“Reading. I loved to read, but most of the books have been burned for heat,” she said.
He smiled. “I have a library downstairs. Fully stocked. I’ll show it to you later, if you like.”
She couldn’t help but smile back. Ashley wondered if her face would crack. It had been so long since she had something to smile about.
“It’s good to keep the mind active. Sometimes an escape is vital these days, don’t you agree?”
She nodded, trying not to stare at the broadness of his shoulders or the way the material of his shirt tightened around his biceps.
“Me, I was a Marine. Good one, too. Fought for freedom, or so they told me. Maybe I was a pawn for the government, an assassin for their greed. Who knows? Now, there’s nothing worth fighting for.” He wet his lips. “No, that’s not true. Not anymore.” His hand was still on her knee, and she could feel his heat and every twitch of his fingers. Her core coiled tight, her reaction to this man unnerving her. “Do you have any fears, Ashley?”
She loved the way he said her name, like it was a dessert he was savoring.
“Men. Being a victim.” Why was she opening up to this stranger? This had to be all an act. But somehow, he made her feel safe, her hard layers falling away. “I never asked to be a fertile, but it’s a curse, not a blessing.”
“Don’t say that. It’s a beautiful thing. A gift.” His hand slid slightly higher, resting on the fleshy part of her thigh. Could he hear her heart pounding in her chest? It sounded deafening in her ears.
“That’s because you’re a man. You probably don’t have any fears.”
He scoffed. “I’m afraid of a lot of things. Some I never even realized until you showed up at my gates. Most of all, I’d say the biggest one is death.”
This caught her interest. “Everyone has to die.”
“The way the world is now, the next day is never a guarantee. I’ve seen so much death, even before the virus. I want no part of it.”
“So you’ll stay alive forever?”
He chuckled. “Maybe I will. What about you? Care to join me?”
She shrugged, playing along. This fairy tale was better than her reality for now.
“We can forget the rest of the world, stay here, and live forever. Just you and me.” Something changed in his demeanor, a darkness passing over his features. Hunger. She wasn’t afraid. If anything, she didn’t trust her own instincts when it came to Draven.
Instead of giving in, of embracing his clear seduction, she forced herself to smarten up. He only wanted what her body could give him. If she didn’t have the fertile band, she wouldn’t be sitting in front of him right now. “But then the story ends, and we wake up. There’s no hiding from the truth.”
He stood up, and part of her was disappointed he didn’t try harder.
She watched as he walked over to his dresser, a finely crafted wooden piece of furniture with intricate carvings. Something that belonged to royalty. He picked up a book, and her heart leapt.
Draven walked around the massive room, occasionally peering out a window, holding the book to his chest. What was he thinking? Planning? A man like him was intelligent, carefully crafting every word before he spoke it.
When he finally returned to her, she held her breath in anticipation.
He sat beside her on the small loveseat this time, the cushions sinking slightly from his weight. His presence was pure masculinity. Draven held the book out to her, but when she attempted to take it, he pulled it away. She looked at him, confused, but saw the teasing quality in his eyes.
“Would you like to have a look at this book?”
She nodded, not sure what game he was playing.
“Okay, I’ll trade you. One kiss and I’ll let you read some of it.”
It was a tempting offer, one she couldn’t refuse on either count. But he should know what he was dealing with. Despite the state of the world, Ashley was a virgin. Inexperienced and terrified of losing her innocence to any man. She’d witnessed women being raped, and had to listen to Luanna’s horrific recounts during their travels together.
“Just a kiss. I have nothing more to offer.”
This appeared to pique his curiosity. “You have so much to give. We both do.”
She shook her head. “If you’re looking for someone to breed, you should keep looking. I didn’t break free from the government’s program just to be an experiment for you.”
He leaned back slightly. “You’ve insulted me,” he said.
Her heart raced, this time with a hint of fear. Had she crossed a line? Was he going to force her out of his protected little world?
“I didn’t mean to.”
“I’ve only taken care of you since you arrived, have I not? Have I hurt you? Threatened you in any way?”
“No,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”
He paused. “Apology accepted. But I’m wondering. Are you not attracted to me?”
Her stupid body heated again, because he was so close and smelled so damn good. “Probably every woman is.”
“I didn’t ask you that, Ashley. I don’t care about other women or their opinions. You’re the one in my room. You’re the one I’ve chosen for myself.”
Did he really just say that?
Should she feel flattered or threatened? Being chosen made her feel wanted in a world out to destroy itself. Even before the virus, men often looked the other way because of her constant weight issues and often awkward shyness. It felt empowering for such a desirable man, a king no less, to choose her out of so many women.
“I’m a virgin,” she blurted, half out of breath.
He tilted his head, a comical look twisting his features for a second. “You’re very jumpy. You need to relax.” He brushed her hair behind her shoulder and ran the backs of his fingers over her cheek. She didn’t dare move or breathe. “And don’t worry about being a virgin. I’m a patient man, and I’m not against giving you lessons. Now, how about that kiss?”
Chapter Three
Draven watched as Ashley stared down at the book. Clearly, she wanted to read it, but she was also too nervous to trust him. He liked seeing her nervous, watching as she bit her lip and her cheeks blushed.
Her innocence shocked him to be honest. In this world of kill or be killed, the fact she’d remained a virgin was a miracle in itself.
“What do you mean, you’ve chosen me for yourself? You don’t even know me.”
“You’re trying to avoid the kiss.”
“I’m trying to stay alive.” She held up her wrist. “This doesn’t give any man a claim over me, regardless of attraction or not. I’m not some pawn to be used for your own amusement.” She got to her feet, but he caught her wrist. His fingers banded around the ink that marked her as fertile.
Every single fertile woman had gotten this band. It marked them from all the other women. He could be with anyone else, and there were plenty of women in his kingdom that wanted him.
“You’re safe here.”
He put the book down but made no move for her to take it.
She snorted. “I’m safe? I’m here, and Luanna is not. I don’t like this. I don’t like any of this.”