Page 98 of The Widow and the Orcs

Ulfarrlaughed too, low and fond, his eyes glinting as they held onKillik’sface. “Thenmayhap you could grantKillika message from me,” he murmured. “Andtell himIwish to see you both underground.Now.”

Now.Itflashed another shudder upLouisa’sspine, another genuine grin across her mouth.Andsoon she indeed found herself underground in the bustling common-room, kneeling on all fours on one of the beds, and gasping and begging asUlfarragain fed his huge bulk into her tightest, most tender place.

“Better,”Killikpurred at her, onceUlfarrwas gently easing himself in and out of her, his bollocks lightly slapping with every thrust. “Andbetter for you too, ach,Wolf?Itpleases you, to plough this tight rump with your perfectSkaiprick?”

Ulfarrreplied with a choked, desperate howl, his hips bucking harder, andKilliklaughed aloud as the molten liquid poured, flooding intoLouisa, filling her from the bottom up.Herown pleasure so close, so close, teetering on the edge — and it only took one brief, careless grind ofKillik’shand to hurl her into ecstasy, her body quaking all over as her cries rang through the room.

“Ach, you milk my wolf, woman,”Killikcrooned, raising his now-slick hand, caressing it at her cheek. “Youswallow him whole, and suck his good seed deep into your rump.Youhonour theWolfof theSkaiin his camp, and in his home.HisWolf-Camp.”

Louisacould only gasp and nod, dragging for air, whileUlfarrgroaned behind her, his big hands running shaky down her sides.Hislonging almost strong enough to taste, so heavy with its hunger, its hope.TheWolfof theSkai, in hisWolf-Camp.Hishome.

Itkept whispering inLouisa’sthoughts, even once they’d cleaned up again, and sagged back into the bed together.Intoa different bed than the night before, sinceElgrwas currently sprawled on the bed beside them, and grinding himself up intoThomas’ sucking mouth.

“Haveyou ever thought about building akofiof your own here, too, sweetheart?”Louisaasked, snuggling closer intoUlfarr’sside. “Incase you ever did want the privacy?Orjust the same bed two nights in a row?”

Ulfarrslightly stiffened against her, his throat convulsing, even as unmistakable yearning flashed across his eyes.Suggestingthat yes, he did want that, very much — but damn it, surely he was thinking again ofSimon, and of that impending judgement.Ofhow he still might not be able to stay here at all.

“Ach,Ihave told him this, also,”Killikcut in, with a firm pat toUlfarr’schest. “Thereis a good spot across fromSuneIhave been eyeing for him.TheWolfof theSkaiought to have a place of his own, most of all when his clan comes to stay, ach?”

Ulfarr’sbreath heaved in and out, his eyes glimmering onKillik’sface.Lookingso eager, so damnably hopeful, andLouisadrew up a little, patting her hand besideKillik’son his chest. “Anda place for your favourite pup, too,” she said lightly. “Youtwo would live there together, wouldn’t you?”

Sheshot a brief, teasing look atKillik, because of course he would welcome that too — but wait.Killik’seyes had frozen, stilled, andUlfarrstiffened again, too.Bothof them now glancing at each other, and away again.Asif… as if they didn’t want to?

Louisafrowned between them, at whereKilliknow looked a little hunted, his shoulders hunching, his eyes darting darkly toward her.WhileUlfarrwas carefully studyingKillik, drawing in a breath, and rubbing his hand at his mouth.

“Ach,IkenKillikshould rather his ownkofialso,” he said, and though his voice was steady, it sounded a little flat. “Onewhere he does not need to bear my snoring each night,Iken.”

Louisablinked, becauseKillikclearly didn’t care aboutUlfarr’ssnoring whatsoever — but as she kept glancing between them, it occurred to her thatUlfarrknew that, and he was givingKillikan easy escape.AndKillik’sshoulders hunched even higher, his eyes now fixed on the wall beyond them, all his previous warmth vanished into a taut, careful distance.

Butit didn’t make sense, not with everythingLouisaknew about them — and damn it, with everythingKillikhad come out and told her, too.Ishall never cease upholding him.Heneeds me.

“Well,I’msureKillikdoesn’t mind a bit of snoring,”Louisareplied, with a dismissive wave of her hand. “AndI’msure he’d be happy to share with you, too.Aslong asyouwanted it,Ulfarr.”

Shewas surely pushing this too hard now, forcing it out between them, but suddenly she needed to know it, too.Neededto know why they kept looking at each other like that,Killikagain like a wounded puppy,Ulfarrwith dark, empty resignation in his eyes.Andfor an instant,Louisawas wrenched back to theUlfarrshe’d first met, the one who’d so often looked like this, so sad and lost and alone.

“Ach, it matters naught, woman,”Killikcut in, clipped. “Afterall this,Wolfdeserves a place of his own.Aplace to rest, and gainpeace.”

ButwhenLouisaglanced atUlfarragain, he didn’t look peaceful.Hestill looked resigned, and weary, and sad.Evenas he nodded, and twitched a wan smile towardKillik’sfrowning face. “AndIwish you to have your freedom also, pup,” he said. “Andto do aught you might wish, without needing to think of me.Youhave already granted me enough, ach?”

Louisakept frowning between them, digesting that.Ulfarrwanted to giveKillikfreedom, to do whatever he wished.Andwas that a reference to — toKillik’sother bedmates?Tothe wayKillikhadn’t yet made any commitments of fidelity toUlfarr, beyond their ten nights?Theirnights which were now —Louisawinced — down to just one?

Or— was this just another excuse fromUlfarr?Anothereasy way out?Butno, no,Killik’sfears of him couldn’t be… true.Couldthey?Ulfarrwould never leaveKillik, right?Noteven for a son?No.No.Hewouldn’t.

Butneither of them were speaking, now, andKillikonly jerked a tight nod, his face still hard, unreadable.WhileUlfarrbriefly claspedKillik’sshoulder, giving him a firm little shake, before drawing in breath, and closing his eyes.Shuttingthem out,KillikandLouisaboth — and nowKillik’snarrow eyes caught onLouisa’s, as his hand swiftly, surreptitiously signed toward her.No.Stop.Leaveit.

Louisablinked, but then nodded, and sank back down againstUlfarr.Butshe could still almost tasteKillik’sanger, along withUlfarr’smiserable resignation, twitching through his body against her.Butthey still weren’t speaking, and gods, why couldn’t they?Whycouldn’t they just talk about this, and work this out?Especiallywhen they obviously cared for each other so much?

Thequestion followedLouisainto sleep, nagging in her dreams — and it was still there when she awoke again, too.ThereinUlfarr’stired, carefully distant eyes, and in the wayKillikdidn’t look at either of them as he shoved out of bed.Stalkingaway from them, around the curtain, his hands in tight fists at his sides.

“No,” came his voice, suddenly sharp and irritable from behind the curtain. “No, no,no!Weshall not bear thisKa-esh here, digging our tunnels!”

LouisaandUlfarrexchanged a brief, alarmed glance — and then they both scrambled out of bed at once,Ulfarrtying up his trousers,Louisastraightening her rumpled dress.Andwhen they rushed around the curtain, they foundKillikwith his hair down, and both his daggers clutched in his hands.Facingoff againstRosa, and — a new orc.

Andthis orc was — different.Differentthan any orcLouisahad yet met, with his long curved talons, his tall gaunt body, and his pale, chalky skin.Andwait, what had first looked like cropped hair on his head actually seemed to betattoos, written across his bare scalp in a tight, unreadable script.Andthe tattoos also ran down his jaw and neck, beneath his simple grey tunic, and —Louisa’seyes darted downwards — all the way to his pale, long-fingered hands, with those curved, deadly-looking black claws.

“Look,youwanted your tunnels dug,”Rosasnapped atKillik, her arms folded over her slim chest. “Andbelieve me,I’mnot excited about this either — butFilakcan dig excellent tunnels, as long as he has the right incentive!”

Killikglowered straight back atRosa, and at this orc —Filak, apparently — who didn’t seem even slightly interested in their argument.Andinstead, his deep black eyes were gazing toward —Louisa?

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