Page 75 of Rok's Captive
Hotter.
Brighter.
Wrong.
I gasp, pressing a trembling hand to my stomach as the heat surges through me, making my skin prickle and my head spin. It’s not just heat. It’s need.
A need I don’t understand.
And yet, somehow, Iknowit’s connected to him.
“Rok…something’s happening…” I manage.
He reacts then—not to my words, but to the sound of my voice. His growl deepens, his claws slashing out, raking the stone wall beside him in a violent, uncontrolled movement. The screech of it makes me flinch, and the gouges he leaves behind are deep enough to make my stomach clench.
He’s fighting something.
But what?
I push myself upright, every muscle in my body trembling from the effort. My legs feel useless, my skin feverish, but I force myself to move toward him.
He jerks back, his growl cutting off sharply as if my presence physically hurts him. His claws scrape against the stone as he staggers to his feet, his movements jerky and uncoordinated, like he’s running on instinct alone.
“Wait—don’t go!” I reach for him, my hand outstretched, but he stumbles away from me, his glow flaring in sharp, erratic bursts.
His gaze meets mine, and the look in his eyes sends a fresh wave of fear crashing over me.
He’s not just in pain.
He’s afraid.
Ofme.
He looks…lost. His breathing is ragged, his chest heaving like he’s struggling just to stay here, just to keep looking at me.
For a split second, I see something in his eyes that makes my stomach twist. Not just fear. Not just pain. Guilt. Like he thinks he’s done something wrong. Like he’s afraid of what he’s capable of.
“Rok,” I whisper, but he jerks back as if my voice physically hurts him.
“Rok,” I whisper, my voice breaking.
But he’s already moving.
He bolts for the entrance of the chamber, his claws slashing at the walls as he runs, leaving deep gouges in the stone. His growls echo through the narrow passages, a sound so raw and feral it sends a chill racing down my spine.
I try to follow, but my legs buckle beneath me, my body too weak, too overwhelmed. I collapse back against the stone, gasping for breath, my skin damp with sweat and burning with that strange, alien heat.
The glow of his body fades as he disappears into the darkness, leaving me alone in the silent chamber, trembling and…well…terrified.
I press a shaking hand to my chest, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart, but it’s no use. The heat inside me flares again, making me gasp, and I curl into myself, trying to fight the sensation.
It’s not aboutwhatis happening to me anymore. Something is happening.
And that something is happening to him, too.
Chapter23
IS IT HOT IN HERE, OR IS IT JUST MY ALIEN-INDUCED FEVER?
