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 others, 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!

“Crap on a dirty cracker…” Cringing, I moved in close, until there wasn’t a bit of space between us, my body flush to his. I was tempted to wrap my legs around my Zhubeast’s thick waist and cling to him for dear life, but how desperate would that look? Pathetically so, but I was beginning to wonder if I really fecking cared anymore. Rek… Noooo.

“Now I’m wishing for the flesh loving lunatic marauders.”

“What?!” It was obvious Zhuii didn’t mean to bark out the words, but my comment threw him off. Shaking his head, lowering his voice, he continued on a mumble, “Flesh loving mardardrawers…?”

“Marauders. Flesh loving marauders, but that doesn’t matter now! Zhuii, what do you mean you scent him? Are you sure it’s Rek?” Letting him go to squirm free, dropping flatly to my feet, I started to pace in front of him.

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 urgency 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.

“MINE! Zhuii’s ALWAYS! NEVER!” With a stifled roar Zhuii dropped down until he was on all fours. As if to tell me to hang on tight, one hand pressed me into his massive body. An angry, roiling rumble tumbling his lips, he was off.

We were flying, snowflakes blurring as he sped past houses.

Success, I thought, though what we were going to actually do once we got to his house, I hadn’t gotten all worked out yet.

Zhuii’s body trembled and his heart pounded heavily as he ran. Whatever Rek had said to him had shaken him up good.

Another pickle I’ve gotten myself into, yet farther away from a certain clinically insane loser beast and his pickle. Double ick.

Out of one frying pan and into another, Rosalinda.

Screw you, demon woman, I snarled at the hag on my shoulder, flicking the bitch on my left clean off. Then the right, for good measure. Conscience? Guiding voices, who actually wanted or needed that shit? No one needs to hear your incessant nagging right now, ya crazy bitches.

Though on brief reflection, I mighta gone totally bonkers, had I not started talking to myself, amongst my, uh, selves, erm, in the first place.

My hands tightened in Zhuii’s fur and I squeezed my eyes shut. His hand lifted to my back, brushing along my spine sweetly, petting my pelt cape, and he let out a hungry growl. He didn’t lose his stride with one less arm and two legs. The switch was seamless, as if he was used to carrying on like this.

And that lip smacking, beast gonna drool sound? He wasn’t hungry for mystery stew.

The beast didn’t want food, nope, and the thickly bobbing appendage slapping at my ass certainly wasn’t on the menu… What the hell am I supposed to do?!!

“Mine. Mine. Mine,” the gravelly voiced speed demon muttered over and over, while I mouthed, don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic, with bug eyes and a flat out panicked look.

Rek pounded after us, his shouts echoing in the distance. He was still calling out for me, but also shouting female. Freak, I thought, lifting a hand long enough to flip him the bird. Yeah, fuck you, buddy.

Faster and farther away we went. My hands clenched my Zhubeast’s fur to the rhythm of my unsteady, wildly thudding heart.

“It’s going to be okay,” I mumbled on a stutter. “Everything is going to be okay.”

But I knew, deep down, it totally fucking wasn’t.