Long after the crowds had finished gasping,long after the stagehands and technical crew had departed,The Leopard Ladies still loitered around the dressing rooms where they chatted about Beth's exposure on the stage.
"I don't believe it,"Tawny complained in her high,preppy voice."Part of the image were our sunglasses and now our whole identities are blown."
Gail tossed an exasperated look."Not ours.But if this turns our shot-lived singing career into a tabloid turnover,we'll know who to give thanks to."
She could feel their glares at her back,as she had this past year.Beth gave a silent groan and yet said casually."Rehearsal at nine tomorrow,all of us."
"We'll have to attend public school now,"Gail informed her as she began out the door."So whatever exclusive,private school you've been going to and keeping a secret even from us won't cut it.Not for either three of us."
"Private schools are just that,'private'."Tawny added as Beth was walking through the door without looking back."And now our privacy is invaded."
They wouldn't know about privacy if it bit them in the rear.
Different sections of lights throughout the huge building began shutting off as she continued out to enter the heavily guarded,back entrance.Bethany was uneducated,illiterate and caught between two very separate worlds.
Part of her world was magical,the other part was now in the last year or so,musical.Most of her life she had been traveling with a nomadic tribe of people who were in fact Werewolves.And she herself,was an arctic one.
The last white-furred one of her bred.When they moved around it was in search of dragons to challenge.Some of the pack members would get a job to supply food and thrift store-type clothing,while the others went out at night to test all dragons they felt were self-appointed rulers over them.
Not over them,of course.Beth smirked slightly as she stepped into the alleyway.No one controlled her pack and to a large degree,Beth either.A time came when Roger,her legal guardian and pack leader,told them they would be traveling to New York in search of the true American Dragon.
He hadn't given the pack a lot of details,but the pack followed him either way.Even she hadn't known and yet she trusted him.That's the way it had always been.She had,however,hinted at a deep motive for wanting to go.
There in broad daylight in Time Square and wearing poor girl clothing she had stood on the side walk.Everyone passed by her like she was just one more nameless face.Then,Beth had opened her mouth to belt out a song.
The shocked looks she'd received at the time were still clearly visible to her mind's eye even as she stepped out into the warm cast of a full moon now a year and a half later.A record deal and a hit song on a first album.
x.x.x
"My sister's alive,"Rose repeated for the hundredth time that night,she felt Jake's concern for her the way he kept looking at her but was still dazed.
"Who knows?"he tried not jumping to conclusions."Maybe this is some parallel universe where your sis Sandra was kidnapped instead of you."
"Beth couldn't have been taken by the Huntsclan,I wished them away and even if the Huntsman had survived to take her he'd still rely on everyone."
"I suppose my wish could only work for one,"Jake tapped his chin.
She smiled at his mentioning this."What could be the absolute worse that could happen with speaking to her?She wouldn't kick out her own twin."
"Now you're talkin'.So..."his eyes moved up to the top of the building in which many rows of moon beam washed windows towered high."Were goin' up to the top floor and into the vents to get into her dressing room?"
"I wish there were a better way,"Rose sighed-many guards were abound.
The resounding effect of a door shutting sent the two teens to the corner of the building,where Beth Bailey stood out on the back steps.Almost in an alleyway setting.Rose began feeling her heart accelerating in her chest.
Though both girls had the same face,Beth had golden hair that was right above her shoulders and streaked with dark blue highlights.She dressed in stylish green sweats opposed to her stage clothing and filled out more.
"It's almost like she wants you to find her."Jake whispered suspiciously.
Immediately,penetratingly,Beth snapped her gaze in their direction and made contact with Rose's eyes.Without a true reason to hide,she willingly came out in full view and into the entirety of the pearl moon glaring down.
"Hi."
The other girl formed a perplexed look onto her face,which started very slowly contorting and stretching.Rose watched as thick,white fur pushed it's way from her assumed sister's skin and a tail arched out from behind.
"Who are you?"she asked bluntly,voice unchanged.Her eyes roamed up Rose from head-to-toe."You look like my clone.I asked you a question!"
A dragon morphed Jake was twitching in the back,the werewolf's tone was as biting as Huntsgirl's but not as tactful sounding."I saw you tonight when that little incident happened and so I thought we could have a talk."
"About what?"Beth tilted her large head tauntingly."Being kin?What bull.I know the dragon behind you there disguised you and put you up to this."
Rose turned,Jake wasn't in the magical creature's sight;She had his scent.
"That's enough."he took to the air and landed between the two."You're suppose to be Beth Bailey,lead singer of the Leopard Ladies.Now you're suddenly a werewolf who knows my girlfriend and is posing as her sister."
Her muzzle curved up even more."First I accuse her of pretending to be me and now a 'dragon' has the gull to accuse me of being the knock-off."
"Jake..."Rose said,disfavoring his approach.
"Jake."Beth echoed thoughtfully."So he isn't the American Dragon,just an average dragon.Pity,we've been in search for him but he's rather elusive."
He didn't deny nor admit it,but coolly shrugged."Yep,a regular lone wolf."
The young werewolf's amusement dropped."You know you're in trouble once my pack leader arrives.He hates dragons..."her midnight blue eyes shifted to Rose."And humans with a passion."She didn't affect either two.
"We don't mean any harm,Beth.All I want is to talk for a moment."
The piercing of a howl brought all three to attention,it's haunting notes that traveled through it were enough to cause Jake to revert back to his usual form and Rose to grasp his hand.It made her experience a sinking feeling.
A completely unsettling one.
"Get back behind the building."Beth advised firmly."He'll rip you apart."
When they stood where they were,she snarled at them fiercely to go back and they complied.Jake pulled at her hand in suggestion that they get lost.
"I'll get the lowdown on all of this tomorrow."he assured."It's late,Rose."
But she held back as a large part of the shadows collected everywhere along the back began shifting and a large black figure stalked forward to greet Bethany.The werewolf stood a few feet taller and was even bigger.
"I hear tonight your performance wasn't at it's peak,"his deep voice came out in a rumble."That a little incident with a pair of sunglasses happened."
She acknowledged her slip-up with a nod."But I'm sure it'll be all right."
"Your whole cover could have been blown!"Roger exploded on her in a split second."The only reason I allowed you to spend your days doing all of this,young girl,was because you promised it could make more money."
"And it has."Beth managed to stand her ground."More then we ever had with all my gigs and we'll make even more with the concert this summer."
Rose narrowed her eyes when the werewolf spat downwards,nearly beside Beth's right paw."I've gotten a lead that the American Dragon may be in a public school,"he moved closer."You're following up on this lead."
"You mean,'every' public school?They'll discover who I am as a human."
They spoke in tones only they could hear;out of human range.
"But not who you truly are,"Roger told her."This will be how you spend all the remainder of your days here until the American Dragon is found."
This clearly meant no more hit songs,sold-out performances,it was gone.
Rose sensed Jake ready to go after him,so she turned his way."Let's go."
The last thing she caught was a glance at Beth staring over her shoulder at Rose,before she leaped onto a closed dumpster and disappeared into the night behind her pack leader.Rose wondered if she'd ever see Beth again.
Chances were very likely.
To be continued...