First Magic by Raven Steele (ebook reader screen txt) 📖

“A man is not completely born until he is dead.”

I was dead, but now I am born again. I don’t think my experience is exactly what Benjamin Franklin meant when he wrote the words, but I was born again. Not in the spiritual, found God sort of way, but I felt different. A strange sort of excitement for life, and I knew I’d never be the same again.

I was going to fight.

I didn’t know how, didn’t even know if it was possible, but somehow I was going to find a way not to be vulnerable anymore. The Light inside me seemed to leap at my new determination as if it, too, was ready to fight.

“Llona?”

Christian came into focus. Christian. Christian knows. He knows about me.

“How?” I asked him.

“She’s alive,” someone called.

Within seconds, Christian was pushed away, and I was swarmed by doctors and nurses. They asked me all sorts of questions, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Christian. I kept having to move my head around to see him through the many people bombarding me. I had to know how he knew.

“Do what they ask,” Christian whispered from across the room, but I heard it as clear as if he were shouting. And then he was gone.

I collapsed into the bed, suddenly very aware of how badly my chest hurt. I cried out in pain.

“It’s your sternum,” a doctor said. “It’s going to be sore for a while. And you probably have a few broken ribs, too. How does the rest of you feel?”

“Other than hurting, I’m cold.” And very self-conscious. A sheet had been pulled up to my shoulders, but I still felt very exposed.

“Here’s a gown,” a nurse said. “I’ll go get you another blanket.”

The doctor stared down at a chart in his hands. “You are quite the miracle girl. We thought we’d lost you. If it wasn’t for that determined young man, we probably would have.”

“How long do I need to stay here?”

“At least overnight.”

“I need to call my uncle.”

“I believe someone already has. Are you ready to be moved?”

“Where to?”

“Fourth floor to your own room.”

I nodded. A couple of nurses wheeled my bed into the hall and onto an elevator.

My new room was very simple, a mini version of the ER, but at least it was private. After the nurses situated me, May was the first person in the room. She gave me a big, but gentle, hug.

“How do you feel?” she asked with eyes red and swollen.

“I’m okay.”

“I thought you were dead.”

“That’s what I keep hearing.”

She sat at the foot of my bed. “What happened?”

“I went after the football and the ice cracked. I guess this is what I get for being cocky and trying to show Mike up.”

“Kind of a severe punishment, don’t you think?”

I sort of smiled. “Where’s Christian?”

“Getting dressed.”

“Huh?”

“He didn’t have a shirt on.”

“So what happened after I fell into the ice?” I wanted to put the sounds I’d heard with some sort of picture.

May shook her head. “It was crazy. We were all watching you on the ice when Christian came running up to me. He was totally freaking out, saying you shouldn’t be out there when all of a sudden you fell. Everyone started screaming, but Christian ran after you. I thought he was going to get to you in time, but then you just disappeared. Christian looked so panicked I swore his head was going to pop off. He was staring down at the ice like he could see through it or something and then he started moving around. That’s when Mr. Steele came to help.”

“Mr. Steele?”

May kept talking. “And then Christian stopped moving and dropped to the ground. He started pounding on the ice as hard as he could. He was saying something, but I couldn’t hear what from the shore. Then Mr. Steele did something that, now that it’s over and I can think about it, makes me totally fall in love with him.”

“What?”

“With one blow, he punched through the ice and grabbed you.”

“That was Mr. Steele?”

“He pulled you out and Christian carried you to his car.” May lifted her hands. “Now don’t get mad but something happened.”

“Like what?”

“To keep you warm, Christian undressed you. But I told him to keep your unmentionables on.”

I laughed. “Good.”

“I helped a little too,” she said. “What do you mean?”

“I held your hand and warmed you up. At first, I was afraid I’d light you on fire but luckily that didn’t happen.”

“Yeah, lucky.”

“I just focused really hard on not letting the full extent of my powers go. And I think it worked, because by the time we got to the hospital your skin didn’t feel like ice anymore.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it. So what happened in the hospital?”

“More craziness. I’m surprised nobody got arrested.”

“What do you mean?”

“When they brought you in, you didn’t have a pulse. The doctors tried shocking you, but nothing worked. They finally said you were dead. When Mr. Steele heard this, he punched a hole in the wall.”

“He did?”

“And then Christian didn’t stop yelling that you were still alive. The doctors were trying to push him out of the room when all of a sudden Mr. Steele starting fighting everyone. He shoved a doctor across the room and punched another.”

My eyes grew big. So that was the scuffling I’d heard.

“And then he told Christian to go and save you and he did.”

I shook my head. “Bizarre.”

“I know, right?”

“Where’s Mr. Steele now?”

“I don’t know. Once they said you were alive, I didn’t pay attention to much else.”

There was a knock at the door. Both of us turned our heads.

“Come in,” I said.

Christian walked in wearing my favorite black shirt.

“I’m glad you’re alive,” May said and squeezed my hand. “I’ll leave you two alone. Can I come see you tomorrow?”

“Sure.” My eyes didn’t leave Christian’s. He moved to the side of my bed and pulled up a chair.

As soon as May was gone, I asked again, “How?”

“I can’t explain now, but I will. I promise. Your uncle’s on his way up. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine.”

“How’s your chest? I’m sorry I hurt it.”

“Don’t apologize. You saved my life.”

Christian’s eyes moved to the dark window and then back to me. “It’s still a full moon. You should feel better tomorrow.”

I stared at him, mouth gaping. “How do you know all this?”

He placed his warm hand over mine. “Tomorrow. I promise.” He was silent for a moment, head bowed, and then, “This is going to kill me to