Chapter 2
In the wee hours of the morning, before the sun rose, Carolena became aware of movement. She opened her eyes and found darkness. Her body stiffened, and a huge, warm hand patted her back while a very, very deep voice grumbled “Safe” at her. She suddenly remembered where she was and who had her. She’d apparently fallen asleep in his arms while they waited for the men following her to give up and go home. And now he’d deemed it safe to move from their hiding place in the treetops, so he’d gathered her close and started his climb down.
Carnage knew the moment the little female awoke, her entire body stiffened in his arms. He patted her and told her again that she was safe. And she was safe — he’d never allow anything to hurt her. He’d decided, as he sat in that tree holding her while she slept, her soft breath tickling his chest as its warmth blew across his skin. He was not giving her up. She’d not screamed when she saw him, she’d not been afraid of him - well, not very afraid. He’d never had a woman not fear him. He’d never had a male not fear him — hell, most of his own kind feared him. So he’d made up his mind; he was keeping her. Not even Enthrall would be able to convince him to give her up.
“I’m sorry I fell asleep. It’s been a while since I could sleep and not feel like I was letting my guard down. Did I sleep for long?” she asked as she watched the deep red hues of a soon-to-be-rising sun seeping at the edges of the dark sky.
Carnage, who was making a steady trek deeper into the swamp, looked at her and shook his head no. But in fact she’d slept for several hours. He’d not wanted to move her in case she wanted to leave him when she woke. So he’d held her as long as possible, until he’d had no choice but to disturb her slumber so that he could get them to safety before the sun came up. And even then, he’d hoped that he could somehow manage to get her to their stronghold before she would wake.
“I can walk, you know. I don’t mind, and it’s time I was on my way anyway,” Carolena told him.
He gazed down at the woman who rode comfortably in his arms, not wanting to let her go. Again, he shook his head, and this time he tightened his arm underneath her and lifted his other hand from her to make an imitation of an “S” shape moving away from himself, and hissed through his teeth. He looked back at her to see if she got it.
She did. “Oh! Really? Well, then if you don’t mind, I’d rather not walk. I don’t like snakes. But, you’re going the wrong way, I think. I need to go to town, so I can speak with the sheriff and see if he can help make arrangements to get me away from here.”
Carnage did not meet her eyes, but he shook his head as he kept walking — deeper into the swamp.
“Really, I’ll be okay now. You can put me down,” Carolena said.
Still he didn’t respond.
Carolena squirmed a little, trying to get down from his arms.
Carnage stopped walking, regarding her with consternation, his brows pulled down low over his eyes, trying to figure out what to do next. His female wanted to leave him. He did not want her to go.
“Can you show me the way out of here and back toward town?” she asked. “Of course, a way other than back toward those men. I need to get to town and file a report with the sheriff and ask for protection.”
Carnage just stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out a way to keep her here other than force. He used his free hand to pat his own chest, “Ppprooo - tec,” he managed to get out after a few tries.
“Yes, you did. And thank you,” she said to him sincerely.
They seemed to be at an impasse, then Carnage had an idea. He figured after all he’d done in his long life, a little white lie to keep her with him a little longer wouldn’t hurt. He was not above just taking her to his sleeping space, but he didn’t want her to fear him. Carnage peered back over his shoulder, as though he was listening.
Carolena looked back over his shoulder as well.
Carnage tilted his head as though more intent on listening.
“What? Do you hear something?” she whispered.
“Shhhhhh,” he growled out, then pointed in the direction they’d come.
He could feel her heartbeat speed up and felt a little bad for frightening her, but he couldn’t convince her that he could take care of her if she wasn’t with him. So he did what he had to to make her think she needed him.
“Safe,” he whispered harshly again, just before he ducked into the thickest of undergrowth and started running at a jog. Using one hand to hold her against him, the other to press her head to his chest, shielding her from the branches whipping at them, he hurried her away from the supposed danger he’d heard.
Carolena didn’t ask him anything else. Her rescuer seemed to be intent on keeping her away from Bobby and his brothers, and for now that was most important. She decided to try to pay attention to the path they took so that she could try to find her way out later once it was safer, and Bobby wasn’t looking for her anymore.
After the better part of an hour, she realized he’d stepped onto a path and had been following it. Finally she asked, “Is it safer now?”
Carnage nodded, replaced his other hand beneath her, readjusting her, and never once broke stride.
The sun was just breaking through the night, enabling Carolena to better see around herself as they started to see signs of life in the swamp around them. Not wildlife, but established life. What appeared to be shelters could be seen and paths that had been cleared to ease travel along them.
“Do you live here?” Carolena asked him.
Carnage looked down at her, nodding his head yes.
“Can you tell me your name? I’d like to at least be able to call you by your name. Mine is Carolena.”
He smiled at her, but didn’t answer, nor did he shake his head yes or no, just smiled, his fangs peeking through his lips just a little more.
“Okay, then,” she said. She was prepared to ask again, when he suddenly placed a finger on her lips, indicating she should again be quiet. Carolena stopped talking, and perked up, looking around for any trace of what he wanted to avoid. Carnage had stopped walking and without warning stepped off the path he’d been on. He changed direction, but before he’d taken more than a few steps, he’d stopped again and placed a finger at her lips, raising his eyebrows in question.
She nodded, letting him know that she’d be quiet, then he tucked her into his chest, ducked his body over hers and started through the thick, dense underbrush once more, making sure to avoid whatever habitation she’d seen signs of on the path they’d been following.
According to the position of the sun in the sky, they’d been walking for most of the morning before Carnage finally stepped out of the thick bushes and undergrowth onto another path. This one wasn’t quite as well worn as the one they’d been on earlier, but still, it was a path nonetheless. He examined his surroundings, and, apparently satisfied with whatever he was seeing, began hurrying down the path. Carolena was looking around, trying to pay attention to where she was going so she could find her way back out eventually. She didn’t plan on trying for a while yet; she knew that Bobby and his brothers would still be looking for her for quite some time. This creature had been kind to her, he’d saved her, and now he was taking her to his home, or so she assumed. She’d wait until he was occupied and make her way back the way they’d come, only she’d have to be sure to stay away from the shack that Bobby and his brothers called home. Surely the Gargoyle didn’t plan on keeping her out here. He was just concerned about her safety. Just a day or two in the swamp and then back to town, so she could contact the authorities and let them know what Bobby had tried to do. She hoped that they’d take her word for it, but women didn’t even have the right to vote yet. They were still struggling for every right they deserved, and sometimes a woman in a strange town complaining about mistreatment at the hands of local folk didn’t get much credit for their attempt to have a wrong righted. If they didn’t give credence to her complaints, that’s when she’d call in her father. The man was an arrog
ant bastard, and honestly he’d just let her venture to the swamps of South Louisiana in an effort to prove to her that she couldn’t make it on her own, that she needed a man to keep her safe and make decisions for her — but he was her father. Carolena had always loved nature, and the swamps and legends of them had fascinated her since she’d first read about them with her nanny when she was a child. She’d always wanted to experience them for herself, and her father investing in one of the local fisheries and a cotton mill had been the perfect excuse for her to insist she be allowed to travel to Louisiana and keep an eye on his holdings. He’d argued at first, but finally gave in, expecting her to contact him in tears to save her. She’d refused to reach out to him when Bobby had first starting harassing her, but in retrospect, maybe she should have, and she wouldn’t be here now. Wherever here was.
She was starting to get nervous, hoping that this beast wasn’t going to do more harm to her than Bobby had. He just kept walking and shushing her. Carolena looked up at his face, and instead of feeling fear, she felt calm. She still didn’t understand how she felt safe with him, but she did. And it wasn’t just because he kept rasping it at her.
Carnage ducking through an opening between two big trees had her breaking her reverie and again paying attention. He paused in front of what seemed to be a big tarp and placed her on her feet. He smiled at her again and drew back the tarp with one hand, indicating that she should enter. She peered inside and turned back to him, “Is this where you live?”
Carnage nodded and swept his hand toward the space revealed when he pulled back the thick, heavy canvas covering.
Carolena regarded him for a moment, “Are you going to take me back to town?”
Carnage met her eyes, his smile fell. Then he slowly nodded his head, one time.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
His lips pressed into a straight line, and he pointed at the shelter again. She took his mannerisms to mean he was losing patience, and she was quickly beginning to think that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Carnage jabbed his finger toward his shelter again, and Carolena ducked under the edge of the tarp and walked into his space. He followed her in and dropped the tarp behind them.
It was shaded inside. Not completely dark, but shaded. All four walls were tarps, heavy, dark tarps, and the roof was, too. Carnage struck a match and suddenly the space was glowing with the warm light of an oil lamp. He looked around himself as though seeing his space for the first time, then back to her, hesitantly.
Carolena looked around; there was a chair, a table with the oil lamp on it, and one plate, one cup, one fork and one spoon. There was a ceramic pitcher, and a huge knife on the table, too, but it was more the type of knife you use when you are cleaning wild game. There was a mattress at the back of the space covered with one sheet folded and tucked tightly around it, and another laying across it. One lone pillow sat at the top of it. Nailed onto the tree where the tarp was attached, was a single shelf, and on that shelf were a couple of folded pieces of clothing. That was it, all he had. This male obviously lived a very solitary existence.
Carnage motioned with his hands, mimicking eating. He raised his eyebrows as though in question.
“No, thank you. I’m not hungry. I’m just really, really tired,” Carolena told him.
He nodded his head and took her hand, leading her to the chair that sat by his table. He took a folded cloth from the back of the chair, poured a little water on it from the pitcher and reached for her hands. She held them in her lap, but he insisted, still reaching for them. “Safe,” he said again. Hesitantly, she held them out to him, and he very carefully wiped each hand clean. Then he removed her shoes and stockings. And, dropping to his knees, carefully bathed her feet.
She glanced down at her clothing, her trousers torn and muddy, her shirt not much better, and back up at him. He stood and went to the shelf nailed to the tree, taking an item from there, he came back to her and handed it to her. She unfolded the item and smiled when she realized that it was a shirt, a very large shirt.
Carnage poured a little more water onto the cloth he’d been cleaning her with and motioned that she should take off her clothes. She looked down at herself again, then up at him, “I’m not taking my clothes off.”
He nodded his head as though to say, yes, you are and again motioned for her to remove her clothes. Carolena crossed her arms across her chest and stood there. He glared at her; she stood unfazed. Carnage huffed at her.
Carolena said, “I am not taking my clothes off. I don’t even know you. You can’t expect me to undress and just stand here naked.”
Carnage watched her for a moment and realized she was right. Though he was perfectly at ease with her, she didn’t know him. She didn’t know that he’d decided it was his personal responsibility to keep her safe, to provide for her, to keep her. And in order for her, a human, to trust him, he’d have to prove himself to her. He lifted his hand, the one holding the dampened cloth, and handed it to her. Then he turned his back to her and stood there waiting.
She knew exactly what he wanted her to do. And she was completely shocked that this male would turn his back to her and provide her with a bit of privacy while she changed her clothes. She dropped her trousers to the ground, removed her shirt, and quickly wiped herself down. Then she pulled his shirt on over her head. She checked to make sure she was suitably covered and said, “Okay, you can turn around now.”
He turned and broke into a huge grin on seeing her wearing his shirt. His teeth were perfectly straight, beautifully white, with enlarged canines on top and bottom, with the bottom so long they were actually fangs.
Her smile stuttered a little as she looked at his smile.
Carnage quickly snapped his mouth shut, and muttered again, “Safe.”
Carolena realized that she’d offended him, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I just…” She decided to settle for the truth. “I’ve never seen anything, anyone like you. I’m just not sure what to think, what to say. I don’t know what you want from me.”
He nodded, but didn’t make eye contact.
“Are you going to hurt me?” she asked.
Carnage immediately started shaking his head vigorously.
Carolena’s eyes wandered around his shelter, “Am I a prisoner here?”
He shook his head a little less vigorously, then, “Pppprrroooooo - tec!” he said forcefully.
Carolena watched him for a moment longer, “Okay.”
He seemed to be appeased for the moment, and Carolena didn’t want to antagonize the intimidating creature any more.
Carnage suddenly moved toward her and swooped down, picking her up off her feet and turning all in the same motion. He took the few steps to his mattress, gently depositing Carolena onto it.
As Carolena tried to balance herself on his mattress, he reached for his top sheet, shaking it out and covering her with it. Then he stepped back, pressed his hands together and lay his face on them to mimic sleep.
Carolena watched him, “You want me to sleep?”
Carnage nodded.
He turned from her, gathered up her clothing, took his chair from the table and placed it facing the entrance to his place. He sat down, his back to her. She smiled to herself, realizing that she had her own personal body guard. She watched him for a little while, sitting there, guarding her while she rested. Yes, that’s what I’ll do, she thought. I’ll just rest a little. She laid back and relaxed.
Not that much longer he heard her breathing even out; he peeked over his shoulder and smiled to himself when he saw her sleeping, her face peaceful. He stood, tucked her clothes under his arm and ducked out of his space.
Chapter 3
Carnage went to the stream that ran not too far from his resting space. He knelt by the stream and cleaned each smudge of dirt from her trousers and shirt. He held her trousers up and smiled after he’d cleaned them — he’d never seen a female wear trousers and loved that his did. He tossed them across his shoulder, then he
took her stockings in his hands and rinsed them, too, in the cool, clean water. He didn’t dunk her shoes in the water, but dribbled a little over them, so he could wipe them clean. Only once he was completely satisfied that his female’s clothes were clean did he take a moment to clean himself before his return to his resting space.
Fully cleaned and refreshed, he entered his space and carefully draped her clothes across his chair so that they’d begin to dry. He saw that he didn’t have enough room to hang both her trousers and her shirt, so he took his clothes from the shelf and hung her shirt from that, leaving the trousers across the back of his chair, and stacked his own clothes neatly on the table. He’d have to make Carolena her own shelf to keep her clothing on. Carnage turned, looking at the solitary dishes and utensils on the table as well. He’d have to get more dishes for her to use, too. Carnage walked over to the mattress she now slept on and smiled down at her. He’d never had his own female before. He had to be sure to take good care of her so that she’d want to stay with him. With that thought in mind, he turned to leave again, this time taking up his hunting knife on his way out. He was going to hunt dinner for his female and gather wood to cook it over.
Carnage Page 2