Page 5 of Flame Kissed

Looks like I might drown after all, she thought to herself as they cut deeper into the ice-cold water. She squeezed her eyes shut at the sting of the salt water. The icy chill threatened to make her gasp for air, but she fought against her instincts.

Just when it seemed like they might never surface again, the firefighter’s strong kicks pushed them up into the sunlight.

Adaze gasped in a desperately needed gulp of air. “Are you crazy!? We could have died!”

“But we didn’t, and if we’d stayed on the ship we definitely would have,” she laughed. It was a beautiful sound, bright and clear cutting through the roar of the ocean.

Adaze found herself starting to smile despite it all as she clung on to the firefighter. Maybe it was the adrenalin or something about this woman who was saving her life, but she just couldn’t seem to help herself.

They made their way to the waiting rescue boat where a ladder was immediately lowered into the water.

There was a rescue team on the boat.

“Can you climb up on your own?” one of them asked.

“I—yeah, I think so.”

“Good work, Leilani,” the apparent leader addressed Adaze’s savior.

“Good, come on now, up you go.” Adaze turned so she could wrap her hands around the rope and start pulling herself up.

She made it up the first rung and felt her body start to falter. She winced at her weakness. She knew it was stupid given the circumstances, but she wanted to impress the firefighter who had saved her. With a deep breath she forced herself to the top.

The second she was within reach, hands were on her, pulling her into the ship.

The firefighter who had saved her followed close behind.

One of the other rescuers was on her in moments, med kit in hand, checking her over for injuries.

Adaze couldn’t stop shivering even with the blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

The medic smiled at her. “The good news is you don’t seem to be hurt, though I’m still going to have someone look you over once we get back. All we need to do is focus on getting you warm.”

Adaze nodded, her eyes scanning along the boat to try and find the woman who saved her. She frowned, unable to find her.

“Don’t worry,” the medic smiled at her. “She’s alright. Just drying off and warming herself up as well. Even with a wetsuit, at this time of year, the water is still cold enough that it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

She nodded, still too cold to even think about talking, not that she was even sure what she wanted to say.

They made their way to the dock where an ambulance was waiting.

Adaze frowned. “Is that really necessary?”

“It’s for the best. You’re in no state to drive and you need medical attention. Of course you’re within your rights to refuse, but I’d strongly caution against it.”

She sighed, letting herself be loaded into the ambulance and handed off to the waiting doctors. She found herself glancing around to see if the woman who saved her was being sent with her.

But of course she wasn’t.

Why would she be?

She shook her head and focused on the situation. They made it to the Phoenix Ridge hospital and Adaze worked her way through a team of doctors.

They ran countless tests, checked for injuries and so much more. There was so much going on it was easy to push from her mind how she ended up there.

It must have been almost an hour before she was finally alone in a hospital room.

Only then did the situation fully sink in. She could have died.

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