Page 73 of Ironling
They circled the fire as a unit, undulating like an encroaching wave about to crash against the shore. Aislinn’s pulse beat hard at her throat and between her legs, the powerful sight of their big bodies lurching and spinning inciting a deep, hot lust. She put a hand to her cheek to feel how it burned.
She couldn’t tear her gaze away from Hakon, how he moved his body through the maneuvers. It was something like a dance and the exercises she saw the knights doing, everything demanding strength and discipline and poise. It was somehow both brutal and elegant, and her lips parted to watch how his arms bulged and his chest expanded with every heaving breath as he moved with his fellow orcs.
“It’s one of their mating dances,” said Allarion.
“O-oh?” she stuttered, having entirely forgotten the fae was there.
“Often done during celebrations, I believe. To impress potential partners.”
“It’s certainly impressive.” She hoped she didn’t sound as breathless with lust to Allarion as she did to her own ears.
She wasn’t the only one watching on with awe and longing, the crowd nearly silent as they beheld the show of strength.From somewhere near the house, someone began to clap along with the drumbeat, and then everyone was, whooping and cheering with every impressive move.
Their dance gained momentum, the drumbeat like a heart, pounding and pumping as the bonfire cast shadows across the orcs’ powerful forms. More than once, Aislinn found herself holding her breath, hungry to see what happened next as well as desperate for it to end and Hakon to return to her.
When it finally did end, with a roar of triumph from the orcs and matching applause from the crowd, Aislinn’s body burned.
The orcs were soon subsumed back into the crowd, many hurrying to speak with and admire them. Aislinn watched as Hakon wove his way back toward her, not stopping for anyone.
“I will leave you,” Allarion said, perhaps a note of amusement in his voice. “Good evening, my lady.”
She thought she bid him goodnight, but all she really knew was that her lips were parted when Hakon finally did come to stand before her.
His big chest rose and fell, a few trickles of sweat along his temples catching the firelight. Those deep brown eyes seemed to burn brighter than the bonfire—a match to Aislinn’s own desire.
She couldn’t bring herself to say anything, longing holding her throat tight.
Hakon said nothing, either. Just moved to stand alongside her again.
The celebration resumed around them, full of familiar noises and sights. She could have resumed their friendship in that moment, too. Let things slip back to the way they were.
It may have been the safer, wiser thing to do, but it wasn’t what she wanted.
And so…
She slid her hand into his, pulse fluttering at her throat to feel how large his palm was against hers. With a little tug on hishand, she said softly, “Come with me?”
He turned his face to hers, his expression full of hunger.
“Anywhere.”
Hakon’s body burned even as they passed from the light of the bonfire into the cool, murky shadows of the estate’s outer buildings. Other figures moved in purple blurs out in the darkness, but Hakon paid them no heed.
He let Aislinn lead him into the darkness, enthralled by the hypnotic sway of her hips. He’d seen her in finery before, but there was something about this dress—a deep, flushing pink that nearly matched her cheeks when she blushed—that had his blood running hot ever since he spied her in the early afternoon.
Fates, he’d been so envious of Orek all day. The male fretted over nothing, there was no question that his bride would emerge at the appointed time. Still, his anxiousness to see his mate and officially begin their new life in the eyes of the humans was endearing.
Hakon’s own anxiousness was sharper. Ever since that afternoon in the garden, he’d been filled with nothing but agonizing hopes that sank their fangs into him and wouldn’t let go.
His beast was insufferable; even now, as he held her hand and followed her into the soft darkness, the infernal thing wouldn’t be silent. Anticipation held his heart in a tight fist, and he could barely breathe beyond it.
The darkness wasn’t too thick, and his orcish eyes had noproblem seeing that she led them to the far side of the stables. She found her way without error, and under a tree, after a moment of waiting to hear if anyone was nearby, she turned to face him.
Hakon wondered if she could hear his heart beating thunderously, for to his ears it was louder than the drums had been.
Her small hand came to rest on his chest as she stepped forward into the curve of his body, and he leaned down to meet her. Her scent filled his nose, a sweet mix of roses and honey and…mead.
He looked at her eyes, but of course the pupils were blown wide in the dark.
