“In your dreams, Orc.”
“You will not share my dreams, female, but you will warm my furs.”
This time, I ball my hand into a tight fist. I won’t make the same mistake twice.
I pour all my energy into the punch. He shows no emotion as he catches my fist in mid-air and curls his hand over mine. Slowly, his fingers caressing my hand as he keeps his eyes locked on me. I want to look away, but I can’t. Something inside me won’t allow me.
His tongue drags across a tusk.
And my pussy twitches.
“You bastard,” I spit out, angry at whatever he’s doing to my body. “I’m not your plaything.”
“No, you’re my mate.”
CHAPTER THREE
VERIG
Inever intended to say those words again, especially to a female I don’t know. And a human one at that. But this female…Vekk, she has spirit, more than I’ve seen in any female, even my Haaka.
The pain of seeing that ship explode with my family aboard strikes hard. I release the female’s hand.
Delicate eyebrows purse together for a moment before her anger returns. “I’m your worst nightmare, Orc.”
“Not even close, female. Deny me if you must, but in time, you will see the gods have matched us for a reason.”
“I won’t be forced into any mating with a human or orc. Let me go,” she orders, as if she is a graka.
With three clicks of my tongue, my gorja trots into view. “You will either ride in front of me on my gorja or tied to his backside. How you ride is up to you, but you are coming with me.”
“You don’t want me, Orc. I will cause you more trouble than you can tolerate. I’m returning to my people.”
“Your name,” I demand, trying to will my cock to soften, but I’m too drawn to her, and her defiance only hardens it further.
She lifts her chin. “None of your business.”
“Name,” I repeat, followed by a growl. I don’t like repeating myself to my men or any female, even one that will be mine.
She cocks her head, as if she recognizes this is not a battle worth fighting. “Tansey.”
“I am Verig im Neld, second to Atox im Grak.”
“Good for you,” she says in a tone that is anything but accepting.
“It is good for you as well. As the mate of a neld, you will be respected.”
“Again, I’m not your mate, and I don’t fucking care who respects me.” She folds her arms over her chest in a very orc-like manner, though she is far from orc. Her sand-colored skin, the lack of ridges on her brow, the lack of tusks, the larger breasts…. All reminders that she is not orc. And yet I’m eager to explore her body, to experience those differences with my hands, my mouth, my cock.
First, she must accept me as her mate.
Vekk, I cannot take her. I will not lose another mate or youngling.
“Let me go,” she demands again.
“I cannot,” I say, unsure if it is the edict of our grak or my need to enjoy the softness of a female beneath me, which prevents me from releasing her. The memory of waking beside a warm body, of feeling a female’s hand massage sore muscles, the need to know there is another who stands beside me, supporting me when I’m uncertain or angry. Another I can trust as much as, if not more than, my grak even.
“Yes, you can,” she says, speaking in a low tone, as if speaking to a youngling. “I have family back there. Or is that a concept you orcs don’t understand?”
