You Only Love Once

In the year 2222, venturing outdoors is dangerous. Exposure to the searing ultraviolet rays of the sun could turn anyone into a crispy critter. The ocean is a toxic stew of chemicals and home to a horror show of mutant monsters. When a three-eyed creature skulks out of the sea to nibble on Leo, his beautiful neighbor comes to the rescue. Since the tragic accident that resulted in Ivy's cybernetic limb, she's embraced the mantra "you only live once," but her dangerous plans might be more a death wish than a desire to carpe diem the hell out of life. Can Leo convince Ivy that nothing makes a person feel more alive than taking a chance on love?

NOTE: This story was originally published by Stars and Stone Books in LOVE ACROSS THE UNIVERSE: 13 Stories of Science Fiction Romance Set on Intergalactic Shores