A Warrior's Heart (Shields)

A WARRIOR’S HEART

By

Donna Grant

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A WARRIOR’S HEART

Copyright© 2012 Donna Grant

Cover Artist: Croco Designs

ISBN: 978-0988208476 (ebook)

ISBN: 978-0988208483 (print)

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only at Smashwords.com. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

www.DonnaGrant.com

Chapter One

England, 1123

Stone Crest Castle

If Jayna had known what she would become, she would have plunged the dagger into Gabriel’s heart when she’d had the chance.
 
That decision had cost her her soul.

And she paid for it every day.
 

She didn’t like what she had become, but her mother had told her that in order to survive, one had to adjust. Jayna had certainly adjusted.

As she stared at the imposing mass of rocks that was Stone Crest Castle, she thought about the people within its thick walls.
 
A shiver raced over her skin, but it wasn’t due to the icy night air.
 

She had finally found Gabriel.
 

And it was time he paid for his crimes.

Jayna smiled with anticipation, her heart pounding with excitement.
 
She’d waited so long for this moment that she almost couldn’t believe it had arrived.
 
Yet it had, and she was going to carry out all the ways she’d thought of to make Gabriel pay.

She pulled the hood of her cloak up to cover her head and face.
 
Getting into the castle wasn’t going to be easy, but she was certainly up to the challenge.
 
After all, she had waited nearly an eternity to see the look on Gabriel’s face when she confronted him.

“Gloating already?”

Jayna stiffened when the familiar wash of air moved around her.
 
He might not have a form, but he was the most powerful being in any of the realms.

“I know I shouldn’t,” she answered as she kept her eyes on the castle.

A tsking sound came from behind her then a warmth enveloped her.
 
“My dear, Jayna, did I teach you nothing?”

She smiled a true smile and breathed deeply.
 
“You taught me to survive, and for that I owe you everything.”

“Do you think I kept you alive just so you could mete out your revenge against Gabriel?”

For the first time in centuries, Jayna felt a gnawing sense of worry.
 
“I assumed so, aye.”
 

“That was part of it, my dear,” he whispered in her ear.
 
“Once I regain my form, I’m going to need a queen. Someone who knows how to rule with beauty, grace, and the iron fist of vengeance.
 
In other words, Jayna, I need you.”

Jayna didn’t know what to say.
 
For too many years all she had cared about was finding Gabriel and killing him.
 
Never had she thought about a husband or family.
 
It had always been about Gabriel.

As if reading her mind, he asked, “Just what had you planned on doing once you killed Gabriel?”

“I don’t know.
 
I’ve never thought about it.”

“I think the time has come for you to think about many things.
 
My mission is nearly complete.
 
For the first time since time began, evil will dominate the realms.
 
No longer will good triumph and evil be punished.
 
It will be our time.
 
Think about it.”

And just as suddenly as he had appeared, he vanished.
 
Jayna pushed aside his words.
 
She needed to focus on Gabriel, on finding him and sinking her blade deep into his heart as he had done to her so very, very long ago.

Chapter Two

Gabriel splayed his hands against the cold stones of the battlements and looked over the valley, missing Laird bitterly.
 
He hadn’t wanted to care for the wolfhound as he did, and it was because the dog meant so much that Gabriel had begged Aimery to take Laird to the Realm of the Fae.

Until the Great Evil was gone.

The merriment inside the great hall reached Gabriel even outside, and though he hadn’t wanted to hurt Hugh or Mina’s feelings he hadn’t been able to celebrate.

Too much had happened in Scotland.
 
In the back of his mind he always knew he didn’t wish to discover his memories.
 
He had feared they would be as tarnished as the nightmares that plagued him, nightmares he had never told anyone about.

Nightmares that showed him unspeakable horrors and deeds.

When the Fae had found him, Gabriel had been all but dead.
 
Yet, with their healing abilities, the Fae had restored him, but they hadn’t been able to help him with his memory.
 
For a long time he craved knowledge of his past, who he was, if he had a family or a wife.
 
He wanted to know details.

Yet always there was this underlying fear that someone was coming after him.
 
The Fae assured him it was only due to his extensive injuries, and for a while, Gabriel had believed them.
 

Until recently.

Discovering he was immortal should have been a joyous occasion.
 
Instead, it had only made him realize his past was deep and dark.
 
A place he wanted no part of.
 
He would like nothing better than to say he was the man he had become, but only fools discounted their pasts.
 

He had sinned.
 

He knew it in the marrow of his bones.

How he had sinned was the question, but he had a sneaking suspicion he would find out very soon.

“There you are,” Cole said as he sauntered up, a big smile on his face and a mug of ale in his hand.
 
“Mina demanded I find you and give you your ale.”

Gabriel tried to smile as he accepted the mug.
 
“I wouldn’t wish to upset the lady of the castle.
 
But I imagine it was more likely Hugh that sent you to find me.”

“All right,” Cole said with a loud sigh as he leaned his back against the stones and looked at Gabriel.
 
The smile was gone and worry showed in his dark eyes.
 
“We all know something is bothering you.
 
What we don’t know is why you aren’t coming to us for help.
 
We are your family, your brothers.”

“I’m fine,” he lied.
 
“I’m just worried that the Great Evil isn’t done with us.
 
Now that all four of the Chosen have been found, he can be defeated.”

Cole raised his brows at Gabriel’s words.
 
“We’re all worried about the Great Evil, and if you expect me to believe the words you just spoke, you don’t know me as well as you should.”

Gabriel raked a hand through his hair.
 
“Cole, sometimes things are better left alone.”

“Like your past.”

“By the gods,” Gabriel bellowed and pushed away from the wall and faced his friend.
 
“Leave it alone.
 
I beg you.”

“Nay.”

“Please.”

“As I said earlier, we are your family, and family look out for one another.”

Gabriel shook his head as he realized the futility of arguing with Cole.

“Have you remembered your past?”

Gabriel cringed and turned his back to Cole.
 
“Nay.”

“The only thing you know is that you’re immortal.
 
That shouldn’t be something for you to fear.”

“What I fear is my past,” Gabriel said softly.

Cole moved until he stood in front of him.
 
“Your past is exactly that, my brother.
 
It doesn’t matter what you did or who you were.
 
We know who you are now and that’s what counts.”

Gabriel felt something touch his hand and looked down at the mug of ale.
 
He took it and looked up to see Cole smile before he walked off.

The ale was just what Gabriel needed.
 
He leaned his head back and took a long drink.
 
He glanced out over the land again and could have sworn he saw something move near the forest.
 
With a step closer to the wall, he stared at the spot and waited, but nothing stirred.

Gabriel took a deep breath and decided he had done enough worrying for the night.
 
The four Chosen had been found and the end of the Great Evil was coming.
 
It was time to celebrate.
 
With his family, his brothers.

When Gabriel reached the great hall, he stopped at the balcony that overlooked the massive room and gazed down.
 
The people of Stone Crest dined on roasted pheasant and potatoes.
 

His eyes traveled to the dais where the Shields sat.
 
Hugh, their leader, and his wife Mina sat at the center of the table.
 
Hugh had not only found his mate upon coming to Stone Crest, but he had found a home as well.

To the right of Hugh was Roderick.
 
Roderick was an immortal prince from the realm of Thales.
 
To Roderick’s right was his wife, Elle.
 
Next to Elle sat Nicole, who Gabriel and Val had battled a Griffin to free, and then Val, a Roman general.

On the left of Mina sat Shannon and Cole.
 
The empty chair beside Cole was Gabriel’s spot.
 
Gabriel wanted to join them, needed to join them, but he found it more than difficult.
 
Each of the Shields had found their mates while battling the Great Evil, and though Gabriel would never admit it, he longed to find a woman for himself as well.

The yearning he felt deep inside his chest when he watched his friends with their wives left him feeling desolate and as though he would never be whole.
 
It was almost as if he had lost his mate.

With a deep sigh he made his feet move and descended the stairs that led into the great hall.
 
Cheers rose from the Shields as he approached.
 
Gabriel smiled and raised his mug of ale as he walked the length of the long table to his seat.

“I’m glad you joined us,” Cole said as he leaned toward him.
 
“We were becoming concerned.”

Gabriel sank into his chair and looked at the trencher laden with food.
 
He shrugged and began eating.
 
Cole knew him well enough to know that he didn’t wish to talk.
 
Though from the corner of his eye, Gabriel could see Hugh and the others glancing at him from time to time.

What began as a very tasty meal soon lost all flavor as he pretended to act as though all was fine.
 
When he finished, he pushed back his trencher, drained his mug of ale and forced a smile as he looked to Mina.