Audrey ran back to her room before he discovered her spying through the keyhole. She closed the door as quietly as she could and leaned against it. Her panties were soaked through, ruined. That was the hottest thing she’d ever witnessed.
Was he thinking about her? Probably not. He didn’t even like her. He’d made that perfectly clear.
But her body didn’t seem to care about that fact. Her fingers inched toward the waistband of her pants, trembling with the need to touch herself, to relieve the ache that was building between her legs.
She stopped herself with a groan and pressed her hands flat against the door instead. She would not touch herself thinking about him. She refused. This was just a physical reaction, nothing more.
She hadn’t had any action in months because she’d been too focused on planning this mission, and her body was simplyresponding to the presence of the strongest, hottest male she’d ever seen. That was all. It didn’t mean anything.
Audrey pushed away from the door and climbed into bed, pulling the blankets up over her head, as if that would somehow block out the images burned into her brain. She lay staring at the ceiling and knew that sleep would not come easily tonight.
Chapter Eight
Audrey woke to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar windows and had no idea where she was. She sat up fast and looked around the plain bedroom, with its simple furniture and bare walls.
Then it all came back to her. The institute, Morgath the Skullreaper choosing her, the feast where he’d made her sit on his lap in front of his entire horde.
She felt a jolt of determination. Today, she’d start her real work. Today, she’d begin identifying the orcs one by one, until she found the one who’d killed her family.
The night before came rushing back too, and she groaned out loud as she covered her face with her hands. Images of Morgath stroking his obscene cock flooded her mind without permission. She’d watched him through the keyhole like some kind of pervert, and now she couldn’t stop seeing it. She shook her head hard and shoved the memory away, making it a firm point to not think about it ever again. It didn’t matter that he was objectively attractive, or that his body was perfect, or that his cock was ridiculously big. Nope, none of it mattered.
Audrey would control herself.
She jumped out of bed and took a quick shower, not letting herself linger under the hot water. She got out, dried off, and pulled on jeans and a thick wool pullover, then tugged on her boots. She looked in the bathroom mirror and tried to do something with her short red hair, but it stuck up in every direction no matter what she did. She gave up after a minute and declared it a lost cause, running her fingers through it one last time before heading for the door.
She saw that Morgath’s bedroom door was ajar. He wasn’t inside. The house was empty and silent, and she was glad for it, because she didn’t want to face him yet. She steeled herself andwalked through the living room to the front door, stepping out into warm sunlight that made her squint. The early spring air felt chilly. She stood on the porch for a moment and looked at the town spread out before her, orcs moving between buildings and going about their business.
She needed to get on with her mission and get to know these orcs, all of them. She needed to talk to them, look at their faces, and figure out which one she was looking for. Once she identified him, she could figure out how to kill him without getting caught. Then she could call in the Tusk Hunters to finish the job, if they decided to take care of the horde’s captain and mage, too. It was still under debate.
Audrey decided to start with the diner. She walked down the street and pushed open the door, stepping inside to find about a dozen orcs scattered at tables throughout the space. The conversation died the moment she appeared, and every single one of them turned to stare at her. She felt completely out of place standing in the doorway, with all those dark eyes fixed on her, but she forced herself to wave at them and smile. She had no idea what to do next.
A female orc wearing a stained apron approached her from behind the counter. She was tall and bulky, with strong arms that looked like they could snap Audrey in half. Her dark hair fell in thick dreadlocks down her back. Her dark eyes were warm, though, and when she smiled, she revealed perfect teeth and sharp tusks that gleamed white against her green skin. The tattoos on her face and neck marked her as a grunt.
“Would you like something to eat?” the orc asked.
Audrey nodded.
“I’m Zulka the Proud, and I can get you anything your heart desires,” the orc continued, gesturing toward the kitchen. “You need to put some meat on your bones.”
Audrey frowned at that. Because it was ridiculous. She was big enough for a woman. But maybe orcs saw it differently. To them, she was small and fragile, and she’d remain that way no matter what she did or how much she ate.
“I’d love a cup of coffee,” Audrey said.
“We don’t have any,” Zulka said, shaking her head with an apologetic smile. “I heard that coffee is the humans’ one true love, but we don’t like the bitter taste. I’ll be sure to put coffee on the list for when we go shopping again.”
“Tea is great too,” Audrey said quickly, not wanting to be difficult on her first morning here.
Zulka nodded and headed toward the kitchen.
Audrey went to sit at the bar, but when Zulka disappeared through the kitchen door, she felt uncomfortable with all the orcs still watching her from their tables. She made a quick decision and followed Zulka.
The kitchen was large and warm, filled with the smell of baking bread and cooking meat. Two more female orcs worked at the counters. They both looked up when Audrey entered.
The first was smaller than Zulka, rounder too, with moss green skin and pointy ears. She looked older than the others.
“I’m Maika the Nurturing,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron.
The second orc was tall and solid, all lean muscle without an ounce of softness. One of her tusks was chipped.
