Page 17 of Bound to the Orc Guardian

“Yesh,” Dash lisps around a mouthful of grass, his lower jaw moving from side to side.

I mime for Selena to stay, and at her nod, I hurry into the woods, hunting knife in hand. On my way back with two rabbits, I gather some wild carrots to add a bit of variety to our meal.

When I return, the last bit of daylight brightens the open sky over the meadow, and the colors of everything have softened with gray.

Selena looks as beautiful as ever, her plump lips curving into a smile as she spots me. She continues to watch me avidly as I clear a patch of ground and lay a fire, sparking it to life with a fire stone.

I pick up the rabbits, ready to head away from our camp to prepare them, when she stops me with a hand on my arm. Fluid sounds pour from her in her lovely soprano voice for several moments, and when she falls silent, she looks at me expectantly.

I shake my head.

With an amused huff, she cups her crotch with both hands and bounces in place.

“Ah.” I set down the rabbits and pull out the waterskin and a cleaning cloth. After wetting the cloth, I pick up one of her hands and wash the dust from it. I show her the begrimed cloth and pour a small bit of water onto it. A tingle of magic ripples through the air, and the cloth gleams white again in the low light.

She makes a delighted noise and snatches the cloth and waterskin from me before turning and hurrying into the trees.

I add more wood to the fire, stoking it hotter, and wait.

And wait some more.

By the goddess, how long can it take her to relieve herself? Has she been hurt? Then another thought strikes, and I bolt to standing.

Could the ogre have found her?

Surely, Dash outpaced the kelpie, even if the aquatic fae had a head start. But what if…?

Fear slides slimy claws into my heart as I picture the ogre standing over Bruna, sending logic fleeing.

Moving as quickly and silently as possible, I bolt into the trees. Yelling for Selena will only let the enemy know I’m coming. My ears strain for any hint of sound, dismissing the soft sigh of wind through branches and the scuttle of small creatures stirring the ferns.

There! A rustle of cloth.

I circle a wide rhododendron and slide to a shocked halt.

Selena stands before me, half turned away, wearing nothing but tiny scraps of turquoise lace. Fuck. A thin band wraps around her waist, another narrow strip sliding between her bare buttocks in a tease that’s even more alluring than full nudity. She bends over, the round globes of her ass rising into the air as she runs the cleaning cloth down one thigh in a sinuous glide.

Orc night sight is good—too good—making it clear how soft and supple her young skin is. I can’t tear my eyes from the plump, sweet swell of her hips. A primal compulsion wells within me, filling my chest and setting my heart racing. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. My cock springs to life, heavy with a promise that goes beyond mere pleasure. I thought all such hopes died years ago, and I never imagined a future with the possibility. That it happens now shocks me to my core.

Because the wide flare of her hips calls to me. My hands tingle, aching to clasp them, to bury myself in her depths and fill her with my seed. To mark her as mine.

CHAPTER NINE

Selena

Magic tingles across my skin as I slide the white cloth down my thigh. I finish my leg and straighten, the cool evening breeze raising goosebumps as it flows over damp skin. I shiver, but it’s a pleasant feeling after the unrelenting heat of Miami, which stays hot for at least ten months a year. Next, I duck my hand into my panties and give everything a good scrub. Ay! It’s heavenly to feel clean.

I pour another splash of water across the cloth, marveling as it turns white again. Curious, I take a hesitant sniff, smelling nothing at all. It’s like a reusable baby wipe—I think I’m in love.

If only I could wash my scrubs, things would be perfect. I pick up the turquoise pants, and a noise behind me makes me whirl, clutching the fabric to my chest.

Sturrm stands a few feet away, his eyes so heated I can feel his gaze caressing my skin in little licks of fire.

Tension vibrates in the air. Is he going to do something? Do I want him to? My nipples harden, telling me my body sure wants him to. I never dawdle over decisions, and now’s not the time to change that.

Mind made up, I let go of my pants, and they slide down my chest and thighs. The matching bra and thong aren’t that different from a bikini, if bikinis were made of aqua lace, that is.

Sturrm’s eyes track them as they fall, scouring over my bare skin, eating me up in big gulps.

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