Being Human: When will my Death Begin

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Four

Secrets and Revelations

Nora yipped as she was grabbed by Randal and pulled back. She quickly realized he had just saved her from nearly stepping into a gulley. They had been looking for Josh for nearly twenty minutes. Searching down the gulley, she asked Randal, "You think Josh could have fallen in?"

Randal scanned below, "It's a possibility."

Cecil suddenly blinked out. Nora faintly saw him at the bottom of the gulley. Looking around he shouted, "Something fell down here, lots of broken branches."

Before Nora could say a word, Randal scooped her up in his arms and jumped into the gulley. Landing safely he placed her on the ground. Nora zipped up her jacket, "Warn a girl next time," she scolded him.

"Sorry," Randal said. "With vampires searching for Josh, I figured we needed to get down here as quick as possible."

"Hey guys, you can apologize later," Cecil shouted. He was a few feet down the gulley. "Let's go, Josh may need us."

Nora moved quickly down the gulley. She made a mental note to let Randal know to ask first before doing that again. She nearly swallowed her heart in that jump.

Minutes later they came to a bend in the gulley. Randal searched the ground, "I see lots of footprints…recent. They appear to go both ways," he explained.

"We split up," Cecil suggested. "I'll take the left fork, you guys take the right."

Cecil quickly ran down the left fork. Randal and Nora swiftly moved down the right. Minutes later Cecil suddenly appeared next to them. "Wow, Josh was busy," he told them.

"What did you find?" Nora asked him.

"Found a deep hole at the end. Also found some pretty angry vampire screaming for the mutt's blood."

Nora sighed in relief, "At least we know he was alive enough to trap them in that hole."

Randal agreed, "Let's hope he's not to far ahead."

Coming to the end of the gulley, Nora stopped. It opened up to another forest. Randal took the lead. He led them to a small clearing. Randal searched the area, Nora saw him looking up at a tree. As she looked up and saw something very curious. Large splinters of wood was embedded in the tree's trunk.

"I think one of my brethren was here," Randal said.

"How do you know?" Nora asked.

Randal picked up an old iron trap chained to the tree. On it Nora saw white snow, but there were black specks of ash mixed with it.

"Looks like an ex-vampire to me," Cecil said.

Randal threw the trap down and pointed to the ground. "Something happened here, not to long ago. I see traces of a fight, and there was blood on that trap, as well as on the ground."

"Josh's blood?" Nora worriedly gasped.

"No," Randal assured her. Taking in a deep breath he said, "Smells like a dog, then again." He searched the ground, he saw two sets of faint footprints in the snow heading north.

"I see two human footprints." He pointed to the north, "Let's go, Josh is not far away."

Josh stomped through the fallen snow. It had grown deeper in the past ten minutes. Just as he was about to ask Deanna how much further to her cottage, she pointed ahead.

"There she is," Deanna sighed. "Home sweet home, she lies just past that line of trees."

Josh squinted his eyes, the snow fall was so heavy now he could barely see a foot ahead. As he moved forward he stopped. Was it the wind? He could swear he heard his name called. He was about to look back when Deanna jerked him forward, her humming grew faster as she pulled him toward a line of ancient trees.

Josh saw her turn her head to look back, he heard a cry behind him. As he tried to look back Deanna was humming as she pulled him past a huge oak tree. Josh shivered, he felt as if he walked through ice water. Deanna's humming suddenly stopped. The snowfall grew lighter until it actually stopped. Looking ahead he blinked his eyes. He saw a large cottage sitting next to a small pond. Next to the cottage grew a giant weeping willow. The tips of its hanging branches were frozen in the ponds water. The light from the cottages windows were warm and inviting.

Josh looked down at the small dog, he shivered in his arms. Faintly he heard Deanna humming. He needed to get the dog into a warm and dry place, as well as the old woman. Quickly he made his way to the cottage.

Trudging through the building snowfall, Nora saw two figures walking ahead. "Is that Josh?" she asked Randal.

Randal squinted his eyes. He could make out two humans, one shorter than the other. Josh seemed to be carrying a medium sized dog.

"Has to be him," Randal said.

"JOSH!" Nora shouted, as she tried to walk faster in the snow. It was up to her calves here. She was having a hard time moving through it.

"I'll get him," Cecil declared.

He willed himself to where he saw Josh. Just before he reached him, humming filled his head. An old woman glanced back at him, her gray stringy hair stuck out from the shawl that covered her head. He saw her eyes glow a bright red, her humming grew louder. Then he felt as if he was kicked in the gut, he was flung back into the trees.

Nora and Randal could see Josh ahead, an old woman was walking next to him. As they saw Cecil appear close to them, they could hear a humming sound. It became so loud they had to cover their ears. In a flash they were both flung back, hitting the ground hard they were knocked unconscious.

Deanna opened the door to the cottage. Josh was immediately overwhelmed with the scent of flowers, and something cooking within. Stepping inside he saw it was huge. The first room he was led into was a sitting room. Couches were sprinkled about, an open fireplace sat to the left. A warm blaze crackled lively. The kitchen was located ahead.

Deanna led Josh to an old wooden staircase on the right. They walked up it to the second floor of the cottage. Deanna brought him to a small room to his right.

"Place him there," she told Josh. She pulled an old quilt off the bed. Josh placed Fidele on the bed. Fidele licked his hand.

"That's his way of saying thanks," Deanna explained.

Josh quickly shrugged his coat off. Deanna stood next to the bed, staring sadly at Fidele. "I think, I can fix him," Josh said. "I've been to med school. I was going to become a doctor. I hope what I know applies to dogs as well."

Kneeling next to the bed he gingerly took the dogs leg.

"I think I can fix this."

"Lucky for us, eh Fidele?" Deanna said with a wink.

Josh shrugged his shoulders as he pulled off his sweater. "Let me take a look at him."

Josh examined the wound, he was happy to find that nothing was broken, it was just torn skin. "It's not as bad as it looks," he told Deanna. "After a good cleaning, and bandaging he should recover in a few days."

Deanna immediately pulled out a clean white bed sheet. Giving him scissors Josh cut several long strips of bandages as Deanna fetched a bowl of warm soapy water. Ten minutes later Josh had the wound cleaned and bandaged up.

Deanna gently stroked Fidele's head, "I thank ye," she said. "Fidele is my only friend. I can't imagine living without him."

Josh smiled and began to pull on his sweater. "I'm glad I could help, but I have to go now."

"Leaving so soon?" Deanna asked.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But I need to find my…I need to go." He didn't want to involve them with his troubles.

Deanna gently patted Josh's hand, "I sensed that many things weigh heavy in your heart. Your friends, you love them dearly."

"Yes, I do," Josh tiredly sighed.

"Yes," Deanna nodded. "I sensed that, pray, have a nice cup of tea before you go. Just a good old cup of tea, it'll warm your insides before you leave."

Josh still felt the cold in his fingers. He figured he could stay long enough to get something warm in his belly.

"I see in your eyes that you have decided to stay," Deanna softly sung. She slowly spun around and walked out of the room, shouting, "I'll just get you that cup of tea."

As she left the room Josh tiredly rubbed his eyes. The coldness in his fingers had just begun to thaw out. Fidele happily barked at him. Josh helped him get off the bed. He began to limp out of the room and down the stairs. Josh saw Deanna pouring a steaming pot of tea into a cup.

"Sit," Deanna urged him. She pointed to a chair next to a small wooden table by the fireplace. "Sit Josh, this tea is no good cold."

Sitting down Deanna placed the tea on the table in front of Josh. Josh closed his eyes and breathed in, the tea did smell delicious. She placed a small bowl of sugar cubes next to the tea. Putting one cube in his tea, Josh took a sip. He could feel the warm tea moving down his chest and into his stomach. "Mmm," he hummed. "This is good, what is it?"

Deanna sat opposite of Josh. Grinning wide at him, he noticed there was not a tooth in her mouth. "My own special brew," she proudly declared. "Drink up, you're going to feel much better." She softly began to hum a song.

Taking another sip, Josh found she was right. The tea was soothing, and warmed his heart. The song she was humming flowed through the small room. His eyes drooping, he suddenly felt very tired. Holding the cup tightly in his hand his eyelids began to feel heavy. He tightly clenched the cup in his hands. Deanna's humming grew louder, all he could hear was her humming. Just as he finished the cup of tea, her hand slowly reached out. Josh felt something cold on his wrist. Hearing a snap, he brought his hand up. He was wearing a silver bracelet. On it was carved a wolf and a man.

"Now wolf," Deanna snarled. "That tea you just drank is going to make you answer my questions truthfully."

Josh wanted to say no, wanted to ask her why she put a bracelet around his wrist. Instead he found himself saying, "Yes."

Once she knew Josh was under her spell, Deanna sighed in relief. "Time to shed our disguises." Josh felt a shift in the room. It suddenly grew ice cold. Looking around Josh saw the entire house change. The couches were no longer new, they were old and thread bare. The stairs he climbed up now looked frighteningly unstable and rotted. He saw the fireplace's inviting flames blazing angrily towards him. The warmness of the cottage was gone, replaced by something cold and sinister. Josh instantly shot up, knocking back his chair.

"What the hell are you, where am I?" he shouted, the fear choking him.

Fidele too changed. Josh was shocked to see his body morph into a small, dark haired boy. He appeared to be no more than ten years old. The bandage he put on the dog was on the boy's leg. Fidele looked up at Deanna, "You promised not to hurt him."

"Hush now, I made no such promise," Deanna quickly answered back. "The other vampires, they said Mother wanted him. I need to know why." She gently patted Fidele on the head. "Now be quiet and let me get my answers before the spell wears off."

Deanna's boney finger pointed at Josh. "Wolf, you will tell me everything I want to know."

"What are you?" he demanded.

She spread out her arms, "Isn't it obvious? I'm a witch."

"A…witch?" Josh carefully eyed her.

Deanna laughed, "You've seen Vampires, and ghosts, and you question the existence of witches?"

"It's just…." Josh began to say, before Deanna cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"This is a discussion that we can continue later. Now tell me, Wolf," Deanna demanded in a calmer tone. "Why were you in the forest?" Josh pursed his lips, he tried to keep from talking, but the spell she put on him was to strong. He blurted out, "My curse, I wanted to end it. I failed, but I saw a chance to help Nora."

"Who is Nora?" Deanna asked. "Is she helping Mother?"

"NO!" Josh shot back. "She's the woman I love. It's because of me that she was also cursed."

Deanna licked her dry lips, "I can taste the hate and anger you have inside you from here."

"The wolf, it ruined my life, those that I love. I hate it, I hate the wolf I wish it was…"

Deanna saw Josh fighting off the effects of her spell with his anger. She hummed her spell louder. When she saw the tenseness in his shoulders drop, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"You are stronger than I thought, wolf. Not many can break my spells so soon. Now tell me, why were the vampires after you?"

"Mother's orders," Josh droned.

Deanna shook her head, "What is that vampire up to now?"

"Aidan," Josh quickly replied, cursing himself for answering.

"Aidan," Fidele hissed. "He knows Aidan."

"Yes, it appears so," Deanna mumbled. "How do you know Aidan?" she asked Josh.

Josh fought to keep from telling her. But the spell seemed to take over his will. He quickly replied, "He's my best friend."

Deanna shook her head, "I never thought I'd see a vampire become friends with a wolf. These times are strange indeed. What trouble has Aidan gotten himself into with Mother?"

"He tried to start a coup against her. I don't know how she found out. But she grounded him tonight."
"Typical," Deanna said. "First her daughter, and now Aidan. But with Aidan grounded why was she so anxious to get her claws into you?"

"She…she needs to feed," Josh gasped.

"Feed," Deanna laughed. "On you? No, you're wrong, she can not do that. A wolf's blood is like poison to a vampire. I should know, I put that curse on them myself. Nothing can break that spell."

"She can, she does," Josh said. "It's her special secret, Mother's secret, mustn't tell, no one must know. All wolfs will be in danger if they knew. I have to keep it a secret." Josh's hands shook, he fisted them so tight his knuckles turned white. He could not, would not tell her this terrible secret.

Deanna saw Josh's brow furrow with determination, she hummed louder, stronger. The furrow disappeared as his resistance fell away.

"Wolf," Deanna demanded. "Does Mother want to keep you from telling her secret?"

Josh shook his head, "She no longer remembers that I know."

"How is that possible?'

"The…the spirits in The Carroll," Josh replied. "They took that memory from her."

"The Carroll?" Deanna said. "What is 'The Carroll'?"

"It's an abandoned building."

"Abandoned buildings, enough silliness." She tightly clenched her fist, "Tell me more of Mother's secret."

"M…m…mother," Josh stuttered. "Her power her strength, it is not hers. She steals it, she takes it from…" Josh clamped his hands over his mouth, he tried to stop the words from coming out, but it did not work. He felt his hands betray him, moving down he said. "She gets her power from drinking a wolf." Josh was panting hard, he couldn't believe he had just told this witch his darkest secret.

Deanna shook her head, "You said that before, how is it possible? Drinking from a wolf would burn her from the inside."

"She found a way, she drinks a wolf's…a wolf's blood between changes. Not a wolf, not a man, when they are both, then she can safely drink their blood. She receives the power of the change."

"Does anyone else know her secret?"

Josh fought harder to keep from telling her. But she hummed louder, her voice her song broke down his barriers of resistance. "Aidan," Josh blurted out. "Sally, Randal and Cecil, we told no one else, not even Nora knows."

"Randal" Deanna angrily hissed. "That vampire holds many secrets."

A large grin parted Fidele's lips, "I like Randal, he was good to me, and the wolves."

"Hush," Deanna scolded the small boy. "Wolf, who is Sally and Cecil?"

"Ghosts," Josh quickly replied. "Friends, they swore to never tell her secret."

Deanna bolted up. "After all these years," she snarled. "All this time I hid from her, and wondered how she was able to stay so strong, so powerful for so long."

Deanna tiredly sat back down, she stared at Josh. "Tell me, if Mother is not aware that you know her secret, why does she want you so bad?"

"Mother needs a werewolf that has become rare. Her greatest power comes from a wolf who's human hates him." Josh's brows knit in anger, "I hate my wolf with all my heart. He ruined my life, cursed my girlfriend, and killed my fiancé."

Deanna stared at Josh, "If what you say is true, then you are a gift to me," she sighed. "All these years in hiding, and you just drop into my lap."

Standing up Deanna slowly walked towards Josh. He began to back up until he hit a wall. Her long fingers reached out, she gently stroked them on Josh's forehead. "Yessss," she sighed. "I can feel your pain, your agony, your hate for your wolf."

Deanna stared deep into his eyes. She looked into his memories, she saw a world that was foreign, alien to her. Josh's chin tiredly fell to his chest, he was panting hard. Never had he felt so tired. It was all he could do to fight off her spell.

Deanna dropped her hands, she slowly nodded her head, she barely whispered, "Fidele, I have seen the outside world through his eyes. So much has passed us by. We have hidden away from Mother for to long, the world that we knew has long died."

She stumbled back, "So tired," she panted. "It has been so long, so long." She stumbled back to the fireplace. "You will help me move through your modern world, unnoticed." She placed her hand over her heart, "But I also will need you to watch after me." Deanna shook her head, "A witch pays a price for using magic, even a powerful one."

Josh could swear she actually looked older, if it was possible. She slowly moved to the fireplace. Her old bones cracked loudly. Opening a small silver box, her wizened hands pulled out another silver bracelet. On this one Josh could see a moon etched deeply in the shiny metal.

"I am old, wolf, older than Mother, older than I should be. But I had to live, I needed to live long enough to have a hand in ending Mother's reign. I will be needing your help, but I now realize that, that will be a difficult task to ask of you. Twice now you have fought my spells. When I was young, all I had to do was ask a wolf to help me, and they would not refuse."

Deanna sadly shook her head. "Those times are long gone. I need a way to control your wolf, and you as well without having to renew my spells. Your world may be different from mine, but old magic still works just as well as it did in my time. Your will is strong, but the spell on the bracelets are stronger. You see, a full coven enchanted them. Nothing can break their spell over you, even when you change, the bracelet will change with you. Once I place this on you, your will as well as your wolf, will be mine to command."

Deanna quickly snapped the moon bracelet on her wrist. She looked up at Josh. "Your former life is gone wolf. It is now mine."