Page 10 of Resisting the Wicked Orc (Silvermist Mates #4)
EPILOGUE
ZRAL
C rimson smoke swirled around us as we materialized in our room at Silver River Inn, Rava’s teleportation landing us neatly beside the bed. My beautiful mate had spent the better part of an hour learning that particular spot after our first jump back to Silvermist Falls that afternoon.
“Gods, Red.” The bags in my arms landed with a thud as my feet found solid ground again. The new duffels joined the suitcases spilling out of the closet and crammed against the walls. “You sure you packed enough? I think your entire wardrobe made the trip.”
The familiar jolt of awareness shot through me like lightning, setting my blood on fire. A week together wasn’t enough to even scratch the surface of learning my mate. Every touch made me crave more, as if the bond had permanently rewired my senses to hunger for her.
“It takes work to look this good, orc.” She turned toward the mirror, critically assessing her reflection with narrowed amber eyes. A smirk played at the corners of her mouth. “Besides, half of this is because someone keeps tearing my clothes off.”
She gave a playful flick of her tail, causing her ass to sway temptingly within inches of my rapidly growing erection.
A low groan escaped me, and my hands landed on her hips. I leaned in close, letting the coarse fabric of my shirt tease her bare shoulder. “Should I stop?”
Her eyes widened, sparkling with amusement. “If you can.”
She reached back and hooked her hand behind my neck, tugging me down so her mouth met mine. I lost myself in the sweet taste of her, in the softness of her lips moving against mine. When I finally came up for air, her cheeks were flushed and her lips swollen. Gods, she was stunning.
“I’m a simple man.” My breath stirred the fine hairs at her temple, and I watched her eyes darken in response. “You’d look just as good in a burlap sack.”
The gentle scrape of my teeth against her earlobe pulled a soft sound from her throat. Her pupils expanded, amber irises reduced to thin rings of fire.
“Or better yet,” I murmured, lips brushing the sensitive skin beneath her ear, “no sack at all. We could just head straight to bed...”
Her laugh vibrated against my chest. Turning in my arms, she traced the tattoo on my bicep with nimble fingers, her nails lightly scraping my skin.”It was your idea to start looking for a house so soon.”
We’d already lined up viewings for Monday—three properties near the falls she so loved and two closer to town. This room at the Silver River Inn would serve as our base of operations, a neutral territory away from her brothers’ watchful eyes and constant interruptions. After a week of sharing space with the Kadhan clan, we both craved privacy like drowning people craved air.
“I was all for a romp on my family’s very private beach,” she reminded me, amber eyes gleaming with mischief.
The suggestion alone made me groan. White sand, crystal blue water, and Rava wearing nothing but sunlight. “You’re a demon.”
I was still adjusting to the casual way she mentioned her family’s holdings. The Kadhans might have felt like pets to the throne, but they’d been tossed very lucrative bones and built from there. Private beaches, vacation homes, endless connections… The princess and the carver, like something from one of the human fairytales.
Her grin turned wicked as her tail snaked around my thigh, climbing higher. “And you love it.”
“Hellfire and damnation, I do.” I captured her mouth with mine, swallowing her laugh as I backed her toward the bed. Her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer as we fell together onto the mattress.
Darkness had fully descended on Silvermist Falls by the time we made it through the shower-and-change gauntlet. Walking down the street under the warm glow of Silvermist’s streetlamps, I couldn’t keep my eyes off Rava. The crimson of her skin caught the golden light, making her look like she’d been carved from living flame.
My mate. The word still felt new in my mind, a perfect weight I’d never expected to carry.
A week ago, I’d been alone. Content, sure—I had my carving, my clan, my friends. But watching Osen with Miranda, Torain with Carissa, even grumpy-ass Galan with Hannah... I’d felt the absence of something I couldn’t name. Something I hadn’t known I was missing until a red-skinned demon with a barbed tail and sharper tongue appeared in front of me at the market.
Rava caught me staring and raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Just thinking about how fast everything changed.” I squeezed her hand, feeling the bond pulse between us. “This time last week, you were ready to feed me to your boss’s muscle.”
Her lips quirked. “In my defense, I came back for you.”
“Eventually.” I tugged her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. “After I’d been beaten to a pulp.”
“Can you blame me? You were trying to charm your way into my pants at a less than stellar moment.” She waved her free hand dismissively, but I caught the shadow that crossed her face. The memory of Javed and her brothers still haunted her, though she’d never admit it.
I’d woken more than once to find her gone from our bed, only to discover her perched by the window, staring into the darkness. On those nights, I’d simply hold her, offering the comfort of my presence until she was ready to talk or sleep. Sometimes both.
The warmth of the taproom hit us as we pushed through the door. Vanin called a greeting from behind the bar, and several heads turned our way. I spotted them immediately—Osen and Miranda at their usual corner table, Torain and Carissa by the dartboard, even Galan and Hannah near the back, her red-gold hair catching the light as she laughed at something he’d said.
My clan. My family. And now, they would be Rava’s too.
“Zral!” Torain’s booming voice cut through the noise. He abandoned his dart game and crossed the room in a few long strides. “About damn time!”
I led Rava through the crowd. She straightened her spine as we neared, chin lifting in that regal way that reminded me of her royal blood. Her tail, however, betrayed her nerves, tapping and twitching between our ankles.
“Everyone,” I announced as we reached the table, loud enough to be heard over the music. “I want you to meet Rava Kadhan. My mate.”
A moment of surprised silence, then a chorus of congratulations erupted. Miranda was the first to move, sliding from the booth to throw her arms around Rava. “Welcome to the family,” she said, her smile bright. “We’ve been wondering where this one disappeared to.”
Osen clapped me on the shoulder, nearly knocking me into the table. “Congratulations! Though next time, maybe send a text before vanishing for a week?”
“Dramatic as always,” Galan muttered from his corner, but the corner of his mouth twitched in what might have been a smile. Hannah elbowed him, and he grudgingly raised his glass in acknowledgment.
Carissa appeared with drinks, pressing them into our hands before I could protest. “On the house,” she insisted. “Consider it a mating gift.”
Rava was quickly swept into the circle of women, Hannah studying her with careful consideration while Miranda and Carissa bombarded her with questions about everything from her hometown to her favorite Silvermist spots.
Torain maneuvered through the crowd to stand beside me. “So this explains the vanishing act?” His voice carried its usual good humor, but his eyes betrayed his concern. “We were starting to think you’d joined a monastery or something.”
“Not exactly.” My gaze drifted to Rava, who was gesturing animatedly as she spoke. The sight sent a rush of satisfaction through my veins. “Just got caught up in something unexpected.”
“Must have been quite the something.” Torain followed my line of sight. “Never thought I’d see the day when Zral Shieldthorn settled down.”
“Neither did I.” I turned to face my oldest friend, finding the expected mix of concern and amusement in his eyes. “But sometimes surprises hit you right in the face. And sometimes it’s a mean right hook from one of her brothers.”
Torain’s eyebrows shot up. “Brothers? Plural?”
“Three of them.” I took a long pull of my beer. “All mercenaries. All very protective of their little sister.”
“Shit.” Torain whistled low. “And I thought Osen was bad when I started seeing Carissa.”
I snorted. “Your brother never tried to break your ribs.”
“Fair point.” Torain studied Rava for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “She seems worth it, though.”
“She is.” The certainty in my voice surprised even me. After years of casual encounters and keeping my distance, I’d fallen hard and fast for a woman who’d initially wanted nothing to do with me. “More than worth it.”
Torain clapped me on the back, his smile stretching wide. “I’m happy for you, brother. Really.”
“Thanks.” I met his gaze, suddenly grateful for his steady presence. “For everything.”
He nodded, understanding what I couldn’t quite put into words. The relief of having someone who knew me, who’d been there through it all. Someone I could count on, even when my life turned upside down.
“So,” Carissa’s voice rose above the others, drawing my attention back to the table. “How did you two meet? Was it at the market?”
Rava’s eyes met mine across the table, amusement dancing in their amber depths. We shared a silent moment of understanding, remembering stalking through an empty market, a desperate kiss to avoid detection, the waterfall where everything changed.
“You wouldn’t believe us if we told you,” we said in unison, and burst out laughing.