Chapter 11

Fora breath, there was silence. Horrible, hanging, dangling silence, during which Louisa stared at Killik and Ulfarr, and they stared at her.

Theywere both far better dressed than earlier that day, Louisa's distant thoughts pointed out, and Ulfarr was wearing a flattering, close-fitting tunic and trousers, along with a thick, polished, heavy-looking chain around his waist. His long dark hair was neatly braided, his face looked freshly shaven, and his shadowed eyes on Louisa looked — wary. Uncertain. Afraid.

"Is this not now a good time?" came Killik's voice, cuttingly polite. "Ought we to come back later?"

Louisadarted a guilty glance toward him — he also looked irritatingly compelling in his slim-fitting, low-slung trousers — and flapped her hand toward the room behind her. "N-no, this is perfect, thank you so much for coming," she said. "Won't you come in, and make yourselves comfortable?"

Killikrolled his eyes and stalked inside, while behind him, Ulfarr hesitated in the doorway, glancing uncertainly around the room. And as Louisa followed his gaze, she could admit that her garret room probably still looked relatively opulent in the lamplight, what with the impressive size of it, the old built-in furnishings, the gigantic bed with its tall corner posts and hanging heavy curtains.

"It's not nearly as grand as it looks," Louisa said, too quickly. "The rugs are almost bare, the drapes are a bit moth-eaten, and we've sold everything that isn't bolted down. And the bed is ancient, and liable to break under the slightest weight or duress."

Ithad been a bad attempt at a joke, but wait, had she just told a gigantic heavy orc that her bed was likely to break under weight or duress? An orc who she'd invited here for the sole purpose of sharing said bed?!

Herface flooded with heat, her fingers rubbing painfully at her eyes, and she twitched at the sound of Killik's heavy sigh, and then the scrape of chair legs on the floor. "I am sure we care naught for this," he said flatly, and when Louisa glanced up, he was already sprawled onto the chair by the writing desk, his dagger already in hand. "Now come in, Wolf, and sit."

Heimperiously jabbed the dagger toward the bed Louisa had just warned them against, and she was vaguely surprised when Ulfarr jerked a nod, and… obeyed. Shutting the door quietly behind him before lumbering over to the bed, and sinking down heavily upon it.

Itdid creak under his weight, but otherwise held, and Louisa again found herself staring at him, at his set face, at the strange hunted wariness in his eyes. It seemed fully at odds with his demeanour earlier that day, when he'd seemed so… confident. Capable. Hungry.

Louisa'straitorous, searching eyes had even darted down to his trousers — but if there was anything happening there, it was fully concealed by how he was sitting, his huge shoulders hunched, his big hands tightly folded in his lap. As if he was waiting, bracing himself, for some sort of — blow. Or even a punishment.

"Uh, thank you for coming," Louisa said, and then winced, because she'd said that already, hadn't she? "So, Ulfarr, has Killik… I presume he's told you we wanted to meet with you? To… discuss something?"

Shewas already forcing the words out, too rushed and flat. And she was disconcerted to see Ulfarr's answering flinch, his brief glance toward Killik that looked almost wounded.

"Ach, but Killik would not say what," he replied, his deep voice heavy, even weary. "ButI ken it — it has aught to do with how I… met you today, ach? HowI… tasted you, without your leave."

Louisablinked at Ulfarr, not following, and she could hear his swallow, spasming hard in his throat. "I had no wish to cause you distress, or alarm," he said thickly. "I — I ken I lost my bearings, upon the sight and scent of you, and I can only ask your — your pardon, and your mercy. I vow before Skai-kesh that I shall not again touch you without your leave, and I hope — I pray — I beg —"

Hisvoice broke as he dragged in breath, and his eyes on Louisa's face were far too bright, too pleading. "I beg you, please do not punish my kin for this," he whispered. "Please do not send them from these lands, or take them from this hope of a new home. The fault in this was fully mine, and I shall seek — to atone —"

Hisbreaths kept shuddering through his chest, as if every word was agony. And it was agony, plummeting deep in Louisa's belly, constricting painfully around her chest. Ulfarr truly thought she'd called him here to gain a personal apology? To earn his atonement, and his misery, for his grave sin of kissing her hand? When him kissing her hand might have been the loveliest thing a male had ever done in her life?

"Oh, no, please — please don't," Louisa stammered, and without even catching it, she lurched toward him, and snatched up his hot, heavy hand in hers. "Please don't apologize, that wasn't at all what I meant. I'd have told you if I wanted you to stop, and in truth, I wanted you to come here so I could —"

Shedragged for air, for rational thought, and curse her, she was drawing his hand up to her mouth, and — kissing it. Kissing it, just like he'd kissed her own hand that morning. Her lips brushing against warm skin, her tongue even darting out, tasting the salty sweetness of him…

"I wanted to ask if you'd like — more," she whispered, hot, shameful, into his skin. "If you might like to — to stay. The night."

Stay, the night. Gods, she hadn't just said that, had she? But yes, yes, she had. And this wasn't the plan, they were supposed to explain everything first, what the hell was she doing —

Butshe couldn't seem to take it back, either. Not even with Ulfarr gaping at her like that, his eyes wide and shocked, his mouth slack, his big body utterly unmoving. Except, perhaps, for the faint tremor in his hand, now frozen in Louisa's grip.

Andwait, no, he'd apologized for kissing her own hand earlier, perhaps he still disapproved of such behaviour — and with a jolt, Louisa dropped his hand, and stumbled backwards, away. "But of course there's no — no obligation whatsoever," she stammered. "And if I've been too forward, I — I offer my apologies in return. I just thought perhaps — Killik said you might — we should —"

Shedarted a desperate glance over her shoulder, toward where Killik was still sitting there, watching. His eyes now blank, unreadable, though he'd apparently gone and gouged his dagger into Louisa's desk, his hand gripped tight to its hilt.

"Ach, I thought you two would well suit," his clipped voice said, into the heavy silence. "And this woman has shown herself brave, hearty, and wise, with good lands, and great power to help us, and our kin. Thus" — he smiled, brittle and cold, as he yanked the dagger out of the desk, and jabbed it toward Ulfarr — "I offered her you, Wolf, for her pleasure. Along with our payment of her debts, if she shall come alongside us, and help care for our kin."

Wait. Wait, that wasn't right. Killik was making it sound as though him offering up Ulfarr to Louisa — offering her those ten nights — had been him sweetening the pot for her, rather than him paying her to tolerate an orc in her bed. But that hadn't at all been how it had gone, damn him, and Louisa could see the uncertainty glimmering in Ulfarr's suspicious eyes. In how he glanced between her and Killik, as one of his hands absently caressed the other — the one she'd kissed, oh gods.

"Ach, I follow now, Killik," he said, his voice resigned. "I ken you more likely offered her this coin so she would agree to bed me, ach?"

Louisatwitched, her gaze darting back to where Killik shrugged, and flipped his dagger in his fingers. "I cannot foretell how fickle humans shall hear my words," he said flatly. "ButI can scent how eager they are, when I make this offer. And beyond this, I can scent" — he fluidly rose out of his chair, and strode toward the wardrobe — "how deeply they long for a good, strong Skai prick."

Wait. Wait, he was opening the wardrobe, and reaching inside — and though Louisa jerked toward him, it was too late, too late. Because gods fuckKillik, he'd already plucked out that huge incriminating stone — that replica — and tossed it toward Ulfarr.

Ulfarrcaught it with an easy snap of his fingers, his forehead furrowing — and then he startled, his eyes widening, as he stared down at the stone. The stone he surely recognized, no, no, no — and now he was bringing it to his nose. His eyes fluttering as he inhaled against it, slow and careful and deep.

Hewas smelling it. SmellingLouisa on it. Smelling what she'd done with it.

Thehumiliation felt like a sharp, staggering slap to Louisa's face, and her shaky body rounded on Killik, her hands in fists at her sides. "You odious cheating swine," she hissed at him. "You have no right whatsoever to — to —"

Shecouldn't even finish, the words tangled in her throat, and her rage fused even higher at the sight of Killik laughing, the sound icy and mocking. "Thankless woman," he drawled. "I bring you this good Skai gift, and when I see how eagerly you spurt and squeal upon this, I bring you this even better one. You ought to be kneeling, and praising me!"

Louisaglared and sputtered at him, while from the bed, there was a deep, choked sound from Ulfarr's throat. "You… witnessed this, Killik," came his voice, low and disbelieving. "Her… joy, upon this."

Killik'ssmug eyes slid to Ulfarr, his smile drawing up tight and thin. "Ach, I did," he said smoothly. "I wished to be sure of her, before I brought you here. Wished to be sure she would welcome your prick deep, and caress and cherish it, as she should."

Therewas another choked sound from Ulfarr, and for an instant, his glance toward Louisa looked almost… longing. A look Killik surely saw too, something unpleasant curling on his mouth, and he strode over toward Ulfarr, and plucked the stone out of his hands.

"But this was not all good," he coolly continued, as he traced his claw against the stone's thick shaft, stopping perhaps two-thirds of the way up its length. "Mayhap you cannot scent this, but she could only take you to here, ach? I should wish for better for the Wolf of the Skai, and thus, I promised her only ten nights with you."

Louisagaped at Killik again, her humiliation screaming against the furious disbelief, while he just kept smiling at her, with scorn flashing in his eyes. "If she can show herself strong enough to bear this much. Or shall she run away screeching at her first true sight of a Skai prick?"

He'dspoken with shameless relish, even licking his tongue at his teeth, the vile deceitful snake. AndLouisa was one breath away from shouting at him, launching herself at him, punching his smug infuriating face, when — something grasped her hand. Something big and warm and solid, something —

Him. Ulfarr.

"Do not allow Killik to vex you, LadyLouisa," he said, his eyes searching hers, his voice very low. "And should you truly wish to grant me any nights with you — even one night — I should be — most honoured."

Oh. It was like he'd deflated all Louisa's rage at once, her shoulders sagging, her breath exhaling. Her blinking eyes again caught on his scarred, handsome face, his tentative, searching gaze. On that undeniable flicker of hope in his eyes, there for just a moment, and gone again.

"But mayhap Killik has not… told you," he added, quieter, "all I have done. All my past… sins. The deep… shame I have brought, upon my clan, and my kin, and my — ach. And you ought — you ought to know —"

Hewas breathing heavily again, his face contorting with effort, with grief, with regret. Just like when he'd made her that miserable apology, and Louisa frantically flapped her hand at him, and shook her head.

"Look, you don't need to get into it," she said, in a rush. "Just like you don't need to hear any of my own awful — well. If it's just ten nights, we can just — not. Can't we?"

She'dspoken too quickly, perhaps betraying too much — but that was relief in Ulfarr's eyes, in the sudden drop of his shoulders. And in the way his hand found hers again, closing warm and gentle around it, and Louisa's own breath shuddered out, shaky and relieved. Her eyes holding, blinking, as Ulfarr again brought her hand to his mouth, and pressed a brief, careful kiss against it.

Louisashivered as heat streaked to her groin — and Ulfarr's eyes fluttered, his breath hitching against her skin. Against where he was kissing again, lingering longer this time, and oh, it felt so good, it had been so long, did he really, really want to…

Butthen — Ulfarr hesitated. Drew back. His eyes darting sideways, toward where Killik was still standing there watching this, his hand gripped to his dagger. AndUlfarr's head tilted as he studied Killik's face, his thick brows drawing together.

"But you are sure of this, Killik?" Ulfarr asked, quiet. "You do not… mind this?"

Killik'sexpression instantly hardened into something incredulous, furious, and his answering scoff rang through the room. "Ach, why should Imind?" he demanded. "You are long past due for a woman in your bed again, and my bed shall not be empty this eve. I shall be happily ploughing tight Skai arses long after this weak woman is bloody and spent upon you!"

Hewas glaring at Louisa again, and she glowered straight back, a low growl burning in her throat. "You arrogant, ignorant scum," she snarled at him. "You are such a —"

ButKillik flailed his dagger in midair toward her, and then spun toward the door, yanking it open. Because he was going to leave them here together, alone, were they really going to do this…

"I shall see you come morn, Wolf," Killik hissed over his shoulder, with a cold, deadly smile. "I hope you make her scream."