CHAPTER SIXTEEN: HUDSON

HUDSON undressed, then walked out to the middle of the open field that wasn't far from the back of his house. Connie and Kit followed him. There were woods all around them, but he'd cleared this area for exactly this purpose.

Closing his eyes, he mumbled a privacy spell under his breath. He wasn't worried about a human getting on his land without him knowing about it, but the ones in the planes overhead always presented a problem.

When aircrafts had been invented, they became a colossal pain in the ass for anything that had the capability to fly. There had been more than one unexplained airplane crash over the years.

Satisfied that the area was protected, Hudson let the change roll through him. In the blink of an eye, his form blurred as his human body disappeared. In its place stood a creature of mythology—a dragon. A sleek, powerful, and intimidating dragon. Hudson stood still as his body expanded until it was the size of a three-story house.

Dragons were not like werewolves—they didn't share their human body with an animal. Instead, the animal shared its form with a human body, but they were still two parts of a whole. Although, in this modern world, the human form tended to take precedent.

Nevertheless, they were creatures of magic, which accounted for how they transformed and their spells work. They didn't so much shift as they dropped the human fa?ade and became what they truly were.

Hudson sat proudly. He was well aware that in this form he was magnificent. He had a muscular body with an elongated neck. His limbs might be short, but they were powerful.

There were three digits on each foot that ended in sharp claws—claws that could rip through flesh quite easily. His head was massive, and there were tiny nostrils on either side of his snout—a snout full of lethal teeth and a pair of horns that extended from his jaw.

A bony ridge separated his nostrils, and a mane of daunting spikes sprouted from the back of his head and ran down to his shoulder blades, where huge leathery wings sprouted from. That would be where Kit sat.

But his scales were the real showstopper. The iridescent scales were a pure red, but Hudson was perfectly aware that they'd sparkle in the setting sun's light.

"He's beautiful," Kit whispered to Connie.

Hudson turned his head toward his mates. Connie's heart rate was normal, but Kit's was definitely elevated.

"And can apparently hear exceptionally well in this form too," Kit muttered.

Connie laughed softly. "We can, yes. Let me know when you're ready to move closer."

Hoping it would help set Kit at ease, Hudson lowered himself to the ground. He wouldn't move from there until Kit was ready to go back to the house if that was what it took to reassure his mate.

Kit took Connie's hand. "Okay, I'm ready. But before we climb up there, can I walk around him?" Kit shook his head quickly. "Sorry. I keep forgetting you can understand me, Hudson. Is it okay if I admire your fine form first?"

Hudson didn't want to make any sudden moves and scare Kit, so he slowly closed his eyes and opened them.

"That's a yes," Connie said, squeezing Kit's hand. "Come on. I'm sure he'd love for you to admire his dragon. We're all basically built the same, you know. Hudson happens to be bigger because he's royalty."

"Man, you are huge." Kit edged closer to Hudson's foreleg. "No squashing the human, okay?"

"Babe, he would never."

"I know that. I was totally kidding, although I'm sure it wouldn't take much. Like, one good roll."

"Trust me, he's well aware of how big he is compared to you. He won't hurt you."

It pained Hudson to hear Kit talk like that, but he wasn't wrong. Hudson could really do some serious damage to any human in this form. A lot of paranormals too, for that matter. Wanting to reassure his mate, Hudson concentrated on what was basically the equivalent of a cat purring.

Kit jumped when he heard the sound. "Is that…?"

"Him purring? Yes. He's trying to reassure you." Connie patted Hudson hard on his foreleg.

"That's awesome. Can I touch you too, Hudson?"

Hudson slowly curled his long neck around so he could see Connie and Kit. Connie was grinning at him, and Kit's eyes were as huge as dinner plates. Again, he blinked slowly.

He saw the exact moment when Kit worked up his nerve. He let go of Connie's hand, then stepped closer to Hudson.

Easy now,Hudson told his dragon.

Usually the roles were reversed, and Hudson was in human form when Kit touched them. This would be the first time he was in his natural state, and he didn't want his dragon to overreact and scare Kit.

He laid his head back down, closing his eyes when he felt Kit's first hesitant touch.

Kit ran his hand over the area he could reach. "I don't know why I ever expected them to be cold. Yours weren't and neither are his."

"We're not cold-blooded. I guess, in a way, we do look like overgrown lizards, but we're not."

"Huh. Good description. You guys sort of do."

Hudson made the scales where Kit was touching rise. He hoped Kit would understand what he wanted.

"That's just as cool as the first time I saw it."

Hudson rumbled happily when Kit scratched underneath the scales. Maybe Kit picked up Hudson's wants through the bond.

"Like that, huh?"

"Believe me, it feels good," Connie said. "Just like anything else, it can get itchy. Each scale is composed of a compact, hairy formation firmly rooted in the epidermis. On the hair follicle, there are some tiny glands that secret a substance that adheres firmly to the skin.

"Interesting."

"That substance is rich in minerals that determine the hardness of our scales. The external surface has a hard, translucent texture that accounts for the scale's luster."

"I mean, seriously, you guys should be the eighth wonder of the world."

"We are, but only seven are known to humans," Connie joked.

Hudson let his scales settle back into place and stopped purring, since Kit seemed to be less nervous.

"So? What do you think? Are you ready to go up?"

Kit gulped. "I think so. Are you still going with me?"

"Of course. I told you I would. But first, we need to move back." Connie took Kit's hand again and led them away from Hudson.

Lifting his head, Hudson first made sure they were a safe distance away, then unfolded one of his wings and laid it on the ground. They would use that to climb up to the base of his wing, which was set between his shoulder blades.

One day he hoped Kit would be comfortable enough that Hudson could soar through the skies with Kit on his back. Of course, they'd have to figure out some way to secure Kit to him in this form.

Connie chatted with Kit as he led Kit over to Hudson. Kit's heart rate went up again as soon as Connie asked if he was ready. But it hadn't spiked, and it was normal for Kit to be nervous.

Who wouldn't be?

It constantly surprised Hudson how well Kit had adapted to everything that had been thrown at him lately. The paranormals who thought humans were weak were fools. They might not have paranormal abilities, but they had a strength of will that shouldn't be taken for granted. Paranormals sometimes forgot that.

Connie led the way, still holding Kit's hand. It was strange to have something as heavy as Kit and Connie walking on him, but it wasn't painful. Just… weird.

He noticed immediately that Kit was much lighter, which he guessed really wasn't surprising. Connie might be in his human form, but he was still a dragon and had the denser and heavier bone structure.

They stepped off his wing and onto his body.

"Oh wow, oh damn, we're really high up here. And oh shit, I can feel him breathing. It's like climbing a living mountain." Kit giggled.

He wasn't wrong, although it amused Hudson to be called that.

"Are you flabbergasted?"

"Yup. My flabber is gasted."

Hudson just barely stopped the snort that threatened to escape. Last thing he wanted to do was scare Kit, but shit, that was funny.

"Where do you come up with this stuff?" Connie asked. "Okay, we're going to walk a little way up here and then sit down. Are you good?"

"I'm good. Just a little freaked out, but also a whole lot of awed. I mean, I'm standing on top of a real live dragon. And not any dragon. A big ass royal dragon. Who is as big as a three-story house, and holy hell, how is this my life?"

Hudson couldn't agree more. How was this their life? How did they get so lucky?

"Let's sit down here."

Hudson felt them as they sat.

"Hudson, don't fold that wing up or you'll take us both out," Connie said. "If Kit is going to ride us in this form, he's going to have to sit above your shoulder blades. When you fold your wings up, there simply isn't room back here."

"I can't wrap my head around possibly riding one of you. I mean, I can't even imagine it. I guess it's a good thing I'm not afraid of heights," Kit said, as he gently patted Hudson. "You're so warm."

Hudson started purring again. He couldn't help himself. He was just so proud to have both of his mates on his back.

"Oh wow, it's like sitting on top of the most powerful horsepower engine in the world times a thousand. This is wild!"

Kit had no idea. He truly did not know the power Hudson had. Just wait until he got ready to take flight.

Connie kept up a steady stream of conversation still, and Hudson listened to Kit's heartbeat slowly go back to normal. He was perfectly content to sit there as long as Kit wanted.

Eventually, though, Kit started fidgeting, and Connie asked if he was ready to crawl down.

"Yes. I don't know how long we've been sitting up here, but my butt is beginning to hurt. It's not the most comfortable seat. Gonna need some padding." Kit ran his hand over the base of one of Hudson's wings.

"Oh damn!" Connie grabbed hold of Kit as Hudson shuddered.

Shit. Shit. Shit. He fought it, he really did, but it was such an involuntary reaction he couldn't stop it. Plus? It felt damn good.

"Oh God!"

Kit's heart was thumping rapidly again, and Hudson and Connie were totally to blame for that. They should've warned Kit about their sensitivity there, but neither of them had thought about it.

"It's okay. You're okay. It's all right," Connie reassured Kit. "It's just the base of our wings are really sensitive whether we're in this form or partially transformed. Sorry. Sorry, we should've warned you about that."

"Good thing we live in California, and I'm used to earthquakes. Jeez. I'm so sorry, Hudson."

Oh babe, it's not your fault. And Hudson would tell Kit that as soon as he was capable of speech.

"He's not mad. If anything, he's concerned that he just frightened you."

"You didn't frighten me. I just wasn't expecting the full-body shiver. No harm, no foul. It's not like you tossed us to the ground," Kit said to Hudson. "You just shook a little."

"I wouldn't have let you fall," Connie said. "You were never in danger."

"I know," Kit said, patting Hudson's scales. "Next time I'll know not to do that." Hudson was relieved to hear there would be a next time.

He sat still while Connie helped Kit climb down. He made sure to not even breathe too hard. They already had one close call. They didn't need another one. Once they were on the ground and away from him, Hudson stood.

"Hold up just a second," Kit said. "Don't change back yet. Connie? Why don't you change too? Didn't you say you wanted to, also?"

"Well, yes, but are you sure you're okay with that?" Connie asked.

"I'm perfectly fine with it. You guys go do whatever it is you do, and I'm just gonna sit right here and chill." Kit pointed to the ground. "I haven't had a chance to see either of you fly yet."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. If you're worried about my safety, don't be. We're in your territory right outside of your house, a house full of dragons. Go. Go be a dragon. I mean, damn. I get to see two dragons in flight. No movie can beat that."

Hudson snorted.

"But I guess that does beg the question whether or not it is safe for you to fly right now?" Kit asked.

"Yes. Hudson cast a spell to keep us hidden as soon as we walked out here. We'll also keep an eye out for airplanes."

"Airplanes. Yeah, crashing into an airplane could be a problem, I guess. I'm glad I didn't know about the paranormal world all those times I flew home. That's a new fear unlocked."