Page 42 of Orc's Forbidden Claim

Khiara roars. It’s a primal sound that reverberates in my chest. It’s so raw, so pure, that it also makes me hot, but that’s way below all the other emotions. He is fighting with a ferocity I have never seen in my life. His weapon and his other hand blur through the air, striking here, there, and then somewhere else, all before I can blink.

Three opponents are trying to pile onto him, using their numbers and bulk to take him down. The fourth one is fightingwith Sek’su a little further down the hall, but Sek’su is holding his own despite his grave wounds.

Khiara ducks, weaves, and dodges. They land blows but nothing that slows him down. I yelp when a blade slices his bicep. Blood sprays across the tunnel painting the wall but instead of slowing him, it makes him move faster.

He is an elemental of rage and the three facing him seem to realize there is no stopping the raw force they’ve unleashed. He grunts, growls, and hits. Blood spills. My stomach clenches, then one of the Urr’ki drops, and my tension eases knowing it isn’t his.

The remaining two fighting him step back. He doesn’t give them the space. He roars again and rushes ahead. His fist connects with the face of the one on the left and his sword clangs off the chest armor of the right one.

I hate feeling helpless, but I do. I can’t fight these guys, they’re way too big. Anything I could do would only be a distraction. A stupid one that is just as likely to get Khiara killed as it is to help. More likely.

This is not my arena. And that’s okay.

I look at Wren, knowing her more than well enough to see she’s wanting to help too but also knowing there is nothing she can do. I grasp her hand and squeeze. We can’t help them, but we can support each other.

The Urr’ki that Khiara punched looks like his nose is broken. Blood pours down his face, coating his front. He tries to back up further but comes to a sudden halt. I don’t register at first why but when I do my stomach flips, and I almost lose the little bit of content it has.

Sek’su stabbed him through the back of his skull with the point of his lochaber and in what looks like the same motion to my untrained eye slices the blade part across the throat of the one he is fighting.

Leaving one opponent. This last Urr’ki realizes he’s in trouble. He backs up and turns to run but Khiara pounces. He takes him to the ground and in moments it’s over. Khiara rises like a battle god. Covered in blood, his own and theirs.

His nose flaring, a sneer on his face, his chest heaving with exertion and exhilaration he raises his sword and growls. It’s a momentary celebration of victory. A grim smile forms right before he turns to Sek’su.

“Good?” he asks.

Sek’su is swaying. He reaches out and presses one hand to the wall to steady himself. He’s hunched and clearly not well but there is almost nothing we can do for him except try to get him back to the compound.

“Fine,” Sek’su huffs.

Wren goes to him, and he pushes off the wall, straightening. I go to Khiara. His arm is bleeding. A lot. But we have nothing to bind it with.

“Your arm,” I murmur.

“It is fine,” he says.

His eyes bore into mine with intensity. A shudder emerges from my core and ripples across my body. I don’t know what is wrong with me, but I am really turned on. He smells of sweat and blood which he is covered in splashes of. Yet all I want to do is take him. Claim him as mine with every part of my body.

He is mine.

I’ve never considered myself to be a dominant kind of woman. I do know what I like and will ask for it in bed but that’s about it. Nothing like this. Nothing like what I want to do right now.

And I feel it from him. Pulsating need. The way his breath speeds up, the quiver in his lips, the twitching of his fingers. He wants me. Bad. I let a smile slowly form, placing my fingertips on his face and trailing them to his lips which I trace with a delicate touch. My pussy spasms when he groans.

“We… go,” he says, his voice even rougher than usual, more husky, and reluctant.

I don’t say anything until I finish the trail I’m making with my fingers across his cheek and then down his neck. Only then do I nod my assent knowing we need to go but needing to make this quiet, subtle claim.

Mine.

He shudders as I remove my hand. We stare into one another’s eyes for a moment longer. He goes to help Sek’su and then resumes the lead.

30

SAYLOR

“Halt!”

Wren and I stumble to a stop. We’re leaning on one another, which I know for me is the only reason I’m still upright. That’s not true, I’m moving out of fear. My shins stab with every step and exhaustion is a weighted blanket that covers my entire body.

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