Summoning the Orc (The Kingverse Orcs #2)

Chapter Eight

Becca

Oh my Gods.

Rok had almost put me to sleep with whatever hypnotic sound was leaving his chest, but when I heard the car honking its horn, I’d opened my eyes to find that we were facing off against a minivan in the middle of the street .

Instead of moving in any other direction, he had pulled his gigantic axe free and slammed it into the hood of the car. I didn’t know what the hell he or that axe was made of, but he’d all but cut it in half .

The ogre and his wife exited the car, staring at the axe and then Rok in shock. Rok pulled his axe free, tucking it into the band of leather on his back as if nothing was wrong. His expression said that he didn’t have a single ounce of remorse inside him. I gaped up at him, and he beamed down at me .

“I’m so sorry,” I told the couple, but when he realized I wasn’t looking at him anymore, Rok pulled me closer against him and continued on his path forward into the fray of cars. I squealed, pressing my face into his chest, praying that no one hit us.

The sound of squealing tires and shouted curses surrounded us, but I kept my face buried in the male’s strong chest, murmuring the words, “This can’t be happening,” over and over again. Maybe if I said it enough, the universe would hear me and stop the madness. I didn’t have much hope, since minutes passed and the male holding me like I was the tiniest twig of a female—which was the furthest thing from the truth—didn’t slow his pace.

His stride was purposeful, but I had no idea where he was going. I didn’t know Grebath at all, and without my handy-dandy navigation app telling me which direction to walk to, I’d be lost every time I walked out of a building.

I still didn’t understand how I could learn every inch and crag of a library like the back of my hand, but I needed technology to tell me how to get to a coffee shop two blocks away. More often than not, I embraced my chaos, but in this moment, when a strange orc who smelled like sin was carrying me off to Gods knew where, I wished I could be more self-reliant.

Those long strides sped up and a grunt of satisfaction rumbled in Rok’s chest. I lifted my head, peeking over his shoulder and watched as the streets of Grebath disappeared into a deeply forested area. I squeaked in protest, but Rok continued forward.

Of course he’d take me to the only place in the entire city that would terrify me.

I didn’t do well with the outdoors. Most things about it terrified me. I loved reading about the different creatures and plants that existed, but when faced with them in real life, I was almost certain I would run right back into my library.

There were bugs here. And wild animals. While I felt as though I could find a way to become best friends with a raccoon—and I was almost certain they could be bribed with treats—there might also be bears around. Or a feral goose that was looking for human-flesh for dinner.

I tried to scramble out of the male’s arms, but he readjusted me, tightening his arms around me and giving me a small smack to my ass—which I should be deeply offended by, I was sure, and not at all titillated by the sensation the way I was. He growled a few words in that language that I was now cursing myself for not learning.

I’d been intrigued when Dristan had started teaching Penelope Orcish. She could now say a few phrases—that I was almost certain were filthy when translated—that made him grin at her and rush her out of the room.

At first, I’d wanted to learn, but after meeting Rudgar and realizing that he wasn’t the male I’d been waiting for my entire life, I’d settled into the realization that perhaps my mate wasn’t an orc. And if he wasn’t, while a few swear words might come in handy to toss at my best friend’s mate it wouldn’t make sense to learn it.

I’m regretting that decision now.

Rok froze where he stood, his head tilted to the side as he stared straight ahead with narrowed eyes. I turned to look at where he was going, since he’d been moving through the forest as if he was familiar with it.

A cave stood in front of us, but it was blocked by a huge wooden partition. There were signs on the front warning against trespassing.

“Oh no, what a shame,” I told Rok in a squeaky voice, pointing at the signs. “It looks like we can’t get in. I guess we just have to go back to the city.” I tried to sound put out, but I knew the glee could be heard in my voice.

I leaned back to look at him and he was staring down at me with calculation in his gaze. My eyes widened as he withdrew his axe again and I shook my head.

“No, Rok. No ,” I told him, releasing my hold on his muscular shoulder long enough to point at him with my finger.

He quirked one dark eyebrow at me before he twirled the axe and bashed it with precision into the partition.

“Stop,” I cried, shaking his shoulders, but with a few quick cuts, the partition fell. I gaped at the massive hole he’d left behind. Impenetrable darkness was on the other side. If I had to rank my fears, the darkness trumped the woods any day of the week. “Oh, no. I’m not going in there—”

My words cut off on a scream as he stepped inside, ignoring me. The darkness surrounded us and I buried my face against his throat with a small sob. The male froze, moving backward out of the cave right away.

I lifted my face to peer around, breathing a sigh of relief that he’d returned us to the well-lit forest. I licked my lips and looked up at Rok and his brow was furrowed as he searched my expression.

“I don’t like the dark,” I told him, pointing to the cave and shaking my head.

I knew he couldn’t understand me, but as his gaze switched between my face and the cave, he released a little grunt. He turned around, moving between the trees and searching for something on the floor. I had no idea what he was looking for until he dipped and started gathering dried branches and sticks and pushed them through the leather straps he was wearing.

He could have put me down at any time, but every now and again, he tugged me close and nuzzled my hair, growling low in his throat. I held on for dear life, not wanting him to put me down on the forest floor in case there were scorpions or frogs. Either of those would be equally terrifying to me. I was certain that if I saw a snake, I would die without any questions about venom potency being needed.

I started helping, reaching with him to gather more wood—making sure that he dug his hand around on the floor first to ensure there weren’t any bugs—and holding them in the crook of my arm. Rok growled the first time I did it, but I was certain it wasn’t displeasure. In fact, the way his eyes twinkled with amusement gave away that he was enjoying my attempts to help. We were both overflowing with dried wood by the time we were back to the entrance of the cave. He lowered me to the floor, gesturing toward me with one hand.

Stay there , was what I was almost certain he was trying to say to me. I eyed the forest behind him, but I already knew I would have no idea where I was going. I stood there instead, trying to keep the sticks and branches steady in my arms as I reached for my phone.

I slowed when I saw what Rok was doing. He’d taken the largest branch and wrapped something around it from his satchel. A little clay bottle was next and he poured something over it. When he lit it next, my eyes widened and I was staring in awe as the male made a torch.

A laugh bubbled out of me, gleeful that I was witnessing something so amazing. I’d seen it a million times in the movies, but within seconds, this male had created something that I thought only hat and whip-wielding archeologists could do.

Rok looked over at me when I laughed and his matching grin made something warm and sweet flutter in my stomach. It ended abruptly when he lifted me into his arms again, holding the torch out in front of him as he moved toward the cave.

“Oh, wait, wait, no—” I started, but he continued forward and when we entered, I only squeaked, since the torch lit up the interior entrance. As we moved forward, Rok lifted his head, scenting around him, before walking with purpose.

I held onto him, certain we were going to meet a very large, very angry bear or fall to our death through a trap-hole. Either of those would be preferable to being faced with a million bats, so I didn’t look up, burying my face against his throat again. He pressed what I was sure was a kiss to the top of my head, but he didn’t falter.