She of the Sea

21 of 53 - A Botched Rescue

Just as Cassie's fingers were about to touch the edges of the undulating arms, she was tugged hard from behind. If felt as if a someone had lassoed her. The force of it startled her, and she forgot she was underwater.

She gasped, expelling the air from her lungs and breathed in sea water. Someone lit a fire in her chest. She coughed, but only managed to suck in more water. Her entire body spasmed in excruciating pain.

I'm drowning, she thought.

Before her world went black, she caught sight of a man in a diver's mask, tall, muscular, his arm wrapped around her waist, carrying her, and kicking furiously for the surface.

*    *    *

Cassie coughed. Gouts of water gushed from her lungs. She was on her back. Her stomach roiled and she vomited. Gentle hands rolled her on her side so her vomit wouldn't choke her.

"Don't try to talk," a baritone voice commanded.

As if she could with the fire burning in her chest. All she could manage was to take short stuttering breaths trying to fill her lungs with delicious air. Oh, god, she hurt so bad. She couldn't stop coughing and puking.

She thought she might pass out, but gentle hands were rubbing her back trying to soothe her. If she weren't in so much pain Cassie thought she might enjoy the back rub.

"You almost drowned," Mister Baritone said. "Technically, you did drown. I brought you back. Damn it, Cassandra, you were down there for almost five minutes. What were you trying to prove?"

Cassie wheezed and coughed trying to get her bearings. The voice was familiar, and he had used her name. Who was he? Where was she?

"She's going to be okay, Mother." Baritone shouted. "We'll take her in."

It started coming together. She was on Ofelia's son's boat. He was the baritone voice taking care of her. She thought sure she had heard his voice before.

Cassie heard the other boat power up and pull away. Her boat. Her crew. They were leaving her. Oh, no. She tried to sit.

"Easy," he said and helped her.

She sat on the deck of his boat, her back resting against the gunwale.

"Tyler, follow them in," he ordered. "Radio ahead to have a car standing by. We need to get Cassandra to the hospital."

"Will do."

Soon they were underway.

Hospital? She couldn't go to a hospital. A new terror engulfed her. "No hospital." Her voice came out as a croak.

Baritone draped a blanket around her shoulders and sat on the deck beside her. "What did you say?"

"No hospital." This time it came out clearer, but the effort to speak brought dark circles to her field of vision.

"You had water in your lungs contaminated with who knows what all bacteria. Most people in your situation end up with pneumonia. You need to be checked out."

Cassie reached over and took his hand. "No hospital, please! They'll find me."

He didn't pull away and took her hand more firmly in his. "This is the second time I've come to your rescue. It's becoming a habit."

The baritone voice. The guy who had saved her from her attacker. She lifted her head and focused on his face. "That was you at the bonfire?"

His smile displayed perfect, white teeth, and he had gorgeous, green eyes, like limes. She had seen those eyes before, but when? Where?