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“Are you sure?”

When I respond yes, she steps into me, throws her arms over my shoulders, and sobs. I gladly hold her and it just feels right. This woman is definitely my mate.

“Thank you,” she says between cries. “Thank you.”

“Enani! Enani!” her friend screams, causing Enani to break from my arms and turn around. They rush to each other and hug tightly. As they embrace, I walk back to the house. She has to check on her family and I need to join my team.

We’re on the scene for another thirty minutes. When we’ve identified that there are no hidden embers or structural fires, our lieutenant, Priest, gives the formal order that the scene is stable and turns it over to the investigators. We roll up the hoses, pack up the tools, and head back to the station to restore the truck back to service mode. I shower to clean off and start my normal routine for extinguishing the fire in my veins.

After I down a bag of blood and a gallon of water to quench both of my thirsts, I take laps around the station then head to the exercise room. Once my veins have stopped glowing and my body calms, I head to Regional to check on Enani and her family. I need to make sure they are all okay.

Eboni, the captain’s assistant, walks into the exercise room and asks, “You hungry?”

“Starving,” I admit, then sit up on the bench. “You placing an order?”

“Cap is ordering from Dale’s and told me to check with y’all. You want your normal order?

“Yeah.”

“Okay. I got you. It’ll be over an hour before it gets here though. I put some new blood bags in the white refrigerator.”

“Thanks. I already had one.”

“Good. Let me place this order.”

When she walks out, I get back to lifting and recovery and continue my workout until the food arrives. As I eat, I down another gallon of water. Between the water, workout, and food, the glow in my veins and eyes subsides and my extreme energy rush fades.

“Cap, Jay and I are taking the truck to Regional to check on the couple from the call,” I tell him before heading out.

“Just keep your radios on.”

“Already.”

When on shift, we have to always be prepared for the next emergency, and if the truck or engine leave the station, it has to be on official business and we can’t travel alone. Luckily for me, checking on victims at the hospital is official business.

The station is only about fifteen minutes from Regional. After parking up front, Jay stays with the truck and I make my way inside to the check-in desk. Since I’m dressed in gear and have my firefighter ID, she gives me the details on both of Enani’s grandparents. They are both stable and have been admitted. Because of their age, the medical team is just being precautious and observing them overnight.

They’re occupying the same room on the fifth floor, and when I approach, I hear Enani and her friend’s voices. The worry, fear, and anguish that consumed Enani’s voice at the scene has dissipated and her sultry tone that mesmerized me at Blood Lust is back. Not wanting to be intrusive, I tap on the door a few times before easing it open. Her friend meets me at the room’s entrance.

“Oh, you came. They were asking about you.” She walks into me and hugs me. “Thank you for getting them out,” she utters sincerely before stepping back and tossing her head for me to come all the way in.

“There he is,” Enani’s grandmother says with a smile. She raises her arm and waves me over. As I step toward her, my eyes stay fixated on Enani standing on the side of her grandfather’s bed, pouring water into a cup.

“Ma’am, I just wanted to come and make sure you were both good,” I tell her grandmother when I reach her.

She grabs my hand when I extend it toward her. “It’s Shirlean and we are more than okay. We’re alive thanks to you. You are an angel.”

“I’m far from an angel,” I assure her. “We all know what I am.”

“Our hero,” she says as she squeezes my hand. “That’s all that matters. Thank you so much.”

“Yes, son. Thank you. You got my honey out and saved me.” He nods toward me and smiles. “I feel twenty years younger. The only reason I’m in this bed is because of these two fussing over me and because my honey is here. I can run a mile in five minutes.”

“Papa, no you can’t. You are staying in this bed and in this hospital until your doctors release you. Besides, you need to take it easy anyway. That’s just your adrenaline talking,” Enani says while shaking her head.

“It’s more than that. I know how I feel; thanks to him.”

“I was just doing my job, sir.”