Mystical (Mystical #1) (Revising)

Chapter Ten ☆

"Eliza!" A hoarse voice called out, tinged with frustration. "Darn it!"

"Oh my God, is she alright?"

Eliza's body had somehow made its way to the surface, carried by the waves and deposited onto the sandy shore. Wet sand clung stubbornly to her cheeks and lips, a gritty reminder of her ordeal. Fingers clenched and dug into the ground, seeking an anchor. 

A thumb brushed gently over her face, sweeping away the crusty residue and freeing her vision. Eric, his disbelief apparent, rushed to offer solace. He helped her sit up on the chilly sand.

Above her, Eric panted, his warm breath tickling the tip of her nose. Water-soaked and with flecks of wet sand sticking to his abs, his chest rose and fell rhythmically.

As the reality of why Eliza had ended up in the water sank in, she wriggled and twisted on the sand, her movements frantic, mingled with cries of distress. Overwhelmed by the shock of surviving, she spasmed in a mix of awe and disbelief.

"Help! I can't breathe," Eliza's voice cracked with urgency, her hands flying to her throat instinctively.

"Eliza, you're safe," Eric reassured, his arms enveloping her in a comforting embrace.

"The water... how did I get into the water," she muttered, her mind struggling to piece together the puzzle of her memories.

With careful hands, Eric picked off the remnants of seaweed that clung to Eliza's body, brushing away the ocean's remnants. Her neon baby pink outfit still glowed with an eerie light, a vestige of the night's earlier events. Her gaze shifted, catching sight of Dawn, who knelt nearby in her rave attire, a fellow survivor of the tumultuous night.

"I was chilling on stage, and I realized you and Eric had disappeared," Dawn explained, her tone comforting as she tried to ease Eliza's worries. "I remembered seeing you in your outfit, with Eric nearby."

"I went to find her," Eric interjected sharply, his gaze meeting Dawn's.

Was Eric the figure in the water?

"You dashed towards the shore. I spun around and you were gone in a flash. I tried to catch up, but the crowd was just chaos," Eric recounted, his frustration evident.

So, he wasn't the one in the water.

Eliza instinctively touched her throat, half-expecting the cut to still sting. But there was nothing there. Her gaze drifted to her legs, searching for any traces of the nail marks that had held her captive.

There was nothing to be found.

With cautious fingers, Eliza checked the back of her head, expecting to feel some lingering pain.

There were no signs of the watery ordeal on her skin. Her eyes locked onto Eric's, but he looked away, an uncomfortable tension in the air. A thin line of crimson painted his neck, contrasting against his complexion. He avoided her gaze, his discomfort palpable.

"You're injured," Eliza murmured, her focus fixed on him. Scratches adorned the side of his belly.

Eric caught her stare and quickly shifted his position. "It's just paint," he shrugged casually, turning his attention towards Dawn.

"Oh, I get it now," Eliza muttered, a lightbulb of understanding flickering on.

With the support of Eric and Dawn, Eliza got back on her feet, the cold, damp sand giving way beneath her. Eric guided her back to his car and swung open the door. "Are you absolutely sure you don't want me to come with?" Dawn asked, concern etched in his expression.

"It's okay, Dawn," Eliza managed a small smile.

"Go and enjoy yourself," Eric reassured her.

Dawn hesitated. "Are you sure? I could totally talk to my manager, get off early. Seriously, I--."