Page 7 of Bride of Choice

“Screw you, you prick!” I mouthed as voices drew closer. Scooping up a handful of icy mud, I chucked it at him. A small measure of satisfaction filled me as it smacked him right between the eyes, temporarily blinding him. Furry fingers slapped at his face, muffled snarls garbling out of him.

“Serves you right, you self-serving douche!” I hissed at him.

With that, I turned and took off at a run, as fast as my birthday suited butt could take me.

“My Jojoanie! No go! No know ways! Jojo-mines waits!” Rek called after me, like his ass wasn’t freaking giving us away. “Rek’s eyes! Muddy yuckies… Jojo-knee!!”

ARGH! That dirty, rotten-

I was so distracted, simultaneously cursing him out, trying not to stab my feet on anything, trip and fall and frickin’ die, imitating a newborn baby giraffe flailing about like a ninny as I ran headlong towards home base, I didn’t see the big ball of fur bounding towards me until it was too late.

My ducked head as I ran like my butt was on fire whilst watching where I placed my frozen feet made contact first, smacking an immovable hunk of fur that sent me bouncing off of it. A sharp, shocked noise left me as I tumbled to my butt and skid backwards.

My gaze hit weird looking hooved feet first, a jolt of alarm hitting me. As my gaze dragged upward, fear held me immobile.

What the hell was…. THAT!

Spindly legs, sinewy, too skinny, broadened to doubly thick thighs, all muscle, zero fat. A thin, emaciated waist led to a broad chest, ribs practically protruding, it looked so deathly thin. Wide shoulders barely covered with skin and bone, a long, thin face with a wild set of thorny looking pointy horns atop his head, like demon elk antlers, head dipped and aimed my way as those glowing red eyes fell on me and stayed.

My god, this dude made Lo denaii look like kittens.

“What the hell,” I blurted, gaping in stunned horror as it let out some sort of odd, howling shriek. Hell was exactly right. This thing was downright demonic looking.

Scooting backwards across the icy ground, ignoring the pain in my bare feet, bottom, and hands, my bundle of clothes on my stomach the only thing hiding my nudity from him, I opened my mouth to make a sound, a call out for help, something, when he dropped down, lunging as if to launch himself at me, with a sound akin to a war cry.

My scream startled him enough he jerked back at the last second. The action gave me just enough time to lift my leg, haul off and kick him square in the face, then throw my clothes at him and shoot up to take off.

My sweater and thinner winter jacket, warmed by my body heat, tangled in his horns, temporarily blinding the being.

My screams continued as I took off blindly at a dead run.

Of course, I was so busy stealing quick glances over my shoulder I ran into yet another fuzzy furred beast.

My reaction was instantaneous this time. A blood curdling scream left me and I started swinging. My fists pounded thick, unyielding flesh. It didn’t register this wasn’t another one of those demon things until his words finally penetrated my panic filled brain.

“Jo! Juhjo! Wakeds! ‘Kayed! Jo!”

Peering up at the male through tear blurred eyes, I cried in relief to spy a familiar face. “Hector!” I cried out, despite Bum-bum’s dislike of his new name.

My arms wrapped around him and I hugged my numb body to his warmth, shaking like a leaf, nudity momentarily forgotten.

“Big beast, tall horns. demon eyes,” I burst out, flicking my hand wildly over my shoulder. “Scary as shit!”

Making comforting noises, his hand fell to my back, where he began rubbing warmth back into my chilled bones. He was like a walking furnace, warming me up despite the crazy cold.

Nudity completely forgotten, I clung to him, burying my face in the fur of his thick abdomen. Snow Patrol was built, a big old biggun of a Lo denaii.

“Don’t let it get me!” I mumbled against his thick fur.

“No get Juhjo,” he assured me.

“Jojoanie!” Rek called out, stumbling up to us, winded, breathless.

Rek caught one look at Snow Patrol comforting me while I snuggled up to him, froze, then snarled. “Mine,” he growled and snapped at the other male.

“No,” Bum-bum said simply, his voice a deep, commanding rumble, like that was that.

One glance down at me, taking in my naked state, seemed to give the supersized Lo denaii pause. That all-knowing gaze lifted from my mud smeared, leaves crumbled in, naked arse to take in Rek and his moist looking fur. Snapping something at Rek in beast speak that Rek snarled at but then moved closer, Bum-bum rumbled louder, a growling snarl in his voice that Rek didn’t seem to like, yet dipped his head in a nod at Bum-bum finally and slowly took several steps back away from us.

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