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Never underestimate the power of a nap and yummy snacks
DAISY
Sitting at the wooden table in Orcus’ cozy cave, I do my best to hang on to my indignation, but I keep nodding off and this hard chair isn’t the best place for a nap. The warmth from the crackling fire is lulling me into a false sense of safety. I scowl at the grumpy ogre again. Some things I’ve learned in the last hour? He’s much better at glaring than I am. The jet lag between Earth and this world is no joke. His shirt is so big on me and it fits more like a dress, but it’s well-worn and by far the most comfortable thing I’ve had on since I landed in the hot spring.
“You should sleep,” Orcus grouses from his spot on the bed. He’s reading a book and it shouldn’t be attractive, but it is.
“I’m fine.” My heavy eyelids drift shut and stay that way for a few seconds. His bed was rather soft. My head snaps forward, and I startle awake, shooting a scowl in Orcus’ direction when he laughs.
“You’re being stubborn. It’s annoying.” His forehead scrunches.
Well, now that’s rich, isn’t it? He’s the one that decided to help me leave and then changed his mind and refused to listen to reason.
Exhaustion weighs me down, and I glance longingly at the bed. “If I take a nap, I don’t want you getting any ideas. It doesn’t mean I agree to stay.”
He simply grunts and perhaps I’m reading too far into the sound the ogre is making, but then a wallop of doubt hits me through the bond as if to saywe’ll see about that.
I narrow my eyes and struggle to my feet. “You can’t seriously want me to stay. You seem very content in this cave on your own.” Reaching the bed, I sigh as I crawl up the mattress with leaden limbs. I flop onto it and yawn.
The paper of Orcus’ book crinkles, and I roll to my side and study him. He’s casually reclined, one foot propped up so the book can rest on his thigh, and one of his arms is slung over his head. Everything I’ve ever read about ogres, and that’s not much, never portrayed them like this. His musky scent wraps around me like a warm hug and the bond vibrates with relief.
Books and movies always make ogres out to be grotesque and foul. Orcus is none of those things. Tusks and all, he’s gorgeous. Model worthy. Warm satisfaction rolls over me. He likes my admiration?
He side-eyes me. “You’re staring.”
“Am I?” I yawn again and close my eyes, pretending like it never happened. So. Tired.
A soft, pleased chuckle chases me into dreamland.
* * *
Big hands pullme against a strong body. I hum in approval and nestle into the touch, loving the snuggles. A soft snore sounds behind me and whoever is there exhales over the top of my head.
Wait.
I peel my eyes open and look around the darkened cave. The fire has died down. I glance back at Orcus, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. He’s dead asleep, and I doubt he even realizes he’s touching me. The ogre doesn’t strike me as an open cuddler.
No longer tired, I slowly slip out of his hold. The stone floor is cold beneath my feet. Shivering, I rub my arms and take a step away from the bed. I pause and wait to see if Orcus jolts awake. The soft whoosh of his breath can barely be heard over my heart pounding in my ears, but he doesn’t wake up. I may not know much about this world, but I do know I can’t stay here with Orcus.
The tie between us is impossible to deny, but I can’t be his mate. I don’t know anything about him and he’s… an ogre. I’m human. He’s so big… in every respect. How would it even work without him killing me? I chew on my cheek and furrow my brow. The logistics of how aren’t important right now. What’s important is that he’s asleep.
Right.
I scan the darkened cave, barely able to make out most of the space. There has to be something I can use as a weapon. Tip-toeing around the kitchen table, I carefully slide a spatula out of the utensil holder and clutch it to my chest. My outfit is hardly travel ready, but I don’t have shoes or time to figure out an alternative. The ogre could wake up at any second.
It’s time to go.
I quietly make my way out of the cave, hardly breathing for fear of waking him. The soft breeze that was sweeping down the stone corridor grows stronger as I emerge onto the moonlit bathed cliffside. I shiver and wrap my arms around myself. Orcus’ shirt billows around my knees. It might’ve been warm earlier, but at the top of the mountain at night, it’s cold.
The moon is nearly full and no different than the one from Earth. A blanket of twinkling stars coats the midnight blue sky. Maybe I’m not as far away from Earth as I originally thought. At night, the forest is an intimidating sea of trees, branches arching into the sky like tentacles reaching for the moon. Leaving this late is dangerous, but this might be my only chance. I grip the spatula a little tighter and blow out a shaky breath.
Everything is fine. I’ll take a casual stroll down the mountainside and find a witch or some other type of magical being to help me get home.
How hard can it be?
I’m not fooling myself, but with false bravado, I take a steadying breath and start down the path that winds down the mountain, carefully dodging sharp stones. If the sky and moon are the same… does that mean I’m in the same solar system? Or maybe this is a parallel universe, but instead of humans there are monsters.
Fuck if I know. I work at a call center; I’m not a scientist. Fantastical things don’t happen to me. I’m nobody. The forgotten child of two people who never wanted to be parents. The most impressive thing I can do is bend over backward to make other people happy and buy cake for Edgar. Pressure settles in my chest as I think about Edgar waking up only to realize I’m not there. He’s probably beside himself. I should probably worry about the dildo and what happens when he finds it, but that hardly seems important now.
