Page 61 of Riding A Cock-Horse
“I know it looks like some sick experiment—and to some extent,it is—but here in a little bit, this three-headed dog will turn into a baby just like the one that you see over there.”
Everyone turns to stare at Gryffon, who just looks like an innocuous babe. Sian has managed to quiet him down again, and he appears deceivingly harmless.
“If we don't get these three women in medical carenow, they will die just like the other two. They need to have C-sections. We… have no idea what kind of animals are inside them. I’m trusting you with our secret to do the right thing—another human once told me that we could trust you—should trust you. Please tell me that we haven't made the wrong choice.”
With this, I shift into my horny toad. I scramble out of my clothes, and when the human fuzz spots me, more screaming ensues. I quickly shift back into my human form and stand there starkers.
“Now, you know… I realize it's a bit, er, strange, but please help us—their lives depend upon it.”
“Do you all turn into that?” one of the bizzies stammers.
“No,” Elise calls, “I'm a bird, and so is my girlfriend here.”
“I'm an arse as is my cousin,” Jack announces.
“We're all horny toads,” Dageus says, pointing to himself, my da, and my uncle.
“I'm a cockchafer,” Jude admits.
“And I'm a fish. Oh—and that's the Loch Ness Monster!” he adds, hitching a thumb towards Nestor.
“Don't ask him to shift!” I hastily command when one of the cops opens her mouth to ask. “As long as you know that we haven't kidnapped these women, we’re square.”
Jude steps forward to take over.
“Listen, I'm Doctor Webb. If we don't get these women to a medical facility, I can guarantee you they will die.”
At this, the Chef Constable nods.
“I'll call the chopper,” he announces and relief courses through me.
I'm glad that today we've gotten the Ravenglass area's finest, and they’re taking the situation seriously. Only time will tell, though, the impact of humans knowing our secret.
“Belle!” Nestor moans by me, sobbing into his hands.
It's unnerving watching a man of such brute strength cry, but the truth is, we all feel his loss. Belle—she was part of us all, and now that piece is missing. I catch Nestor's eyes.
“We're going to get her back, I promise.”
I don't make this vow lightly. After everything Belle has done for us, wemustdo the same for her. For now, we need to get the three remaining women to safety. My mind can barely process all the horrors they’ve been made to suffer because of the dean.
Injected with some concoction to go into heat.
Raped by my kind.
Forced to give birth to monstrous children—to only then die.
It makes me sick that the dean had so little care for them. These women are nothing but a vessel to bring forth his creation—once they’ve served their purpose, they’re disposable. Our time is limited to get back Belle, but we have something the dean and other Tershes will never expect—human man power.
I can only hope that the humans arereallyon our side.
Fifteen minutes later, the air ambulance lands, and we get the remaining three women loaded. Jude hesitates before declaring that he's going with them—somebody has to perform the surgery and explain.
“I'll go with him,” my uncle offers.
“I will, too,” my da volunteers, and I smile proudly at my kin.
The humans knowing goes against everything we’ve been taught, but my uncle and da are both willing to be ambassadors for our kind.
