Page 53 of Carnal: The Beast Who Loved Me

“Rush, you’ve been so brave, but if you feel like crying, you can.”

He shook his head back and forth to register that her suggestion was decidedly, “No.”

“It’s up to you. Just saying it would be okay with me.” She threw away the cotton and began applying some of the ointment. To Razzle, she said, “Do we have any extra clothes? I’d like to put him in a clean shirt.”

“Maybe. I’ll look in the level one room.”

Five minutes later, she returned with a shirt that would fit the little guy.

“There you go,” Rosie said. “In a week it’ll be like it never happened.”

Rush gave her a shy smile and scooted like he wanted to get down off the counter. Rosie lifted him with a grunt. He was apparently so dense that his weight was easily three times what it looked like it should be. She set him on his feet. “There you go.” The way he went tearing out of the room, she figured it wouldn’t be long before he’d be in need of additional medical treatment.

Rosie was about to suggest that they begin getting the kids to bed, when one of the level tens burst through the door.

“They’re back!” he announced. “False alarm. Everybody’s fine.”

Within minutes smiling parents were coming through the door collecting their babies and hugging them tight. Rosie found Razzle in the crowd and mouthed, “Good job.”

Razzle gave her a dazzling smile in return, just as a father claimed the toddler she was holding on her hip. Rosie spied Charming looking over the room trying to find her. She waved and he started making his way through the crowd.

“Dandy and Scar need you at the bar. It’s gonna be busy.” He grinned.

“Okay. Good to see you in one piece.”

He cocked his head. “You were worried about me, Rosie?”

“Of course. What do you think? Hold on a minute.” She made her way back to the kitchen and grabbed her shawl from the hook where she’d left it hanging. When she rejoined Charming, he opened the front door. “So tell me what happened. Somebody said false alarm. But I know that’s not right because I was there when the signal fire was lit.”

“You were?”

“Yes. Carnal had taken me for a ride and we saw the dust.”

“Oh.” Charming looked away. “Well, we sent scouts and everything was quiet. Whatever you saw, either it was something else or they changed their minds.” He leaned in. “Probably started this way, remembered the last time they fucked with us, shit their pants, and had to go home for clean up.”

Rosie laughed out loud. “Glad you were here to provide the color commentary.”

“I don’t know what that is, but if you’re glad, I’m glad.”

As soon as Charming opened the south porch door that led to the Commons, she knew he wasn’t kidding. The place was packed and the noise was almost deafening with celebratory mood. A dozen musicians had already set up and were accompanying laughter, singing, and dancing that reminded Rosie of Irish jigs. The fire from the pit burned bright and lit the room to match the mood.

Rosie began serving drinks. Some of the kitchen workers had been called in to help keep glasses and mugs washed and clean.

It didn’t take long for Rosie to realize that some of the females in the crowd were humans. There was little doubt that they hadn’t been taken by force. They were definitely there of their own volition, and, by the looks of it, having the best time of anyone present. She didn’t see any human males, but according to what Dandy had told her, that was to be expected.

She’d said that Exiled were producing more males than females, which meant that some of the Exiled would eventually mate with humans when they were ready. In the interim, the young males were not without options for sex partners.

Rumor had it that the human female population would fight each other for an opportunity to be with one of the young Exiled males. And why not? They were beautiful, forbidden bad boys with enough sexual prowess to be an endless source for female fantasies.

Rosie could see why that would not make the Exiled popular with human males, who probably saw them as a necessary evil. Atemporarynecessary evil, who would not be tolerated if they had a way to defend themselves from the Rautt, or get rid of them altogether, along with the Exiled. It occurred to her that, for all their advanced abilities, Exiled were rather innocent in not anticipating how treacherous people could be.

Carnal stood on the other side of the bar from Rosie with bright eyes and a curious look of anticipation. She’d watched him dance with a dozen different human girls, all of them clearly intent on more than a twirl. As he stood in front of Rosie, one of the girls slithered up next to him, pressing her body into his side. “Carnal, baby,” she purred. “Let’s go somewhere more private.”

He looked down at the blonde rubbing herself against him.

Rosie felt an unpleasant surge of jealousy roil through her veins. Looking at the girl, she said, “Want something to drink, Catty Kay?”

Carnal laughed hearing her use the name of the cat she detested. Without looking away from Rosie, he took the girl by the shoulder, pushed her to arm’s length, and held her there. She scowled and turned her head toward Rosie with a glare that could kill.

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