Carnage
Page 1
Contents
Cover Credit
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Introduction
About This Book
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
From The Author
About The Author
Cover Credit
Christopher Coyle
darkandstormyknight.com
CARNAGE
BOOK 1
WHISPERS FROM THE BAYOU
By Sandra R Neeley
Copyright © 2018 SANDRA R NEELEY
All rights reserved.
Thank you for purchasing and/or downloading this book. It is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and/or distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes without express written permission from the author.
Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales, is purely coincidental. The characters are creations of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademarked ownership of all trademarks and word marks mentioned in this book.
For my dear friend, DeAnne Taylor.
You never fail to lift me up when I’m down, support me without me having to ask, and always make me smile. You are the kind of friend people pray for. I love you, oh-giver-of-names. I’m very thankful to be able to call you friend.
Whispers From the Bayou
The swamps of south Louisiana shelter all manner of creature, paranormal as well as natural wildlife. Whispers is a community of paranormal beings hidden deep within the most uninhabitable areas of the wetlands. All of its inhabitants — be they Vampires, Shifters, Gargoyles, Banshees, Ancients, Windigo, Mer-people or other — came here for one reason; Sanctuary. The members of this community intentionally migrated here over time in an effort to escape humankind and their intolerant ways. Some species were hunted to the point of near extinction, those few who survived, now live here. They all have one rule, one unbreakable rule — no humans. No humans are allowed to know about their community. It’s the only way they can all remain safely hidden away.
About This Book
Carnage
Whispers From the Bayou
Book 1
Raised by a father who curses the day she was born, Carolena finds herself in the swamps of south Louisiana under the guise of overseeing her father’s investments. In truth, she is making every attempt to avoid forced marriage to any of the men he would have her shipped off to. She’s always believed that her husband would love her, would give his very life just to hold her; not be a man who would marry her to claim her father’s wealth. When she arrives in the deep-south, she catches the eye of a local backwoods family of brothers. The eldest, Bobby, decides that he is deserving of a step-up in life, takes her against her will to his hovel of a home at the edge of the swamps to be shared between himself and his brothers. Carolena — not the shrinking flower they think her to be, flees into the deepest, darkest, wildest portion of the swamps in an effort to escape the brothers and their plans for her. Death at the hands of the creatures in these wetlands is a better option, in her mind. Little does she know, she’s also caught the eye of the most dangerous creature there, one of legend — of nightmares. He’s watching her every move, admiring her bravery — and he’s decided he’s keeping her.
Carnage is a Gargoyle. He’s also volatile, dangerous, unpredictable, and lonely. One evening minding his own business at the edge of the sanctuary he calls home, he spies a female. A human female, and she’s running headlong into his swamps, with no regard for her own safety. Then he sees the reason; three men, and they’re hot on her trail, torches in hand, hell bent on catching her before she can get away. He watches as they get closer and closer to her, easily following her trail. Carnage makes a snap decision that changes both their lives forever; he drops out of a tree right behind her, slaps one clawed hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming, wraps her in his huge arms and goes right back to the treetops. He shelters her while the men traverse the ground below, unable to determine why her trail disappeared. Carnage admires this little female — she was brave to run into the swamps alone. There are many creatures lying in wait for just such a meal. But she no longer has to worry about that, because now she’s his. He only hopes that she doesn’t fear him too much once she gets a good look at his blue-grey skin, his fangs and his horns. Because regardless of what she thinks, or the rules of his community — he’s not giving her up.
Warning: Intended for mature audiences. This book contains explicit love scenes, lots of use of the “F” word (among others), some violence, and possibly some abuse both real and inferred that may be disturbing for some readers. If you are offended by these subjects, please do not buy this book.
Chapter 1
Early 1900’s
Carolena ran as quickly as she could despite the tree limbs snatching at her hair and tearing her clothing. The night was black as pitch, which made the eerie glow of their torches easy to pick out in the distance. Her heart pounded in her chest, the adrenaline and fear a live thing in her breast. She plunged into the icy, muddy water of the bayou, scrambling up the opposite bank and into the thicket of trees and brambles. The woods were alive around her, but she had no time to worry about the creatures that may lay in wait for her — the men on her trail were much more dangerous. She ran headlong into the huge web of a banana spider and shrieked as the web wrapped around her. As she turned in a circle, swiping the thing from her hair and face, she whimpered aloud, “I don’t deserve this!” She glanced over her shoulder at the glow of the torches following her path, one in particular out ahead of the others, hot on her trail. “Just leave me alone!” she rushed out in a harsh whisper. She could hear the splash of the man following her as he entered the bayou she’d just crossed; hopelessness suffused her, she’d never make it in time. Just as she gave up and sank to her knees on the wet, muddy ground, a clawed hand covered her mouth from behind and a huge arm wrapped around her middle at the same time, yanking her backward into a grove of ancient, moss-covered cypress trees that grew naturally in these swamps. She fought and would have fought harder had it not been for the soothing, shushing coo that was being muttered right at her ear. It was growly and barely discernible, but she was sure that she’d heard the word “Safe” mixed in with those garbled syllables. Suddenly, she realized she was being lifted into the air, held tight against the chest of whatever had her in its arms. Instinctively her hands gripped the dark grey flesh of the arm that held her securely, lest she be dropped to the ground from the treetop, which was where she was so obviously being taken.
Carnage watched the small female as she plunged fearlessly through the swamps he called home. There was not much more dangerous than he in these swamps, yet he feared. He feared for the safety of this little human. He did not like this emotion: Fear. It did not suit him. He was the bringer of fear, not the recipient. His eyes caught the flicker of flames as males followed her trail. He had but a moment to choose his path, one
that would alter his life forever. He dropped down from his perch in the top of one of the largest cypress trees, landing silently behind her, pressing his hand tightly over her mouth to stop her from screaming and giving away their position. At the same time he wrapped his other arm around her waist, lifting her from her feet and holding her tightly against his chest. She began to fight, small human hands clawing at him. He pressed his fanged mouth against her ear, “Shhhhhh.” She paused briefly in her struggle to free herself. He took that as encouragement and tried to say a few words to her. He was not gifted with speech. Only limited words had he mastered and even fewer of her language, but still he tried. When his growly attempt failed to calm her further, he tried one of the only words he knew that she might clearly understand, “Safe.” Immediately she stilled. And with her fight momentarily halted, he took to the tree tops, as he held her tightly against him. She clutched him tightly where he held her as he took them higher into the trees. His brow wrinkled at the mixture of emotion he experienced at her touch. Pleasure was an unknown sensation for Carnage.
Bobby hurried through the trees and shrubs in his path, not even looking up. He didn’t want to lose her trail. “Hurry the hell up! She can’t be that far ahead,” he shouted over his shoulder at the men following him.
He had to catch this little bitch. Her father had entrusted her care and safety to him while she was there overseeing his investment in two businesses located just outside the swamps. Only he’d not exactly held up his end of the bargain. He’d planned on doing his part, but the more he drank, and the more he watched her prancing around in those trousers that no woman ought to be wearing, and thought about how much he’d like that little piece of heaven beneath him; the more he decided that he deserved a step up in life. The like remarks coming from his brothers and her holier-than-thou attitude had him deciding that, yes, he deserved her. And once he’d had a taste, though it had only been a little taste and not quite all he’d wanted to sample, he’d been loathe to let her go. So, he’d kept her. Hell, it wasn’t like he’d tortured her. He’d fed her. He’d allowed her to go outside from time to time. It’d only been a couple days, and she’d loved it. Well, he’d loved it.
Eventually she’d come around and be thankful that he’d picked her. Then he’d get to sample all she had to offer. Pretty much everybody in his family’d had to settle. He wasn’t settling. He deserved more. All the women in his village vied for his attentions, and this one just needed to be reminded of how lucky she was. Only now the little bitch was on the run. He’d left her outside alone for just a second while he went inside to get her a drink, just like she’d asked. No sooner than he’d gone inside did she run for the swamp. And if she managed to get to safety and contact her father, Bobby would have hell to pay. The man was rich, rich as the devil himself, and he’d not stop until he’d made everyone pay for any indiscretion his precious daughter had endured. He had to catch her and force her to see things his way. He’d be a damn good husband. Well, at least ‘til he got bored and moved on, but by then he’d have spent most of her money, so it wouldn’t matter what she thought. “Come on, ya’ll! She went through here!”
Carnage adjusted the woman in his arms and held her tighter. He’d taken them across several hundred feet through the tree tops. He stopped when he was sure the one they were hiding in was thick enough to keep anyone on the ground from seeing them. He squatted on a high limb, close to the trunk of the tree, using his muscular thigh as a perch to place his woman on. She was shaky, and she was shivering. He tried to remove his hand from around her waist to point out the men that were following her path, but she’d clutched at his arm. So instead, he’d removed his hand from her mouth and quickly pointed them out. Again he tried to communicate as he pointed at the torches obviously headed toward them in the dark, “Shhhhh.”
She didn’t speak, but she nodded her understanding. Then slowly she turned her head toward him. He froze, afraid that she’d scream when she saw him. He was not beautiful. He knew he was not beautiful, and he was okay with that. He’d never been beautiful. He was a scary son-of-a-bitch. It worked for him. His kind generally made their way by being scary sons-of-bitches. Originally they’d been hired to protect churches, castles, convents and the like, in exchange for food and shelter. But his Sovereign had begun to sell their services to any who asked; he’d become greedy for coin. Carnage and his brethren had been forced to act as guard and soldier to many who they should have been destroying instead. But they’d been ordered, so they followed those orders. But he’d hit his limit when they’d been instructed to hurt innocents. He was a monster, but he was not so much a monster that he would hurt women and children. He drew the line and refused to participate any further in the goings on of any who had questionable characters. His Sovereign had demanded his loyalty and acquiescence. They’d battled, with Carnage eventually walking away — after he’d destroyed his King. He’d wandered for centuries with more than a few of his brethren following from a safe distance. Carnage was a dangerous male — volatile, unpredictable. But since he’d destroyed their corrupt King, his brothers had no one else to follow, so they followed him. Over time some had retreated to outer lying lands of whatever country they’d been in to survive. But in years of late, here in the southern United States, it was the swamp he’d disappeared into, and the few remaining members of his brethren silently followed. And they were not the only ones. There was a vast population of lost souls here. Some had even been born here in this swamp. Others were like Carnage. He was a first generation. He was well over seven hundred years old and had come here seeking sanctuary after centuries of wandering.
The woman made to turn even further toward him, bringing his attention back to her. She was trying to see him with her peripheral vision, but he caught her chin in his clawed hand and gently turned her face back away from him. He knew eventually she’d see him, but right now, he needed her as calm as possible. She was being hunted, and if he hoped to save her, he needed her to cooperate, not scream and try to get away from him.
She shivered again, and he wished that he’d worn a shirt this night. At least he could have given it to her. He placed his hand on her arm and rubbed it up and down trying to warm her a bit. Then his attention was taken again by the men on the ground underneath the first tree that he’d lifted her from the ground and into.
“Here! This is exactly where her trail ends,” Bobby said. “She’s gotta be here somewhere; she can’t just disappear.” Bobby stalked back and forth, looking for any trace of her.
Billy, one of his brothers, said, “Here, I bet she went this way. Too much moss on the ground to show her footprints.”
“Let’s go,” Bobby said, taking the lead in the direction that Billy indicated.
Carolena had watched the men searching for her. Holding her breath, praying they couldn’t trace her. Common sense told her that she should also fear the creature that held her, but she just couldn’t find it in herself to fear him, at least not more than those already chasing her. He was obviously not human — dark, bluish-grey skin, clawed hands, only a few growled words — but he’d saved her. And he’d been gentle with her so far, even trying to warm her skin when she shivered. He was absorbed in watching her pursuers and had not even placed his hand over her mouth again to keep her quiet. She turned a little and saw his face. She couldn’t help her sharp intake of breath. He was the stuff of nightmares; rather than hair on his head, he had two heavy, dark-brown horns. They were thick and heavy at the base of each and grew almost straight up, gradually slimming, but with a slight twist to them, and making a complete loop halfway up, then each straightening again, ending in a deadly point at least a foot above his head. They had the appearance of dark, polished wood — even looking as though there was a wood grain to them. His ears were just below the base of his horns and protruded slightly from his head. He had a strong angular jaw, with high, chiseled cheek bones. His eyes were heavily hooded, and as he turned them on her, she saw that the pupils were a slate
grey color. His nose, as he looked directly at her, was wide and thick. He had full, pouty lips, a darker grey than his skin, that had he been human would have been considered sensual. May still be considered sensual anyway, had it not been for the canine-like fangs of his bottom jaw peeking from between his lips. His neck was huge and muscular. The striations of his neck muscles straining as he held himself in check, waiting for her shriek of fear as she finally got her first good look at him. But nature intervened.
Carolena was in awe of the creature that had saved her. She wasn’t sure if she should scream, try to escape him, or just continue to be lost in her observation of him. She’d begun to breathe heavily, her mind telling her that creatures like this didn’t truly exist. Surely the strain of the last few days had taken their toll and her mental stability had left her. Her foot felt heavy; then, she felt something pressing its way up her calf. She glanced down and saw a big Yellow-bellied Water Snake nosing its way up her leg. She could handle a lot of things, but snakes was not one of them. She squeaked and threw herself at the creature that had her perched on his thigh. She kicked her foot out, dislodging the serpent intruder, and scrambled up the male’s thigh closer to his body, throwing her arms around his neck and trying to stand on the same thigh she’d previously sat on, all the while biting her lip and trying not to scream, so Bobby and his brothers wouldn’t find her as they moved back and forth on the swamp floor beneath them.
Carnage wrapped his arm around the female now wrapped around him, reached out with one hand and shooed the snake away from their hiding place. He waited ‘til the snake slithered away, then patted Carolena’s back. But rather than trying to dislodge her, he pulled her in closer. She held on to him tightly, pressing her face into his neck, and marveled at the calm and peacefulness that suffused her while in his arms. He sat on his bottom, leaned back against the tree trunk, and rubbed his cheek on her hair. “Safe,” he grumbled at her again. She looked up briefly, searching for any sign of the snake behind her. Carnage pointed toward the lower branches of the trees. She nodded her understanding and returned to her position, now cradled in his lap, facing him, her body pressed against his warm, massive chest, her face pressed into his neck, his huge arms holding her tight, as they waited for Bobby and his brothers to tire of searching for her and return to their shack. She had no idea what was going to happen next, but she did know she was safer here than with the men below them. So she held fast to the beast that had saved her, waiting for a chance to climb down and make it to town. No, that was wrong she thought — he wasn’t a beast. Gargoyle, that’s what he was, a Gargoyle. She’d been saved and was being sheltered by a Gargoyle.