Page 27 of Falling for the Orc All-Star

“You were probably thinking in a broader context. Can humans and non-human partners have babies?”

“Uh. Yes.”No.

Maybe?

“Absolutely! Let’s see, Milo and Libby just had the cutest little boy—minotaur and human couple. And Georgia and Georgie Fenclan, their mom is a human, and their father is an Orc. So Orcs and humans are very compatible—provided you’ve had knotting tea. I’m sure King has some. If not, Madge will have some in the shop.”

“Knotting tea?” What kind of tea is that?

“Honey. I just remembered. I didn’t feed the cat. We have to go. We have to go right now.” Kev rises, takes Marina by the shoulders, and practically lifts her out of the chair.

“But—But King will need help with the dishes! He cannot possibly do all these dishes hopping on one leg,” Marina protests, looking faintly confused.

“Ingrid will help with the dishes. Come on. Sorry, guys. Cat goes destructo-mode if you don’t feed him soon enough.” Kev blows kisses like a Hollywood starlet boarding a private jet and whisks Marina out before King can even get out of his seat.

I turn back to him as the door shuts. “What the actual...?”

He groans and covers his face with his hands. “Knotting tea. It makes Orcs and smaller partners fit together, because Orcs have big—uh—equipment. And we have um... knots.”

“Knots?” I blink and try to figure out where I’ve heard that before.

He looks up briefly. “It’s a slang term for extra erectile tissue at the base of the—”

“I get it!” I squeak, sounding completely rattled, and not at all like the calm, mature woman with a nursing background that I am.

King sighs. “Lots of things have a bulbus glandis. Werewolves, wolf shifters, Orcs, trolls—”

“Sorry, sorry. I... Oh, jeez. So Marina just blurted that out? Wow.”

“I think it’s because sex equals food to her.”

“Come again?” Oh, God. Smother me with a pillow. Thattotallydidn’t have a double entendre.

“I mean, rusalkas need to feed off of living energy to survive. They can either take someone’s life energy by killing them, or they can ingest sexual energy to survive. Marina is reformed. No killing. Lots of sex. With Kevin! Just Kevin,” he hastens to reply, eyes wide, cheeks as green as a pine tree. “So, we talk about food super easily, no shame. She talks about sex the same way. Probably. Or it could be the two glasses of wine.”

“Could be the wine,” I stumble over the words.

“You don’t have to do the dishes. You probably have to get home to your dogs.”

“I think they’ll be okay for a little bit,” I say, even though I should have taken the out by now.

“I’d like to meet them sometime.”

“Oh. You will tomorrow. I’m bringing them in to work with me after lunch, and they’re going to Hilltop Home with Mrs. Yerkchenko and me. A lot of the seniors are lonely and don’t have much family or any pets. It’s not that they’re not allowed to. Mrs. Yerkchenko has her cats. But a lot of the other folks don’t. What with not being able to get around well, or being on a fixed income and not being able to afford pet food and vet visits...” I shake my head. “Chip and Daisy are amazing—except in thunderstorms. Then, they’re basketcases. Uh. I’m rambling. Anyway, they’ll be with me tomorrow at the office for a couple of hours, so you’ll meet them.”

King nods. He looks serious. “The people at Hilltop Homewantpets?”

“Some do, sure. That’s why I bring my dogs over. Visiting furry angels. I even crocheted them little wings to put on their harnesses,” I confess with a blush.

King looks more smitten than ever. “That’s adorable.”

I have to change the subject. No one’s looked at me like that. Ever. Certainly not one of the handsome jock types.

“Saw your video. Videos. Both.” I collect up plates and walk to the kitchen.

“I hate the internet sometimes,” he heaves a sigh and stands up, carefully trying to grapple with dishes.

“That girl was out of line.”