Page 20 of Alien Prince

The rush of emotions, the warmth of her body, it is as if the entire universe has converged together for this one moment just for us to coexist.

As Gemma lays slumped against the wall, her sweat-slicked chest heaving in the aftermath of her euphoria, spent and exhausted, I know I have found something truly special, trulymine.

For the sliver of a moment as I vacate her sinuous body, Gemma takes one last look at me.

My natural celestial form smiles, though it is not a smile as a human may give. It is a glittering light that surpasses my galaxies, shimmering like stars buried in the depths of my vast soul. The planes of my nebulous face rise with excitement, making the corners of my glowing eyes lift.

The feat is almost surreal; our celestial forms aren't meant for such things. At our core, we’re the spark of life, but we’re not physical beings. Not anymore. The destruction of our planet and my parents' ruthless drive to survive has made soulmates pointless. My siblings and I are not just the end of our lineage; we're the last of our kind.

If we had bodies, we wouldn’t need to possess skins.

That thought gnaws at me. It seems important, but I can't figure out why. It's just another cruel joke from the universe.

When she finally falls asleep, I slip away like a ghost.

Because that’s what I am now—a ghost, haunting the remains of what once was.

And perhaps that is what I truly am. I am simply a spirit that possesses, that infuses flesh and mechanical engineering, that lives inside blood and metal. Like a damn demon raised from the depths of the great void, no real purpose but to cause suffering and decay wherever I roam.

I am everything and nothing all at once.

As I look at her, sleeping for the briefest moment in tranquility, I know I cannotlet her go. Not now, not ever.

I know that I have found something truly special in Gemma, and I am grateful for every moment we share, both the exhilarating and the peaceful. I was a fool to think otherwise.

The truth is as terrifying as it is sentimental.

I lay next to Gemma, keeping a respectful distance.

“What if she finds out the truth?” I shift slightly, adjusting my position as I float above her, like some deranged lovesick lunatic. My face inches away from her angelic features, I reachmy gaseous arm out, touching the wall. It is warm and slick, much like Gemma’s skin was a moment ago.

My fingertips slide down the hard surface and I realize all at once the severity of the situation.

Ifeelthe metal. As a being of boundless existence, tangible contact should be beyond my senses.

I can feel the wall,withouta skin…

“Find out what?” Gemma mumbles, her eyes still closed.

I slip my hand away from the metal, the overwhelming desire tohideaway this notion is more than just self-preservation.

It is survival.

“Nothing. Just talking to myself,” I say, trying to play it cool. I shift again, moving slightly away from her.

She opens her eyes and looks at me, confusion etched on her face.

“Why are you talking to yourself?” Her gaze on me is prominent, heating my form like I’ve been stretched over a fire. As if I, too, am capable of overheating, but such a notion should not be possible. I neither possess a physical form or machinery.

Perhaps I am not the only ghost in the machine.

Perhaps Gemini is as double-sided as the constellation in which she was named for.

I try to keep my expression neutral, not wanting to give away any of my thoughts or emotions; despite the fact that we do not share a body at the moment.

“I was just thinking out loud,” I reply, still trying to come up with a plausible explanation.

My voice resonates in the air, existing on its own, and the reality is startling.

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