"Well spotted. Let's head his direction, he might have a house we can use."
We're silent as we weave our way through the fields. More and more tracks start to appear between them, but we stick to the centre of the fields where we have a bit more cover. My feet hurt like crazy by now. Mud must have seeped into the cuts, preventing them from healing.
Though when lights come into view in the distance, the pain fades into irrelevance. A house. By the looks of it, it's a solitary farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. Perfect.
The closer we get, the surer I am that there's only the one man inside. Old smells of other people still linger in the air, but those are at least a day old. We should be safe here for the night. Now we just need to get rid of him so that we can relax and recuperate.
A large stable with a roof that looks rather leaky is next to the house.
"Wait here," I whisper to Sophie. "I'll check out our mark."
"Mark?"
Oh. I fell into my old pattern. This isn't an assassination. I'm not a murderer. As good as it would feel now to take a life, I should restrict myself to incapacitating him while we're here. I don't have my trusted poison darts, so I'll have to stick to manual, old-fashioned methods.
"Just a figure of speech," I mutter. "Wait here until I call for you."
Luckily, she's trained to follow orders and doesn't question me. Once we're home, I'll have to teach her to think for herself and occasionally break the rules. It's part of being a cat. We look at the rules and decide whether it's worth following them, but only if it gives us an advantage.
I sneak over to the farmhouse and crouch beneath an open window. A deep snore reaches my ears. That makes it even easier. Instead of squeezing myself through the window, I try the door. It's open. Guess what they say about rural life is true. People really don't lock their doors. It's almost disappointing, but in my current state, I should be grateful.
The house is old and smells of cow. I didn't sense any animals though, besides a coop of chickens, so they must either be grazing far away from here or he sold them. Dust covers most surfaces and the floor is stained with mud. The guy isn't someone who cares for his surroundings.
I tiptoe towards the snoring. His bedroom door is slightly open, giving me a view of the house's owner. He's in his seventies, has a shaggy beard and even shaggier eyebrows, and he's sleeping naked. Without a blanket. Thanks, I didn't need to see that. I've seen my fair share of men's dicks, but this one is a particularly ugly, wrinkly exhibit. I'm glad I didn't take Sophie with me.
He's fast asleep, making it easy for me to sneak up on him. I snatch one of the pillows next to him and press it against his face, making sure his eyes are covered. He struggles, but he's weak and quickly succumbs to the suffocation. I listen to his heartbeat and take off the pillow as soon as it's getting dangerously slow. I don't want him to die. Well, maybe I do, but it's not right.
I find some scarves in his wardrobe and tie him up. A stained handkerchief serves as his gag. Hopefully, his unconsciousness will give way to sleep and he won't even remember what happened. When we leave in the morning, I'll untie him and he'll never knew who spent the night in his house.
Satisfied that he won't be any trouble, I call out for Sophie before exploring the house. I can smell the food in the kitchen, which is a nice bonus, but the true treasure is the phone in the dingy living room. Jackpot.
Without waiting for Sophie, I dial the M.E.O.W. headquarters number.
It rings once, twice, three times, then it finally picks up. I don't think my heart could have made it any longer than that.
"Hello? We're closed."
Lily's voice. My tear ducts are malfunctioning terribly. Has she always sounded this melodic? I could hug and kiss the shit out of her. But that's when Sophie enters the room and I try to keep my cool. She mustn't see me fall apart. I'm going to have to wait with that until later, when I'm alone.
"It's me." I choke out the words, barely able to speak.
"Kat?" She sounds unsure, but I can't blame her with how hoarse my voice is.
"Yes. It's me."
Something shatters in the background. She must have pushed something over. I've not known Lily to be clumsy, but this is a special occasion.
"Is it really you? We weren't sure-"
"We're close to Parseldon. Are you all still in Attenburgh?"
"Parseldon? How the heck did you end up there? And who's we?"
"My sister and I. It's a long story but we need to get away from here as quickly as possible. My geography is rubbish, can you plot us a route to Attenburgh? We've got money but no weapons."
"Yes...sure...I can't believe it's you! Are you alright?"
"Of course I am." I almost snap at her. I don't want her to know how completely not-alright I am.
"I can tell even through the phone that you're lying. But that's okay. For now. We're going to talk about this when you're back home. Let me check the map, I think Gryphon is closest to you. The guys split up a couple of months ago to follow different leads. If we're lucky, he'll still be in Darrwin. Let me make a couple of calls. Are you in a safe place?"
"Yeah, we broke into an old guy's home. We should be okay here for the next couple of hours, but I want to leave at dawn. They'll be looking for us."
Lily sighs. "I have so many questions but I know this isn't the time and place. Let me make a couple of calls and find out who's closest to you. Then I'll draft you a route to meet them. We'll get you back here, don't worry."
"I can't wait," I admit. "It's not been like I imagined a holiday."
She laughs. "Trust me, I have hunted better targets than you. Some days I thought he'd simply killed you and disposed of your body. Cut it up or dissolved it in acid."
"Nope, I'm alive. With a complete body. All arms and legs are still intact."
"Thank goodness. I've got your number on my screen, so I'll call you back as soon as I know more. Even though I want to keep you on here because I still can't believe we're talking to each other."
I quietly agree. It feels surreal. After all the months of isolation, talking to Lily is both bliss and overwhelming.
After I hang up, I just stand there for a moment, lost in thought. Sophie looks at me curiously but doesn't say anything. She seems to understand that I'm not going to talk about it all just now.
Gryphon might be in Darrwin. If I'm not completely mistaken, that's maybe two days away, if we walk and don't find faster transport. If we run or steal some horses...we could meet him tomorrow. Oh my poor, sweet heart. It's about to break from beating too fast. Stop being emotional, Kat. It doesn't suit you.
"I'll look for food," Sophie says and runs off, giving me the chance to do what I've been wanting to for the past few minutes. I sink to the ground and let go of those stupid tears.
Chapter Ten
We use the time waiting for Lily to call back by raiding the pantry and finding some clothes for me to wear. The old guy is a head taller than me and a little larger around the hips, but with a couple of adjustments and a wide belt I manage to make myself a new outfit. It immediately raises my confidence in that we will truly pull this off. I felt vulnerable in that awful dress, but with fabric around my body, it all seems more positive.
Sophie has found a backpack which, surprise, smells like cow. We've stuffed it with canned food and two extra water bottles, and have tied a blanket on top. Who knows if we'll find a house to stay in again tomorrow night. I don't get cold easily, but maybe Sophie does, and even if not, a blanket will make the ground a little more comfortable.
While I'm busy crafting myself some sheathes for the knives the cook gave me as well as a wicked looking axe I discovered in the basement, the phone finally rings. I launch myself at it as if it's prey.
"Lily?"
"No, it's Gryphon."
My heart stops. Ouch. Pull yourself together, Kat. This isn't the time to fall apart.
"Kat? Are you there?"
He sounds hungry. I get that. I crave him so
much that if he was here, I'd pounce and ravish him from top to bottom. In a way that Sophie really shouldn't witness. Heat rises in me; the need to be touched.
"Yes, I'm here." My voice is hoarse and almost brittle.
"Shit, it's so good to hear your voice. When Lily called I thought she was fucking with me. You're back. How?"
"Long story. I'll tell you everything when we meet." No. I won't. I won't burden them with what happened to me. I'll give them the tame, condensed story, minus the torture.
"Lily said you're in Parseldon?"
"Yes, a day's walk from there. We ran all day and now we're holed up at a farm. Where are you?"
"The outskirts of Darrwin. I was going to make my way to Parseldon and then to the capital next. Seems I finally found a reliable trace, but you were faster. I can rent some horses and either ride to your farm or meet you in the middle."
"I don't want to stay here longer than we need to. I'm convinced they're hunting us, so we shouldn't linger. We'll sleep for a couple of hours and then leave."
"Good, head West until you get to the River Burn. No matter where you are just now, you can't miss it, you'll have to cross it on the way to Parseldon. There's a bridge upriver, with an inn on the other side. I'll meet you there."
I'm struggling to get my head around this. We might meet Gryphon tomorrow. In person. Touchable. I'll be able to hug him. Speak to him. Lick him.
Maybe not the last one, especially not in front of Sophie.
My cat purrs deep within me. Gryphon might not be a feline himself, but she's marked him as hers, just like the other two. And that means a lot. I never thought my cat would ever accept a mate, let alone three. She's way too independent and solitary. Well, not anymore.
"I can't wait to see you again," he says softly. "It's been too long."
I swallow hard. My throat is too constricted to reply. All that torture must have messed with my brain. I'm way too emotional. The walls I built around my feelings are almost non-existent. I'm vulnerable and I don't like it.
"See you soon," I croak. "If we can't stay at the inn, we'll leave a message."
"Who's we?"
"My sister and I."
It feels good to say that. Sophie must think the same for she smiles at me, her healthy eye shimmering with joy. She's finally found her real family, not the sirens pretending to be her parents while in fact abusing and brainwashing her. Looking at her makes me realise though that she'll stand out once we are amongst humans. We need to get something to cover that mechanical eye, something that isn't an eyepatch, since that would draw just as much attention on a young girl.
"Your sister. I'm glad you got her out too. What's her name?"
"Sophie. She chose that name, just like she chose the colour purple as her favourite. And she likes rhubarb pie. And she looks just like me when I was her age."
The words blurt out, a rambling mess. I better hang up the phone before my brain erupts through my mouth and I say stuff I shouldn't.
"When will you get to the inn?" I ask.
"Late afternoon, hopefully earlier, depending on how quickly I can procure some horses. Does Sophie need her own one?"
"No, she can ride with me. She's small enough."
"I can ride," Sophie protests. "My mother took me to the stables to teach me."
I smile at her. "Yes, but we'll be faster and safer if we're together. You'll get your chance to show me your riding skills in the future, I promise."
That pacifies her, thank goodness. I'm surprised she likes to ride, though. I hate it and so do the horses. They sense that I'm not human and will instinctively react to having a predator sit on their backs. Still, it's the fastest way to travel besides the train. We could get a cart, but that would be slower and makes escaping away from roads a lot harder. Horses it is. We'll leave the train ride for another time, when we're not being pursued by mutant grunts and their siren masters.
"Two horses then. That shouldn't take too long. Stay safe, Kat, understood? Don't take any risks. I don't want to lose you again, not now that you're so close."
"Don't worry, I don't intend on being caught. We'll stay away from any settlements until we get to that bridge. Save us a seat and some ale, if you get there first. No, make that an apple juice for Sophie. I think she's too young for anything stronger."
She shoots me an insulted look, but there's no way I'm giving her any alcohol. I may not be the most responsible cat, but I do know that children shouldn't have intoxicating food or drinks. Catnip excluded. I'll be sure to introduce her to that once we're back home.
"Stay safe," he repeats before ending the call. I stare at the phone for a moment. My mind is a mess of happiness and worries. With my recent luck, we'll be caught a mile away from that bridge. I might even get to see Gryphon from a distance before they lock me up again. I ball my hands into fists. No, I'm not going to let that happen.
"Gryphon sounds nice," Sophie says with a smile. "I can't wait to meet him."
"If everything goes well, you won't have to wait very long. We better get some sleep so that we can run most of the way tomorrow."
She nods and yawns. It's almost as adorable as a kitten's yawn.
While she curls up on the sofa, I check on the old guy. He's still unconscious but breathing fine, so I leave him to it and join my little sister. Time to sleep and dream of being in Gryphon's arms.
I'm in a white room. No, not a room. It's a white space without walls or a ceiling. Nothing but white as far as the eye can see. I'm immediately aware that this is a dream, but that doesn't make it any less surreal. I'm standing on white but I have no shadow. I can't even tell if the ground is solid or something else entirely.
A faint memory tells me that I've been here before, but the memory feels wrong, like it isn't my own. I lift my hand to my eyes to rub them and touch cold metal. It's not me. I'm Sophie.
Am I in her dream or am I simply dreaming to be her?
A figure appears in the distance. His clothes are simple jeans and a black shirt, but in this desert of white, he's as colourful as a parrot that's fallen into several pots of paint.
He moves with grace; a predator like myself. There are no scents in this world so I have to rely on my eyesight, waiting for him to come close enough to see his features.
When he finally does, I involuntary take a step back. It's the siren. Lord Delaney. Sophie's pretend father. A shiver runs over my back but it's not my own. Sophie is scared. Now I'm sure that she's in this body with me together. I send her some reassuring vibes, hoping that she'll somehow feel them, before turning my attention towards the siren.
He approaches without a care in the world, completely oblivious to the fact that I'm about to pounce and attack.
I have nothing to say to this man. There's no point in talking to him. All I want to do is make him suffer. Hurt him. Destroy him. Claw out his innards and feed them to him. Bite off his cock, rip out his spine. I lick my lips. It's time to put an end to this.
I jump, flying through the air in a perfect arch, shifting in mid-air, but before I can even touch him, I'm repelled by an invisible barrier and flung back. I manage to land on all fours, not as gracefully as I'd wanted but at least I'm immediately ready to try again.
The siren grins wolfishly but doesn't say anything.
Both Sophie's and my own anger combine into fury. We're going to wipe that grin off his face.
Again, we attack, this time from the ground, running straight at him, but again, there's something that stops us from getting to him. This time, we're better prepared and avoid being pushed back.
We roar and swipe at the invisible barrier. It's hard as glass and our sharp claws don't leave a scratch. We hiss in frustration.
"You don't stand a chance against me," the siren says calmly, but his voice is full of menace. "You never did. I made you. I raised you. I tamed you. And as long as you're under my control, you'll never be able to attack me."
"I'm not under your control," we snarl.
"But
you are."
He raises his hand and a bright red light flashes between his fingers. Pain races through our skull, originating in the metal eye. Even in our shifted form, the fake eye stayed. We clutch our head with our paws, howling in pain. Memories tell me that this has happened many times before. It's why Sophie is scared to shift. Every time she did, she was given pain like now. Or worse. Her fear permeates my mind and no matter how much I try to push it back, it's slowly overpowering me.
Through the pain, I realise there's only one way to stop it. I have to get rid of the mechanical eye. I mentally ask Sophie for permission. She hesitates. She's tried it before. She failed. It ended in even more agony. But this time, it's not just her. We're together. Sisters, bound by more than just blood.
She agrees. We fight the pain, slowly moving our paws towards the eye. Extend out claws.
The siren screams together with us as we rip out the eye. Pain like I've never experienced crashes through our skull, burning our mind from the inside. But the eye falls to the white ground, splattering it with blood. It's out.
Warm liquid runs down our face, wetting our fur. We whimper with pain, but it's a different kind of pain now. It's natural. It's our body crying out in agony. It's not created by the siren. And with that knowledge, it's easier to bear. It will pass. We will heal. And then we'll be free.
"That was a mistake," the man hisses. "You're worthless to me now. Before, I would have taken care to capture you alive. You've just earned yourself a bounty on your head. Your dead head."
I want to attack him. I instinctively know that I'd be able to now. The barrier will be gone. But blood is still pouring from my empty eye socket and with it, my strength.
The white space turns red around the edges. I blink in confusion, and when I open my healthy eye, the siren has gone. It's just us now. Bleeding redness all over the white.
Despite the pain, I have to smile.
We're free.
Chapter Eleven
I wake up with a gasp and jump from the armchair I'd been sleeping in. The dream is still vivid in my mind and with it, the worry for Sophie. She's turned away from me, her body curled up in a ball. She looks like she's sleeping, but her heartbeat tells another story.
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