Page 10 of Tempted By the Orc

She was becoming something more. And that terrified me.

I paused at the edge of the woods, my hand tightening on the hilt of the dagger at my belt. My cottage was just ahead, but something felt off. The familiar sound of the wind through the trees was wrong—broken by something foreign. Voices. Low, harsh voices, cutting through the quiet.

I stiffened.

Henchmen.

My stomach tightened as I crept closer, keeping to the shadows of the trees. When the cabin came into view, I saw them. Four of them, standing just outside the door, dressed in black cloaks with the Dark King’s sigil etched onto their armor. Their hands rested on the hilts of their swords, their postures casual but ready for violence at a moment’s notice.

I swore under my breath. Azrael’s men had found us. They were looking for Rue.

I crouched lower, staying hidden as I listened to their conversation. Their voices were cold and detached, evidence of either Azrael’s brainwashing or they were the kind of men who had long ago given up any hope and with it any sense of decency or conscience.

“She has to be here,” one of them growled, glancing toward the door. “The Dark King’s orders were clear. We’re to retrieve his bride and bring her back before Christmas Eve.”

Bride. The word made my blood boil.

“We should search inside,” another one said, his voice as sharp as a blade. “The Orc’s not here. He’s probably off tending to Master’s reindeer.”

A third man, taller than the others and clearly the leader, stepped forward. His eyes were shrewd and calculating, and I could tell by the way he held himself that he was dangerous.

“We’ll find her,” he said, his voice calm and confident. “Azrael has given us our orders, and we will fulfill them. Once she’s his, Christmas will be no more. The Black Night will reign instead.”

I clenched my teeth, my hands curling into fists. I had to do something…Now! If they went inside, they’d find Rue. She wouldn’t stand a chance against men like this.

My heart pounded as I stood, stepping out from the cover of the trees. I couldn’t afford to hesitate. “Looking for something?”

The henchmen turned as one, their eyes narrowing when they saw me. The leader stepped forward, a sneer twisting his lips. “Ah, the Orc. We were wondering when you’d show up.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, ignoring the tension coiling in my muscles. “This is my land. You don’t belong here.”

The leader chuckled darkly. “It’s the Dark King’s land now and you work for him as do we, remember? We’re here on his orders. We’re looking for someone.”

I met his gaze, refusing to back down. “There’s no one here but me.”

The man’s eyes flicked past me toward the cabin, clearly not believing a word I said. “I don’t think that’s true,” he said slowly. “The Dark King’s bride has run off, and we have reason to believe she’s hiding in this area. If you’re harboring her, you’ll be wise to hand her over.”

“Like I said,” I growled, stepping forward, “there’s no one here but me.”

The other men shifted, their hands resting on their swords, ready to draw them if I made the wrong move. I forced myself to stay calm, even though every instinct in me wanted to tear them apart. But I couldn’t. I had to play this smart.

“And why would I risk harboring someone the Dark King wants?” I said, letting some of my frustration bleed into my voice. “You think I’m an idiot? I’ve got my own work to do. I don’t need to be involved in whatever mess Azrael has gotten himself into.”

The leader raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by my bluntness. “Your loyalty to him is...admirable,” he said, though I could hear the doubt in his voice. “But make no mistake. If we find out you’ve been hiding her, the consequences will be severe.”

I didn’t flinch. “I have enough on my plate with the reindeer. If you want to find the girl, you’re better off looking elsewhere.”

The man’s eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, one of the others stepped forward, his gaze flicking to the cabin. “The Dark King is determined to claim his bride. He’ll stop at nothing. They’ll be wed Christmas Eve, and then we’ll all see the dawn of a new era. Christmas will be renamed the Black Night. And on that night every year, we’ll celebrate the reign of our new dark lord, offering sacrifices to him and his queen.”

A chill ran down my spine at his words, but I didn’t let it show.

“I don’t care what Azrael’s plans are,” I said, my voice low and cold. “You won’t find her here.”

The men exchanged glances, clearly weighing their options. Finally, the leader gave a short nod, gesturing for the others to follow him. “We’ll search elsewhere,” he said, his tone sharp. “But if we find out you’ve lied to us...you won’t live to regret it.”

I stood my ground, not moving until they had disappeared into the trees. Only then did I let out the breath I had been holding, my body sagging with relief.

But it didn’t last long.

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