Demons

Chapter Five

Brian awoke with a low groan, his head rolling around and twitching on the uncomfortably-soft pillow beneath his neck. He felt yet more cushions and blankets beneath him, and a deep red, thin silk blanket covered his sweaty and apparently naked body.

He started to sit up, propping himself up on his arms and wincing slightly as blood rushed to his head, before he felt something cold on his chest that pushed him back down.

‘Stay lying down, please,’ came a woman’s voice, and Brian slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times as they were still hazy with sleep. As soon as his eyes had adjusted to his dimly lit surroundings he met the piercing blue eyes of the young woman that had spoken to him. Her lips were full and dark red, currently parted slightly into a warm smile. Her eyes were a deeper blue than the ocean and her eyelashes were thick and raven-black, casting long shadows down her porcelain cheeks when she blinked. Shining purple hair hung in ringlets around her shoulders, and as she raised a thin hand to brush a few strands from her face Brian saw that there was a large, ugly scar along the length of her pale forearm.

‘Who… Who are you?’ Brian rasped, his voice hoarse. He coughed, feeling a sharp metallic taste in his mouth. The girl smiled a little wider, her ice-cold hand resting on Brian’s tanned, sculpted bicep for a moment.

‘My name is Claudia,’ she said in her thick Italian accent, stroking his skin gently. Brian’s puzzled expression didn’t disappear and after a second she laughed a quiet, yet musical laugh while shaking her head. ‘Forgive me, you’re confused, you must be wondering why you are in my house. I’m sorry, I’ll ask my mother to explain to you.’ Claudia straightened up and quickly walked to a large table in the centre of the room, picking up a small cup that contained a thin, almost black liquid.

‘Here, drink this,’ she said, handing the cup to Brian. Brian grimaced at the look of it, and the disgusting smell that was drifting from it.

‘Er… what is it?’ He asked hesitantly, and Claudia smiled, leaning in to kiss his hair softly.

‘Caffeine. It’ll help you regain your memory. Quick, drink up.’ She smiled, before skipping out of the room. Brian looked down once more at the vile-looking liquid in the cup in his hands and then shrugged; what harm could it do?

He gulped the entire thing down in one go and, as soon as he’d swallowed it, he felt a massive surge of energy rush through him, his eyes shooting wide open and his hair almost standing on end. Surprisingly, the appearance and smell of the liquid was not in any way like its taste; it was sweet and almost sour at the same time, tasting like a mixture of caramel and limes. Brian flicked his tongue out over his lips and then set the cup down on the small nightstand beside him, and took this as his chance to familiarize with his surroundings.

It was a small room with a low ceiling, and most of the floor was taken up by the bed Brian was sitting in, and the massive oak table across from him. On the table were various, odd items that Brian was forced to raise an eyebrow at; glass bottles full of green and pink and blue liquids, little glass vials filled with what looked like herbs and spices, and small instruments that looked like they were used for cooking or surgery; perhaps both.

The walls were strung with silk and satin drapes, all of them either red, gold, purple or black, like the cushions and blankets that currently surrounded Brian on the bed. The only light in the room came from candles that were placed on the table, the nightstand, and practically every shelf that adorned the wider wall to Brian’s right. Upon these shelves were all sorts of objects; animal skulls, stuffed birds, thick and dusty books, and yet more herbs and potions. Brian slowly ran a hand through his hair as he tried to think; where was he and why was he here?

At that moment, Claudia walked back into the room, with a shorter, grey-haired woman behind her. They shared the same eyes, but that was the only thing that visibly related them, as far as Brian could tell.

‘Thank goodness you’re awake, boy, I was starting to worry!’ Said the older woman, her accent the same as her daughter’s. Brian continued to frown, still confused as to why he was here. The elderly woman noticed this, and chuckled.

‘I take it you’re confused, no?’ Brian nodded, nibbling on his lower lip like he normally did when he got nervous. ‘My name is Donatella, I’m sure you’ve already become… Acquainted, with my daughter…’ Claudia blushed slightly, making Brian raise an eyebrow.  ‘Do you have any memory of last night, at all?’ Donatella asked, and Brian thought for a second before nodding slowly. Previously he had remembered absolutely nothing, but the little potion that he had just drunk had brought something back.

‘Um… I think, maybe, I don’t know, that I like, turned into… something. A wolf, I think? I’m not sure though, um, it could have been a dream I mean-‘

‘No, boy, what you say is correct. You did indeed turn into a wolf last night. A werewolf, to be exact.’ The old woman’s voice was grave, as she looked at Brian with saddened eyes. Brian blinked hard, frowning.

‘But… Werewolves don’t exist, do they? I mean, all I’ve heard is stories, that’s not actually possible, right? And it definitely wasn’t me, was it? How could I be one, even if they did exist, which they don’t? That’s crazy!’ Brian babbled, speaking incredibly fast. Undoubtedly a result of the caffeine.

‘Crazy as it may be, child, you are a werewolf. I don’t know how else to put it, but you transformed, on the night of a full moon, into a gigantic wolf. You went on a rampage last night and you have killed several people. Do you understand me?’ Her eyes bore straight into his and he frowned deeper, starting to remember everything now.

‘I… Killed people?’ Brian whispered, his lower lip beginning to tremble.

‘Do not despair, child. You were not in your right mind and your body was that of a beast. These things happen, as I have witnessed with my own eyes. But your case is an odd one.’

‘Wha.. What do you mean?’ Brian demanded, his head spinning with too many thoughts. This couldn’t really have happened, could it? He couldn’t have turned into a werewolf and gone on a killing spree, that’s not even possible, is it…!?