by Kaia Knight
Undertow
Rising Tides Book 1
Kaia Knight
Copyright © 2021 Kaia Knight
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. All events, entities, and organizations named are independent of this fictitious work.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Thank you, Reader!
Acknowledgement
About The Author
Chapter 1
Kailani
Kailani ran along the curves of the path, weaving her way up the mountainside as she dodged thick, drooping pines and rocks that studded the forest floor. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her muscles screaming for more oxygen.
Why do I do this to myself?
The switchbacks steepened as she neared the summit, and through the tangle of ferns beckoned a glimmering ribbon of water. The waterfall cascaded over a stone ledge in the distance, and she grinned, pumping her arms to reach the oasis.
Don’t walk. Don’t walk. She crested the hill with one last surge of strength and stumbled to a halt when she reached a creek crossing. The sweet scent of Ponderosa pine stirred around her as she hopped across the smooth stones jutting out of the creek. She followed the trail as it traced the path of the water before spilling over the rocky cliffside ahead.
Kailani stepped out from under the cover of the trees towards the waterfall ledge, her chest heaving with exertion and pride. An immense valley opened before her, bright with foliage. Sunlight dappled the lakes below, and the spires of the campus buildings winked at her in the distance — the University of Oregon, her new school. Kailani took a deep breath, hope swelling in her lungs, invigorating her. A new beginning.
She studied the orderly march of cars below, their movements precise and methodical. From where she stood, the erratic swerve of a driver avoiding a cyclist, the stop-and-go of freeway traffic, and the scattering of pedestrians appeared purposeful. What seemed to be chaos up close became beauty and order through the lens of distance.
Distance. Flying across the Pacific to leave the mess of her past behind her had certainly achieved that. She had not realized how small her world was until the plane took off, and the island of O’ahu shrank until it was nothing more than a pebble in the sea.
As the plane had descended over the city of Eugene that morning and the Captain announced the local weather, Kailani had craned her neck to scan the horizon for the tallest mountain. She marked the peak as her first conquest, as if climbing it would orient her and help her get her bearings in this unfamiliar place.
But now that she had conquered it, she felt no more certain of what the days to come held for her. Anticipation clutched her stomach and all the uncertainties of her new life churned in her gut. Did I do the right thing in coming here?
With a steadying breath, she pushed back her doubts and shrugged off the leather backpack that dug into her shoulders. She glared at the worn bag, a bitter reminder that the airport had lost all her luggage during her multi-leg trip, leaving her with only the essentials in her pack. Luckily, she knew herself well enough to count running attire as an essential.
Sighing, she glanced at her watch. She wasn’t expected to check into her internship until noon, so she had several hours to kill. Rummaging through her bag, she fished out her half-eaten packet of trail mix and set it on the smooth rock face. She licked her chapped lips and dug further for her metal canteen. Tugging it out, she gave the bottle a shake and was disappointed to hear a tinny echo. She eyed the shallow creek beside her suspiciously, then shook her head and returned her empty canteen to her side pouch. I’m not that desperate.
Kailani crouched by the creek, washing her grit-coated palms in the frigid water. She cupped her hand and splashed it on the back of her neck. Sighing in pleasure, she tugged on the thick elastic band of her ponytail to ease the dull ache in her skull, letting the cool air comb through her sweaty locks.
Swift motion in her peripheral vision made her jump, straightening from her crouch. Two young women were running along the trail towards her, their ponytails swishing back and forth in perfect sync. The sound of their approaching footsteps was absorbed in the faint roar of the waterfall. Calming her stuttering heartbeat, Kailani returned the girls’ smiles as they rounded the bend a few feet away. They leapt over the creek in one bound, continuing down the wooded switchbacks that she had just climbed.
Kailani’s eyes flicked back to the direction the runners had emerged from, and curiosity overwhelmed her, beckoning her to explore where the trail went. Maybe I can just run a little further… She rolled her eyes, suppressing a smile. She had fallen for that trick before. It usually ended with her ten miles from where she needed to be, without food and water.
At the thought of food, her stomach twisted in complaint, and she turned back towards her belongings. Her eyebrows snapped together, scanning the area for her trail mix. Her mouth popped open as her gaze followed the remnants of a shredded plastic bag to where a chipmunk perched, its cheeks crammed with nuts.
“No!” Kailani yelled, waving her arms at the rodent. “That was mine, you asshole!”
It paused, regarding her lazily, before it shoved more raisins in its mouth and scampered away.
“Great.” She sat down on the stone ledge with a huff. She tugged her phone from her shorts pocket to search for the nearest food and the cheapest transportation that would get her there, but an email notification demanded her attention. Yawning, she clicked the message from Lilac Ranch and waited for it to load.
Her spine straightened when she read the first line. Dear Kailani, Due to an emergency with a burst pipe, we unfortunately have to postpone your internship start date until tomorrow morning, as it is currently being serviced. She groaned as she read on. We know this affects your accommodations for the night, please let us know if you need help finding a hotel. Warm Wishes, Josie Flockhart.
Kailani stood and muttered, “Warm wishes, really?” With a sigh, she resigned to run back down the mountain and add a hotel stay to her list of things to figure out. Her stomach clenched at the thought of spending what little money she had left. Kailani chewed the inside of her cheek as she gazed out over the vista one last time. The breathtaking view
that had just been so full of promise now taunted her.
I guess this is all just part of the adventure, right? Taking a deep breath and inching closer to the ledge, Kailani was desperate to cling to the sense of accomplishment and wonder that had driven her there. She peered over the pool of water forty feet below. Clear water rippled, and she could see straight to the bleached logs at the bottom. Swirling turquoise filled with light punctured the surface of the pool like a kaleidoscope. She was mesmerized.
A crashing, whirring noise suddenly exploded behind her and a shower of loose rocks struck the back of her thighs. She whirled around in panic. Her surroundings blurred as she stumbled backwards and cried out, her feet slipping on the loose stones of the cliffside. A dull roar pounded in her head as her vision fragmented, eyes dragging shut as she fell back, weightless. Reaching out in desperation, her fingers grasped nothing but empty air.
Chapter 2
Gabriel
Slamming the door, Gabriel strode to the back latch of his truck, yanked it down, and unloaded his bike. With the sharp snap of his helmet and click of his cleats, he mounted his bike and took off at a furious pace. He stewed over the trivial exchange that had once again ended with raised voices. And blood pressure.
It was always the same argument with his father, disguised as something new. Beneath each furrowed brow and angry gesture was the taunting echo of that day. His dad didn’t have to say it. Gabriel could see it in the shake of his head. “You didn’t try hard enough.” Pushing those memories back, he fought for control in the only way he knew how. Relaxing his white-knuckled grip on the handlebars, he hugged the tight turns winding up the mountainside.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Control what you can. He rolled his eyes. I sound like a shrink.
Cycling was better than any therapist. He could take his problems to the trail and leave feeling lighter than when he arrived. He combed through his mind, grabbing each angry bundle of thoughts and, with a few pedal strokes, he tossed them to the wind, leaving them to dissipate in his wake. Some days this exercise took a few minutes until the knot in his chest loosened, and he could finally breathe again. Other days took hours. It was one of those days. He chose this ride for a reason: one hour of brutal uphill climb, followed by river crossings and technical switchbacks on the descent. It would consume all his attention, leaving room for little else.
The miles slipped by as he quickened his pace in excitement. Gabriel crested the hill, rounding the corner harder than he had intended towards the shallow water crossing. It was a sharp curve, and his rear wheel skidded around, sending the rocky forest floor scattering forward. He clenched his jaw, maintaining control of his turn.
Then he saw her: a woman a few feet off the path, crouching precariously close to the cliffside. As his approach shattered the still silence, she straightened, turned, and her eyes widened in alarm. Her arms began to flail as her balance betrayed her, stumbling backwards towards the rock ledge sloping away from her.
“No!” he yelled. It was too late; with an outstretched hand, she disappeared beyond the lip of the cliff.
Gabriel clamped down on his brakes hard, his hands quaking and cold. With a screech, the bike halted and reared in a dense thicket of brush and ferns, sending Gabriel over the handlebars. He scrambled to his feet, tripping over the still-spinning wheel as he ran towards the edge of the cliff. As he threw himself at the edge of the rock face, he saw her submerged in the pool of water below, quickly sinking.
Fear bound him in place, a familiar surge of terror engulfing him.
Wave after wave crashed into him, tugging him under, throwing him into the rocks. A white hand reached for his, sinking into the depths.
Shoving back the vivid image that paralyzed him, Gabriel scrambled to his feet, took a deep breath, and launched himself off the cliff feet-first, aiming for the middle of the pool to avoid hitting her. Without surfacing, he hooked her from underneath her shoulder, clamping her to his chest as he surfaced, gasping for breath. Her body was on top of him, head rolled back on his shoulder as he propelled himself through the water with his left arm, kicking for all he was worth.
Finally, his feet touched the slick rocks of the bottom and he heaved her out of the water and onto the mossy shore. He knelt over her, searching for a pulse as his eyes swept her chest for the rise and fall of a breath. He was relieved to find a steady beat, but her chest was still. He grabbed her chin and forehead, gently leaned her head back and brought his lips to hers urgently as he pinched her nose. Two steady breaths—he watched her chest rise and fall. He bent forward again, two more breaths, filling her lungs with the air she couldn’t get herself.
“Come on, breathe!” he pleaded as he desperately lowered his lips to hers once more. Finally, he felt the breath surge through her as her lips moved against his. He drew back, giving her room as she coughed and choked up water. He put a hand to the small of her back to help her sit up, holding her against his side to keep her steady.
As her coughing subsided, she seemed to orient herself, glancing up to the steep walls of the cliff. Her face had a strong edge to it; her jaw was set, her full mouth in a tight line. Finally, her guarded eyes found Gabriel’s. They were a striking grey that stood out against her dark olive skin, framed by thick lashes and high, broad cheekbones.
Her saturated clothes clung to her figure, revealing the contrast between her toned stomach and the soft curve of her hips. His hands, still gripping her waist and lower back, suddenly felt too bold and he quickly withdrew them. Stop staring or she’s gonna think you’re a creep.
Gabriel cleared his throat, glancing away to shake the image of the water glistening on her eyelashes. Concern furrowed his brows as he refocused on the critical situation at hand, noting her confused expression.
“Are you okay? Can you remember what happened?”
She clenched her jaw and sat up straighter. Her face paled as she hissed, bringing her hand to the back of her head. Gabriel reached out in reflex, but her sudden glare stilled his hand mid-air. It fell toward his side with a wet thwap.
“Yes.” She snapped, her eyes flashing. “I remember you came crashing down towards me, completely out of control.”
He breathed at her coherent response, relief flooding his body. His hands shook as adrenaline continued to pulse through his veins. “You need to go to the hospital,” he said firmly. “You probably lost consciousness for a full minute...at the very least you have a concussion or whiplash.”
She averted her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m fine. I’d rather not.”
“You hit the water hard.” Gabriel eyed the cliff. “I’ve worked in surf rescue for several years, trust me, you want to get it checked out.”
“I’ve had worse, I’ll just take it easy, monitor it….” She pushed herself up off the ground and tried to stand.
Her body sagged, her eyes fluttering closed as Gabriel rushed to catch her. Grumbling, he lifted her into his arms before turning towards the path that led to the main trail. It was only a few moments before she stirred again.
“Put me down. I can walk!” she protested.
“I think you just proved that you can’t.”
“I’m just a little lightheaded…I don’t think I ate enough today.”
“So you decided to hike up a mountain?”
“Well…no. I had food. It’s a long story. I just wanted to get to the top.”
Gabriel’s mouth twitched in a half-smile. “I’ve been there. I can’t tell you how many times my brother has picked me up mid-ride after bonking, because I wanted to go just one more mile.”
“Bonking?”
“Low-blood sugar. From not eating enough while exercising…happens to the best of us. But usually when I’m bonking, I try not to dangle off cliffs.”
A blush crept over her cheeks. “Put. Me. Down.” She struggled against his grip.
“Stubborn.” He gently set her down, his hands sliding down to her waist to stabilize her. Gabriel froze as her grey
eyes met his, just inches from his own, and her gaze searched his face, lingering on his lips. An inexplicable surge of heat channeled between them, and her grip on his bicep tightened. He dropped his hands from her waist as if they caught fire.
Gabriel cleared his throat and gestured towards an overgrown path through the ferns that led back to the main trail, unable to articulate his thoughts. She nodded, took a few steps, then halted. He sighed when she started swaying in place and stepped forward to pull her arm around his shoulders, holding most of her weight. She was tall enough that he only had to crouch a few inches to steady her walk.
“Thanks.” She said it softly, as if in defeat.
They waded through the ferns for a few minutes before reaching the wide, beaten path of the main trail. “Where did you park? It’s about six miles to the south trailhead.” He pointed to the right. “But only four if you go north.”
She bit her lip and looked to the right, down the mountain. “I came from that way, but I took an Uber.”
Gabriel gestured towards the switchbacks that led back to the top of the bluff. “Well, this way will get us back to the top of the waterfall, then downhill the rest of the way. My truck is parked at that trailhead… unless you want me to call an ambulance?”
“No, I don’t need an ambulance,” she said quickly. She narrowed her eyes at him. “How do I know you’re not trying to murder me or something?”
A laugh fell from his lips. “If that was my plan, I could have saved myself the trouble of jumping off that cliff.”
The corner of her mouth twitched. “Fair point. Alright, lead the way.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to search me? Run a quick background check?”
“Maybe I will.” She turned to study him, pursing her lips as her gaze trailed up and down his body.
His stomach did somersaults at her appraisal. “Did I pass the test?”
“No red flags on my radar.”
“I’m still open to a pat-down if you deem it necessary, though.”