How to Fail at Escaping an Alpha Orc (How to Fail #3)

20. Chapter TwentyDaria

Chapter Twenty

Daria

S omeone was standing at the foot of the bed, staring at me. It was dark outside, perhaps early morning, considering the time when I fell asleep. Marcus and I had spent the whole day, as he had promised, in bed except for the bathroom and food breaks. And now we were finally at rest, at least for a little while. Except something had disturbed me with whispering.

I’d turned to look to Marcus, but he was sound asleep on his back, for once not thrown across my body. I squinted, trying to adjust my vision to the dark, but it was still too dark to see. At first, I thought it was Angie, but the figure was too tall. However, it wasn’t Sam. The frame was thinner and shorter. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and slid on the flashlight app.

A woman stood there, unfazed by the light on her face. She appeared to be young, with long, dark hair feathered around her face. Her clothes were out of date: a white turtleneck, tan fringe vest, and high-waisted bell bottoms. Her mouth was moving, but I couldn’t understand what she was saying at first. And then I understood.

“Can you see me? Please, can you see me?” she repeated over and over.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

I knew that wasn’t the question most people would ask when they woke up to a stranger in their room, but I had enough experience with this to know that who I was looking at was not human. This was a ghost.

“Can you see me?” she asked.

I nodded slowly. “Yes. What’s your name?”

She touched her chest, looking relieved. “Oh, thank God. I’m Ruby.”

I sat up, taking some of the blanket with me. I was fully naked and didn’t want to flash a ghost. “Hi, Ruby. I’m Daria. Do you know where you are?”

She nodded, then looked over to Marcus who was still sleeping. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I felt a pull here. We all have. We couldn’t narrow it down at first, but I found you. Someone who can speak to the deceased. We rarely get those with your power around here.”

“Who’s ‘we’?”

“Oh, sorry. There are a bunch of us. There’s a cemetery almost a mile away from here.”

I frowned. “Everyone’s a ghost there?”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “No. Many are dead-dead, but there are a few of us still here. Unable to get to heaven or wherever we’re supposed to be.” She rounded my side of the bed. “Could you help us? Maybe give messages to our loved ones or whoever is left. That might help us move on. There aren’t that many of us that are still around. Just seven.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but Marcus shifted beside me. “She can’t leave the house right now. But she can help you later,” he stated.

I poked out my lips, contemplating. He was right. It would be risky to go to the cemetery. “You can bring them here. I’ll take down their messages, and they can give me the names and last known locations of their loved ones. It might take some time, and I can’t go anywhere now. However, I promise I’ll help you later.”

Marcus grumbled beside me, and I ignored him. He was probably already pissed enough that a ghost was able to get through the wards. He definitely wouldn’t want more. However, I had other plans. I smiled at Ruby. “I’ll help you. Can you come back tomorrow?”

Ruby looked over at me again. “Sorry for bothering you. It’s still too early, and I didn’t think of the time. I’ll return tomorrow at a more respectful hour.”

She waved, disappearing before our eyes. I turned fully to Marcus, who was still staring at the space Ruby had vacated, a concerned look on his face. He was no doubt wondering how she got in. “She wasn’t a threat to us. That’s how she got through the ward.”

Marcus shifted, sitting up. “I still don’t like it.”

I rubbed his arm. He was still like a furnace but not as bad as earlier. His rut was finally coming to an end. “I didn’t know there was a cemetery so close by. That could be a good thing.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“I could raise an army of the undead to fight Death Mask. The ghosts could aid us in distracting them.”

He grimaced.

I rolled my eyes. “You’re being stubborn. We need support. Harris isn’t helping us. The police aren’t going to show up for us until it’s too late, not to mention we can’t trust them all. The coven might show up, but they aren’t going to waste their resources until they have to. Like the police, they are spread thin.”

“How do you think the ghosts will feel being used like that?”

“Well, I’m helping the ghosts. The rest of the bodies, well, their souls, have left.”

Marcus huffed, twisting his lips. He really didn’t like my plan.

“What’s the problem? We don’t have any other options. If Death Mask shows up, what are we going to do?”

He growled and flung the covers off, spinning to his side of the bed and giving me his back. He lowered his feet to the ground and dropped his head, shoulders hunched. Defeated was the only word I could think of to describe him. Except for when I drugged him, he seemed like the kind of guy who was always in control. It disturbed me to see him like this. “I don’t know, Daria. I’ll work something out, though. And do ghosts usually show up like that out of the blue?”

I moved over to his side and wrapped my legs around either side of him. I pressed the side of my left cheek against his muscular back, enjoying the feel of his smooth skin against my own. I liked wrapping myself around him, too. “They have in the past. While in my room, the bathroom, cooking in the kitchen, working out. I typically have a special ward up at home to keep them out. I didn’t think about it when we got here. It looked like we weren’t surrounded by much life, so ghosts wouldn’t be around. And whatever ward you used to keep me trapped at the beach house didn’t seem to cause any ghost issues. Now that I know we’re near a cemetery, another ghost hot spot, I’ll have to recite a ghost ward.”

“You’re amazing.”

I shrugged. “I’m okay. Look, Marcus, I know you don’t get a chance to depend on others. People give you a problem, and you solve it. You have built a life where you have a routine on what you need to do to get the job done. It’s given you comfort. Now, you’re in a position where you don’t have that, and it’s stressful. Having to rely on anyone else to try to fix it seems reckless. I get it. But see, I don’t want to die, so I’m going to do everything I can to survive myself. I didn’t get this far in life having to rely on you. I have resources. My family can help, but if you think they won’t try to raise an undead army as well, you’re crazy. And they will do it if they think there isn’t any other option. My parents are calling every day, and if you don’t have an answer for them soon, it will be Night of the Living Dead up in here.”

Marcus snorted, his back raising in a short chuckle. “My omega is smart.”

I encircled my arms around his torso, well, part of it. “Say it again.”

“My omega is smart. And sexy and…fuck…”

He groaned as I wrapped my hand around his dick, gripping it tightly in the way I’d discovered he liked it. I quickly stroked him to life. “You need to let go and let me help. Can you do that for me?”

He jutted his hips forward to match the movements from my hand, groaning. “Shit, yes. But you’re playing dirty.”

I stroked him faster, squeezing harder. “Says the man who kidnapped me and claimed me without discussion. You’re lucky I liked you before you bit me.”

“Sssooorrry.”

I was absolutely turned on by the control I had over him at the moment. I had this big strong orc in the palm of my hands. I felt powerful. “I don’t think I believe you, but you’re forgiven. But there is another thing I’d like to do.”

He gripped my thighs, and I knew he was close to coming, exactly how I wanted it. “Anything, little flower.”

“I’d like to talk to your brother.”

“Shit, fuck that,” he replied through gritted teeth.

I paused my movement, and he swore. He then wrapped his hand around mine and began to pump himself. “Brat,” he said in a low voice.

I pressed my teeth into a meaty part of his back, and I smiled as I heard him suck in a breath.

“Fuck, fine. We’ll talk to the bastard.”

I rubbed my breasts against his back “Yea!”

He chuckled and then let go of my hand. I took that to mean he wanted me to finish what I started without any help. I continued to stroke him until his body jerked, and he erupted. Hot liquid splashed on my hand and arm, and I didn’t stop until I felt nothing more.

My alpha was finally giving up control.

***

Later that morning, Marcus called his brother again, this time as a video call and on my phone so he’d answer. He propped the phone up on the fireplace mantel so that we could take turns popping on and off the screen. The phone rang for so long that I thought we might want to hang up and text him, but Marcus stated that Harris rarely answered on the first few rings and seemed to wait until just before the voicemail message came on.

Soon, the screen opened, and a green orc with a scowl appeared. He wore black-framed glasses over his violet-colored eyes. There was a more professional look to him, sophisticated even. He had a square jaw compared to Marcus and Sam, with a narrower nose. His lips were a bit thinner but wider, and his tusks were sharper but slightly smaller than Marcus.’ Despite the difference, he was just as handsome. His hair was long and pulled back in what looked like a braid that hung past his shoulders. From what I could see, he was wearing a well-tailored navy blue, three-piece suit. Not what I envisioned a head of a mafia group would be like but then again, I didn’t know much about mob bosses.

“What?” he stated more than asked.

“And hello to you, too,” Marcus spat back with a frown.

Sam leaned past him and waved his middle finger at the screen. “Hey, fucker. Thanks for helping to save your baby brother.”

Harris looked unfazed as he sat back in his chair. Based on the background, he seemed to be in an office, with some large boring paintings flanked by bookcases behind him. “You got out fine.”

“Yeah, no thanks to you, dickhead. I'd be dead if it wasn’t for Marcus and his awesome mate.”

“Ok.”

“What a dick,” Angie whispered, standing by me off camera.

I agreed. I wondered if my power would reach across technology to allow Harris to see and hear her.

Sam growled, a mixture of disgust and disappointment on his face. “She risked her life for me.”

“It was my understanding that she was kid? Wait a minute. Did you say she was his mate?” Harris looked over to Marcus. “You made her your mate?”

Marcus lifted his upper lip in a silent snarl. “Yes. Not that it’s any of your business. You disowned me, remember?”

Harris closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if he were learning the world’s worst news. I wasn’t sure if I should be offended or not. “You were always so impulsive. Why’d you call me? I told you I’m not helping you out of this mess you created.”

“It’s not what I created!” Marcus shouted. “I was saving my brother, and they wouldn’t let us go. They were going to kill Sam, use up Daria for her powers, and use me as their enforcer. Maybe against you.”

Harris opened his eyes. “Then I would have two dead brothers.”

Right, he was seriously a jerk. My family hadn’t turned their backs on me when I left the business. They still loved me. This guy behaved like his brothers stabbed him in the back. I had had enough.

I stepped closer to Marcus so that I could be on the camera now. I smiled and waved. “Hi there, I’m the infamous necromancer, Daria. And it feels like you guys could use some family therapy. It is healing. Marcus is impulsive and stubborn, but don’t you think he deserves a life to pursue something other than being your hitman? And Sam, too. Outside of being an addict.”

Sam raised an index finger. “I’m recovering.”

I didn’t look away from the phone. “Sure. Being the oldest can leave you with responsibilities you may not have wanted, but will you be so cruel as to force that burden on your younger brothers? Marcus did his time, and Sam…” Wow, I had nothing for that guy’s defense. “The point is your brothers need you. And you will regret turning your back on them. And I think you know that. I think if you get past the hurt, maybe even jealousy at their freedom, you’ll see that you’re not mad at them. You’re mad at the situation you were forced into.”

I didn’t know what I was talking about. I recalled a similar plot line from one of the romance books I’d read and it seemed fitting. However, Harris had to know how insane he was behaving. Orcs lived long lives. This would affect him.

Harris considered me for a moment, not speaking. Wait, maybe I was on to something. Who said romance books were a waste? “What would you offer me for saving you?” he finally said.

“Unbelievable,” Angie cried, moving into focus next to me. “You are a real asshole.”

I glanced over at her. “I’m not sure he can hear you.”

Harris narrowed his eyes, leaning forward. “Who are you talking to?”

I looked back at him. Well, that answered my earlier question. “I also see ghosts and can make others in my vicinity see them. That doesn’t transfer through the phone.”

He grimaced. “What is that ghost saying about me?”

He was the paranoid type. Perhaps rightfully so. “You’re smart enough to know it isn’t anything nice. But as far as what I can offer, well, that is why I wanted to talk to you. As you probably know, I come from a very famous necromancing family. I would assume a man at your level does their research, even for things they don’t claim to care about.”

He didn’t respond, so I kept going. “My family has dabbled in helping some folks that have been a little amoral. So, I’m sure, no, I know, that they will do a favor for you if you help defend us against Death Mask and this Rorrick demon. I mean, they’ll help you within limits. They won’t raise an undead army to kill a bunch of innocent people, but there are other uses we can offer. Me included, of course. And I know you know how expensive necromancy can be, so we’d help free of charge.”

He seemed to mull that over. “How many services?”

Marcus growled behind me, now off-camera. “You would ask for more than one?”

“For the resources and lives I’d be risking to fight a gang and a deadly undead demon? Yes.”

I nodded, understanding. “How many would you want?”

“Five.”

Five? What was he trying to do? Still, I didn’t have much of a choice right now. If my family would help, which I knew they would, I’d have to. I was already practically married to a former criminal, I might as well cross over and hope I didn’t wind up behind bars. How had my life become this? “Fine.”

Marcus stepped into view beside me. “Care to talk details now?”

Harris nodded. “Tell me how bad this situation is so I can prepare properly.”

Sam stuck his head into view. “I really appreciate you doing this out of love and affection for your brothers,” he said sarcastically.

I tapped his shoulder, pulling him back. “Not now,” I muttered.

The funny thing was, Harris was helping out of love. Only, for some pigheaded reason, he didn’t want his brothers to know. Ultimately, it didn’t matter. We were getting help. It was possible we’d be able to take out this demon gang. I think. Were orcs stronger than demons?

We were going to find out.