Free Touching Eternity (Touch Series 1.5) by Airicka Phoenix Page A

sent her heart scuttling into her throat. Her bowels turned. Cold sweat pooled beneath her arms, trickled down her spine.
     
    Breathe! She willed herself, squeezing her eyes closed and counting slowly to twenty. You’ve done this a billion times!
     
    The cold water was a shock straight to the soul. One splash to her face and she was back in the coffin, back in that room, being lowered into the metal bin. The water was reaching for her, rolling over her, pulling her under…drowning her. She couldn’t breathe!
     
    She surfaced with a choked gasp. It took several attempts before she could snap the water off and stagger out of the bathroom at a run.
     
    Outside, the ocean roared. It competed with the thump of her heart beating an erratic tattoo within the confines of her chest. Her knees crumpled beneath her like tinfoil. She hit the hardwood floor with her palms, sunk until her burning cheek rested against the coolness. She closed her eyes.
     
    ***
    “ Amalie! It’s not funny!”
     
    Squishing her giggles behind her palm, Amalie darted past the marble statue of Venus and quickly ducked behind the God Ares. The smooth slab of stone pressed cool against the sweat dampening her dress to her spine. She closed her eyes a moment, relishing the relief from the angry sun.
     
    It was too hot to be out. Even the birds had taken shelter amongst the twisted branches of the trees. But Amalie hadn’t seen Isaiah in months, six to be exact. Not since Christmas. Not since he’d been shipped off back to that stupid school of his. And this was their game, scorching summer or blistering winter. This was theirs. Whatever happened between the times he came home no longer existed, they were no longer important. He was home. He was with her again. She wasn’t alone anymore. She wasn’t scared.
     
    “ We’re getting too old for this!” But there was laughter in his voice. “I’m going inside for ice cream. Better come out or I’ll eat yours!”
     
    He would, too! She thought, wrinkling her nose. But she stayed. Some traditions were just too important to break, even for ice cream.
     
    The soft rustle of his feet against grass drew closer. Amalie straightened. The muscles of her stomach tightened. Her heart thundered. She bit her lip, biding her time.
     
    She heard him sigh. “I had a surprise for you, but if you’re going to—”
     
    Game forgotten, she poked her head around the statue, her eyes wide. “What surprise?”
     
    Beautiful in the black trousers and white dress shirt of his school uniform, Isaiah grinned. He raised a hand and scooped back the long fringes of hair falling into his breathtaking eyes.
     
    “ I don’t know if I want to give it to you now, making me look for you like that.”
     
    “ That isn’t fair!”
     
    He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Well, neither is you making me run all over the place.” He tipped his head to the side. “Are you going to come out from behind there?”
     
    Scowling at him, she stepped out, and watched him go rigid. The smile slipped off his face about the same time as his coloring. His eyebrows scuttled up his forehead as his eyes widened to saucer-size. The muscles in his jaw flexed. His Adam’s apple bobbed. He took a step back like she’d grown another head, like he had no idea who she was.
     
    “ What?” she demanded defensively, dropping her gaze to the white sundress with large, purple lavenders splattered all over.
     
    He closed his eyes, shook his head. “Nothing.” He opened his eyes, blinked them, thrust out a hand. “Here!”
     
    Amalie jumped, not expecting to nearly be punched in the nose by the thing in his hand.
     
    Isaiah winced, drew back his arm slightly. “Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “Here.”
     
    She looked down at the offering with a bit of surprise. It was white and slightly crumpled like old tissue. “What is it?”
     
    Now it was his turn to look down at his hand. “It’s a…hair…thing .” He circled his own head