Jake kept his eyes straight out on the sidewalk he and his daugther were travelling down together.The Saturday afternoon sun was blazing brightly but did nothing to warm the inner chill of diffidence within him,as some of the scenes from the few days before kept replaying in his mind and made him have second thoughts about letting his daugther go to do her rehersal as lead guitarist in her friend's band.Ususally,she would go without any sort of accompaniment whatsoever,however due to the fact that Jake felt the need to make it up for being continuously harsh with her about something she obviously couldn't have known about,he had agreed to her going only after he got off from his second job which he rotated both around day-by-day.However,she had been behaving very differently the last few days since the day at Central Park,acting quiet and deep in thought opposed to her love-of-life kind of attitude that was uplifting in not sometimes wearying to the person who was with her.
He turned toward her,with her guitar on her back by a single black strap that hung on one shoulder and then went down in front."Huh...you must be really coming along with this band of yours."he commented to her with some effort to start a conversation."And the lead one at that,impressive."
"It's fine."she spoke to him quietly,her cerulean eyes transfixed to a house coming into view."Josh needs work on his solo,though.I'm helping him."
A clever grin crossed Jake's angular features."You and Josh Spudiniski have known one another since you both were very young..."he paused when he detected her agitation and sighed wth waivement."Wendy,this is growing old.If there's something bothering you,why not tell me?"
She paused for a moment,as if summoning up the courage to react and then faced him,her whole demeanor was that of an explosion of emotions that he guessed she had contained now for days."I don't have to tell you anything Dad!You've told me to be home before eight o'clock and to have Josh's Mother drive me.Well,I will."with that,she whirled on her heel and stormed away,her entire body feeling shooken but satisfied and yet she called over her shoulder."I'll...I'll come home before too long Dad."
"Alright,"he called back to her,somehow unphased by her outburst."Bye."
Watching her go,it was always difficult.But with a need for wisdom,Jake glanced around and seeing nobody coming,transformed and took off into the air.He soared just not at top speed but just fast enough to keep the feeling of moving freely as much as he could high.Down several blocks and pass buildings of varying size,Jake finally found the one place he was dreading to see but also knew he needed to be for solacement.Shifting back to normal as he landed in the tombstone-infested lawn,he weaved around them in a haste to make it to the one he wanted to be at.Finally,he came upon it,a lightly gray glassy marble one with a perfectly carved rose at the very top.Jake's heart constringed to his throat but he gave a small smile and placed his hands on top of his head as he took in some of the later day August air,as he began to speak in a normal but unlofty voice.
"Hey,Rose.I guess it's been a while since we've visited."he had use to feel ridiculous talking into the wind but had come to find it relaxing,even if he it made him feel drained upon returning home."You know...it's time to tell Wendy the whole truth.She seems so distracted lately,maybe giving her the whole story is something that needs to be shared.Maybe...it's time she learned about Cole.To know why we haven't gone looking for him yet.I-I guess maybe the next time we run in to them the truth will be out."
The clouds started to roll in overhead,as everything seemed to pick up with a whoosh and Jake could feel a tingling sensation running down his spine.With fleeting thoughts of being under attack,an on guard Jake was about to morph but something cut him short,something inside of him and he thought he could feel his pulse increasing,his mind started to run wild when he saw a small flicker of white light floating just about the stone and as he stared at it for what seemed like an eternity,he thought he could see his daugther's face starting to emerge in it's slowly expanding radiance but his breath caught andhe found himself bracing by clenching his fists together tightly,merely to get a hold of himself as he realized it was Rose.
"Good knight..."he gaped without concealing his bedazzlement."It's you."
Her lips parted with a soft smile."It's good to see you too,Jake,it being so long and all."she awnsered him but she then grew more earnest."Jake,you haven't been considering what I asked you to do thirteen years ago."
"How..."Jake avioded the subject,coming up closer with his hand shakily coming up and his mind unbelieving even if it was accustomed to magic."I can't believe...you're-you're really here.Rose,how can this be?You're..."
"I've always been with you and Wendy.Jake,you've been a great Father for all these years...I'm so proud.But,what about our son?He's still apart of this family and yet you haven't gone for him.I don't understand that."
Jake,incredulous,shook his head."You can't pin that on me,Rose.I have been struggling to make ends meet ever since you left and I couldn't go with a small infant daugther to protect."his whole self went aquiver with a flash of anger."I know you did what you did to save us...but you couldn't have hurt me more,Rose.Sometimes being slain sounds a heck of alot better then suffering and living at the same time.All those nights,Rose,all those nights of wishing you were here.And do you know-do you have anyidea of how horrible it was when you di-when I had to hold my own when in my very arms I had life and death,literally in my arms Rose..."
His head bowed as he tried to control his heavy breathing but his hearing wasn't stifled from hearing her saying,without a hint of resentment in her voice."You're calling me selfish and yes...I knew how much I would be hurting you.But being sorry will get us nowhere Jake.When we had the twins,we vowed to do whatever it took to keep them safe and that's what I did.You could say I threw my life away,I didn't.You have to listen to Wendy...Jake and you have to save Cole.Without knowing the truth,he's going to become a bigger threat then Huntsmaster ever was...remember Jake,I love you and I know you love me...save him."her voice faded into nothing and when he looked she was gone but her words echoed.What about out son...?We vowed to do whatever it took to keep them safe...I love you and I know you love me but save him...save our son.
Later that night...
Wendy absently placed her red electric guitar in her black carrier on the long wooden bench in her friend's garage.Unintentionally ignoring what the others were doing and saying which was putting their things away as well but also whispering about her,as her mind lingered on different ways to getting to her brother.Every spare moment of her free time was being devoted to risky and even far-fetched plans,some weren't too bad but others were just ridiculous.Sighing with the knowingness that Cole would appear on his own time,she turned to face the three with a forced smile that made the corners of her mouth fell tight and slinging it over her back but with her arm in the air backward and leaving it dangling,started to leave into the just crisp early night air,that had a clear but starless sky.
Josh,a tall fourteen-year-old with light brown hair that feel over his eyes inred banks and almost always exuded a laid-back attitude,exchanged concerned looks with the other two band members and raced up to hail Wendy who was half-way out on the driveway."Wendy,I know you and you're Dad don't get along...but maybe instead of my Mom you should just let us walk you home."he straightened up and tried to aviod looking too deeply into her large azureous eyes when she turned to him,as he went on a bit more hesistantly."Uh...just to make sure you're okay."
Wendy stood her ground,swaying her guitar to one side,as she told him coolly."I can take care of myself,Joshua.This crush you have on me is so apparent,they could use you're face as a stop light."she paused when she saw his geniune care for her even though the darkness that had fallen was getting to the point of covering their facesand smiled considerately."I'll be find,Joshy.You happen to be talking to the daugther of the first American Dragon's and the niece of the second's,if anything were to happen I could take them done no sweat...I'm going straight home,okay."
"Please do..."Josh spoke to himself unsurely,watching her semi-short but also captivating image dissipate away into the now hazy night."Becareful."
There wasn't any use for him to have worried over her,she felt perfectly if not too overly secure going about the city at night.Her dragon vision was precise and without obscurity as she moved down the sidewalk with the occasional few cars going by while settled into her unthought about but often undashed confidence and her mind still buzzing with ideas.She was about two blocks from her house,when she came to a stop on one of the corner's and heard a noise above her.Perking a dragon ear upward,she listened more closely...nothing.Taking a breath and releasing,she rounded the curve and continued on,her brain instantly back to her brother.It intrigued her greatly why her father had never told her he was still alive and although she couldn't stay mad because of all he didfor her,she felt a certain devotion to her mission,not only to save her long-lost only sibling but maybe to earn the releasing from being constantly hovered over it seemed.She was now about a quarter down the street,when something was in motion spryly over the tops of the buildings she passed,causing her to cease her consumed thought and pay more alertness to her stalker.
"Oh no,you don't!"
Shifting into her ivory lissom self,she flexed out her long and curvy wings to take flight after the surefooted figure.The night was growing from thin to thick,darkness becoming more substantial,as they engaged in a game of chase.She may have been able to overtake him in this way but for every few seconds she could use to make her move and dive down on top of him,he would change his course off and eventually was darting off from side-to-side.Wendy,who had been caught up in pursuit of who she now assumed was definitely her brother if not a member of the Huntsclan come to spy on her,started to develop the sense of maybe having gone too off course from where she had intended to go on home.Her wall of assuredness was breached and she felt scared that her father would surely be furious now that she had not only not let Josh's mom,Trixie,take her home but that also she was pushing his trust beyond it's limits.Still,her eyes fell to the person who had stopped short of an older townhouse's ledge and back turned,she could make it up to her father by convincing her brother he didn't belong with the Huntsclan.He belonged with them and not to a fate that could hurt everyone,or himself.
"Listen,"Wendy spoke out to him in a civil tone,changing down to normal so she could present the evidence she was keeping with her."I know we got off to a bad start but I have to tell you something..."she waited with an eagerness in the pit of her stomach but with a remarkable amount of paitence,as he had yet to face her."I'm...that is,I found something that I know belongs to you and...believe it or not,I have something similiar.I...I think I'm...uh..."her demeanor wavered."Reign,was it?I know you're true name is Coleton.Would...would you just turn around already?It's difficult enough as it is trying to tell you the truth when you're turned like this."
He finally raised his head up to stare straight out and then after what felt like forever,he snapped on her in a harsh and accusatory tone."You thefty no-good beast!"spinning around on his heel,he charged for her with such a relentless severity,that with inhale he had her down and with the exhale he was pinning her down on her back with his foot on her chest,a bow and an illuminating green arrow poised a half a foot from her neck."I don't know how you found out my real name,cretiness.But you're going to give back what you stole or I'm pierecing you're wind pipes so you'll never breathe again.So if you wantto live just a little longer,hand it over."
Realising he had probably been espialing her but probably wouldn't act until he was certain he was in the clear for getting back his silver pendant in his poccession,Wendy turned on the taunting."You know...if you would ease up and give me a chance to explain,I'd be able to tell you that..."
She gasped abruptly,his heel went into her more and his arrow was only an inch from her neck."There's nothing you can explain to me that'll save you're life,dragon.I could care less it you pass away at my whim,I'll just take down the old American Dragon himself after I complete my goal of eliminating my practice piece...namely you.Now."he told her one more time in a low-toned and dark voice."Tell me where it is or else..."
Wendy let a smirk cross her face."You really want to know what else?"
Cole gritted his teeth and hastefully demanded."Why are you smiling?"
"I'll tell you,"she responded loudly,her declaration purposefully prominent in voice and eyes when she looked up into his glazed with imperativeness to listen to what she had to say."I'm...I'm you're sister,Cole.Were twins."
A/N:Yes,Wendy does have a habit of going in head first and finding herself in unpredictable circumstances and Cole is gives a lot of consideration in his actions but is he cold-hearted enough to slay someone who he is now ambiguous about who she is?Find out soon!
LP