Freeze.Shit. Shit, shit, shit. There’s some kind of lake below; I’d glimpsed enough of it earlier to know it’s enormous. A fresh sliver of terror slides up my spine, climbing into my throat and squeezing my insides as I try to stop shaking enough to form a cohesive thought.
Then I drop.
A scream escapes my throat, disappearing in the harsh wind. I lean my upper body out of the shattered window just before my skin slaps against the chilling waters. The storm has the lake in a howling frenzy, and my truck is yanked away from me.
I choke back another wave of terror, kicking hard and throwing my head back to keep my mouth above the surface.
The water’s push and pull is stronger than I’d anticipated, too strong, sucking me down and sending my body every direction but up. Lungs closing, I force my mouth open for air, but only icy water fills my throat. I swing my arms and push my legs to get my head back to the surface. Just a foot or so away from my face now, I can see it—even skimming the fresh air with the tips of my fingers a few times.Air. I need air. The ache in my lungs is stretching into a fiery burn.
The thunder drifts, distancing itself as I sink farther and farther, watching the bubbles from my last breath rise. My body convulses, each constriction of my lungs mocking me.
The burning dissolves, and soon all feeling abandons my body. I plummet into a world of darkness.
Chapter 2
Dark eyes. Dark hair.
It’s a shadow. No, a man. An angel?
It’s coming closer, floating, steadily closing the gap of blue-black water between us. The silhouette becomes clearer, revealing the definite form of a man. The edges of his large frame are blurred, almost convincing enough to be a dream. Still, I know the truth.
I’m dying . . . if I’m not already dead.
I can feel my life wasting away with each second, disconnecting me from my frozen heart. Something’s tugging at me, calling my name. A magnetic force trying to yank me away from my body.
The closer he gets, the stronger the pull.
I don’t know why I fight it—after everything I’ve lost, everyone who’s already left and won’t be waiting for me to come back. Still, I tug, twist, and writhe, struggling to free myself from the mental hold he has over me.
He’s too strong; I’m a tiny puff of smoke going up against a wall of stone. Though hardness masks the man himself, there’s a vibrating warmth in his pull. The invisible thread roping me toward him may as well be made of sunlight. It’s a sweet, sugary sensation, reminding me of the comforting caress I used to feel as a child, when Grams would tuck me in and stroke my hair.
I want to be wrapped up inside it and coddled, lulled into a blissful sleep.
He’s here, right in front of me, heat radiating from his body to mine. His eyes—cloudy pools of grey and black—finally meet mine. I don’t care that the irises are cold, empty. There’s something enchanting on the outskirts that beckons me.
And I know I will follow him anywhere.
Until out of nowhere, something shifts; I can feel it in his withering hold on me. I can see it in his eyes, tinges of green sparking behind the grey, and he pulls back, away from me. It’s only an inch or two, but it hurts. I need to be close to him, whoever he is. I’m supposed to go with him.
Why does he pull away?
He snaps his gaze from mine and gives his head a small shake. His approach halts. I’m hanging at the tip of his invisible thread, desperate for the wall he’s putting up to shatter so I can climb over and join him. It’s inexplicable, this sudden force drawing me to him, yet I can’t fight it. Don’t want to fight it.
Finally, he brings his gaze back to mine, and I notice the green in his eyes has almost overtaken the grey. My stare is fixed, nothing can make me look away. He’s closing the space between us again, parts of him as hazy as a distant dream while other parts are vivid. When his lips touch mine, they’re surprisingly soft and warm. He’s sealed my mouth with his, a kiss and yet not a kiss at all; cool air pours into me, traveling down my throat and filling my lungs. With a sharp inhale, I’m soaking up as much of it as I can get, devouring all that he gives me until I start to tingle.
His pull wavers, the invisible thread loosening its grip on me. A strong beat plays in my chest, and a flutter runs down my spine. My body is reclaiming me. With every new sensation, every spark of an awaking muscle, the man before my eyes fades into a distant memory. Thick strands of dark, almost black hair blend in with the lake’s deep blue, creating a swirl of inky colors around him, within him. He’s less real now, like a trick of the light, and I wonder . . . if I was to reach out and touch him, this man, this angel, would my hand run right through?
It’s so bright. White and yellow lights make my dry eyes water, and I squeeze them shut.
Where the hell am I?
I force my eyelids open and brave the brightness. I’m squinting, trying to shield them, and it helps.
There’s a white ceiling above me. My eyes shift to the right, and I see a plain, large window, the source of the penetrating sunshine. There’s a coffee-colored sofa along the wall, just below the window, and directly beside me is a small bedside table. It isn’t until I turn my head to the left that I see the monitors. I follow a bundle of white cords down to my upturned arm and count one, two, three of them, piggybacking together on the tube piercing my skin.
Soft footsteps tap outside the door, coming closer, and a woman enters, dressed in a pair of turquoise scrubs. She rubs her eyes, stifling a yawn as she strolls over to the monitor. Eventually, her gaze lands on me, and her eyes widen.
“Oh! You’re up.” She smiles, a warm curve of her lips that makes my shoulders relax slightly against the stiff bed. “I know you must have so many questions, but don’t you worry, hun. Everything is all right.”
