by S T Branton
“It was either that or Smitty’s Cove,” she said. “Safe travels. Let me know when you’re back east.”
I went down the stairs with a full mind, so distracted that I almost bowled into a certain FBI agent coming up. “Just the woman I wanted to see,” he said with a smile.
“Steph and Frank are back,” I told him. “They have sensitive news. We have to get back to the fort ASAP.”
“Is that what you look so worried about?” he asked as he smoothed a lock of my hair back. “We’ll handle that when it comes. Right now, there’s something else we need to discuss.”
I raised my eyebrows. “There is?”
“Sure is.” He started to back me up the steps again. “I have a rain check I’d like to cash.”
I was laughing when he leaned over and pressed his lips to mine and pulled me close against his body. Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around his neck and savored the sensation. We lingered in that intimate space after it was over, then he kissed me once more and murmured, “Gotta make up for lost time.”
I nuzzled his neck tenderly. “You ready to head home, St. Clare?”
He held me a little tighter. “As long as you’re there,” he said, “I’ll go anywhere.”
Epilogue
Heat was practically a foreign entity on Joel’s skin after so many days spent trekking through the blasted wilderness, but damn, it felt good. He’d lost track of how long it had been since he and Gina left civilization behind—a week, maybe? Ten days? It didn’t really matter. They were tired, starved, and cold to the bone. To be inside an actual building felt like a religious experience.
“Holy shit,” Gina whispered. “I can’t believe we made it.” She’d bundled up in a thick woolen blanket after they went through Intake, and the color returned to her lips. Slowly, she squeezed his hand.
“Yeah.” He looked around at the room they walked through. “Why’s it so empty in here, though? This place looked huge on the outside.” In fact, the fortress’ stern, militant façade had been incredibly intimidating to approach—under kinder circumstances, he might have urged Gina to keep moving. They’d been greeted by armed guards, to say nothing of the snipers in the tower at the gate. He had thought for sure that they would be shot.
But they were welcomed instead. On the inside, he smelled something that made his stomach gurgle painfully. Gina caught a whiff of it too. She tugged on his sleeve. “Let’s go see if we can get some of whatever that is,” she said. “I could literally eat anything right now.” She followed the scent toward a hallway on the left.
“What if they’re cooking all the new people?” he asked with a slight grin. It was a joke, mostly, but it would explain why there hadn’t been a line a mile long to get into the place.
Gina poked him in the ribs. “Don’t be morbid. Everyone we’ve met so far has been super nice.”
“We’ve met like three guards. And they all had guns.” Joel didn’t want to be the guy who looked a gift fort in the mouth, but he’d seen enough slasher and doomsday films to be aware of the potential consequences.
Gina, for her part, was adamant. “I’d be more worried if they didn’t,” she told him. “Chill out, Joel. Don’t get lost in your own head. We haven’t died in the middle of nowhere, and that’s good enough for me right now.”
“Okay, okay.” He shrugged and allowed her to lead him farther down the corridor. Light glowed from the crack beneath the double doors at the end. As they approached, one of the doors opened a crack, enough to allow a woman to slip out. She stopped when she saw the two newcomers. A big smile spread across her face. Her thick red hair was piled on top of her head.
“Welcome,” she said and stepped forward to shake their hands. “The guys told me we had some new arrivals.” She studied them quickly. “I’m Veronica. And you look as hungry as hell if I do say so myself.”
“Yes,” Gina said immediately.
The woman laughed. “Well, that’s a problem we can fix. Come on in, but try to keep quiet. Vic’s about to give a speech, I think.”
“Vic?” Joel furrowed his brow. “I think I’ve heard that name before.”
“Damn right you have,” said the redhead, her hand on the door. “She’s fought her ass off since the beginning. It’s about time word started to get around.”
Gina gasped. “She’s the one who cleared New York! I heard she saved a ton of refugees.”
“She sure did. So you want to meet them?” The woman pushed the door open to reveal the crowded mess hall beyond. It was full to the gills, and every eye was turned toward the front.
“Wait,” said Joel. “Vic’s a girl?” He promptly received an elbow in the ribs. “Hey, ouch! I didn’t know.”
Veronica shushed him. “Food line’s up there,” she said quietly and pointed. “But you’ll want to hear this.”
“Is that really her?” Gina’s eyes were wide.
“In the flesh,” Veronica confirmed. She ushered them in. “Go on. “
Joel kept walking, his gaze now riveted to the front of the room along with everyone else’s. A woman stood there with a microphone in hand and looked at the crowd. She was almost tall, her green eyes framed by dark hair pulled back into a careless ponytail. The clothes she wore were clean, but she had bandages on her face and wrapped around her right arm. She seemed totally unfazed by the attention focused on her like a laser, probably because a working cell phone was an oddity at this point, let alone any kind of camera. Her speech would likely go unrecorded.
After she started talking, Joel thought that was a shame. He stopped filling his plate to watch her, and he noticed Gina did the same. The woman spoke with strong, fiery confidence, her eyes full of conviction. She turned every now and then to capture each onlooker with her captivating gaze.
“From this point on, there will be no more battles and no more skirmishes,” she declared. “We are through scrapping in streets and alleys or building barricades to defend our homes. I have had the privilege to witness the strength of humanity firsthand, in New York and across the country. I’ve learned that people will rise if they are given an example. They will mold themselves in the image of those whom they admire, and they will fight like hell for ideals they believe in and rights they deserve.” She paused and glanced at the rapt audience. “It’s time for us to make that happen. Rise up. Fight like hell. Kill Delano and win the war.”
The cheer that went up around Joel was thunderous. For days afterward, it echoed in his ears.
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Author Notes
Written December 17, 2018
I’m ST Branton, silent partner on the Forgotten Gods series. Normally Chris and Lee keep me locked in the dungeon, hands tied to the typewriter (they ARE good friends, thanks for asking). But they let me out for special occasions.
And this is a special occasion.
While you’ve been reading Haunted by the Gods (how about that Vic Stratton, huh? Isn’t she great? If only she’d come here and use that sword on these chains…), I’ve been hard at work on the epic conclusion to the Forgotten Gods saga.
And I’m almost finished.
That’s right! Forgotten Gods Book 8 will soon be upon us, and I’ve gotta say, it’s a doozie. It’s got some sadness, plenty of sweetness, and a whole heck of a lot of action. I think you’re going to like it.
So if you’ve got friends as good as my pals Chris and Lee, this might be a great chance to recommend Forgotten Gods to them. Or you could head on over to Amazon or Good Reads and leave a review. And while you’re at it, write to congress and ask them about investigating the plight of authors chained in basements (kiddi
ng Lee!).
For Kronin!
STB
Also by CM Raymond and LE Barbant
Steel City Heroes Saga
The Catalyst
Buy The Catalyst
The Crucible
Buy The Crucible
The Casting
Buy The Catalyst
Jack Carson Stories
The Devil’s Due
Buy The Devil’s Due
The Devil’s Wager
Buy The Devil’s Wager
The Rise of Magic
* With Michael Anderle *
Restriction (01)
Reawakening (02)
Rebellion (03)
Revolution (04)
Unlawful Passage (05)
Darkness Rises (06)
The Gods Beneath (07)
Reborn (08)
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