73. Felicity
FELICITY
The storm finally started losing strength near dawn.
Not much.
Just enough, the thunder moved farther into the mountains instead of sitting directly over the ranch.
The fight was over.
The Rangers won.
Sheriff Tate’s deputies were still sweeping the property and surrounding woods while EMTs checked the wounded downstairs.
Two Hollow Men were dead.
One was in custody.
And Shepherd?
Gone.
Again.
That part still sat wrong inside me.
Like something unfinished lingering in the dark.
But for the first time in weeks…
I wasn’t running.
I stood near the tavern kitchen, wrapped in a college sweat shirts, while Trigger shoved a steaming cup of coffee into my hands.
“You look pale,” he announced.
“I got shot at,” I reminded him softly.
Trigger snorted.
“Well, yes, there’s that.”
Havoc patted my arm immediately.
“Leave it to Blaze to always ruin perfectly good evenings.”
Despite everything?—
I laughed.
A real laugh.
Small.
Broken.
But real.
Trigger and Havoc exchanged satisfied looks like they’d personally defeated evil itself.
Across the room, Blaze stood near the sheriff speaking quietly with Wolf and Trigger.
He looked exhausted.
Rain-damp hair.
His knuckles were beaten up. His clothes were still covered in blood.
Jaw still tight enough to crack stone.
But every few seconds?—
his eyes found me.
Every single time.
Like he needed proof I was still standing there.
Like maybe he still couldn’t believe it either.
Wolf finally clapped him on the shoulder.
“Go.”
Blaze frowned instantly.
“The sheriff still wants statements.”
“I’ll get the statements from Wolf,” the sheriff interrupted tiredly. “Right now you look one bad sentence away from killing somebody.”
Trigger smirked.
“Honestly, that’s an improvement from earlier.”
Blaze ignored both of them completely.
His attention stayed locked on me as he crossed the kitchen slowly.
The room somehow grew quieter around him.
Not because anybody feared him.
Because everybody saw it.
The way he looked at me.
The way I looked back.
Like neither one of us knew how we survived this.
He stopped directly in front of me.
“Let’s go home?” he said, looking at me.
My chest tightened softly.
Home.
He said it like there wasn’t even a question where I belonged.
I nodded instantly.
“Yes.”
Something warm flickered in his eyes then.
Relief.
Real relief.
He took the coffee cup from my hands, set it on the counter, then reached for me carefully.
Like maybe I might still disappear.
His fingers slid through mine.
Strong.
Warm.
Safe.
And suddenly I realized something terrifying.
I never wanted him to let go again.
Trigger sighed dramatically behind us.
“Thank God, I’ll drive,” Trigger said.
Havoc barked out a laugh.
Wolf muttered, “Took you two long enough.”
Blaze flipped him off without looking away from me.
That made me smile harder.
Outside, dawn slowly pushed through the storm clouds as Blaze walked me toward his truck.
The ranch looked wrecked.
Mud everywhere.
Bullet casings scattered across the porch.
Broken railing.
Shattered windows.
Proof of everything we survived.
But the mountains beyond it all?
Still beautiful.
Still standing.
Blaze opened the passenger door for me.
I paused before getting in.
“Hersh?”
His expression softened instantly at the name.
“Yeah?”
Emotion climbed into my throat unexpectedly.
“I’m tired of being afraid.”
Something inside his face shifted at those words.
Not pity.
Not sadness.
Understanding.
He stepped closer slowly.
Close enough I could feel his warmth in the cold morning air.
“You don’t have to be anymore.”
My eyes burned.
Because I believed him.
Completely.
He touched my cheek gently.
“So here’s what’s gonna happen,” he said quietly. “I’m taking you back to the Last Stand. Wolf and Havoc are locking the place down. Sheriff’s posting deputies nearby whether we like it or not.” His thumb brushed softly beneath my eye. “And then you’re gonna sleep for about three days.”
A laugh escaped me weakly.
“And what are you gonna do?”
His gaze held mine.
“I’m going to be sleeping right next to you.”
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Just truth.
My heart absolutely shattered for this man.
I rose onto my toes and kissed him softly.
Not desperate this time.
Not terrified.
Just… love.
His hand slid into my hair instantly as he kissed me back like he never wanted to stop.
Like he’d finally found his way home too.
When we finally pulled apart, Wolf yelled from the porch?—
“GET A ROOM!”
Trigger added loudly?—
“Preferably soundproof this time!”
I buried my face against Blaze’s chest laughing while he shouted back?—
“I hate all of you!”
“No you don’t!” Trigger said.
Blaze looked down at me then.
Really looked at me.
And suddenly the chaos…
the bullets…
the fear…
all of it faded away.
Because for the first time since this nightmare started?—
we were finally walking toward something good.