“No.” Reaching over, I gave his thick arm a gentle pat. “The good parts have to do with a princess on a mission, love in the stars. We’ll skim over the part about- ah, the… well, the brother thing, but-”
“What?” Noyel paused to stare down at me.
“Long story, but it doesn’t detract from anything.”
Noyel made a disgruntled noise. “We get to my place, we kiss, you tell me you love me.” He stilled to shoot a pointed glower my way. “Then you can tell your story, while I undress you.”
“Sounds like a list,” I murmured coyly.
“My mate, couldn’t even begin to count the ways, the things I wish to do to you.” Then he added for good measure, covering all his bases, “Just not the thing with the vegetables Zhuii kept mumbling about.”
Losing it, I burst out into a crazed fit of witch cackles. I was laughing so hard Noyel gave up on me, scooping me up to carry me the rest of the way.
“You sure? He’s a bit of a drama beast. It’s wasn’t that bad. And it was his idea in the first place to begin with!”
He paused and shook his head. “Maybe another time.”
Adjusting his hold on me, he began to jog.
“Impatient much?” My eyebrows quirked questioningly.
“Very much,” he muttered under his breath, not even bothering to break a sweat as he started to run. Some furry guys just had all the luck like that.
Wrapping my arms around him tight, whispering the words I knew he wanted so badly to hear, I waited, counting in my head, for it to register.
“Won’t be too far from- What did Noyel’s Rosie just say?” My beast healer tripped, caught himself, then tripped again.
“Whoa, there, wobbly knees, I didn’t think it would startle you that much. I-”
“Say it again,” he demanded.
“Noyel Not-Neal beast guy with a million names to follow after, I love you. It’s crazy, this whole thing has been a trip in more ways than I can count, but I do. I love you.”
“Again.” His arms tightened.
“Oh my goodness.” Huffing, I threw my arms up. “I love you! I love you, I love you, I love you!!” I shouted for all the world to hear. Looking to my beastie, I smiled sweetly. “Happy now?”
“MINE,” he snarled, almost losing his footing as my softly uttered words hit him.
Knowing all too well what that meant, I clung to him tight.
My laughter and his answering growls echoed into the night.
CHAPTER 24
“Ugh. Go ‘way,” I grumbled, curling into Noyel’s side of the bed. It was still warm even though he’d long ago gotten up, some emergency, someone to stitch up, I didn’t remember, to snuggle down.
Another poking jab to my butt.
Swatting the offending poker, whatever and whomever it was, away, though I assumed it was Zhuii, ready to give that Zhubeast a piece of my mind, I turned, blinking my eyes open rapidly to find myself face to face with a pair of bright, wild, emerald green eyes.
“Sh. No scream, Rose-hop-blink-ling. Rek show. Female come.” Glancing down my generous frame, his gaze caught on the strip of thigh exposed when my blankets slipped, my right leg sticking out of the bedding.
“Ah- Ah- Ah-” My brain was stalling, my body locked up. A squeal welling in my throat, about to scream, his hand over my mouth effectively silenced me.
A whimper escaped me, and my breath hitched.
“No cry, no scream,” he ordered, glaring down at me to obey.
When I kept my mouth shut, blinking rapidly, ignoring the hummingbird thrum my heart had adopted, feeling like I might just pass out, he pulled back.
Standing, he glanced around the room, a grunt of approval leaving him as he reached over, plucking my dress off Noyel’s wicker looking chair, and tossed it at me.
“Get dressed. It cold, be warm.” He walked to the door, glancing over his shoulder, his arms folding over his chest. “Rek something to show Rosie.” His chest puffed up a little. “Rosie pick Rek. Be Rek’s female.”
Like fucking hell. I mouthed the words, shaking my head as I hastily threw on my dress.
It was cold outside, and I kept glancing back towards Noyel’s bachelor hut hoping he’d return soon to find me gone, smell Rek, and collect the others so they could all rescue me and kick his fucking ass.
A small smile twisted my lips as I pictured it, but then I caught shit for brains looking at me, and it morphed into a sneer.
Rek blinked, alarmed, and looked away.
That’s right, asshole. I’m not the same person you kidnapped all those weeks ago.
Rek was taking a way I didn’t know, bypassing Zhuii’s den and Tokre’s cozy little home—my home. We hugged the forest lining the village, venturing farther and farther out until I noticed it. We were back by the general area of the portal. What the…
My stomach clenched and I felt nauseous. What was he thinking of doing? Of doing to me? What could he possibly have to show me here… that would make me want to choose him for a mate? I should’ve screamed, should’ve fought him, tried to run… What was I thinking?!!
This was nuts! He’s obviously- But then I heard it. And again.
Stopping dead in my tracks, I grabbed at my chest. “No,” I whispered. “No way.”
“Hey, green eyes, what’s taking so long?! Huh? You said, wait here, female, blah-blah, yadda-yadda, but do you know how nipple freezing cold it is out here right now? I mean, if I had testicles, they’d be blue with icicles danglin’ off. All I’m sayin’.”
“Oh my god.” I knew that voice. I knew that fucking voice! That nagging, whiny voice!
Rushing past Rek, snarling at him when he went to put his arm out to hold me back, I rounded the corner, squealing as jet black and blue hair came into view, hidden by an ugly assed beanie with two enormous pom-poms on top.
Bright orange and pink puffer jacket encasing her curvy frame, leopard print ski pants, furry looking blue and white knee high boots, her banana yellow purse on her shoulder and her favorite set of matching leopard print suitcases at her feet, I squealed again, launching myself at her. “Joanie!!!”
“Rosa?!!” Joanie’s purse slid down her shoulder as she spun around.
Squealing right along with me, we were both running, slamming together in a clash of crazy hugs and shrieking squeals that had Rek groaning and covering his ears.
Pulling back, hands still joined, we jumped around, bouncing in a tight little circle, deaf to anyone or anything else around us.
“Oh my god!” I squawked out. “I can’t believe you’re here!”
“Fucking finally! I’ve been looking all over for your butt, chica!”
“Joans, I’ve missed you so freaking much.”
“Of course you missed me.” Joanie paused, snapping her gum, to grin at me, fluttering her long, bright pink glitter encrusted, mascara-ed lashes at me. “I’m… me.”
“Shut up.” Pulling her in for another hug, squishing her puffer jacket like a Joanie-filled marshmallow covered tart, I couldn’t freaking believe it.
“You shut up.”
“No, you shut up.”
“Please,” Rek muttered, “both shut up.”
Joanie pulled back with a snarl, slipping her purse the rest of the way off her shoulder to shove it at me. “Here. Hold this for me, would ya, I got a scuzz butt to deal with.”
I blinked down at the ugly yellow bag, then her.
“You,” she shouted, “the fatheaded fool too stupid to live,” marching right up to him to stab her index finger into the middle of his broad chest. “Yeah, you, with the pretty green eyes and that nasty mouth. Listen up, fluff for brains, you aren’t the boss of me.” Her finger dug in, the big beast towering over her grimacing, his upper lip curling up as she read him the riot act,
Yet Captain Rek-less didn’t move or shove her off. Nope, he just stood there, glaring down at her, taking it.
“Why don’t you shut to the up,” she suggested, snapping her jaws at him, burs
ting out into a fit of loud, raucous laughter when he jerked back and took a few big steps away from her.
A roar shot off in the distance, one more, and then another following after. “Hah! They found me.”
“Who found you?” Joanie glanced over her shoulder, her finger still pointing at Rek threateningly. He kept flinching at that finger, like it might zap him, tasering his ass, at any moment.
“My mates!” I cried happily. Tossing Joanie her purse, I took off after the sound of those deafening bellows.
“Mates? As in plural? Like, more than one?” Joanie’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief and she blinked. “I mean,” her hand lifted and she flicked a rainbow glittered nail in my direction, “I know Indiana Abominable Pants over there said that’s typically how it was done, how this whole thing was done, but damn, girl.” Snorting in disbelief, she shook her head. “Make a fella work for it, first, huh?”
“Long story, we’ll catch up later,” I called after her, “promise!”
“Oh, sure, just went on an epic adventure to find you, to Beast-topia, home, and back again, had to get my ass kidnapped to find you, and all I get’s a catch up later? Talk about the short end of the stick!”
A hag cackle burst from my lips and I tossed a hand up to wave her off from behind me. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed your bitching, woman! Holy shit, you have no clue!”
Joanie scoffed, her lips pursing in a moue of annoyance. “I do not bitch.”
“Rek say Joansie do. Joansie whiny.”
“No one asked you, walking sock monkey.” Joanie’s dryly delivered quip had Rek hissing, baring his teeth at her. Joanie smirked, her ruby red painted lips puckering in his direction to blow him a kiss, and then she winked.
Rek grimaced, swatting away the blown kiss as if he thought it might catch him and give him cooties, making my best friend/cousin burst out laughing.
“Admit it,” she taunted. “You love it.”
“Rek no love it. Rek the other of love it. Rek want female gone. Go with Rose-up-blindly. Leave Rek ‘lone forever.”
Joanie’s hand went to her impressive bosom. “Oh, baby, you wound me!” The back of her other hand went to her forehead and she sighed. “Ugh! Walking slipper sock, you’re breaking my heart.” Her eyes fluttered closed dramatically, Rek snarling louder than I’d ever heard, done with her shit.
“Quit it,” she muttered, “or I’ll be tempted to tase you again.” Not bothering to move, her eyes still closed, hand over her forehead, the other to her breast, she didn’t catch the hunted look on the male’s face, his hand going to his furry testicles to cup them protectively.
As if she could see his reaction, a slow, evil grin spread across her face.
Sucking in a shocked gasp, I choked a little, my eyes watering as I told her, practically gushing, “Have I told you lately you’re kinda my hero, Joans?”
“No.” Joanie cracked an eye open. “But, you know, don’t hold back. I take money or any beastly monetary value in tribute. Heh-heh.”
“Jo-jo-knee not funny,” Rek grumbled under his breath.
“I’m hilarious, hillbilly ‘bominable.” Joanie stood, brushing imaginary lint off her coat. “Get used to it, get over it.” Her hand waved at him and she cocked an eyebrow. “Get ready to tangle if you think you’re going to keep muttering shit about me under your breath like that.”
Rek made an impatient sound in his throat, his lip curling up in disgust to turn from Joanie to me. “What ‘bout Rek and Rosie?” he asked, like that was even something on the table. Fucking delusional much?
Three furious roars grew louder. They were close, very close.
“What about Rek and Rosie? There is no Rek and Rosie. Never was, never will be, no way, no how!”
Rek growled his fury. The sound was cut short by a zapping sound.
Spinning on my heel, I caught Rek spasming on the ground, his body convulsing. Joanie stood over him, glaring down at him, straddling his prone form. “She said she don’t want you, dumbass. Whatchu think you’re gonna do, about to follow after her like that, snarling and rude and- Ugh! Just, rude. Do it again, bleached squatch,” she warned, bending over him, making sure she was in his line of sight, blowing on her taser like a smoking gun, “I’m going for the furballs.”
Straightening and stepping back, she walked to her purse, left in the snow, and picked it up.
Chucking her taser back into the fat bag, she sniffed. “Someone needs to teach that flocked toad some manners.”
Knowing Joanie and the way she was studying Rek, I’d just bet she thought herself the one to do it.
Ohhhhh… Rek. I almost felt sorry for the asshole. Almost. He had no clue what he’d just unleashed.
A giant blue beast with thick, spiraling horns racing up to us on all fours came barreling into view as Joanie walked back to her suitcases, going to the fattest one to plop down on top of it. Tokre came into view next, his fish beheading machete—the one Zhuii’d given to him from his private armory and my first mate’d taken to keeping on his person when he fishes, just in case—on his furry belt. Noyel, my jolly, blue-eyed healer, came bringing in the rear.
It was the small army of beasties behind him, all of different towering heights, Dorothy wielding what looked like a rolling pin into the air as she screeched right along with them, giving me pause.
“Rip his balls off, Zhuii!!” I could clearly make out Noyel’s family matriarch bellowing as she scrambled towards us.
The two ginormous beasts alongside her, I recognized as Griever and Lukar. I assumed the two directly behind her, one striped with grey fur, the other’s fur the palest of white, alabaster, were Mosoau and Heckes, her other mates. One of them was an older, thicker version of my Noyel—almost an exact replica.
Surrounding them, varying mixes of Dorothy and her mates clustered close, obviously their offspring, the rest her mates’ kin. The smallest but no less impressive of their group was a blue-eyed, snow white male someone was calling Bia. The male was the most human-like beast I’d seen yet, but no less fierce. The mob had formed, and everyone was calling for blood—Rek’s blood.
Stunned, my eyes teared up and I had this overwhelming sense of belonging. They’d all come to my rescue, for us, our little family. For me, Tokre, Zhuii, and Noyel.
Clearing my throat gruffly, swiping discreetly at my eyes, I went for my first mate. “I’m alright! We’re alright!” I shouted to Zhuii, waving my arms.
My big blue demon beast didn’t slow as he reached me, scooping me up to crush me to his chest. “MINE,” he snarled, rushing towards Rek’s lolling, groaning ass, hatred blazing in his coal black eyes.
When Tokre caught up to us Zhuii stopped long enough to press his forehead to mine, a thick sigh of relief expelling from his chest. Then my rattled Zhubeast murmured my name and handed me over to Tokre.
Hands trembling, Tokre nabbed me up, clutching me to him, burying his face in my nape. His breathing was labored, but not from exertion. Picking up his hand, I signed into it. Okay. Okay. Okay. Over and over, and told him I loved him. He was shaken, bad.
Chuffing out a breathless sound, Tokre’s legs gave out and we tumbled to the snow. He caught himself, thudding to his knees heavily, but refused to let me go.
Mimicking his hum, I kissed his cheek, his forehead, anywhere I could reach. “I’m okay. I’m okay,” I hummed over and over.
Noyel came up last—far from least in my heart—his family waiting a short distance away, giving us all a moment.
“Rosie,” Noyel cried in relief. Throwing himself at us, he wrapped his arms around me and Tokre. Turning my face, I pressed my cheek to his, smiling when his lips found mine and he whispered my favorite words.
“Love you.” Then his eyes shot open and he glowered. “I don’t care what the smuggler says, when I tell you I love you, you tell me back or I’ll spank that pert little ass of yours.”
Swiping at my eyes, laughing at my sudden need for waterworks, I teased, “You really have been re
ading my sexy books to Zhuii, haven’t you?”
“Shut up,” Noyel muttered, grinning as he chuckled and proceeded to kiss me silly.
It wasn’t until Joanie’s shouting registered that reality came crashing back.
“Oh my god, Joanie!” I gasped out. Untangling myself from my mates, despite their protests, I scrambled over to the argument brewing on the farther end of the battle field. “Wait! Zhuii, wait!”
My Beast personified wasn’t in a particularly forgiving mood, or ready to listen and talk just yet.
Rek made a squeaking noise—an actual fucking squeak—my big baddie bellowing in his face, tusks aimed and ready to slash. Spittle flying, horns glinting in the early morning sun, his long blue tail slapped his thick calves angrily. Yup, my baby was fucking magnificent. And Joanie thought to jump into the fray.
“NO!” I screamed, as the one person I cared about from my human world, my new past, threw herself over Rek protectively.
This didn’t seem to matter to Zhuii, who had no clue who Joanie was and couldn’t care less at the moment.
“JOANIE!!!! Don’t get between them!”
Joanie, fearless in the face of a beast straight out of a nightmare’s wrath, didn’t even flinch.
What I wasn’t expecting, was the small pocket pistol she produced from her purse, pressing it right between Zhuii’s eyes. “Now, you can back the fuck up and get off of us, Monsters Inc gone wrong, or I’m going to make you. Comprende?”
“Don’t you fucking dare!” I was screaming at the top of my lungs, said lungs burning, aching something fierce as I stumbled up to them. “Joanie, you shoot my man and I’ll never forgive you!”
Zhuii’s snarl cut off and he grunted. “Joanie?” Zhuii blinked and cocked his head. He didn’t seem to know or understand guns, so didn’t fear it in the least.
“God damn it,” I cursed, “point that shit somewhere else!”
Joanie’s gun lowered to one of Zhuii’s feet and she glanced at me. “Better?”
“Joanie!”
“Rosalinda!” she shot back. There was something in her voice, a hardness that had me staring from her to Rek.
Nope. I didn’t want to know.
Bride of Glass Page 41
