Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Four

Randal

Coming back to the room, Randal was glad to see that the ghost was missing. He placed the tray of food on the floor. Lifting the rod he used to lock the door, he bent down to pick up the tray. He saw Sally suddenly appear before him.

"A healthy breakfast," she said. "Have to say Randal, you're a very thoughtful blood thirsty kidnapper."

Randal ignored her as he picked up the tray. Sally blinked over to his other side. "By the way, the name is not little misty, or Casperette, or any other name you could think of to call me. It's Sally."

Sally was surprised to see a very serious look on Randal's face. "Look, I can see that he was a good friend of yours."

"Is," Sally corrected him. "He IS my friend."

Randal tiredly sighed. "Your friend is now a part of something big, very big, Sally." Gripping the tray tighter he leaned closer to her. "I've always felt that a man is judged by the friends he keeps. With you refusing to leave, and Aidan giving up so much. Well I'd say that your friend must be someone very special."

"He is," Sally cried out. "And I'm not giving up on him. I'm staying here."

Randal nodded his head. "I'll let him know you're still here, he should like that."

Moving to the door he gave her a look of warning, Sally moved back. He kicked the door open and backed in. "I'll be here, Randal," she shouted, as he closed the door. "Not going anywhere."

Josh saw a smiling Randal walk into the room carrying a tray laden with food. Making sure the door was bolted shut he walked over to the small table and slammed the tray down on it.

"After last night, you need to build up your strength." Josh could smell eggs and bacon. The scent filled the room. At first he was not going to eat anything in protest of his capture. But his stomach voiced a loud protest. Randal was right, he was ravenous.

He remained where he stood, staring at the tray. Randal cupped his hands, the sound of Josh's growling stomach filled the room. Randal took in a deep breath, "Living with Aidan you know that's all yours, I already had my breakfast."

His freedom was stolen from him. He would take up any battle to show his protest, even if it was small. He remained where he was standing.

After several moments Randal slammed his hand on the table. "Look, it's my job to take care of you. Right now it means I need to get you fed. If you don't start eating…" Randal glanced at the collar sitting on the floor. "It's been a long time since I had to force feed one of my charges."

Josh could see that he was not kidding. But he would not rush to the table. Slowly he walked to the chair. Sitting down he took his time eating. Randal smiled proudly. Sitting in the other chair he once again brought out the small leather strap and began to absently pull it through his hand.

"Your friend Sally wanted me to let you know that she is still out there. I have to say she is a spirited spirit."

"You don't know the half of it," Josh mumbled with a mouth full of eggs. He nodded to the strap, "Would I risk being collared if I ask what that is?"

Randal held the strap in the air. It was then that Josh noticed that it was braided with different colors. Randal sadly looked at the strap. "These are memories," he softly said. "A bit of hair from each one of my charges, helps me keep them alive." He saw Josh suddenly stop eating when he realized the braid was made from pieces of previous wolfs that were taken for Mother to feed on.

Randal tightly gripped the strap. Josh actually saw a look of sadness flow across the Vampires eyes. "Mother chose me because she knew I would protect you with my life. That's why I can't…I can't call you by your name. Not knowing that you will…, that they all will…" He shook his head, "I can't help but get close to them you know, it's a part of my humanity that never died. I was a game warden when I was human. People would come from miles around to my village. They knew I had a knack with animals. Mother caught wind of my special skills."

"I've been doing this for a very long time." Randal looked down at the strap he tightly held in his hands, "Maybe to long." Sniffling, he tucked the strap back in his pocket. "You finish your breakfast, got to keep you healthy."

Josh quickly finished his breakfast as Randal quietly watched him. When he was done eating he sat back, and looked around.

"So," Josh said. "What do you do the next 27 days to keep yourself busy?"

"I work on keeping you alive and healthy," he quickly replied.

Josh looked around the room, "Sounds boring."

"We have all the things we need. A bed, a table, a Television, and…" He shot up and moved to a standing screen. Folding it Josh saw a toilet, Randal flushed it.

"Oh, a mini Jacuzzi," Josh said.

Randal laughed, "You have kept your sense of humor, that is a good thing." He slowly walked to a dresser. "I may be old, but I do keep up with the times." He opened a drawer and pulled out a laptop. Grinning widely, he placed it on the table. Josh thought that the wallpaper on the screen actually seemed appropriate. A giant devil-like monster loomed before him.

"Don't tell me," Josh said. "You a Diablo 2 fan?"

"Is there any other video game?" Randal said.

"Necromancer?" Josh asked.

"Nope, Bowazon."

"That's….not what I expected you to say."

"It's the warden in me," Randal quickly explained.

Clearing his throat Josh said, "You know they just announced 3's selling date." He saw an anxious look in Randal's eyes. Perhaps he could use this game as a way to make a closer connection to this ancient warden.

Randal shook his head, "I know, but I can't have internet."

"Yeah, bummer," Josh said. "I'm going through tweet withdrawal already."

Josh sat back and watched Randal begin to play the game on his laptop. He made small talk, little things that he tried to use to get more of a handle on this vampire. First thing he realized, was that he was not like any vampire he knew, Aidan included. It would take time, perhaps several moon phases, but he could see a glimmer of hope that perhaps, just perhaps he could get this vampire on his side. As he well knew, he had plenty of time to do that.

The next few weeks went by fast for Josh. Randal made sure he was kept busy in all that time. He would make him exercise every day, said it would make the wolf stronger. Josh would comply, but in that time escaping never left his mind.

He couldn't wait until Randal left the room to fetch him something to eat. That was the time Sally was able to visit him. She kept him in touch with what was happening above. Apparently Mother was as angry as she could get. With Suren running away with Aidan it was a clear sign to the Vampire hierarchy that Mother's control was not so absolute.

It was less than a week until the full moon when Sally appeared breathless to him. Immediately Josh knew something was wrong.

"Man, I couldn't wait until he left," Sally gasped. "I've been dying to tell you what happened."

Josh feared the worse. "Aidan, did they find him?"

Sally shook her head, "No, something worse, Suren is back. It happened over three hours ago. I was checking out what was happening on the other floors. I saw Suren walk into the foyer and right up to Mother."

Josh began to nervously wring his hands. "This is not good, Mother is not going to be satisfied with 'The Princess' slinking back without Aidan."

Sally sat on Mother's bed, "You should have seen the look of satisfaction on her face. She knew Suren wouldn't last long on her own."

Josh stared at the door, "Sally, you need to find out if they're getting close to finding Aidan."

Sally jumped off the bed. "That's not going to be easy. They're not afraid of me, and there's lots of iron sitting around. I don't want to end up at the bottom of the stairs again."

Josh jerked when he heard a familiar clicking sound. "Sally, get out of here, NOW!"

Sally blinked out, she appeared at the vent in the hallway. Kneeling down, she listened to the vent.

Once Sally blinked out Josh saw the door to Mother's secret tunnel open up. His mouth became dry when he saw her standing in the doorway. Her face was a mask of rage.

"What do you want, Mother?" Josh shouted loud enough for Sally to hear. It was all he was able to get out before she stormed into the room. Her hand wrapped around his throat, "I am tired of Aidan's games, you are going to tell me where he is."

Once Sally heard Josh shout Mother she knew she had to find Randal. She flitted through the hallways, searching for him. She found him in a large kitchen. He was just getting a tray of food prepared.

"Josh," she gasped as she appeared in front of him.

"What about him?" Randal said.

She whispered to him, "Mother is with him."

Randal didn't hesitate, dropping the tray he raced down the hallways. He had heard that Suren was back, and that Mother was enraged that Aidan was still eluding her hunters. The only reason why Mother would be there was to take out her anger on Josh.

"Tell me, where will he be hiding," Mother snarled.

Josh's hands grabbed her arm, he dug his fingers in, but she did not feel the pain. "I…don't…know." Josh choked out.

She threw him to the side, he rolled into the cot, smashing it. "You lie. I know the pact you made with him. He was willing to give up everything to be a part of the 'human race'. You were his friend, his best friend."

Josh grabbed his ribs, he felt at least one of them crack. "If you know about that," Josh groaned. "Then you know I'd never tell you where he is."

Mother lifted up the table and threw it at Josh. Grabbing his chest he rolled out of the way. It shattered at this feet. Mother held one of the chairs in her hands. She cruelly smiled. "See the gift your blood has given me."

She grabbed the metal leg of the chair and easily bent it as if it was a toothpick. Breaking the leg off, she immediately ran to Josh. Standing over him she slammed the leg hard against his neck. Josh gasped for breath.

"Your loyalty is greatly misplaced," Mother hissed. "I've seen what Aidan is capable of, the carnage, the destruction. How many of your kind do you think he killed, before he met you? He's captured many participants for the dog fights."

She ground the leg into Josh's neck. He struggled to breathe. When she saw him begin to turn blue, she pulled back. Josh took in a deep draw of life giving air. He began to cough and gasp. "He's not that Vampire anymore," he said in a hoarse voice.

Mother took the metal leg, she pushed it against Josh's chest. "Living with a vampire has masked you to how dangerous we truly are. What we're capable of."

Mother grabbed the leg with two hands, she shoved it hard against Josh's chest. He gasped in pain as she hit a cracked rib. "My hand reaches out into the entire world." Her face came close to his, she hovered inches above him.

"Aidan has made me look bad to the others. He has even dared to speak to the Dutch, they have always questioned my authority. In their eyes I have shown weakness concerning my daughter." She leaned down on his chest, "I will not allow him to humiliate me anymore!"

The door to the room suddenly flung open, Randal rushed into the room, Sally was at this heels. Randal could see that Mother had already begun to instill her anger on Josh, his eyes were knit in pain. He had never seen her more furious. A hundred years ago, he would not even think of stopping her. But today, in this time, with this wolf, he realized that for the first time in his life, he believed that what Mother was doing was wrong. And for the first time in his life, he was willing to stop her.