Valpar: A Steamy Orc-Rom Com, page 32
“Calliope!” I shouted, again, my voice raw with emotion. Ulam snorted beneath me, his powerful muscles rippling with each stride.
Ulam galloped faster, his powerful muscles rippling beneath me as we raced through the dense forest. I could hear branches snapping and leaves rustling around us, but my focus was solely on finding Calliope. The image of her being taken by that fae flashed in my mind, igniting a fierce determination within me.
Where the hell did she go?
I let out a roar, continuing our journey in the same direction. Who the hell was that, and why did she leave? Why the fuck would she leave the cave and not speak to me?
I jutted out my jaw, feeling my tusks tense against my lips. I wasn’t about to give up. I would run my horse ragged and then continue my journey on foot, until I found her.
We burst into another clearing and as I was about to tap Ulam’s sides again, a gigantic shadow came overhead. It circled and followed us until I jerked my head above me to see what it could be. The light sources cast a shadow, so I couldn’t see the color of its underbelly, but there was no mistaking that a dragon was hovering above us.
I slowed my horse with a quick tug of his mane. He came to a stop but pranced when the large black dragon landed before us with a thud.
Creed!
My horse yelled in surprise. He cried out, jerking his head back and forth until he reared his front legs up. I jumped off, pushed Ulam away from me and slapped his backside to move away from the black dragon.
It’d been years since I saw the Black Dragon. He was a good male, but I didn’t trust his dragon form not to eat my companion.
“You smell of Calliope.” Creed’s deep, dragon voice rolled like thunder. Unlike most of the shifters of Bergarian, dragons were the only ones who could speak in their animal form. Creed jutted his nose in the air, black smoke rolling out of his nose. “Are you mates?”
“Yes,” I puffed out my chest and I put my arm over it. “She is mine, but she’s—”
“Been taken,” Creed finished for me. “I saw from the mountain. They were flying high enough to see, an impressive height. It’s dangerous for a human.”
I wiped my hand down my face. “Did you see where they went? What the fuck took her? I need to get her back. I will fucking rip that fairy shit to shreds!”
Creed shook his body, his wings unfurled, and his tail lashed around the ground. “I’ll take you to her. If the wind is right, perhaps I can catch her scent.”
Instead of feeling the weight of humiliation from my shortcomings in finding my mate, I choose to seek aid from the Black Dragon. Determinedly, I sprinted towards him, while my horse galloped back to the palace. Creed’s powerful wings unfurled, and he soared into the sky. His sinewy talons firmly grasping my shoulders, sending a surge of adrenaline through me. I could hear the rush of wind in my ears as we ascended higher, the sound growing louder with each passing moment. The dragon’s scaly talons brush against my skin. As we rose, I reached behind me, swiftly drawing my sword.
“Easy, it will take time. They are far ahead of us. Fairies are fast and you are heavy.”
Did he just call me fat?
I growled beneath my breath, but soon we were in the air. I didn’t have time to be frightened. I had flown in the air before by the fae one upon a time using a rope swing system. It didn’t mean I liked it, but my mind was still stirring with my miresa.
Moon Fairy, who took her?
“A pixie was following the fairy—do you know,” Creed began, but I growled and gripped my sword.
“That stupid pixie and fairy who have bothered my mate. I should have taken care of them. I never thought they would amount to something so brash! I’ll kill them both!”
Creed’s chest rumbled and he held onto me as we caught a headwind.
“I have failed her in so many ways. I have done it again,” I whispered to myself.
Creed huffs. “That little human is resilient, strong even. When she visits during the change of seasons she watches my parents’ hatchings. No easy feat for a female of her size.”
I groaned.
Creed snorted. “When the Goddess is involved, she will bring the right souls together at the correct time and place. You being paired together is no accident, do not question if you are not good for her. It will only make you truly unworthy.”
I turned my neck to see the underside of his jaw. “Since when did you paint pretty pictures with words?” The last time I saw him, he was a male of few words and thought the world might end at any moment.
His scarred, scaled lips curved into a smile. “Having hatchlings of my own gives me a new perspective.”
The male differed from when I first met him years ago, before the war. It was good that he had calmed himself. I would smile more once my female was found.
He took us higher into the air. With two sets of eyes searching, I knew we would find her soon. The further south-east we traveled, the more worried I became. We were closer to the Vermillion Kingdom’s territory and though not all vampires were evil, the ones I dealt with in the war were not pleasant.
“I smell her, she’s in the thicket,” Creed snarled, and puffs of smoke left his nostrils. “She isn’t alone, the smell of a witch is near.”
I took a firm grip on the hilt of my sword and my jaw jutted out. I had no problems facing a witch, her power would have no effect on me.
Creed took us down, bolting through the wind at top speed. I felt the wind beating at my face. As we got closer, I saw my miresa tied up with vines, a witch with white flowing hair and her arms reaching out. Fire burned in my belly, rage consumed me, and Creed and I let out deafening roars as he dropped me in front of the witch, where I landed with a ground-shattering thud.
The witch was taken aback, although her vines did not loosen around my female. I stomped forward, waving my sword and cutting the vines that connected to my female. My miresa shook them off and I felt Creed landing behind me, breaking the trees to make room for his massive body.
“Prepare to die, witch.”
Chapter Forty-One
Valpar
I gripped my sword tightly, feeling the cool metal against my palm. With a swift motion, I brought it down, slicing through the tangled vines. The sound of metal meeting vegetation echoed through the air, accompanied by the faint rustling of the retreating vines. The scent of damp earth and decaying leaves filled my nostrils as I continued my relentless assault. The witch’s hiss pierced the noise of breaking of vines, branches and rustling of leaves, as she gestured to command the lifeless roots of the forest to encircle her.
I was immune to magic. She wouldn’t dare throw a bolt of lightning, fire or whatever this nature witch could conjure. She could use items around her, and she was using sticks.
She obviously wasn’t aware of my strength.
I kept my back turned to my female, feeling the weight of her presence around me. I could almost hear the soft sound of her breath reaching my ears. It caused a mix of emotions to stir within me. Her calming scent was tainted, soured from rotting vines and magic.
If I were to look at her, I know I would crumble. The burning rage inside me would consume every fiber of my being, clouding my judgment. I was a warrior, her protector and her male. Seeing her sadness, any cuts or bruises on her body would fuel my desire for more vengeance and wrath. I could not think with anger, I must strategically win this battle quickly so I may have my female in my arms once again.
“Valpar!” My miresa cried, and I balled my free hand into a fist
Creed’s smoke had surrounded us, giving me the upper hand. We’d fought in the war—he knew how we orcs liked to fight.
Witches may have magic, but their eyesight is worthless unless they conjure something to deflect their enemies. Not that it would work on an orc.
“Stay female, you already have a hot ass coming to you later.”
She gasped, and I heard her tiny little foot stomp. “I had to save Simon. He needed me!”
Didn’t she know I needed her?
A root came behind me. I felt it before it struck and heard my female scream in panic. I smirked and dropped my sword, pulling on the root that tried to grip me by my waist. I ripped it from the soil, the tree pulling under the dirt. The witch was using all her strength to bend the tree, but her face contorting into anger and frustration made me huff out a laugh.
“No one touches what is mine,” I snarled at the witch and took a step forward, pulling the tree with me. The dirt crumbled and the roots left trenches behind me. More and more limbs from above tried to pull me back.
I glanced over at my miresa. “And I don’t care, Calliope, you are mine to protect. I would have saved him myself!”
Summoning every ounce of strength within me, I exerted an immense force, feeling the sinewy muscles in my arms and back strain. With a resounding crack, the tree wrenched from the earth as its roots violently tore apart. The sound of splintering wood echoed through the air, mingling with the gasp that escaped the witch’s lips. In that moment, her widened eyes to reveal the realization that her control was slipping away, like sand through her fingertips.
“Orcs own the trees. You really thought that these twigs could hold me?”
With a thunderous roar, I gripped the towering tree, feeling the rough bark scrape against my calloused palms. The musky dirt scented forest filled my nostrils as I swung the massive trunk around and its weight propelled me forward. The air whistled past my ears, and more snapping vines and cracking branches continued. The impact reverberated through my bones as the defiant vegetation crumbled under the force of tree in my hands.
The witch stumbled backward, her power waning as she struggled to regain control over the chaotic nature around her. But was too late. I was unstoppable, fueled by the fury of protecting what was mine.
The witch had one hand in the air and the other in front of her. I grabbed the knife at my ankle ready to throw it straight at her forehead.
My miresa screamed and I darted my head round to see roots shoot out from the ground and pull her to her knees. The witch cackled as I turned and raced toward my female.
Creed crouched low on all fours, his sleek scales glistening under the light sources. With a swift movement, his muscular tail arced through the air, creating a whooshing sound as it cut through vines above her and toward the witch. The witch, surprised, lost her concentration dodging his attack.
My female struggled as I pulled her out of the roots that tried to pull her into the dirt. Seeing the red lines on her body brought new fire to my belly. “Don’t move and stay with Creed.”
Her eyes were glassy, her nose sniffled as I gave her ass I swat and pressed my lips to hers. “Now watch your male kill your enemy.” She yipped in surprise and a smile pulled at her lips.
Creed settled his body above her, his tail wrapping around to keep my female protected. With a quick nod of thanks, I turned to see the witch recovering.
Creed could easily stomp over this witch, eat her whole but he knew the importance of showing strength to a mate. With a newfound determination, I channeled all of my power and yanked the tree out of the ground, roots tearing apart as it broke free. The witch’s eyes widened in fear as she realized her control slipping away again. With a mighty roar, I swung the tree around like a weapon, knocking down the surrounding vines and branches that dared to challenge me.
The witch, desperate and enraged, gathers all her remaining power and unleashed a final, devastating bolt of magic. It streaked through the air, and for the briefest moment, the atmosphere trembled as the force of her wrath was unleashed. She was not strong, not like I had faced in years past, but it was many moons since I had faced any sort of magic like this.
My hand gripped the branch in my hand, ready to pierce it through the witch’s heart. She stumbled, falling back on the very roots that tried to take me down, and stared at me wide-eyed.
“Wait, please hear me out!” She held up her hand in surrender, but I did not fall for the trick. The innocent look, the wide eyes; she was a witch and just like many before her, I would not hesitate for the kill.
I lifted the branch, taking the pointed end and drove it forward. Before I could drive it into her chest, her other hand came up, and the wood exploded. Thousands of splinters flew up into the air in the explosion. My vision obscured and I felt vines wrap around my legs and rip me from my feet.
“Valpar!” My female screamed.
I roared in protest. “Stay back!”
I heard the pattering of feet and instead of feeling panic for myself, because I knew I could take this witch, I worried about my female.
“Female—!”
A loud animalistic scream that did not sound of my miresa echoed in the air. Something jumped on my stomach and a white blur flew into the air. As my vision cleared, I saw Simon lowering his head and landing right on top of the witch, hitting her in the head.
The vines hovering over me and the roots that had grabbed me by the ankles all let go and fell into the dirt. The witch was knocked out cold, a large bump forming on her head. Simon let out a long yell and then tipped over, completely paralyzed and frozen.
“Simon!” Calliope screamed.
Creed had his tail wrapped around my female and I waved at him to let her go; I was ready to have her in my arms.
She ran toward me. I caught her as she was about to run past me. I growled and held her tightly to my body as I took her toward Simon and set her down in front of him. He was panting as his eye stared back at us.
“You saved me, Simon!”
I grunted and rolled my eyes. “Excuse me?”
Calliope turned to me and fluttered her lashes. “Yes, you did, too.” She rubbed my leg. “Simon helped too, though.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I had her within my grasp. Can I not play with the enemy to show off my strength?”
Calliope turned her head. “Uh, huh, sure.” She petted Simon as he woke.
This. Female.
I grabbed her shoulders to turn her to me while Simon stood up.
“Calliope, why did you leave the cave? What in the stars were you thinking? You could have been killed? You would have left me, and I have barely had you!” My voice became ragged and harsh as I spoke to her. I still couldn’t believe she left me, and that she didn’t trust I would have saved Simon. Did she not know I would do everything for her?
My female swallowed and grabbed my hand. Her thumb ran over the scrapes of my knuckles. “I’m so sorry, but… Karma said I wouldn’t see Simon again if you came with me. I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t risk it.”
I would never understand her relationship with this goat, but she needed to try. “If I lost you, my little fairy, do you know what it would have done to me?” I pleaded with her. “I would have left this world to be with you. I cannot breathe without you. You are everything to me. My heart beats for you alone.”
I could feel my female trembling as I held her. She was still struggling to understand my love for her. With a deep breath, I cupped her face between my hands and gazed into her eyes, trying to convey the intensity of these feelings.
“Calliope, listen to me. I would do anything, risk everything, for you. You are my everything, my reason for living. Next time—tell me what’s happening. We figure things out together. You are not alone. I promised you I would find Simon and I meant it. I would have beaten, tortured, killed those two until they told me where Simon was to make you happy.”
She bit on her bottom lip. “I didn’t think about that.”
I sighed heavily and pulled her to my chest. “Please don’t go willingly, ever again. You fight, you scream. I will always rescue you, and Simon. Nothing will ever happen to my family.”
Simon bleated and nudged my side.
“And Simon will save you.” Calliope gazed up at me and beamed.
I rolled my eyes again. “I was fine, female. He just helped.”
She hummed, unconvinced and petted Simon between the ears. “Who is a good baby goat, huh? Who is my good baby goat?”
Simon groaned and stretched out his neck. My little fairy continued to scratch, so I narrowed my eyes and pulled her hand away from him to put it in on my head. “I deserve scratches too,” I told her.
She grinned and used both of her hands to give us equal head scratches.
I’m not jealous of a goat, I’m not.
Fuck, I am.
I wrapped my arm around her waist and held her close, then made her explain in detail what happened to her. From Ivy flying her here, to the bottle she had in her lap and the witch.
I was disappointed I wouldn’t be killing the fairy, but I still had Karma I got to destroy. How both idiots came up with the idea of contacting a witch took far more effort I thought they would ever go to. Their brains were the size of peas, and they hated the sweetness of my mate so much they wanted to ruin her life?
I kept forgetting that some souls are just more evil that others. They just want to see others suffer for their own enjoyment. I’d never seen it until I knew the world of Bergarian. Perhaps that is why orcs stayed to themselves. The world was too messy to get involved with others—all we needed was our females.
I could not wait to get hold of Karma.
I could pluck out his wings and have him fermented in some orc ale. I’d drink the dissolved, glittery piece of shit he was straight down. I scrunched my nose up at that thought. He might make the ale too sweet.
A groan came from behind us, and I paused my little fairy’s scratching. I stood, ready to finish the witch, but Creed’s silent footsteps, despite his size, marked him already dragging the witch deeper into the wood. She groaned again. Creed’s nose let out a billow of smoke and when he retreated further into the brush, I knew exactly what he was going to do.
“Valpar?” My sweet female began as I pulled her to standing.
I shook my head and pulled her into my arms so that I may carry her away. I did not need her to hear the witch’s screams if she awoke while Creed finished her. Dragons love to eat witches. They absorb their power, even if that one was still young and not as powerful as the ones we had fought in the war.
