Chapter 16
Daniel grinned. Despite his misgivings, he was finding himself very relaxed and enjoying himself in Whispers.
He lifted his arm and returned Enthrall’s wave.
“Hello! I’m glad to meet you. I’m Daniel, Angelle is my daughter,” he said loudly enough for Enthrall to hear him as he walked toward Enthrall’s home where Carnage and Enthrall now stood at the front door.
Enthrall watched as Daniel approached, waiting for him to reach them before responding. “I’m guessing Angelle is the young lady clasping Boon’s hand.”
“She is, and my mate, Avaleigh, is standing near her as well.”
“I welcome you all. I have to say that I’m very happy for Boon. I’ve watched him grow up and always knew that deep down inside he wanted a mate. I’m glad he’s found your Angelle. He’s an exemplary young man.”
“I think so, too,” Daniel said. “But if I’m to be honest, I was more than a little hesitant. After hearing how exclusive and inaccessible Whispers is, I was not eager to have my daughter take up residence here.”
“Understandable. But you’re a Dragon, it would be no issue for you to enter as you please.”
“True. But my mate is human. And we’ve recently seen our son off to a new life with a new Pride. We selfishly just aren’t ready to let our daughter go so soon,” Daniel confessed.
“I understand that. But you’re always welcome among us, and with your abilities, you’ll be able to see through the glamour to find your way here any time you wish.”
“Thank you, Enthrall. I appreciate that.”
“Trawl!” Carnage said.
“Oh, that’s right. Thank you, Trawl,” Daniel said.
Carnage grinned and nodded, his arms folded across his chest as he smirked at Enthrall.
Enthrall laughed. “I see he’s gripping the gold club he claimed from my set,” Enthrall said.
“He was practicing with gum balls from the trees around his house when I arrived. We decided that we’d come see if you wanted to play,” Daniel said.
“My ween,” Carnage rumbled.
“Oh, you think so?” Enthrall asked as he chuckled.
“’Es.”
“You’ll be playing as well?” Enthrall asked.
“I didn’t bring my clubs. But I’ll cheer Carnage on,” Daniel said.
“No problem. Boon? Are you playing?” Enthrall shouted to Boon.
Boon shook his head. “No, thank you. I’m sticking close to Angelle.”
“Give me a few minutes…” Enthrall said to Carnage and Daniel. “I’ll be right back.” Within a few seconds he dematerialized, and was gone.
“Alrighty, then,” Daniel said.
“He really will be right back,” Carolena said as they all arrived to stand nearer Enthrall’s home.
“Hey!!” a voice called from the other side of the clearing.
“’Stoy,” Carnage said with irritation in his voice.
“Hey! What’s going on?”
“My ween Trawl!” Carnage shouted.
“You can’t win against Enthrall.”
“Cahn!” Carnage declared.
“No, you can’t,” Destroy said as he jogged toward them. “Hello, Angelle and Boon. And Daniel and Avaleigh! How nice to see you again. And Carolena! Forgive me. I am past due for a visit.”
“You certainly are,” Carolena said. “I make extra with most meals and you never come anymore. Carnage has to eat all the extra.”
“No! ‘Stoy stay ‘way,” Carnage snapped.
“Carnage! You know you don’t mean that.”
“Do,” Carnage grumbled.
Carolena laughed delightedly. She turned to Avaleigh and Daniel.
“They’ve known each other for so long they don’t even know how long it’s been.
They were both children when they were forced into the military guarding their king, though Carnage arrived earlier than Destroy did.
Carnage was Destroy’s commander, and they’ve always taken special delight in tormenting each other.
But let me tell you, the first sign of trouble and they’d be standing beside each other with no questions asked.
They love to hate each other, I think, but they’d be lost without each other.
There’s loyalty there, and fondness, but without the irritation, it just wouldn’t be the same. ”
“We are not loyal,” Destroy said.
“You better be, or we have some issues to discuss,” a woman called out as she approached.
Destroy’s entire face lit up. “That’s my Rowan. She’s the most awesome of awesome.”
“No. Leenah mos’ ahhsuum,” Carnage said.
Destroy grabbed Rowan when she got close enough and hugged her dramatically, twisting back and forth. “This is my mate!” he exclaimed.
“You’re going to make her sick if you don’t stop swishing her back and forth,” Carolena said.
“She loves it,” Destroy said.
Rowan managed to push Destroy away and laughed as he feigned insult. “Will you stop?” she asked.
“Never!” he cried.
“Goodness!” Rowan exclaimed as she laughed. She turned her back on Destroy to greet everyone else. “Hi! Welcome. I’m Rowan, I’m Destroy’s mate.”
“Po’ ‘Wohan,” Carnage said.
“Carnage!” Carolena scolded.
Carnage snickered.
Rowan rolled her eyes. “This is an everyday thing between Carnage and Destroy. Yet they seek each other out to spend time with.”
Carnage side-eyed Destroy and reached out, shoving his shoulder so hard it sent him off balance.
“Stop it!” Destroy demanded, shoving him back.
“See?” Rowan asked. “Anyway, Destroy told me that we had some visitors in Whispers and I was hoping I’d get a chance to meet you.”
“We’re pleased to meet you. I’m Avaleigh, and this is Daniel. Angelle is our daughter.”
“Welcome,” Rowan said. She moved close to Boon and hugged him. “I’m so happy for you, Boon. I knew you’d find the right one in time.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Rowan. This is my Angelle,” he said proudly.
Rowan smiled warmly and extended her hands toward Angelle.
Angelle looked at her hands extended toward her own for a second, then placed her hands in Rowan’s waiting hands.
“I am so very happy to have you join our community. You have the best male. Boon has always taken care of all of us, even when he was a little boy. He’s selfless and generous.
He’s self-reliant, and I believe he will be the most attentive mate. ”
Angelle smiled shyly as she tried to determine how she should answer.
While she and Boon weren’t officially mated, she didn’t want to discount the fact that they may very well be, and soon.
And she most certainly didn’t want to refute any of the wonderful things Rowan had said about Boon, so she just nodded.
Rowan grinned at her. “And that is even more informative than you’d think. You’re his perfect match.”
“We’re hoping so,” Angelle finally said, glancing shyly at Boon.
“Hoping so? Destroy said that you’re his mate.”
“We are mates, but we are not officially bonded yet. We’re… taking our time to make sure it’s what we both feel comfortable with. It would be a big change for both of us,” Angelle said.
“She’s going to stay,” Boon said.
“She’s trying it out,” Angelle said.
“She’d miss me,” Boon insisted.
“She would. But it wouldn’t kill her,” Angelle said.
Rowan burst out laughing.
Angelle and Boon shared a confused look.
Destroy started chuckling, too.
“You hear them? They sound like us when we first met,” Rowan got out between laughs.
Destroy nodded. “Sounds like a mating made in heaven to me. Just like us.”
“Told you I’d be right back,” Enthrall said as he materialized right beside Carnage.
Angelle, Avaleigh, and Daniel all startled at his sudden appearance.
“You get used to it,” Carolena said.
“Whaat?” Carnage asked, pointing to the three sets of golf clubs Enthrall was holding. He had one over each shoulder, and another in his grip.
“For you, my friend,” he said to Carnage as he handed him one of them.
Carnage beamed happily as he looked at Carolena as he gripped his new set of clubs. “Leenah!” he said excitedly.
“It’s a beautiful set of clubs, Carnage,” she said.
“And this one is for you, Daniel,” Enthrall said, handing him a set of the clubs.
“You didn’t have to do that!”
“How else are you going to play with us?” Enthrall asked. He extended the last bag and set of golf clubs to Boon. “Sure you don’t want to play?”
“I’m not sure I know how,” Boon said.
“Only one way to learn,” Enthrall said.
“That’s true,” Destroy said.
“We don’t really play a complete game of golf. We just hit the ball around. The one that makes the most balls in the cups we lay around in place of holes, with the least strokes, wins.”
“My ween!” Carnage said, shouldering his golf bag and walking away from the group.
“Give me my club back!” Enthrall said.
“Nooo.”
“You have your own set now! Give me mine back,” Enthrall insisted. “Did you really think I forgot you took it?”
Carnage stopped, set down the bag and began to examine all the clubs in his bag.
When he found the one that matched the club he’d taken from Enthrall, he pulled it out of his golf bag and tossed it to Enthrall.
Then he placed the one he’d taken from Enthrall in his bag in its place.
He flashed a forced grin, full of teeth at Enthrall and walked away.
“I’m not getting the matching club to my set back, am I?” Enthrall asked, as he eyed the new one in his hand from Carnage’s set.
“I think he thinks it’s good luck,” Daniel said.
“He likes yours,” Carolena confirmed.
“And if he wins, he’ll never give it back,” Enthrall said.
“He won’t win. He wants to hit every ball so hard he almost kills it,” Destroy said.
“You might be surprised,” Daniel said.
Destroy looked thoughtfully at Daniel. “You’ve been coaching him.”
“I have.”
“You any good?” Destroy asked.
“Oh, he’s good,” Boon said.
“Damn! Alright. I’m going to get my clubs. I’ll be back,” Destroy said, taking off at a run.
“Ladies, would you like to come in for some tea and a few snacks while they try to outdo one another?” Rowan asked.
“I’d love that,” Avaleigh said.
“Me, too,” Carolena said.
“Thank you for inviting us,” Angelle said quietly.
“Let me let Felicity know,” Rowan said. She approached Enthrall’s home, tapped on the door and waited just a few seconds until a beautiful, blond-haired woman opened it.
“Rowan!”
“We’re going to have some snacks while the males try to outdo each other. Want to come?”