Being Human: When will my Death Begin?

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Sixteen

Old, New Friends

As soon as Josh saw Deanna, he knew he was close to Aidan's grave. As he sprinted to her, he saw a wolf digging in the dirt. Once they reached the grave, the wolf changed into a small boy.

"Harvey, it's about time," Fidele said. "I thought I'd start things."

"You told him about Swifty," Josh growled to Randal.

"Who do you think gave me the idea?" Randal replied.

Randal pulled out the two shovels he had strapped to his back. Handing one to Josh they began digging. The dirt had turned hard in the past year. It took nearly an hour of digging before they heard the clunk of metal on wood.

Falling to his knees Josh dug with his fingers exposing the top of the coffin. Randal used the shovel to pry open the coffin. Jumping out of the grave, he allowed Josh to open the coffin. He knew Aidan would be in rough shape, he needed to see a familiar face.

Josh pulled the coffin's lid open, its hinges squeaked and moaned as he pushed it to the side. His heart sunk when he saw Aidan. He was in terrible shape. He now wore a full beard, his cheeks were sunken, his skin was pale and thin. At first Josh wondered if he was even alive, his eyes closed he appeared to be dead.

"Aidan," Josh blurted out. "Aidan, it's me, Josh."

At first he received no response, then he saw Aidan's eyes flutter. Slowly they opened, looking up he saw Josh. Closing his eyes he choked, "Stop haunting me, go away."

"Aidan, no," Josh said. "It's me, I'm so sorry Aidan. I'm sorry it took me so long to find you."

His head bent down, Josh felt sick. He never imagined he would look this bad. A small tear fell down his cheek and on Aidan's face. Aidan opened his eyes, he felt that, he actually felt the tear hit his face. Reaching up, he touched Josh's chest.

"Josh," he croaked, "Is that really you?"

"Yes," Josh said, wiping the tears from his face. "It's me Aidan, I'm here, and so is Nora, Randal and Cecil. I even have some old new friends."

Aidan began to shake, the hunger inside him was so strong, the scent of Josh overwhelmed him. Even knowing that his blood would make him sick he growled, "I…I am soooo hungry."

"Don't worry," Josh said. "We got that covered." Nora pulled out a red bag from her purse and threw it to Josh. Squatting down he placed the mouth of the bag on Aidan's lips.

"Slowly at first," Randal warned him. "To much and he'll get sick."

Josh squeezed the bag, the crimson liquid from the bag oozed out onto Aidan's lips. Aidan licked his lips, at first it tasted so good, then he frowned.

"What was tha…?" he began to say.

"A stag deer," Randal said. "We took two pints from him on the way. He was young and strong, the best thing for you right now, Aidan."

Deep inside Aidan a voice screamed, "I wanted human blood!" But Aidan immediately pushed those thoughts away. He was alive, he had no idea how long he was buried but he survived. He felt Josh put several more drops of the deer's blood on his lips. Licking it, he began to drift off. He was safe, his friend found him. He fell asleep, this time he allowed it to come. For he knew when he woke up he'd be safe with his friend.

Aidan felt something strange, it was not the hard wood of his coffin, but softness and warmth. Slowly opening his eyes he found he was lying on a bed. He closed his eyes in thanks, Josh…Josh saved him.

"How are you feeling?" he heard Josh ask. Opening his eyes he saw Josh smiling down at him. Pulling up a chair he sat next to him.

Aidan nodded his head, "Weak, but good." He saw Randal and Cecil sitting at a large table in the room. Nora stood behind Josh.

Looking at Josh, Aidan grinned his thanks. "How long?"

Josh scooted his chair closer, "You were buried nearly a year."

"What happened, while I was gone?" Aidan asked.

Josh sadly shook his head, "So much, I don't know where to begin. Mother is dead, almost all the vampires are. There was some kind of human virus, it infected them all, killed them. If you weren't buried you'd be dead too."

Aidan couldn't believe it, while he was grounded he dreamed of killing Mother a million times in a million different ways. He was not going to be denied his revenge for Suren's death. "Josh, that can't…I mean how could it…I wanted too kill that bitch for what she did to Suren."

Aidan stopped ranting when he saw a large grin on Josh's face. "Aidan, I'm just kidding. It didn't happen, really, Mother is very much alive and I assure you still killable."

Aidan let his head sink into the pillow. "Josh, if I wasn't so weak right now I would kill you."

"Good for me, I guess."

Aidan tried to sit up, Josh helped him. He saw Randal getting up, Aidan pointed to the ceiling.

"Randal, didn't you tell him, vampires never rent rooms unless they have mirrored ceilings and a Jacuzzi."

Randal laughed, "Sorry Aidan, it was the only place available that didn't ask questions. Hard to explain carrying an emaciated Neanderthal into the room."

Aidan touched his face, he realized that someone shaved off his beard. "As much as the bearded look is so in right now," Josh said. "Nora and I shaved the beard and gave your hair a nice trim. With the longer hair we were able to get that Beiber swoop thing going." Josh winked at him, "Really going to hit it off with the girls."

Throwing an angry look at Josh, Aidan began running his fingers through his hair. Josh grabbed his hands, "Kidding! God you get buried for a year and you lose your funny bone."

"Oh CB's always been a tough crowd," Josh heard Fidele say. He was standing in the doorway. Deanna stood next to him. As soon as Aidan saw them, his back hit the headboard.

"Josh she's a witch…we can't…"

Josh placed his hands on Aidan's shoulders, "Calm down Aidan, don't worry. She's on our side. She played a big part in getting you out of that hole."

"Yeah, C B," Fidele said. "Calm down." He skipped around the bed and rested his elbows at the foot of the bed. "Good to see you, been what, decades?"

Aidan's eyes were locked on Deanna, keeping them on her he said, "Good to see you too, DB"

Deanna slowly walked into the room, she stopped next to Fidele. Aidan kept his eyes on her the entire time. Josh cleared his throat, "Um, maybe it's me, but I'm guessing that you guys have some history."

"Yeah," Aidan said in a deep voice, "History." He stared at Deanna, "So now, you look...well now you look like a, um…a witch now."

Deanna angrily crossed her arms, "Ah, Aidan I see that you have not lost your gift for words. I guess some things never change. You're still a swellheaded, vain, egotistical vampire and I'm still a powerful witch. But if you recall, if not for me, you would have been dead long ago."

Aidan's eyes narrowed, "As I recall, I was the one that saved you."

"Saved me?" Deanna shouted. "Why if not for your arrogance we would have all been torn apart that day." The things in the room suddenly began to rattle and jump up with Deanna's anger.

Fidele rested his head on his hands, "Here we go again. He always brings out the worst in her," he said with a giggle.

Josh quickly rushed to Deanna, "You promised you'd behave."

"I am," Deanna said. The rattling suddenly stopped. "He's still alive isn't he?"

Aidan was shocked to see Deanna actually back down to Josh. "Wait a minute, why isn't she spelling you into the next state? What the hell happened while I was down there?" Looking around it was then that Aidan noticed someone was missing. "Sally, where's Sally?"

Josh slowly moved back to Aidan's side. "That's going to take some time to explain."

"Good," Fidele said. "You explain to CB what happened, I'm going out to get us something to eat at the local fast food place. Love that Chicken at Popeyes…" he began to sing.

"There and back," Josh warned him. "No short cuts through the bar. The owner of the motel warned me about keeping 'the boy' out of the bar, or he's going to kick us out of here."

"Boy?" Fidele grumped. "I wonder how he'd react if he knew I'm over three thousand years old?" Getting a warning look from Josh he held his hands up in submission. "Fine, I'll stay out of there." Just before closing the door he shouted, "And don't forget to tell him about the vamps you tore apart in the drug store. I love that part."

As he left the room Josh slowly turned, he saw Aidan giving him a confused look. Aidan had just seen Josh chastise Deanna and live, and now giving orders to Fidele…and he listened to him!

"CB, DB?" Josh asked him.

"Pet names," Aidan quickly replied.

"Well," Josh said with a clap of his hands. "I guess I need to fill you in on everything that happened since you've been gone."

"Would appreciate that," Aidan said.

Sitting down Josh started with the night he went to kill Ray.

As Aidan listened he kept a close eye on Deanna. She sat down at the table and also listened to Josh. When he finished Aidan gently touched the bracelet that Josh now wore. He looked at Deanna, he was surprised to see her actually looking apologetic. This was not the Deanna he had known.

"It appears that I'm not the only one that wants to kill Mother."

"No, but you're close to the head of the line," Josh said.

"Do you agree," Deanna said. "Help me finish what I started and I will help you destroy Mother."

Aidan suddenly looked very serious. "I want to be there, be a part of her death. While I was trapped in that coffin, I killed her so many times I lost count. I saw her stake Suren. Her eyes," Aidan swallowed hard, as the memory of her death flooded back to him. "She was staring at me, I was the last thing she saw before Mother killed her."

Aidan struggled to sit up. "I'll help you, I'll do whatever it takes but I want to watch her eyes as she's dying. I want to be the last thing she sees before she dies. That is all I ask."

Deanna nodded her head, "Done, we have an accord then."

Aidan pointed to the bracelet on Josh's wrist. "When this is done, after Mother is dead, will you remove that?"

Deanna slowly shook her head, "As Josh told you before, only death will remove it."

Aidan let out a heavy sigh. "Will a Vampires death do?"

"Aidan, no!" Josh said. "I won't let you do it."

"Josh, all that's happened to you, it was my fault. I led Mother to you, it was my friendship to you that brought all of this on you. It's because of me that…"

"Aidan, shut up," Josh shouted. Closing his mouth in surprise, Josh said, "No matter what happens to me, it will never make me regret that decision I made the day I met you. Aidan Waite, you are my friend, no you're my best friend. Nothing will change that, no matter what happens, I will never regret our friendship. Not Mother or this thing will change that." He raised the hand that wore the bracelet. "And as your friend I'm telling you, I didn't spend the past year trying to get you out of that grave just to have you give your life for some costume jewelry."

"Possessed costume jewelry." Randal corrected him.

"Possessed ugly costume jewelry," Cecil added.

"I have to say," Nora said. "It does bring out your eyes."

Josh chuckled, "Yeah, but I've always been a gold type of guy."

Deanna shook her head in wonder. "I never thought I'd see the day that a Vampire and a wolf would become friends. It is a most wonderful thing."

Deanna touched the bracelet on Josh's arm. "When Mother has finally breathed her last, I promise I will do all in my power to right this wrong."

"Thank you," Josh said.

The room suddenly went very quiet. After a few uncomfortable moments, Aidan looked at Josh. "So, $100,000, you think you're really worth that much?"

Josh's brows frowned with concern. "Um, actually, it sounds a bit low to me."

"That's a lot of money," Aidan said. He tried to stifle a smile. "Would buy a lot of plasma bags."

"Why stop there," Josh said. "You could buy your own hospital."

"That's even better," Aidan agreed.

"I'm so glad," Josh said. "Now all I have to do is turn myself in, did you want that in large bills or small denominations?"

Josh and Aidan looked at each other and began to laugh. "I really missed you," Aidan said.

"Me too," Josh said.

Suddenly Aidan's stomach growled loudly as the door to the room was pushed open. The scent of fried chicken filled the room as Fidele walked in holding several bags. "I was in that hole to long," Aidan said. "DB, That chicken actually smells good."

"Good," Fidele said. "Because I got plenty for all of us."

As they began to eat, Josh asked Aidan, "How exactly did you and Deanna meet? And what the heck does CB and DB mean?"

Fidele was about to open his mouth when Aidan yelled, "Don't you dare, I want them to hear the truth."

Smiling Fidele sang, "Aw, CB, you didn't forget me," and threw him a kiss.

Aidan tiredly sighed, "That's a long story Josh, but I warn you. It was a time that I was, shall we say, walking on the dark side." He released a large yawn.

"Aidan, you rest," Randal said. "I can tell it."

Josh glared at Randal. "You were there?"

"I told you before, I met Deanna years ago, I just didn't say Aidan was there too."

"Well tell," Nora said. "I'm anxious to hear this."

"The year was 1856, five years before the civil war, it was a dark and stormy night."

Everyone moaned, Josh coughed, "Cliché…"

"No guys, really it was dark and stormy, Aidan and I…" As Randal began to tell them how they met Deanna, Aidan closed his eyes. He could faintly hear Randal's voice. Falling asleep, he dreamed of the day he first met the most powerful witch in the world.