Page 9 of Claimed By the Orc Emperor

“Where am I?” I ask. Yeah, all my good sense is gone because of a good looking orc. I should be scared out of my wits, but instead, I’m inquiring about my location.

He says something, and, initially, I’m fixated on how his mouth forms syllables. Then I realized that what he said wasn’t in English or any language I understand. “Huh?” I ask, sitting up and pressing my back to what was supposed to be an entrance but is now solid.

The sexy orc sighs and snaps his fingers. One of the orcs behind him drops something in his hand. A necklace? He motions for me to open my hand, so I do and he drops the necklace into my palm. Some part of my brain unlocks, a part that I didn’t know existed.

“Better?” the orc asks in English, making me jump. I already knew his voice was deep and rumbly, but hearing him enunciate words in English is…fuck. Like a cool stream of water flowing over rocks. I close my eyes and nod, hoping he’ll say more. He doesn’t disappoint. “You are in the country of Belzod. This city is called Daz Vrorkrad.”

“Not in Kansas anymore,” I murmur, rubbing over the knot that’s rapidly rising on my forehead.

His rumbling laugh sparks something inside me. Why is he affecting me so much? I shouldn’t lean into him just because helaughs. “No, Not Kans-ass. I am afraid you may never see your homeland of Kans-ass again.” He looks broken up about it, but I can’t really tell since his features are foreign to me.

My head feels a little floaty, either from my headlong rush into the barrier or from the overwhelming nature of being in another world.

“It’s okay.” I wave him off with a chuckle, my body feeling heavy and light at the same time. “I live in Maryland anyway. Never been to Kansas.” He tilts his head as he assesses me. I can’t read the look on his face, so I don’t know if he’s curious about my words or if I suddenly look delicious. “Are you going to kill me? Roast my body over an open fire?”

I keep my scoff to myself. It’s kinda late to ask that question. If he wanted to, he would have done it anyway. My brain is finally catching up to the fact that this handsome manisn’ta man, but anorc. As I write them, they’re scary creatures that like to take humans captive and use their bodies roughly until they bend to their wills. Though that last bit wouldnotbe a hardship for me. I’d bend over right now if he asked me to, audience be damned.

A half smile crosses his lips as his violet eyes flash. “I am not. I do not eat humans. I hear their meat is tough.”

I gasp and gulp, my eyes widening as I search his face. When I see his eyes twinkle, a laugh tumbles from my throat. “I hear the same. Zero out of ten, would not recommend.” I crack a smile and the orcs standing behind my orc laugh as well. And okay, yeah, they’re also hot as fuck, but don’t have the magnetism that my orc does.

Notmyorc. The one speaking to me right now.Thatorc.

“Can I help you up, human?”

“Rainn,” I say, grasping the hand he holds out for me. A jolt goes up my arm, making my eyes peel wide and meet his. His violet orbs are just as wide, a look of surprise crossing his features. My heart thunders and I feel a deep connection to him, even though we don’t know each other.

What the fuck?

After he clears his throat, he stands to his full height, pulling me up with him. Damn, he’s tall as fuck. I’m only five-eight and this orc has to have more than a foot on me. Not only is he taller than me, but far bulkier. I thought Kai was big, but he has nothing on this orc. His arms are thick and corded and his long linen pants—are they linen?—pull at his thick thighs. He doesn’t have on a shirt, so his abs and heavy pecs are on display, looking good enough to eat. Or for me to run my tongue all over them, getting a taste of that green skin.

The orc tips his head back, a look of confusion crossing his face as he stares at the sky. “No. It has rained in days past, but the weather is clear for the next week or so, according to our weather experts.”

My brain is sluggish as I take in what he says. Then it clicks. “Oh, no. That’s my name. Rainn. With two n’s.”

“Such an odd name,” he says as he looks back down at me. “I am Emperor Axum Yagnatz. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Axum is an odd name too.”

His smile seems permanently etched on his face. “So it is, to humans.” His open expression shutters and a look of concern replaces it. “Are you well, Rainn with two N’s? You do not look so good.”

My head swims and my vision blurs. When I gaze up at him, I see two Axums. “I’m…I..”

With that, I fall to my knees and my vision darkens. The last thing I remember is rough hands catching me before I hit the ground. Then nothing.

ChapterFive

Axum

The human’sweight is slight in my arms when I scoop him up. I am not sure if he was overwhelmed being in unfamiliar surroundings or if he was hurt from running headlong into the barrier. He has a small bump on his forehead, so I believe it was his trying to escape that hurt him.

During our short conversation, he did not seem to be afraid or upset by his current predicament. In fact, he took seeing me, Olog, and Larek in stride, even making a joke. Who is this human? Usually when humans or elves or fairies drift through our barriers, it takes some getting used to for them to speak to any orc without fear in their voice. Not Rainn with two n’s. He took seeing three large orcs like it was an everyday occurrence.

Looking down at his face, I am struck anew with a funny feeling in my chest. When I laid eyes on him, I felt like a spider, trapped in the web of his gaze. I did not know what to make of it and I had to force myself to speak, asking if he was well. Of course he could not speak Orcish, so he could not understand me. But what I felt when he looked at me did not leave. It intensified when I touched him to help him up, something shifting in my chest. Like something long buried had been found. I do not know what it is and do not know who to ask.

Human facial features are still foreign to me, but I know the man in my arms is striking. He is so handsome, so fair of face with smooth, chestnut-brown skin that looks soft and delicate. Long black hair done in a complex style, secured on top of his head snugly. A bow-shaped mouth and a delicate nose sits perfectly in the middle of his face. Fine features that remind me of something precious. In short, this human is radiant. I have never seen someone such as him.

“What will you do with him, Your Grace?” Larek says as we come within view of the palace.

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