From Gods (Descendant Prophecies Book 1)(7)

What kind of dad would purposely leave his family unless he didn't care  at all? It was difficult on Father's Day, his birthday, Christmas, and  other holidays, but slowly she had gotten used to the realization that  she didn't have a father. Though she tried to hang on to the happy  memories of him, the older she got the less the memories stayed with  her. Then there was Kayla's dad who had left her mom a while back for a  younger woman.

"Do you go to school?" Nick asked, changing the subject.

"We just graduated from high school. We're both eighteen," Kayla said, emphasizing her age.

"Cool," Nick said, looking out over the ocean. His eyes dazzled in the moonlight. "Would you like to take a swim?"

"Sure." Kayla looked at Skylar, gesturing for her to come along.

Offering his hand like a gentleman, Kayla took it. With Kayla's other  hand, she pulled Skylar and dragged her along. Though Skylar protested  somewhat at first, she wanted to make sure Kayla was safe. Not only  that, she didn't want to be left alone there with Remus. After all, they  didn't know these people, and for some strange reason she didn't think  she could trust them.

She sensed danger but didn't know why. Perhaps it was all the horrific  stories she always heard on the news, or perhaps it was the way Nick  didn't seem at all sad about his parents' deaths. Even more so, she  didn't like the way Remus stared at her. Whatever the reason, she was  going to keep her eyes wide open.         

     



 

Looking out over the calm dark water, Kayla dropped her bag and watched  as Nick dove into the ocean. Wiggling out of her top and shorts, the  fabric from Kayla's white bikini made her practically glow in the dark.

"Can you get any brighter?" Skylar teased.

"So you can see me better, my dear, said the wolf to Little Red Riding Hood." Kayla giggled.

Laughing at her remark, Skylar shook her head. "I'll be here, dunking my feet. You know I don't like going in the water."

"Okay, be careful. I'll be back real soon."

"Yeah, right."

Though Skylar felt like a third wheel, she wanted to stay close, for  Kayla's sake. Watching them go farther in, Skylar took off her clothes,  revealing a one-piece black swimsuit. Gazing to the right she saw a pier  and did a double take when she thought she saw someone standing there.  She dismissed it when she realized there was no sign of anyone.

She had never been fond of the ocean; the grandness and the strength of  it frightened her. As long as she didn't go in deeper than her knees,  she knew she would be fine. Coldness stung her legs when she first  dipped her feet in, but then she got used to it. The temperature grew on  her, becoming comfortable. Bored to be doing nothing, she dug her feet  into the sand again and somehow it gave her a sense of serenity.

Checking on Kayla, she looked out into the distance. Their bodies  pressed together in the moonlight looked romantic, so she focused back  on her feet, not wanting to intrude on their intimate moment. Watching  them make out was not her idea of fun, so she headed toward the pier.  Skylar respected her cousin, but she couldn't understand how she could  kiss someone she'd just met.

Thoughts of her ex began to rush through her head. It had been several  months since they'd broken up, but the pain reemerged when she thought  about what he'd done. They had been together for almost a year, and  after she gave her heart to him he'd cheated on her.

Skylar swore she would be cautious with future relationships, and here  she was once again thinking about the cop, or whoever he was. Why did he  have this effect on her? She didn't know him at all. It's pure lust,  she thought. If he were there she would kiss him, just to do something  crazy, something she would never normally do. Maybe that was what her  cousin was doing, just acting on the spur of the moment. It wasn't  anything bad, after all.

Something shimmering like crystal caught Skylar's attention, changing in  color from lavender, to pink, to gold under the water. Curiosity got  the best of her, and she inched her way toward it, now up to her knees  in the water. As if she were spellbound, her whole being was sucked into  the colorful tunnel of lights, and she couldn't peel her eyes from it.  The glittering lights were calling out to her. She was hypnotized by  their exquisiteness, unaware she was drifting farther in.

When the water was up to her chest, she snapped out of it. Realizing how  deep it was, she panicked. How was it possible she had drifted this far  out? Ever since the time she'd almost drowned at the beach, she had  sworn she would never go in so deep. Though she couldn't recall the full  details, she could recall enough, as if the event were etched into her  memory. She had been eight years old and it happened just before her  father had left the family.

Heaving, she felt like she was having an attack as her heart painfully  hammered a mile a minute. Her muscles tensed up so tightly from fright  that she couldn't move or breathe. It was dark and Kayla was too far  away to hear her cry for help. After telling herself to calm down, she  turned back toward the land. After taking several long inhalations she  moved forward, dragging her weight through the water and fighting the  mild current.

Unexpectedly, she felt something wrap around her ankle. She didn't think  much of it, figuring it was just seaweed or some kind of sea plant. She  reached under the water to pull it off.

Whatever it was latched on to her wrist and flipped her with a yank,  submerging her body as it turned with the wave. Desperately she pulled,  tugged, and fought with all her might, but she couldn't get free.  Managing to pop out of the water, she inhaled air with a loud extended  gasp only to get sucked back under again. Whatever this thing was, it  had coiled around most of her upper torso and she couldn't move her  arms. With no air left, she blew bubbles. Unable to escape the thing  that held her captive, she had no choice but to accept death.

Skylar couldn't believe she was going to die. It wasn't fair. She was  too young. Her life had just begun. Thoughts of her mother, her aunt,  and Kayla-who would blame herself-flashed through her mind. Though she  hardly ever prayed, now was the time to do it.         

     



 

Skylar's eyes were already closed, but she could see a light, growing  brighter by the second. Thinking it was an angel's light, she calmed  herself into a state of tranquility. As her body became light as a  feather, she drifted into unconsciousness, hoping she was floating to  Heaven.





Mason's whole body glowed brightly like a shooting star. He blasted  through the darkness and plunged into the murky dark water so he could  locate Skylar. The creature that held her captive in its vine-like  tentacles had wrapped her up like a mummy and was pulling her deeper  into the ocean. Clutching one of its limbs, Mason squeezed it forcefully  and the intense heat from his electricity-like power scorched it. When  it unwrapped itself from Skylar's body, more arms came slashing through  from below.

Bolts that looked like lightning darted out from the palms of Mason's  hands, but they didn't scare the beast away. It retaliated by extending  more tentacles. One wrapped around Mason's waist when he dodged another  that was trying to spiral around his ankles. He gripped it, sending  blistering sensations through it. Sizzling, it uncoiled, but there were  more around him.

Being a demigod, he could stay under the water as long as he liked, but  Skylar could not. Knowing he needed to get her up for air, he shot  multiple bolts as fast as he could. Finally, the beast disappeared into  the abyss.

With incredible speed, Mason swam to shore with Skylar in his arms and  laid her down on the sand to begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Getting  no response, he pushed on her chest in a bunch of quick repetitions.  With Skylar still unresponsive, he did it again . . . and again . . .  and again. "Come on." Finally, water shot out from her mouth, followed  by relentless coughing. She looked drained and her body went limp.

"Dooouug. Maccc . . . e," she mumbled, desperately trying to open her eyes.

Doug? Mace? Letting out a short chuckle, he realized she was recalling  the name tag on the cop's uniform he had worn when he pulled her over,  and by Mace she must have meant Mason. Though Nick habitually liked to  call him Mace, he couldn't recall him saying that name in front of her.  He was most surprised to hear the name Doug. Mason was sure he'd told  her that he wasn't the cop.

It was a good thing he had been taking a stroll on the pier. When he'd  spotted Skylar he watched her in fascination, but hid behind the wooden  pole when he thought she had seen him. He had only hid for a moment, but  when he turned to watch her again, she had disappeared. Frantically, he  had looked for her, but when there was no sign of her, he dove in.

He knew there was something different-something special about her the  night he had first looked into her eyes, but he couldn't determine what  it was. Whatever it was, he liked the way she made him feel by her mere  presence. Every cell in his body came alive and his heart burst with  elation. Though he liked the feeling, at the same time it terrified him.  Knowing she would be trouble, mostly for his heart, he had to dismiss  her in every way he could. He had to. There was no room for her in his  life, no room to care, and especially no room to love. He wouldn't let  her in.