Read Online Mist on the Meadow by Karla Brandenburg - Free Book Online

relief in the quiet moments. Look
for them. And when you hold Hex, he will take your pain away.”
    “What if the moments don’t come?”
    “Be patient. They will find you.”
    Max bounded into the room. “Is this a private
party or can anyone join?” He plopped on the floor in front of the
tree and checked presents for tags with his name, which he promptly
shook before he set the box down again.
    Hexeri leapt onto Uncle Balt’s lap and
kneaded with his paws before he circled and settled into a round
gray ball.
    “Hex will help you,” Uncle Balt whispered and
then he winked.
    “Help you what?” Max asked.
    “Open presents,” Marissa answered. “But not
until tomorrow night. Now put those back and stop trying to ruin
your Christmas!”
    Max stuck out his tongue. “You think I don’t
know what you bought me? You’re so predictable, Rissa.
Honestly.”
    Marissa shivered. Did he know? Could he see
things the way she could? A few short days ago, she hadn’t known
about any of this—before her twenty-fifth birthday. Max was four
years younger. Hadn’t Uncle Balt said the men didn’t possess the
knowledge, only the women?
    “So many questions,” she said to Uncle
Balt.
    He patted her hand. “You will find the
answers.”
    “It’s called being resourceful,” Max said.
“Isn’t that what you always said, Uncle Balt?”
    “Yes, it is,” he replied.
    “It helps if you’re a . . .” Marissa began
and then doubled over in a cramp.
    Uncle Balt waved a finger. “I told you.”
    “A what?” Max asked.
    Marissa leaned over her clenched muscles. “Go
away, you little pest.”
    Max laughed. “Not so little anymore.” He rose
to his full height, six-foot-four.
    “Tall in stature, but I’m not sure you’ll
ever grow up.” She reached over to take hold of Hex. If Max would
go away, she could ask Uncle Balt more questions.
    As she stroked the cat, she envisioned Wolf
in her mind’s eye—and enjoyed the view. Her lips were suddenly too
dry and as she ran her tongue over them, she closed her eyes. The
invitation to Christmas stemmed from more than human kindness.
Marissa wanted to see more of Wolf Harper.
    Her stomach protested, but with Hex in her
arms, the cramp was mild compared to what she’d experienced when
she’d tried to tell Max she was a Kundigerin . As if he’d
even understand. Marissa possessed something her brother didn’t.
He’d never know things the way she did, but she sensed he
might be like Uncle Balt.
    Hex’s purring rumbled beneath her open palm
and eased the discomfort.
    * * *
    Ralph had gone to spend Christmas with his
family. Wolf was alone in the big, empty house, without even a
troublesome cat to keep him company. Might as well get used to it.
Ralph would only be back for a couple more days, long enough to
pick up his things and move to his next assignment. Uncle Pete
didn’t need to know Wolf had given Ralph a few tokens of
appreciation to take with him.
    Christmas. Alone. He’d already sent his
regrets to Aunt Corinne via Uncle Pete. She’d understand. He picked
up the paper with the Maitland’s address one more time.
    Spending Christmas with someone he didn’t
know was stupid. He wouldn’t go.
    The three-foot artificial Christmas tree on
the table in the corner looked bare without any gifts. If Ralph
hadn’t insisted, the tree probably wouldn’t even be there. Grandma
had tried to get Wolf to set up all the trappings, the eight-foot
tree, the garland around the fireplace, the music boxes on the
mantel, but she couldn’t leave her bed. So he’d told her he’d
decorated the house, even though he hadn’t.
    It didn’t feel much like Christmas this
year.
    Wolf stared at the decanter of scotch. Truth
be told, he didn’t like the stuff. He shook his head. What he
wanted was a cup of eggnog.
    And his grandmother.
    A tear escaped the corner of his eye and he
hastily wiped it away. Wolf’s little sister used to skip around the
house while she sang Christmas carols.