Chapter 25

Terror uncoiled, giving me the strength I used to calm myself. The words of the fortune-teller resonated in my mind. I mustn't rush; maybe I will cause myself trouble if I do. A whimper broke from my lips as I tripped and fell backwards, looking at the strangers faces approaching me.

The three men shifted to what seemed big wolves on two legs. They lifted their heads sniffing the air around me and were thrown into confusion; they eyed each other suspiciously. And my eyes, they were staring behind them, my mind calculating if I would escape or not.

I wasn't in a shape where I would ask for help. No one would believe me anyway. I adjusted my posture quickly and ran ahead. Who knows? Maybe I would escape and girls were agile. However, I couldn't make it. A hard blow on my head made me lose all consciousness, letting darkness embrace my warry mind.

I blinked as I felt my head heavy. My body was over someone's shoulder but it wasn't a werewolf. I have never seen a werewolf; I just know they are hairy and big. My heart beat sped up. Where was I?

My eyes swept my surroundings in a swoop. Bones arranged in a macabre display and a quiet, damp, dark and a bit depressing atmosphere. There are lots of bones around and most of them are just stacked up on each other. I think I know where I am: les catacombs de Paris.

By the look of it, I didn't pass out for a long time. They took me down a long spiral staircase to enter the old limestone quarries. As we passed through the tunnels– some quite narrow and almost claustrophobic, others wide "galleries", taking note of how the thousands of bones and skulls tightly packed around the sides are have been arranged.

Some form crosses or other recognizable, symmetrical patterns, while others appear to be unceremoniously lumped together in tall stacks and lines, sometimes behind metal grates and under low ceilings.

There was something overwhelming about everything. Who are these people? And why are they stacked here? Why is this huge cemetery here? I read about the catacombs as a potential place to explore but I never imagined it to be this way.

It's a reminder of our smallness, our impermanence, our fragility. Even the limits of memory, since many or most of these unnamed people once had graves that marked their lives, their names and identities, which differentiated them from others but now, they had nothing except the name of the cemetery that held them in the past.

All of those individuating markers were swept away when these remains were exhumed and transferred to the catacombs. The sign that said to stop because the empire of death was there gravely impacted my mind.

Stop! Here is the Empire of death!

However, the men walked further ahead. They went to the forbidden part, threading on dangerous ground and I stayed still on their shoulders, trying to act like dead. I thought bones also decomposed but this proved that they can stay longer than humans, telling stories of ancient civilizations.

"Goblins!" one of the men shouted.

His hand pulled me from his shoulder and threw me against the wall while a horde of green small creatures surrounded them. What the hell did I just witness? I should be dead now. I am dead.

Blood splashed everywhere and all the green creatures fell dead on spot. The men shifted to their werewolf forms and fought aggressively. Who should I blame for my misfortune? It was me who went to the fortune teller. The men were strong; no goblin approached me. They were disgusting and ugly. I prefer the werewolves to them. At least, they have better figure.

When the battle ended, one of them went to close the passage and the others, they stared at me surprised.

"How much did you watch?"

"Everything. I was caught," I stuck my tongue out. "I wanted to act like a corpse but these horrifying creatures came out of nowhere. Truthfully, I am still scared, can you check if some of them are still around?"

They exchanged a look and one of them walked away. I remained with one and now, it wouldn't be hard to outsmart him and run away. Obviously, I wasn't a spirit so it will take some time to do it. Considering how he is a werewolf and they were fast.

"You don't seem scared of us."

"I learnt to accept everything. You see, I had quite the misfortune in my life and I would believe it even when I see vampires."

I stared at a point, acting concerned and afraid, which caused the man to turn his head to check there. I admired his confidence and admired mine too, since I stood up and started running towards the exit. However, I was caught. Another attempt failed to succeed.

"Don't waste your time and mine too! The boss needs to see you. It was a blunder of our part to let you see all that but things will be fixed soon."

To my surprise, there was a hidden part in the catacombs. I stuck to the man as we moved in darkness; it isn't my fault that my eyes couldn't see at night. I wish Elodie was here to give me part of her power.

As soon as I stepped inside a room fully-organized like an office, Andre rose up from the leather wing chair behind his desk in one fluid move. His eyes narrowed, studying me as I did to him. It was surprising to see him here. No wonder he said he was part of the underworld.

Underworld… It's funny. My mind turned it as underground since the world is above the ground so he is technically underworld… Okay, it's enough.

Unlike how I am used to see him, Andre was somewhat different. My eyes darted to the empty place where he held his necklace; he didn't wear it this time. Was it truly Andre? Something in me affirmed it was him. My breath gave a little catch as he moved closer.

Most certainly, this wasn't some typical movie where the husband is a werewolf hiding himself. This wasn't…

Good God, but this man was much handsome than before. His appearance was a masculine beauty that painter would like to use as a model. Distractingly so! He wore a sleeveless shirt that showed perfectly his muscles and the tattoo in the shape of a wolf on his arm.

The corners of his mouth twitched as if wanting to smile and especially his fangs… They were visible when he opened his mouth to talk, bigger and unlike a vampire, they were much bigger. Wait… Have I truly seen a vampire to judge… But he was…

"What are you doing here? I thought I warned about involving yourself in some kind of mischi-" I was too focused on his new appearance that I forgot I was in a predator's den.

My hands moved to his mouth, examining it and twisting its sides to see clearly the fangs. But they weren't fake… But they were fixed. What the hell? He was a werewolf and I didn't know that. Wait, how could I not notice that?

His eyes pierced into me, burning me with their golden gaze. The light color undistinguishable when I came closer to him, a chuff of air escaped me as he grabbed my hands away, keeping them tightly within his grasps.

"You had enough examining me. You didn't answer me. What are you doing here?"