KnightPhall

Sometimes it is best to let sleeping Wolves sleep

Chapter I

Frank watched the unsuspecting people walking around town as if they had somewhere to be that morning. He knew that they were just showing off their wealth and power as they always did. They were just making it easy for him to pick his next victim.

"Can we go I don't like it here? Why can't we stay with that nice woman at the Inn. She said that we could work there for free room and board."

"You be quiet Abigail. I will get us a place to stay for a while. You just stand there and do what I tell you."

Abigail shook her head as her Uncle turned and stared at her. "I am not a child anymore and you can't tell me what to do. I am not going to help you do anything anymore."

Frank smiled at her and then roughly grabbed her elbow. Abigail winced as he applied pressure. "Do you want to become someone's whore Abigail because I can make that happen. All I have to do is find a rich man and he will take you from me."

Her eyes showed fear because she knew that he would give her up without a second thought. She also knew that he needed her more than he cared to admit. Abigail pulled her arm from his grasp and glared up at him daring him to make his words true.

No one challenged him especially not his own blood. Frank turned away from her and searched the crowd for a rich and powerful man to show Abigail that he was all that she had. A tall blonde haired man suddenly turned down the cobbled street and Frank smiled and grabbed Abigail's arm even though she struggled in his grasp. Several people watched him half drag her towards the powerful looking man that the crowd seemed to give a wide birth.

"Sir. Might I have a moment of your time?" Frank pulled Abigail into his body and quickened his pace to close the distance between he and the giant blonde man.

"If it's not too much to ask sir, may I have a word with you."

Abraham Van Brunt heard the alto voice and turned to see the face of dark skinned man asking him something but he was not sure what it was. His eyes suddenly moved to the struggling young woman beside the man who instantly stopped fighting and stared up at him. The beast inside of him took notice of her scent first before the beauty. She smelled of fear, defiance mixed with beauty. Abraham let his eyes move down her body in the flimsy brown dress that she wore.

Abigail saw the smile cover Frank's face as the man began his inspection of his niece as he wanted. This man would do whatever to have her is what he was thinking but Abigail had other ideas. She made a sound of anger and pulled her arm away from Frank's grasps. The noise drew Abraham's attention to her face and she looked up at him with a look of needing rescue.

"What is it that you want?" He was not asking Frank but the shorter man moved in front of the woman that he was holding captive at the moment.

"She is my niece and I do not want anything to happen to her. The men here are not as honorable as you are."

Abraham looked passed Frank and watched the woman's doe eyes quickly look at the man speaking about her. She looked fearful of what he was about to ask of this stranger they had just met. The beast inside of him growled with annoyance as the man continued to talk.

"My niece Abigail is beautiful don't you think so sir?" The man's smile was one of bragging but it was all warranted. She was very beautiful. Abraham knew that the other men walking with their wives around town had noticed her. Thankfully, slavery was no more and the young woman was safe as long as she stayed with the man beside her even if she did not want to be with the man beside her.

Abraham frowned at the words that came from the man's mouth. "Are trying to sell her for profit? She does not look as if she wants that. In fact, she does not look as if she wants to be with you."

Frank smiled nervously and grabbed Abigail's hand. "She is headstrong and would run around if not for my guidance."

"I would not…" Abigail tried to pull her hand away. Frank fought held her hand firmly as she struggled with him. He slightly turned towards her and that was when he noticed the people starting to talk among themselves about the spectacle that Abigail was causing. Soon the sheriff would arrive and Frank was sure that he was known to them as a criminal. Abigail stopped struggling and looked at the people staring at her. She lowered her head wishing that she had not brought attention to them. Frank did not like attention. Abraham watched her sudden submission to her uncle and then he raised his head to look at the people gathering to watch them. Suddenly they all had somewhere to go and walked away.

Abraham returned his attention to the two strangers before him. What are you asking me?"

Abigail looked up at the stranger as Frank began to speak. "Well I was just remarking that a man such as yourself should not be a….."

Out of his peripheral vision, Frank saw the man walking towards them dressed in a law uniform. One of these concerned citizens had informed him of the commotion on the street involving him. The way that the Sheriff looked at him made Frank afraid of his intentions.

Abraham looked in the direction that his potential victim had turned his head. Sheriff Nick Hawley slowly approached them. Frank returned his attention to his giant stranger.

"I am only saying this to ask for a place to stay…maybe you require a cook or someone to do work around your beautiful home. My niece is very clean."

Abraham looked past Frank to watch Abigail's reaction to her uncle's words. She again wore the expression of needing rescue. "What about yourself? What skills do you have other than what you are trying to do now?"

Frank chuckled nervously. "Whatever you need done I will do."

"Mr. Van Brunt it is good to see you out this morning." The dirty blonde haired sheriff smiled as he walked towards the small group of three. Abraham could smell their fear especially hers. Nick Hawley took the spot beside the nervous woman and continued smiling at Abraham.

"Yes I would say that every morning is good Sheriff."

Nick turned his attention to Abigail. "I see that you have met our new residents here."

"No I have not received their names yet."

Frank looked up at Abraham. "My name is Frank Irving and th…,"

"And this is young beautiful Abigail. I was just about to take them to see the Mayor Augustus Corbin. He is vacationing here with his daughter Katrina for about six months. He will want to meet you too. You are our most mysterious resident."

Abraham was used to hearing the gossip about him. He rarely showed up to any social event unless his friend scholar Ichabod Crane dragged him with him to a function. Abraham just did not like the way the people smelled. They smelled of death, evil and foulness. He was wise to stay away from them and them from him. "I am nothing of importance Sheriff Hawley not like yourself"

Nick chuckled at his insult it was common between them. "You are the wealthiest man on any side of the river. You could have so much power and any woman that you wanted if you just came down from the hill."

"It is best if I don't."

Nick chuckled again. "If you say so,"

Frank grabbed Abigail's arm and tried to walk away but Nick grabbed her other arm. "Where are you going so fast? Don't you want to meet the Mayor?"

Doe like eyes peeked up at Abraham through midnight hair pleading for him to do something to help them. The beast inside of him urged for action. The need to save her had nothing to do with chivalry or honor it was curiosity from the beast within. What would she be like away from her tormentor? Her scent was unlike any other woman's scent and it intrigued him.

"Maybe he can meet the Mayor some other time, right now he has work to do. I have hired him and his niece to work for me at KnightPhall."

Nick's grip on Abigail's arm loosened and she pulled away from him. "Oh, it did not look as if you two had spoken about anything."

"Perhaps you were not watching us as closely as you thought." Abraham said as he gently took Abigail's hand and guided her to his right side. Nick stared up into the intense blue eyes of Van Brunt and felt uncomfortable. He did not know why but he was sure that this man was hiding something. He lived in seclusion for some reason. Now he was taking in strangers to work on his flawless grounds. He already had a staff what did he need them for. Nick forced a smile to his lips.

"There is so much to keep track of here with all the thefts going around."

"Well I am sure that you will solve the matter." Abraham still held Abigail's hand as he turned to leave. Frank prepared to follow when Nick grabbed his arm none too gently. "Careful old man, I know that you stole that pocket watch from Doctor Henry Parrish and it's only a matter of time before I find it."

Frank's eyes widened as he looked up into the eyes of the Sheriff. "Mr. Van Brunt will not be as forgiving as the Doctor. He will kill you and no one will know that you are dead. You will have Abigail put in chains because of your sins. From what I heard, your sister has already paid for them with her life."

Frank pulled away from Nick and walked away.

"I want to thank you for helping us Mr. Van Brunt."

Abraham stared out the window of the carriage as Frank talked. Nick was an excellent judge of character. He could spot something that was not true. His attention on the woman Abraham understood but something about her uncle was not right. He had let the scent and the beauty of a female cloud his decision. What was he going to do with her? There was plenty of work for Frank to do on his estate.

Abigail studied the quiet man in the carriage carefully as Frank lied about this and that to stop their new employer from asking them questions. The blonde giant was fluid with his movements. No one else moved as he did. Even for his size his movements were effortless. He looked strong as a bull and probably just as mean as one. He had only helped them because of her and she knew this. She hoped that he did not expect special attention from her. She was tired of running from one place to another in the middle of the night. Just when she settled somewhere, her uncle would inform her that they had to leave but he would never tell her why. She could have stayed anywhere but he would always tell her that he was getting old and needed her help. She would have no choice but to go with him because he would turn those helping them against them. Abigail slightly turned her head and watched her uncle. What did the sheriff want with him? The moment they arrived the man was after them and her uncle knew why. What had he done to bring this sudden attack on them? She knew that he was not a very trustworthy man and many could see that.

"I hope that we have not been a bother to you. We can just get out here and work our way through."

Abraham turned from the window and stared at the chattering man. He would have agreed that he leave but he doubted the woman would stay without him. She might not want to be with him but he was a stranger to her. "You wanted work and I have some."

Frank lost all of his energy at the word work. He hated work. He had never worked hard at anything and had not planned on it now. "Sir, I think that we have suffered some broken communication. I was merely trying to stop that man from touching my Abigail. I did not mean for you to think that we really needed work."

Abigail watched the frown appear on Abraham's face and decided to intervene. "I want to thank you for helping us and I will gladly work off my debt with anything that you see fit."

"Anything, "His blue eyes darkened as the beast inside took notice of her soft alluring scent again. he wanted to cover it with his own and keep it safe. Just as Abraham prepared to ask her what she would like to do, Frank moved forward in his seat.

"She is a virgin and is not going to be one of your whoring women."

"I don't have any whoring women and you were just trying to sell her to me on the street before this carriage ride."

"You are mistaken as the wealthy usually are."

Abraham centered his body to face Frank. His muscles swelled and he seemed to grow larger before their eyes as anger took over his body. "I never lie but you are accustomed to it. You should take care your body does not look as if it could take any form of punishment."

Frank moved back in his seat feeling the anger flowing from the man who had just saved them. He seemed to be growing bigger before his eyes. Sweat instantly formed on Frank's face and ran down his neck.

"We are sorry if we upset you. Sir!" Abigail moved forward in her seat to get Abraham's attention when she saw the vein on his neck throb in anger.

"I have saved you from detection and you act as if I am the one that is guilty. I have a mind to throw you out of this carriage and save Miss Abigail from your evil."

"NO, please don't he is just tired that's all. He did not mean to say such a thing. We will be so grateful to have a place to sleep and eat while we repay our debt to you Mr. Van Brunt."

Abraham could smell the man's fear growing but that was not enough to satisfy the beast growing inside of him. The longer nights were giving him fits. He was easily irritated and this man would not live long if he stayed in this carriage. "Stop the carriage!"

Abigail's heartbeat slammed into her chest when Abraham moved forward towards the doors. He looked back at her with dark eyes. "Andy will take you to my home and I will see you in the morning."

Abigail nodded and then Abraham stepped out of the carriage and closed the door behind him. The carriage began moving again and Frank grabbed his things to leave.

"We are not leaving."

"What… He is not someone that we should trust. You heard the Sheriff say that he was mysterious."

"The same could be said about you uncle. Why is the Sheriff after you?"

Frank set his things down and held Abigail's hands in his own. "I know that you are tired Abbie but just one more town."

"No, we are going to stay here." She pulled hands from his and stared out the window and watched the scenery."

Frank stared at her profile. She was just like her mother. Though Abbie had never met her, she had turned out just like her. No, this was not fair. Why did he always have to lose the things that he owned? Why did she have to force him to make a choice between saving his own life over someone else's?

"Alright Abbie, I will try to make this our home."

Abigail turned from the window and stared at her uncle's angry face. "Good because as you have said I am tired of running.

Frank watched her turn back towards the window to watch the scenery go by. He cursed her name under his breath. It would be harder to get acquainted with the people in town if he lived on the hill but he was sure that all of the wealthy men had seen his niece and her defects. She would fetch him a lot of money. He could pay off all his debts when he sold her. She would fetch a nice price here in Sleepy Hollow sold to the highest bidder.

The moonlight struck his naked muscled form and bathed him in her light. Abraham freed his hair from the tie and lowered his head. The long blond hair fell onto his chest. He closed his eyes and let the power of the change fall over his body. The dangerous thoughts that roamed his mind he had to clear before the beast took over. He abolished the images of Nick and Frank but Abigail's doe eyes would not leave him. He would have to avoid her while she stayed in his home. He had a big house it would be easy. He could not risk being around her so close to mating season. The voice of the beast was stronger during this time. However, both he and the wolf never agreed on the same female and mating season always went by unfulfilled. This woman was special. She aroused the beast and intrigued him. He needed to stay far away as he possibly could.

Abraham took deep breaths as the image of Abigail slowly faded from his mind and body. This curse had plagued his family for centuries, he was the last of his line, and he wanted it to die with him. A rib cracked and Abraham's head fell back as a painful cry escaped his lips.

Abigail turned her head towards the dark woods when she heard the frightful cry coming from the darkness. Andy suddenly grabbed her arm and Abigail looked up at him.

"Do not tarry here. It is best if you stay inside." Abigail looked ahead towards the massive grey mansion and saw that Frank was already running for the door. His main concern was for himself when he heard the terrible sound. Andy had watched him completely ignore his niece. Mr. Abraham would not like it if harm came to her. He had never brought anyone back with him from the town. If the woman was here, there was something special about her and Andy would keep her safe.

"I will look after you until Mr. Abraham returns." Andy guided her towards the huge wooden doors and they walked inside the seldom visited Mansion named KnightPhall because that was Abraham Van Brunt's favorite time of day.

Author's Notes

I thank you for reading and hope that you enjoyed it. Please excuse any errors that you may find. ~Frostbytefire