Chapter 16 Calypso #2
Her breath picked up, and her head arched back as her movements became more hurried. She needed to come, needed to get him out of her system, needed to be clear of this desire. She had been on edge for so long that it took little to push her over.
With a moan, her orgasm hit, her heart still pounding away in her chest as she came down. She needed this to work, or she didn’t know what she would do. Probably strip him and pounce.
Her heart was still beating rapidly when the sound of the washroom window being opened killed any lingering arousal.
She turned to face the window and called fire to her hand. This thief had picked the wrong inn to rob.
“It’s me, little witch.” Vidorak’s voice came through the opening of the window. “Don’t set me aflame just yet.”
“What are you doing here?” she hissed and definitely did not extinguish her fire.
Vidorak opened the window all the way and tumbled in less than gracefully. He had the gall to frown at the fire still glowing in her hand.
“We need to talk about tomorrow. If all goes well, we will reach the mountain by dusk.”
She moved the soap bubbles in the tub closer to cover her body, then scowled at her actions. She was never shy about her nudity prior and didn’t want to start now. “Can we talk about this on the ride tomorrow?”
“From this point, we need to be careful about what is said. We may run into other orcs along the way.”
“And if we do, how will you explain me?”
“I will say you were given to me as a reward from the last raid,” he continued as she glared at him. “Human females don’t just get to visit the mountain. I know you dislike it, but they are only brought back for one reason.”
It got under her skin, but she would do anything to get the amulet.
“Fine.” There were advantages to blending into the background as a captive. She suddenly considered something. “Do you own any human captives?”
“I don’t. For pleasure or otherwise.”
“Pleasure is quite a way of putting it,” she responded dryly. “What will be expected of me when we get to the mountain? Am I taken to a room with all the other sex slaves?”
He shook his head. “I’ll leave you with my mother in our family quarters. She will look out for you.”
From her limited knowledge of orcs, their female counterparts could be just as tough and violent as their males. They raided and fought freely, which made the dynamic with the human female captives confusing to Calypso.
Ultimately, it was not her mystery to unravel. She wasn’t there to understand their social hierarchies. “As long as I end up with the amulet, that’s fine with me. Hand me the towel, please.”
He handed her the towel, and she gave him a pointed look. “Turn around.”
He obliged, and she stood, wrapping the towel around her body. After drying off, she picked up the dress she had traveled with reluctantly.
“There is a clean dress on the stool,” Vidorak called behind her.
She peeked over her shoulder to ensure he was still facing away. On the stool was a neatly folded gray dress. She didn’t know how to feel about him purchasing clothes for her, but the idea of putting on her old sweaty clothing was unappealing.
“You need to cover your witch marks if our story is to work,” he explained, then added. “You are quite marked.”
It was easier to accept pragmatism rather than kindness, though his second statement stung.
She tried forcing herself not to care if Vidorak thought her skin ugly. Moving quickly, she slipped on the dress and found it fit her well. “You can turn around.”
He looked her over carefully and then nodded, seemingly satisfied with the results. “Let’s meet at the stables tomorrow.”
He moved toward the window, but she stepped forward, stopping him. “I am quite marked because I am quite powerful. Don’t forget that, orc.”
She was back to not using his name, wanting to put distance between her and this male that was pushing her boundaries too much.
Rather than leave, he studied her. “Why is that?”
“What?”
“Witches possess alchemical marks that grow, but yours are different. They change.” His eyes scanned her upper body as if he could see the marks underneath the clothing.
At first, she felt the urge to tell him to fuck off. Her marks were none of his business. He knew entirely too much about her already.
“It is black magic.” She wanted him to know how corrupt her heart was, wanted to push him away. “While those I hunt deserve every bit of pain I give them, they are not wrong to want to stop me. I have taken many lives for my power.”
“Who’s life?”
The lives of those who conspired against her mother. The lives of those she deemed unworthy.
Of course, the magic wasn’t without its price. Should she tell him about the visions and the voices in her head? If he didn’t think her mad before that, he would then. Certainly, he wouldn’t want to touch her again if he knew.
“It doesn’t matter now.” She gave the coward’s answer, not strong enough to state exactly how lost her mind truly was.
“Is vengeance worth it?”
“It is worth everything.” Even her life. The will of the Crown was too big to stop, and witchkind was too weakened. There would be no changing their persecution. But she would take down those who wronged her in the meantime.
“I am done with this conversation. See you tomorrow.” She gathered her things and made to leave.
Before she could leave, Vidorak called out. “Little witch, there is still my question for today.”
“What?” she snapped, eager to be gone and back in her bed.
“What were you thinking about when you came in the bathtub?”