Chapter 2

Cairo

Cursing under my breath,I managed to pop the second taillight back into place with a flathead screwdriver. The old taillights were still functional but had faded over the years, so Meli asked me to find replacements in order to make the Karmann Ghia sparkle when she took pictures to post the thing for sale.

These taillights had come in yesterday, special ordered all the way from Michigan, where some guy kept an eye out for rare Volkswagen parts, thank fuck. I figured that by this point, I—and Meli O'Donnell—had kept the dude in business.

I stepped back from the car and pulled a rag from the waistband of my jeans to wipe my hands while I admired my work.

Yeah.

Yeah, it looked pretty good. I don't think it would be obvious to anyone that there'd been a replacement, but it had been necessary. This baby was getting up there in years and needed a lot of work to keep running.

Stupid to use it as an everyday car. It needs to be in a garage somewhere, taken out once a week for a Sunday drive.

Not hauling baking supplies around an island that was constantly being buffeted by sand and salt wind and hurricanes.

At least Meli keeps it under cover.

Yeah, well, at least there was that.

Sighing, I used the rag to wipe my forehead, only wincing after I glanced down at it to see the grease smeared across it. Was I filthy too?

Did it matter?

Why would it? It's not like anyone comes to visit you.

Meli might.

Not until you text her and tell her your fee. Might as well do that, so she can come take this car off your hands. It's taking up space in the drive.

If anyone asked me, I'd deny that my heartbeat had sped up slightly at the thought of contacting her. I would say that I have limited space on my property, and I couldn't afford the Karmann Ghia sitting there when she could be dealing with it. I would say that was all I was interested in: getting it out of my hair. And the money wouldn't hurt.

I'd be lying.

Would she bring me more cupcakes if I texted and told her the car was ready? Would she smile again?

At me.

I shook my head, irritated at myself for thinking about her. Crumpling the rag in my fist, I turned back to the house. I scowled and stomped up the front steps.

When I'd moved to Eastshore, it was easy enough to pick up one of the little track homes which lined the back side of the island, but I made certain to choose one on a big piece of property. I put in a garage just as big as the house, widened the flat driveway, and slowly filled all available space with my tools and my machines.

I knew the locals referred to my place as the autobody shop, and I guess it was, kinda. But it's not like I had a sign up or anything.

This was just my hobby, something I was good at. And once I'd figured out that people would pay me to fix their cars—not like there was any other place on the island where they could go—I was happy to take their money.

Human money, orc money, whatever. It was all the same to me.

Not that I needed it. It was more…a way to keep track. A way to remind Eastshore that I wasn't some charity case, someone to be pitied. Fuck ‘em.

I stomped toward my room, pulling my stained t-shirt over my head as I did so. I threw both it and the rag in the hamper, then kicked off my work boots. Honestly, I preferred to be barefoot, but step on a lug bolt one too many times, and you learn your lesson.

Actually, I only had to do it once to learn.

In the shower, I turned the temp to one degree south of scalding, and tipped my head back, letting the water cascade over me.

Hot water, man.

This shit was nice.

I was good at pushing things out of my mind that I didn't want to remember, so unlike Karnak or some of the others, I didn't cling to memories of my life before I'd joined the human world. What was the point? The past was gone, and we weren't welcome back there.

And I wouldn't want to return, even if I could.

Why would I?

There, I'd bathed in cold waterfalls, I'd eaten meals cooked over a fire, seasoned with herbs, and I'd watched my family die from the wasting sickness.

Why in the ever-loving fuck would I choose that over hot showers, microwave burritos, and antibiotics?

Not that you need the antibiotics.

Turns out, orcs were strangely resistant to most human illnesses.

But still. The point stands.

It did.

I lathered up my hands and scrubbed my hair, a ritual I enjoyed for the simplicity of it. I liked the feel of my fingertips digging into my scalp, releasing the day's tensions and thoughts and anger.

Or maybe I was just really into the hot water.

The human world has something else you didn't have back where you grew up.

Uh, yeah. Women.

Back home—no, not home. That world wasn't home, not any more than this place was. It was just where I grew up. But back there, females of our species were few and far between. The shamans couldn't tell us why fewer and fewer female children had been born in the last centuries, but it meant that it was a rare and coveted thing for a male to find his Mate.

Oh, there were plenty of males who partnered with one another, who set up a household and found companionship. But that was different from being Mated; finding the female who would bear your young and hold you in her heart.

Growling, I shook the soap out of my ears and stepped under the full blast of the water, shutting my eyes and letting the droplets batter my face.

You never wanted to be Mated. You knew there was never a chance.

Yeah, and there still wasn't. I didn't want a Mate—I was perfectly content on my own.

But try explaining that to my Kteer. Stupid biology. It was like I turned thirty and bam my body started thinking impossible things.

Like what Meli would feel like, here in the shower with me.

Fuck! No, stop that!

Meli was no different from any other human female. It just so happened that she was one of the ones I saw most often because of my sweet tooth and her damned car. She just happened to be nearby when my stupid body was betraying me.

With her thick brown curls and her lush curves and those thighs I wanted to feel around my waist. She was tall enough I wouldn't hurt my neck when I bent to claim her mouth—

You're doing it again.

One of my palms slammed into the tiles of the shower, and the other reached for my cock. Not at all surprised to find the damn thing standing at attention.

I groaned when my hand closed around it, and I pressed my forehead against the forearm which braced my weight.

Fucking Kteer. Fucking biology.

That's the only reason I was standing here in the shower, jerking my soapy cock, thinking of Meli O'Donnell.

Thinking of the way she'd look, naked and wet in here with me.

The way she'd look, head thrown back in ecstasy as I made her come again.

The way she'd look, hands squeezing those magnificent tits together, laughing and teasing me to taste her.

The way she'd look, thighs spread, fingers stroking herself as she beckoned me to join her on the bed.

Fuck.

My breathing was coming faster, and I felt my release building.

I shouldn't be imagining her like this, but I was a firm believer in going with whatever worked, and clearly, these mental images were working. I was going to come faster than I could remember coming before.

My strokes increased.

Let's see, what else can we imagine…

Meli, smiling at me when I came in from work. Teasing me because I was covered in oil.

Meli, not minding the way I scowled at the universe and didn't have much use for friends.

Meli, feeding me one of her cupcakes. Taking me in her arms and telling me she loved—

Fuuuuuck.

My seed hit the tiles in front of me as I sucked in a breath through my teeth.

What the shit was that?

I straightened, wiping my hair out of my eyes, and reached up to adjust the shower head. What the shit was that?

I'll tell you what it was, it was my fucking Kteer, which had apparently seen Karnak so damn happy with his new Mate that it wanted a piece of the action.

On the other hand, hear me out now…if that's how you're going to come each time your Kteer gets involved, it's easy to see why males are wrapped around their Mates, eh?

Fuck.

I'd been with females before—curious humans who were willing to brave my scowls to get a taste of orc dick—so I knew how to give and receive pleasure. But I'd never experienced something like this…

I finished my shower as quickly as I could, trying to ignore the thought. Ignore the way my limbs felt like jelly, like I wanted to do nothing more than curl in bed around my Ma—

You're doing it again.

Scowling, I turned off the water—it had started to cool, after all—and didn't bother drying off. I just stomped into my bedroom and threw myself down on my sheets, not even caring if I got them wet.

I laid there on my back, arms spread, staring up at the ceiling fan which was so vital in Eastshore during these hot summer months, and tried not to think about what had just happened.

What's not to think about? You orgasmed harder and faster than you ever have before because you were thinking about Meli O'Donnell. Not just sexually either. You were imagining a life with her.

I was doing a piss-poor job of not thinking about it, eh?

When my phone rang, I was almost grateful for the distraction. Rolling over, I groped at my bedside table for the thing, and didn't even glance at the screen, assuming it was a call about auto work.

It wasn't.

"How's my favorite grump?"

I groaned. "What do you want, Sakkara?"

"And good evening to you, sunshine! I didn't expect you to pick up."

"I wouldn't have," I grumbled, wedging the phone between the pillow and my ear, enjoying the way the water droplets were drying on my skin, "if I'd known it was you."

The bastard laughed. "There's the Cairo we know and love."

I just grunted, refusing to rise to his teasing. "What's up? Did your van break down? You know you're the only single dude I know who drives a minivan?"

"It's huge, that's why I drive it. Have you seen how much space there is in the back when the seats are down?" I could hear him moving around on the other end of the line, metal clanging against something. "Besides, I thought it would be helpful once Emmy started making friends. Driving them to playdates and ballet or whatever."

Ah.

Emmy's biological father had been Dahshur, one of the orcs who migrated with us, and the first to find a human lover. The little one had been something of our mascot, offering us hope after our time in the government facilities, undergoing endless rounds of experiments.

Then her parents died, and Sakkara had become her father. He was the best of us—smart, outgoing, and genuinely cared about us. I dunno why, but he did.

So I figured I could give him the time of day. I cleared my throat. "Smart, man. Once school starts in the fall, you'll probably have to upgrade to a fifteen-passenger van because of all her friends."

Sakkara chuckled, but it sounded forced. "Yeah, I'll start checking prices."

The reason Sakkara had been so quick to jump on Eastshore's invite to move to the island was because of Emmy. She'd quit speaking after her parents' deaths and withdrawn. Her teachers couldn't get a damn thing out of her, and I know Sakkara had high hopes that being around more of our kind—even though she was only half-orc—would be what she needed to come out of her shell.

If I was the praying type, I'd pray that he'd be right. The kid deserved some happiness.

The fan had dried all the water droplets, leaving little tingly spots on my skin. So I pressed the phone to my ear and sat up, shaking out my hair. On the other end of the line, Sakkara cleared his throat.

"So listen, the reason I called is I have some good news. Giza's on his way."

I perked up. "Really? That's awesome." I hadn't heard from the older male since—well, since we all split from the facility, I guess—but we'd always gotten along fine. I like that he wasn't into mindless chatter, and he worked with his hands. "He's moving here?"

"He's considering it. I'm going to do my best to sell him on the idea. There's an empty storefront on Main Street which would be great if he ever wanted to open that tattoo shop he's mentioned. I think it could bring in even more people to the island."

Sakkara was likely right. I'd seen the slow—but steady—online increase in interest about orcish culture. If Giza moved here and started tattooing humans, he'd likely have a wait list. "I'm glad. Looking forward to seeing him."

And to my surprise, I meant it.

"Yeah, and…" Sakkara took a deep breath, and I felt myself tense for bad news. "You know Luxor moves in next week, and I was hoping you'd show him around Eastshore."

"Me?" Good thing I was sitting up, or I would've wrenched my back getting to that position. I gaped at the cell phone. "Why would I show him around town?"

"Because he's your cousin."

"Well, yeah, but so are you. And Karnak and Tanis. And a half dozen of the other guys."

"But he's your first cousin. Your mother's brother's son."

"I know how cousins work, Sakkara," I growled. "But I don't know the island any better than you."

He sounded unphased. "You've lived here almost as long as Karnak."

"Yeah, but I don't, like, socialize." In my irritation, I'd pushed myself to my feet. "You and Emmy have been here a month, and I'll bet you know everyone on this island."

Sakkara hummed but didn't contradict me. "The town council is throwing a Fourth of July parade and celebration on the beach. There's even going to be a sandcastle building contest, which you know you'd kick ass at."

"I'm not building sandcastles," I growled. "Especially not with Lux."

He ignored my objections. "It would be the perfect time to show Luxor around—"

"Sakkara, you know us, right? I'm the exact opposite of Lux. If I have to spend any one-on-one time with him, I'll likely end up killing him. Or myself."

A pause on the other end of the phone, then I could hear Sakkara's smile. "You could—hear me out—try not being so dang grumpy all the time? Maybe Luxor's cheer will rub off on you."

"He's not cheerful. He's a fucking idiot. And since when do you say ‘dang'?"

"When I have an eight-year-old daughter staring up at me, waiting for me to make her chicken nuggets for dinner."

Microwaves, man. The fucking best.

"Go feed Emmy. Lemme know if your van needs work."

"And Luxor?"

I wasn't going to show the dude around town. He wasn't merely cheerful; he was what happened if someone shoved sunshine and rainbows so far up their ass it started vomiting out their mouth. But I sighed. "Ten minutes, tops."

Sakkara chuckled. "Good enough. See you on the Fourth, if not sooner."

I knew he was thrilled to be on Eastshore. I knew he loved this idea of the orcs having a place to call our own, a place to gather and be together and uphold traditions. I knew he wanted us to be one big happy family.

Not going to happen.

"Yeah," I said neutrally. "Bye."

I hung up first, then threw myself back down atop my bed with a groan. Luxor? Giza was alright, and Karnak was here already. Tanis had been here too, although the male hadn't bothered me much, so I didn't mind him. He'd left in the spring to take that bodyguarding gig with that famous violinist, although Sakkara assured us they'd be returning. Both him and the violinist? Why would she travel with him?

I sighed again. Lux, Giza, Karnak, Tanis, Sakkara?

Who else was he going to nag me into seeing and reconnecting with? Who else was he going to use the "family" guilt-trip on?

And what the hell did this have to do with my Kteer?

Groaning again, I threw my forearm over my eyes.

I wonder if there are any burritos in the freezer?