Pumpkin Bride: Brides of the Hunt: A Brides of the Hunt Holiday Novel

by Jeanette Lynn

  A few grades below them? “How many grades?” I wondered aloud, staring at the women. They were quite a bit younger than me, not insanely so but elementary to my middle school years, at least. They looked early thirties, if I was guessing right. I should be older than them... They had to be mistaken.

  “Oh, only by a few,” Rosa added quickly with an apologetic smile.

  “Time moves differently in Yeti land,” Joanie added when I gave them both an incredulous look. “Technically, we were older than you, you know, at one point.”

  Trying to absorb all this, all I could manage was a grunt for an answer.

  “We should go get her all settled in then, huh?” Joanie made a show of glancing about my person, my shoulders in particular. “Booger didn’t put a fur hide on it, so I’m thinking he’s not going to even try to foster bride her into woo-dom.”

  “Wait, why can’t he just take her back?” Rosa turned to Joanie with a frown.

  “Uhm, because how do we know Pumpkin butt isn’t going to go home and blab?” Joanie gave her a duh stare.

  “You mean like the crazy lady claiming similar madness that ended up institutionalized?” Rosa queried pointedly.

  Joanie. Joanna. The lady that’d gone missing so many years ago. That was where I’d seen her from, the picture of the missing woman! Now it all was starting to make sense, and damn had I been so close to the truth in my earlier speculations.

  “Good point.” Joanie glanced between me and Booger, tapping her lip with a fat clawed nail. “She said she called the cops, though...” Shrewd eyes narrowed. “She’s smart. The portal’s open. Can’t let the little witchy poo back into society to lead the monster hunters back to us.”

  “Are there monster hunters?” I whispered to tackle buddy, who shrugged and gave a grunt. I supposed that was a yes, possible maybe, a definite who the hell knows.

  “Mally-butt no go back,” Booger piped up, jumping into the cousins loudly growing bickering.

  It was interesting to think my fate rested in the hands of these two women.

  Blue guy and his co-husband friend guy that signed joined the melee, blue dude, Zhuii—man, what an odd name—doubling as translator for his pal.

  Booger jumped into the bickering with gusto, hand gestures gone wild, voice all growly.

  Tall, heavily muscled, and quiet hung back with me while they all got into a full blown argument.

  A hand went to my shoulder, making me jump. Tackle buddy held a hand out to me, the other going to his lips. “Khri,” he whispered softly, his lips barely moving, entreating me to take his hand and join him. Jerking his chin to his left, motioning that we could blow this Popsicle stand, I had a decision to make. Did I let the bicker cousins, Rosa’s mates, and Booger over there decide what was to become of me, or take a chance and put that fate into my own hands—or more aptly, into this Khri’s.

  “Mal,” I mouthed, slipping my hand into his to smile as he clasped his clawed fingers carefully over mine and his lips tipped up in the tiniest hint of happiness. He smiled with his eyes, this one. He was being careful not to flash fang, I noted, wondering if he thought by not doing so I’d find him less intimidating. What I found intimidating, was letting a bunch of bickering children have a say over me.

  We’d made it a few steps before I was stumbling, and then promptly found myself saved by the Yeti. As if for good measure as he scooped me up, he pressed the palm of his hand carefully over my mouth. When I didn’t fight, he looked to me askance. I just smiled against his warm palm and shrugged. He wasn’t going to hurt me. Rektal, maybe, he was a bit of a loose cannon, but not Khri.

  Khri. Like creek without a k. I liked it. It was different. It suited him. He was the mild chili to Rek’s batshit with meatballs.

  Settling comfortably against my new friend, like one of my beastmen books come to life, whisking me off my damsel in distressed feet, I had a light, funny feeling welling inside me. Khri was the right choice—call it a feeling, a hunch, a blind faith move but whatever, I was a big girl. I’d learned a long time ago the importance of following my gut when it harkened to thee, har-har. And right now it was harkin’ away at my arse, screaming at me to pick Khri.

  And just like that, we were off.

  Part two of this wild adventure was in motion. For my sake and sanity, I was just hoping the next act was better than the first and my instincts didn’t stink like tricksies feetsies.

  Chapter 6

  “It’s nice,” I said finally, setting down the tiny, hand whittled figurine amongst the others lining a shelf in his humble abode.

  “Goot?” he asked. For such a large male, he was looking almost puppy like, sitting there on the edge of the enormous bed taking up a large portion of the far wall.

  “It’s very nice,” I reiterated. “It’s kinda crazy, you know, all of this, everything.” My hand lifted, motioning towards the bathroom he’d taken a significant amount of time to show me. A bit medieval, but they had their own version of plumbing. He said it was special, making me think not every Yeti peoples’ household had this luxury. “What are you?” I asked finally. “If you don’t mind me asking?”

  “Khri not goot with hooman words.” A grimace tugged at his lion-man like features—short but puffed up mane, dark eyes, almost pug nose, strong jaw covered in a ring of snow white, light brown streaked fur that almost looked like a beard. “But Khri try.” Opening his mouth wide, he lifted his tongue, pointing to a thick bit of skin beneath that rather long, pointed appendage that held it in place.

  He was tongue tied, literally, I gathered he was trying to explain. Two thick bands of flesh along either side also held his tongue prisoner. Most startling to me, I supposed, were the black spots on his tongue, like one might sometimes see on a dog. The lining of his mouth was more blue than pink. I was so fascinated with our differences I wanted to reach out and touch him, test him out, get a feel for him.

  Pointing to himself, he nodded, murmuring slowly, “Lo denaii. Me. Khri. Lo denaii.”

  “Low-deny,” I dutifully repeated.

  “Yes.” He nodded sharply, sending his short mane fluffing up around his head.

  I was itching so bad to touch it. And with him sitting like that and me standing, we were about eye level.

  His gaze was drawn to my lips as I spoke. It lingered there as I finished. The urge to bite my lip and then suck it into my mouth filled me. I resisted. How clichéd did my ass feel right now. My heart began to pound like a mile a minute. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt like this. When was the last time I’d lowered my guard, by choice or force? I couldn’t recall.

  “Can I... Can I touch you?” I blurted, then immediately felt stupid for asking. Yet, my hand was already lifting. It fell as my mouth clamped shut.

  “Yes.”

  I froze at that simple word. My eyes were dropping. They shot up at his answer. A small smile tugged at my lips. “Yeah?”

  His head bobbed in an eager nod. “Yes.”

  Reaching out, I went straight for the mane. “Wow. It’s so soft.” My fingers sifted through the surprisingly thin, soft locks. It was like a puffy cloud of silky softness. It brushed flat as I smoothed it down. Bits of other colors shown as his hair shifted, browns and dark grey near the hair roots as I parted it to study it. How fascinating.

  “Sawwft goot?” he asked as my hands moved on. His beard was pricklier, thicker, but still softer than a human man’s. I grinned as a strange noise rumbled his chest at my eager exploration.

  “What was that?” My voice was a feather light soft whisper. My hand went for his chest. My palm widened, spreading out as it pressed between two thick pecs. “Oh my god, you purr!” The grin that stole over my face was so wide my face hurt. This was so unreal. Maybe another person would be losing their shit, just going damned nutty. But for me, ah, this was like stepping into a favorite read. That wasn’t anxiety filling me, it was anxious giddiness. Dropping down, I moved my hand and pressed the side of my face to the same spot. The heavy thu
mp of his heartbeat ratcheted up to a wild gallop. That heavy purr remained steady, like a large engine idling.

  A soft chuckle left me. “Wow.”

  Common sense came rushing back when he began to fidget, his arms lifting and falling, his throat working. His heart was beating so hard it sounded like it might burst.

  “I’m sorry.” Cringing at just how intrusive I was being, just getting all up in his face, I peeled my face from his furry chest. “That was rude.” I went to pull back, grimacing when I spotted the smears of green I’d left smudging his pristine white pecs. “I should have asked first.”

  Just as I was standing, thick hands shot to my hips, gripping them lightly. “Khri turn?” Licking his lips, the Lo denaii mumbled, “Khri tut-sh Mally now?” As if he thought the magic words would seal it, he added, “Pee-lease?”

  All my strange lady fantasies come to life, he wanted to freaking touch me. Me. “O-o-o-of course,” I agreed maybe a tad too quickly. To cover it up, I muttered nonchalantly, “You know, it’s, uhm, it’s only fair.”

  His hands were kneading the flesh on my hips rhythmically. I got the impression he was doing it without realizing it. He stopped the second I gave the go ahead. Damn, this was happening. Be cool, Mal. Be cool. I had no cool. I was practically bouncing in place. My chest puffed up a little as pure excitement filled me. What was he going to explore first?

  When his hands cupped my face and he shifted closer, my heart gave a wild flutter. Good god, this was going to happen. Just as my eyes began to flutter closed and I nervously licked my lips, waiting for something real good, he leaned in and gave my face a funny sniff.

  With a grunt, he pulled back. My eyes popped open as disappointment filled me, right as a thick thumb gently swiped across my face. Right. Well. So, not exactly what I was expecting. My tummy dropped.

  “Maked up,” he muttered quietly, his nose crinkling as his face bunched. Another quick sniff, then to his thumb, licking the green smudge on the end of his thick fingertip, and he gave a heavy, chuffing grunt, coughed, and almost gagged.

  My hand clapped over my mouth as a laugh bubbled up out of me. Okay, that took some of the sting of it away. What had I honestly been expecting, though? Him to just want to jump into bed with me, lick me from head to toe, bind me to him forever and ever until beast and beast maiden do part? Uh, yeah, for starters...

  “I suppose I should wash this crap off my face before it irritates it,” I told him, for want of something, anything, to say. I’d be so dang pink beneath all this green, if only he could see it, it would out my butt. I knew my ears were nice and red.

  “Wash. Yes.” Lifting his other hand, he shocked the pudding right from me when he brushed a finger over my mouth, pausing on my lower lip. “Soft,” he murmured, then brushed the spot again. Shuffling closer, his thick legs on either side of me, his hand went to my lower back, gently urging me closer to him. “Soft goot.”

  Bold as brass, I blurted out loud, “You want to kiss me?”

  A low growl of a snarl left him, as if to answer. I grinned as his purr kicked up a notch. “Yessss.” Never had I heard a prettier, angrier sounding hissed word. The beastman was damned sexy. I shivered in the wake of it.

  My hands went to his face, smoothing down his furry cheeks. Leaning in a little, I waited. When nothing happened, I asked softly, “Would you like me to start, furry sir?”

  “Yes.” That dark gaze kept darting from my eyes to my mouth, pingponging back and forth wildly.

  “Is that the only word you know right now?” I teased gently.

  “Yes.” Blinking, he paused and shook his head.

  “No?” My fingers fluffed the furry softness along his jaw, a full body shudder wracking his thick frame. There was something rather empowering, having this big bad beastie shivering at my touch.

  “Want. Need. Mine,” he rumbled out softly, his growling voice deepening to a needy, guttural snarl at the last word. “Showed Khri kiss, Mally-mine.”

  “Yours...” I whispered. “I like the way that sounds.” The tiny hairs along my nape rose. I really liked that idea. I felt an odd kinship to the male. Was love at first growl right in your face real? Or was this one of those lesser defining wants? Lust? Awe? Reality meets fantasy gone gaga? He made me feel... alive. And he was entreating me to kiss him. My heart gave a happy little puppy yip. If I had a tail, my whole ass would be wagging with it. Jesus, Mal, shut up and kiss the male already. We’re waiting!

  Without waiting for more, I closed the distance between us. His lips were thick but pliant. Testing my welcome, I started off with quick pecks, then moved onto more. I deepened our lip lock when he groaned and opened up to me. My tongue touched his tentatively, careful of the sharp teeth in his mouth, but it was his that dipped to tangle with mine the second time.

  Thick hands slid to my waist, then up my back. His touches went from tentative to firm, bordering on possessive. Ugh, I loved me a possessive male. In a hot, want to fuck you until you can’t walk kind of way, not a Rektal kind of way. That Abominable male gave me hives.

  Claws gently raked down, snagging on the fabric of my coat and my attention, if momentarily, all at once. I was immune to the sound it made as the fabric tore. I was a little too busy trying to suck Khri’s tongue from his mouth by that point, tasting it thoroughly, like I’d like to another part of his person.

  When we were both forced to pull back and come up for air, I got one look at his face and a laugh bubbled in my chest. The back of my index finger smoothed up the side of his mouth. “I, uh, I think you might need a wash up, too,” I said on a poorly muffled chuckle.

  “Wash?” Khri’s brow puckered as he slid his palm into mine and pressed the back of my hand into his face. With a groaning purr, he nuzzled my flesh affectionately. “Mally wash Khri?” He gave a sniff. “Bad? Stinks?” The poor male was trying to puzzle it all out.

  “I’m afraid I got green witch paint all over your pretty face,” I explained.

  “No be ‘fraid Khri, Mally.” Dark eyes closed and his purr rattled so loud it vibrated my frame, and then it cut off. “Khri wish painted?” Those dark peepers popped open and he gave a sniff. Deeper and deeper, he sniffed, until his nose suddenly crinkled. He had to pull back before he sneezed right into my face. I smothered a chuckle when he did it again and a strangled noise left him.

  One glimpse of the horrified look filling his blue-black, obsidian rimmed eyes, and I burst out laughing.

  “No… no ‘fraid Khri? No ‘fraids all?” he ventured tentatively. His head cocked as my hands went back to petting his hair, my arms resting lightly over his wide shoulders.

  “Why would I be afraid of you?” Leaning in, I pecked a kiss to the middle of his fur lined forehead. “You’re about the sweetest beast I’ve ever met, the nicest one of this lot, far as I can tell. No, I’m not afraid of you. I kinda like Khri.”

  “Kinda like Khri?” he echoed curiously.

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “Kinda like?” he repeated, his purr cranking up as my fingers tickled along his jawline and a mischievous grin slid across my green tinted features.

  Ignoring the smudge of green I’d left on his forehead, my own personal mark of ownership, I pulled back just enough to make him think I was breaking our intimate embrace. At my perceived retreat, he grunted, grip tightening, to jerk me back to him. Someone liked the idea of us separating about as much as I did.

  Slamming back to him, my hands flew to his chest, bracing on thick pecs. I laughed as I stumbled into him. “What's the matter, handsome?” My fingers sank into soft fur. I didn’t hold back this time, burying my hands in his thick pelt.

  Khri groaned as my hands found purchase, meeting warm, pale flesh.

  “No leave. Mine. Mally mine,” he grumbled, to my utter delight.

  Oh, to be wanted, deeply, wildly, with such gutturally uttered possession—my demented little yeti lovin’ heart got all a-flutter.

  Lifting one of my hands, he nuzzled my palm, then set it lightly bac
k where it had been. My fingers began making swirly patterns in his fur. A series of happy grunts left him, the thick fur on his shoulders rising as gooseflesh pebbled beneath my fingertips. “I’ll be yours, Khri of the Lo denaii, but that makes you mine, as well.”

  I had no idea how long we had, one day, one afternoon, a long, hot and heavy night, but I wanted to make whatever time we had count.

  “Yes. Mine. Khri Mally’s. Kiss,” he rapid fired, then rushed in to seal our deal with a kiss.

  My finger shot out and I pressed it to his overly puckered lips. Dark eyes narrowed, a deep grunt leaving him at the obstacle. His tongue poked between his lips and he slid that fat appendage up the side of my finger. My gaze heated, but I wanted us squared away first.

  “But,” I waited a moment until I had his full attention, then glanced to the large wooden tub off near the curtained off area he’d shown me near his “bathed room” as he called it, “first...” stepping back, slipping my hands into his to nudge him to his feet, I tugged him in the direction I wished, “what’s say we bathe the green off of us, hmm?”

  Dark eyes flashed, light blue tinted lips pulling back into a wide, fang flashing grin. The soft growl that uttered from those full lips had me tingling from head to toe. “Batheses. Mally mine,” he muttered, his words coming out sharp, clipped, and swooped in.

  Before I could blink, he scooped me up and was hightailing it to the curtained off bathing area. Setting me down, he yanked the curtain back hard enough the wooden curtain rings clapped loudly, the thunderous sound echoing in the small space.

  “Mally strip. Khri make baths.” Turning to start heating the bits of wood beneath the strange colored rocks set up to heat the underside of the thick bottomed tub, he whipped back around just as fast to note I’d barely taken a boot off. “Cold. Wait. Water heat. Khri keep Mally warm.” Once more I found myself scooped up and toted off to wherever he’d like at the speed of barely blinkable.