Page 51 of Beyond the Darkness

“You seem really sure that they’ll like me,” Kit said.

“Of course I am. They’ll like you because I like you. I am, after all, an excellent judge of character.” With one last kiss, Connie backed off.

Kit bit his lip as he stared at Hudson. “Is that going to be a problem for you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You just lost your own mother. Is that—”

“Oh, babe.” Hudson quickly went to Kit. “I adore Connie’s mother and her mates. Is there a tiny part of me that grieves that my mother is dead? Of course. I’m not completely heartless, although she pretty much was.”

Kit shuddered.

“Exactly. It’s hard to have a relationship with someone when their narcissism is their main personality trait. It’s a shame she had to die that way, but I’m not devastated by it. Not like you or our Connie would be. I simply did not have that kind of relationship with her. I never did.”

“I am so sorry,” Kit said softly. “I truly cannot imagine what that must be like.”

“Be glad. I like your parents, and I like Connie’s. That’s enough for me,” Hudson said.

Kit nodded, his eyes reflecting a mix of relief and lingering worry. “Okay, I’m going to go wash up,” he murmured and slipped into the bathroom, leaving Hudson and Connie in the bedroom.

Connie glanced at Hudson, a slight frown tugging at his lips. “You okay with them coming to visit? The timing could be better.”

Hudson shrugged. “It’s fine, sweetheart. Actually, it might be good to have some normalcy around here for a change.”

Connie chuckled, changing clothes. “Normalcy? With a wedding coming up? Besides, we’re dragons. We thrive on chaos.”

“Good thing, huh?” Hudson replied, changing clothes. He went over and helped Connie select a couple of blue beach towels from the stack in the closet.

They heard the bathroom door click open, and Kit emerged, bare faced. He quickly changed into swim trunks that highlighted his slender frame, a stark contrast to Hudson’s and Connie’s more athletic builds.

“Ready?” Hudson asked, grabbing a bag and tossing in sunscreen for their mate.

“Yeah,” Kit answered.

They all trooped out of the house, heading toward the lake that lay shimmering under the midday sun. Sunlight dappled through the high branches in warm patches, and the air was filled with the scent of pine resin and fresh water.

Reaching the lake’s edge, they set their things on the nearby picnic table. The water looked invitingly clear, beckoning them to shed their worries.

As Hudson watched Kit tentatively dip his toes into the cool water before wading deeper, he felt an acute sense of protectiveness mixed with admiration. Kit let nothing get him down. No matter what, he kept going; it didn’t matter what was thrown at him. That was a quality Hudson greatly admired.

With an impulsive burst of energy, Connie charged into the lake with a whoop, splashing water high into the air and breaking the serene quietude.

Kit laughed—a bright sound mingling relief with joy. Hudson shook his head fondly at their antics.

In that moment, playing under the sunny blue skies, the problems with Lennox, the attacks by the hunters, and Don seemed distant and muted. For now, laughter was enough. It filled up the spaces between them, making everything else momentarily unimportant.

For hours, they swam and lounged in the sun, the tension from earlier seemingly dissolved in the cool lake waters. Hudson watched as Kit floated on his back, eyes closed and face relaxed under the sun’s gentle touch.

Moments like these reminded Hudson why he lovedimpromptu escapes—they were necessary breathers from the chaos of everyday life.

AS THE sun set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Connie suggested they have a cookout. He even volunteered to run back to the main house and scrounge up some hotdogs, buns, drinks, and chips. Kit offered to go with him to help carry the stuff back.

While they did that, Hudson gathered wood for the small grill by the picnic table.

Once the fire was crackling merrily—a flick of his wrist had conjured the fire he needed—Kit and Connie returned with their goodies. They roasted hot dogs and marshmallows—Stella had the best ideas—their faces aglow from both the flames and their laughter.

Night fully set in, the stars twinkling brightly above them.

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