Page 2 of Enchanted with the Orc
She was becoming aseriousbiter and I wasn’t quite sure how to get her out of the habit. Tabitha—the eldest witch of my coven—had suggested that it was just a phase and she should grow out of it soon. All signs were pointing to the opposite of that, but so far, her sharp little teeth were saved for me and any orc she met. She had a taste for the mate of the High Priestess of our coven. She latched onto his leg like a dog with a bone—quite literally.
“Anything I should know before we go home?” Hanna asked, packing Gabbi’s bag before I could even try. My heart panged in my chest at that.I’d never had to ask any of the amazing witches in my coven for help. They offered it to me freely.
I stopped myself from crying again, knowing that once I put Gabbi to bed I was going to sob for hours while I mourned their loss. Then I was going to make a plan to leave tomorrow.
It’s the only way. Make peace with it.
“No,” I said, shaking my head as I grabbed another bag, hitching it to my shoulder while keeping my girl on my hip. I’d become a master of multi-tasking after she was born. I could carry three shopping bags, her diaper bag, and my daughter with ease. “What’re you talking about?”
Narrowed eyes followed me as I walked briskly toward the tower we called home. I sent what I hoped was a breezy smile over my shoulder, but as Hanna’s expression got more worried, I figured it wasn’t as carefree as I thought.
“I was thinking we can have Gabbi’s party a little earlier,” I told her when she caught up, and her smile grew as she nodded with enthusiasm.
“Yes! Pen was saying…” she started, but I swore that I saw a male in a black cap and coat turn around the corner.
I didn’t hear anything she said as I slipped inside our building, not taking another breath until I was within the protection wards.
Chapter Two
Enka
Ipretended to be calm as I walked into the hallway, my heart thudding in my chest. It’d been a week since the last time I’d encountered the female whose scent had drawn me like a moth to a flame.
There was something different about her, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Ever since the first time I’d met her, when I’d caught her scent,everything in my brain began rewiring itself.
I’d talked to Rok and Rudgar about it, trying to suss out whether she could be my mate, but I couldn’t be sure. It hadn’t hit me the way it had slapped them in the face. This was something else.
Still, as I lifted my head to the air, taking a solid sniff, her scent picked apart from all others, a fine perfume like I’d never smelled before. Turning sharply, I headed in her direction, drawn to her like nothing I’d ever been drawn to in my life.
It’s her. I know it.
Was this the slow awakening that Dristan—our chieftain—had told Rudgar about? Pen’s pregnancy had progressed nicely, but she was close enough to giving birth to their youngling that he didn’t want to be disturbed, happy to spend their last moments as a single couple alone, so I hadn’t been able to ask him directly.
I couldn’t blame him. If I was mated, I’d stick so close to her she’d probably find me to be a nuisance. Making my way down a corridor, I turned into another and went face-to-face with a tiny… person.
Quirking an eyebrow, I stared at it for a long moment as it stared right back. I looked around, trying to see if this was some kind of prank, but the little bitty thing just stood there, rocked back on its heels as it stared up at me.
We have younglings here?
Since we’d arrived to this plane, there had been so much going on and so much learning to do that I hadn’t had much time for socializing. Whoever this youngling belonged to must not have had time to introduce it to us either. Confused, I lifted my hand in a wave and it narrowed its tiny eyes at me.
Well shit, I guess I’m in trouble?
“Rud-Rud?” it asked me in a high-pitched little squeaky voice that oddly hit me right in my chest. I lowered myself to my haunches, muchcloser to being on its level.
“I’m Enka,” I told it. “And who’re you?”
The narrowed eyes became wide and a grin crossed its face, a loud giggle leaving its lips. Brown, sparkling eyes drew a smile from me. I’d never heard anything sweeter in my life.
“Gabbi,” it said, and I realized the youngling was female.
“Hi, Gabbi,” I said, adoring the bright grin and sparkling brown eyes. In fact, she lookedverymuch like Tasia. It was almost as if…
My thought trailed off as—with a battle-cry that would rival the toughest of orcs—she threw herself at my leg, digging her tiny, sharp teeth as deep as she could into my ankle where my pants had ridden up to expose my bare flesh.
It wasn’t very deep, since orcs hadtoughskin, but it was still enough to startle me. I fell backward, onto my ass, and that just made the feral little beastie giggle louder.
She latched her little arms around my leg, keeping her teeth clamped and she moved every time I did. I stared down at her, confused, but she was still giggling up a storm. Looking around again, wondering if the little beastie had an owner, I found the corridor still empty.
