Chapter 30

PALOMA

“Show me who you are, my graka,” Atox says.

I’m guessing graka is the female version of a grak, a queen essentially, if women held true power in this culture. Regardless, Atox calling me graka is a compliment, as if he’s calling me a queen. Maybe to him, I am.

My head spins with the implication, even as my body thrums from his tongue licking my most intimate area… in front of others. As I wrestle with the meaning of his words, he sucks on my clit.

I gasp, then shudder as an orgasm overtakes me. My eyes snap open, looking out into the night… and I find the eyes of a warrior I don’t know. A warrior whose green eyes lock onto me as if he sees right through to my soul.

To my utter surprise, I feel no fear or shame, only the power that Atox has given me. In more than the orgasm that lifts my body. I feel strong, despite the fact that he’s stripped me bare and is holding my legs open for everyone to see my pussy and what he is doing to me.

My eyes glide to the next warrior where I know I’ll see a similar expression on the male’s face. Confusion.

Perhaps a male going down on a female isn’t routine. Or these warriors expect me to cower as their grak fucks me. Except this isn’t about sex, or even power and control.

A second orgasm strikes on the heels of the first, tearing my thoughts away from our witnesses. My hands grip and wrap around Atox’s hair as I ride the waves. My brave, determined, and often stubborn orc is on a mission to please me. That very thought astounds me. Atox is not the selfish male I once thought he was.

I push his head back so I can meet his eyes. I don’t want to see his warriors. Only him. He is the one I want in my bed and my life.

“Fuck me, Atox. Or do whatever it takes to get this damn ceremony over with so we can return to our furs and I can show you what you mean to me.”

The fire that lights his eyes… Damn, I’ll never forget them as long as I live. Brilliant, full of life and hope.

I’m not sure I understand how my words caused such a reaction, but I won’t question this male who refuses to give up on me, even when I gave up on him.

Atox lifts me off the stone platform until my bare feet touch the cold ground. He turns me around slowly and bends me over it, not being nearly as rough as I thought he’d be in front of his warriors. The smooth stone surface chills my breasts. A second later, his massive cock thrusts into me fast and hard.

When I realize his body shields most of me from the warriors’ eyes, it becomes easier to focus on Atox, even though I can’t see him at this angle. I think about his touch, the way his hands wander from my hip down my arms, and the kisses he plants on my back.

As his thrusts intensify, his cock penetrates me deeper than I believed possible. I grip the far edge of the platform for purchase.

Every nerve in me quickly becomes sensitized. To his cock, his hands dancing over my skin, even the cold night air.

Heavy grunts echo off the mountain. Followed by softer high-pitched moans that I almost don’t recognize as my own. Atox pinches and plays with my clit, distracting me, pleasuring me, consuming me.

He doesn’t need to prove his strength over me. That is a given.

As their grak, he’s the example on how to treat a mate. He’ll take his pleasure, but he’ll give it too.

Our people.

His words were not lost on me earlier. He considers me one of his people. An orc.

An orc would not see shame in what must be.

There is no shame if you don’t allow it.

This is a moment of giving, receiving, commitment, even joy. A declaration that he’s chosen me. And I’ve chosen him.

Which means giving this relationship my all.

With that thought, I start to enjoy each thrust of his massive cock, and how one hand caresses my side while the other circles my clit.

“You are doing well, my female.”

“As are you, my grak.” I figure using his title in front of his warriors, assuming they can hear our whispers, will gain him some respect. I will never intentionally make him look weak in front of others, that much I’ve decided. No matter how angry I might be with Atox, he fights for his people… and me. He deserves our respect.

Atox chuckles, which from an orc is a deep, hearty sound, full of spirit, much like the male himself.

“You will come for me, Paloma.”

“I can’t come on command,” I say. But clearly he has other ideas as he thrusts so fast I lose my grip on the stone. Only his hold on my hips keeps me standing. The smell of burning wood mixes with Atox’s woodsy scent as he drives into me, over and over. It turns into a hard fucking. Punishing, in fact, and makes my entire body buzz.

But I’ve never felt so alive.

“They’re still watching,” I say with more courage, even acceptance.

“Yes, they are. Show them who you are, my little warrior. The fierce orc that is in your soul. Show them. Show me.”

Despite all the frustration and embarrassment I’ve gone through because of this orc, I want to make him proud. Atox cares about me. Truly cares. I’ll fight for him, more than I will myself. I care about him that much. And this risha ceremony is important to him.

“Now,” he orders, at the same time he pinches my clit, throwing me over the cliff.

My body tightens around his cock and every nerve ending explodes with pleasure as I squeeze him. I would sink to the ground if Atox wasn’t holding me.

When his cock expands inside me, I squirm and push up on my feet, the instinct to push back on him too hard to resist. Fear no longer overtakes me even though we’re locked together as one.

“A knot?” I ask, the only words I can manage in my heightened state of arousal.

“We wait.” A male of many words, he isn’t.

“How long this time?”

“As long as it takes.”

His hands slide under my torso and lift me off the hard rock. I chuckle at the irony that I have one hard rock in me and another under me.

“You are well,” he says, misinterpreting my laugh.

His question reminds me that his top warriors watched him fuck then knot me. No shame or fear strangles me. They are no longer of any consequence and I can only think about my male.

Atox gently leans me back against his chest, bearing my weight. A modicum of strength returns to my legs, enough that I can stand, but he lifts me until my feet no longer touch the ground.

He turns us, so I face his warriors. Completely naked. Spread wide. With his cock still in me. Earlier, he shielded me, now I shield him with my large breasts, my less than slim tummy, and generous hips on full display. Perhaps that’s fair, but I’m back to feeling exposed and vulnerable.

Atox bends backwards, causing me to arch and throw my breasts out.

“Atox?” I question.

“I want them to see you, Paloma. All of you.”

I swallow back a whimper as I catch the warriors staring at me, their eyes cold and near feral, as if they want me. “Why?” I sputter.

“So you can show them who you are.”

“Who am I?” My voice trails off as I’m not sure anymore. I’m standing totally naked, bent like an offering to five warriors while their leader traps me with his knot.

“You are my light and strength, even in the darkness of night, on a cold planet that was never meant to be our home,” Atox says, his words flowing through and over me, reaching the males whose eyes never leave me.

In that moment, I feel no shame about my body, my position, or the fact that I’m as vulnerable as a woman can be. Atox gives me a strength I’ve never known, or maybe I’ve had it all along and he’s the key I needed to unlock it. One by one, I stare into the eyes of each warrior.

“And you are my light and strength,” I say to Atox, loud enough for all to hear. The words feel like vows, and I cling to them as such. “Even in the darkness of night, on a cold planet that was never meant to be our home.” Word for word, I recite what he said.

“Paloma?” he asks, confusion in his voice.

He doesn’t understand that he’s made me feel strong, beautiful, and invincible with his support and love. He believes in me, more than I’ve ever believed in myself.

“They are more than words to me, Atox. You are my light and strength. My world will no longer be cold or dark as long as I have you.”

He turns me to face him. I didn’t even realize his cock unknotted, and he had eased out of me. The warriors who witnessed…I guess they are still here, behind us. I no longer care as I stare into Atox’s eyes. They’ve never burned so bright green before.

“Are we mated now?” I ask.

“Mated and bonded in the eyes of the gods.” The pride in his face takes my breath away.

Atox bends down and grips his weapons harness but leaves our clothing where they fell. Clothing holds little importance to a warrior.

I might have to run out here naked in the morning to retrieve my dress, what remains of it. After what I just did in front of five warriors, a short run through camp naked will be easy.

Attitude and confidence. Orcs respect both.

Or maybe I’ll strut through slow and casual, as if I’m wearing clothing. Either way, that will be tomorrow’s decision.

“You are a male of few words, my grak,” I say, throwing some of my newfound strength into my voice as he runs a finger over my lips, cheek, down my throat, to a breast, then up again, as if he’s seeing me for the first time.

“You repeated my words.”

“They were good words. I meant every one of them. I love you, Atox.”

He blows out air. “Love is a human sentiment.”

“But you love me too, right?”

“It would change nothing if I did.”

“I notice you didn’t say you don’t.”

“Why are you smiling, female?” he asks with his usual gruff voice, the one I’ve come to know has as many layers as the male himself.

“Because I’ve gotten to you. You care about me. Maybe you even love me.”

“I have to care about you. You are my female.”

Rolling my eyes would be wasted on him, so I deliver an exaggerated sigh. Which turns into a full body shiver as a gust of wind strikes us. Atox picks me up, in his arms this time and not slung over his shoulder, and he carries me toward the mountain.

“You need more meat on you, female. So you will not be cold.”

I laugh. “No one has ever, and I mean ever, told me I need to gain weight. Unless you have an ice cream store around here, I don’t think that’s going to happen. There’s only so much meat a human can eat before getting sick of it. I need vegetables and fruit.”

“I do not know what ice cream is, but if they have it in Pen’Kesh, then I will trade for it.”

“Grak?” Verig calls as we reach the tunnel entrance. Atox swings around to see four warriors shoulder to shoulder, with Verig standing in front, as if he’s been elected spokesperson.

“You would keep me from taking my female to our chamber, Verig? After the risha?”

“No, Grak. But Brix has a request.”

The vibrations of Atox’s growl moves through me, raising the tiny hairs on my arms. A broad warrior with braided black hair steps forward and slaps a knife against his chest. “I volunteer, Grak.”

“For what?” Atox asks.

“I was wrong before. I thought the humans weak of body and mind. Your female has much strength, Grak. I volunteer to take the next human.”

“I will consider it,” Atox says as he turns and carries me into the tunnel.

Brix’s words both flatter and worry me as Atox navigates the dark passageways. “Was that the reason for this public display? To convince your warriors to mate human women?”

“No, the risha is as I said. A bonding ceremony for graks. You are bonded to me now, Paloma. Even if you leave me, I will come for you. You are mine.”

“And you are mine, Atox.”

He grunts at that, as if there isn’t anything more to say.

“Now that we officially belong to each other, will you tell me why you didn’t say yes to Brix’s request?”

“I must consider the female, too,” he says as he pushes the door to our chamber open and lays me down on the bed. “You did not want me. I suspect the next females the humans give us will not want to be here either.”

Once he drops his weapons harness on the table by the wall, he joins me on the bed. I quickly swipe at the tears pooling in my eyes, hoping he won’t notice. But Atox notices everything.

He grips my chin. “Happy or sad tears?”

“Tears of pride. I’m proud to call you my mate. My grak.”

His lower lip slides back, revealing most of his tusks. “Of course you are proud to call me your mate. No one can fuck as well as me.”

I laugh. “Very true.” I place my hand on his cock. “Now, show me how to please a grak… like an orc.”