CHAPTER ONE: KIT

KIT PLOPPED down in his desk chair, the worn leather creaking under his weight. The scent of books mingled with the faint smell o-f coffee still lingering in the room.

What a lovely scent.

His desk was cluttered with papers and books—regardless of what his employees thought, there was a method to his madness. He could lay hands on whatever he wanted immediately.

And speaking of. He pushed everything aside and unearthed his laptop. As he opened it, the screen lit up with a familiar homepage. He needed to check the inventory in his bookstore, especially if he was going to have a book signing by a well-known, local author. But before he even touched his keyboard, his cell phone rang.

Kit fished it out of his pocket, then grinned as he answered. “I was just thinking about you. Was your nose itching?”

“Ha. I thought the saying was that someone was going to come visit you,” Austin replied.

Kit laughed. “Well, aren’t you?”

“Okay, you got me because as a matter of fact, yes, I am.”

“There you go, then. I was just about to check inventory. I’m pretty sure I have plenty of your older books on the shelf, but I’m definitely going to need a good supply of whatever you’re going to promote.”

“That’s not a problem and actually why I’m calling. Could we set up a date for the signing? And I’ve got the newly released book covered. You don’t have to worry about that. I’m also going to bring some swag I can hand out.”

Kit opened the calendar on his phone. “I have the drag queen story hour on Thursdays, so not that day. Mondays I get in shipments, so that day is usually busy. We could do it any Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday. Or Saturdays, which might be better, since a lot of people are off work. But it’s up to you.”

“Let’s do a Saturday.”

“This month or next?”

“Could we do it this month if you have an opening?” Austin asked.

“Sure. They’re all available. Which one do you want?”

“Is the eighteenth too soon?”

“Naw, that works. If you’re bringing all the stuff you need to set up, all I’ll need to do is advertise and arrange some snacks for you and your entourage.”

“Entourage.” Austin snorted. “They’ll love that.”

“I aim to please,” Kit joked. Honestly, entourage was a fancy name for bodyguards, which he also had.

“I’m always up for snacks, and Lanny and I will also promo, of course.”

“Yeah, you’ll probably reach more people than me.” Kit quickly added the date to his cell phone calendar.

“I’ll have Lanny flood social media and my website, along with some bloggers and social influencers.”

Not only was Lanny Austin’s agent, but she was also a dragon and member of the Fire Court, which was led by Hudson. It was a small world indeed. Austin’s mate was Kage, who was the Elder of the Daemons of San DeLain. Kage and Hudson were best friends, adding another layer to their already intertwined relationship.

Kit, on the other hand, was mated to both Hudson, the King of the Fire Court, and Connie, the Right Hand of said King. Say that three times fast. What a tongue-twister. But Kit couldn’t have been happier being mated to such alluring dragons like them.

Their relationship was still in the early stages. They had a small, intimate ceremony, but Kit also desired a grand human wedding, as he was still partly human. It was a strange situation—both Kit and Austin were originally human, but now they were bonded to paranormal beings.

Vampires, mers, and shifters could transform humans into their kind, but dragons, daemons, and gargoyles did not possess that ability. Instead, the only way humans could become one of them was through blood sharing.

Occasionally, the three groups performed this ritual as a gesture of gratitude toward a human who had gained their trust, and by that, the human became a member of their clan or group.

However, it was most certainly done for a significant other. While Hudson and Connie lacked the power to transform Kit into one of them, they were able to prolong his life, halt his natural aging process, and enhance his five senses.

Not only did he possess the ability to heal rapidly, but he was also resistant to all human sicknesses. Could he withstand any type of damage? No, but his durability had certainly increased compared to before.

He didn’t know if it was the same for Austin since it wasn’t something they’d talked about, but he hoped one day they could. He assumed Austin got the same benefits he did, as that made the most sense. This wasn’t something he could ask just anyone.

Kit leaned back in his chair. “That should work. You always have a good turnout.”

“Could I stop by tomorrow and drop off some boxes of books? Maybe the table too? Denisha and I have some errands to run anyway, so two birds with one stone.”

“Sure. That sounds fine. Just bring it all. I have room. Tomorrow is a Wednesday, so I don’t have anything going on. How would you guys feel about doing lunch?” Kit asked.

“See? That’s why I like you—great minds think alike. I was going to ask if you wanted to do that.”

“Lunch it is. Do you want to order and eat in or go out?”

“We can talk business, then go out to eat. How does that sound?” Austin asked.

“I like it. But to give you a heads-up, Beckett will probably be with me.”

“I expected as much, especially since the current issue is unresolved.”

“Very true.”

The current issue being Lennox was on the loose and still targeting Kit. Even if Lennox wasn’t a problem, Kit knew he would never be able to go anywhere alone.

Hudson had made it explicitly clear that Kit would always have a bodyguard as the mate of a dragon king. A small smile played at the corner of Kit’s lips as he remembered the conversation.

Connie had been in agreement until Hudson mentioned that he, too, as a mate to a dragon king, would require a bodyguard. The expression on Connie’s face was priceless, but he wisely chose not to argue with Hudson.

“How about Denisha and I stop by around eleven? That’ll give us time to unload everything I need for the signing. We can talk whatever business we need to, then leave for lunch.”

“That’s perfect,” Kit said. “Okay, I’ll see you guys tomorrow at eleven. Thanks, Austin, for using my little bookstore.”

“Oh no, don’t thank me. I benefit from this as much as you do. Besides, you and I’ve been trying to have lunch since forever.”

Kit chuckled. “That’s very true. I’m looking forward to it. See you then.”

“See you!”

Kit disconnected the call and slipped his phone back into his pants pocket. This wasn’t the first time Austin had done a book signing at his store, and it probably wouldn’t be the last, but hopefully this one wouldn’t turn into the nightmare that the last one had.

Of course, there had been some good that came out of Nox attacking Kit and then mimicking him—Kit had met his mates, so he did have Nox to thank for that.

Unfortunately, Nox’s brother was now stalking him thanks to something that had happened in the past between him and Kit’s papa, Michail. It was ugly and messy, and even though Kit wasn’t a violent person, he wished the Astor brothers were both dead.

Kit sent Beckett a quick text message letting him know what the plan was for tomorrow before he forgot. Once that was done, he turned his attention back to his laptop.

A BIT before five o’clock, Beckett stuck his head into Kit’s office. “Quitting time. You about ready to go?”

“Yeah, give me just a few more minutes to close down, and I’ll be ready.”

After Nox’s initial attack on Kit, Kage requested that Hudson keep a close watch on Kit’s safety. As a precaution, Beckett was assigned to act as an undercover employee.

Despite all the changes that had occurred since then, Beckett remained in his role, alongside a few other dragons, and was still dedicated to protecting Kit’s well-being.

Hudson was taking no chances. Kit’s bookstore was also protected with wards, preventing anyone with malicious intent from entering the premises. The wards had only been triggered once before.

As it turned out, Beckett and Kit had a lot in common, including a love for the written word. Their friendship had grown quickly, and since they both resided at Hudson’s estate, it was only natural for them to commute together to work.

This arrangement also provided extra security for Kit while on the road, which was one of Beckett’s primary responsibilities.

Just like every other red dragon, Beckett had some shade of red hair—one of the telltale signs of a red dragon. His piercing brown eyes—another sign—held wisdom and age far beyond his youthful appearance of mid-thirties.

The subtle lines etched around his eyes spoke of centuries of knowledge and experience. Beckett stood tall and regal, a hint of power emanating from his very being. An aura of strength surrounded him.

Like Hudson, Beckett was also an Ancient, meaning he was at least a thousand-year-old dragon. The only other Ancient in Hudson’s court was Grand Lady Stella. But unlike Hudson, neither one of them had been born a royal.

Dragons and their hierarchy were a trip.

Kit shut down his computer, stood, and walked out of his office, turning the lights off as he went. Beckett was waiting for him near the front door, and together they left.

It always astounded Kit when he watched Beckett drop into what he called “dragon mode” whenever they were out and about. Now that Kit knew what to look for, he noticed that Beckett inhaled deeply as they walked outside.

Beckett was checking for any unusual scents—which could be anything from shifters in the vicinity to the odd smell of hunters who’d had their DNA mutated.

“Anything?” Kit asked quietly as they walked to Beckett’s vehicle.

“No. Nothing unusual and definitely no feline scent.”

Kit nodded. They’d learned that while Nox had been born a mimic, Lennox was a feline shifter, a Eurasian lynx, as was Kit’s papa, Michail. Well, Kit’s mom and other dad were actually Eurasian lynxes now too, thanks to Michail.

Why yes, Kit had two dads and a mom, along with having two mates.

Kit breathed easier once they were buckled up and had pulled out of the parking lot. It could take anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour, depending on the insanity of San DeLain traffic, to get to Hudson’s territory.

He and Beckett chitchatted as they drove, Beckett constantly checking the traffic around them.

“So, tell me, how are the wedding plans coming along?”

“It’s still very, very early stages, but I’m looking at a couple of venues. One is the Monarch Hotel.”

“Nice. Their grand ballroom is elegant,” Beckett said as he glanced in the rearview mirror.

“Oh, you know of it?”

“Of course. It’s where the annual masquerade ball is held,” Beckett said.

“Wait.” Kit partially twisted in the seat so he could see Beckett better. “Masquerade ball? You did say masquerade ball, right?”

“I did, yes. I’m surprised Hudson hasn’t said anything yet since he and Kage host it, but it’s still several months off. It’s the event in paranormal society. Invitation only, of course, and the few humans who are in attendance know about us.”

Kit pursed his lips. Why was he just now hearing about this? “It sounds ritzy.”

“A dragon is partly responsible for this event, of course it’s ritzy.”

“Of course.” Kit chuckled. Dragons seemed drawn to shiny, glittery things like gold, jewels, and such. “So. A masquerade ball, huh? I’ve never been to one, but it sounds fun. And fancy.”

“Most definitely. It’s held on the winter solstice, which is December twenty-first.”

“What I’m hearing is not to have a wedding during that time.”

“I mean, you can have it whenever you want, but yes, it would be less chaotic for Hudson if you didn’t do it around that time frame. Also, you probably don’t want to do it October thirty-first either.”

“Okay, and why is that?”

“Raven throws a Halloween Bash at Club Nomadic. It’s not quite as big an event as the masquerade ball, but it’s well attended. It’s the one time of the year we can be ourselves. Well, most of us.”

“I’m going to skin both their heads! I haven’t heard about either one of these parties, and they sound super fun,” Kit groused. “At least I have several months yet to figure out what to wear for these two things.”

“Don’t be too hard on them. With everything that’s been going on, I’m sure they just forgot. Besides, the planning for the masquerade ball is mostly delegated to other people.”

“There is that. I need to do this wedding before the end of the year, then.”

Beckett raised an eyebrow. “This year? Um, is it going to be a small affair?”

“Hell no. It’s going to be the event of the year. I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a kid.”

“Well then, I guess it’s a good thing Hudson has lots of people working for him, because it’s going to take an act of the Dragon gods to pull a huge wedding off that fast. Throwing money at things helps too.”

Kit rubbed his forehead. He tried not to think about how wealthy his mates were because it made him uncomfortable, but maybe this one time he was lucky they were stupidly rich. Because Beckett was right, it was going take an act of God to pull this off and lots of money to grease palms.

Kit started joking about dragons and their wealth when he noticed Beckett staring at the rearview mirror, frowning. “Okay, what?”

“Huh?” Beckett glanced quickly at Kit.

“Don’t give me that look. And how can you be as old as you are and manage to look so innocent?” Kit waved his hand like he was shooing away the question. “Anyway, you’re frowning. Is something going on?”

“Just keeping an eye on traffic.”

Kit huffed. They were not going to do this. “Beckett.”

“Okay, okay, I thought I saw a white Chevy truck a ways back, but I couldn’t get a good look at it to see if it had front-end damage.”

Whatever joy Kit had talking about the wedding fled. Recently, he, Hudson, and Connie were involved in a wreck on the interstate. Kit had been pretty sure he’d seen his ex-boyfriend, Don, and possibly his vehicle, which had sustained damage. But Kit wasn’t sure.

“Shit. Should I call Hudson or Connie?”

“Yes.”

Kit had been expecting Beckett to play it off, so when he said yes, dread climbed up Kit’s back. “Shit. Okay.”

“It’s just a safety precaution. That’s all, Kit.”

Kit’s fingers fumbled over the smooth surface of his phone, the screen lighting up under his touch. He pressed his shaking finger against the dial pad, his heart racing with anxiety. He was so, so tired of this roller coaster of emotions they’d been on lately thanks to Lennox.

“Tell your mates we’re coming up on our exit in about two minutes. It’ll be another twenty to thirty minutes before we reach Hudson’s territory after that. If we’re being followed, whoever it is will most likely make their move once we pass Wrightwood. There’s nothing past that town.”

“Gotcha.” Kit quickly repeated what he was told as soon as Hudson answered the phone.

“Do exactly what Beckett tells you, babe,” Hudson demanded. “We’re on our way. Beckett?”

Paranormal hearing was definitely a thing.

Beckett didn’t take his eyes off the road as he answered. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

The formal title brought home the seriousness of the situation.

“Protect him at all costs.”

“Of course, Sire.”

The call ended, and Kit slipped his phone back into his pocket. Then he checked to make sure his seat belt was fastened. After that, he stared into the passenger-side mirror, trying to see if there was a white truck somewhere behind them. So far, he hadn’t seen anything.

“Surely Don wouldn’t be stupid enough to do something like this,” Kit said quietly.

“Most likely not, but I would prefer to be safe than sorry.”

“I completely agree.” Nerves danced up Kit’s spine.

Beckett waited until the last second, then took their exit, no blinker or anything as a warning. They merged into traffic once they exited the interstate. Kit kept an eye on the vehicles behind them. So far there were no white trucks, but they made a right not long after they exited.

The little town of Wrightwood was at the outermost edge of Hudson’s territory. Once they passed that, there was nothing but woods.

As they reached the outskirts of town, Kit thought he caught a glimpse of a white vehicle, but it was far back, and there was so much traffic that he couldn’t tell if it was a white SUV or white truck.

“Did you see—”

“I did, yes.”

“Can’t tell if it’s an SUV or truck, though.”

“I know.”

They had barely passed the city limits when Kit heard Beckett release a soft breath. “Your mates are on the way. I can see them.”

Kit dragged his gaze away from the mirror and looked through the front glass. Coming at them were three huge black SUVs.