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I stroke the bond to prove my point and she gasps, nails digging into my shoulder. “Stop that.”
“Ogres don’t like to be told what to do,” I say, throwing her words back at her.
“You’re insufferable.”
Me? She’s the one who looks at me like I’m good. She’s the one who has the audacity to look so fuckable when we’ve been on the road all day. I’m not insufferable; I’m fucking suffering and I know she’s the one who could end my agony. She’s too tempting, and I know she feels more than disdain for me. I caress the tether between us once more and she stifles a moan.
“Your body likes me,” I tease.
She shakes her head. “My body doesn’t know what’s good for it.”
“So the brain is in denial then.”
“I’m not in denial. Clearly, this is something neither of us expected. It was an accident and we have to find a way to fix it.”
And yet I find myself once again torn between breaking the bond and keeping it. She makes me smile. Her huffs of annoyance when I’m being stubborn fill my chest with warmth. She’s quite possibly the most magnificent being I’ve ever laid eyes on. Her skin is soft. Her lips are plump and kissable. Her pussy is tight and perfect.She licked my tusks.And best of all, she wasn’t sent by my father.
She falls silent, but her irritation zips through the bond followed closely by another emotion. Despair?
That doesn’t sit right with me at all.
ELEVEN
Never let a snake keep you from dinner
DAISY
A breeze coasts over my skin and the deep green leaves of the forest trees rustle together, heralding our arrival. The inn is set off to the side of the wooden path we’d been traveling on. Though, inn doesn’t feel like the appropriate word. It’s a stone monstrosity tall enough for Orcus to comfortably stand. Light spills out of the dirty windows and booming voices pour into the night. The patrons inside are rowdy, maybe drunk, but seem to be having a good time.
Unease swims in my gut as he reaches for the door. Who knows what type of monsters will be in there? The only other one I met was downright terrifying.
Orcus steps into the dimly lit inn and all conversation stops. There are a few ogres, or at least they look like ogres, who turn rigid once they lay eyes on us. A couple of monsters sit off to the side, whispering as they study Orcus. They’re huge like bodybuilders but have a strange, grayish tone to their skin. Gargoyles maybe? A handful of centaurs stand at the bar, clutching goblets of wine. A minotaur with big hooves for hands sets a mug full of beer at a table nearby and casts a curious look in our direction. He’s wearing trousers, but his chest is bare, showcasing his deep brown hide and layers of muscle. There are more monsters I can’t even begin to identify.
Everyone is staring. Almost everyone is quiet. Apprehension thickens the air, making it impossible to breathe—or perhaps that’s me realizing how human I am. I force myself to inhale.
A monster with green skin that’s lighter than Orcus’ marches over. It’s probably only seven- or eight-feet tall judging by Orcus’ height and its waist is a bit smaller. It has tusks, but they’re not nearly as nice. All ogres aren’t made the same.
“Orcus—” the smaller ogre begins, but Orcus interrupts.
“I need two rooms.”
“Right this way.” The monster turns and leads us through the dining hall.
“That was rude,” I whisper. “You didn’t even say hi.”
Orcus grunts.
I think I might hate that sound. I would say more, but the monsters are all so eerily silent it unsettles me. Do they hate him? There are other ogres in the dining hall and no one seems off put by them. It’s only my surly green giant that’s getting some serious side-eye.
The smaller monster stops in front of two giant doors. “Two rooms for the pr—”
“That’ll be all. Thank you.”
“Still rude,” I point out.
Orcus closes his eyes and releases a full body sigh. “Help me with Edgar’s door.”
He sets me down, the material wrapped around my feet keeping most of the chill from the stone floor at bay. My ankle hardly hurts anymore, but there’s enough discomfort that I’m grateful Orcus carried me today. There’s food downstairs and the promise of warm beds. We’re on our way to see a warlock and I’m 100% going to ask for a way home. All in all, things are looking up.
