Being Human: When will my death begin?

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Three

Fidele

Nora slammed her shoulder against the Iron Gate, but it would not open. She cursed aloud, "Damn it Josh, I came here to save you, not the other way around."

"Pray leave," the soldier pleaded. "Thou cannot be here."

"I don't want to be here," Nora angrily snapped back. "But as you can see," she shook the locked gate. "I'm stuck in here, unless you can find me another way out."

The soldier planted his gun on the ground and began to scratch his head. "Well," he said. "Thou may be able to use what the town boys use to get in here."

"Town boys?" Nora said.

"Yes, those scalawags break in here all the time. I tried to keep them out, but they just do not see me."

"A way out," Nora impatiently said. "You know of another way out of here?"

"Why yes," the soldier said. Lifting his gun he pointed down the wall. "There is a tree that grows outside of the walls. One of its branches fell during a great storm. It now lies on this side of the wall. Thou may be able to…"

Nora ran down the wall, the soldier's words fading away. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw ahead, just what the soldier said. A large branch had broken from a tree on the other side of the wall. Running up to the branch, she scrambled up. She was able to climb to the top of the wall. Reaching it, she jumped over to the other side. She quickly headed in the direction she saw Josh run.

As she came to the forest, she saw his footprints in the snow on the ground. Keeping her head down she followed his footsteps. She nearly jumped out of her skin as a wall suddenly stood in front of her, but this one was made of flesh.

She began to step back when she realized that a very large vampire now stood in her way. She pointed her gun towards the vampire. She knew it was useless, but it was the only weapon she had.

"S…s...stay away from me," she warned the large vampire.

Before the vampire could say anything Nora got another shock, as Cecil suddenly popped in front of her.

"Where's Josh?" Cecil asked her.

"I'd tell you, but there's something more pressing that I have to take care of, like this vampire." She jerked her head for Cecil to look behind her. Turning around, Cecil said, "Where, behind Randal?"

"Randal?" Nora sighed in relief.

Randal bowed his head, "Sorry if I scared you."

"Scared me?" Nora said, with a laugh. "No you didn't scare me, you just took ten years off of my life."

"Was not my intention," Randal said. He looked behind Nora, "But as Cecil said, where's Josh?"

Nora pointed ahead, "Those footprints in the snow is where he was. We need to follow them."

"Well let's go," Randal said. "Mother's Vampires are still in the forest looking for you."

For the first time this night, Nora felt safe. She had a big vampire with her, and he was on her side. She had a glimmer of hope that they just may get out of this forest, alive.

Josh's shoes soon became soaking wet as he trudged through the ice-covered water. Searching ahead, he saw the gulley split. Stopping at the fork, he chose to go to the left. He soon found that it was the wrong choice. The left led to a very large hole in the ground. He could see trees struggling to grow out of the hole. Close to a full moon, his sense of smell was already becoming heightened. He could smell dead animals below, the hole was a death trap. Turning around he walked back and took the right fork. Several minutes later he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the gulley open up. The small stream of water flowed into a thick forest.

Josh sniffled as he walked through the now heavy snowfall. The snowfall was so heavy now, he could barely see three feet in front of him. He suddenly stopped when he heard something, it sounded like someone crying. He quickly walked towards the sound. He found a small animal caught on an old iron animal trap chained to a tree. It was a small black dog. The first thing that Josh noticed was his eyes. They were purple. It wore a bright red collar around its neck. It struggled viciously to be released from the metal teeth that dug into its leg. Josh had heard that an animal would bite its own leg off to get free from a trap.

Rushing to the trap he softly spoke to the wounded animal. "Don't worry," he told the dog. "You don't have to be afraid of me." Grinning he added, "We're cousin's…in a way." The dog stopped struggling. It looked up at Josh, its purple eyes nearly glowed in the darkness. Josh examined the trap that held the dog. It was viscous looking. He saw small metal teeth digging into the dog's leg. It looked up at him with such pain in his eyes. Josh had to find a way to release it. Gripping both sides, he attempted to pull it open. He gritted his teeth and took in a deep breath. He slowly began to pull the jaws of the trap apart. It took a lot just to pull it slightly open. He lowered his head and pulled harder. The dog flinched when it felt the teeth's bite lessen.

Josh nearly released the trap when he heard shouting in front of him. They were calling his name, it had to be the vampires. He looked down at the dog. The trap was nearly open, he had to finish what he started. Gripping the trap tighter, he used his fear of the vampires to give him the strength to open the trap. The teeth began to bite into his hands, but he ignored the pain. Just a few more seconds, he thought.

He heard a click, and the dog quickly pulled its leg from the trap. It immediately began to lick the wound. Josh carefully placed the open trap on the ground. He then gently picked up the dog and ran behind some large boulders. He laid the wounded dog down, he was thankful that it did not bite him.

"Stay here," he whispered to the dog. "You don't want to mess with them." The dog's bright eyes stared at him, as if saying thanks. Standing up he spun around and ran into the forest. Glancing behind he could see shadows running through the snowfall. An idea came to him, he had only one advantage. He knew what lie ahead of him. He ran as fast as he could back into the gulley. Reaching the fork he looked back to make sure his pursuers were following him. His answer came as he heard them splashing in the stream that ran through the gulley.

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him down the left fork of the gulley. He knew the drop was just ahead. He just needed to get there before the vampires.

He came to the edge of the deep hole. The snowfall was so heavy now the hole was nearly invisible. He quickly hid in some bushes that grew on the side. He tried to hold his breath as he heard the vampires footsteps. He saw them run by, seconds later he heard several screams and bodies falling. Standing up he walked to the edge of the hole. He hoped it was deep enough to keep them from finding Nora.

He ran back to where he hid the dog. He found it there, waiting for him. Knelling down he examined the leg. It was not broken, but he was wounded. He examined the collar that it wore. He saw the name Fidele etched into the red leather.

"Fidele," he said. "So you're a boy." The dog lifted his head. "The collar means you have a master." Josh searched around. "I hope your home is not to far from here." He gently picked up the animal. It laid its head on his shoulder.

Turning around Josh gulped hard. One of the vampires was standing a few feet ahead of him. It was Donal, his eyes were twisted in rage.

"I thought I smelled blood." He saw a small dog with purple eyes in Josh's arms, the blood on the dogs leg made him salivate. "To bad it wasn't yours," Donal hissed in a low voice. He took a small step forward.

"Stay back," Josh shouted.

"Or what?" Donal said. "Are you going to stop me?" he began to laugh. "Stinking mutt, if it wasn't for you I'd be nice and warm at home, and not freezing in this cold."

Josh turned around to protect the wounded dog as Donal ran towards him. He was violently knocked to the ground. Fidele tumbled out of his arms. Josh gasped in pain as he was reminded of the bruises left from his fight with Ray.

Donal's face changed. His teeth grew longer. He snarled in rage at Josh as he turned him around to face him. "Mother said we're supposed to bring you back alive." He said in a humble tone, "I'm sorry Mother, but he chose to resist capture."

Lunging forward Donal picked him up and threw Josh at a tree. Landing hard, Josh fell unconscious at its roots. Donal was about to rush to Josh when something landed on his back.

It was Fidele, he lunged at Donal, his fangs dug deep into his back. As he bit harder into the vampire, he suddenly changed into a wolf. His hind legs scratched at Donal's back. His claws dug in deep. The vampire tried to get him off, but he would not let go. Spinning around, he grabbed a leg and threw Fidele away. The wolf deftly landed in the snow. His jowls pulled back, his teeth covered in Donal's blood he angrily snapped at him. Donal noticed a red collar hung on the wolf's neck. He also noticed that its eyes were purple, like the dog.

The wolf lunged at him, Donal jumped back, he howled in pain as his foot hit the trap. Snapping shut its iron teeth dug deep into his leg. "Damn you," Donal cursed at the wolf. He tried to open it, but the pain was just too intense. Grabbing the chain attached to the trap he pulled on it, the links on it were too thick, he could not break it. Hearing a growling he released the chain. He saw the wolf slowly walking towards him.

Donal pulled out a gun and cocked it. "This was meant for the other mutt, luckily I got two silver bullets." He was about to shoot the wolf when he heard a scream from the forest that chilled him to the bone. Suddenly the gun flew out of his hands. He was flung back and slammed hard onto the tree. He slowly moved up the tree, he grimaced as the chain tugged on the trap, digging the teeth deeper into his leg. He stopped when he reached the end of the chain. He seemed to be glued to the tree's trunk.

Donal struggled to pull himself free, but some unseen force held him to the tree. He saw an old woman walking towards him. Her hand held high, she angrily glared at Donal.

Her eyes were dark and bottomless. She looked up at the vampire, and spat out, "More of Mother's filth."

"Who you calling filth?" Donal shouted. "Let me down and you'll see how much filt…" Donal stopped talking when the old woman shouted, "Silence."

Donal clutched his throat, he felt as if invisible hands were squeezing him. As he struggled to breathe, he saw the wolf transform, it changed back into the injured dog. He limped to the old woman. She smiled as Fidele barked at her. Her smile turned to a frown when she saw the blood on his leg.

"What have you done!" she shouted. Donal's breath was knocked out of him as he slammed harder into the tree. The old woman was shaking with rage. Bending down she examined the dog. She saw the wounds on the dog's leg and the trap on the vampire's leg. Slowly the woman approached Donal.

"Mother sent you, didn't she," she snarled. "I'd thought she'd given up by now. Well you're not going to live long enough to tell her where I am." Her hand twisted in the air, the choking hold stopped on Donal.

"Let me go, witch," Donal shouted. "And I promise I won't tell Mother anything."

"I've lived long enough to know that a vampire is incapable of telling the truth," the witch growled. "Tell me, were you looking for a wolf named Josh?"

"Yes," Donal said. "A dog named Josh, that's why I'm here. He's just over there." Donal motioned with his head to where Josh lay. "That's the only reason why I'm here. If you'll let me go, I'll just take him and leave. I promise Mother will never hear about you."

Closing her eyes, the old woman began to hum a tune. Donal heard creaking as the branches of the tree began to break off. Splintering in the air, they flew towards the vampire. Hitting his chest, he gasped as one of the large splitters found his heart. Seconds later the vampires dust joined the snowfall. The empty trap clattered to the ground.

The old woman nodded her head, "You were right, you won't tell Mother where I am." She was about to turn her attention back to Fidele when she froze. She raised her head in the air. Taking in a deep breath her eyes focused on where Josh was lying unconscious.

She stepped up to where Josh lay. Taking in another breath, her head turned curiously to the side. "He's a wolf all right, but there's also something else. I can smell vampires and ghosts on him." She shook her head. "That's unusual, very unusual. I can tell that he's been with the vampires for a long time. To long, he may have to be put down, pity," she sighed.

Her hand moved towards Josh. Suddenly Fidele ran to Josh, as he ran he began to change again. A small boy now blocked her from reaching Josh. His body was covered in short black hair, his red collar hung from his neck. His purple eyes fiercely looked at the old woman.

"No Deanna, not this one, please not this one." He turned around, his small hand stroked Josh's face. "I was caught in a trap, Deanna. It was made of Iron, I could not free myself. He came to me, helped me. He didn't have to, but he freed me from the trap he did. Then he led the vampires away from me. He risked his life to save me." He looked back at Deanna, his eyes so sad, so pleading. "In all the years we have been together I have never ask much from you. I've always been loyal to you, done everything you've asked of me. You know that. All I ask is that you do not kill him, yet." The young boy looked down at Josh.

"Never has anyone risked their life for me. His eyes are so sad, Deanna." He stood his ground in front of Josh. "Please, give him to me. I promise to take care of him. You won't even know he's there. I'll never ask you for anything again." Deanna stared at Josh. She still needed to know why Mother thought he was so special. Hear hate for Vampires had gotten the better of her, she had killed the vampire without getting more information from him.

"I have questions that need answering, Fidele," she told the boy. "For now I will let him live, but I won't make any promises," she wagged her finger at him. "This wolf has my curiosity up. I want to know why Mother wants him so bad, and how the goddess did he become friends with Aidan." Suddenly Josh began to stir. "Quickly now," Deanna urged Fidele. "Change back before he wakes."

Fidele instantly changed back into the small dog as he loped back to her. Josh began to moan, opening his eyes he sat up. He saw an old woman standing in front of him, Fidele was sitting next to her. He quickly searched the area. He was surprised to find he was still alive. There was no sign of Donal.

"There, there, are you all right, boy?" the old woman's hoarse voice asked him.

"I'm fine," he told her as he slowly stood up. "What are you doing here in the middle of no where?"

"I was looking for my Fidele if you must know. I was worried when he had not come home." She let out a sad sigh, "Poor thing, he seemed to have been injured."

"Yes,' Josh said. "I released him a trap."

"Oh," the old woman gasped in joy. "Then I have you to thank for getting him out of that nasty thing. May I ask what is the name of Fidele's savior?"

"Josh," he replied. "Josh Levison."

Deanna secretly smiled. This was the wolf that the vampires were looking for. She needed to think of a way of getting him to her cottage. "Josh," the woman said with a grin. "I go by Deanna, just Deanna."

"Pleased to meet you," Josh said. He searched behind the woman, he just could not figure out why he why he was alive and Donal wasn't there.

"Look," Josh said. "You have to go home, these woods are not safe."

"I would if I could, but…," Deanna pointed to Fidele. "He'll never make it back to our cottage. I'm an old woman, would you be able to carry him for me? Our home is not far from here."

Josh looked down at the dog, he was injured badly, and the old woman would never be able to carry him back to their home. As Josh thought about what he should do he heard Deanna humming. It was soft at first. It seemed to relax him. Something inside told him that it was the right thing to do.

He quickly picked up the small dog. "I'll carry him for you, but we have to hurry. Lead the way."

"Thank ye kindly, Josh. Come now, my cottage is not far from here. You need to get out of this cold."

A voice in Josh's head told him that she was right. He was cold, wet, and the dog was hurt. Besides, he wouldn't stay long. He could look for Nora later. He allowed her to lead him away. They stumbled through the forest and into the blizzard.