Page 33 of Beyond the Darkness

“Well, it seems we’ll find out if I’m graceful enough to ski,” Kit pondered as Connie helped him get into the boat.

“Getting up on the skis is the hardest part. Once you get the hang of that, you’ll be fine,” Connie said, stepping down next to him. “I’ll give you some pointers too.”

“What about you?” Kit inquired of Hudson.

He shrugged. “Me? I drive the boat.”

“You don’t ski?”

“It’s never really piqued my interest. The water’s fine, but I don’t have the same love for it as Connie does,” Hudson replied. “Come on, let’s head out.”

“Seriously, if I hadn’t been born a dragon, I probably would’ve been a merman,” Connie confessed.

“Nope. Because if youhadbeen a merman, the three of us probably wouldn’t have ended up in a relationship, so that’s a definite no-go.” Kit mock scowled at Connie.

“That’s true,” Hudson said, starting the engine. “The mer tend to stick to their own kind.”

“But don’t they have the ability to change a human?” Kit asked.

“They do, yes, just like a were, but it’s not done often, from my understanding,” Hudson admitted as he maneuvered the boat out of the slip. “Which is not to say it’s never done. But I would also imagine it’s a bigger adjustment for someone turned into a mer.”

“Mers live in the ocean. That means no more living on land,” Connie added.

“Okay, yes, that would be a big adjustment. Honestly, I can’t imagine never walking on land again,” Kit said.

“Well, they do come ashore some,” Hudson said. “Just not often.”

AFTER A few hours, they made their way back to shore and cooked hot dogs for lunch.

After they ate, Kit started yawning. “How do dragons feel about curling up in the sun and taking a nap?”

“We love it, don’t we, Hudson? Red dragons, in particular, like the heat, especially in shifted form. What do you say, old man? Want to get your dragon on and take a short nap in the sun?”

“But what are you going to do, Kit?”

“Lean up against one of you and take a nap. What else?”

“There we go!” Connie exclaimed. “There’s your answer, Hudson. Can we change now?”

Kit laughed softly. “Well? Get on with it. Let the dragons out to play.”

Chuckling, Connie pulled Hudson a safe distance away. Then they let the change sweep over them.

Power coursed through Connie’s body, and he loved that feeling. Stretching his neck, he listened to it pop. He’d once heard Hudson describe the change as a really good stretch after a hard sleep. Tucking all of this into that tiny human form definitely had its drawbacks.

Since Kit was standing a good distance away from them, he and Hudson tussled for a few moments. They pounced on each other and rolled around, shaking the ground.

“Okay, naptime,” Kit finally called out. “Assume the position.”

He and Hudson did as they were told and arranged themselves into proper napping form—which was basically what cat owners called a loaf. Hudson rested his head on Connie’s back since he was bigger and taller. Kit curled up next to one of Connie’s forelegs, and Hudson let the end of his tail rest against Kit. The warm California sun beat down on them, and Connie sighed, content, and closed his eyes.

He’d had a nice snack, his mates were with him, and he was warm from the sun. What more could a dragon ask for?

AN INDETERMINATE time later, something roused him from his nap, and he twitched.

There was a rolling purr that came from the vicinity of Hudson’s hip, and Connie’s eyes flew open. Oh no. It couldn’t be.

“Mother of all!”

---