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Killian’s hand rested on my lower back, holding me against his large frame. “Not my best day. But you do need to run, right?” he reminded me.
I nodded, dropping mychin to my chest. Thank the bird gods he hadn’t saidfly,or I might have made a target out of his chin. His fingers traced invisible circles along my spine over the thin cotton of my sundress.
My slimmer frame should have been dwarfed by his mass, but Killian had never been a threat to me, at least not in a bad way. But hell, could the gray buck flirt up a thunderstorm.
I raised my hand to touch my collar, but as we weren’t in the club, I hadn’t bothered to wear it. The staff knew I belonged to no one, and both James and Killian warded off any undesirables. Goosebumps rippled my skin despite my intention not to react to either of them. James and I had a history. Killian … well. We didn’t.
I turned back to Willow. “Will you all be safe here?”
“Of course.” She wrestled two knotted fluffy balls apart. “Go. Play.”
As if it were all a Sunday picnic.
Which, of course, it was.
I cursed Rafe in the silence of my mind, sending a rough prayer skyward. He wanted to offer the community a chance to get out of thecity and be its sky protector, looking down from on high, but he forgot about those of us who couldn’t leave the ground even if we wanted.
“Sure.” I gave Killian the control he seemed to crave and walked after him. “Stripping off in the bush?” I gesturedback toward the copious eucalyptus trees that framed the opening we had claimed for the day, not that there was anyone else around to offend.
Still, haters gonna hate and I couldn’t face undressing in front of anyone, least of all Killian. Seeing the pityon his face would break the last slim tether of my courage, the one I used to face day-to-day life. After more than three years with the club, I refused to shift in front of anyone. Today was not the day to start a new habit.
“No chance.” His body shimmered and before I could saywho’s your furry daddy, he hopped away along the 4WD track that led deeper into the mountains.
I tilted my head back, running my fingers along the buttons in my yellow daisy sundress.
“Go on,” Willow urged.
Offering her a bland smile, I trotted a few steps, intent on using the front of Killian’s red Land Cruiser as cover. I sighed, my eyes closed as I undid the first flower-shaped button. After that it was a moot point as my new shape no longer fit the clothes I’d picked out for the trip. Bending knees too long for my boots, I kicked the tan leather out of my way, leaving my clothing at ground level. I sprinted away, leaving James to waddle around the clearing before he, too, succumbed to the urge I experienced earlier and took to the sky in a flutter of black feathers.
Focusing my attention at ground level, I searched instinctively for Killian’s furry form. My beast stood of a height with his, which made us good running partners. Well, bouncing partners. The wind garnered fresh life, fluttering my feathers in all directions. I let a deep boom roll up my long throat at the freedom my legs gave me.
Speed.
My favorite thing. Because if I couldn’t fight something, I could run from it. After a while I became aware of a steady pounding on my right. Killian’s powerful gray beast slammed his long feet into the ground alongside me, his tail thumping the ground in a rhythm that set our pace. The large kangaroo’s leaps kept stride with me as I ran. Both of us pushed hard. Blood streamed through my body, leaving me in a constant flush as we maintained our adrenaline high.
Above us, Rafe let out a piercing cry that shot pure velocity through my veins. I tossed my head in Killian’s direction and veered away from him, where bushland opened outinto a plain. Small, but enough to tire my legs for a bit, even if I darted across it or ran laps.
I half expected Killian to chase me, but he gave me the room I sought. I ran on, tearing away my fears, the anxiety accumulated throughout the month sinceI last left the city and ran.
And ran.
****
Material brushed my skin, constricting and alien after the freedom of my feathers. The shift removed any remnant of sweat, leaving me clean and fresh, if somewhat exhausted. Rafe leaned back against his 4WD, his eyes closed, Willow and a cluster of baby quokkas bundled on his lap, his adopted family safe in his protective embrace. More than one of them snored in a symphony of rising huffs. Something that had long lay empty opened in my chest. I turned away, not game to disturb the wedge-tailed eagle shifter to find out who made the loudest sounds.
“Weird, isn’t it?” Killian brushed my shoulder as he slung a tan cotton shirt over broad shoulders, leaving a line of exposed chest and torso visible.
His sun-kissed skin gleamed golden beneath the material, enhancing curves of hard-won muscle in the boxing ring against our boss. The sliver of skin disappeared as he buttoned the shirt up with deft fingers, leaving me wondering what else the big man might do with his hands.
Work hard, play hard.
It should be the Aussie national motto, but the shifter community took it personally, pushing ourselves to the edge in everything. Killian was no exception.
A shiver, not unlike the one he’d incited before our run, tore through me. He tracked its progress, my skin heating beneath his intense gaze.
“What, you not being able to hold yourself in even with all this space around us?” I didn’t bother to rein in my snark and motioned to the picnic space cleared between age-old trees, vacant except for the remaining Fray staff and a handful of stragglers who popped a cluster of six packs and hung out in the back of someone’s ute.
I didn’t recognize the crowd, catching more than one international accent, and turned away as a tossed beer can pinged over a passing car. If they wanted to self-destruct and drive themselves home drunk, they could explain to the park rangers their warped reasoning. I didn’t get involved. That’s why Fray had security. They weren’t my problem.
