Chapter Nine
Audrey wandered around all day with no particular destination in mind, her satisfaction from provoking Morgath earlier still warming her chest. He pissed her off constantly, with his orders and his arrogance, so she loved it when she could do the same to him.
She found a wide-open field at the edge of town, where a herd of krags grazed by the stream. Rolling green grass stretched out before her, dotted with wildflowers that swayed in the breeze. The stream cut through the field, clear water sparkling in the afternoon sun.
She saw a few orcs brushing the krags, and spotted Brakus the Immovable among them.
She waved at him, thinking he’d remember her from the diner.
But he only nodded before turning his back to her, returning his attention to the dark gray krag he was grooming.
She frowned. It was only her first day with the horde, after all.
It was natural they wouldn’t all accept her so easily.
She stood at the edge of the field and just stared at the krags for a while, watching them graze, snort, and shake their heads. It was oddly relaxing. Even though they were huge animals, and seriously dangerous, they had a calming effect on her.
When one of the creatures approached her side and sniffed her, she jumped in surprise.
The smell hit her, that warm animal scent like horses carried, earthy and musky.
Its hot breath was too close for her liking, each exhale washing over her shoulder and neck.
She saw the size of its teeth when it opened its mouth.
The mane looked soft and inviting, and part of her wanted to reach out and touch it, but she wasn’t crazy enough to try.
Audrey put distance between herself and the beast, backing away with measured steps.
When the krag followed her with what seemed like curiosity, she turned on her heel and walked briskly back into town.
She had seen krags before, of course. But she and the Tusk Hunters knew to always lure their targets off their krags, where they were vulnerable.
An orc was hard enough to take down with three to four people working together. A krag was impossible.
She went to grab lunch with the females in the kitchen, grateful for their company. She spent the rest of the afternoon with them, listening to their chatter and learning the rhythms of the horde’s daily life.
At some point, Morgrim the Brooding walked in through the open back door with a huge boar slung across his shoulders. He dropped it on a large table with a heavy thud, then proceeded to help Zulka, Dorsha, and Maika clean it and prepare it for dinner.
As fascinated as Audrey was by the process, the scene quickly became too much for her.
The blood pooling on the table, the precise cutting through hide and muscle, the gutting that exposed organs and bone.
Her stomach turned, and nausea rose in her throat.
It was entirely possible she wouldn’t be able to eat tonight.
She got up and walked out of the diner, deciding it was time to retreat to her and Morgath’s house. She didn’t want to call it home. It would’ve been utterly ridiculous.
She shut herself in her room and was thinking of calling the Tusk Hunters when she heard Morgath enter through the front door. Everything he did was loud, his footsteps heavy enough that the ground seemed to shake under him. She could track his movements through the house by sound alone.
He banged harshly on her door, his fist making the wood rattle in its frame.
“Are you in here? Audrey!”
She opened the door and blinked up at him.
“What?”
He growled at her, his voice low and rough.
“What was that earlier?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t push me, Audrey.” His voice went quieter, the words coming through gritted teeth. “Never defy me like that again.”
“I only pointed out the truth,” she said.
“You’re listening at doors now?” he demanded. “In the middle of the night?”
“It’s not my fault you were so loud,” she shot back.
“Mind your own damn business,” he said. “And put on a dress for dinner.”
She turned falsely sweet, letting a smile curve her lips.
“You’re going to put me on your lap again, rub yourself against me, and feed me with your own hand?”
“My horde thinks I claimed you last night,” he said. “That my seed has been seeping out of you all day. So yes, that’s exactly what I’ll do until they are fully convinced you’re here to stay and they can take their own brides.”
“When do you think they’ll be fully convinced?” she asked.
He shrugged. “When they’ll start visiting the institutes.”
He turned on his heel and walked out without another word, as if the whole point had been to scold her, give her an order, and his job was now done.
Audrey groaned to herself and pinched the bridge of her nose.
She went to the dresser and pulled out the same green dress she’d worn when they’d first met. She was dying to see his reaction. She put on some makeup, then made her way to the community center, ready to put on whatever show he needed.
The atmosphere inside was warmer and less tense than the previous night. The orcs were more relaxed, laughing and talking as they ate. Their voices filled the space with a comfortable rumble that made the room feel alive.
Morgath pulled her onto his lap as soon as she approached, his arm wrapping around her waist to hold her in place. He fed her, offering her pieces of roasted meat and bread, while the other orcs watched with approval.
Audrey was growing increasingly frustrated by the skull helmet and the barrier it created between them. Her hands twitched with the need to remove it, so she could see his face.
It shouldn’t matter what he looked like, she told herself. She didn’t need to know. It was better for her not to see his face, so she wouldn’t get attached to him. Seeing his face might humanize him.
All evening, she could feel his hard cock pressed against her ass, the heat of it burning through the thin fabric of her dress. Every time she shifted, she felt it twitch and throb.
To provoke him, she rubbed herself against him with deliberate slowness. She pressed her whole body against his chest, letting her curves mold to his solid frame. She even hooked her arms around his neck and leaned in close, her lips nearly brushing the bone of his skull mask.
“Do you think I’m convincing enough?” she whispered.
He responded with a restrained grunt, his body going rigid.
She became bolder and leaned in to trace his neck with her nose, breathing in the scent of him. His pulse beat strong underneath his skin, and she felt his breath catch.
Unexpectedly, Morgath pushed her off him and rose to his feet, the movement so sudden she nearly fell. The orcs quieted down and stared at him, their conversations dying mid-sentence.
He only grunted in annoyance and left, his footsteps hurried as he walked out of the building.
Audrey took his seat and gingerly proceeded to finish her meal, trying to ignore his outburst and the confusion it had caused around the table.
After a while, the orcs turned back to their food, and their conversations resumed.
From across the room, Maika the Nurturing smiled at her and nodded, her expression warm and encouraging.
Later that night, when Audrey was in bed struggling to fall asleep, it felt like she was waiting for something to happen. She lay in the darkness with her eyes open, listening to the sounds of the house.
She didn’t have to wait long before she heard him grunt and moan, the sounds carrying through the thin walls.
She told herself she’d stay put this time. She even pressed a pillow over her head, trying to block out the noise. But she couldn’t help herself, and before she knew what she was doing, she had gotten out of bed and crossed to his door, found herself kneeling with her eye pressed to the keyhole.
As she watched Morgath jerk off, Audrey licked her lips. His massive cock was in his hand, thick and hard, glistening with precum in the candlelight. He stroked himself with slow, deliberate movements, his fist sliding up and down the length.
She could see every detail, the way his fingers wrapped around his girth, the thick veins that ran along the sides, the broad head that was flushed dark and leaking.
She imagined what it would feel like inside her, how that huge cock would stretch her open and fill her completely.
It would be almost too much, she thought, but it would also be perfect.
She wondered what his cum tasted like, whether it would be salty or sweet on her tongue, whether she’d be able to swallow it all when he spilled down her throat.
Audrey slipped a hand into her pajama bottoms and her panties, feeling how wet she was.
Her fingers found her clit, and she began to stroke herself in rhythm with his movements, matching the pace of his fist on his cock.
She watched as his strokes grew faster and harder, his hips beginning to thrust up into his hand.
His breathing grew ragged, and she could hear the low grunts he made, each one sending a pulse of heat through her body.
She circled her clit faster, her own breathing becoming shallow as the pleasure built.
She imagined him flipping her over and mounting her from behind, that beautiful cock driving into her again and again while he held her hips in his big, rough hands.
She imagined the weight of him on top of her, the feel of his muscles moving as he took her, him growling in her ear as he claimed her.
She came with a soft moan just as Morgath spilled all over himself.
The orgasm rolled through her in waves, her fingers still sliding over her clit as she watched him finish.
His cock was still hard even as the last of his cum dripped from the tip, and she felt another pulse of desire at the sight.
A second moan escaped her, long and guttural, and she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, eyes going wide.
Too late. He’d heard her.
Audrey sprinted to her bedroom. She jumped into bed and pretended she was asleep, pulling the covers up to her chin.
She heard Morgath enter and approach the bed. She could feel him standing awkwardly over her. He leaned in, his breath heavy and hot against her face.
“Don’t do that again, morsel. If you think I’m thinking about you, you’re wrong. None of it is for you. It’s just release I need, nothing more. From now on, I’ll lock you in your room at night.”
At that, she opened her eyes and jumped up, glaring at him.
“You wouldn’t dare!”
Oh course, he’d put his helmet back on. He laughed at her.
“Watch me.”
He left the room and slammed the door shut. Audrey heard the key turn in the lock.
She screamed in frustration and buried herself under the duvet to scream some more. She knew it was no use, that if he’d decided to lock her up at night, he’d do so every night from now on.
She refused to give him the satisfaction of getting out of bed, trying the door, banging on it, and begging him to let her out. He probably expected it. Besides, she could go out the window if she really wanted to defy him.
It was a power play he was pulling, and she wouldn’t let herself be rattled by it.
Falling asleep was impossible now. She lay staring at the ceiling and wondering what the hell they were doing. In fact, what the hell was she doing letting herself be so affected by him?
She was supposed to be focused on her mission, on getting her revenge. Instead, she was playing these stupid games with an orc who didn’t even want her, who locked her in her room like she was some kind of prisoner.
Audrey pulled the covers over her head and groaned into the pillow, knowing that tomorrow would bring more of the same.