Page 10

Chapter 10

Eleri

O dik woke me as the sun was starting to set.

“We ride,” was all he said as he helped me rise to my feet.

When my legs nearly gave way, he swept me up in his arms and carried me with quick strides over to Zarran. One leap, and we were both mounted on the vox’s spine. A nudge of his heels, and the beast took flight, soaring over the forest toward our destination.

We flew through the night.

“Tell me more about the island you call home,” I asked. “You said the surface is well above the water?”

“Steep cliffs surround the upper surface with no easy access for dresalods.”

“You mentioned them before. What are they?”

“A sea creature as fierce as the shaydes,” he said grimly.

He guided Zarran to the right to avoid a large flock of birds. Some spied the vox and squawked, diving toward the forest with the rest flapping furiously behind. They disappeared into the vegetation.

“Dresalods live deep below the sea. They’re as big as orcs and have spikes on each of their six limbs, plus large claws on the front of their hard exoskeleton. They use those to climb and battle.”

“They sound fearsome,” I said with a shiver, unable to imagine a beast such as this.

“The cliffs deter them, though they do occasionally attack. They savor our flesh.”

My shivers turned to full-on trembles.

Odik’s arms tightened around me. “I’ll protect you from them.”

But what would protect him from them?

“They attack often?” I asked with a thready voice. I didn’t fear much, but the idea of sea creatures the size of orcs attacking us almost made me eager to return to the forest and face the shaydes and ashenclaws. At least I understood them. I knew almost nothing about the dresalods.

“They rarely bother with the islands. The topography provides too much of a challenge. And they only attack at night and infrequently.”

“ How often?” If this was going to be my home, I needed to know.

He shrugged. “Every six months or so, when their numbers have grown enough to make them feel brave. Never fear, though. We hear them coming long before they arrive. They tend to shriek as they leave the sea. We pull up our steps, making it harder for them to climb, then drop boulders down on them when they try to scale the stone surface. Few make it to the top, and they’re quickly dispatched.”

“It doesn’t make me eager to go near the sea.

“I’ll keep you safe.”

I had to trust him. After all, he’d lived this long with the creatures. He must be quite savvy when it comes to dresalods.

“What else can you tell me about the island?”

“It’s the largest in a chain of islands, and orcs only live on the main bit of land. The others are too small to support our way of life for long. As for the island itself, it’s made up of open areas and some forest. We grow our own crops, and we have a tight, friendly community. The island itself is prettier than any place you’ve ever seen.” Pride and happiness shone in his voice. “I love it there. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. You’ll enjoy it there too.”

Other than the dresalods, I suspected I would. But I could keep watch like the orcs did. And over time, I would learn how to fight them too. Not as well as an orc. I was nowhere near as strong.

But my strength came from inside, where it most mattered.

We flew until morning came again, and Odik landed Zarran in another small meadow.

Like before, I hobbled behind Odik collecting sticks for the fire, struggling not to groan. I ached so much I winced with each step. I wasn’t sure there was a muscle left in my body that didn’t spasm.

He refilled the flask at a snaky stream winding through the woods near the meadow.

“You can wash here if you’d like.”

The water might be cold, but the idea sounded heavenly. With my bag of clothing in hand, I limped over to the water.

As much as I wanted to strip and sit in the stream, I wasn’t confident about removing my clothing around Odik. I wasn’t worried he’d attack me. He’d already proven he was a good person.

But my skin tingled whenever I thought of him studying my naked body. I wasn’t exactly sure what the tingling meant, but I suspected it was related to the attraction I was beginning to feel for the strong orc who called me his mate.

Removing my undergarment, I washed it and laid it on a flat rock to dry in the sun. I stood in the water with my legs spread and cleaned up as best as I could.

“I’ll turn away if it makes you feel more comfortable,” he called out from where he crouched beside the newly laid fire. He tossed a stick into the flames and didn’t look my way.

Alright. I needed to feel clean.

With my back to him, I removed my blouse, washed it out and laid it in the sun beside the undergarment. I stripped off my skirt and, naked, sat in the water that only came to my waist. I couldn’t hold back a yip. Damn, it was cold!

Odik’s gaze cut my way before he whipped his head back to face the fire.

“You’re not harmed?” he called out.

“No. Sorry. The water’s cold. But it feels great.” I washed myself and even laid back and did my hair as best I could. Too bad they hadn’t included soap in the bag they gave each woman leaving the fortress for the hunt.

“I’ll bathe after you,” he said.

Rising from the water, I used my blouse to blot off most of the water. I wrung out my hair and braided it to keep it from soaking through my clean clothing and dressed quickly.

My teeth chattered as I hurried to the fire, but I felt decent for the first time in days.

“Keep an eye on Zarran,” Odik said, rising. “He’ll alert you if he hears any threat. Call out to me.”

“I will.” I sat near the fire, stretching my twitching fingers toward it to suck in the heat.

“There’s food in the bag. Feel welcome to eat.” He grabbed clothing and strode toward the river.

I fully intended to grant him the same privacy he gave me, but I couldn’t help it. Curiosity might be my downfall, but I peeked through my lashes as he tugged off his clothing and stepped into the water.

I didn’t see much, just the shadow of his cock and his nicely shaped butt. He was greenish gold all over, and the sun seemed to stroke his skin, making it gleam.

More tingles spread through me, confirming my earlier suspicion. I was attracted to my new orc husband, and I wasn’t sure what—if anything—I should do about it.

There was one thing I could do. I completely turned away from the stream and faced the fire. I didn’t look Odik’s way until he was fully dressed and walking back toward me.

“You’re sore again,” he said after we’d finished eating. “Let me massage your back and legs.” He patted his lap.

Should I refuse him? His touch had sparked something inside me I wasn’t sure I wanted to explore again. Not when I was already attracted to him. But he’d eventually be my full husband, a thought that didn’t frighten me any longer.

He patted his lap again. “Eleri.”

Nodding, I rose, and he tugged me down onto his lap facing away from him. His fingers gently worked down my back, stroking at first, then deepening his touch. He worked out each kink and seemed to know exactly where I was sore the most.

In no time, I was melting, struggling not to moan where I sat in his lap. Heat pooled between my legs, and even for a virgin, I was savvy enough to know what that meant.

He eased me onto my back beside him and rubbed one of my legs, then the other, moving his fingers carefully and with just enough pressure to make me melt some more.

“I’ve never been with a male,” I blurted out as he finished kneading my right thigh.

“Why not?”

“Because no one wanted me.” Maybe Birgid’s husband who’d winked that one time would’ve taken me if I’d offered.

Or maybe he hadn’t winked. He’d had something in his eye.

“That, I cannot believe,” Odik said.

“You’re too kind.”

“I’m being honest. I want you.” His voice sounded hollow. His gaze glided across my body like a caress, and more heat slicked through me, centering in my core.

“Have you ever touched yourself?” he asked.

“What?” I barked, starting to sit up.

He gently pressed me back to the ground. “I asked if you’ve ever touched yourself.” His eyes landed on that place between my legs that throbbed.

I shifted on the grass, flushed and overcome with a need I’d never felt before.

“It’s all right if you haven’t,” he said. “Always be honest with me, and I’ll do the same with you.”

“I have touched myself.” The words jerked out of me. I was deficient enough already without coming across as completely inexperienced. “A few times.”

His head tilted, and a smile flitted across his lips before he smoothed them. “Would you do it right now?”

I sucked in a breath.

Heat smoldered in his eyes. “I want you to show me what your body enjoys, Eleri.”