Page 67 of Walking in Darkness

AFTER DINNER they played a game of pool with some of the other dragons, then returned to Hudson’s quarters. Connie had noticed earlier that Kit had taken some more over-the-counter pain meds.

He hated Kit was still sore, while Connie couldn’t even tell he’d been in a wreck.You know what would fix that, his dragon whispered.Yes, he did, but unlike his dragon, Connie understood Kit wasn’t ready for that.

The three of them were snuggled up on the couch trying to figure out what they wanted to watch when Hudson’s phone rang. He recognized that ring tone and tensed. Shit.

Sighing, Hudson slipped his phone out of his pocket and answered it. “Hello, Mother.”

Kit’s head snapped around.

“I’ve heard the most interesting rumor that I, of course, discounted because surely my only son would not have taken a human into his court,” Abigail snapped. “Surely not.”

Hudson growled softly as he surged to his feet. “Just a moment, please.”

Connie gritted his teeth. He knew—he justknew—she was going to have something to say. She was so narrow-minded and set in her ways. It was appalling.

He also sincerely hoped Kit hadn’t heard her.

Hudson hit the Mute button on his phone. “I’m sorry. I need to take this. Go ahead and pick out whatever movie you guys want. I’ll be back shortly. Don’t wait on me, though.”

Hudson made eye contact with Connie, then turned on his heel and left. No words might have been exchanged, butConnie understood what Hudson wanted—and that was to keep Kit away while he spoke to his mother.

And who was telling tales out of school? How had word gotten around? They hadn’t informed that many people.

“His mother,” Kit said softly, staring after Hudson. “How big of an idiot am I that I never stopped to think about him having parents? I mean, it’s not like he sprang forth fully grown.” Kit curled a leg underneath him and turned toward Connie. “You have parents too, right?”

Connie was more than willing to talk abouthisparents. Like Kit, he had a mom and two dads: Henrietta, Leopold, and Guilford. As they’d told Kit, it wasn’t unusual for dragons to have poly relationships. They were normally comprised of only dragons, though.

“I do, yes. My mom’s name is Henrietta Turner. She has two mates—Leopold Bennett, who we call Leo, and Guilford Bridgemar, who we call Ford. They belong to the Fire Court of Detroit.”

“Michigan.”

“Yes. That’s where I’m from originally.” It’d been a long time since he’d been home too. He also hadn’t told his parents about Kit, and if word was getting out, he needed to take care of that before he also got a phone call.

“If you grew up that far north, how in the world did you end up in California?” Kit asked.

“As soon as I was old enough, I started looking for another court to move to. And yes, I was looking for warm weather and sunny beaches.” Snow was fine and all, unless you had to deal with it winter after winter after winter.

“And your parents were okay with you leaving?”

“Of course. Some of us never leave our birth court. Some of us do. It’s really not that big of a deal. My parents and I get along so that wasn’t why I left. I just really hate the cold.”

“I completely understand. I grew up someplace where it gets cold, but we don’t get the kind of winter like the more northern states do.” Kit snuggled into Connie. “So? When you were old enough to look around, you happened to find Hudson’s court?”

“Pretty much, yeah. I looked at Florida, Texas, and here. I liked Hudson’s court the best. I could tell he was more open-minded than some of the other royals and their courts.”

“Is that a thing? Are dragons not open and accepting?”

Connie shrugged. “It depends on who is leading the court. Just like any other paranormal group, we have good people and bad, much like humans. There are some who hold on to the old ways, and some who’ve moved into the twenty-first century.”

“That makes sense, I guess. But tradition is not necessarily a bad thing.”

“It’s not, no.” Connie left it there.

A moment later, Hudson returned. His face was devoid of emotion, but Connie had known him long enough to know that internally he was seething. That must’ve been one hell of a conversation.

“Is everything okay?” Kit asked.

“Yes.” Hudson pursed his lips. “Why?”

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