Page 6 of Bigfoot's Bride

I close my eyes, picturing her again. My mate. My...what was her name? Ah, yes, Maria Garcia. I had Colwynn look it up for me. Maria Garcia.

I sigh. Even her name is cute.

I wonder what she's doing now. Probably cowering in fright. Or shuddering in revulsion. Maybe she’s climbing the walls to get the hell out of here, far away from us monsters.

I ignore their snickers as I signal Huw for another.

They’re right, though. Some mate I am. Can't even impress my female without terrifying her.

But then, that's why I've always stuck to the gardens. Plants are easy. Straightforward. You give them sun, water, and good soil—you care for them, and they grow.

Females, on the other hand...Well, I’ve never had one before so I haven’t a clue about females, especially the human variety.

Maybe Wmffre is right. Maybe this whole human-Sasquatch mating thing is a mistake. Maybe we should just stick to our own kind.

But those beautiful brown eyes…my soulstone singing…her delectable scent like a fresh springtime breeze. My whole being seemed to light up, like I'd been living in the dark until she arrived—like she’s my sunshine.

No. I can't give up. Not yet. Not without a fight.

I'll just have to try again. I’ll figure out how to show her I’ll be a good mate. I think. Maybe.

Chapter 5

Kiki

I wasn't expecting the Ritz, but we’re herded into a dorm-style cavern that’s actually pretty swanky in a rustic, subterranean chic kind of way.

Plush fur rugs, sleek stone furniture, some kind of soft glowing light emanating from the walls—it’s got a kind of underground Flintstones-meets-Jetson’s vibe.

Our guide, a short, slight young man in a trucker cap and baggy clothing ushers us inside. "Welcome to Grotto, ladies. I'm Frankie…er,Frank. Yeah, call me Frank. I go by Frank." His voice wavers in pitch from high to low under the hat pulled low and I wonder if he’s even out of puberty yet.

We all just look around, wide-eyed and shell-shocked. I think we're collectively wondering if someone spiked the water supply. Because honestly, what even is my life right now?

Chatty Steph pipes up, "So...those things..um..creatures out there. They're really Bigfoot?" She pauses. "Or is it Bigfeet? What exactly is the plural form of the word?"

"They prefer Sasquatch, actually," Frank says. "But yes, they're the real deal."

"Holy Hanna-Barbera!" the scarred woman exclaims as she looks around taking in our new digs.

“So Sasquatches really exist.” It’s a dumb thing to say, but I state it aloud anyway.

Frank nods. "Indeed they do. And this is their home, Grotto."

Questions ping-pong around the room:

"Are we supposed to date them?"

"How long do we have to stay?"

"Can we leave whenever we want?"

"They're not going to, like, eat us, right?"

"Whoa, ladies. One at a time." Frank holds up his hands.”As you already know…well, assomeof you already know, you are here to test compatibility as potential matches to the single males here. It’s a mate-matching program and you all were carefully selected.”

“Are we stuck here?” The green-eyed, auburn-haired woman asks, and I swear I’ve seen her somewhere before. “Likeprisoners?”

“Absolutely not.” Frank shakes his head and his too-big cap falls lower, shading his eyes. He doesn’t bother to adjust it. “You're free to go anytime. You’re also free to stay and allow things to play out—for thirty days. If, after thirty days, you haven't paired up with one of the Grotto residents, you’ll be required to leave Grotto permanently.”

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