I awoke with a start to a pair of teal eyes. I knew I had to be dead because that color didn’t exist in nature. The eyes were lined by thick black lashes. He was tan, but his skin was luminous, as though there were a rainbow of colors dancing underneath. His straight, inky black hair fell out of a clip holding it back from his face. The bits I could feel against my skin were like the finest strands of silk. I was afraid to move and see the rest of him, for no man should ever be as beautiful as what I’d seen so far.

“You have woken. Are you in need of anything?” He spoke and my stomach danced with somersaults and acrobatics. His voice was a deep timbre that brushed against me like velvet. My heart skipped a beat and the rest of me was instantly heated. Never in my life had I ever experienced a reaction like that. With two sentences I was utterly lost in him.

“Am I dead?” My voice came out in a throaty whisper. It felt like sandpaper had rubbed my insides raw.

“Do you wish to be so?” he rumbled.

“Not particularly. Who are you? Where am I? What happened?” I tried to sit up so I wouldn’t feel so intimate with this stranger, but he placed his hand on my shoulder, preventing any movement. It was as if an electric current went through my body at his touch. His strong arm held me down gently and a soft sigh escaped his lips. If I hadn’t known better, I’d have said he was experiencing the same overwhelming feelings that I was.

“Forgive me, my lady. I did not think. You are not dead in the physical sense; however to those outside this place, you are gone. I am called Raifuku. You are located in my bed as I was unable to move you to the Council without harming you. You drowned and were transported here thanks to Poseidon. Are you well?” he asked.

“I drowned?” I again made a move to get up. “Please—let me up.”

He bowed his head and I took that as assent. Sure enough, when I sat up and was able to see the entire view of my rescuer, I was not disappointed. He was the most breathtaking creature that had ever walked this earth; an Adonis brought to life. He wore only a pair of dark teal drawstring pants. They were unlike any material I’d ever seen before. It was like staring into the depths of the ocean. My fingers grasped at the fabric of their own volition, and it was as soft as the down feathers of a baby bird. It was by far the most incredible pair of pants I had ever noticed covering a body that should never see a need to be covered. He wore them low on his hips, and I could tell that they were all he was wearing. He had broad shoulders and muscles on top of muscles.

If he wasn’t so breathtaking I’d have been terrified of his strength. His entire body shimmered with an ethereal teal blue hue that would normally make me think of rainbow parties back home, but on him it was very masculine. I had never felt petite, vulnerable, or as amazing as I did just sitting on his bed with him sitting beside me. It took me a ridiculous amount of time to realize I was naked. I pulled the sheet over myself and blushed.

“Thank you, Raif, for…everything.” The corners of his mouth curved upwards at the nickname I gave him. “How did I end up in your bedroom? How am I not dead?” I could feel my cheeks darken further as my thoughts wandered into dangerous territory.

I knew I should be concerned about my situation, but all I could think about was him. His presence was intoxicating. I was aware of our proximity and the intimacy of our position in an almost obsessive way. Looking at him, I almost forgot the fact that I’d drowned. If he touched me again, I thought I might die for good. My body was molten liquid, only sheer willpower holding me together and keeping me from making a complete fool of myself.

“The current brought you to my doorstep. When the portal opened, you quite literally fell into my lap. I was unsure of what you were exactly, until I was able to remove your extras. I certainly hope that they were unnecessary and not a physical part of you,” he said, his brow furrowing. “I would hate to have caused you any unnecessary pain. Thank Poseidon you share our females’ anatomy, for reviving you was a simple matter. You have been asleep for some time now. I worried I had removed some vital portion of you so I was leaning over to verify that you still had breath. Are you whole and well, or do you have need of anything?”

He was very animated as he talked. His body and expressions portrayed every ounce of struggle and frustration that he felt. When he was explaining how he was afraid he may have hurt me all I wanted to do was hold him to take away some of the pain and fear in his expression. He was hypnotic and I could have listened to him all day. I struggled to make sense of what he was saying and failed. All that existed was him. I’d never before had such a reaction to anything or anyone. My mind kept envisioning us together with such vivid detail that I could practically feel the imprint of his hands in the most intimate of places.

Raif took away any sense of what should have been important. It was much more important to find out what the hell happened after the sharks scared me than it was to think only of a soft satin sheet and a pair of silky pants blocking what could very well be every fantasy come true.

It was such an odd time to realize that my clothing, as well as all my equipment, was in a pile in the corner of his room. That’s when I noticed his room. It was like being inside a seashell. Everything shimmered except the carpet. The carpet looked like rabbit fur. He had a wardrobe made from seashells and a large four-poster bed made from a dark wood I’d never seen before. His sheets were satin smooth and extremely comfortable. They were also the only color in the room, black with teal embroidery. It was a very plain décor, yet it seemed to suit the owner.

“My lady, are you ill? Have I done something incorrectly? Did I—” I placed my fingers on his soft lips, suppressing a shudder as another wave of awareness washed over me. This had to be a side effect of whatever had happened to me. I’d never been so aware of my body in such a sensual way before.

“Raif, I’m fine. I’m just a little overwhelmed at the moment, but doing rather well, all things considered. Can you hand me my clothes? Where are we?”

“My apologies, my lady, I did not see fit for you to continue to wear such archaic clothing and sent to have some made for you. They should be here shortly. We are currently in my bedchamber,” he said, bowing his head slightly in respect.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious. Can I at least borrow a pair of pants and a shirt until my clothes get here? I’m uncomfortable being naked in your bedroom. I realize that we’re still in your bedchamber as you put it, but what island is it located on exactly, what continent?” I was getting nervous at his refusal to tell me where I was. When I was nervous, I was bitchy.

He moved to his wardrobe with a grace I could only dream of having. His muscles bunched and rippled as he walked away. That man had the best ass I had ever seen.

The sense of loss I felt without him by my side was staggering with its intensity, but I fought against it. I didn’t understand my strong reaction to him, but was uncomfortable with the things he was conjuring inside me. In thirty years I’d never instantly craved someone. Even that wasn’t a strong enough description, though. It was worse than a craving. The expression, ‘love at first sight’ popped into my head. I frowned, trying to release such a juvenile notion. People don’t really fall in love at the first sight of a pair of teal eyes.

Forget that he was more powerfully built than any other man I had ever seen. Calling him a man even seemed like an insult to him, for no man was nearly so perfect. It was just lust and the after effects of drowning. That thought brought me back to the more important issue at hand. If I’d drowned, how was I still alive?

“I am unsure of the fit of my clothing on your body, but I do have an older tunic that may be small enough for you.” He brought the item to me and I noticed that it was also teal. Everything he had was in the greener side of ocean colors. His hand brushed mine as he gave me his shirt and I had to relearn to breathe.

“We are located on the third isle, called Sumner. Not many travel here as the mainland is much more populated and exciting. Sumner is my family’s land. We are what you would call farmers. We provide the food for our people and care for the variety of plant and animal life to maintain harmony here. I like the wilderness and the solitude of my life. The quiet is soothing to me and so I chose to stay here instead of residing on the mainland. Never in all my years did I imagine someone like you would fall into my lap. Do you need assistance in your dressing, my lady?” He asked.

“Um, that’s probably not a good idea, but thanks. You’ve avoided my question very well, telling me something while still saying nothing. Where am I, and how soon can I call my family to let them know I’m okay?”

“My lady,” he started with a pained expression on his face.

“My name is Natasha. Please call me that or some variety that suits you. ‘My lady’ just makes me feel old,” I said with exasperation.

“As you wish, Natasha.” My name was like heaven on his lips. “As I mentioned, you are in my bed, in my bedchamber, in my home on Sumner, which is located in Atlantis, which is approximately eight miles beneath the ocean’s surface. We are not detectable by any of your people’s modern equipment. We are able to view the surface life, but unable to communicate with any of its inhabitants. Regrettably, you are not able to contact your family, and you cannot go home.” The cadence of his words melted me; making me feel safe. It took a moment for the meaning behind his words to fully strike me.

“What do you mean I can’t go home? I don’t belong here! What have you done to me?” I felt as though he were bewitching me. I clutched the shirt he’d given me close, as if it were a lifeline. The shirt held his smell: a crisp ocean spray during a hurricane, fresh, wild, and untamed. It was very heady and comforting. I realized what I was doing and quickly pulled the shirt over my head.

“Natasha, my lady, forgive me for I do not know how to answer you without offense. I have had minimal dealings with the Surface Dwellers. Certainly none as beautiful as you. Even the ones I’ve met, I only did so after they’d been to see the Council. The Council will know how to guide you, and they will help you with your answers. We will be going there just as soon as Michael returns with your clothing. I did not wish to take you there in your previous state. Please forgive me.” He was kneeling so close to me on the side of the bed that I felt every pore on my body react to his nearness. He leaned in close and reached out, but let his arm drop before he touched me.

I blushed, my abdomen tightened, liquid heated my core, my nipples hardened into little pebbles. He hadn’t even been this close to me when he woke me. I felt like I was falling into his teal eyes that shimmered with a heat that mirrored mine. After he’d said I was beautiful, all his words blurred together. He was so close, and we were both tormented by restraint. I couldn’t have held back if my life depended on it. Not with him so close and looking so tortured.

I kissed him. Just a slight brush of lips on lips, but I felt it to the very core of my soul. I felt as if I had just come home and for the very first time was whole. Everything changed, yet everything was the same when my lips parted from his.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts and he leapt away from me. He looked relived, or confused. I couldn’t tell which. “Who calls?”

“It is I, Michael. I have the woman’s dress, is she awake? I’d very much like to see her. The whole island is talking about the gift Poseidon sent us. The Council is demanding you bring her to them, conscious or not.”

Raif clenched his hands into fists, and closed his eyes for a moment to collect himself. The man really needed to learn how to mask his feelings. I stood up and walked over to him. Timidly, I put my hand on the middle of his back, and as he turned, I hugged him close to me. His chest was solid under my cheek and I could hear his heart beating very fast. He waited a moment, and then I felt his arms engulf my upper body. I felt tiny, and I’d never felt tiny before.

“Are you okay?” I whispered so Michael wouldn’t hear us from the other side.

“Why did you…? Yes, I am well. We should let Michael in so you can change.”

He released me from his embrace and slowly brought his hand down my arm to entwine his fingers into mine. I could not suppress the shiver that ran down my spine. His other hand opened his bedroom door to reveal a small, skinny man holding fabric of deep teal, darker than Raif’s eyes. The man’s eyes bulged at the sight of me in Raif’s tunic, holding his hand.

He was beautiful in his own way, but didn’t have the presence Raif had. He was my height, with ice blond hair, blue eyes, and shiny blue-tan skin. If it weren’t iridescent, I’d have thought he had the pallor of a dead surfer. He too wore nothing but pants, but as Raif’s were teal, Michael’s were the same blue of his eyes. His smaller stature was incredibly muscular as well, but only a third the size of Raif’s. He was actually more my type than Raif was; yet I felt nothing compelling about him at all. Next to Raif, Michael was insignificant.

“Hello! I’m Michael. You recovered rather quickly; I was in a coma for about a week before I was introduced. I’m almost sorry to give you this dress; I’d never thought to see anyone in Raifuku’s clothing but him. It’s rather cute. Do they say cute anymore up there? Sorry, I’m babbling. Raifuku, you’d better get her to the castle quickly. I’ll go and alert the Council to your arrival. Nice to meet ya, lady.” Michael tossed the dress to me and scurried off. Raif looked back at me reluctantly as he made his way out of the room, finally shutting the door and leaving me as alone as I could be, knowing he was on the other side, waiting.