Screaming, pain, air, darkness. Memories flashed through her head like a never ending nightmare. She saw him, stormy eyes blazing like a wildfire, untamable, out of control. No, it was not the Balem she knew, she refused to believe he was entirely gone, slipping away from her grasp like a dandelion in the wind. She couldn't let him go, she wouldn't let herself fall again. Then, he let her go. The last thing she saw were his eyes, the eyes she had fallen in love with, the eyes that had shared so many secrets and hops with her. They were his again, and then everything vanished.

—

Arvella tossed and turned, mumbling in her sleep as she began to wake. Her eyes opened slightly, greeted with a comforting warmth and darkness. She found herself in a rather large bed, a lush mattress under her that felt like a cloud, a thick blue comforter covering her bare form. Wait, what happened to her clothes? Puzzled, she turned over in the bed, nearly jumping out of her skin when she saw Balem laying next to her, the blanket covering his lower half, his torso bare.

He propped himself on his elbow, eyes hungrily taking in her own body, causing Arvella to draw the blanket to cover herself more. Exactly how had they gotten here in the first place?

"Isn't this everything you have ever wanted?" Balem smiled, reaching out to touch her cheek, "just you and me, together for eternity."

Arvella closed her eyes, sighing into his touch as he caressed her face, realizing how much she missed his gentle touch. She reached up and placed her hand on his, slowly easing back into reality as her eyes slowly blinked open.

"But it can't be this way," she whispered airily, pulling his hand away from her cheek.

She watched Balem's expression change, no, it wasn't anger she saw but a confusion. A uncertainness passed through his eyes, his smile fading. He withdrew his hand, reaching back behind his ear, and with a simple flick everything changed.

Arvella now found herself on a beach, she felt the warmth of the sand seep between her bare toes, the crashing of the waves as they came to the shore. The air was salty and cool, a breeze blowing at her damp curls. She looked down to see she was wearing a sheer white dress adorned with intricate flowers and jewels that trailed down her arms like a growing vine. It was beautiful, but now she knew it was all fabricated.

When she looked up Balem stood before her, he wore a deep gray outfit that allowed his chest to be bare, his pants a shimmering indigo that mimicked the currents of the sea. He stood within inches of her, taking his hands in hers as he rested his forehead against hers, she could feel his warm breath against her skin, sending chills down her spine.

"Then is this what you want?" He breathed, his emerald eyes gazing deeply into hers. "I will give you anything that you desire, I will take you anywhere your heart may want to go."

Arvella was speechless, she felt so intoxicated by his presence, or perhaps it was a combination of the atmosphere around them. She closed her eyes, taking in his scent, the musky cologne he had wore for her, the delicate subtle hint of orchids. He was making her drunk, drunk on just the idea of him, of his bare skin against hers, his lips crashing into her own. She wanted to open her mouth to speak, but before she could do so she felt him slipping something cool onto her finger.

When she opened them she breathed in quickly. Balem had his hand wrapped around hers, and on her finger was the most beautiful ring she had ever laid eyes on. It was so simple, yet elegant in every single way. It was set in white gold, the main stone being a brilliant purple and blue sapphire, and in the center of it sparkled the shape of a star. The outside was accented in diamonds and other precious gems, but none of that mattered to her. Looking up to Balem she was speechless, her mouth open slightly as if to say something, but no words ever came out.

"It was my mother's," Balem whispered, looking up from the ring to Arvella, "she gave it to me in hopes I would give it to you one day."

"Balem I-" Arvella started, but she was soon cut off when he leaned in closer to her.

"Shhh," he hushed her, his lips brushing against hers, "please just say you'll be mine, my starlight."

Before Arvella could voice her answer, she found herself kissing him back. Tangled in his arms she buried her fingers into his hair, her other hand trailing the small of his back. His hands danced across her skin, his one brushing through her tresses of scarlet locks, the other slipping down her back.

Their kiss was passionate and wild. It was something she had been starved of all those years, it felt so right and so wrong. No, it wasn't right, there were still so many things wrong between the two of them. There was his business, the fight they had gotten into before this mess. There were so many loose ends that needed tied up, and yet she could care less. She was trapped in the moment, in this false reality Balem had created just for the two of them. In a reality where nothing could go wrong and it was just them.

Arvella felt his tongue slip into her mouth, eliciting an uncontrollable sigh from her lips. No, this was all wrong. She needed an escape, she needed this all to end. She kissed him back, moving her hand from the entanglement of his hair to just behind his ear, her finger hovering just above the small device. As much as she had wanted this moment to last forever, she knew it must come to an end.

As she tapped the device she opened her eyes to watch as the scenery faded from around them. The ocean vanished as did the sand beneath their feet, and soon they were standing in each other's arms in the empty room with the large windows, Arvella dressed in the same gown she had arrived in.

She broke their kiss, slowly drawing her head away from his as her hands moved to frame his face. She watched as he opened his eyes, clearly confused, and yet they were so full of love, so full of life.

"We cannot live like this," Arvella spoke softly to him, her hands running down his cheeks as she let go of him, "we have changed far too much, too much for our own good. We are dangerous for each other."

Balem frowned, taking her hands in his once more, rubbing his thumb along the ring he had placed on her hand. He looked down at it was he spoke, his voice soft.

"I can change," he croaked, looking back up into her eyes, "I have hurt so many, but I won't be able to live with myself if I hurt you again."

Arvella looked away from his pleading eyes, her heart torn in half. A part of her just wanted to run away, to run as fast as she could. Away from the Abraxes, away from Regenex and it's poisonous reaches, away from everything she had known and loved. That part of her just wanted to be alone. Yet, the other half yearned for Balem, it needed to be with him. He was her other half, without him she was incomplete. But he was dangerous, unpredictable, he had nearly killed her once before when he had lost his temper. But the danger, the thrill and excitement of the unknown, she loved it, she loved him.

"Balem I-I don't know," she finally managed, her voice cracking as she began to tear-up, "you're unpredictable, dangerous, and yet I can't stop thinking about you."

Balem held her hands tighter, holding them up as he kissed them, trying to ease her pain.

"Please, just say you'll be mine," he begged, his own eyes welling with tears, "you and I, we will conquer this universe together, every reach, every star and planet will be ours to do what we will. Arvella, please, just say it."

She opened her eyes to look into his. His uncertainty, his wild eyes that made her heart leap, the calmness they held just beneath them, it made her want him. Together in this unknown galaxy, but conquering it, being tricked into thinking they were gods. No, that was not the existence she wanted.

"Balem," she choked, releasing her hands from his, "I love you."

With that her own hand went to the device behind her ear, and in a fraction of a second, she was gone.