Page 30 of Rok's Captive
What the…
When my gaze shifts back to his, that lump rises in my throat again. He’s not looking at me with that intensity he had a moment ago. This is different. As if he’s struggling to process something, his pupils dilating and contracting rapidly.
I adjust my fingers so we’re no longer touching. It reminds me of my cousin’s shellfish allergy—that immediate physical reaction when his body encountered something it wasn’t designed to handle. But this is different, more like the alien’s skin is responding to me specifically. Like I’m the allergen.
“It’s just water,” I whisper, maybe to distract myself orhim. It’s a weak attempt. He still doesn’t let go.
Slowly, carefully, I twist the cap with my free hand, my eyes never leaving his. The alien jerks in surprise when the cap pops off, but he still doesn’t let go.
“See?” I say softly. “It’s just water.”
For a heartbeat, I forget where I am, forget the danger, forget everything except those strange golden eyes locked on mine. They’re…mesmerizing.
I’d be a dumbass to ignore the fact that this creature before me is by far the most wild and enchanting thing I have, and probably will ever, encounter. He’s…beautiful. In the way a lightning storm is beautiful after calm. The air between us feels suddenly charged and I’m faced with the fact that he is as wild and strange as the desert around us, and I am at his mercy.
He blinks first, breaking whatever spell had fallen over us. His nostrils flare as he brings the packet closer to his face, sniffing at it suspiciously. The concentration on his face would be comical under different circumstances—like watching someone inspect fine wine instead of emergency rations.
Finally, he tips the packet ever so slightly, allowing the smallest drop to touch his tongue.
The moment the water touches his tongue, he jerks back like I just fed him acid. His lips peel back, exposing those sharp teeth, a growl vibrating through his chest. He wipes his mouth—again and again—his whole body shuddering in what can only be pure, unfiltered disgust.
He thrusts the packet back at me with such force I nearly drop it. “What—you don’t like it?” I can’t help the small laugh that escapes. “It’s just water. Maybe a little stale, but?—”
The alien makes another disgusted sound, and I stifle another laugh.
“Fine, more for me.” I take a cautious sip, half-expecting it to taste terrible, but it’s just water—slightly warm and with that faint metallic flavor all the emergency rations have, but nothing offensive.
The alien watches me drink with a mixture of disgust and horror, as if I’m downing poison by choice. When I finish, his gaze follows my hand as I carefully reseal the half-empty packet and return it to my bag.
“Different tastebuds, I guess.” I shrug, settling back against the wall. “Or maybe your water’s just better than ours.”
The alien continues to stare at me for a long moment, then makes that clicking sound again—softer this time, almost thoughtful—before returning to his position at the cave entrance. He crouches there, perfectly balanced, a golden sentinel between me and whatever’s outside.
I can’t help but notice he keeps flexing the hand that touched mine, opening and closing his fingers as if testing them. And then he touches his jaw, trailing his fingers over the spot where I’d punched him earlier. The luminescence beneath his skin pulses irregularly along that arm, almost like aftershocks from when I touched him there.
I don’t…I don’t know what to think of that.
Did I hurt him? No—he’s too solid for that. But then why does he keep touching where I did?
“Sorry…” I whisper, though I don’t even know what I’m apologizing for.
Pulling my knees to my chest, I’m suddenly aware of how utterly exhausted I am. My muscles scream in protest. My throat feels better, at least. The initial panic has subsided into a dull, throbbing awareness of my situation.
I’m lost. Completely cut off from Jacqui and the others.
“What am I going to do?” I whisper, not expecting an answer.
The alien tilts his head slightly at the sound of my voice, but those luminous eyes remain focused on the darkness outside.
“Jacqui’s going to kill me.” A humorless laugh escapes before I swallow it down. “If those screaming things don’t beat her to it.”
The soft glow in the cave dims and I glance back at the alien’s silhouette. His body language screams ‘feral’—from the way he balances on the balls of his feet to the tilt of his head as he listens to sounds I can’t detect. Those sharp teeth I glimpsed earlier weren’t for show. This isn’t some benevolent E.T. who’s going to help me phone home. At least he seems to be standing guard and not coming after me.
Still, I’m double fucked.
In the ass.
Zero lube.
