cough as he breathed in the debris. This was why there was dirt in Kelly’s nose and throat. It wasn’t because she was buried alive, but she was kept in this place—the tomb—for who knows how long.
The air cleared slightly, and then I saw…
“Sabrina.”
With lighting fast speed, I lunged into the tomb and pulled the young woman out, cradled her in my arms.
“Is she alive?” Chase asked, still coughing as he kneeled down next to me.
I flipped her over. Her coloring was off. She was so gray, her lips had a bluish tinge, but I could feel her lungs moving ever so slightly. More than that, I could feel the pull of her weakening pulse.
“Barely. Kellen, quickly.”
In a snap, Kellen knelt beside me, bit his arm and I held open Sabrina’s mouth wide as he applied pressure from his wrist to give her generous amounts of blood. I would have offered my own blood, but Kellen’s was stronger. It would revive her quicker and right now, we needed it.
When nothing happened and Sabrina’s breathing became even shallower, I shouted,
“More.”
Kellen brought his wrist back to his mouth and bit deeper sending blood to pour out of his arm.
“You owe me for this,” he growled as he fed more of his blood to Sabrina.
Slowly, Sabrina’s color returned. Her cheeks flushed with rosiness and her lips back to pink. I let out a long sigh when Sabrina’s throat began to accept the blood eagerly.
Then, after a deep gulp, Sabrina’s eyes shot open and she screamed bloody murder.
Her eyes were wide with fright and her entire body trembled in fear. It was the first time I ever encountered this…and it was horrible in every sense. Normally, we saw a dead body, never saw what a victim felt while they were being treated with cruelty. I doubted her scream would ever leave my mind.
But I didn’t waste a second. I grabbed her face, locked her into my gaze and forced her not to look away. “You were abducted, but that is all you remember. You were drugged and you will have no memory of anything else. You were not mistreated. You are going to go on and have a wonderful life filled with happiness.” I glanced to the men sleeping soundly on the floor. “Wake up.” When the men jumped to their feet, I continued, “Nick broke down the door, it’s old, so it crumbled to pieces. We have rescued Sabrina.”
The haze left their eyes instantly and Mike patted Nick on the back. “Good kick.”
Nick nodded the acknowledgment, thoroughly pleased with himself. “Strong legs come in handy.”
I glanced back to the now quiet Sabrina. She blinked a couple times then groaned.
“What happened to me? Where am I? Who are you?”
“We are from the FBI, Sabrina.” I smiled so elated at the outcome. “It’s over now.” I sighed deeply as I glanced around to see everyone smiling in relief, even Kellen.
My gaze fell back to Sabrina as she rested in my arms, a feeling of complete happiness coursed through my soul.
“It’s all over now. You’re safe.”
Chapter Fourteen
At Froedtert Memorial Hospital, Sabrina’s parents hugged her, tears flowing down their face and I smiled. Never had I felt this before, it was really quite humbling. Sabrina was home—safe.
“So, this is why you do this?” Kellen asked from behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder to find him leaning against the nurses’ station. “I’ve never experienced this before,” I told him honestly.
Kellen raised a brow, his tone soft and in wonderment. “Never?”
I shook my head as I approached him. “Normally we don’t see the women saved.”
Stepping into his arms, I hugged him and rested my head against his chest. “We just catch the killer before he can kill someone else.”
Kellen took my chin in his hand to bring my gaze up to his and brushed his fingers across my cheek. “It’s a good feeling, no?”
I laughed, that was an understatement. But for the first time, in his eyes, I could see that he understood what I liked about this job—my reasons for doing what I did.
Humbling moments were all around me. “It’s probably the greatest feeling I’ve ever had.”
“If I didn’t know you better,” Kellen chuckled and continued to stroke my cheek. “I may think you were a mortal.”
My own eyebrow quirked upward. What had he meant by that? “Why, because I care?”
Kellen nodded, gently. “You care for mortals and what happens to them.” He inclined his head and gave me a knowing glance. “That is a rare trait.”
“Hadley,” Mike