BERSERKER - Book One of The Celestial Series

Chapter 41: The Zoo

Sven watched Nikki as she rolled Becca's stroller on her elegant high heels boots, through the busy Central Park Zoo.  She was always dressed like a model straight out of the catwalk. 

He shook his head.   It was clearly uncomfortable but she would never admit it, would she?

"You do know that people are allowed to wear jeans and sneakers when on an outing with kids, right?"  He smirked, looming over her as always.

Trying to look annoyed, Nikki replied: "Of course I do!"  She glared at him, uncomfortable.  "And why are you always so inappropriately too close to me?" 

He was a berserker, after all, she thought.   A monster that she had just researched on.  (Don't get too friendly.)

She only accepted to come with them, because of the kids, of course.

Deliberately, he leaned over her ear.  "Maybe it's because you smell so good."

Nikki glanced at his big open smile and chuckled.  It was so irritatingly contagious, and the worst part was that he knew it. 

She shook her head, trying not to feel like little red riding hood because Sven seemed just about ready to take a big bite.  All she had to do was give him a little sign and he would jump into action.

"You are impossible!"  She tried to hide her smile.

"I like to think so."  Sven jammed his hands in his front pockets, watching Ben approach the grizzly bear overlook.  He picked up Ben in his arms, so the boy could get a better look.

Sven thought about the fact that he hadn't been to a zoo in a very long time.  

He even checked beforehand to make sure that there weren't any wolves because it would have been way too noisy as they would recognize him as one of their own. 

He remembered how it freaked out his mom when he was only seven. They never went to a zoo again. 

But he was a bit curious about the bears and little Ben, though...  But nothing was happening between them and Ben. 

He looked at his nephew and smiled.  Little Ben was a wolf, like him.

Nikki got Becca out of the stroller so she could see the bears.

Enchanted, Becca clapped her hands, immediately attracting the creature's attention.  She started to snort and growl like a five-month-old usually does and the two female bears stopped what they were doing and looked straight at Becca. 

The bears stared for a moment and then, suddenly ran to stretch themselves as high as they could, right under where Nikki stood with Becca.

Sven shuddered for a moment and slowly put Ben down.  He looked at Nikki.  "Give her to me and take Ben." 

Nikki didn't argue, noticing the bears' reaction.

Sven crouched down and Becca placed her hands on the glass, squealing and gurgling at the massive creatures.

The big animals placed their paws over the glass and moaned loud, crying to reach Becca.

Nikki had picked up Ben.  "Sven, I don't think you should do that."  She said worriedly, looking around.

"This is amazing, Nikki!  They think she's a little cub!"  Sven exclaimed, completely captivated by the moment, when all of a sudden, he noticed a man with a camera filming the encounter.

Nikki followed his gaze.  Gently, she placed Ben back on the floor. 

"Hold on a moment."  She walked decisively to the man and, after a brief conversation, exchanged the camera for a dollar bill.  She then returned to them with a triumphant smile on her face.

"There."  Nikki handed the camera to Sven.  "You can show it to Dean and Gaby when they're back."

Sven was very impressed.  No wonder Lux was so attached to Nikki.  She was... quite incredible. 

"How much was that bill for?"   He placed Becca back in the stroller.

"One thousand?"  Nikki blurted out like it was nothing.

"What?"  Sve frowned.  "You walk around with thousand dollar bills in your tiny purse?"  He furrowed his brow and whispered, looking around and hoping no one heard her.

Nikki raised both her gloved hands.  "You never know when you're going to need it, just as we did, now."

Becca started screaming and thrashing around, trying to get out of the stroller.  She wanted to see the bears again that started to cry louder for her.

Sven raised his eyebrows.  "I think it's time to go."

Agreeing, Nikki picked up Ben in her arms, so they could make a quick exit.