2
Scotland, Highlands
Bharraich Caisteal
It was barely three o’clock in the afternoon when Anneliese MacDonald woke from a nap covered in perspiration, her body shaking, after a dream made of angry shouts and frightened screams and flashing-steel knives and vivid red blood.
At her shuddering sigh, Athos, her Great Pyrenees dog, a large, thick-coated, and immensely powerful giant, opened his eyes and studied her before fumbling his way to where she was curled up on a spacious lovechair.
Barking a welcome, he jumped beside her and wrapped his furry body around her legs. Then he butted his bearish head on her stomach, and settled down contentedly on her thighs, as if he were a lap dog.
That brought a smile to her face.
Her Pyr was a giant, immensely strong mountain dog, standing as hig
