it's still May somewhere in the world so.... #MerMay ain't over until I post my boy (gender-neutral) Cod!!! This year I wanted to redesign their tail to be more realistic ^^
Ms. Zetta smiled warmly at him and leaned her elbows on the table. “I’m a businesswoman, sheriff, I don’t have much time for courting, besides. . .” He felt something wrapped around his ankle, but he paid it no mind for the fear of breaking the spell. “It would take someone truly special to catch my eye.”
His heart hammered so fast in his chest he was almost afraid it’d stop as the next question came up from his mind. “Have you been courted before, Ms. Zetta?”
“Technically, no.” Her mouth shrunk down into a firm line, and she turned her eyes towards the people roaming the streets. “Though I was engaged once to appease my parents. . . I can’t say that ended very happily for any of us since my parents won’t speak to me for breaking it off.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be.” She waved it off and sighed. “I knew what I wanted in a mate, and much to my parents chagrin Alvester was not the man I wanted.”
Wesley felt himself pale at the name and whatever hope and confidence he had was squashed down. Alvester was a very rich Teifling, one of the richest men in Ottilie, with red skin and wicked black horns that gave a different type of meaning to a red devil. He had enough at the bank to keep Ms. Zetta off her feet if she wanted, but with her being the go getter she was he doubted she’d live a pampered life very often.
Wesley recalled seeing Alvester’s tail wander over here a time or two before, but he was away on business expanding his company and wasn’t due back for another three months; if Wesley had any luck Alvester would stay wherever he was and out of Ottilie. He wasn’t a bad man, but he certainly was a determined one and did not like taking no for an answer very well. He could only imagine how well things ended between them.
The graze of gentle fingers gracing a soft circle across his knuckles broke him out of his thoughts and back to the strange turn of conversation with Ms. Zetta. “You all right, Sheriff? You look like ya got something on your mind again.”
“I’m all right, Ms. Zetta.” He threw on a quick smile and turned his hand up to catch hers in his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Did things. . . end well between you two?”
“Hardly.” She scoffed and chewed the inside of her left cheek. “Ever try saying no to a man who’s used to getting’ his way one way or another?”
“Not on the same intimate level as you, but regrettably yes.” His mind went back to the governor of Luneburg and how things ended up for him. Had he gone anywhere else but Ottilie, maybe he wouldn’t be so grateful, but the way things have been for him the past few months, he couldn’t help but feel a little thankful towards the bastard.
She chuckled mirthlessly and sighed. “Looks like your story didn’t end particularly well either.”
Wesley nodded his head in agreement and looked her over. “Do you mind me askin’ why Mr. Vines wasn’t the man you were looking for? I know it’s very forward of me, but I’m certain with his estate and money he’s got everything a woman would ever want.”
“He’s got plenty of assets, but he doesn’t have everything a woman could want.” She sighed as she slumped in her chair and withdrew her hand from his. He mourned the loss of her touch and laced his fingers together to keep from reaching across the table to touch her again. “For all the money he makes, he doesn’t have the time to spend it with someone.” Her nose wrinkled and she glared off in the distance. “Besides, I grew up with him and know all his dirty secrets, he’s more like a brother with a bad temper to me than a life mate.”
Wesley marginally relaxed to hear this, but something still bothered him about the whole thing. Why would her parents not speak with her after breaking off the engagement with Mr. Alvester Vines? Surely if they knew how their daughter felt they wouldn’t push such a relationship upon her. Then again, things weren’t so dissimilar amongst humans, money was what made it in this world, not love.
As curious as he was to know more, it wasn’t his place nor his business to pry, but the hints of jealousy nipping within him wanted to know further details and how he could make himself better by comparison.
“I can tell your curious.” Ms. Zetta quipped and picked up her coffee.
His cheeks burned in shame, and he rubbed the back of his neck to remind himself it wasn’t his place to pry. “I don’t wanna pry.”
She lazily sipped her coffee. “Might as well, everyone else in the town practically knows.”
“But do you want me knowing about it, Ms. Zetta?” He cocked his head to the side and the surprise on her face was enough to squash away the jealousy within him. “I can stay ignorant of it if it’ll make things better for ya.”
“You’re too kind, Sheriff, but that won’t be necessary.” Her smile was kind, but he could see the trepidation in her eyes. “There just aren’t many Teiflings here in Losenia and my parents considered Alvester and his family an excellent choice of a match for me, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t force myself to do it.”
Her mouth fell into a self-depreciating smile as she kept her eyes focused on the coffee in her hands. “My parents were lucky enough to be one another’s soulmates when they were matched together, and while Alvester is handsome, charming, and rich, I feel nothing towards him. No matter what Alvester tries to say I know he doesn’t feel anything towards me either, he’s just wanting to go through with things for the extra money my own parents’ estate would bring him.”
“Surely not!” He banged his hand on the table in indignation on her behalf.
“No, I’ll admit Alvester’s not that bad.” She giggled and he caught sight of those dimples again. “No, he’d much rather get his hands on the records of the staff my parents’ had.”
“Why would he want the records?”
“There was a maid he was obsessed with, she used to play with us, but for some reason or another they got rid of her.” Her brow furrowed and she frowned. “I can’t say I remember where she went or what happened to her, but a part of me feels like that might have been his mate. . .”
“Why would your parents get rid of her then?” He asked aghast and nearly knocked his cup of coffee over.
“You are a sweetheart, ain’t ya?” She gave him a sympathetic smile and drooped in her seat. “The maid was a human, one both my parents and his own would not have approved of.”
“Would that matter if she was his mate?”
“It shouldn’t.” She growled lowly and he saw a tremor pass over her. “But I’m afraid money sometimes has a despicable way of changing the view on things.”
Wesley nodded in grim agreement and they both sipped their coffee in silence as they watched the town pass by one another. His eggs had grown cold, and his biscuits would taste great for lunch later, but he knew he needed to head back before Zarod came looking for him. Forcing down the eggs and washing them back with coffee, he rose to his feet.
“I should probably get on, Ms. Zetta. Zarod and I gotta go on patrol here in a bit.”
“Already?” Her head turned in the direction of the town square where the clock was, and she hissed out a curse. “So it is, I should probably get back in the kitchen and finish making breakfast before the miners get here.”
“Your breakfast was lovely, as always, Ms. Zetta.” He dared to grab her hand as he slid his hat on his head. Her eyes widened and her cheeks darkened as she smiled up at him and squeezed his hand back.
“Well don’t go too far without Zarod’s biscuits, we can’t go making him pset after he lets you come over and spend a little time with me.” She patted his hand before releasing it to retreat inside. “I’ll only be a minute!”
She could take hours and he’d still wait on her and make Zarod wait too. He felt another piece of him go with her as he stood on the porch and took in the sight of the bustling town. He could practically see the miners coming up over the hill and hauling ass to get to The Hidden Wisp for their morning meal. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, but he felt a strange sort of storm coming. The clicking of her heels on the wooden floors had Wesley turning to see her carrying a large brown paper bag filled with biscuits. The smell of them alone was enough to make him hungry all over again.
“I threw in a few extra for him so he can’t complain about how long it took ya to get back to the station.” She smiled up at him and he swore he felt her tail graze his leg.
“Zarod will appreciate this.” He hefted the bag in his hands and looked up into her eyes. “Thank you, Ms. Zetta.”
“It’s no problem, Sheriff.” There was a twinkle in her eye and a dimple in her smile as she tucked a hair behind her ear that tugged on his heart strings and made him want to linger a little longer. However, he really did need to get out on patrol, and he would never hear the end of it from Zarod if he didn’t get back to the station sooner. Tipping his hat off to her, he turned to leave when her tail wrapped firmly around one of his ankles.
“Oh gods!” She hissed and instantly released him and turned her face away as it deepened three shades of purple. “I do apologize, I – I don’t know what got into me. My tail, it’s got a mind of its own sometimes –”
“No harm done, Ms. Zetta.” He reassured her as he patted her shoulder. “Did ya need something before I left?”
Her eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed like an indecisive prairie dog. “I – I, well, um . . .”
She rubbed her cheek, squeezed her eyes shut as she took a deep breath and looked up at him. “W – Would you be interested in having dinner with me?”
He almost dropped the bag of biscuits.
“I – I was thinkin’ I could close up early one night, and you could come on over a – and we could have dinner together. . .” She continued and her tail wrapped tightly around her ankle. “If you’d like that is.”
Her words hit him like a cast iron skillet that left him blinking several times as the words registered in his brain. A proper sentence hadn’t quite formed and the only thing that came to his mind was, “Yes.”
“Really?” She beamed and her tail loosened its hold on her ankle and wagged happily behind her.
He felt breathless and nodded his head to get the blood flowing to his mind. “Yes, I would like that very much, Ms. Zetta.”
“How does six o’clock Sunday night sound?” She clapped her hands together and the laughter from the miner workers grew louder.
“Sounds like a date.”
Those dimples appeared in her cheeks again and his heart was happier than a June bug in spring.
“See ya later then, Sheriff.”
Ms. Zetta sent him off with a wink and by the time he made it down the stairs of her porch and back to the station the whole mining crew was already devouring her next batch of biscuits and coffee. The determination that fueled him to get everything done had him working double time that week and it felt like everything that could go wrong did. A fire caught in the mines which resulted in getting the Dragonborns to go in and rescue the miners and help keep the tunnels from collapsing. Since it was one of Alvester’s mines, he sent over an associate to assess the damages and reimburse the families. A Mothman that was drawn to the lights on the machinery almost lost his wings to chase after the pretty lights. Other than the fires in the mines, the damage was minimal and by the time Sunday rolled around Wesley was exhausted.
Wesley was on his third coffee that afternoon when Zoran stood in front of his desk, arms crossed and a frown behind his tusks. He blinked tiredly up at him and took a sip of his coffee to hide his yawn. “Need something, Zoran?”
“For you to take a break.” Zoran harumphed and snatched the paperwork in his hand away from him.
“I will, right after I finish readin’ over the reports.” He frowned at his green deputy.
“I’ll finish these up, Wes.” Zoran clicked his tongue and tapped the papers on his shoulder. “Don’tcha got something planned with Zetta tonight? You been talkin’ about it nonstop all week.”
“You know I have dinner plans on Sunday –”
“Today is Sunday Wesley.”
He almost fell back in his chair as his head whipped around to the calendar. “What?”
“I knew you were staying up late again. Zoran shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. “When’s the last time you actually slept?”
“Two, may three nights agooooooo –” Wesley broke off in a long yawn and his body was betraying him. “But I been fine.”
“Gods above and below, give me strength.” Zoran huffed and rolled his eyes. “Take the rest of the afternoon off, Wesley.”
“What, and leave you with all this work?” He gestured to the stacks of paperwork layered on his desk. He blinked several times as he looked at the stacks; he was certain he had already read over and worked a few of these up. Sitting up he rubbed his face in his hands to try to clear up the fog in his brain and felt his eyes growing heavier by the second.
“I’m better at the paperwork anyway. Besides, it doesn’t look like you remember what you have and haven’t read.” Zoran scoffed as he started organizing the stacks of paper. “All the more reason you need to take a break and rest.”
“But – ”
A knock came loudly from the door followed by the soft clicking of a woman’s heels. “Hello?”
Wesley would know Ms. Zetta’s beautiful voice anywhere. Her purple face poked around the doorway and Wesley wanted to run and hide. He knew he looked rough, hadn’t shaved in about two days, hair was a mess, and he and no doubt there was a stain or two on his shirt.
“Howdy, Zetta.” Zoran chortled as he bent and greeted her with a side hug. “What can we do ya for?”
“Oh, well, I came by to see the sheriff.” Her white eyes turned on him and Wesley wanted to just melt inside. “That all right?”
“No problem, ma’am.” Zaron saluted her and walked out of the room faster than sinners in church. The moment Zaron was gone Ms. Zetta walked on over to him with dimples in her smile. He pulled on the collar of his shirt and cleared his throat.
“You wanted to see me, Ms. Zetta?”
“Yes, I wanted to make sure our dinner plans for this evening were still on for tonight.” She looked him over head to toe and he saw worry developing with the crease of her brows. “You feelin’ all right, Sheriff?”
“Fine, fine, just a smidgeon tired, but nothin’ for ya to worry about none.” He dragged his hand down the back of his neck and swallowed down a yawn.
“I was worried I was too forward with you when you didn’t stop by this week. . .” She laced her fingers together and her tail twisted around her ankle.
“No, not at all, I like you and your forwardness Ms. Zetta. Really, I do.” He reached for her hands and her cheeks burned about three shades darker as he did so. “In fact, I’ve been pulling in extra shifts to make sure nothin’ would stand in the way of this evening.”
“Careful now Sheriff Wesley.” She breathed hotly as her tail unwrapped itself from around her ankle and slithered over to his ankle. “Those are some mighty fine words to be saying before we’ve had a proper meal together.”
His brow furrowed as he couldn’t understand her meaning. Had he said something wrong? He knew he was tired and if he wasn’t careful, he’d say the wrong thing, but he didn’t think he said anything bold or forward.
“Maybe you oughtta take a nice nap before this evenin’, hm?” Her hand reached up to his cheek and his eyes fluttered shut as he unconsciously pressed his cheek into her warm palm. Soft, dainty fingers caressed his cheek and whiskers and if he didn’t have his hand on the desk he surely would have slumped forward on top of her.
“You been working to hard, Sheriff Wesley.” She tutted softly as her other hand came up to his other cheek and he felt the weight of the world lifting from his shoulders. Mighty strong woman with mighty strong powers held him as though he were something precious.
“I had to.” He hummed as his hand came up and held her wrist, pressing her hand further into his right cheek. “Had to make sure I could make it on time tonight.”
“Now ya gotta rest up so I can entertain you properly, Sheriff Wesley.” She chuckled and slowly withdrew her hands from his face and retreated towards the door. “Until then.”
He almost whimpered at the loss of her touch and nearly fell flat on his face by the time Zoran came back into the room. Zoran had a knowing look in his eyes and bit back a smile as he crossed his arms. “You still got that cot in your office for the late nights, or you think you can make it back to your house, Wes?”
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you’re enjoying the story so far, please remember to leave a like, comment or review, but most importantly reblog!
Monster pet: *Brings yet another dead thing to the front door*
Y/n:... I decided not to have a cat, and yet I stumbled across you
Monster pet: *purrs*
Y/n: Okay wtf.
“Vervain is a member of a hyper intelligent, overgrown mantid species. Born as a large, egg-laying mantis, he realizes he is trans after meeting a human, and changes to he/him. Vervain is quiet and thinks before speaking Despite this, other mantids don’t usually like the things he says. He is obsessed with watching and learning about humans. His interest his both from curiosity and later, once grown, basal desire, though he tries to hide it. For his species, Vervain is basically an exophile.”
“G. clypeum and it's sister species, G. pseudofoli have several adaptations to their gigantism. Including, but not limited to: total flightlessnes, single-pupil eyes, extra toes, speech-capable mouths/throats, and larger forearms.“
“Parts of the mouth have fused together. This makes human-like speech available, however sounds with the lips & teeth will not sound as accurate to human speech. Ex: "V" and "F" sound more like "B" and "P"“
“Egg sacks are no longer protective when you're giant; to reduce visibility, eggs are laid in smaller clutches inside of hollow stumps, trees, or other crevices. Small, warm places preferred. Ovipositors are sticky, wet, and sensitive. This includes the inner canal. Pleasurable coupling developed alongside complex socialization.“
Released from early access on Patreon :D don’t forget the 1st two chapters of his novella are up on Patreon as well, and should release publicly next month.
