The main street ran straight through the center of town, lined with old storefronts and buildings that had been abandoned by humans years ago. The structures had the worn, weathered look of a former logging community, but the orcs had made them functional again.
The diner still had its faded red vinyl booths visible through the windows, though Audrey doubted the kitchen appliances worked anymore.
The old grocery store on the corner showed empty shelves and broken freezers through its dusty glass.
Houses scattered around the main street and up the hillsides, all of them repaired and reinforced, their roofs patched and windows replaced.
Morgath brought the car to a stop in front of what used to be the community center. The doors stood wide open, and warm light spilled out into the dimming evening. He climbed down from the vehicle and turned to help Audrey, extending one massive hand toward her. She took it, forcing herself to move gracefully. His fingers closed around hers with unexpected gentleness.
Raknar the Steadfast appeared beside them, reaching for her duffel bag in the back of the car.
Audrey stiffened.
“Don’t.”
Morgath laughed at her reaction, the sound rumbling deep in his chest.
“Raknar will take your bag to my house,” he said, his tone playful. “Why are you so prickly all of a sudden? What do you have in there that’s so precious?”
Audrey forced a smile and batted her lashes at him, channeling every ounce of false sweetness she could muster.
“Oh, nothing. Just a gun and my knife collection. I plan to slit your throat in your sleep.”
Morgath’s laughter exploded out of him, thunderous and genuine. Several of the watching orcs shifted and murmured among themselves. He released her hand and placed his palm on the small of her back, pushing her firmly toward the open doors of the community center.
“Come,” he said, still chuckling. “Let’s eat.”
The interior had been transformed into a feast hall. A massive table dominated the space, surrounded by heavy wooden chairs that looked like they’d been built specifically to hold the weight of orcs.
The table was piled high with food, more food than Audrey had ever seen in one place. Whole roasted animals filled enormous platters, their skin crackling and golden. She recognized boar and deer, and what might have been rabbit, all of them cooked to perfection and sending up trails of steam into the air. Root vegetables sat in carved wooden bowls, their earthy smell mixing with the rich scent of the roasted meat. Fresh bread had been torn into chunks and scattered across smaller plates, and wild berries filled several bowls.
The smells hit her hard and made her stomach clench with hunger.
Wine and beer filled large pitchers that sat along the table. Heavy mugs waited beside each place setting.
The orcs began filing in from the street. They moved with purpose, each one seeming to know exactly where they belonged, and within moments, the table was surrounded by green-skinned warriors, all still watching Audrey with varying degrees of interest.
Morgath the Skullreaper took his place at the head of the table, and before Audrey could even think about where she was supposed to sit, he reached out and pulled her directly onto his lap. She yelped and tried to push away from him, her hands pressing against his chest, but he gripped her tightly around the waist and held her in place. His mouth came close to her ear, his breath hot against her skin even through the skull helmet.
“Settle down,” he whispered. “Behave.”
“Or what?” she shot back, still struggling against his hold.
“Don’t challenge me, morsel.”
The word came out almost affectionate, which only made it more infuriating.
“What did you call me? Morsel?”
“Yes. Because you’re tiny, and annoying enough that I could eat you in one bite just to be done with you.”
His grip tightened fractionally – a warning.
They whispered to each other while both trying to smile. The orcs were watching to see how their captain would handle his new human bride. They were performing, signaling to the horde that everything was perfectly fine, that their captain had claimed a mate and was pleased with her.
Morgath banged his fist on the table, demanding silence. All eyes turned to him.
“This is Audrey,” he announced. “My bride. From this day on, any of you who wants a human bride can go get one, and she will be welcomed into the horde and treated as one of our own, just like Audrey.”
