Page 73 of Carnal: The Beast Who Loved Me

“That’s not what I meant.”

He smiled wickedly. “It’s what you said.”

She wiggled her head. “I say stuff I don’t mean all the time.”

“I know,” he said. “But I can tell the difference. Remember?”

Being reminded of the fact that Carnal was a walking lie detector brought a flush to her skin. That caused a low and sexy chuckle to rumble up from his chest.

He reached out and took one of her curls, sampling it like the feel of her hair between his fingers was something extraordinary. “Tomorrow afternoon,” his raspy voice was almost a whisper, “I’m coming for you.”

When he turned and walked away, Rosie shouted after him.

“Coming for me?” she said. “What does that mean? We’re going to have a shootout in the street?”

He stopped for a second, looked back over his shoulder, and laughed, shaking his head, before disappearing through the Commons door, presumably to escort Free to Farsuitwail.

When Free arrived at City Hall, flanked by Carnal and crew, along with their master builder, Red, the detainees looked remarkably well cared-for. A couple of them were even chatting with Exiled guards.

Free made eye contact with Comstock and motioned for him to follow to the conference room. Free held the door open for Carnal, but the rest of the crew waited outside.

“Mr. Mayor,” Free said.

“Extant,” the man replied without emotion.

“We’ve made some decisions. We’re abandoning the settlement, moving our people and things to Farsuitwail.” The mayor’s lips parted as his eyes widened slightly. Apparently that hadn’t been among the possibilities he’d anticipated. Rosie made a note to add, ‘Be unpredictable,’ to her list of political warfare sayings.

“We’re going to release your people to go about their business,” Free was saying, “but we will maintain watch at each of the facilities you’ve shown us. Before I go further with our plans, I must ask if there are any other secrets or secret installations that would interest us.”

Comstock shook his head. “No.”

Free looked to Carnal who confirmed the truth of that.

“Very well. Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to work with me to find housing, or build housing when necessary, to accommodate our people. You’re going to assist with integrating Exiled into every aspect of your society, starting with education. Our children are going to go to school with your children.”

“I don’t think that’s…”

Free cut him off. “It no longer matters what you think. You lost the privilege of workingwithme when you constructed elaborate plans to murder us. At this point in time, you workforme. If you’re able to establish trust, what you think may be taken into account, but I suspect we are at least a generation away from that.

“Our first order of business is for you to assign instructors who can catch our people up on everything you’re doing. In the schools, the labs, the foundry, and the munitions plant. I assume someone is in charge of planning the attack on the Rautt?”

The mayor pressed his lips together in a tight line and nodded.

“I’m going to need to know all the people involved with that. We will work with them, but we have the final say about the details of where, when, and how.” Comstock took in a breath and looked away. “Write down their names.”

Carnal pushed a pen and paper his way. When the mayor had finished writing down names, Free said, “Read them out loud.” Holding the paper up, the mayor read the names. “Is that everyone?”

“Yes.”

Free looked at Carnal who gave a tiny nod. “Let’s go inform your people. How you decide to get the word out to the general public is up to you, but I suggest you strongly encourage friendliness and cooperation. I remind you that it wasn’t Exiled who planned you harm. On the contrary, we’ve spent twenty-five years sacrificing our loved ones to save your ungrateful selves. Did you know that my son, Crave, Carnal’s younger brother, was taken by the Rautt? We don’t know if he’s dead or alive and are halfway afraid that he’s alive. Can you imagine how it feels to look in his mother’s eyes and know that she’s thinking about that every minute she breathes?”

Comstock blanched at that and looked like he might actually be thinking about it. “No.”

“That’s just the story of one of our families. There are many, many more. And the thanks we get is learning that you’ve been conspiring to kill us.”

At that the mayor found the decency to flush and look ashamed. “You have to understand, Extant. My people have good reason to be afraid of hybrids. You’re stronger, faster…”

“You’re stronger, faster, smarter than your children. So should your children be plotting your extermination?”

---