“It is a marvel,” he said abruptly, his voice curt and flat, “that your womb is yet whole, woman. It is luck that thispatronyou have been fucking for yourwork” — his eyes narrowed unpleasantly toward her — “does not wield a small prick, or a gentle one.”
What? Wait — heknewthat? The shame surged through Rosa, from her face all the way downwards, because yes, it was true, damnably so. Behind Lord Kaspar’s handsome, scholarly exterior, hewasvery well-endowed, with surprisingly rough tastes, and forceful, decisive demands.
And at first, that heady, deadly combination had seemed to draw upon all Rosa’s secret, most shameful longings at once. Being taken firmly in hand, protected, guided, petted,enjoyed, by one who was strong and clever and powerful. One who thoroughly deserved one’s subservience, and one’s devotion, and one’s trust.
But then, miserable and astonishingly painful, had come the rapid realization that it hadn’t been just Rosa. It had been any number of convenient women, servants and courtesans and married ladies alike — and, of course, now the lovely Lady Scall. And even if Rosa was a particular favourite of Lord Kaspar’s, and had been for years, her willing service was only part of a larger transaction. Anotherbargain. One that traded her steady job at this library for Lord Kaspar’s unlimited, unfettered use of her body, her brain, her research. For hiswar.
Rosa’s knees had drawn away from the orc’s suddenly rough-feeling hands, pulling up to her chest, making her already-small form into something tiny and safe. She was doing what had to be done. She would do whatever it took to become a student. Shehadto. And this orc had shown himself all too willing to make similar compromises last night, which meant he could take his stupidsneering superiority, and shove it.
“I would thank you, sir,” she said to the floor, her voice thin, “not to pass judgement upon me, when you have no comprehension of my circumstances. And particularly when you yourself made just such a bargain with me, just last night, withgreatenthusiasm!”
There was a faint, unmistakable growl in the orc’s throat, snapping Rosa’s gaze back toward him — and those eyes on hers were disapproving, contemptuous. “I only made this bargain,” he said, his lip curling, “because you did so first. I knew you wished to trade your body to me, so I only turned this to my gain. I knew” — his eyes narrowed, cold and glittering — “that you are a foolish little woman.”
The words felt like a slap, and it took Rosa far too long to answer, over the misery battering inside her chest. “Youwere the one who came back and offered it,” she countered. “Andyouwere the one who kept pushing it, after I refused!”
The orc’s mouth was fully scoffing now, showing those sharp white teeth. “You did not refuse,” he said coldly. “You dearly wished for this. Youbeggedme for this. And when I gave you a half-hour of my play-acting, in return you threw at me your womb, and your priceless library, and mayhap even yourlife!”
His deep voice had risen to nearly a shout, echoing through the small room, and for an instant Rosa could only stare at him, and hug her knees closer to her chest. That wasn’t true. He hadn’t been play-acting. And she hadn’t given him all that. She hadn’t…
“You do not know me,” he hissed at her, his voice soft again, deadly. “You cannot trust me. What if I had killed you. What if I had brought in my brothers to use you. What if I had thrown open this precious library andburntit.”
The fear jolted pure and powerful down Rosa’s back, her eyes gaping at the orc’s cruel, appalling face. “Don’t say such things,” she gasped at him, pleaded, before she could stop herself. “You wouldn’t. Iknowyou wouldn’t.”
But the orc shook his head, his gaze cold, glittering, remorseless. “You do not know me,” he said again. “But I knowyou, woman. You do not value your library. You do not do good work on its behalf. And you only have thisjobhere because you have taught your tiny womb to take this rich man’s fat prick!”
The pain felt like a physical thing, roaring to life deep inside Rosa’ssoul, and she could only seem to stare at the orc’s face, while her vision began to swim, and the world seemed to tilt all around. I know you. You do not value your library, you do not do good work, you only have this job because…
And suddenly, for a horrible, terrible moment, it was like Rosa was back in the Charitable School for Girls again, standing small and shaky before Mr. Sullivan’s desk. Yes, sir. I know, sir. Please be gentle, sir…
She scrabbled off the desk so fast she nearly fell, and she whirled around to face the orc on wobbly legs, clutching the blanket close over her hunched shoulders. No. No.Godsno. She had overcome that, she had used her brains and hard work to move beyond that, and never look back. She was a librarian, a researcher, and someday she would be a real student, arealscholar, and none of these awful, self-serving males would ever touch heragain.
“Very well, orc,” she spat, at those glaring black eyes. “If you’re such a danger to me and my library, then get the hell out.Now.”
But the infuriating orc only gazed at her, silent and far too still, until finally that mouth curved up, into a slow, cold, merciless mockery of a smile.
“I will,” he said. “But thanks to your foolishness, woman” — he drew in a breath — “you must now come with me.”
9
She must now go with him.
For a long, stuttering instant, Rosa could only stare at the orc, while all those grand claims about orcs stampeded through her thoughts. Orcs were violent, wicked, depraved. They lay in wait to thrust themselves upon their unsuspecting victims, to capture and ravish as they pleased…
Except. Except for how this particular orc was still looking at her, his body stiff, his big arms now crossed over his chest. And his harsh face all but dripping with disdain, and disapproval, and — yes, still, regret.
Rosa blinked at that for another endless moment, and then drew in a bracing breath, drew herself tall. “Of course I’m not goinganywherewith you, orc,” she said, her voice wavering. “You’ve been nothing but rude, and obnoxious, and judgemental, and now you have the temerity to cast full blame upon me for somethingyouwillingly proposed. So I would prefer” — she drew in more breath — “you to leave this library at once, and never returnagain.”
The orc’s eyes shuttered, but his body didn’t move, and something twitched in his clenched jaw. “It matters naught what youprefer,” he said flatly. “You shall yet come with me, woman. We leave for the mountain today.”
Rosa was struck momentarily speechless, and she gripped the blanket tighter around her, and lifted her chin. “I shall not. I have zero interest whatsoever in goinganywherewith you, especially to a cold, dark, orc-infestedhovel. And I have many important responsibilities here, and my patron has entrusted me with” — she caught herself, just in time — “with the library’s responsible management.”
There was an incredulous snort from the orc’s mouth, a flare of something Rosa couldn’t read in those shuttered eyes. “I should not call your work for this libraryresponsible,” he said, his voice chilly, menacing. “As for yourpatron, he shall soon find another to serve him in your stead. There is naught about you that another woman cannot easily replace.”
Rosa flinched before she could stop it, the misery surging sharp inside. “Well, if I’m truly so useless,” she gritted out, “then why will you not go away, and find another woman to kidnap, and leave me be!”
The orc’s arms flexed against his chest, and the look in his eyes was pure, bitter loathing. “I cannot leave you be,” he growled. “You bear my seed, foolish woman. And thus, should I not now address this, you shall also bear myson.”
Oh. Oh,hell. And the memory of that, the vision of that, was suddenly so strong that Rosa felt faint. I shall plant your empty womb with my sons, he’d said, and fill you until youburst.
