Her Perilous Wolf - Julie Steimle (types of ebook readers TXT) 📗

you insane?” Rick shouted at him, his eyes looking to others for support. But they were all keeping out of it. “I am a danger to her—just like Eve is to Hanz.” He looked to Audry. “Heaven and all its angels did not want Eve to marry Hanz. They removed her from him because she was too dangerous for him. And I am too dangerous for you Audry.”

Silence nearly filled the street. The Elf sighed. Randon and Silvia exchanged looks as the police cuffed and handled the remaining SRA agents. But all his friends cringed. It was not clear if they agreed or disagreed, though Audry knew a few were still shipping Breacon, and that gave her hope.

“Rick Deacon!” Audry huffed, seeing that scared wolf in his gray eyes. “Would you stop that!”

Pulling back like a dog chastened, Rick stared at her. Even Darth yipped and sat down.

Staggering over to him on her sore legs, Audry set a hand against his cheek, tying to steer his eyes to look into hers. “You didn’t hurt me. Those jerks did.”

“But—” He went pale, peeking to Andrew for help. Andrew kept his distance.

“Look,” she snapped, taking his face in her other hand. “I have this horrible habit of being attracted to dangerous men,” giving a ‘what-are-we-going-to-do’ shrug while the others watched on. “…and according to Skyler, attracted those whose names start with the letter H.”

He drew in a breath.

“…Which you overheard back in Yellowstone when you were the wolf,” she said, stepping even closer to him, “and nearly dying.”

He colored, his eyes peeking to others for escape as his hearth thundered in his chest. But no one looked like they would interfere. Her scent filled his nostrils, stirring in him all desire for her. And as she stepped closer, he very much wanted her—but he was terrified what would happen after. …How she would be hurt. How she would be attacked. He could not let himself be that selfish.

“You listened in on some rather private conversations then, wolf boy,” she remarked frankly, her voice teasing.

“You’re not going to start calling me that too, are you?” Rick moaned, putting a hand to his forehead. It made her let go.

Onlookers chuckled. Tension died.

She smiled at him, leaning nearer. “Well, do you prefer it to being called rich-boy?”

“No,” he said, frankly, lifting his eyes to her, trying to keep it on the level of ‘friendly’. “The world can handle ‘rich boy’. If you call me ‘wolf boy’ the way Tom does, you are going to draw in a lot more trouble. And Tom… he can handle it.”

“Because he is a man?” Audry huffed. She folded her arms.

“No,” Rick snapped, peeking to the others who seemed to think the crisis of the argument was over. “Because he is half imp, can walk through walls, go semi-invisible, and command an army of imps to do practically anything he wants. There is very little that can hurt Tom. What happened to the tazer my mom gave you?”

Audry shrugged, glad he at least was not fleeing. “I gave it to Jandra. But I had another one, and they took it.”

He swore under his breath. Lifting his eyes to her, he said again, “Audry. You need to get as far from me as possible.”

“No. I. Don’t.” Audry snapped. He was so stubborn. “That hasn’t worked. I told you. I went all the way to Africa and—”

Rick lifted up a hand to stop her, spotting Michael Toms who had come up with Tommy Whitefeather and Vincent. He pointed to Michael. “He can help you out.”

Irritated that he was not giving this up, Audry looked to Michael. “Who’s he? Another one of your bodyguards?”

Rick shook his head. “No. They’re SRA, but good. That’s Michael Toms and Tommy Whitefeather—and… your cousin?”

Audry recognized Tommy Whitefeather who, when he spotted her, merely tipped his head to her with a nod. He was the guy who had been at Rick’s first environmental conference, the second time she had met Rick. But she also stared when she saw Vincent with them. Seeing they were being pointed out, Michael, with Vincent and Tommy, marched up.

Vincent hugged Audry immediately. “Oh! Audry! When I found out—!”

“I’m ok,” she whispered to him, peeking at Rick as she was not done with their argument. “He’d never hurt me.”

Rick blushed, overwhelmed by her confidence in him. Yet he looked desperately to Michael and Tommy for help.

Vincent turned his eyes Rick and nodded. “But who did?”

Rick backed away from him, seeing Vincent’s justified concern. Yet Tommy put an arm around Rick’s shoulder, preventing him from escaping.  

“SRA,” Michael said to placate Vincent. “And we’ve got enough evidence to try them in a court of law. It’s all good.”

“She needs a bodyguard,” Rick said to Michael, stress lining his face. He looked to Audry “Your cousin was smart. Michael is the perfect person to help you. He lives in the West. You can finish your PhD, protected.” Rick’s eyes then trailed to Tommy Whitefeather. “Or even better, Tommy Whitefeather is amazing. I’d bet he’d help you out. He’s Navajo, originally from the reservation, so he knows some of the territory out—”

“Dude,” Tommy interrupted, looking mildly offended, “I know more about New York City than Arizona. I visit the Rez, but I don’t live there. And she’s working in Idaho.”

Shooting Tommy a ‘you-are-not-helping’ glare, Rick snapped, “But you can… you can protect her out west. Right?”

They looked to Audry who was shooting Rick a mixture between an irritated look and one of deep fond pity.

“Only if she wants me to,” Tommy replied with a shrug. Then he winked at her. “But I don’t think she wants me to. Maybe you should do it.”

Audry grinned at Tommy. She knew she liked him.

Vincent grasped his nose ridge, suppressing a louder internal moan. He seemed to be thinking more along the lines of Rick. He wanted her safe.

Rick shook his head at him, coloring in desperation. “Tommy…”

“No,” Tommy shook his head more, taking a retreating step from the werewolf. “Look at her. She’s not running. How often do ghoulies like us find normies like that?”

“Normie?” Audry side-glanced at him. So had Vincent, though not so much out of lack of understanding. More like he was getting used to hearing it. Vincent was clearly ready to take her home. Her startling bruises were enough reason to. And yet Audry hung near Rick, refusing to leave his side. Vincent could see her mind had been made up.

Sensing it also, in distress, Rick gazed to Audry, his grays fixed on her with worry. “Ok, I can hire you a bodyguard. I know a few people living in Colorado who might do it.”

Audry sighed, watching Rick retreat once more. Again, she could see in her mind’s eye his tail tucking, his ears flattening, whining, but like an animal who would snap at anybody who dared hurt her. He was her wolf.

“I am going to say it again.” She took one more step close to him. “Maybe you should do it?”

“Oh… come on.” Rick flustered, his gray eyes widening in panic. Even his hair seemed to stand up.

“Why do you sacrifice so much for me?” Audry stroked his hair away from his face, “but run away so far?”

“I don’t want you hurt.” Tears welled in Rick’s eyes, watching her.

“Too late,” she said, stepping close. “I am going to say it again. If a Chinese demon would attack me in Africa, knowing I knew you, then it is going to happen again and again until you defend me yourself, because I don’t want to stay away from you. You’re my wolf.”

His eyes widened.

“The point is…” She came up to him, her lips tenderly touching his, smelling his warm musk. She breathed him in as she kissed him. It was so nice to finally do it. She pulled back, cradling the side of his face with her hand. “…You can be happy too. Rick. It is ok to hope.”

Several there drew in breaths as she kissed him again.  

Nothing Wrong with Hope

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Eighteen

 

Shaking, feeling her warm soft lips against his, Rick’s gray eyes took in hers, even as she leaned back from the kiss to get his response.

“They’ll hurt you,” he murmured as soon as he got breath, too afraid to hold her, though that kiss had been desired for years. “My grandmother…. My mother…”

“I have a trank gun, you know.” Audry took one of his hands, holding it in hers.

Staring at the novelty of her hand in his, the feel of her palm touching his and fingers intertwined, Rick put his forehead against hers with intimate grief. “You didn’t today.”

She sighed, leaning her body against him with no desire to let him go, her hands now holding him. “Look. I like you. I always have. I’ve just been in denial because of well, you know. Dumb reasons.”

His eyes widened, not sure of that were true or not. A shiver went through him again as he could almost feel her heart beating next to his from within her chest. His breath drew in, smelling that sweet aroma that was Audry’s beautiful scent.

“Yeah, I’m not happy you can’t be vegan,” she muttered with a nonchalant shrug, “but I understand why now.” She kissed him on the nose.

Vincent smothered a laugh. As awkward witnesses of this private moment, everyone was not sure if they should back off or interfere. But truly, neither Rick nor Audry seemed to notice all the hopeful stares from so many of them. Jessica and Silvia had gravitated toward one another, exchanging optimistic looks.

Rick chuckled, his eyes only for Audry. But tears also filled them. He was not sure how to respond. Was it wise to entertain this idea that maybe they could be together? Or was it just dangerous? This entire day was proof it could kill her and him.

“I just don’t think it fair that you should be lonely,” she whispered to him.

Heaving a sigh, shaking his head, Rick drew in a breath along with a conclusion that he could fight with as a weapon. “So… you feel sorry for me.”

Michael and Tommy both stifled a laugh. Vincent looked the other way. Rick picked it up, but ignored them.

“No.” Audry shook her head, groaning. Her fingers traced the scars along his jugular. “And yes. I mean… all this time you were the wolf, and I love the wolf deeply. But I think it was because I could see you in him that I loved him. He was the most soulful wolf I have ever met. So human.”

Rick colored. But he also breathed more naturally. Perhaps it was cruel to be that honest.

“He always seemed so sad,” she murmured, staring into Rick’s gray eyes. “But now I see it is you that is sad. You don’t have to be unhappy.”

“Oh, don’t pity me.” He painfully chucked, tears still in his eyes, yet not falling. He leaned away, teasing, “I mean, I’m really rich. And you hate that, right.”

Vincent stepped away, tugging Michael and Tommy with him. They nodded, giving those two some space. It was clear those two really needed to talk.

Audry shook her head, her face still close to Rick’s. “I hate the snobs of my extremely rich relatives who sneer at those who are not wealthy like