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My heart stops as he leaves the safety of the shadow, then I can’t see him. It’s like he’s ceased to exist.
“Let me down. I want to see where he is.”
“It’s safer if you remain on my back. I can move faster if I don’t have to wait to pick you up.” He squats and holds his arm out to Julie. “You should climb up too.”
She hesitates. “Where?”
“Sit at the front, Joe can hold you on with his tail.”
Oh can I?
Of course I will, but it would’ve been nice to be asked.
She uses his arm, and he helps her get around the front. I loosen my tail so she can side in between my coils and Theo. She peers over his shoulder at me.
I shake my head, not wanting to talk.
She doesn’t heed my warning. “How are your legs feeling?”
“Like legs.” Or at least what I think legs should feel like. It’s just a pity they don’t fucking work. It’s probably not their fault. It’s mine for not being able to get rid of the tail. I can’t do anything properly. I couldn’t pick one type of monster to turn in to, I’m part cat and part snake.
Theo takes a few steps forward.
“What’s going on?” I lift myself higher, using my leg to push up on my own coils. I stop when I can rest my forearms on Theo’s shoulders. Julie’s eyes widen. I reach out a hand and clasp Julie’s. “He’ll be fine.”
“You’re a bad liar,” she counters.
“Shh. Or the others will hear you,” Theo whispers.
How close are those others? And how far away is Michael?
Theo ambles like he’s in no hurry, then he’s climbing.
My gut clenches and I want to be sick. Julie closes her eyes, as though she feels much the same. Theo swings to the side, then reaches out and grabs something.
A monster passes through the shadow before falling below.
I expect Theo to howl with pain, but he continues climbing for a couple more heartbeats before striding along the flat ground.
“Where is Michael?” Julie whispers.
“Not far ahead. I’m pretending to hunt him.”
Julie nods. “As long as it’s only pretend.”
“Oh, I’ve pretend hunted him plenty. The only difference is this time he knows I’m following.”
I clamp my teeth together so I don’t say something I will regret. How many times did this sneaky shadow stalk me and Michael, then imagine eating us? How many times did I sleep while he was drooling about drinking my blood and crunching on my bones?
“No one else will steal my prey.” There’s a glee in his voice that Theo doesn’t hide.
Julie frowns.
“I hope you are right.” And I hope Theo doesn’t forget that it’s pretend.
Theo jumps, and my head smacks into his shoulder as he lands. Pain blooms in my cheekbone. A curse forms on my lips, but before I can speak, he drops to one knee. “Down.”
I start to uncoil, and Julie slides down. She does it much more gracefully than me. My legs don’t want to hold my weight and my balance is off. I almost land flat on my back, but twist and catch myself on my hand instead.
