Blade could hear footsteps approaching as he jumped to his feet. The sound was coming from both directions. A bandit stepped around the corner of the cabin on his left. Another came from his right. Blade had fought more than two men at the same time; he could handle them. The one on his left was closer and already had his rifle aimed at Blade. Getting shot was not part of the plan. Blade ducked down low and leaped forward, grabbing the bandit’s legs out from underneath him.
The man fell forward, but instead of protecting himself from the fall, he chose to hold onto his rifle. He hit the ground hard, and Blade could hear the snap of bones. A pained moan escaped the bandit’s throat. In one fluid movement, Blade spun around, aimed his Colt, and shot the other bandit. The first slug hit him in the shoulder; the second one stopped his heart.
Blade turned his attention back to the man he had tackled. He considered turning him around to find out what he had broken but didn’t bother. Instead, he shot him in the skull and moved on.
He needed to find Austin and Maxwell. Blade walked to the edge of the cabin and peered around. He didn’t actually expect to see them, but the sight nearly brought him to hisknees. Austin was walking toward the cabin with his pistol pointed at Dakota. Her mask was off, and the look on her face was one of complete horror. Next to them, Maxwell walked with a rifle in hand.
Blade stepped out from behind the cabin. This was his plan, and there was no way he was going to let anything happen to Dakota because he was obsessed with getting revenge.
“Let her go,” he demanded.
Austin laughed and shook his head. “Why would I do that?” he asked, still coming closer. “We were just going to kill her, but when I saw she was a woman, I knew she would be useful. You two have been traveling together for a long time, killing my men. There was no way that you weren’t sleeping with her.”
Blade’s hand twitched, his finger tightening around the trigger.
“Drop the gun,” Maxwell said, “or she dies.”
Blade didn’t need his pistol to kill them. He loosened his grip, allowing his Colt Rainmaker to fall. With his other hand, he drew one of his knives and sent it flying. Dakota was standing in front of Austin, but some of his body was still visible. The knife lodged into his shoulder, causing him to drop his pistol and let go of Dakota.
She fell to the ground immediately, rolling onto her back as she grabbed Austin’s pistol and pointed it at Maxwell. She pulled the trigger before he could react.
Blade stormed forward, drawing another knife and hurling it at Austin. This one pierced his thigh. He stumbled a little but was still standing. Blade hit him with a fist, sending him crashing to the ground.
Austin tried to reach for his rifle, refusing to give up.
“I don’t think so,” Blade said, stepping onto Austin’s wrist and pinning it to the ground. He pressed down hard, causing the bone to crack beneath his boot.
Blade’s Colt Rainmaker was still lying in the grass where he had dropped it, but that was okay. He would get it when this was done. Blade drew his father’s old Colt and pointed it at Austin. He had been saving it for this occasion.
“What do you want?” Austin asked.
“Revenge,” Blade replied, reaching up with his free hand and pulling down his mask.
Austin’s eyes grew big, recognition dawning on his face.
“Slade,” he breathed.
“No, you killed Slade,” Blade replied. “I’m not the same boy you once knew.”
Austin looked at him like he was a ghost risen from the dead, his whole body trembling. “I promised my family revenge,” Blade continued. “It is time to make good on that promise.”
“Wait, you don’t have to do this,” Austin pleaded.
He was so incredibly wrong.
“Rot in hell,” Blade replied and pulled the trigger.
Dakota stood up and took Blade’s hand in hers. Together, they just stood there for a moment, looking down at Austin.
“It’s over,” she finally said.
Blade allowed himself another second to process it and then looked up, focusing his eyes on Dakota. “It is,” he agreed. “Let’s go home.”
“Where exactly is home?” she asked.
“The Cassidy Ranch,” Blade replied. “That is where we grew up, where we taught ourselves how to fight, and where we will live.”
Epilogue
