5. Sammy

5

Sammy

Despite getting the best sleep I'd had in forever, I was a wreck inside. Being transported to a fantasy land might do that to a person, but it wasn't the whole other world thing. It wasn't even the horrible pain that had incapacitated me yesterday. Although, that was scary as hell. Luckily, I'd felt no trace of the pain this morning.

No, it was the orc. And not in the running for my life variety. Nope. This orc was very much the opposite.

After straightening up in the serene, spa-like bathroom with its rich, weathered walls and deep-soaking tub, I'd stared at my reflection in the antique oval mirror above the sink. The woman staring back at me accepted that she was not in Seattle anymore. She acknowledged that she was dressed like her game character. She believed that a twist of fate, or magic, or whatever had hauled her ass to the world of Havenlore. But…

Being attracted to an orc? Uh-huh.

"Now, listen," I'd said to that stubborn reflection in the mirror, "you can fantasize about monsters, read all the monster smut, and play all the hot monster games you want, but you cannot, will not, and are not allowed to get horny for an honest-to-god real life monster!"

Gripping the sides of the porcelain sink, I'd leaned toward the mirror and rested my forehead on its smooth surface. "What a mess."

As I'd contemplated how I'd gotten into this predicament—and how I'd get out of it—the scent of bacon pulled me from my tumultuous thoughts. My stomach rumbled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since arriving in this strange world, and suddenly, the lure of breakfast seemed impossible to resist.

Curiosity coaxed me from the bathroom. The warm, inviting smell grew stronger as I padded down the hallway, my bare feet shuffling on the wooden planks. I could hear the rhythmic crackle of sizzling bacon coming from the kitchen, accompanied by the faint clinking of utensils.

Peeking around the corner, I caught sight of Guruk, his broad shoulders hunched over a pitcher of amber-colored liquid. The morning light poured in through the window, highlighting teal hues on his otherwise green skin. He looked surprisingly domestic, wearing a simple linen shirt that accentuated his muscular build, his hair tousled and wild.

I gulped as I moved toward the counter. He circled the island between us, pulling out a stool for me. I shivered as he helped me up, his large hand at the small of my back.

"Please, sit and eat," he said, his voice a deep rumble that resonated in my chest.

I gaped at the food spread across the counter. The care and time it must have taken him touched something inside me that I hadn't acknowledged in, well, maybe ever. I couldn't find the words to express the intensity of my feelings in that moment. Before me laid a plate filled to capacity with bacon, eggs, and fresh bread with butter. Two glasses rested to the right of it, one with water and the other with juice.

"Ah…" I choked on my words, too overcome to form a sentence. No one had gone to such lengths for me before. After my mom died and my father abandoned me as a toddler, I'd been left with nothing but my name. I'd bounced from one foster house to the next, never having a stable home. Some of the places had been decent, but most were a fight for survival, let alone anything more. And sure I had friends now, after a practical lifetime of loneliness. But a breakfast feast cooked just for me? Unheard of.

Tears clung to my lashes. I took a quick swipe at them with the back of my hand to prevent them from falling. In a voice clogged with too much pent up emotion, I said, "Thank you."

His gaze held mine for half a heartbeat before he pushed in my seat and bound to the other side of the island. "So, tell me about yourself, Sammy." He broke off a piece of bread and dipped it in a small bowl of honey he'd set between us. "Where are you from?"

I took a sip of the amber drink, recognizing it as apple juice, and swallowed roughly. With my awe over the meal still at the forefront, I tried to concentrate on his question. "Well, that's kind of hard to explain."

He shot me a crooked grin that raised the tusk on his right side. It turned his rugged face years younger, matching the teasing challenge in his eyes. "Try me."

A warmth swam through me at his playful words. It was impossible not to smile at him in return. I took a big bite of the eggs and bacon, relishing the flavors, then launched into my tale. "So, okay, it started during the storm. My friends and I were playing a game, and…" I soon found myself spilling the entire unbelievable events from the night of…Wait, was that only yesterday?

I devoured the bread, dipping it in the honey as Guruk had done, and chasing it with the juice. I ended my tale with, "Then, I reached for the horn as my character and blam! Before I knew what happened, I was here." I'd been talking for at least five minutes straight. Now, I held my breath, waiting for him to digest my words.

Leaning his elbows on the counter, he steepled his fingers and rested his chin atop them. I couldn't help studying his features as he stared at a spot between us, lost in his contemplation. A dark neat beard covered his angular jaw. I estimated the tusks sticking up from his lower lip to be about the length of my pinky finger. He had a broad nose, thick brows, and high cheekbones. His face held a masculine beauty that was actually enhanced by his green and teal complexion, not retracting from it.

When he looked at me with those mint hued eyes of his again, I feared I'd lose myself in them.

"You're from another world then?" he asked, breaking the spell.

I shook my head to clear my wayward thoughts. "Uh, yeah, that's the short of it."

"Hmm," he nodded and straightened to his full height, "you wouldn't be the first visitor from a distant land." He rounded the island and stood by my side. "Though, I don't know as many as traveled quite as far as another world before."

I hopped off the stool, grabbing the empty plates to have something to do, while he spoke. "I'll get these!"

He stopped me before I made it to the kitchen sink. "No, let me do that."

"What?" I cried, holding the plates in front of me like a waitress. "You cooked this whole meal. The least I can do is clean it up."

"Sammy," he said, his tone patient yet chiding. "After everything you've told me, you deserve to have a rest, no?"

I tilted my head back to meet his eyes. I wasn't the tallest in a room, but I was always above average; so speaking with someone so much larger than me was a bit unnerving. "Well…"

"Let me take care of you." Guruk bent at the waist to take the plates from my grip with infinite care, convincing me with an indulgent smile to let them go.

As he leaned closer, my heart raced, an erratic drumbeat echoing in my ears. His gaze flickered to my lips, and the floor beneath me felt like it shifted on an angle. I grabbed the counter behind me in a vice grip. My breath caught, and I could almost taste the anticipation hanging in the air between us.

Then, a cry sliced through air, yanking me back to reality, and severing the unspoken possibilities. I blinked, and he dropped the plates on the counter.

"Inara!" Guruk bolted for the door, flinging it open and stomping onto the porch.

I followed on his heels. "What is it?" I cried, not expecting an answer. We both lacked proper footwear, but the grass beneath my feet provided enough cushion as we raced toward a pen.

"The alicorn," Guruk called, not slowing his stride. "Something's wrong."

The pen wasn't far from the house, but I was not prepared for the sight that greeted us. Opposite the fence stood a majestic creature born from myths and legends. With a shimmering white coat that glistened like snow, and a flowing mane that cascaded in iridescent waves, the alicorn surpassed my wildest imaginings. Expansive feathered wings bore delicate patterns reminiscent of starlight. Atop its regal head, a spiraled horn glimmered with an opalescent sheen, radiating a soft, warm glow.

I was so starstruck by the fantastical being that, at first, I didn't notice the denizen lurking in the shadows.

"Get back now!" Guruk had no such hesitations. Having hopped the fence and obtained an ax from who knows where, he barreled across the pen like a fierce warrior ready for combat. Even barefoot in his simple linen shirt and worn leathers, the orc cut an imposing figure.

"I wouldn't want to be his target." Watching his muscles work as he hauled the ax over his shoulder did something funny to my insides. "Well, not his target for a fight anyway."

As Guruk closed in on his prey, the midmorning sun hid behind a cloud, dulling the light. "You've got guts trespassing on my land, fiend."

"'Til next time then," a high-pitched voice squeaked.

It was impossible to tell the direction it came from as the sound seemed to travel all around us. Guruk must have sensed the same as he took up a battle stance in front of the alicorn.

A crackle like popcorn in the microwave snapped my attention to the wooded area beyond the pen. As I turned to investigate, Guruk settled his ax against the fencing, and held out his hand to me. "Don't bother. Whoever the intruder was just popped through the veil."

"The veil?" I asked with a last look toward the woods. "What do you mean?"

He tugged me to him, then placed both hands at my waist, lifting me over the fence with ease. "Our land has old magic in it, Sammy." He set me on my feet, the warmth of his touch lingering on my body. "The veil is part of it, and those who can use it may journey between spaces with little trouble. It's how we've had visitors from other lands before."

"Oh," I said, running through the implications in my mind. "Maybe that's how I ended up here then? I somehow traveled through the veil?"

"It would be my guess." He motioned for me to follow him. "We'll bring it up when we meet the council."

I halted in my tracks. "Wait, council?"

Guruk opened the gate as the alicorn came forward. Her ethereal aura captivated my senses. Gorgeous white wings shimmered in the dappled sunlight, casting playful shadows on the ground. He patted the majestic creature's side as he said, "The council guides the village. If anyone will know about how you came to our world and how to get you home, they will."

My breath caught in my throat. I croaked, "Really?"

"Yes." He nodded, kneeling to check over the alicorn's injured wing. "Inara will accompany us to the village, so the healer can check on her progress, and we'll inform the sheriff of the would-be poacher as well." Seemingly satisfied, he straightened to his great height and grinned at me. His tusks stretched higher on either side of his mouth. The look should have been intimidating, but it wasn't. It lit up his face, turning him from handsome to downright delectable. "It'll be my pleasure to show you the village."

Heat flooded my cheeks. "I'd like that."

Heading out of the pen with Inara trailing him, Guruk turned to head toward the house.

"Wait," I called, catching up to his long strides, "I thought we were going to visit the village?"

His hearty laugh wrapped around me like a cozy blanket. He pointed at my feet. "Might need something first, no?"

"Oh." I wiggled my toes in the grass, my neon green nail polish matching the hue. My face warmed further. "Right."

As we traversed the steps to grab our boots, a sense of calm washed over me. Despite the anticipation of seeing the village and meeting the council, I felt more at peace than I ever had. And I had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with the orc beside me. His steady presence ground me, acting like an anchor in an unknown world.

My heart sped up its rhythm as I watched his big hands tie up the laces of his boots.

Okay, so maybe not so calm.