CARNAL, The Beast Who Loved Me (40 page)

He slid off his sheep and started toward her to collect his prize.

She laughed and backed away. “Nope. I’m sure it was a tie.”

Carnal’s face changed. “Don’t run from me, Rosie. I’m warning you.” He suddenly looked more like a predator than an easygoing date as his body melted into a crouch, but since she knew him and knew what was coming next, that was more exciting than frightening.

She cocked her head and smiled mischievously. “You’re
warning
me?”

“I mean it, Rosie. Don’t run. Not unless you’re prepared for the consequences.”

She couldn’t wait for the consequences. She spun a one-eighty and began sprinting down the hill, not being able to stop the laughter that was bubbling up from the delight of being chased by Carnal.

She heard him growl, “Fuck!”, and it made her laugh harder. She looked over her shoulder to see that, even though she’d given herself more of a head start, he had almost overtaken her. As before she ‘demon cheated’ and gave herself a ten yard leap. And, like before, she learned it wasn’t enough to leave Carnal behind.

In one smooth and fluid maneuver, he took the weight of the fall on himself and rolled so that he ended up on top without taking a chance on hurting her. She wasn’t about the waste the time teasing him about a no-touching rule.

She wiggled against the soft grass to align her body with his in the most delicious way and met the intensity of his kiss with more passion than she knew she had in her. He tore his mouth away with a ferocious sound, born of frustration. It was part snarl, part growl.

“Someone’s coming.”

She knew before he moved that he was going to roll away and be on his feet so fast that it would look magical.

“Hey!” the farmer said. “Get out of here. You’re scaring my sheep!”

She wished the sheep onto the training field at Newland before saying, “What sheep?”

“What…?” The man turned to wave at the sheep, but stopped his hand mid-air when he saw there were none.

Carnal started to chuckle quietly. He leaned down so that she could feel his breath on her ear. “What did you do, little demon?”

Without sense enough to know when to be prudent, the man yelled, “What did you do with my sheep?”

“I gave them to someone more deserving,” Rosie said matter-of-factly.

She grabbed Carnal’s sleeve and pulled him toward the bike. On the other side of the fence, he said, “Rosie. That was funny, but where are the sheep?”

“On the training field.”

Carnal jerked his head toward her. “Our training field? At Newland?”

“The very same. Don’t worry.” She pulled him down as she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the tip of his nose. “I already put them back.”

“It’s a good thing for you that farmer interrupted us.”

“Why?”

“Because I was about to devour you, little demon.”

“Hmmm,” she said. “That sounds almost as sexy as being run down by you.”

He barked out a laugh, then grew quiet. Over his shoulder, he said, “Rosie. Are you staying?”

“What do I have to stay for, Carnal?” she said to his back.

There was a slight pause before he said, “Me.”

“All of you?”

“The whole damn package.”

She grinned. “We’ll see.”

“You’re a tease.”

“Been taking lessons from you.”

“Me?”

“Don’t play dumb. You’re the one who gets me worked up and then walks off.” He chuckled and shook his head slightly. “You taking me to dinner?”

He turned his head slightly. “Yeah. In Farsuitwail.”

“Great. What are we having?”

As he started the bike, he said, “They roll fish into this flat bread kind of thing and put green stuff in it. Sounds awful, but it’s good.”

“I’m in.”

The woman in the saffron-colored tunic, ambled over. “You eating?”

Carnal opened his mouth, but Rosie spoke first. “Yeah. That’s why we’re here.”

The woman’s eyes swept over Rosie, assessing the attitude. “Outside?”

Carnal looked at Rosie. “Outside okay?”

“Sure. It’s not too cold for outside.”

“Pick a table,” said the woman. “I don’t suppose you want wine.”

When Carnal looked at Rosie, she smiled. “No. Red ale is fine with me.”

“You?” she asked Carnal.

“Same. Red ale,” he said.

“Yeah. No wine. Just like I thought.”

As they sat down at a corner table, Rosie said, “So. Let’s talk about you.”

Rosie reveled in the look of pure delight on Carnal’s face.

“You want to talk about me?”

She smiled in appreciation of his beauty and the eagerness he projected to talk about himself. “I want to know everything about you. You’re fascinating, but you’re a mystery.”

“I’m fascinating?”

His cocky smile always tugged at the corners of her own mouth.

“You already know you are.”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you think I’m… wonderful.”

Rosie laughed. “I do think you’re wonderful.”

“Carnal?” Rosie looked up to see the Farsuitwailian girl approaching the table. “Haven’t seen you for a while.”

“I’ve been busy.” He looked at Rosie. “And I’m going to be busy from now on. Forever.” He glanced at the girl. “Pass the word along. Okay?”

The girl looked at Rosie. “Because of her? She doesn’t look that special.”

Carnal turned to face the intruder. “Are you blind? It doesn’t get any more special than this.” He said the last part looking back at Rosie.

After the hostess shooed the girl away, Rosie said, “Okay. Most important things first.”

“What’s most important?”

“Why me?”

“I’m not sure I know that myself. You just… fit. When I’m around you, I want you wrapped around me. When I’m not around you, all I can think about is having you wrapped around me.”

“Sounds like lust.”

“There’s definitely that. But it’s more. And I think you know that. Something between us is special. You feel it, too, don’t you?”

Rosie smiled and said, “Maybe,” with an inflection that meant definitely yes and not maybe.

She steered the conversation in the direction of positive things and moved to end the evening before Carnal drank one too many mugs of ale.

Standing on the Extant’s front porch, Rosie felt like she’d rather take a beating than walk into that house and watch Carnal be hurt by what was waiting inside, but there was no way around it. She knew she could make minor changes in the way things had played out, to insure that Carnal’s last day was as good as possible, but she also knew she couldn’t alter anything of consequence.

Steeling herself, she opened the front door, and headed straight for the kitchen knowing what she’d find there. She stepped into the room and said, “What’s happened?”

Free swallowed. “Someone left this message in a saddlebag today in Farsuitwail.”

“What is it?”

Rosie wasn’t surprised by the raspy growl that came from behind her because she was expecting it. She relived the horror of the discovery, but this time, she made sure she was at the front door before he was. She blocked it with her body.

“Carnal…” she began.

“Get out of the way, Rosie.”

“No, Carnal. Don’t go. Please. I’m begging you. Come upstairs with me to your room. Let me hold you in my arms and tell you stories until your mind sorts things out. Don’t leave.” He looked confused and conflicted. He took in a quick breath, like he’d just remembered to breathe. “Stay. Don’t leave me.”

Carnal looked down at her two hands holding onto his arm.

“I love you,” she whispered. He looked at her with eyes that were clearing. “Stay with me.”

At length he gave a slight nod and followed Rosie upstairs. He sat on the side of the bed and watched with mild attention while she lit the lamp. His interest grew as she stripped and took her time changing into the floor-length shift she usually slept in.

Carnal gave a soft growl when the shift floated down, covering her naked body. They both looked at the window when lightning gave the room a flash of silver brightness. Carnal didn’t flinch at the crack of thunder. With hooded eyes, he stood, pulled the shift up over her head, and tossed it so that it draped over the dresser.

Rosie stood transfixed as Carnal began removing his own clothes slowly. With the exception of those who had been scarred or mutilated, all the Exiled were beautiful. Rosie knew she was looking through the eyes of love, but even if she wasn’t, Carnal was gorgeous enough to leave any woman dumbstruck.

When he was naked, he stood in front of her and rumbled with his rough voice. She wasn’t sure if her nipples had pebbled because of the coolness in the room or the sight of Carnal unclothed.

“Rosie.”

He sounded uncertain. So she walked in to him, snaking her arms up and around his neck, pressing his arousal into her stomach. He picked her up like she was the most precious thing imaginable and walked toward the bed.

When he lay down beside her, she said, “Are you mine, Carnal?”

His voice was deeper than usual, gruff and raspy, but he answered without hesitation. “I’m yours, little demon. And I always will be.”

She reveled in every touch, reaching out with her senses to linger in every sensation and burn it into her memory. She did all possible to make it last, whispering, “Slower. Slower.”

As he moved over her, she fought back tears that stung her eyes and made her throat burn. When Carnal reached up to push her hair back from her face, he felt the wetness on her face and stopped as if he’d been frozen.

“Are you crying?”

“No. Well, I was, but it’s not what you think.”

“Did I hurt you?”

“Just the opposite. You make me feel so good I can’t contain all the emotion. It’s a demon thing,” she lied. “Please. Don’t stop. I love everything you’re doing, just the way you’re doing it.”

When his strokes grew faster and harder, she tightened her muscles around him repeatedly, which made him rumble with masculine satisfaction. He reached between them and massaged her nub, pressing and releasing with the soft part of his thumb until they climaxed together. For a millisecond she considered allowing the warm semen to join with an egg and blossom into conception, but she shoved that impulse away, thinking it wouldn’t be fair that Carnal’s child would never have the chance to know him.

When he collapsed on top of her, she felt loved and almost worshipped. He buried his face in her neck and began nuzzling while also purring. Against her skin, she felt his lips pull into a smile.

“Rosie. Mine,” he rumbled.

“I love it when you do that.”

He rolled to her side, but left his arm over her waist. Giving her a light squeeze, he repeated, “Mine.”

“You sound like a caveman, Carnal.”

“I’m not a man, Rosie. I’m a beast.” He brushed his nose against her ear, which managed to tickle and arouse her at the same time. “A beast who loves you.”

She could hear that Carnal’s purrs were becoming rhythmic as he grew drowsy.

She shook him. “Oh no you don’t.”

“What?” He opened one eye.

“You’re not going to sleep yet.”

“I’m not?”

She smiled and scooted down the bed. She nudged Carnal to lie on his back, then began caressing his loins and upper thighs with her lips. His claws protracted and he dug them into the mattress. She could see there were going to be chicken feathers everywhere, but she didn’t care.