Page 61 of Beyond the Darkness

“And it’s going to be perfect,” Connie added.

Kit looked at his mates. Love and anticipation for the future showed in their faces. This was what he’d always dreamed of—this closeness and easy-goingness.

As they sat there under the starry sky, laughter mingling with soft music drifting from somewhere inside the house, they knew no matter how daunting the preparations seemed, it was all worth it for this perfect moment together.

“Ready to go inside?” Hudson finally asked.

“Yeah,” Kit said. Standing, he followed Connie and Hudson back inside. The master bedroom was a mess, but their private living area had escaped relatively unscathed, so they decided to hang out there for a little while.

Kit’s mind buzzed with ideas and excitement. “You know, all of our friends and family will be there, celebrating with us. Oh. You know, I just thought of something.”

“What’s that?”

“If we’re going to invite any vampires, it has to be after sunset,” Kit said.

Connie pulled his phone out again to search for what time the sun set in November. “The sun sets a little bit after five p.m. in November.”

“If we’re having a night wedding, I want the reception to be outside,” Kit said. “Is that okay?”

Hudson fetched a bottle of wine and three glasses, setting them down with a clink on the coffee table. “I think that’s a fabulous idea. In fact, it calls for a toast.”

“I can get behind that,” Kit said after the wine was poured. “To us.”

“To us,” Connie and Hudson echoed, their glasses meeting in a gentle clink.

Kit plopped down on the couch, and Hudson sat next to Kit.

Connie joined them, putting Kit in the middle of them. “It’ll be like a fairy tale,” he murmured, leaning his head against Kit’s.

“Magical,” Hudson said quietly, sipping his wine.

Their conversation drifted from practical wedding plans to more whimsical dreams of their future together. It wasn’t just about one day—it was about all the days they would share.

Every topic opened new doors to understanding each other better—dreams, fears, and all the little quirks that made them unique.

As the night grew later, Kit began to yawn. The conversation dwindled to contented silence.

Kit looked at both of his partners, feeling an overwhelming surge of love and gratitude. “I never thought I’d have this,” he confessed softly. “A life filled with so much love.”

Connie reached over to squeeze his hand. “Thank Gaura. And I mean that. Literally.”

Hudson nodded in agreement. “Fate never makes a mistake.”

Tears prickled in Kit’s eyes as he looked at his mates. “Yeah, thank Gaura. Let’s go to bed,” Kit suggested, feeling a mix of exhaustion and elation.

They rose as one and headed to their temporary bedroom. As they settled down under the covers, wrapped up in each other’s arms, Kit knew that whatever challenges lay ahead in organizing their big day or navigating life’s unpredictable currents, they were ready—as long as they had each other.

Life was good.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN – HUDSON

WEDNESDAY, HUDSON tackled booking the Monarch Hotel for the date Kit wanted and of course got shot down. His dragon rumbled unhappily in his head when he was met with resistance. He didn’t bother arguing with whoever he spoke to, though.

Instead, he had Connie find out who the owner was and called him. After an hour of back and forth, and a not-so-subtle threat of forcing the owner to sell, Hudson had the name of the couple who had reserved the venue.

Thirty minutes after that, the human couple had a hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar check… and broke their contract so Kit could have the date he wanted.

“Well, that was relatively painless,” Connie said as he typed out a message to the caterer confirming the venue.

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