Chapter Four
Erik the Black Wolf
Erik stared without emotion at the man who was bound and tied before him. The man was sobbing like a small child and he had soiled himself, much to Erik's disgust. The man's pleading was beginning to give him a headache.
"Please, my lord…spare me!" the man sobbed. Erik grimaced as the man tried to crawl towards him.
"You were sent by Philippe Francois, were you not?" Erik asked softly. The man shivered at the sound of Erik's voice.
"Y-yes," the man whispered without hesitation. Philippe should learn to get better men than this. Erik's men would never think of betraying him as easily as this man had done.
"He sent you to kill me," Erik sat flatly. The man nodded. Erik's men stood around them forming a rough circle.
"You should have realized the folly of such a mission," Erik said. He raised his pistol and shot the man cold. Erik turned away after a barked command to get rid of the body.
With a weary sigh Erik entered his chambers and sat down on the bed. This battle between Philippe was wearing him dry. They both wanted each other dead and it was proving quite impossible. They had been enemies for as long as Erik could remember and their hatred for one another had only grown with time.
Philippe's father had instigated an affair with Erik's mother when both the boys were very young. It had been alright for Erik's mother Madeline because she had been widowed shortly after conceiving Erik, but Philippe's mother soon found out about the affair and killed herself from grief.
Philippe's father had felt guilty and in order to avenge his wife he had had Erik's mother killed. That had spawned this hatred between the men. Philippe blamed Erik for destroying his family because of his whore of a mother and Erik blamed Philippe for his mother's murder. The fighting had yet to stop.
He was just so tired…so alone. The darkness that surrounded his heart seemed to be getting worse with every death he put on his hands. It was slowly consuming him and he did not know how much more he could take.
He knew the reputation of being the Black Wolf was accurate. At times he relished the fear everyone had of him and other times he knew that because of it he might never have the one thing his black heart yearned for…a woman.
He scolded himself. His reputation was not the only thing preventing him from finding her…his face was as well. His face that was covered by a half white porcelain mask.
Once any woman got a look under that mask they would flee in terror. He could not bear to see that and so had never had any female companions that he allowed himself to get close to. The mighty Black Wolf was afraid of getting hurt.
He had had women before, what man hasn't? But they were temporary, only for pleasure and nothing more. Well Erik wanted something more and it was something that he would never admit to anyone. The Black Wolf could show no weakness, especially not for a woman.
He sighed and undressed before collapsing on his bed. He knew the night was going to be long and tedious because he was plagued constantly by nightmares from the men he had killed and the life he wished he had.
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With a shout Erik woke up, a cold sweat glistening on his flushed skin. With a curse he ran his hand through his hair and lay back on the pillow. Every night the dream was the same.
He saw his mother being killed in cold blood and her scream still echoed in his mind. He would have thought that after how many times he had seen this in his dreams he was sure he would get used to it. No one could get used to that sight.
As he laid there he heard the scream again. It was more muffled, as if coming from a distant and he frowned. What was that? He got up and pulled on his trousers before walking to his window and looking out. He saw nothing but heard the scream again. A loud knock sounded on his door and he went to open it.
Rupert, his second in command stood in front of him in nothing but his trousers, similar to how Erik stood. His eyes were red and Erik knew the man had had a little more to drink then was his want.
"What is it man?" Erik wondered impatiently.
"Do you hear the screams, my lord?" he wondered. Erik nodded, he was sure the whole manor had heard them already.
"They are coming from a woman; she is outside the gates, pleading entrance. Do I let her in?" Rupert asked.
"I will do it," Erik replied. He was far to interested to leave it alone. Pulling on a shirt he strode out into the night to see who the screaming siren was.