Making Monster Girls 3: For Science! Page 16

  “Do you see those two women with Daisy Browning?” a voice hissed. “I’ve never seen them before. Are they from the capital or another city?”

  “I have no idea,” another woman murmured. “But I have to say, their dresses are lovely. I wonder if Ms. Browning is the one who picked them out.”

  “They are very beautiful,” a softer voice murmured. “Their costumes are gorgeous, too! Look at their masks! I bet they went to Devander’s in the main square. I’m almost sure I saw the wolf mask there, but I didn’t buy it because it was too garish for a party like this.”

  “Ah, I see that the Alchemist has graced our presence,” a low voice barked. “I wonder if Josephine invited him, or if they brought him along like a lost puppy.”

  “He does look quite dashing...” a more feminine voice broke in. “For a consort, at least.”

  “Charles,” Valerie whispered. “Are they talking about us?”

  “Yes,” I nodded. “It’s pretty customary at parties. Each time a new person enters, they talk about them as if they weren’t there.”

  “Oh!” Daisy gasped. “Look! There’s Josephine!”

  We stopped for a second as we stepped through the crowd and turned toward where the brunette pointed. I couldn’t see the heiress fully through the crowd, but she floated elegantly past with an enormous group of aristocrats trailing behind her. The blonde aristocrat nodded, grinned, and then said something to the older woman behind her. Even from this far away, Josephine looked absolutely gorgeous, and we hadn’t even seen her dress yet.

  “Should we wave her over?” Rian asked. “I’m dying to meet her.”

  “No,” I shook my head. “She’s being the hostess right now, and her guests need her. I’m sure in a little while she’ll come and talk to us.”

  “But I want to meet her now,” the feline-woman cried. “I’ve waited all of this time, and there she is!”

  “You can wait a little longer,” I chuckled. “I’m sure she’ll be over soon.”

  “Fiiiiiine,” the ash-blonde grumbled. “Oh! Look! A refreshments table! Everything looks so good!”

  “Would you like something to drink?” Daisy asked. “I can go grab us something.”

  “I’m fine,” I smiled. “Thank you, but feel free to grab yourself something.”

  “Do you two want anything?” the brunette smiled.

  “I’ll take a glass of that gold stuff!” the ash-blonde giggled.

  “I’ll have that, too,” the imp-woman giggled.

  “Alright, I’ll be right back,” Daisy smiled.

  The brunette moved elegantly through the crowd and only glanced back at us once before she reached the table. The bear-girl glanced over the tabletop with disinterested eyes, grabbed two flutes with one hand, and a single in the other. As she moved back to us, I turned and listened to the babble of soft voices around us. All of the women here were gossiping idly together, a few of them commented on Josephine’s dress and the loveliness of her house, but other than that, it was nothing of interest to me.

  “Here you go,” Daisy murmured, handed over the drinks, and then sipped at her own.

  I paused a moment as the announcer above cleared his throat and turned toward the open door. My women lifted their heads attentively to listen but their eyes narrowed on the open doorway as a familiar woman stepped through.

  “Announcing our majesty, Duchess Edony,” the manservant boomed. “Accompanied by Lucien Degallow, the, ahem, very accomplished scientist… from East of Brumhurst.”

  I turned, felt the tendons strain in my neck, took a step forward, and laid my eyes on the Duchess as she floated down the stairs with Lucien in tow. The scientist wore a pristine white suit, and the froth of lace at his throat nearly obscured half of his face from view. The lining of the suit was entirely gold, even the threads that held it together were the same color, and when he turned, his plain white mask shined with gold flecks of paint. The scientist smiled, waved, and bowed to those he passed, but each aristocrat turned up their noses at him. It was painfully clear to all of us he wasn’t welcome or accepted here.

  Unlike any of the other aristocrats’ costumes, Edony’s dress was entirely black with hints of orange and scarlet at the trim, waist, and sleeves. The skirt billowed out as she walked, but the waist cinched in, showed off her tiny waist, and then came down into a plunging neckline. Her pale breasts bounced as she walked, but I noticed something I hadn’t before, Edony had a long scar on the left side of her chest. The skin was lighter pink than the rest, and it didn’t look as if she’d been cut, but instead… burned by something. The tender flesh reached from her left shoulder and then disappeared underneath the black fabric of her dress.

  One second, it was there, and the next, it was gone as her long, colorless hair shifted over her shoulder and obscured it from view. I shifted my gaze to her face, my stomach dropped, and my heart beat a little faster. Her mask fit perfectly with the colors and style of her dress, slathered in brilliant oranges, bright yellows, three different shades of black, and sparkling gold, it was none other than a tiger. The garish teeth were sharp, some of them broken off to symbolize past battles, but the most jarring part was the hand-painted drips of blood down each tooth.

  Wrinkles scrunched the tiger’s nose, the eyeholes were large, slanted, and exposed her hateful, violet eyes to the rest of us. The implication behind her mask was crystal clear to me… one of the few natural enemies to the wolf was none other than the tiger. I already knew that Edony was my enemy, but here she was, making it explicitly clear that she was out for blood this time. I held Daisy close to me, watched as Edony and Lucien passed, and then glanced at the bear-girl out of the corner of my eye.

  “Huh,” the brunette chuckled. “A tigress?”

  “The only creature with enough strength and ferocity to take down a wolf,” I grunted. “What do you think that’s supposed to mean?”

  “Does she really believe herself to be that strong?” the bear-girl chuckled. “When I look at her, all I see is a weak woman hiding behind those that can protect her. Yes, she may have an unfathomable ability at her fingertips, but all of this posturing and posing must be tiring for her. We’ve beaten her every time she’s faced us head-on, and each time she was too afraid to wheel out that power in front of us, or when she was alone with you.”

  “It’s against the law for one aristocrat to attack another,” I murmured. “If she were to attack you or anyone else, she would be stripped of her position as Duchess.”

  “Are you so sure about that?” Rian asked. “She seems shifty enough to kill another aristocrat and cover it up.”

  “I know Edony well enough,” I sighed. “She may not care about killing a man, or a servant, but another aristocrat? It’s out of the question. She’d lose everything she had.”

  “But do you really think that if something like that were to happen, the Duchess would give up her title?” Valerie murmured. “Her family has been in control since Edenhart was built. I honestly think… if something were to happen, Edony would go on a rampage, absolutely destroy the entire town, and then rebuild it for herself.”

  “I wouldn’t doubt it,” I chuckled. “But no, Edony would never kill another aristocrat. She knows the punishments for things like that.”

  “Charles!” a familiar voice shouted. “Oh, Charles! Ms. Browning!”

  All four of us turned, craned our necks for the source of the noise, and spotted Josephine as she pushed through the crowd. The blonde wasn’t wearing a mask, I assumed so that her guests could recognize her in the group, but her dress was absolutely gorgeous. The gown was white as snow, glittered as if it were covered in a light layer of frost, and brushed at the ground lightly. The sleeves were embroidered lace, but over the shoulder, and rested against her pinkish flesh in long swatches. The waist of her dress was tiny, partly from her naturally small frame, but also from the tight-fitting corset underneath.

  Her long, honey-colored locks were pulled up into a complicated updo, but gorg
eous, fresh flowers were pinned into the wefts of hair. Her face looked fresh, youthful, and her round cheeks lightly flushed as she gripped onto my hands.

  “Charles!” Josephine gasped. “I’ve been waiting for you to arrive all night! Ah, and Ms. Browning is here, too! How lovely!”

  “You look stunning, Ms. Josephine,” Daisy bowed. “And your dress! It’s marvelous!”

  “Thank you, thank you,” the blonde aristocrat bubbled. “I actually modeled it after the bridal gowns from the olden times, but don’t tell any of the other ladies. They’d have a bit of a fit if they found out.”

  “I can assure you,” I smiled. “None of them will know, it’s a secret between the five of us.”

  “Five?” the blonde asked.

  “Yes, my dear,” I grinned. “Of course, you’ve met my Mistress Daisy, but these are her cousins visiting from the city. This is Ms. Rian Donahue, and this is Valerie Donahue. They’ve been eagerly awaiting the party for a special reason.”

  “Special reason?” Josephine probed. “What could that be?”

  “They’ve wanted to meet you,” I nodded. “I’ve told them all about you, and they couldn’t wait to attend.”

  “O-Oh, really?” Josephine asked nervously. “I don’t think I’ve ever had someone be excited to meet me in my entire life. How wonderful!”

  “You have a lovely home, Ms. Josephine,” Rian bowed her head. “I would also like to say that your dress is absolutely gorgeous.”

  “Thank you so, so much,” the blonde aristocrat bowed her head. “I don’t think you understand how much I appreciate this praise. I spent most of the day on my hands and knees with my footmen as we scrubbed this whole floor clean. My back is killing me, but I guess that’s what corsets are for, support, or something like that.”

  “Ms. Josephine, pardon my forwardness,” Valerie broke in. “But you are beautiful always, and I’m sure with a frame like yours, you don’t need a corset.”

  “We never wear them,” Daisy agreed. “I read somewhere they’re horrible for your back. The article even mentioned they can cause stomach issues if you’re not careful.”

  “Oh, yes,” Josephine gasped. “I’ve heard those rumors, too, but they’re the highest fashion right now… so, as an aristocrat, I have to wear them sadly. If others see you three out and about without them, and I spread the word, maybe the horrible contraptions will go out of style!”

  “I hope so,” the feline-woman nodded. “I’d hate for you to get hurt because of one.”

  “That’s so sweet of you,” the blonde blushed. “Oh, I seem to have forgotten my manners. I know Charles already introduced us, but I’m Ms. Josephine. I love all of your costumes! All three of you have gone all out, oh, my, look at those ears! They look so real! Did you purchase them from a store?”

  “No,” I smiled. “I actually crafted them, the tails and horns, too. They’re all steam-powered, so they move on their own, and they’re affixed to their heads with small bands. Isn’t that fantastical?”

  “Yes, Charles,” Josephine breathed. “I am amazed by how brilliant and imaginative you are. However did you create them? Or is that a secret, too, like your alchemy recipes?”

  “Secrets that I will take to my grave,” I chortled. “But I did give you a hint. Steam-powered.”

  “Ahhh, yes,” Josephine nodded, tapped her chin with a single finger, and crossed one of her arms over her chest. “Steam-powered. Does that mean that they heat up? Are your heads hot? May I feel them?”

  “No!” All three women cried.

  “They’re all very fragile,” Daisy explained. “We broke them a few times, and Charles kept having to rebuild them. He finally got them the last time, and then had to place them on our heads because he was afraid they were going to snap again.”

  “Ah, I see,” the blonde aristocrat giggled. “I’m on to your tricks, Charles Rayburn. I’ll be figuring out to make my own, and then you’re done for!”

  I couldn’t help but throw my head back, clutch my stomach, and laugh. When I looked at Josephine, and she joked around with me like this, I couldn’t help but find her adorable. Her orange cat-like eyes glittered happily, the corners of her lips upturned in a smile, and she clapped her delicate hands together.

  “Yoohoo,” a deep, booming voice called from behind us. “Ms. Josephine.”

  The blonde aristocrat’s shoulders tensed, the corners of her lips pulled down in a grimace, her hands curled into fists, and a low groan whispered from her mouth. I glanced down at her, went to place a hand on her shoulder, but then quickly retracted it in front of all of the aristocrats.

  “Are you alright, Josephine?” I asked. “You look…”

  “Annoyed?” Valerie offered.

  “Irritated?” Rian added.

  “Exasperated.” Daisy nodded.

  “Yes… and no,” the blonde aristocrat breathed. “You see, there’s a new… person in town… and she’s trying to get close to all of us. A little too close for comfort, if you ask me, but my goodness is she persistent.”

  “Recently arrived?” Daisy echoed. “We haven’t heard anything.”

  “I’m sure you haven’t,” the blonde muttered. “It’s all the gossip in the city. It’s all they can talk about down here.”

  “Why?” Valerie asked. “I mean, I know our cousin made waves when she arrived, but is this person just as important?”

  “Ah… no,” Josephine whispered. “She’s only the talk of the town because of her occupation.”

  “Oh?” I grunted. “What’s her name?”

  “Kelara Devorak,” an alluring voice behind us simpered. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

  All five of us turned, Josephine sidestepped behind me, peeked out from over my shoulder, reached out, and gripped onto the fabric of my suit. I wasn’t sure why the blonde heiress seemed frightened of this person in front of us, and I examined them intently. I stared at the person standing in front of me, and for the longest time, I couldn’t figure out what sex they were. They were on the taller side with little to no weight on their body, their head was covered in a tightly wrapped turban with a single aquamarine curl resting on their forehead. Their eyes were a hateful scarlet, rimmed in black charcoal, and shaped almost like a cat’s. They glared at me, and their hateful gaze stabbed into me with an anger I almost couldn’t fathom.

  They didn’t wear a costume, but instead a complicated array of white strips of cloth over their chest and genitals. The lengths came up over their shoulders, crossed over their nonexistent chest, wrapped around their waist, and came down to hang over their crotch. The fabric swayed slightly as they moved, but never moved enough to reveal what was hidden underneath.

  Bands of gold wrapped around their forearms, golden rings weighted their fingers, but that wasn’t what caught my attention. Etched across their skin were wine-red tattoos, words in a language I didn’t know, symbols I didn’t recognize, and a few intricate flowers here and there.

  “Y-Yes,” Josephine stammered. “This is Kelara. She’s a… consort.”

  Rian’s eyes bulged out of her skull, Valerie’s mouth dropped open, and Daisy raised a single eyebrow as she crossed her arms over her chest. Kelara threw back her shoulders, stepped forward toward the brunette, grabbed the bear-girl’s hand, pulled it forward, and then pressed her lips to the back. Daisy’s plump mouth curled down in a grimace, snatched her hand away, and held it to her chest in disgust.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” I growled.

  “Ah, I am introducing myself to the lovely ladies here,” the tattooed woman soothed. “You see, what Ms. Josephine said is true. I am a consort by choice, selling my delightful female body to wealthy aristocratic women.”

  “Why?” Daisy barked. “We have male consorts for that sort of pleasure. Why would you do such a thing?”

  “You don’t understand?” Kelara tilted her head. “Yes, then I will explain. You see, men do not know how to please a woman, yes, they are equipped with disgusting littl
e sacs of flesh that fill with blood that can be inserted inside our bodies, but do they know how to pleasure us to the core? Until our bodies are left useless to recover from waves of ecstasy? No, they never have, and they never will.”

  “This is quite inappropriate to speak about in public,” Josephine hissed. “Especially at my party, of all places.”

  “I have to agree with Ms. Josephine,” Daisy breathed. “Get to the point. Why are you a consort by choice?”

  “Because the only person who knows how to please a woman…” the turban-wearing woman chuckled. “Is another woman. I came to Edenhart to seek out the aristocratic class and find my perfect Mistress. Once I find her, I will shower her with love, gifts, and, most of all, trips to the heavens… with these two digits of my fingers.”

  “Stop it,” the blonde aristocrat cried. “Stop it right now, or I will be forced to ask you to leave! I already warned you that this topic is inappropriate, and you should stop speaking this instant!”

  “My apologies, my dear Josephine,” Kelara bowed. “I know that my choice of occupation is a touchy subject, but there is no need for disgust. I am a master of my trades, well-practiced, if you will… and I am quite proud of that.”

  “I understand that,” Josephine grumbled. “But could you not talk about it? What did you need from me, anyway? I’m quite busy attending to my guests and mingling with my friends.”

  “Ah, yes, my apologies,” the tattooed woman purred. “I only have a request. I saw that the Duchess of Edenhart has just arrived. I’d like to have as many connections as I can in this city. Could I possibly trouble you to introduce the two of us?”

  “T-To Edony?” the blonde aristocrat balked. “The Duchess? I’m sorry, uhm, Ms. Kelara, but I don’t think the Duchess would have any interest in meeting--”

  “I beg of you!” the strange woman boomed, slapped her hands together, and threw herself forward onto her knees. “Take me to the Duchess, so that I can meet her, get to know her, and in the future, possibly become her one and only!”