Chapter 9

Louisawas losing her mind.

Therewas no other explanation, a distant part of her shouted, as she stood there staring at this Ulfarr orc, breathing hard, clasping her hand tighter against his. She was almost forty years old, and she was supposed to be reasonable. Rational. She most certainly was not supposed to be fighting the urge to gawk at an orc's trousers, or perhaps even to reach out and…

No, no, hell no, and Louisa painfully bit the inside of her cheek, and clamped her free hand to a fist. Which had the unfortunate effect of reflexively clamping her other hand tighter against the orc's, and oh, he was still holding it, he was still looking at her, too.

Andwait, wait, now he was raising her hand, and bringing it to — his mouth. He was kissing Louisa's hand, oh sweet gods, his lips hot and soft and astonishingly gentle against her skin. And was that his tongue, slipping out between his warm lips, licking her, licking her —

Louisa'sgasp was far too loud, too clear, too betraying. Earning her a brief, upwards glance from beneath the orc's thick black lashes, and good gods, now his kiss was… deepening. Hardening. Even sucking a little, as if to leave a mark, before trailing sideways. His warm hand slowly turning her own hand over as he went, until he was kissing at the hollow of her palm, and her trembling fingers were brushing up against the harsh stubble of his chin…

Andhad anyone ever kissed her like this before? Had anything ever felt so vivid, so intimate, so… powerful? Maybe only last night, when his huge stone cock had plunged in and out of her while Killik had watched — and Louisa couldn't bite back another gasp, even as she darted a brief, betraying look toward Killik. Toward where yes, he was watching this, too, his mouth pressed thin, as a strange, bitter satisfaction flared in his narrowed eyes.

"Ach, enough," Killik snapped, as he caught Ulfarr's arm, and yanked it away. KnockingLouisa's hand away in the process, and she clutched it back against her torso, her palm still tingling with the strange, surreal truth of that kiss. And her eyes were still frozen on this Ulfarr's face, on where he was gazing back at her, holding her eyes for an instant too long, before angling a searching glance toward Killik beside him.

"Ach, so now that you have remembered the rest of us," Killik drawled, as he flipped his dagger out of his hair and waved it between them, "this is our Skai brother Halthorr. And this is Louisa, the lady of these lands, and her kin-sister, Gladys."

Louisablinked at that odd word kin-sister, but her sluggish brain was somehow working again, thinking again. And she belatedly attempted a polite smile toward this Halthorr orc, who smiled and nodded back. "We thank you for sharing these lands with us, LadyLouisa," he said, with a low, flourishing bow toward her. "And you also, LadyGladys."

Gladyslooked both startled and deeply gratified by this, and she gave an imperious little nod toward Halthorr in return. "Well, it's certainly not my doing," she said primly. "And you're not to come near the house, you understand."

ThisHalthorr solemnly nodded and bowed again, to which — wait, was Gladysblushing?! But yes, yes, she was, and without at all meaning to, Louisa shot an amused, appreciative glance toward Killik. Who was already looking back toward her, and giving a brief but telling roll of his eyes.

Itwas enough that Louisa almost, almost smiled — at least, until Killik's mouth clamped into a thin line, and his gaze flicked toward Ulfarr. And wait, Ulfarr was now glancing between Killik and Louisa, his eyes darkening with something like… suspicion. Or maybe — maybe even jealousy?

Louisatwitched and grimaced, and drew in a shallow breath. Ulfarr couldn't possibly think something was going on between her and Killik, right? Surely he wouldn't, especially when Killik clearly wanted no such thing from her…

"Er, could I offer you anything, perhaps?" Louisa said into the stilted silence — and too late, she heard the too-suggestive implication in that question. "I mean, something to eat or drink, maybe? Or some fresh towels?"

Shetried for another smile, angling a traitorous glance down toward Ulfarr's muddy trousers, which had — oh. Lessened. Flattened. That too-visible ridge almost entirely vanished. And why was Louisa's belly twisting at the sight, the heat draining from her face, what was happening to her, why wasn't he answering her, and —

"No, there is naught we need," came Killik's clipped reply. "We shall return to work at once, and send word when we are done."

Right. There didn't seem to be an answer to that, and Halthorr was already nodding and turning toward the well again, swinging his lean body onto the rope. WhileUlfarr hesitated for another instant, his unreadable eyes holding Louisa's — but then he lurched away too, reaching for the rope, and then sliding back down into the well with surprising ease.

Itleft Louisa standing there with Gladys and Killik, who, despite his previous announcement about returning to work, showed no inclination whatsoever to enter the well himself. Instead, he eyed Louisa with his lips pursed, before jerking his head toward the nearby copse of trees.

"Wish to speak to you, woman," he said flatly. "Alone."

Alone. Louisa blinked, first at Killik, and then sideways, to where Gladys was looking predictably shocked by this request. But before Gladys could give voice to her outrage — which she was clearly winding up to do at once — Louisa cleared her throat, and pasted on another smile. "Yes, of course," she replied. "If you'll excuse me a moment, Gladys, I'll be back shortly. And please don't worry, he's perfectly safe."

Gladysdidn't look slightly convinced by this blatant lie, and no wonder — but Louisa's patience was already far too frayed for one morning, and she spun toward the trees, without waiting for Killik to follow. But he was beside her in an instant, his steps falling together with hers, his shoulders square and stiff.

"Wolf pleased you, ach, woman?" he asked curtly, once they were a fair distance into the trees. "You shall welcome him into your bed, when I bring him tonight?"

Louisa'ssteps faltered, enough that she nearly tripped over a root, while Killik shot her a disdainful glance, and drew to a halt. "Ach?" he demanded, with an impatient spin of the dagger still in his hand. "Or have you now changed your mind again?"

Gods, he was so infuriating, and Louisa glared back toward him, and folded her arms over her chest. "I haven't changed my mind," she snapped. "He was…"

Killik'sbrows rose, waiting, and Louisa let out a slow breath, squeezing her eyes shut. "I liked him," she made herself say. "You were right. He's… handsome. Pleasing."

Herface was burning, now, but she'd said it, she'd gotten it over with, given Killik his damned victory. But when she opened her eyes again, he didn't look victorious, or even smug. He just looked… grim. Resigned.

"Ach," he said, voice flat. "I shall bring him this eve, then. After nightfall. And you shall honour our terms, ach? You shall not ask upon his past, or his sins, or his griefs. You shall seek to show him kindness, and peace."

Louisadidn't at all recall that being part of it, but she swallowed and nodded — to which Killik just kept frowning, spinning that dagger in his hand. "And," he added, "when I bring him to you this eve, you shall seek to court him, and woo him. To… persuade him, to this."

Wait. Wait wait wait. Killik wanted her to… wooUlfarr? To persuade him to do this? As if —

"What the hell do you mean,Ineed to persuade him?" Louisa demanded, her voice sharp. "Haven't you already discussed this with him yourself? And worked out the terms between you?"

Butdamn it, Killik's jaw was set, his gaze intent on the dagger still spinning in his hand. As if he indeed hadn't spoken to Ulfarr about this yet, not in the slightest — and Louisa's disbelief escaped in a choked laugh, a furious shake of her head.

"You devious snake," she snarled at him. "You can't honestly mean to tell me you haven't actually talked to Ulfarr about any of this? You haven't told him about the agreement? About — me?"

Hervoice cracked, because wait, the way she'd behaved when Ulfarr had kissed her hand, the way she'd so shamefully ogled his trousers — it had all been with some vague understanding that he'd already known who she was. ThatKillik had already discussed it with him, and made… arrangements. While in truth, Ulfarr hadn't had the faintest idea who Louisa was? She'd just been some addled, messy, tarty stranger, blatantly taking one look, and trying to get into his trousers?

"Ach, I spoke to him of you, woman," Killik snapped back, a little too late. "I told him I knew he should find you pleasing, and that he ought to meet you."

Buthe'd clearly said nothing beyond that, especially about the deal, the debts, the ten nights together — and Louisa gaped at him, as fury screeched higher in her chest. "So what was your plan for tonight, then?" she demanded. "To dump him into my bedroom, and hope for the best? And hope I didn't betray how it was your plan the entire time? Or how you're paying my debts in exchange?!"

Killik'sface looked pinched, now, his gaze still fixed on his spinning dagger, and Louisa barked another furious growl, and jerked a step toward him. "That is a horrible plan, you menace," she hissed. "What if Ulfarr doesn't want that? What if he doesn't actually want a woman as part of a plan, or a deal? What if he doesn't want — me?!"

Hervoice rang out between them, far too carrying, and Killik darted a brief, hunted look back toward the well, before lurching deeper into the trees, and waving Louisa after him. And maybe she should have refused, but she was already rounding on him again, and desperately fighting the urge to spit in his face. "You said you were trying to help him, you prick," she growled. "How the hell is it helping him if you trick him into a transactional liaison with a stranger, based on nothing but coin and false pretenses and lies?!"

Shewas too close to Killik now, close enough that she could see his eyelid twitching, could hear the shaky sound of his breath. And with a sharp snap of movement, he caught his still-spinning dagger-blade in his hand, and lurched a step toward her, almost near enough to touch.

"Yourliaison is not based on lies," he hissed back, low in his throat. "I scented you, over there. I scented him. He wishes for you, and you for him, as I knew you would. So ach, I grant you both a gift, and make this truth!"

Louisascoffed, and jerked a furious shake of her head. "Stop dodging my point," she snarled. "And stop pretending that you're justified in this rubbish. You lied to him, and you lied to me, and therefore put your entire grand plan at risk! Did you really think I'd be foolish enough to just drag him into my bed tonight, without discussing any of this first?!"

Thedisdain curled on Killik's lip, and he huffed a contemptuous laugh — suggesting that yes, indeed, he did think Louisa that foolish… or that desperate. And for an instant, she could only blink back at him, as something crumpled dangerously in her belly, and her thoughts churned with irrelevant, highly unhelpful memories of the night before. Of how she'd so easily capitulated to every one of his commands, greedily impaling herself on a stone orc-prick for him again and again, lost in the heat in his voice, the look in his eyes…

No. No. Louisa yanked backwards, away from him, and dragged her hands through her frayed, frizzy hair, now half-fallen from its bent hairpins. No. He was awful. She didn't care about him, she didn't need him, or his help, or his lies. She could find another way, something…

"Look, I don't need this," she choked out. "I'm finished with this, again. Just like I should have been the first time you —"

Hervoice wrenched into a high-pitched yelp, because Killik — snapped. His taut, tall body streaking forward, far too close, as his strong hand gripped Louisa's straggly hair, and hauled her backwards. Shoving her into something rough and hard — a tree-trunk, solid and immobile behind her. And with another swift movement, he yanked up both Louisa's wrists by her dress' loose sleeves, thrust them against the rough wood above her head, and…

Andstabbed his dagger through the fabric. Holding her there. Trapping her there.

Louisachoked and kicked and glared, but she was firmly pinned to the tree by her sleeves, while a furious, growling Killik loomed tall and menacing before her. "No, woman," he spat, his teeth bared. "You wish for my answer, then you stay, and you hear it! You no keep shouting and raging at me, calling me menace and snake and prick, and no even grant me breath to speak!"

Hisvoice was rough and rasping, his accent thicker than before, and Louisa's retort faltered in her throat, her gaze caught on his face. On where his rapidly blinking eyes looked strangely bright, exposed, and… miserable.

"I fear for my wolf's life," he breathed, through his twisting, quivering mouth. "I fear that one day, he shall awaken, and find he can no more bear the shame — or he shall decide its taint upon our son is too great. And then he shall slit his throat, or fall on his sword, or walk into a river with a boulderstone."

Thesudden, sickening vision of it flashed behind Louisa's eyes, that huge handsome body lying bloated and wasted on a riverbank, and she winced as she dragged down a ragged breath, and uselessly yanked at her pinned sleeves. "Then it sounds like he needs real and meaningful help," she managed. "Far beyond you bribing a woman into his bed, and lying to him about it!"

Killik'sgrowl sounded more like a bark, his head whipping back and forth. "You ken I no try to help him?!" he demanded, his accent even thicker. "I try all else I can dream of. I seek help from clan, from elders. I draw out old vows and secrets, throw them into light. I adopt son with my wolf, even when Inever wish to be father — for I see how much he long for this, and our clan no allow him this, without keeper like me. I grant him my ploughing and pleasure, whenever he wish for this, even when Iknow he true want woman!"

Louisablinked, drew in breath, but Killik jabbed a claw toward her, its tip almost touching her exposed, straining neck. "And ach, naught of what I do heal him," he hissed, "so now I seek woman for him, even if she think me snake and prick! I seek to help her, to make good fair deal for her, with good pay and clear end, so she give my wolf chance! For why else she do this? And how else he ever find this, without me?!"

Oh. Louisa's rage skidded, faltered, caught on the true misery in Killik's eyes, the desperation on his broken voice. "AndI only ask you here to speak," he continued, almost a gulp, "so you now know this! SoI mayhap gain your help in this, and come to terms before this eve, and no grant him yet more pain or grief or shame! I wish to grant him peace!"

Hisvoice scraped into Louisa's pounding ears, plunged deep into her heaving chest, her twisting belly. And though a contrary part of her wanted to keep arguing, she couldn't find the words. And instead she just swallowed and stared up at him, and then sagged backwards, heavy and resigned, against the tree. The tree he'd pinned her to, with a sharp deadly dagger. And she should be remembering that, and refusing this, and running. He was unpredictable, dangerous, he couldn't be trusted…

"And you really still think," she croaked at him, "a woman might make that much difference? After everything else you've tried?"

Killik'sgrowl was exasperated, but not quite as harsh as before. "No, I only do all this for fun," he drawled, even as he grimaced, and rubbed at his eyes. "I already tell you, again and again, ach? He was happiest with a woman. He has always longed for a woman. Hereek of envy when he see our Skai kin-brothers with their mates. Did you no see how he greet you today? How he look at you? How he kiss your hand, and taste you? Make clear what he wish from you, even with me there beside him?"

Right. The strength of that moment was already here, coiling hot and hard in Louisa's groin, and Killik huffed a low, bitter laugh as he sank closer into the tree, his elbow now resting against the trunk, his hand again rubbing at his eyes. "This hope is all I have left," he said, a low choke in his throat. "Must needs try, ach?"

Must needs try. Louisa's own throat spasmed, her blinking eyes caught on his drawn face, now far too close to her own. Close enough that she could see the black stubble on his chin, could feel his harsh breaths on her cheek. And it would only take a tiny tilt up of her head to brush their noses, to make their mouths meet…

Andoh, his lean body was already shifting closer, his lips parted, his black tongue brushing brief against them. But he wouldn't, surely he wouldn't, he didn't want her… right?

"Then we'll try," Louisa rasped, dragging her gaze back up to his hooded, long-lashed eyes. "But to start, we're telling Ulfarr the truth. All of it. Tonight."

Killik'sface was still so close, his wince so strong it felt like a touch, his lashes fluttering heavy against his hard cheek. And the strange, palpable temptation was lurching higher, nearer, a hot whispered promise, and all Louisa had to do was —

Butthen Killik stumbled backwards, away. The movements jerky and stiff, his eyes wide and disbelieving on Louisa's face, on her own parted lips. And what the hell had she been thinking, he didn't want her, and she didn't want him. She wanted to escape LordScall, live her life on her own terms, find her own peace, and that was all.

Andsuddenly Louisa couldn't bear to stay here, to look at him for another moment. And with a hard, wrenching yank, she tore her sleeves free of the dagger, and spun toward the house.

"Tonight," she hissed, over her shoulder, blinking back the prickling behind her eyes. "We tell him everything, or I'm done."