Page 11 of Bound to the Orc Warrior

“Elf?” He rears back, a scowl making his cheekbones even more prominent. “I’m an orc, not an elf.”

“Sure, sure. An orc.” She shoves a cardigan at me, the oversized purple one she keeps in her office in case she gets a chill.

I take it gratefully and pull it up over my shoulders. My sexy dress became a lot less fun several hours ago. Speaking of which…

I hurry down the sidewalk, reaching between my boobs to pull out the key to the bookstore. I wanted to go to the restaurant last night easy and unencumbered, so I left everything in the shop. The wooden front door creaks open, the smell of paper wrapping around me like a hug.

Tall wooden bookshelves form aisles across the back of the shop, each dedicated to a different genre. A small seating area holds two battered burgundy-velvet loveseats and couple of comfy chairs, all circled up like a little book club waiting to happen.

I dart behind the wooden counter near the door, pull out my hidden purse, and slip the key inside. The movement makes my phone screen light up, showing a couple of missed texts fromHannah. Once I’ve kicked off my heels, I slide my legs into the jeans I planned to change into last night for the walk home. Turning my back, I pull them up, letting the skirt hide my butt while I fasten them over my stomach. Then I shove my feet into my fave sneakers.

A moan slips from me, the bliss of gel cushioning divine after half a day in heels.

A growl rumbles through the room, and I look over to find the orc staring at me like he wants to eat me up.

In the good way.

“I need to get back to the office, but what’s going on?” Hannah says, skirting around a display table stacked with the latest romance craze—minotaurs.

I eye the orc again. The shirt stretches tight across his wide shoulders, the sword at his hipsonot for show. Yeah, I might need to expand the monster romance section, because sexy danger freaking rolls off this guy. BDE all the way. Note to self: order more orc books.

“Why are you still wearing last night’s dress?” Hannah jerks my attention back to her as she points to the man. “Did you hook up with the cosplayer?”

“I don’t know what a cosplayer is, but I do know that I’m not one.” He bares his tusks. “I’m an orc, a Wild Fae.”

She looks at me and widens her eyes a little bit, secret friend speak for: is this guy for real?

“You’re not going to believe—” My crystal necklace pulses, heat scorching my chest. I yelp, and a huge force snatches me out of the world and sends me flying.

I plummet through the air, the tall rock pillar racing toward me.

Large arms wrap around me from behind, and the orc does something that spins us, so he’s the one who’ll hit instead of me. But I don’t wanteitherof us to hit.

“Ground, ground,ground!” I blurt.

Blink. I lie on a hard surface, but it’s not stone—it’s warm and alive.

“Are you all right?” the orc’s deep voice says, big hands moving over my arms, checking for injuries.

“I’m okay,” I choke out, setting my palms on firm muscles to push upright. My knees hit the soft, moss-covered ground, and I roll up to my feet.

I’m back in the clearing, on the ground beside the stone pillar, where this all began.

A naked woman walks out of the trees. Tall and thin, she’s got milk-white skin and long silver hair that covers her small breasts. She holds her hands in front of her face, staring at them in horrified fascination. “By the goddess, what’s happened to me?”

“Zephyr?” the orc asks.

“Yes!” she snaps, scowling over at him and flashing a set of fangs. “Who else would I be?”

“I couldn’t be sure without your horn.”

She slaps a hand to her forehead and moans, the sound desolate. “Nooo! Where’s my horn?”

“Horn?” I ask. Why do I get the feeling they’re not talking about a musical instrument?

Before anyone answers, a man strides out of the trees, completely naked. Not quite as tall or muscular as the orc, he’s nonetheless in excellent shape. He’s as pale as the woman, but his shoulder-length hair is an inky black that lightens to silver-gray ends like a fancy ombre dye job. There’s a sinuous glide to his walk, and he looks over at me with the most brilliant green eyes, a wide smile stretching his mouth and showing off fangs. “Did you do this?”

“Me?” I purse my lips. “And do what, exactly?”

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