Making Monster Girls 2: For Science!

by Eric Vall

  “Well, I’ve seen you in action without practicing,” I smiled. “And you’re extremely believable, trust me.”

  “You think so?” the brunette giggled.

  “Yes,” I sighed. “I’ve dealt with enough aristocrats to know what they’re like, and you act just like them when you’re in character.”

  “Sorry to interrupt,” Valerie called out from up the stairs. “They’re here, three carriages are coming up the drive, and the Chief Constable is here with another woman, and they’re setting up some sort of weird stand out front?”

  “Sounds like they’re setting up a podium,” I breathed and then turned toward the brunette. “Alright, let’s go. Ready to save the manor?”

  Chapter Seven

  “So, you finally decided to show up,” Constable Ortensia smirked as soon as we walked out of the front door.

  The scarlet-haired woman stood in the gravel, held her curled fists on her hips, and glared up at me. I pressed my lips into a tight line, offered my arm to Daisy, and then helped the brunette down the stairs. We stood together at the bottom of the steps as we addressed the Chief Constable, and I planted my feet defensively.

  “I can’t just ‘show up,’” I barked. “I live here.”

  “Not for long,” the scarlet-haired woman snickered. “We’ll see who owns this house after the auction is finished, vermin-trash.”

  “Watch your tongue,” Daisy snapped, held tighter onto my arm, and glared down. “He may be a brute, but that’s my consort you’re insulting.”

  Ortensia’s jade eyes narrowed on the brunette’s face. She set her jaw, huffed, and then turned toward the woman beside her.

  “Here, Frances, help me get the podium into place,” the Chief Constable instructed. “We haven’t got much time. It looks as if the bidders are almost here.”

  The woman beside her was someone I didn’t recognize, but from her plain clothes, monocle, and jerky way of moving, she had to be from one of the court’s offices. Frances wore an A-line light brown skirt, a tight-fitting jacket of the same color, light crème-colored pantyhose, and a pair of dark, leather loafers that squeaked when she walked. A bundle of lace frothed out of the throat of her white blouse, and when she turned to face me, her golden monocle flashed in the bright morning sunlight.

  Her hair was a deep ruby color, pulled up into a loose bun with a few strands framing her small, almost child-like face. Her nose was small and rounded at the tips, while her jawline was sharp and pointed like a knife. I couldn’t tell for sure how old she was, her face was smooth and wrinkle-free, but something within her cherry-red eyes felt ageless and arcane. I could never tell the powers of a woman just by looking at them, but Frances seemed so otherworldly, almost as if she’d been plucked out of another timeline, and placed in ours. Maybe her powers were time-manipulation? Immortality? I couldn’t be sure unless she activated it in front of us, and the only other person I knew of who held the power of immortality was the Queen herself.

  “It should be fine here,” Frances replied. “In front of the stairs where I can see everyone.”

  Ortensia nodded, lowered her side of the crude-looking podium, and then turned toward the drive as three carriages rolled in. Each one looked gaudier and more expensive than the one before it, and as the last one came to a stop, Madam Adelia burst out from inside.

  The gray-haired woman wore a dress in a different style that I hadn’t seen before. Most of the women in Edenhart wore dresses with large hoop skirts underneath that gave them that signature bell shape, but Adelia’s royal blue dress was tighter fitting with less fabric and more muted colors. The long sleeves cinched at her wrists with a shiny golden button and large, maroon silk bows. Most of the details of the dress were the same royal blue and deep maroon while keeping a few hints of pure white lace at her throat and at the ends of her sleeves. A small, jaunty hat in the same colors sat perched upon her piles of gray curls.

  “Ah, good morning, Charles,” the older woman grinned, swept forward, and offered me her hand. “How are you? You look handsomer than ever. And Ms. Browning! That dress! So gorgeous, it looks as if it came from the capital, tell me, where did you get it? I’d love to have one made for myself.

  Daisy glanced at me out of the corner of her eyes, opened her mouth to speak, and then tightly clamped it shut as another carriage door slammed open.

  “Good morning!” Josephine waved. “Oh, Charles! I’ve never seen the manor up close like this! It’s so… so quaint and… quiet.”

  “That’s the polite way of saying it’s ugly and isolated,” I whispered over to Daisy, and the brunette stifled a chuckle.

  Though Josephine was an aristocrat and held the same vile views as the rest of the world, I had to admit she was beautiful. Her cat-like tangerine eyes glowed in the bright sun, her plump lips parted into a grin, and her high, round cheeks flushed pink with excitement. Her blonde hair was pulled up into an elegant updo with two long curled strands hanging over each shoulder. Josephine rushed forward, waved with one hand, held up her bulky dress with the other, and I couldn’t stop myself from imagining what she’d look like as a monster-girl. In fact, I’d noticed over the passing days that the more contact I had with aristocrats, the more I saw what they’d look like in their new, reborn forms, it was frightening… but also exciting.

  “Ms. Browning!” the blonde cried. “Don’t you look so lovely today!”

  “I was just saying the very same thing,” Adelia snarked out of the corner of her mouth. “Such a stunning dress, so glad that some of us have some taste.”

  The older woman glanced toward the plainest carriage. The door creaked open, and Dame Lilliana fumbled out. The brunette adjusted her glasses, brushed her skirt free of wrinkles, cleared her throat, and stepped closer with forced assurance.

  The third aristocrat wore a plain dress in a muted peach color with black embroidery and lace at the wrist, throat, and hem. Her short brown hair looked messy, as if she hadn't touched it with a comb, or looked in a mirror for that matter. Lilliana carried a small, compact umbrella, opened it, and then held it over her shoulder as she gazed out over the small crowd.

  “Hello,” Lilliana grunted. “How are we all this morning?”

  “Good, good,” Josephine giggled. “We were just admiring Ms. Browning… and… and the manor, too…”

  Lilliana glanced up at the house, pursed her lips, clicked her tongue, and then turned back toward the four of us.

  “If I may speak plainly, it looks like a dump,” the glasses-wearing woman grumbled. “If I’m the one to win today, I’ll surely have to have it remodeled or demolished. I’ve been looking for places to put a second manor, the location is perfect but the actual house… no, it has to go.”

  “I wouldn’t say it’s a dump!” Josephine objected. “It just… it needs some love, care… and yes, some remodeling. Yes, yes. A woman’s touch.”

  “What does it matter what it looks like?” Adelia scoffed. “You fools are too short-sighted. We’re not here for the actual house, dimwits, we’re here to see who wins Charles. Not only that, I wouldn’t be purchasing the manor to live in it, gods, have you seen the manor I live in? Why would I ever want to leave? No, when I win today, this house will be for Charles and Ms. Browning. It will become the headquarters for all of the experiments and things I want to be built.”

  “True…” Lilliana breathed. “I could purchase it, and then never have to look at it again until I need something from the Alchemist. I heard a rumor that the Duchess only visited you twice monthly, is that correct, Charles?”

  “Yes,” I confirmed. “But it also depended on the month. Some of the time, she’d come visit more often and unannounced.”

  “That’s what I’ve heard,” Lilliana sniffed. “But you know how the Duchess gets, so particular about everything. She once threw a party at her manor, and I watched as she had her servants throw out all of the food and cook it again because they weren’t plated correctly. I mean, I can understand a mistake on the end
of the servants, they’re nothing but brainless beasts, but to throw away all of that perfectly good food? She should’ve sent it back to the kitchen and had it plated the way she wanted.”

  “I remember that party!” the blonde gasped. “I wanted to try the roast duck so badly and didn’t get the chance to before the plates were taken away!”

  “It went on for hours,” Adelia rolled her eyes. “We all sat there while we waited for the food to be prepared for a second time, and Edony spent most of the time in the kitchen with the servants, throwing things, screaming and electrocuting everyone who came within arm’s distance.”

  “She killed three servants that night,” Lilliana snickered. “But the party after the food debacle was fantastic. My two consorts had to carry me home. I was so drunk.”

  “I heard she killed five…” Josephine murmured.

  “Who knows how many she killed?” Adelia rolled her eyes. “She needs to learn how to control her temper. That’s why I’m almost glad that Delphine is gone, that woman would fly off the handle at nothing, once or twice the old cow tried to steal one of my consorts. Good riddance to her.”

  “Adelia!” the blonde gasped. “She was our friend!”

  “Friend? Do you even have a brain in that tiny little head of yours?” the older woman growled. “The woman was nothing but a black mark on society, and I’m more than glad someone snuffed her out, even if it was a vile beast. She needed to learn her lesson, messing with other aristocrats’ property, and someone did just that.”

  “You need to keep your mouth shut,” a voice from behind us snapped, and we all turned to face Ortensia.

  “Why should I?” the gray-haired woman barked. “The woman’s dead, why should it matter how I speak about her after she’s gone? It’s not like she’s going to come back and haunt me, Chief Constable.”

  Ortensia’s mouth snapped closed, and her single exposed eye swiveled from the old crone to me. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking, but I’d been the last person she’d questioned about Delphine and Milton’s deaths… Could she suspect something? No, there was no way, our plan had been seamless, and we’d left no trace that’d we’d ever been there.

  “See?” Adelia mocked. “You’re all bark and no bite, Ortensia, just as we all thought when you appeared out of nowhere and settled down in Edenhart. Why don’t you go back to licking the Duchess’ boots or whatever else you do for her. You pathetic public servant.”

  “You may speak badly about me,” the scarlet-haired woman roared, reached for her baton at her waist, and took a menacing step forward. “Hell, you can even speak badly about the deceased Delphine, but you dare speak badly about our dear leader, the Duchess? I’m sure she’d love to hear everything you’ve just said… Edony isn’t below knocking down a few lowly, less wealthy women.”

  Adelia’s sly smile shattered, and the corners of her lips curled down as she glared over at the redhead.

  “That’s what I thought,” the scarlet-haired woman chuckled. “Now, can we proceed, Frances?”

  “Ah, yes,” the monocle-wearing woman nodded, scuttled behind the podium, cleared her throat, and looked out over the small crowd. “Ortensia, if you will, please hand out the numbered paddles, and then we can begin.”

  The scarlet-haired woman marched forward with her arms pumping at her sides, grabbed the pile of wooden paddles, turned on her heels, and then stalked closer to the five of us. Ortensia handed out each paddle to the aristocrats and turned to leave, holding only two in her hands, when Daisy stopped her.

  “I believe one of those is mine,” the beautiful monster-girl purred. “I’ll take it now, please.”

  Ortensia stared with wide eyes as the three aristocrats gasped, lifted their paddles, and hid their faces from view.

  “You’re going to bid, too, Ms. Browning?” The Chief Constable balked.

  “Of course, I am,” Daisy snatched one of the paddles away, and held it tightly in her hands. “It’s my consort’s rightful home, he deserves a place to experiment and live in peace. I’m going to purchase it for him.”

  “Oh my!” Adelia gasped. “This is going to be more exciting than we thought it would be.”

  “At least it won’t just be the two of us bidding against each other once Josephine drops out.” Lilliana snorted.

  “Hey!” the blonde shouted. “I have… I have a little money saved up! I bet I could beat the pants off of you, just wait and see, Lilliana!”

  “I’m sure you will, my dear,” the oldest woman sneered. “But why don’t you take a step back and watch the big dogs play, alright?”

  “You... You!” Josephine cried. “Remember that loan I gave you two summers ago when you wanted to expand your back garden, and no one would give you one? I said I didn’t want you to repay me because we’re friends, well, I want all that money back, you mongrel-bitch!”

  “I’m a mongrel-bitch?” Adelia tittered. “My dear, I’ve already paid you back with that tidbit of information I just gave you. Now, do as I say and let the two of us handle this bidding war.”

  Josephine’s clenched hands relaxed, her tense face relaxed, and then the blonde lowered her head in defeat. I almost felt sorry for her, but I wouldn’t allow myself that, Josephine was still an aristocrat who whole-heartedly believed in the morals of the town.

  As I stood on the lawn, dozens of carriages pulled into the drive, stopped because there was no room to park in the already crowded gravel, and aristocrats poured out of them. I knew that the auction would draw a crowd, but these women weren’t here to bid on the house, they were here to watch as the drama unfolded.

  “What are they all doing here?” Daisy whispered as hundreds of women stepped out of their carriages. “I thought it would only be the three aristocrats…”

  “It’s juicy gossip,” I murmured. “The Duchess spread the word around about what I’d done to her, and they’re all here to watch as the manor is sold off.”

  “They’re like goddamn vultures,” the gorgeous brunette grumbled. “I can’t stand to look at them.”

  The crowd of aristocratic women gathered behind us with wide, curious eyes, they whispered behind their gloved hands, giggled softly to themselves, and then aimed their eyes toward the podium. As we watched, the scarlet-haired Chief Constable pushed her way through the crowd toward the front, stepped out into the space between us, and the mass of aristocrats, and then came to stand a few feet away. Josephine, Adelia, and Lilliana glanced toward the Constable, snickered under their breaths, and then turned toward her.

  All of these women were terrible.

  Yes. They would all be better as my monster-girls.

  “Ortensia?” Lilliana called.

  “What do you want now?” the scarlet-haired woman snapped.

  “Is the Duchess not coming?” the brunette aristocrat giggled. “All three of us thought she’d be here for such an occasion as this.”

  “Why would you think that?” The Chief Constable grunted.

  “Well, since Charles was under contract with her,” Adelia shrugged. “And she owns the property, we just assumed that she’d grace us with her presence.”

  “No, the Duchess has more important things to attend to than Charles Rayburn and his Mistress,” Ortensia snapped. “I’m sorry, but she sends her regards and hopes you all the best in the endeavor.”

  “Can we please move on?” Frances urged from behind the podium. “We don’t have all day, and some of us have other places where they’re needed.”

  “Oh, calm down, Frances,” Adelia rolled her eyes. “I’m sure the courts won’t need you back for a few hours.”

  “Fine,” Frances stated. “Shall we get things started?”

  All three of the aristocrats huddled in closer together, grinned, and wriggled excitedly, but out of the corner of my eye, I spied Ortensia edging closer with a paddle in her hand… what was she doing? Was the Chief Constable going to bid on the manor, too? Why in the world would she want to? Was it because of the Duchess? Did Edony put
her up to this in order to get the manor, and more importantly me, under her control? Or was it a personal reason? She had questioned me about the murder and suicide of Delphine and Milton… but why?

  “Oh?” Lilliana chuckled. “You’re going to join, too?”

  “Yes,” the scarlet-haired woman hissed. “Is that a problem?”

  “This auction keeps getting more exciting by the minute,” Adelia bubbled. “Are you bidding on behalf of the Duchess? Oh, what a scandal!”

  “It’s none of your business why I’m bidding,” Ortensia scoffed. “The Duchess has nothing to do with it, this is merely a personal matter.”

  “You want to contract Charles, too?” Daisy probed. “That’s quite unexpected.”

  “No, I have no interest in what the filthy Alchemist has to offer me,” The Chief Constable grunted. “As I said before, it’s none of your business why I want the manor, and Charles, included.”

  “Are you stupid?” Adelia giggled. “You’re not purchasing Charles, you’re purchasing the manor and his services.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Ortensia shrugged. “Now, Frances, let’s continue.”

  “Finally, we’re here today to auction off the former property of Her Grace, Duchess Edony of Edenhart,” Frances drawled on. “It is currently housed by Charles Rayburn, and his Mistress, Daisy Browning. Upon purchase, all contract rights between the Alchemist and the Duchess will be transferred over to the new buyer. They may cast it off and evict the Alchemist and his Mistress, or they may continue with the contract indefinitely.”

  “We already know all of this,” Lilliana groaned. “Get on with it, Frances!”

  The redhead behind the podium lifted her eyes from the paper she read from, pressed her lips into a hard line, sighed, and then adjusted her shoulders as she plowed on despite the heckling.

  “The house holds six bedrooms, four bathrooms, three upstairs, one downstairs, a private office, formal dining room, drawing room, kitchen, observatory, and large basement where the Alchemist completes his experiments,” Frances hissed out. “The square-footage is approximately--”