2 Handsome? No, he was damn hot!

Ziana's eyes fluttered open, and to her astonishment, she found herself in a pulsating club. The vibrant lights and thumping music overwhelmed her senses, causing her to blink in disbelief. Tentatively, her trembling hands touched her own face, and her shoulders.

"Oh my god! They are full of flesh again!" Ziana gasped, her voice trembling with a mix of elation and disbelief. The sensation of her fingertips against her own skin overwhelmed her with joy.

Katherine, who was sitting beside her, frowned and asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Ziana's heart swelled upon hearing a familiar voice. She threw herself into her best friend's arms, tears streaming down her own cheeks. "Katie!" she exclaimed, hugging her tightly. "I missed you so much."

Katherine, caught off guard by the emotional display, tried to gently push Ziana away. "Girl, you're drunk," she muttered, shaking her head. But Ziana clung to her tightly, refusing to let go.

Gradually, Ziana's sobs subsided, and her memories of the funeral came flooding back. She remembered Katherine standing strong, handling everything on behalf of her devastated family. The unwavering support and comfort Katherine had provided during the darkest days filled her heart with gratitude.

"I have a patrol tonight," Katherine brought her out of her thoughts. "I'll book a cab, and you'll go straight home."

"No sleeping on the road or on my lawn," she emphasized, recalling Ziana's past antics that had led to embarrassment in the neighborhood quite a few times. "Am I clear?"

Ziana, still emotional, nodded and smiled gratefully at her best friend. Hugging her tightly, she whispered, "Thank you, Katie."

"You are truly my guardian angel!"

"Huh?" Confusion flickered across Katherine's face at the unexpected display of affection, but she later sighed. This crackhead was totally drunk, and they needed to leave the club before a certain demon left its cage.

----

"Call me once your shift is over. I will pick you up," Ziana grinned and waved at Katherine as the driver started the cab. But her smile turned to shock when she caught a glimpse of the driver's face in the rearview mirror.

Wait! Wasn't this the same cab she had hailed last time?

A cold shiver ran down her spine as a chilling thought struck her. Was her past repeating itself?

Ziana chuckled nervously, trying to dismiss the haunting idea. There was no way she would die again, right?

But her unease escalated as a car behind them blared its horn, its headlights glaring menacingly. Ziana's eyes widened in dread as she recognized the car. It was the same blue car that had recklessly crashed into them during the previous accident.

Her gaze darted between the road ahead and the approaching vehicle. Panic surged through her veins as vivid memories of the devastating crash that took her life last time flashed before her eyes.

'We can only let you time travel. It's your life, so only you can save yourself this time.' Suddenly the confusing statement of the handsome reaper echoed in her mind.

Initially, she didn't understand, but everything clicked into place. She had to take control of her own destiny this time. She had to save herself from this impending disaster. But, how?

"Drive faster!" Ziana screamed, her voice quivering with fear, while the driver glanced at her in confusion.

Last time, this foolish driver slowed down to let the car pass, resulting in tragedy. But this time, Ziana refused to let history repeat itself.

"Cross that turn quickly!" she commanded while the driver frowned.

"Do you want your mother and sister to end up on the streets? Drive fast, you idiot!" she pleaded, clutching onto the driver's seat, her gaze fixed on the accelerating blue car behind them.

"What did you say?" the driver grumbled, his anger blending with confusion.

Ziana had witnessed his funeral, a somber affair where his mother had been harassed by loan sharks. With no one else to support her, the woman succumbed to death leaving her high-school daughter bear the cruelty. But if they could avoid the collision this time, they all might have a chance to live again.

"Drive fast if you want to live," Ziana urged, her voice filled with urgency as they drove through the buzzing traffic. "Drive faster, damn it!" she demanded, shaking his hand.

"Are you nuts?" the driver retorted, his focus returning to the road.

"Dude, I will literally end up eating nuts if you don't speed up!" Ziana exclaimed frantically, her gaze fixed on the pursuing blue car.

"Please! Drive fast!" she pleaded, terror tightening its grip on her. Those afterlife bastards gave him a chance to be reborn as some civil servant, unlike her who was asked to be a raccoon! So, she couldn't afford to let this accident happen again.

"Alright! Stop overacting," the driver relented, his irritation giving way at her sense of urgency.

Ziana sank back into her seat, relief flooding through her as the speedometer needle climbed. They crossed the junction where disaster had struck before, and she let out a trembling sigh of relief.

However, when she cast a fearful glance behind them, confusion creased her brows. Instead of taking a turn, why was the car chasing them? It was going left last time, according to her memories.

Her face paled when she saw not just one, but two cars chasing behind them with relentless determination.

What in the world was happening here?!

Wait! Was she being pranked by those afterlife people? Were they testing her luck?

"Bloody hell!" Ziana shouted, startling the driver. "Drive faster!" she demanded, her voice tinged with a mix of frustration and terror.

"Miss, I can't exceed the speed limit," the driver responded in frustration. The traffic prevented him from stopping the car and kicking out this frenzy woman.

"Mister, will you or should I?" Ziana asked seriously as they raced through the signals.

"Can't you see those cars chasing us?" she asked, desperation evident in her eyes as the driver stole a glance in the rearview mirror. Confusion lingered in his eyes as he failed to comprehend the danger.

"I think they're here to kill me, so drive faster if you don't want to die with me," Ziana pleaded, her voice laden with raw fear.

"Okay, calm down," the driver muttered, gripping the steering wheel tighter as he pressed the accelerator further.

"Who are they?" the driver couldn't help but ask as they zoomed through the streets.

"I don't know," Ziana confessed, her voice tinged with frustration and confusion.

"Then why are you running away from them?"

"I don't know!" Ziana grumbled, making the driver roll his eyes. She was really a weirdo.

"Are you a mafia?" the driver questioned again as he took an edgy turn around the junction.

"No, I'm a detective!" Ziana replied, her eyes fixed on the relentless pursuit of the cars. Their blatant disregard for traffic signals only fueled her growing sense of chaos.

The driver's brow furrowed in response. So an officer was running away from gangsters? This was amusing!

"Holy hell! Why the fuck are they chasing me?" Ziana cursed as the cars showed no signs of relenting, even at the second junction.

Those conniving afterlife creatures were clearly playing mind games with her! She thought, nervously staring at the car's navigation map, just a few turns away from her house.

As they took yet another turn, almost a mile away from her house, Ziana felt a glimmer of relief wash over her. But her heart continued to race as the sound of the approaching cars echoed behind them.

Screechhh.

As the cab screeched to a halt, Ziana wasted no time. She burst out and ran towards her home, her trembling hands struggling to unlock her front door. Finally inside, she slammed the door shut, hoping for a moment of respite.

But to her horror, the sound of screeching tires filled the air once again as the cars came to a stop right in front of her house. A bestial roar pierced through the silent neighborhood, sending shivers down her spine.

Another gut-wrenching cry filled the air, causing her to shriek in tandem. Her heart raced as she cautiously peeked through the door's peephole, witnessing two men locked in a vicious brawl on her very own lawn.

What on earth was happening here?!

But before she could discern who was who, one of them was thrown violently against her door, causing her to stumble back in terror.

The man's screams reverberated as he was repeatedly smashed against the door, his agony filling the room. Ziana felt her knees weaken at the horrifying sounds that she almost cried with the man.

Thud!

In the blink of an eye, a man fell to the ground alongside her shattered door. Ziana's eyes widened as a pool of blood stained her floor, her mind zoning out in shock.

Wait, wasn't he the driver of that blue car?

Her gaze traveled upward, drawn to the entrance where a strikingly handsome man stood, dripping with both blood and an air of danger.

Not just handsome—this man was damn hot!

His white shirt clung tightly to his chiseled form, accentuating his sculpted muscles and offering a tantalizing glimpse of tattoos that adorned his neck. Blood stains marred his captivating face, providing a stark contrast against his mesmerizing black eyes. Beads of sweat traced a path down his neck, cascading over his sharp collarbone, making Ziana gulp in awe.

Yet, a frown tugged at the corners of her lips. There was something unnervingly familiar yet enigmatic about the intensity of his gaze. Had they met before?

"H-hi," she stammered as the enigmatic man stepped further into her home.

Zayden wiped away the blood from his lips, a sinister smirk playing upon them.

"Hello, sweetheart."