And surely this was even worse than before, with both Maria’s hands frantically fondling an orc, while his rock-hard monster kept sliding its way in and out of her stretched, swollen mouth. Picking up strength and speed, invading her, plundering her, saliva streaking and dripping, the noises loud and shameful over the low steady heat of his growl —
But in it, this time, there was also… ease. Relief. Because again, despite everything, he truly did want this. He wantedher. He had to, it was here in his approving eyes, in that deep rumble from his chest. In his shuddering heft hesitating as it drew out, lingering to kiss and spurt softly at her suckling lips, before plunging back deep between them —
“When I fill you,” he breathed, grinding that slick smooth head into her throat, “you shall swallow all. You shall welcome my cleansing.”
Maria nodded, reckless, desperate, while a distant recognition danced, just out of her reach. His cleansing, Enforcer of Orc Mountain,only woman I buy…
But surely he wouldn’t cleanse one he didn’t mean to keep, surely he wouldn’t have told her to stop, so he could take such care with her mouth. So he could kiss her and consume her like this, fill her throat with his thrumming ecstasy, cleanse her fresh and new —
“And after,” he gasped, his low voice fraying, his heft plunging, ploughing,owning, “your clean mouth shall speak with care. You shall seek to watch, and listen, and learn. You shall seek to become a true Skai, fit to bear a strong Skai son. Ach?”
And despite that deeply alarming mention of his offspring, something rippled from Maria’s chest, thrilling to her head and her toes. Simonwantedher to speak. He would cleanse her mouth. And she needed it, suddenly, craved it with wheeling desperation, sucking him deeper, embracing his powerful onslaught. Learning to accept, tobe, he was relief he waspeace, fuck,please—
One last gouge into her throat, a hard, juddering jerk against her tongue — and the molten, liquid sweetness surged, andfloodedher. Pumping out again and again, spurting thick and fast into her throat, and she couldn’t possibly swallow all this, oh gods —
But there was nowhere else for it to go, his massive girth holding still, stretching her lips tight, blocking off all escape. And that was surely a challenge, sparking in those watching eyes — and somehow Maria swallowed down one mouthful, and another, and another. Again and again, until the blooming surge finally faded to a slow trickle, oozing warm and sweet onto her tongue.
She kept sucking until he drew away, slipping his spent heft out through her lips with surprising care. And his black eyes on hers had changed again, flicking to something else. Not challenging. Not judging. Just… watching.
And Maria was watching back, blinking hard, her brain slowly beginning to whirl again. Darting back to what had come before this, what came next…
“Peace, woman,” Simon said, his voice heavy. “This pleased me.”
Maria felt herself nod, silent and jerky, but the unease kept welling, the uncertainty rising. She surelyhaddispleased him before this, hehadbeen angry, he hadn’t defended her against Ulfarr, he’d donenothing—
“Peace, Maria,” Simon continued, with a sigh. “I no wish you to always taste of such anger and fear.”
The urge to laugh was suddenly almost overpowering, but Maria somehow kept her mouth clamped shut, her eyes fixed to the coarse fabric of his grey trousers, still stretched tight over his powerful thighs. And she made herself nod, jerking her head up and down, she didn’t care, he was just an orc, whatever he wished…
“Maria,” he said again, and she could feel his hand still on her face tilting it up, wanting her to look at him. “I shall no harm you. You have naught to fear from me.”
The disbelief crashed over Maria with astonishing force, and she couldn’t stop the sound from her throat this time, thick and incredulous. “Naught to fear?!” she echoed, her voice shrill. “There iseverythingto fear from you, Simon! Just today, you refused to allow me to properly dress, you mocked me to a room full of strangers, you made me yourprisoner, you threatened to send meaway! And when Itriedto obey you today, I nearly had your horrible friendattackme in acorridor!”
Shit,shit, and she forcibly bit her lip, squeezed her eyes shut, clamped her fingers tight on her bare knees. “And I keepsayingthis shit to you,” she heard herself say, her voice cracking. “Feelingthis shit. I know you don’t want it, and I sure as hell don’t want it, I just want to stop caring, and do what I agreed to do! I have to, Ineedto, but —”
The silence rang out after her voice, watching,judging, and she shook her head, even as the rest of the words kept spewing free. “But what if you send me away, to deal with our son alone?” she choked. “I would never want to — topreventhim, so what happens to me then? Tohim? Or — or what if you reallyaretrying to advertise me, or compromise me, so you can wash your hands of me, and hand me off to another orc? To maybe sell me to the highest bidder? To —Ulfarr?”
She winced as she spoke his name, the fear and revulsion surging in her belly, and she could feel her breaths coming shorter, sharper. Because yes, this fear had been lingering, whispering, ever since Ulfarr had said with such certainty,My brother Simon should wish for this—
There was a strange sound from above her, rasping, convulsive — and in a swift heave of movement, Simon sank onto the bed beside her. Not touching her, not looking at her, but instead with his bare upper body leaning forward, his elbows on his trousered knees, his clawed hand rubbing against his stubbled sharp jaw.
“No, woman,” he said, sounding oddly… worn.Tired. “I ought no have spoken thus to you today, in my rage. I shall no allow any of these. I shallneversend you away to birth or raise my son alone. And Ulfarr shallnevertouch you or frighten you thusagain.”
The fury had crept back into his voice at the end, and Maria blinked sideways at him, frowning. “But you didn’t,” she gulped, “care.”
It came out sounding like an accusation, a curse, and she saw him twitch beside her, his hand clenching against his mouth. “Ach, I care,” he said, his voice flat. “I ken all that Ulfarr sought. He saw this chance to steal you away from me. For aplayagainst me. Agame.”
There was sheer hatred in his voice again, the tension shuddering back into his shoulders. “I marked you and sought to claim you before my kin, as our ways demand,” he continued, his jaw jumping in his cheek. “I evendressyou as Skai mate. This is to prove you are mine, and thus keep you safe. I nofathomedthat Ulfarr would take his game against me thus far.”
Maria’s whirling brain fought to digest this, to match it to the sudden, visceralragein Simon’s voice, in his clamped-tight form. So maybe — maybe his anger hadn’t been directed toward her, after all. It had been toward…Ulfarr?
“But why would anyone do such a thing, for agame?” Maria heard herself ask, her voice plaintive. “What does Ulfarr have against you?”
Besides your many obvious and grievous faults, she could have said — but she didn’t. Just sat, watched, waited. Seeing Simon’s big chest rise and fall, his unblinking eyes fixed to the opposite wall.
“I am Enforcer of Orc Mountain,” he said finally. “Before me, Ulfarr’s father held this place among the Skai for many, many summers. Ulfarr has thus wished for this place for all his days, and yet sees it as his rightful due.”
Oh. “So now Ulfarr’s trying to undermine you… bystealingme?” Maria asked, hoarse. “And that’s justfinearound here?!”
