Feral Craving (8 page)

“What was the crime?”

Tyler turned on a blinker and made a
sharp left on another road. “That’s the question of the hour, isn’t it?” Tyler
shrugged. “It’s also where the rumors start. Some say precious family jewels
were taken from her home while she slept. Others say local thugs had come into
her home and desecrated it. The true story though is anyone’s guess, but the
favorite rumor of all is that Themis had been in love with a young male, one
who didn’t walk in the same crowds as the gods. Under the watchful eye of her
maiden nurse, she spent nights with this male, both craving and taking what she
wanted from him. This went on for years before Themis caught the eye of
another. It is said jealousy grew so harsh around the three of them that an act
so heinous soon perished the walls of Themis’ home.”

Bari tried to take it all in, his mind
spinning under the onslaught. “So you’re telling me demons were created from a
god and not just by a god but because of jealousy? Dude, and here I thought I
had issues. It really doesn’t make any sense or maybe I’m slow to pick up on
it, but aren’t demons more of something you’d find in Hell?”

Tyler shook his head. “No.” He paused,
grunted in exasperation. “I really don’t know how to properly explain it other
than this. There are certain gods who create certain portions of life. You’ve
got Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty and desire. Not only did she give
off waves of what she ruled, but she also created it. Some say she’s the one
who helped create the legend of Cupid. Others say it was she herself who ran
out and ventured in bringing lost lovers together, pushed desire to those who
were lonely, gave beauty to what many would consider harsh and ugly.”

Tyler glanced at him, and Bari raised a
brow. “I’m following, but it still doesn’t answer the question.”

Tyler’s eyes rolled up, and he turned his
attention back to the road. “Try and keep up here, Einstein. Athena, the
goddess of wisdom, warfare, battle strategy, and reason. Not lost on anyone was
her brother, who was the god of war, Ares. It’s said these two were great
fighters who strived in the harsh atmosphere of war and pushed portions of the
race into becoming warriors. They fought on both sides, trying to keep the war
path going along.”

Bari sighed, tried like hell to keep up.
It seemed he was destined to stick along for the ride and wait out Tyler’s
little lesson plan.

“Themis was the goddess of law and order,
of justice. She symbolized truth, pursued righteousness in what was wrong, but
also demanded that the good of the world not overshadow what was bad. There are
two other goddesses who dived into justice as well, but Themis strived on the
embodiment of order. You catching on yet?”

 
Bari tilted his head to the sides, back and forth. “Kind of, I’m still
trying to understand why she’d create demons. Why it seems like she used a
moment of hurt to create something deemed evil.”

“Not all demons are evil. But not all of
them get the right kind of story told.”

“Huh? So you’re saying just because she
was a goddess who pushed to do the world good, to keep justice alive, order
from chaos, that her beings would be good as well?”

Tyler nodded. “Exactly. The Justice
Demons were created through her remorse and pain, heartbreak, anger. Thousands
of years later and here we are. The change, Bari, isn’t something that comes on
the same for any two
Eurydice
but
rather something like a fingerprint. No two demons have the same powers either.
No two demons are alike. But the job, the job of all
Eurydice,
is the same. We keep the balance of good and evil in the
world, much like Themis’ justice scales.”

Bari sat back and tried to take it all
in. One question sat on the tip of his tongue and was the most extreme of them
all. Extreme, because Bari figured this was what his father was. There was no
other explanation for what he saw. “If that’s the case, then how do Justice
Demons turn evil? Did you know my father?”

Tyler was quiet for so long Bari didn’t
think he was going to answer. The houses became familiar, streets recognizable.
“I did and do, Bari. What you must remember is what I said. No two are ever
alike. You choose your own destiny; it isn’t mapped out for you. You’ll
understand soon enough. And soon I’ll explain how some turn evil.”

They turned on to the last street, and
Bari pushed the topic from his mind. “What are we doing here?” The house rose
up in front of them, faster than Bari would have liked. A familiar three-story
colonial sat at the end of the road, its wooden beams holding up a white house,
highlighting it. Inside he knew it held eight rooms and more than enough space
for grand parties. The back of the house faced off to the ocean, a dock leading
the way down the rocky shore. It held memories cherished and ones he longed to
forget.

“I know what you fear, bro.” Tyler pulled
into the driveway and parked. The sound of the engine shutting off boomed in
Bari’s ears. “We need shelter and protection. This house is warded from many
types of magic that could be used against us. Things that are stirring up
behind the scenes and a threat you need to be made aware of. It’s secluded, and
it’s what is needed. You choose your own path, Bari. You must remember that.”
Tyler got out of the car and headed to the house. Bari did not move and instead
sat studying the old house, which held more regrets than Bari would ever admit.
He sat there for only God knew how long, trying like hell to get strength. This
place held some great memories while at the same time, his worst fears. He
pictured his parents sitting on the porch, waving at him as he came home from
school. The times had been so great, so happy, before it all crumbled away.

Pushing open the door, he stepped out
into the breeze, taking in a deep gulp of the sea air. Fresh and clean, so
unlike what he felt inside. He scanned the yard, seeing a tree swing, the
cracked wood speaking to the years he had been away. He pictured Mackenzie
laughing, smiling, lighting his world up.

Bari was trying to stay away from her,
trying to protect her from too many things going on inside of him. Lust gripped
him every time he thought of her—the least of his worries. He admitted what
scared the shit out of him was the dark monster residing inside, who seemed to
have a craving for Mackenzie as well. His childhood, his past all pushed him to
stay away from her, to keep her safe.

He shut the car door and headed up the
old steps. Surprised it still bore furniture, some new and old, but more so he
was surprised that in the short time they had been in Nantucket, the rest of
his team made the place look lived in. Without saying a word, he walked up the
stairs and to the master bedroom. He shut the door with a kick and sat on the
bed. Christ, when had everything changed? Tyler had made a mention of mapping
out his own destiny but at this moment, it felt like anything but. He was being
told who he was, what he had to do, and where he had to live. In a place full
of his worst nightmares, the idea of becoming what he feared drove him to his
knees. He fell back on the bed and held his head, trying to get a grip on the
panic spreading through his veins like wild fire. He tried to get the peace he
wanted.

He lay there wearing a pair of sweats and
a muscle tank top, the sounds of the house pouring in, his arms resting behind
his head. Bari thought about what had been going on with Mackenzie the last
time he saw her. He had seen the pain in her eyes. While he gave her his
friendship, he would need to ensure he maintained his distance, keep his desire
wrapped up. Her calls went unanswered, her texts ignored. He wanted to keep the
images he had of her intact. The ones from their past, the ones where he held
her for hours … the comfort and peace.

A slam of a door, a shout of alarm, the
stomping of shoes and a sweet, soft, very identifiable voice all pulled him
from his thoughts. He frowned as his door opened and Mackenzie stood there,
looking pissed.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

Christ, she’s
beautiful
.

“No. You’ve been ignoring me.”

“Damn it, Mac, I’m not ignoring you. I’ve
just got back in town. I’m trying to make sense of why I’m here.”
I don’t want to hurt you again.
“You need
to leave, Mac.”

Mackenzie stood her ground, her cute chin
held in defiance. He resisted the urge to grin while at the same time wondering
if it would be okay to toss her out of his house.

“No,
Bari. It’s time we address this. I have questions, and we have chapters that we
need to close up. I know you just got here, but we do need to work this out.”

Rising from the bed, he didn’t take his
eyes from hers. His senses heightened. He didn’t understand it, but he knew
there were people walking outside the door, down the hallway. He felt their
presence, recognized the signature as Mike. He heard the footfalls on the
carpet, listened to the smooth voice talking on the phone somewhere downstairs.
Beneath his room Tony munched on chips, the sound clear as if he were next to
Bari. It was all so vivid in his mind, so clear. Mac’s heart rate jumped as he
moved to tower over her.

“You can’t push me, Angel. I can’t let it
happen. Leave the past in the past, Mac. Please … I’m not good enough, Mac.”
His words came out a harsh whisper, his eyes capturing, holding hers. There
were too many memories, regrets and threats he brought to her in order to let
this go on. He understood what she wanted; hell, he wanted the same thing. But
he wasn’t good enough, he wasn’t pure enough, and he didn’t understand what he
would become. He wouldn’t risk Mac’s life trying to find out. He couldn’t risk
her ending up like his mother had.

“I don’t want you to, Bari. Nine years.
Nine years and this is what you’ve offered? Nine years without a word. Don’t
you lie to me, don’t tell me to go. We’re worth more than that. I’m worth more.
I won’t leave until I get some answers, Bari.” She looked so damn determined
and so damn beautiful his patience started to give. His heart slammed against
his chest. He clenched his fists at his sides, trying to fight the urge to
reach out to her. He couldn’t do this, knew he shouldn’t, but had no control
over the ignited, raging hunger.

He reached out, faster than he thought he
could move. The speed surprised him for only a heartbeat of time. Wrapping his
large palm around her tiny wrist, he spun her. Mackenzie’s eyes flew wide in
shock. He stepped forward and moved her body with his, pushing her into the
wall. One hand gripped her wrists, tossing them over her head. He wouldn’t hurt
her, would give his life for her, but he felt out of his element and needed to
prove a point. His body stepped up behind hers. He tried not to groan as her
lush backside nestled against his hips. He ground his teeth together and moved
his head down to her ear.

“Stay still, Angel.”

What a
homecoming, Bari. What are you going to do next? Show her your baseball card
collection?
Hell, he didn’t know what he was doing, didn’t understand
why in the hell he acted this way. Some primal source inside of him pushed,
enticed him to warn her or draw her to him, he didn’t know which, as if the two
halves of himself, the man and the beast, both raged for control. His mind
opened and sought hers, entering just as he had felt Tyler enter his. He only
acted on instinct, the need to connect them on a deeper level, something beyond
physical comfort.

Mackenzie gasped and as if she spoke her
thoughts, pictures garnered in his head, rippled with intensity. He felt her
fear at his invasion, lust at his touch.

He moaned, couldn’t help it. Bari had
tried to scare her, tried to tell her without words he was different, a threat,
but what he saw in her mind, what she had been thinking involving the two of
them, shattered the angry moment. Images poured from her, linked to him, and he
saw it all. Their night together so long ago had been so damn sweet, and he
could see now that the memories Mackenzie held of the moment made it even
sweeter. He groaned and dropped his head to her shoulder. Her hair acted as a
pillow for him and turning his face, he drank in the scent of her. Apples and
vanilla. Mac moved against him, the delicious curve of her pressing against him
in an erotic rhythm. His need hardened, his control wavered. He pressed his
face deeper in her curls, his breath on her neck. “Mac … you need to go.”
Neither of them moved. He didn’t have the strength to push her away.

“Wh-what’s going on, Bari?” Her voice
shook.

One hand moved from her wrists above her
head and trailed in a slow path down her arms. Her muscles jumped under his
touch. His palm roamed lower, his fingertips brushing the side of her breast.
She inhaled sharply. He couldn’t stop. As his hand reached her waist, he
wrapped his palm around the curve and pulled back, his own hips pushing forward
with the action. He stilled, opened his eyes and looked around, then jumped
back with a curse. “Fuck!” He turned, started pacing, trying like hell to bring
his boiling blood down a level. He was heated, on fire for her, and needed to
get away. He couldn’t be that guy. He wished like hell he could, but right now,
with everything going on, he couldn’t. “I need you to leave, Mac.” He swallowed
hard. “Please, just go.”

His entire body shook, the words he
tossed at her sounding more like those of a caged animal. He would have gone so
much further, pushed her, but he realized his emotions also came from the dark
monster inside of him. He could hurt her, had seen his kind hurt before. He
wouldn’t do it. He would kill himself before he hurt Mackenzie in any way. She
turned toward him, her eyes wide with curiosity. She opened her mouth to speak
and took a step closer. He held up a hand, closed his eyes, turning his head
from the temptation of her. “Mac, I mean it. You need to go. Now…” She sighed,
the sound so full of pain. He hated that he put it there. It proved he wasn’t
worthy of her.