Deinos

2

   After writing a vague note explaining that I was alive and okay (which might have been a lie, but it was better she believe I was) and nothing else, I was bolting down the street with Velona gripping my shoulder. I didn't know if I was being followed. I didn't stop to look until I was long out of our neighborhood and in the middle of town, which was pretty small but crowded enough that we wouldn't be easily noticed. Velona darted under the jacket and wound herself like a scarf around my neck.
   I pulled my hood up and walked as quickly as I could. "Are you sure we shouldn't mention it?" I whispered to Velona.
   Yes. Who would believe you, anyway? They're not going to think I'm actually a miacid, and they're going to think that mark is just a tattoo or drawing. We can't go back to your house either. Maybe ever. They know we're here, too. I smell more if them.
   My heart pounded harder. I was surprised the people around me couldn't hear it. I couldn't just leave my mom. She'd be alone. But if whatever these creatures were knew where I lived, they could hurt my mom. I would rather stay away then let her get hurt if that was what it took. I still didn't like it.
   I took a deep breath and looked around. There were no obvious signs of monsters. There hadn't been anything but a scent before, but I hadn't been actively looking, either.
   People were going to wherever they had to be on a Saturday. There was a man wearing a purple hoodie leaning against a building just inside an alleyway, one of the only people not entering or exiting a store or walking around. Three nice looking women talked exitedly, and one of them held a bouncing border collie's leash. I brushed past them and tried to ignore the dog sniffing me curiously. At least it didn't bark. Any monsters nearby would definitely notice me then.
   I glanced down the alleyway as I passed. The only living things there were the hoodie man and a tough looking cat. I checked the street again. There was nothing there.
   Then something grabbed me from behind and dragged my into the alley.
   I screamed, but nobody heard me. I was too far away by the time I did.
   Velona shot out of my pocket like a bullet and attacked. I looked at the thing that was locked onto my pants leg. The cat. But it was obviously no normal cat. Normal cats couldn't drag people down alleyways in two seconds.
   I screamed again, hoping the man by the entrance would hear. But it seemed he already knew what was happening. He turned with a pleased look in his eye and pulled his purple hood down to reveal light hair and skin as unnaturally pale as paper. The most shocking part was his eyes. They were completely black, sclera and all.
   There was no help for me here. I had a feeling I knew that much.
   Velona was thrown away as the cat suddenly turned into a beast much larger and more terrifying. In a way it was less unsettling than the unnatural strength of the cat. But I'd take the cat any day.
   It looked like a horse, but so not a horse. Its eyes were completely black like the man's. It had fangs and teeth for rolling flesh, and fish scales instead of fur. Its mane and tail were loose webs like a fish's fins and tail but more flowing. It reared up above me, and I saw that its hooves had sharp buts sticking up like claws. It seemed almost like a rabbit, lithe and agile but you wouldn't want to be kicked or bitten by it. And it was way more likely to kill someone than a rabbit.
   Kelpie. Extremely dangerous. Velona said nervously.
   I tried to move away, but the man was approaching, pulling something that was a gun or a knife or both out of his pocket. His oily black eyes glittered dangerously in the morning light. I got to my feet and looked between him and the kelpie. Unless Velona could somehow fight this thing, we were done for. I had no idea how to fight. All I could do was try to keep myself alive.
   Velona wound herself around my leg and up to my chest, gripping my shirt. I can't take it alone. Somehow I doubt you can either. We need to do something.
   I was about to respond when the black eyed man spoke. "And here she is. One of our targets."
   The kelpie made a pleased sound in its throat like nicker and a purr in one.
   "What are you talking about? Who are you?" I asked. My chest tightened. This day was getting worse and worse.
   "The Royals created five of you. My team has been sent to retrieve you. It's fascinating, really. A forced bond. Kakowo and I bonded naturally. You, however..." He eyed me in a way I didn't like. My heart was about to leave my chest. "You're different. The Royals could use you when they get you back."
   That explained nothing. But I had a feeling the Royals were bad news for me. "We have to get out of here," I whispered to Velona. I felt her silent agreement as she bared her teeth and got ready to fight.
   The kelpie, Kakowo, pawed the ground, leaving scratch marks on the concrete. He spoke telepathically like Velona, his voice deep and scratchy. You do not know what we are. He is a Rider. My kind bonds with the Riders. I do not need to explain more. You will find out when you come with us.
   "What do you mean, coming with you?" I said, trying not to let my voice shake. This day was not good at all.
   "He means you will come with us," the man said breezily. "It's for your safety."
   Screw safety if I have to go with you, I thought, looking between them and trying to figure a way out.
   Velona didn't hesitate. The moment the last word left the man's mouth she launched from my chest and knocked a knife out if the man's hand. She dragged the knife toward me and headed at the shocked looking kelpie. She scaled his leg like a squirrel. Kakowo reared and charged toward me, ignoring her. I picked up the knife and held it out, jumping to the side as it passed. It raked down the kelpie's side and left an ugly gash dripping blue-green blood.
   Kakowo let out a shrieking whinny and spun around again. He braced himself to charge again, but Velona reached his head and scratched furiously at his eyes. He shrieked again and tried to shake her off, but she held on and scratched until he was nearly blinded. The man yelled as though be was being hurt as well.
   Then Velona let go and leaped to the ground, racing to me and climbing into my pocket. Go! I think they're distracted!
   I took off down the alleyway and rounded a corner. The man shouted and hooves pounded the concrete behind me. I turned again and the kelpie skidded and followed. I saw daylight ahead of me, but it seemed more like the light at the end of the tunnel now. It would take a miracle to get rid of the stupid monster horse.
   And I felt the kelpie's breath on my back when it came.
   A black and white blur flew past me and bit the kelpie on the leg. The kelpie stopped and shook, dislodging the dog, and it attacked again before the kelpie knew what was happening. The dog was a border collie, and almost as fast as Velona. It bit the man's ankle and latched onto Kakowo's back leg. He screamed in pain and backed away, shaking the dog off again. Kelpie and Rider gave one last look at the miacid on my shoulder and the snarling dog on the ground and left, the kelpie favoring two of its legs and keeping one eye shut.
   Someone whistled behind me. I spun around, expecting another attack, but instead I saw the woman who'd had the dog earlier. I studied her more closely and saw that she was about. my age. She had long curly hair and medium brown skin. The border collie jumped into her arms and licked her, smearing a bit of blue-green blood on her face, but she didn't seem to care. She scratched the dog's ears and looped the hanging leash around her arm, watching me cautiously. "Who are you?" she asked warily, stroking the dog. "Socrates freaked out and ran down here. That was a kelpie, and I don't know what that thing on your shoulder is. Who are you, and what exactly is going on?"
   I tried to run, but Socrates jumped down and she grabbed my arm shakily but firmly, not seeming to notice that I still had the man's knife clutched in my hand. "No, tell me. Who are you and what's going on? I have to know."
   I looked at Velona at the same time she looked at me. Neither of us had any idea, either. Unfortunately, Velona decided to tell her so.
   The girl looked surprised but didn't let go. "You have to tell me what happened."
   I swallowed. I couldn't even tell my mom, so why was I about to tell a stranger? I didn't even know her name. Though I supposed her dog did save my life a minute before. "I don't know. I woke up and Velona was there. She's a miacid, some extinct species, and she doesn't know anything either. I have this mark, too, and I didn't before." I rolled my sleeve up to show her. "Some dragon snake thing called an amphithere attacked me in my room. I ran away and that creepy guy with a kelpie attacked us saying something about Royals and Riders. Do you have any idea what's going on? Cuz that's not normal for me." 
   The girl bit her lip. I felt her grip loosen and tensed. "Don't run. I think I can help you. Who are you?"
   I nodded reluctantly and she let go. She pulled a small notebook out of her pocket and started writing something on it. "I'm Zoe," I said, trying to subtly look at what she was writing. "But if anyone says anything, please don't tell them you saw me."
   The girl ripped off the piece of paper and handed it to me. A phone number was written on it. "I'm Harper. I think I do have some idea. My whole family is Riders. I'm one of the only ones I know of who isn't. And if you were attacked by someone mentioning the Royals, I think you might be in quite a bit of trouble."
   "Uh..." I swallowed. I was already in what most people would consider quite a bit of trouble. "What do you mean?"
   She had a look like she knew she was making a huge mistake, but explained anyway. "Riders bond with what most consider mythical creatures. My whole family is bonded. I'm not. But I know way more about the Riders than the vast majority of the human population. The Royals are the rulers of the Riders, and if they're not just looking for you but hunting you with what I assume is a team, you're in danger. It means you've either broken a law or pissed them off, and if it's not those and you don't know what's happening, I don't think you want to know what'll happen once they catch you."
   I figured I wasn't going to learn much more at the moment. "Well, uh, how dangerous exactly are these Royal people?"
   "Very, if you're being hunted," Harper said grimly. "You seem innocent, so I don't know why they're after you, but I'm willing to bet it has something to do with Velona. Riders almost never summon 'natural' animals, especially not extinct ones."
   Velona studied her. So we're being hunted because of me? And my entire species is extinct?
   "I assume so, yeah. And, uh, yes."
   This day just couldn't get any better.
   "That's what I was thinking," I mumbled.
   "I'm pretty sure this'll work, by the way. Hold out your arm, the one with the mark. Velona, focus on it and think about something happening."
   What does it do?
   "You'll see. Just trust me."
   Velona stared at the mark. Then after a moment, she vanished.
   Harper grinned.
   Whoa. Is this seriously what it's like to be tall?
   I froze. Velona's voice was still there, and I could feel her presence.
   Zoe? This is really cool. I think I'm seeing through your eyes.
   Then the miacid seemed to step out of my chest and wobbled for a second, trying to grip my shirt, but then she fell. I caught her and cradled her. "Holy... Are you okay?"
   I, ah, I think.
   I looked up to Harper. "What was that?"
   "It's a thing Riders can do. They can kind of fuse with their partner through the mark. She can see through your eyes like then, and you can see through hers of you go the other way. Her mark would be in the same place on her body."
   I looked at her left paw and saw that she had an almost identical design.
   Harper's phone buzzed and she grabbed it out of her pocket, frowning at it. "My family's wondering where I am. I gotta go. You want to come? My parents might let you stay until we figure something out."
   I considered it, but if her family was mostly Riders, I might be easier to track. And they'd be in danger. I told her.
   "Oh. Didn't think of that. Well, there's a treehouse in the woods near my house. We don't go out there much anymore. You can stay there."
   "Okay," I said. I wasn't sure how I felt about staying in a treehouse, but it was better than nothing.
   "Text me if you need anything. I'll send you the address in a minute. Meet me there when you can."