Page 21 of Beyond the Darkness

The moonlight from the window cast a shadow along his jawline, creating an intense silhouette. His hand gripped the phone tightly, his knuckles white with tension.

Kit slowly sat up in bed, also staring at Hudson.

Connie closed his eyes, brow furrowed as he listened to Kage’s frantic voice on the phone.

“Box truck parked outside of the Dominion that was full of explosives. It was detonated. Essentially four or more city blocks were destroyed. There’s burning debris, rubble, metal, stone, and everything in between. Embers is a mess, as is half the front of the building!”

“Mother of all,” Kit whispered.

“Is Austin okay?” Connie demanded. Embers was the restaurant on the bottom floor of the building Kage, Austin, and their clan lived in.

“He is, thank the dead gods, or this would be a completely different conversation,”Kage answered, hearing Connie perfectly.

“Any fatalities?” Hudson asked.

“Yes, but none from my clan. So far. This just happened, Hudson. Literally ten minutes ago. Thank the dead gods its early Sunday morning.”

“How can I help? What do you need from—Dammit, I have an incoming call.”

Connie snapped his head around as he turned to look at the door, eyes wide with alarm as he heard the rapid thud of running footsteps approaching their temporary quarters. The sound reverberated through the narrow hallway, echoing off the stone walls and adding to the sense of urgency. “Shit, Hudson—”

Suddenly, the air was filled with a piercing wail as the compound alarm blared to life. The sound cut through the stillness like a knife.

Hudson covered the mouthpiece of his phone. “I hear it. Go.” Then he uncovered the bottom half of the cell. “Kage? I’m under attack.”

“Shit!”

“I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”

Connie tossed the rumpled sheets aside, quickly leaping to his feet. He snatched up a pair of night pants that had beencarelessly thrown over the foot of the bed and hurriedly dressed himself.

As he made his way toward the door, a cacophony of noise erupted behind him, causing him to pause and turn back in curiosity.

“Kit! No. You stay with me,” Hudson growled as Kit started to get off the bed.

Oh Gaura. Kit was half in, half out of their bed.

Hudson had grabbed Kit by the hand. “It’s not safe, Kit. You must stay here.”

“Dammit, Connie!” Kit glared at him, then Hudson. “Then, then….”

“This is my job, babe. This is what I do. I know you’re scared, but Iwillbe back.”

Kit looked between Hudson and Connie, his lips trembling. “Promise me.”

The little movement almost broke Connie’s heart. “I promise.”

Just as he finished speaking, the door to their quarters was thrown open. Torres and Mitchell stood there, their eyes the color of their dragon and claws extended.

Mitchell was breathing heavily and holding his cell. “I tried calling Hudson.”

“I know. He was talking to Kage. He was attacked just now too. Report,” Connie said as he approached them.

“According to the cameras we have around the territory, a surface-to-air missile hit the border we share with the gargoyles,” Torres said. “There are cabins in that area, along with supply buildings that were damaged.”

Connie knew the exact area. Fortunately, the cabins located there were empty. “Shit! A surface-to-air missile? What the hell? Who dares to attack us?”

“I woke Parker, Nelson, Sheila, Audrey, Beckett, and Stella,” Mitchell said.

---