Page 21 of Guarded By the Orc

When he was in front of me, I saw the knife and I gasped, trying to pull away from him, but I was stuck where I was. He lifted his palm, slicing the skin without even blinking, the blood seeping out. I was shocked to see that it wasn’t as black as his soul.

He leaned down now, swiping the blood across my forehead, his words getting louder and the flames getting bigger. I saw things moving in the shadows of the room and fear throttled through my heart. It was almost beating out of my chest.

My breathing was becoming erratic as terror radiated from my every pore. I didn’t know what he was doing, but something told me that it wasn’t good.

The knife was against my arm now and I went stock-still, struggling to make sure he wouldn’t cut me.

Please, Goddess Mother, don’t let him kill me. This can’t be the way it ends.

When the blade sliced, I hissed at the pain, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. A shallow cut that seeped blood. He was grinning as he crouched in front of me—the fanaticism in his eyes as clear as the insanity.

He swiped his fingers through my blood and I gritted my teeth as he smeared it across my forehead with his. He closed his eyes, holding his hands in front of me and I watched as they began to glow red.

I struggled harder, sobs leaving my chest as I tried to escape. I pulled harder on my arms, not caring if I broke them, as long as I could run. Whatever the hell was happening, I needed to get away.

His eyes opened then, glowing as red as his hands and I felt power surge through my body. Something was binding me—tying me in knots—and I watched as my entire body began to glow with the spell. I fought, but it was futile.

Dark magick filled my body and my back bowed with it. Iscreamed, but no sound left my lips as I lit up from the inside. When it was over, I sagged into the bed, sweaty and shaking. My entire body ached, and I felt sick to my stomach.

“There now,” Veron said, leaning forward to push the hair off my face. “We’re all done.”

“W-what did you do?” I gasped, glaring up at him, but I barely had enough strength to speak.

“I just made sure that if you ever decide to whore yourself out to another male,” he said in a low, terrible voice, a smirk on his face, “then he’ll die.”

My eyes went wide and I shook my head. “I wouldn’t—”

“Now, now, Zara,” he said with a tsk, squeezing my jaw in his hand as he glared down at me. “I don’t need you to lie to me. I know you’ve already thrown your virginity out of the window like the filthy whore you are.” He squeezed harder and I whimpered in pain. He waited a few beats before releasing me and standing, turning away from me.

I wasn’t a threat to him. He was telling me that with his body language and a part of me—deep inside—believed it.

“Sweet dreams,” he called to me on his way out and I felt the gathering of pitiful, ineffectual tears in my eyes.

CHAPTER 11

Zara

Ijerked awake, sitting up and panting, my eyes searching in the darkness.

Am I still there?

My breathing was erratic and I felt arms come around me. A terrified scream almost left my lips until the scent of the male hit me. I might not know who it was, but my olfactory sense did. Myinstinctsdid.

At once, instead of primal fear, relief swept through me.

Rudgar.

“Hey,” he murmured, and I turned to him, tucking myself against him. He ran his fingers down my back, but I realized that he was shaking almost as hard as I was.

“I’m okay,” I assured him, and he pulled me even closer, nuzzling the top of my head.

I let myself settle, reminding myself for the millionth time that Iwasn’tstill there. I’d escaped and there was no way I was going back. My heartbeat slowed and I hugged Rudgar even tighter.

As the memories of the dream played through my mind, I cursed under my breath.

It’s real. The curse is real.

I’d thought it was all in my imagination. When I’d woken up the next day, I’d felt the curse wrapping around me like a swath of darkness, but I’d ignored it, pushing it to the back of my consciousness.

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