bit.
A part of him wanted to find a woman who could tear the wall down. But another part wanted to maintain it forever as a shield, and to find a woman who could simply understand why he needed it so badly.
He rose, stretching, wearing nothing but a pair of cotton boxers as he caught a view of himself in the long mirror next to his dresser. He knew that women found him attractive, as they did most lion shifters. But he could never see it, whatever appeal it was that he was supposed to have. Instead he saw damage and weakness. None of the strength and power that he was supposed to possess; none of the supposed good looks. And as he wandered to the kitchen to make his morning coffee, he wondered if there was a woman on earth who could put up with him. If she was out there, he already felt sorry for her. Dealing with a mess like him couldn’t be high up on anyone’s priority list.
When he’d downed his breakfast of coffee and a small bowl of cereal, he dressed and rode his motorcycle over to his Sovereign’s place. Lucas, the head of the Shardik Pride and Tyler’s boss, had told him that he wanted some experience on his own new cruising bike, and Tyler had promised to show him around the quiet country roads on the perimeter of Grayson City.
“You ready for this?” he shouted as he watched his boss leave the building and walk towards him at nine a.m., helmet in hand. Lucas was tall, powerful and so handsome that he all but literally had to fight women off on a regular basis. Though more often than not, he welcomed them into his bed rather than resist their allure. He wasn’t particularly keen on sustaining meaningful relationships for more than a few hours at a time, and had always seemed to Tyler to be perfectly happy with that aspect of his life.
“Am I ready?” Lucas said, chuckling. “I don’t know if it’s possible to be ready for a ride with the likes of you. Just don’t get me killed, okay? Don’t forget that I pay you to keep me alive.”
“I’ll do my best to not be directly responsible for your demise, how’s that?”
“That doesn’t sound promising at all.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
Tyler was a vigilant and responsible bodyguard. But when he got on his bike, instinct tended to take over, and this ride would be no exception. At first, he guided Lucas out of town at a conservative speed, obeying laws and the rules of traffic etiquette. But once they hit the city limits, the bodyguard hit the gas, propelling the bike forward as its engine raged under him.
Lucas could see immediately that his protector was taking him on what would become more like an insane race than a leisurely cruise, Tyler’s bike seeking to break the sound barrier as it disappeared into the distance. Lucas had once heard him say that his rides were an escape. Far from responsibility, from traffic, angry humans, and angry shifters. But the Sovereign, who’d grown to know Tyler well over the months, had always assumed that the real escape was from his own mind.
----
A nd as he sped forward , Tyler all but forgot about the important shifter on the bike behind his. As soon as he was free of city traffic he accelerated to a speed that most people would have considered nuts.
How do normal people do it, anyhow? he asked himself as his body and the bike swept over the paved road, leaving a long spray of flying leaves and dust in their wake. How do other people just go along with their daily lives without driving their fists regularly into punching bags, or riding around with a shitload of horsepower between their legs?
Well, he wasn’t intending to find out, ever. The woman who may or may not choose him, however special she was, however appealing—would not tell him to compromise who he was for her. He would never give up his bike or his gloves for anyone. He would try his best be devoted—if they got along—but he wouldn’t surrender his needs. And if she cared about him, she’d try to understand.
As his bike surged
A part of him wanted to find a woman who could tear the wall down. But another part wanted to maintain it forever as a shield, and to find a woman who could simply understand why he needed it so badly.
He rose, stretching, wearing nothing but a pair of cotton boxers as he caught a view of himself in the long mirror next to his dresser. He knew that women found him attractive, as they did most lion shifters. But he could never see it, whatever appeal it was that he was supposed to have. Instead he saw damage and weakness. None of the strength and power that he was supposed to possess; none of the supposed good looks. And as he wandered to the kitchen to make his morning coffee, he wondered if there was a woman on earth who could put up with him. If she was out there, he already felt sorry for her. Dealing with a mess like him couldn’t be high up on anyone’s priority list.
When he’d downed his breakfast of coffee and a small bowl of cereal, he dressed and rode his motorcycle over to his Sovereign’s place. Lucas, the head of the Shardik Pride and Tyler’s boss, had told him that he wanted some experience on his own new cruising bike, and Tyler had promised to show him around the quiet country roads on the perimeter of Grayson City.
“You ready for this?” he shouted as he watched his boss leave the building and walk towards him at nine a.m., helmet in hand. Lucas was tall, powerful and so handsome that he all but literally had to fight women off on a regular basis. Though more often than not, he welcomed them into his bed rather than resist their allure. He wasn’t particularly keen on sustaining meaningful relationships for more than a few hours at a time, and had always seemed to Tyler to be perfectly happy with that aspect of his life.
“Am I ready?” Lucas said, chuckling. “I don’t know if it’s possible to be ready for a ride with the likes of you. Just don’t get me killed, okay? Don’t forget that I pay you to keep me alive.”
“I’ll do my best to not be directly responsible for your demise, how’s that?”
“That doesn’t sound promising at all.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
Tyler was a vigilant and responsible bodyguard. But when he got on his bike, instinct tended to take over, and this ride would be no exception. At first, he guided Lucas out of town at a conservative speed, obeying laws and the rules of traffic etiquette. But once they hit the city limits, the bodyguard hit the gas, propelling the bike forward as its engine raged under him.
Lucas could see immediately that his protector was taking him on what would become more like an insane race than a leisurely cruise, Tyler’s bike seeking to break the sound barrier as it disappeared into the distance. Lucas had once heard him say that his rides were an escape. Far from responsibility, from traffic, angry humans, and angry shifters. But the Sovereign, who’d grown to know Tyler well over the months, had always assumed that the real escape was from his own mind.
----
A nd as he sped forward , Tyler all but forgot about the important shifter on the bike behind his. As soon as he was free of city traffic he accelerated to a speed that most people would have considered nuts.
How do normal people do it, anyhow? he asked himself as his body and the bike swept over the paved road, leaving a long spray of flying leaves and dust in their wake. How do other people just go along with their daily lives without driving their fists regularly into punching bags, or riding around with a shitload of horsepower between their legs?
Well, he wasn’t intending to find out, ever. The woman who may or may not choose him, however special she was, however appealing—would not tell him to compromise who he was for her. He would never give up his bike or his gloves for anyone. He would try his best be devoted—if they got along—but he wouldn’t surrender his needs. And if she cared about him, she’d try to understand.
As his bike surged
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