“Open, woman,” insisted Simon’s hard voice behind her. “You wish to honour me, and earn my reward. You wish forme. Ach?”
And gods curse him, because it was still this enraging orc…asking. Making sure Maria wanted this, still, even in the face of his damnedtraining. And swirling between the sensation and the rebellion there was something else, something stronger, almost like…determination?
And it had to be the hysteria, surely.Surely. But Maria somehow felt herself gritting her teeth, sucking in a bracing, shuddery breath — and then…agreeing. Shifting her knees a little wider, arching her back, tilting her arse up toward him. Willing herself to relax, to open for him, even if this was public, even if someone else walked in. Saying… yes.Yes.
Simon didn’t even acknowledge it, the bastard, but Maria could feel the huff of his breath on her bare arse, his sharp claws nudging against her hips as he pushed a little deeper. Parting her tight heat wider around him, drilling into her with his throbbing rounded smoothness, piercing her upon him…
Maria’s breaths were already dragging, high-pitched, because even after the first time, gods, this was still somuch. Too much, stretching her, punching ever stronger into her, pulsing its slick liquid thick and powerful inside. And she couldn’t even think beyond the fullness, the power, he felt so good, gods he hadno rightto feel so fuckinggood—
“More, woman,” hissed Simon’s voice behind her. “Pray.”
Pray. And oh gods, what the hell had she been supposed to pray, and she somehow raised her fluttering eyes to Skai-kesh — or rather, to the heft at his groin, to the heft that was still sinking into her, breath by breath…
And suddenly, Maria felt horribly, wildly exposed. Bared and kneeling in a public room, ogling a pornographic god, while the real-life orc behind her drove his own huge ramrod strength deep between her spread-wide legs. And he still couldn’t even be halfway yet, this wasn’t even close to over yet, and —
“Pray,” he ordered again, huskier this time, as he sank a little deeper, spreading her wider, pushing against her resistance. “A fear. A longing. A blessing.”
Maria couldn’t think, couldn’t take it, couldn’t do anything but gasp and choke and stare. Feeling the truth of this, the raw power of this, pierced and exposed in a shrine, a rite, the craving. A true Skai. A fear. A longing. A blessing…
“Y-you,” she gasped, without at all meaning to, as she felt herself clamp even closer against him, trapping him there, sealing tight. “You, Simon. For all three. Fear. Longing.Blessing.”
Hysteria, her distant swirling brain chanted, surely she didn’t long for this, surely this obnoxious orc wasn’t a blessing in the slightest — but she’d said it, and the words felt real, just as real as he was, splitting her open and exposed upon him —
There was a near-silent groan behind her, the almost-painful clench of sharp claws against her hips. As the beast invading her swelled, caught, flared deep inside — and then released. Surging Maria full of his hot, liquid heat, in pulse after shuddering, powerful pulse, flooding her with his truth, his approval, hiscleansing.
And in the shocked unreality of this moment, with Maria still impaled upon a spurting, gasping orc, and blinking up at the obscene god — Skai-kesh — before her, there was almost…relief. Relief in the god’s glinting black eyes, in the still-shuddering heft jutted halfway up inside her.
“I ask your blessing, father, upon this woman,” came Simon’s voice behind her, hoarse, breathless,sincere. “I beg you to sate her fear. Grant her longing. And pour out deeper blessing upon her.”
The words flashed an odd, visceral thrill up Maria’s back — Simon was begging the god to give her more ofhimself? Almost as though he truly did want this, as though heapproved…
And when he drew away from Maria, leaving what felt like an unholy mess in his wake, his warm hands on her lingered. Slipping soft against heated skin, caressing with something that felt almost like reverence…
And again, almost likeapproval. Like relief… or likepeace. Like a slowly spreading quiet, deep in Maria’s soul…
“Good, Simon?” cut in a low, heavily accented voice. “You like?”
Thehell?! Maria’s body froze in place, her head whipping around, her eyes frantically searching in the dim light —
And there, shit,there. Leaning casually against the wall beside them, arms crossed, his eyes glinting with an unnerving, impossible awareness.
It was… another orc. And he’d seeneverything.
15
Maria’s panic screeched white and wild, and she leapt off the bench, far too late. Desperately yanking down her tunic with badly trembling hands — but the mess, oh gods the mess, it was everywhere, thick and hot and reeking of what they’d just done.
And the watching orc knew, he saw it, he wasamused. His glittering eyes flicking down below the hem of Maria’s baggy tunic, and back up to her face. And she could see the challenge in his eyes, the waiting curiosity, the anticipation. As if he fully expected her to panic, to run, to collapse into hysterics, for his gods-damnedentertainment.
And oddly enough, that awareness somehow seemed to catch the panic, holding it still, while Maria’s narrow eyes darted up to Simon, searching his face. His harsh, set face, written all over with stubbornness, and with…guilt. Because curse the bastard, he’dknown. He’dknownthis strange orc was watching. Had perhapswantedhim to watch.
“Ach,” Simon said, pulling up his still-hanging trousers with unhurried ease — and Maria realized, aghast, that he was answering the orc’s previous question, about whether he’dlikedher. “She is sweet. Ripe. Eager.”
Wait, she was? But the watching orc was already jerking a curt, complacent nod, almost as though he’d expected no less — and then hewinkedat Simon, pushed off the wall, and strode past them out of the room. Giving Maria a better look at his tall, wiry form, his wild cropped-short hair, the clear satisfaction in his glinting black eyes.
And standing there, glaring up at Simon’s stubborn, set face, there were surely a dozen well-justified things Maria might have said.How dare you hide something like that from me, you could have at least said something to me, you wanted to expose me and shame me, you’ve been wanting to do so ever since I came here…
But then, already, she could hear Simon’s answers, curt and angry.You swore to this. I spoke to you of this. I wish to flaunt you before my kin. You no wish for this? You wish me to take back my reward? Now you run?
