Page 16 of Dark Fey Captive

Nothing in my life could compare to her softness against my skin as she slowly relaxed against me. I wanted to curl myself around her and hold her more tightly.

But I didn’t. I still wasn’t sure how she felt about me.

I worried she feared me.

Frowning, I slowly rubbed her back and recalled how she had tried to leave immediately after waking. Running away had seemed reasonable at the time. An infected had been calling outside. Humans feared the infected. And when afraid, they ran blindly, sometimes right toward the danger, which was why I had stopped her from leaving the bedroom. The way she had locked herself in the bathroom was also a common reaction when infected were near. Humans felt safer in spaces without windows.

I wanted her to feel safe.

That was why I had spoken to her through the door. However, she had not responded to my reassurances or request to come out. She had stayed inside, even as she grew colder.

What troubled me was how she had asked why I was helping her. I wanted to believe she was interested in me, but I knew better. Humans were naturally suspicious—very few of them spoke plainly or the truth.

To prevent any misunderstanding, I had done both.

So you want to have sex with me?

Although she understood what I wanted, I was not sure what she wanted.

She twitched against me, distracting me as she sank into a more restful sleep. Need throbbed through me at the subtle movement. I wanted to hold her tighter, but refrained.

Forced sex is never as good as willing sex.

Even without her warning, I knew that females did not like to be forced. To have sex. To talk when they did not want to. To look at me. To do anything.

I had already seen many angry, hateful looks from females. I wanted sweet ones. Welcoming ones.

But despite understanding what I wanted, Arena did not give me sweet, welcoming looks when she’d finally emerged.

She’d looked at me with fear.

Was it because I broke the door? Females liked locks when relieving themselves.

Or was it me? She never said it was me. But she had not denied it either.

If she feared me, she would not lie so peacefully on top of me, would she?

She moved again, and I stroked her back, unsure if she was uncomfortable or simply trying to take more of my heat. I wanted to curl around her, but she kept tensing whenever I got closer.

I noticed it when I’d picked her up…

When I’d carried her to the bed…

When I’d helped her find a more comfortable spot to take my heat.

Tensing was not a good sign.

A small sigh escaped me.

I liked when she moved against me. Too much. My balls still ached from her earlier wiggles. I almost regretted stopping her, but I doubted she would have liked me releasing on her uninvited.

She made a soft, sad sound in her sleep that gutted me.

What had my poor female endured before I found her?

Hunger?

Infected?