Page 12 of The Widow and the Orcs

Oh, gods, yes.Yes.AndLouisawas gasping, nodding, and… obeying.Guidingthe stone out again, and then back in, over and over, faster and faster.Untilit was plunging in and out with astonishing ease, conquering her slippery, swollen body again and again, making sloppy, shameful sounds that echoed through the room.Butshe felt almost feral with it, delirious with it, nothing had ever felt as good as this, as powerful as this, as wondrous and wild and all-consuming as this.Shovingaway all her doubts, all her fears and griefs and regrets, burying them beneath the fierce ramming conquest of an orc’s prick.Andbeneath the sharp gleaming approval of an orc’s eyes, the shaky circle of an orc’s sharp steel.

“Finishit,” cameKillik’svoice, hot, commanding. “Findyour release for me.”

Oh, please, yes,yes— and it only took one hard, purposeful grind ofLouisa’sother hand, just there, to flare up the pure agonizing craving into — bliss.Intosheer, screaming, shattering bliss, thundering through her again and again and again.Unlikeanything she’d ever known, like freedom, likepeace— and she nearly sobbed as she gave herself to it, lost herself to it, surrounded, surrendered.

Butwhen it finally began to fade, sinking into shivery little sparks and quivers, there was also a strange, sudden stillness.Somethingsilent, and dark, and… wrong.

Andeven beforeLouisa’seyes focused onKillik’sface, she knew.Knewwhat she would find there, with those vivid splotches on his hard cheeks, with the sudden bitter curl of his lip.Andwith his eyes, the eyes that had only moments ago been so hungry, so approving, now gone hard and flinty and… cold.Contemptuous.Mocking.

“Thatis enough,” he snapped, as he spun away toward the door, swift enough thatLouisaonly briefly caught the growing dark stain across the front of his trousers. “Ishall bring my wolf tomorrow.”

Andwith that ominous promise thudding through the air, he stalked for the door, and slammed it shut behind him.

8

Itshould have been another endless, sleepless night.WhatwithLouisa’sshouting brain, her still-trembling body, the tenderness between her legs.Andstrongest of all, the sweeping, staggering shame.

Whathad she done.Goodgods, what had she done.She’dgivenKillikexactly what he’d wanted.She’dimpaled herself, pleasured herself, while he’d watched, andjudged.Hehadn’t even spoken a single word of kindness, and then he’d just turned around, and left.Likethe smug, infuriating bastard he was, and nowLouisahad agreed not only to his proposal, but to his… wolf.Toanother orc.Possiblyeven a worse orc.Inher bed.Forten nights.

Itwas without question the most shocking thing she’d ever done, the most foolhardy decision she’d ever made.Sowhy was she sinking so heavily into her bed, and feeling almost… relaxed.Almost…relieved.

Maybeit was just that she’d done something.She’daccomplished something, and gained even some small, whispering promise of peace.Herdebts paid, her staff safe and fed, her land and her life finally her own, free ofLordScall, forever.

Andmaybe, her traitorous thoughts whispered, as she yawned and curled up beneath the blanket, it was also… having help.Havinga confident, decisive orc likeKillikstanding by her side, lounging in her bedroom, watching her obey him.Andeven gaining his own pleasure from it, even if he hadn’t wanted to admit it…

Thevision of his wet-stained trousers followedLouisainto sleep, and into dark, heated dreams.Intovisions ofKillik’sdagger, his claws, his smooth mocking voice, his wolf’s massive solid prick.Andmaybe even his wolf himself, hovering huge and leashed and obedient in the darkest shadows, untilKillikgave the command, and…

“Missus!” came a shrill, scraping voice. “Theorcs!”

Louisajerked and flailed up in bed, blinking blearily at the bright morning light, and toward —Gladys.Hersmall, silver-haired housekeeper, who was hovering in the doorway, her lined, usually genial face gone drawn and white. “Begpardon, missus,” she gasped, “but the orcs have finally come to the house!Inthe yard!PoorElisehas gone and locked herself and the children in the cellar!”

Louisa’sheart kicked and galloped in her chest, and she dragged her shaking hands at her face. “Just— give me a moment,” she managed, as she shoved out of bed, and stumbled over to the wardrobe. “Howmany orcs are there?Whatare they doing?”

“Idon’t know!”Gladyswailed. “Butthey’ve got shovels and pickaxes, and they’re all by the well!Asif they’re going to dig a tunnel into thehouse!”

Wait.Louisahalted in place, gazing blankly at the threadbare work dress in her hands.Thewell.Thewell.

Shelurched over to the window, and yanked the drapes open with numb fingers.Because— yes.There.Allthe way across the yard, standing around the well.Threetall, grey-skinned orcs, gesturing and speaking to each other, and tying a rope around the sturdy support beams of the well’s small shelter.Andyes, yes, that nearest orc had to beKillik, the daggers in his hair flashing in the sunlight as he waved another one of the orcs — a huge, hulking fellow with a gigantic shovel — toward the well’s black opening.

“They’regoing inside!” exclaimed a horrifiedGladys, who’d rushed over to joinLouisaat the window. “They’regoing to dig into the cellar!They’regoing to getEliseand the children!”

Louisabit back a strange, overpowering urge to laugh — good gods, if the orcs had wanted to get into the cellar, they could have simply walked into the house — and dragged down a thick, bracing breath. “There’snothing to worry about,Gladys,” she said, as firmly as she could. “They’renot here forEliseor the children.They’rehere to dig out the well for us.”

Gladys’ shocked face jerked to stare atLouisa, her mouth fallen open. “They’rehere to dig out the well?” she echoed. “But—why?!”

Louisaswallowed, fought to ignore the heat now prickling in her cheeks. “BecauseIasked them to,” she replied. “Becausewe need the help.”

Gladyskept gaping atLouisa, slack-jawed, andLouisatook the opportunity to yank on the dress, pulling it down over the shift she’d slept in, before lurching to the washbasin, and splashing cold water on her face.Killikhad come to dig out the well, just as he’d promised.Andhe’d also promised to… to…

“I’mgoing out to meet them,”Louisasaid, her voice not quite her own. “Iassure you, there’s no cause for concern.Butif you’d like to joinElisein the cellar, or askJoanto drive you all to town for the day, of course you’re more than welcome —”

“We’renot leaving you here alone with them, missus!”Gladyshissed. “Thoughwhat you were thinking, to ask orcs for help,Ican’t fathom!It’salready on the outside of enough for them to be camping on your property, and hunting your game, and…”

Shekept going on, louder and more frantic with every breath, butLouisawas already turning toward the door, and wavingGladysafter her.Knowingfull well that despiteGladys’ protestations — which always came from a place of genuine care — she would be loath to miss an opportunity to investigate, or be involved in an exciting new development.AndGladysindeed trotted eagerly along behindLouisadown the stairs, even as she kept up a steady stream of fearful warnings, conjectures, and accusations.

Louisastrode out into the yard with as much poise as she could muster, her head held high, her eyes sweeping over her property.Notfinding any other obvious signs of orcs, thoughJoanwas frowning from the stable door, and over by the well,Killikhad already turned to faceLouisaandGladys, his arms folded over his chest.

Hewas standing alone now — the other orcs must have both gone down into the well — and his eyes had sharply narrowed, glaring down his nose towardLouisa.Asif he disdained the very sight of her, or disapproved of her coming to speak to him — or, perhaps he was thinking of the night before.Ofhow she’d moaned and writhed beneath his cool commands, how he’d made that stain in his trousers…

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