Page 97 of Beyond the Darkness

Had it always been like this? He didn’t know, but he had a feeling it had been.

Nevertheless, the vampires, werewolves, and the mer had an uphill battle on their hands. It wouldn’t be easy to rebuild trust among those whose DNA had been forcibly mutated, but the paranormal leaders had stepped up to the plate to help not only him but those poor souls who now had to adapt to a new way of life.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX – HUDSON

HOURS LATER, Hudson approached Kit. “Let’s go home. Tomorrow is a new day, and whatever needs to be done can wait until then.”

“Those are words I can get behind.”

The bodies had been burned, and the weapons had been portaled out and split up between the paranormal leaders. There were still things to be done, but it could wait until later. It had already been a long day before Don ever showed up.

If someone had asked Hudson a week ago if he’d feel sorry for Kit’s ex-boyfriend, he would have been tempted to douse that person in flames. Yet here he was. He wasn’t quite sure what he felt about Don’s death outside of a vague sense of… maybe regret that it ended the way it did?

The human hadn’t turned out to be the villain everybody thought. He’d done what he had to do to save his younger brother, and it had ended up all for not. He didn’t like that Don had sacrificed Kit in order to save Chester, but he understood why.

“Are you ready to go?” Kage asked, coming to a halt by them.

“We are. I’ll contact you and the other leaders tomorrow morning. We need to secure these tunnels and make sure they are cleared,” Hudson said.

“I agree. Well then, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Kit? I’m very glad you’re okay.”

“I’m very glad to be okay too,” Kit joked. “Please tell Austin everything is fine, and I’ll talk to him maybe in a day or two, okay?”

“I will.” Kage grabbed a shadow and extended it, opening a portal. “See you guys later.”

Silence enveloped Hudson, Connie, and Kit as they stepped through the portal, and moments later they were standing in Hudson’s office.

“I want a shower, then I want cuddles. But I’m going to take a shower on my own, okay? I need a minute. Just a minute. Yes, I am okay. Yes, I’m going to have a very small freak out in there on my own, but I really am okay. Okay?” Kit asked as they walked toward their temporary bedroom.

“We understand,” Connie said. “We’ll shower in one of the guest bathrooms and meet you back here shortly.”

Kit hugged Connie and Hudson. “Thanks for understanding.”

“Always,” Hudson whispered as he pressed a kiss against Kit’s temple. He hated to let Kit go, but Kit’s needs came first, even before his own.

Kit lingered at the doorway, his attention flickering between Connie and Hudson, before retreating into the sanctuary of the bathroom. The sound of running water soon filled the space. It was a soothing sound, comforting in its normalcy after the chaos they had just endured.

Connie hugged Hudson, then he hurried off to find his own bathroom.

Hudson ducked into the first guest bathroom he came across. Dragon gods, he was tired, and for a dragon, that was saying something. Kit was probably exhausted. The weight of recent events hung heavily on all of them.

Hudson took the quickest shower ever. Then he returned to their temporary bedroom, dressed in a pair of night pants,unmade the bed, and crawled into it. A few moments later, Connie arrived, pulled on a pair of underwear, and joined him.

Connie scooted closer, resting his head on Hudson’s shoulder. Finally breaking the silence, he spoke softly. “You think he’ll truly be okay? After all that?”

Hudson glanced down at his mate. “Kit’s stronger than he looks. However, it’s not just about being strong—sometimes it’s also about being given the space to heal.”

“I know. I just worry,” Connie agreed quietly.

“As do I,” Hudson admitted. “But I really do believe if he needed us, he would’ve said something.”

After a moment, Kit reemerged, his hair slightly damp and his demeanor somewhat lighter. He smiled faintly as he saw them waiting for him, and they returned it in kind.

“Feel better?” Connie asked gently as he moved to the edge of the bed.

“Much,” Kit replied, sitting between them. “I think I needed that more than I knew.”

Hudson moved closer to Kit. “We’re here for you. You know that, right?”

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