The Broken Highlander Read Free

day, he would own
another cottage, even if he had to buy it under a different name.
Today was not that day.
    No longer able to create, he turned to
destruction. He took to hunting every night, but he didn’t hunt for
food. He hunted to kill. Still holding on to his vow to not hurt
the innocent, he hunted his own kind.
    He was learning how to differentiate his kind
from humans. He’d thought it would be difficult, but he could
instantly feel who was human, and who wasn’t. Nevin also learned
that he was stronger and faster than most of the Nightkind.
    One bitterly cold winter, he found himself in
a different type of town. One that held far more Nightkind than
he’d ever seen in one place. Trudging through the snow, he felt
eyes on his back. Even his keen eyesight couldn’t penetrate the
dark shadows in this frozen town. Nevin’s unease grew with each
step. With very few humans about, he knew the eyes belonged to
creatures like himself.
    Nevin was surrounded, he could feel it.
Ignoring the eyes upon him, he continued on his path. After walking
across the continent, nothing scared him. He hardly felt anything
anymore, why should fear be any different? He no longer feared
things that went bump in the night. He was what frightened
humans, and many vampires were learning to fear him as well. This
new threat didn’t frighten him.
    Perhaps it should have.
    “Cine se duce acolo?” Who goes there?
     
    Not bothering to answer, Nevin continued on.
The only thing he did anymore was hunt. He hunted his own kind and
many didn’t take kindly to that. Nevin couldn’t give a shit. He
wasn’t hiding. If someone wanted a fight, he’d give it to him. But
for now, he kept walking.
     
    The group was growing. Once more, a voice
called out " Cum te cheamă?” What is your name?
    Once more Nevin ignored the question, instead
trudging along.
    The mob grew. Soon, more Nightkind than Nevin
had ever seen in one place were crowding around him. With a heavy
sigh, he turned and addressed the vampires.
    “I ken you’ve heard of me, and I ken you’re
looking for a fight. I can feel it on the night breeze. You’ll find
no quarrel with me unless I find you killing humans.”
    “I’d rather just kill you!” a voice called
from the back.
    His smile was feral. “You are welcome to
try.”
    But a smooth, cultured voice spoke,
interrupting the insults being slung Nevin’s way.
    “So this is the Demon Blacksmith. You are a
long way from home, Highlander. Why have you come to my
territory?”
    Nevin watched as the crowd broke apart to
allow a smartly dressed vampire whose mere presence affected the
crowd, to walk through. His mere presence spoke of wealth, and he
was obviously in charge of this group of Nightkind. Nevin sneered
at him.
    “I doona owe you anything, least of all an
explanation.”
    The vampire’s eyes flashed red. “Och aye,” he
mimicked Nevin, “you do.”
    This vampire was more powerful than any he’d
ever met, save the female who had turned him so many years ago.
Nevin could feel his power rolling over him in waves. His skin
prickled, his fangs lengthened, and he knew his eyes were red. Most
vampires had red eyes only when they fed, but Nevin’s had yet to
change back to his natural brown. One more mark against his soul.
If he had one.
    “These are my lands. I am king here.” He
didn’t raise his voice once, yet the authority and power was
evident in each word spoken. “You will obey me.”
    “I obey no man,” Nevin snarled.
    “I had hoped you’d say that.” He turned to
his men. “Take him alive. The queen would hate for her pet to die
by our hands.”
    Confused by the statement, Nevin nearly
missed the first attack. The fangs of the male who jumped him dug
into the meaty part of his shoulder, but he took the man and threw
him to his people. An all out brawl began in earnest, and he fought
like a man possessed. He fought with fang and sword until he lost
count of how many heads he’d taken, how many limbs