CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: HUDSON

HOURS LATER, Hudson approached Kit. “Let’s go home. Tomorrow is a new day, and whatever needs to be done can wait until then.”

“Those are words I can get behind.”

The bodies had been burned, and the weapons had been portaled out and split up between the paranormal leaders. There were still things to be done, but it could wait until later. It had already been a long day before Don ever showed up.

If someone had asked Hudson a week ago if he’d feel sorry for Kit’s ex-boyfriend, he would have been tempted to douse that person in flames. Yet here he was. He wasn’t quite sure what he felt about Don’s death outside of a vague sense of… maybe regret that it ended the way it did?

The human hadn’t turned out to be the villain everybody thought. He’d done what he had to do to save his younger brother, and it had ended up all for not. He didn’t like that Don had sacrificed Kit in order to save Chester, but he understood why.

“Are you ready to go?” Kage asked, coming to a halt by them.

“We are. I’ll contact you and the other leaders tomorrow morning. We need to secure these tunnels and make sure they are cleared,” Hudson said.

“I agree. Well then, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Kit? I’m very glad you’re okay.”

“I’m very glad to be okay too,” Kit joked. “Please tell Austin everything is fine, and I’ll talk to him maybe in a day or two, okay?”

“I will.” Kage grabbed a shadow and extended it, opening a portal. “See you guys later.”

Silence enveloped Hudson, Connie, and Kit as they stepped through the portal, and moments later they were standing in Hudson’s office.

“I want a shower, then I want cuddles. But I’m going to take a shower on my own, okay? I need a minute. Just a minute. Yes, I am okay. Yes, I’m going to have a very small freak out in there on my own, but I really am okay. Okay?” Kit asked as they walked toward their temporary bedroom.

“We understand,” Connie said. “We’ll shower in one of the guest bathrooms and meet you back here shortly.”

Kit hugged Connie and Hudson. “Thanks for understanding.”

“Always,” Hudson whispered as he pressed a kiss against Kit’s temple. He hated to let Kit go, but Kit’s needs came first, even before his own.

Kit lingered at the doorway, his attention flickering between Connie and Hudson, before retreating into the sanctuary of the bathroom. The sound of running water soon filled the space. It was a soothing sound, comforting in its normalcy after the chaos they had just endured.

Connie hugged Hudson, then he hurried off to find his own bathroom.

Hudson ducked into the first guest bathroom he came across. Dragon gods, he was tired, and for a dragon, that was saying something. Kit was probably exhausted. The weight of recent events hung heavily on all of them.

Hudson took the quickest shower ever. Then he returned to their temporary bedroom, dressed in a pair of night pants, unmade the bed, and crawled into it. A few moments later, Connie arrived, pulled on a pair of underwear, and joined him.

Connie scooted closer, resting his head on Hudson’s shoulder. Finally breaking the silence, he spoke softly. “You think he’ll truly be okay? After all that?”

Hudson glanced down at his mate. “Kit’s stronger than he looks. However, it’s not just about being strong—sometimes it’s also about being given the space to heal.”

“I know. I just worry,” Connie agreed quietly.

“As do I,” Hudson admitted. “But I really do believe if he needed us, he would’ve said something.”

After a moment, Kit reemerged, his hair slightly damp and his demeanor somewhat lighter. He smiled faintly as he saw them waiting for him, and they returned it in kind.

“Feel better?” Connie asked gently as he moved to the edge of the bed.

“Much,” Kit replied, sitting between them. “I think I needed that more than I knew.”

Hudson moved closer to Kit. “We’re here for you. You know that, right?”

“I do know that.” Kit’s voice held a hint of weariness, but beneath it lay a thread of resilience. “And I appreciate you both more than I can say.”

Hudson rested his hands lightly on Kit’s bare shoulders, kneading the tense muscles with a gentle massage. The only article of clothing Kit wore was a white towel, wrapped snugly around his waist. Connie traced patterns along Kit’s back.

There in their bedroom, the outside world faded away. Hudson kept his touch gentle yet firm as he pressed Kit against the side of the bed, his lips finding Kit’s in a deep, passionate kiss. The warmth and love in his embrace conveyed not just desire, but also his profound relief that Kit was there and okay.

Meanwhile, Connie’s arms encircled both Hudson and Kit, completing their bond and forming a seamless connection that felt as natural as breathing. Hudson was lost in the moment, their bodies entwined and their hearts beating as one.

Kit moaned into Hudson’s mouth.

Clothes were lazily shed and scattered across the bedroom floor. Hudson eagerly took advantage of the opportunity, trailing his fingers over every inch of exposed skin, reveling in the warmth and softness that he found beneath his touch. Time slowed down as they explored each other’s bodies, lost in a haze of desire and pleasure.

Kit turned toward Connie, locking lips with him, his hands roaming over Connie’s shoulders. The bed was right there—their haven—and they tumbled back onto it together. The world shrunk down to this room, to the soft sheets and softer touches.

Kisses were exchanged with whispered affirmations of love and commitment. Hudson explored Kit’s body with reverence while Connie’s lips left a trail of soft kisses along Hudson’s neck. They moved together effortlessly—a dance they had performed many times.

Hudson’s heart swelled with emotion as he looked into Kit’s eyes. The love and trust reflected there made him want to beat his chest and roar with pride. They needed this—needed to feel alive. Needed to feel connected and loved after the events of the day.

Cries of pleasure, a baring of a throat, and need echoed around them as he and Connie made love to Kit.

AFTERWARD, THEY lay together under the sheet. For the first time in a very long time, Hudson truly relaxed. Kit’s quiet snores filled their bedroom. They were together and safe. It was over. Lennox was dead, and the threat was finally, finally over.

It was finally over.

As he drifted off and the night gave way to a new day, he sent up a quick prayer of thanks to Gaura.

HUDSON AWOKE the following morning with a feeling of lightness that had been missing for months. He lay still for a moment, watching Connie and Kit breathe slowly, chests rising and falling in sync. The events of yesterday seemed like a distant nightmare. Still, Hudson knew things were not over. There was the cleanup to deal with, after all.

But not yet. Right now, this moment of peace was all that mattered.

Kit stirred beside him, his eyes fluttering open to meet Hudson’s gaze. “Ha, it appears I fell asleep in the middle again,” Kit murmured, snuggling closer to Hudson. His hair was tousled, and his voice was thick with sleep.

“Of which no one complained about,” Hudson replied, tightening his arm around Kit. “Sleep well?”

“The best I’ve slept in ages,” Kit admitted, his smile growing wider as he turned to look at Connie, still sound asleep on his other side. He turned back to Hudson. “How about you? I know you guys don’t need as much sleep as I do.”

“We don’t, no, but I truly was exhausted last night.” Hudson paused for a moment before adding softly, “I love you both so much.”

“We love you too,” Kit responded quietly, reaching out to stroke Connie’s arm gently until he began to stir.

Connie blinked open his eyes and yawned widely. “What time is it?” he mumbled as he adjusted himself in the bed.

“Doesn’t matter,” Hudson said with a grin. “We can stay here all day if we want.”

“Mmm,” Connie murmured in agreement as he scooted closer to both Hudson and Kit. “I vote for staying right here. Well, at least until duty calls.”

Hudson sighed. “Yes, there is that. Guess we can’t stay here all day.”

The three lay there in silence for a while, simply enjoying each other’s company as the morning light grew brighter around them. It was rare for them to have such moments of tranquility without urgency or danger pressing down on them.

Eventually, though, Kit’s stomach started to rumble, loudly, breaking the quiet with its demands.

“Time to feed the beast.” Hudson patted Kit on the ass. “Up you go.”

“Why does this never happen to you two?” Kit complained as he got out of bed.

Connie chuckled as they got dressed.

“Well, we’ve missed breakfast according to my watch,” Hudson said. “You two feeling brave enough to let me cook for you?”

Kit goggled. “You can cook?”

“Simple things. He can cook simple things, like eggs and bacon,” Connie interjected.

“It’s kind of hard to mess up that,” Hudson admitted.

“Wanna bet? I’ve seen it done,” Kit declared as they left the bedroom. “Believe me when I tell you, I have seen it done.”

Hudson entertained them with cooking disasters he’d had in the past as they left their bedroom and moved into the communal spaces. As Hudson prepared their meal—chopping vegetables for an omelet and brewing coffee—an overwhelming surge of gratitude went through him that they could enjoy this moment. It could have all turned out so very differently.

Stella grumbled as Hudson took over the small sitting area in her kitchen, but she didn’t interfere. All of his court also left them alone, giving them the time to enjoy a simple breakfast together.

They had just finished when Hudson’s cell rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and sighed. “Playtime is over. Duty calls.”

After a brief conversation with Kage, Hudson disconnected the call. “Everybody is meeting back at Whispering Pages Bookstore.”

“Hey,” Henrietta said from the door of the kitchen. “Are you guys done eating?”

“We are, yes,” Kit said, standing with his cup of coffee. “Why don’t we go out to the communal dining area? There’s not enough room for six of us here.”

“Only if you are done,” Henrietta said.

“Kage just called, and everybody is meeting to go back into the tunnels, so we’re done,” Hudson said, following Connie and Kit around the table and into the communal dining area.”

“What’s up, Mom?” Connie asked.

“Well, we were wondering if we could go with you,” Ford said.

“Of course, but are you sure you want to spend your vacation working?”

“We would rather be helping than sitting around the pool by ourselves,” Leo added.

“Then we’d love to have you,” Hudson said. “Connie? Would you text my inner circle and have them meet us here, please?”

“Sure thing,” Connie said, getting his cell phone out.

Once everybody had arrived, they divided up the groups and took Hudson’s SUVs back into San DeLain. Hudson decided against asking Kage to portal them, as he preferred to avoid them whenever possible. Because frankly? The more he could stay out of portals, the better he felt.

THEY MADE pretty good time. It helped that it was Sunday afternoon, so the roads were relatively calm, with traffic flowing steadily. No one seemed to be in a rush to reach their destination.

The gentle hum of engines and the whirring of tires provided a soothing soundtrack to their journey. It was as if the world had slowed down just for them, offering a reprieve from the usual chaos of city life.

When they arrived, there were a lot of vehicles parked in front of the bookstore. After circling for what felt like forever, they finally found a spot to park and made their way inside.

Already the bookstore had a different vibe to it.

It still needed a lot of work, but the neglected and desolate air was slowly fading. Hudson greeted the other leaders, who were all there, except, of course, for the gargoyles and the vampires, neither of which could go out during the day.

As soon as they arrived, Kit made a beeline for Fenton and asked about Chester, which made the merchieftain smile. Hudson watched Kit carefully, and he seemed pleased with what the mer told him.

Kage came to a stop beside Hudson, a sly grin on his face. “Are you ready for something truly interesting?”

Hudson rolled his eyes. “As long as ‘interesting’ means good.”

“It’s not just good, my friend. It’s fascinating. During the signing yesterday—and can you believe it was just yesterday?—a young lady approached Austin.” Kage paused, shaking his head. “How was it just yesterday?”

“I know.”

“Anyhow, she handed him a letter she’d written for him. And get this—he didn’t read it until this morning.” A mischievous spark gleamed in Kage’s eyes as he waited for Hudson’s reaction.

“I haven’t had enough coffee yet to deal with you.”

“Grumpy dragon.”

“He’s not kidding. He’s had one cup,” Kit said as he joined them. “I overheard your conversation, and her name was Lila. I remember talking to Austin about it after she left, about what an impression he leaves with his fans. And speaking of Austin, where is he?”

“He, Isadora, and Maia are around here somewhere,” Kage said. “Kit? Did you see the letter?”

“No, actually, I didn’t, but I remember talking to Austin about it. Why?”

“The letter was not a simple correspondence but rather a list of business names owned by Lennox’s company Illuminacon. These businesses were used as a cover for their operations,” Kage explained.

“Holy shit, for real?” Kit gasped. “That’s freaking awesome.”

“It most certainly is. From what she said in the letter, her boyfriend was one of the ones forcibly injected with DNA. Her movements were not restricted, although they kept an eye on her,” Kage replied.

“Do we happen to know who her boyfriend is?” Hudson asked. “Or was?”

“Unfortunately, no. She didn’t say. I’m not sure that was even her real name. It most likely isn’t.”

“I hope she’s okay,” Kit said, concerned. “I hope they’re both okay.”

“If he was one of the hunters who was there last night, and surrendered, then we might find her,” Kage said.

“But should we?”

“It would be for their benefit if we did, Kit,” Kage answered. “Whatever the boyfriend was injected with, he doesn’t know the rules and the culture of that species. It would really help them adjust to their new lifestyle if they’re surrounded by those like them.”

“I see.”

“And since those businesses are shell companies, I’m going to have my hacker do a little hacking. Those companies are going to belong to us soon, and by us, I mean the paranormal leaders of San DeLain. I’m going to send a list out with all the businesses. It’s first come first serve when it comes to claiming a business.”

Hudson opened his mouth, then frowned.

“I remembered. It won’t be on there,” Kage promised. “In fact, consider it yours.”

“What are you talking about?” Kit asked.

Kage turned to face Kit. “Just some business between myself and Hudson. Nothing new. We have several joint ventures, in fact. And how are you doing?”

“I am surprisingly well. I had myself a nice little freak out, not because I had any feelings for Don but because a life was wasted in such a horrific way. Then I cursed Lennox and Nox up a storm… and now I feel five pounds lighter.”

Kage nodded. “So pretty much the same exact thing Austin went through, just minus the Don aspect of it.”

“I know it’s not completely over—that the cleanup and the dismantling of Lennox’s corporation still has to happen, but I’m good. I’m really, really good,” Kit said.

“I’m glad. Now, let’s get this party started,” Kage said. “Everyone? Can I have everybody’s attention, please? Thank you. Okay, let me start by saying first off, thank you all for helping.”

“Connie and I owe you all a debt,” Hudson added. “So, thank you. A mate is the most important thing for any of us, and the thought of losing him or her is more than any paranormal can stand. So, again, thank you.”

“We’ve learned valuable intel that will help put an end to Lennox’s operations,” Kage said, continuing. “During the signing yesterday, someone approached Austin and delivered a list of shell companies.”

There were several murmurs of excitement.

“We, the paranormal leaders of San DeLain, are going to take those businesses and split them up among us. Now, the gargoyles and the vampires are not here since it’s daylight, but I will be informing Ward and Raven of our findings. By the dead gods, we should get something back from all that Lennox and Nox took from us.”

Whispers of approval rippled through the crowd.

“Starting a week from Tuesday, in the late evening, my hacker will put these businesses up for sale on a secured website and the leaders may bid on them,” Kage concluded. “My hacker will be doing this, not me because I also will be bidding. It is literally going to be first come first serve, and I will not have an advantage.”

Applause erupted.

“The Astor brothers are responsible for a lot of hurt and pain, which has affected everyone here in some form or fashion,” Kage said, pausing to stare at Axel. “But we, a diverse group of paranormal leaders, stuck together and handled the problem. And now? We will divide up the spoils between us.”

Hudson grinned at how loud the cheering was. He couldn’t have said it better himself.

“I’m sure there are still pockets of hunters out there, but we made a huge dent in this organization. Also, my hacker is currently freezing all of the company’s assets, which will be split between the less financially secure among us so they have the means to bid also.”

Axel smiled.

“So, let’s take one more tour of these tunnels and make sure they’re completely cleared out,” Kage said.

As they descended into the dimly lit tunnels beneath the city, the group moved cautiously, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. It took the rest of the day to explore the tunnels, but Hudson was satisfied that no weapons were left behind or hunters were still hiding within the depths.

As they returned to the bookstore, Hudson could privately admit to himself that he much preferred the skies to being under the earth. If he never laid eyes on another tunnel again, it’d be too soon.