Page 20 of Hexes & Heartstrings (Shifters of Bastion Keep #2)

Sunday afternoon, just after lunch, Russell went charging down the hill towards Town from Bastion Keep. Clinging to his back was Bruin, his hands gripping tight to Russell's fur. His boyfriend was cheering in his orcish way, making long, guttural grunts.

It actually sounded a lot like the mating calls a group of burly bikers had made to him a couple years back, while he'd been visiting his moms at their smoke shop.

If they hadn't smelled so lustful, Russell might have mistaken their wolfish grunts for mocking his shifter nature.

Instead, he'd ended up shifting into his werewolf form and allowed a couple of the men to run their hands through his fur while they shopped, which had felt nice.

Thinking back, they'd probably only kept their hands above his waist because of his stepmom's glare; she was far more discerning of any potential suitors than his free-loving ma, who would have been happy to supply them all with an assortment of condoms.

Anyways, right now Bruin smelled happy, which made him happy, and he howled out his delight.

"Enjoying yourselves, my mates?" Ser asked them, and Russell spared a glance to the side.

Sergiy Usenko, Lord of Bastion Keep, his boyfriend and mate, though not a promised one, like his lord was with Bruin.

Ser's drake form was bright in the autumn sun, its pale gold the match of his siblings.

His back had rougher scales like a crocodile's, but his underbelly was a softer, more delicate hide.

As he ran, his mane waved, and his tail swung in perfect balance.

Russell had waited five years for him to welcome him back into his arms. Russell thought about it, then decided that yes, the wait had been worth it.

Noticing his watching, Ser sidled closer, carefully leaning his thick neck over so he could give Russell a lick. He then apparently proceeded to do the same thing to Bruin, because Russell scented his mirth.

"Eww, drake slobber!" their boyfriend said.

Ser did a throaty trill. "And here I thought my mate enjoyed being coated in my fluids!"

"Someone's feeling clever, today. Maybe it's because you finally gave yourself a day off!"

Russell's tail wagged. It was nice to spend time with Ser.

At the pace they were going, it didn't take the three of them long to reach the valley, and Russell slowed as they approached Town's checkpoint, which restricted traffic to and from the keep during incursions.

Russell padded over to the station. After allowing Bruin to dismount, he shifted into his human form, picked up the padded saddle he'd been wearing, then entered.

The waystation was split into thirds, one part showers, one part locker room, and one part waiting area.

Vending machines were prominent, available for those guardians hungry for food, and there was a unique touchscreen kiosk that could be used to call for a cab or check the train schedule—Town had several bars, yes, but if a guardian wanted more night life fun, they'd have to go to a larger city nearly an hour's ride away.

Russell led the way to the array of large lockers. He exchanged his saddle for clothes from Bruin, donning a shirt, kilt, and sandals. Then, the saddle and the now-empty clothes bag went into a locker, which Ser locked for him using his birthday as a familiar code.

"So where are we going first?" Bruin asked.

Russell looked over to Ser, who was making sure that his casual outfit was fitting properly around his human form. His scent was like someone trying very hard not to do or smell like anything, which ironically made it easier to tell what he was thinking.

Russell confirmed that he had his earplugs in his sporran, then took Bruin's hand in his as he led the way out of the building and down the road.

◆◆◆

"We won't stay long," Ser said neutrally, though his scent betrayed his excitement as he navigated through the arcade with ease, a game card gripped in his hand. "I doubt we'll stay the whole hour."

"We could," Russell assured him, keeping his head bowed. He saw Bruin looking up at him, and he gave his boyfriend a pat on the head. "You haven't been here in a long time. You should have fun."

Russell could still see a multitude of blinking lights, but his lowered head blocked out the worst. Likewise, the earplugs muted most of the cacophonous sounds from the impressive gameroom. Not entirely, not with his shifter hearing, but it would be tolerable for a short time.

"Have you considered getting blinders?" Bruin asked him.

Blinders? Were those like sunglasses? He chanced a glance out of the corner of his eye at his boyfriend.

"They're used for horses." Bruin demonstrated by putting his hands on either side of his head.

"They make it so you only see what's directly in front of you.

Or how about dark sunglasses? Or a blindfold!

I don't have one with me, but we could probably tie my shirt around your face, or something.

You can move around just by your sense of smell, right? "

Bruin was starting to get hyper, constantly turning his head to stare at him, Ser, or the room and its people, several of whom were paying the recognizable lord of the castle a bit of attention.

Russell grabbed his boyfriend by the back of his head and buried it against his side, sweaty from the miles long gallop and the walk from the station to the arcade. Bruin immediately flushed, smelling embarrassed, but when he pulled back, his emotions had settled somewhat.

Well, settled into lust, but settled all the same.

"Sorry.And thanks."

"Mm. I will think about the idea of dark glasses."

"Okay. What about your sense of smell, when moving around? I've seen you move around Sergiy's room and the castle without light."

Russell was shaking his head as they came up to one part of the arcade where a particular pair of jet ski simulators were kept. One was occupied, but the other was free, and Ser immediately swiped his card through it.

"I remember where objects are put, and I have good night vision. It would not work in a strange environment."

"I see." Bruin gave him a tight hug. "Well, not unless everything was covered in jam—"

"What!How?"

Russell stepped closer.Lifting his head carefully, he saw what the problem was.

"Someone beat you."

Only four out of five of the top high scores had Ser's initials. From the numbers, it even looked like he'd been beaten by a fair margin.

Ser looked stunned, but soon started smelling like determination.

Carefully, the Lord of Bastion and the until-now undefeated champion of the game shifted into a modified weredrake form.

In order to not crush the machine, Ser was keeping a lot of human in his form.

No claws, no extra height, but according to the fond memories of several long rants, he needed the tail for the fine attunements.

"I'm guessing this is where you're going to be for the next hour, huh," Bruin said, smelling amused.

"Oh!I mean…"

Bruin shook his head, then pulled Ser's snout down to plant a kiss on the tip. "Nah, you're good. I'm not much for video games. Besides, what kind of guy doesn't support his mate when he's conquering evil?"

Ser stared at their little witch, a smile slowly widening, and then with a determined snort he mounted the bike, his tail lifting poised as he gripped the handles.

"Right! Get ready, mate of mine, you'll see why I'm the best at this."

"Crush them, Sergiy!" he cheered, taking hold of Russell's hand.

Closing his eyes, Russell smiled, listening to the familiar music, and the familiar cadence of Ser playing the first level.

At the end of the hour when the game card ran out, though, the best that Ser could manage was to replace his previous fifth place. Russell heard him dismount.

"Looks like I'll have to give up my champion title," he said in good humor, his voice changing pitch as he shifted from weredrake to fully human. "At least for now. Good job, whoever you are!"

"I'll bet you're just out of practice," Bruin said encouragingly. "If we stay another hour, I'm sure the reflexes will come back!"

"It's fine. I don't want to subject you to another hour of boredom—"

"I had fun watching you!Did you know that you chirp every time you're about to hit a ramp?"

"—or Russ to another hour of these lights and sounds."

"True."

Russell shrugged. It would be nicer not to be in the arcade, but he would tolerate it, for Ser's sake.

"If I were really serious about it," Ser said companionably, "I could just ask Mr. Levins to let me come in one evening after closing and spend the night retaking my crown."

Holding Bruin's hand, Russell allowed himself to be guided to what felt like the front of the building, and he used his free hand to adjust the blindfold that had been made out of Bruin's shirt. It had been a thankful reprieve when Bruin had offered it, cutting out some of the strobing lights.

But then his boyfriends came to a stop, and the three scents that Russell had been smelling skulking around the area for the last half-hour finally approached. The first scent he was well familiar with, belonging to a man whom he'd crossed paths with many times before. And accompanying him…

"Lord Usenko! Lord Usenko!"

Two young pups, based upon the pattern of their footsteps and the high-pitched squealing. He smiled, imagining Ser adopting his growly face, which kids seemed to love.

"Good afternoon. My, that is a proper bow, isn't it. Let me give you one in return… there. Now who taught you how to do that?"

"Our daddy. He says you're the son of Lady Usenko, and, and…"

"And that you're a fierce warrior!"

"Yeah, the fiercest!"

"And that your job is to protect everyone."

"The whole town, and the whole country, and—!"

A man cleared his throat pointedly, and the babbling settled.

"M'lord, I'm sorry, these kids are just so excited to see you."