Page 53 of It’s A Little Bit Bunny (Fangs on Ice #4)

Fifty-two

Jules

M y sweet Nikolai.

His reassurance was all I needed.

“I think my father is a god. I’ve been trying to find out more about him.”

“Are you serious? Your father is an actual god ?”

“I think, but I will never know for sure. I can’t ask my mother for more information.”

“Yeah, I tried to get more information out of my mum when I was a teenager.” Bunny snorted. “She hated that.”

I pressed a kiss on his brow.

“I’ve been having these dreams for a while, you know? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I shifted in them, just like I did tonight. This god, his animal, is a stag. It fits…”

“It does.” Nikolai lifted his head, gripped my antlers, and kissed me. I took hold of his wrists to break his grip on me.

“Let’s eat first, Bunny. You need your strength.”

My sweet human chuckled. He palmed my ass and pinched me.

“Yeah, I do.”

I extended my magic to my antlers again, glad that I could manipulate them like I could every part of my body. Just like earlier, I was unable to eliminate them entirely. They shrank until they were nothing but two little nubs on my scalp.

“Aw, I’m sad to see them go.” Nikolai squeezed my glute again. “You look so hot with antlers, Jules.”

“Oh.” I gasped. “I’m sure I can wear them when you’re around. Maybe not all the time, though. It’s a bit of a hassle when I get caught in branches or lamps.”

Bunny snorted and buried his face in my neck. “Is that a fear you have?”

“No. Earlier, when I let the chickens out, I got stuck in one of the apple trees.”

“Oh my God.” Nikolai started to giggle. “I’m sorry, baby but that’s so funny. Sorry,” he wheezed again and tears trickled out of his eyes. “Maybe you better not wear them, then.” A tilt of his head and then his lips were on my cheek. “I love you.”

Our mood darkened with each hour that passed, reminding us that the time until we’d have to part ways approached.

Bunny held me in his arms.

“Please come to Veitsreuth,” he whispered in my ear. “I won’t be able to visit you again for at least a week. There’s no way I’ll survive this.”

I understood what he meant. Neither would I.

“I’m scared, Bunny,” I confessed. “And what about Barnabas? And the chickens?”

“Damn.” Nikolai folded in on himself. “I totally forgot.”

“I want to make it happen for you, my sweet Bunny. It’s not fair that it’s always you visiting me. I don’t want to be your secret. I want to be your partner.”

Nikolai said nothing but I saw in his eyes how much he appreciated my words.

I fed the chickens and locked them in their coop before we left.

“I will be back tomorrow, my sweets.”

Vines shot from the ground and wrapped around the cage.

That’ll keep them safe.

I couldn’t remember the last time I had left my home for longer than a couple of hours.

“Are you sure you want to do this, baby?” Nikolai pursed his lips and crossed his arms before his chest.

“I know it is important to you. That makes it important for me, too.” I took a few steps toward him. “I am sorry I won’t be able to stay longer than a few hours. I understand if you…”

“If I what?” He cocked his head.

“If this is a dealbreaker for you.” He had used this word before.

“You not wanting your pets to starve isn’t a dealbreaker for me, Jules. I don’t want that, either. I’m prepared to go to any length to be with you.”

“So am I, Bunny. Please know that.” I reached out to him and caressed his arms. “You are my everything.”

“Oh, Jules.” He sighed and hugged me. “Thank you for coming to Veitsreuth. It means the world to me.”

“Let’s go. I think Barnabas is already at the arch.” My Wolpertinger was way too excited. He had set off the moment I’d told him he’d be coming with us.

We took a shortcut to the arch and from there it was only a short walk to the car park where Nikolai’s car waited. It was a sturdy, blue vehicle.

Nikolai sent messages to his team members as soon as we arrived at the car to ask if a few of them wanted to meet us for dinner tonight. I couldn’t deny that I was nervous. I clutched Barnabas to my chest.

“This is the first time Barnabas and I will be in a car.”

“It’s going to be okay, baby boy. I’ll get you home safely.”

In the end, it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. Nikolai stopped at a supermarket on the way into Veitsreuth to pick up a couple of things for us to eat.

We’d agreed that he would take me back home tomorrow morning so the chickens wouldn’t have to stay inside their coop for too long.

“Bo, Nate, Arne, and Max texted me back. They’re looking forward to meeting you. I’m still waiting for Guns to reply, but I bet he’ll be there, too.” Nikolai told me once he’d stowed the two shopping bags in the boot of his car and had taken the seat next to me again.

“Hey, baby. Are you alright?” he asked when he saw my face.

“I’m okay,” I lied.

“That might have worked on me before you...” His eyes dropped to my mouth as if he still saw his blood dripping from my lips. He leaned across the middle console, placed one hand on Barnabas’ back, and kissed me.

“I’m scared,” I admitted. “Everyone used to fear me. What if they still do? I don’t know if I can exist in the world today without being met with animosity.”

“You forget that you still have me by your side. Whoever tries to give you shit has to go through me first.”

Oh, Bunny.

“It’s worth facing my fears for you. This much I know at least.”