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

You see, he was the last member of a group called the Holy Seven. And he was searching for their successors.”

Audry nodded slowly, getting it. “Which is what you are now.”

“Exactly,” Jessica nodded.

“But what is that?” Audry asked. It mattered. “What is the Holy Seven?”

Sighing, Jessica silently delved into her brain for the best explanation, growing more pensive. “There’s eight of us, to start with. And we are chosen to perform a job—which is to make sure supernatural things leave the natural human world alone. You could say we are… uh, chosen knights, so to speak.”

Staring, thinking on all those whom she had met who were in the Seven—from Jessica’s husband Andrew, Daniel, his friend James the forest ranger, Peter McCabe the famous soccer player, and those others she only met once when Jessica had given birth to Ivy—Audry nodded. “Yeah… You kind of do give off that vibe. Especially your husband.”

A flattered grin rested on Jessica’s face. She nodded. “Yep. He is like that when he is dealing with the supernatural stuff. But he’s mostly a normal guy.”

Audry begged to differ. Andrew Cartwright was intimidating. He just seemed more levelheaded than most men. He had that veteran sort of feel about him, the kind of man who had seen death, probably had PTSD, but loved truth, justice, and honor above all else. He was better than Captain America.

“But anyway, our job is not easy,” Jessica continued, not noticing Audry was distracted. “But we have been doing this since we were chosen.”

“Since you were in high school?” Audry was stunned, watching Jessica nod affirmatively.

“I know. It’s weird.” Yet she was smiling. Jessica then said, “We found out the Deacons were werewolves my sophomore year of school. We were already the Seven by then—which, as I said, includes eight people. Don’t ask me about the math. We have debated it ourselves and decided our group name is a misnomer. But anyway, Rick had come home from New York and it was full moon. The witches were harassing him, and he was handling it like a champ. But we found out the facts of it from Michael Toms, and then from Rick himself. There were hunters in town around then—possibly let in by the witches for all we knew—and he was getting shot at. In fact, I nearly got shot. They were shooting into my yard.”

“What did you do?” Audry asked, breathless, even looking for gunshot wounds.

Shrugging, Jessica replied as if it were all in a day’s work, “My mom called the police. They did nothing. It turned out they were letting the hunters roam our town, too scared of werewolves. So we took them out—but not before Andy got an arrow in his side.”

Audry’s eyes widened, murmuring ‘Took them out’. She wondered if they had killed them. She hoped that was not the case.

“Rick and I snuck into the hospital to make sure the witches would not mess with my then boyfriend.” Jessica chuckled, mind back in memory lane. “It was quite a week. But, that was the week Rick had decided to stay in town rather than go back to New York City. Turns out that Mr. Jones, the man who made us into the Seven, had told Mr. Deacon about us, and the Deacons thought it was safe to come home. You see, Rick had been taken away to New York in the first place because of the witches. His father was worried they would overwhelm his son now that he had proven to be a special kind of werewolf. Rick is unique.”

Audry’s head was swimming. This was a lot of information. Jessica was clearly no ordinary woman. “Ok… But what am I to do? I’m not a chosen special ops supernatural knight or anything. You are a police detective now, one of the best, and I know what Daniel is like—Silvia’s brother. I get it. But—”

“I wasn’t though,” Jessica interjected, seeing her meaning. “Not back in high school.”

Deidre nodded, carrying the food from the kitchen. She had the plate of sandwiches and the soup. “It is dangerous seeing things other people don’t and having no protection.”

Audry lifted her eyes to her. “You… you are also like this?”

Shrugging, Deidre went back to get Ivy from the jumper. Heaving her out, she handed her back to Jessica so she could rest. Jessica cradled her squirming daughter who was resisting a nap. She had been nodding off in the jumper. Darth followed, resting his head on Jessica’s knee, just adoring baby Ivy.

“I see ghosts,” Deidre explained, her solemn eyes on Audry.

Audry took in a breath.

“It’s genetic,” Deidre elaborated calmly. “But the gift did not wake in me until after my mother died. I had a normal childhood before that. But my cousin also has it.”

It clicked immediately in Audry’s head. “Johnson…. Your cousin’s a homicide cop.” She looked to Jessica who knew whom she was talking about.

Both of them nodded. Officer Joshua Johnson was a tall, quiet sort of man with dark hair. Audry had found him kind and patient, but she also noticed the air was always chilly around him.

“So how do you protect yourself when you see these kinds of things?” Audry begged her. If anyone would know, this woman would.  

Deidre shrugged. “There are two ways. The first is to never talk about it.”

Audry groaned, knowing that did not exactly work.

“The second is to… well—”

“Surround yourself with people who can protect you,” Jessica interjected with a firm nod. She took up a sandwich and started to munch. She also handed one to Ivy who grabbed and squeezed it onto her tiny fist, bringing it to her face. Some of it made it into her mouth. Jessica gestured for Audry to have some.

“Is that how you did it?” Audry looked to her, not quite getting a sandwich. She wanted to see what was in them first.

Jessica nodded, taking another one then opening it to show Audry it was egg salad. Not vegan, but she knew Audry did not mind eggs. “That, and the guys wanted to train me to fight for myself. We had formed a medieval club. However, in the end, I just learned to play on my strengths.”

“My strengths?” Audry inwardly groaned, picking up one sandwich. What were her strengths which could hold up against a demon?

Smiling at Darth, patting his head, Jessica chuckled. “You are already doing it. You brought back a very loyal dog. You came to me to make sure what you know is true, and you are looking for help.”

“But I’m scared,” Audry said, trying not to reveal how much she was shaking. “When that Chinese man turned into a snake and attacked me, I nearly died. I don’t know what to think anymore.”

Deidre and Jessica both gazed at her mournfully. They understood.

Jessica nodded sighing. “Yeah. That’s a valid point. I know the feeling. However—and you are going to hate me for saying this—but when you chose to rescue animals, why didn’t you choose just nice soft fluffy ones? Why did you focus on the predators and not just the herbivores?”

Moaning, Audry hated stupid questions like these. She took a bite of sandwich, thinking. “All animals have defense mechanisms. Just because an animal is small or an herbivore does not mean it is harmless. I just happen to love the predators.”

“Even though you are a vegan.” Jessica smirked with that look in her eye.

“Animals eating meat to survive is not evil,” Audry protested. “It’s their nature.”

“And yet you look down on Rick for eating meat,” Jessica interjected—this totally out of left field.  

“No.” Audry lurched with a stare, her face flushing. “He’s a wolf. He can’t help it.”

A wide smile spread across Jessica’s face. Pure pleasure was there. Even pride in her, as if saying ‘My Audry is all grown up’. Jessica plucked up another sandwich, waiting for Audry to see what her point was. She did not say more.

And Audry colored more, her face growing hotter. Ok, so she wasn’t helpless. And yes, she was no longer upset Rick could not be a vegan. So what? She was still scared.

Deidre smirked, reading them both.

Darth licked Audry’s hand, now resting his head on her knee whining.

“Uh,” Audry rose, “I think he needs to go out. Um, I’ll be right back.”

“We’ll walk with you,” Jessica announced, heaving up Ivy who was now resting her drowsy head on her mother’s shoulder.

Together they gathered a baby stroller, pulled on some shoes, and snatched a small bag for picking up dog poop. They were soon out and on the sidewalk together, strolling toward a park that was not far away. There, they continued their conversation.

“I’m glad you have forgiven Rick for liking meat,” Jessica murmured, strolling as she pushed the stroller with Ivy in it.

What could she say? Audry sighed, keeping a decent hold on Darth’s leash as he trotted ahead cheerfully, sniffing posts, cans and all other things in search of his own private toilet. Disliking Rick for liking meat would have been like spiting Darth for being a dog. And while watching Darth, Audry wondered how much like a dog Rick was when he was a wolf. She only ever saw him wounded, never just as himself in good health.

“You know, I always thought it was stupid of him to keep his relationship with you so distant,” Jessica murmured. “I understand why. We all told him you were strong enough.”

Audry colored, glad the sun was setting. It would hide the color change in her face.

“Honestly, I always thought you were the answer to a prayer,” Jessica chuckled to herself, walking slowly, “—that Rick would find someone who could love the wolf in him. He lit up every time he heard your voice. And then we’d watch him get upset with himself for liking you.”

Audry wished Jessica would not talk like this. She was embarrassed enough knowing Jessica had shipped Breacon for years. Yet now she knew why Jessica had. Her fondness for the wolf was the key.

Deidre cleared her throat, interjecting, “I know. But understand why Rick did what he did. Audry is right. He’s had a lot of death in his life. I don’t think he’d handle it well if she ever got hurt.”

“Then we won’t tell him,” Jessica hissed back warningly. Audry realized with a peek at her that they were talking about Africa and her nearly dying there—not about her possibly getting hurt in the future.

Resignedly, Deidre nodded.

As they strolled toward the park, Jessica continued on that vein.

“Honestly, I don’t think two people so suited for each other should be apart,” Jessica complained. “I’ll forever ship Breacon. I know it is a paper dream. I know why he does what he does. And I know what your hang-ups are. But Audry, I think there is no better match than you and him.”

Chills went down Audry’s arms and body. No better match? Her and Rick Deacon? She could not believe that. They bickered every time they met together. Admittedly, it was because he teased her about veganism; but how can she argue about veganism with a wolf?  Besides, it honestly scared her—the idea that she had fallen for a werewolf. She had read those kinds of books once, werewolf and vampire romances. Those stories all ended badly. People died in stories like that.

“Uh, Jessica,” Deidre butted in in a counter tone. “Rick and Audry have every reason to be uneasy. Remember, death kind of follows him.”

Audry looked to her, getting that haunted feeling again.

“Like I told you, I see ghosts,” Deidre explained much to Jessica’s open grief. “But I also see death angels. They’re creepy. And luckily I don’t see them often. But every time I’ve encountered Rick out in the world, I’ve seen them. They are always watching him from street corners, anticipating a possibility that they could reap him. Actually, the fact that Eve became one is somewhat ironic, as she is one of Rick’s good friends and extremely protective of him—as you full well know.”

 Audry paled, halting though Darth lurched