Page 70 of Alien Prince's Claim

I hated seeing that look on her face, the lost, distraught expression caused by my failure.

With the Goblars’ gnashing of teeth and the frantic groans of their rapid approach, we had but a moment together in this quiet bubble to reflect and truly be with each other.

Just this moment.

I released the handle with one hand and raised a hand to Emily’s cheek.

She pressed her face into my palm and I gently stroked her skin, skin that I had fallen in love with, skin that I was desperate to have on my naked bare body again one day, to enjoy it and play with countless more times before having to finally give up and hand my soul to the Reaper…

But that moment was coming now.

It was happening now and there was no way for me to outrun it.

We didn’t get to choose when that moment happened, only to do the best we could while we still drew breath, to enjoy every second given to us by the Creator and make the most of it while we could.

There was nothing more to existence than that.

Yes, although we couldn’t choose the moment the end came, we could nonetheless decide how we chose to live within it.

I said the only words I could think of, the truest words I knew I would say my entire life:

“I love you.”

She smiled up at me with shimmering eyes and nodded, the movement knocking her tears free so they ran down her cheeks. “I love you, too.”

She wrapped her arms around me and I felt her sweet warm body against me for what would be the last time.

Time seemed to stretch but there was only so far it could extend before it would snap back to the moment.

And we were already there.

Seize every moment.

And I had — we both had.

I kissed her lips, tasting her, savoring her, and then turned and took a step in front of her.

“Stay behind me,” I said. “And no matter what happens, don’t open your eyes. No matter what you hear.”

I didn’t see what Emily said, only heard the gibber on her lips as I turned to face the coming hoard.

I raised the wheel above my head and prepared to bring it down.

Already, the Goblars’ shadows had merged and melted into each other, forming a seamless whole.

Their screeching, braying howls of excitement reached a crescendo and echoed up and down the tunnel in endless waves.

They filled my ears and my head and were so loud and cacophonous that I thought they would split my skull open.

Then, a new sound:

Crunk!

A door halfway along the tunnel eased open, emitting a square of darkness that I hadn’t seen before.

It seemed to suck all the light into it and I wondered if perhaps that wasn’t the realm of Death where the Reaper resided.

It would claim our souls and then drag us into its empire and hold us there for an eternity.

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