Bride of Glass

by Jeanette Lynn

A deep, heavy purr, a thick rumbling in my new beast-mate’s chest that had my toes tingling, among other things, started up.

  “None of that,” I teased, swatting at him. Because, seriously, no. I was smiling a dopey smile up at him, mystified by my instantaneous reaction to that psychotic purr of his, its tone, the depth of it, the way he could convey so much emotion with the damned thing, tripped me out. I was doped up on his purr.

  “Lindy-mine?” That purr never let up. Someone was taking a cue from Tokre and cranking it up to eleven.

  “Hmmm?”

  He was closer, leaning in until our faces were close together.

  I found myself inching closer, but only so much so as not to be obvious. Did he notice? His smile was wide and full of insanely sharp teeth. In fact, his chompers looked bigger, thicker and pointier than the other males. Was it a Zhubarbeast thing?

  “Rosie here.” His hand lifted, sweeping right past my face, narrowly missing it—intentionally, if I had to guess. A disgustingly deep chuckle emanated from that beastly bastard as he pointed right behind my head, his thick arm brushing my shoulder as it made its way past.

  I scowled, blinking my eyes open wide, of which had slowly begun to close at his nearness, the heat from his hand so close, expecting his touch, to which his eyes crinkled. His nose bunched up along with it, and that stupid smile. Gah, he was utterly pleased with himself. The male could major in expressive looks. The beast was teasing me, and I coulda killed him for it.

  “Don’t look so proud of yourself,” I muttered, whipping around to march past him, “you had something on your chin.”

  Practically skipping to the first door I spotted, I swung it open, held my breath, and hoped for the best. Pivoting, I spotted Zhuii as the door swung shut, frowning down at his chin, his fingers brushing his face hurriedly, going cross-eyed trying to find a speck of anything in his beastly beard.

  Glancing down at a thick mound of circular, red, misshapen bricks slapped together in the shape of a decent attempt at a commode, the smell no worse or better than a portable toilet, I couldn’t complain. There were a few bundles of husks, a basket of fat leaves, I noted in the room. And light. I looked up, spotting hunks of clear glass and glowing bits of rock embedded in the ceiling, a billion tiny speckled bits of luminous rock softly glowing, making natural light. There was even a little hook along the wall for me to hang my cape on.

  “Not bad. Not bad at all,” I murmured to myself.

  “What? Lindy-mine need her Zhuii?” my clunky beast mate called after me.

  “NO! And don’t you dare come in here!” Skirt hiked up, leaf basket at the ready, about to christen this throne, I did not find his laughter at my outburst at all funny.

  “Oh, you say that now,” I taunted. “Won’t find it funny if you distract me and my ass falls in!”

  His boisterous laughter died instantaneously. Teach that turd to mess with me like that? Haha. Very funny, sir.

  “Whaaaat?!!” the squat beastie called out frantically moments later, and I burst out laughing.

  Oh boy, we’re all going to give each other heart attacks. What joy to be had!

  “No falls in!”

  Shaking my head, I laughed harder.

  CHAPTER 17

  “There.” Zhuii pointed, the last toilet haven in beastdom just up the way. He was fidgety, my toilet tour guide, unwilling or simply not brave enough yet to try and make eye contact.

  Too soon, beast boy. Too soon.

  Gripping my cape with cold fingers, my lips pursed tight, eyes still narrowed shrewishly, I gave a short nod and turned to head back home.

  Zhuii trotted along after, keeping a short distance between us. His steps clomp-clomped behind me. It was probably better that way, the distance. I didn’t want to murder him when there was a few feet between us.

  “Lindy-mine still mad?”

  “Not mad,” I mumbled, feeling one of those stupid guilt niggles. “I’m upset.” I was speaking through gritted teeth, my jaw aching I clenched it so tight.

  “Need more snow?”

  “No, I do not need more snow,” I grumbled. He was referring to after the… toilet incident. The… snowball incident that briefly followed.

  “Zhuii sorry,” the beast replied softly. “Zhuii panrick,” he meant panic, which I may or may not have shouted at him—something along the lines of, “Fuck off I’m panicking, okay! You just showed the world my shit! I can freak out all I want!” or something, ahem, to that effect—as I chucked snowballs at him, between rubbing freshly fallen snow all over my junk in a vain attempt to clean it up, like somehow that would wash the look at her vagina, everyone, while I swing her around like a sack of grain shame away. Yeah, I didn’t understand myself more than half the time, either. Or him, for that matter.

  Two fucking weirdos in a pod, yup.

  “No want my Rosie fall in,” he mumbled dejectedly.

  With a groan I stopped. I did sort of put my fat foot in my mouth on that one, but… “Was it really necessary for you to come charging in there like that? What if someone saw you trying to drag me out, my not so little butt all hanging out for the world to see. Embarrassing!”

  Glancing around, the beast moved closer, leaning in. “But Rosie-lindy say she fall in. Zhuii helped.” He was trying to whisper, but the male didn’t know the meaning of the word.

  “No,” I whispered right back, copying his tone. I spoke slowly, like one might to a young child who was way too literal. “Rosie-lindy was kidding, evidenced by my crazed laughter, and then Zhuii came barging in, plucked my ass up, and dragged my generous, screeching rump from my cozy little bathroom hideaway.”

  “But Zhuii-”

  “Ah! Ah-ah. Unh-uh. We’re not even going to try and go there again.” My finger thrust up and he flinched, jerking back. The noise he made implied he was expecting something worse. “All I’m saying is, you just feel lucky I was done in there and the only thing left hanging out in the wild breeze was my booty.” Oh, was his furry bum ever so lucky. Drip drying was not even required, complements of those weird, dried out leaves. Four ply, super absorbent beastly leaves, at least there was one thing I could look forward to around here.

  Being dragged out by an overbearing, overzealous, fidgety male who can’t tell a witch cackle from a cry of distress? Now, that we’d definitely have to work on.

  Zhuii stared and waited, keeping that safety length, respecting that bubble, but it was plain as the wide, flat nose on his face he was dying trying. He fidgeted, jerked, and made funny rumbling noises under his breath that reminded me of one part annoyance, one part guilt, and a pinch of plaintive whine, the rest possessive mate feeling foiled.

  The brutish male was alternating between rocking back and forth on his heels and swishing his large body anxiously from side to side, his arms swinging restlessly to and fro. His hands were silent as they swung around each time, clapping together with nothing more than a soft swoosh. The muscles in his neck bunched, his throat working, jaw tense. He grew worse, the longer we stood there and I observed.

  Zhuii’s gaze dropped to his feet and he let out a long, whistling sigh. “Zhuii protect-”

  “Yep. Nope. Got it. Totally got it. You were protecting me. You-”

  Zhuii’s head shot up and I saw why he’d glanced away. Pain. It stopped my tirade dead in its tracks. There was nothing but pain and shame in that male’s eyes. He looked like he thought himself a complete and utter failure.

  I died a little bit just glimpsing it.

  “Zhuii sorry. Zhuii be good mate. Try. Zhuii try,” the male said softly, so softly and sadly I paused, forgetting how to function.

  His brow furrowed further, obscuring those citrusy peepers of his in fuzzy caterpillar eyebrows.

  “Zhuii not good mate now, but- but Zhuii learn.” Gawd, he sounded like he was begging now, and I felt lower than low.

  Definitely lacking in the tigerlady department right now, I thought, without an ounce of shame. Nothing wrong with being sensitive towards ot
hers, I told myself. He’s my… he’s my husband now, too. I should be looking after him where he needs it too, shouldn’t I? And this beastie needed a lot of TLC.

  Gah. And the guilt soup thickened. Sure, he’d done something stupid, and so had I to instigate the whole thing to begin with—you get what you ask for, and I’d probably certainly asked for it playing with fire like that—truth be told, no need to tear himself to shreds over it like he’d cooked and eaten Hank’s Aunt’s beloved mangy pooch.

  Nope, just your ass waving around in the air, Rosa, girl.

  Ugh. So he’d fucked up, so what? The male could easily have turned it around on me, given me what-for for my part in it, and yet he didn’t. He hadn’t said one damning word. No, he’d taken it all as if it was a failing of his.

  “For cripessake,” I muttered.

  Taking a deep breath, I ate some crow. “Look, I shouldn’t have teased you like that, I guess. I mean, I know. This is all new to both of us, it would be stupid for me to assume you should know I was laughing. We really don’t totally know-know each other. Alright? I’m, uh, I’m sorry.”

  Zhuii blinked. His mouth opened, and I almost wondered if it would drop, but then it clacked shut with an audible snap. It took the large beast a moment to gather his wits. Simply put, the male was stunned, like he’d just slapped me and I’d apologized.

  “Lindy-mine… sorry to Zhuii?” Zhuii said more, but it came out spluttered. He made to move closer but I shook my head.

  “Oh, let’s not be hasty crossing that safety line just yet. Mama still needs her space, eh, big guy?”

  Zhuii halted his advance immediately, then blinked again. Swallowing thickly, he licked his lips. “Lindy-mine… Lindy-mine not mad at Zhuii? Zhuii can try aga-” The blue-tipped furred beast paused, blinking, and cocked his head. Ears swiveling, twitching, his face scrunched up suddenly,

  “Ah… Zhu?”

  With a grunt his face tipped towards the sky, nose bunching, and he sniffed. Nostrils flaring, chuffing, he sniffed again.

  Okay… maybe it was potential dinner? Scenting a critter? Or maybe a not so friendly inhabitant of beastlandia? Either way, he was in beast mode.

  It didn’t matter, I knew what he’d meant. “Yeah, sure. All good. So long as you forgive me too, that is, and, you know, promise to never barge in on me in the bathroom ever again, unless you hear me screaming, demanding you do exactly that.”

  A harsh grunt. His face pinched tight, his brows tugging low, masking those brilliantly colored eyes, and a lot more sniffing went on.

  “Right. Taking that as an okay,” I mumbled. I found myself mimicking his apprehension of earlier, rocking back and forth on my heels, arms swinging at my sides while I waited.

  Stood there and waited.

  Should I ask him what‘s up? Should I stand here stupidly and wait? Should I…

  “Rosie hear that?” Zhuii’s chest rumbled and his shoulders rolled, thick, wild colored fur bristling. His hair was practically standing on end.

  “Hear what?” I whispered. My eyes widened and I leaned in. Admittedly, I was still loath to give up that hard won me-space.

  Zhuii shook his head, snorting out a breath. “Nothing. Mm… Zhuii think-” A grunt. “No. Nothing.”

  “Nothing what?” He looked so concerned I told that personal me-space I’d demanded to go fuck itself. I was seconds away from rushing the male when his face screwed up again.

  “There.”

  “There what?” I was worried, he looked pissed, a quiet growl welling in his throat, and, heck, I still had no answers! “Where what?” I squeaked out.

  “Shh. No say words.”

  My mouth moved but no sounds came out. Did he just- No, he did not just tell me to shut up!

  “Zhu-”

  “No words,” he muttered absently. Turning, his entire body jerked with the motion. “Stay,” he ordered, which got my dander good and up because, “Is it bad? Is there a dangerous creature around? Zhuii?!! What the heck is going on?!”

  “Shh.” Waving off behind him, he shooed my fat mouth, his fingers absently fondling my face as he reached behind himself to smoosh my squawking mug. “No words. You stay. Shh.”

  And then he was off, crouching, all MacGyver, stealth mode, secret spy like, but I wasn’t sold. And yet… do I run? Hide? My eyes darted about. Do I look for a weapon? What kind? A rock? A stick? Should I duck down and hide in the snow?

  “Stay,” he muttered harshly, glancing over his shoulder to glower in my direction.

  One look at the baleful glare on mine and he froze. Arms folding, finger tapping my bicep quietly, I stiffened but waited.

  “Stay. Zhuii look. Him not see.”

  “See what? Who? Me?” My hands flapped, lifting to slap at my face soundlessly. Who can’t see me?!

  Second mate in the pecking order said nothing, already on the move again. Him… Him… He? Who he? He who?

  Crouching, hobbling after him, I took seven steps before he was whirling around.

  “Rosaba-lindy!” he whisper-shouted, making an unhappy, chastising noise when I gave him a teeth baring, angry smile in return.

  “Zhubabaloobou,” I hissed right back. “You want me to stay put? Fine! Just tell me why!”

  “Zhuii see first,” he muttered in way of explanation. Why did the male suddenly look so worried, glancing around like giant, flesh eating bugs were upon us.

  “Oh god, with enormous, decapitating pincers and those alien lobster scissor claws for hands.” My hands lifted, mimicking Alien People Eaters From Space’s Bolognian Planet Marauder’s piercing claws.

  “What?” Zhuii made to move closer as I wobbled back a few steps.

  But, no, that was stupid. There were no aliens here. Shit. I’m not on earth-earth anymore. What if there was. I mean, fuck, I’m an alien!

  An ugly noise squeezed past my swiftly tightening windpipe. “Okay, you go check,” I choked out. “I’ll… I’ll go hide.”

  “Rosie…”

  I was panicked and it showed. Transparency and I were familiar bedfellows.

  Zhuii scowled and reached for me. I was shaking, trembling so hard my teeth chattered.

  “I don’t think I can handle alien lobster fingers marauding me, space, people, or anything else. My life is weird enough as it is. No lie, if someone kidnaps me and demands I take them to my leader, my brain will implode. Just poooof! Boom! Gone.”

  “Gone?” Zhuii got hung up on the brain implode-y thing, advancing, grabbing my shoulders to jerk me to him. I slammed into him with a squawk, fumbling into an impressive set of man-boobs. He was warm and reassuring, his arms enfolding me in the most comfortable hug.

  Squeezing my eyes shut tight, my face smashed against two muscled pillows as he lifted me up and gave me a reassuring squeeze, I dug deep.

  Calm. Don’t panic. Wait. Stop panicking. Chill out. He has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of psychotic, people-eating creatures hungry for soft human flesh bags like myself.

  My fingers dug into Zhuii’s fur. I didn’t want him to leave me, I didn’t care what he needed to check out. What if it got him too? And left me all alone? Out here? In the cold? Alone with whatever this him, he, it thing was?

  “Please don’t leave me. Just tell me. We’ll turn around and go home, huh?” I begged, my words muffled into his furry beast moobies. I was totally motor boating the male, but neither of us cared to comment.

  “No scared, Lindy-mine. Zhuii protect.” His arms tightened before loosening. A thick hand came up, stroking my wild mane for hair. I probably looked like I’d stuck my finger in an electrical socket, curls sticking up in all directions, cowlicks galore.

  “What doesn’t need to see, Zhuii?” Pulling back enough to stare up at him, the big beast’s thumb caressed the side of my face.

  “Zhuii think him smell… Him smell… Zhuii scent…”

  “Yes…?” I wanted to shout, he was killing me! “Zhuii scents…? An animal? Another beast creature? A…?”

  �
��Zhuii think him scent Rek.”

  Damn. Damn, shit, and tarnation. “Dragon balls,” I mumbled, relieved it wasn’t some new breed of nasty, yet knotting up because it’s freaking Rek. Rek…

  Rek-less, king of beastly assholes and kidnapping—warrior, my ass—wasn’t even supposed to be here. He’d left, into the wilds, the unknown, the anywhere but here, hallelujah, he’s gone and I’m free!

  What was he doing back here?! Now?

  Why wasn’t he the new mate to some hot, ridiculously horny, possessive Zhubarbeast babe with a super hoo-hah? Or staked somewhere? A beast skin rug to some angry, jilted Zhubarbeast male? I’d settle for any of those scenarios, I thought wildly. Anything but him here.

  Gripping my furry companion’s fuzzy cheeks, I met his gaze desperately. “Are you sure? A-a-a-are y-y-you sure?” I was stuttering, feeling more than a bit hysterical.

  I couldn’t deny it, a weight had been lifted at the news he’d taken off, possibly abandoning his bid to be my mate. I’d known, I’d just known it wasn’t really over after the fight, even though he’d technically forfeited any kind of claim on me whatsoever.

  A gut feeling, I’d just freaking known he wouldn’t, couldn’t leave it at that. My ass cheeks clenched at the memory. I was tempted to clasp my hands over the rounded globes protectively, but I was a little preoccupied with two hands full of beastly cheek pudge.

  “Mumbly Bine,” Zhuii garbled out, finally snapping me out of it.

  My hands squished Zhuii’s face so hard, my fingers digging into surprisingly soft flesh, his cheeks smooshed beyond all reason, when he tried to speak little bits of spittle escaped his trapped tongue and gawping fishy lips.

  “Right. Sorry,” I mumbled, loosening my death grip on the pale beast’s mug. My fingers smoothed over his cheeks and before I’d thought better of it I reached up and planted a quick, apologetic kiss to each side.

  “Rek-” Zhuii had started, his voice wavering, faltering at that first peck of my lips.

  Yeah. Fuck. Rek. Shit. Shit. Shit.

  Why?! Why couldn’t he have just stayed good and gone, huh?

  My insides cramped, my hands absently digging into Zhuii’s fur hard enough the male grimaced, muffling a pained groan as my fingers tightened. Rek! Rek, who was hell-bent on making me his beastly bride. Was that why he was back so soon? NO!