Chapter 12

Chapter

Twelve

MIRANDA

W ind whistled in her ears as she ran.

Her feet scrambled, and her muscles danced with adrenaline as he charged up behind her. His footfalls sounded like thunder. His snarling struck delicious pleasure deep into her core. Pulsing, aching.

She only made it about ten steps when he caught her and yanked her to his chest, pulled her against him. His frame loomed over her. The wall of muscle was firm and unrelenting. He dug his nose into her hair and dragged air deep into his lungs. She thought he might be trying to absorb her.

She squirmed, desperate , fighting him. He pulled her harder against his torso and snarled against her skin. Goosebumps broke out over her whole body, and heat bloomed in her gut.

" Fuck , Miranda." He shook his head as if trying to clear it. "Don't fight me. "

"And what if I do?"

He made a strangled sound in the back of his throat and loosened his grip. Her heart jumped into her throat.

Instead of using the slack in his caging arms to bolt, she freed her hand and snaked it back between their bodies. Found the hard, twitching length of him. Stroked it from base to tip. Even through his pants, she could feel how hot he was.

His body shuddered against her and his breath came out like a choked wheeze, like he couldn't get enough air.

She grazed her thumb over the soft head of his cock beneath the rough wool. He shuddered again, and his grip loosened even more.

She took advantage of his distracted state and broke free of his grip.

"Miranda, stop ," he snarled, but she'd already leaped away from him. Out of his reach. He wasn't chasing her this time, and she turned back to find him warring with himself. Uncertain.

"You don't know what's in my head, Miranda," he said between the clench of his sharp teeth. "You don't know what this fighting does to me. What horrors it sparks in my mind."

"I decide if they're horrors, tough guy," she said firmly as his eyes bulged. "Tell me what you want."

He swallowed thickly with a shudder. He stepped forward.

She swung around and sprinted away.

Got absolutely nowhere again.

He grabbed her by the arm with his huge hand and hauled her back to his frame again. His hand clenched right under her breast. She could feel the prickle of his claws against her sensitive skin, and it shot electric bliss through her body.

Then he tripped her feet out from under her and the autumn woods careened, spinning, swirling colors of bright red and orange. They fell to the ground, and she yipped with surprise at the sudden fall. He caught her in time to cushion it, making sure her cloak protected her body from the chilly forest floor. He cupped the back of her head so it didn't hit. She landed on her back in the damp leaves.

The trees above swayed in the breeze, reds and yellows accentuating his green face as his fangs untucked, his teeth so long and sharp her heart pounded with a mixture of nervousness and desire. His face was a mask of burning want.

She could feel his cock pressed against her thigh. The tip was so fucking close to the junction of her legs. She rolled her hips, and he hissed, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I want you so bad, Govek. Tell me what you want too."

" Ah, fuck ," he snarled, body trembled around her. He dipped low, close enough to her neck and shoulder that she could feel the sting of his teeth with every word. "I want to bite you."

A flash of white fear and hot longing shot down her spine.

"Right. Here ," he snarled, laving his tongue over the sensitive flesh right above her collarbone. "I want to wrap my teeth all the way around your neck and mark you as mine."

Oh fuck, why did that sound so good ?

"I want to brand your flesh with my fangs, hold you captive with my tusks, and taste your blood on my tongue." He pulled back, leaving her flesh tingling and cold. His brows pinched and his jaw trembled. "I'm a beast , Miranda. A monster. "

"You are." She ground her hips into him again and his eyes flashed. His black pupils were tiny pricks in the sea of green and gold. " My monster. I want you, Govek. I want you to bite me."

He went so still she could feel his shock sparking against her flesh.

"You thought I wouldn't want that?" She brought her hands up into his hair so he was forced to hold her gaze. "You thought I wouldn't want to be branded by you, Govek. My sexy, strong, amazing man? Amazing orc . You thought I wouldn't want everyone to know that we belong together? That I've put my whole self into this? My whole heart ? I trust you with every fiber of my being."

He exhaled against her skin. The heat of his breath curled around her shoulder exactly where his mouth would be curled. Her pussy pulsed as she imagined the sting of it, the tight hold.

And she would be his. Forever.

"Miranda, you smell so good ," he said, voice laced with disbelief. "How can you smell so good ?"

"I want this as much as you, Govek. Even more than you."

She grazed his abdomen, then she cupped the hot, throbbing bulge in his pants, smoothed her fingertips over the pulsing length of him from the base all the way to the head. He twitched, shivering and panting with each stroke.

His eyes shut and he groaned. " Mirrrhanda ."

Fuck, she loved how he said her name. She wanted him howling it.

And he would. His eyes opened and her breath caught .

His gaze was scorching. Pure and primal. His jaw unclenched, teeth dripping. Triumphant pleasure flooded his features, and her heart skipped.

"Mine," he said so low and slow that her body jittered. Her pussy clenched, soaking and slick, as she squirmed beneath him. He dragged air into his lungs, his eyes shuttered. " Yes . You want it."

" Yes. " She tried to squirm out of his grip to make him wilder. " Yes , Govek. I want you ."

Damn, did she ever. She'd never wanted anything more. She felt like she would lose her mind.

His voice was so raw it skittered pleasure all the way down her spine just before he yanked up her skirt. His hand cupped her aching pussy, holding it tight, and she gasped at the heat of his palm.

He dipped low, pressed his lips right against her ear. "I'm going to use my mouth on you here first." The damp heat of his breath curled around her neck and cheek like it had around her shoulder. Surrounding her. Flooding her senses. "I'm going to clasp my jaw around your core, thrash you with my tongue. Bring you to climax over and over ." His mouth was at her neck now, heating her skin. It made her quake and tremble. "You'll squirm and buck and come against my mouth. I will drink your pleasure again and again until your mind is fucking gone. "

She lost her breath as fire roared through her core, her legs trembled, her toes curled around the back of his calves as she spread her thighs. He dragged in the scent of her and cursed loudly.

"You are wicked , Miranda." He went up to his knees and fisted both sides of her dress, yanking it open. The buttons popped off as they ripped free .

Her body was bared to the chill of the forest and she shivered, but she couldn't tell if it was from the cold or from the intensity of his eyes on her naked breasts. His clawed finger raked along her nipple and it beaded as spikes of bliss radiated through her body. Her breath came in pants. She felt electric.

His voice was a low rumble, building fire in her gut. " The Fades must have sent you to torture me. "

She shuddered as he traced the other nipple. The sight of his dangerously sharp claw gently circling her sensitive skin was too good . She wanted more. "Reward you."

His eyes snapped to hers and he let out a hum of thought that sent delicious waves of tingling bliss throughout her stomach. "I'm going to reward you now, Miranda."

Without warning, he scooped her up and hauled her over his shoulder. Her world dipped upside down and she gasped, half laughing, half shrieking as he carried her deeper into the woods.

Oh fuck, he was strong. So dang strong.

His hand dipped under her skirt and smoothed over her calf, to her thigh, and raking claws between them to part her legs.

She moaned, going boneless as his fingers slid toward her pussy. He was so close. So close .

" Wicked woman," he snarled and the sound of it made her clench and buck. She kicked out her legs, pointed her toes. Desperate. Needy. "Mine."

"Ooh," she panted, breathless. His long, thick fingers found the edge of her panties and delved beneath, dipped between the folds of her slit. Her hands fisted the back of his shirt as sparks of bliss radiated through her whole body. She bit her lip to keep from screaming .

He groaned, his body shuddered under her, but he kept walking. "So wet ."

Fuck, she was. She could feel herself dripping all over his fingers as they stroked and swirled and danced around her clit, teasing her. She bucked mindlessly as he explored.

And then he swung her down without warning. She yipped as he dropped her, her ass landing on something soft.

A boulder. A huge boulder covered in thick, springy moss.

At just the right height.

He stepped in close, and the bulge of his cock was right at her pussy. His huge hands cupped her ass and dragged her into it, grinding her core against his cock. She bucked helplessly, clit pulsing with every rake against the rough texture of his pants.

She wanted his pants off.

"Govek, please ."

"You're begging will win you nothing , woman." He leaned in to loom over her. His eyes were fiery swirls of gold. His teeth bright white and so sharp they glittered. His claws were braced right next to her hips.

He leaned in further until his lips were right over hers, but not quite touching. She moved forward, but he evaded her kiss. "You said you wanted me to do whatever I want," he snarled. "I plan to wring you out, Miranda. Push you to your limits the same way you push me to mine. Every one of your pleas will fall on deaf ears from this moment until I've had my fill of you."

"Ooh fuck ." Her stomach quivered. Her whole body was an aching ball of need. " Yes, Govek! Anything you want."

"Good." He yanked off his shirt and threw it into the woods .

Goddamn, he was a fucking dream —rippling muscle, pure masculine strength. His delicious pine scent flooded her nose, stark against the autumn chill. His heat radiated, making her forget the cold.

"I'll have you now," he snarled. "I'll have your surrender."

Oh, hot damn. "Yes, yes ."

He went to his knees.

His face was level with her thighs.

Her skin prickled, her stomach tensed and quivered, her pussy throbbed and her clit ached with want. He pulled up her skirt and the chill of the forest felt delicious on her skin.

His claws grazed her slightly, just enough to send spirals of shivering nerves down her back. He forced her legs wide, cut off her underwear with a slice of his claw, and bared her to the woods. The icy air seared her dripping, wet pussy.

"You're mine ." His voice was back to being that tangible, fluid bliss , and she lost all her breath and reason.

"Yes." The word turned into a yelp as he wrapped his hands around her thighs and yanked her, forcing her to rest on her back against the rock. Her body was cushioned by the moss and her cloak. Her head was supported by the boulders flat top. The woods danced their colors above her, the sky was glittering bright blue.

His hot breath hit her lower stomach. Harsh and coiling. She squirmed as his hands forced her knees wider. Heat blazed over her as he drew near. His eyes fixed on her pussy as if mesmerized. Then his mouth opened wide.

Bliss skittered up her spine at the long slow lap of his tongue. She threw her head back, arching into him. "Govek, yes ."

He raked over her sensitive clit, and she squirmed against his grip, moaning, breathless, unable to get words out. It was so much she couldn't think, couldn't get enough air.

Waves of pleasure crashed over her as he teased her entry with the thick of his tongue before flattening it up her slit to lick her clit again.

Oh god, she couldn't move . Couldn't get away. She snapped her hips and his hands on her thighs tightened. He wouldn't let her move. She was going mad already, and he'd barely started. She wrapped her legs around his torso, kicked into his back. His tongue laved her again, searing hot and blissful.

Spirals of trembling need vibrated into her stomach, bloomed behind her eyes. He skewered his hot, slick tongue between her folds and she tried to thrash, hips desperate to thrust into him.

He wouldn't speed up. Wouldn't delve deeper. Wouldn't lick harder. She whined, pleaded, quaking for more as he methodically dragged her toward her climax. It went on and on until she was twitching and aching and desperate .

Then he slowly swirled the tip of his tongue around her clit and bright stars flashed in her eyes. Her pleasure mounted. She was going to— fuck, fuck, fuck.

Ecstasy radiated up her spine and made her arch into his mouth. Her scream echoed off the trees as her thoughts relented to the climax, releasing all tension and frustration. Her lungs gave a satisfied heave. Her vision spun as Govek pulled her onto him.

Onto his face .

"Wait—what?" Her words ended in a shuddering gasp as he slung her thighs over his shoulders, forcing them apart. Her heels dug into his back. Her back stayed against the mossy boulder, supporting some of her weight.

His eyes grew rich and dark. Clawed hands clutching her hips. He opened his mouth impossibly wide. Too wide .

Holy fuck! He could unhinge his jaw .

He yanked her throbbing pussy forward into his mouth.

His teeth prickled a tight ring all around her sensitive flesh. His tusks teased her ass and his fangs gripped right above her clit.

She was seated over him, half her weight on his face. Her hands scrambled to grip the mossy boulder for support as she looked down at her most sensitive place clutched in the mouth of a dangerous predator.

Tingling, aching, need blistered right up her spine, pooled in her core. Her pussy twitched and her clit started throbbing again.

His eyes smoldered, and she thought she may catch fire.

And then he growled.

Torturous vibration coiled up from her core, twisted in her gut, rained through her spine and she gasped, hardly able to breathe. Fuck, fuck .

He growled again and her head fell back onto the moss as a guttural cry burst from her lips. It echoed between the trees, swallowed up by the woods.

His low, vicious snarling broke through her and her hands shot out to grip the top of his head. She tightened her fingers into his hair. Pushed him away, pulled him in for more. She ground her heels into his back as she tried to kick and buck against his vibrating mouth, his caressing lips, his prickling teeth. His hold on her hips was so tight she couldn't even twitch .

He howled and moaned and rumbled so deep into her gut her body turned to putty in his hands.

And just when she thought she would go mad from the pleasure, his tongue laved all the way from her dripping core to her pulsing, desperate clit.

Her vision blurred.

He raked over her quivering flesh and forced her to yield. She screamed, voice hoarse already. She thrust her hips and got nowhere. Babbled senselessly, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

Just like he'd promised.

He swirled and flicked and bit. Stinging tightness around her pelvis helped to cut through the agony of her over sensitive clit until she was a pool of ecstasy. Completely limp on the rock. There was no use fighting.

She couldn't escape. He drenched her in pleasure and she drowned in it. Choked.

Tingling bliss built up her spine.

" Govek! " she screamed as rapture forced her into another orgasm. He skewered his tongue into her, thick and probing, lapping up every drop. Her vision went white. "Fuck, Govek, yes ."

His mouth tightened, the bite turned sharp, and it only made her tremble harder. She couldn't breathe, couldn't escape. She didn't want the ecstasy to end.

"Again."

She felt the word more than heard it. It rolled through her stomach and exploded in her mind. She dug her heals into his back, tried to move away. "I can't. "

" You will ," he snarled and she lost herself. Rippling, bucking, unsure if she wanted to escape or beg for more. She panted, her eyes rolled back, her head shook .

"Yield!" he roared. His massive tongue drove inside her. Deeper. He pressed up . Skewered right into her G-spot and raked it without mercy.

" Oh fuck !"

Her body relented, arching away from the boulder and forcing his tongue deeper into her pussy. She was hurtled, pulled into the depths, surrounded by him completely, absorbed. Her mind seized.

His mouth left her, popped off, leaving her raw and aching. The icy chill made her spasm. Her hands grappled to find him.

He yanked her down off the rock. Onto him. Splayed her hips over his.

His massive cock skewered her with one smooth, effortless thrust that had all air pushed from her lungs.

She threw her head back in all-consuming bliss as he yanked her to sit flush against his pelvis. All the way inside her. She felt every twitch and shudder of his cock as his hips trembled.

Then he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck. Yanked her down.

His breath was hot on her shoulder.

His fangs sunk into her flesh.

The bite speared her, forced her eyes wide. Pain melded with pleasure into pure sensation so stark and perfect she was mindless. She pushed into his mouth and he snarled. She couldn't escape. She didn't want to. Thrill poured like magma through her veins. The climax felt endless. Everything was raw and tight. She thrust her hips, desperate and wanting more, more, MORE.

Her pussy rippled around his plunging cock. His mouth and sharp teeth a perfect contrast to her overwhelming pleasure. The sting was absolutely mind bending.

She couldn't scream anymore. She dragged air over her tongue. Tasted the forest. Tasted him —pine and salt.

He roared around her shoulder. His grip on her flesh firming as his teeth sunk deeper. He held her captive. His hands gripped her tight, filled her up. Filling places inside her that had been left void for so long. Empty spots that had been yearning for someone to flood them. Someone to end the bitter loneliness. Someone who would never abandon her. Who would keep her and cherish her and never let her go.

Govek filled all those voids. Every last one.

Liquid heat bloomed in her guts as he came. His whole body vibrated, his cock spasmed inside her, and she was pushed over again. Hurtled into more gut clenching, mind numbing ecstasy.

He released her shoulder. The wound pulsed with the same fervor as her pussy. It matched her heartbeat. His cock twitched inside her, and he moaned low, lapping at the stinging punctures with his soft tongue.

Finally, her mind relented. She went limp, and he flopped onto his back against the chilly forest floor. He pulled her to his chest. Her muscles loosened and twitched. Her pussy clamped around his cock, which was still buried deep inside her.

His heat surrounded her, his thick arms enveloped her body to adjust her cloak and protect her from the chill.

Even through this, he took care of her. Her heart thundered a sweet, intoxicating rhythm that matched Govek's own. She could feel their bodies beating in tandem.

He relaxed against the ground. He adjusted her so he could kiss the wound on her shoulder again. The action made half of his cock slide out of her. She trembled at the loss, tightening her thighs to keep him inside. His breath hitched with pleasure. His breath heated the bite wound until the stinging turned to tingles.

He lapped at her again, full flat tongue soothing against the cuts. She wriggled against him and nuzzled her cheek into his hair. "Govek, that feels so good. "

He hummed in response. The rumble danced more pleasure into her bones.

She could see the bite from the corner of her eye. His tender attention had stopped the bleeding, and she wondered if his magic might be at play. A wide oval of punctures framed all the way around her shoulder. Deep enough they would certainly scar, but not so deep they were dangerous.

He moved her again so her head could rest on his shoulder, right next to his face. His hand covered the entire back of her head. The other tucked under her cloak and skirt to rest over her butt, kneading it softly.

He could go from ruthless to tender in so little time... her heart melted.

She adjusted so her hands could roam over his abs, trace the divides and grooves with her fingertips, breathe in his husky spice.

A low whimper pulled her out of her thoughts, and she blinked. Finally, looking up to Govek's face.

Instead of blissful, she found him tortured, brows tight. His gaze was fixed on her shoulder, which throbbed and pulsed with the steady beat of her heart. Hers and his. It pounded in her soul.

Govek's breath came out shuddering and raw. His jaw trembled .

He regretted it.

She didn't.

"I hope it scars," she said softly, and his eyes went wide with remorse. She caught his gaze. "I hope it scars so that I'm branded by you. So that anytime anyone sees it, they'll know I'm yours. And I'll remember too. I never want to forget this."

His expression fell from torture to gaping shock so fast she almost couldn't believe it. He blinked his beautiful golden green eyes at her, opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

And then his face crumbled, and he buried it in her shoulder again, hiding himself away as he trembled. Clinging to her as he rode out the storm of his emotions.

Her mind fluttered back to the revelation she'd come to with Savili and Iytier.

"I love you, Govek," she whispered into his scalp, and he began to quake. His grip around her waist tightened, and his breath shuddered. She curled her fingers in his hair and pulled him back gently so he would meet her eyes, see the honesty there. "I love you."

His eyes were flooded, and he plastered a kiss to her lips. His mouth was so soft, so sweet. His tongue bathed her in tenderness even as she tasted her own blood on it. The contrast was so perfect her eyes prickled with unshed tears.

He rained kisses down her face, and she returned them. She kissed the wetness on his cheeks, absorbing as many of his turbulent emotions as she could.

She wanted him to feel nothing but good. Only pleasure and contentment and bliss for the rest of his days. And she was going to watch every one of those days by his side.