Page 30 of Rok’s Captive (Barbarians of the Dust #1)

THERE MUST BE SOMETHING IN THE WATER

JUSTINE

I ’m dying.

Or at least, that’s what it feels like as I stumble through the sand behind Rok, trying to keep my gaze fixed firmly on the horizon and not on the obscene tent in his loincloth.

It started this morning, the moment I woke up, curled against him.

I’d opened my eyes to find myself practically plastered to his chest, my thighs draped over his hips, my panties soaked through and my swollen, aching…self grinding against his massive, hard cock.

My first thought had been, Oh my God, I’m humping him in my sleep .

My second thought had been, Oh my God, I’m still humping him .

The moment I realized what I was doing, I’d scrambled off him so fast I nearly fell. Rok had stayed where he was, his jaw clenched tight, his fangs bared slightly as if in pain. And that’s when I noticed the way he was holding himself—his hands gripping his thighs, his whole body rigid, his cock straining against the loincloth like it was trying to break free.

I hadn’t said anything. What could I even say? Sorry I dry-humped you all night like a sleep-deprived dog in heat?

Instead, I’d muttered something about needing water and bolted for the gourd.

And now here we are, hours later, trekking through the desert while I try to ignore the fact that my panties are still damp, my skin feels like it’s on fire, and every time Rok so much as glances in my direction, I feel a pulse between my legs that makes me want to scream.

It’s like a fever, but not the kind that comes with chills and body aches. This is something else entirely. My skin feels too tight, like there’s energy trapped beneath the surface, begging for release. My thoughts are a mess, spiraling back again and again to the way he tasted, the way he looked at me last night, the way his body had felt against mine.

I need something.

Water. Food. Anything to ease this restless, gnawing ache taking over my body. Every time I’ve ingested something from this planet—its water, its strange, bitter foods—it’s soothed the mystery ailments that have plagued me since I woke up here. Maybe this is the same. Maybe I just need to drink or eat something to feel normal again.

But as my gaze drops to the impressive tent beneath Rok’s loincloth, another thought flickers in my mind. A memory.

The taste of him. Sweet and warm, like honey—but richer. And before I can stop myself, I wonder: Does he count as part of the menu?

The moment the thought crosses my mind, a pulse of heat flares low in my belly. My thighs clench, almost causing me to stumble, a fresh wave of need making my breath hitch. I force my gaze away, ashamed of the direction my thoughts have taken, but it’s too late.

The memory of his taste lingers. It’s maddening, and I can’t shake the idea that maybe—just maybe—what I need isn’t water or food at all.

This planet is messing with me. That’s the only explanation. It has to be something I ate or drank, some chemical reaction that’s turning me into a horny, insatiable mess.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but it’s no use. The heat, the tension, the constant ache between my legs—it’s all-consuming, making it impossible to focus on anything else.

And then Rok stops.

I nearly run into him, too busy berating myself for my inappropriate thoughts to notice his sudden stillness. He sniffs the air, his nostrils flaring, and a low growl rumbles in his chest.

My heart skips a beat, and for a brief, mortifying moment, I wonder if he can smell me. The heat pooling between my thighs, the tension thrumming under my skin—can he sense it?

But then I notice the way his shoulders tense. The way he’s not focused on me.

It’s not me.

It’s something else.

Danger.

I don’t dare say a word. I don’t even breathe too loudly as I watch him scan the horizon, his golden eyes narrowing to slits.

The next, his hand shoots out, grabbing my arm so tightly I nearly yelp.

“Rok—” I start, but he’s already moving, tugging me forward, his pace relentless.

I stumble after him, my pulse spiking as I try to keep up with his long strides. His head is tilted slightly, his nostrils flaring as he sniffs the air. A low, guttural growl rumbles from deep in his chest, and the sound is enough to make my stomach drop.

“What is it?” I whisper, my voice barely audible.

He doesn’t answer. His grip tightens on my arm, and without warning, he takes off at a dead sprint, dragging me with him.

My shoes slip and skid in the loose sand as we weave through the jagged rock formations. My heart pounds in my chest, adrenaline surging as I hear it—a sound behind us.

Like a whisper at first, soft and eerie. But then it grows louder, a low, rumbling hiss that sends a shiver down my spine.

I glance over my shoulder and nearly keel over.

The sand is moving.

It shifts and churns like a living thing, a massive wave rolling toward us like it was water and not tiny specks of rock.

“Oh my God,” I breathe, my legs suddenly feeling like jelly.

Rok yanks me forward, his claws digging gently into my arm to keep me upright while forcing me to run.

I don’t need to be urged twice.

We dart through the rocks, the path twisting and turning in a way that makes my head spin. The sound behind us grows louder, closer, and I can feel the vibrations in the ground beneath my feet. My breaths come hard and fast, my lungs burning, my legs screaming in protest, but I don’t stop.

Rok leads me with single-minded purpose, his movements quick as he pulls me deeper into the maze of stone.

The sand wave surges higher, nearly licking at our heels. I stumble on a hidden rock, my ankle twisting, and I let out a cry of pain. Before I can even register what’s happening, Rok scoops me up against his chest and continues running, his pace barely slowing under my weight.

Ahead, the rock formations grow denser, creating a natural barrier against the advancing sand. I close my eyes, praying hard that we make it. There are many ways I’ve imagined dying since waking up on this planet. This wasn’t one of them.

Finally, the rumbling grows fainter as the rocks force the sand to split and flow around rather than through. The terror doesn’t leave. Instead, it remains in my veins.

When I glance up at Rok, his gaze meets mine, and he leans in for a brief moment, pressing his forehead to mine.

“ Safe soon ,” he projects into my mind.

I cling to him, watching over his shoulder as the wave of sand crashes against the rocks behind us, spraying fine particles into the air. For a moment, I think we’ve escaped.

Then I see it—a thin tendril of sand, weaving through the rocks like a sentient thing, following our path with unnerving precision.

“Rok,” I whisper, tightening my grip on him. “It’s still coming.”

He doesn’t look back, just increases his pace, his muscles bunching and releasing with each powerful stride. The landscape blurs around us as he races through a series of increasingly narrow passages, taking turns that seem random but must be calculated.

Finally, we reach the entrance of a cave. Rok practically shoves me inside, his massive body blocking the opening, as he turns to face the desert.

I collapse against the wall, my chest heaving as I struggle to catch my breath. My heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might burst.

Rok remains completely still, his shoulders rising and falling as he scans the sand. His claws flex at his sides, his posture tense, ready for a fight.

I watch him in silence, my mind racing.

I’d be dead without him. The thought pounds in time with my heartbeat as I press my back against the cool stone wall of the cave, struggling to catch my breath.

Not just this time—but every time.

The shadow creatures. The rival clan. The unrelenting heat of this brutal planet.

I’d be dead a dozen times over if it weren’t for Rok.

I can still feel his grip on my arm, the way his claws held me firm but never hurt me as he pulled me through the labyrinth of jagged rock formations. The way his body had shielded me as that thing in the sand chased us, relentless and terrifying.

He saved me. Again.

And now, I watch him as he crouches at the mouth of the cave, his golden eyes scanning, his massive body coiled with tension. He looks like a warrior carved from stone, every muscle prepared to strike, his claws flexing slightly as he listens for any sign of pursuit.

I should be looking out too, but I can’t tear my eyes away from him.

My heart pounds for an entirely different reason now.

The longer I watch him, the more my chest tightens, the more my breath comes faster. Gratitude swells inside me, so big and overwhelming it almost hurts. But it’s not just gratitude. It’s something deeper. Hotter.

He turns to face me, his sharp features softening just slightly as his gaze sweeps over me, checking for injuries.

“ Safe ,” he projects as he approaches, forehead touching mine. The word sends a shiver through me. His touch sends a shiver through me. My breaths are still coming fast, my chest rising and falling as I stare up at him.

He reaches for me, his hand cupping my jaw, his thumb brushing lightly over my cheek. His touch is so careful, so gentle, it makes my chest ache.

And then I lose it.

Before I can think, before I can stop myself, I grab the back of his neck and pull him down into a kiss.

It’s desperate. Raw.

I pour everything into that kiss—every ounce of fear, gratitude, and need that’s been building inside me since the moment he snatched me on this godforsaken planet.

Rok freezes, his body going rigid beneath my hands. For a split second, I think I’ve made a mistake. But then he growls—a low, deep sound that vibrates through my chest—and kisses me back.

It’s clumsy at first. His lips are rough, his movements hesitant, but the sheer hunger behind them makes my knees weak. His claws slide down to my hips, gripping me tightly, and I gasp into his mouth as he pulls me against him.

“Jus-teen.” Fuck. The way he says my name. Like he’s hungry. Starving. Desperate. Like he can’t believe this is happening.

I pull back, gasping for air, the realization of what I’ve done hitting me like a freight train.

“What am I doing?” I whisper, my fingers pressing into his chest as I keep myself back.

But he’s looking at me with those golden eyes, so full of wonder and longing, and I can’t stop myself.

Before I can think too hard about it, I throw myself against him again, kissing him harder this time.

This time, he doesn’t hesitate.

His hands slide down to my thighs, lifting me off the ground as he presses me back against the cave wall. The heat of his body is overwhelming, his scent surrounding me—earthy, metallic, and entirely him.

When he pulls back, his gaze is dark, his lips parted as he struggles to catch his breath.

“Jus-teen,” he rasps.

I reach for him, sliding my hands down the hard planes of his chest to the knot holding his loincloth in place.

“Let me,” I whisper, my fingers trembling as I untie it.

Rok is forced to set me down as the cloth falls away, and my breath hitches.

He’s so fucking perfect. Thick and long, the darker color of his shaft deepening slightly around the broad head.

He shifts under my gaze, his claws flexing against me. When he leans in, forehead against mine, a rush of images greets me so intensely that my knees almost buckle. Images of me and him.

Images of me underneath him.

Writhing. Pulsing. Needy.

There is no doubt what he wants to do right now. And no doubt I’m too weak to resist it.

“ Is…good ?” he projects.

I let out a shaky laugh, the sound catching in my throat. “Good doesn’t even begin to cover it,” I murmur, reaching out to wrap my hand around him.

Rok’s entire body jerks at the contact, his head falling back as a strangled growl escapes his throat. His hands fly to the stone walls of the cave, claws flexing as he braces himself against the sensation.

“Jus-teen,” he groans, drawing out my name like it’s the only word he’s ever known. Just hearing him like that—his voice low and guttural, tinged with desperation—sends a thrill racing through me.

I watch him carefully as I stroke him, my fingers sliding up and down his length. Every touch seems to unravel him. His hips jerk slightly, as if his body is moving on instinct, and his breath comes in ragged gasps, his chest heaving.

God, he’s beautiful. The perfect build, the strength in those arms, those legs, every muscle taut and trembling as he struggles to hold himself together.

But it’s not just his body that makes my heart race—it’s the way he looks at me. Like I’m something fragile and precious, something he’s afraid to touch but can’t bear to stay away from.

He’s so careful, so hesitant, and the realization starts to creep in—the way his hands have never wandered too far, the way he’s frozen when I’ve kissed him, the way he’s looking at me now, like he’s never done this before.

My hand pauses on his length, and I meet his gaze, my heart pounding.

“Oh my God,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “You’re a virgin, aren’t you?”

Rok’s eyes are heavy-lidded, as if he’s in a dream. But he focuses on me. I don’t think he understands what I asked.

I close my eyes, focusing, and bring images to my mind. Images of him, alone. The absence of women in his memories. The way he’s looked at me, touched me, like I’m something new and entirely unknown.

He leans in, pressing his forehead to mine, and I see it—another fleeting glimpse into his world. His clan, all males. Their harsh, barren home. The constant battles for survival, the brutal hunts, the unrelenting heat of the desert.

There are no women. No softness. No love.

“Jus-teen,” he rasps, his breath warm on my face. “ First. You … only .”

His words steal the breath from my lungs.

First. Only.

The gravity of it sinks in. I’m the first woman he’s ever touched, ever been close to.

For a moment, I don’t know how to respond. But then a possessiveness I’ve never felt before suddenly flares to life inside my chest. I want to claim him, to teach him, to show him everything. I want to.

I release him, my hands trembling as they reach up to cup his face. He leans into my touch, his eyes never leaving mine, and I see the wonder there—the awe, the hunger, the need.

“I need to show you something,” I say softly, pushing the thought toward him. His brow furrows in concentration as he tries to understand, but I can feel his eagerness, his excitement.

Taking his hand, I guide it to my chest, pressing his palm against my breast. “This,” I murmur, “is a woman’s body. My body.” I guide his fingers down, tracing the curve of my waist, the flare of my hip. His eyes darken, his breath growing ragged as he watches his hand moving over me.

“And this,” I whisper, trailing his hand even lower, until his fingers brush against the fabric of my panties. I guide his fingers beneath the hem, pressing them against my wetness. “This is my pussy.”

A strangled growl escapes his throat, his fingers flexing involuntarily as he feels the heat of me. His eyes lock with mine, a question burning in them. I nod, giving him silent permission to explore.

His fingers delve deeper, parting my folds with a tentative touch that sends shivers down my spine. He’s clumsy at first, his movements uncertain, but the raw hunger in his eyes is unmistakable. He wants this. Wants me.

I guide his thumb to my clit, showing him the sensitive bundle of nerves that sends sparks through my body when touched. His eyes seem to glow as he feels the reaction, a low vibration in his chest as he starts rubbing in slow circles.

“Wah-ter,” he groans, his forehead pressed against mine. The images in his mind are a whirlwind—flashes of my body, my face, the feelings coursing through him. It’s overwhelming. Intense.

He lifts me again, bracing me against the stone as I reach for him, wrapping my hand around his length, stroking him in time with the movements of his fingers. He growls, his hips bucking into my touch, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

“I want you inside me,” I whisper, guiding the head of his cock to my entrance. His eyes flick up to mine, a mix of fear and anticipation swirling in their golden depths.

His forehead presses to mine, and I shove the images at him— his hips snapping into me, my nails raking his back, the obscene stretch of him filling me completely .

The second he understands, he moves .

No gentle easing in. One hand fists in my hair, tilting my head back as he drives into me with a single brutal thrust. The stretch burns— fuck , he’s huge —and I scream, my spine arching off the stone. Claws dig into my thighs hard enough to draw blood, but I don’t give a shit because yes, yes , finally?—

Rok freezes. His whole body locks up like he’s been speared, muscles trembling.

“Jus-teen.” His voice is shredded, rough like he’s been screaming. His pupils are blown black, but he’s holding himself still, even though I can feel him twitching inside me. “ Hurts? ”

I choke out a laugh. “Yes. No . Don’t stop.”

When I clench around him, his snarl shakes the cave walls.

His jaw clenches, his muscles taut as he holds himself still, every inch of him trembling beneath my touch. He’s fighting himself, barely holding back, and the sight of him—this massive, powerful warrior brought to the edge by me—is enough to make my core clench around him.

He groans, his head falling forward to rest against my shoulder, his breath hot against my neck. His teeth graze the tender skin there, and my eyes roll over as I groan.

My nails drag down his back as I shift slightly, adjusting to his size. The movement sends a jolt of pleasure through me, and I gasp, my hips instinctively rocking against him.

“Move,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “Rok, please. I need you to move.”

He growls again, his hands tightening on my hips as he pulls back slowly, the thick length of him dragging against my inner walls in a way that makes my toes curl. And then he thrusts back in, harder this time, and the force of it knocks the breath from my lungs.

“Jus-teen,” he groans, his voice desperate as he starts moving, his hips rolling in a slow, earth-shattering rhythm. Each thrust is deep, powerful, pulling me apart and putting me back together again.

His forehead is against mine again, our breaths mingling as his golden eyes burn into me, full of awe and hunger and something deeper—something that shatters everything I thought I knew.

“ You feel…perfect. ” His lips brush against mine. “ You are perfect .”

I shudder at his words, my body tightening around him as pleasure coils low in my belly. “No, you’re perfect,” I whisper back.

His hands slide down to my thighs, gripping them tightly as he lifts me higher against the wall. The new angle has him hitting deeper, harder, and I cry out, my head falling back as my legs tighten around his waist.

“Rok,” I gasp, my voice a broken plea.

He growls low in his throat, his hips snapping harder now, his rhythm growing more urgent. His claws dig lightly into the soft flesh of my thighs, and the slight sting only heightens the pleasure coursing through me.

“ You’re…mine .” His golden eyes blaze as they lock onto mine. “ My Jus-teen. My female .”

I should tell him absolutely not. That there’s no way this would work out between us. But the words don’t come. Instead, all that leaves my lips, my thoughts, is a broken, surrendering, “Yes.”

The word seems to snap something inside him. He lifts me higher, his hands gripping my ass as he pulls me away from the wall, holding me in the air like I weigh nothing. He thrusts up into me, deeper than before, and I scream his name, my nails digging into him.

“ Feel you. ” Even in his thoughts, his voice is tight with desperation. “ So good. So…wet .”

I can’t think, can’t breathe, can’t do anything but hold on as he fucks me, his pace relentless now. Each thrust sends shockwaves of pleasure through me, and I can feel the tension coiling tighter and tighter in my belly, ready to snap.

I don’t think it will happen. Unfortunately, I’ve never been one of those girls who could come with only penetration. But this is different. Rok is different. And his cock. It really is like it was made just for me.

“Rok,” I gasp, my voice breaking. “I’m gonna—I’m?—”

My orgasm crashes over me and I scream his name as my body tightens around him, gripping him like a vice. Pleasure pulses through me in wave after wave, leaving me trembling in his arms.

Rok groans, his thrusts growing erratic. His golden eyes lock onto mine, his gaze blazing with intensity. “ Mine .”

“Yes,” I gasp, my voice barely audible. “Yours.”

He grunts, his head falling back as his body tenses beneath me. I feel him throb inside me, his cock pulsing as he comes, filling me with his release. The sensation is overwhelming, and a delicious shiver runs through me as I pant, gasping as I cling to him.

For a long moment, neither of us moves. Our breaths mingle in the quiet of the cave, our bodies trembling as the aftershocks of pleasure roll through us. His forehead presses against mine again, his golden eyes softening as they meet mine.

“ You…are a miracle .”

I smile, my heart swelling at the possessiveness in his tone. I cup his face, brushing my thumb over his jaw. And as I rest my head against his chest, his strong arms still wrapped around me, I know one thing is certain. There’s no turning back from this. Not now. Not ever.