Adam Laret blindly fled his scheming, gambling brother and the woman Guerd stole from him. But Adam's escape wasn't complete until Guerd, in the company of a sheriff, hunted him down. Then Adam committed the ultimate crime. With the mark of Cain upon him, he traveled into the desert to atone for his sins. But no act of courage, righteousness, or violence washed Adam clean. Until he met a woman and made a choice: to fight his way back to civilization.