Page 115 of Orc's Possession
The movement and voices around me threaten to wake me from the most wonderful dream.
“Paloma?”
I don’t care who’s calling me. I won’t let anyone pull me away from Atox, not again. In my dream, he’s alive. He came for me, as I always knew he would. Out there in the real world, he’s dead. Which means I’m going to stay in here as long as I want, to enjoy my time with him while I can.
“Graka?”
That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. My mind’s playing tricks on me again, like when I feel Atox’s lips brushing mine. A person’s worst enemy is truly her own mind.
“Why isn’t she waking?” a gruff voice asks.
God, whoever that is sounds so much like Atox.
“She’s undernourished. The humans did not take proper care of her or your youngling.”
They wanted to kill our youngling, Atox. I wish you’d beenthere to hear that. Whatever you would have done to them would have been richly deserved.
“Then feed her,” that deep voice orders with an undercurrent of anger.
“I can’t feed her while she’s unconscious,” the female replies, her voice dripping with annoyance.
Inside, I giggle. When I figure a way out of this cell, I’ll go straight to Ossa. She’ll help us. I want my baby to get to know his or her aunt and cousins since I’ll likely never see my sisters again.
“Enough,” that gruff voice says. “Paloma, you will wake this instant or I will take you over my knees and smack that beautiful backside of yours.”
My eyes snap open so quickly the world spins around me. With my heart racing, I can barely hear above the pounding in my ears, but the faces leaning over me…
Green. Tusks. No smiles.
I’m home!
A big hand pushes two of the faces away, leaving one huge face, with long, sharp tusks I know all too well. I shiver seeing them, remembering how they dragged over my nipples as my male thrusted into me.
Atox!
I slam my eyes shut, my mind playing tricks on me.
“I think she’s conscious,” Ossa says.
“You will wake, female,” Atox orders.
“Is this real?” My voice squeaks from my throat being so parched.
Someone pulls me into a sitting position and presses a cup of water to my lips. Greedily, I drink until the cup is taken away.
“Not too fast,” Ossa says. “Atox brought you home. Open your eyes, Pawloma. We are family here. You are safe.”
Cautiously, I open my eyes. Bright green eyes peer at me. I seek the truth there before I voice the only question that matters.
“You said Atox br-brought me home. Is he really alive?” I lockmy eyes to hers, afraid to seek the answer myself. If I find an empty cave, and no Atox, I won’t survive. My heart has already been broken once before. Decimated. I wanted to die that day I saw him killed. I would have if it weren’t for this little one growing inside me. His child.Ourchild.
Ossa steps away and in her place Atox appears. The face, tusks… everything I thought I’d imagined is real!
“You will eat,” Atox says, handing a big slab of meat on a plate to me. The thought of eating makes my stomach rebel and I lean over to throw up. Dry heaves. My stomach is empty.
“She may need food she’s more accustomed to, brother. Did you think to take any of the humans’ food at the same time you were taking their females?”
“What females?” I ask.
