His mate was a priestess, that much he’d figured out on his own, but she was also a scientist — a curious shift in occupation, especially for someone born into Sanctuary life.
Is that all?It was hardly more than he’d figured out on his own.
Somehow more frustrated than when he began reading, Kaz quickly flipped through the rest of the packet. Beneath her basic profile were several scientific articles written by her, as well as her government-required ability information sheet, or AIS.
He let out a huff when he realized what it was.I already know she’s a telekinetic,he thought, bruised forehead throbbing with the reminder.So I don’t need to…
He blinked.
Designation: Gloriana
Primary Ability: Empathy
Secondary Ability: Telekinesis
Kaz slowly lowered the packet between his knees. Turning his head, he stared at the closed bathroom door and listened to the sounds of her moving around in the shower, picking up a tiny soap bottle and then putting it down again.
My mate’s an empath.
He wasn’t sure why it surprised him, but it did. Perhaps it was because, if he were dumb enough to believe in something like fate, he struggled to imagine the gods pairing him with someone so… sensitive.
Kaz was nothing but hard edges. His life had begun in misery, and his very existence had not only killed his own mother, but his siblings’ as well. He was a blight — so utterly unfit for an empathetic priestess that it boggled the mind.
And yet hewantedher.
He wanted her with a fierceness that terrified him. What would it be like to have the love and devotion of someone so soft in his clutches? The beast in him howled for it, but the man balked.
I’ll break her.
That driving, feral need that clawed at his insides was the very same one that tipped his father over the murderous edge. He was leery of the pull stealing his autonomy, yes, but he simply couldn’t handle it hurting Atria. It was bad enough when he thought she simplylookedsoft.
Now that he knew she was an empath, Kaz felt like someone had shoved a live grenade in his hands and said,Don’t fuck up.
It took a moment for the implications of it all to sink in. When it did, the blood drained from his face in one great, woozy rush.
She can feel me.
The thought was so horrifying, he immediately shoved it away. He couldn’t think of her seeing him that way.Knowingthings. He did his best to never acknowledge his own feelings. Only the gods knew what kind of fucked up he was beneath the bubbling rage he carried every second of every day.
Well, the gods and now Atria, apparently.
Can’t think about that now.
Stomach turning, he hastily flipped the page. Beneath her AIS was an Iron Chain sponsored fact sheet titled,So You’ve Taken the Kohl: What to do, how to manage it, and best practices for a successful and happy mating!
Lip curling over his teeth, his gaze bounced over the first ridiculous point —1. Get consent before snatching! —and then down.
3. Nesting is best-ing! Don’t fight the urge to nest. Orcs who put it off can become increasingly territorial, possessive, and sexually frustrated. Nesting materials (blankets, clothing, and pillows) should be provided to one’s mate as soon as possible to avoid agitation and begin the bonding process. A dark, tightly enclosed space with no windows is ideal for cozying up! And don’t forget: scentmarking is a normal part of the process. Don’t be embarrassed. Be thorough!
Unbidden, the image of Atria welcoming him into a dense pile of blankets and pillows saturated with her scent, her skin smeared with his release and her cheeks flushed, made his cock jerk against his unforgiving zipper. He bit back a groan.
He’d always thought the need to be invited into a mate’s nest was a cultural thing, since he’d never felt so much as a twinge below his belt at the thought before.Now,though, the wet spot on his thigh told him otherwise.
“Fuck this,” he growled, reaching over to snatch up the discarded envelope. He shoved the packet back inside just in time for the bathroom door to open.
The paper crinkled under his suddenly tense grip.
Atria stood in the doorway, silhouetted by harsh fluorescent light. Steam swirled around her. It gave her form a gauzy, dreamlike quality as she stood there in nothing more than a tiny satin nightie.
