Chapter IV

"Where... where am I?"

William wakes up in an unfamiliar, at first glance, place. He blinks a few times, trying to regain his senses, feeling somewhat paralyzed after the previous night's events.

"Rest, my friend. You don't seem to be able to talk about what happened yesterday yet."

He is trying to figure out who the blurry figure standing in front of him is. He can't. He passes out again.

He wakes up. He is in Bartholomew's house, but has no recollection of how he ended up here. He glances at the window. "Still morning? How many hours have I been sleeping?"

"Two days."

Ah, he must have said that aloud.

"So, do you think you are able to talk about what happened now?"

William gets up from the bed and starts pacing up and down the dining room, while Bartholomew is sitting silently on a chair, hands crossed. "What exactly happened that I need to explain?", William stops pacing and just stands there, looking at the floor, trying to avoid his friend's gaze.

"Do you, really, not remember anything or are you doing that on purpose?"

"For God's sakes, Bartholomew, just tell me!" He feels a rage he's never experienced before. His fists are clenched and he is slightly trembling.

"No, William, you tell me what you remember. You already know what has happened. Why are you trying to deny it?"

"Very well. I met Malkin, we talked, she took the medallion that was the key to her prison and then everything is a blur. That's it."

"What are you talking about, William? What is that nonsense about Mother Malkin again?"

"I saw her, Bartholomew, I talked with her, I... she even pierced my hand with her tail, if you don't believe my words you'll have your evidence-" he looks at his hand only to see that there wasn't any mark there anymore. "This can't be right... She...". She toys with his mind.

Bartholomew stands up, approaches William, puts a hand on his back. "I'm sorry, I upset you. Sit down and we will just talk about it, like civilized people do."

William looks at Bartholomew, then at his hand, confused, and eventually sits down.

"I remember one more thing. The bells. The alarming sound for the werewolves. And then, nothing. I must have passed out... Now will you finally tell me what happened? What do I not remember?"

"I will just cut to the chase. A werewolf attacked the baker and his family."

His words cut him like a knife to his heart. He simply looks at Bartholomew, unable to talk or move. Is it possible that he...

"Are... are they alive?"

"Yes, they are. But their little boy was scratched."

William tenses at that.

In general, it is possible for werewolves to turn other people to werewolves only when the Blood Moon rises and that's a rare occasion. Though, not for the last four years.

"Yes, William, it's what you're thinking. You did this."

At that moment, he remembers Malkin's last words to him.

"Consider better where you place your trust. You know where to find me."

"Who witnessed the whole incident?" William asks curiously.

"Only I saw you transforming to a werewolf. The attacked family and the villagers only saw a werewolf attack so they rang the bells. That's why, I wanted to tell you that earlier, I will not tell anybody about this. No one has to know since no actual harm was done, everyone is safe and sound. But, in the meantime, try to contain yourself. Otherwise, there are other people who will contain him for you, and we both know it would be wiser to avoid that." And with those words, Bartholomew left William alone in his house.

William gathers his belongings and heads for his house. Once again, he rides Shadowless and together they head for Pendle Mountain.

During the journey he tries again to remember all of the events that Bartholomew told him took place after his meeting with Malkin. Strangely, after he last heard the bells of the village he remembers only passing out. Nothing more. But if Bartholomew said he saw him transform... and what about Malkin's last words? Nothing makes sense... yet.

At one point, they encounter some ancient ruins he has never seen before. "That must be the place..." he thinks to himself as they approach the sight which, the closer they get, the more and more voluminous it gets.

As they approach the mountain, William feels someone is constantly watching them. He occasionally looks over his shoulder, deciding eventually that it was probably his own imagination. It feels, however, as if the whole place is covered by Malkin's presence... Like her darkness has fallen upon the whole of Pendle Mountain.

In front of him now lies her most possible hideout. A whole palace built inside the mountain. William gets down from Shadowless but this time, he lets her go home. He doesn't know how long he will be there, and he won't let Malkin do her any harm.

He walks up the stone stairs outside the palace and just stands there looking at the place in front of him. He had seen it before, but at that time it was all covered with ashes and dust and ghasts were roaming in the rooms. It had been burnt down along with the witches who found shelter in it. William had thought that an unnecessary action, but he could not defy a whole crowd. This time, however, it is different.

He casts one last glance behind him and finally decides to get inside. Everything is back in its place, as it was before the fire. Golden chandeliers are hanging of the ceiling, new furniture decorate the rooms, everything seems so warm and welcome... But no, he has to find Malkin. That's the only reason he has come here for.

"I see you like my new home..." she whispered once again at his ear. He turns around and sees her. The same, sublime woman he encountered the last time in the cave. Only, something is different this time. She has blood on her hands. Her claws are covered with it. He glances at her hands, trying not to stare, though. She notices and puts a hand on his chest. "Care for a taste?"

He just stares at her for a moment, but then he immediately steps back, trying to avoid her touch.

"Oh, don't worry, I don't bite... at least not when I'm properly fed." She said and laughs the same devilish laugh he heard the first time he went inside the cave. "But you are not here to dine with me. So, what are you here for, William?"

The sound of his name on her voice...

"You already know why I'm here."

"I do, but I want to hear it from you. I like the sound of your voice." She's torturing him. He wants to love her as much as he wants to kill her. He approaches her once more. "Why are you doing this to me? What do you want from me?" he asks her in a curious tone.

This time she addresses him directly, instead of speaking inside him. "I've told you before, I know there is darkness within you and you know it too. Why won't you let it reach the surface?"

"Because if I do, I condemn innocent people to death. You have caused enough death already, I could not let more people suffer. I will not."

"You won't let the people who killed your own family suffer?" she looks deeply into his eyes. "Those people out there are as much savages as you think yourself to be."

"That's... that's not true. My kind... they've caused great suffering..." he seems troubled at her words, however. As if, deep inside him, he is considering what she says to him, although he denies it on the outside.

"But you know it's true, William. Those people you protect, those who you trust have murdered your kin in cold blood. If they knew about you as well, what do you think would hold them from doing the same to you?"

"What do you care about me, anyway? Why are you so interested in me?" it doesn't bother him that much, however. Her interest in him. He is interested in her as well, otherwise he wouldn't even bother chasing her in the first place.

She chuckles slightly and walks towards him, almost closing the distance between them. "If you let me help you find your peace we can rule this land together. Our clans, united. Wouldn't you want that, William?" Her mouth is dangerously close to his as she speaks her last words. He will kiss her, he wants to so badly.

"No. I can't do this. You are right, my family has suffered because of the human kind but no, I will not condemn innocent people to death because of that. What was done in the past, is done."

Her anticipation changes quickly to anger. She is trembling from her rage. She claws his shirt with her hands and winds her tail around him, so that he cannot go anywhere. "You will regret this, William. I will hunt down every living person until there is no one left you can protect, and you will know your actions led to their deaths..." She speaks inside his mind once again: "I know you want me, William. Do not deny your lust for me, join me and we can be together..."

"No... I will not join you, and that is my last word. I will not let any more people die because of you."

She looses her grip of her tail on him and starts stepping back, laughing at the same time. "Oh, but it's not me who will lead all those people to their doom" she says mockingly as she starts transforming to a dragon.

"It's you."

End of Chapter