Page 86 of Bound to the Orc Warrior

I drop the crystal into the hole.

Once he covers it, he has Wranth step on the dirt to tamp it down. Then Shadow turns his backend to the tree, lifts his tail, and a stream of fluid squirts out to darken the bark of the trunk.

“What?” A chuckle bubbles from my lips. “Are you freakingpeeingon it?”

“I’m scent marking.” He gives a couple more spurts. “It will warn regular animals away, tell any cat sith I was here, and allow me to find this spot again. I’ve created a landmark, only I’ve done it with scent.”

“You certainly have.” Wranth wrinkles his nose and waves a hand in front of it.

I laugh harder, loving that he made a joke, and am rewarded with his adorable little half smile.

When I catch my breath, I say, “Let’s get back to Alarria! We’ve got four more to go.”

The humor slides from Wranth’s face. I guess he’s going all protective again.

But his expression calls up a feeling I’ve been trying to ignore. Under the excitement of using my magic lies sadness. Every step forward on this quest puts me one step closer to leaving him.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Wranth

Shadow leads us through the shadow-road door to Alarria, both of us touching him for the length of the short tunnel. In the teleportation-stone clearing, the way to Ketalia remains open, a shadowy shimmer floating in the air above where the entwined crystal rests on the ground.

Shadow and Zephyr shift into their elfin forms. No, there are no more elves—they are called fae now—I must get used to it.

Lukendrevener becomes his dual form—a tall fae with bronze skin and long auburn hair, out of which spiral two horns. Claws emerge from his fingers and toes, and his back sprouts a set of red wings. Yet what’s most surprising is—

“Fuck me! Do you havetwodicks?” Naomi gapes up at where he stands on top of the teleportation stone, naked.

By the goddess, I want to punch the smirk from his face.

Lukendrevener leaps to the ground, his wings snapping out and turning his fall into a graceful glide. He’s as tall as an orc and as heavily muscled.

“Shift all the way to fae,” I growl. At least then he’ll only have the one cock.

The dragon loses his smile, his eyes going flinty. “I can’t.”

“It’s easy.” Shadow shifts, changing from an elf into a seven-foot tall upright beast covered in smoky fur, his face an even blend of fae and cat.

“Werepanther,” Naomi breathes. “That is so cool.”

“Humph.” Zephyr shakes her head and shifts back to her regular unicorn shape. “Much better.”

“Now you,” I say to Lukendrevener.

“I can’t shift all the way to fae form.” He scowls, his voice rough as if it’s hard to force the words out. “I’ve never been able to.”

I stomp over to my pack, dig out a spare pair of pants, and throw them at the dragon.

As he pulls them on, Aldronn says, “I think Umbria should be next.”

Zephyr gives an approving neigh.

My moon bound bride collects another of the paired crystals and tucks it between her lush breasts. Then she steps up to the standing stone with Zephyr beside her.

Her last crossing went quickly due to the feline fae’s shadow road, but the door to Umbria offers no such shortcut. Naomi’s body trembles with the strain of effort, her magic pouring from her in strong pulses that raise the hair on my arms.

A possessive need to protect wells within me, and my teeth grind together as I fight not to call off the entire endeavor.

---