Page 34 of Bound to the Orc Warrior

Oh, yeah. Nothing wrong with him at all.

“Come. We should go.” His big hands are on me, lifting me into the saddle as if I weigh nothing. Then he’s behind me, surrounding me, making me feel small and protected.

And… I kinda don’t hate it? Or at least my body doesn’t, clit tingling and nipples poking at the fabric of my bra. I’ve never reacted this strongly to anyone.

But his huge size and aura of feral danger combine with the knowledge that I’m also safe with him to create this buzzing cocktail of attraction. I don’t just want him. I want him to…

A shiver goes through me. I’m not quite sure what I want. All I know is it’s somethingmore.

And Wranth’s exactly the guy to give it to me.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Wranth

We follow the stream, and another soon joins it, swelling its size to that of a small river. The water rushes past, crashing into rounded rocks that raise wet-brown tops above the surface.

As we approach a wider section, the foam starts to swirl with extra agitation.

“Humph.” Zephyr tosses her head. “Damned water nymphs.”

“Ooo.” Naomi spins to look for them, one hand already reaching, even though we’re not close enough to the water for them to touch.

My arm tightens around her soft warmth, keeping her in place.

Only it’s not a nymph.

A kelpie rises from the river, yellow-green scales shimmering with wetness, its kelp-frond mane and tail dark and dripping.

Another emerges from right behind the first. “There she is! There’s the human.”

“My, my.” The first kelpie snaps a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth. “What a tasty little treat.”

“What the hell are those things?” Naomi jerks back against me.

“Kelpies!” Zephyr comes to a halt and lets out a fierce whinny. My friend is smart. There’s no point in trying to run. Kelpies are fast, and these have the additional advantage of being unburdened by riders.

I dismount on the side away from the water and pull my bride down quickly. “Hide.” I thrust her toward the trees. “Help her, Shadow.”

But the cat sith is gone. I bare my tusks. Why did I ever expect better from the sneaky fae?

Zephyr lunges forward, head lowered to lead with her horn.

My sword flies from its sheath as I run beside her, the moon steel blade ringing in the air with the sound of pure metal.

Angry whinnies and thumps come from my left as the unicorn engages her foe.

The second one charges at me, hooves splashing through the shallows.

I sidestep the vicious snapping teeth and slice across its chest. The cut weeps green blood, even if it’s far too shallow for my liking. Kelpie scales are tough, able to deflect a regular blade. Yet my sword is moon steel, a special alloy gifted by the goddess and worked by our finest metal workers.

“Orc dog!” the kelpie yells, clearly not expecting to be hurt.

“That’s not the insult you think it is.” My lips pull back from my tusks in a feral grin as the bloodlust rises inside me. “I have fought beside the cu sith. The canine fae are noble warriors, which is more than I can say for you, water horse, with your unwarranted attack.”

“Unwarranted?” Its hoof flashes out, striking my thigh in a fire of agony.

Long years of warrior training allow me to ignore the pain. Instead, it only makes me angrier. I chop down, opening a deep cut across his withers.

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