Ash Princess

by Eve Langlais

  Whatever would they do?

  When she emerged, her skin dewy and her hair slicked back and wet, he had to forcibly keep himself on that bed. All he wanted to do was sweep her into his arms and kiss her again. Kiss her and strip that towel to explore every inch of her skin.

  “You’re staring again,” she stated, despite having her back to him as she rifled through the closet.

  “Sorry. Can’t seem to help myself around you.”

  She cast him a glance over her bare shoulder. “You’re just saying that.”

  “Why would I lie?”

  She shrugged. “Because we’re alone and men will say anything to seduce.”

  “And you know this because?”

  “Because I’ve been propositioned more times than you can count. Although not as much lately, given those old enough to try are like brothers to me.”

  “Would you feel better if I told you I don’t usually tell women they’re attractive?”

  “What do you tell them, then?”

  “Not much.”

  She turned and leaned against the wardrobe. “I’m a virgin.”

  The blunt statement took him by surprise. “Um.”

  “I know, I’m old to still be one, but…” She hesitated. “I never found anyone I wanted to let in that close.”

  The frankness of her words surprised him. “And you’re telling me this because?” Hope didn’t just flutter in his chest. With the way she stared at him—

  Her towel hit the floor.

  He gaped.

  “I don’t want to die a virgin.”

  “You won’t die,” he said thickly.

  “Are you going to make me beg?” she said with an arch of her brow.

  “Fuck no.” He jumped from the bed and stalked toward her, only to stop a few inches away. He ran a knuckle down her soft cheek. “Why me?”

  “Well, you’re here for one.”

  “Way to stroke my ego, Kay.”

  She grinned impishly. “Does your ego need to know I’ve wanted to touch you since I first stripped your fine body?”

  He uttered a sound, half groan, half holy fuck was this really happening.

  She reached up to cup his cheeks. “Do you want me?”

  “More than you can imagine.” The truth wrung raw in his words. “But I don’t want you to do this because you think we’re fucked. I will get us out of here.”

  “I know you will. But in the meantime…” She leaned up enough to brush her mouth against his. A soft tentative embrace.

  He shuddered. “Kay.” He breathed her name as he leaned into her, his lower body pinning hers, the pants he wore not hiding his erection.

  The circumstances sucked, but he couldn’t say no. Didn’t want to say no.

  He took over the kiss, sucking at her lower lip, tasting her while catching the soft pants of her hot breath. His hands skimmed her slender curves from the slight indent of her waist to the firm flesh of her ass. He cupped the silky flesh and pulled her against him, drawing a gasp.

  Inexperience didn’t mean she lacked instinct. She ground herself against him, and her fingers dug into his shoulders. A hand on her thigh was all it took for her to grasp his intent, and she lifted a leg to wrap around his hip. It opened her for him, and he lightly stroked her sex.

  She moaned.

  She was wet.

  He needed her so fucking much, but he had to take things slow. He couldn’t rush like he wanted to. He had to make this good for her.

  Her first time.

  Her last time. And he didn’t mean because he thought they’d die. He wanted to be the only man to ever feel her wet desire on his fingers.

  Her mouth parted at the insistence of his tongue, deepening their kiss, truly allowing him to taste her. Feel her. She was an avid learner, thrusting her tongue into his mouth for a sinuous slide. And when she sucked on him…

  He almost dropped to his knees.

  This woman…She was everything.

  And he wanted to worship.

  He broke off the kiss despite her protest to drop to his knees. To kiss her belly and then lower.

  Her fingers tangled in his hair. He lifted a leg to drape it over his shoulder, exposing her to him. The pink beauty of her.

  He kissed her inner thigh, and she shivered. He trailed many kisses to the core of her passion, blowing hotly on it, reveling in the soft mewling sounds she made.

  He couldn’t resist licking, long wet licks that spread her silken folds, letting him thrust his tongue, tasting her desire.

  Feeling her quivers.

  Hearing her pleasure.

  He needed to give her more. He inserted just the tip of his finger inside her, knowing he had to prepare her, throbbing with impatience. But he had to do this right. Had to ensure she could handle him because he wasn’t a small man.

  His tongue flicked against her clit, and she cried out, her pleasure instant. The small orgasm rocked her frame.

  A good start.

  He kept flicking his tongue against her clit until she began gyrating against him, her gasping moans letting him know she was ready for another orgasm. But this time he intended to feel it on his cock.

  He stood but kept his fingers stroking her. He was clumsy as he tried to release himself, his turgid cock making things difficult in the too-tight pants.

  While there was a temptation to slam himself into her, he held off and held his erection that he might rub it against her. He wetted the thick head of his cock, slid it over her clit until she panted and clung to him.

  Her first time shouldn’t be standing though. He grabbed hold of her and lay her on the bed, a silvery goddess all for him.

  Her legs were parted, her skin flushed, and her eyes heavy with desire. She held out her arms to him, and he went to her, kneeling between her legs that he might lean down to kiss her.

  The head of him teased the opening of her sex. To his surprise, she reached between their bodies to clasp him.

  He almost came.

  It didn’t help when she said, “It’s so hard.”

  “Ayuh.”

  “And hot.” She tugged him.

  He groaned. “It’s going to get soft in a second if you keep doing that.”

  “Really?” She yanked harder.

  He growled. “You’ll make me come if you don’t stop.”

  “Good.”

  “Not good. I want to be inside you.”

  “Will it fit?” She sounded more curious than afraid.

  “Let me show you how well we fit together.”

  He leaned back, wanting to control the situation. A joke. He’d not been in charge since meeting her.

  Even now, he trembled with the effort to go slow. The head of his cock pushing her nether lips apart. Pushing into her. Slowly. It was agonizing.

  She bit her lip. “You are big.”

  Her words only made him harder.

  He paused and rubbed at her clit, round and round against the button of it until her hips rocked, pushing him deeper, until he butted against her hymen.

  How to proceed? Slow? Fast?

  She decided for him when her legs wrapped around his hips. She locked them in place and tightened her grip. He could only go deeper, pressing through that thin barrier, capturing her cry with his mouth, wishing he didn’t have to cause her pain.

  He lay still to let her adjust, feeling her channel pulsing around him.

  “Aren’t you supposed to move?” she whispered.

  He almost laughed. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

  She wiggled. “Show me. Make me feel that pleasure again.”

  No way could he resist that demand. He pulled out and thrust back in. She gasped.

  He kissed her and thrust again. And again. They fit perfectly together and fell into a rhythm that was pure bliss.

  The tightness of her sex squeezed. He rotated his hips, pushing into her, driving deep, deep enough he hit a spot that made her moan. So he kept hitting it, hearing her pleasure in the heightening p
itch of her cries. Her flesh squeezed him tight as a fist, and when she came again, it was with a softly cried, “Cam.”

  He leaned his forehead against hers as her waves of bliss drew out his own orgasm. He came hard, spilling himself inside her, feeling many things in that moment—pleasure, relief, but the one that frightened him most?

  A sense that she belonged with him.

  Not just for one encounter of a day. But forever.

  She fell asleep in his arms, but he couldn’t rest. Not until he’d figured out how to save them.

  His opportunity came the next morning.

  Chapter 14

  Waking up with someone proved different.

  Not bad. Just…different. And very nice.

  Kayda found her cheek snuggled to his chest, his warmth, the steady thud of his heart relaxing. The palm of her hand rested over his mid-section, the muscles forming distinct ridges.

  He had an arm curled around her, and he stroked his fingers along her hip, over the blanket, but being aware of them still gave her tingles. She now understood what those tingles could lead to.

  Could he feel her blushing as she remembered what happened last night? She’d been possessed by a wanton desire and thrown herself at him. In her desperation she’d made her desires clear while, at the same time, been afraid he’d reject her.

  Instead he gave her the most memorable night. She shifted against him, a slow, sensuous rub.

  His hand froze, and his voice was a deep rumble as he said, “Morning, beautiful.”

  “Morning.” A husky reply. Was that her talking like that?

  Breath rushed out of her as he suddenly rolled her to her back and lay on top. His hair was tousled. His grin… Oh that grin, charming and teasing, it stroked her almost as decadently as his fingers had.

  She couldn’t help but smile back.

  “Did you sleep well?” he asked.

  “Very.” And then out of the blue, she undulated against him and pressed her lips to his skin and murmured, “And how are you doing this fine morning?”

  He groaned. “Oh, Kay, if only I thought we’d have the time. But you should probably get dressed.”

  It was then she noticed while he might be bare chested, he wore pants. The short interlude ended as reality crashed the party. They were prisoners of sadistic murderers. She needed to be ready to handle anything.

  But first, she boldly kissed his lips, feeling his surprise and restrained hunger. “Are you sure we don’t have time?” She wanted to experience that pleasure again, especially given what might happen later.

  They might die or, even worse, be separated.

  The low groan he uttered was the sexiest thing she could have ever imagined. “I want to, but we can’t. One of us has to responsible.”

  “I’m tired of being responsible,” she pouted, rolling away from him onto her back.

  She glared at the ceiling. No one had dusted the cobwebs and dust from it in a while. She kicked at the sheets, only belatedly realizing she was nude. She might have covered up except his gaze lingered on her bare breasts. Her nipples puckered.

  His expression smoldered as he growled, “Get dressed before they walk in and I have to tear out their eyes.”

  “Why their eyes?” she asked in curiosity, as it seemed oddly specific.

  “Because I should be the only one who gets to enjoy this view,” he said, stroking a finger in the valley of her breasts.

  She shivered. “That is oddly romantic, in a violent, possessive way.”

  His brow furrowed. “Sorry. I didn’t even think—”

  “Don’t apologize.” Call her all kinds of wrong, but she liked it. When she’d lain awake at night in her crypt, despairing of the future, she used to wish she could find someone who made her heart race. Someone interested in her and not her princess title or because they were horny and she happened to be handy.

  The night before had been glorious, and maybe they’d be lucky and it would happen again, but the chances of them surviving were pretty slim. She knew how to count. At least three more soldiers on top of those they’d seen. The countess and two more people roaming the facility that they’d not met. At least that pair didn’t look armed.

  “You’re looking thoughtful,” he noted, rising from the bed, his pants hanging low on his hips. With his body half turned, she could see the V sliding under the waist of his breeches.

  “We’re not getting out of this, are we?” Best be pragmatic. She pushed to her feet, her back to him, her cheeks hot as could be, knowing he could see her naked posterior.

  “Never say never, Kay.”

  Except there was one thing she was sure of. Ultimately, even if they got out of this impossible situation, he’d go back to his home. Why wouldn’t he, given his sister ruled as queen? He had a life to go back to. As for Kayda…she couldn’t even imagine a future where she wasn’t tired and hungry and anxious all the time. Couldn’t imagine ever sleeping as soundly again as she had against Cam’s chest.

  “You’re awful quiet there, Kay. Talk to me,” he said, handing her a shirt.

  She spoke softly. “When the apocalypse first started, I had a single wish. That the volcano would stop and the cold winds and snow would return, bringing back our seasons where the trees and grass can grow. Where everyone could go outside and not worry about the air destroying their lungs. I was so naïve.”

  “No, you were human,” Cam replied, helping her to thread her arms through the shirt. “You wanted the same thing everyone else probably did, for things to go back to normal.”

  “But they didn’t.” She looked down, unable to meet his gaze. She’d never told anyone of her youthful fantasies. “I used to imagine returning to our castle in the sky. Do you know when the ocean fog rolled off the icebergs, it appeared as if it floated above the clouds?”

  “Sounds beautiful.”

  “Was. It’s gone now.” She couldn’t stem the sadness in her words. “Everything is dead and gone. Soon we’ll be no more.”

  “It’s not over yet.”

  “It’s been twenty years.”

  “How long did our ancestors wait after the Fall to walk the Earth again? If they’d given up, where would we be now?”

  Her lips pressed tight. “I’m not giving up.” She was just tired.

  “Good because there is a world outside of this kingdom. A life you can have that doesn’t involve the Enclave or dragons or even volcanoes.” He handed her some pants.

  She pulled them on, pensive. She couldn’t imagine anything outside the mountain. And wasn’t that the problem? For years she knew they were dying penned in the Necropolis. Had kept them all there after her father died because she’d been too afraid. Afraid of the unknown.

  But now what choice did she have?

  “What about the others?” She went looking for something to put on her feet.

  “We’ll bring them with us, of course.”

  “Not all will make the journey.”

  He agreed. “A good number of them might die.”

  She liked that he never lied, even as she hated it. “I can’t make that decision. They’ll have to—”

  He sliced a hand through the air. “Yes, you will, because you have to. You’re the one they look to.”

  “I never asked to be a leader. It happened over time. More by accident than anything. I was too young when my father died. And those closest to him were gone, leaving a void in the command structure that let a bully step in.”

  “How did that go over?”

  She shook her head. “Not well. Hordan didn’t last long, given his first order was to try and have all the girls between fourteen and sixteen years presented for his enjoyment.” It was a mother who threw the first rock.

  Once Hordan was gone, other bullies tried to push themselves into place. They lasted even less time.

  “Eventually, the role fell to you.”

  She sat on the bed, dressed and finger combing her hair. “By then we were decimated in numbers. With all the so
rties my father and the other adults made, especially to the tower, we had no one left.”

  “They were looking for the tunnels,” he mused aloud.

  “Maybe.” She shrugged. “Then again, if he knew about tunnels, surely we wouldn’t have spent the first ten years of our apocalypse under the castles.”

  “I don’t know why he delayed so long, but given what you see here”—he swept a hand—“now what do you think?”

  She sighed. “I can tell you we all thought he was crazy when he became obsessed with it. At first, he sent scouts. The first group never returned. The second group was larger. and only one came back, grievously wounded.”

  “Was he able to tell what attacked him?”

  “A dragon, Kevlarr claimed. The biggest ever. They called him Old Red.” Her head ducked. “My father always had a knack with dragons. People used to say he talked to them.” Sometimes she felt as if she and Gellie spoke, too. Cave delusions. Dragons didn’t speak. “He decided to go see this drake.”

  “And never returned,” Cam stated, his expression grim.

  “Nope. This tower is where he died.” She ran her hand over the mattress. “Or so I was told. There was only one survivor. Zee. And he was traumatized at the loss of his daughter. A lot of good people died that day.” Their bravest and toughest.

  A few years later, when they put her in charge—mostly because they’d run out of idiots who wanted the job—she’d chosen the path that led to the fewest casualties.

  Hiding. Never leaving the mountain. Waiting to die…

  “There you are looking grim again.”

  She stood and paced. “Did you ever get to the point in your life where you just couldn’t see a future? Where everything seemed hopeless?”

  “I was born in a cage and lived in one for seven years. During that time, they broke every bone in my body, sometimes more than once. Burned me. Beat me. Made me bleed. I couldn’t see past the pain most of the time.”

  She sucked in a breath. “Who would do that to a child?”

  “The Emerald Enclave. The queen was a sadistic despot with obedient sycophants.”

  “How did you escape?”

  “I fought. I decided I wasn’t going to be a prisoner anymore.” A flat statement and in it she could read the violence and death it entailed.