It Begins With a Rogue's Bite (5 page)

He rolled away from her, and when the moon’s rays of light once again beamed down around her, she could see the two shadows were actually beasts, too. The stalking creature got up, growling as it attacked one of them.

She started to shake, and heat traveled throughout her body like acid, burning muscle and blood cells as it progressed. The woods around her spun, and the growls in the background turned to yelps until silence came upon her once again.

She closed her eyes when the pain became unbearable and weakness enshrouded her. Suddenly, strong arms picked her up and carried her.

She heard a male voice say, “He bit her badly. She’s lost a lot of blood.”

Another man responded, “Then we didn’t save her. We failed.”

“No, we didn’t. She’s still alive. We can take her to The Haven. Maybe they can save her there.”

With what little strength she could muster, she forced her eyes open to stare at the man carrying her. Even though the dim moonlight didn’t reflect much light on his face, she did make out the most beautiful deep green eyes.

He gazed down and said in a sympathetic voice, “Don’t worry, miss, you’ll be all right.”

“Yeah, we’re taking you now to a place where they’ll help you,” the other voice said.

Her eyes teased her. She saw the same gorgeous male face near her morph into two. Coldness replaced the heat and pain that moments ago had overwhelmed her and a peace came with it. She was at Death’s door and she’d be delivered there by the hands of the beautiful multiplying angel holding her body.

Her heavy eyelids closed, and darkness enveloped her mind as she accepted her end and waited for a new beginning.

Chapter Five

It took all Shane’s willpower not to slug his brother while he paced back and forth in the narrow doctor’s office where they waited.

“Will you just sit down? You’re driving me crazy.”

“I can’t help it. Why is it taking them so long?” Thomas sat at his command and began to swirl his thumbs around while shaking his leg, fidgeting.

“I don’t know. We brought her in as fast as we could.”

“Maybe we weren’t fast enough. She was so pale and she lost so much blood.” Thomas frowned while combing his fingers through his hair.

Shane couldn’t give up hope right now no matter how dreary things appeared. Even though she’d been really weak, barely breathing, and so cold when they got her to The Haven, he had heard the doctors here could perform miracles and bring humans on the verge of death back to life.

Of course, they couldn’t bring them back to their normal human lives, because once a human was bitten by a werewolf, there was no turning back. But they did survive and lived healthy, happy werewolf lives after that.

He closed his hands together on his lap so as not to alert his brother what he intended to do and began to say a silent prayer. They needed all the help they could get and if praying to God, something he rarely did, could help in any way, then what did he have to lose?

Just as he ended his prayer and Thomas stood up to pace once more—he obviously had become stir crazy in his seat—the door to Dr. Whitmore’s office opened. An elderly woman walked in with a file in hand and a long face.

Shane’s stomach lurched with fear. This didn’t look good. He had most probably wasted his time in prayer to a God who seemed never to be paying attention to his words. He may not have communicated often, but the few times he did, God never listened. Why would this time be any different?

Thomas beat Shane to the punch with his question. “How is she, Dr. Whitmore?”

The moment the doctor heard the words, her long face turned to one of hope. She took a deep inhale while walking behind her desk to sit. An encouraging smile spread over her lips and eyes when she brought her hands together to rest on the desk and gazed first at Thomas, then at Shane.

“She’s stable now. I won’t lie to you. We almost lost her when she flatlined, but then her heartbeat came back regular and strong. Right now, we are giving her werewolf’s blood to help her heal and prepare for the transition.”

“So she’ll be all right?” A warm breeze of relief swept over Shane.

“Yes, she will. The transition won’t be easy as it isn’t easy for any human to become a werewolf, but her life is out of danger now.”

“That’s wonderful to hear. I guess my brother and I will get back now. Thank you for all you’ve done and will do.” Shane stood up and extended his hand to the doctor, smiling.

The doctor didn’t shake his hand. Instead, she lowered her gaze to her file. “I’m afraid you both can’t leave yet. We haven’t filed a report on the attack. Because you are Voyeurs and this should be held in the upmost secrecy, I’ll be filing the report alone. Have a seat. This will take some time.” She pointed to his chair.

“All right.” Frowning, Shane did as she asked.

With her pen in hand, she began, “So let’s start from the beginning, shall we?”

Shane looked at Thomas. The look he gave his brother said, “Let’s hope she believes us and doesn’t think we’re crazy.” Only another Voyeur could possibly understand what took place in a vision, and she, not being a Voyeur, couldn’t possibly comprehend it since she had never had a vision herself.

He coughed and began to retell their experience.

Once he finished, he stared at her.

“So the Rogue escaped. Would you be able to identify him?” She squinted, staring at Shane.

Shane shook his head. “No, I didn’t get a good look at his face.” He turned to Thomas. “How about you?”

“Neither did I.”

“That’s too bad. That means he’s free to kill again once he heals.” Her lips tightened until they formed a thin line across her face.

“Yeah, I guess he will.” Shane nodded as a cord knotted tighter around his stomach.

She tapped her pen on the paper as she stared at the right corner of her desk.

Impatient, Shane tapped his foot. They needed to get back to the Council and let them know what happened. Thorak would surely be waiting for their detailed report.

“That’s all we can tell you, Dr. Whitmore. We need to get back now,” he stated.

“Umm, don’t go.” His words seemed to break her from the spell she had fallen under. “I need to discuss something else with you both. Normally, I wouldn’t suggest such a thing, but in the past couple of months, Rogue attacks have been on the rise. And we have had so many cases like this one to deal with on a continual basis. We cannot keep up and are short-staffed. So what I suggest now may seem unethical, but I assure you I wouldn’t ask it if we really didn’t need the help.”

“What exactly is it you want to ask us, Doctor?” Shane didn’t like the sound of where she headed.

“I would like you both to stay a few days to help the female through the transition,” she stated.

He almost toppled over at her suggestion. His reply for the both of them was quick and blunt. “We wouldn’t know what to do. We could cause her harm instead of help her with the change.”

She smiled. “We’ll be there to guide you and monitor her always. So there is no danger of that happening. But we need someone to be with her constantly to monitor her changes, answer her questions, because there will be many, and also give her support.”

Before Shane could respond, she continued. “And by constantly being in contact with the female for the next few days, perhaps you would get another vision of the Rogue werewolf. If there’s a possibility of increasing your chances of having a vision of him and being able to catch him before he can kill another human, wouldn’t that be worth a few days of your time?”

Shane refused to reason. He shook his head. “We need to get back to speak to the Council about our findings.”

She waved her hand in the air. “No need to worry about that. I’m under direct orders to report all Rogue attacks on humans to the Council. I will let them know what you told me and the female’s condition. I’ll also let them know that you will be helping us in the hope of having another vision to identify the Rogue.”

Shane still didn’t like her idea. Being that close to the female during the transition would be torture. He had heard stories of how painful it could be for them. It would hurt him deeply to see her physically endure such pain.

But he had also heard just how excitable humans got in the transition. Becoming a werewolf meant that their sexual urges would heighten in intensity. A natural-born werewolf became adapted to the urges because they developed gradually as he, or she, grew up. But a human was sprung into the heightened arousal stage almost instantly and had a hard time restraining his or her desires.

Having the female demand sexual release over and over from them in the transition would be something interesting to experience. His sexual urges were stirred simply by remembering how she looked in his vision. Her beauty enchanted him to no bounds and the delectable body he imagined made him quiver with want. He’d be more than inclined to satisfy her heightened need for sexual release for as many times as she demanded it of him.

Looking over at his brother now and seeing a smile spread over his face, he knew his brother thought the same thing. God, his cock stiffened in his pants at the thought of what she could demand of them both. He imagined her naked, her plump breasts swollen with excitement, her dark nipples taut, waiting for him to suckle, and her wet, hungry pussy throbbing for his stiff cock to satisfy its yearning need for impalement.

Yes, satisfying her sexual desires would be the ultimate high for him and no doubt for Thomas as well.

But it’s what happened after her libido was satisfied that worried him. Already, something had obviously begun to stir in his brother. These feelings started with the vision and hadn’t gone away, even now when she wasn’t in the room with them.

He knew they wouldn’t go away but could only intensify if they had intercourse. Having to leave her after that and returning to the Council and the Voyeurs would break Thomas’s heart. Although his heart wasn’t as fragile as Thomas’s, Shane feared he too would be affected. The vision and fate had seen to that.

Taking a deep breath, he responded, “I’m sorry, Dr. Whitmore, but we can’t help you.” He got up and Thomas quietly followed his lead to the exit.

Before they got two paces to the door, she answered, “I’m sorry for the confusion. I didn’t make myself clear enough. It wasn’t a suggestion I made, but an order. You see, I am part of the Council and—”

Shane interrupted, saying, “You’re a Voyeur and a Council member? We’ve never seen you before.”

 
“Not all Voyeurs or Council members live on the compound.” She huffed. “Anyway, I am demanding you stay here with the female and help her through the transition. Like I said before, we are short-staffed and can’t possibly attend to her every need. And if it gives us a chance that you have another vision and can identify the Rogue, then we must try it.”

She got up and headed for the door. “Please sit. Have a coffee and Danish.” She pointed to the coffeemaker in the corner of her office. “I’ll have Dr. Jonas come to fill you in on what happens next. She’s the physician attending our female patient.”

Turning the doorknob, she added, “And I’ll report to the Council what has happened and my decision to have you stay here with us for a few days.” After opening the door, she smiled. “I’ll be seeing you at the end of the week, gentlemen.” Then she closed the door behind her.

Shane glanced over at Thomas who looked just as stunned as he felt. Boy, he certainly hadn’t seen that coming.

Thomas shrugged. “So what do we do now?”

“Exactly what she said.” Shane got up and headed for the coffeemaker. “Relax, drink, eat, and wait.”

He took a paper cup and filled it up with the hot coffee. Steam escaped the rim of the cup. The pleasant aroma traveled to his nose, and his stomach growled. They had been so preoccupied with finding the female that they hadn’t thought of eating. Now his stomach growled loudly at having to stay empty for so many hours.