Page 27 of Citrine

The night was long, and my eyes never closed in rest. My mouth tingles as I remember the taste of her blood in the water.

The metallic taste that settled on my tongue pulled up an insatiable curiosity. If it had been the blood of any other prey, I would've reached out to tear them to pieces and devour them until there was nothing left.

I must know why she is different.

And yet, I am disgusted at myself for feeling curious about a being so weak I can't be bothered to kill it. When have I ever been curious about anything or anyone?

Not that I have spent any length of time with anyone since leaving the violent pod of my youth.

Her eyes flicker open, but the next moment, she drops from the rock ledge I propped her on. I hear a crack when she falls and watch her scream out.

A bubble of breath escapes my lips to see yet another example of stupidity.

She attracts the predators I chased away earlier, but I spread out my tentacles to look bigger and scare them back down, picking one and throwing it against a nearby rock to make sure they don't come up.

I hope she does nothing else to harm herself as I swim back to her.

Inside me, there is a teeming discomfort, as if I'm not pleased that she feels pain.

She makes me doubt myself. Some part of me wants to perceive her differently and another part of me yearns to rip her apart.

No. For this creature who makes my thoughts as muddy as the lake shore, I only have a clear, if peculiar, dislike. This wanton curiosity and a lack of physical hunger for her is unacceptable.

There is nothing I hate more than change.

12

Eli

I half expected to wake up the next morning surrounded by the black silk curtains of my latest bed sharing arrangement. Reality is rather cruel, and the chill of morning runs through me, making me shiver.

I crack open one eye. The purple skies fill my vision, reminding me that I am stranded among the stars.

My perspective of the world shifts quickly as my eyes open and soon after, my body connects with the ground. I hear the loud crack and slap my relatively unhurt hand against my mouth to stop myself from screaming.

It didn't work like I wanted, and I scream loud enough it echoes across the water.

"Hijo de puta."

Of course, it's a bad idea to sleep on an elevated surface with no soft landing. I knew that, just like anyone does, but I didn't plan on falling asleep. I didn't even decide to go up there in the first place, that bastard.

Why put me on a place I can't get down from?

My chest rises and falls as I try to control my breathing.

I broke my arm while trying to wake up, and there are cuts all over me again.

Is there any relief for a poor girl thousands of light years away from home? My entire body trembles uncontrollably, pain spreading from my left arm to the rest of my body. It hurts like hell and my mind spins from all the pain.

"Basta! Basta!Enough," I hiss out through my teeth.

I'm in uncharted territories where alien alligators wait for the slightest move of my body. Even the wind blowing seems like a threat.

I heave again, blinking my eyes to clear the wetness in my vision. I'm dizzy, but I can't afford to faint. Dealing with a broken arm is much better than dealing with being hunted down and eaten alive.

But damn, does it hurt.

Dios, what am I doing? Sitting on the rocks feels like being stabbed in the butt by a thousand small needles, and that alone activates the pain receptors in my arm.

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