Page 4 of Flame Kissed

Suddenly, the door burst open.

Adaze gasped, water rushing in.

Then her eyes focused on the figure in the doorway.

The woman who stood before her was beautiful even though she was dripping wet. She had long dark hair, pulled back in a thick braid trailing down her back. Large dark eyes landed on Adaze. She was younger than Adaze, maybe in her early thirties.

“I’m Leilani. I’m a firefighter. I’m here to help. Are you okay?” Even in a situation like this she had a reassuring smile on her face.

Adaze couldn’t seem to force herself to form the words. Emotion caused them to stick in her throat.

“Hey, don’t worry.” The woman came over and put a hand on her shoulder. Adaze narrowly resisted the urge to lean into her warm touch. “I know it’s a lot but I’m going to get you out of here. Do you think you can walk?”

“I think so.” She shoved to her feet, forcing herself to shrug off the hand.

“Good, now let’s get out of here. Can you lead me to the deck?”

She nodded, forcing herself forward on shaky legs.

Adaze walked with her into the rapidly filling halls. She tried not to let her eyes spend too long lingering on the destruction around them.

Finally, they made it to the top of the stairway, she expected to burst out into blinding sunlight, but all that met them was clouds and sheets of rain.

The sky had never seemed as dark, even at midnight on a moonless night.

Adaze rapidly blinked her eyes, forcing herself to focus on the situation.

Somehow it was all so much worse than she expected from in the dark insides of the ship. The deck was at a sharp slant, one end below the water, the other jutting into the air. She could see another ship a little distance away.

“What do we do?” she yelled.

The other woman turned to her with a tight smile. “Don’t worry. I promise I’m going to get you out of here, but I need you to trust me.”

Adaze let out a breath. “Not like I’ve got any choice.”

“Good. Come with me to the edge.”

Adaze swallowed before forcing herself to follow the firefighter to the edge.

“Now, put your arms around my neck and hold on tight.”

“Why? What’re you going to do?”

“I’m going to get you out of here, but I need you to trust me.”

She only hesitated for a moment but was surprised to find she did. Adaze took a deep breath, wrapping her arms around the woman’s neck.

“On the count of three, hold your breath. Ready?”

“What?!”

“One.”

“Hang on?—”

“Two. Three.”

Adaze sucked in a breath as their feet left the deck, sending them crashing down to the dark depths below.

---