ALEK APPEARED IN MY DREAMS and I couldn't help the tears that trickled down when I reached out. He felt gloriously real under my hands. 'Al!'

'Hush, kitten, I'm here. Let's not wake your companion.'

It hurt, that reminder that I dreamed but I didn't care. I needed this, I needed him. I nodded and beamed when he leaned forward to kiss me. It felt wonderful but in the same moment, wrong. He didn't smell or taste quite the same, his voice sounded a little different and I ...