Spooks & Specters: A San DeLain Short Story Collection

Chapter Three

GIGGLING, KIT took another sip of his drink. He couldn’t wait for tonight, but first, he had to dazzle his mates with his ice-skating moves.

Fortunately, the trip across the city didn’t take any longer than expected, and soon they arrived.

“Wow, we really are right on the beach, aren’t we?”

Kit asked, looking out of the window.

“Yes. I also found out that this place turns into a winter wonderland over the holidays. The ice-skating rink is actually part of the Hotel del Coronado,”

Hudson said, taking everyone’s champagne glasses and putting them up.

“I wish we would’ve known about that back in December,”

Connie said, folding up the used napkins.

“There’s always next year. But for now, for this holiday, I’ve reserved the ice-skating rink for just us. We have it for the next ninety minutes.”

Kit’s mouth fell open. “Are you serious? It’s just going to be us out there?”

“Of course. Nothing is too good for my mates.”

Kit bet that cost a pretty penny, but it didn’t surprise him that Hudson would go to such extremes because he meant what he said—nothing was too good for his mates.

Kit was quickly becoming spoiled. But it also put him in a bind. He certainly didn’t have the money they did—yes, he had access to their funds, but that was another story for another day.

Anyway, he’d managed to get them both something he thought they’d like, even though he’d had to hit Hudson up for the materials. Those gifts would be given later tonight—preferably while they were in bed.

“We should have views of the sun sinking into the Pacific Ocean in a little while,”

Hudson said.

Connie leaned across Kit so he could kiss Hudson. “What a beautiful idea. Thank you.”

“Oh, you didn’t know he planned this?”

Kit asked.

Connie kissed Kit on the cheek too. “I knew he planned something, but not what. Our mate has a hidden romance streak a mile wide.”

Hudson cleared his throat, glancing away. “Yes, well, don’t spread that around. I do have a reputation to uphold.”

That was the most adorable thing ever. As a reward, Kit hugged Hudson. “It’ll be our secret. Now, let’s go ice-skating!”

No sooner than he said that then the door to the limo opened, and they got out. He immediately felt bad when he saw Nelson standing there.

“Oh no, Nelson!”

Kit hadn’t stopped to think about who’d driven them. And it was Valentine’s Day to boot.

“No, no, it’s okay. I have plans later,”

Nelson said. “So don’t worry about it.”

“Oh, thank goodness.”

Last thing Kit wanted was to ruin somebody else’s Valentine’s Day.

“I’m going to chill here. It’s all good.”

“It’ll only be ninety minutes, remember? We’ll be home at a decent hour, and Nelson will have plenty of time for whatever he has planned,”

Hudson said.

“Okay, good.”

Kit was relieved to hear that.

Connie leaned back into the limo long enough to grab their coats and then they were on their way.

The ice-skating rink was man made, of course, and open aired, meaning it wasn’t in a building with walls and such. So anyone walking down the beach could see the three of them, but that also meant they had the perfect view of the ocean and the sunset.

There were several palm trees strategically placed around the rink—it was California after all. The street side of the rink had red patio furniture for people to sit and enjoy a drink or roast marshmallows in the fire pits.

Once they had their skates on, the joking and ribbing commenced. Kit had forgotten how impossible it was to walk on those thin blades.

Grabbing their jackets, they made it onto the ice. And it was pretty obvious that neither Connie nor Hudson had ever been ice-skating before. Good thing they were inherently graceful. Was it a paranormal thing? Or was that a dragon thing? Or was that a Hudson and Connie thing?

Or maybe it was all three.

They’d barely made it onto the ice when music started softly playing, and of course it was all romantic songs. It took a couple laps around the rink before Kit felt comfortable, but it was all coming back to him.

After a few spills, Connie and Hudson were whipping around the rink like professionals. Sometimes Kit couple skated with Connie, other times he skated with Hudson. The three of them skating side by side while holding hands ended up with all three of them down on the ice when Kit went down.

The windmilling arms and shocked look on Connie’s face as Kit dragged him down was hysterical. He couldn’t help but poke fun at Connie over it. Hudson, of course, shut Kit up by kissing him. Unfortunately, the ice was beginning to get a little wet so that didn’t last long.

They took a break, and a waiter brought them out hot chocolate.

“Mmm, this is good.”

Seriously, it was the best Kit had ever tasted. There was no way this came from a packet.

“Nice and warm,”

Connie said, holding the mug. “Good thing you insisted we bring jackets.”

Hudson nodded. “When I reserved the rink, it was suggested that my guests and I bring one. Honestly? I thought it was a bit much, but the person on the phone was correct.”

Kit stared out over the ocean at the setting sun. The sky was a blaze of oranges, yellows, and reds, with purple clouds traveling across the horizon. “We definitely need to come back here around Christmas.”

Connie pulled his cell phone out, unlocked it, and started typing. “And done. Note made. I’ll make sure to reserve tickets when the time comes.”

“The job of the right hand of the king is never done,”

Hudson joked as Connie slipped his phone back into his pocket.

Connie blew kisses at Hudson.

After they finished their hot chocolate and cleaned up their trash, they turned their skates in and walked hand in hand in hand back to the limo where Nelson waited.

With a flourish, Nelson opened the limo door. “Welcome back. How was it?”

“Fabulous. I highly recommend it. Seriously, best date ever,”

Kit said, bouncing on his toes.

“I can tell,”

Nelson said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Hudson smile quite so much.”

“My mates are having a wonderful time. How can I not smile?”

Hudson asked, patting Kit on the ass as he ducked inside the limo.

Seconds later, Hudson and Connie joined him, and they immediately put Kit in between them.

Kit peeled off his jacket. The chill that had set in from skating on the ice was now replaced by a warm heat emanating from Connie and Hudson.

As they shed their own jackets, the intensity between the three of them grew stronger. Hudson pressed Kit against the seat, hungrily kissing him as Connie’s hand snuck down to rub at Kit’s trapped arousal. A sharp gasp escaped Kit’s lips at the touch, sending shivers down his spine.

This was going to be the longest trip ever to Hudson’s compound if they planned to torment him the entire way back. Actually, it might quite possibly be the fastest—that he came, that was.

Connie’s nimble fingers skillfully removed Kit’s sweater. The cool air from the limo’s air conditioning brushed against his skin, causing him to shiver in response. Despite his burning desire, tiny chill bumps still rose on his flushed skin, adding to the electric sensation coursing through him.

He couldn’t help but let out a low moan as Connie’s touch ignited every nerve in his body. Hudson sucked on Kit’s tongue, and Connie’s hands slowly trailed up Kit’s chest, dragging the pleasure out. Just as Kit thought he was going to have to pull away from the kiss, Hudson ended it, letting Kit breathe. Hudson fervently captured Kit’s lips, sucking on his tongue and holding Kit hostage to the kiss.

The taste of hot chocolate mingled with the heady scent of musk and desire. Connie trailed his hands up Kit’s heaving chest, each touch sending a shiver down his spine. Hudson finally released Kit, letting him catch his breath and savor the lingering sensations and leaving them both gasping and wanting more.

Kit’s head fell back against the seat, and Hudson took advantage of the offered skin by trailing soft kisses along his jawline and down his throat. He groaned when Hudson started to suck.

The sting of blood being drawn to the surface zipped through Kit’s system. Then he gasped when Connie flicked his nipples. He arched against the seat, asking for more.

Connie chuckled softly as he rolled them between his thumbs and forefingers. “So very hot,”

he whispered in Kit’s ear as his fingers teased the nubs.

Kit moaned, and damn if time didn’t slow to a crawl as Connie’s hand ghosted down his chest to unzip Kit’s jeans.

His stomach jumped when Connie teased the sensitive skin there. He sucked in a breath when Connie’s fingers dipped inside, then it exploded out of him when Connie wrapped his hand around Kit’s erection.

Blowing in his ear, Connie grasped his cock.

“Not gonna last long,”

Kit warned. They had basically been edging him mentally all day, what with all the gifts and such.

“Then you’ll last longer the second go around, won’t you?”

Hudson whispered against the skin he’d been sucking. “Get busy, Connie.”

Grinning, Connie pulled Kit’s cock out. Kit barely had time to draw a breath before Connie licked the head. Of course that was when Hudson went back to kissing Kit. Giving himself over to the pleasure, his eyes fluttered closed.

Connie closed his lips over the head and sucked. Tingles ran through Kit’s body, and his toes curled. Hudson’s fingers shifted through his hair, then tugged. He groaned into Hudson’s mouth as Connie attempted to drive him crazy by slowly taking him an inch at a time. Mad. Connie was going to drive him mad.

Then Connie relaxed his throat and swallowed Kit’s shaft. Oh damn, Connie’s lips were pressed against his groin. Hudson broke the kiss, allowing Kit to suck in air before diving back in.

But Connie swallowed around his cock, and Kit was pretty sure lights flashed behind his closed eyelids. He made a strangled sound and Connie eased his cock out of his throat. The respite was short-lived, though, because Connie started bobbing up and down, twisting his head. Kit thrust his hips, meeting Connie’s lips in a gentle kiss of flesh.

Hudson sucked on his tongue as Connie sucked on his cock.

Welp, this was it. This was how he was going to go out. No doubt about it. At least he’d die happy. The tingles coursing through his body turned into a roar, and his orgasm barreled down on him. He didn’t even have a chance to warn Connie before he came.

And his mate drank him down.

Hudson released his mouth just as Connie released his cock. Kit sank into the limo seat, completely drained. Literally. It took almost a solid minute to get his brain back online and figure out that neither of his mates had come.

“Oh God, give me another second, and I’ll—”

“That’s not necessary. I can wait until—”

“I am more than happy to wait—”

Connie and Hudson both laughed. “It appears we are more than willing to wait until later.”

Hudson smoothed Kit’s hair out of his face as Connie slipped Kit’s cock back in his underwear.

Kit buttoned his jeans as Hudson handed Connie a piece of chocolate. Snickering, Connie took it and popped it in his mouth. Hudson pressed another piece against Kit’s lips, and he opened up too.

Hudson took such good care of both of them. It made Kit feel cherished. Loved. And he planned to show them later just how loved he felt. His cock twitched.

“We’re almost home,”

Hudson murmured quietly. “Whatever you’re thinking, hold on to that.”

“How did you know—”

“The bond is happy,”

Connie said. “Plus, we can both smell your desire, remember? It’s not as strong as before, but it just spiked again.”

Kit wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to that, although it was useful at times.

A few minutes later, the limo parked, then Nelson opened the door for them. Kit followed Hudson and Connie into their home, and they went straight to their quarters.

“Anybody hungry?”

Connie asked, putting Kit’s duffel on the floor in their living area.

Hudson placed the chocolate on the small dining table. “The champagne was kept chilled. Would either of you like another drink before dinner?”

“Sure,”

Kit said, heading toward the bedroom. “Why don’t you pour that, and I’ll be right back. I have something for you guys too.”

“Oh, really?”

Connie perked up. “You got us something?”

Kit turned to look at Connie. “Of course I did. What kind of mate would I be if I didn’t? I’ll be right back.”

A smile graced Hudson’s lips. “Thank you, babe.”

Connie’s excitement and Hudson’s pleasure made him grin as he went to get their Valentine’s Day gifts. Hurrying back to the living area with the packages, which were wrapped in Valentine’s paper, he proudly handed the gifts to his mates. Kit sat down on the couch and patted the empty space next to him.

“Pretty,”

Connie said, looking at the wrapping.

“Come on, come on, open it.”

Kit was nearly as excited as they were. He couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they saw what he’d done.

Kit laughed softly as Connie ripped through the paper, hurrying to get inside the box. Hudson, of course, took his time opening his gift. That was so like them.

Connie caught his breath as he opened the small box. “By Gaura. Kit, this is beautiful.”

“Perfect. It’s….”

Hudson cleared his throat before continuing. “It’s absolutely perfect. Like you.”

Kit blinked rapidly. He was not going to ugly cry. He was not. “I’m glad you like it. But I couldn’t have done it without the freaking huge ass gold nugget Hudson donated to the project. And the rubies, of course. I, ah, I had one made for me too. I wanted us to match.”

Hudson lifted the wire dragon pendant, admiring the workmanship. It was an intricately sculpted, two-inch-tall dragon curled around a small ruby in the middle and was hung from a brown leather necklace.

Connie held his out to Kit. “Put it on me?”

“I’d be happy to. Do you like it?”

Kit asked, standing up.

“Of course I do. It’s a gift from both of my mates—Hudson’s materials and your affection,”

Connie said.

Kit sniffed back the tears, although dammit, it was a losing battle. He fastened the necklace around Connie, then stepped in front of him. It was really perfect for his mates.

“Thank you,”

Connie said, kissing Kit on the cheek. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day to you,”

Kit answered.

Both of them turned toward Hudson, who held his pendant up too. Kit took it while Connie moved Hudson’s long hair out of the way. Once Kit had fastened it around Hudson’s neck, he again stepped back so he could see it.

Looking down, Hudson touched it gently. Then he looked into Kit’s eyes. Thank you. I love it. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day to you too,”

Kit said. “This has been the bestest day ever thanks to you guys.”

“I’m glad. Why don’t you go get yours too?”

Hudson asked.

“Sure thing. In fact, why don’t the two of you help me put it on?”

Kit grabbed both of their hands and started toward the bedroom. “After you take my clothes off, that is.”

Along Came a Spider