly wrenched it free with a quick tug, breathing in sharp as he did.

The shadow looked at him, and Eric could almost see the hatred in its eyes, but instead he tossed the knife away and laughed. "The knife from lunch?" It said to him in between laughs.

" You are used to lucid dreams, from when you were younger, aren't you? All that time sleeping while you were sick... In honesty, I had hoped you wouldn't remember how to lucid dream, but it appears you can still make things you know well."

Eric simply looked back at the shadow, his eyes narrowing as he made sure not to lose track of him like last time.

"Would you just wake up now?" The shadow asked him as if annoyed.

"I won't just ignore what you are doing."

"You don't even know what I'm doing, you damn idiot."

"I know that you are making someone I care about hurt, you'll go or I'll make you leave."

"Oh, so it's my fault that your heart couldn't hold out."

"As well," The shadow said. " "Someone I care about"? I know who Xerah, as you call her, is. I am in your mind; I have been right beside you every step of the way for a while now. I have mated her as many times as you have."

He clenched his teeth and resisted the urge charge at him, or at the very least give the knife in his hand his best throw. "When... How long have you been in my head!?" He yelled at it.

The shadow sighed "Look at your right arm." The shadow said to him. But he didn't need to look; he did though touch the area on his arm. The skin in the area on his arm was smooth and still a little tender, as it had been burned not very long ago by Xerah's blood. He had attempted to pick her up when he had found her, and had ended up only irritating an unseen wound, making it drip acid onto his arm. Luckily he was able to wash it off before it ate very deep. He had washed it off with water from a canister that he had at first offered to the wounded xeno, though it had been reply as she had turned out to be unconscious.

"You came from, Xerah?" He asked it, a little revolted that some sort of parasitic shadow creature had gotten into his head from a blood exchange.

"A stroke of luck on my part, maybe not so for you. "It said_" But tell me now, do you still plan on making me leave?"_ The shadow asked him as casually as if he were making sure of a plan so he could rearrange his schedule.

"I'm not just going to let you screw around with my body." He said, on the verge of yelling his anger. He couldn't stand a monster like this, and it made him sick to think it was inside him.

"I'm a monster, am I? Well, let's say I am; If you can't stand a monster how did you withstand Major Gudilin...?" The shadow said to him, tauntingly. "At least you withstood him long enough to do all that he did. Why don't you show me that courtesy?"

"Shut up!" He yelled at the shadow, feeling that the pommel of the knife he held in his hand seemed to change, and what he held in his hand now was heavier. He recognized the weight and feel of it to be his old hand gun; it was nothing special, just a military issue, but that wasn't to say it didn't pack a mean bite.

With his old gun now in hand he pointed it at the shadow before him, bringing his other hand up to add extra stability to the gun making sure he wouldn't miss.

The shadow continued to keep its gaze on him, and though he couldn't see its features, he could feel its amusement. In one quick moment though the shadow suddenly arched his head to the side, then to the other side, almost making Eric pull the trigger.

"Out of time," The shadow said coolly, its strange snake like accent adding to the chill of the words.

Eric didn't reply, mostly because he now felt like he was falling backwards, and as his gut clenched he lurched himself forward but only ended up hitting his forehead on something hard yet familiarly smooth. He groaned in time with a light scree of pain that could only have come from Xerah, he let his head fall to the pillow though as he recovered. His own head was a little sore from the encounter, but he had hit his forehead, and he had a feeling that he had gotten the better end of the stick. But he was awake again, at least he really hoped he was.

But he didn't let himself feel any relief that he was awake as he carefully got up onto his knees, apparently back on the bed, as he groped around in the dark until he touched her. "I'm so sorry, Xerah." He said, his throat almost catching as he still heard her whimpering. "I can't see, but are you okay? How bad did I get you?"

She had her hand to her head as she protected from unknown sources the area that was sorest where her mates head had hit hers. She heard his words of concern.

"I am fine, Eric." She said, touching his warm hand with hers as it grazed her, the simple act helping to ease the pain. She knew she had something to tell him though, something that she knew he wouldn't notice unless she told him; so she tried to ignore the pain in her face. She felt it what she had to tell Eric was not a good thing, but she knew that Eric would be able to know for sure.

"Sorry for... passing out again." He said to her, sounding sad.

_ "Are you okay?" She asked him more worried about the effect of what had happened rather than the act of it. "How are your eyes?"_

"I feel fine." He said gulping in his throat, though he still ached as if he had actually had a fight with that shadow, but he tried hard to show no sign of discomfort; because even if he couldn't see, Xerah could. "I can't see anything in this dark.... It is dark right?"

"Yes, it is dark." She said to him, holding his hand tight to comfort him as for a moment she imagined what it must be like to not see.

_ "My Mate." She said, trying to think of the best way to tell him what she knew was an urgent matter. Thinking of the best way to say it, and resolving to just say how it is as simply as she could._

"Yes?" He said, hearing nervousness in her voice and, fear?

"There..." She started but stuttered. She was scared to say it, what she had to tell him scared her... What if it was...?

Without much struggle he accepted Xerah's sudden embrace, she wrapped her arms around him as the knelt together and let her head go over his shoulder. He half grunted half chuckled at the sudden embrace that he couldn't see; happy to be holding her close to him again. But he knew that she was upset by something, and she was trying to tell him what was scaring her; he could feel her shaking lightly in his embrace, and even though she appeared to be holding back she quietly whimper like a kitten. His heart hurt with her like this and in a serious tone he asked her, "What is it?"

"There are people outside." She told him, trying not to make too much noise as they held each other close. She wrapped her tail around the both of them as she continued before he could say anything,

_"Please... Please don't let them take me back, Eric!." _