Page 33 of Loved By the Orc

I tried to feel bad for the real Mr. Price…and couldn’t quite manage it. Nobody at work seemed to think that he had changed or was acting different in any way from the Sin Sucker that had taken his place, so it stood to reason that he’d probably been a piece of work too.

“I believe I have it softened enough now,” Madam Healer said. “Tark, could you please try bending the fingers away from Harmony’s neck?”

Tark did as she said and this time, much to my relief, he was able to open the long fingers enough to slip the hand from around my throat.

“Thank you!” I took a long, deep breath and then another. It felt sogoodto be able to do that again—and to have the heavy weight that had been resting on me for the past half-hour off my chest.

“You’re welcome, my dear.” Madam Healer smiled as Tark laid the golden arm down on the exam table beside me with aclunk. “And I’m glad you discovered your magic in time for it to save you.”

“I did, but what good is it?” I asked. “I mean, other than the obvious, I guess—turning any other kind of metal to gold.”

“Yes, you could be wealthy beyond your wildest dreams, if you used your magic that way,” Madam Healer said thoughtfully. “Oryou could turn your attention to other areas.”

“Other areas? What other areas?” I asked, frowning.

“Well, a natural alchemist like you should also have an innate talent for brewing any kind of potion or healing elixir she turns her hand to,” Madam Healer explained. “You’ll know instinctively which ingredients go together and which would cause a dangerous reaction. That kind of medical intuition is absolutelypriceless.”

“Really?” I felt a little jolt of excitement. “That sounds amazing!”

“It’s certainly something to think about,” she said. “And if you’d like, I would be happy to teach you. Not that you’ll need much teaching now that your talent has awakened—things will come to you naturally, I expect.”

“Thank you!” I said, smiling at her. “I’d love to learn to brew potions and spells!” All the lessons I’d had from her so far had been fascinating—much more interesting than the boring regular chemistry I’d learned in the Human Realm.

Madam Healer gave me a pleased smile.

“Very well. Come see me tomorrow and we’ll talk about it some more. But for now, let me give you a pot of healing salve and send you back home with Tark.” She smiled at the big Orc. “I know he’s longing to take care of you.”

Tark’s cheeks went dark green with a blush but he didn’t deny it.

“I do need to get her home,” he rumbled, nodding. “She’s been through a lot today.”

“She certainly has,” Madam Healer agreed. “Here.”

She pressed a tiny pot of salve into Tark’s big hand and smiled.

I started to get off the exam table, but Tark was too quick for me. He swept me up into his arms and held me close to his broad chest.

“Come on, Babygirl,” he rumbled. “Let’s take you home.”

17

HARMONY

At this point if you have a Daddy kink, go read the alternate chapters 17, 18, and 19 in the Daddy Chapter Section. Then go back to Chapter 20 to finish the book. If you don’t have a Daddy kink, just keep reading as usual. ; )

As soon as we got back to his house, Tark insisted on running me a bath in his enormous bathtub.

“I’m honestly all right. I don’t need a bath,” I protested as I sank in up to my neck. “Ooo—ouch!” I added, because my cuts were stinging.

“You were saying?” Tark raised one sardonic eyebrow at me as he wetted a sponge and began to gently scrub me.

“Hey, it’s just because the hot water stings,” I said defensively.

“Exactly—it stings because you were scratched by a demon—a Sin Sucker,” he said firmly. “We have to get those cutscompletelyclean before I put the healing salve on.”

“Why?” I asked nervously. “Will they make me sick? Give me blood poisoning?”

“Worse—they could give yousoulpoisoning if we’re not careful,” he said grimly. “And you don’t want that—the evil that was in the monsterthat attacked you could reach your heart and turn it as hard and cold as his was.”

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