Page 28 of Edge of Darkness

“Yeah, and if something seems to be too good to be true, it usually is,” Torres said, forking up some hash browns. “So, what bad things have you picked up about him?”

“Honestly? Nothing. Kit’s easygoing, funny, and, well… he’s genuinely nice.” Beckett shrugged. “He’s fast with a comeback and a bit snarky, but he’s never mean. I do think he’s still somewhat jumpy, thanks to what happened to him with Nox.”

“What do you mean?” Connie asked.

“He moved his office to a much smaller room with a crappy view—probably because of the attack in his old office. And, if you come up behind him and he’s unaware of you, if you touch him, he flinches,” Beckett said.

“He was attacked by a mimic. Is anyone surprised he’s jumpy?” Parker asked.

“No, not really,” Beckett answered. “Just stating that I feel like some of his easygoing, ‘it’s all cool’ attitude is a front. Also, as far as I can tell, he doesn’t socialize.”

Hudson nodded. “The report says he never leaves his house at night.”

“So, he goes to work and then he goes home,” Torres said. “Yeah, I think it’s a safe bet to say what happened with Nox affected him.”

“That’s… not good,” Connie said, biting into his toast rather vigorously.

“Kage told me they’ve mentioned Dr. Frederick to Kit.” Frowning, Hudson picked up his coffee and sipped it. He had no idea why hearing this human was basically locking himself away bothered him.

“That’s the psychiatrist, right?” Parker asked. “Isn’t he one of Raven’s vampires?”

“Yes,” Hudson said.

“Um, surely to goodness someone told Kit that Frederick is a vampire. Right?” Connie demanded. “Didn’t you tell me Austin told you that Kit seemed to have a problem with fangs? Or was it blood?”

“I mean, how could he not regardless of whichever it is?” Torres asked, jumping in. “Mimics drink their victims’ blood. It’s how they get their information.”

“That’s correct,” Hudson said.

A mimic was a supernatural creature who was a shapeshifter. He/she took the form of someone and mimicked them. They did that by absorbing the powers, energies, memories, knowledge, talents, personality, and physical abilities—whether superhuman or not—via their victims’ blood.

In other words, they drank blood like a vampire. But unlike a vampire, a mimic didn’t need the blood to live. They weren’t the undead. And Nox had done exactly that to Kit—he had forcibly taken Kit’s blood.

Taking blood from a willing donor was something very intimate… and could be sexual if both parties so chose. But without consent, the act turned into something horrifying and so very violating.

Then add in watching someone turn into a carbon copy of yourself—Hudson couldn’t imagine how a human could handle that. Hell, paranormals didn’t handle it well either.

That’s why mimics were hunted to extinction. No one, human or otherwise, should have to live through something like that.

“Poor guy,” Parker said. “Hopefully, he’ll talk to that psychiatrist. It’s not like there’s a whole lot of people to choose from.”

“Yeah, he can’t just talk to anybody aboutthis,” Torres added. “He’d probably get locked up if he started spouting off about vampires and werewolves and such.”

“And Kit knows that,” Hudson said. “Hopefully Austin can talk him into it once he and Kage return from Greece.”

“Speaking of, have you heard when they plan to return?” Connie asked.

“Not—” Hudson’s cell phone beeped. Pulling it out, he unlocked it and read the text message from Kage. “Okay, Beckett. Kage did ask Susan, a clan member, to ward Kit’s business, and apparently, Kit’s apartment door.”

“Good to know,” Beckett said. “She beat me to it, actually. I’d planned to do that.”

Dragons were magical creatures, and as such, could use the magic that created them.

“Kage apologized for neglecting to let me know also.” Hudson was sure Kage and Austin had been busy. There was little doubt that taking Nox’s ashes back to Greece to be buried was hard on Kage.

“It’s understandable,” Beckett said. “The trip to Greece wasn’t for pleasure, after all.”

“Very true. Anyway, Kage said he’s instructed Susan to contact me if Kit’s wards are breached.”

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