“You’re excited about this, aren’t you?” Checking he hadn’t left anything on that should’ve been turned off, Tynan got up. “I feel this is going to be fun. Sort of like a first date, but where my partner has four legs, not two.”
“It’ll be a clothes-off sort of date, but not a typical one,” Malik agreed. “Definitely fun, though.”
Tynan couldn’t stop grinning as Malik led him to a small garage tucked behind the apartment. His mate’s excitement was contagious. When the door rolled up, Tynan’s mouth fell open. Inside sat a midnight blue vintage Jaguar XK120 roadster, its chrome trim gleaming under the overhead lights.
“You have got to be kidding me.” Tynan circled the car, admiring its sleek lines and immaculate condition. He didn’t know a lot about cars at all, but the Jaguar was in pristine condition. “This is yours?”
“Restored her myself.” Pride filled Malik’s voice as he ran a hand over the hood. “Found her abandoned in a barn about eightyears ago. Took me almost three years to get her back to her original glory.”
Sparky fluttered from Malik’s hand to perch on the car’s side mirror. “It’s shiny. I approve.”
“I thought we’d take the top down.” Malik opened the passenger door for Tynan with a flourish. “The night’s warm enough, and it can be nice to get a breeze on our faces. You might want to tie your hair back.”
The leather seats were butter-soft as Tynan slid in, Sparky fluttering to his shoulder. When Malik got behind the wheel, the engine roared to life with a deep, throaty purr that sent vibrations through the floorboards.
“Where exactly are we going?” Tynan asked as they pulled out onto the quiet streets, the evening air rushing past them. He thought about his hair being tied back, quietly pleased that it happened without incident. Purple glitter would not be a good accompaniment to the tanned leather upholstery.
“My land is northwest of here.” Malik guided the car smoothly through town toward the outskirts. “As I said, it’s about an hour’s drive. The cabin there isn’t very fancy, but it’ll work for us. The whole point of buying the place was so that I would have somewhere where I could go to shift and roam without being seen.”
As they left the city lights behind, the dark road stretched before them with only the car’s headlights illuminating the way. Stars spread across the sky in a glittering blanket, and Tynan found himself relaxing deeper into the seat, one hand resting on Malik’s thigh.
“Did you know rhinos can run up to thirty miles per hour?” Malik said suddenly, glancing over with a grin. “Not that I’ve ever properly timed myself, but apparently it’s possible.”
“Really?” Tynan turned toward him, genuinely interested. “That’s… actually impressive for something you claim is so large.”
“And despite how we look, we have pretty poor eyesight.” Malik’s hand covered Tynan’s on his thigh. “We rely more on hearing and smell. When I’m shifted, my sense of smell is incredible. I could probably track you from miles away if I needed to.”
“That’s handy if we ever get separated and I get lost.” Tynan chuckled.
Sparky, who had been quietly dozing on Tynan’s lap, perked up. “Do you charge at things? Like in those nature documentaries?”
Malik laughed. “Only when threatened. We’re actually pretty peaceful unless provoked. Though I admit, when I’m in rhino form, I do enjoy knocking down small trees occasionally. It’s…satisfying.”
“What else?” Tynan found himself genuinely curious about this other side of his mate.
“Most people don’t know we’re excellent swimmers.” Malik’s thumb traced circles on Tynan’s hand. “There’s a small lake on my property where I like to cool off in summer. And despite the armor-looking skin, we’re actually quite sensitive to sunburn. I have to be careful about how long I stay shifted during daylight hours in summer.”
The road narrowed as they turned onto a gravel path, trees looming on either side. After a few minutes, Malik slowed the car and turned down an even smaller dirt road barely visible among the foliage. A wooden gate appeared in the headlights, and Malik stopped to punch a code into a small keypad on a post almost completely hidden by bushes.
“No one comes out here except me,” he explained as the gate swung open. “But welcome to my rhino range – a hundred acres of wild forest and meadows which are just perfect for roaming and stomping around. I love it out here.”
A cabin appeared at the end of the winding driveway, rustic but charming with a wide porch and large windows. Solar lights illuminated the path to the front door, and Tynan could hear water running somewhere nearby.
“It’s beautiful,” he breathed as Malik parked and killed the engine.
“It’s home - my other home.” Malik leaned over to kiss him softly. “And now it’s yours, too.”
Inside, the cabin was simple but comfortable. There was an open living area with a stone fireplace, a small kitchen, and what looked like a bedroom through an open door. Large windows faced the forest, and Tynan imagined the view during daylight must be spectacular.
“I need to shift,” Malik said, rolling his shoulders. “It’s been too long, and my rhino’s getting restless. He really wants to meet you himself. There’s a clearing just beyond those trees.” He nodded toward the back of the cabin. “Will you come watch?”
Tynan’s heart quickened. “I’d love to.”
They walked hand in hand through the trees, Sparky flying ahead and circling back, until they reached a wide clearing that was outlined with a few more solar lights. Malik stopped and turned to Tynan, taking the time to kiss him deeply before stepping back.
“This is the first time anyone else has been out here, except me,” he said with a half-smile. “I’m warning you now, my animal side is not exactly graceful.”
“Your rhino’s not likely to be huffing out purple glitter fireworks, so you’ve got nothing to be worried about.” Tynan squeezed his hand. “Show me the other side of yourself.”
