Feral Craving

by D. C. Stone

  “I’m not going to hurt you, Mackenzie. I know it’s been a while since we’ve seen one another, but I’m not willing to part ways with you just yet.”

  She nodded her head sharply. He might not mean to, but he had always held the power to hurt her. He had damn near broken her when he left before. She’d done just about anything to get away from the memories that constantly surrounded her in Nantucket. Her decisions had been reckless and irresponsible. Actions she paid dearly for later. “I wasn’t assuming you would. I just know they’re unsightly. I should have thought about it before I exposed my back to you.”

  She heard the sharp inhale of breath Bari took, and his eyebrows dipped down over his ice blue eyes as he looked over at her. His mouth was a tight line, and he bared his teeth, showing just how seriously furious he was.

  ****

  Emotion worked its way up inside of him, and crossing the room quickly, he tossed himself to his knees in front of Mackenzie, burying his head between his shoulders and squeezing his eyes shut as his head bowed. He was sitting right here in front of her. His best friend, his soul comforter for so long, and he had been too blinded by fear to realize it before now. In the flesh, in the gorgeous warm flesh was the one his soul had been crying out for, for so long. “Mackenzie…” His voice broke as the emotion clogged its way into his throat and built in his chest. “I’m so fucking sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.” He felt her hands come down to lie on his shoulders. Her palms, so warm, so damn small on his body. She took a step closer and urged him forward. He rested his face against her stomach and let out the emotions he’d held in for so long, the ones that had become a hidden part of himself, ones that were a stranger to him. Great huge sobs tore at his chest, and he reached up to cling to her wrists holding his face. He couldn’t stop the waterfall of emotions from occurring though. As much as he tried, that part hidden for nine years, built up for so long, exploded out of him and fell on the one it had been hidden away for. Distantly he heard her shush him, trying to comfort him, but he knew no comfort in the moment. His anguish built up to such intolerable levels, he feared he would never be the same.

  “You’re breaking my heart, Bari.”

  He suffered, lived in anguish over being separated from her and then again he knew he’d brought it all on himself.

  Mackenzie knelt down before him and showered his face with soft kisses as she shushed him. Her lips, when they settled over his, took the breath right out of him. He held her to him, steadily stroking her back as he took and received comfort.

  “We need to sleep,” he said roughly. He didn’t know how things seemed to have gotten so out of control with his emotions, and he was a tad bit embarrassed by it. Breaking down just wasn’t something he did and even more so, when done in front of her, he recognized shame as it constricted his chest.

  Gathering her up into his arms, he stood with her and crossed to the bed. Joining her seconds later, he wrapped his large frame behind hers, keeping Mackenzie enfolded in his arms. He felt her ease into a light sleep, her body emotionally worn out with all that happened in the last day and night. His own eyes drooped down, and he allowed them to shut as he drifted into slumber.

  ****

  He didn’t know how much time passed, how long he slept with Mackenzie snuggled against him, but from the yellow glow breaking through the wooden shutters, he knew the sun was up. He didn’t want to move, was content to hold Mackenzie for as long as she slept because he knew in his soul, she hadn’t slept much the last nine years, and much less had she slept soundly.

  She came awake with a start, her hand that had clutched to Bari’s shirt while she slept jerking now. He tightened his arms around her. His own mind tumbled with emotions from last night and while his chest felt like a weight had been lifted, he never showed others such a weakness. He missed Mackenzie with every piece of his soul and everything had hit so strong earlier, realizing all at once she was there in the flesh.

  Shifting, Mackenzie lifted her head and glanced up at him, her eyes full of wonder. “Morning.”

  “Morning yourself. How did you sleep?”

  “I don’t think I can remember ever sleeping that much. Or at least any time in the last nine years.” She rolled off of Bari and moved to sit, tucking her small legs underneath her body. “Did you sleep at all?”

  “As well as can be expected.” He didn’t tell her he had basically stayed up most of the night watching her sleep, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

  He pushed to the edge of the bed and shook out arms heavy with sleep and empty without Mackenzie between them. He wasn’t shocked that she moved away upon waking. It was probably for the best.

  Standing, he rolled out his shoulders before stretching his arms wide while walking into the living room to pace. Restless energy bounded through him as he tried to figure out what their next move should be. He stilled and cast a glance to Mackenzie who sat perched on the bed, her normally bright eyes shadowed with pain.

  “Hey….” He crossed the room and held out his hand and waited for what seemed an eternity before she put hers within his grasp. Pulling her up from the bed, he walked her to the small table and seated her there, whipping the other chair over next to her.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about Byron?”

  ****

  She winced at the question, the exact same one running in her own head as he asked it. She hated this, hated that the time they had been separated caused this to come up. Standing, she pushed back from the table, her eyes glancing around before meeting Bari’s eyes again.

  “I don’t know, Bari. What are you going to do? Why do you need to know? You’ve asked me twice now. Why are you pushing for it?” She moved back a few steps as he stood, and then she glanced back and forth between the chair he had been sitting in and his now towering frame. As she stepped back again, her back hit the wall, which startled her before she let out a slight sound.

  On one hand she understood as he stalked her that he wouldn’t hurt her. At least it was that thought in her mind keeping her from fighting him back or fleeing from the room. Yet on the other hand, did she really know Bari after all this time? Nine years was a long time to change and even after his comfort last night, he really hadn’t said anything to her in regards to what was in store for either of them or even if he was willing to stay. The thought that he might not want to be here with her struck hard, and she reached up to grab her head, her mind unfocused on the very real possibility that she could have just set herself up to be hurt again.

  As he crossed the room toward her, she focused on him and held out a hand. “Stop.” He kept advancing and her fear of what she had done kicked into overdrive, caused her to move along the wall, a slight whimper escaping her. “Stop … Bari … stop…”

  His palm smacked into the wall at her back as he lowered his height by leaning down and stuck his face right in hers, his eyes flashing with something dark as he spoke on a low growl. “For all the years we have been apart, we were together longer so do not make the mistake of assuming I never cared. Do you ever, for just one moment, think I left in order to protect you? That maybe it’s me you need protection from?” The timbre of his voice echoed around the small room even though he kept his voice low, tight with control. Pushing off the wall, he put distance between them as he spoke.

  “You never let me make that decision for myself, Bari. How could I tell you about Byron, what would you have said?” She leaned away from the wall, her own anger causing her skin to heat. “Would it have even mattered?” She was abraded by his mistrust, not that she didn’t understand the difficulty it presented, but she wouldn’t have assumed the worse from him. Her mind swirled over the idea that the shock had been so great that he reacted involuntarily and now regretted it.

  Raising her arms, she laced fingers behind her head and paced around in the small confines of the cabin. “You don’t have to help me, Bari. You don’t owe me, us, anything.” She dropped her hands and moved the few feet it took to be in t
he kitchen.

  She heard the audible breath draw in behind her and then the shuffle of footsteps. They stopped directly behind where she stood. At the sink, she stared out the wooden slats of the blinds, taking in a sightless view, all the while her concentration centered on the man behind her.

  “Mackenzie...” She stiffened at his voice, then turned and held accusing eyes toward him.

  “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

  The pleading in his eyes just about undid her. She had to be strong though, needed to protect her heart again. She bit and chewed her lip and wondered just how much she needed to do this for him. For them. Steeling herself, she took a step forward and held out her hand, her eyes glancing up to his and pleading with him to take it.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  As Bari stared at her and heaved a sigh, he reached for her hand and let out a deep breath. With a quick tug, he pulled her into his arms, taking her petite frame within the shelter of his body. He shouldn’t want her so much, but he was a damn fool to deny anything from her. Being out of sorts with Mackenzie caused his stomach to turn, and bile threatened his throat. She wrapped her hands around his waist and laid her head to his chest. He took peace in the moment and solitude in the feel of her warm body pressed against him.

  The cottage was so quiet around them; the only sounds were the air flowing in and out of their lungs, the wind brushing against the wooden cabin, and the beat of her heart.

  Without registering it immediately, her hands at the small of his back began to roam and caress their way up. Her touch was almost tentative, seeking, taking what she wanted without permission. He stared straight ahead, willing himself not to react. On one level he was aware of what she did, yet the other part of his mind screamed caution. Her hands though, damn it, they felt so very nice. He wanted to be closer.

  Running them up the middle of his back, she traced each indentation of his spine, the muscles around it before sliding her hands slowly along his shoulders and back down the sides. He couldn’t help but to close his eyes and marvel in the differences between their bodies. She was so small, soft and curvy. Sweet as warm honey against the hard planes of his body. As her hands ended up where they had begun, this time when she started to explore again, she decided to use her nails to trace the same lines. His body jumped beneath the first feel of her nails before a breathy, strained moan left his mouth of its own volition.

  “Mackenzie…”

  “Shhhhhh,” she whispered, becoming the comforter, instead of the comforted. Her nails worked their way back down the sides of his back before he tightened his grip on her waist, drawing her closer to his body.

  “Mackenzie…” His voice was low and gravelly, enticing her to continue as she pushed up on his shirt and led her hands to his skin beneath. As they first touched, he hissed and his entire body jumped. Her palms seared his skin. Her hands were soft on his body, an amazing difference between his hardened muscles bunching and jumping under her ministrations.

  Impatience knocked on his door with the need to see as well as feel, and drawing back, she moved before he could and pushed the material of his shirt up. Her eyes met his briefly before she drew the shirt over his head. He helped her with the cloth and tossed it aside, but before he had the chance to bring his arms back down from the movement, her eyes landed on his skin, along with her hands. She touched his shoulders tentatively, her palms slowly moving lower, her eyes tracking the same path. He groaned, unable to help himself now as she worked her hands across his pecs. His head tilted back as the overload of pleasure threatened to send him to his knees.

  Her hands moved over his nipples, and each of the buds tightened under her touch. He let her continue, couldn’t turn away even if his life depended on it. It had been too long, and he had craved her touch for what seemed like an eternity. This moment felt like coming home.

  As her hands roamed lower, her palms jumped and danced over each ripple of his abdomen. Her hands settled at his waist, their breathing matching each other as the air punched in and out of their lungs. The movement stopped there and at her hesitation, he cut his head down to her eyes before he groaned her name, the sound coming out more like an exotic warning. She glanced down and removed a hand from his waist, moving it directly over his insistent erection before wrapping her small hand around the length. It jumped at the same time he did, and his hands moved forward to slap against the counter, keeping him from falling into her. He gripped it so tightly cracks formed in the foundation and his hands turned white.

  “Mackenzie,” he growled as he rotated his hips into her palm. The thin cloth did nothing to deprive him of her touch, and as she ran her hand down the length of him, his control snapped.

  His hands gripped her hips and set her on the counter next to the sink. Her gasp of surprise was captured as his mouth came down to hers, delivering a hard, chaste kiss. A whisper of breath separated their lips as he growled out his warning to her one more time.

  “Mac … you’re playing with fire … tempting my beast. Be absolutely sure before you take one more touch.” He gripped her hips and pulled her tight to him, the counter’s height placing her core in direct contact with his hardened length. He rolled his hips, the barrier of material so thin that her heat encompassed him. Her head dropped back with a loud moan. Warmth radiated between her legs, and he smelled her arousal. When her mouth opened, two things happened at once.

  Night bloomed, the sun dipping below the horizon, and like a click in place the forest came alive and screamed of danger being set loose. A rumble of footsteps started off in the distance, and he heard horses heave.

  “We’re still being hunted, and they know where we are, Mac.” He turned and heard Mackenzie jump off the counter behind him. He tossed her now dry clothes at her and started pulling his on over what he had found yesterday in the trunk. The flannel pants bunched beneath his jeans but after layering the shirts, he knew the extra clothing would come in handy for the cold weather waiting for them outside. He slid her shoes across the floor with a gruff command to put them on. He stood and held out his hand, sending his senses flaring around the cabin before he spoke.

  “Let’s go.”

  His palm landed against hers as he freed his senses to evaluate the danger outside even as his mind struggled to assimilate what had just happened between him and Mackenzie moments before. The acute hearing his kind was blessed with picked up the snapping sound of fallen twigs and leaves as the forest floor was disturbed by footfalls. Opening the door, he stepped through it with Mackenzie pulling up to his side as they broke off in the direction to the left, quietly but quickly. It took only seconds for his vision to adjust to the dark night, the clouds muting out any moonlight that would have shone down upon them. He murmured a curse as shuffling quickened behind them. “Damn it to hell. They are following.” He jerked to a stop, Mackenzie’s small frame snapping back by their joined hands as she emitted her own curse at him.

  “Why are you stopping then, Bari?” Anger flared in her eyes along with trepidation at his abrupt halt.

  He raised a hand to point up at the tree towering above them. “Up. Now. It doesn’t sound like many, but we are being tracked. If it comes down to it, we will need to fight and from what I can tell, it seems as if they are split up. I would rather lessen their numbers than have them right on our asses.” He watched Mackenzie scramble up the large birch and seat herself on a limb before he climbed up to join her. “When they get just past us, we will dismount and go on the offensive.” He set his hunting blade in her hand and waited for her argument. When nothing came, he smiled softly, cupped her face and leaned forward. He hated the fear sitting there, but he also saw resolve and strength she pulled from somewhere deep inside.

  Two large males formed out of the shadows along the trail they had been tracking. They looked like normal humans, except Bari registered the pulse of power coming from them. That power combined with the red glow of their eyes and the pulsing patterns along their arms, yeah, sure, they looke
d normal enough to pass for humans.

  He waited for Mackenzie to gasp, give away their positions, but all he heard was the shuffle of feet from below. Just as the demons passed beneath the branch they perched upon, he vaulted himself to the ground behind them. His feet barely touched the ground, hardly made a sound, but the demons rounded on him with snarls. Their skin flashed and changed, then hardened, and colors unlike anything human broke out like a rash along their bodies. Bari had a moment’s spike in fear. Not for himself though.

  Never for himself.

  Pulling his SIG free from the harness strapped across his shoulders, he swept into action. His right arm raised high, aimed and fired with a triple tap. Two shots landed center mass and one more followed to the head. The beast roared in agony before falling back to the ground with a ground shaking thump.

  The other demon raced forward and within seconds was upon him. Bari’s SIG went flying across the ground as they both fell to the Earth. Spittle and hot, putrid breath basked along his face, and he cringed, pushing up on the massive body hovering over him. High above him, he saw Mackenzie shift on the branch, and he willed her to stay put, pleaded with both his eyes and his mind for her to obey. He had a hard enough time dodging the demon’s fists, and he couldn’t possibly imagine trying to keep Mackenzie safe through this struggle as well.

  A silver glint fell to the ground, the blade sinking into the Earth by his head, and he almost laughed. Two more inches to the right and he would have been down an ear by the sharpness of the blade. He’d make sure to talk to her about her aim later.

  The thump distracted the demon long enough, and Bari released his hold with one hand, knowing he’d only have seconds to act. He reached for the hilt and raising it high in the air, Bari slammed it into the back of the demon’s neck. He didn’t stop but instead continued the downward stroke, slicing its back open to the point its bony vertebrae became visible. With his left hand, he gripped the bone and yanked, severing the spinal cord and causing the demon to collapse upon him.