Page 35 of Beyond the Darkness

“Nothing burned. I promise. I am completely fine.”

Connie lowered his head, slightly ashamed. He had completely freaked out, hadn’t he?

“You’re okay too,” Kit said, petting Connie’s claws. “You were just worried about me.”

Terrified out of his mind was probably more accurate, but Connie was in no shape to argue. Now that he was reasonably sure he had control, he glanced at the youngling that Hudson held by the scruff. Hudson, who was also pale as death, but calm. That helped ground Connie even more. Hudson would not be that calm if Kit were hurt.

Connie glared at the youngling, who was a male.

Then Hudson hissed, and even Connie flinched. That was a sure sign a much more mature and powerful dragon wasveryunhappy. The youngling’s eyes widened immediately.

Holding the youngling aloft, Hudson scowled. “You are old enough to know better. We don’t expose ourselves to humans. We do not spit fire at others, especially when humans are around. A human would not be here unless they were important, and this one is because he’smyhuman.”

The youngling ducked his head as best he could with Hudson holding him by the scruff.

“Red dragons are immune to other red dragons fire, no matter the form they are in, but humansare not. You could have killed him,” Hudson continued.

Honestly? Connie was afraid that was exactly what had happened. He didn’t recognize the youngling, but the male was definitely from their court. There was no mistaking the scent of a member.

He had to remind himself that the youngling was just that… a youngling. Which begged the question—who was watching him? Still, regardless of his age, he knew better than to spit sparks.

“Do you understand me?”

The little dragon huffed.

Hudson didn’t say anything; he just raised an eyebrow and stared at the little male.

The little dragon squeaked, then lowered his eyes.

“Much better.”

CHAPTER TEN – KIT

BABY DRAGON! Ohhhhhmmmmygodddd!

“I want to see the baby dragon,” Kit demanded, nearly beside himself because… baby dragon!

Connie curled around Kit again.

“Connie, come on already. Uncurl. There is no danger here.”

Well, that was not entirely true. Therewasdanger here. Any time dragons were involved, there was always danger. Then throw a baby into the mix, and the danger multiplied. Kit wasn’t stupid. He understood that.

But something had happened, and he wasn’t sure if either Connie or Hudson had realized it yet—whooo boy, wait until they did—but Kit was immune to dragon fire.

It bared repeating—he was immune to a red dragon’s fire. Holy shit, wasn’t that a kick in the head? Beckett had said that according to the scroll he’d found, once Kit took his mates’ blood and they had completed the bond, Kit would be immune to a red dragon’s fire.

They had joked around about there being no way to test that, of course, butthen this little baby had come along and forced the issue. It scared the hell out of all of them—the bond was still quivering with leftover adrenaline—but honestly, look at what they’d found out.

“You are wrong, actually.” Hudson huffed. “When dragons are involved—case in point—there is always a danger.Maybe even more so since the dragon in question is a youngling.”

“Okay, yeah, I was just thinking that. But Iamokay, Hudson. I know it probably terrified the hell out of you both, but I really am okay.”

“Terrified me is putting it simply,” Hudson said.

Kit took a moment to really look at his other mate. Hudson was pale, and his eyes still had that slightly manic look. This… this would take some time to get over. Kit could see that.

“I understand. But I am your mate. I am Connie’s mate. I am part of this court. I’m going to live the rest of my life surrounded by dragons. Love, it makes sense that Gaura would give me some sort of protection, right? I am immune to a red dragon’s fire.”

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