Feral by Sheri Whitefeather

well as her anger.
    She snapped at him. “Don’t tell me what I’m supposed to do or how I’m allowed to feel.”
    He snapped right back. “I should whisk your stubborn little ass off to a castle and show you what it’s like to be locked up with a real beast.”
    “As if you would.”
    “I have enough money to pull it off.”
    She challenged him. “Then do it, Noah. Flaunt your wealth and show me how beastly you can be.”
    “Fine. You want a goddamn fairy tale, I’ll give you one. But it’s going to be warped.” He snatched her keys and unlocked the front door.
    They went inside, and he made a beeline for her computer. He started it up, got online, and searched for “Castles for rent in California.”
    Was there such a thing? Jenny wondered.
    Sure enough, there was. Noah found one in a wooded area that suited him, and she stood over his shoulder and read the information on the screen. With more than a hundred rooms, the three-story structure had been built for weddings, special events, and private getaways.
    He checked the website and rattled off upcoming dates that were available. They chose a day that fit their schedules, and he made a reservation.
    She gazed at the pictures of the enormous castle. It was magnificent, but overwhelming, too. “Just how warped is this adventure going to be?”
    “Getting cold feet?”
    “I was just wondering what you had in mind.”
    “You’ll find out when the times comes.” He shut down her computer. “Be prepared to play Beauty’s part.” He shifted into cat form and trailed a claw along her blouse, making a deliberate cut in the sleeve. “Without the happily ever after.”
     
     
     
    On the day of the outing, Jenny was chauffeured to the location by the same driver who’d been taking her back and forth to the club. She had no idea if Noah was already at the castle or would be arriving later, but as the town car approached the building, butterflies the size of helicopters erupted in her stomach.
    Surrounded by towering redwoods, the castle was even more imposing than it had been in pictures.
    The driver parked and opened Jenny’s door. She got out and stood beside him.
    “What happens now?” she asked.
    He removed her bags from the trunk. “I’ve been instructed to take you to your suite.”
    They went inside, and the entrance with its cathedral ceilings, gilded archways, and sweeping staircase left her awestruck.
    He bypassed the stairs and led her to the east wing. They stopped at a lavish door with a sign on it that read, “Beauty.”
    The suite offered a sitting room, a bedroom, and a connecting bath, all of it fit for a princess.
    After a moment of silence, he directed her to a gold-leafed armoire in the bedroom. Upon opening it, he said, “Each of these is in your size.”
    She stared at the elaborate gowns. Jenny didn’t know much about old-style clothes, but she assumed they were similar to fashions from the eighteenth century, when “Beauty and the Beast” had first appeared in print.
    “A selection of shoes and undergarments has been provided, as well,” he said.
    For now, it seemed wonderfully romantic, but she suspected that was part of Noah’s “warped” plan.
    The driver spoke again. “After I depart, you’re supposed to don the gown of your choice and fix your hair and makeup.” He gestured to a mirrored vanity table. “There are jeweled combs and ribbons in the drawer if you’d like to use an ornament for your coiffure.”
    “What am I supposed to do after I’m ready?”
    “Wander the castle and search for your host.”
    She widened her eyes. “By myself?”
    He nodded.
    “But there are over a hundred rooms in this place.”
    “I’m sorry, miss. But I can’t alter what’s been required of you.” With that, he left, closing the door behind him.
    Trapped inside the demented fairy tale Noah had created, Jenny went through the armoire and chose a blue gown with a velvet-trimmed bodice. She was nervous, but strangely