Page 65 of Walking in Darkness

They stepped off his wing and onto his body.

“Oh wow, oh damn, we’re really high up here. And oh shit, I can feel him breathing. It’s like climbing a living mountain.” Kit giggled.

He wasn’t wrong, although it amused Hudson to be called that.

“Are you flabbergasted?”

“Yup. My flabber is gasted.”

Hudson just barely stopped the snort that threatened to escape. Last thing he wanted to do was scare Kit, but shit, that was funny.

“Where do you come up with this stuff?” Connie asked. “Okay, we’re going to walk a little way up here and then sit down. Are you good?”

“I’m good. Just a little freaked out, but also a whole lot of awed. I mean, I’m standing on top of a real live dragon. And not any dragon. A big ass royal dragon. Who is as big as a three-story house, and holy hell, how is this my life?”

Hudson couldn’t agree more. Howwasthis their life? How did they get so lucky?

“Let’s sit down here.”

Hudson felt them as they sat.

“Hudson, don’t fold that wing up or you’ll take us both out,” Connie said. “If Kit is going to ride us in this form, he’s going to have to sit above your shoulder blades. When you fold your wings up, there simply isn’t room back here.”

“I can’t wrap my head around possibly riding one of you. I mean, I can’t even imagine it. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not afraid of heights,” Kit said, as he gently patted Hudson. “You’re so warm.”

Hudson started purring again. He couldn’t help himself. He was just so proud to have both of his mates on his back.

“Oh wow, it’s like sitting on top of the most powerful horsepower engine in the world times a thousand. This is wild!”

Kit had no idea. He truly did not know the power Hudson had. Just wait until he got ready to take flight.

Connie kept up a steady stream of conversation still, and Hudson listened to Kit’s heartbeat slowly go back to normal. He was perfectly content to sit there as long as Kit wanted.

Eventually, though, Kit started fidgeting, and Connie asked if he was ready to crawl down.

“Yes. I don’t know how long we’ve been sitting up here, but my butt is beginning to hurt. It’s not the most comfortable seat. Gonna need some padding.” Kit ran his hand over the base of one of Hudson’s wings.

“Oh damn!” Connie grabbed hold of Kit as Hudson shuddered.

Shit. Shit. Shit.He fought it, he really did, but it was such an involuntary reaction he couldn’t stop it. Plus? It felt damn good.

“Oh God!”

Kit’s heart was thumping rapidly again, and Hudson and Connie were totally to blame for that. They should’ve warned Kit about their sensitivity there, but neither of them had thought about it.

“It’s okay. You’re okay. It’s all right,” Connie reassured Kit. “It’s just the base of our wings are really sensitive whether we’re in this form or partially transformed. Sorry. Sorry, we should’ve warned you about that.”

“Good thing we live in California, and I’m used to earthquakes. Jeez. I’m so sorry, Hudson.”

Oh babe, it’s not your fault.And Hudson would tell Kit that as soon as he was capable of speech.

“He’s not mad. If anything, he’s concerned that he just frightened you.”

“You didn’t frighten me. I just wasn’t expecting the full-body shiver. No harm, no foul. It’s not like you tossed us to the ground,” Kit said to Hudson. “You just shook a little.”

“I wouldn’t have let you fall,” Connie said. “You were never in danger.”

“I know,” Kit said, patting Hudson’s scales. “Next time I’ll know not to do that.” Hudson was relieved to hear there would be a next time.

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