Page 62 of Walking in Darkness

“YOU WANT me to do what now?”

They’d had a snack and retired to Hudson’s quarters. Hudson tried not to laugh but failed miserably. The look on Kit’s face was a cross between horrified and excited.

So… horrified excitement?

Which fit, actually. Dragons were not small creatures to begin with, and Hudson was bigger to boot, since he was a royal. Even with Hudson lying down, Kit would still be high up.

“Sit on me.”

Connie chuckled.

Hudson shot him a look. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Hey, I’m not the one who said anything. You were. So, it seems to me you were already in the gutter. I just joined you.”

“Semantics.”

“If I could interrupt for a moment, can we get back to me sitting on top of a damn dragon? Adragon,” Kit stressed.

Hudson’s lips twitched. “I’m aware of what a dragon is.”

Kit spluttered. “Now you’re just being silly.”

Hudson tucked a strand of hair behind Kit’s ear. “But it made you laugh.”

And what a day it had been. They all needed a laugh. It was late evening, and the sun had started its slow descent into the horizon.

“Okay, yes, it did. And I won’t lie. It is kind of exciting. But didn’t you say you’re even bigger than Connie?” Kit asked.

“I am, yes.”

“If I think I’m sore now, I really will be if I fall off you.” Kit bit his lip as he stared at Hudson.

“You’re not going to fall,” Connie said. “Hudson will extend his wing, which you’ll use to climb up to his shoulders. That’ll put you on his back.”

“I don’t know. What if I slip? If he’s really that big, I could seriously hurt myself.”

“What if Connie climbs up with you?”

Connie’s gaze jerked to Hudson. “What? Are you serious?”

Hudson actually was surprised, but his dragon was more than okay with Connie helping Kit to mount him. Yes, yes, he realized what he said, and no, he wasn’t sharing that out loud. He’d never get Connie to shut up.

“My dragon is perfectly okay with it. We can sense Kit’s unease, and if having you help him makes Kit more comfortable? Then my dragon and I are fine with that. Besides, soul bond between us or not, you are my mate too.”

The emotion that crossed Connie’s face was there and gone in the blink of an eye, but Hudson still saw it. That bothered Connie as much as it bothered Hudson. He’d never understand what Gaura was thinking.

Nevertheless, he shook the emotion off. Now was not the time. “Um, sweetheart?”

“What?”

“I thought you wanted to shift too?”

“Oh, you do?” Kit turned toward Connie. “Why didn’t you say so?”

“Because if you’re afraid to do this, I can help you not be,” Connie said.

“But then you don’t get to shift.” Kit shook his head. “That’s not okay. Let’s do this, then. Help me get up there and stay with me until I get used to it. Then afterward you can get down and go shift.”

---