Page 28 of The Orc's Stolen Shepherdess

Then, without a word, he turned and carried me into the black woods.

Chapter Twelve

Caivid

Blast my instincts back to the Fades who’d made them.

My heart was hammering, and my claws curled, and my muscles constricted, ready for a bloody, brutal fight.

The words of those humans rang in my ears.“We’ll catch him! Hunt him down! Gut him!”

“Caivid, are you all right?”

Susara’s voice broke through the fog. “I just. . . need a moment.”

She went quiet, but she was still stroking my hair, still caressing my hand clutched around her knees. Her calm assurance soaked into me and my rapid heart began to calm.

“I know a place we could go for a bit,” she said after I’d taken a few deep breaths. “A little shelter my father and I built for summer camping.”

“Shelter.” My muscles released a little of their tension, but I kept a firm pace as we walked through the dense woods. The rumble of human voices was distant now. Far behind and getting farther.

“It’s near some grazing land, close to where Midnight got stuck. Or. . . it used to be gazing land. It got flooded somehow. But the shelter is fine. It has a cover and some wool blankets inside. Some dried meat and fruit too. Extra provisions stashed away for emergencies.” Her voice was light with laughter. “We can relax there for a little while, while you get your teeth put away.”

She was teasing me? Now? Her humor could be light while my claws were out, and my teeth were bared and my body was tense to do battle?

“Caivid,” she soothed. “It’s going to be all right. The shelter isn’t very far. . . I think. I can describe the land markers to you as we go.”

Fuck, it was so dark out here. She couldn’t see like I could. She likely would not be able to find her way back alone. Did she realize the position she was in?

“You. . . really want to linger longer?” My voice was raspy. “With me?”

Her expression somehow softened more, and a smile played on her lips. She stroked my hair back, fingertip grazing the edge of my ear all the way to the point at the top.

“Yes, Caivid.” Her voice was warm and full in a way that made my chest hum with delight. “I want to linger with you.”

And just like that, my whole world shifted so forcefully I could feel it realigning in my mind. The brutal beast inside me was changed. My claws went back into my hands. My muscles relaxed.

I was no longer a warrior. I was now a protector.

Herprotector.

“Caivid?” she whispered softly, and I leaned down to her, took her lips with mine.

She tasted exquisite. Like the finest mead and the heartiest meal. I wanted to satiate my hunger on her and nothing else for the rest of my life.

Her tongue delved into my mouth, and I followed her lead, drinking her up and following herdown. Hot need burned in my chest and was made worse by her squirming in my arms like she was trying to get closer.

Her rosemary luster had become spicy, and every time I stroked her tongue with mine, the cloud of it grew thicker.

Fuck, I was going to lose my mind.

I broke off the kiss, panting and trembling andwantingher so badly I could hardly think.

“We. . . we need to get to the shelter.” She squirmed again.

She wanted me. There was no denying that. I could smell the desire all over her.

“Caivid?”

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