“Good, we’ll get our living arrangements squared away as soon as we’re ready to take that step.” Pyxlevir caught sight of the large changing area. “Now, go get your fine ass into that changing room and let’s see your pretty zebra.”
Gramlithyn handed Pyxlevir his hoodie, then cupped the elf’s face in his hands. Their lips met in a quick but thorough kiss. Pyxlevir watched smugly as Gramlithyn sauntered away. The hybrid Fate had paired him with was wearing soft denim that hugged his firm ass. He didn’t care what anyone thought; Gramlithyn was beautiful, caring, and needed someone to protect his heart. Pyxlevir was just the elf for the job.
Chapter 27
In the changing room, Gramlithyn made quick work of stripping. There were two exits, and Gramlithyn chose the one at the back so he wouldn’t charge out naked in front of Pyxlevir. Gramlithyn wasn’t shy about being nude around his other half, but he didn’t trust Pyxlevir to play nice, and the last thing he wanted was to get fondled in public despite the lack of people around at the moment.
Gramlithyn stalked out and closed his eyes. Breathing in deeply, he reached for his zebra. The beast responded eagerly. His heartbeat picked up as his body elongated and his skin darkened and sprouted the distinctive stripes of his animal. Fully shifted, Gramlithyn was surprised by his beast’s desire to charge to their mate.
While he appreciated his zebra’s enthusiasm, the last thing he wanted to do was scare Pyxlevir. Gramlithyn assured his zebra that they would someday bite Pyxlevir and share an eternity with him, and thankfully, the animal calmed. Happy that man and zebra were in accord again, Gramlithyn trotted out to find Pyxlevir nearly dwarfed by the hoodie he’d donned.
“I love your zebra,” Pyxlevir said, rushing over and running his hands along Gramlithyn’s flanks and long neck. If Gramlithyn had been in elf form, he would’ve smiled atPyxlevir’s enthusiasm. As for Gramlithyn’s beast, he wanted to get closer to Pyxlevir. To please both elf and zebra, Gramlithyn nuzzled Pyxlevir’s hand. His mate grinned and laughed with joy. “Can I ride you now?”
Knowing it would be a struggle for the diminutive Pyxlevir to get on his back, Gramlithyn lowered himself to the ground. Pyxlevir didn’t hesitate. The elf climbed up and immediately wrapped his arms around Gramlithyn to give him a hug. Grateful that Pyxlevir was clinging to him, Gramlithyn carefully rose to his hooves and started to walk.
Pyxlevir loosened his hold and let out a whoop.
“This is fabulous. Even better than riding a centaur,” Pyxlevir crowed, making man and beast revel in how wonderful their mate was and how lucky they were to have him. Eager to ensure Pyxlevir enjoyed himself, Gramlithyn took a long walk around the copse of trees and picnic spot. It was a new area for him though, so he kept sight of the changing room as he shared quality time with Pyxlevir.
The elf in question had loosened his hold and kept patting Gramlithyn affectionally as they rode. Gramlithyn wanted to repeat the experience as often as possible. So did his zebra. But all good things had to come to an end, and his beast was worried that Pyxlevir required food and rest despite the early hour.
Gramlithyn headed for the changing area, and Pyxlevir groaned his displeasure as the hybrid lowered himself to the ground again.
“Thanks for that, it ended too soon,” Pyxlevir complained. He surprised Gramlithyn by dropping a kiss on his zebra’s neck. The beast snorted with pleasure, and Gramlithyn’s heart overflowed with all the love he’d had for Pyxlevir since he was six years old. As soon as Pyxlevir slid off his back, Gramlithyn rushed to get dressed.
Gramlithyn used his zebra’s preoccupation with Pyxlevir’s need to eat to his advantage, and the shift from beast to man took only seconds. Gramlithyn found the stall with his clothes and yanked them on. Once he was dressed, he snagged the water bottle he’d brought for him and Pyxlevir and walked out.
Pyxlevir smiled at him as their eyes locked. Adoring him, Gramlithyn stalked over and tugged Pyxlevir into his arms. Their mouths met in a kiss, which Gramlithyn deepened immediately. Pyxlevir clung to him, and Gramlithyn would’ve tightened his hold, but they were still outside near a hiking trail.
“Thanks, my zebra and I had enjoyed that immensely,” Gramlithyn said, his gaze transfixed by the slow way Pyxlevir licked his lips.
“I should be thanking you both; that was so much fun. I didn’t want it to end.”
“My zebra is a little obsessed with you. We were enjoying the forest, then he started thinking about your nutrient and sleep needs.”
Pyxlevir chuckled. “Next time I’ll bring snacks and a blanket so I can hang out with your zebra for hours.”
The beast in question whinnied with excitement at Pyxlevir’s words. “Yeah, he’s on board for that. So am I. But let’s figure out our dinner situation so he doesn’t lose his mind.”
“Okay,” Pyxlevir said as Gramlithyn pulled away and took the elf’s hand to lead them away from the shifting area. “Thoughts?”
“Whatever you want is fine with me, I’m not feeling picky.”
“Good, because I am. I’d prefer not to share you, so I think we should order ahead and grab our dinner from the lodge on our way back to the cabin.”
“Let’s stop for a second to check out the menu.”
Gramlithyn tugged out his phone and found the correct website. They opted to select different things so that they could share. A quick call was all it took to place their order, and they were soon heading for the lodge to grab their food, which they’d been assured wouldn’t take long to prepare. One wonderful thing about the simplicity of elven diets was how fast meals could be made.
The downside for a hybrid was the amount of protein powder Gramlithyn had to dump on his fruits and veggies, but he’d long ago grown used to ensuring he had some available. It added no taste, and even the texture was minimal, making it easy to ignore. Setting aside his food concerns, Gramlithyn focused on Pyxlevir and the hint of sunset on the horizon as they enjoyed their relaxing walk on the trail.
∞∞∞
Tucking the curtains closed after a leisurely meal with Gramlithyn, Pyxlevir strolled over and made himself comfortable on the bed next to his other half. Pyxlevir had tasked Gramlithyn with finding a movie for them to watch, and the hybrid’s brow was creased as he studied the on-screen menu.
“Comedy okay?” Gramlithyn asked.
“Sure.”
