An Orc at College series Box Set, page 42
part #1 of Orc at College Series
The explosion vanished, replaced with mad laughter.
Lilian was on her feet an instant later, hurtling into the room, sword at the ready. Trorm was after her an instant later.
Kurtis stood over the charred remains of two corpses. The fire had burned away much of their clothing, but Trorm was able to identify at least one as an officer and the other, it seemed, judging by what remained of the suit, was Kurtis’s lawyer. Kurtis himself was busy unlocking the handcuffs holding him to the table. He had a wand in one hand and a magical glow about him. From the shattered pieces of glass littering the metal table in front of him, Trorm was guessing that Kurtis had drunk some kind of magical enhancement potion.
He screamed when he saw Lilian and flicked the wand. Trorm barely raised his shield spell in time to protect her from the resulting explosion. The walls around them went up in flames. Screaming ensued.
Kurtis got free of his cuffs as Trorm leveled his staff at him and let fly a lightning bolt. Kurtis ducked backward, conjuring his own shield spell, which took the brunt of the attack, sending bolts of electricity splashing off in all directions.
He rolled to his feet and made to cast his fireball spell again. This time Trorm was ready.
He recast his own shield spell, shaping it into a perfect sphere around Kurtis and inverting its defenses, the alteration coming shockingly easy to him. The fireball crashed into the shield and exploded, filling the orb with raging fire and engulfing Kurtis completely. The wizard screamed and screamed as the flames raged, licking and beating against Trorm’s inverted shield spell.
Sweat beaded on Trorm’s brow. His limbs and staff trembled. Whatever enhancement Kurtis had taken it had made his spell strong. Sustaining his shield took all of his focus.
And then it didn’t.
Kurtis’s screams stopped and the fire vanished. Trorm’s shield spell remained in place but it was so full of trapped smoke that nobody could see inside of it. Aside from the smoke, there was no sign of movement from inside.
The sprinkler system kicked on, dowsing the fires Kurtis’s spell had set to the building. All around, police moved, grabbing the injured and the fallen and pulling them away. Others ran into the room, weapons drawn. To their credit, not one of them pointed their firearm at Trorm.
With a sigh of relief, Trorm let his shield spell drop. The smoke rushed out like a tidal wave, leaving only the charred skeleton of Kurtis behind.
“I think,” Trorm said to Lilian, breathing heavily. “That this lead might be a dead end.”
Lilian stared at him. “That. Was. Terrible.”
Trorm grinned. Then they set to work.
They pulled as many people free as they could, then had to wait while the fire department got everything under control. Trorm was not idle. He’d talked to lawyers, investigators, and then begun filling out the electronic equivalent to a mountain of paperwork on a precinct tablet. He was almost through it all, finally, when Dr. Reyes found him.
“That was damn good thinking with that shield spell,” she said.
“Damn good,” her raven repeated.
Trorm felt his chest swell with pride. “Thank you.”
He let out a long breath and with it, bled away a tension he hadn’t realized he’d been carrying. The last few days he’d felt like a failure. Nothing had seemed to go right and then he’d lost to that masked wizard. He’d felt like a complete failure and only his determination to keep going kept him from curling into a ball and calling it quits. Trorm had needed this, he realized. A small victory, even if it was a messy one. He’d done something undeniably right. It felt good.
It was time to take charge and make certain some other things were done undeniably right.
“Congratulations on your new familiar, by the way,” she said. “I don’t see it though. What did you end up getting?”
Trorm frowned at her. “I’m afraid you’re mistaken. I don’t have a familiar.”
Dr. Reyes looked taken aback. SURPRISED. “You sure? I’m an arcane forensics specialist and you look like you’ve got the magical bond.”
Trorm shook his head. “Afraid not. I’ve got no bird or cat or any other small animal following me around.”
Dr. Reyes shrugged. “Maybe you do and just don’t know about it.”
Trorm shrugged. It was possible, but unlikely.
“If one turns up, let me know,” Dr. Reyes said with a grin. “I’m curious to meet your new partner.”
“If a familiar turns up bound to me,” Trorm said, going back to his paperwork. “I’ll be sure to let you know.” He went back to it with a vigor. There was something he needed to do.
Chapter Twenty
Cherry Tempest liked Trorm’s plan when he called her on the phone. She gave him her blessing to use a room in Oana’s temple and wished him good luck, adding that he was going to need it. Trorm agreed with her.
His stomach was in knots as he waited in the pillowed room he’d been in before. The only difference to the room was the presence of three chairs situated in a rough circle. He’d showered, washing away the smell of smoke, and informed the Maddens that he would be out.
Trisha and he hadn’t had a proper conversation yet about what had happened. He had the distinct impression that she was trying not to think about it. Trorm didn’t hold that against her. He also hadn’t spoken with Abigail about her reasons for recording him. He didn’t hold it against her any more. He also knew that there was no future between them.
But he did have a future to plan for.
For the last few days, he’d been reacting instead of acting. Thinking like his brothers, like an orc warrior, instead of like a wizard. Wizards were intelligent, contemplative, and they planned ahead. In order to do that properly, he needed himself centered. He needed sure footing.
There had only been one moment when he’d felt that since Trixiel had appeared in their lives, and that had been yesterday in the car with Israxa and Winnie. He hadn’t deserved their trust or their care. They’d given it anyway. They deserved more than he’d given and it was time to rectify that. And not just with them.
Nymal arrived first, poking her head through the door and glancing around. “Good, I caught you early.” She grinned and slipped inside. She was wearing a cute green dress with a golden floral pattern. “We haven’t had a real talk in…too long.” She glanced away.
Trorm stood up, crossed the room to her, and cupped the little elf’s chin in his hand. He tilted her head up and leaned down to kiss her. Nymal whimpered into his mouth.
When he pulled back, her face was flush, and she was breathing heavily. “W-warn a girl before you do that.”
“No,” Trorm said, then kissed her again.
He had to catch her around the waist as her legs went out. Her hands clutched at his shirt.
“I guess…I guess it’s safe to say…you still like me then,” she gasped between heavy breaths.
“I do,” Trorm said. “Things have become complicated, but yes. I do like you. A lot.”
Nymal went scarlet all the way to her pointed ears. “Yeah, well, since when are things with you not complicated?” She looked down, then back up. “You’re not wearing your sunglasses.”
“Not tonight, no,” Trorm said. “I trust everyone here to be upfront and honest.”
“Oh,” she said. “Um, I heard a rumor that you were dating a naga.”
“We did go on a date,” Trorm said.
The blush fled from Nymal’s face. “Did you do more?”
“We did.”
“Oh.” She looked away, then took a deep shuddering breath. “Okay…you up, like that stuff?”
“The femdom, the BDSM, or the snake body?” Trorm asked.
Nymal went red again. “I can’t be a dom!”
Trorm blinked. “I have no interest in being dominated.”
“Oh.” She blinked and looked away. “That’s good, because, um, I can’t do that. I don’t have it in me, and I know some guys are into having a transwoman top them or whatever and that just doesn’t—"
“It does nothing for me either,” Trorm interrupted. “Be at peace.”
“So, the naga girl, she didn’t dominate you, or whatever it’s called in BDSM?” Nymal asked.
“That’s between me and her,” Trorm said.
“A wise answer,” Israxa said, slithering through the doorway, making Nymal jump. She wore a royal purple saree, which, Trorm noticed, was distinctly bead free. She trusted him enough to come unarmed.
“Sorry!” Nymal said. “That’s not…honestly I don’t know if it’s my business or not. I wasn’t trying to be nosy.”
Israxa offered a smile, then looked past her to Trorm. “You should go without the sunglasses more often, Sir. You have lovely eyes.”
Trorm didn’t miss the Sir. It seemed a reasonable alternative to Master for public. Perhaps private as well. Trorm wasn’t sure yet. Frozen hells, he wasn’t sure if they’d ever be in private together again after this. He hoped so.
“Thank you,” Trorm replied, noting that Nymal was slowly mouthing the word, ‘sir.’ She hadn’t missed it either. They’d have to be exceptionally careful around Israxa’s household.
“Am I late?” Winnie asked, stepping into the room. She wore a tank top with a cropped jacket and short shorts. A quick glance revealed that she was also wearing the ring Trorm had given her.
“Not at all,” Trorm said. “Thank you all for coming.” He gestured around at the chairs before taking one himself. “Won’t you all please sit.”
They did. Winnie took the seat directly across from him while Nymal and Israxa sat to either side.
“So, what’s up?” Winnie asked. “Most guys never want to have all the girls they’ve slept with in a room together.”
Trorm still hadn’t mastered his fear of public speaking and with all three sets of eyes on him, he felt it crushing in on him. He pushed back against it. “They haven’t slept with women as remarkable as the three of you.”
Nymal blushed. Israxa allowed a small smile upon her face. Winnie flat out grinned and wiggled in her seat. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I really hope that this is going where I think it’s going.”
Nymal and Israxa both glanced at her, then looked back to Trorm, their eyes questioning. This, Trorm thought, would be an ideal time for the sunglasses. Both the elf and the naga had schooled their faces into masks. Israxa was much better at it than Nymal, who was nervously chewing her lower lip. Apart from Nymal’s nervousness, however, Trorm had no idea what they were feeling. Hopeful? Disgusted? Angry?
It all came down to this. He was an orc, but he was also a wizard. Planning and action in one. And it all began with a declaration of intent.
“Winnie,” he began. “You and I were together the longest. I began thinking of you as something more than a simple girlfriend. I had no right to that. It hurt worse than anything when you broke up with me. Despite that, I’ve never stopped feeling a connection with you. I believe you feel the same.”
Winnie was practically bouncing in her seat as he spoke. She bit her lip, her cute overbite in evidence. Clearly it was taking everything in her to not interrupt him.
Trorm turned to Nymal. “Nymal. We have been friends since the start of the semester. Then we became more. I don’t know what that is. I never gave us the chance to explore it, but there is undeniably something between us. You gave me a precious gift, one I still cherish the memory of.”
Trorm hadn’t thought it was possible for Nymal to blush any redder. Her burning pointed ears actually began to wiggle up and down.
“I think that there’s more there. I apologize for not acting upon that sooner. I want to find out what it is.”
He turned to Israxa. “Israxa. We have not known each other long, but you have trusted me with a great secret. I dare say, you’ve given me the key to your heart. I want to unlock it and throw the gate wide. I want to prove to you that I am worthy of that trust.”
Trorm took a deep breath and stood up. “My relationship with each of you is young. That does not mean that it is not powerful and worth nurturing. If I have made a mistake with any of you, it is that I have not pursued you with intent. I mean to change that.”
He looked at each one of them. “I respect that we each come from very different cultures and backgrounds. In my own, we do not have fiancés. We do not have girlfriends. We have people who we have sex with and who become our wives when they submit completely to our dominance.”
Israxa gave a visible shiver that went all the way down the length of her golden tail.
“I want to claim each of you as my bride,” Trorm said. “I want your love, your devotion, and your submission. I understand that I am not much yet and that it is still early to ask any of you to share yourselves so completely. So, I want your blessings to pursue you, all of you, with the intent of claiming each of you as my bride. I want something official, so to speak. Not a piece of paper, but an understanding. I don’t want to date you. I want to court you. Because I have a very specific end in mind.”
He let out a long breath. “I am just a college student and a fledgling wizard. I have very little to offer. That will not always be the case. I am making something of myself. I want the three of you to be a part of it and the life I have envisioned. I ask a lot, and have very little to offer, save myself and my promise.”
He went down on one knee. “Will you each give me leave to court you and see what we can make between us?”
“YES!” Winnie threw herself from her seat and tackled Trorm to the floor, capturing his mouth in a fierce kiss. Trorm kissed back and for the second time in the space of a few moments was filled with fire. It took everything he had to break the kiss and not simply rip off Winnie clothes to ravish her right then and there in front of the other two.
“That was…certainly exuberant,” Israxa said.
“Sorry,” Winnie said, bouncing upright and not sounding sorry at all. She took several steps back as Trorm got back to his feet. “But this excites me. I mean like, really, really excites me.” She looked right into Trorm’s eyes. “Breaking up with you was the biggest mistake I ever made. I was afraid. I won’t be any more.”
She let out a sound that was half-sigh half-giggle. “I can’t believe I actually want to like, be with only one guy for the rest of my life. That’s nuts.”
Considering Winnie’s views on sex and the amount of partners she’d had before Trorm, he could believe it was strange for her to consider. It had been one of his plethora of concerns laying his desire bare before them all.
Nymal squirmed in her seat, drawing Trorm’s attention. “I…I’m outcast by my people,” she said. “There’s no place with me among the elves. Trorm, you…you were not just kind to me, you stood up for me and stood by me. You…were like a rock I could hold on to. You didn’t make me face my fears, you gave me solid ground to stand on, which…is so much better.” A tear slid from her eye. “I’ve been terrified these last few weeks that you didn’t like me. That that night with Winnie was just a onetime thing. I mean, why would you want me when you’ve got her, right? Only you didn’t have her anymore, she broke up with you. And…Trorm, I want this. I want this so badly it hurts.”
She stood up, knees trembling, but a look of determination gleaming in her eyes. “If we do this, if I agree to this, I can’t be just a spare girlfriend. I’m not…I’m not someone’s second choice.”
“Never,” Trorm agreed.
That brought a quivering smile to Nymal’s lips. “If I’m a part of this, then I’m a part of it. Damn, there’s so much to figure out.” She brought the palm of one hand up and wiped away her tear.
“There is,” Trorm said. “I look forward to figuring it out with you.”
He held out his hand.
Nymal crossed the distance to him and took it, looking up into his eyes. “Then, I say yes.”
All three turned to look at Israxa. She wore her impassive mask but had sunk low in her seat, unconsciously submitting even while she tried to remain in control. To her credit, Trorm never would have guessed only a week ago that that was what he was seeing and when she spoke her voice did not waver. “Do you have any idea what you are asking of me?”
“I am asking you to forsake a life that you hate, that is destroying you from the inside, and eventually to be my bride,” Trorm said.
“That’s…a big risk to ask,” she said. The tip of her tail quivered.
“That’s why I’m asking to court you,” Trorm said. “I ask you to surrender nothing until you are certain that you are ready to submit to me.”
She swallowed, then licked her lips. “We…will have to keep our relationship secret.”
“For now,” Trorm said. “I am proud of our relationship. Understand that I do not desire to hide it. I offer to do so only for your safety and security. When you are mine, truly mine, there will be no more hiding.”
Israxa’s lips parted slightly and she had a distant look in her eye. “Yes…yes.”
Winnie laughed and threw up her hands. “It is what I hoped for!” She bounced up and down in place. “There’s only one thing that could make this better right now.”
All three of the others turned to look at her.
“And what is that?” Israxa asked, her impassive mask was broken and there was a slight quiver to her voice.
Winnie grinned, shrugged out of her jacket, whipped off her tank top, and reached behind her to undo her bra. “I’ll give you a hint. We’re in a temple of Oana.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Winnie was the first one naked, unsurprisingly. She shimmied out of the rest of her clothes in record time to stand nude and proud before them all.
Nymal and Israxa both stared at her.
“I don’t…we don’t know each other very well,” Israxa said. Her composure was completely gone. She was openly aroused and afraid.
Trorm cast his binding spell, trapping her wrists together behind her back. She gasped, arching back as if the sensation of having her limbs locked together was its own form of ecstasy.
