Chaos

Hungry Monsters

Carbry 

Carbry refused to let go of Meri.

After placing her on the bed then nearly crying in relief when he heard the steady, strong heartbeats of their children, he kissed her then crawled into bed with her where he pulled her into his lap as both Daryl and Ryker showered the woman and their unborn children with attention.

Even though the moment was tender as they were all overcome with relief that she and the babies were all alright, Carbry's rage simmered below the surface, threatening to spill over. He was doing his best to control it, though when the doctor rapped on the door, it was only a firm look from Ryker that prevented Carbry from growling angrily.

Meri didn't need to see his fury. She had been through enough, and the only thing she needed now was rest and unconditional love.

Meri had protested the doctor's visit, of course. She, like Daryl, didn't like doctors because of their horrific childhoods. But she was also incredibly wise. Meri knew she needed a medical check, if not for her then for the babies inside of her, so she reluctantly allowed the doctor to check her vitals, dress the awful wound on her hand, then clean up a few cuts and bruises on her face and the rest of her body and provide her with an ice pack to hold against her swollen black eye.

Throughout the entire process, Carbry found himself thankful that Meri was in his lap and not facing him, that she couldn't see his enraged stare as he took in her injuries. When she yelped as the doctor worked, Ryker, who had refused to sit down, would cease his pacing and stop to place a calming hand on Carbry's shoulder, steadying and keeping him from lashing out.

Ryker probably better than anyone understood the monster within Carbry, the monster that was fighting to get out and rip apart the people who had dared threaten his children and Meri and Daryl. Ryker had seen that monster in action when Meri had died before her resurrection as a goddess.

Although, even then, Carbry hadn't felt quite this... inclined to torture.

Then, he had wanted to kill as many enemies as possible, to damage their forces and stop a war.

Now he wasn't fighting a war. Now Carbry could take his time with his revenge.

Speaking of the cowboy, though, the man's presence at his side drew Carbry from these sick musings. Daryl was leaning against his shoulder and watching the doctor work with a tired expression. Car was eternally grateful that the man had followed his instincts and found their pregnant lover, but for some reason, the man had still thought that Carbry and Ryker wouldn't have listened to him and had gone off on his own.

In the best of times, actions like that were dangerous. In the worst times, when evil entities wanted to capture and torture Carbry and Ryker's lovers in an attempt to exact some sort of perverse justice, Daryl's running away was nearly disastrous. Despite that, Carbry leaned over to kiss the top of Daryl's head before pressing his face into Meri's neck and closing his eyes.

He would have to speak to Daryl about the recklessness of his actions, but that was a conversation to be had when Meri didn't need all of them quite as much as she needed them right now.

Before Carbry knew it, the doctor was finished and left a bottle of antibiotic pills for Meri to take to prevent the stab wound in her hand from becoming infected.

The stab wound.

She had been stabbed. Meri had been kidnapped and tortured and frightened, and all of them had been powerless to do anything about it.

"Did you hear?"

"I'm sorry. What was that, Ryke?" Carbry hadn't intended for his words to come out angry, but they had, although he wasn't angry with Ryker.