His use of my title snaps me out of my haze. I’m not even sure what I intended to do once I reached him. “Our grak said you will not mate any of the females. No one will. Your orders are to take them and return to Mount Racha.”
“But—”
“They are not to be touched, Baloq. Is that clear? Or do you wish to challenge me?”
I want him to say yes, to defy my orders, so I have an excuse to tear his head from his shoulders. It no longer matters that I had decided not to take a female today, that I gave that privilege to other warriors lower in rank, but I cannot walk away from this one. I cannot let Baloq or any other mate her.
Yet I cannot take her from him.
A warrior never touches another male’s female. That is one of our most basic laws.
“We’re not on Orcos, but our laws remain,” I state, more a reminder to me than him. But then, I imagine him thrusting into her, and suddenly I’m grateful for our laws. “You will not force a female. Even a human.”
Especiallythishuman.
My human.
Vekk Baloq! Dozens of unmated females in this colony, and the vekker took this one!
The heat from blaster fire singes my left temple and nearly strikes Baloq’s gorja. The beast rises on its hind legs.
A testament to Baloq’s skill as a warrior, he maintains his perch while holding the female and quickly turns the beast about. But that puts my female in the direct line of fire!
“Go! Get the female to safety!” I shout as I run to eliminate the threat to my female and my warriors.
As I charge toward the human firing with no regard to whom he shoots—orc or human—I glance over my shoulder one last time. Blue eyes latch onto me as my female disappears into the woods…with Baloq.
CHAPTER TWO
TANSEY
My stomach lurches as the orc’s horse charges into the dense forest to escape the blaster fire. I don’t know which asshole is shooting at the orc that’s captured me, but if I ever make it back to my colony, I’m sure as hell going to give him a piece of my mind. And fist!
A huge hand lands on my ass and squeezes, reminding me I have a demon to slay first. Unfortunately, the concept isn’t new to me; I have a collection of demons in my life. This one happens to be green, ugly, and smells worse than his horse.
As I bounce up and down on the beast’s shoulder—the orc, not his horse—I try to focus, but a million thoughts are racing through my brain. That orc back there, the one with the massive build and eyes that wouldn’t release me…Damn, I shouldn’t be thinking about him. I have to figure out how to escape.
“Put me down!” I shout over the noise of the horse’s six hooves. “I’m going to be sick,” I warn, but my captor doesn’t respond or slow his horse. Hanging upside down on a horse that’s darting through the forest at top speeds steals my energy andturns my stomach. I’m in serious danger of throwing up on the orc.
“Last chance. Release me,” I demand, riding over his shoulder like a sack of flour.
He doesn’t answer. Probably believes there’s nothing I can do to him.
I bite the exposed flesh in the middle of his back.
“Vekk, female, stop that,” he shouts and dumps me on the ground.
Crashing to the ground from that height knocks the air from my lungs. The orc brute stands over me. True fear crawls across my flesh when I see his loincloth tenting. And I can’t fucking move! I can’t even breathe!
He kicks my legs apart. “You are mine.”
My hand claws at the ground as air rushes back into my lungs. I snag a branch and wrap my hand around it in a death grip.
His foot slams down on the branch. “We will make this quick, female. Then no other can take you from me.”
I throw a handful of dirt into his face, blinding him long enough for me to scurry backward, scramble to my feet, and run.
Sharp branches slap at my face and torso, but I register no pain, only terror as a monstrous roar shakes the forest. I can’t let him catch me! I have to survive for Ethan!
