Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
“Who’s next?” Tigor roars holding the bloodied knife in one hand. “I’ll litter this street with body parts. Anyone who touches what is mine will lose a hand, or a head. Your choice.”
The orc in the back seat of the vehicle looks amused, making no effort to join in the chaos. He runs the backs of his fingers down his cheek, keeping his eyes pinned on Mol and Tigor.
“Come.” He roars. “Useless humans.” He licks his lips. “We will take what is ours soon enough.”
“You will find an early grave if you try, Ma’Slatha scum.”
He laughs, a low menacing sound. “I’m in no rush. But, in time, this will be ours and you and yours will be part of Clan Ma’Slatha. Lakktra scum.”
“Never.” Tigor growls.
With that, the humans jump into the vehicle, one of them wrapping goggles guy’s spurting bloody stump while they peel out and head back the way they came.
There’s a blur of movement, then Tigor lifts me from the cool grass, inspecting me as I process everything that’s juts happened.
He balances me on his forearm, making it into a seat as I lean against his biceps and wrap one arm around the hard expanse of his shoulders to keep from falling.
I swallow, a burning in the back of my throat as I wonder what’s going to happen. I fought my whole life for everything. This house, this little sanctuary in a world gone mad, has been the only thing I could call my own. I’m the happiest here I’ve ever been, and the thought of it being taken from me leaves a black hole in my chest.
Back inside the door of Tigor’s house, Raven is fussing over me. She and the two orc women bring over a cool bucket of water and some cloth while Tigor watches, nostrils flaring, chest heaving...
God, he’s sexy.
“Here.” He grunts. “Gathra, you are not getting it all.” He snatches the damp cloth from the older female orc, then sweeps his long arm around me, backing Raven and the younger orc away. “I will do it.”
I tug absently at the hem of the boxers as this monster-sized orc wipes the blood from my face. My belly flutters at the gentleness and care, so out of step with the way he looks, and I shiver as I focus on the broad leather-strapped plates of his pectoral muscles.
“They said they will be back,” Mol says to Gathra and Athaan. “We will need to prepare.”
“Our clan outnumbers the Ma’Slatha by a hundred or more. They will not take what is ours,” Tigor grits out through clenched teeth, but I’m not so sure he’s just talking about the property.
“Yes, but they have guns. Lots of them and they hold sway over at least a hundred more of the neo-human coalition.” Athaan says, looking between her brothers.
Anxiety twists in my belly next to the fluttering, knowing Darrell is home and I intended to come over here, pound on the door, tell off the orc next door and be home in less than a minute.
Now, I’m sprayed with blood, my home is under threat, I’ve seen a massive orc dick and I’m fantasizing about what sort of trouble I could get into with that double tongue I saw earlier…
“I need to go,” I blurt out as the others continue their discussion about guns, and progressives and corruption between the Judicial Enforcement and the NHC. “My—”
“Husband?” Tigor barks, standing straight, his pale sage-colored lips tight and his forehead drawn.
I shake my head on a squint. “No.” I stand, brushing my hands down the t-shirt, not caring that it’s nearly see through anymore. “My, well, he’s sort of my brother. Darrell.” I flatten my hand, holding it in the air next to me like I’m measuring. “He’s, like, this tall. And the other one…” I raise my hand above my head. “That’s Dominic and he’s sort of my brother as well. Neither of them by blood. We are family by choice, you could say.”
“Family…” Tigor mumbles, then turns and points to the others. “Gathra, my mother. Mol and Athaan, my brother and sister. Raven, Mol’s mate. These are my family. This male that lives with you is not your husband? Not your mate? Brothers, by choice?”
I nod, blowing a loud exhale through my lips. “Yes, but I have to go. Darrell is home sleeping and Dominic…” I shrug. “He won’t be home until tomorrow, so I need to get back, especially with…” I nod toward the open door. “Those guys.”
“I will walk you home,” Tigor announces and I see the angle of his kilt rising again.
“That’s okay, I can make it the thirty steps on my own,” I say, but what I really want is for him to not only walk me home, but kiss me on the doorstep and give me another look at the green goblin under his kilt.