“Tansey—”
“No, Paloma. I’m glad you love your mate, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us want this life here.” I sweep my hand over the three other women in the cavern. “They all have family, friends, lives back at the settlement. I don’t deserve special treatment, but I’m not waiting for any either. I’ll find my own way back, but I need to prevent anyone from tracking me down to stop me.”
“What if you never make it back to New Earth?”
“I will. Somehow.” I take her hand in mine. “Please don’t say anything to your husband about my son.”
Paloma nods, looking as uncertain as I feel. I’ve made no progress in figuring out how to return to Ethan. But I sure as hell don’t want him here, learning nothing but how to fight and kill. Or worse, becoming the target of all these orcs who barely tolerate human women…and hate human men.
“Avoka te, Evve,” Paloma says in Orcan. When the little girl skips her way to Paloma’s side, Paloma tugs the child’s long braid. “Evve’s the sweetest thing,” Paloma changes the topic, trying to ease the tension between us. “I hope I have a girl, but I’m sure Atox wants a boy.”
“As long as he, or she, is healthy,” I say, for the first time thinking of her baby as a baby, and not half-human, half-orc. I guess seeing Paloma smile and full of life, a completely different person from the one who could barely open her eyes in that cell in New Earth, makes me see that life here is not so bad…for those who want it.
Paloma hugs me goodbye and disappears with Evve down the tunnel. I close the door and settle into the furs on my pallet on the floor. A few minutes later, the rest of the women file in, all whispering, as if they’re afraid to make noise or do anything to break the orc rules.
Fuck the rules. Fuck Verig, and not the way he wants. I will figure out how to get back to New Earth.
“Lights out,” Phoebe announces.
“Not all the lights!” Poetry cries out.
She’s afraid of the dark and insists we leave at least one of the light discs on. They’re round orbs roughly three inches in diameter and placed every three to four feet along the cavern wall with no batteries or obvious source of power, but they provide plenty of light. Enough that we see every crack and crevice of our new home and can’t possibly forget we’re still prisoners, despite being allowed to go to the surface whenever we want.
“Yes, Poetry, we’ll leave a light on like we do every night,” Phoebe replies, sounding tired and annoyed.
Poor Poetry. She’s the youngest woman here, only nineteen. Probably still a virgin. Not that having her v-card makes a difference in the end. We’re all vulnerable to the orcs. But Poetry seems more fragile than most. Hardly talks to anyone and usually spends her days curled up beneath her blanket on her pallet. Afraid the monsters will come to get us.
I have news for her. They already have. And they’re not letting us go.
Thinking of Ethan keeps me from falling asleep. From the soft snores throughout the cave, the others are sleeping. I truly believed the dangers on Earth were worse than anything Ethan and I would encounter on Kovos. I was wrong. I hope Mary won’t tire of taking care of him. I told her I’d only be gone an hour. Two, tops.
Besides Paloma, there’s only one other person I might be able to convince to help me leave.
Verig.
If I give him what he wants….
Fuck, no. A long time ago, I swore I’d never sell myself, for any reason.
Except Ethan’s all I have in this universe. I’d do anything for him.
I close my eyes, imagining Verig’s body. He’s a handsome male, despite being orc. Or because of it? I’m not horrified by his tusks as I should be. Or his brusque nature. As long as he doesn’t hurt me, I could tolerate—maybe even enjoy—being with a male like him.
Why the fuck am I even thinking like this?
Because he’s gorgeous.
Hard, well-defined muscles everywhere, and that loincloth that lets the imagination wander…
My nipples harden, and I’m tempted to touch myself to relievethe ache building within me. I haven’t been with a man in a long time. Verig wouldn’t leave me wanting.
I reach below my blanket, into my panties, and let my mind’s eye move over Verig’s chest. Going lower…lower.
A hand clamps down over my mouth, and I’m hauled off my sleeping pallet. I try to fight back, but an arm as hard as steel traps my hands. I dig my heels into flesh, but without shoes on, I’m like a fly to a horse, more annoyance than threat.
“Settle, female,” Baloq’s low voice warns as he drags me out of the women’s quarters.
I bite down on his hand covering my mouth hard enough to draw blood.
