Page 43 of Edge of Darkness

“Apparently the same thing that’s wrong with me.”

“What does thatmean?” Connie wailed, grabbing at Hudson as they treaded water.

“Tell me something, Connie. Do you still feel out of control now that I’ve dumped us in the pool?”

Hudson’s question stopped Connie cold. “No. Actually, I don’t.”

“I thought as much. That’s why I tossed us both into the pool. The water washed the scent off me, and the scent was what was affecting you. Connie, I’m positive you smelled your mate on me.”

“What?” Connie roared. “No! Absolutely not! Oh, fuck no. No! I don’t want a mate. Only want you. Fuck this!” Conrad started thrashing in the water, trying to get away from Hudson.

He wouldn’t listen to this. He absolutely would not. He made it to the shallower part of the pool before Hudson caught up with him.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Hudson grabbed Connie by the arm and pulled him around. “Connie, I had the exact same reaction. Do you hear me? Theexactsame reaction. I also lost control and scared the fuck out of several people around me.”

Connie heard the words, but they made absolutely no sense. Was Hudson saying he met his mate? That was what he was saying, wasn’t it? Connie was pretty sure his heart just shattered. Why couldn’t Fate just leave them the fuck alone?

“You had the exact same reaction as I did to that scent. I don’t think you understand what I’m telling you, sweetheart.”

“You met your mate. I do understand that, Hudson.” And it killed Connie.

“I did, yes. And this person isyourmate too. Of that I have no doubt.”

TWO HOURS later, Connie was still trying to come to terms with the bomb Hudson had dropped in his lap.

Hudson had wanted to immediately talk about it, but Connie had practically leaped out of the pool to avoid the subject. Once Hudson caught up with him, he shut that shit down again.

He couldn’t discuss this yet. He didn’t know who it was and hadn’t asked. He was still trying to come to terms with both of them having an actual mate who apparently was one and the same person.

He wasn’t losing Hudson. And Connie had a soul bound mate out there somewhere. Who apparently was Hudson’s soul bound mate too. How the hell didthatwork?

They had dried off and changed. Now they were sitting in Hudson’s living area, both of them with a glass of Dragon mead. Connie had already downed over half of his. If it was the last thing he did, he was going to drink himself into oblivion today.

“You’re sure?” Connie asked again, because oh dear gods, he still couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, sweetheart, I’m sure,” Hudson said again.

“You’re sure that you’re sure?”

“I’m sure that I’m sure, yes. That answer isn’t going to change, sweetheart. Are you ready to talk about this now?”

“Yes. No. Yes. Fuck.” Connie massaged his temples. “Okay, who is it?”

“It’s Kit.”

Connie let his head flop back against the back of the couch and stared up at the ceiling. He laughed softly. “Of course it is. So, we have Kage to thank for this.”

“Yes, we do. Or Austin. He was the one who befriended Kit first.”

“Kit, the human that Nox attacked.” Scowling, Connie lifted his head and glared at Hudson. “The human who got thrown into our world in one of the most brutal ways possible. The human who apparently is now being stalked by someone. That Kit?”

“That Kit.”

“The Kit who is apparently the soul bonded mate to two dragons—one of which is royalty.” Connie sighed heavily. “And Kit, of course, knows nothing about this. Yeah, this has train wreck written all over it.”

“There are most definitely complications. I agree with that.”

“Several.”

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