An "Interview" with Bari (Coming Home, Book 1, Justice Demon series)

I’m sitting there waiting, fifteen minutes past the time he said he’d arrive, my foot tapping against the
floor with the irritation I feel rising in my veins.  I don’t like waiting around. And what’s worse is I’ve been asked to do this as a favor for her.  “He’s as a harmless as a teddy bear, D.C,” she said.  Remembering this thought brings a snort from my chest and I push up, my patience about done with waiting on him. Bari has to realize I’ve got books to write.

Just as my body unfolds from the chair, the door opens before me and I freeze. “Going somewhere, D.C?” An involuntary shiver works its way up my spine; a combination of fear and lust spreading. 
Who would blame me?  

Standing at six foot four, about two-hundred and seventy pounds; Bari’s sudden presence sucks all of the air from the room.  His size alone would make any one shiver in fear but it’s his eyes that tell a different story.  They’re the color of glaciers at the northern part of Alaska. Merely saying they were ice blue didn’t give them enough justice.  It was the color you’d find just as snow hit the dark blue ice. They both
glowed and cooled the room, creating such a conflicting response in anyone; one that spoke of fight or flight. One that screamed for your own survival.  Set in features that most would call beautiful (if they weren’t looking to die immediately – they’d do so behind his back) the glacial eyes were set on a face that held a strong jaw, full lips, and were surrounded by midnight black hair that fell to his shoulders.

Bari screamed sensuality and death in one shot; a tool he could use on just about any one, of any race, gender, or being. Bari was death on legs – or how she liked to refer to him – sex with legs.  That thought brings a bubble of laughter up in my chest and I fight to hold it in, failing miserably in the end.  Bari’s dark brow arched in response. 

“Something funny, D.C?” He leaned casually against the wall, all lethal grace held behind a man who screamed of awareness.  

I cleared my throat, taking a quick glance at the door and tried to gauge my odds on making it out alive. 
They weren’t good.

A soft, dark chuckle whipped my head back to Bari who still stood there, menacing and oozing a calm “I-don’t-give-a-shit type of attitude.” 

“Awe, come on, D.C; I’m not going to touch you.”  Both my brows pop at this, not fully believing for one minute it could be so easy.  Bari’s arms uncrossed and he lifted both palms in the air, holding them
up. “I give you my word.”

I narrowed my eyes.  This wasn’t the Bari I knew.  The man I knew liked to rip heads off before he even learned their names, lived for the moment of a fight, had a favorite color of red, dreamed of different ways to kill, new ways to cause pain.  Shall I go on?  A sudden thought entered my mind.  “She made you promise."
                 
His shocked, wide eyed look said it all.  “No, she didn’t.”
                 
A grin started to spread across my face, his sudden shifting calling him for the liar he was.  “She did
too!”  I clapped my hands in front of me and started to laugh.  “She totally did!  Oh Bari, you are so
whoo—“
                
He was in front of me in less than a second, cutting of my words.  “I wouldn’t finish that statement if I
were you, D.C.”
                 
My mouth was hanging open, the word begging to come out. “W-wh-woooonderful. You are wonderful, Bari.”  I smiled, a sweet, innocent smile; one I hoped hid the fact that I was about to piss my pants. 
Had I mentioned how scary Bari was…period?
                 
He responded with a grunt and stepped back. “Now that you’re done kissing my ass, D.C, how about we get this out of the way?”
                 
“Um, sure?” I took a step back, wanting more space between the two of us.  Hell, if I could have it my
way, I would have done this over the phone.  Unfortunately for me, Byron had wanted to see me and well, I really had a hard time saying no to that little man.  
                  
“Sit down, D.C.”
                
I sat immediately and fought the urge to stand back up right away.  Bari grinned down at me and resumed his position on the wall, arms crossed, as if he knew exactly that.  Pulling out my notebook and pen, I fought to hide the shakiness in my hands and wished like hell I had a drink – one of an alcoholic variety.  I cleared my dry throat.
                
“Okay, Bari.  What is your idea of perfect happiness?”
                
A dark brow rose slowly and I watched as Bari got this far away look in his eyes, one that made the hard lines of his face soften and one that I had often seen associated with thoughts of her. I tilted my head and studied him, opened my mouth to comment on the look but was immediately cut off.
                 
“Next question, D.C.”

“But, you didn’t-“

“I said, next question.” The hard glint in his eyes had me pushing my chair back ever so slightly in fear.
    
I glanced down at my notebook and fought yet another urge to run.  “Okaaaay, what is your greatest
fear?”

Bari shot me a look that said it all.  Screamed of,“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”  “Seriously, D.C?
Fear?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but again, was cut off.  “NEXT!” I jumped in my chair as his deep voice boomed through the room.  Geesh.  “Fine.” I huffed and heard a low growl come from Bari’s direction but quickly forged on. “Who’s your favorite fictional character?”
                
Bari snorted – loud.  “Little Bow-fucking-peep.  For Christ sake, D.C.  I thought this was supposed to be an interview?”
                
I met his gaze and felt my own irritation start to boil deep in my gut.  Glancing down, I searched
through the previously written questions and dismissed them all; realizing now that if I wanted a real answer from Bari, I was going to have to dig deep.  My mind searched frantically for one, hearing each one of the seconds ticking down loudly as our time drew to an end.  Nothing was coming to mind and I glanced up as Bari shifted and pushed from the wall. 

“Well, D.C, can’t say it’s been fun, but-“

“Wait!”  I jumped out of my chair, and held the notebook in his path.  As if that will stop him?  Good Lord. 
“I mean,” I cleared my throat again and fought for something, anything. “What – what is your favorite journey, Bari.”

Bari let out a deep, heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair, sending the dark blades haphazardly in every direction. He dropped it and turned towards me, stepping closer as his head dipped down. 
“D.C,” he began; his voice low, deep, mesmerizing.  “My favorite journey has and always will be…the one you’ve put me on.” My jaw dropped open, forming a circle as shock ran through me. Do what?!  Bari stood to his full height and looked down at me, capturing me once again with his lethal, yet extremely beautiful gaze.  I swallowed hard, having to force my throat to work as fear and desire slammed
into me.  “You tell anyone that, D.C; and there’s going to be hell to pay.”

With those final words, Bari turned on his heel and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there, gaping at his back. Minutes ticked by and finally a slow smile started to spread across my face.  Yeah, the big bad demon was in fact, just a big ole teddy bear.  

“I HEARD THAT, D.C!” The words shook the entire house and I froze, fear embedding my body frozen before flight and the need for survival kicked in, sending me running.  Oh shit. “Next time remember he can read minds, D.C,” I muttered as I fled the room.