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I've decided to not only remind myself about the characters, but I figured I'd give you something to sink your teeth into too.
Erzebet is an enigma.
I'm not sure if she's born Wolf or bitten, but she's certainly one of the more powerful Ancients.
Some may recognise her name - Erzebet Nadazdy - Elizabeth Bathory - yeah, that one.
Hazel/Red first met her in Lido di Ostia on their way to Rome. Elizabeth was living with a handsome young Hume named Santi and opened her doors to Hazel, Nichasin and Anton because of her friendship with Anton. Hazel's tutoring continued despite distractions from a Throwback that took a shine to Hazel and wanted her for himself.
Elizabeth took Hazel’s tutoring seriously – both as a Wolf and as a Hume – making sure she knew the rules of etiquette and society. Elizabeth never wanted Hazel to feel uncomfortable because she didn’t fit in.
If anything, Elizabeth was the one that turned Hazel from a peasant-girl into a lady. She taught her to make the most of her beauty in all ways – sometimes to be demure and vulnerable, but also how to be vicious and lethal – while maintaining a cool and calm exterior to present to the world. (Think 50s and 60s Hollywood ladies).
Elizabeth's heart was broken because of a group of Hume females that took things too far. She invokes a ‘Pack Kill’ – an execution involving a full Wolf Pack and I had a lot of fun writing that scene.
To go into more details would spoil some of the story, so that's it, I'm afraid - apart from the fact that Elizabeth changed her name back to the original Erzebet Nadazdy and went back to her warrior-like ways of before.
Maybe that's where the legend started? She went back to her castle and when the Humes found all her victims, she was cast in the character of royalty because they daren’t try to kill her – who knows? And more to the point, shall I use that in another book?
I decided to use Elizabeth Bathory as a character in my books because she already had quite a background in horror if you know history. Often linked with Vlad the Impaler (origin of Count Dracula), Elizabeth was renowned for slaughtering more than 600 girls from the villages surrounding her castle. She was found guilty and rather than executed (because she was royalty and they didn’t want to set that precedent), she was walled-up inside a tower until she died. Allegedly, there was a space large enough to pass food through (and I would assume, her waste, otherwise… UGH!)
Erzebet changes her name to and from Elizabeth / Erzebet depending on her mood. She can be ruthless or kind and has a special place in her heart for Hazel.
Over the centuries, Elizabeth has dabbled in all kinds of experiments and she knows how Wolves tick. She has discovered their weaknesses and ways to maim, torture and wound to extremes. She can keep a Wolf alive under torture for as long as she sees fit and as long as they are useful to her.
There’s a scene in the first book where Elizabeth tortures a Wolf to gain information and a lot of the facts she’s discovered are shared with her victim (and thereby, with the reader).
Again, I had a lot of fun with that, not only torturing a Wolf in Darius’ employ, but figuring out where we could go with science in order to show a Wolf’s weakness - there aren’t many, I assure you.
She has a generous nature, but on the opposite side of that coin, a vicious, vengeful nature too and she shows no squeamishness when it comes to maiming or killing – especially in her chosen vocation of protecting Hazel/Red.
I have a lot of fun with Elizabeth, she’s a character that I can use readily. She’s always around and always has a lot of time and wisdom for Hazel – but she can also bang heads and she doesn’t mind telling Red where she’s going wrong if needs be.
I suppose she’s a vicious and deadly Jiminy Cricket for Red.
Erzebet has lots of progeny – she’s bitten a number of Wolves and allowed them to live – and therefore, usually has someone that can give her the heads-up or the ‘down-low’ on any given situation.
She’s not pure as the driven snow, but neither is she selfishly evil.
Erzebet is loyal to the Lycaeon, but never subservient to her and Victoria can accept that.
I may write a full story of some of Erzebet’s adventures… I think they’d be worth writing.
Erzebet keeps Red in check and grounded – as good friends do. But she also encourages Red to have a little fun every now and then. If anyone is there to constantly have Red’s back, it’s Erzebet. Though they are different in ages – by a good few centuries – the two Wolves are firm friends and together they are (so far) undefeated.