He couldnt see her face. He didnt realize that she was being sarcastic. Poor damned fool, he bit off. Just dont think youll ever get the opportunity to try it out on me.
Mr. Patterson, she said with ragged pride, it would never occur to me that youd be that stupid. Excuse me.
She brushed by him and went into the civic center. She found Gabriel standing by the punch bowl. She was poised, but very pale.
Id like to go home, please, she said in a haunted tone.
Gabriel looked over her head at Wolf Pattersons cold expression. He glared at his friend, but Sara looked as if she couldnt take any more.
Yes, he told her. Come on.
* * *
SHE MADE COFFEE. They sat at the kitchen table and drank it.
What did he say to you?
The usual things. She sighed. But he did tell me about the woman...
Ysera?
She looked up. Is that her name?
He nodded. His face was grim. We hated her. We knew what she was doing to him, but you cant drag a man away from a woman he thinks hes in love with. She damned near destroyed him. He frowned. Hes never spoken of it to anyone. Not even to me. I know about it from a girl who worked with her. She thought Ysera was warped, mentally. I have to agree.
He told me about her to warn me off, she said. She shook her head. I cant imagine a man putting up with that.
He loved her, he said simply.
She drew in a breath and sipped coffee. He said that he didnt think therapy could do anything for him. She flushed.
What else did he say?
She laughed hollowly. That I must have teased our stepfather until he went crazy to have me.
Ill break his damned neck!
You will not, she said, pulling his shirtsleeve to make him sit back down. He doesnt know a thing about me. Its what even one of my friends thought.
You were thirteen!
She winced. Maybe I wore shorts too much...
Oh, God, dont do that to yourself! he burst out. You were a child, far more innocent than most girls your age. Hed been after you for months.
I didnt tell you that! she exclaimed, embarrassed.
The prosecutor told me, he replied. He was livid. He said they should have the death penalty for cases like yours.
She lowered her eyes to the table. I have no peace. I have nightmares. She smiled sadly. Theres this man I play WoW with, she recalled. He says he has nightmares, too. Of course, he could be a woman or a man or a child, I dont really know, but he...he gives me peace. We get along so well together. He said that he couldnt get away from the past. I know how that feels.
He didnt dare tell her that her WoW friend was none other than Wolf Patterson. The player was the only real confidant she had, besides Gabriel. It was one of the only happy things in her sad life, that game. Perhaps it was the only thing Wolf had, as well.
Do you know who he is in the real world? he asked conversationally.
Oh, no. I dont want to, she added. The game isnt like real life.
We just have fun playing together, like children. She laughed. Its so funny. I dont have friends, you know. But I have a friend in him. I can talk to him. Not that we go into specifics. But hes a compassionate person.
So are you.
She smiled. I try to be.
Sara, do you understand now why I told you that you cant afford to let Wolf get close to you?
She nodded.
Someone said that Ted got insistent about dancing with you, he said abruptly.
Yes. He tried to drag me out onto the dance floor, she replied uneasily. Mr. Patterson caught him by the collar and almost threw him into a wall. She shivered. Hes scary when he loses his temper.
Only because he never loses it, Gabriel replied. Thats one man you dont ever want to make mad. Well, if youre a man, that is. Ive never known him to hurt a woman. He studied her. He was aggressive with Ted?
Yes.
He didnt want to make the obvious assumption, but it presented itself just the same. Ted was trying to put the make on Sara, and Wolf was protective of her. Jealous over her? Possibly.
It wouldnt end well, he said, thinking out loud.
Dont you think I know that? she asked. He even told me that he...gets even for what the brunette did to him, with other women. She flushed.
He doesnt talk about it, to anyone, he repeated. Why did he tell you?
I dont understand why, either, she replied. He hates brunettes.
You have to make sure he doesnt develop a taste for you, he said firmly.
She nodded. She was remembering how it felt to kiss him, to be in his arms, and she didnt want to. She didnt dare tell Gabriel how things had already gotten physical between them.
Dont worry, she said gently, and smiled. Im not suicidal.
* * *
A FEW DAYS LATER, she had occasion to remember those words.
CHAPTER FOUR
SARA WAS DRIVING past Wolf Pattersons ranch on a Sunday afternoon, on her way home from picking up a loaf of bread at the Sav-A-Lot Grocery Store, when she noticed a big black form in the middle of the road.
She slammed on the brakes just in time to avoid hitting what was on the road, a huge Rottweiler. It had blood all over it.
She parked her car in the middle of the road. There was no traffic, darn the luck, so she couldnt wave down anyone to help her. She approached the big dog. It was whining. There was blood on its side, and one leg was turned at an odd angle.