I’m staring at Prophet now, his eyes filled with concern.The smile he gives me is soft, almost paternal, and it somehow feels like a lifeline.“You’re going to be fine.”
I try to nod, but the weight of everything presses on my chest, making it hard to move or think clearly.
Then, a loud roar echoes from the backyard, and all the men freeze, their heads snapping toward the sound.The air is thick with tension, and I can feel the unease creeping back in.
“For fuck’s sake, go calm him down.He’s scaring her,” Flint growls, his hands rubbing my arms in a comforting, rhythmic motion.“And make sure you tell him I’m covered.”
Hollywood chuckles quietly, though his amusement doesn’t mask the concern.He strides toward the door, opening it with a purpose, and steps outside.I hear him muttering something, but I can’t make out the words over the growing roar from Blade.
“W-will he be safe?”I ask, my voice small, trembling with uncertainty.
Flint leans forward, his expression softening, but there’s a glint of something unspoken in his eyes.“Yeah.Blade won’t gut Hollywood.He has a soft spot for the succubus...we all do.I think it’s part of his charm.”
“Succubus?”I blink, my mind too clouded to follow the meaning of his words.
Prophet frowns, the lines of his face hardening.“Never mind that.”His gaze softens as he looks down at me.“Do you want to see Blade?”
My head moves from side to side instantly, a firm denial before I even realize it.The thought of seeing him in that monstrous form again, the blood, the raw violence, makes me want to crawl into myself and disappear.
“No,” I whisper, the word barely escaping my lips as the realization hits me.I don’t know if I can handle seeing Blade like that again, not after what happened.I want to be close to him.I want to understand him, but I can’t bear the image of the bear that was once the man I loved.
“Give her some time,” Flint says, his voice low and steady, a clear understanding in his tone.
Prophet nods in acknowledgment, then stands and walks outside.The door closes softly behind him, and the quiet that settles around me feels strangely suffocating.My eyes feel heavy.The weight of the night is catching up to me all at once.With a soft sigh, I close them, trying to block out everything—the blood, the terror, the roar of Blade’s transformation.
For the first time in hours, the world feels distant.Unimportant.
I rest my head on Flint’s broad shoulder, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath me a quiet comfort.His warm arms wrap around me, pulling me close, the blanket cocooning us together.The heat from his body is a balm to the cold dread still swirling in my chest.
Under the blanket, with my eyes closed, I listen to the steady beat of Flint’s heart, the softness of his breathing, the rhythm of life continuing in this small, quiet space.It’s the only thing that feels normal right now.Safe.
Slowly, the world fades away.The images, the sounds, the chaos—all of it starts to blur.
I fall asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Two
