Changed by Fire (Phoenix Rising #6) - Harper Wylde Page 0,47
forms? Or exercise our powers?” I questioned, secretly hoping he’d choose the former. I wanted to see his Puca again, but I had a feeling he’d stick to the routine he’d planned out for today’s session. It wasn’t lost on me that Killian kept to his human form where other people could see him, only seeming comfortable with shifting around me or the guys. While the gym itself was private, the doors were always unlocked for anyone who wanted to join, which was a chance Killian wasn’t willing to take.
How much teasing had my Celt endured as a child to be flayed open and raw over the form he took? It made me sad to think about, but I also knew we all had our own internal journeys to make, myself included. I’d made so much progress overcoming the trauma of my past when I was around my men, but being thrust into a rebellion full of strangers had proved harder than I’d originally thought. It had taken me weeks to acclimate to accidental brushes and touches, and I was still struggling with personal contact from acquaintances who thought nothing of the harmless gestures. Many nights, nightmares plagued my sleep, set off by unfamiliar surroundings and scents. I hated feeling vulnerable and broken. It was one of the reasons I enjoyed training with Killian so much, no matter the focus of our sessions. Working my body, muscles, alter, and powers brought out a strength in me that chipped away at my own perceived fragility. The endorphins were as good for my soul as they were for my mind, giving me a sense of security and power I hadn’t had before Killian got a hold of me and helped mold my confidence.
Killian scrubbed a hand over his hair and down the back of his neck as he contemplated my question. He wavered for just a moment before I saw his resolve strengthen. “No, it’s important that you learn how to defend yourself in all situations. As shifters, it’s easy to rely on our alters, and as mythologicals, it’s even easier to rely on our powers, but you never know when you’ll be without your strongest assets, and it’s crucial you know how to defend yourself at your weakest.”
“Well, when you put it like that…” I muttered, crossing an arm over my body to stretch and then repeating the process on the other side. “I don’t like thinking of humanity being my weakness.”
“Pit a shifter against a human and the shifter will win any day. Nothing wrong with being human, but those are the facts. We were made inexplicably stronger, faster, and sharper. We’ve more power than they do, but at the end of the day, we’re only as strong as our biggest weakness.”
“Is that why you work out so much?” I questioned, while he guided me to where he wanted me.
Killian shrugged. “That’s definitely part of it.”
A sixth sense told me being human wasn’t the only reason he worked so hard on honing his body, but because of his Puca as well. The wary glint he wore told me it wasn’t something he wanted to delve into right now, so I eyed his bulging biceps instead, and a playful smirk easily made its way across my lips. “Well, your humanity is looking mighty fine to me.” I grinned and unabashedly checked out my mate. His arms were thick and strong, the muscles flexing like I was trailing my fingers over his skin rather than my gaze. The sweats he wore hung low on his hips, framing his perfect ass and showing hints of the erection that was stirring to tent the soft fabric. The scruff on his jaw was a little more defined today, thicker than he usually kept it, hinting at a few days without being touched by a razor, though the line of hair on his neck was neatly trimmed. His red hair was messily styled, but it just added to his sex appeal, reminding me of how he looked when he first woke up in the morning. How the hell I’d gotten so lucky as to know his ‘fresh from the sheets’ look, I’d never know, but my heart surged with the reminder that this big, tall, sexy beast of a man was mine.
“Fuck, Annie girl,” Killian drawled, his green eyes darkening as his pupils expanded. I tracked the quick flick of his tongue as it snuck out to wet his bottom lip as though he couldn’t wait