“Let’s ride,” Kontra called, excitement filling the big grizzly’s voice.
Vail squeezed Draven’s shoulder. “How long have you ridden motorcycles? Has this thing been thoroughly checked?” he asked, suddenly worried. If his lover had just picked up the used bike this morning, he wanted to make certain they rode at a speed where Draven could keep up.
Draven smiled and bumped their heads together gently. “Don’t worry about me,” he assured. “I’ve been riding since the invention of the thing. I just didn’t have one because I’ve been a cop for so long and didn’t see the point of having one.” He smirked. “Can’t take a perp in on a bike,” he added, winking.
Chuckling, Vail nodded. “All right,” he replied. Kissing him gently then releasing him. “Let’s roll.”
After Draven swung a leather-clad leg over his Victory and put his helmet back on, Vail headed back to his own bike. “We’re on channel six,” Vail said as he climbed onto his own bike and put on his helmet.
As they left the driveway, Draven took a position to his right. Vail glanced at him periodically, making certain his lover appeared comfortable with his bike. Draven glanced over at him and winked. Something in his gut eased, and he grinned back, then focused on the road.
The group wound their way slowly out of town, heading north. They stopped at a roadside diner for supper, then drove for several more hours. When darkness fell, they found a small town with a motel. Due to the size of the place, doubling up on rooms became a necessity.
With privacy at a minimum, Vail found him and Draven paired up with Caleb and Emmett.
Draven lounged on one of the queen beds and looked at the two shifters. “So, you’re not the same species. Is it okay if I ask you what your animal is?”
Caleb smiled from where he was tucked in Emmett’s arms. “I’m a chameleon. Emmett’s a white buffalo.”
“Ah, yes. His fellow herd-mate is one of the people Vail assisted in saving. I guess we’ll never know if that was when the spell broke or later while helping Yuma’s mate.” He glanced toward Vail and lifted a brow. “Maybe before, even. You seem the altruistic sort,” he teased.
Vail rolled his eyes while the other two men chuckled.
Draven’s eyes narrowed. “In fact, you all seem very…helpful. You give bikers a good name.”
Emmett shrugged. “I think it has more to do with the bumps of life,” he said.
“What do you mean?” Draven asked curiously.
Vail knew what he meant, but kept his mouth shut as the mated pair exchanged looks. Caleb turned to Draven and said, “We’ve all had some problems in the past, either getting beaten, or kicked out of our pack, or living on the street.” He shrugged. “At one time or another, we’ve all been helped by someone. If we can help someone out of a tough spot, we want to pay it forward.”
Draven nodded. “Noble.”
Chapter Nine
Although he enjoyed just holding Vail all night long, Draven liked fucking his beloved in the shower even more. He really liked that Vail was as versatile as he was, and the man’s playfulness ramped up his excitement. Draven knew he’d never get enough of the shifter.
Draven wrapped a towel around Vail’s shoulders and pulled him close. Drying his lover, he asked, “How far away is your family?”
“Oh, another five or six hours,” Vail said.
“When was the last time you saw them?”
Vail’s brows creased as he looked over Draven’s shoulder, obviously racking his brain. “Twenty-five, twenty-six years, I guess. I call my dad on his birthday, he calls me on mine, and we talk on Christmas. He knows I travel with Kontra, which eases his worry quite a bit.”
“I look forward to meeting him,” he said, rubbing Vail’s hair with the towel. He resisted the urge to lick the drop of water slipping down his chest. “Do they know you’re coming?”
“Uh, no. This is something I really wanted to tell my father in person,” he admitted.
“Ah, then let’s get going,” Draven replied, slapping his lover on the ass.
Draven watched the fields give way to mountains and pines. He relished being able to ride a motorcycle again. His last few days with Ricky had been bittersweet. The man actually seemed almost accepting, all things considered, and he certainly understood wanting to do something that didn’t involve dealing with the dredges of humanity on a daily basis.
They’d agreed to keep in touch, and for a few years, Draven probably would. Sadly, because of his lack of aging, he couldn’t keep human friends long or they’d start to notice.