“He’s slippery because of you,” Aubreigne snapped, hurrying back to them with towels in her hands. She threw one of them at Destroy, and began drying Amilanu while Carnage held him out for her to run the towel over.
“He smelled! Bad! In fact, he stunk!” Destroy insisted.
“So you dropped him in the bayou?” Aubreigne asked, still irritated.
“No, I did not drop him in the bayou. I dunked him in the bayou as I flew just above it. There is a difference,” Destroy explained. “And you don’t have to bathe him. You’re welcome,” he said, smiling brightly at her.
“You’re lucky I like Rowan,” Aubreigne muttered as she finished drying Amilanu.
“Can you put him here on the sofa?” Aubreigne asked Carnage, taking care to change her tone when she spoke to Carnage. It wasn’t his fault Destroy was an idiot.
“’Es,” Carnage said, walking over to her sofa and depositing a still unconscious Amilanu onto it. He picked up Amilanu’s legs and put them on the sofa, then moved aside so Aubreigne could place the pillow she held beneath his head, and cover him with a blanket.
“Thank you, Carnage,” Aubreigne said gratefully. “I appreciate you bringing us home.”
Carnage nodded. “Gooo Lee lee,” he said, as he reached out and placed his huge hand on her shoulder. “Goood?” he asked.
“Yes. I’ll be fine. Just need to settle down a bit and let it all sink in. Deaumanique is home taking care of her husband, and everyone is alive and well that should be. I’ll be okay,” she confirmed again.
“’Kay,” Carnage said, walking toward the door.
“I brought your dark lord home. You didn’t thank me,” Destroy objected.
“You almost drowned him, and he’s not a dark lord. He’s Amilanu. That’s all. The Dark One is Ata’halne’s problem now.”
“I didn’t drown him. I just dipped him in the water. If I hadn’t, you’d have to be bathing him now, or you couldn’t let him touch your furniture! You should thank me. I’m convinced of it,” Destroy said, standing proudly, his back ramrod straight, his arms crossed over his chest and his chin raised.
“Destroy…” Aubreigne started.
“He smelled really bad, and he needed to be cleaned. That’s all I’m saying,” Destroy insisted.
“Fine. Thank you for cleaning him. Do not dip him in the bayou again. I have a perfectly good bathtub right here,” Aubreigne said.
“He’s too big, you couldn’t have done it alone, and I wasn’t bathing a naked man, so, I decided to dunk him,” Destroy explained.
Aubreigne stood still, watching him, unsure if she wanted to laugh at him, or box his ears.
“And you’re now considering laughing aren't you? Admit it, it’s alright. I know you want to,” Destroy said, with a genuine, soft smile.
“Thank you, Destroy,” Aubreigne finally said.
“You're welcome,” Destroy said sincerely. “And now that I’ve broken the tension, and cleaned your man, my job here is done.”
The purple mists gathering in the room let them all know that Lore was arriving.
Carnage and Destroy both rushed to stand in front of Aubreigne in case Lore was accompanied by a very angry Ata’halne since that was who he’d last been seen with.
As soon as Lore and Murder came into view with no Ata’halne, they relaxed.
“I trust you are well, Aubreigne,” Lore asked.
“I will be,” Aubreigne answered.
“Very well. Does your male need healing?” he asked.
“Lily has seen to it. He should be well once he rests,” Aubreigne answered.
“Very well. I’m away to see to Enthrall.”
“What of Ata?” Aubreigne asked.
“He’s got his wish. He’s battling for supremacy of his own realm. We shan’t hear from him again. You have no worry where he’s concerned,” Lore answered.
“And we were careful that no one followed us from that realm. There is no chance at all that we were followed,” Murder assured her.
Aubreigne nodded. “Thank you,” she said. “I can’t help but regret not killing him myself,” she admitted.
“That punishment would have only lasted a few moments. This way, he’ll pay for his behavior for eternity,” Murder said.
Aubreigne offered half a smile and nodded. “You’re right. This is much better.”
“Bye!” Carnage said, raising a hand in the air as he pulled open the door and stomped through it. He wasn’t angry, he was just so big he stomped everywhere he went.
“Thank you again, Carnage!” Aubreigne called out.
Carnage just kept going. He was headed back to check on Lily and then home to let Carolena and Boon know all was safe now.
“I’m going, too,” Destroy said, moving to follow Carnage.
“Goodbye,” Aubreigne said.
“You thanked Carnage. You could have at least thanked me for bathing your man,” Destroy said, intentionally moving very slowly toward the door Carnage had left wide open.
“You mean for dragging my man through the bayou?” Aubreigne snapped.
“He smelled!” Destroy insisted.
“Goodbye, Destroy!” Aubreigne said forcefully.
“Goodbye, Aubreigne. Please call on me if you need anything,” he said seriously, with a gentle smile on his face.
“I will,” she answered.
Lore had burst out laughing at the thought of Destroy dragging Amilanu through the bayou.
“It’s not funny,” Aubreigne said.
“It is. It’s very funny. And very Destroy, I might add,” Lore said.
“He was just being cruel,” Aubreigne commented.
“No, knowing Destroy, he really thought he smelled bad, and also thought it would startle you enough to snap you out of any shock you may be feeling. Wake you up and refocus you,” Murder said with a chuckle.
“Well, it certainly refocused me,” Aubreigne said.
“And did he smell?” Lore asked.
Aubreigne tilted her head this way and that before finally speaking. “Yes, he did.”
“Well, there you go. Destroy to the rescue,” Lore said, still laughing. “I am away!” he announced on a chuckle, gathering his mists.
“Are you going to check on Enthrall?” Aubreigne asked.
“I am. A message?” Lore asked.
“Tell Deaumanique that I love her, and that I’ll pay her a visit tomorrow. And tell Enthrall all is well here,” Aubreigne answered.
“I will. If you need, Aubreigne, call to me. I will hear you and I will come,” Lore said with a cautious glance toward Amilanu, still sleeping on the sofa.
“He’s just Amilanu now,” Aubreigne said.
“Still, call to me if needed,” Lore said, before misting away from them.
Murder watched as Lore disappeared, then he turned to face Aubreigne.
Aubreigne had tears shimmering in her eyes. Her emotions were ragged from all she’d been through in the last twenty-four hours.
She met Murder’s gaze as he stood watching her. Then Murder simply opened his arms wide, inviting her into a hug that she knew was genuine, in a pair of arms that had protected her from danger on more than one occasion. She took the few steps to Murder and finally let the tears come when he held her tightly against him. “Let it out, Aubreigne. It’s all over now. No more threats, no more hurting. Your daughter is safe, her husband is stronger than he ever was, and your man slumbers on your sofa, never to be pulled away from you again. Let out all the fear, all the pain, all the frustrations, they will not visit you again,” Murder said, holding her tightly against his chest.
~~~
Enthrall stood beside the chair Felicity sat in. Together they watched Shane as he held tightly to Deaumanique’s hand and looked at the world around him with new senses.
A bird called outside their home and Shane winced before pressing his hand to his ear.
“It takes a little getting used to,” Felicity said, “but it won’t take long. You’
ll learn to subconsciously block out all the sounds that you never noticed before so they don’t irritate you too much. Your sense of hearing, your sight, your strength, your sense of taste, everything is so much stronger, so much more intense than it was.”
“How often will he need to… to feed?” Deaumanique asked.
“At first, until his body has become accustomed to its new demands, often, a time or two a week. But, after that, it will depend on his own needs. It will not be as often though. And I’ll feed him the first few times. That way he’s getting my blood, my powers, my strength to make him even stronger,” Enthrall said.
“I can feed him as well. I don’t have all the powers my mother does, but I still have her bloodline in me. And I do have the same temper and have to be careful not to touch anyone when I’m angry,” Deaumanique said.
Enthrall nodded. “I’ll help you the first few times as well so that you’ll know how to recognize when you’ve given enough.”
“Will I have all your powers?” Shane asked Enthrall.
“You will, and some of your own as well. We’ll just have to see what develops,” Enthrall answered.
It was apparent that Enthrall still felt blindsided at having to change Shane in order to save him from death. His entire demeanor was subdued and quiet.
Shane sat on the edge of his and Deaumanique’s small sofa, looking around their home. The colors and patterns of everything they owned fascinating to him. Every once in a while he’d look over at Deaumanique and smile as he got lost in her eyes, in the curve of her lips, the feel of her skin beneath his fingers and he stroked her cheek.
“Thank you for saving him,” Deaumanique whispered again as she blinked away tears for the umpteenth time since she’d gotten home and found Shane just as Enthrall had promised — alive and well — though he was struggling to come to terms with his new reality.
“Would that I hadn’t needed to, but it was the only way,” Enthrall said quietly.
“Dad, you saved me! You made me more capable of protecting Deaumanique. I should have asked for this change long ago. Had I already been like you, none of this would have happened. I’d have been prepared and able to protect all that I love,” Shane said emphatically.
“If you’d have wanted it before, you’d have asked. You never did, so I didn’t offer it. You were perfect as you were. You didn’t need this,” Enthrall lamented.
“Yes, I did. I needed it. I didn’t ask because I knew if you wanted to bestow it upon me, you would. I assumed if you hadn’t offered the option of becoming like you, it was because I wasn’t ready. But make no mistake, I would have eventually come to you for just this gift.”
“Why? Why would you want to give up your humanity?” Enthrall asked.
Shane smiled. “Why do you think I’ve given up my humanity? You didn’t. Neither did Mom. All you did was become a better version of yourselves. And now I have, too. Deaumanique isn’t human. She won’t age like I would have. Eventually I’d have come asking for this gift. No matter what ushered it in now, it would have eventually come to be anyway,” Shane explained.
“Deaumanique said as much,” Enthrall murmured. He smiled at Shane, holding tight to Deaumanique as she smiled up at him. Enthrall heard her quick intake of breath when Shane pressed his lips against Deaumanique, heard her heartbeat speed up with the touch of his lips to hers. She obviously didn’t see Shane any differently than she did before. All she wanted was her husband, the young man she fell in love with, and to her, there was no difference between the Shane he was now and the Shane he was beforehand.
“I want to take a walk outside,” Shane said, getting to his feet.
“I’ll take you,” Deaumanique said, standing beside him.
“We’ll wait here,” Felicity said as Enthrall tried to step forward to escort them outside.
Enthrall looked down at Felicity who held tightly to his hand to keep him with her. She raised an eyebrow at him to dare him to question her decision to let Shane and Deaumanique go outside alone.
“Step carefully, Shane. You may be a bit shaky still,” Enthrall called out as Shane and Deaumanique walked out onto their own front porch.
“They are not children,” Felicity said, when Enthrall turned his attention to her.
“But he needs our guidance,” Enthrall insisted.
“For some things, but not all. Give him space, he’ll let you know when he has questions. For now, you need to understand that he sees this change as a second chance at life. There is no sorrow in him except for all that Deaumanique had to go through. And it was a very smart decision on her part to downplay it for now.”
Enthrall nodded. “I think so, too.”
“She’ll tell him all the details when he’s fully himself again,” Felicity said. “But, you need to let go of your guilt now. The circumstances around your changing were different than his, different than mine. You saved us both. We both see it as a gift, not a curse. Shane would have eventually asked for this gift. And who knows? Maybe I would have, too. Stop worrying about it all and be glad that your family will live by your side forever.
Enthrall nodded again before taking her in his arms. “You’re right. I know that you’re right. It’s just not how I thought things would play out.”
“I know, but that’s life. It never plays out as expected,” Felicity said, smiling at Enthrall.
“Nothing is ever as expected!” Lore’s voice said, filling the space in the small home as he misted into place across the room.
“Lore!” Enthrall said, smiling and walking over to him. Enthrall embraced the ancient and stood back, watching him expectantly. “All went well?” Enthrall asked. “Murder is back as well?”
“Yes, it is done. And Murder is with Aubreigne and her Amilanu.”
“And no one followed your mists this time?” Enthrall asked.
“No one and nothing. We waited for some time to be sure,” Lore assured him.
“How is Amilanu?” Enthrall asked.
Lore grinned and started chuckling. “He is still unconscious, but not unwell. And he is clean!” Lore said.
Enthrall’s brows knit together. “What?”
“Destroy decided he smelled bad, quite a foul odor from what I understand, so he dipped him into the bayou as he and Carnage flew them home,” Lore explained, while having to pause every few words to laugh.
Enthrall and Felicity both started laughing. “I’m surprised Aubreigne didn’t scorch him because of it,” Enthrall finally managed to get out.
“I believe she is exhausted and quite wrung out, otherwise she would have. But even so, she did let a bit of a smile escape when he made it clear not only did he do her a favor in cleaning him, he managed to direct her attention to something other than all she’d just been through,” Lore explained.
“Destroy is something else,” Felicity said, shaking her head.
“That he is,” Enthrall agreed. “Aubreigne is well, though?” he asked.
“I believe so,” Lore answered.
“I will have to call on her soon. I will give Amilanu time to wake before I do so.”
Chapter 28
Carnage flapped his huge feathered wings and set himself down lightly in the small clearing near the Dragon Tree. He smiled when he saw Lily lying atop her Dragon Tree, communing with the tree, with nature, with all around her.
“Lee lee?” Carnage said.
“Hello, Papa,” Lily said, sitting up to look at him.
“Home,” he said, raising a hand toward her to indicate that he was waiting for her to come with him.
Lily nodded. “I’m coming,” she said, climbing down off the tree.
Carnage waved his hand behind himself. “Wheeeere gooo?” he asked.
“Who?” Lily asked. “Everyone left.”
“Fey,” Carnage said.
“Brannaugh took the two women Amilanu brought back with him. I’m not sure where, but I’d think to Destroy or Enthrall. I heard him tell them he had no suitable shelter for t
hem, so I think he’s making other arrangements for them,” Lily explained.
“Nooo ush!” Carnage said emphatically.
“I didn’t offer and I don’t think they’d want to stay with us anyway. They were afraid of you, Destroy and Murder,” Lily said as she took her father’s hand and they began to walk back to their home. Lily often preferred a walk through the woods rather than flying or misting, so Carnage just habitually began walking with her at his side.
“Goood!” Carnage said with a relieved tone.
“Why good?” Lily asked.
“Maaaybee ick!” Carnage said, throwing his other hand in the air.
Lily laughed. “Not every human you meet is sick.”
“Maaaybee!” Carnage insisted.
~~~
Destroy gave one final flap of his massive wings and rode the air currents down to land just in front of his home. He could hear Rowan’s voice and several others’ as well inside as they talked. Rowan was explaining that Gargoyles were noble and loyal, and should not be feared in any way. He shook out his wings and tucked them into his back before striding up the steps, across the porch and into his home.
“I’m home!” he bellowed without warning.
“Good gods!” Rowan shouted, jumping at his unusually loud and sudden announcement that he’d arrived home. “Could you please not bellow like that?”
Destroy smirked at her, then walked directly to where she stood in the kitchen preparing food for Brannaugh and the two women who sat with him at the dining table just a few feet from where Rowan worked in the kitchen. He reached out as he got close enough to her and swept her up and into his arms. He kissed her passionately before setting her back on her feet and slapping her bottom as he walked over to grab a glass and fill it with water. Turning to lean against the cabinet, he sipped his water as he regarded Brannaugh, and both the women, who watched him with rounded eyes.
Rowan was blushing furiously and couldn’t help but grin at Destroy when he winked at her.
“Zahra, Kamilah, this is my husband, Destroy,” Rowan said, introducing them to Destroy. “Contrary to his behavior, he’s a very kind, very good male.”
Aubreigne Page 24
