"Grandfather"

It was unusually bright that night with oddly only a sliver of a moon to light the path. A sack was over Jemminine's shoulder bouncing and swinging against his ridged back. The sounds of laughter and music echoed into the night from well behind him at the manor, but his midnight trek was one of grim determination......Kill the white rodent.... Yes, he thought of the babe as a rodent, vermin...nothing more, despite she was his only daughter, the child he needed to marry the son of the most powerful family on the island. None of that mattered anymore. What mattered was she was white, not off white or gray. There was no mistaking the purity of her coloring. It would have been called albino except for those innocent yet understanding eyes that were so deep in their aqua color that you could swear you saw the ocean in them.

They could have dyed the child's fur black, or brown, or gray or even blue! All were the arguments given by the nurse maid. The only one who had seen the child other then himself. He wouldn't chance it though. The risk of being found out was too great. When she grew to wanting to run and swim it’d wash off and they would know. No, he had to kill her. Things were just going his way. Power, money, family, and best of all he was quickly becoming the right hand man of the All Powerful Seth. Now the name wasn't something he'd pick, he'd have called himself "Lord Seth" if he was in his shoes. But he wasn't and so he would honor Seth and call him the corny name.

Seth would kill his whole family if he found out about the girl. He couldn't let that happen! His wife, his sons, and even the brothers and sisters he and she had. All would die so the strain wouldn’t spread. He took fate in his own hands then and tried to drown the wretch in the tub. He watched her kick and struggle and stare up at him sadly. Even his hate couldn’t withstand that. He was not a killer. He was a spy. But he knew a killer. And only the killer would know how important it was to rid the whole race of this demon in a baby’s form. He stuffed her in a sack and told them all he was going to go visit his father. Jem would take him the gift of food and drink in the joyous celebration of his four boys first birthday. A peace offering towards the grudge they held.

He was going to go see his father about his little problem. Every now and then his frustration proved to much and he slammed the sack into a tree, only to hear a child like squeal of pain followed by crying. Soon he stopped, feeling quite angry and defeated about all the crying the stupid thing was doing and none of the dying. A child no more then a year old had beaten him! It took an hour walk to get to the cabin of his father. A cabin that had no windows and only one door, but a wrap around porch which always struck him as odd. He climbed the steps and dropped the sack to the hard wood planks before knocking lightly on the door.

It took fifteen minutes before the door of that cabin was opened. His father peered out at him and scowled before looking towards the sack. Jem thrust the sack into the door and his father’s grip before he stepped back wordlessly. Brome grunted with the knowledge that it was another thing his weakling son could not handle and slammed the door shut. Jem felt quite a bit lighter as he turned and made his way back to the birthday party of his four boys. There was always another chance to have a girl. His wife is young and fertile. He was not worried in the least now.

Brome was an odd man, he refused to talk to anyone and many who found words to speak to him in disrespect where found dead within the span of a day. None came to see him anymore, weather for money or wanting his services. It seemed to matter not to him, and more then one person has claimed he went insane with the tragedy that brought him to this cabin. Over the span of his life he has killed many, for his job and for pleasure. He was a living plague upon the populace of the island. Over time his skill increased to the point he became the best of the best. He was hired by Seth to be an assassin and body guard. And Brome became the number one employee.

Of a race that rarely ever went over 5'9 his height of 6'8 was quite towering even taller then Seth. Seth was human in form, a mage or demigod to most of the islanders. Brome was completely black in color, from ear tips to the soles of his feet. Even his eyes where pitch black, perfect for hiding in the shadows. He was built like a football player. His shoulders where wide and strong and his body built with a washboard stomach and powerful muscles. For all his strength he still learned to be silent and nearly invisible when stalking his victim.

Brome lived his childhood in the streets of the biggest city on the island. Ruthless murderers plagued the streets in droves. Rapists and thieves just poured out of the alleys like rats. Their race had to extremes that flawed it greatly. They either had no conscience what so ever or they had one to a bleeding heart level. The color of their fur when they where born fairly showed the level they held. It was a known fact that any of them that had dark fur where not going to have one. And anyone with light fur would probably never reach maturity in this cess pool. Little towns had more with the light fur colors.. Big cities generally where dark.

There was also the fact of anyone who had too much white or too light of gray fur where killed. Usually the parents did so before their year birthday. Sometimes the parents could not and they let the children live. Hardly any survived past maturity though, for even the ones with a conscience knew that light birthed light and white was death to all. No one wished to be the one who let the world as they knew it come to an end. One life was nothing to save the lives of millions. As sad as it was most of those babies where drowned at birth.

His orphaned life on the foul streets taught him much. He learned to be the best of the best. A killer like none other who enjoyed and found new more gruesome and grizzly ways to kill. Even the most vicious murderers learned to fear Brome. He was walking death, almost as deadly as a plague and much crueler. None where safe from his sights. Neither men, women, nor children. None where. That is, none where safe from him until the fateful day that one survived.

A girl who just reached maturity and was walking home alone one bright day. He was almost twice her age and as soon as he saw her he knew he was going to have some fun with her. It had been some time since he had someone as young and fresh as her. He lurked in the shadows of an arched gate way. Flowers hung down and the air was thick with the drone of bees. As she came close enough to his hiding spot he lunged out and grabbed her. One arm encircled her slim waist and lifted her up off her feet even as her arms where kept tight to her sides. His free hand smacked down over her mouth to keep her first started scream from rousing the neighbors. As if that was possible. It was one of those nice parts of town. Where no one was middle class and if your own security didn’t protect you then no one saw a thing. A good place to live and raise your kids eh? A false sense of security had always been his favorite part in these types of abduction. It made the females feelings all the better when he proved how unsafe she had been. This girl was no different. The house was quite large and proud as it stood there in the middle of this street and in plain view. Mocking everyone with the dark deeds he preformed here.

They where mostly out of sight in the first and before she could gather her wits about her and make some sort of sound he wanted her into the house with it’s sound proof walls and windows. He proceeded to half carry half drag her across the manicured lawn and towards a side door. A seesaw lazily creaked in the breeze as they passed it. Toys and a jungle jim, A slide and a wooden swing set, A play house and a sand box. All completed the picture perfect scene he was ruining. If she had come a half hour later she would have never been touched at all. His job had already been done. Assassinate the mayor of the town so they could plant Seth’s dark seed into power. He found the best time to murder those in power where in their own homes in broad daylight. Seth very well could have ordered it, but he liked the people thinking him a dark and powerful man who’s every whim they must obey.

The body was left discarded in the hall way. A puddle of blood and bodily waste surrounded the broken old man. As he dragged the girl past it her form stiffened in his arms and he felt the trembles of her delicate form against his strong body. She had never seen death, let alone smelled it . Or felt it as she will when he finishes with her. It was the perfect place, no one to come and catch them now that the owner was dead. And the rest of the family was tied up. He dragged her through the house and up to the attic so he could keep an eye on the family and make them watch the fun he had with his prize.

A sadistic grin was given to the old dumpy wife that could have been pretty about fifty years ago, if it was fifty years ago he’d be having his way with her instead of this little girlie in his arms. Her fur was calico...and quite becoming. Or it might of been if it hadn’t faded and grayed with time. Then he glared at the set of triplets that couldn't be any more then four. Three little boys...It just wasn’t his thing. Boys that is. They had the same calico fur as the old one.. So you knew she had been late in her cycle to give birth to them or they where her grand kids. He bet the latter of that. The triplets where left untied but they clung to the granny like a few leeches. Pathetic really. Someone should teach those brats not to be such momma’s boys. Like he had been taught by the streets.

"Looks like ya get another show granny....just make sure to keep those grandbrats quiet or I'll slit their throats one by one...." He cackled as he saw the look of recognition in the old hags eyes. Brome was not stupid. In that moment he knew the little girlie he found outside was related to the old hag. Not that it mattered to him who she was. She was fresh and untouched. "Lets see what the pretty little whore wears under her dress....." He grasped the girl’s sky blue dress and tore it from her with one hand, the other still held the girl firmly by her frail, little shoulder. The delicate, cotton cloth came away easily from her slim body. It left her standing a bit un-gangly in his grasp and sobbing as she tried to cover her cotton panties and bra of white with her arms. Her fur was nearly as white as her under clothes. This was almost enough to kill her right then and there. But no... He’d use her first. His hand found her cheek in a shattering blow before he tore her underclothes from her.

"It's a good thing I'm gonna kill you slut....your gray fur is almost white....You’re parents should of drowned you when you where born, rat.” He savored her cries of pain and fear as he stripped her and struck her. She was so afraid and innocent. He knew that too, if she had not of been she would be fighting him tooth and nail right now.

The girl was a small thing, barely reaching 5ft tall. She had two features that stood out the most. One where those deep aqua eyes, and the other unsettled him very much. Between her shoulder blades was a star burst of color. The color was white with the same aqua of her eyes running through it. Somehow he knew it had not been a tattoo. She had been born with it. That fact angered him for reasons he couldn’t describe. Light gray fur peppered her thin, frail body without any other color variation besides the ‘birthmark’. Her ears where a darker gray and hair was pure snowy white reaching clear down past her knees. The hair he knew had saved her life for this long. If anyone seen that then they knew her fur was not even close to being white. If he was kinder he would stroke and brush that hair until it shined. But he was not.

He unbuckled his pants as he slammed her into a wall. The belt was looped around her wrists and she was tied up to one of the rafters as he forced her up onto a trunk. No one could help her now and her cries where glorious to his ears as he took her again and again that long night. She stated his lust surprisingly well, as in she was conscious the while time. Any other virgin that he hard sundered like this had not made it through the first time. Though she bled a lot and was hurt easily she had great stamina. In fact it was well past midnight when he finished having his way with her and found she was still alive. Her own blood coated her and made her rusty and red all over and she sagged limply towards the floor only held up by his belt tied to her wrists.

He had to admit he was astonished by the abuse she could take, none had ever lasted through his sick twisted pleasure. So now he would have to beat her to death. He could have just broken her neck and been over with it, but somewhere along the way it lost it’s appeal. There was an uneasiness in him that he hadn’t felt since he was a child. He didn’t like that at all. And he didn’t understand it either. The star burst was covered with blood but it burned into his brain. One might say he was actually afraid. He finally couldn’t beat her any more and left her a bloodied heap on the floor of the attic. No one could survive that. Let alone one so frail and young as she. In the corner the grandmother and brats where left asleep from emotional exhaustion.

He barely took the time to shower in their bathroom and change his clothing from the bloodied stuff to a fresh outfit of black pants and a black button up shirt before he left. He should have been in a good mood, but nothing he did could make him forget the girl. She was in his mind way to often for the longest time, and when he finally thought she slipped into the past he had dreams of her. All this angered him more, and if he had not killed her then he would have gone back to do it now. None of his other victims got a second thought. Men, women and children all died. Females where raped and mutilated. And none bothered him like that little pale gray girl, it was eery. Perhaps her ghost wished revenge.

No one thought that frail little sixteen year old would survive that brutal night. She was placed in ICU for months and every day she seemed to be hanging on by a thread. No one knew the thread was actually the lives growing within her. Oh they knew she was pregnant from the violent loss of her virginity, but they didn’t dare try to have her body abort them. She was too close to death herself. The thread thickened and one day she woke. Months had past and she had gone nearly full term in a coma. It was too late now for the babes to be aborted. No one thought she would survive the birth of them. But she did. She carried them full term, twenty eight weeks, and then gave birth to three healthy and one frail boy. Three children where dark. One was black like his father, and she named him Brome Jr. The second was black and brown, and named Trent. And the third, named Jemminine was Black, red, and brown. The frail one, Xavier, was completely gray. A gray so light it could of been white, except for his dark gray hair.

She continued to surprise everyone. They where sure she would give the children up for adoption. But again she did not. She was with them every waking moment and protected those children with a ferocity that surprised everyone. No one would help her except her great aunt. They helped each other through the hard time of dealing with the death of her great uncle and the rape in a house they had loved. After moving to a different town with better security they still felt unsafe. Seven children and two women lived in one house for five and a half years with little trouble from the outside world. They had enough money to put all the children through the best private school. And this was the scrap of happiness they got until fate dealt another bad hand to that girl.

It was a stormy night. One of the worst in years. The windows rattled and the house moaned in protest at the gusting winds. Lightning flashed and thunder shook the world violently. The fall of the big oak in the back yard sounded like an on coming train and left the children shrieking with fear. The front door burst open and slammed against the wall making the women scream in startled fright. Blackness framed blackness until the next flash of lightning gave the air light and the figure a face. It was the same male from those years earlier. His lips curled back in anger to bare his teeth at the stirring in his soul the sight of that little slut gave him.

They where all frozen to the spot for the longest time. All who had been there that day so long ago where frozen with remembering his brutality. And the four that had not been there clung to their Nana and cousins fearfully. She stood with a tray of cocoa mugs she was taking back to the kitchen, and was alone in the center of the room. Finally he lumbered forward and grabbed the girl roughly by the ears. She shrieked in pain and fear as she dropped the tray to the floor with a crash of broken dishes. He gave a glaring warning to the old hag before turning and dragging the girl along with him towards the door without so much as a word to them. They would never know how he found them again.

"Seth wants you...." Was all she heard as he pulled her out into the storm and the door slammed shut behind her. Her babies where still inside and she could hear their wailing mingle with the storm. She'd never see them again... Oh gods protect them. But he did not hurt them and she’d gladly give her life for those children. She stumbled along as he dragged her through the cluttered lawn and out onto the street. Her night gown clung to her body like a second skin giving view to her matured, yet still small, form. She went along without protest while the rain pounded down. He seemed not to mind the rain in the least. The cloak he wore was waterproof. But still some water seeped down the neck and was splashed up by his thudding boots. His gaze flicked to the girl again and again. First all he felt was hatred and anger to her, but as she continued along without a sound and the night dress became soaked through he could feel those same feelings stir within him.

Suddenly he growled and threw her against a building back first. No one would be out to see them... No one would come to help her... And he took her right there in the rain. His anger and frustration went into the deed... And he soon had her crying out and screaming... Some how the act only made things worse and soon they where on their way again. The rain quickly washed away any trace of the deed and she only stumbled on mutely. He took her to a seedy hotel where there was a room Seth paid to keep open always. It was a shabby dirty room, for none wished to actually enter it to clean it. He yanked up on her ears to hiss at her two words before throwing her within, "Stay here." The door was slammed shut after her and locked while he went to the bar across the street.

As he slid onto the bar stool he thought of her again. The rage was unjustified. He knew he should have made sure she died so it was his own fault. But just seeing her made him feel things he had never felt before and that he never wanted to feel. He wanted to hurt her for making him feel like this. To make her attack him or run so he could punish her. But she did nothing. Just let him hurt her and for some reason that settled worse on him then if she cursed and raged at him.

Other then the halt of the storm every night was the same for the girl. Pure hell. He dragged her through the dark silent streets for miles. Her night gown was long since torn away so she was naked now. He had his way with her or beat her or both before he left her locked in a room to sleep through the day until the next night. This went on for so long she lost track of time. She felt numb during the days and the dragging through the streets. Only the brutal moments before sleep did she scream and sob. And it only seemed to make him hurt her worse. Finally they reached the hub of the city of death.

This place was Seth's world more then any other town or city on the island. As they came further and further into the city she was taken with fits of trembling. One could breath in the suppressing darkness and overpowering evil in this place. She was affecting him as well...for the streets that usually held such pleasure and lust for dark deeds left a sour taste in his mouth and a foul feel in the pit of his stomach. He jerked a little harder upon the ears in his grip. Ears that he knew every inch of. Ears attached to a head and body that he would know even if blinded. He cursed softly under his breath and threw her against a wall to take out some aggression on her one last time. She was as he always remembered her, sweet and delicate beneath his roughness. She made him feel clumsy and her cries tore through a heart he never knew he had.

Hours later they stood within the large black waiting room of Seth's enormous tower. He prowled like a caged cat as he waited, only pausing to cuff or kick the girl which cowered on the floor beneath his rage. It was her fault that they came here, and her fault that he felt like he did. Finally a female clad only in chains came out of the back room. Her dark brown fur and hair was matted with blood and her back was raw with whip marks. Seth's newest toy. He smirked slightly before grabbing the cowering girl by the ears and dragging her to the still open door and in. He allowed her no chance to get up before he jerked her up off her knees enough so he could throw her down flat on her face and left her there. By now she knew not to move or face his full blown wrath.

"I've brought her Seth, What do you wish to be done to her?" He spoke to the back of the chair Seth sat in as he lowered to one knee. His teeth gritted slightly to keep his anger in check while he waited for Seth to speak. The stupid girl would never know what she did to anger him. Her cowering, her tears... It all tore at him. Everything about her. She would pay for this.

After ten minutes Seth rose from the chair and came around to the girl. He bent to tangle his hand in her hair and jerk her up to her feet hard. "A shame she's so small and frail. I could of had some fun with her. But then I must wonder. How did she survive you? You're not growing soft are you? You know how many would jump at the chance for your job Brome."

Brome knew this was a test, and he also knew Seth would do what ever he suggested. So when he spoke he shocked even himself with his words. "You should let me have her. She'd make a nice little toy for me. And she has children now. I saw them when I took her. There are two strong enough and big enough to start training for you as assassins and one that could be sent to learn and strengthen your hold of power."

She couldn't help the pained cry that left her lips as they spoke of taking her children away from her. Seth just grinned at the girl before dropping her again and stood. "Very well Brome. Send Derk and his squad for the children The two you spoke of will go into training. The third will remain with you until next year. Oh and the forth will stay with you until it's frail body betrays it."

Not another word was spoken as Seth moved back to his chair and Brome moved to grasp the girl by her long ears once more to drag her from the chambers. He took her down a flight of stairs and to one of his little used rooms. He tossed her to the bed angerly before stalking off and leaving her there sobbing all broken hearted. He was disgusted with his suggestion and that Seth agreed. It was something for that bastard to hold over his head now. And if he looked at her now he’d snap her neck.

It took weeks for things to happen. First Derk had to be found and then they couldn’t find the children. The old lady took them into hiding without a word to anyone. No one knew where she went and they could find no one who had helped her. In that time the girl became unmanageable. She wouldn't eat or sleep anymore, and she still didn't speak. Of all the ungrateful! He didn’t kill her or the rest of her family and this is how he was repaid? The beatings became worse as he tried to break her out of this sulky state. As he realized it was only making things worse he got more angry. And finally he snapped.

"Listen wench. I saved you and your children’s lives. Seth would of killed them and then took you as his own until he grew bored of you and killed you too. Your children will be here in the morning. If you behave you can say good bye to your two boys and bring the other two back here. If you don't so help me I'll never let you see them again." He was growing soft...so he hit her hard before leaving the room cursing darkly about this whole thing. Stupid little... He hated her and everything she was doing to him. He felt tied down even though she was nothing but his slave. His toy. He could kill her when ever he wanted. But he didn’t.

He didn't return until the next morning and he found her asleep on his bed and the plates empty on the table. She was clean and wearing a dress the same color as her eyes. He had finally gotten through to her. She understood what he had done for her in his own way. He stood there a long time watching her sleep. Gods, she looked like an angel there on the black sheets of his bed. Before he got too caught up in his thoughts he shook his head clear and slammed the door shut. She leapt straight up into the air with fright and scrambled off the bed to stand beside it. Delicate hands, with nails painted the same color as her dress, fluttered nervously over the material of the dress as she watched him. He said nothing, for fear that his emotions would come through. His steps brought him around to her trembling form and he lifted a hand to wrap thick black fingers around her ears. He pulled her to him and suddenly kissed her.

The poor girl was frozen with surprise for the moment. Her heart thudded in her chest like a bird trying to escape it's cage. He had never kissed her like this. The few times he had kissed her it was to bite her lip and bloody it. Then suddenly she returned the kiss, because she didn't want him to break it. He was as surprised at that as she had been in the first. Anyone in their right mind would have hated him for the actions he took against them. So they stood there kissing while his free hand traced down a backside he knew more about then his favorite knife. And then it all was ruin when someone knocked on the door and he jerked his mouth from hers. He scowled at her like she had done something wrong and nearly hit her but the knock came again. With a scowl he turned and moved to the door with her being dragged along behind him by her ears.

It was just some half dressed girl of Seth's. He nearly slammed the door in her face, but she made rapid motions towards the stairs. The ball gag she bit down on kept her from saying a word, but then he realized it was the children of the girl he promised a visit with. He scowled again and dragged her after him as he followed the half naked slut that would be dead in two days flat. They came to a small room that had a window as the whole of one wall. The glass seemed to look rosy to her, but it didn't matter. In the room the glass looked into was her four children huddled together and watching the door. Excitement surged through her so suddenly that she tried to move forward but Brome pulled her back and out the door. She wanted to fight against him to get to her children. But she couldn't...She was too defeated for even tears to fall.

The sound of a door opening hardly brought her gaze up when she only assumed he was taking her back to his room. He said she could see them and she did, right? And then she was shoved through a door that was slammed shut behind her and locked tight. Cries of 'Mommy!' filled her ears as little bodies slammed into her and took her to the ground under the weight of her four children Her babies where so big now! Or so they seemed to be to her. They spent the whole of the day together in playing and story telling and drawing her pictures. They all just seemed to know what was going to happen. They would be separated.

Late that night when the children had all fallen asleep guards came in. Her heart lurched and she tried to cling to her babies. But there where Five of them and four lifted the children from her as the fifth held her helpless. Two left with the biggest boys and she lost it then and there. They took her babies, her heart was just breaking. She had only them to love because. The thought was never finished, Brome came in as she slumped to the floor sobbing softly to herself. He scooped her up and carried her back to his room while the other two guards followed. The children where placed in a bedroom off to the left of his room and that was then the door was shut behind them.

All that night he held her as she cried. He had never been tender a day in his life, but the moment he stopped hurting her the hate and anger was just gone. In the wee hours of the morning they made love. It was the first time he hadn't forced himself on her, and he found the feeling a whole new pleasure. And once again he found himself puzzled and surprised that the one he had raped for so long had been so willing. They slept late that day curled together in his bed. She was exhausted from the days events and her surge of emotions. He woke first and for hours he laid there thinking and running his fingers through her soft hair. Odd enough he didn’t want to wake her, she had little enough sleep as it was. He never before believed in fate. Or that everyone had a perfect match. But then who would think an assassin would find someone to care for? It was not until she woke late that day that he asked her name. A name he did not know all this time. And her name was Becca.

Life was not always good for them. Years passed and Jem was taken away to school. That left only Xavier remained with them through storm and calm. Brome would never be a good father or lover. He beat her as much as he loved on her. But no one could question his love for her. He beat Xavier once, and only once. The boy had gotten in his way when he had stormed through the room. He knew better then that! From the moment he first hit the boy he knew something was wrong, but ignored the slight crackling like static in the air. Not one more blow fell before something hit him and he flew into a wall. Pale murky blue light could be seen flickering slightly. He had mentioned her holding magic powers to Seth so long ago, and he had only thought it was in healing. Now she stood over him like a raging bull and her lips pulled back into an ugly snarl.

And then he blacked out. Later he beat her into unconsciousness for the deed, but he knew she would indeed kill him if he hurt her youngest again. Perhaps that was why he didn’t touch the boy again, he was never willing to say, but none the less he didn’t. There where many days that he wasn’t around. Weeks and months would pass before he and Becca would see each other again. He had a job, and she had Xavier. So neither where lonely while he was gone.

One time he was gone for too long, for Becca and Xavier where alone one day, playing bob stones on the hard wood floor and laughing together companionably. The door creaked on it’s hinges and someone came in. But the music drowned it out. They never knew Brome's biggest rival, Charles, had come into their save haven. He came up behind the boy as she was making her throw. Before it even came to a stop his blade came down and slashed through Xavier’s neck, killing the boy in a moment and splattering blood all over her. He threw it down and shoved the dead body aside as he undid his belt. No one but Brome had ever touched the slut and had it in his mind to ruin her. He was stupid though, he always had been. Oh so sure that she’d be terrified and give him no trouble as he raped her and left her half dead to tell Brome what happened. But he was wrong. If Brome had thought she was mad by a hit then she was seeing red now that he killed her baby. She shot forward beneath his grabbing hands and snatched up his knife. He just turned towards her when the knife plunged into his heart. She yanked it free and then slammed it into his stomach with a vicious twist. As she forced it as deep as it would go he grabbed for her throat and squeezed. But it was too late for him. His life gushed out onto the floor with her own son’s. Before he died he could of sworn the room was glowing blue. He fell on top of her as his world went black. She could have saved herself, but she was too crushed over her last loss. And so his heavy body suffocated her.

When Brome came back to this news his rage and anger where terrible. The deeds where backlashed on many people. He killed Seth’s best guards and some of his favorite toys in revenge of what happened to his beloved Becca and their smallest son. Everyone knew Seth could of stopped what happened. But he hadn’t. Brome finally left the tower soaked in blood. His rage was spent and the deep sorrow for the lost of his Becca tore his heart out. He would never love another like he had her. No matter what he had done to her all she had ever been was good and sweet and loving. His guilt was nearly as great as his grief. Brome went far away now. Retreating deep into the back water villages of the island. He went where no one knew him or ever felt Seth’s reach. He could not stand if anyone had in those first years. He did his first honest work there, and built a cabin deep in the woods. There was no windows and only one door to the sturdily built place. No one would be able to come after him without him knowing it now.

Years later Seth’s reach grew again and he sent Jem and his new wife to these same backwater parts, to make the village thrive beneath his care. So he said, really it had been to keep an eye of Brome and to flaunt the use Seth made of his own son. Years passed without a word spoken between father and son. Brome knew nothing of his son’s own children. That is not until this night. Jem finally came to him with this problem. Bringing to his hermit of a father the death of their race.