Bride of Glass (Brides of the Hunt Book 2)

by Jeanette Lynn

  Zhuii made an unhappy noise, a warning I was making too much noise, so I stood on tiptoes in my fancy, handmade designer beastie boots and crept to and fro.

  My hands worked, flying about in front of me as I mouthed the rant bubbling out of me without actually speaking aloud.

  “Lindy-mine,” Zhuii said after a moment, a long stretch of beastly sniffing breaking up my spastic breakdown. “Zhuii no smell Rek no more.”

  Lost to my own thoughts, worries, panic-induced insanity, I wasn’t listening.

  “I mean, once you’ve smelled one hairy beast man, haven’t ya smelled them all?” When that didn’t warrant a reply, I stopped, glancing up.

  Lips turned down and slightly pursed, shaking his head, his arms crossed over his thick chest, number two in the lineup was growing annoyed.

  Zhuii grunted, unimpressed, maybe even a little offended. “No,” he said simply.

  “I’m ridiculous and, yeah, probably overreacting, I have a tendency towards the panic first and figure it out later kinda thing, but come on.” Rushing the male, I wrapped my hands around a fat, fur covered forearm. His muscles bunched, flexing beneath my fingertips.

  Opening my mouth to say more, a snarled shout had me squealing, to cut the sound off completely. Jaw swinging open, though nothing tumbled from my lips, I leapt at Zhuii. With a hop I climbed that male like a tree, tossing a leg over his arm as he rocked on his heels.

  “Where you, female?!!” That familiar, snarling hiss, his typical pissy ‘tude in place, had me quaking, clinging to Zhuii as the male tried to catch and hold me. We swung, Zhuii almost dumping me on my ass in my haste, I’d shocked the male so profoundly. Maybe he didn’t know I could be so fast if properly motivated, or maybe it was coupled with the sudden sound of Rek’s voice and his body involuntarily wrenching towards the sound.

  “Zhuii! Zhuii, Zhuii, Zhuii,” I chanted, panting the words as my arms wove around my blue-haired beastie’s neck and I held on tight. “Oh my god, you were right! It’s him! We gotta- We need to- We gotta get outta here!”

  “Zhuii prote-”

  “Ah, yes, Zhuii protect, Zhuii big strong male. Zhuii needs to get his Rosie-Lindy, Lindy-mine’s ass home!”

  Rek continued to call out for the female, snarling, though careful to keep his voice low. The beast didn’t want to be detected. Well, that made two of us. We were both doing a shit job of it, in my opinion.

  “No close to Tokre and Lindy home,” Zhuii admitted. “We stay. Lindy-mine stay here,” he gestured towards the tree line with a jerk of his chin, “Zhuii go see, make Rek leave. No one take Zhuii mate. Lindy-mine Zhuii’s. Zhuii good mate, Zhuii protect.”

  Strange, but it felt like the orange-eyed beast was suddenly even warmer than his typical furnace temp, and his hair, was it…

  Wiggling, I unburied my face from the hair along his nape enough to examine the handful of scruff trapped between my fisted fingers. Trying to understand what was happening, Zhuii’s muttered growls and grumbling mumbles, muffled as he tried to keep quiet while voicing his ire, I blinked, frowned.

  Huh.

  With my booted feet digging into his sides to boost myself up, I peered down the length of the male’s wide back.

  Blue, blue as far the eye could see, a small, swishing tail slowly starting to sprout from the top of my mate’s fuzz lined butt crack, right before my eyes. What in the…

  “No one take Zhuii’s. No beast. No humans. No one.”

  And I’d have to table the blue color change fun and tail growing like he was a beastly clay dough hair salon playset because Rek. And help. And leave! We must leave!

  “Right, because we’re getting the heck out of here!” Pronto!

  “No way go home. Rek see. Lindy-mine stay and-”

  “There has got to be another way! Didn’t- I mean, hey, you said you wanted to show me your pad, right? Drape me in a beast pelt until I feel like I’m dripping in diamonds?” Even as I slid down, resting my chin on his shoulder, I couldn’t stop staring at the blue fur, tufts of it tickling my nose as I tried to keep calm and focus.

  Live to see another day, that was the goal right now. And remain mated to the males I’d actually made a mate pact with in the first place, no adding of Rek-less the asshole-ishness.

  Sensing my Kool-Aid change male was growing increasingly agitated and his fun color change and tail sprouting were more than likely directly linked, I gulped, absently petting along his wide, blue fur tinted back. That tail dragged the ground now, and his muscles bulged.

  Zhuii had a beast mode, complete with granite hard looking ass cheeks, thick assed tree trunks for thighs, and a strangely cute blue tail with a fat tuft of white fur on the end.

  My eyes followed along as that tail swished, flicking back and forth in agitation. Zhuii continued to talk, his voice deepened even more than his husky timbre, until it sounded like he was trying to speak through a mouthful of rocks. Grinding gravel, the sound of that voice had my head swimming dizzily.

  “You do want to show me your pad- I mean, place, don’t you, Zhu-baby?” I was playing coy, swirling my fingers over his fur as Rek’s voice bounced around us.

  What was that bastard doing? He sounded like he was running circles around us calling out for his female, but that didn’t make a lick of sense. I thought he was an almighty warrior… so, why has he not found us yet?

  Unless… No. It couldn’t be. I couldn’t be that lucky. And, lord, the poor woman, should he catch one. I shuddered at the thought.

  “Zhuii?” I whispered seductively, as seductively as a sexually, socially awkward dork like myself, fumbling but trying, could, gliding one hand up his face, feeling as I went.

  Thick lips, even thicker teeth, two tusk-like protruding canines jutting out from his underbite to cover his top lip. Oh, heaven help me, he was… and those… those were tusks

  Zhuii’s hands tightened. Could he smell my fear? “No be scared. Zhuii not- Zhuii not bad male.”

  “Of c-c-c-course not,” I stuttered, stumbling over the words.

  But, my, what big teeth you have!

  Further up my hands traveled, Zhuii’s nose snuffling noisily as my hands slipped past the bridge of his nose and notably thicker forehead. Zhuii nuzzled my hand as I blindly studied his new getup.

  “Horn,” I mumbled, running my hand along a wide, circular, stubby stump. A horned, Abominable demon fur beast colored like a blue raspberry snow cone. I had officially surpassed the Twilight Zone weirdness factor. Zhuii made a deep, needy, rumbling sound as my fingers caressed the knobby tip of one of his horns.

  It was thick at the base of the top of his forehead, the gnarled, beat up feeling horn, a series of bumps and lumps, thick groves, and slashes, like nicks or dents, growing thicker and more pronounced, the higher my questioning fingers traveled. They protruded out from the top of his forehead where a human might have a hairline, his thick fur surrounding the base. Those suckers jutted out but curved, wrapping around to slide back over the top of his skull, scraping his scalp. And just at the end, they curved back, facing forward, ending on stubby, rounded nubs.

  “Zhuii Zhubeast. Not Lo denaii, not Zhubarbeast. Zhuii Zhubeast. Different. No bad male, just different.”

  And I’d heard this all before, but apparently wasn’t truly listening. Got the picture now, compadre!

  And holy fuck were things really starting to click into place. Zhuii Hulked out! He had a shift! A true hybrid creature. Beat Rek? The Hulk under my fingertips could serve his grumbling, snarling ass up on a silver platter!

  But would he? And did I actually want him to?

  My Zhuman takes everything to heart. He thinks he’s not a good male? What would he do with that weighing on his conscience? or would he care at all? I couldn’t say, and even more so than ever, wanted to skedaddle our bums outta here.

  And to think I was just prattling on about alien creatures and this whole time I was battling off the affections of the Abominables very own hybrid beastie beast, well, being.
/>   Man… I was struggling to put together what my hands were feeling and my eyes were seeing.

  “Zhuuuuuii. I really, really want to just leave. Please.”

  “Zhuii protect his mate,” the male gritted out. He was offended, really offended. That tail flicked up, then slapped down, swishing anxiously until the telltale fap, fap, of it slapping the backs of his calves had me flinching.

  “I, uh, I want to see your place?” I tried.

  “No. No want to see. Want Zhuii to leave, run away. Zhuii brave, no coward. Zhuii stay. Zhuii fight. Rek not even call Zhuii female when Zhuii done.”

  Fuck. Okay, girl, time for the big guns.

  “I want, uhm, Zhuii?” I murmured, trying to make my voice sound as husky and sexy-like as possible. Going for broke, I leaned in to nuzzle along the side of his face. I didn’t look at him—I couldn’t. If his Zhubeast form was terrifying to me, he’d know. He’d smell it, the fear, revulsion, whatever kneejerk reaction that might momentarily overtake me, and the jig would be up.

  “Zhuii, I want to make you mine,” I whispered, right before clamping my teeth down over the spot at the top of his neck, right below his jaw and shockingly, distractingly pointy, blue, fur tufted ears.

  Mouth full of fur—so not sexy—I tried to run my tongue along his thick pelt without gagging on a blue furball.

  “N-n-n-no,” Zhuii argued, yet stumbled where he stood. He didn’t sound quite as convincing as he may have liked.

  Good. It meant I actually had a chance at this.

  “No. No,” he said much more convincingly.

  Well, shit. Groaning inwardly, I started to wonder just how bad I was at this. Academy award worthy, I would never be.

  “Fine,” I huffed, pissy, hissing as I spat out a slobbery gob of fur, and gave a loud huff. “Then put me down.” My arms started to flop to my sides and I’d admit, if only to myself, my feelings were-a-twinging. Outwardly I was screaming hissy, inwardly, disappointment. Yep, you are totally twacked out, Rosie gal.

  Zhuii let out a harsh growl, the sound giving me pause. Doth someone protesteth too much? That no sure sounded like a no, unless it meant maybe, kinda yes?

  Wide hands cupped my rear, making me squeak, the tips of clawed fingers digging into my ass through my dress. “Mine,” he grumbled low, wiggling me closer until it was curl my knees up and jab him with my bony kneecaps in the gut or spread my legs wide and accept the potential crotch to stomach meet-n-greet.

  Zhuii settled down a little when my legs did a half split, widening as far as my dress would allow while still covering my decent bits. That crazy purr of his was even crazier in his current state, making my chest vibrate wildly.

  I was feeling the teeny, tiniest bit victorious at his quick change of heart, knowing he was caving.

  Clearing my throat, willing to keep going with this, the sounds of Rek’s hiss-shouts coming and going, fading in and out as he circled us, I wiggled against my Number Two and bit down again.

  “Female?”

  Oh god, he was right on us. A sniff at a surprised sound.

  “Rose-um-linda?”

  Lord, he’d even found a new way to torture me, a horrendous new version of my lovely name.

  Go for broke! Go for broke! The tiny Oompa Loompa dressed Rosas in my head shrieked like ninnies, running around bumping into each other in their hysteria. But their chant came through crystal clear. Do something! Do something! NOW!

  My hands cupped either side of Zhuii’s face, the skin pulled tighter, more defined, his cheek bones higher, more pronounced, his jaw thicker. My eyes pinched so tight I saw stars behind my eyelids, and I turned to face him.

  If Zhuii caught the funny look on my face he didn’t comment—not that he had a chance to as I whipped my face towards him and, assuming where his lips were, planted one on him right on his kisser.

  Zhuii jerked, a garbled noise muffled against my mouth as I turned to press my advance.

  I needed him to get his ass going, anywhere but here, and now.

  My hands held him in place, following his retreat with my advance. He tasted like those minty plants Noyel kept in a small, off white pouch on his belt, pulling a pinch out to stuff in the side of his mouth or chew on when he thought no one was looking. My tongue peeked out, stroking across thick lips that opened up to me on a gasp.

  His tongue was thick, longer than I’d expected as it slipped into my mouth and he stroked it along mine, but not off-putting. Thoughts of Tokre and the things that male could do with his tongue had a needy little sound escaping my throat.

  I shouldn’t be so turned on by the thought of that long appendage and what my hybrid beast friend mauling my mouth could do with it, but I was.

  “Zhuii,” I murmured, pulling back long enough to take a deep breath. I was flushed and surprisingly sensitive everywhere. Just one long, languorous kiss—because that beastie, for such an anxious male, sure was taking his time to learn the art of tonguing—and that was all it took. We didn’t just spark, that beast had me sizzling.

  I wasn’t ready, though, physically, even if I psyched my beast humping ass out for another rough lovin’ fest. It just wasn’t going to happen.

  But that was all it took. That tiny, needy little sound, coupled with his name, and Zhuii was done in.

  “W-w-w-we go,” he got out between breathless pants. Yet when he went to stop, we popped back together like those little Valentine’s Day kissing stuffed animals with magnets on their lips.

  “He’s…” I paused to release his lip so my voice wasn’t muffled, “someone’s coming.” Zhuii groaned as I let go, nipping kisses along my lips, nibbling, imploring me to do it again, harder. “We should,” kiss, lick, taste, a tiny bite to that full lower lip, “stop.” Cracking my eyes open, I found myself pressing my face between those two large tusks, thick, dark blue lips puffed up from my kisses.

  No, not so scary. In fact, not so scary at all. Thick, dark blue eyebrows, large, dark purplish horns at their knobbed bases, the color lightening dramatically as they sprouted out, darkening where dents and dings were obvious, lavender swirling throughout everywhere else, it gave him an almost cartoon-like quality, the funky colored beast to my not so fairytale adventure. He somewhat reminded me of the beast from a much beloved Beauty and the Beast movie I’d obsessed over as a child. A souped-up, steroid bulked, horny, blue tinted version.

  “Female? Rose-um-lindly?”

  “Fuck,” I muttered, tensing up. Lord, Rek was right here! I could feel him on us, watching. Ick.

  My nape prickled, a cold chill spilling down my spine, ruining the moment. I’d almost thank him for putting a stop to the hot and heavy fest we were working up to, but it was Rek.

  Strangely sexy moment ruined? Check.

  Rek found me despite my efforts to try and evade? Check.

  Time to panic? Not just yet.

  “Rose-ur-blindly?!” A harsh grunt and a chuff. “Rose-lo-blondleak? Zhu…Zhublii?” The supposed warrior beast couldn’t have sounded more surprised if I’d told him I was having beast kittens.

  Zhuii growled in beast-speak. The string of words he let loose reminded me of human cursing. The feeling was totally mutual. I’d have to talk him into showing me how to beast curse, so I could do a bit of it too, if that was even possible.

  “MINE.” Zhuii snarled the words, turning to hide me from Rek’s view.

  “Zhu…beast?” Rek blurted. He came into view as I sighed, pressing my face into the side of Zhuii’s neck opposite the one I’d just bitten a bit ago here, where I made a very unladylike noise into his fur, mumbling something very unflattering.

  “Good boy,” I taunted, giving Zhuii’s shoulder a gentle pat. “Totally rather be doing this right now.” I was churlish, and kind of bitchy, playing it cool though I shook on the inside.

  Cue eye rolling dramatics? Check-check.

  Zhuii snorted in amusement at my antics, despite the dark growl rumbling his chest.

  “Rose,” Rek grunted out, a note of urgenc
y in his voice. “Rosie come with Rek. Rek show Rosie. Come. Come see!” He was trying to be cajoling, while my jaw dropped and I openly gaped at him. Zhuii whirled around, leaving me to stare off at nothing, to roar at Rek’s audacity.

  Oh, yeah, sure! Let me just ditch the Zhuman and I’ll just hop right off him and right onto that, I said never! You tell him, Zhu-baby! Give that asshole a piece of our minds!

  “Mine,” Zhuii snarled.

  “Rek asked,” Rek snarled right back. “Rek ask,” he sounded like he was choking on the words, “nicely.”

  Who the shit has he been talking to that he thought that was nice, I’d like to know. He’d worded it like a question, but in no way did I think that was a question.

  Demand. Demand. Demand.

  Did the male not know anything at all?

  Don’t answer that question, I thought not two seconds later.

  The males continued to argue, while I stared at the snowflakes slapping my eyelashes, sprinkling my head. My pelt hood was enough to keep me warm, but not entirely protect me from the elements, I discovered. I wish I had stuff to knit—some yarn and a set of needles—I could use this fur, I thought as my fingers absently sifted through all that blue, have someone make me a spinning wheel, get some yarn done up the old fashioned way and make myself a half mask, pronto.

  With a squawk I jerked suddenly, yipping like a tiny dog as Zhuii’s sudden shoulder jerk sent me popping up to drop.

  “Rosie choose,” I caught Rek garbling out between beast-speak.

  “Rosie already chose,” I said on a horrified whisper. My fingers gripped, clutched, dug into, decimated Zhuii’s shoulder as I locked up, pressing myself into him as much as physically possible. Don’t you dare put me down, my actions screamed.

  A thick hand came down over the middle of my back and my blue titan nuzzled the side of my face. His horn brushed the top of my hair and I wondered for a moment if he caught shit up on those often, or if he shifted all too often, but then Rek said something in a smug tone as Zhuii’s be happy, mate hum started up, and Zhuii exploded.