Peaches yelped at the sting scolding the nap between her shoulder blades.
It scolded her worse than any elder at her human jokes, or the whippings from her daring to ask the wrong question to her teachers, or or or — wait.
That all-too-familiar stink of cherries. A musk so despicable, yet so much like an elf girl’s … but not.
Underneath the strong smell of the roasted apple. Under the scolding hot stink of the cold iron nearby.
And that hint of vanilla stink.
It couldn’t be … her archrival the Ruby Reaper.
She must of revived already. That orc bitch. An orcubus as dumbasses called them. Because they had the beautiful build of elf girls, complete with smell and nice complexion, except their skin blue, red, green, or other orc colors, and they had huge pig ears and an upright piglet nose.
Unlike orc guys. Like deformed warthog trolls and those bastards … nonono.
Focus.
If Roo went to the Dark … nonono.
The sun was behind her. The shadows on the ground … someone was behind her now. Going by the time of day and the shadow … that orc bitch was behind her. Digging one of her arrows into Peaches’ back.
And that evil smirk on Roo’s face. His awfully handsome green eyes.
“You’re …” Peaches said, “You sold your soul to the Ruby Reaper? Her? Of all the horrible darkspawn out there …”
A sultry giggle behind her confirmed her worst fear was true.
“Not quite,” Ruby said, “I’m his familiar. A very devoted one. You heard of the golden bond?”
“Golden …” Peaches said, and gasped.
It had to be voluntary. In a real sense. but that didn’t make sense. An orc truly volunteering to … that. To accept a magical bond that created artificial feelings of devoted loyalty, to downright love, toward their master, but not a brainless sort of devotion but but but …
“Vengeance against Camilla,” Ruby said, “For wiping out my clan, and … other things. You don’t need to know.”
Peaches gulped. “How …”
“Roo saved me,” Ruby said, “First time anyone did, and even more, he didn’t demand anything in return.”
“That’s … like him,” Peaches said, “But … rescue you? You’re darkspawn that needs to die and—”
Roo tsked. “Peaches Peaches Peaches—”
“Okay okay,” Peaches said, “I know what you’re going to say.”
“Good,” he said, “Then tell me.”
Peaches huffed. “Get this arrow off my back and—”
Ruby laughed. The pain in Peaches back get sharper.
Peaches whimpered. Raised her hands.
“What are you going to do to me?” she said, and knew it was over for her. Roo won this round. Her best bet was going familiar, not genie, since the golden contract didn’t have to be for life, and despite all those artificial feelings, any familiar could still make their own choices, defy their master.
Roo sighed. “So … genie or familiar?”
Peaches kicked his ankle.
He yelped.
Then she did. When Ruby pricked her back even harder.
“No no, Ruby,” Roo said, “Peaches always had a bit of a temper.”
“She came here to kill you,” Ruby said, “I’m not so keen on letting her walk free. I’ve fought her enough to know she shouldn’t be underestimated.”
Peaches smirked this time. “See? Not a third-rate witch.”
If only elf guys didn’t think that too. At least Ruby wasn’t in the running, even if more than a few elf guy s say it was too bad she was a n orcubus rather than an elf … snagging Roo for the elven cause …
“Ouch!” Peaches said, her back hurting from another prick.
Ruby sighed. So sultry stupid too. That slut.
“Not much of a friend, Amber,” Ruby said,
Peaches growled.
But Roo jumped in.
“She’s right,” Roo said, “Sorry, Peaches. if we were really friends, you would of—”
“Would of what?” Peaches said, “An explanation? A chance?”
“Yeah,” Roo said, “Exactly. Like what I gave you every time you—”
Peaches slapped him.
It was louder than … his face was hard and not so red but … not bleeding or …
“You’re alive,” she said, “I played with you. You think I would play with just any human. Sheesh. How arrogant can you be? I let you touch me! I talked with you! How many elf girls would deem you worthy of any of that?!”
Ruby chuckled. Too sultry again.
“She has a point,” Ruby said, “Elf girls are all looks.”
Roo even did some cockeyed grimace smirk thing.
“I know,” he said, “You think I’d be so charmingly friendly to just any elf girl? I’ll killed my fair share of them. Just like I’ve killed my fair share of orcs.”
That jolted Peaches.
“How … how many?” she said.
“Lost count,” he said, “Plenty of elf men too, but not that recently. I haven’t seen many elf men—”
“Because they’re all almost …” Peaches said, “I mean, there’s so few left. We’re … dying out. I … I wouldn’t even be out here, on the front lines, if … if … well …”
What sting her the most was … even now … elf men scorned her for …
“Elf men scorn you, still,” Roo said.
Peaches slumped. “Yeah. I’m only good enough for humans. One human.”
“But I’m not good enough for you,” Roo said, and with a sad grimace.
“I … I didn’t say that,” she said, “I …”
“Treat me like elf men treat you?” Roo said.
“That’s a sucker punch,” Peaches said, “And you know it. I have a reputation to uphold. I can’t be too slutty for a human or else …”
“Or else?” Roo said, “Go slutty to trap darkspawn, but no sexy goodness for a human you actually like?”
“I …” Peaches said, “Okay okay. I … like you. A lot. Really. it’s just … so few elves left and …”
“And it’s their own fault,” Roo said.
Peaches cried, “What?!?”
“Elf men are too picky,” he said, “They’d rather let their kind go extinct than—”
Peaches pecked his lips. They didn’t taste … bad either.
“There,” she said, “No hope of an elf guy for me now. Ever. Happy?”
“You want some angry sex now?” he said.
Peaches laughed. Lowered her hands.
“Fine,” she said “If that’s … wait. Marry me first. Unless you … you slept with Ruby, didn’t you?”
“Not yet,” Roo said, “And—”
Peaches sighed. “Okay okay. Not fair. I’ve seen your smut collection and sheesh, okay, I’ll go slutty elf girl for you, and just you, but I’m not doing any girl on girl stuff with Ruby, no matter how much you beg me to.”
“That’s …” Roo said, “Agreed.”
His smile … so stupid happy, but she couldn’t help but … smile back too.