EPILOGUE: KIT

THE FOLLOWING morning, or perhaps Kit should say afternoon since they’d slept in, they enjoyed a light lunch before spending a couple of hours on the computer discussing potential destinations in Colorado for their honeymoon now that it was finally safe to travel.

They were still searching when Hudson got a call, then abruptly announced they needed to make a trip into San DeLain. Kit tried to argue against it, but his protests fell on deaf ears. Before he knew it, Hudson had bundled them into one of his many black SUVs and was driving them down the road.

“Tell me again why we’re doing this?”

“I’d like to know that too,” Connie said.

“It’s a surprise. I promise it’s a surprise Kit’s going to love.”

“Could maybe Kit know about it then?” Kit asked plaintively.

Hudson just laughed. “You will, soon enough.”

Kit grumbled, but he quit pestering his mate. He knew Hudson well enough to know that when he got like this, there was no dragging the secret out of him until he was good and ready.

Damn dragons.

When they reached the city, it didn’t take long before Kit started noticing familiar landmarks, the main one being the Dominion, where Kage and Austin resided. The construction on the Embers was coming along nicely, as best Kit could tell as they drove by. Okay, so apparently, they were not stopping to visit their friends.

A thought crossed Kit’s mind, and he peered curiously at Hudson. His mate, of course, refused to make eye contact. Glancing into the back seat, Connie grinned at him.

Surely Hudson hadn’t.

When they stopped in front of Whispering Pages Bookstore, Kit knew then that Hudson surely had.

“If this place has too many bad memories, I’ll have Kage add it to the list of properties that are going to be auctioned to the leaders of San DeLain. But if it doesn’t, I thought this might be the perfect wedding gift. It’s a bookstore, and you love the written word. I can see you taking this place and making something astounding out of it.”

Kit covered his mouth with both hands. Yes, the tunnels were underneath this bookstore, but they were under a lot of businesses in the city. Yes, he’d faced down a psychopath there, and he’d experienced a terrifying situation down there too. He’d watched a man die in those tunnels whom he’d once cared about.

And yes, that bookstore needed lots of love. But Kit had lots of love to give.

“You’re a very sly dragon, you know that? And yes, I want it. I’m going to turn this unloved place into something extraordinary. I love you. I love you both.”

Connie whooped in the backseat. “Look at you expanding, Mister Businessman. So? Are you going to keep the name?”

Kit stared out the window at the sign on the building. “I think so? I really like that name.”

While Hudson and Connie discussed the business details, Kit continued to stare at his new shop. He even rolled his window down. There was good foot traffic, a lot of cute little cafés around with their tantalizing aromas wafting through the air, and, not to mention, Austin lived right down the street.

This was definitely a hot area. Gazing at the front of the building, he couldn't help but daydream about all the renovations he would do: changing the colors, fixing up the facade, and more.

Suddenly, a tall figure with androgynous features and a finely tailored suit strode by. Their deep red hair cascaded down to their feet, adding to their striking appearance. Wait. Down to their feet?

Alarm bells went off in Kit’s mind.

The person turned their head slightly and made eye contact with Kit.

For a brief moment, reality became distorted, and instead of the person strolling down the sidewalk, Kit perceived a creature with pointed ears and horns that spiraled up from their forehead, similar to Hudson’s appearance in his partially shifted form.

They were humanoid, but they were far from human. Unlike Hudson, who had strands of ropelike hair in this form, this being had waves of flames that swirled in a mesmerizing dance of vibrant oranges, fiery reds, and scorching yellows cascading down to their shoulders like a molten waterfall.

They seemed to meld seamlessly with the massive flaming wings that sprouted from their back, creating a breathtaking display of power.

Their eyes were a kaleidoscope of color that matched their flaming hair and wings. Instead of a mouth, they had a muzzle. They had two arms and two legs, but the legs were thick and muscular with oversized clawed feet—they had digitigrade legs.

Gaura winked at Kit as they continued down the sidewalk, now back in their human form.

Well, any reservations Kit might have had about taking over that bookstore had suddenly been answered. If Gaura was okay with it, then he was okay with it.

“Okay, guys, let’s go in and see just exactly what we’re dealing with.”

~End of the Dragons of San DeLain