Ruffling The Peacocks Feathers(20)

Except, then the bull shifter had sniffed loudly, and out of the corner of Lamar’s eye, he saw Sam grin. “Hey, congrats. That’s awesome.”

Lamar’s head jerked up, and he’d stared at his friend. “Huh?”

Sam laughed. “I can smell the difference in your scent. Congrats on him accepting you. That’s great.”

He’d started to open his mouth, to deny the man’s observation, but then he remembered the odd tingle and wash of peace he’d experienced last night in the bathroom. In fact, he still felt at peace now, his peacock relaxed.

Unable to believe it, he’d managed to mumble thanks as he stumbled from the room, remembering to grab his keys at the last minute. His one thought had been to find a place to think, to take some time to figure out just what had happened. And now, he was still thinking.

“He left this afternoon.”

Lamar squawked. His tail came down, tucking behind him.

How could that be? I’ve waited too long?

“Geez, Lamar.” Kontra shook his head and rubbed a hand over his face. “What did you expect? You left!” Sighing, Kontra added, “I have Payson following him. He’ll give me a call in a few hours to let us know direction.”

Looking around quickly, Lamar searched for humans. He almost started his shift when he spotted a slow moving truck coming down the street. He waited for it to pass, except, it didn’t. It turned into the parking lot and stopped in a space a few down from their motorcycles.

Lamar turned to head into the forest so he could find a place to shift. The figure that slid from the truck caught his attention. He cooed in surprise.

Rueben!

Payson on his bullet bike appeared, zipping past the parking lot. He revved his engine, popped a wheelie, then sped away.

Rueben settled his crutches under his armpits and started across the lawn. “Kontra,” he called.

Lamar knew the instant he spotted him. Rueben’s halting gate faltered and his eyes widened. Lamar watched Rueben’s Adam’s apple bob, then he seemed to come to a decision, for his eyes narrowed and his cool green eyes hardened, and he continued forward.

“I heard you were leaving, Rueben,” Kontra rumbled.

“I’d planned to, but—” He shrugged. “I guess I couldn’t just leave it like that.”

Kontra nodded as he levered himself to his feet. “I’ll let you get to it, then.” He turned and looked at Lamar. “This time, you call if you have a problem.”

Lamar chirped. If he had a problem at this point, he didn’t think even Kontra could fix it.

Rueben’s brows drew down as he glanced between Kontra’s retreating form and Lamar’s peacock. “So,” he started, then sort of seemed lost. He sighed. “I feel like an idiot, talking to a peacock,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair jerkily, working around his crutches.

Lamar cooed and turned toward the forest. He couldn’t change here. He’d left his clothes deeper in the trees. After several steps, he turned his head and eyed his mate. Rueben just stood there, watching. Lamar cooed again.

Smiling slightly, Rueben murmured, “You know, you really are a very pretty peacock.”

Rueben stroking his ego flooded Lamar with pride. He couldn’t help it. Lamar spread his feathers and chittered, strutting his next several steps.

Laughing, Rueben hobbled after him. “Can you understand me?”

Lamar bobbed his head, the best he could do to show agreement.

“Damn, I’m not even sure I believe you’re Lamar,” Rueben grumbled, but at least he kept moving.

He reached his clothes, relieved they were right where he’d left them folded in a waterproof backpack, tucked under a bush. He grabbed the bag in his beak and pulled it out. The brush of fingers over his tail feathers caused Lamar to jerk around and squawk.

Rueben yanked his left hand back. “Sorry,” he murmured. “Am I not allowed to touch you while you’re an, um, a peacock?”

My mate wants to touch me?

Lamar turned back to the man where he rested with one calf under his butt and his healing leg stretched out in front of him. His crutches lay near his right hand on the ground. Lamar cocked his head and stepped closer to his mate. He lowered his head a bit and cooed. He’d like his mate to touch him again.

Evidently, Rueben understood. He reached his hand out again and rubbed it over first his neck, then his body, and finally up a couple of his tail feathers. Lamar shivered under his mate’s touch.

Rueben smiled, the expression lighting his green eyes. “Like that do you?”

Cooing he rubbed his head against Rueben’s chest.

Chuckling, Rueben carefully cupped Lamar’s beak. He lifted Lamar’s head and peered into Lamar’s eyes, staring closely at him. “Your eyes look exactly the same,” he whispered. “Blue as the sky on a clear day.”