Page 26 of Charming the Orc's Mate

I sprinted past History, past Biography, past rows of books I’d helped Mags organize that long-ago summer.

Heavy footsteps thundered down the stairs behind me. Closer. Ever closer.

My lungs burned as I neared the front door. The party’s music grew louder. If I could just make it outside?—

A foot caught my ankle. I crashed down, skull cracking against the ground. The world spun sickeningly as I was hauled upright.

“Now that,” Tate’s voice dripped with venom, “was extremely stupid.”

Blood trickled down my temple. I struggled weakly against the fae’s grip, but spots danced across my vision.

“I really hoped we would do this the hard way.” Tate pulled a flask from his jacket. The metal caught the dim light, gleaming like scales. “Thank you for obliging.”

My vision swam, but something seemed wrong with his face. His pupils... were they narrowing to slits? No. Had to be the concussion playing tricks.

“Torain will know something is wrong,” I managed.

“Oh, I’m counting on that brute charging in without a thought in his thick skull.” Tate’s smile stretched too wide as he unscrewed the cap. “And when he does...” Tate patted one of the fae’s massive biceps. “Well, let’s just say the town won’t look kindly on a monster attacking a respected businessman.”

Horror dawned as his plan clicked into place. “You’re going to kill him.”

“Eventually.” Tate grabbed my jaw, fingers digging into my cheeks. “But first, you’re going to sign everything over to me. Then you’ll tell everyone how the big, bad orc scared you into selling. How he threatened you. Attacked me when I tried to help.”

The flask moved toward my face.

Time slowed to a crawl as adrenaline flooded my system. I slammed my elbow into the fae guard’s sternum. His grip loosened just enough. I twisted free and bolted for the door, my heels clicking against hardwood as I ran.

The late afternoon sun blinded me as I burst through the door. My heart hammered against my ribs, vision still swimming from the blow to my head. Blood trickled down my temple as I stumbled into the crowded street.

“Someone grab that woman!” Tate’s voice carried over the crowd. “She’s stealing valuable documents!”

I tried to scream, to warn everyone, but my voice caught in my throat. The world whipped around as one of the fae guards grabbed my arm and dragged me to a halt.

Then a massive green blur slammed into him.

Torain.

The sound of flesh hitting flesh rang out as his fist connected with the fae’s jaw. The guard’s clouded eyes cleared for an instant before rolling back in his head.

The second guard lunged, but Torain was ready. He caught the fae’s wild swing and used the momentum to throw him into a vendor’s table. Glass shattered. Someone screamed.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Beverly demanded, stepping forward.

“Stay back!” I gasped out. “Tate, he—he killed Mags!”

The words hit like a bomb. The festive atmosphere evaporated as heads turned toward Tate. His perfect businessman facade cracked, rage twisting his features into something inhuman.

Because it was inhuman.

Scales rippled across his skin like oil on water. His expensive suit split at the seams as his body elongated, stretching and twisting until a massive serpentine body towered over the fleeing crowd.

Holy shit. The town’s biggest snake was literally a snake.

Tate’s serpentine body coiled, muscles bunching. His jaws unhinged, revealing rows of needle-sharp teeth dripping with venom. I stumbled back, but my legs wouldn’t work right.

He struck like lightning.

But Torain was faster.

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