CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: KIT

KIT’S brEATH caught as Lennox reached for his waistband. In one swift motion, he pulled out a gleaming gun and aimed it at Don’s chest. A deafening shot rang through the air, and a bullet tore through Don’s flesh, leaving a gaping hole in his chest. A sickening gasp escaped Kit’s lips as he watched in horror.

Another sharp, animalistic scream pierced the air as Don collapsed to the ground. Kit covered his ears, trying to block out the agonizing sound that reverberated through his skull and shook him to his core.

“What the fuck did you just do?” Kit screamed, taking a step toward Don.

“We’re leaving,” Lennox said, grabbing Kit by the wrist.

“Let go!” Kit jerked against his hold, but it was no use.

Very calmly, Lennox pointed the gun at Kit’s head. “None of us can survive a bullet to the brain, so I suggest you stop fighting me, or I will shoot you in the head. If I can’t have you, they certainly will not either.”

Kit didn’t have a choice. He fully believed that Lennox would indeed shoot him if he resisted. Casting a look at Don, he allowed Lennox to pull him into the darkness.

Thank the Mother for the mate bond. It was the only thing connecting him to Connie and Hudson—and their only way to find him. Bowing his head in desperation, he silently added Gaura to the plea for help.

Every fiber of Kit’s being screamed for him to stop, to fight back, but he knew he had to play along for now. Kit wasn’t obvious about resisting Lennox as he was pulled along the darkened tunnel, but he was certainly dragging his feet as much as he dared.

Lennox was too focused on escaping to notice how Kit purposely slowed them down, digging his heels into the ground and pulling against Lennox’s grip when he pretended to trip. His mind raced, trying to find an opportunity to turn the tables and take control of the situation.

Connie and Hudson were coming. Of that he had no doubt.

Lennox suddenly jerked Kit forward, his grip tightening painfully around Kit’s wrist. “Move faster,” he hissed, glancing nervously over his shoulder. The echoes of the ongoing battle reverberated through the tunnels, a constant reminder of the chaos they were fleeing from.

Kit clenched his teeth, resisting the urge to fight back. He could feel the bond pulsing like a lifeline, a subtle warmth that grew stronger with every step they took. It was a silent beacon for Connie and Hudson, guiding them through the labyrinthine tunnels.

As they rounded a sharp bend, Lennox suddenly stopped, pulling Kit into a small alcove barely visible in the dim light. He pushed Kit against the cold wall, his face mere inches away. “We’re close to an exit. Once we’re out, we’re heading straight to the coast. There’s a boat waiting.”

Kit’s heart pounded in his chest as he tried to maintain his composure. “And then what?” he asked, hoping to glean more of Lennox’s plan.

“Then we disappear,” Lennox replied, his eyes cold and calculating. “It’s the only way.”

Before Kit could respond, a low growl echoed down the tunnel. Lennox snapped his head up, and his body tensed. Kit felt a surge of hope—could it be Connie and Hudson?

Lennox cursed under his breath and looked down at Kit with a menacing glare. “This changes nothing. Remember, I will shoot if I have to.” He dragged Kit out of the alcove just as Kit heard the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps and harsh breathing. It grew louder as Connie and Hudson burst into view. Their expressions were fierce, eyes alight with an intense fire.

“Let him go!” Connie roared as he charged toward them, with Hudson right beside him.

Lennox pushed Kit to his knees and then yanked his head to the side, exposing Kit’s throat. “Stop right there.”

Connie and Hudson stumbled to a stop, Hudson holding Connie back by his arm.

“You have two choices. I claim Kit as my mate, and he lives. Or I rip his throat out in front of you and he dies. Either way works for me because if I can’t have him, neither will you and Connie. What’s it going to be?”

“Let him go, and I will make your death quick. Otherwise, you will die screaming,” Hudson said. His voice was low, a dangerous rumble that echoed off the stone walls.

Lennox smirked, not at all perturbed by Hudson’s growing anger. “You are in no position to make threats.”

Connie stood next to Hudson, his fists clenched, growling softly.

“Live? Or die? Your choice,” Lennox snarled as he pressed his claws against Kit’s exposed neck. His grip on Kit was iron-tight, a clear message that he wasn’t bluffing.

Connie’s face twisted with rage and desperation. Hudson hovered beside him, muscles tensed like a coiled spring, ready to pounce at the slightest chance.

“Life, then. I was hoping that would be your choice,” Lennox declared. “I’ve waited too long and given up too much to let him slip through my fingers now. I claim him as mine. Watch me take your most prized possession!”

“If you do this, there will be no place on earth where you can hide from us. You know what we are capable of,” Hudson said slowly, his dragon speaking through him.

Lennox’s laugh was filled with a madness driven by obsession. “Then let the world burn,” he spat back. “But I swear he’ll be mine in every sense before it does.”

The stale air in the underground tunnels was thick with tension as Kit and Hudson faced each other, their eyes locking in a silent understanding. The distant echoes of chaos only added to the urgency of the moment. Kit’s heart raced, knowing what needed to be done. “Then burn it all down, Hudson.”

Lennox’s fangs had barely touched his skin, but repulsion swept through Kit. The bond between him and his mates pulsed stronger than ever. It was both a comfort and a torment knowing they had to watch this.

Hudson’s gaze hardened with resolve, the veins in his neck standing out as he let the transformation overtake him.

“Shit. Shit .” Connie scrambled back, putting as much room between them as he could, a grim expression on his face.

Kit watched as Hudson’s colossal form filled the cramped tunnels, his body expanding and stretching to its maximum size. The very walls seemed to quiver and groan under the weight and force of Hudson’s massive bulk, straining against their limits. Dust and debris rained down from above, dust filling the air.

Lennox jerked back from Kit. “What are you…?”

With a guttural cry that echoed off the tunnel walls, Hudson opened his mouth wide. A glow began deep within his throat, casting eerie shadows on the walls as he prepared to unleash his dragon fire.

“What are you…. No!” Lennox screamed, trying to shield himself with Kit’s body.

The dragon fire burst forth in a magnificent inferno, bright and wild. It enveloped Lennox, intense flames licking at his flesh. Yet miraculously, the dragon fire did not burn Kit. He could feel the heat. It was almost a soothing warmth compared to the ferocity that was unleashed upon Lennox.

Lennox collapsed next to him, his skin literally melting off his bones. The scent of burning skin filled the air as Lennox’s screams turned to gurgles and then silence. When the flames finally subsided, all that remained of Lennox was ash and charred earth where he once stood.

Kit slumped forward, gasping for air, feeling the adrenaline surge through his veins. Holy shit, he survived.

Within seconds, Hudson switched back to his human facade and rushed to Kit’s side, dropping to his knees beside him and pulling him into a rough embrace. “Oh Gaura, oh Gaura, babe. My love. Gods, I-I have never been so fucking scared.”

Connie rushed forward, throwing himself at them. “Fuck, do either of you have any idea how fucking scared I was when I realized what Kit asked you to do?”

With tears in his eyes, Kit embraced Hudson and then Connie, their trembling bodies pressing against his. “I’m okay,” he reassured them, holding them tighter. “We’re okay.”

Hudson and Connie ran their hands all over Kit.

“Seriously, there’s not a single burn on me. And how the hell are my clothes not just ashes?”

“I have not idea, and I don’t care!” Their bond glowed for a moment, it’s strength evident as they clung to each other. His mates’ love and protection were palpable in their embrace.

The silence between them was thick and heavy as they clung to Kit. He wrapped his arms tightly around them. He could only imagine the pain and heartache that must’ve consumed them both.

“Never ask that of me again,” Hudson whispered, his voice trembling. “I was terrified, Kit. Absolutely terrified.”

“I know, because I felt the same way even though deep down, I knew everything would be okay. You see, I had a dream about this,” Kit said, still holding tightly to Hudson and Connie. “And remember when we encountered that baby dragon? His dragon fire didn’t harm me at all. Surely you both remember that?”

“But he was just a hatchling.” Connie’s voice was muffled as he buried his face in Kit’s neck.

“Would that make a difference?” Kit asked, pulling back to meet Hudson’s gaze.

Connie lifted his head. “Would it?”

Hudson slowly shook his head. “No. The temperature of dragon fire is constant, regardless of the individual’s size or age. However, younger dragons have less powerful streams of fire. And I am a fully grown dragon.”

“Yeah, that was a lot of damn fire coming at me.” Kit patted Hudson’s chest. “But I knew I would be okay.”

“Still, the idea of breathing dragon fire at my mate who was once human nearly broke me, Kit. My mind knew you could withstand it thanks to what happened with Miles, but my heart? It nearly broke,” Hudson said.

Kit could see the pain etched into Hudson’s features—it mirrored Connie’s. Kit’s heart ached as he embraced Hudson again. It looked like he wasn’t the only one who was going to end up with trauma thanks to Nox and Lennox.

Kit reached out to Connie, pulling him into a tight hug, feeling the tremors in his body. “I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been to stand there and watch that,” he whispered, knowing that they would all bear scars from this experience for a long time to come.

Connie nodded. “Like Hudson said, I never want to live through that again.”

They helped Kit stand, each supporting him by an arm. Together, they looked back at the path they had taken, the darkness seeming less oppressive now.

“We need to get out of here,” Hudson said after a moment of heavy silence. “I’m not sure how stable this tunnel is now.”

“We also need to see how things are going too. Maybe if the hunters know Lennox is now dead, they will retreat,” Connie said.

All three of them looked back at the pile of ash that was once Lennox.

“Does it make me a monster that I’m glad Nox and Lennox are both dead?” Kit asked.

“Not at all, because you were right. He never would’ve stopped,” Connie said as they walked up the tunnel. “They were the monsters, not you.”

“You could never be a monster, babe.” Hudson cleared his throat. “Okay, so, we’re going to go back where the main fighting was taking place, but Connie? Protect Kit at all costs.”

“Gladly,” Connie said.

They made their way back through the dark tunnel, and as they emerged into the main fighting area, they were met with the sight of a chaotic scene. The hunters were still coming in waves, but thanks to the combined efforts of everyone, they were slowly being defeated. Hudson let out a roar that echoed throughout the cavern and charged into the battle.

Kit gulped. Now he knew how Hudson and Connie felt, and they were much more indestructible than him.

Connie pulled him off to the side. “We’re just going to hang out here where it’s safe.”

Kit quickly scanned the area. Every dragon they had brought with them was accounted for, and he slowly relaxed. He didn’t know the vampires, but he did recognize Raven. He also saw Isadora and Kage.

There was an occasional stream of dragon fire, but none of the dragons had shifted into their natural form. A portal or two opened, then disappeared, taking what Kit assumed was a hunter with it.

Pretty soon the fighting died down, mainly because no one was left to fight. Hudson immediately checked on his dragons, and Kit was happy to see none of theirs were hurt. As best he could tell, no one seemed to be fatally injured.

“Are you hurt?” Kit asked Hudson when he stopped by for a moment to let his mates know he was okay.

Hudson shook his head. “Just a few scrapes and bruises. I’ve had worse than this during training sessions.”

“That’s good to know,” Kit said.

It was then that he noticed how unusually quiet it was… except for the sobbing he could hear.

“What’s that? Who’s… sobbing?” Had he been wrong? Was somebody fatally wounded?

Hudson glanced around the area, then grimaced. “It’s nothing.”

“No. Don’t do that. It’s obviously something. Who is it?”

“There’s a guy standing over there by Don.”

“Shit. I wonder if it’s— Let’s go,” Kit said.

“Are you sure?” Hudson asked.

“Yes. I need the closure.” Kit followed his mates back to the area where Don went down and got his first good look at Chester. He’d never met Don’s younger brother, and he just now realized how odd that had been.

There were hunters on their knees with their hands behind their head. There were also several bodies strewn around that Kit quickly glanced away from.

Kage hurried to them. “Are you okay, Kit? Is he okay? Are you and Connie okay? What the hell happened?

“Lennox managed to get away with Kit, but we caught them before he could escape the tunnels.” Hudson shrugged. “Lennox is dead.”

“Thank the fucking gods!” Raven yelled, his fist held high.

Several paranormals echoed Raven’s thought.

“Do I need to send someone to get the body—”

“There’s not a body. There never is when dragon fire’s involved,” Hudson said.

“Well now, that’s interesting,” Kage responded, eyeing Hudson. “ Very interesting.”

“It’s a long story,” Hudson said. “I’ll fill you in later. What happened here?”

“The hunters who fought us are dead. The ones who were forced into being a hunter and surrendered are not. It’s a mess,” Kage said. “There are several hybrids too—werewolves and vampires. And one mer who is grieving for his dying brother.”

Kit sighed. “Shit.”

“Susan is keeping Don alive but he’s fading. There’s too much wrong with his DNA. She can’t work miracles,” Kage said.

“Well then, why is she keeping him alive?” Connie asked.

“Don wanted to say something to Kit before he died,” Kage said.

Kit sighed again. “ Shit .”

A heavy weight settled in Kit’s chest as he walked slowly toward Don, his legs feeling heavier with every step. The air was thick with the scent of blood and magic, a reminder of the battle that had just ceased.

As he approached, he saw Susan kneeling beside Don, her hands glowing faintly as she tried to prolong his life.

Susan looked up as they arrived, her expression somber yet kind. “He’s slipping away. Make it fast because he doesn’t have much time.”

Kit nodded mutely. Don’s eyes fluttered open as Kit approached, a weak smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Hey. Thanks for coming.”

Kit snorted as he bent down. “You always had such an odd sense of humor.”

Don coughed lightly, each movement seeming to drain him further, but he pressed on. “I... I don’t have much time, but I wanted to apologize,” he started.

Kit shook his head. “You already did.”

“I betrayed you when you needed me most.” His breathing grew labored. “I hated myself for that, and I know I have no right to ask for something, but I’m going to. Look after Chester for me? His life, just like yours, has been changed because of me. I can’t help him now, but maybe you could? Please?”

“I will. I promise.”

“Thank you.” As Don closed his eyes once more, a sigh escaped him. “Forgive me?”

“Yes.”

Chester let out a sob, drawing Kit’s attention for a moment. It was heartbreaking to watch Chester clutch Don’s hand.

The glow around Susan’s hands faded. Susan ceased her efforts, then bowed her head respectfully before standing up and stepping back, giving them space. The silence that followed was solemn and heavy with emotion.

Kit remained kneeling next to Don for several more moments before looking at Chester. “I meant what I said, you know. I will help you in any way you need.”

Chester nodded shakily. “Thank you.”

Fenton stepped next to Chester, resting his hand on his shoulder. “Chester is a mer. I have accepted him, so there is no fear of him being abandoned and having to deal with his new… state of existence.”

Chester snorted. “I’ve been dealing with it all on my own up until now, but it would be nice to not have to figure things out by myself.”

“That is no longer a fear, I promise you,” Fenton said. “So Chester is now under my protection, but I’m sure he would like to have the mate of the dragon king of the San DeLain court and his Right Hand as a friend.”

“That’s me,” Kit said, holding his hand out to Chester. “Just call me Kit.”

Chester’s laugh was a little on the watery side, but he held his hand out too. “It’s nice to meet you, Kit. My name is Chester.”

The silence that followed was solemn and heavy with emotion. Kit remained kneeling next to Don for several more moments before standing up and walking immediately to Hudson and Connie, who wrapped him up in a hug.

“Are you okay?” Hudson asked.

“One chapter has closed, and another has started,” Kit said. “But yes, I’m okay. So let’s do whatever needs to be done and get the hell out of here.”

Hudson nodded as he ended the hug. Connie immediately grabbed Kit’s hand, though.

“If I could have everybody’s attention? We need to decide what to do with the… hybrids who surrendered,” Hudson said, looking over at a group of uneasy werewolves and vampires.

Raven stepped forward. “I have already claimed those who have vampiric traits.”

“I’ve claimed the wolves,” Axel added.

“Good. Next question. Has everybody received the medical attention they needed?”

Kage joined Hudson. “Yes.”

“I’ll have Torres burn the bodies, then I suggest we clear out anything of value we find in these tunnels, like the weapons and whatnot. If everyone is on board with that, we will divide up what we find and take it with us. Is that okay?”

Everybody agreed with Hudson’s plan.

As Hudson, Kage, and the rest of the paranormal leaders organized themselves, Kit looked around at the faces of those who had fought with them—some familiar, some not, but all united.

Had it always been like this? He didn’t know, but he had a feeling it had been.

Nevertheless, the vampires, werewolves, and the mer had an uphill battle on their hands. It wouldn’t be easy to rebuild trust among those whose DNA had been forcibly mutated, but the paranormal leaders had stepped up to the plate to help not only him but those poor souls who now had to adapt to a new way of life.