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Like a child with his imaginary friend.

I stuffed my hands into my shorts’ pockets and pushed one of the pebbles at my feet across the forest path.

“I didn’t think you meant it,” he told me in a low voice.

My eyes snapped up to his. They were mossy green with flecks of gold, like sunlight peeking through a canopy of leaves; they were eyes to get lost in.

“I wanted to…” I trailed off, biting my lip hard.

You can’t tell him you wanted to see him again.

Jules gave me a shy smile. “Me, too.”

In silence, he led me down the winding forest path until we arrived at his home.

“Barnabas will be happy to see you.”

“Me, too.” I repeated his words, shooting him a sideways grin. His Wolpertinger had taken to me, and I to him.

“And so am I. It’s…nice…to have a guest.”

I was sure he’d been about to say something else.

“You don’t have a lot of people who come to your house? You said you didn’t like surprise visitors.”

“No,” Jules huffed. “There are not a lot of people who—well, come in, please.” He flung the door wide and let me enter ahead of him. The house still took my breath away.

Creatures had been a part of my reality since I had been a child, but magic had not.

“I fucking love your place. It’s so gorgeous,” I blurted out before I could stop myself. Then I blushed, feeling like a silly fanboy in his idol’s house as I gaped at the bright white stone walls held together by winding trees and by the magic of the man next to me.

“I’m glad you like it.” Tearing my eyes away from the grandeur of the room, I met Jules’ again.

I want to get lost in them.

Ninteteen

Jules

Nikolaiwasbackwithme. I couldn’t believe it. But if I was indeed dreaming, I never wanted to wake up.

“You asked me to see the rest of my house, but we never got past the garden. I thought we could start with a tour today.”

“Oh, that’s a fantastic idea, Jules! Yeah, I’d love to see the rest of your house.”

No matter how brash I felt, starting in my bedroom wasn’t something I would do. “Good. How about I show you my library first?”

“You have a library?“ The human snorted.

“I am 433 years old, Nikolai. Of course I have a library.” I returned his grin, already feeling a lot more at ease in his presence than I had expected. Knowing that he wasn’t scared of me made me happier than I would ever confess.

And his smiles…they made me float upstairs to my attic where the library was located. It was a large two-story space with lamps dotted all over the room and tall wooden shelves lining every available wall.

Most of it the house had supplied, growing more bookshelves as I needed them. And ladders. I loved my bookshelf ladders, maybe a bit too much.

“Wow, Jules. This place is gorgeous.” Nikolai took a few steps into the middle of the room and turned in place to take it all in. “Have you read all these books?“

“I wouldn’t say all of them. But most. A century can get pretty long when you’re alone.“