“I’m only worried about our baby.” She stood up and paced. “I’m not as helpless as you think, Draven. I’d die to protect her.”
“You’re the best mother, baby.” He wrapped his arms around her, holding her still. Draven kissed her forehead. “You make me so proud every day?—”
“Where’s the safest place?” she interrupted.
He shrugged. “The weapons lockers are fortified. That’s where Luanna’s taking the old and young.”
She shook her head. “I’d feel safer at a higher vantage point. I’ll stay with Clara in our room. Anyone who comes through the door will be in for a surprise.”
He’d been training her in various weapons during her pregnancy. It was better to be safe than sorry, especially after being hijacked on their last town run. It was one thing to point a gun, but it was another to know how to use it properly under stress.
“No one will come through the door,” he said.
It was a promise he intended to keep.
A fertile woman and a baby born after the virus would be valuable commodities in their fucked-up world. He didn’t intend to share or hand either of them over.
She rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him. He closed his eyes, savoring the feel of her lips and light brush of her tongue. “I’ll get the baby.”
“Remember, just a precaution,” he said, hoping Luke was right.
Ashley nodded, then picked up her sewing as she left the gardens. He stayed rooted in place for a while, looking around at their crops and the flowers that were flourishing along the walls. Survival had turned into paradise, and he didn’t want to lose it.
“Boss!”
Draven snapped out of his reverie and looked toward Luke. How much time had passed since he’d climbed down from the roof? He jogged over to the courtyard to meet his friend and the other men. They were all armed. Benjamin tossed him a shotgun. He caught it in both hands, then used the strap to sling it over his shoulder.
“They’re only a couple minutes away,” said Luke.
He took the binoculars and used an opening in the gate to see what was coming. A heavy-duty truck with a covered back—there could be a lot more men hiding. It crawled along with a couple pick-up trucks, dust billowing behind them. He tried to focus in on the faces of the men, but the dust and movement obscured his vision.
“How many do you think that truck could hold?” he asked Luke.
“What if it’s women and children?”
Draven shook his head. Who’d cart around their families … unless they were desperate. Desperate men were more dangerous than common vandals.
“We have the advantage,” said Benjamin. “They’re outside the walls. As long as we maintain our perimeter, they won’t be able to take us.”
“I say we fuck them before they fuck us,” said Ian. Much of the mob agreed, raising their weapons and chanting. As tempted as Draven was to engage in their energy, he had to keep a level head as leader.
“First, we talk!” he shouted, settling down the crowd. “If that doesn’t work…”
“Yeah, let’s hear what they have to say. They could just be passing through,” said Luke.”
Benjamin laughed without humor. “You see the armed vehicles they have? Some of them are in uniforms. They mean business, which means it won’t end up well for any of us if we don’t act soon.”
“They’re almost here,” said Draven. He could see them without binoculars now, hear the engine, and the murmur of distant voices. His heart raced. Was Ashley safely upstairs with their baby? Would they be able to keep the strangers out? He had a handful of skilled men, but the rest were regular civilians with no experience with violence.
He’d built this kingdom from nothing. Draven had no plans on handing it over.
****
Ashley settled the baby in her bassinette and then leaned out the window to watch the outsiders approach the gates. She had a clear view of the courtyard from her vantage point. Things were so much different now. If men broke into her room, it wouldn’t just be her life at stake. She had an innocent baby to consider now. Her defenses flared inside her. Nobody was going to take her Clara.
“What’s your business here?” asked Draven. The voices drifted upwards, allowing her to hear the conversation that could be the beginning of a nightmare.
She could feel the tension in their air, like the weight of humidity, making it difficult to breathe.
“How many souls do you have inside?”
Draven crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s not your concern, is it? What the fuck do you want?”
Everyone was still and quiet. Then the stranger smiled.
“We’re from the city to the east. We’re one of seven groups dispatched to find survivors. To spread the good news.”
“Good news?”
Ashley left the window and rushed over to the balcony to get closer to the conversation.