But Carolena was having none of it; she was determined that they would act like civilized creatures for at least a little while, “Please, let’s have a nice afternoon; stop the snarling. I did what you said, I had an escort,” she said, patting his arm lovingly.
Destroy smirked at Carnage, “Yes, let’s stop all the snarling.”
She ignored the fact that Carnage was glaring at Destroy and launched right into pretending that all was fine, “We are on our way to Enthrall’s for lunch; do you want to join us?” she asked.
Carnage looked down at her, nodded yes, then realized that she said she planned to feed Destroy, too. He swung around glaring at Destroy, who stood there smiling at him like the cat who’d caught the canary. Carnage lifted his lip, snarled and took one step toward Destroy, who tensed.
“Yes, Carnage, do join us for lunch,” Destroy drawled at Carnage.
Carolena reached out and grasped Carnage by the wrist, as best she could, while at the same time she said, “Destroy, you stop baiting him. Or I’ll not feed you, and I’ll stop holding him back,” Carolena said.
Destroy looked at Carolena, his mouth opened, as though shocked she would accuse him of any wrong doing, “Forgive me, sweet lady. I would never cause you unease intentionally,” he said to Carolena with a sweeping bow. Then he focused on Carnage, “Please, Carnage, do join us for lunch. We shall have a fine meal together,” smiling again at a very pissed off Carnage.
“Much better!” Carolena exclaimed, “Come along, now. Let’s go see what Enthrall has to eat,” Carolena said as she started walking.
Carnage fell into step behind her, taking up the whole path, intentionally preventing Destroy from being able to catch up to her.
Destroy walked along behind Carnage, knowing full well that he’d just told Carolena that he couldn’t join her for lunch, but he’d be damned if he told Carnage the same thing. He was not as bad as everyone thought, but he was still a little shit and loved to stir it whenever he had the chance.
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
Enthrall finished his shopping, as meager as it was in the little country town, and walked toward the edge of town with all his bags. Once he was assured that he was alone, he ghosted from the spot he stood in to the yard in front of his home. He took in the sight before him, blinked, and focused again. Sure enough, his kitchen table had been moved to the yard, and Destroy sat on one side, Carnage on the other, as Carolena served them both from a covered dish in the middle of the table. She’d made a fresh pitcher of sarsaparilla tea, and she poured them each a tall glass full before taking her seat and taking a bite of her own lunch. Each male ate heartily, but never stopped their staring contest.
Enthrall approached them, sitting at his table in the yard. “What the hell is going on here?”
Carolena smiled and stood to greet him, “Enthrall! There you are! I made lunch. Are you hungry?”
Destroy did not look away from Carnage’s stare, but said, “I did not want to enter your home. You said I could not without your permission, but Carolena insisted I stay for lunch. So she had Carnage bring the table outside. With your permission, I will help move it back when we are done.”
“Of course she did,” Enthrall said under his breath.
“Yes! I did. And I made cornbread and cabbage with ham. Would you like some?” she asked.
Enthrall looked at the males glaring at each other and decided that not joining them wasn’t an option; if he didn’t, they may soon attack each other — again.
“Thank you, I will have some lunch,” he answered, resignedly.
He took his seat, and she served his plate.
Carolena, having finished her own lunch, and having just served Enthrall’s, sat back down and said without looking up, “You will both stop staring at each other, or this is the last time I will eat with either of you.”
Both Gargoyles quickly looked down at their plates, instead of each other.
Enthrall laughed. “I can see that you have it all under control, little one.”
Carolena smiled at him, “Yes, I do. Was there ever truly any doubt?”
“Yes! There was! Have you forgotten the nature of the two males you are dealing with?” he asked with raised voice.
“Three males,” she said quietly, taking another sip of her tea.
“Pardon?” Enthrall asked.
“Three males,” she said again. “One,” she pointed at Carnage, “Two,” she pointed at Destroy, “Three,” and she pointed directly at Enthrall. “I’m dealing with three of you,” she answered smugly.
“Really?” he said disbelievingly. “Well, you should at least show some appreciation for number three,” he said, reaching down beside himself and then handing her one of his canvas bags across the table.
“For me?” she asked, taking the bag from him.
He inclined his head, “For you.”
Carolena opened the bag, and her mouth opened in surprise. Slowly, she drew out a skirt, followed by two blouses and a pair of slacks. She reached back into the bag and brought out a smaller package wrapped in tissue paper. She looked at Enthrall questioningly.
He said, “Those are your delicates. I thought you’d prefer if they were wrapped for your privacy.”
She held the package and the clothes to her chest, “Thank you, Enthrall,” she said quietly, with tears in her eyes.
“It’s not a big deal, Carolena. You needed clothes. I was able to go into town and get them for you,” he told her.
Enthrall noticed the fury behind Carnage’s eyes. He thought about it for a moment and realized that the Goyle wasn’t angry that Carolena had new things. He was angry because he’d not thought to get them for her. And, in actuality, had no way other than to break into a store and steal them to get them for her. He did not want his friend to feel as though he couldn’t provide for his own woman, and every indication Carolena had given was that she cared deeply for the Goyle, so he made an instant decision.
“Besides,” Enthrall said, “Carnage asked me to pick them up for you. He can’t exactly go into town himself and knew that I was going there today.”
He met Carnage’s eyes across the table and saw gratitude there. Carnage nodded his thanks, and Enthrall nodded back.
“Which reminds me,” Enthrall continued, “I have to deliver these other items to the families that requested them. If there is anything else you’d like to have, please let me know. I’m going back tomorrow to pick up some food supplies.”
“Thank you, again, Enthrall, and Carnage, too. Thank you so much for asking him to bring me some clothing.” Carolena leaned over the table and kissed Carnage’s cheek. Then she headed toward the house to put her new things away.
Enthrall walked away, his arms loaded down with necessities that he’d picked up for several families in Whispers that had asked for them the next time he went into town. As he was almost out of sight, he called over his shoulder, “Destroy, you may enter my home to put the table back, but do not over stay your welcome.”
Chapter 12
Carnage put the chairs back in place around the table that Destroy had just carried back inside.
Carolena had just rejoined them as they stood glaring at each other from opposite sides of the kitchen. “Will you two stop that? There is no reason for it.”
Carnage looked at her disbelievingly, mouth open, eyebrows lifted. He pointed at Destroy, then at Carolena, then threw his hands in the air, as though to say, really? Then he paced back and forth once or twice before stopping to glare at them both.
“What is the problem?” Carolena asked him.
He looked at her as though she was out of her mind, then roared, “MINE!” and waved his hand at Destroy as if to say, does he not know this? Then at her, inferring, do you not know this?
Destroy burst into laughter.
Carolena glared at Destroy herself before she spoke to Carnage.
“There is no reason for all this strife, Carnage. I was lonely today. You and Enthrall just disappeared and
left me here alone. But Destroy came to visit.”
Carnage rumbled, but Carolena rushed to finish, “He was nothing but a gentleman! There is no reason to be upset. He told me about the Dragon tree, and I wanted to see it. So he took me to see it. As soon as we realized what time it must be, he brought me straight home. You have no reason to be upset.”
Destroy smiled at Carnage smugly.
Carnage lifted his lip at Destroy, displaying his huge canines.
Carolena stepped closer to Carnage, “Destroy is a friend. Do not be mean to my friends,” she told him firmly.
Carnage shook his head, hard, and garbled, “russt!”
Carolena watched him, trying to figure out what he was saying.
Then he did it again, and suddenly she knew, he was telling her, “No trust. Do not trust Destroy.”
She stepped closer to Carnage, shoulders back, her back straight, her chin held high, her jaw set, “Do not ever presume to tell me who I can and cannot be friends with. You may be able to dictate that I have no choice but to live my life here or die. But you can not dictate who I spend my time with. Destroy has been a perfect gentleman, he has talked with me when no one else would, he has taken me to see the places that I must now learn to call home. He has in no way acted in any manner that should make you feel threatened. Rather, he has tried to make me feel more at ease here. I have very few liberties left to me; do not ever make the mistake of thinking to take those from me as well. If you do, you will not like the outcome.”
Destroy winced at her words, but Carnage didn’t see it. He stood there, stunned, watching his woman defend Destroy to him. Listening to her tell him that Destroy talked with her, made her feel more welcome here. Which was something he could never do. He’d never be able to speak with her. She still stood before him, waiting for his reaction. She was actually quite brave, as brave as he’d thought her when he’d first seen her running into the swamp. He nodded at her to indicate he understood, dropped his eyes to his own feet, and walked out of Enthrall’s home. Disappearing into the woods, he needed time to think. To figure out if he should even try to make her stay with him. Maybe he wasn’t able to make her happy. And he loved her. He wanted her happy. Even if it wasn’t him that made her happy.
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
Destroy and Carolena waited on the porch for more than an hour, but Carnage did not come back. Carolena was obviously upset that he’d left.
“He’ll be back, Carolena,” Destroy told her.
“I’m worried about him. I didn’t mean to upset him, just wanted him to understand that we are friends,” she told him.
“I know. And you were right. You didn’t ask for this. And you’re trying to make the most of it. As long as you stay here and abide by the rules, no one here has a right to tell you what you can and can’t do,” Destroy said.
“Then why did he leave?” she asked.
“Did you not hear yourself when you spoke to him?” Destroy asked gently.
“What do you mean? You just said I was right,” Carolena said.
“You were, for the most part, but you didn’t realize what you said. Probably because it’s never been an issue to you. But it’s always been an issue for him,” Destroy tried to lead her to realize what the problem probably was.
Carolena’s brow wrinkled, she was confused. She sat going over her words again and again. Then it hit her, “Ohhhhhh!”
“You figure it out?” Destroy asked.
“I told him that you talked to me and spent time with me, making me feel more at ease here,” she said, true regret in her voice.
“He thinks I care that he can’t speak to me! That I enjoy speaking with you, and that is something he can’t give me,” she said.
“That would be my guess,” Destroy said.
She jumped up from her chair, heading down the porch steps, “I have to find him! I have to let him know that’s not what I meant! How can he think that he doesn’t talk to me? We communicate beautifully!” she exclaimed.
“NO! You cannot go wandering around this late in the afternoon. You don’t know the area well enough, and it’s going to get dark soon, and you know what happened last time.” Destroy said.
“I don’t care. I have to let him know that I didn’t mean it that way. I don’t care that he doesn’t speak.”
“You will not go traipsing off into these woods! It is not safe, Carolena!” Destroy shouted, surprised that he actually meant it. He didn’t want her to get hurt or lost.
He’d reached for her hand to keep her from walking away from him, and she tugged her hand away from him, “Let me go, Destroy. I have to go after him.”
He snarled a bit, “Stubborn woman,” he mumbled under his breath. Then against his better judgment he said, “Let me go, I’ll find him. I’ll tell him to come back to you.”
“Would you?!” Carolena asked, clasping her hands together.
“Yes, I’ll try to find him,” Destroy said, resigned to the fact that he was going to find a Gargoyle he didn’t particularly care for, for a female he originally hoped to steal from said Gargoyle.
Destroy started across the yard and had a thought. He stopped halfway across, looking back at her. “Carolena?” he asked.
“Yes?” she answered from the bottom step, where she now sat, preparing to wait.
“Nobody’s ever wanted to be my friend before. Thank you for that,” Destroy said.
“Oh, Destroy, you’re welcome. I’m glad we’re friends,” Carolena answered.
He started to walk away again, but paused, turning back to face her, slowly raising his eyes to hers, “You should know that you have other options. You do not have to choose Carnage. There are many males here that would jump at the chance to have their own female.”
“But they don’t know me, Destroy. Why would I want someone who wants me only because I’m a female. I want someone who loves me because of who I am in here,” she said, patting her heart. “I want someone who knows me and wants me for who I am.”
Destroy still stood there, looking at her from his position across the yard, “There are two other males here who know you.”
Carolena looked at him, surprise in her expression.
Destroy continued, “Carnage is not your only option.”
When she said nothing, he added more, having no idea where it came from, but being compelled to say it, he did not hold back.
“Or I can help you leave here if you want to run. I’ll help you leave.”
Carolena watched him, confusion warring through her, “Why would you do that?”
“Because you’re my friend. You were nice to me.” He hesitated, “You trusted me.” He looked away from her briefly before looking back, “If you want to try to get away, I’ll help you.”
Carolena didn’t answer right away, then slowly, she did the only thing she could; she gave him the truth, “I’m not sure what I want anymore, Destroy.”
Destroy smiled resignedly, “Then I’ll go find your male.”
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
Enthrall stood perfectly still about two hundred feet inside the tree line just past his house. He was headed there when the voices drifted to him on the wind. He stopped to listen, wanting to get a better feel for the relationship developing between Destroy and Carolena. He knew that she was becoming attached to Carnage, but wasn’t sure what part Destroy played in her life. It seemed that Destroy was even more faceted than he thought — he was not just a jealous pain in the ass. The male was terribly lonely. He’d just thanked Carolena for being his friend. Enthrall was chastising himself for not realizing what one of his people needed, and he’d not been aware. He’d have to be sure to pay closer attention to the needs of the single people in his community. Maybe they weren’t loners because they chose to be, maybe they were just alone. He took one step when he heard Destroy tell her that there were two other males that could be options to her future. He wasn’t sure it was a good idea to tell her that, but damned if he didn’t want to hear her answer. Unfor
tunately, he didn’t get the chance. The next thing he heard was Destroy offer to help Carolena leave, and his blood pressure surged. He’d made it perfectly clear that she could never leave here! He’d promised all the people in his community that there was nothing to fear because she’d not be leaving. And here was Destroy undermining all the security he’d worked so hard to restore since Carolena’s arrival in Whispers. His first instinct was to snatch the Goyle’s head off his shoulders. But then he heard Carolena’s hesitant reply. She didn’t accept Destroy’s offer. She said she didn’t know what she wanted to do. Which meant that she may truly want to stay here. And if she did, he had no problem with that. He truly cared about the little human. And it was no secret that Carnage already thought of her as his. If she chose to stay with Carnage, he’d wish them well. If she chose to stay and be on her own, he may decide to pursue her himself. He ran his hands through his hair frustratedly. Destroy wasn’t the only lonely inhabitant of Whispers. Yeah, he’d wait. He’d see what she chose to do. And if she tried to run, he’d bring her back forcibly. Then he’d banish Destroy forever. He had to maintain control over Whispers. He was the lawgiver, the law enforcer. He had no choice but to be both. Without laws and rules, stupid mistakes would be made, and they’d no longer have sanctuary here. Too many depended on him — he couldn’t let them down. He’d have to keep a close eye on Carolena and Destroy.
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
Destroy walked the path that Carnage had taken, rather than flying. If he took to the air, he might miss his scent and his hiding spot. So he walked, scenting the whole way. It wasn’t long before he found himself approaching the Eucalyptus grove. It was about two acres of Eucalyptus trees that had grown for years unhindered. Those of Whispers that were more humanesque and more susceptible to insect bites and irritations, made their homes here. That was because the insects avoided the Eucalyptus trees. The trees put off an oil and fragrance that made the insects steer clear of them. Destroy continued to follow Carnage’s scent and was led right through the middle of the grove to the opposite edge. He had begun to hear hammer blows as he approached but didn’t think much of it until he came upon a build site. Carnage was surrounded by stacks of building materials and was busy trying to assemble them into some semblance of something. Destroy stood, watching for a good five minutes before he realized what it was. Goyles didn’t need protection from the bugs and pestilence in the swamps — their skin was tough. But humans did. Carnage was building a home for Carolena. “What makes you so sure she’s going to pick you?” he called out.
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