Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or places used in this story. I am only borrowing the characters and ideas from Colleen Houck's Tiger Saga. Please beware of adult subject matter throughout the story.
Prologue
Reawakened
Somewhere, deep in the rumbling underbelly of the Earth, a long forgotten consciousness flickered awake.
A groan rumbled through the being's chest as previously immobile limbs were tested. Fingers curled, shoulders rolled and muscles stretched.
Lifting a hand to cover barely open eyes, the being took in his surroundings. Shadows covered the roughly hewn walls; flickering in an unseen light. The air wavered with heat; each breath was thick and heavy and stuck to the back of his gasping throat.
Pushing himself up, the being pushed his heavy body over to the wall. Barely registering the furnace like heat radiating from the hastily chiselled wall, he tried to work through the tangle of his thoughts.
Closing his eyes, thoughts came unbidden and unorganised.
Faded images merged into incoherent words, which transformed into puzzling memories.
Until all thoughts faded into one: Rajaram.
Rajaram. Rajaram. Rajaram.
The single word pounded through the darkness of his head. Teasing and taunting.
The being's lip curled into a snarl as memories came rushing back.
The Tiger curse.
Finally uniting the talisman.
Control over a Goddess… her goddess.
Her. Kelsey Hayes.
The being leapt to his feet, rubble tumbled down from the wall, sizzling as they hit the ground. Kelsey. This was her doing. With his hands fisted at his side, a frustrated, agonized scream tore through his burnt throat.
With all thoughts on the Rajaram brothers and their annoying toy, Lokesh focused his energy on the small amount of power he could still feel in the hidden recesses of his body. He took the little flash of power and leant back against the wall; tweaking and manipulating until he felt the magic buzzing through his aura.
Uttering one word in the instant before his eyes flew open, the scorched being disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a few displaced rocks.
The sound of fabric ripping disturbed the silence of the empty room. The Prince and High Protector of the Mujulaain Empire lifted his head from the battle plans scattered across the large desk. His hand fell on the hilt of the knife partially hidden under his papers as he stood and called out.
Striding purposefully across the polished marble floor, Alagan Dhiren Rajaram was unaware of the dark shape hiding in the shadows, tracking his movements with glinting, hungry black eyes.
