Reborn

Chapter 3

The thing about having secrets is that you need to know how to keep them safe. Having secrets like mine though means I have to make sure that I'm the only living person who knows them. This is a very lonely way to live. One I would give a lot to change given the chance. 

I was born different. Born to clueless Christian parents. No, not clueless, ignorant. My parents were different too, except unlike me they were able to ignore just how different they were and lead normal lives. I wasn't so lucky. The callings they refused to accept fell on my shoulders. For a while there I was clueless about how different I was from other people. Until I had my rude awakening. Nothing I'm going to get into right now. 

Water calls to me. It whispers sweet nothings in my ear, sing songs of home. If I were to listen closely, I'd probably hear my name too. I can never respond to any of it though. I am forbidden to do so. The closest I can get to answering the calls are the cold showers I take on a daily basis. 

Seeing Calder today brought back all the things I have fought so hard to suppress. I wanted to run to the nearest beach, river, dam, whatever water source I could find, and just sink into it. It has been so long since I've been this way, but Calder is the ocean itself. Of course, his call would be louder than the whispers I hear on a daily basis. 

It's only a matter of time before he finds me. He doesn't know what I am, of that I am sure. If he did, he wouldn't have tried to lie. He would've known better. He does, however, know the place I call home. Meaning he knows that I am a creature ruled by the waters he rules. 

I knew that this town wasn't a human-only town when I came here. I'd hoped that the creatures living here would mind their own business. They too seemed to be solitary beings. I don't know any packs living here. So, no territorial nonsense. It seemed perfect for me and my secrets.

Calder's appearance is pissing on all of my plans and Lord knows I am out of whatever fight I need to fight whatever is about to happen. I am not going to run though. I've done that enough to last me two lifetimes and then some.

*******

I find him sitting on my couch looking like he hasn't a care in the world. I ignore him and walk to the fridge. If I'm to deal with this male I need ice cream. 

"You're not surprised to find me here."

"You knew I wouldn't be."

"What are you?"

"Don't insult me. Your ignorance is not my fault."

He looks at me then. His look tells me all I need to about what he thinks of me. 

"What are you doing in my town?" He stands up and walks towards me. 

"You rule the waters, Destan. This isn't your town." He's standing in front of me now, caging me between the counter and his body. 

"You reek of the ocean and yet you're dry. How is that?" His voice is deep and rough, the kind that would seduce a nun out of her habit. And damn if it doesn't nearly seduce me out of my towel too. Soo, not the time. 

"I'm a long way from home," I whisper.

"What's your name?"  

"Amanda."

He brushes his finger down my face, "Who are you, Amanda?"

"You're way nicer than you were earlier today. What gives?" I challenge. 

He looks taken aback by that. His kind really does need to get with the program. They give themselves away so easily. No one can ever mistake Calder Dasten for a human. Even those who do not know about the other creatures that live amongst them, they'd know that something about Calder is not completely human. 

They go around believing themselves above everyone else. They think that people should be eternally grateful to even breathe the same air as them. This is why Calder thinks that his proximity will render me stupid. He thinks by showing me the slightest interest I will fall over myself trying to please him and answer his questions. If I cared, I'd probably be pissed off by this. 

I push him away from me and continue eating my ice cream. He looks at me for a second then takes the spoon from my hand and helps himself to my ice cream too. 

"Okay, bullshit aside. Who are you?" He looks at me. 

I'm surprised by his question, but decide to answer him. "I'm Amanda Aguado, David's receptionist, and friend. I'm also friends with his wife. Moved here three years ago and I'm not planning to move for some time. "

"No offense intended; what are you? I am truly confused."

"I am Gifted. " That could mean a lot of things, but I am not about to get into specifics with him though. I don't know this man, he could turn on me like countless others before him.

"Where are you from?"

"Why are you interrogating me? Have I done something wrong?"

"No, I'm just trying to place you."

"I'm not following."

"There's trouble in my town and then I walk into Freeman's practice and find a strange being that can tell lies from truth, not to mention smelling like the ocean. But for all intents and purposes looks like a mere human." He smirks,  "A breathtaking one, but a human all the same."

"I don't know what is going on in your town. I hadn't even known that there was any ownership going on with the town. I have been living here for the past three years and you weren't even aware of my presence. I have no intention of changing the way I have been living. I quite like it here."

"I can appreciate your privacy and I won't push you to tell me more. As long as you don't cause any trouble I have no problem with you staying here."

He walks towards the door before pausing, "I will be coming back in a month to check on you." 

"Why?"

"You belong in the ocean, Amanda. I want to know why you have turned your back on home for so long." 

With that, he walks out the door. Leaving me with dread sitting at the bottom of my stomach. 

Remember what I said about secrets? Calder Destan is about to f**k up my life six ways to Sunday. Because I have no plan to share any of my secrets with him and he is not the type to let me keep them in peace.