Page 43 of Beyond the Darkness

“I called Kage, sweetheart. I wasn’t alone. Then I saw Don and gave chase. He ducked into this derelict bookstore.”

“Since no one has answered me, let me ask thisagain. You mean Don, right? As in… my damn ex?” Kit demanded. “The one who keeps popping up all over the place here lately? That Don? And you and Kage chased him?”

Kit’s voice was steadily rising, and Connie didn’t blame him in the least. Thank the Flames they were in Kit’s office when his cell phone rang.

“Yes, that Don. We almost caught him, but the guy’s slippery,” Hudson said, his voice laced with irritation. “He opened a hidden passage and disappeared. We followed and found tunnels underneath the bookstore.”

Kit paced the floor of his cramped office, raking a hand through his unruly hair. “Wait, what? Tunnels? Did you say tunnels? Underneath the bookstore? This is getting weirder by the minute.”

Connie, who had been silent, finally spoke up. “Are you telling me you followed a known hunter into an unsecured area with only Kage as backup?”

“Connie—”

Connie took a deep breath as his dragon rumbled to life. He knew his king was more than capable. Hudson had not only the age but the bloodline. He was a fierce warrior. Connie kept reminding himself that as his heart rate increased and his dragon mentally bared his fangs.

Hudson had gone into danger, and Connie had not been there.

“Sweetheart? Listen to me. I know what you’re thinking. Yes, it could have been a trap. And no, you were not there with me, but Kage was. You know, the one who is capable of using shadows to open portals?”

Smoke trailed from Connie’s nostrils.

“Oh boy, he’s smoking, and I don’t mean he’s smoking a cigarette,” Kit said.

“That was dangerous,” Connie growled, his voice deepening.

“I don’t disagree, but I also felt it was necessary,” Hudson said. “We didn’t actually go into the tunnels.”

“Well, thank the dragon gods for that,” Connie said quietly. “Why is it the first time I’m not with youthatyou manage to find trouble?”

Hudson chuckled softly. “Do I at least score points for not going into the tunnels or for Kage and menot splitting up?”

“Mother of all,” Kit breathed. “Split up? You do know what happens to people when they split up, right? Have you ever watched a horror show? Come on.”

Kage groaned in the background.

“See?” Hudson said to Kage. “I told you.”

Kit wasn’t the only one taking deep breaths. Connie finally managed to get his dragon under control. “Okay, so what’s our plan here? We wait for him to pop up again, or do we go down into those tunnels?”

Kit stopped pacing and turned toward Connie, his expression serious. “We can’t just wait for him to show up again. I feel like something is going on involving him. We need to do something now.”

“I agree,” Hudson said. “We can’t afford to sit back and let Don keep ducking in and out of sight.”

“But we need to be careful,” Kit said. “Those tunnels could be anything—a trap, an escape route, or something we haven’t even thought of yet.”

“Exactly. If they are as extensive as they sound, there could be a whole network beneath the city,” Connie reasoned. “Don’s probably using them to move around unnoticed. It’s the perfect hideout for someone who doesn’t want to be found.”

“And does Lennox know about them?” Kit asked.

“If Don does, it’s safe to assume Lennox does,” Hudson answered. “Kage and I discussed it. We think we should scout it. And before anybody yells, that’s why he’s called Austin and his lieutenants too. Either Denisha or Maia will portal to you and bring you here.”

“When you say you, you mean Connie, don’t you?” Kit asked.

Connie had enough sense not to answer that question—he could see the narrow-eyed look Kit was giving him. Nope, he was letting Hudson field that one.

“Well, Connie and one of my inner circle,” Hudson responded. “Beckett will be there with you. I think it’s safe to say they won’t use this place again, though.”

“Now that we know about it? Most likely not,” Connie admitted, not commenting on who had not been named. “Who do you want me to bring?”

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