Grumpy Pucking Orc (Orcs on Ice Book 1), page 24
“More like a million,” Sizzle agreed. “Cookie-cutter fuckers. Your woman deserves better.”
“Yes, she does,” I agreed.
The demon tossed aside the pair of skates he was working on and stood, brushing his hands on his pants. “I know a place. I’ll take you there, but you can’t tell anyone I was the one who showed you this jewelry store. I’ve got a reputation to maintain, you know?”
I had no idea how a demon’s reputation would be damaged by knowing of a jeweler but nodded in agreement. Before I knew it, I was stuffed into Sizzle’s tiny electric car and enduring an uncomfortable ride out of the city. After a short stint on a congested highway, the demon took an exit heading toward a place called Reisterstown. He parked next to a battered sedan in a strip mall. The jewelry shop was wedged between a dining establishment called Hunan Gourmet, and a store that sold vape and tobacco products. It was a narrow store with thick metal bars on the entrance. The door squawked loudly as the demon opened it.
I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. There was a row of hip-high glass cabinetry that held a variety of jewelry, but the majority of the square footage was taken up by workbenches, magnifying apparatus, and tools.
“Sizzle!”
A small woman with frizzy red hair vaulted the counter and ran toward the demon. I eyed her, inhaling as the two embraced. She smelled a bit human, a bit demon, and a bit like the werewolf I’d met while at the deli last week.
Sizzle disengaged himself from the woman and turned to me. “Pru, this is Ozar. He’s—”
“One of your hockey orcs.” Pru reached out to grab my hand, shaking it with a firm grip. “It’s nice to meet you. What are you looking for today? I’ve got a gorgeous chain-link collar with a leash ring that would look amazing on you.”
Sizzle turned an interesting shade of red. “No, Pru. He’s not…that’s not…he’s not…”
“I want to propose to my forever mate tomorrow night, and I want a suitable ring. I’m thinking of a ruby gem, but a setting that says ‘orc’ and not ‘fussy fae.’”
Pru gasped, placing both hands on her upper chest. “Who is the lucky individual? Guy? Girl? Non-binary? Demon? Orc?”
“Jordan is a female…er, woman and a dentist. She has her own company and is a strong independent human who lives with a fierce hunter-cat. She might lack furs on her bed, but her home is warm and welcoming with comfort and space in the design. Her hair is the color of sunshine on tree bark, and her eyes are like storm-tossed waters. She is kind with a generous spirit and a curious mind.”
Pru sighed, still clutching her chest. “God, that’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. Sizzy, why can’t you say stuff like that?”
“Your hair is like a burning shrub, and your eyes are the color of mud,” Sizzle declared.
I eyed the two of them, expecting an argument. But Pru smiled, twirling a frizzy lock around one finger. “Burning shrub, huh?”
“Yeah.” The demon’s smile was downright sappy.
“Later.” Pru waved a hand at him. “Right now, I’ve got an engagement to facilitate. Now, Ozar, let’s take a look at some of my more artistic pieces. I like to work with moderately priced stones, but I can deliver a high-quality rock in spite of that. I like to give a whole lot of effort into the custom settings. I do a lot of work for some of our local…uh…communities, and I think you’ll vibe with the aesthetics.”
She led us to the back of the store and pulled a few drawers from under one of the glass displays, setting them on top of the counter. “I’ve done these in black gold, and several have a hammered finish, which I think you’ll like. Rubies are a particular favorite of mine. The square and emerald cut ones are shaped to emphasize the depth of red, but these ones are cut with facets that bring extra light to the stone. You sacrifice some of the deep color, but I think the brightness makes up for that.”
I was immediately drawn to a ring where the hammered black band split to sweep above and below a huge red ruby. The stone was lighter and brighter than the others, practically glowing in contrast to the ebony band.
“One of my favorites,” Pru said as I picked up the ring. “That stone is a carat and a half. It’s a much higher quality than I usually buy, but I just couldn’t resist. The red color radiates from the gem, and I hand-polished the hammered black gold so every flat surface shines. It’s light inside the darkness. Passion through pain. Love in blood. An ouroboros of life and death.”
Her words faded. The store, the odd expression on Sizzle’s face, the softness in Pru’s eyes…it all blurred into the background and all I saw was the ring. And Jordan’s hand wearing the ring.
“I’ll take it,” I said, not even caring how much it cost. I would give a year’s salary for this gift. It was that perfect, that much of an expression of how I felt about my love, how I felt about Jordan.
“Special discount for a friend of Sizzle,” Pru said with a smile. “If you need it sized larger or smaller, you let me know. And I wouldn’t mind if you’d spread the word about the amazing artist who created it. Not that I especially need more business, but I do like the recognition.”
“Absolutely,” I told her as I pulled the piece of plastic from my pocket. “I will make sure everyone knows of your talents.”
Sizzle made a strangled noise, and Pru grinned. “Well, maybe not all of my talents.”
Chapter 31
Jordan
“Brunch after the gym?” Stephanie asked.
The werewolf was on the equipment next to me, bench pressing the entire rack of weights without even a labored breath while I curled a scant ten pounds with shaking arms.
“Maybe a quick cup of coffee?” I countered. “Got some early patients this morning and was up late last night.”
“Ooh, I know what that means.” Stephanie shot me a knowing glance. “That hockey-orc still pounding you into the headboard?”
I smirked. “Sometimes it’s me pounding him into the headboards.”
Things with Ozar just seemed to be getting better and better. Judy adored him. He fit so well into my life and routine. And the adjustments I’d needed to make hadn’t been a problem at all. Well, aside from the fur rugs and blankets he’d hauled over to my house. They didn’t exactly go with my decor, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about dead animal skins, but I’d given in. It meant a lot to Ozar to have them in my house and on my bed, and I had to admit they were very soft and warm. Plus, Judy loved to curl up on them, kneading her claws into the fur and purring happily as she snuggled up for a nap.
“Damn. You go, girl. Every morning, I expect to see him here with you at the gym,” Stephanie said.
“We sometimes work out together, but usually at the arena or jogging around Baltimore.” I wrinkled my nose, a little uncomfortable with the confession I was about to make. “I want to ask him to move in with me. And get him a membership at the gym. I love it when he spends the night, and I really would enjoy having him here for my morning workouts.”
Stephanie eyed me. “Not you moving in with him? I mean, he’s an NHL player. He’s probably got a swank penthouse or McMansion.”
I laughed. “He’s got a tiny rental apartment a few blocks from the arena. It’s cozy and utilitarian, and I do like staying over there. But my place is bigger, and I own it. Plus, Judy would have six months of explosive diarrhea and vomiting if I moved her to another place.”
The werewolf halted her workout to turn toward me. “He doesn’t have a problem moving into your house? Because I know a lot of guys don’t want to feel like they’re being kept.”
I put the weights down as easily as my shaking arms could and faced her. “He seems okay with it. I mean, I haven’t exactly asked him yet. He’s leaving tonight for a series of away games, so I was going to wait until he returned to ask him to move in. But he’s been talking about adopting a cat at the shelter and has been really concerned about how Judy might react to a cat-friend, so I think he’s been considering us moving in together. And with all the furs he’s been hauling over to my house, I assume he knows my place is the better spot to cohabitate than his rental apartment.”
Stephanie turned back to her weights. “It sounds promising. Keep me updated. And I expect an invite to the cohabitation party.”
I smiled, shaking out my overworked arms. “That’s a definite.”
My day was insanely busy. There were two tricky extractions, a bone graft, three consultations, and a denture fitting along with a bridge placement. We’d all stayed over, even though I’d insisted several times that my staff go home while I finished up the last-minute crown replacement for a long-term client. When my staff and I locked the door, I was exhausted and ready to collapse on my couch with a container of leftover shrimp fried rice and one of Ozar’s fur blankets, but he and the team were leaving tonight for their series of away games, and I couldn’t stand to have him go without seeing him once more. Picking up carry-out hibachi, I drove to the arena, pulling into the parking lot just as the busses were lining up.
There was no doubt in my mind that I loved Ozar. I was already picturing him living in my home, making my life with him. I imagined our children—one or two or maybe three. I’d get a partner to take some of the pressure off me at work, and Ozar would spend as much time with our kids as his job allowed. Me too. There would be two cats running through our home. We’d visit his clan on holiday when the kids were older. We’d grow old together, happy and content, and enjoy our lives in Baltimore.
I’d given up on love. I’d given up on marriage and children. I’d lost hope that I’d ever find the loving partnership that my parents and my brother had found. I’d thrown myself one hundred percent into my job and my social life with my friends, not expecting anything more. But that chance meeting in a parking lot after a hockey game had changed everything.
Change. It was a good thing. And here I was full of hope and dreams for the future instead of fretting over the loss of my routine.
Parking my car, I walked over to the line of buses, clutching my coat tight against the chill breeze from the river. They were just starting to bring the crates and bags of equipment out to the idling buses when I saw the first of the orcs exit the arena.
My eyes scanned the line of tall, green-skinned, muscle-bound guys until I saw Ozar. I felt my very soul light up, my lips curl into a smile. Jumping up and down, I waved and shouted, thrilled as he smiled and waved back before breaking from the line of hockey players to jog over to me.
“You came.” He enfolded me in his huge arms, curling me against the warmth of his body. I hugged him back, already feeling the ache of being separated from him even though he hadn’t yet left.
“Brought some hibachi for you to take with you.” I pulled away and awkwardly handed him the bag. “Beef and veggie with Hunan sauce, extra cabbage.”
He took the carry-out. “My favorite. And you don’t need to suffer from the effects of my cabbage consumption, either.”
I laughed, feeling sorry for the teammates who’d be on the bus with him when the extra cabbage worked its way through Ozar’s digestive system. “Better them than me.”
He gathered me in his arms again. “I will miss you terribly, Jordan Schooner. You are my breath, my heartbeat, my life. And every second away from you is agony.”
I squeezed him tight, feeling the same way. The thought of not seeing him for weeks, of not having his warmth next to me in bed, his scent filling my lungs, his laughter booming through my house…it was painful to think of even a day away from him.
“I wish you didn’t have to leave,” I confessed. “But I understand. My career is important to me, and I know yours is to you as well. Just know that I’ll be thinking of you every moment, waiting anxiously until you return to my arms again.”
What sappy nonsense. But it was true. I’d never felt this way about anyone, and I really did ache to have him with me. Forever.
Ozar pulled away from me and suddenly flung himself on the ground, digging his hands into his pants pockets. I stared in shock, not sure if he was having a seizure or some other medical emergency, or if this was part of a cultural ritual that I was in ignorance of.
“Jordan. I want…I would like to…I…xheba morat wenda ghilba.”
I blinked, looking at him as he squirmed on the pavement, digging in his pockets before glancing over at the other orcs from his team who were eyeing him with concern.
Finally, he yanked a hand free from a pocket and flicked open a velvet box. This one didn’t hold teeth. Instead, a gorgeous ruby caught the glow from the parking lot lights in a burst of red fire, radiating from a band of black metal.
It was the most beautiful ring I’d ever seen. It was Ozar captured in the artistry of jewelry, all rough edges, dark broodiness, passionate fire, gentle and feathery smokey touch.
I gasped, putting my hands to my mouth.
“Jordan Schooner, I want to marry you,” he said, still lying on the ground at my feet. “You are my forever mate. I am nothing without you in my life. Together, we will build a family, light a fire of joy, live a life of love and partnership. I dedicate my life to you, to our family. No one, nothing, will ever be put above your needs and wants. Accept me as your mate and accept this ring as a symbol of the love I have for you.”
My eyes blurred with tears. “Yes,” I whispered.
He sucked in a breath, his eyes so dark. “We will have the wedding you desire with your friends and family. We will be gifted many toasters and Instant Pots and have a honeymoon with so much sex we will not have time to see any interesting sights outside our room. Then we will journey to my clan where I will gift you with the home I have built for my bride. Any modifications you desire will happen. You will become a beloved and revered member of our clan and each of our children that you bear will be blessed by the mountain gods who overlook our home.”
Wait. What? It was like a record screeched to a halt in my mind.
“Your home? You expect us to live in your homeland? With your clan?” I felt the parking lot spin around me.
He froze, sprawled on the ground with the box and the gorgeous ring still extended toward me. “Yes. Of course. I am an orc, and my wife and my children should be with me and my clan in our homeland.”
The pain radiated from my chest up through my neck to my forehead. “Ozar, I have family here. Friends. My business. I can’t…there’s no way I could give all that up to be a wife and mother in a clan where I know nothing about their culture, where I don’t even know their language. I’ve built a life here. I thought that you came here to do the same. I thought…I thought we’d stay here and live here, that we had a future together here.”
He hesitated a few seconds, then scrambled to his feet, still clutching the jewelry box. “You could easily learn our language. And there is a need for dentists in our land. You would not just be restricted to wife and motherhood. Many orc females have careers. It would not be unusual for you to do the same.”
This wasn’t at all what I’d envisioned when I’d dreamed about my future with Ozar. “I thought you came here in search of a different life. I’d thought you came here to stay, to live among us and become a citizen. I never expected that you intended to return home in the near future.”
He blinked at me in surprise. “I came here to find a wife. I told you of the plague among our people, how female orcs made up the most of our fatalities. If we orcs want to continue our lineage, our clan culture, to bring up orclets as we have for multiple generations, then we need to bring home human wives as there are not enough orc females to continue our race.”
That stung. Deep in my heart, I knew that Ozar loved me, that his feelings went far beyond the need to procreate or continue his culture. But in that instant, all I saw was that I would be a broodmare for him, a beloved but useful womb in the service of continuing the orc race.
“No.” I took a few steps back from Ozar. “I love my career. I built my business from the ground up and am expanding into supernatural dentistry. I don’t want to leave that all behind to go to live in a place I’ve never been before, where I don’t speak the language and don’t have any value beyond the children I can birth. That’s not what I want for my life, Ozar. That’s not me. I have friends here. And family. And a life. I want to get married and stay here. I’m so sorry, but if that’s not what you want, then I can’t marry you.”
Chapter 32
Ozar
There had been no time for a lengthy discussion.
There probably had been no need for lengthy discussion. Love, a mate bond, a companionship like none I’d ever felt before…and it had all fallen apart before Jordan and I had ever had a chance at a life together.
I dumped my two bags with the others beside the transportation beast I’d been told was named “Bus” and climbed the stairs. The beast rumbled with caged energy, impatiently waiting while humans loaded our gear and bags underneath. Thankfully the beast was large because we orcs occupied many seats.
My teammates were mostly at the back, so I found a spot midway between them and the half-asleep driver. No one spoke. No one approached me. Which was a good thing, given my mood.
I’d told Jordan about my home, about my clan and my upbringing. She’d seemed interested, fascinated even. Why wouldn’t she want to make a life there with me? Never had there been the slightest hint that she would not want to marry me and make a life with me. She’d said she loved me. And I knew that humans married, had children, and grew old together just as orcs did.
We’d talked about marriage and children during our courtship. Jordan had clearly longed for that sort of partnership, although she’d accepted the possibility of a life without it and had resigned herself to replicating that connection through friends and family.
