Becoming the Enigma (The Loup-Garou Series Book 2)

by Sheritta Bitikofer

  They all stood, even the weak ones, and moved toward the cell bars, their golden eyes fixed on the humans.

  “Listen, son. We don’t want to hurt her. I’m Ralph, the groundskeeper, and this is Helga. We know that she’s down here and we’re trying to help her,” the old man replied.

  If she didn’t intervene, the loups-garous might have been liable to charge the bars and hurt themselves. And if they got their hands on the humans, blood would certainly be spilled.

  Katey quickly stood up and pushed her way through the crowd of loups-garous to stand beside Logan and Darren. Sure enough, Helga stood just beyond the bars, trembling in her black loafers. Next to her was an older man with a lantern dangling from his hand. Katey assumed this was Ralph.

  The groundskeeper had long silver hair slicked back against his head and tied off with a leather cord. His posture was bent and he wore tattered brown trousers, a white long-sleeved shirt that was tucked in with a brown vest over top. He seemed respectable and trustworthy enough as he smiled to Katey, blatantly ignoring the loups-garous.

  Her pack and the others in the cells glared at the intruders, but some of their focus was drawn to the bucket of meat in Ralph’s other hand. It was almost twelve hours since the pack had anything to eat. Katey was sure many were straddling upon their breaking point and the tension thickened the dominance.

  Ralph began throwing the meat through the bars at the loups-garous as she approached. Loups-garous hungrily lunged at the food bits, but there was little dignity among them as they growled and snapped at their brethren to claim their share.

  For a moment, Katey watched the scene with mixed shame and horror. This was not how the loups-garous had behaved the night before. Their wolfish sides were starting to make a more noticeable appearance and it was only a matter of time before they might lose their human consciousness in the hunger as she had that day at school when she refused to eat. Darren and Logan, however, would not leave Katey’s side, even though their chances to grab a morsel of meat were disappearing quickly.

  “Helga, what are you doing down here?” Katey asked as she stepped closer to Logan.

  The maid let out a hitched breath of relief. “Martel has been looking everywhere for you. He went to your room just a little while ago and saw you weren’t there. He came to me and asked about you and I told him I didn’t know where you were if you weren’t in your room. He slapped me and told me to find you. I knew you must have still been here so I got Ralph to bring me down. You have to come back with us.”

  Katey was flattered by how much Helga endured for her sake. She didn’t want to leave her pack, but it was for the pack that she knew she had to leave. If things got any worse, they would have more to worry about than liquid silver bullets.

  Logan looked down to her with saddened eyes, willing her to stay. She gave him a quick but loving embrace then walked toward the silver bars. If she could get away fast enough, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt so bad to leave him.

  Ralph was nearly done distributing the food as Logan held firmly onto Katey’s hand before she had to squeeze out of the cell. “I’ll come back soon, I promise.”

  Just when “soon” would be, Katey wasn’t sure. She hadn’t even come up with a plan yet to help them escape. She knew how far away the town was, who kept the keys to the dungeon, and the perfect time to escape was when the vampires were most vulnerable. But, there were no links, nothing to aid her in coming up with a strategy.

  “Please be safe and take care of yourself...” he said tenderly, letting his fingertips slide off of hers. She savored the feel of his skin and felt tears sting at the corners of her eyes. Their bond hummed with a new strength, as if in response to their distance from one another. It was their tether, their tie to one another until they would be reunited, and to Katey, it was her own lifeline.

  “I will,” Katey whispered as she followed Helga and Ralph back up the stairs to the dungeon door.

  Katey took one last look down to the pack and gave a regretful wave. She could see Logan, fidgeting closer to the bars as if he were ready to charge at them just for the chance to go after her. She saw Darren, Dustin, and even Ben in his wolf form all stare up at her with their anxious expressions as she walked out the iron door with the others. The other loups-garous were too absorbed in scrounging for bits of meat on the floor to even know she was leaving. Only her pack watched her go.

  They all knew how dangerous the vampires could be, especially since they considered Katey to be a human and not a loup-garou like them. Their plans for her were kept a mystery, but if they were keeping her alive this long, perhaps they thought she would either be a good meal or a good convert.

  If she didn’t do something soon, Katey knew that her pack and all that she held dear would be lost to the greed and hatred of the vampires. For their sake, she had to leave and find a way for them to escape. Staying trapped with them in the dungeon wouldn’t do anyone any good. She had to be brave for all of them.

  So much pressure and risk had been thrust upon her, but just like when Katey told Logan to change her, she ignored the danger and plunged into her decision, knowing that it would all turn out all right in the end. She just had to find the right angle.

  In the glow of the lamplight, she didn’t realize how filthy she had gotten just from lying on that floor. Her white robe and nightgown had splotches of dirt stains all over, like tufts of brown fur against a snow-white pelt.

  Ralph firmly closed the dungeon door and placed the new lock on it while picking up the old one that was in multiple pieces on the floor. Katey sighed, feeling the aching loneliness grip her heart once more. There was such a finality about the way he slammed the door that made her wonder if it would be for the last time.

  “How did you manage to break the lock?” he asked, incredulity flavoring his words as he held up the mangled pieces of iron.

  “I found a crowbar and just pried it open.” Katey shrugged and let them lead her back down the hall toward her room, so she could change into something cleaner before Martel found them and suspected anything. They seemed to buy the lie, but she saw Helga glance down at Katey’s hands, as if wondering how any girl could do so much damage with nothing but a crowbar.

  “I’m sorry I had to take you away from them. Did they enjoy the food?” Helga asked, looking back to Ralph who was carrying the two empty buckets – one from the night before and one from that evening.

  “Yes, they did. They just need more,” Katey said softly just as she heard her own stomach growling. She was going to need more soon too, but they might have looked at her sideways if she dipped her hand into one of the empty buckets to rummage out a few leftover scraps of raw meat.

  “Who needs more of what?”

  Martel’s voice made Katey jump as they rounded a corner. She wondered why she hadn’t heard or even smelled his approach as he stood less than a few feet from them. Reaching out with her senses, she realized how much her sense of hearing had deteriorated while she slept. Her threshold of sensory input had nearly been severed in half. The fade was beginning again.

  Upon seeing the vampire, a new tidal wave of emotion and images flashed through her mind. She remembered their passionate kiss from the night before, how his cold lips felt against hers and how she was powerless against his sway.

  It startled her that something deep within her – not her wolf spirit but something much deeper and primal – was thrilled by the sight of him and the idea that they may share another kiss like that soon.

  Such feelings felt sacrilegious and adulterous. Warring against her need to touch Martel was the self-loathing and disgust for the thoughts that assailed her mind. He was an old friend who had turned into a senseless monster, but part of her yearned for more of him, just as she had yearned for Logan. Against the presence of their bond, Katey’s subconscious had the gall to want Martel when she was to be mated with Logan.

  This couldn’t have been real. These impulses were only the aftereffects of the spell he had cast on her
on the stairs when they kissed. To desire another man besides Logan was impossible and she fought it.

  It took great effort to push back the feelings that surged through her in that moment so she could think clearly again.

  Ralph and Helga bowed their heads and took a few steps back, but Katey held her ground against the vamp, trying to think on her feet for an answer. Then she noticed he was frowning at the blemishes on her robe.

  “Where have you been?” he asked with a mixture of anger and confusion in his voice.

  “She’s been with me, sir,” Ralph interrupted. “I was giving her a quick tour of the castle and we just came from the greenhouse. She got a little dirty, that’s why she her gown is soiled.”

  “Yes, and we were just talking about the flowers in the greenhouse, and how they may need more fertilizer and water,” Katey added smoothly, keeping a tight control over her own heartbeat so the vampire wouldn’t suppose her to be lying.

  Yet, as Martel’s blue eyes locked with hers, she knew her heart skipped with excitement. He must have known how he was influencing her.

  Martel looked skeptical at first, and then chuckled. “Very well. Helga, take her to her room and get her changed. I’ll be sending Julia up momentarily to help... I have a surprise for you, Katey.” And with that, he marched off down another corridor after flashing her a cunning smile that made her knees involuntarily weak.

  Katey swallowed back her fear and mouthed a thank you to Ralph. He parted ways with the two girls to go to the servants’ quarters while Helga led her back up to her room on the other side of the castle.

  Nothing had changed in the bed chamber except a couple of new logs had been added to the ever-burning fire.

  Katey settled herself down on the bed after shedding her soiled robe and watched as Helga began pulling out dresses for her to judge and choose from.

  In Martel’s absence, the desire was not nearly as strong and she flooded her mind with thoughts of Logan. She remembered how his kisses made her dizzy and his touch made her feel at home. She replayed their dates over and over again, reliving the way his smile made her heart flutter with joy. Martel was a distant threat in the wake of such thoughts that rekindled her love for her fiancé.

  But ignoring the future was not the answer. What could Martel possibly have in store for her?

  Perhaps, Martel was planning to change her. He didn’t know she was already a loup-garou and it was obvious that female vampires existed, so it seemed completely probable that it had crossed his mind. She dreaded to think how that would end. A mixing of the two species; was that even possible?

  Helga pulled out a gold silk gown with another full skirt, but there were no straps to conceal her shoulders and the cut of it looked to be too form-fitting to Katey’s liking. She turned it down. Another dress was offered, one that was a faint pink hue and the fabric was so sheer that she could nearly see through it. Katey shook her head. Everything the maid pulled out did not seem remotely appealing.

  “Why don’t I take a look?” she insisted.

  Helga smiled and stepped aside to let her have her pick. Katey began digging through the drawers, praying she would find a pair of jeans or even slacks.

  Katey spotted a flash of fabric that caught her eye. It was a similar cut to the nightgown she had on; only with a low neckline that had an adjustable drawstring and two pant legs instead of an open skirt. She lifted its soft fabric from the drawer and held it up to Helga for approval. The maid laughed and shook her head.

  “That’s just underwear, Katey.”

  Katey flushed with embarrassment, but laughed at herself. The sound was strange in her own ears and she realized it was a marvel that she could laugh at all under the circumstances. “Figures I’d pick the most unlikely thing to wear, I was never good at picking outfits.”

  Amongst their laughter, the chamber door opened to allow another woman to enter. With her came a chilling air that sent goosebumps crawling across Katey’s flesh.

  The woman’s thin body was hugged by a revealing and seductive black dress that suited her figure. Her blonde - almost white - hair was pulled back into a stylish up-do. Black eyes rimmed in purple eyeshadow held a sort of laughing quality. Such eyes didn’t look like they belonged on a night-stalking creature, but her pale skin was an unmistakable clue to her identity.

  Her high and protruding cheekbones gave her a stately appearance. Even the way she walked made Katey think of a queen or confident fashion model. This woman commanded respect and affection just by breathing the way she did, but was not overly intimidating like Martel could be. She was not an alpha among her species and Katey felt no obligation to fear her.

  “What are you two girls giggling about?” she asked sweetly, showing off her pearly white fangs. Even her voice held a note of playfulness to further disarm her in Katey’s eyes.

  Helga dropped her gaze and stepped into the shadows while Katey held up the undergarments she had taken from the drawer.

  “I was asking what Helga thought of my idea to go downstairs wearing this.” Katey presented the garment.

  The vampire shook her head. “No, no, that will never do. Don’t you like any of these gowns?” she asked, motioning her elegant hand toward the wardrobe.

  Katey shrugged. “I don’t wear dresses much so I don’t know what’s going to look good or not. And I’m kind of picky.”

  The woman, who Katey assumed was Julia, tapped her long fingernail on her sharp chin and thought for a moment. When the solution came to her, the dark eyes lit up with a new brilliance that Katey didn’t think was possible and Julia grinned.

  “I know just what you would look good in. Come with me,” she said before taking Katey’s hand and dragging her from the room. Katey waved a goodbye to the shy Helga, as she was taken further down the corridor, still wearing her dirty nightgown.

  Julia brought Katey to what she assumed was her own room, which was similar to the one she had been given, but everything was draped in black and gold instead of red and gold.

  The vampire let go of Katey’s hand to sift through what she had available in her wardrobe. At first, every dress looked the same; black evening gowns with slits up to the hips.

  Then, to Katey’s surprise, Julia pulled out a stunning sky-blue dress with straps that came just off the shoulders. She didn’t know how comfortable she would be with that style, but it was better than strapless.

  The hem of the dress reached to the floor with a modest slit up the side, accompanied by intricately woven bead designs along the bodice and jeweled appliques scattered along the bottom skirt portion. Katey marveled at the dress’s beauty and thought it outlandish that she would ever be drawn to something so feminine. But, here she was, wanting to try it on.

  “With your hair and complexion, this gown will look absolutely gorgeous on you.”

  Once the vampire had deftly cinched Katey into the dress, she noticed how snug it was around the midsection. They stood together in front of the vanity mirror and to Katey’s astonishment, she could see Julia completely. So, the myth about vampires having no reflection was a complete farce.

  Katey tugged at the shoulder straps, willing them to sit higher. Other than her mild self-conscious picking at the fabric, the dress was a perfect match and it did show off her features well, just as Julia had said it would. There was a certain delight in seeing herself so dolled up.

  “You look wonderful.”

  For the first time, Katey saw a dark look come over Julia, as if a thought had entered her mind that terrified her.

  “What is it?” Katey asked, hoping it had nothing to do with her or the dress.

  Julia blinked, her dark lashes fluttering wildly. “It’s nothing,” she replied as her mouth tried to pull into a fake smile. “You just reminded me of someone who used to wear that dress.”

  “It’s not yours?” Katey pinched at the loose fabric around her hips.

  With a sigh, Julia crossed her skinny arms over her stomach. “No. It belonged to a friend o
f mine, but it’s been years since I’ve thought about her. Funny how little things can bring up memories like that.”

  Katey couldn’t read the vampire’s emotions as well as she could a human’s, but there was something haunting Julia about this friend. Whatever it was, Katey wasn’t so sure she wanted to know.

  “Now, we just have to do something with your hair to show off that pretty neck of yours.”

  She sounded like Martel did the night before when he talked about putting her hair, before going out on the town. “What is it with you people and necks? Can’t I just wear it down? I’m more comfortable with it down.”

  Julia twittered like a bird, which might have been her way of giggling, and flipped her hand at the thought. “Nonsense. We’ll curl it at least. Come, sit down,” she insisted, pulling out the vanity chair as she took an iron rod from a bucket of hot coals on the vanity and began wrapping portions of Katey’s hair around the hot metal to style it. In a castle that must not have been wired for electricity, such archaic beauty regiments must have been necessary.

  Katey watched in the vanity mirror as Julia’s quick and nimble hands styled her hair almost flawlessly with minimal fixes or mistakes.

  It took Julia mere moments to get Katey’s hair completely curled and pinned up in such a way that the delicate skin on her neck was exposed. Katey had to inwardly acknowledge that she looked better than she thought she would.

  Without Katey’s consent, Julia patted some powder on her face, neck, and shoulders making her look slightly less tan than she really was. The vampire dabbed some blush on Katey’s cheeks and applied the most striking eye shadow design she ever seen, making her green eyes even more arresting than they already were.

  When all was done, Katey stared dumbfounded at her image in the mirror. “I look like an actress or something,” Katey mused, tilting her head to get a good look at both sides of her face.