Being Human: When will my Death Begin?

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Fourteen

Violent Lives, Violent Deaths

Josh stood behind a tree next to Randal, they were up on a small hill. Looking down they could see four figures standing in the darkness.

Randal raised his head, he took in a deep breath. "We're upwind, they shouldn't be able to smell you and Nora from here."

"Smell us?" Nora whispered to Josh. She was standing behind him.

"One of the bad sides of being a wolf," Josh explained. "Apparently to a vampire we smell like…" Josh pointed to Randal who said, "A wet dog…that's been dead about a month."

Cecil pointed behind the vampires. "That's where they buried Aidan."

It had been nearly a year since Randal was last here. Cecil tried many times to visit Aidan, but he was unable to get near him. Cecil pointed to the left, they saw two men posted on the outside of the graveyard. One of them was stick thin, the other was medium build, and they could see he wore a ratty looking red scarf on his head.

Nora noticed the thin one seemed to melt right into the ground. "I don't how she did it," Cecil said. "But Mother has ghosts guarding Aidan's grave too. I can't get anywhere near it."

Moving back, they walked down the hill and joined Deanna and Fidele. Deanna closed her eyes, "Yes," she said. "I can feel the ghosts from here. They are dark wretched things. They all died violent deaths. Mother has used them before. She gives them empty promises of giving them back their former lives. Of course she could never keep those promises. Only a witch can truly bring back something that is dead."

Randal patted the handles of two shovels he brought with them. "If we all follow the plan we'll able to get Aidan out of there without Mother knowing what happened."

Deanna stepped up to Josh, she pulled out a small charm from a worn leather purse. Josh saw a tiny statue of a black dog. Looking very serious, she placed it in his pocket. "Remember, when I told you there are dark things in this world, things that you have not seen even in your worst nightmares? This is one of them. Since the time of my sisters, we have called upon the Gwyllgi to protect us. This charm is ancient, it holds powerful magic, Josh. Listen carefully, only if you are in great danger are you to use it. Hold it tight in your hands and call its name. If you do have to use it, pray that he will be in a good mood."

"Thank you, I think," Josh said. He saw a change in her the past few weeks. She seemed to have a spring in her step now that she knew her quest to end Mother's life was not a lonely one.

Randal stared at the large burlap sack that hung on Deanna's shoulder. She had them stop by a cemetery before coming here. When she came back to the car Fidele was covered in dirt and Deanna held a full sack that smelled like earth. "You sure what you got in there will stop the ghosts?"

Deanna patted the sack, "Do not worry about me, what I have in here will take care of any ghost." Seeing fear in Cecil's eyes she said, "Never fear, the spells I have planned are not meant for you."

"Thank you," Cecil said. He had no idea what her magic could do to him, and he didn't want to find out.

Randal looked at Fidele, "We want to do this as quickly as possible. We can't let the ghosts get away and warn Mother." He stared directly at Fidele. "Don't be playing any of your tricks tonight, Fidele. We need you to keep to the plan, promise?"

Fidele feigned looking hurt, "Randal, the mere thought of contemplating it never even desired to enter my mind." Crossing his heart he said, "I swear on the Goddess that I will do as you say, 'stick to the plan'."

Josh looked behind Fidele's back, "Just checking to see if he's crossing his fingers."

Fidele held his hands up and wiggled his fingers, "No finger crossing, but when this is done, be warned. I am going to play the biggest whopper on all of you. Wish me luck, guys." He instantly changed into a small dog. He happily ran down into the forest towards the two ghosts. Deanna followed him.

"Let's go," Randal said. "We need to get in position." He looked at Josh, "You ready for this?"

Josh shrugged his shoulders, "Ready as I'll ever be." Giving Nora a kiss goodbye, he silently moved closer to the vampires guarding Aidan's grave. Getting into position, he waited for Randal to make the first move.

Randal made sure to approach the vampires guarding Aidan's grave from the opposite direction that Josh was hidden. Nora and Cecil nervously waited at the top of the hill. Josh checked to make sure his Bluetooth was firmly planted in his ear.

"I'm almost there," he heard Randal say. He was using his iphone to let him know when to be ready. Wiping his sweaty palms on his pants he thought, "I can do this, it's for Aidan, I have to do this right."

Randal slowly approached Aidan's grave. The vampires there immediately noticed him coming. "Randal," one of them shouted. Short and stocky, he carefully eyed Randal. "What are you doing here?"

"Myles, good to see you." He stopped next to the vampire. "Don't worry, Mother didn't send me to check on you." He pointed to the forest. "I heard of a sighting of Aidan's wolf. Someone said he was near here. I've been searching the forest, so far no sign of him."

"Don't worry," Miles said. "He won't get anywhere near Aidan's grave."

Randal half grinned, "I never doubted that. Well if you'll excuse me, I'll continue with the hunt."

As he quickly walked away, he glanced at the grave where he knew Aidan was buried. He wished he could somehow let him know that they were there to save him. For now he had to continue with their plan and hope it worked.

Once Randal left the cemetery, one of the vampires poked Myles in the ribs. "You heard what he said?"

"Yeah Drew, I heard, Aidan's wolf is nearby."

"Not just that, I heard that Mother upped the bounty on him." Glancing at the two fair-haired vampires standing several yards from them he whispered, "She raised it to $100,000, that's a lot of money for a stinking dog."

Miles looked at the other two vampires, he saw them whispering to each other.

"I bet Iggie and Innis are talking about that bounty," Drew hissed,

"Doesn't matter," Miles sniffed. "You need his dog to cash in that bounty. We can't go looking for him, Mother ordered us to guard Aidan's grave. She'll strip our skin off if we left to go looking for a wolf."

Drew took in a deep breath, "Man, I've never had any good luck. Finding that dog would really make my year."

Randal quickly returned to where Nora was waiting for him. As he strapped the two shovels on his back, he told Josh, "Seed planted, time for Operation Swifty to begin."

"Swifty?" Josh whispered. "What the hell does that mean?"

"I'll tell you next time I see you," Randal said. "Now go."

Grumbling Josh slowly moved forward until he could feel the wind blowing from his left. The wind was moving in the direction of the vampires. He pressed his Bluetooth in his ear and waited.

Once Josh got into position it didn't take long. Randal saw Miles and Drew's head perk up.

"Miles," Drew hissed. "You smell that?"

Miles took in a deep breath, his nose crinkled. "Dog, I smell dog."

"You think it's Aidan's dog?"

Miles looked at Iggie and Innis, they were looking at them. He saw them slowly begin to make their way to the forest.

"Come on Miles," Drew pleaded. "I shouldn't take us long. Isn't this why we're here? To keep that mutt away from Aidan." Skipping back towards the forest he beckoned him, "Come on Miles." He pointed to Iggie and Innis, they were almost at the forest. "Let's go, once we get him we won't have to be stuck out here guarding a mound of dirt."

That was all Miles needed to hear, he practically flew towards the forest. That $100,000 was as good as his.

"RUN!" Josh heard Randal say on his Bluetooth. That was all Josh needed to hear. Spinning around he sprinted into the forest. Randal, Cecil and Nora ran down the hill, they had to get into position.

The two ghosts standing near Aidan's grave silently watched as the four vampires suddenly ran into the forest.

The thin one nervously shifted from one foot to the other. "Hey, Axel, what do you think got into them?"

"Don't know, Skelly, don't care," Axel replied. Adjusting his red scarf, he spit on the ground. "We got our orders to stay 'ere, an' 'ere we're bloody well stayin'."

Skelly kicked at a tombstone, his leg passed through it. "You know I hate when you call me that."

"Don't blame me, blame your bleedin' mum."

"That's why I killed her," Skelly said.

Skelly listened carefully for any sound coming from the forest. He was really curious as to why they left. His head jerked around when he heard something else behind him. It was the barking of a dog. He saw a small black dog running towards them. Stopping just a few feet in front of them, he sat down and barked at them. His tail was wagging happily.

"Look a puppy," Skelly said. "I always liked puppies."

"Yeah, but you liked woman more didn't ya," Axel pulled his finger across his neck. "Liked 'em six feet under."

"Just the ones that looked like my mother," Skelly growled. He smiled when he looked at the dog. "But puppies, they always liked me. I had one when I was alive. They're so smart, this one can see us."

"Course they can," Axel said, "Most animals can."

"Come here boy," Skelly cooed. The dog sat on his hind legs, putting his paws together he waved them up and down.

"Look at this," Skelly told Axel. He laughed when the dog fell to the ground and rolled over. "This is a smart dog, sure wish I had one like this when I was a boy."

Skelly jumped when he heard an old woman shouting, "Fidele, where the blazes are you?"

"Sounds like the owner," Axel said. Grinning wickedly he said, "Let's 'ave some fun with 'er."

They moved closer to the dog. They saw an old woman limping out of the forest. She used an old wooden cane to walk. Spying the dog, she came closer.

"Fidele, you scalawag, where the hell have you been? I told you not to come by this cemetery, don't want you bringing me someone's chin bone again."

Fidele lay on his back, Skelly saw the old woman scold him with her finger. "Don't you be showing me your belly, you're a very bad dog."

"Watch this," Axel said. Moving closer to the old woman, he kicked her cane. Losing her support she nearly fell down.

Skelly bent over laughing. "That was a good one."

"You try somethin'," Axel urged him. "The old bitch can't see us."

Skelly walked over to stand by the old woman. Her eyes were wide open with fright. "I told you not to come here, Fidele," she hissed. "I heard tell that it was haunted."

Skelly saw a small bag hanging on her hip. He reached over to grab it. Suddenly the old woman's hands lashed out, her boney fingers gripped both Axel's and Skelly's wrist. Her eyes stared at them, they were so dark, so bottomless. Skelly heard her softly humming.

Axel fought to be released from her grip, but she held them tightly. Immediately they saw the dog turn into a small boy. He was grinning from ear to ear.

Fidele skipped around them, "Second mistake you guys made was to call her an old bitch."

Axel and Skelly tried to free themselves from her grip, but they just could not. "Wot the bloody 'ell was the first mistake?" Axel shouted.

Stopping in front of Axel, he said, "Not realizing that she's a witch."

Fidele stepped back. Deanna's grip on them grew tighter. No matter how hard they fought they could not free themselves. Letting her head drop forward she began humming. Both Skelly and Axel could hear her voice vibrating inside them.

"Fidele," Deanna said. "It's time, the bones."

Fidele pulled off the sack that Deanna carried. He threw its contents on the ground. It was a mixture of human bones. Deanna stared down at the bones, she began to chant a spell.

"Violent lives, violent death.

Justice failed, judgment evaded

Broken bones, heed my spell

Bind within this magistrate

Send them to their resting place"

The bones on the ground began to jump and move towards the two ghosts. One of them touched Skelly, he screamed in agony. He felt it sucking him inside. Deanna held him tight as the ghost was being pulled into the bone.

Seeing what was happening to Skelly, Axel fought a hundred times harder. He saw the boy grinning at him, he kicked one of the bones at him. It touched him in the chest. He arched his back, he never felt pain like this when he was alive. He squirmed and fought Deanna's grip on him, but she would not let go.

She held onto them until there was nothing left but an arm. She released her hold and saw what was left of the two ghosts sucked into the dry bones. Picking up a bone, she smelled it. "You did good Fidele, the bones of a law man, fitting."

Fidele stared at her, "You all right, Deanna?" He saw her use dark magic, something that she rarely did without consequence.

"I'm fine, you need not worry about me." She pointed to the grave. "I think we should start things, don't you?"

Fidele immediately turned into a wolf. Walking up to the grave Aidan was buried in, he began digging. Deanna leaned against a tombstone. Her eyes searched out into the forest. She prayed that Josh and the others faired as well as they did.