Beauties and Beasts

Chapter 122: brought to you by pretty people

In the which we meet Ape King's spouse and understand her role in the earlier chapters of this work. Then some pretty flaunting down the run way with our MC after Winston. A shortie, but a goodie.

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In Ape Castle, the Ape King was furious, He stalked from room to room, scattering whatever he found. Anger bubbled inside until he could almost scream. His hands raked through his thin hair and he could almost feel his marks throbbing, especially the new one. He stopped outside her door and the anger bubbled down, although he kept a coal burning in his heart. Clearing his throat, he smoothed his hair again, wanting to look amazing. Inside, well, you only brought your best.

His mate sat on the window seat, legs pulled underneath her. Shapely legs, accentuated by the clear fabric draped over her body. She wanted to keep these treasures for herself, of course, so he'd banned trade of anything other than salt and females with the other Cities. Her hair, the same purple as periwinkle, cascaded in soft waves down her...

"Well?" She raised an eyebrow and held out her hand, bone bracelets jingling.

Ape King sank to his knees in shame. "I haven't found an..."

"You can just say you're a failure." She sat back and crossed her arms on top of her ribcage, her shiny nails almost digging into her perfectly white skin.

He whimpered at the thought of any imperfection, even self-inflicted.

"Haven't I been here long enough? Given you enough chances?" Her lips, so perfect when she was mad, would have looked better with a smile.

"I... I need your help."

"Ha! Nobody listens to you anymore. You almost killed Winston just because I looked at him." She flinched away from his pleading hand, deep blue eyes closing against the sight of him.

"With Winston on our side..."

"He would be on our side if you let me work my charms." She raised an arm and studied its slenderness, turning it slightly so the sheer fabric caught the light. Qin knew her effect on beastmen, and particularly the pathetic one groveling in front of her now. "I do still have feelings for him, you know. He could be helpful... for both of us." A wicked smile bared her teeth.

"I don't think it will be that easy; they say he's mated to another female."

"I thought you took care of her already." Qin wasn't bothered by a heartsick male; she had the cure.

"Yes, but I saw her claim him in my throne room; a Rat female named Agatha." He couldn't bring himself to look down, despite her wonderful ire. The way she sparkled in the sunlight... it made him sick to think of another male looking at her, let alone touching her. His brain throbbed with the thought. She made him dizzy, like he'd drunk too much warming juice or like he'd been slightly poisoned.

"Oh? That just means I'll need to work a little harder then." She frowned and placed a delicate finger on her lips. He trembled at the sight. "A Rat female? I've never heard of the Rat Clan."

Ape King couldn't even reply, watching her carefully polished finger next to her pouty red mouth.

She pushed herself off the window seat, carefully avoiding his body. "I can get any male I want, other than..." she trailed off and paused. Ape King longed to kiss the ground beneath her feet. "Well, I get whatever I want." Fists at her sides, she stalked off.

Ape King ran a hand on the window where she'd been perched, looking to the mountain behind them. He shook in rage and pleasure at the thought of other beastmen seeing her, wanting her, needing her, but being denied. He wanted to grind her to dust and tuck her into a pouch by his heart, he wanted to lift her onto the highest tower of the Castle and force the City to worship her, he wanted to keep her safe and watch her scream in a terror that he could rescue her from, he wanted to see the same adoration shining in her eyes that he knew gleamed in his. She would be his if he had to kill every member of the City of Beasts to gain her.

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Qin walked through the streets, pretending not to notice the appreciative gasps and whispers that followed her. The sheer fabric veiled her mouth, but did nothing to conceal her beauty. She waved a hand languidly, letting the grace of the movement draw more attention to herself. Back with the merpeople, she'd been accustomed to being adored by every male, but trapped up in Ape Castle, she'd felt more lonely and purposeless than ever, even after... no, she wouldn't think about that damned Snake.

"Wow, look at that female!"

"She's so beautiful!"

"She's walking towards Tiger Castle."

The two guards at the Castle gate stared in amazement, one of them snapping out of it just enough to say, "Stop! Who are you? Are you new to the City?" He tried to sound authoritarian, puffing out his chest and everything.

She smiled coyly, noticing the dark red beneath his cheeks. "I'm the Ape King's spouse; I never come outside, so of course you wouldn't recognize me." Her eyelashes fluttered gently, like the fins of a butterfly fish, luring him in. "There's been a terrible misunderstanding between Ape King and the Tiger King," she paused for a breath, sucking it in with a slight gasp, noticing the legs quaking on the other. "I'm here to set things right."

"Right away," the Tiger male stammered, "I will report it." He turned and ran off, holding his entire body rigid.

A small smile gently curved her lips. Poor thing only had one stripe on his entire body; of course she wouldn't pick a weakling like him. She only had eyes for Winston, her prize. After a few minutes, she was allowed in, because of course she was.

Qin approached the throne as gently as possible, the metal bracelet around her ankle tinkling like a bell. Her hands clasped her sheer skirt and held it around her waist, more to draw attention to her hips than to aid her in walking. Her eyes were downcast, barely looking up as she neared him, every muscle in her body held to a perfect discipline. At the base of the stairs, she stopped.

"I apologize for the Ape King; it's all my fault."

Winston, all his height and strength, seemed confused. "What do you mean?"

Her tongue darted out and wet her lips as her hand reached for her veil. "He got jealous because he caught me staring when we first met." She dropped the veil and looked into his face, drinking in every inch. Her eyes sparkled, her lips glistened, and she allowed the smallest of blushes to color her white cheeks. "I love you," her breathy voice dropped into a sensuous growl, the kind you emit right before you mated a male.

Winston nodded and started walking down the stairs. She remained slightly bent to expose as much of herself as possible. He stopped right above her. "I am already mated to Agatha."

She'd anticipated this, but an outright rejection still stung and she redoubled her efforts. "I can't help how I feel, Winston. I knew you were mated but... I loved you before you met her, before you mated her. Doesn't that count for something?" She made her eyes water slightly to prove her emotion. "Could I at least speak with her? Surely I can get her to see how great my feelings are and if she'd perhaps..." He could fill in the blanks, she was sure, because there were some subjects you just didn't bring up and severing a mate was one of them.

"I'll go ask." He brushed past her and she grinned at the touch of his hot flesh, flesh that would soon belong to her. After his footsteps faded away, she straightened herself and began stroking her chest. Oh yes, he'd appear right over her heart, and she couldn't wait to see the expression on Ape King's face when he did.