likely to my dad, or maybe to both of my parents.
Not being able to see anything was really beginning to piss me off as claustrophobia set in from having no control of my body.
Something sharp stabbed through my chest as my body arched on its own, then I heard the splash of water as I settled back down. Apparently, I was going to be waking up in a body of water of some sort with more than one stranger around me. Super. Just how I wanted to come back from the dead.
“She’s coming around. I can sense her consciousness returning already. Now, her body just needs to wake up. I’ll come by the house later to check on her, but you all have it from here,” the woman said in a much softer tone than the last time she spoke.
“Thank you, Lorelle. We appreciate you meeting us here,” Mom said, but I heard no response.
Finally, feeling began to return to my legs and then my arms. Within another few minutes of tense but awkward silence, I finally opened my eyes.
Above me, my mom and dad stood on one side with Jordan on the other and an extremely attractive male next to her. I tried not to stare at the stranger, but my attention was stuck on his eyes, which were an alarmingly similar shade to mine, possibly even an exact match, depending on my mood.
Of course, the first guy I’d meet would likely be a relative and having thoughts of how hot he was running around inside my head was far from appropriate, but what could I do? I’d just died and come back to life. I had little control over anything at that moment.
Thankfully, my mom distracted me. “Kaliah, can you talk?”
“Yeah, but more importantly, can I get out of this water?” I asked in return.
I was still submerged in a pool and fully clothed. Wearing jeans probably wasn’t the best idea, but nobody had told me I’d be swimming in them later.
“As long as nothing feels off, then yes, you can get out of the falls, but its magic is what brought you back, so if you’re not fully transformed, then we should stay in here a bit longer,” Dad answered, but Mom shushed him.
“Lorelle said she was fine. If things weren’t complete, she wouldn’t have left Kali’s side.”
“Daliah is right. As long as Kaliah is feeling up to it, then we should take her back to the house. It’s better for her to be there than out here until she’s ready,” the guy I didn’t know said.
“Kali. Please, call me Kali.” Odd as it was, it drove me crazy when people called me Kaliah. Except for Stryx. I’d tried to break him of it, but I usually let it slide for my fluffy owl. When anyone else used my full name, it seemed too proper and reminded me of my mom. Not that being like my mom was bad, but I wasn’t ready to be so formal just yet.
“Well, Kali. My name is Ryland. It’s nice to meet you finally.” He reached a hand to me that I gladly took and was promptly yanked out of the water as if I weighed nothing. The guy was not only good-looking, but strong, too.
Damn it. I needed to quit thinking that. He could be my cousin, for all I knew.
Jordan wrapped an arm around me, then pulled me from Ryland as we walked out of the water together. When I glanced back, I realized we were at the waterfall Stryx had shown me my last night with him. It was even more stunning than it had been in my sleep.
“So, how do you feel, Chuck?” Jordan asked as everyone followed us out.
Twisting my neck, then stretching my arms, I decided I felt pretty damn good for dying. My body was humming with energy, and I had the sudden desire to run a marathon. “All things considered, I feel great. So, what do we do now?”
“We don’t do anything. You get to go back to the house with your parents, while Ryland and I go attend to some business. But don’t worry, I’ll be by to check on you really soon. You’re not getting rid of me now, I promise.” Jordan hugged me tight, and over her shoulder, I made eye contact with Ryland.
He seemed really confused and more than a little stressed by the pinched look in his familiar icy-blue eyes, but I didn’t get a chance to dissect