Being Human: Mother Knows Best
By Ldynwaitin
Chapter Twenty One
The Lupe's
Oscar watched Aidan as he ran out of the room. "Go ahead Aidan run, you can't hide from the Lupe's for long."
Aidan knew he was right, there was no stopping them when they were on a hunt. He suddenly skidded to a stop when he heard a mad howl that seemed to be coming from everywhere.
Josh's eyes went wide in fear, he hugged the javelins to his chest. "What the hell was that?"
"The Lupe's," Randal whispered, afraid to speak louder.
"Who are they?" Josh asked. "Wolf assassin's?"
"Not they," Aidan said, he quietly began to sprint down a hallway. "It's more of a him."
"And a her," Randal added.
Hearing another howl, Aidan moved to stand behind a large column. Randal began loading his crossbow, even though he knew it would most likely be useless.
"Which is it?" Josh hissed.
"He was one of Mother's mistakes," Aidan softly said. Squatting down on the floor, he searched the hallways. They were hidden behind two columns, the position they were in they could keep an eye both ways. Randal and Josh squatted next to him.
"Gigantic mistake," Randall added.
"She didn't know at the time," Aidan said. "But he was insane when she changed him over five hundred years ago. She thought he'd be a good companion for Suren."
Randal chuckled, "Boy was she wrong."
Hearing a howl that was to close for comfort Josh softly whispered, "What exactly was wrong with him? Paranoia, schizophrenia, psychotic, manic depression?"
Aidan nodded his head, "Yes."
"You mean all of them?" Josh blurted out.
"One other little thing," Aidan said. "Split personality." Aidan nervously grinned at him. "Mother found out after the fact that there was a Lupe and a Lupita. We just call them the Lupe's. They are the most crazy, insane, degenerate, Vampires on the planet. They're ruthless killing machines, no remorse at all. They'd kill an entire village for a laugh."
Josh looked at the crossbow Randal carried, "Why don't you use it against them?"
Randal shook his head, "They're extremely paranoid, think everyone is out to kill them, which they are. They always wear body armor. Nothing can penetrate it."
Josh glanced at the javelins he still hugged to his chest, "Guess these are useless." He dropped them to the floor.
"Aidan," a woman's' voice called out. "Sweet-cheeks, it has been a long time. Why don't you talk to me anymore? You've been a very bad boy."
"Sweet-cheeks?" Josh said.
"She's always had a thing for me" Aidan reluctantly admitted. "But Lupe, he wants my heart on a pike."
"That would make an interesting date," Josh mumbled.
Aidan looked down the hallway. He could see a silhouette at the end. He saw the head lay back and another howl filled the hallway. "Oh, I smell wolf, I want to play with it," Josh heard a man's voice say. "Lupita, can I play with it?"
"No my hermano, remember Mother said not to hurt the wolf. Do not worry Perrito," Lupita said. "We will not harm you. Where we come from, our name means wolf."
"But sorry Randal," Lupe called out. "Mother said she wanted us to permanently end your employment with her." What shocked Josh the most was that two different voices came from the same place.
"How dangerous is he?" Josh asked Randal.
"Think Assassin, Amazon, Barbarian rolled together. With a lot of Resident Evil sprinkled in."
Suddenly they heard a whistling sound. Aidan and Randal immediately covered Josh. One of the concrete columns they were standing behind exploded. Large pieces of concrete flew in the air slamming hard into Aidan and Randal. As concrete dust filled the air, Randal and Aidan jumped up. With Josh in tow, they sprinted down the hallway.
"I thought you're not suppose to hurt the wolf," Josh shouted as he ran.
"Oh but you're still alive, Perrito," Lupita said, with a taunting laugh.
"Aidan, please give us some sport," Lupe shouted. "It's been so long since we've had a good hunt."
Aidan ignored Lupe's remarks, he knew they had only one chance of surviving an attack from them. He hoped they could get there before the Lupe's caught up with them.
"Josh, tell Randal, that he's always welcomed to your home," Aidan shouted
"Thanks, Aidan," Randal panted, "But now is really not the time to…"
"Tell him!" Aidan said.
"Randal, you're always welcomed in my home," Josh said. "But Randal's right, now is not really the time."
"Oh it's time," Aidan said. Rushing through the halls he said under his breath, "Now is definitely the time."
Josh tried to keep up with Aidan and Randal, but they were just to fast. As he took in a deep breath, he felt something wrap around his ankles. Pulling his feet together he fell to the ground with a grunt.
"Oh no, Aidan!" Josh shouted. He quickly pulled his backpack off as he fell and threw it towards Aidan. Spinning around on the floor he tried to find something to hold onto, but he was being pulled to fast.
Hearing Josh cry for help, Aidan spun around. He saw Josh throw the backpack at him as he fell on the ground. In seconds he was dragged into the shadows. Randal quickly ran to pick up the backpack.
Aidan stood by his side, "Damn it," he cursed. "I had a good plan."
"We had a plan?" Randal panted.
"Yeah," Aidan said. "It's not perfect, but it would have worked."
Randal looked ahead, "What are we going to do?"
"Remember, Mother gave the order not to kill him. Fortunately for Josh, Mother just loves his blood."
"Yes," Randal said. "Let's hope the Lupe's follow her orders."
Josh dragged his hands on the floor, in seconds he felt hands grabbing him. The rope around his feet was pulled up, and wrapped quickly around his hands. He was pulled up to sit next to a column. In seconds he was literally hog-tied. His knees were forced into his chest. He looked up and saw a young man smiling at him.
"Yee haw, got that doggie tied in record time," Lupe cried out.
Josh stared up at the man. The first thing he noticed was that he was a very handsome man. He had long black hair, his wide brown eyes stared at him. He was dressed in black. Josh saw every conceivable weapon and then some, hanging on a bandoleer. On his hip hung a gun in a holster.
Josh saw Lupe's face suddenly change, his eyes softened, he pulled his long hair forward. He clapped his hands, and joyfully laughed. "I'm glad you kept up your roping skill, Lupe," Lupita said. "I miss the days of the old west. No marshal could stand up to our quick draw." She drew out the gun in a flash. Josh could immediately tell that it was specially made. It looked like a six gun, but its barrel was much larger than normal.
Lupita gently smiled at Josh. "Don't worry perrito, we will not harm you." Lupita's voice was high pitched like a woman's. She gently stroked Josh's face with the muzzle of the gun. She felt him shake under her touch. "Oh, are you frightened of me?"
She shoved the gun back in the holster. Josh saw her dark eyes open wider, Lupe frowned at him. "That's a good thing," he said in a deep voice. He stared at Josh. "I heard you're one of Randal's wolves." He searched into the darkness of the building. "He used to give them to me to play with. Then one day, he wouldn't let me have them anymore."
He tightly fisted his hands, "I miss playing with the wolves. They gave me more sport than a human." His dark eyes stared right into Josh's soul. "That's why after we give you to Mother, I'm going ask her if I can have you back when she's done with you. It's been a long time since I had a pet."
Josh once again saw the face change, he could see a difference on his face when it was Lupe or Lupita talking. "Now, now Lupe, don't tell him everything, we need to keep some secrets to ourselves."
"Yes, Lupita, you are always right," Lupe sighed with resignation. He stared at Josh. His head tilted to the left then the right. "You have the saddest eyes, so sad." He angrily shook his head, "They remind me of our father. He was always so disappointed with me. He would lock us in the cellar you know. Said he was embarrassed that I was his son. He didn't want the villagers making fun of him for creating such a mistake. It was dark, and damp in there." Lupe hand's began to reach down. "I hated that cellar," he growled.
Josh gasped as Lupe suddenly grabbed his neck. "I told father how much I hated it." He stared into Josh's eyes, "I told you father, don't lock me in there again, but you wouldn't listen to me." His hands slowly began to squeeze Josh's neck. "Oh, but you never told me again," Lupe madly sung. "Yesss father, I taught you a lesson that day." He sighed as he squeezed his neck tighter, "On how important it is to breathe. Oh, it felt so good to feel the soft flesh under my fingers. To hear him gasping for breath, the bones breaking, I love that sound."
Josh choked and gagged, he could not breathe. He tried to kick his legs out, but he was tied up to tightly. He gurgled, "M…Moth…"
"Lupe, let him go, remember Mother's orders," Lupita said.
Lupe quickly released Josh, he drew in a deep breath. He coughed and gasped, as he filled his lungs with life giving air.
"I am sorry Lupita, sometimes I forget."
"You are forgiven," Lupita said. She stared at Josh as he tried to get his breath back. As he began breathing normal she gently stroked his face. "Let that be a lesson to you, if you don't do as we say I will let Lupe give you one of his special neck massages, comprede?"
Josh nodded his head, his throat was so sore he could hardly speak.
"Good," Lupita said. She began to untie Josh's legs. "I don't know how you did it, but since he met you, Aidan has changed. The Aidan I first met only cared for himself. Now it seems he cares for many others." She kept his hands tied, she jerked on the rope, pulling him up to stand. "The old Aidan would have been long gone by now. Fortunately for us, you are now his best friend."
She tightly wrapped the rope attached to Josh's wrists around her hand. "We go now, Mother is waiting for you. But don't worry perrito, Aidan will not be far behind." She patted the gun in its holster. "He will be catching up with us soon."
"And when he does," Lupe said. He pulled out the gun so fast it was a blur to Josh's eyes. In a split second Lupe fired off four shots. The bullets exploded into a wall. Quickly holstering the gun, Lupe jerked on the rope.
As Josh was dragged down a hallway he closed his eyes and prayed that the old Aidan would return and that he'd be long gone.
After checking out the basement, Sally and Cecil found the furnace to be in good shape. There was a bit of rust on it, but not enough to weaken it to an attack from a werewolf. In a blink they appeared back on the forth floor. They quickly realized that something bad had happened. Aidan, Randal and Josh were gone.
Two Vampires remained in the room. One was just waking up, the other was a woman.
"What happened, here, where are they?" Cecil demanded.
Bina ignored the ghost, she tried to help the vampire that Josh had beaten to get up. "I don't like being ignored," Cecil said. Sweeping his arm, a table moved towards the two vampires. It slammed into them, knocking them both down.
"I said, where are they?"
Sally was shocked, "How did you do that?"
"Being a bored ghost for fifty years, you pick up a few things."
Bina angrily shot up, "I do not listen to no stinkin' ghost."
She quickly had to duck as rusted tables, and chairs flew her way. Cecil waved his hands in the air, any object in the room now became a weapon he could use. Bina ducked and tried to slap them away, but there were just to many.
"All right!" Bina shouted, "Enough, I'll tell you." She pointed to her right. "They ran down that hallway. They're alive, but they won't be for long. Mother put an assassin on their tail."
"Why did you tell them that?" the injured vampire hissed.
"Just paying a debt to a friend," she replied.
As soon as Bina told them where Aidan went the furniture flying in the room fell to the floor. Cecil stumbled, Sally could see a weakness in his eyes.
"Sorry," he choked. "It takes a lot out of me. I'm glad she talked, I don't think I could have done that much longer."
"Will you be all right?" she asked him.
"I'll be fine, we need to find Aidan and the others. Sally, you can go to them. Just think of Aidan or Josh."
Sally stared in the direction they ran. She concentrated on finding Aidan. In seconds she could 'feel' him. "Got him," she said.
Cecil grabbed her, "Then let's go."