It Begins With a Rogue's Bite

Haven for the Lustfully Damned

JESSICA FROST

Copyright © 2010

Prologue

Tension at an all time high, Shane and Thomas raced through the empty corridor. The sound of their speedy footsteps echoed through the marbled hallway with pounding fury as they approached the unwelcoming and overwhelming double doors. Behind those doors, the twelve most important and influential Voyeurs of their society sat discussing their dire situation. All knew when those doors remained closed, no one should interrupt, unless it involved life or death. Unfortunately, the twins bore such news.

Thomas glanced at his brother as they approached. From the concern in Shane’s eyes, he was obviously in as much distress as Thomas. He wondered if his brother’s heart hammered with as much ferocity as his own. It made breathing difficult.

How he wished that godforsaken vision had never come to them an hour ago. But it had, and now they needed to warn the high-ranking Voyeurs in that room about it before it was too late.

Shane arrived at the doors first. Taking a deep breath, he glanced at Thomas with an expression that said,
Here goes nothing
, and knocked on the black door. The sound of heavy breathing resonated in Thomas’s ears as they stood there motionless, waiting. His Adam’s apple throbbed with his every heartbeat, thus blocking his throat and making his saliva form a ball near his vocal chords. Swallowing, he uselessly tried to loosen the blockage.

How much time elapsed before the doors opened, Thomas couldn’t tell. Perhaps it was only a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity.

When the pale face of the Council’s secretary peeked out, Thomas was finally able to swallow the cumbersome, hard ball of tension and saliva that had formed in his throat. She glanced first at Thomas and then at Shane, perplexity in her eyes.

“Why do you interrupt the Voyeur Council’s important meeting?” she uttered with a sneer.

Shane coughed twice. Had a lump formed in his throat too? Thomas wondered.

Shane said, “We’re sorry for the interruption, but it’s really important we speak to the Council.”

“Can’t it wait until their meeting has adjourned?” Her sneer tightened.

“Unfortunately, it can’t. We need to speak to them now,” Shane said.

She glanced back inside and then huffed. “Very well, come in.” Opening the wide door completely, she welcomed them in.

Thomas focused on their surroundings. He and Shane hadn’t stepped foot in this room in years but much hadn’t changed. How odd that he could remember every detail of the oppressive, gloomy room. Its furniture, dark and massive, added to its gloom as did the faded brown carpet covering the floor wall to wall. Thomas found it hard to breathe in there, even though the room was hardly stifling.

The last time they’d stood in this room before the Council, almost ten years ago, they were being inaugurated into the order of Voyeurs, the clairvoyant werewolf society sworn to protect humans. And here they stood once more, only this time they were here for a totally different reason. They were here for the horrible vision they witnessed before.

They hadn’t had a vivid vision like this one in many years. It frightened Thomas, as did their first vision of the earthquake that totaled the Council’s quarters a decade ago. In that vision, though, accuracy forged the sequence and many lives were saved because of it. The Council honored them by making them Voyeurs in their order, just like their father before them. How honored their parents were that day they got inaugurated.

But the visions never intensified or continued for them. Oh, they had the occasional insight on minor future occurrences, but none of major detail or importance.

Until today when they’d both sat in their office working on some blueprints for a future construction project. A vision had come to them, a vision more vivid and more haunting than the one of the earthquake.

At the time, Thomas didn’t know Shane witnessed the same vision, and what Thomas witnessed possessed him. He couldn’t tear his eyes or attention away. The real world vanished. It was as if a vortex opened up and whisked him into its core, spiraling his body off to a faraway place full of evergreen trees, a barren road, and eminent danger.

When Shane spoke to Thomas about the experience right after it ended, they both realized they had the same vision and the human female they had seen was in peril. They needed to warn the Council to save her.

Now, just an hour later, here they stood before the Council members who stared at them, some with curiosity and others with annoyance. Thomas leaned on one foot and then the other. His nerves rattled. He wished he could get the hell out of there quickly.

Thorak, the eldest of the Council members, placed his papers back on the table, took his spectacles off, and stared keenly at them.

“Why have you come? I hope all is well with your family?” He glanced first at Thomas, then at Shane.

Shane stepped forward, bowing in respect. “Yes, they’re all fine. We’re sorry for interrupting the Council’s meeting, but what my brother and I have to say is important, and it can’t wait.”

Thorak glanced at his peers, then placed his glasses back on the tip of his nose, looking up at them. “There’s no doubt in my mind you feel it is. Well, go on, tell us.”

Shane looked at Thomas as he continued. “My brother and I had a vision just an hour ago. It wasn’t completely clear, but we believe it was a Rogue’s attack on a human.”

Thorak’s eyes darkened, and he stood to pace the circumference of the table in silence, his deep, panting breath a telltale sign his ancient age finally crept up on him.

Sinor followed his progress with her gaze. Visibly fidgeting, she commented, “It is just as we feared. The Rogues will claim another human victim. Their rivalry against the humans is rising.”

“The boy didn’t say he saw the Rogue killing the human. Isn’t that right, Shane?” Thorak came to stand still behind Sinor’s chair, gazing forward.

“No, sire, we only envisioned the beginning of the attack.” Shane shook his head.

“Then it is not too late to stop the attack before it even happens?”

“No, sire, it isn’t. That’s why we came here the moment the vision ended, to warn you, so you can send scouts out to save her,” Shane replied

Thorak rubbed his chin in apparent thought for a few moments. “Hmm, a female, you say? In your vision, did you see the place where it will take place?”

“Yes, sire. We envisioned a barren road and a dark forest with evergreens growing in a circular pattern. Unfortunately, we don’t know where it is exactly.” Shane shook his head.

He exhaled loudly “If you were to come upon the exact area, you would recognize it, though?”

“Yes, sire, we would,” Thomas replied.

Thorak returned to his seat, slowly leaning back and finally flopping onto his chair when his knees obviously couldn’t bend any farther, a clear sign arthritis ailed the ancient Voyeur, as well.

“Then it’s settled. You and Shane will leave immediately in search of the female whose life is in danger.”

“But, sire, we’ve never hunted a Rogue before.” Thomas frowned, taken aback at the ancient Voyeur’s order.

Sinor interrupted, lifting her hand in the air, pointing to the east. “Thorak, they are just boys. They have never gone on a deadly mission alone before. Make one of the more experienced Voyeur scouts join them in their quest.” Thorak firmly shook his head. “You very well know we can’t spare the manpower. All our scouts are out now trying to find the Rogues’ hideout.” He gazed at them while continuing, “Besides, Sinor, the boys, as you call them, are twenty-nine years old. Hardly boys in the real world, but men.”

“Men in the eyes of humans, yes, but in the eyes of werewolves, they are still boys,” Sinor countered.

“Just the same. They will be fine alone. And hopefully, they’ll be able to save the girl in time.” Thorak stared at them, then waved his hand. “Go now. Time is of the essence.”

As usual, Shane was the first to react. He bowed, replying, “Of course, sire. We’ll do our best.” Then he retreated in a sure gait.

Thomas followed, but hardly feeling as self-assured as Shane always acted.

When the doors closed behind them on their exit, Thomas nudged Shane’s arm. “Why the hell did you say we’d do it?”

Shane frowned. “In case you didn’t realize it, it wasn’t a request but an order from Thorak.”

“Yeah, but you could have argued.”

“Argued with the closest thing the Voyeurs have to royalty? Do you know how old Thorak is? At least five hundred years old.”

“I know. But it doesn’t mean you couldn’t try.”

“It’s no use. You heard him. All the scouts are out hunting for the Rogues.” He started for the front exit. “So, brother, let’s go and try to save this damsel in distress.”

Thomas hated it when his twin was right, which happened often, but he had to admit he had a point. Thorak, the oldest and wisest Voyeur, ordered them to go find her. What he said was law.

As he picked up his pace and followed his fleeing brother, he thought of the human female of his vision. She was gorgeous, drop-dead gorgeous. Her long blonde, flowing hair dancing in the wind as she ran bewitched him, so much so that he longed to plunge into the vision once more to follow her lead and touch her heavenly hair.

The darkness had acted as camouflage in his clairvoyance, so he couldn’t make out many details, but had made out her voluptuous silhouette and her enticing cleavage. With every hurried step she took, her delightful bosom bobbed up and down, teasing him continually with the question of what it would feel like to touch and lick her breasts.

His cock hardened with the memory of her wayward movements and spurred him to quicken his steps more. Soon, saving the damsel in distress became all that more urgent as did seeing her in person. Could she be as beautiful and enchanting as he envisioned? God, he certainly hoped so.