by Tiory Clark

Created on: July 12, 2008   Last Updated: October 04, 2008

Nobody's Angel

*Prologue* The Highlands Scotland, 1108

Rage and grief enveloped the man at the top of the valley. He had never felt this sharp pain before and he had no liking of it. Once the rolling green mountains had excited and exhilarated him, now they seemed dull and lifeless. The winds grew stronger and mist slowly started to creep over the ground. He looked around at what had once been his haven, a peaceful place he could think over his plans and realized it offered no solace to him.

The weather seemed to adjust to fit his mood perfectly. He smelled the rain before it began and he could feel the lightening as it prepared to strike. It had to be his imagination but it seemed like the trees where swaying violently in anger. He had searched the valley from top to bottom for his son and he now knew for certain he was not here.

This helpless feeling that had started gnawing at his gut by the end of the second day of searching was new to him. He remembered the vow he had made to his mistress as she lay dying after she was ripped in two by his son. The vow he made to keep him safe and to protect him from the harsh realities of life. She wanted her son to have a good and clean soul. He knew that Jess was somewhere trying to bargain with devil to get her hands on him. He could almost feel the hatred coming from below the ground. Jess had never been much of a woman but she had loved the child that was growing in her belly. She had loved that child even as it killed her. He had no doubt that if she could find a way to would rise up from hell and drag him back down with her she would. He knew he wouldn't even put up a fight if she did.

He had grown up with no rules to guide him and that had formed the man he was. He had been a hard, controlled man ruthless in his pursuit of power. When at last he had created his own fortress and had a life set up for himself. He had ruled with an iron fist only seeing things in black and white. He had never let emotion interfere with any decision. Then his son had arrived and turned his world upside down. The child had laid a tender siege unto his heart. Changing him from a wild untamed beast to a milder version of his former self. His brothers had teased him mercilessly about the changes he had made to include the boy. Although they loved to joke about how soft there brother was getting, they loved his son as he did. His son had no idea of the goodness he brought to the band of wild brothers. He was the only good and innocent thing that had ever touched their lives.

He, a man that took on armies alone, a man who was fearless and courageous, and a man who was called the devil himself did something he hadn't done since he was four years old, he laid his head in his hands and cried. The tears and rain mingled as he silently wept letting the misery run over him one more time. After the tears he stood not bothering the wipe his face. It had been two months since his son went missing and he had no doubt that he was probably dead. This time he replaced the rage and misery with something more sinister and calculating. He let his hate and anger drown out all the other emotions and closed off any of the softness his son had brought to his life. Now was time for the real hunting to begin and he would start tonight. He would hunt, capture and slowly kill whoever had dared to take what was his. Aye, this emotion was better and definitely something he could use. Squaring his shoulders, he let out a loud whistle. He watched as his stallion charged up. He had taste for blood and by the end of the summer he would have it. He smiled and let the hatred seep into every pore of his being and for the first time in two months he felt nothing. Aye, the beast was back.

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