14. Tark
Chapter 14
Tark
“ G racie, wait. Don’t be scared.” I rushed forward as Castree’s claws clicked on the boardwalk, the sound like cracking knuckles. Her emerald-green fur shimmered in the sunlight, soft and velvety. She leaned her massive head down toward Gracie, her fangs catching the light as she sniffed curiously at my mate.
Joining them, I placed a hand on Castree’s neck, aware of both the sharp rise and fall of Gracie’s breathing and the steady calm of the sorhox. “She’s gentle, I promise. Castree won’t hurt you. She’s curious, not mean.”
Gracie’s wide eyes darted to mine, and I could feel the tremble in the air between us like the tightening of a taut rope. “Gentle?” she echoed, her voice a pitch higher than usual.
I let out a soft chuckle. “She’s sweet. Truly. Aren’t you, girl?” I stroked along the sorhox’s neck. “Gracie, meet Castree. Castree, Gracie.”
Gracie blinked at me, her lips parting as though she couldn’t quite believe I was introducing her to something that looked like it belonged on a battlefield, not a trail ride. I'd seen the beasts of burden humans used, and they weren't frightening at all. Humans knew nothing about the creatures from the orc kingdom, but now was their chance to learn how amazing they were.
“She likes it if you scratch behind her horns,” I said, my chest tightening as I watched the way Gracie’s hand twitched at her side. She’d been kind to Sharga, but Castree was another leap entirely; these beasts were intimidating even to orcs, let alone someone like my mate, who wasn’t accustomed to my life or my world.
I don’t know why it mattered so much that she and Castree got along. But it did. A lump formed in my throat as I waited, every muscle in my body tight with hope and dread. I adored Gracie. There, I’d admitted it to myself. But her life was much different from mine. She had no reason to stay here in Lonesome Creek, no reason to look back once she’d left. And yet, some foolish part of me hoped that she would.
Gracie took a tiny step forward, her hand outstretched with only a slight tremor. Her bravery punched through me like a fist. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Castree, to her credit, lowered her massive head slowly, giving Gracie the chance to close the gap.
“Behind the horn, right?” Gracie's voice was a touch shrill, but there was steel in it too, like she was determined to push through her fear. That steel made my heart flop over and beg for snuggles like Podar did when I stroked his spine.
“Yeah. Do it under where they leave her head.”
Sharga hopped off my shoulder, landing on one of Castree’s horns.
The beast frowned before gently rattling her head, Sharga holding on and making meow sounds.
Gracie laughed, her warm gaze meeting mine. “She really is sweet, isn’t she? Look at how nice she is with Sharga.”
“She’ll be equally nice with you. Go ahead and touch her. Let her see how special you truly are.”
“That’s sweet of you, Tark. Thank you.” Her small hand ran along the velvety fur of Castree’s cheek, and the sorhox made a low, contented rumble in her chest, a sound I’d only ever heard her make when I groomed her after a long day of work.
My heart stuttered.
“See?” My chest felt like it might split apart for joy. “She likes you.”
Gracie’s lips curved into a smile, shy at first but growing as her fingers followed the curve of Castree’s horn. “You’re not so scary, are you, Castree?” Her voice had dropped to that warm, soothing tone she used with Sharga. The sound of it splashed over me like sunlight finally breaking through the thick canopy of a dark forest.
Castree closed her eyes in utter contentment, tilting her head further into Gracie’s touch. I should have been relieved and proud of Castree for not acting like the unruly beast she sometimes was, but I couldn’t think beyond Gracie and the soft smile lighting up her face. This woman, so unlike anyone I’d met before, had bridged a connection to something from my world. And here I was, hopelessly falling further in love with her, like I wasn’t already in so far, I'd never find my way out.
Gracie turned that smile on me, and every bone in my body melted all at once. “You're right. She’s not scary at all.”
I gave her a tight nod, hoping she couldn’t read what I felt in my expression. “She sure is.”
“Okay.” Gracie stepped back. “Let’s see if she’s as good on a trail as she is soaking up attention.”
Trail. Ride. Right. The rest of the plan.
I forced myself back into motion, leading Castree off the boardwalk and back onto the dirt road. My pulse galloped faster than Castree ever could, the thought of Gracie’s smile making it hard to breathe. For something to do with my hands that didn’t involve pulling her into my chest and kissing her until reality flew across the horizon, I patted Castree's spine.
Focus, Tark.
Sharga flew off Castree’s horn, landing on my shoulder.
“You'll sit here,” I told Gracie, glancing her way. She stood on the boardwalk, looking beautiful in the midday light. It made me question how the fates could've brought her into my life. She was too perfect. Too pretty. Too amazing for an orc like me.
Yet they thought she’d fit into my life. They’d marked me to show me she was the one.
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, still eyeing Castree with a mix of curiosity and lingering nerves, but there was an eagerness in her expression too. She met my gaze, her eyes dancing with excitement, an open window I could’ve fallen straight through.
I cleared my throat. “Time to get you on her back.”
Gracie raised her brows, taking a cautious step toward me. “You’re sure she’s okay with this?”
“She’ll be fine. She loves going for trail rides.”
She shot me a pointed look, glancing at the sheer enormity of Castree’s form as she came up beside me. “She looks big enough to flatten a car.”
I laughed too loud, and Castree huffed, shifting her weight. “Come on. I’ll help you up.”
Before she could protest, I curled my hands around her waist, noting all over again how much smaller than me she was. My fingers brushed the soft fabric of her shirt, and the heat of her skin beneath made every nerve I had flame like an overheated cook stove. She stiffened before relaxing and letting out a small, surprised laugh.
“I know you won’t drop me,” she said.
Gracie trusted me. Just that thought made me tighten my grip.
“Not a chance.”
With a quick motion, I lifted her up onto Castree's back. Gracie let out a small squeak, clutching at the sorhox's slightly longer spine hair as if she wasn’t quite sure what to do with hands.
I leaped up behind her, settling my weight against her smaller frame. Sharga flapped his wings, batting my head until I cooed his way. Settled, he peered around, as eager to go for a ride as us.
The soft curve of Gracie’s back fit nicely against me, igniting a warmth that spread through every part of me. I forced myself to focus on the street ahead, trying to ignore the way her body felt so good against mine.
My cock roused, and I inwardly shouted at it to slump, to behave. Stupid thing.
“Are you ready?” I asked, wrapping my arm around her waist. I told myself I had to hold her. She'd never ridden on a sorhox before. She might fall off if I didn’t keep her safe. But it felt amazing to sit on Castree's back with Gracie nestled against the front of my body.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Her tone held a hint of joy, and that made me smile. I nudged Castree gently with my heels, and she walked forward, her steady rhythm echoing my pounding heart.
The moment we crossed through the town's outskirts, the world opened wide, stretching all the way to the mountains encircling this valley. Vibrant greens of the pastures blended into the deeper green of the forest that swooped all the way to the white peaks of the tallest hills. Even the mountains seemed to bow down to the blues of the sky.
“This… This is okay.” Gracie’s voice rose with excitement. She lifted her arms out beside us, and I swore I could feel her grin warming my skin. “Woo-hoo! I've never ridden an animal before. It's nothing like sitting in a car or being inside a plane.”
“My brother, Ostor, rode in a plane. To Mexico.”
Under my heel guidance, Castree's slow walk took us away from the town and toward my ranch. Did I dare tell her it was mine? It was small, only one bedroom so far. I didn't need more. It wasn't like I'd have young or a mate to share the space with.
Unless I could convince Gracie to stay.
“He went to Mexico?” she asked.
“Cun of the can.” I held myself still. Would she get my joke?
Her laugh snorted out and she slapped my thigh, though gentle enough I barely felt it. “Good one. Cun of the can. Why was Ostor in Cancun? Not many orc cowboys there.”
“His mate, Rosey, was going to her sister's wedding and she asked him to go with her.”
“Aw, that sounds lovely. I bet they had a great time.”
“He did. He's so happy with her now.” I'd watched their interactions too many times, stifling my jealousy because they were so loving together. I didn't want Rosey, of course. She adored my brother and him, her. But I envied the way their fingers would meet and link together even if they didn't seem to be aware the other was there. The way she only had eyes for him.
“I hope I'll have the chance to meet Ostor and Rosey while I'm here.”
“I'll get them to come visit,” I said.
“Perfect. Maybe you could bake for them, and we'll have a tea party.”
I jumped on the idea. Not so much to bake for my brother who might not even be aware I could do it, but because I'd do anything to make Gracie smile.
“It sounds fun,” she added.
“Then it's a date. I mean a…deal.” Yes, that was the word.
“Date sounds good too.”
I knew very well what date meant. Ostor had been Rosey's fake date for the wedding. I hadn't mentioned that; it was for Ostor and Rosey to share if they wished.
Would Gracie even consider dating me?
Wait, she could have a manfriend. No, the word was boyfriend , though I had no idea why. Who'd date a youngling other than, perhaps, a youngling female? Humans said the most peculiar things. In the orc language, there were no hidden meanings in words.
For example, date. She could be suggesting I bring the fruit or bake something with it. Or she might mean tomorrow, the “date”.
I doubted she meant her and me, looking at each other as if we only had eyes for each other. Stretching out our hands to link our fingers even when it seemed we didn't know the other was there.
“You're awfully silent back there, Tark.” She glanced up at me. “What are you thinking?”
“That we should ask Castree to go faster.” I urged Castree into a trot and then a rolling gallop, guiding her along the dirt road stretching away from our fake town.
Sharga soared off my shoulder, trailing us with his jagged flight.
Gracie squealed, and I prayed to the fates it was from excitement and not stark raving terror.
“It's beautiful!” She swept her arms up into the air again, nearly smacking my nose, but the happiness in her voice… If only I could put it into a bottle and press my palm over it tight. Then I could lift my hand when she was gone and allow myself small peeks. Memories I would hold close to my heart always.
Castree slowed as we came close to my ranch. She must think we were heading for the barn and her grain, though we would pass the buildings and keep going, taking the trail meandering beside the pasture and beyond.
Sharga landed on my shoulder and peered toward the barn as well.
“Look.” I pointed before I could hold myself back. “That's my home.” That I wasn’t sure I wanted her to see.
Her breath caught. “It's cute.”
Coot also had many meanings. Rosey called Ostor coot. Jessi called Greel coot. But they also said Podar was coot. Sharga too. Again, too many meanings for one word.
“What do you see?” I asked because I really wanted to know her thoughts about my home.
“It’s absolutely charming. I love the colors. The house is painted a warm, inviting white that catches the light just right. And that big back deck. It looks perfect for morning tea or stargazing at night. It’s a cozy nook where you can sit and savor the world slowing down.”
Her enthusiasm wrapped around me like a hug and made me lean closer to her. I’d never thought of my home as more than a shelter. I'd focused more on its structure, how I’d keep it warm in the winter and cool in the heat. That charm she saw escaped me.
“And look at that little red barn.” Her voice bubbled with a thrill that sparked a flame in my chest. “It gives the whole place character. It’s like a burst of happiness, standing proudly behind the house. I can picture it filled with hay and animals, perhaps a few curious little creatures peering out at us even now.”
A grin crept across my face. She was painting vivid pictures in my mind, images of laughter and warmth in things I’d always taken for granted.
Almost like my poetry. Her special version of it.
I hadn’t written a poem since I made such a huge mistake, and I missed stringing words together to give life meaning.
Did she really see all that in my home? Maybe I’d been too focused on every practical aspect, and I'd neglected seeing what it actually was.
It was a place to sleep. Sit on the sofa alone each evening. The barn was for keeping the sorhoxes and their young comfortable when the snow coated the ground.
None of this was supposed to bring anyone joy.
Or was it?
“Your fence is perfect,” she said. “Not that I know anything about fences. I'm a city girl through and through. But even the fence looks welcoming, like I could stride right over and lean against it, watch the sorhoxes play in the grass or lie down to rest.”
“You see all that?” I asked with a touch of awe.
“And more. It’s like a postcard from a time when life was simpler, a time when the sunsets were painted in gold every evening.” She tugged her phone from her back pocket. “Can we stop so I can take a few pictures?”
“Another time? The sun will set in a few hours, and I want to have you back in town by then.”
“Alright. I can wait.” She grinned up at me. “This place is amazing. The tourists are going to love it here.”
Wait. Was she telling me all this because she was focusing through her phone's eye, thinking up ways to present this on social media to draw people in? Maybe she didn't feel all these wonderful things at all outside of that.
“I can imagine sitting here on the deck,” she said. “Listening to the breeze rustle the leaves and the sounds of the sorhoxes in the distance. It's not just a house; it’s a home. Such a beautiful blend of nature and comfort.”
“My home won't be mentioned on social media,” I carefully said, girding myself for her sigh of disappointment.
“Oh, I understood that already.” Sighing, she leaned back against my chest. “I envy you, Tark. You have all this.” Her hand swept out toward the buildings. “Life here seems simpler. Better, actually.”
Better was a good thing.
Maybe… Did I dare believe her excitement came from something other than the chance to take a picture to share on Instaplug or TickingClock?
She turned to me, her expression earnest and warm. “You’ve made a truly lovely life for yourself here, Tark. I feel lucky that you're sharing it with me.” Her gaze held mine, and the world around us dimmed. Warmth radiated from her. Suddenly, this dusty ranch with a few sorhoxes grazing in the pasture beyond felt like the start of something magnificent, something I'd never dared to dream.
“Thank you, Gracie,” I choked out.
“I hope you'll show me around one of these days.”
“You'd like to see more?”
“Everything, Tark, and you know why?”
I shook my head, then realized she couldn't see the gesture. “I don't know why.”
“Because all of this is a part of you.”