Carnage picked up the glass and sniffed it, then, smiled and drank it down in one huge gulp. He smiled and slammed the glass down on the table, grunting at Enthrall, gesturing toward the glass.
Enthrall chuckled, “Yes, I will get you more. But try to make it last a little longer this time.”
As he got up to fill Carnage’s glass, he asked nonchalantly, “Carolena, you’ve said that Carnage saved you. What did he save you from?”
Carolena put her fork down, and clasped her hands in her lap, looking up at both the males sharing the table with her. Her lip started to tremble, remembering.
Carnage said, “Safe.”
She met his eyes, nodding. Then she started talking, “I talked my father into allowing me to come to Louisiana under the guise of overseeing his investments. He’d just bought into a cotton mill and a fishery. He’d been trying to marry me off for the last year, but I didn’t love any of the men he’d chosen. I told him that I’d come down here and keep an eye on his investments for a while. If I wasn’t successful, I would come back and then I’d seriously consider any one he chose for a husband.”
Carnage growled.
Absentmindedly, Carolena reached out and patted his hand as she continued speaking.
“His foreman was supposed to keep an eye on me, make sure I was safe while I was here. I know my father thought I couldn’t do it. That’s why he let me come. So I could fail, and he could eventually have his way without any argument from me. But his foreman, Bobby, decided that being foreman wasn’t enough. He decided that I should be honored that he liked me — that I should choose him as husband. He started coming up with excuses to come to my room at the boarding house at unusual times. Then he told the lady running the boarding house that I’d been flirting with her husband. She put me out without even allowing me to defend myself. I had no choice but to stay in Bobby’s home with him and his brothers. I’d thought of sending a telegram to my father, but I didn’t.” She lowered her head in shame, “I couldn’t let him know that I was failing. But in retrospect, I should have. It would have been better than life at Bobby’s.”
“What did he do?” Enthrall demanded, a snarl in his voice.
Carolena looked up at him, surprised.
With a great effort, Enthrall reined in his own fury and encouraged her to continue.
She kept her eyes downcast as she continued, “He kept me locked up. Chained me to the bed post. He would touch me every chance he got. He made excuses to walk up on me while I was trying to get cleaned up. He’d crowd me into the corner, trying to kiss me. Shoving his hands under my shirt. He’d slip into the bed with me and rub himself against me until, until…” she stopped talking.
“I understand. Go on,” Enthrall said.
“The night I ran, he’d told me, in front of his brothers, that he was going to put a baby in my belly, so my father would have to allow him to marry me. They were angry that they didn’t get to marry me, so he told them that he’d share. There wasn’t any reason to not share me; they shared everything else, so they’d share me. I decided that winning his trust was my best bet. I told him that if that was all he wanted, why didn’t he just say so, I’d have given in a long time ago if I’d known he wanted to get married. I just thought he wanted sex.” She lowered her head even more, “I let him kiss me. I let both his brothers kiss me. I pretended to like it so he’d think I wanted him and them. Later, as it got darker, I asked him if we could go outside for a little while, just the two of us first. He took me outside; he was kissing me, and I kissed him back. Then I started coughing, asked for a drink of water. The moment he went inside to get me water, I ran. I didn’t know where I was going, or what would happen. Only that I couldn’t stay there, and if I died, so be it, at least it would be on my own terms, not their prisoner, being raped by all of them. Just when I was about to give up, Carnage appeared. He wrapped me in his arms and took to the treetops. Kept me safe until they stopped looking, then brought me to his home.” She raised her eyes to meet first Carnage’s, which were filled with rage, then Enthrall’s, which were equally angry. “And now here I am. Your prisoner.”
“Carolena, you’re not our prisoner, exactly. You just don’t understand our laws. I can’t allow you to leave here. And I can’t kill you. Lord help me, but I can not take your life. So my only alternative is to keep you here. But you’re free to walk around our community. You’re free to choose who you do and don’t want to associate with. You can do whatever you like. You just can’t leave.”
Carolena smiled sadly at Enthrall, nodding.
“Please understand. I’m between a rock and hard place. I have no choice. It’s the best I can do at this point. You’re here, you’re safe. You just can’t leave.”
Carolena took a deep breath, looking around herself, then again at both males, “I do understand. And I thank you for choosing not to end me. And for the little freedom you can allow me. I’ll try not to be any bother. I’ll contribute in any way that I can. But I can’t promise that I will ever feel like anything more than a prisoner.”
Carnage, clearly upset by her admission, reached out his hand to her, wrapping her small hand in his own larger one. When she looked up at him, he started shaking his head no, then tapping his own chest. She watched to see what he was telling her. He pressed his hand to her heart, then to his own. Looking at her intently, begging her to understand. She thought she got it.
“I know. I care about you, too. You saved me, how could I not? I know you wanted me to be here. And I’ll do my best not to disappoint. But this isn’t my choice for my life, Carnage. I ran away because I refused to allow my father to decide my life for me. Now it seems, there’s just a different male making choices for my life.”
“Carolena —” Enthrall started.
“No, you don’t know me. Yet you decided to give me a chance. I am aware of that, and I’m trying to find some middle ground here. It’s an adjustment. I always thought I’d fall in love and marry a man that I adored, who adored me in turn. Now, it seems that will never happen.”
Carnage immediately started shaking his head and pointing at his own chest again.
She nodded at him, “I need time, Carnage. Yes?”
Carnage nodded.
“I need time to decide what is best for me here. I don’t want to choose unwisely. I don’t want to make a choice that either of us will regret later. Can you give me some time?”
Carnage looked at her for a moment. An awkward moment, before nodding his agreement.
“Do you mind if I lie down for a while? I’m a bit overwhelmed with everything,” Carolena asked.
“Of course not. Go ahead and get some rest,” Enthrall told her.
“Thank you. I’ll just clean these dishes, and then go lie down for a bit,” she told them.
“No, I have this. You’ve had quite a shock over the last several days and now even more so. Go rest. I can get this and don’t mind at all,” Enthrall said.
She agreed, “Thank you.”
Carolena stood, as did Carnage. She reached up on tiptoe, and when he leaned down for her, she kissed his jaw, “Thank you for saving me, Carnage.” Then she went to her room, softly closing the door behind her.
Enthrall and Carnage stood side by side, as Carolena walked down the hall, watching her go. As soon as she closed her bedroom door, Carnage turned to Enthrall, lifted his lip as he snarled, “Mine.”
“For now. But if she refuses you, it’s her right.”
Carnage slapped his own chest, then said once more, “MINE!” in a deep, growled voice before leaving the house with Enthrall standing there watching after him.
Chapter 7
Carolena spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping, while dreams of legendary creatures filled her head. Enthrall spent the afternoon walking Whispers. Making contact with as many people as he could to ensure they knew that all was still well under control. Carnage spent the afternoon sitting in the top of an ancient cypress tree, watching the comings and goings of
a group of males beneath him, as he waited for dark. As the sun began to set, and the brothers settled in for the evening meal, he silently wished them good appetite, for it was the last meal they’d ever have.
Carolena woke to darkness. She sat up, trying to see around herself to no avail. But she could see light coming from under the door to her bedroom. She got up, slowly making her way to the door, pulling it gently open. “Enthrall?” she called. There was no answer, so she tried again, “Carnage? Are you here?”
The voice that answered gave her chills, “No. They are not here. But I am. I came calling earlier and found they’d left you alone. I decided to stay and protect you in their absence.”
She knew that voice, she thought. “Destroy?”
“Yes!” he called back pleasantly, “How flattered I am that you remembered my voice, little human,” he responded.
She really didn’t want to be alone with him, but he knew she was awake now, what else could she do? “Well, you’ve got a nice voice,” she told him as she headed up the hallway toward the light and the living room.
“As do you,” he answered seductively.
She went to the kitchen, poured herself a small glass of Enthrall’s sarsaparilla tea, and took a seat on Enthrall’s wingback chair despite the fact that Destroy made room for her beside him on the couch.
“Where is everyone?” she asked conversationally, privately praying for their speedy return. She just didn’t like Destroy. He put her on edge.
“Well, Enthrall is busy spreading good will, which is not a bad idea after the unrest he caused by accepting you into our community. Carnage, who knows. The male wanders often, from place to place, female to female — he could be anywhere,” he told her.
She paused, her glass halfway to her mouth, “Oh, really?” she asked him pointedly.
“Oh, yes. He’s quite popular with the females of most species. He’s very talented in that arena, I’m told.”
“Ah, I see. And you’re here, why?” she asked, pinning him with a look that said, I know what you’re up to.
“To watch over you, of course. It makes no sense to leave a female, human at that, alone in a place she is unfamiliar with, and quite frankly, not yet welcome in. So I have taken it upon myself to be your protector where others fall short.”
“How kind of you,” she drawled.
“Yes, I thought so,” he answered.
Fortunately, or not, it had yet to be seen; there was a firm knock at the door. Carolena startled, but recovered quickly and rose to answer the door.
She pulled it open only to step back in surprise. Standing on the doorstep, barely discernible in the darkness of the night, was another Gargoyle, almost black in color. He inclined his head in greeting to her, but said not one word. He stepped inside, made eye contact with Destroy, and pointed outside.
Destroy quickly got up and headed toward the door. As Destroy passed Carolena, he said, “I’ll keep watch from outside, little one. Don’t worry, you’ll still be safe.”
He went through the door, and the dark-skinned Goyle sneered at him. Just as he spun on his heel to follow Destroy outside, she touched his arm. The male froze, looking down at her hand on his bicep before flashing his yellow eyes up to hers.
She smiled at him and very quietly said, “Thank you.”
He, in a perfect British accent, said, “You are welcome.”
He stepped through the doorway, but before pulling the door closed behind him, he said, “I shall keep watch until your male returns. You will be safe.”
She smiled even bigger for him, and on a relieved sigh said, “Thank you, so much, ah…” realizing she didn’t know his name, but definitely got a sense of safety from him.
“I am Murder. Fear not,” then he pulled the door closed behind himself and took up the position of sentry, his back against the front door.
She said loudly enough for him to hear her through the closed door, “It’s nice to meet you, Murder. I’m Carolena. Thank you, again.”
He didn’t respond, but she had no doubt he heard her. She took the oil lamp from the kitchen table, went to Enthrall’s office, and chose a book. Went back to the living room, curled up on his settee, and settled in to read, knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that she was safe here with Murder standing guard outside.
Off in the darkness, Destroy watched, infuriated that Murder would dare interrupt what may be his only chance to win over Carnage’s female. But Murder was even more dangerous than Carnage. Murder was rumored to be in service to the Ancient that still kept presence here in the swamps in and around Whispers. And that Ancient, he was evil incarnate. That Ancient, no one wanted to incite. There was not an evil on this earth that could rival his when provoked. Yet somehow, Murder had gained his counsel, had become witness to his abilities, confidante to his secrets, and it was rumored could now summon him at will. Destroy looked back at Murder, now blocking the door to Enthrall’s home. No, he would not provoke Murder. It was a sure death sentence.
Carnage sat in the treetop watching the men gorging themselves on food and drink. He forced himself to wait until after full darkness, his rage on a slow boil the entire time. By the time he dropped silently to the ground, he was a force of nature, intent on justice for his sweet Carolena. Unafraid, he walked directly toward them, knowing the moment they became aware of him. The caterwauling stopped, the dancing and hooting stopped, and they peered at him with terror in their eyes. Carnage smiled, only sorry he couldn’t tell them why they would die this night. Two of the men attacked him as one; he punched straight through the face of the first one and had to shake the man off his fist to prepare to hit the next. The second man, screaming at the sight of his brother with a fist-sized hole through his head, stopped his effort to attack and was trying to shake the very dead man back to life. Carnage lifted him from the ground, by his neck as you would with a puppy, turned the still-shrieking man to face him, and roared as loudly as he could. The man was trembling, crying, begging for his life. Carnage took the time to say, “Car leeeenah, hurrtt.” The man went from sniveling to babbling, “Naw, naw, it wasn’t me! My brother, he did it! He hurt her! He’s in the house, right there! Go get him!”
Carnage watched the man eagerly give up his brother so that he might live. He was disgusted. Any of them could have tried to stop what was happening, but they didn’t. Carolena told him how they had been angry until their brother agreed to share her. None of them deserved to live. Without another thought, Carnage reached into the man’s throat and removed his esophagus, wind pipe, and anything else he managed to get a hold of. Flesh tore, blood spurted everywhere, but he didn’t care. They deserved to die a vicious death.
He dropped the second dead man into a heap on the ground and went in search of the last brother. Bobby, Carolena had said his name was. Carnage snatched the door opened so hard it came off the hinges. He stomped into the house, searched everywhere, but Bobby was nowhere to be found. Carnage roared his frustration as he marched back outside, intent on finding the missing brother. He stood in the yard, his face in the air, nose flaring, trying to scent the direction the male went, when a very familiar scent hit him.
He turned his head in the direction the scent came from, took a step in that direction, then another. Then he smiled slowly, deadly intent clear in his smile, as Enthrall ghosted to a place just a few feet from him, Bobby in his firm grasp.
Bobby was whining like a baby, sniveling.
“Carnage! How are you, my friend? I realized when you were gone too long where you must have gotten off to. I came to watch. I knew you wouldn’t need help, but only wanted to see them get their due. I’ve explained to Bobby here that the biggest mistake of his life was to abuse our Carolena. I thought about ending him myself, but I don’t wish to sully my palette with the stench of his blood. So, when he ran, I went after him and brought him back for you.” Enthrall thrust Bobby forward toward Carnage, and Bobby began to actually wail.
Carnage snarled in his face, grabbed him by t
he throat with one hand, and brought him closer. Then he took one of Bobby’s hands in his and slowly squeezed, crushing it. Bobby passed out from the pain. Carnage shook him awake. Once he’d regained consciousness, Carnage grabbed his other hand, crushing it, too. Again, Bobby passed out. Carnage looked at Enthrall and rolled his eyes. Enthrall laughed. “You know, men just aren’t as much fun to torture as they once were. They’re very weak nowadays.”
Carnage grunted and shook the male awake again. Once awake and sobbing, Carnage grasped his crotch, squeezing until the snap and popping of broken pelvic bones could be heard, “Nooooo. Tuuussshh, MINE!!!!!!!!!!!” he shouted in Bobby’s dazed, barely conscious face.
Carnage dropped the man to the ground and began to walk away, not wanting to end his suffering, but allow it to go on indefinitely.
“Carnage, you can’t leave him alive,” Enthrall said, stopping Carnage in his tracks. He turned back to Enthrall, “He could tell of our existence,” Enthrall explained.
Carnage walked back over to where Bobby lay moaning on the ground; he stomped on the man’s crushed hand, causing him to scream. Carnage reached down, grasped hold of his tongue in his open mouth, and ripped it out — holding it out to Enthrall, who looked at him with a surprised expression.
“Well, that would take care of it,” Enthrall said, waving away the tongue as Carnage tried to hand it to him.
Carnage tossed the tongue to the ground and walked calmly away toward the trees, his purpose for this night achieved.
Enthrall watched the man lying on the ground, slowly choking on his own blood. He took pity on him and slit his throat with his sharp nails before walking away to join Carnage on his return to Whispers.
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
As Carnage and Enthrall emerged from the wooded path that led to Enthrall’s home, they noticed two things. First, Murder stood guard at Enthrall’s front door. Second, the inside of Enthrall’s home was pitch black. Carnage rushed to get to the house, worried about Carolena. Enthrall simply ghosted into his home; it was quicker and much more efficient for him.
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