Page 46 of Secret Pucking Unicorn

You know the phrase “hung like a horse?” Anyone who ever used that phrase never saw a unicorn. Wowza. This is no My Little Pony. This is a warhorse, something from mythology or a nightmare. Or my dreams. I can understand why the unicorn is the national animal of Scotland. They are right to brag. He tosses his head in a way seeming to call me to the edge of the brick patio where he’s trotted over. I approach cautiously, knowing he won’t hurt me, but still unsure. The chill of the bricks seeps through my socks, but I don’t care. Looking in his eyes, I know this is still Declan and I have nothing to fear. He is stunning. And huge. I haven’t been around horses in years, but he seems larger than any horse I’ve ever seen. He’s leaner than the Clydesdales I’ve seen but still gives an aura of strength and size. Standing next to him, I can’t see over his back. He towers over me. I’m guessing he is over sixteen feet tall when he rears on his hind legs. He is magnificent.

With a toss of his head, he snuffles and bumps my arm with his muzzle.

I pet his velvety nose and sigh.

“No rainbow mane or glittery hooves, but I guess you’re okay.”

Letting out a huff, his giant head nuzzles my shoulder, and his tongue rasps my neck. With a laughing shriek, I skitter away. That will teach me to tease him. The gentle breeze stirs his glorious, wavy mane. He looks like he should be in a shampoo commercial. Even in this form, his beautiful blue eyes, fringed by long, dark lashes, shine with a fierce intelligence.

Then it hits me. He’s real. I’m not dreaming. We aren’t in a field of daisies and forget-me-nots, we are in a yard ringed by oak and pine trees. We aren’t children, we’re adults. But we’ve done this before.

“You’re real,” I whisper. “You’ve always been real. It wasn’t a dream.”

The trembling starts, and I can’t stop it.

Suddenly, Declan is back to himself and is pulling me into his embrace.

“Hey, Miranda, darling. Are you okay?”

He’s looking at me with such concern, brushing tendrils of hair back from my face. Tears flood my eyes. Shaking my head, I pull out of his arms and rush across the patio.

“Miranda, wait,” Dec calls after me.

I’m on the verge of sobbing and the gasping breaths I’m taking have me afraid I’m going to pass out. I sit in one of the chairs Bedard likes to sit in.

Dec kneels in front of me and takes my hand. “Daisy, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”

“I thought you were a wolf shifter? You’re a unicorn? How? They don’t exist.”

“Obviously they do.”

“No. I’m dreaming again. This is all a dream. I’m going to wake up and none of this has happened.”

“What? No. This is real.” He lays my hand against his cheek and turns his head to press a kiss against my palm. “I’m real.”

I shake my head. “Bears and wolves are real animals. Unicorns are not.”

Dec has the nerve to wink at me. “With enough practice, I promise I can be a real animal.”

I want to laugh. I want to accept this and move on, pretending none of this has happened. But I can’t.

Rising to his feet, Declan gives my hand a gentle tug. “Let’s go back inside. It’s cold and I don’t want you to catch a chill.”

Nodding, I get up and follow him. Our friends are in the rink area, waiting for us.

Kendall comes over with a mug of tea from the kitchen off the gym. “Sit down, you’ve gone pale. You’re almost see-through.”

I sit on a bench at the side of the rink, and she hands me the mug. I take a sip. It’s passable. Not as good as the tea Dec makes me, but I appreciate the effort.

I look around at all the faces full of concern, and it’s both comforting and overwhelming. My friends are nosy. I know this. But I don’t need them to witness me fall apart and try to put myself back together.

Brick, bless her, must realize how I’m feeling because she suggests they all head upstairs, but no one moves. I guess we’re going to have an audience. Whatever. If everyone hears it now, then I won’t have to explain anything later.

“So, you’re not a wolf shifter? You’re a unicorn?” I look at Sophie. “You’re a unicorn too?”

Sophie shakes her head.

“I’m a wolf. And a witch.”

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