CHAPTER TWENTY: HUDSON

MONDAY MORNING arrived, and Hudson still hadn't decided what to do about Kit. The meeting of the paranormals of San DeLain was scheduled to take place that night at Isadora's restaurant, as usual.

He and Connie had talked about requesting Kit visit Austin during the meeting, but neither of them was comfortable with Kit being out of their territory.

If they asked for such a favor from Kage, they couldn't very well insist the visit take place at the compound. Kage, of course, would want Austin in his territory where he was safest—the same problem Hudson was having.

Sitting at his desk, Hudson stared blindly at his laptop.

Kit and Beckett had left for work, and Connie had taken the morning to finish moving the rest of his things into Hudson's house. Beckett had suggested they tell Kit about the meeting and ask if he'd rather visit Austin or stay home.

Beckett even volunteered to stay behind with Kit. Which Hudson appreciated because his inner circle always attended meetings like this, so they would be with Hudson at the meeting instead of at the compound.

Which was another consideration. The people Hudson trusted most would not be at home. He could leave some of them there, he guessed. But he'd rather they be with him for such a meeting.

He and Connie had originally decided it was best not to take Kit because it would've brought up questions neither one of them—at the time—had been willing to answer. Mainly, who Kit was to them. That wasn't a concern anymore because Kit was well aware he was their mate now. So why not take him? Kage had brought his mate.

Granted, some of the other paranormal leaders had not responded well, but Kage had nipped that little rebellion in the bud with help from Isadora.

If they took Kit with them, word would spread like wildfire, but that was a moot point now—he'd already gotten a phone call from his mother about Kit. Word was out, it appeared.

And it wouldn't hurt for the other leaders to meet Kit, especially since he was being targeted by Lennox. Mates were revered among the paranormal community. He would hope if another paranormal leader was around Kit and saw he was in danger, they would help.

This was also a decision he had no business making on his own.

Picking up his cell phone, he called Connie. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Hey. Is everything okay?"

Hudson wasn't surprised that was the first question out of Connie's mouth. He'd just seen both his mates that morning at breakfast.

"Everything is fine, but I want to ask you a question." Hudson quickly explained his thinking about Kit and the meeting tonight.

"I see. Honestly, I would prefer Kit to be with us, and I really don't give a damn who might get their panties in a wad about it. The concerns we had before are no longer valid, so why shouldn't we take him?"

"I agree with you, but this isn't a decision I should make without you," Hudson said, leaning back in his desk chair.

"Or Kit."

"Of course. I'll most definitely talk to him about it, but I wanted to see where you stood on the subject."

"Thank you for that. You have my answer," Connie said. "What are you wanting to do?"

"I would prefer him with us as well. He's safer that way."

"I agree."

"Then I will talk to Kit. Will you be done by lunchtime?" Hudson asked.

"I should be completely out of my cabin by then. I'm about to make a trip to the house to drop off some boxes, so if you hear someone in your quarters, it's just me."

"I'll be in my office if you need me," Hudson said, straightening in his chair. "So, I'll meet you for lunch then?"

"Yes. I'll see you then. Let me know how it goes with Kit."

"I'll tell you at lunch, sweetheart. Goodbye." Hudson disconnected the call and then stared at his cell phone for a couple minutes. Before he laid out all the options for Kit, he needed to call Kage. He dialed the number and waited.

"Good morning."

"Good morning to you. Are you busy?" Hudson asked.

"Not for you. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, but I have a question for you. The meeting is tonight, and I was wondering what your plans concerning Austin are."

"I'd planned to bring him with me. Why?" Kage asked. "Oh. You're asking because of Kit, aren't you?"

"Yes. Originally, I was going to ask if Kit could visit with your mate during the meeting. I understand that you'd want them to be in your territory, of course."

"Originally?"

"Well, I said originally because my reservation about taking Kit to the meeting was the questions such a thing would trigger. At the time, Kit did not know he was our mate. That has since changed."

"You told him?"

Hudson was tempted to explain exactly how Kit had found out, but that was dragon business. But, on the other hand, Kage was his best friend. Kage had shared with Hudson the harrowing details concerning his breakup with Axel.

"No. Someone else did." Since his and Kage's cell phone lines were secure, Hudson told Kage the entire story, leaving out nothing.

"By the dead gods! Okay, wait, I guess I shouldn't say that since apparently Gaura isn't a dead god, huh? That's incredible, Hudson. And concerning."

"Right? You get it. Our deities are the most powerful of us, and humans are so very fragile."

"Believe me, I'm very aware of that fact."

"I know you are." But unlike Kit, Austin was taking Kage's blood, so he had some protection. "So, yes, Kit knows."

"That's good."

"It is, but I'm still not sure how I feel about Gaura interfering in my relationship, and I truly wish my dragon god would pay me a visit because I certainly have questions for them."

"I just bet you do. Maybe you will get those answers, but I feel I must caution you to be careful what you wish for."

"I know." That old saying existed for a reason. "Anyway, would you mind if Kit visited with Austin, and they stayed in your penthouse?"

"Let me answer that with a tentative yes. I need to check with Austin."

"Of course. I understand."

"I don't think he would mind. But can I make a suggestion?"

"Sure."

"If Kit knows he's your and Connie's mate, why not take him? I think it would be a good thing for the other leaders to meet him. Having a mate along isn't a big deal either, even if they aren't another paranormal. If you're worried about Raven, I think he learned his lesson."

Hudson chuckled softly. He well remembered Isadora's reaction. Seeing her partially transform was a treat they rarely got to indulge in, which Kage was probably thankful for since he wasn't fond of spiders.

"I'm not worried about Raven, and yes, I think he learned his lesson. I just wanted to give Kit options about tonight. I'd prefer him to come with us, though."

"Because you feel he'd be safer with you and Connie, correct?"

"Absolutely." He didn't know of any paranormal who'd willingly leave their mate behind if it wasn't necessary.

"Understandable. Well, let me know soon, please. If Kit and Austin are going to stay here, I need to make arrangements for them."

"Of course. I'll talk to Kit and call you back shortly."

"Sounds good. I'll talk to you later."

Hudson disconnected and immediately called Kit.

"Well, hey, sexy. What's up?"

For a second, Hudson was struck dumb. That was the first time Kit had referred to him in such a way.

"You there? Cat got your tongue?"

Hudson cleared his throat. "Sorry. I'm here. I was just—"

"Caught off guard because I called you sexy? You know what I thought of on the way to work this morning? That you don't have a pet name like Connie and I do, and I've decided you need one. But I'm still experimenting. I haven't settled on one yet."

And who knew what his mischievous mate was going to come up with? He couldn't wait. "But you will let me know, yes?" he teased.

Kit's voice dropped. "You'll be the first. But I'm leaning toward sexy."

"I like it."

"Then sexy it is."

Hudson reminded himself that the drive into San DeLain to Kit's bookshop would take close to an hour. At least. For once, he envied the way Kage traveled. Sort of. Okay, not really, but it was damn convenient.

"So? What's up?" Kit asked again.

Hudson explained the reason for his phone call. Once he finished, he waited to see what Kit would say.

"Wow. Now that's a decision, isn't it? What is it you want me to do?"

"Make this decision on your own." Look at him being a modern dragon and such.

"Aren't you sweet? But you're also not fooling anybody. I think I know you and Connie well enough to know that you'd prefer me to be with you guys."

"Totally up to you." Hudson would not confirm or deny that one way or the other. "But if you wish to stay with Austin, I need to let Kage know soon."

"I like Austin and all, but if I'm going to be your mate, then I feel like I should act like it. As long as you understand that me attending will totally out me as your and Connie's mate."

"I'm sure word has already gotten around."

"Well then, I think I'd prefer to go. Not gonna lie. It's kind of scary meeting all these other paranormals, but Austin will be there, right?"

"Of course."

"I won't be the only human. Well, you know what I mean."

"Neither Connie nor I would allow anything to happen to you," Hudson promised. If that was what Kit was worried about, he need not be.

"I'm aware of that. I trust you guys."

Warmth spread through Hudson at Kit's words. "Thank you. That means a lot."

"That I trust you? I think I've mentioned that before. I wouldn't be here if I didn't. You know that."

"Of course. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy hearing it." There was something else he yearned to hear, but he would not rush that.

"Well, I do, so you don't have to worry about that. What time is the meeting tonight?"

"Nine p.m. at Beau Monde."

"What is Beau Monde?"

"A fancy restaurant that's considered neutral territory where we hold monthly meetings," Hudson said. "I'll explain the rest when you get home."

"I could just meet you there since I'm already in town."

"No, you need to come home. We'll all ride back together. Plus, you'll want to dress for this too."

"Great. I don't know that I have any badass clothes."

"Oh, I assure you that you do. Don't worry about it. Anyway, babe, just come home at the regular time. We'll eat and then leave for the meeting."

"Okay. I'll see you then, I guess. Bye."

A LITTLE before six p.m., Kit walked into their private quarters. He went straight to Hudson and kissed him, then leaned down and kissed Connie.

"I passed Stella on my way back here. She said she's going to send somebody back with our meals since we have about two hours before we need to leave," Kit said. "They should be here in a few moments."

"Good." Hudson patted the empty spot on the couch next to him. "Come, sit. While we wait, I wanted to go over who you'll be seeing tonight."

"That'd be really helpful," Kit said. "Along with telling me what I'm supposed to wear tonight."

"That's the easy part," Connie said. "Our dress code is black leather pants, black knee-high boots, and black shirts."

"Well, I guess it's a damn good thing I like leather as much as I like lace because I have all of that," Kit said, frowning at Connie. "There's a dress code?"

"It wouldn't have been the end of the world if you didn't have any of that. By the next meeting, you would have. And no, there isn't a dress code per se," Hudson said.

"But—" There was a knock at the door. "Hold that thought." Connie answered the door, thanked Stella, then pushed a cart loaded with food inside. "Dinner is served."

Hudson helped Connie unload the cart while Kit fixed them all something to drink, then they settled at the little dining area.

"Mmm, this is good. I love seafood," Kit said, biting into the shrimp scampi. "So, what were you saying, Connie?"

"We were talking about how people dressed at this meeting. I was just saying that certain paranormals do dress in a certain way. For example, Kage and his clan always dress up—expensive suits and dresses. The vampires dress as if they're going to a goth/Victorian/steampunk ball," Connie said.

"I bet they look cool."

"Their leader is Raven St. Clair. His title is Master of the City, and he is based downtown, near Kage's penthouse," Hudson said, taking a bite of his fish. "Dr. Frederick is part of Raven's coven."

"A group of vampires is a coven. Got it."

"Then there's the Cross River pack, which are werewolves," Connie said, passing the rolls to Hudson. "Their territory is on the Eastern side of San DeLain. Their alpha is a lovely Asian woman named Li Li Kim, and her mate is Jerome Benton."

"Is that unusual? I mean, having a female alpha?" Kit asked.

"It depends on the pack, really. Cross River is considered progressive. They normally also dress up like Kage and his clan. You refer to their leader as alpha," Hudson said.

"Speaking of packs, another werewolf pack is the Crimson Fangs. They have a new alpha, and that is Axel Scheffler. Their territory is to the south of the city. Axel has ties to Kage," Connie said.

"Which brings us to the daemons of San DeLain," Hudson said. "Kage's title is Elder, and his members are called a clan. His clan is mixed, meaning he accepts other paranormals besides daemons. They don't have territory like we do. Kage owns the Grand at the Dominion, and that's where his clan lives."

"Isn't that where Embers is located?" Kit asked.

"Yes. Kage owns that, along with other businesses," Hudson said.

"There are also the gargoyles. Like us, they can't change humans," Connie said. "And they tend to be loners. Their leader is King Hereward Tywyll. He goes by Ward."

"Oh. He's a king? So, he's royalty too?"

"I don't know exactly," Hudson admitted, taking a bite of his mashed potatoes. "It may just be a title that can be assumed by anybody."

"Unlike dragons. They're considered royalty because they're born to the title," Connie said. "I mean, as soon as you see a dragon in their natural form, you know if he or she is royalty or not because of their size and coloring."

"Right. And no one really knows that much about the gargoyles," Hudson added. "They live north of the city, and their land butts up against ours. Both dragons and gargoyles like the mountains."

"I take it you and their king get along since you're practically neighbors?" Kit asked, sipping his drink.

"Yes, fortunately," Hudson said. "Next, we have the—"

"There's more?" Kit rubbed his hands over his face. "Maybe I should've been taking notes. Oh, who am I kidding? There's no way I'm going to remember all this."

"You'll learn it eventually, and we'll be there to help you," Connie said.

"Just don't let me offend anybody," Kit begged.

"You won't. I'll make sure everybody knows that you're fairly new to our world," Hudson said. "Now, up next are the merfolk, who will be there."

"Holy shit, seriously?" Kit asked.

"Yes. Generally speaking, mers don't concern themselves with the matters of land dwellers, but the hunters have targeted the mers also," Hudson said. "Fenton Moss is the current chieftain of the Golden Reef colony. Their territory is in the ocean, of course. A mer community is called a colony."

"This… is a lot, but it's also incredibly cool. I mean, seriously, this is a paranormal romance author's dream," Kit said. "Oh, I bet Austin is in heaven. So much material there."

"Which he isn't allowed to use," Hudson pointed out.

"Oh. I see. Well, I guess that makes sense, considering who his mate is."

"Now, the restaurant where we're having this meeting—the owner is Isadora Ocho," Hudson said. "She's a paranormal—an arachne—but she's—"

Kit set his fork down abruptly. "Hold up. Just back that information train right up. She's a what now? Because the word you said sounds an awful lot like arachnids."

"An arachne is a creature who can create strong webs, and they bear some physical resemblance to spiders," Hudson agreed. "They still look humanoid when they transform, though."

Kit stared at Hudson, his mouth hanging open. He finally shut it and gulped. "Shit. A spider? Fuck, I hate spiders."

"There are a lot of paranormals who feel the same way," Hudson said. "Even the big, bad daemon elder feels that way. But Isadora is a powerful ally and a friend of mine."

"Be nice to spider woman. Got it. Jesus."

Connie snickered. "Don't be surprised if she takes an interest in you. She certainly has Austin. She seems to have a soft spot for you cute little gay humans."

"Okay, no, I'm not thinking about that right now. Nope. Is that everyone?"

"It's everyone who has agreed to meet," Hudson said. "There's a witch's coven in San DeLain, but they claim they're not in the targeted group, so they refused to get involved.

"Which is stupid and shortsighted," Connie groused. "Hunters kill witches because they aren't human."

"Very true," Hudson said, taking the last bite of his dinner. "Any questions, Kit?"

"Only a million," Kit joked as he wiped his lips with the napkin. "But concerning this? No. I'm going to go check and see if I have the appropriate clothing. I'll be back in a couple of minutes."

"Hey, Kit?" Hudson touched his braid. "Braid your hair like this again for me, please?"

"Happily."