Page 3 of How the Orc Stole Christmas

JULES

I let Olivia lead me away from Sinteklas or Klas, as they called him, and into the warm hut, feeling oddly bereft at leaving the one safe haven in this strange new world.

He may have been grumpy and blunt to the point of being rude, but he cared about me, checking me for injuries and keeping me warm when I would have frozen in the snow.

Honestly, most people back home would have driven right by me.

He didn’t seem to care if I walked away, and that hurt my feelings, though it really shouldn’t, though the whole mating thing needed a conversation and I wasn’t having it with an insensitive male.

Olivia was frighteningly efficient, having me seated and digging into a warm bowl of stew in short order. I had forgotten that I hadn’t had time for dinner, so food was welcome. She sat across from me, studying me with kind eyes, though her belly kind of pushed her back from the table a bit.

“You’re not going to drop that kid while I’m sitting here, are you?

I mean, I could totally deliver the baby, since I assume having an orc or minotaur kid is the same as any other.

” I eyed her terrifyingly large belly as if an alien was about to burst out of her, not even able to believe that I was speaking about orcs and minotaurs as if they were everyday creatures.

Yet somehow they were. When we drove through the small village, I saw things I never thought I would see outside of movies.

More green-skinned creatures. Orcs, as Klas called them.

Varying degrees of green, some leaning toward grey and others a dark green.

Most had scars and long black hair, braided, with beads and ribbons in them.

They wore vests and leather pants like Klas, despite the cold.

Then there were minotaurs, towering creatures with bull-like faces and legs, with hooves for feet, and amazingly muscular for their bodies. They too only wore leather vests and pants, with a light pelt of fur it appeared on their body, which may have kept them warm.

I didn’t see any humans until I came here and saw Olivia.

That seemed strange, and I wondered about this world, but I didn’t know where to begin with my questions.

But the first was if I was going to have to deliver a monster baby on my first night.

I was going to need some serious incentive for that one.

Olivia laughed, her sound echoing in the room. “I don’t think so, though I can’t wait for this one to be born. Clearly Klas told you I’m mated to both an orc and a minotaur, so we don’t know who the baby will take after, which also means we don’t know how long I’ll be pregnant.”

I stared at her, utterly appalled. “What do you mean, you don’t know? Nine months doesn’t apply here?”

“Not exactly. Our genes are not dominant unless we mate with a human. So, if we mate with an orc, our baby takes on their characteristics. Which means, our pregnancy is usually around that time period. For orcs, it’s around seven to eight months.

Close to humans. Minotaurs, on the other hand, are eleven months.

Yeah, a long time. Leave it to me to overachieve. ”

“Why would you mate both of them? Or either of them?” I couldn’t understand and as soon as the question was out, I knew it was rude. Before I could apologize, Olivia was waving me off.

“Human females are prized here as mates. Many females died from a plague and the few that remain cannot have children. We can have children with most of the races. As a result, we basically have our pick of mates. It’s a big competition, with prospective males paying lots of money for the chance to be selected.

I was in an auction when I first came here.

They bid for the opportunity to have me select them.

While an auction sounds barbaric, I got the final choice.

At the time, I didn’t know any of the males well, and my options weren’t the best. But I knew Kharag represented safety.

Now I know there was a mate bond at work. ”

I sat back in my chair. This sounded like something out of one of my romance novels. “Mate bond?”

“It doesn’t happen for everyone, but usually you feel a connection with someone and it only grows the more you spend time with them.” She gave me a sly look. “Do you feel that with Klas?”

Did I? I had been too freaked out by everything that I didn’t know what I was feeling. “I don’t know. But he certainly seemed eager to get away from me.”

Olivia frowned. “Yes, he did. He’s been alone a long time, even longer than Kharag.

He’s older than some of the other orcs and I sense his time in the army wasn’t pleasant.

He doesn’t talk about it though. He’s never pursued a female before, never bid for the auction.

I wonder if the portal put you in his path for a reason? ”

I scoffed. “This portal sounds random. It’s not sentient.”

Olivia shrugged. “I don’t know about that.

I have a theory that it picks females who need something else out of their lives, an adventure, a change, something.

And it finds their partner here. One of our other orcs, Ragon, slipped away for the auction and on his way, found Shannon on the road, like Klas found you.

She is perfect for him and is his fated mate. So I wonder…”

I shook my head. “I have a job to get back to, people who will miss me.”

Olivia looked stricken. “Did you have a family, a husband or boyfriend who will miss you?”

Well, technically I had a family, only how long would it take for them to realize I was missing?

And work, they would miss me when I didn’t show up for my shift but otherwise, who would care?

They’d grumble about covering my shifts but that’s all.

Damn it. Tears gathered in my eyes. I really was alone.

Olivia reached across the table and took my hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I shook my head. “No, I just realized no one really would miss me. I mean, my job would be pissed that I missed my shifts, but that’s all. My family had gone their own ways years ago.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes, then Olivia cocked her head. “Wait, you said you could deliver my baby. What did you do back on earth?”

I dashed the tears from my eyes. “I was a nurse. Emergency room, but I’ve done a bit of everything. Obstetrics was my favorite, but the ER was the best paying.”

Olivia sat back, her hands on her enormous belly. “I’ve decided that we’re keeping you. Be prepared for some hardcore wooing, and not just from the males. So, explain to me the deal with this elf costume.”

As I explained, Olivia got this excited look in her eyes. Now why did that scare the hell out of me?

Sinteklas

O ver the next few days, I kept my distance from Jules, even though every part of me demanded that I seek her out.

At night, I had no choice but to see her at the communal fire where everyone gathered for meals, except some of the families who took their meals in their huts, though some joined the communal fire later.

Olivia and her mates, along with Jules, came to the fire to give Jules a chance to meet the rest of the clan and many minotaurs came from the herd in the hopes of catching Jules’ attention.

As I predicted, many young orcs vied for her affections.

Bringing her food, delicacies, special baubles and clothing.

While Jules was always polite and friendly, she was clearly overwhelmed by the lot of them always going on at her with things.

Fighting to sit next to her, to talk to her to escort her back to the hut for the evening.

“Damned fools,” I growled.

Kharag chuckled next to me. “They’re excited. We don’t see new, unattached females her very often. In fact, never. They’ve been stuck in the village since the war began, unable to seek out their own mates. Now we’ve dropped one in their midst. They’re bound to be overzealous.”

“They’re like overgrown pups, barely house trained. Can they protect her as needed and give her what she needs?” I glowered across the fire as I sipped my mug of ale, while two young orcs arguing over Jules’ head about who would escort her home.

“If you think you can do better, step up. She would welcome you. Her gaze strays to you often enough. And yours to her,” Kharag said, absently stroking his hound, Nuar.

I grunted. I had seen too many winters to be a good mate for her.

She was too bright, too sunny to be saddled with a grouch like me.

I knew what my clan mates said about me.

They appreciated my hunting and military skill, training the younger orcs, but my methods were often too stern for them.

If it kept them alive when an attack happened, I was fine with it.

Near nudged my leg, eyeing the piece of beef remaining on my plate. I tossed him the piece, my appetite lost. Kharag laughed. “You’re not as hard-hearted a bastard as you portray.”

“When are you expecting another litter?”

“You thinking of getting a pup?”

“I’d like some company.”

He shot me a sly look. “A mate can be a good companion.” I gave him a sour look, and he laughed. “I’ll have a litter ready to go in a few weeks. Come check them out this week.”

Jules rose and the two orcs, not to mention a couple more, also jumped to their feet.

Voices raised about who had the right to walk her back to her hut.

Two of the young ones, Bakh and Krothu, started yelling, pushing and shoving each other, finally coming to blows over it.

Jules looked horrified, and I got to my feet to break them up.

One of the fists caught her on the shoulder and she went flying, almost into the fire.

I lunged for her and caught her before she landed in danger.

Her eyes came up to meet mine. “Thank you, Klas.”

I tucked her against me and growled at the young orcs. Kharag had joined me, grabbing them by the backs of their necks and throwing them aside. When they realized what had happened, they at least looked horrified and chagrined.

I pointed a finger at them while keeping my other arm around the trembling female. “You both are banned from spending time with Jules for the next week. Report for extra duty tomorrow morning.”

They opened their mouths to protest, but Kharag grabbed them and dragged them away, glaring at the other young orcs, who followed, grumbling.

I finally turned my attention to the young female clinging to me side.

Her hand rested on my stomach, the soft skin like a burning brand against me, a faint tremble barely noticeable.

“Are you okay, lass?”

She nodded, her eyes wide. “Thank you for saving me. I couldn’t catch myself in time.”

“You shouldn’t have had to. They were careless. Come, I’ll take you home.”

The tension in her body eased, and she nodded. We walked quietly, though she didn’t let go of me and I kept my arm around her. It felt oddly right, as if she belonged there. A feeling that I could not get accustomed to. She was meant for someone else.

“Olivia wants me to create Christmas for your village,” Jules said just before we got to the hut she had been given as her own. It was next door to Olivia’s, but she had privacy, which I’m sure she appreciated.

“Christmas?” I didn’t know what this was.

Jules smiled. “It’s a holiday on earth where Santa Claus brings presents for the good children.”

I frowned and glanced around the village. “We don’t have many orclings running around right now.”

She laughed, the sound musical in the cold night. “It’s not just about the presents. It’s about getting together with family and friends, enjoying a nice meal, and celebrating family.”

Now I was really confused. Didn’t we do that every night at the communal fire? But her excitement was palpable, and I didn’t want to upset her. So I settled for a nod, hoping it would satisfy her. Only she looked disappointed.

“I was hoping you would help me,” she continued.

“Help you? How can I do that?” Oh, I was going to regret the offer.

A brilliant smile crossed her face. “I need a Christmas tree, a special meal, and some ideas for presents for the kids. Olivia is close to her delivery date, so I don’t want to ask her for help and she needs her mates nearby. So, will you help me?”

“Why don’t you ask your new friends? They seem willing to do anything for you.

” I wasn’t the type for celebrations, usually leaving the village whenever matings were feted or births.

The younger orcs would be better suited to this task, after a thorough talking to about how to care for the delicate human female.

She drew back and tilted her head. “Are you jealous?”

“Of course not. They’re better suited to help you with this. I’m busy hunting for our winter stores and scouting to ensure no one attacks us. I don’t have time for a silly female.”

Her smile faded, and her gaze narrowed. She pulled her arm back and hugged herself; her hurt was evident. “I’m sorry to inconvenience you. I can manage from here. I won’t bother you again.”

She stalked the few yards to her hut, slamming the door for effect, leaving me in the cold, cursing myself for hurting her.

But it was for the best. She was hoping for too much from me.

Better she look elsewhere. I would ensure one of those orcs treated her well, after I kicked their asses in training in the morning.