Page 25 of How to Woo the Undead

A bunny.That’s what she needed. A rabbit, small, fluffy, boundless energy but also very sleepy at times, liked to munch, and relatively easy to sew together. He could get a pattern! How hard could a rabbit be? Strong back legs, little wiggly nose, whiskers? Big ears!

If he was wise, he could find the parts while they were outside!I’m brilliant! Brilliant idea!He beamed to himself as they sprang out into the early morning sun. The sky was sparkling blue, the air smelled of fresh dew, and the garden was vibrant. Little squirrels scurried across the yard as they slowed to a walk out in the damp grass.

Only, Hyacinth stopped moving halfway to the garden. Her eyebrows knitted down on her face and her hand wrapped around him tight. Austin lurched then stumbled back to her side. “What’s wrong?”

“You didn’t see that?” she gasped.

“See what?” He scanned the yard.

“That shadow...” she murmured, slipping away from his arm. Austin treaded lightly, making sure his steps didn’t scare off anything as Hyacinth picked up her skirt in the front. The garden was lush with new growth. Unlike gardens outside of the manor, the magic from their maker pumped the soil with life. All the poisonous plants were bright and vibrant. Not to mention the willow tree at the back of the garden, its dancing branches always blooming with little pink flowers. The massive patch of black dahlias and ruby roses along the outside of the garden were a special project Kevin made for the newest members of their family.

Austin hesitated at the edge of the garden, finding purple hyacinth’s blooming in a massive clump.Those weren’t there a few days ago.He’d have to thank the zombie gardener for his hard work. Hyacinth’s did grow on the property but now they were in the garden with the others.

“There!” Hyacinth blurted out, and Austin whirled around. He followed a blur of black as it dove deep into a rose bush. Austin tip toed around the boxes of lilies and nightshade, all glistening with morning dew. Magic created a tiny, cool fog that crept along the mulch in the garden, making it hard for Austin to tell where he was stepping. Until he came to the roses and the inky blur rushed off away. It left a trail of blood in its wake.

“It’s hurt,” he blurted out.

“It must be scared,” Hyacinth slunk around other garden beds. They worked opposite each other, creeping after the crimson paw prints. They were tiny little dots smeared across the mulch, nearly disappearing beneath the thick, heavy mist. Hyacinth dropped suddenly and he rushed to her side. Something thrashed in her skirt. “Got them.”

“Gentle,” Austin breathed, kneeling down next to her. He speared his hands into the bundle of fabric, feeling little claws and teeth scratch at him. But, unlike the dryad in the lab, this did nothing but scrape a layer or two off his hide. Austin furrowed his brow as he got his hands around the thing. “No.”

“What? What is it?”

He slowly slipped the writhing creature out from her skirt and held an obsidian rabbit to the sky. It froze. Wide, crimson eyes that glowed, face full of prey panic, with its back paws pressed to his palm and nose wiggling swiftly.

“It’s a bunny,” they both whisper-hissed at the same time.

“They’re so cute!” Hyacinth leaned in close, inspecting the tiny creature’s face. Austin safely scruffed the rabbit to keep them from needlessly thrashing about and cupped them into his arm. Thankfully, they softened into a round, fluffy ball. Even with their heart beating rapidly, he could tell they were calming down.

This is even better! A real rabbit! I didn’t even have to get a pattern for this one! I didn’t even have to sew this one!He grinned down at the tiny, woodland creature as Hyacinth stroked her hand sweetly down its back. When her palm came back with speckles of blood, the pair inspected them for injuries. Austin couldn’t find any wounds on them, but then realized the blood was dripping from their mouth.

“Oh no, probably ate something in the garden. Let’s get them to Lord Rosemont.”

Hyacinth nodded vigorously, following him back toward the house. Neither of them noticed the bloodied, mutilated squirrel body that was slowly eaten by the oversized, flesh-eating mushroom.

Chapter Thirteen:

Hyacinth

“Andthisisourroom!” Hyacinth told the bunny as she stepped into her bedroom. A few hours ago, Austin rushed the rabbit back down into the lab and Hyacinth stayed on his hip every second. Sebastian inspected the rabbit’s mouth, having to scruff the tiny thing and hold it upside down toproperly see. Then he made a few things in a mortar and pestle.Just to cover all our bases.Once the little thing coughed up a clump of fur, bones, and something vaguely flesh like, their newest house animal was deemed ‘right as rain’. While she didn’t know how rain could be right, she didn’t question the doctor. Especially when the bundle of inky fur settled into her arms like he always belonged there.

“I’ll have Kevin bring up some hay and pellets for him. Why don’t you two get comfy?” Austin spoke from the door. She gave him a nod of acknowledgement but if she was being honest, she was mostly concerned with showing her bunny everything in the room.

She started with the boudoir that Agatha filled with clothes. Then to the bathroom where Melody showed Hyacinth how to wash her hair. Finally stopping at the bed. She crawled up into it, letting her bundle explore. Her back to the headboard, she hugged the werewolf-pelt teddy bear to her chest.

It’s starting to lose its smell.She frowned, looking down at the stuffed animal pressed to her chest.It’s starting to lose his smell.Hyacinth pouted to herself only till she realized, somethingdidsmell like Austin. Her. She smelt like him. It brought a smile to her lips as she brought her forearm up to her nose. The metallic scent of a storm that had just passed, fresh dew, and tilled earth, how it washed over her and made her stomach twist up again in happy little knots. When she sniffed her teddy bear, it was faint, but still there.

“He smells good,” Hyacinth confessed to her sniffling bunny as he came bounding up to her. She leaned over, extending her arm to the wiggly nose. “Doesn’t he? I don’t know why, but he makes me feel comfortable. And I like talking to him. He said we’re friends. I’ve never had friends before. I was just made the other day, you know. Do you have any friends?”

She inspected her bunny that continued to sniff up her arm, like he was tracking a scent. It tickled, a sensation that elicited a giggle from her.My elbowpits are always sensitive…Hyacinth froze, staring across the bed.That wasn’t me, it couldn’t be, I wouldn’t know that.Her spine ached at the curve of it as she leaned further over her lap. The inky fluff continued to wiggle his nose down her arm as she searched her mind for the source.Who are you?

Her gaze traveled to the left, toward the far wall next to the boudoir, where the full-length mirror sat. It faced her bed and she saw herself on the bed, bunny and teddy bear and a stranger. A woman lingered on the other side of the bed, all in red. Long auburn hair, dripping in front of her face to cover everything but the glowing purple eyes. All Hyacinth could focus on were her eyes. She couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t blink. Eyes screaming in pain, dry and itchy, she wanted to tear away. But the woman in the mirror crept closer to the bed. To the point she felt the other side of the bed give under the weight of another person. Hyacinth’s body shivered. Fingers cold,stomach tied in knots, her tongue turned to a sink stopper in the back of her throat. Long fingers with even longer nails arched over her and she felt little puffs of frozen air against her neck.

There was a flash of teeth, but it wasn’t the woman in the mirror. It was her rabbit.

“OW!” She yelped, jerking out of her trance. Immediately, glancing to her right and finding the bedroom empty. No woman in red dripping all over the bed. Just an empty space and cold air. When she glanced back, her hero was staring at her arm where a tiny bruise was already forming on her glassy skin. He thumped his back feet against the duvet.

“Did you see her?” Hyacinth whispered to the bunny like he would answer her.Honestly, who knows anymore.But the rabbit stayed silent, thumping the duvet again. “Well, thank you, regardless.”