Her Perilous Wolf by Julie Steimle (free e books to read .txt) 📖

of her Great Aunt Helena’s first grandchild announced—Brittany Louise Bruchenhaus. A shudder went through her, invoking a deep and tired moan. Brittany was worse than Samantha Lydia. The Pennsylvania Bruchenhauses were beasts—top of the social food chain, who chewed people up and spat them out. Vicky really had hoped they would not come. But unfortunately, they had. The worst part of them was that they did not pretend those they deemed lower than them did not exist, but criticized them incessantly.

Peeking over, Selena still seemed distracted with the previous conversation. She whispered, “What did Audry say to her?”

Vicky shrugged. “I dunno. Something about learning how to swim the hard way. She’s back in Africa so I can’t ask her.”

“Back in Africa?” Selena stared more. “Was it really that big of a shock for her then?”

Gazing at Selena and how she nervously stood despite her usual powerful posture of a woman who knew herself, Vicky once more got the impression that she was on the verge of a great secret. She finally asked, “What happened at the party? What was supposed to have shocked her?”

Selena’s cheeks went pink. “I’m sorry. I’ve spoken too much.”

Vicky shook her head. “No. You haven’t said enough. Is there some secret you’re not supposed to tell me?”

Meeting her gaze frankly, Selena nodded. “I’m afraid so.”

That left a bad taste in Vicky’s mouth. “Why?”

Closing her eyes, Selena replied, “You’re a good person. So is Audry, and your brother. Which is why I won’t elaborate. Um… just know this—Rick is trying to protect her. And those crazy people who shoot at him might shoot at her if they think they are friends.”

Vicky leaned back. “Yeah… Audry said that. She told us…” she shook her head. “…he had bullet wounds, and he had showed them to her at the beach.”

Selena nodded, breathing more easily. “Yes. That’s it. That’s what he did.”

“She also said kids went to that private school of his for their protection.” Vicky met her gaze. “But you went there.”

Blinking, Selena nodded as if it were a matter of course.

“Why did you go there?” Vicky asked.

Blinking more, almost dizzy from the question, Selena shrugged. “Oh… Um, I’m gifted.”

Vicky stared back. “Gifted? You mean super smart?”

Selena laughed, but shook her head. “Yes, and no. Um, Gulinger was a school for specially gifted children. And sometimes just children who needed especial protection. I was, um, there for my temperament.”

Vicky did not understand. What kind of temperament was Selena implying?

With a shrug, Selena looked toward the partygoers. “Well, how about I guide you around this quagmire of sycophants and society snakes? You’ll be safe with me, and I can guarantee a bit of fun while we’re at it.”

Vicky nodded. She got the feeling Selena was done with that conversation.

Selena knew everybody—or nearly everybody. She introduced Vicky to some of her old friends and also to some newer acquaintances. She dodged Ewan Steed altogether, though, merely pointing him out at a distance.

“Ewan…” Vicky nodded, then gazed over the crowd. “I’ve heard of him. I think he was a friend of Lillian’s back in high school.”

Chuckling, Selena nodded, “She wished. Your cousin Lillian tagged along behind two of my friends, Deborah Wincott and Amanda Pedderson. She totally crushed on Ewan Steed and his friend Stewart McGivens. But even Ewan is not stupid enough to date an underage girl.”

“And Stewart?”

Selena laughed. “Stewart? Oh, I don’t even think he saw her. And he’s married now.”

Vicky heard Lillian laugh. It carried from a group of people where she was standing just barely within. Lillian already had a drink in hand—and it was probably her fourth.

“Oh no…” Vicky moaned. “She’s already drinking….”

Lifting her eyebrows, Selena cringed.

“If I knew how to stop her, I would.” She then quickly looked to Selena. “By the way, I am so sorry about how I left the party. I don’t know how it happened. I honestly only had two drinks—”

Selena lifted up a hand with an apologetic smile. “It wasn’t your fault. I saw.”

But Vicky shook her head, her cheeks flushing. “No. It was wrong. I’ve never done that before. I don’t go to parties and drink until I pass out.”

“I know.” Selena smiled more, her gaze even more apologetic. “Audry and Vincent were surprised when it happened. They mentioned it.”

Yet Vicky could not shake off her embarrassment, peeking to Lillian who was laughing even louder. “We’re going to have to carry her out—and Great Aunt Helena’s clan is here… and they are so going to mock us.”

This time Selena glared toward Great Aunt Helena’s posse. She nodded. “Yes…. The Pennsylvania Bruchenhauses…. Even my grandparents were glad to find out Audry was not one of them. They have a mean reputation.”

Vicky drew in a breath. “Audry met your grandparents?”

Selena nodded.

“Is there anybody Audry does not know?” Vicky nearly laughed it.

With a shrug, Selena was about to reply, but Samantha Lydia strolled by, hissing at Vicky, “Do something about our cousin. She’s an embarrassment.”

Turning, Vicky glared at her. “Why is it my job? You’re the eldest.”

“I’m delegating,” Samantha Lydia drawled out. “Besides, no one will stare so much if it is you.” She was saying that as if Vicky were nothing more than ‘staff’.

Selena harrumphed. She tugged on Vicky’s arm to move them to a safer part of the ballroom.

However, Lillian spotted them, thoroughly sloshed, and followed, talking loudly. “Why did you break up with that white-haired freak? You really seemed to like him.”

“Oh, for pity’s….” Selena rolled her eyes, halting. She turned. “Is this necessary?”

“Ever’body wants to know,” Lillian said, with eyes trailing after Selena… as apparently it had been the topic over in that group and they did want to know.

With a dry gaze for them all, Selena said, “My grandparents hated him. Ok?”

She walked off, pulling Vicky with her.

“And to be honest, the novelty died out,” she murmured just for Vicky’s ears. “He was a good friend, but honestly, he wasn’t Rick Deacon.”

“You really liked Rick?” Vicky asked, peeking back to Lillian who went to get another refill, yet feeling rather sad for Selena.

Selena nodded painfully, peeking also. “But he was never into me. He hated the sound of my voice. He said it gave him headaches and—”

“Well, that’s rude!” Vicky protested. It was appalling Rick would say something like that. She had heard he was a tease, but not rude.

But Selena shook her head. “No…. It did give him headaches. Rick’s got all these super sensitive senses. I mean, his hearing is phenomenal. He can hear pitches other people can’t hear. And for that matter, he has a hyper sense of smell. He hated my perfumes.”

“I still think it is rude,” Vicky murmured, folding her arms. Lillian was now leaning on Samantha Lydia who was looking irate—especially in that Brittany Bruchenhaus was sauntering up with her cousin Tara, preparing to wage family warfare.

But shaking her head more, Selena replied, “No. He was being as polite as possible. And we argued a lot, besides. I kind of… I kind of blackmailed him into dating me, actually. He was just never interested.”

Vicky still thought it was mean to say she gave him headaches, but kept quiet. At least she had confirmed the rumor that Rick had dated Selena only as a social arrangement to keep some guy from hitting on her. 

“He was more into sporty girls,” Selena murmured with a sense of despair. “Girls like Jessica… or Audry.”

Vicky blushed—though she suspected this already. Vincent had said once that Rick bent over backwards for Audry. He had even offered to buy her a new car. And she had heard those rumors that he had helped her get her last two New York apartments.

“But Audry is not into him—” Selena laughed even more painfully. “—mostly because he’s rich.”

“It’s probably because he is not a wolf.” Vicky snickered wryly.

Selena stared.

Seeing her stunned look, Vicky explained with a chuckle, “There is this wolf Audry is obsessed about. She has it on a tee shirt, and it used to be her screensaver on her computer and cell phone. Vincent used to say she was in love with it. She rescued it once. Or, twice—I think.”

“Twice?” Selena blanched.

Nodding, Vicky then heard something fall. It was Lillian. People were laughing. Vicky set her hand over her face.

“When was the second time?” Selena asked.

Cringing as she stared after Lillian who was telling people she was fine, Vicky told Selena all about the summer cougar attack. “…But, well, a wolf is no match for a cougar, so he was badly wounded. Skyler told me the wolf practically had his skin peeled off, and they said it was amazing that he survived. They kept telling to leave the wolf for dead. But Audry bound his wounds. And I hear the wolf completely survived.”

“Peeled his skin off?” Selena murmured. “I… saw the scars but he just blew it off.”

“What?” Vicky was confused. Did Selena know about this wolf?

Brittany laughed, saying something snide about Lillian, which carried. “…to show your faces here.”

Vicky colored. She averted her eyes from the scene. It was mortifying.

Selena glared that way. “Stay here.” She marched away, going directly toward the refreshments table where this embarrassing scene was playing out. Now Great Aunt Helena was there also, looking to their Grandmother Tiffany Bruchenhaus. Selena did not step into their bickering, but went to get a drink as if for both of them. Yet as she did, Vicky saw something odd happen. Selena spoke in a low voice which hardly carried to where Vicky stood. And yet she could feel something reaching out into the back of her brain which said something like: ‘Calm down. Be amiable. And avoid each other for the rest of the night.’

Almost immediately, both Bruchenhaus clan members exchanged polite smiles and walked away from one another. Brittany looked flummoxed, and yet she politely nodded to Samantha Lydia, and strutted away.

Lillian sat on the edge of the table and loudly said, “What’d ya say?”

Samantha Lydia attempted to get their cousin to stand up, and Selena gracefully joined her, putting one hand on the small of Lillian’s back while whispering into Lillian’s ear. Lillian nodded and went with her without so much as a complaint. For a second, Vicky got the impression of a nymph influencing her cousin with magic. A shiver went through her. Selena did not just have a presence that drew attention, she had something in her voice which could pull a soul along any way she wanted it to go. Instinctively whenever Selena spoke, she wanted to agree with her and do what she said.

Lillian walked off with Selena, going Vicky-did-not-know-where. She decided to follow.

Vicky found them in a side hallway where Selena had Lillian sitting in a soft chair. Selena was talking to her in a low voice. “…my fault. You are especially susceptible to suggestion, aren’t you? Alright, listen to me. No more drinking. Alcohol is terrible. It will ruin your life. Now say it with me: ‘I no longer drink alcohol. I plan to live a long healthy life’.”

Lillian murmured like one hypnotized, “I no longer drink alcohol. I plan to live a long and healthy life.”

Smiling at her, Selena rose and patted Lillian on the head. “Ok. Go to sleep. Wake up right before you have to leave, refreshed and able to walk.”

Immediately Lillian conked out in the chair, much like a rag doll. It was startling.

Selena turned to go back into the party, but halted when she saw Vicky standing there. “You—”

“Me?” Vicky walked up to her. “You can do hypnotism?”

Coloring, Selena took that notion, thought on it and shrugged. “Kind of. You didn’t stay when I told you.” She sounded astonished.

“I’m not a dog,” Vicky said, now peering down at her konked out cousin. “Will she be safe here?”

Selena laughed, nodding. “You amaze me.”

Vicky turned, blinking at her. What was so amazing?

Shaking her head, Selena gestured to Lillian. “She’ll be fine. There is an attendant at the door. I’ll tell him to keep an eye on her.”

Nodding, Vicky sighed. She looked back to the party. She