Chapter 2

Varkaan

I wasn't sure I completely agreed with my brother's decision for us to split up.

True, by us each taking different routes back to the village—and taking our time doing it, there'd be less chance any humans who followed us through the veil would be able to find our home.

And true, this allowed him a fortnight alone with his Mate to convince her to allow the breeding ceremony when they arrived in front of the clan.

But it meant that I was alone with the wee firebrand for the duration.

Roxanna .

Had she not introduced herself so boldly, I might have guessed it from the way her cousin Effie, the delicate angel Korvak carried off as she sobbed, screamed for her. My firebrand hadn't been pleased with the way Moltar hit the smaller woman, and had been ready to face his brutish anger herself had my twin brother not stepped in to claim Effie as his prize.

And Roxanna had been ready to chase after him to fetch her back, had I not grabbed her.

Now she sat, mulish and fuming, on my lap once more, as I did my best to reign in my body's response to her sweet arse rubbing up against my cock.

Because I could sense her fear. The anger she was projecting was just an attempt to cover that emotion, and I could respect that. I remembered after Korvak's attack when we were young, when he spent those long months recovering from his injuries…he became surlier, angrier, harder to deal with. I was the only one who understood why , and thus I became the only one who knew how to deal with him.

Well, my pretty little human, I know how to deal with ye too.

I wasn't sure how I got lucky enough to be the one carrying Roxanna. I scooped her up from the battle, and when our chief didn't object, she became my responsibility. One I'd gladly accept.

"Roxanna," I murmured, and she startled.

Twisting halfway about, she barked, " What ?" and Torvor's Hammer, I loved the way those lovely blue eyes snapped at me.

I likely should not have smiled in response to her ire, seeing as how it caused her to scowl, but I couldn't help it.

"'Twill be aright, love, I swear it."

"I am not your love." She turned back around, unconsciously grinding her softness against the hardest part of my anatomy. "And everything will not be aright . You and your kinsmen have stolen us away from the only home we have ever known…for what? What are you—"

When her voice broke, I winced.

I knew how much it must hurt her to show that vulnerability, so I countered it with the softness she needed. Since I held the reins with the hand currently locked around her waist, I reached with my free hand to brush away a thick strand of her hair that was blowing across my chin.

When I tucked it against her neck, I saw her shiver.

In revulsion? She'd called me a monster a few times already, had she not ?

"Lass, I swear I'll no' hurt ye. On my honor as a Bladesedge, ye'll reach our village unharmed."

She was still holding herself stiffly. "And then?"

"Ye might like it." I shrugged, the movement easy. "We have a peaceful village, so many of us working together for an easy future. My aulder brother, Drakolt, has been the best chief the Bladesedge Clan has known in generations, and we're all praying for a son for him to continue his legacy. Our grandmother, Gelma, is our holy woman. I suppose ye and yer Effie will be turned over to her."

"And my sister?" ‘Twas clear she was curious, but I had to admire how straight her spine was, how hard she made her jaw. She was doing her best to appear uninterested, and I had to grin at her determination.

I clucked at the horse, nudging him up a scree slope to further confuse our trail. "I told ye, she's the chief's Mate."

"Wife? How can she marry him if she has never heard of him? Our father has not agreed to this match!"

As we rode toward the dawn, I considered how to answer. I could tell my wee firebrand was tired; keeping herself upright by sheer will, the events of the night having taken their toll.

So I kept my voice gentle when I explained. "To an orc, his Mate is… Well, ‘tisnae a marriage in the way humans do it. ‘Tisnae a heartless transaction, a contract made between two families. The Mate bond is granted by the gods, and ‘tis a knowing …an ingrained response to the person the goddess has chosen for us."

She snorted and I had to swallow my chuckle.

"I do not believe in your gods."

I shrugged. "You dinnae have to, and neither does yer sister. If she is Drakolt's Mate, she feels the bond, nonetheless. Although sex is common and no' viewed as taboo the way ye humans see it, kits are only born from Mate bonds. Our entire village will witness our next chief's conception."

It took a moment, but her gasp told me when Roxanna understood what I meant.

"Barbaric," she hissed.

Again, I shrugged. "Ye humans view sex as something to be feared. The pleasure shared between two willing adults is beautiful. It should be celebrated."

I expected her to disagree, to fight.

But slowly, ever so slowly, Roxanna began to relax. First her back hunched slightly enough for the bottoms of her breasts to brush across my forearm. Then she exhaled slowly, inching back until she brushed against my chest.

I wondered what ‘twas I said that convinced her I wasn't going to hurt her.

Ye'll be safe, lass .

Mayhap she heard me, because between one moment and the next, I realized she'd fallen asleep.

I might be my clan's negotiator and trade leader, but I was also a warrior. I knew how to charm, aye, but I knew how to track and hunt better than any of our warriors. So I knew ‘twas vital we continue moving, just in case.

By tomorrow evening, I'd have a fairly good idea if we were being followed. Until then, my little captive and I would keep riding.

My horse was sturdy, one Korvak bred for strength and hardiness, so I knew it would continue. We rode until past daybreak, and with Roxanna wrapped in my plaid, I wasn't surprised she didn't stir for a long while.

When she did, her response was almost comical.

She went completely stiff and I knew she'd come awake. But like any warrior, she took a moment to access her surroundings before she began to thrash about, and I couldn't help my chuckle as I helped her escape the folds of my plaid.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, thrusting herself upright to glare at the horizon. "Stop holding me!"

Just moments ago, she'd been curled up in my lap as peacefully as a plarket , her tiny snores comfort to my heart. I wanted to tell her she trusted me in her sleep…but I didn't.

Instead, I rested my hand on her arm, and she slapped it away.

"Stop that," she barked. "Let me down. I need to…"

From this angle I could see the intriguing flush creep up her cheeks. Ah .

"Piss?" I finished for her, reigning in the horse. "Ye need only ask."

"I am not asking for that," she hissed, her back as straight as an oak. "Let me down."

Grinning, I swung down first, not entirely trusting her if I let her reach the ground first. But when I lifted my arms for her and my fingers closed around her waist…I swear on Malla the Beginner that I felt something zing up my arm.

Which was ridiculous, because I'd been holding her all night. Why would now be different? Just because my palms were bracketing her sides, my fingers spread across her back, my thumbs caressing the underside of her magnificent tits …

"Release me ."

My gaze snapped to hers. And aye, there was anger blazing in those blue depths…but the pulse at the base of her throat jumped and her lips were parted, her breathing coming faster than normal.

Signs of arousal. Or rage.

I released her.

Roxanna threw herself backward, away from me, then stomped toward the scrub brushes I'd stopped beside.

"You will turn around," she demanded.

"I will no'," I shot right back. "I cannae see ye."

"You can hear me."

If I turned around and stuck my fingers in my ears, I wasn't certain she wouldn't bolt. But I wasn't going to tell her that. Instead, I reached for my kilt.

"Look, Lady Roxanna, I've been on that horse as long as ye have, and I have to piss as well. I'll likely no' hear ye over the sound of my own prodigious stream, aye?"

I might've been mistaken, but I thought I heard a snort from behind the bushes.

Later, after washing our hands, a ritual on which she insisted, we stood to eat the salted meat and oatcakes I offered. When I suggested we sit, she wrinkled her nose.

"I have been sitting for hours, and your thighs are like rocks."

My brows rose, although I was certain ‘twas not her idea of a compliment. Rocks, lass? Well, there's something else that gets even harder .

But I'll admit that when we climbed back into the saddle, I rearranged my plaid so she had something cushier to sit on.

Through the afternoon, I kept thinking of her response when I held her.

Had that been arousal?

I was no stranger to a female's arousal, and although my chief had no idea how often I traveled through the stones on my tracking and trading missions, I'd even had a few experiences with willing, adventurous human women.

Roxanna, however, was a mystery.

The horse took us up a steep hill, one dangerous enough to cause her to stifle her gasp and clutch the animal's mane, as if I'd let her fall. But the movement sent her curls blowing back into my face. While the sensation wasn't unpleasant, ‘twas an opportunity .

I used my free hand to gather her hair and drape it over her shoulder, baring her neck to my gaze.

Leaning forward, I blew lightly, enough to see bumps rise on her skin…and she shuddered. Shuddered, and her eyes fluttered closed.

Hmm .

When we reached the top, I kept the reins twined between my fingers, but I rested my palm against her thigh. Just rested it, didn't move…but she squirmed.

And when she did, she shifted my fingers sideways, toward her inner thighs. Toward the sensitive skin beneath her skirts…

Had that been on purpose?

I leaned closer to her, inhaling, wondering what she would do if I licked her skin there. If I kissed her, the way humans preferred.

My fingers tightened around her thigh, my longest finger brushing the place where her legs met. Roxanna jumped, then exhaled and leaned back . Pressed herself against me.

If you'd asked me to wager on her response, that would not have been it.

On the edge of my awareness, I caught a scent.

The hunter in me went on alert, inhaling deeply, looking for danger.

But ‘twas not dangerous, this scent. Not a predator, not an enemy.

Tempting fate, I brushed my littlest finger along the seam between her thighs, and there ‘twas again.

Despite her skirts and chemise, I was smelling Roxanna's arousal.

My Kteer howled, demanding I take her now, but I'd sworn she'd reach our village unharmed. Ye could show her pleasure without harming her . Aye, I could. But would she accept that?

Still, I couldn't help my slow—excruciatingly slow—exploration. Not of her body, but of her responses.

My free hand rose to her shoulder, then her ear. I paused at each movement, allowing her to grow used to my touch. But the tip of my finger—I'd retracted the claws, of course—traced the outside of her strangely blunt, rounded ears, and she shivered again.

I leaned closer, unable to resist the urge to nuzzle against her hair, to inhale her scent again.

And I swear she moaned.

‘Twas a soft moan, one she tried to hide…but my wee firebrand was reacting to my touch, and my Kteer exalted.

I would not push her. Last night, I would have scoffed at the thought of bedding a human female on my way back to our village. But right now, my cock had plenty of opinions of its own.

Tonight, I would show her I could be trusted, just as I'd promised. I'd give her the space she needed, or risk her wrath.

But between now and then…

I was afraid the faint scent of her arousal was an addiction I couldn't ignore.