THE BEAST

Lust or hunger

Maya's heart sank as he heard Egar. However, she nodded when she saw her blood mark on the white sheet of his bed. 

"Alright," Maya whispered. 

Maya went to the restroom to get a shower. She cringed at her naked look in the mirror. Her neck was dark purple as if she has been strangled last night close to death. Her bottom lip was torn and swollen, still bleeding a little. Her shoulder had angry marks all over. The skin where Egar's nails have dug in hurt when she touched it carefully. 

Maya flinched as the warm water hit her, whimpering slightly as the wound stung. 

"Everything alright?" Egar called from outside.

Maya let out a sigh. 

"Did you strangle me last night or what?" Maya rubbed her neck as if the bruises will wash away on their own. 

There was a long silence on the other side of the door.

"I honestly don't remember, young one. I might have strangled you but for the most part, I think I was close to eating you." 

And that ended the conversation about last night. 

.

.

Egar was right. Maya has become popular from her last entrance to the Familiar Competition. Jason regularly talked with her, sometimes even having lunch with her privately.  Although she still sucked at magic, she was proceeding a little better in her classes too.

Maya and Egar were back to their normal routine as well. Well, almost normal. They were like a good friend, a young summoner, and an old beast. Both of them didn't mention that night at all. Egar was back to his strict teacher mode and Maya into her clumsy young soul. 

Their physical contact has reduced significantly though. After that night, Maya has taken a potion from the nursing office to enhance her mavis temporarily. It would wear off in a month or so. Egar said the potion was working. In the afternoon, Egar only kissed briefly, only for a few seconds at most. The kiss had no feelings or intensity - meaning only business. 

Both of them still felt the strange tension building between them but they knew it would hurt both of them to acknowledge it. So Maya spent most of her time with Jason, wishing that she could take her mind off the beast for once. 

"So, how's it going with your familiar?" Jason asked in the library.

"Good, I mean, he's an old soul. I'm sometimes confused if he's my summoner actually." 

"Hope they break the code of vocamen fast enough, right?" Jason chuckled. "I will save you a seat at the potion class tomorrow. See you there," Jason smiled, gathering his bags. Before he left, he quickly planted a kiss on Maya's cheek, unexpectedly. 

Maya was stunned as she watched Jason shyly run back to his room. She was more shocked to see Egar standing beside the shelves, looking at Maya. 

Egar shrugged his shoulder to Maya as if to show he couldn't care less. It was great that Maya has moved on, found her sanity and a boyfriend. 

And Egar was absolutely outraged as he stomped back to his room. 

Egar slammed the door and crawled into the bed, annoyed at Maya's scent in the blanket. Everything was going fine, EXACTLY how he wanted. And that irritated him. 

Maybe he should just eat her. 

No, no. Egar shook his head. No, he shouldn't eat Maya. 

"No, those are not for eating, beastie." 

A kind voice of a woman he missed rang in his head and beast struggled as he pushed his feeling down. Everything is alright. Everything is fine now. Just like he wanted. 

Soon, Maya came into his room, panting. Evidently, she has run to her room following the beast after the kiss. 

"Why were you there?" Maya demanded. 

"It was getting late so I just wanted to check if you were alright," Egar sneered. 

"It was-"

"Congratulations," Egar replied shortly as he laid down in bed, covering his face with a blanket. 

Clearly, Egar was not in the mood to talk. Maya wasn't either. The short kiss on her cheek just made her nauseous. It wasn't pleasant. And it only reminded her of someone she shouldn't be thinking. 

Maya laid down next to Egar, turning her back to him. They were angry at each other, for reasons they weren't ready to talk about. 

Maya was almost asleep when the silence was broken by the sound of a metal clinking to each other. Puzzled, Maya slowly turned her head toward Egar. The beast was tying his hands to the bed frame. 

"What are you doing?" Maya asked, perplexed. 

Egar stopped midway tying himself in chain. There was a silence as Egar realized Maya was not asleep yet. 

"...I don't want to hurt you if I become too hungry at night," Egar finally replied, avoiding Maya's gaze. 

"How long have you been doing this?"

"From that day," Egar's voice was raspy as he brought out the day they have never talked about since. 

"The potion is not working, right?" Maya asked, alarmed. 

The beast didn't answer her. 

"Egar-" 

Maya reached out for the beast's hand but Egar avoided him. 

"This feeding system...it's dangerous. I'm afraid to hurt you." 

"But you're hungry..!"

"The potion is working...somewhat. I'm getting the hang of controlling my hunger. Let's just hope the council breaks the code fast enough, alright?"

Hunger was hard enough for Egar. He began to tie himself from that day when he realized he was close to losing himself when he heard Maya's breath at night - rhythmic and deep - luring Egar to well, dine on Maya and chew her bones, pull out her guts and - 

No. 

Egar finished tying himself to the bedframe and laid back down in bed. 

Maya looked down at Egar, sitting up, unsure of how to get through to this old beast. 

The council will kill you when the code is broken, you stupid asshole. 

Her thought almost reached her throat but Maya laid down again, giving into Egar's stubbornness. 

Maya still couldn't figure out how to prove to the council that they shouldn't kill Egar, to prove that the beast is not dangerous anymore.

Because Maya knew deep down, the beast really was dangerous. 

And she was playing with her life trying to save this moron but she had no idea how to control her own familiar. 

.

.

Maya woke up with the sound of her wooden bedframe breaking. 

As soon as she opened her eyes in shock, she was pushed down by Egar sitting on top of her. 

Egar's eyes were hollow, starving as he saw his prey underneath him. He sniffed Maya like an animal as he ran his finger through Maya's hair. His wrists were all bloody from breaking the chain.

Egar's mouth opened wide to bite down. 

"I command you Egar, back off!" Maya managed to shout just in time before the beast could hunt her. 

The golden runes restrained Egar to the far end of the bed. Egar slashed madly, hissing. The beast clenched at the white sheet, ripping them apart. Maya shivered as he saw Egar's mad eyes. 

Maya knew the runes wouldn't stay for long though as Egar was struggling to break free.

The worst has happened in front of her. The feeding system was broken. Egar has overestimated his control for hunger. He needed to hunt and Maya knew she was the prey. 

"Run."

 Egar managed to articulate a single word through his clenched teeth.