Feral Passion

by Avery Duncan

  The torture that he relived every day was nothing compared to this, he thought, watching her, trying to read her. For once, he realized the true meaning of feeling, of knowing that he had made a mistake--or blessing--so grand, that he would be paying for it the rest of his life.

  “What.”

  He stared at her, registering the short word, so bare of emotion, of reaction, that he felt as if it were a robot talking and not a passionate woman who was a danger to herself and others around her.

  A couple of days ago, he never would have thought that he would be foolish enough to propose a bonding with a woman that he had barely known, a woman that, only moments ago, had been found passed out along the river. He held himself at ridge, waiting for the growl and snarl, the threat of attack.

  Strung as tightly as he was, he was so close to turning, changing into the one monster that he had always feared would appear again.

  “What’s happening out here?” a hard demanding voice asked, coming from the man who had produced Raffaele’s fate.

  “Samuel, slow down for a second! I’m not as agile as I used... Did someone die?” Alicia asked, confused. Raffaele looked back at her, recognizing her from the woman in the hall and from a brief file that he had read on the leader of the pacchetto after his first meeting with her.

  “Might as well have,” Ulrich mumbled, oddly quiet.

  The coroner that Raffaele had talked to yesterday while at the site after dropping Mary off at her house, stepped forward, a big grin on his face.

  “Congratulations!” he cheered, eyes dancing with delight, despite the situation. “You, my dear friends, have just acquired a new family member and the salvation of our race!”

  Now that caused tension. Samuel, who had stood by his daughter, turned slowly and stared at Raffaele.

  The sound of a car door slamming brought him out of the staring match, and he saw Chase coming towards him, phone to his ear. When he reached them, he snapped it closed. Obviously not realizing that Raffaele was about to be gruesomely gutted and killed, he had a grin on his face as he said, “The lovely waitress and I are...”

  “Daddy,” Mary finally said, cutting off Chase’s wonderful news.

  “Yes, sweatheart,” he said, voice more of a growl as he stared at Raffaele.

  “I want to go home. Now.”

  Alicia grabbed for her husband, eyes wide. “This is just what I’ve been waiting for! What a coincidence that right after talking to you, you finally snatch a man!”

  Ulrich gave his mother a weird look. “Obviously, you missed her screaming match inside there,” he muttered, eye twitching.

  Mary’s mother frowned, looking between them all with confused looks. “What do you mean?”

  “Take me home,” Mary said, voice emotionless, yet louder. Raffaele watched her closely, still silent, once again regretting everything.

  “But, darling--”

  “Mother,” she said, looking at Alicia point blank. “I want. To leave. Please.”

  Sam put his arm around her shoulder, the aura around him visible to everyone-- especially Raffaele, who swore that by the time he fell asleep in his bed, he wouldn’t be waking up any time soon.

  Checking his watch and ignoring the looks of everyone else as he did so, he listened to them escort her away, Alicia asking exuberant questions, not catching on at all about what had just happened, with Sam grumbling and muttering about how he should have kept his baseball bat with him while she was growing up--and still should have kept it even now.

  “It’s three in the morning, I’ve been up since nine, and I’m tired. I’m going to the hotel.” With those short words, he walked off. Away from the drama, from the brother who was starting to get affronted, from Chase who was still catching on, and Jackson.

  Jackson, who had the biggest, shit eating grin that Raffaele had ever seen in his life.

  Wanting to hit something because of his stupidity, he climbed into his tinted Bentley after unlocking it. The machine rumbled to life, the soft purr not comforting him as it normally had before. Instead, it made him think of the way Mary’s father’s eyes had looked, so dangerous and...threatening.

  A shudder wracking his body at the thought that he might have to face that soon, he pulled out and ignored the people that he had left behind, almost getting his phone out to call Hannah about engagement rings...

  God, he was stupid. Engagement rings? She had all but thrown it in his face that she was not up for the idea. Even though he was on board with her about it, he couldn’t help but think of everything that would benefit from their bonding.

  And the more he thought about it, the more he realized that if she would only agree, it wouldn’t be so...bad.

  They were both Chosen, something that he was still reeling from. She knew Kevin, and while she might not know Stuart, she still knew who they were. He realized then that if he bonded with her, he would be her savior. Not just the races, but Mary’s hero.

  What a foolish thing to want, to be admired by her, her with her forest green eyes...

  A honk sounded, Raff slamming on the break. The man driving cursed him, flipping him off before carrying off through the intersection. Watching him leave, Raffaele knew one thing.

  He was utterly and truly screwed when it came to Mary Waters.

  The hotel room was silent, untouched by maids and other people. He fell against the bed, wishing he could sleep right then. His mind was too full of shit to sleep though. Like his beta, the property that he was in jeopardy of losing, and Kevin’s and Stuart’s lies of omission.

  Something whispered his name, softly and barely heard. Groaning, Raff grabbed a pillow and let Stuart take him.

  Chapter 32

  Kevin glanced at Stuart, worrying his hands together.

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” he asked his blue brother, eyes flickering to his Chosen who was sitting in one of the carefully placed chairs, subdued.

  Stuart looked him in the eye. “You heard what my Chosen proposed. Now it’s time to make sure that it gets carried through.”

  At that moment, Kevin was looking down in time to see Raffaele slowly appear, white surrounding his fit body. When the form settled, he looked at Mary and watched her reaction.

  There wasn’t one.

  “I don’t think we should do this!” he said, turning to his brother in desperation. Beside them, a green flash came. Closing his eyes in patience, trying not to freak out, he turned to his other brother.

  “Bill,” Stuart said in greeting, both the forms, blue and orange, bowing. “And even if we shouldn’t, Kevin, it has to be done. You told your Chosen that she shall bond with mine, and now is the time to mend your wrong doings. This is going to happen,” he said sternly, Bill nodding beside him.

  Defensive, almost panicking, Kevin rounded on Bill. “You shouldn’t even be here! You aren’t involved in this,” he said, almost backing down.

  Bill raised an arrogant eye brow. “You wanna go, bro?” he asked, jumping on his feet lightly, raising his fists like a boxer would. The slang stabbed Kevin like a knife, and the knowledge that Bill was different made him antsy.

  As Creators, they were renowned for their power, their abilities. While Kevin was the dramatic one of the group, Stuart was the wise one, Bill was the cocky, modern one, and Joe... He didn’t even want to think about Joe.

  Kevin and Stuart both opened their mouths to say something when a sudden screech brought their attention downward, to Mary.

  Mary, who’s form was wavering so much it was a wonder that she was holding back from the shift.

  “Kevin!” she shouted, her voice raising several octaves within that one word.

  Swallowing, he allowed her to hear him, asking, “Yes, Mary?”

  “What. The--” she took a breath, staring at Raffaele who had a look of surprise on his face —”hell is this,” Mary finished with a short, enraged scream.

  Bill paused, eyes popping wide as he stared down at the two Chosen. “Dude, what did you do
?”

  Kevin sighed, closing his eyes once again. “Mary, you need to...”

  “No. Send me back. Just send me back.”

  “Mary, will you just--” Raffaele started, staying wisely where he was.

  Her finger stabbed at him. “Don’t talk to me!”

  Raffaele sighed, not talking again. Kevin was slightly shocked at his reaction, wondering what was wrong with him to make him back down from a woman--and Mary, at that. Her anger was misplaced, Kevin thought, watching the anger that was boiling in her eyes. She was so close... so very close to changing into her Feline that it was a miracle that Raffaele was even alive and breathing.

  “Kevin, I swear... If I could talk to you, if I could so much as lay a hand--”

  “Watch your mouth, Chosen,” Stuart interjected, his voice a hard snap.

  Mary’s eyes opened wide, lips pressing. In the forest green depths of her eyes, confusion and maybe even fear shown there. Raffaele visibly tensed, hands clenching at his sides.

  Kevin watched them. Instead of being subdue, distant, Raffaele was...angry on Mary’s behalf? He started to grin. “This is perfect!”

  Bill gave him a weird look. “Bro. You need to get laid.”

  Kevin ignored him, used to the phrases that he some how came up with. “Shove your hand in your mouth and keep quiet, I’m concentrating.”

  “You mean foot?”

  He waved a hand at his foolish brother, watching raptly at the anger that was gathering in Raffaele’s eyes. Mary wasn’t looking at him at all--in fact, she was looking anywhere but him, her face red.

  “Are you wondering why you are both here?” he asked curiously, thinking that the answer was probably an in between. The two of them looked more angry than anything.

  And for the reasons, Kevin found this most amusing.

  “Not really,” Mary snapped, head snapping back when Raffaele took a seat next to where she had sprung to her feet.

  “Sure,” Raffaele said, voice speaking otherwise.

  “We are all gathered here today,” Bill started, voice booming, “to celebrate the joining of man! Woman! And--” Stuart punched him in the arm, blue and white eyes glaring.

  Mary paled.

  “No, no, dear--”

  “Stuart, my god I’m going to kill you...” Raffaele said, cutting off Kevin.

  Bill glowered. “You guys are such di--”

  “There is a lady here,” Kevin snapped, horrified that his brother would use such horrid language around Mary. Surely he knew that she had had a censored up bringing? Kevin and Stuart knew all about each other’s Chosen--it was the rule.

  “And? You are being ridiculous,” Bill said, using a mocking, posh British accent.

  Stuart rolled his eyes, bored, while Kevin turned a glare to the orange man that he called his brother. “You can leave,” he suggested icily.

  “I’d rather not, brah.”

  “Kevin?” Mary asked, starting to sound confused. He looked down in time to see her take a seat, edging as far away from her betrothed as she possibly could.

  “Yes, Mary,” he answered, fighting to be calm.

  “Please explain to me who these people are and why Mr. Jacques is here?” she asked, folding her hands with forced primness in her lap. Head bowed, she didn’t look at anyone--most likely scared of Stuart and his harsh reprimands.

  “The other Creators,” he explained, wishing he could allow her to see him. But, the eyes of a human--even though she was a Chosen--was not permitted.

  “And what about Raffaele?” she hissed, earning a brief glare from the person in question.

  “Stuart wanted him here,” he faltered, looking at his brother for help. He was not about to take on Mary right now.

  “Mary, Raffaele is your soon to be bonded mate. I believe Kevin had told you this only a couple of hours ago--why didn’t you act on it?” Stuart asked, purposely putting her in the spot light.

  It worked, too. Raffaele’s head snapped in her direction. Was it betrayal, or anger that she hadn’t done it? Kevin had checked in on her earlier, only to find them on the bed, feelings of love and maybe even hope surrounding them both.

  Why hadn’t she used that time to tell Raff of what she had been told? It would have been a perfect time.

  “You knew?” he asked, lip curling at her.

  Mary avoided looking at Raffaele, shoulders curling defensively. Clearly, it wasn’t something she wanted to talk about.

  “Did you...bait me into asking?” he asked, betrayal and anger over laying thickly. Kevin watched raptly, along with the now attentive Stuart and Bill.

  Mary gasped. “What!? Jaques--no!” she exclaimed, finally showing blatant vulnerability.

  “My name,” he growled, eyes flashing dangerously, “Is Raffaele. And that’s what you’ll be calling me from now on--as your mate.”

  The words sounded and looked like they left a bitter taste on his tongue. As Mary paled at his words, Kevin started to feel sympathy for her.

  He had heard her soul, crying in desperation, in the hospital parking lot. Whatever she had been thinking, it hadn’t been about “baiting”, or anything close to it. It had been pure, simply, and painful agony, listening to her silent cry.

  “I can’t...” Her eyes held the look of a deer in the crossroads, scared and not knowing what to do.

  There was a silence in which Raffaele just stared her down, eyes blazing. Finally, Kevin heard faintly, “And to think-- I didn’t even put up a fight for a woman who is friends with every male I can think of.”

  Not so much as damaging as rude, Mary’s eyes widened, making Kevin wonder briefly if her eyes would pop out of her head.

  “Raffaele, don’t...” Stuart started, almost soundlessly.

  “Wasn’t easy to catch a man once you offered space between your legs, correct?” he asked coldly, taking everything that had happened in the worst, most horrible way ever.

  Chapter 33

  Mary could have cried.

  Weeped.

  Attacked.

  Maybe even killed Raffaele with her bare hands.

  The words that he had said, so crude and hurtful that she felt like it was just a painful stab in her heart, her very soul. Above them, three resounding gasps lit the room, their audible shock almost over-riding her inner agony.

  His frosty eyes met her, the blue depths so emotionless yet hate filled that Mary could have cried.

  “I... Why would you...” she started, only to be cut off by one of the voices above.

  “Never have I been so disappointed in you, Raffaele,” came a solemn, regretful voice from above. She watched as Raffaele’s eyes dilated, the icy color replaced by a hard black. His hands were clenched at his sides.

  “Not as much as when I turned into a killer?” he asked, voice hard and unforgiving.

  Mary held in another gasp, both from pain and even more shock.

  He continued. “You remember, don’t you? How my father, Antonio, sent me out to kill anyone who might wish to expose of him? How can the way that I talk about her, even compare to the disgracefulness that I committed for half of my life? She is exactly what she makes herself out to be--a power hungry female, who uses her body to get what she wants. That’s how she got me,” he said, ruefully angry.

  Her hand flew to her chest, eyes closing. Standing, turning, she tried to think of a time when she had ever hurt so much, when she had never felt so helpless and stuck.

  “Kevin,” she started, voice cracking. “Can you wake me--?”

  “Is that all you ever do? Run? Is that why so many woman are being killed--because you are weak and refuse to stick around to take care of what you started?”

  Tears stung the back of her eyes, breath coming shorter as she digested what he had all along thought of her. Is that what she appeared to everyone? Weak and flighty?

  Had she really implied that her body would capture his interest, that she was anything but chaste? A harsh sob came from her throat, unwanted and agonized.

>   “I didn’t mean--”

  A hand came down on her shoulder, angry and meaning to hurt. Her body was jerked to face the man that had just torn her heart out, flinching at the contact.

  “You sure as hell did. Kevin told you to bond with me. You waited till I was forced into sticking with my promise. You know that once a Promise of Bond is made, it can’t be broken. Can’t believe I was dumb enough to believe anything from you...”

  He trailed off, voice betrayed, furious.

  “God fucking damnit,” came a hard shout before everything went black around her.

  For a second, she thought that he had killed her. Panic settled into her viens until she realized that she was breathing, he wasn’t trying to kill her, and ocean blue light was starting to pour out around her.

  Raffaele was no where to be seen, and the room was exactly as it had been a second ago, only a deep blue that reminded her of the men from the Blue Man Group. Eyes darting around, hands wiping at the tears that were streaming down her cheeks without stopping, she tried to catch her breath at the pain that was closing around her. Folding her arms around herself, she took a step forward.

  “Take a seat please,” came a detached voice, almost devoid of emotion as the image of Kevin and a twin took place in her mind. The dream... Kevin had been completely white, she just realized. Maybe, since this man’s room was blue, so was the emotionless voice that was telling her to sit?

  Mary sat down in a chair identical to Kevin’s, only blue in its coloring. Hands shaking, she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself.

  “You understand Raffaele’s problem, don’t you?” the faceless man asked, a trace of an accent in his voice.

  She shook her head slowly, chest jerking as she thought about his reaction to the news of the bonding.

  “He believes that you forced him into this,” he said, as if that solved everything.