Panthers were strong and solitary animals. Animals are more aggressive than humans; naturally, so are Shifters. Fighting can be fun and playful with the right people. At some point, someone found they could make a quick buck hosting neighborhood fights. After a while, it got serious, and people got greedy. Fighters started getting paid less and wanted out. Except that wasn’t an option anymore. It changed from fun and playful to life and death. That was the birth of the SBM and the fear of panthers.
“You didn’t try to sneak a peek?” Flora asked, giggling as she walked up to Dylan's open door. Most people do, but her panther must hide pretty damn well if they never found out what animal she was. She wished it didn’t have to be such a secret.
“Nope, you wish to keep that aspect of who you are a secret. It won’t stop me from guessing, though,” he stated simply, looking up from his phone. Most people try to guilt her into telling, but there was no sign of resentment or bitterness in Dylan’s eyes.
“Thank you,” Flora said slowly, reaching her hand out to his silver chain necklace, pulling it from out under his black long-sleeve shirt he always wears.
Dylan’s face flushed red at the closeness of Flora's body. Her cream-colored outfit followed the wind, blowing away from her body. Dirt from the car door stained the right side of her pants and cardigan.
“When did you get this?” she whispered. Staring at the simple chain, and dragging her nails across each link, her nails made contact across the skin near his collarbone.
“When I got my first job, Jackson gave me the chain before I left. It reminds me no matter how far I go, there will always be a home waiting for me when I get back,” Dylan reminisced, a small smile landing on his face.
“It's beautiful,” she said, letting the chain drop back into place. “Show it off more. Be proud of it.” Dylan just smiled, starting the car, and driving towards the strip club for his shift.
“Proud and loud are two different things, grizzly.”
“Not a grizzly — you would’ve heard my footsteps when I shifted if that was the case,” Flora commented.
He could guess all he wanted, but that didn’t mean she’d tell him when he was right. Their guessing game didn’t feel forceful or malicious. She couldn’t help but smile every time it came up. What would he guess next? What random animal would he think she shifted into? As long as the game remained lighthearted, she let the game continue.
6
FLORA
Flora didn’t really know what a "shift at the Club" would be like, but seeing Dylan standing by the back door, waiting to walk anyone who asked to their car was boring as hell. Pushing her dirt-stained cardigan open, the heat in the building began to bother her. She sat at Emery’s backstage station while she was dancing. Four months into their relationship, Emery and Flora realized they were better off as friends and had been ever since.
Each station was set with a half-table, stool, mirror, and locker. Emery’s station was closest to the back door and once she heard of Flora’s little problem, she offered her stool to her while she went on stage so Flora could be close to Dylan. Opening her phone, Flora swirled on the stool, setting Emery’s heels on the table. Just because Flora wasn’t at work didn’t mean she had to stop working. Eyeing all angles and dynamics of the well-worn pole shoe, she studied the structure and noted it in her phone. The last thing she wanted to do was make a perfectly cute heel that wouldn’t be useful.
“Why is this passion project so important to you?” Dylan wondered, leaning against the back wall. Eyes scanning the room, as he’d been doing for the last hour.
“Well, Emery and I met a while back. On a date, actually. When she found out I'd never been to a strip club, she invited me here. The first time I walked inside this club was to see her perform,” Flora shared, continuing to take notes on her phone. “Of course, her performance was hot, but it was also inspiring. The acts here are more than being sexy, at least the good ones are. It's about the dance, the story they tell with their moves. I wanted to create a part of that story, so with the girls' help and excitement, we began working on a line of shoes that would enhance their performance.”
Smiling, Flora knew what a good pair of shoes did to a performer. They could confidently dance with enough support from a sexy shoe they helped design. It lit Flora up with excitement. She couldn’t wait to see them on stage.
“Have you tried?” Dylan asked, raising an eyebrow, a smile forming on his face.
“Pole dancing? Yes, I don’t have the strength required to hold myself up. It was fun though,” Flora shrugged.
“Cool.”
“Cool, that’s all you have to say?” Flora asked. He didn’t talk much, but he wasn’t even curious about her ex-girlfriend? She was damn sure curious about any of his.
The girls met at a coffee shop and Emery, with her outgoing personality, started a conversation with Flora and they started hanging out. After discovering their mutual attraction, they went on a few dates. But as beautiful and intelligent as Emery was, that type of connection wasn’t there so they both agreed to stay friends.
“You’re not very talkative, Dylan.” Flora commented, giving him her full attention.
“Not much to say.”
“I don’t think that is true, Dyl,” Flora tested. His face scrunched, letting her know the nickname was a no-go.
“Think what you want, rabbit,” Dylan smirked, finally meeting Flora’s eyes.
“You really think I’m a rabbit?”
“No, but you just confirmed it for me.”
* * *
